Blake Updates
January 12, 2020
MISA Testing Details-
- All students in their third year of science will take the MISA
- All seniors who need to take the MISA to graduate will take the MISA
- Students will be tested during the day in their class periods (see the revised bell schedules)
- Students have been told through their science classes what days they will be testing
MCAP- Algebra I and ELA Testing Details-
- Selected students who need to take these assessments to graduate will take the assessment(s)
- Students will be notified individually if they are required to take these assessments.
Bell Schedules- The bell schedules have been adjusted to allow for completion of the MISA testing during class periods. Please note that the order of periods changes each day and each day one class has been eliminated. ALL STUDENTS will follow this bell schedule. We will not have block days during this time. The bell schedule is below.
Questions- Contact Miss. Koch, the testing coordinator.
Class of 2020 Updates
Senior Panoramic Picture:
- The senior panoramic picture taken before winter break is online and available for purchase. It may be found at vosphoto.com/blake either in your photo gallery or through direct link on the Senior Portraits and Misc. Events tabs.
Caps and Gowns
- Students received information this week in their English classes
- All payments will be made to Jostens
- Online orders will start January 8th- Click Here
- Cap, Gown, Stole & Tassel- $45 (until February 19)
- Have a cap and gown? 2020 Stole and Tassel- $22.95
- A Jostens representative will be at Blake on January 22nd during lunch to collect orders and payments for those wanting to pay in person (Click here for the order form if ordering and paying in person on the 22nd)
- Prices will go up after February 19th
Mandatory Graduation Rehearsal:
- June 1, 2020, 8:00 a.m. in the auditorium
Graduation:
- Tentative date is June 2, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. (DAR- Constitution Hall)
- Teacher Support- Students (and parents) should always start with their classroom teacher to get support. You can see when teachers are available for support by clicking here.
- Global Concerns- If parents have more global concerns about their student in terms of academics or their social-emotional state they should reach out to their counselor or grade level administrator.
- Peer Student Support- James Hubert Blake High School provides a variety of opportunities for students to get support from their peers. Many of our honor societies provide opportunities for students to get support in their classes during their lunch periods. You can see when and where these sessions take place, as well as the staff member who coordinates them by clicking here.
- Homework Club and Math Lab- We also provide an opportunity for students to receive help after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:45 until 4:30 in the media center. Our Homework Club and Math Lab are coordinated by Ms. Bamfo, Mr. Clarke, Mr. Hicks, and Ms. Wang. At these sessions, students can receive support from staff as well as student tutors.
- Bump It Up Saturdays- We offer an opportunity for students to get additional time and support with their work through our Bump It Up Saturday sessions. These sessions run from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at Blake HS on January 11, February 22, March 21, April 18, and May 6th. Students who need transportation can catch buses from either White Oak Middle School or Briggs Chaney Middle School. Buses will leave those schools at 7:30 a.m. and return at 11:30 a.m. Students attending Bump It Up should come with work to do. You can contact Mr. Brown with additional questions or concerns.
Superintendent Smith Recommends $2.8 Billion Operating Budget
Superintendent Jack R. Smith is recommending a $2.8 billion operating budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 that will allow the district to manage significant growth and ensure that students have the access and opportunity they need to meet their full potential. The recommended operating budget for FY 2021 is a $121 million (4.5 percent) increase over FY 2020. Most of the recommended spending increase will be used to provide services to a growing number of students; fund ongoing salaries and benefits; and manage increasing operational costs.
The recommendation also includes $23.7 million to expand and implement strategic key bodies of work including expansion of Head Start and full-day prekindergarten programs; increasing exposure to language opportunities; and increasing investment in support for English Language Learners.
The process and timeline for the FY 2021 operating budget is:
- Mid-December 2019 through early January 2019: Signups for operating budget hearings
- January 13 and January 15, 2020: Board of Education holds operating budget hearings
- January 22 and January 28, 2020: Board of Education holds operating budget work sessions
- February 10, 2020: Board takes action on the recommended budget
Visit www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/budget/ for more information.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Tribute Set for January 20
The annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Tribute and Celebration will be held from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m. on Monday, January 20 at the Music Center at Strathmore.
The event will celebrate Dr. King’s life through presentations, music, and theatrical performances. A visual arts exhibit prepared by MCPS students interpreting “Children of the Dream” will be displayed. There will be performances by Dem Raider Boyz Step Squad, the Akhmedova Ballet Academy, Kevin Dukes, and a special performance by Ronnie Diamond Hoard – former lead singer of the Ohio Players. The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School and the Vast Expressions of Song Ensemble will be performing and lead by local artists Vohn Higgonbotham.
This family-friendly event is free and open to the public. Tickets are available the day of the celebration only on Monday, January 20 in the Music Center foyer beginning at 3:00 p.m. Seating is general admission and one ticket will be distributed per person. Seating will begin at 3:30 p.m. For more information, visit the Strathmore website or the Montgomery County Office of Human Rights website. The Music Center at Strathmore is located at 5301 Tuckerman Lane in North Bethesda.
Science Night Coming January 21
MCPS and the Montgomery County Council of PTAs (MCCPTA) are hosting a Science Night from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 21, at Gaithersburg High School. The snow date is Tuesday, January 28. At the event, parents/guardians will hear from MCPS teachers about science standards and what they can expect their children to learn in class. Sessions are targeted to parents/guardians with students in elementary and middle school.
Councilmember Rice to Host Forums on the State of Education in Montgomery County
Montgomery County residents are invited to participate in two upcoming meetings on the state of education in Montgomery County. The forums, hosted by councilmember Craig Rice, will provide an opportunity for community members to learn about academic readiness, career pathways, and work-based learning opportunities that take our students from prekindergarten to jobs. The meetings will be held on Tuesday, January 28 at the Montgomery College Germantown campus and Wednesday, March 4 at Northwood High School. Dr. Smith, Montgomery College President Dr. DeRionne Pollard, and Dr. Stewart Edelstein, executive director of the Universities of Shady Grove, will participate in the conversation.
Districtwide Boundary Analysis Meetings
The MCPS Districtwide Boundary Analysis is an initiative designed to provide a comprehensive assessment of Montgomery County Public School boundaries by analyzing factors such as:
- School facility utilization and capacity
- Student demographics
- School assignment
- Travel patterns
This initiative will result in an analytical assessment and a summary of the community engagement process. It will not make recommendations on potential boundary revisions.
As part of this assessment, a series of regional public meetings will be held in six locations around the county in December and January. All residents of Montgomery County are invited to attend to learn more about the Boundary Analysis process and give feedback on opportunities and challenges with our public schools. Each meeting will have the same format and content. The dates and locations of the meetings are as follows:
- January 14 at Northwest High School
Key Dates
- January 13- Revised Schedule for Testing
January 14-Revised Schedule for Testing
January 15- Revised Schedule for Testing
January 16- Revised Schedule for Testing
January 16- Jazz Ensemble at Jazz Festival @ Towson University
January 17- Dance Concert- 7:30 p.m.
January 20- No School
January 24- 2nd Marking Period (First Semester) Ends
January 27- No School for Students (Professional Day for Staff)
January 28- Voter Registration During Lunch
January 28- Marking Period 3 Starts
February 3-7- Black Student Union Sponsored Black History Spirit Week
James Hubert Blake High School
James Hubert Blake High School is a Signature School for the Fine Arts and Humanities
#WeAreBlake — #BengalPride
Email: Robert_Sinclair@mcpsmd.org
Website: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/blakehs/
Location: 300 Norwood Road, Silver Spring, MD, United States
Phone: (240)740-1400
Facebook: facebook.com/BlakeHSPrincipal/
Twitter: @Blake_Principal