SVHS Green and Gold
Community Edition - December 11, 2022
How to Translate this Newsletter - Cómo traducir este boletín
Video Summary from Dr. Cohen
SVHS CUSTOMER SERVICE FEEDBACK
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! We'd love to get feedback from you regarding your experience in our school. We aim to please you 100% of the time. However, if we fall short, we'd like to know so that we can improve. We will use the feedback you provide to celebrate the successes of our staff and/or identify areas of growth. Please consider completing a brief survey to provide us with your valuable feedback.
Click here to complete our brief survey.
Upcoming Events
- Winter Choral Concert - Dec. 15
- Wellness Center Family Fun Night - Dec. 20
- PTSA Meeting - Dec. 20
- Winter Concert Assembly - Dec. 22
- Winter Break – Dec. 23 - Return to school on Jan. 3
Registration Information Night – Jan. 5
- MCAP Government Assessment – Jan. 5 with Make Ups on January 6
- MCAP LS-MISA Assessment – Jan. 9 with Make Ups on Jan. 10
- MCAP ELA Assessment – Jan. 17 and 18 with Make Ups on Jan. 19 and 20
IB Students of the Month - November
Click here to be taken to a slide show celebrating out November IB Language Acquisition Program Students of the Month.
These images will also be displayed throughout the school on our digital bulletin boards.
This Week's Notes from the SVHS College & Career Center
Seniors - Colleges Admissions Results
Remember to keep track of college admissions results and scholarship offers in Naviance! Once you hear back from colleges via email or letter, please record your results. You can also share this info with me and I can help with input. MCPS asks us to track this information every year.
How to update admission decisions/results in Naviance (video instructions)
If you were accepted and offered a merit scholarship, congratulations! Here is how to add your offered scholarship in Naviance (video instructions)
Note: Under $ Awarded, enter the amount. If you see that your award is renewable, please multiply the amount by four (for four years of college).
Attention Seniors - Applying to Colleges!
Please review the SVHS College Application Process document and use this as a guide for applying to colleges. If you add any colleges to your list of applications, please reach out to your counselor to let them know. We want to make sure all information is submitted correctly and on time.
If you plan on applying to or have applied to Montgomery College, please also add MC to your list of schools in Naviance. This helps me and counselors keep track of where students are applying in case they need assistance. Thank you!
Curious or want to learn more about a particular college? Click this link to see where some of our SVHS staff members attended. They have volunteered to speak with students about their school and experience!
Financial Aid - FAFSA, MDCAPA or MSFAA
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), MDCAPS (Maryland College Aid Processing System), OR MSFAA (Maryland State Financial Aid Application)
Click here for more information and instructions
Upcoming Scholarships
December 15* - BURGER KING Scholars Program - multiple awards ranging from $1,000-$50,000; senior; min 2.5 GPA; must enroll at a school full-time next Fall; recipients are selected based on their grade point average, work experience, extracurricular activities and/or community service.
*Scholarship closes on December 15 or when 50,000 applications are submitted, whichever occurs first.
December 16* - Equitable Excellence Scholarship - (or until 10,000 applications are submitted) 100-$5,000 annual awards (renewable up to for four years) & 100 one-time $2,500 awards; senior; U.S. citizen or legal resident living or claiming residency in one of the 50 U.S. states, District of Columbia or Puerto Rico; enroll full-time in an accredited two- or four-year college or university in the U.S.; essay; demonstrate ambition and self-drive to be a force for good in school, community or work activities; willing to provide a release to publicize their identities and other information.
*Deadline to apply is December 16 or until 10,000 applications are submitted, whichever occurs first.
December 16 - Damascus Post 171 High School Oratorical Contest - awards ranging from $300 - $1,000 (local contest) to $30,500 at the National contest; U.S. citizen or a permanent resident; 9-12 grade; registration form for the Post 171 contest needs to be completed by December 16th, 2022; the contest will be held at 10 AM on Saturday, January 14th, 2023, at the Damascus American Legion Post 171 (10201 Lewis Drive in Damascus, Maryland); see link for details; click here for rules.
December 31 - Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship - $1,000; 9-12 grade; legal U.S. resident; submit a 250 word essay; feel free to use something you have already written! Easy!!!
December 31 - Around the Corner from College Scholarship - 1-$1,000 award; open to current high school students (9-12 grade); US citizen, permanent resident, or with DACA status; must be planning to attend a college or university in the US; create a personalized checklist that you can use (max 10 items) to help you best prepare for college.
December 31 - NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund Youth Essay Contest - 1st-$1,000, 2nd-$600, 3rd-$200, & 4th-$100 awards; ALL students, K-12; 1,000 word essay: "What Does the 2nd Amendment Mean to You?"
December 31 - Navy NROTC Scholarship - $180,000 towards a four-year institution's tuition and expenses; senior; minimum combined SAT score of 1100 (minimum of 540 in Math and 550 in Evidenced Based Reading and Writing); minimum combined ACT score of 44 (minimum of 21 in Math and 22 in English); valid Test Dates for the 2022 Scholarship Year are Dec 2018 to Dec 2022; must be a citizen of the United States or in process of obtaining citizenship; no criminal record of military or civilian offenses; no previous drug use; application instructions and checklist; long application, start early!!
Click here to see the SVHS Scholarships Page for more opportunities.
College & Career Representative Visits
Next week’s visits:
U.S. Air Force Recruiter - Lunch Visit* - Wed December 14 @ 11:34 AM - 12:14 PM
*No registration in Naviance needed. Stop by the cafeteria anytime during lunch to learn more about the military or the U.S. Air Force.
Montgomery College - Lunch Visit* - Fri December 16 @ 11:15 AM - 11:50 AM
*No registration in Naviance needed. Stop by the cafeteria anytime during lunch to learn more about Montgomery College.
Montgomery Scholars Program Virtual Info Sessions / Q&A
John Wang, Director of the Montgomery Scholars Program at Montgomery College, will be hosting three sessions in December to go over the program and application process. He will also answer any questions students may have.
The last session will take place on Tuesday, 12/13/2022, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Click here for more information and zoom links for each session
HBCU Pathways Program (2022 - 2023)
Students in grades 9 -12 are invited to participate in the 2022 - 2023 HBCU Pathways Program to learn more about post-secondary educational choices, prepare for college transition and explore career options.
Applications are currently being accepted through December 31, 2022.
Interested? Click here for more information to apply.
Contact director@pathways2x.org with questions.
SVHS College & Career Monthly Newsletter - December-January, 2022-23
IB’ in the Classroom:
Congratulations:
A HUGE congratulations to Sena Forson, a senior full IB Diploma candidate that has been selected as a Questbridge Scholar. She will attend Swarthmore College with a full four-year scholarship worth over $200,000 that will cover tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and travel expenses. #SVProud
IB Alumni:
We are very excited to welcome the IB Diploma Program and IB Career-related Alumni from the past three years on Thursday, December 22nd during 7th period. If you are currently in 9th or 10th grade and would like to attend, please complete this form.
IB Fees:
Please remind students to log on to School Cash at https://www.schoolcashonline.com/ to pay their IB fees. If you have any questions, please email Ms. Ezerski, the IB/DP Coordinator at Natasha_L_Ezerski@mcpsd.org or stop by her office, Room 3510.
Resources for IB Info Night:
We had a great turn out at the IB Information Night on Tuesday, 12/7. Please find links to the resources provided that evening:
Think Big:
The Think Big Experience #3 was a huge success. Samantha Snyder and Ximena Medellin Sanchez, presented their MYP Personal Project ideas to our artist, Mr. Sherman, and their peers for feedback. We are so proud of them representing SVHS and showing what a IB Learner Profile Risk-Taker looks like! They did an AMAZING job!
LIBRARY MEDIA NEWS: MoComCon Contest Deadline 12/14!
Creativity Contests
MoComCon, a celebration of comics, graphic novels, and fandoms, is coming back to the Germantown Library on January 14, 2023. Students are invited to enter MoComCon art and essay contests between now and December 14th, and a cosplay contest on the day of the event. For more information and contest entry forms, click HERE.
High school students from across the Washington Metropolitan Area are invited to submit poems to the Gaithersburg Book Festival Poetry Contest. Entries must be no longer than one page, single spaced, 12-point Times New Roman and are due by February 23, 2023. Download contest rules HERE.
NEW: The Keeping It Safe (KIS) Coalition invites teams of two or more students to create and submit 30-second videos on one of three topics related to the risks and dangers of underage drinking. There is an information session on January 19th, and entries are due by March 31, 2023. Click HERE for more information and contest rules.
Book Club Updates & Reading Promotions
Our next Book Club meeting will take place on Tuesday, December 20th, during lunch in the Library Media Center. We will continue our discussion about the book Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angelie Boulley. On January 17th, we’ll be discussing Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. This will be a great Winter Break read!
Remember that it’s never too late to join our Book Club and participate! Students may access books in ebook and audiobook format in Sora, our online reading app/platform. Directions for accessing Sora are available in the myMCPS Classroom Virtual LMC. A few print copies are also available to borrow. Please stop by the LMC or email Ms. Little for more information.
Our “Celebrate Celebrations” holiday book display is back! Come check it out along with our “Winter Romances” and “Cold Cases & Mysteries” book promotions! ❄️️
Click the image below for this week's athletics updates.
Testing
Dear Seneca Valley High School Community,
The Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) provides information to educators, parents and the public on student progress towards proficiency on the Maryland state content standards. Through a strong assessment system, stakeholders gain an understanding of how schools are performing and where assistance can be directed to support student growth and achievement.
For high school students, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires that states administer annual statewide assessments to all students in Math (Algebra 1), English Languages Arts (Grade 10), Science (Biology - MISA) and Social Studies (Government). Maryland also provides Alternate Assessments written to the Alternate Standards for those students who require this accommodation. Most assessments are a combination of Selected Response (multiple choice), Constructed Response (written response) and Technology Enhanced (drag and drop) test items.
Seniors who need to complete MCAP testing will be assigned during the Fall/Winter testing administration. We will test for the following:
- MCAP-Math - December 6, 2022 with Make Ups on December 9.
- MCAP Government – January 5, 2023 with Make Ups on January 6.
- MCAP LS-MISA – January 9, 2023 with Make Ups on January 10.
- MCAP ELA – January 17 and 18, 2023 with Make Ups on January 19 and 20.
Students testing will be excused from classes on those specific day(s) and attendance will be reported to the attendance secretary daily.
Students testing will receive emails to their mcpsmd.net accounts with their testing locations prior to the testing day. Students testing should bring a charged Chromebook, charger, and pencils (not mechanical).
If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Kisheena Wanzer or Dr. Michael Kim. Thank you!
Kisheena Wanzer
Assistant Principal
Seneca Valley High School
SAVE-THE-DATE! Registration Information Night
SAVE-THE-DATE! Registration Information Night
Thursday, January 5, 2023 In the Seneca Valley High School auditorium
Please join the Seneca Valley Counseling Services Department and select Seneca Valley staff for an important informational evening about the upcoming registration process for the 2023-2024 school year. Don't miss this opportunity to learn about the amazingly diverse course offerings available at Seneca Valley!
Rising 9th Grade Students: 6-7 PM
Rising 10th, 11th & 12th Grade Students: 7-8 PM
Free Tutoring is Available
FREE Tutoring Opportunity through our CARES Program
Our CARES Tutoring program provides high-dosage tutoring designed to:
- accelerate learning at a student's grade level or above
- support students who are performing below grade level
- provide additional support beyond classroom instruction to support student success
Program Highlights
- FREE Tutoring by SV Teachers and Support Staff
- Flexible Scheduling - After School, Evening, and Weekend hours
- In Person and Virtual Times available
- English, Math, Science, Social Studies, World Languages and More!
- Organization and General Support
Click HERE to sign up!
Contact Elizabeth_Maxey@mcpsmd.org for additional information.
Additional Free Tutoring is Available
All MCPS students have access to free, virtual tutoring services through FEV Tutor and Tutor Me Education.
Both companies offer two services:
Free on-demand tutoring for homework help, no scheduling needed
Free, scheduled tutoring for on-going support, scheduling required
Both companies record sessions, take session notes, and communicate directly with families
The difference between the two companies:
FEV Tutor - no camera for tutor or student - ideal for grades 3-12 students for whom the camera is a barrier to learning
Tutor Me Education - camera for tutor and student
Students access tutoring by using their MCPS Clever account.
For families who would like to set up scheduled, ongoing sessions, please share:
To set up tutoring sessions with FEV Tutor:
To set up tutoring sessions with Tutor Me Education:
MCPS@tutormeeducation.com or 240-618-2549 OR
Fill out their request form ** best way
Here are flyers that can be shared:
SVHS Student and Family Resources Page
Click here for a list and links to resources and supports available for students and families in the Seneca Valley Community. SVHS Student and Family Resources Page
Seneca Valley High School
Twitter: @SenecaValleyHS
Instagram: @SenecaValleyHSWebsite: www.senecavalleyhighschool.com
Location: 19401 Crystal Rock Drive, Germantown, MD, USA
Phone: 240-740-6400