Weekly Newsletter
A Message from Acting Principal Anita O'Neill
February 4, 2024
I trust that each student had a productive first week of Semester 2. As we find ourselves in February already, it's astonishing to think that in just four short months, we will bid farewell to our seniors, sending them off to their next chapter. This period is both exciting and busy for students and families alike, and we are committed to supporting them through these final steps of their remarkable journey.
A gentle reminder to all students: consistent attendance is crucial. Attending all classes for the entire period not only aids in academic success but also plays a pivotal role in building trusting relationships within our learning community. Even when classwork is complete, the value of being present in the classroom community cannot be overstated. I encourage all students to hold one another accountable and to motivate friends to make the right choice – attend class on time and stay for the entire period.
Throughout this month, there will be numerous opportunities for students to celebrate Black History Month. In this newsletter, I will highlight one or two events that students may choose to engage in, some with the added benefit of earning student service learning (SSL) hours.
Similar to last week, this edition features essential information for seniors, details about spring sport registration, and updates on various student opportunities. Additionally, please take a few moments to review crucial information from our counseling department and the college and career center.
Wishing you all a wonderful and resilient week ahead!
Celebrate Our Counselors
It's National School Counseling Week!!!
This week we take time to celebrate our dedicated counselors who work tirelessly to support our students and their families. Please find a time to reach out to the counselor(s) that work with your family to let them know how much they are appreciated!
Report Card Distribution
Please see the special schedule for Monday, February 5, to support report card distribution in homeroom.
This Week's Featured Black History Month Student Activities
https://forms.gle/BGvzubLEz6kCK5ai7
Updates from Counseling
CHS Student Schedule Change Process (Once the second semester starts)
Second semester starts on January 30th.The schedule change request window will open back up and will run from February 9th to February 16th. Students can pick up schedule change request forms from their counselor in the counseling office starting February 9th before school starts, during lunch or after school. No schedule change requests will be considered after the February 16th deadline. Please note that schedule change requests do not include teacher changes or period swaps. Students should return their completed schedule change request form to their counselor. Once students submit their request, it will be evaluated by their teacher, counselor, and administrator. The student and family will then be notified of the final decision and, if approved, a schedule change will be made. Please see here for counselor assignments.
Solicitud Para Cambio de Horario/Clase (Ya comenzado el segundo semestre)
El segundo semestre comienza el 30 de enero. La ventana para pedir cambios se abrirá de nuevo del 9 al 16 de febrero. Los estudiantes podrán obtener la forma para solicitar cambio visitando a su consejero(a) comenzando el 9 de febrero antes del comienzo del día escolar, durante la hora de almuerzo o al finalizar el día escolar. No se considerarán cambios después de la fecha límite del 17 de febrero. Los estudiantes deberán regresar sus formas completamente llenas a su consejero(a). Una vez haya sido sometida, será evaluada por el maestro, consejero y administrador. Luego el estudiante y familia serán notificados de la decisión final, y si está aprobado, se hará el cambio del horario/clase. Favor de ver el listado de consejeros(as) here.
Health Education Parent Letter
Please read the attached letter regarding Health Education during second semester.
Virtual Parent Workshops
February 6: Summer Camps for Students with IEPS
Please see the flyer below for information about Montgomery County camps. My Turn will be part of the meeting. My Turn supports students ages 3-13 with disabilities.
February 7: Tools to Support Teens with ADHD and/or Executive Function Challenges
Please see the flyer below for information for a virtual parent workshop focused on helping kids and teens with ADHD and/or executive function challenges.
PTSA Updates
An Update from Cluster PTSA Leaders
Dear Clarksburg Cluster Families,
As you may be aware, additional budget cuts and delays are being proposed for the Damascus High School Renovation project. This significantly impacts the well-being and safety of our families and community. This was announced at Community Meeting #3 on January 23, 2024. Click here for the presentation. Your continued advocacy is needed! Opportunities for advocacy include: 1) Signing onto the group letter by completing this form; 2) Writing an individual letter to the county council; 3) Signing up to testify at county council public hearing. We encourage you to engage in all ways feasible for you. This is the time to have our voices heard!
Group Sign-On Letter: Please see the full letter here and complete the form below. Names and Addresses of individuals who sign on will be included at the end of the letter. Let's work to get signatures from all families impacted.
Personal Letter: Please use this template to draft a personal letter and send to County Council members individually via email. Copy and paste the text into a new document and edit. Access the list of County Council members and their email addresses here.
Public Hearing Testimony: The Montgomery County Council will be holding public hearings on February 6th at 1:30pm & 7pm. If you are interested in providing testimony, please see this site on How to Testify. Visit the project’s website for more information on our DHS major capital project. If you have questions about the project, you are welcome to email project managers, Patrick_M_Schmidt@mcpsmd.org and Robbie_S_Badstibner@mcpsmd.org from the Division of Design and Construction.
Let's join together as a unified voice in advocating for our children and community.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Denise James-Smith, Snowden Farm Elementary, PTA President, president@sfespta.org or Arti Varanasi, MCCPTA Clarksburg Cluster Coordinator, artivpta@gmail.com.
The deadline to sign-on is Sunday, February 4.
Sincerely,
Concerned Clarksburg Parents and local / county PTA leaders
MCPS Resources in Spanish
CHS Media Center
AASA Lunar New Year Event
Lunar New Year begins February 10. Please join our Asian American Student Association in a night of celebration and learning. The flyer provides information about the event as well as a link to purchase tickets.
Attention Seniors
Don't miss out! Review this important information from Josten's.
Spring Sports
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: 3/9, 5/4, 6/1. Registration for these dates should be made through the College Board Website.
Code Purple: Virtual Learning Day
Student Opportunities
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.
Summer RISE
Youth Photography Program
Check out this very cool opportunity for those of you who are into photography!
March 16: MSP Annual Retreat
See information below about the Minority Scholars Program annual retreat.
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.
Calendar Items
Key January/February Dates
February 5 -- Report Card Distribution
February 9 -- AASA Lunar New Year Celebration
February 19 - No School, Presidents' Day
February 24 - Last Day for Spring Sports Registration
February 29 -- Deadline for Black History Month SSL Projects
March 1 - Tryouts for Spring Sports Begin
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!).
Get Your Yearbook
2024 YEARBOOKS and TRIBUTE/AD PAGES are on sale for the cheapest prices of the year! Just visit www.clarksburgyearbook.com to make your purchase today! We have a limited number of discounts, so grab yours BEFORE we sell out!
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.