SHADY GROVE MATTERS WEEKLY UPDATE
January 21, 2024
THE ADMINISTRATOR'S CORNER
Greetings Shady Grove families! This Friday is the last day of Quarter 2. Please encourage your students to check their grades often this week and turn in any work in order to finish strong. Students are expected to be on time for each class period throughout the day. All students should have registered for their courses for next year. If your students was absent or missed the registration process for any reason, counselors will be following up with them in the coming weeks. To emphasize safety and accountability, students are encouraged to be on time to every class, every day. To support this effort, SGMS will hold a Safety Hall Sweep this Wednesday, January 24. Administration will make an announcement in the morning informing everyone that a Safety Hall Sweep will occur. Any students who are late to the randomly chosen period on Wednesday will be assigned an after-school reflection detention for Thursday, January 25 from 3-4pm, and the students’ parent/caregiver will be notified why they received an after-school detention and logistical information. We thank you for your support to ensure students are accounted for and present for learning. We hope you have a splendid week.
~Ms. Cooper
JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2024
January Upcoming Events:
Friday, January 26th - End of Quarter 2
Saturday, January 27th - International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Monday, January 29th - Grading & Planning Day (No School for Students)
Tuesday, January 30th & 31st - 7th Grade Finance Park Field Trip
February Upcoming Events:
Black History Month
Friday, February 5th - Quarter 2 Grades Available in ParentVue & Report Card Distribution
Friday, February 9th - Valentine's Day Dance (3:00 pm - 4:15 pm)
Friday, February 16th - Pep Rally
Monday, February 19th - Holiday (School System Closed)
WIDA ACCESS Testing
Starting this week on Tuesday, January 23rd through Thursday, February 1st, Shady Grove Middle School will administer the WIDA ACCESS test for all students receiving or eligible for English Language Development services formally known as ESOL. Students who are testing will do so during Periods 1 & 2 during this testing window. Students who are testing will receive their testing information including location on Monday, January 24th. If your child is testing, please remind them to be well rested, and to charge their chromebooks each night. If you have any questions, please contact, Ms. Merino.
SCHOOL YEAR 2024-2025 ARTICULATION AND REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Greetings Shady Grove Families,
During the month of January, all students will be learning about available electives and participating in course registration for the 2024-2025 School Year.
Rising 7th and 8th Graders
- Students will view a pre-recorded video by counselors on the registration process and available electives during Homeroom on Friday, January 12.
- Counselors will be visiting Science classrooms the week of January 16 to assist students in selecting their electives.
Rising 9th Graders
Magruder High School will be hosting the Rising 9th grade Registration Information Session for Parents/Caregivers on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, at 6:30pm. Please attend to meet the staff and hear information about classes, the registration process, and more about what to expect in high school. The PEAC Scholars Info meeting will be held the same night from 6-6:30pm. Flyer link: https://www.canva.com/design/DAF3uHv0Q0U/vdv6nfOjja07wZTNmaMztA/view?utm_content=DAF3uHv0Q0U&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=editor
- Magruder High School counselors and elective teachers will be visiting SGMS during an extended Homeroom period block on 1/23/24 to present an introduction to high school life and give an overview of available elective options.
- Magruder HS counselors will then return to SGMS on 1/18/24 during Homeroom to assist students to register for their classes.
Please view the SGMS Online Course Bulletin to find out more information about available classes and more! You or your student can reach out to your student’s grade level counselor if you have any questions.
Shady Grove Middle School Course Bulletin 2024-2025
https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/sgms-course-bulletin-2024-2025/home
The SGMS Spring Musical is Back!!
The SGMS Spring Musical is back! This year's performances of High School Musical Jr. are scheduled for May 17th and 18th. Students interested in auditioning for a role should complete an audition packet and submit to Mrs. Rahmati no later than January 23rd. Students can pick up an audition packet in the cafeteria during lunch or in Mrs. Rahmati's classroom (D-229). The first audition workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, January 23rd. More detailed information about the full audition, casting and rehearsal process is noted in the audition packet. Questions may be directed to Mrs. Rahmati at julie_a_rahmati@mcpsmd.org.
STUDENT ATTENDANCE
Greetings Parents and Caregivers,
In alignment with the Well-Being and Family Engagement and professional and Operational Excellence pillars of MCPS Strategic Plan and MCPS Regulation JEA-RA Student Attendance, each classroom teacher is responsible for recording accurate attendance for all students. The period attendance calculations and guidance in will fully go into effect beginning Tuesday, January 30, 2024, the first day of the second semester. The guidance is as following:
If a student is:
Present at the time the bell rings- The Attendance will be recorded as PRESENT.
Late for up to 50% of the scheduled class period- The attendance will be recorded as TARDY, either Tardy Excused (TE) or Tardy Unexcused (TU).
Absent for 50% or more of the scheduled class- The attendance will be recorded as ABSENT.
Classroom teachers have been instructed they can begin using this guidance right away. This means that if a student misses more than 50% of a class because they are out of the building or in a different location such as in the main office or counseling office, and return to class late, the default will be to mark them absent from the entire period. Administration will work with teachers and parents/caregivers on any potential exceptions, case by case. Thank you for your support.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED - 7TH GRADE FIELD TRIP
Dear families of a 7th grade student at Shady Grove Middle School:
Our 7th graders will attend Finance Park at Edison High School in Silver Spring, MD on January 31, 2024. We are in need of at least 18 volunteers to join us on this field trip. If you choose to volunteer, you will go to Edison High School at 8am to attend a training in order to help run the simulation for our school that day. Students will arrive at 9am and then take a tour of Edison and then they will join you in the Junior Achievement Finance Park wing of Edison High School. The simulation is to prepare students by teaching financial literacy, you know, paying bills, buying a car and groceries. We would love to have you help us "run" a storefront and help teach our students about the importance of financial literacy and responsibility. This is a great opportunity to interact with our school community, meet your child's friends, and help teach an important message to our students. If you are interested, please complete the instructions located in the Google Drive document here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TMtNN8dRZO5oFwHNbmcF88THYSrcBkmB/view
Email Vassiliki_A_Key@mcpsmd.org for more questions or information.
16TH ANNUAL HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES (HBCU) COLLEGE FAIR
8th Grade Families:
16TH ANNUAL HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES (HBCU) COLLEGE FAIR
FEBRUARY 16, 2024
This free in-person event at The Universities at Shady Grove will provide students in Grades 8–12 an opportunity to meet representatives from more than 50 HBCUs. Representatives will share information and answer questions from students and parents about admissions, financial aid, testing, majors and much more. The event will also feature a college preparation workshop for middle school students and parents, a discussion on college life, FAFSA completion assistance, scholarship information and more.
Registration will open on January 19, 2024. All students and parents/guardians must register to attend. Students may earn 3 SSL hours for attending at least 2 workshop sessions during the fair and completing an SSL Google Form that will be provided to participants after the event.
Students and parents, registration and learn more information here:
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/familysupport/hbcu/
Invitation to Montgomery College's Sonya Kovalevsky Winter 2024 Cohort Program
Dates: Saturdays February 10, 17, and 24, 2024
Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: ROCKVILLE CAMPUS - Montgomery College
Spaces available: 24 (The spaces will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis.)
The program is open to all Montgomery County 6th grade students. Those who already participated in the Fall SK Day are not eligible. The programming for the three Saturdays is different and in series. The selected students must be present for all three Saturdays!
For more information and to register, please click the link:
https://forms.gle/gK1cNNUjqwjFaivTA
This will take you directly to our google docs registration form. After the first 24 spots have been filled, additional registrants will be waitlisted. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us: skprogram@montgomerycollege.edu
We look forward to seeing students from your schools at our SK Program Winter Cohort 2024!
VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION PLAN (CODE PURPLE)
Virtual Instruction Information (Code Purple)
Good morning, Parents/ Guardians:
In case there is inclement weather MCPS may assign a Code Purple and we will implement Virtual Instruction Plan from 9:50 am to 3:00 pm on those days. To assist you in planning and accessing the classroom on a CODE PURPLE Day, I am sharing the following information:
Students should have their Chromebooks charged.
First, to start the day students should log in to their first period Canvas course by 9:50am to access coursework and the Zoom link for live instruction.
Next, they will follow the bell schedule below, again using Canvas to access course materials and Zoom links.
If your student cannot access Canvas or Zoom, please email or use Remind to let their teacher know they are having technical issues.
We have also provided for you this document which will provide guidance on how to access the myMCPS Classroom (Canvas), Zoom, Chromebook troubleshooting guide, Support Available.
Shady Grove Middle School is ready to support you and your family during this time. We will have staff members available to assist with technology support as well as working with the students during the instructional day. Please feel free to email Dr. Murray (Gr 6) at Alana_D_Murray@mcpsmd.org, Ms. Cooper (Gr. 7) at Jennifer_K_Cooper@mcpsmd.org, or Ms. Merino (Gr 8) at Elizabeth_J_Merino@mpsmd.org for support and they will be able to assist you personally or direct your question to an expert.
MCPS COMMUNICATION
Dear MCPS Families,
Here are things to know. Get information about how weather decisions are made, how you can share your thoughts about school breakfast and lunch menus, a bus tracking app, upcoming district events, good news this week, and learn more about the SSL hours graduation requirement in this week's episode of To the Point!
GOOD INFORMATION TO KNOW
7:50 am - Building Opens to Students
7:50 - 8:10 am - Breakfast Available
8:15 am - Class Starts
3:00 pm - Dismissal
Shady Grove Middle School
Principal: Dr. Alana Murray
Asst. Principal: Ms. Jennifer Cooper
Asst. Principal: Ms. Elizabeth Merino
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/shadygrovems/
Location: 8100 Midcounty Highway Gaithersburg, MD 20877
Phone: 240-740-1440