QOHS Weekly Newsletter
January 16, 2022
QOHS Weekly Newsletter 1/16/22
Dear Quince Orchard Students, Staff, and Families,
I hope you are staying warm and have a chance to enjoy the snow tonight. This past week we distributed the Covid-19 Rapid Test Kit and KN-95 masks to students. Thank you for submitting your results to the MCPS Covid-19 Reporting Form. If you were absent for either day of distribution, you can pick up your kit and masks at the main office. Please continue to report positive cases with the MCPS form.
MCPS Covid-19 Reporting Form.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfl4fCpohAJvMLG_9aqLLtFzbGJJl7AMPg2BhU8eZkZ_FWLg/viewform
This form is critical in monitoring our positive cases and in informing close contacts. As a precaution, if your child is having any symptoms of illness please keep them home and get them tested for Covid-19.
As we begin to wrap up the semester there are a couple of updates and news I’d like to share with you. One new update that I am excited to share with you is that our extracurricular activities will resume with in-person meetings this week. Students should have submitted their rapid test results to the MCPS Covid-19 Reporting Form. Activity buses will also be resuming. Semester one will end on January 21, 2022. Please remind your students to complete and turn in any work or make-up they may have and to check their Student Vue for any missing assignments.
We will open our student parking application tomorrow, January 17th through January 25th. Please click on the link below for more information and the application (more details can be found in the newsletter below). Please email Mr. Rabberman with any questions. The application will also be posted on our website.
Student Parking Application
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1oDTd3kBiDA_bs31FJevPQvnqJ1RNbMUoNr0YL-RNb0M/edit?ts=61e2f2c1
We are also hosting our Rising 9th Grade Information Night this Wednesday at 7pm. Please help us in spreading the word. Here's the link to the webinar and flyer. https://bit.ly/QOHSparentmtg
Tomorrow begins, the Martin Luther King Jr. Week of Service. Schools across our county will engage in different service activities throughout the week in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s achievements and contributions. Please see Mrs.Shellhorse, our Student Service Learning Hours coordinator, for more information, or visit the Montgomery County Volunteer Center website for volunteer opportunities. As we observe the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday, I leave you with his quote that aligns with the work, vision and mission of our school.
"I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream" ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
We are looking forward to having a great week.
Best,
Vilma Najera
Principal Intern
Important January dates and events:
1/17/22 - MLK Holiday - No school for students & staff
1/17/22 - Student Parking Application for Semester 2 opens
1/19/22 - Virtual meeting (Zoom) rising 9th Grade Registration Meeting
1/21/22 - End of Marking Period 2
1/24/22 - Professional Day for Staff - No school for students.
1/24/22 - Semester 2 begins
QOHS 2nd Semester Parking Application
Applications will be accepted from Monday, January 17th to Tuesday, January 25th. We will send an email to your mcpsmd.net email account letting you know the status of your application by Friday, January 28th. If you receive a permit, you will have to pay $37.50 for your spot on OSP (online school payment). The link to pay for your permit on OSP will be included in that email. To get your permit tag, you will bring proof of payment with you to Mr. Rabberman's Office (Room 255) during lunch the week of January 31st. You must pay for and pick up your permit by Friday, February 4th or you will lose your permit and spot to park for the 2nd semester. Please see the link below to apply.
NAACP Parent Council Meeting
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us05web.zoom.us/j/86146113293pwd=aW00ZjhDVERLeHlVdDhBUk4zd1EzZz09
Meeting ID: 861 4611 3293
Passcode: QOHSNAACP
We'll highlight "Paying for College Part 2" presented by Quince Orchard's own College and Careers Counselor, Ms. Brianna Jones. See you there!
PTSA News & Upcoming Meeting Info.
Tuesday, January 18, 2022, at 7 pm ET
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83925004992
Meeting ID: 839 2500 4992
Please visit our website at https://qohsptsa.memberhub.com/ for more information.
LEARN TO DRIVE WITH GREG'S AND SUPPORT QO
Support the QOHS PTSA while learning to drive with Greg's Driving School! We earn $20 for each student who registers using code "QO" at registration. https://qohsptsa.memberhub.com/w/gregsdrivingQOHS
QOHS Booster Club Community Night Out Fundraiser
MCPS Community Update - 1/13/2022
Dear MCPS Community,
Here are six things you need to know for Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. Included below is a recap from the Jan. 12 MCPS Community Conversation, key factors considered for any individual school to move to temporary virtual learning, information about students’ masks, take-home rapid COVID-19 testing kits, and more.
- MCPS Community Conversations Address Overarching Community Questions
School district leadership and county leaders participated in a live online community conversation on Jan. 12 that can be viewed here. Elected officials and school system leaders answered questions on school health and safety protocols, coronavirus testing, and guidance for transitioning to virtual learning.
Following the community conversation, the dialogue continued with students live on Instagram, in a discussion between Student Member of the Board Hana O’Looney. Watch here. - Possible Future Transitions to Virtual Learning
To determine if any individual schools will transition to virtual learning in the future, MCPS will be looking at trends in: staff absences; unfilled substitute teacher requests; student absences; unserved bus routes; and positive case rates for students and staff over a 10-day period. See a visual example of these key factors. When a school is high in multiple areas as compared with other schools, MCPS will confer with the Department of Health and Human Services and then convene a team including central office representatives, the school’s principal, staff representatives, and parent leaders at the school. This team will make a recommendation to the Superintendent’s Cabinet.
If an individual school is determined to transition to virtual learning, notification to staff, students and community will occur on the website, through email, Connect-ED, and school-based social media, if it exists. The entire process of decision-making, notification and transition will take no longer than two business days, and parents will be notified at least one day in advance of a school transitioning to virtual learning for 10 calendar days. - Plans for Students to Access Instruction Virtually
During the Board of Education meeting on Jan. 13, MCPS staff presented instructional plans for any students not in school due to isolation and quarantine. Watch that presentation here.
At the Elementary Level (Beginning Jan. 18):- Students at home can access on-demand video screencast recordings of class through their MCPS Canvas portal (not through Zoom)
- Instruction will prioritize literacy and math
- There will not be interaction with teachers or high-stakes assignments
- This model will apply for any student in quarantine learning beginning Jan. 18
- Individual teachers are currently serving students in quarantine through either: Zooming students into their class for live streaming or meeting with them during a non-instructional period of the day
- KN95 Masks for Students
This week, all staff members at schools and central office locations received KN95 masks. KN95 masks for students were delivered to secondary schools. MCPS is procuring child-sized KN95 masks for younger students and those will begin to arrive at elementary schools next week. We strongly encourage students and staff to wear them when inside MCPS facilities, where masks continue to be required. - Take-Home Test Kits
Students and staff have received take-home rapid test kits. Parents are asked to help students administer these tests at home and to report whether their child has tested positive or negative using the MCPS COVID-19 Reporting Form. (You may also call your child’s school if you are not able to submit the information electronically.) All students and staff are strongly encouraged to use these kits and report all results, both positive and negative, by Friday, Jan. 14. Please also continue to report all positive test results for students and staff that come from tests not provided by the school system. Any student who tests positive will be required to isolate for 10 days from the date of the positive test, or 10 days from the onset of symptoms, whichever is earlier. Central office and non-school based staff also received masks and rapid test kits this week and are strongly encouraged to use these kits if showing any symptoms and to report positive test results. Tests for both students and staff will continue to be distributed over the coming weeks. - Bus Transportation Disruptions Decreasing
Since returning to school on Jan. 5, staffing shortages due to COVID-19 illness and vacant positions have caused disruptions and the cancellation of multiple routes. Those numbers are trending downward, declining from a peak of over 100 routes affected to only 29 today, Jan. 13.
Staff in the MCPS Department of Transportation are continuing to recruit, hire and train bus drivers. The Department of Transportation continues to:- Communicate specific routes and affected schools by posting daily updates on this page.
- Prioritize routes that serve students with special needs.
- Continue to use available staff to drive multiple routes serving one school.
Montgomery County Public Schools
Email us: ASKMCPS@mcpsmd.org
Counseling, College & Career Info.
Midyear Transcript Requests
Seniors! If your school requires that you send your midyear transcripts to them, please make sure that you are requesting them on our Transcript Request Form: https://forms.gle/de51gbMtvd6HxEZ36. Midyear Transcript will be available and sent out on February 8th.
Course Registration Continues
Hi Cougars! Please review the information linked below about our Course Registration Process: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pcC2-eiPIP1Nj-vFQc3fTQs_KFTr2apseK2htc9fCdo/edit?usp=sharing. We look forward to seeing you down in the Counseling Offices soon to talk about the Courses you're interested in taking for the upcoming school year! If you have any questions, please reach out to your student's counselor.
College Visits
Cougars, we are happy to announce that we will be partnering with Damascus High School with some of our Virtual Visits. There are no visits scheduled for this week, but please make sure that you are checking out our College Visits Website to stay up to date on colleges that we have available, and be sure to register for your college visits in Naviance!
The 14th Annual Virtual HBCU College Fair - 2/18/22
The Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Fair, co-sponsored by Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and the Montgomery County Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an event that provides an exceptional opportunity for students in Grades 8 through 12 and their parents/guardians to meet with representatives from over 60 HBCU’s, participate in workshops and more. All fair events will take place virtually. Below is a snapshot of what students and parents can expect for this year’s fair.
Virtual Fair Info:
MCPS HBCU Fair Website – Locate the flyer, fair registration information, and schedule of events
14th Annual HBCU Digital Brochure – A live guide to the fair for students and parents
Volunteer Sign up - Optional volunteer sign up for interested MCPS staff
On the Spot Admissions:
February 14-17, 2022, 8:30AM to 4:00PM
Seniors must pre-register and complete their applications through Naviance
See your College & Career Information Coordinator (CCIC) for more information and assistance - Ms. Briana Jones
Workshop Series:
Workshops are available for students and parents, Grades 8 through 12. Check out the schedule for more information.
Workshop Schedule Link
Questions?
If you have questions about:
The general fair and events, contact Lindsay Cao via email (Lindsay_Cao@mcpsmd.org)
Registration and On the Spot Admissions, contact your School Counselor or CCIC Briana_C_Jones@mcpsmd.org.
Quince Orchard HS Quarantine Instructional Process Plan
Quince Orchard High School will provide opportunities for students to engage in learning and receive needed support. If needed, students and families should review the process below and reach out to the school if you have any additional questions (240) 740-3600.
INSTRUCTION
Teachers will post work in Canvas while a student is out.
Assignments missed during the quarantine period should be made up.
Students who are able/well enough to complete work while in quarantine are encouraged to do so. They can access their work in Canvas.
Students may email teachers to ask questions related to assignments. More guidance about seeing teachers is provided below.
SUPPORT
MEALS for breakfast and lunch can be provided. Please email the cafeteria manager, ShuChin_Lai@mcpsmd.org and copy the school business administrator, Judy Yu at Judith_C_Yu@mcpsmd.org to arrange meal pick up.
If your student needs TECH SUPPORT please contact Cindy Taylor at Cynthia_T_Taylor@mcpsmd.org or call the main office at (240) 740-3600.
If your student needs to speak to someone during quarantine or upon their return to school, our school COUNSELORS are available to support. Please contact the school for assistance.
Quarantine Live Check ins
All QOHS teachers will have a designated period for live check-ins posted on Canvas. Students/families should reach out to the grade level administrator if you are unable to access the Zoom link on their Canvas page..
If students have questions about assignments, they should email the appropriate teachers and join the Zoom meeting.
Student schedules can be found in StudentVue and ParentVue.
We appreciate your cooperation as we continue to prioritize the health and safety of the entire Quince Orchard High School community.
Our process and plan is also highlighted in the presentation shared at Back to school night: Google Slides ←Click here
Important Reminders from our Attendance Office & Security Team
Please review these important attendance reminders:
- If a student is late to school for any reason they must stop by the attendance office to sign in. This also applies if a student needs to sign out early with parent permission or parent pick up. An accurate sign-in/out time must be recorded in the system. (Please note: If a student does not stop by the attendance office then anything that the student is marked absent for will stay in the system).
- Please make sure whoever is signing the student out is on their emergency pick-up contact list in Parent VUE & is at least 21 years of age.
- Any notice sent for a student to sign out early must be submitted in writing - this can be emailed to Stephanie_S_Bradley@mcpsmd.org
Also, please remember that all parents/guardians and visitors are required to show ID upon entering our building.
Students & Staff join us every Wednesday in the Courtyard for Mindfulness Meditation!
Celebrating Our QOHS Cougar Students and Staff
QO Poms at the Northwest Invitational
Mrs. Lee and her daughter working the Girls JV & V b'ball game
Girls Basketball vs Clarksburg
Athletic Season Passes
The QO Athletic Season Passes for the 2021-22 seasons are still on sale! The ordering process is easy! Simply complete the order form below and return with payment (Cash or Check made out to Quince Orchard High School). Passes will be available at the gate of home games. Season passes are only valid for home regular season contests for the designated season(s) at Quince Orchard High School and passes are non-transferrable.
To order, please complete the form at the link below, make sure that you neatly print all first and last names, incomplete orders will take longer to process and may not be available before the first game. Passes can also be ordered online, if you are ordering online, please follow-up with an email to Ms. Adams including the names you would like on each of the passes.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pvq30tUZ3tMn_6acJUp0DdinGfdg-eSGM7NdtfvGqsE/edit
Athletics Game Schedule & Community Updates
Schedule for the Week of 1/17/2022
01/18/2022TuesdayBoys BasketballPaint Branch at Quince Orchard 7:15 pm
01/18/2022TuesdayGirls BasketballQuince Orchard at Paint Branch 7:15 pm
01/18/2022TuesdayJV Boys BasketballPaint Branch at Quince Orchard 5:30 pm
01/18/2022TuesdayJV Girls BasketballQuince Orchard at Paint Branch 5:30 pm
01/19/2022WednesdayJV WrestlingDamascus at Quince Orchard 7:15 pm
01/19/2022WednesdayWrestlingDamascus at Quince Orchard 6:15 pm
01/19/2022WednesdayIndoor TrackDivision 2 Meet at Gaithersburg HS 2:30pm
01/20/2022ThursdayBoys BasketballMagruder at Quince Orchard 7:15 pm
01/20/2022ThursdayJV Boys BasketballMagruder at Quince Orchard 5:30 pm
01/20/2022ThursdayJV Girls BasketballQuince Orchard at Poolesville 5:30 pm
01/21/2022FridayBoys BasketballQuince Orchard at Clarksburg 7:15 pm
01/21/2022FridayGirls BasketballClarksburg at Quince Orchard 7:15 pm
01/21/2022FridayJV Boys BasketballQuince Orchard at Clarksburg 5:30 pm
01/21/2022FridayJV Girls BasketballClarksburg at Quince Orchard 5:30 pm
01/21/2022FridayWrestlingQO at Westminster Duals TBD
01/22/2022SaturdaySwimming & DivingBlair and Quince Orchard at Olney Swim Center 11:30 am
01/22/2022SaturdayWrestlingQO at Westminster Duals TBD
01/22/2022SaturdayPomsQO at Springbrook Invitational TBD
IMPORTANT 1/14/22 MCPS Athletics Update
Please refer to the January 14 update for the latest information regarding MCPS Athletics. A Spanish version is also available. The updated Return to R.A.I.S.E. Plan is here.
Key MCPS items include:
1. No spectators will be allowed in MCPS facilities through January 23 – we will reevaluate next week
2. No overnight travel through January 30
3. Revised isolation & quarantine guidelines for staff (already communicated earlier this week)
4. Revised team pause guidelines – to align with the latest MCPS guidance and to account for larger team rosters
5. Revised school pause guidelines – to align with the latest MCPS guidance for schools that transition to virtual instruction, due to the vaccination requirement for MCPS Athletics, mitigation strategies that may be implemented to allow athletic activities to proceed during the school pause.
Thank you for all of your patience. Go Cougars!
SPRING REGISTRATION BEGINS ON TUESDAY, 1/18/22
MCPS and Quince Orchard High School are excited to announce that registration for Spring Sports will open on Tuesday, January 18th! Below is information regarding the upcoming Spring Sports season, as well as the registration process. Additional information can be found on the MCPS Athletics website. (Note – tryouts for Spring sports will start on March 1st).
Registration Information
How to Register
Students must be registered by a parent through the MCPS ParentVue Portal. More information regarding the registration process can be found in this letter from MCPS (también disponible en español). Students must be registered by February 27th in order to guarantee that their registration will be processed in time for the first day of tryouts.
Steps for Registering via ParentVue
- Login to MCPS ParentVue Portal
- Locate “Online Registration” in the upper right hand corner of the screen.
- You should then see prompts to enter information for the “2021-2022 HS Athletics Registration – Spring”.
If you see something for “Annual Verification” or “Resume Annual Registration”, please click the “Start Over” button, logout and log back in, this should then allow you to access the Athletic Registration. - The Athletics Registration screens will have you verify information in the system and then allow you to review and complete the Athletics Registration forms.
If any of the information appearing on the “Family” or “Parent/Guardian” information screens is incorrect, please contact the School Registrar to have this corrected before completing your registration.
ParentVue Troubleshooting Information
If a parent is having trouble logging into the MCPS ParentVue Portal:
(MCPS also has a guide to ParentVue for parents here).
- If you have never activated your parent account:
Parents were sent activation information at the beginning of the school year, which included an Activation Key. If you still have this information, use it to activate your parent account. If you do not have the activation information, email Quince Orchard Media Specialist Jennifer_R_Nicholson@mcpsmd.org. Be sure to include the student name, ID and parent name in the email. You can also call the Main Office at Quince Orchard at 240-740-3600 during normal office hours. - Forgot your password? Click on the Forgot Password link on the ParentVue Portal.
- Forgot the email address you used to activate your account? Email Quince Orchard Athletic Director Jeffrey_L_Rabberman@mcpsmd.org. Be sure to include the student name, ID and parent name in the email.
Pre-Participation Physicals
Students should complete their pre-participation physical (MCPS Form SR-8) so that the medical eligibility form (last two pages of SR-8) is ready for online submission or for submission to the coach prior to tryouts/practices. Physicals are valid for one calendar year. A partial list of Clinics that offer Sports Physicals within the Montgomery County area is available online. Physicals can be uploaded by the parent during the registration process. However, if a parent needs to submit a physical after the student has already been registered, email an electronic copy of the completed pre-participation physical (MCPS Form SR-8) to Quince Orchard Athletic Director Jeffrey_L_Rabberman@mcpsmd.org.
MCPS Volunteer Vaccinations
Montgomery County Public Schools requires school volunteers and partnership agencies to complete certain compliance measures in order to volunteer within our school district.
- Online Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect Training via their myMCPS Classroom/Canvas account
- Background check (dependent upon the type of volunteer service, per the Volunteers regulation and FAQ)
- COVID-19 Vaccination Attestation - NEW!
Beginning September 20, 2021, volunteers will be required to upload their Certificate of COVID-19 Vaccination to remain on the volunteer roster.
Please review the Volunteer/Contractor Vaccination Attestation Update for details on this process.Class of 2022 - Senior fees increase after January 31st!
Senior fees: senior fees include your cap and gown and other expenses related to graduation. You are able to pay your senior fees online through the school store with a credit card.
November 1-January 31: $75
February 1-April 30: $85
Join the Senior Reminder Account for Important Updates: To join, please text the following code to 81010:
Last names A-G: text qosr22ag to 81010
Last names H-M: text qosr22hm to 81010
Last names N-S: text qosr22ns to 81010
Last names T-Z: text qosr22tz to 81010
Important Reminder - Please Review Lunch Process and Norms
The George B. Thomas Sr. Learning Academy
The cost for Saturday School is $40 for FARMS students and $85 for all others. This cost covers the entire school year through May and registration is open all year.
Important Links:
Stay connected throughout the school year with these important links:
Elizabeth L. Thomas
Email: Elizabeth_L_Thomas@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/qohs/
Location: 15800 Quince Orchard Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA
Phone: 240-740-3600
Twitter: @QOHSPrin_Thomas