Blake Updates
March 4, 2018
Student Town Hall Meeting with the Board of Education
The Board of Education is holding a Student Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 at Gaithersburg High School, 101 Education Boulevard, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877. The meeting will be held from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the cafeteria. This will be a great opportunity for students to speak with key decision makers who shape our education system. Students may sign up at www.smobmatt.com/townhall.
Naviance: Planning for College and Career
The MCPS Parent Academy will host a session on “Understanding Naviance Family Connection,” at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 7, at Albert Einstein High School. Naviance is a web-based tool that provides self-discovery activities and lessons to help students explore and plan their college and career goals, and allows parents to also be involved in that planning. Students can discover their individual strengths and talents, explore career and college options, and research the high school courses they need to reach their goals. You can learn more here.
Fiscal Year 2019 Operating Budget
The Montgomery County Board of Education approved a $2.59 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Operating Budget for MCPS on February 26. The budget represents a $72.9 million increase over the current budget, which will allow the district to continue to make targeted investments to manage enrollment growth and build the foundation and structure that is needed to ensure that all MCPS students are able to excel.
A majority of the $72.96 million spending increase will be used to provide the same level of services to a growing number of students. The recommendation focuses on key bodies of work that define a roadmap of the district’s current and future efforts. It includes $16.12 million to expand and implement strategic accelerators. This includes:
Introducing new career readiness pathways, including Aviation and Aerospace;
- Cybersecurity; Fire Safety and Rescue; Law Enforcement and Leadership; and more
- Adding more two-way elementary language immersion programs
- Expanding programs in Computer Science, Coding, and Robotics
- Implementing extended year programs at two elementary schools beginning July 2019
- Launching a Recovery Education program
- Expanding the College Tracks and Achieving Collegiate Excellence & Success (ACES) programs
- Expanding Middle and Early College programs
The Board’s budget request will be submitted to the Montgomery County Executive and the County Council. The county executive is expected to release his FY 2019 operating budget recommendation by March 15. The Montgomery County Council will hold public hearings on the county budget in April before passing a final budget in May. Stay informed and engaged on the Board’s budget request on the MCPS Operating Budget website.
Montgomery County Public Libraries Presents Women’s History Month Series
Montgomery County Public Libraries will celebrate Women’s History Month at several library branches throughout March. The series of programs will celebrate social, cultural and political achievements of women.
The programs are provided at no cost, are suitable for all ages, and will take place as follows:
March 10 from 12:30 to 5:00 p.m.
International Women’s Day Film Festival, showing
Screenings of the films A League of Their Own and Suffragette
Kensington Park Library, 4201 Knowles Avenue, Kensington, Maryland 20895
March 24 at 2:00 p.m.
Divided Nation, Divided Town: One Woman’s Experience
Presented by the Montgomery County Historical Society
Rockville Memorial Library, 21 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20850
March 24 at 2:00 p.m.
The Little Woman Who Grew Up: A Visit with Louisa May Alcott
Gaithersburg Library, 18330 Montgomery Village Avenue, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20879
March 30 at 1 p.m.
The Better Angels: Five Women Who Changed—and Were Changed by—the American Civil War
Olney Library, 3500 Olney-Laytonsville Road, Olney, Maryland 20832
For program information, contact Clotilde Puertolas via e-mail at clotilde.puertolas@montgomerycountymd.gov.
Ivymount School Hosting Special Needs Resource Fair
Ivymount School is hosting the 6th annual Special Needs Resource Fair from 12 noon to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 11. More than 50 exhibitors will be on hand to offer information on services and activities for those with special needs, including autism. The event also will include guest speakers. There is no cost to attend this event, which is open to the public. Registration is encouraged.
The Ivymount School is located at 11614 Seven Locks Road in Rockville. View more information here.
Homework Help Available to all MCPS Students
Free homework help is available from MCPS-TV’s Homework Hotline Live (HHL). Students may call, or submit a question online, to Homework Hotline Live at 301-279-3234 or go to AskHHL.org. Students can watch teachers address their homework questions live on MCPS-TV from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, or get after-hours online help from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. New this year, students and parents can download the free Homework Hotline Live app, where you can send questions, watch live, and find more homework help resources, all from your phone (now available in App Stores for your Apple or Android device).
Ways to contact Homework Hotline Live for free homework help:
- Phone: 301-279-3234 (during TV broadcasts)
- Web: AskHHL.org
- Text: 724-427-5445 (7244-ASK-HHL)
- Email: question@AskHHL.org
- Snapchat (username: AskHHL)
- The new Homework Hotline Live phone app! (download for Apple or Android)
Ways to watch Homework Hotline Live, from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday:
- Comcast 34 & 998(HD)
- Verizon 36
- RCN 89 & 1058(HD)
- AskHHL.org
- YouTube (search: AskHHL)
- Homework Hotline Live phone app
Go to AskHHL.org to learn more.
United We Learn Competition
For the second year, MCPS is sponsoring the systemwide student contest, United We Learn: All Means All. Students are being asked to use visual art and the written word to celebrate diversity while exploring the matter of equity for all. The contest challenges students to think critically about what equity means and how attitudes, traditions, systemic practices and/or legal matters impede or support the concept that “All Means All.” The contest is open to students from all grade levels. Submissions will be judged by level (elementary, middle and high) and by medium. Entries must be created by groups of two students or more. More details are available on the contest website. The contest will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 16.
Key Dates
- March 8- College Daze (College Night for Junior Parents), 6:30 p.m.
- March 13- Spring Sports Parent Night, 6:30 p.m.
- March 14- Blue Day
- March 15- Silver Day
James Hubert Blake High School
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
Twitter: @Blake_Principal