Weekly Newsletter
A Message from Principal Anita O'Neill
April 21, 2024
Dear Coyote Community,
We are fully immersed in the whirlwind of end-of-school year excitement and activities. This past week was a testament to our vibrant community spirit, with outstanding sports competitions, enriching field trips, the grand finale of our spring production, a spirited pep rally, and a triumphant bid for Student Member of the Board. Looking ahead to the coming week, we anticipate more of the same energy and enthusiasm, with the added joy of senior scholarship award ceremonies commencing across our district. I eagerly anticipate joining in these celebrations to honor our deserving seniors who have earned these accolades. There's much to anticipate and enjoy as we journey through the remaining weeks of the school year.
As we approach the final stretch, it's imperative that all our students finish strong and fulfill their academic requirements. Diligence in completing and submitting assignments, active participation in class discussions, and seeking support from teachers when needed are crucial components of this endeavor. Regular attendance is paramount to academic success. As a gentle reminder, here's our protocol for students found in the hallways without proper authorization:
- Students lingering in the hallway for more than 5 minutes after the bell without a pass will receive a verbal warning to promptly proceed to class.
- Should a student be found in the hallway again during the same period, they will be directed to the supervised in-school intervention (ISI) room for the remainder of the period, where they can utilize the time to complete assignments.
- Continued non-compliance will prompt outreach from the student's administrator to their family for additional support, which may include a phone conversation, a meeting with school staff, or facilitating the student's return to class when they are ready to engage in learning.
Furthermore, a reminder that tomorrow, April 22, is designated as an asynchronous learning day for students. This serves as a makeup day for our excess snow days. Teachers have communicated assignment expectations for individual classes, and students have a 10-day window to submit their work. Tomorrow also offers an opportunity to participate in Earth Day activities happening in the area, which can contribute to fulfilling student service learning (SSL) requirements.
I encourage everyone to immerse themselves in our ongoing celebrations and to stay informed with the latest updates from MCPS, our PTSA, and various CHS departments featured in this week's newsletter.
Here's to a resilient and rewarding week ahead for all!
A Taste of Celebrations
Please enjoy a taste of this week's highlights!
Student Member of the Board (SMOB)
Congratulations to Junior, Praneel Suvarna on being selected as the Student Member of the Board of Education for next school year. We are very proud of Praneel's hard work during his campaign and look forward to seeing the positive impact on all MCPS students in this role.
Culture and Arts Night
Our Culture and Arts Night on April 18 was a huge hit. Our families, staff and community partners really came together to celebrate the rich culture of our community and the artistic talents of our students. Every visitor was able to learn about other countries and cultures, eat their way around the world, and admire art from various mediums. A shout out to our corporate sponsors (listed below) that donated to the event and to Mr. Hardy for bringing his ice cream truck for all to enjoy.
Spring Pep Rally
Thank you Mr. Mulcahy, SGA and everyone who made our Spring Pep Rally a success. Although it was on the cold side, students were able to celebrate each other in a variety of ways and participate in game competitions. I was even able to get in on the fun and look very foolish doing so!
Raising Money for a Great Cause
Congratulations to Clarksburg's Closer to a Cure team who raised almost $70,000 in seven weeks in support of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. We were able to honor these awesome students at our pep rally. Looking ahead to next year, we hope to grow the team and raise even more money to support this worthy cause.
Serving Our Country
Congratulations to senior, Jeremiah Evans, who was sworn into the United States Navy on Wednesday. We are proud of Jeremiah and appreciate his commitment to serving our country. As a former member of the Air Force, I can attest to the fact that Jeremiah will have many opportunities to expand his horizons through travel, meeting new people and continuing education through his service.
Advocacy In Action
Shout out to Junior, Laila Bityeki for her work fighting drug addiction. She founded the organization Maryland Students Against Drugs and she testified at the Board of Education and attended some major conferences. Laila recently won a $1,000 grant for her advocacy work. Way to go!
Mean Girls: A Hit!
The CHS production of Mean Girls wrapped up on Saturday night. It was absolutely great and that is not just my opinion . . . check out these reviews.
Taking Learning on the Road
Clarksburg students love to learn at school and in other spaces. To that end, our African American and AP US Government and Politics students enjoyed a beautiful day at Harper Ferry National Park. What a wonderful experience to be in that historical space.
STUDENT-Athletes
Our student-athletes take that title seriously. They have shown that they are students first and athletes second. This dedication to their learning really shows and as a result, 99 percent of our spring athletes remained eligible to play after the third marking period. Sixty-five percent of our athletes maintained a 3.25 or higher GPA, earning the Minds in Motion Award from MPSSAA and 64 students had straight A's during the marking period. Our average GPA across all teams was 3.32 with Girls Tennis having the highest average of 3.74. Keep up the great work!
Scholarship Signing
Congratulations to Nancy Hudson, a 12-season athlete at CHS who received a scholarship to continue her Track and Field career at Townson University. She had her signing ceremony this week.
Allied Softball
Our Allied Softball Team is having a great season and would like to invite our community to come to our next and last home game on Friday April 26 at 3:30. We hope to see you there!
E-Sports
Clarksburg is one of 10 high school teams throughout the county that participate in the Montgomery County Esports League. Our team ha made it to back-to-back semifinals (fall and spring seasons) this year. The team plays a game called Rocket League that is best described as the game of soccer with cars. Here is a link to a match CHS vs. Rockville HS earlier in the season give you a taste of the game.
Calmer Schools: Parent Workshops
Clarksburg High School is part of the Calmer Schools Initiative focused on bring trauma informed practices into our daily work.
Calmer Schools is offering the third in a series of four virtual parent workshops on April 25th, 2024 from 7:00-8:15 PM. The English and Spanish versions of our workshop, "Stress vs Anxiety: What's the Difference? What Can Help?", will be presented separately on the same night (No need for a translator since the presenter is a native Spanish speaker). More exciting news--we will be giving away $300 in gift cards at each workshop! See the flyers below for information about the event.
Upcoming Counseling Lessons: Signs of Suicide
Please see the attached letters regarding upcoming lessons that will be delivered by our counseling department. This is very important information that all families should be aware of.
Important Testing Information: Please Read
MCAP and AP Testing
Greetings Clarksburg Families,
The Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) is the overarching term used for all state assessments. MSDE and CHS will administer assessments in the Spring for English Language Arts (ELA), Algebra (ALG), NSL Government (GOV) and Life Science (LS MISA). Each of these MCAP Exams are a graduation requirement; seniors who do not participate will not graduate in June.
This school year, the Measurement of Academic Progress Reading (MAP-R) assessment will be administered to ALL 9th grade students per the schedule below. Select students will take the Measurement of Academic Progress Math (MAP-M) assessment through their regularly scheduled Math courses. Questions regarding MAP-M should be directed to our Math Department RT, Mr. Randall Hostetter. The results of these assessments provide teachers, students, and families with an accurate measure of what a student knows and needs to learn in these critical subject areas and do not impact graduation status.
PLEASE NOTE: Students who are not testing, should arrive during lunch, if possible, on delayed openings only. Attendance in class after testing is MANDATORY. Bus transportation and meals will run on normal schedules on testing days below. Students who require bus transportation but are not testing will receive academic support in the cafeteria during test administration.
Student lists who are required to test will be sent in a later communication. Below is the full testing schedule for May and contact information in the full testing memo found below.
Prom Tickets
Prom tickets are on sale on Monday, April 22nd, at 8:00 am. Only seniors can purchase tickets on Monday. Juniors can purchase tickets on Tuesday, April 23rd.
Students will need an access code (student ID number) to purchase a ticket.
Attention Seniors
Yard Signs
The Class of ’24 yard signs are now available on School Cash Online. Please see the link below. Also, please complete the Google form below if you want to purchase a personalized sign.
Google Form: https://forms.gle/4y8HT3ypRVd2UEZM6
SCO link: https://mcpsmd.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/60058/354/False/True
March 10 Senior Slideshow
Please review information in the attached Senior Slideshow. There is important information related to graduation and prom, including timelines.
Get Those SSL Hours
News from the SSL office: Mrs. Coe will be using this GOOGLE FORM to receive SSL forms electronically INSTEAD of simply emailing the form. You can attach up to 10 files to each google form. Parents and students can both access and use this form.
Upcoming dates: All senior hours are due by May 1st.
Support During Graduation
If your family requires special seating and/or language interpretation (Spanish or ASL) at graduation, please complete this form by May 15th. Please reach out to Ashleigh Coe if you have any questions.
Work-based Learning
We now have a one stop to get information about internships, apprenticeships, and CCRD opportunities. This site will be updated on a regular basis to include new opportunities and information. Students . . . check it out!
PTSA Updates
Note from Clarksburg PTSA: April 21, 2024
“If we can just rise to the challenge of communication – here in the parlor of your mind – we can maybe reach across time and space and every ordinary thing to see so deep into the heart of each other that you might agree that I am like you”.
– Daniel Nayeri, Excerpt from the Novel, “Everything Sad is Untrue (A True Story)”
Dear Clarksburg High School Families:
As the spring flowers begin to bloom, we are in disbelief that we only have a few more months of school left! Many of us are preparing for significant milestones, like AP tests, last games, prom, and graduation are right around the corner. Many of us began the high school journey as wide-eyed, young teenagers. High school is a time when many of us bloom just like these flowers and we begin to seek our own footing in this crazy but wonderful world we are living in. Let us never forget that each of us has a story and a voice that deserves to be heard.
And, at the core of our hearts and souls, we are far more alike than we are different.
CONGRATULATIONS PRANEEL! We want to extend a huge PTSA congratulations to our very own Praneel Suvarna on being elected the Student Member of the Board of Education! What great representation from Upcounty and especially from Clarksburg High School!
CHS PTSA Meeting – April 23, 2024 and Special Topic: Intro to the College Essay with Amy Smith
We hope our CHS families can join us for a very special meeting on April 23, 2024 as we get an introduction to an important part of the college admissions process: the College Essay. Amy Smith will join us briefly on the 23rd as an introduction to the formal College Essay meeting on May 22, 2024*.
Please go to this link to sign up for the zoom (the meeting will be hybrid) and to register for the May 22, 2024 meeting:
April 23 PTSA Meeting: https://bit.ly/CHSPTSAMeetingApril232024
April 23 Flyer: https://bit.ly/April23CollegeEssay
CHS PTSA April 23 Meeting Agenda with Meeting Minutes to Review: https://bit.ly/CHSPTSAApril23Agenda
May 22 College Essay Sign Up : https://bit.ly/CollegeEssayMay2024SignUp
CHS AFTER PROM – Registration
All participants of After Prom must sign up via Eventbrite. After prom is FREE. Registration opens up April 22, 2024.
Registration is found here: https://bit.ly/CHSPTSAAfterProm2024
More info for After Prom is here: https://chsptsaafterprom.wordpress.com/
CHS AFTER PROM – Support
Prom is only about two weeks away & THE CHS PTSA DESPERATELY NEEDS YOUR HELP to make After Prom a success for our students!! Our fundraising levels are well short of last year, and we
are at risk of having to downsize our event if we do not reach our goal & get parent donations & volunteers. Last year’s FREE event was attended by over 300 students, so PLEASE help us keep this amazing tradition alive!
ALL grade level parents’ help & support is appreciated…it takes a village to keep our teens safe!
How can I help, you ask?! There are THREE ways to help:
1) DONATE MONEY: Don’t have time to volunteer or buy snacks? Monetary donations are MUCH appreciated, URGENTLY NEEDED & will help pay for this fun & safe After Prom event being offered FREE to our teens! Donations can be made through:
a. Memberhub : https://bit.ly/CHSPTSA2024AfterProm
b. Paypal : https://bit.ly/ClarksburgHSPTSAPaypal
c. Check: Please make the check out to, “Clarksburg HS PTSA”, and include the Memo, “After Prom”. Please kindly drop off the check to Clarksburg HS with a note to “CHS PTSA”.
2) VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME: Join the fun & sign up to help us set up, run, or clean up at the After Prom at CHS from Friday 5/5, into the early morning hours of 5/6. Sign up to volunteer your time here:
a. https://bit.ly/CHSPTSAAfterPromVolunteer2024
3) DONATE SNACKS: Help us feed hundreds of hungry teens ready to have hours of fun! Sign up to donate food here:
a. https://bit.ly/CHSPTSAAfterPromFoodDonation2024
Our next After Prom meeting is April 21, 2024:
https://bit.ly/CHSPTSAAfterPromMeeting (need to register for each meeting session)
We really need all hands on deck to support After Prom as this is the biggest annual event for the PTSA and it helps to ensure our students are in a safe and substance-free environment.
Parents of freshman and sophomores, this is a great opportunity for you all to support and shadow a lot of the current volunteers to prepare for when your students are juniors and seniors.
Please click on this link to see the rest of the CHS PTSA April 22, 2024 Note: https://bit.ly/CHSPTSAApril21Note
MCPS Resources in Spanish
News from Our Bridge to Wellness Partners
Please see the flyer below for information about two new opportunities coming through Bridge to Wellness.
- Encuentros - Nonclinical emotional support group, targeting the newcomer student population (8 weeks). Additionally, these groups are also available to Clarksburg parents as well.
- Family Reunification - 6-week nonclinical group for newly reunited students and their parent/guardian.
News from the College and Career Center
SAT Opportunities at CHS
CHS will once again host the SAT on multiple dates during the year. The dates the SAT will be held at CHS are: 5/4 and 6/1. Registration for these dates should be made through the College Board Website.
March 11 to May 24: Girls with Impact
Exciting news! Montgomery County Public Schools has partnered with Girls With Impact to bring you a FREE Business and Leadership program for girls in Grades 9–12 and gender-expansive youth! Developed with Harvard leaders, this ‘mini-MBA’ program equips girls with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to become tomorrow's entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders. The 10-week live, online program begins the week of March 11 and ends the week of May 24. The weekly classes are one hour each and are managed by a trained coach with a master's degree in business administration providing the resources needed to get students from ideation to the launch of their venture ideas. Register your student at https://www.girlswithimpact.org/mcps.
May 4: Youth Gun Violence Conference
Join other students from across the county to partake in the Youth Gun Violence Conference focused on reducing gun violence. Students earn 8 SSL hours for attending. Lunch is provided. See the flyer below for details.
July 4: Autism Speaks Potomac 5K
Consider volunteering for this important event either prior to the event, on the day of or maybe both. See key information in the flyer below.
2024 Geospatial Technology Summer Camp at Towson University
Consider Towson University's Geospatial Technology Camp, July 10-13, 2024. This 4-day, 3-night, all-inclusive overnight camp is specifically designed for high school students who are interested in learning geospatial technologies. Students will stay in double occupancy rooms in a university dorm. Meals, lodging, and transportation are all included. Open the attached flyer to get more information and to sign up.
Apply for School Meal Benefits
This coming year all meals will incur a fee unless students have are approved for Free And/or Reduced fee Meals (FARMS). Eligible families complete the 2023-2024 FARMS application that is now available online. Here is the link: www.MySchoolApps.com.
Donations
Clothing to Cash
Did you know that you can support our school through clothing donations? See the attached flyer about the Clothing to Cash program that supports CHS.
Calendar Items
Key Dates
April 22 -- No school for students, asynchronous instruction
April 23 -- PTSA meeting, 7-8:30 pm
April 25 -- MCABSE Scholarship Presentation, CESC, 6:00 pm
April 26 -- Allied Softball, CHS Aux Gym, 3:30 pm
May 3-4 -- Prom and After-Prom
May 9 -- Senior Awards Ceremony
General Information for Students and Families
NFHS Network and GoFan
Dear Coyote fans,
As we kick-off the upcoming school year, we wanted to tell you that through our official partners, NFHS Network and GoFan, you can easily buy tickets for games and subscribe to watch live games online for when you can’t get there in-person.
Click this link to visit our school homepage, where you can:
- Click “Follow” to get alerts on our upcoming events.
- Click “Buy Tickets” to get tickets to upcoming events.
- Click “Subscribe” to watch live broadcasts of upcoming events (a portion of the proceeds are shared back with our school!).
CHS Website
Our CHS website has a wealth of information related to subjects like attendance, student service learning, athletics and more. Please take time to check it out so you have accurate information about policies and procedures at CHS.