Safely and calmly evacuating over 3600 people, the size of a city, at various times of the school day is no easy task. My staff and I train for these emergencies and do what’s best for students. A heartfelt thank you to our Montgomery County police partners, school security team, school leaders, and staff for their leadership and efforts during these crises. Their swift actions and dedication to the ongoing safety of our students and school community have been truly commendable.

As we move forward, I encourage you to continue being vigilant and proactive in maintaining a safe and secure environment. If you see something, say something. If you have any concerns or ideas regarding safety measures, please do not hesitate to share them with the administration and security staff. Your recommendations are invaluable, and together we can ensure that our school remains a safe and nurturing environment for academic achievement, social-emotional growth, and extracurricular involvement.

We have had a busy first quarter of school. It’s been great to see students, staff, and guests engaging in classrooms, special events, athletics, and many school activities. Staff and students showed their school spirit on Costume Day this year and we’ve hosted many guest speakers, see the photos below.

We have completed the first marking period and report cards will be distributed on Thursday, November 9. Please check your teens' grades and celebrate their achievements or meet with your teen's counselor to collaborate on a plan for improvement. To schedule a meeting with your teen’s counselor call, 240-740-7220, or visit the counseling department website, https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/mbhs-schoolcounseling-team/home.

Finally, I want to THANK our staff, coaches, and many parent volunteers who work at our school and weekend events and advocate for more resources for our school. I truly appreciate your support.

Have a joyous Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends.

Renay Johnson

Proud Principal

In honor of Veteran's Day, we celebrate our Staff Veterans and thank them for their services to our country and school.

Dr. John Davis, Air Force, Science Teacher

Mr. Kevin Moose, Army, Social Studies Teacher

Mr. Raymond Moreno, Army, Special Education Paraeducator

Mr. Kirk Simms, Army, School Counselor

Ms. Tracy Pettis-Jones, Army, Assistant Principal

Mr. Donald Wharton, Army, Technology Education Teacher

Parents: Have you been receiving our school communications via Remind? Check out the quick guide for how to set up and use the app.

English

Spanish

For questions, please contact Mr. Bernstein, assistant principal, aaron_m_bernstein@mcpsmd.org.

In order to ensure a safe, productive, and positive learning environment, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) publishes these handbooks to help students, parents/guardians, and staff understand the Montgomery County Board of Education's core values and commitments; students' rights; school rules; expectations for student conduct; and the possible consequences for violating the rules. If you have questions, please speak to the administration at your school. If you have comments about any of these publications, please send them in writing to the MCPS Department of Communications at pio@mcpsmd.org.

• Student Rights and Responsibilities,
• Student Code of Conduct,
• Guidelines for Respecting Religious Diversity in MCPS, and
• Guidelines for Student Gender Identity

Quarter 1: November 9, 2023 ✅

Quarter 2: February 5, 2024

Quarter 3: April 18, 2024

Quarter 4: June 24, 2024

Interims and mid-quarter progress reports will be available on ParentVue and StudentVue.

The school counseling department just ended an exciting Mental Health Awareness Week (October 31 - November 3) and we look forward to sharing those moments with the community! A recording of our parent mental health discussion, "Teen Mental Health: Ways to Support Your Teen" with Ms. Callaghan can be found on our website. Please check out our November Newsletter as we highlight application-based opportunities for 9th and 10th graders, along with providing SSL opportunities. You can also find our College Career Information Coordinator Ms. Delos Reyes' November Newsletter with workshop opportunities for all grade levels.

Links Embedded Above:

Event Recordings/Schedules: https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/mbhs-schoolcounseling-team/home/mbhs-school-counseling-team/school-counseling-calendar-events?authuser=0

Counseling Department Newsletter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1h261Czp2PHsEm3R9aZHsjT4G5bisljdC/view?usp=sharing

CCIC Newsletter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jHkD-JbeRO-EgP5Wxk4_2ZKU0Sonq4tJ/view?usp=sharing

Thanks!!

Mrs. Makeyda Soriano, NCC (she/her)

Resource School Counselor
Montgomery Blair High School

Phone: 240-740-7220

School Counseling Website: https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/mbhs-schoolcounseling-team/home

The FINAL deadline to register for AP Exams is November 15. This is also the deadline to cancel an existing exam registration. (Exceptions: Microeconomics, Physics C: E&M, Statistics)

This year, MCPS will be paying for all registration fees, late fees, and cancellation fees for all students ENROLLED IN the corresponding AP course at their school. If they are not enrolled in the corresponding AP course, or the school does not offer the AP course, the student will be responsible for paying the full price to take the exam ($102/exam). All students taking an exam will be charged $10 to cover other testing costs.

Payment Options:

• Students will receive an e-mail detailing what they owe for AP exams after registration ends. Online payment links will be included. Students will also be able to pay with cash or check made out to “MBHS.”

Thank you!

Leslie Blaha

Staff Development Teacher, Testing Coordinator

Montgomery Blair High School | 51 University Blvd East | Silver Spring, MD 20901-2451

office: 240.740.7261 | email: Leslie_V_Blaha@mcpsmd.org

Joining the Montgomery Blair High School Parent Teacher Student Association (Blair HS PTSA) is one of the best ways to get connected and support the Blair community.

Please see information about the PTSA and join here: https://blairptsa.org/join/

Please see our listservs here: https://blairptsa.org/listserves/

Mark your calendars for our PTSA meeting dates at 7:00 PM:

Below are the dates for our PTSA membership meetings:

• WEDNESDAY, November 15, 2023
• Tuesday, January 16, 2024
• Tuesday, February 20, 2024
• Tuesday, April 16, 2024
• Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Our November meeting will be by Zoom with the following topics:

PTSA Business & Committee Reports

Understanding the High School Report Card

NEW AP African American Course

School Safety & Security

Topic: General PTSA Meeting, Wednesday, November 15, 7:00 p.m.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://mcpsmd.zoom.us/j/89219565825?pwd=TGhQd2ZydzhqSjFlQWxBUWt5WFhRZz09

Meeting ID: 892 1956 5825

Passcode: BLAIRPTSA

National Honor Society (NHS) is an organization that recognizes students that exemplify its 4 pillars of Service, Leadership, Character, and Scholarship. Blair would like to encourage any Juniors and Seniors interested in becoming a part of NHS to apply. You can get more information and apply by November 7th using the following handout linked here. Please email Larissa_J_Prentice@mcpsmd.org with any questions.

We are happy to welcome our Saturday School community members and families back to our building after more than a year of remote learning! This month we re-launched our traditional, in-person 1st through 12th-grade academic support (including Pre-K) classes -- building on an over 30-year tradition. Through this county-wide program, we strive to ensure every student believes they can achieve and has the tools to maximize their potential. SAT/ACT prep classes are also available at our site, in addition to general tutoring in the core subjects, for high school students. Please register online at www.saturdayschool.org.

Rahman A. Culver, M.P.A. (he/him) What’s this?

George B. Thomas Learning Academy Center Director
Montgomery Blair High School
51 University Blvd. East, Suite 340
Silver Spring, MD 20901

(240) 621-2760
rahman.a.culver@mcpsmd.net
www.mbhs.edu
https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/blazing-toward-equity-mbhs

Twitter: @mrculverteaches
Instagram: www.instagram.com/mrculverteaches
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mrculverteaches

Explore Montgomery Blair High School's equity journey!

Register now for the 2022-23 year of the George B. Thomas Learning Academy Saturday School Program!

Our last scheduled day for Senior Photos is less than one month away! If you have not yet taken your senior portraits, or wish to “re-take” previously taken photos, please be sure to sign up as soon as possible. You can do so by using this link: https://seniors.legacystudios.com/montgomery-blair-hs-silverspring-md/

This year’s fall production is a ‘new’ Shakespeare play – a mash-up of two of his most popular titles: Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra. Following the fortunes of ancient Rome from the assassination of Julius Caesar to the reign of the Emperor Augustus, this epic tale features many of classical history’s most famous names: Brutus, Cassius, Mark Antony and, of course, one of Shakespeare’s greatest women, the brilliant and fascinating Cleopatra.

Performed on Blair’s intimate ‘Black Box’ stage with a set and costumes that vividly represent everywhere from the crowded streets of Rome to the battlefields of Greece and the palaces of ancient Egypt, Caesar and Cleopatra will offer great opportunities for Blair’s talented cast and crew to display their talents.

Purchase your ticket here: https://gofan.co/event/1208412?schoolId=MD24810

Performances: November 9 - 18

If you or someone you know needs resources and seasonal items, please refer them to Kindness Corner at Blair High School. Together, we provide resources and supplies to our students and families, through Kindness Corner and county and federal resources.

Please visit the resources page at https://blairpcc.weebly.com/

Kindness Corner at Blair is grateful to many for their generous contributions and we continue to collect gift cards and other items through the Kindness Corner registry.

Please contact Faye Nabavian with any questions.

Cell: 240-506-8576

Email: farzaneh_nabavian@mcpsmd.org

We receive many calls and visits from parents looking for their teens after school. Here are a few safety tips for parents:

1. Speak with your teen about their after-school plans. School dismisses at 2:30 p.m. for students who have 8 class periods, and 3:20 p.m. for students with 9 class periods. After school, students must be under the direct supervision of a staff member or participating in a school-sponsored activity to remain in the building.

2. Make sure your teen has their cell phone charged and turned on after school and is checking phone messages.

3. Cell phones have a locator function, have your teen turn it on so that you can know their location.

4. Students without cell phones, can come to the main office to call their family or ask a staff member for assistance. Our main office is open until 3:50 p.m. daily.

Montgomery Blair High School in partnership with Montgomery County Recreation Department offers a FREE after-school recreation program, Monday - Friday • 2:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., in Blair's cafeteria. The program has begun, but students can still register for the program and attend on the same day. This program is open to all students. In addition, free dinner is available for students.

Regeneron Science Talent Search is the oldest STEM competition in the nation where thousands of high school seniors can submit their original research for a chance to win funding for themselves and their schools.

To enter, students must fill out an online application that consists of essays, questions about students and their research, recommendations from teachers and mentors, and more, including the submission of an original research paper.

Applications are due by Wednesday, November 8, 2023.

The top 300 scholars will receive $2,000 each for themselves and their schools to fund research in their communities. Forty finalists will receive a minimum of $25,000 and a paid finals week experience in D.C.

Those looking for more information about the program can find it here.

ParentVUE: If you do not receive log-in information for your teen, please contact Ms. Maria Tanos, Latino Achievement Coordinator, Maria_E_Tanos@mcpsmd.org, or Ms. Andrea Lamphier, Media Specialist, Andrea_Lamphier@mcpsmd.org.

Scheduling, Transcript, Social Emotional Wellness Questions, Contact Your Teen's Counselor

School Counseling Department:

https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/mbhs-schoolcounseling-team/home/mbhs-school-counseling-team

All Things College and Career: Contact Jazmine Delos Reyes, College and Career Coordinator. jazminechareez_g_delosreyes@mcpsmd.org

https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/mbhscollegecareercenter/home?authuser=0

MyMCPS/Synergy Parent Portal Staff Liaison: Maria Tanos, Maria_E_Tanos@mcpsmd.org

Social Worker: Emily Callaghan, Emily_P_Callaghan@mcpsmd.org

Health Room: Full-Time School Nurse: Anisa Harris, Anisa_Harris@mcpsmd.org

Health Room Tech: Angela Romero, Angela_Romero@mcpsmd.org

Principal's Administrative Secretary, Ms. Eileen Heiss, Eileen_F_Heiss@mcpsmd.org

Attendance Office: Roxanne Fus, Roxanne_F_Fus@mcpsmd.org

Blair Security Office: Adrian Kelly, Security Team Leader, Adrian_D_Kelly@mcpsmd.org

Financial Specialist: Donna Franklin, Donna_M_Franklin@mcpsmd.org

Parent Community Coordinator: Faye Nabavian, Farzaneh_Nabavian@mcpsmd.org

https://blairpcc.weebly.com/

Pupil Personnel Worker: Tee Clark, Tee_Clark@mcpsmd.org

MBHS ADMINISTRATION:

Renay Johnson: Principal, Renay_C_Johnson@mcpsmd.org

Adriana Burgos-Ojeda: Grade 12, Administrator, Adriana_Burgos-Ojeda@mcpsmd.org

Rahman Culver: Grade 11, Administrator, Rahman_A_Culver@mcpsmd.org

Aaron Bernstein: Grade 10, Administrator, A-L, Aaron_M_Bernstein@mcpsmd.org

Ramona Washington, Grade 10, Administrator, M-Z, Ramona_L_Washington@mcpsmd.org

Tracy Pettis-Jones: Grade 9, Administrator, A-L, Tracy_Pettis-Jones@mcpsmd.org

Brenda Barrera Mercado, Grade 9, Administrator, M-Z, Brenda_A_BarreraMercado@mcpsmd.org

Peter Ostrander: Magnet Program, Peter_M_Ostrander@mcpsmd.org

Andrew Fields: School Business Administrator, Andrew_S_Fields@mcpsmd.org