Blake Updates
April 19, 2020
As I am sure you know, on Friday Governor Larry Hogan and State Superintendent of Schools Karen Salmon announced that schools will remain closed until May 15 in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. As a result, MCPS is releasing information on our plans to engage and support our students and families.
Please continue to monitor the Montgomery County Public Schools Continuity of Learning Website for additional information and updates.
State Requirements for the Class of 2020 and Graduation
MCPS- School Calendar Updates
MCPS- What to Expect Next With Instruction
Middle and high school school students will:
- Receive new content and assignments in all of their core courses and electives each week
- Have opportunities to connect with and receive support from teachers during office hours, according to the local school schedule
- Receive feedback from teachers on assignments
Our weekly schedule is below. This is anticipated to remain our weekly schedule throughout the closure. We will publish special schedules for any weeks that are not 5 day weeks.
In general, secondary students can expect to receive one to two meaningful assignments each week in each course and can expect to be working for up to four hours each day. Please note that the total time students are engaged in learning activities will be determined by course level and the full range of assignments that students receive in all of their subjects.
Students can submit their assignments via Google Classroom, myMCPS classroom or email. Although teachers will introduce new content and assignments for students to complete, it is important to remember that the work students complete and the feedback teachers provide during this time is not meant to replace the day-to-day instruction that students would have received at school.
Our goal is to maintain key aspects of the classroom experience: engaging with content, collaborating with peers, receiving support from staff, and moving forward in the learning process through assignments and feedback. The learning experiences are meant to maintain a continuity of learning; facilitate and track progress; and encourage students to challenge themselves and grow in their knowledge. The scheduled office hours are an important time to connect with teachers, engage in additional learning, and receive support as needed.
Grading and Reporting
Grades for the third marking period will be reported using the traditional grading system. Report cards will be mailed home the week of April 27. Over the past several weeks, MCPS has explored grading and reporting options for the 4th Marking Period. This work has included reviewing the approaches of other public school districts; contacting colleges and universities; and soliciting feedback from various stakeholders. This is a complex decision that requires thoughtful planning and collaboration. We have determined that a traditional grading system based on percentages and letter grades will not serve the best interests of all students during this period of online learning. We want to ensure that our grading system has a positive impact and can only help our students’ academic standing.
As is the case with any grading policy, there is no perfect grading system, which is amplified even more now during a very stressful time for families. However, we believe the following strategies will let us know if students are learning, without penalizing them for the impact the pandemic may be having on their families.
Secondary Students
In middle and high schools, a traditional letter grade system will not be used for the 4th Marking Period. MCPS is developing a grading and reporting framework for secondary schools that is commonly known as “Pass/Incomplete” or “Credit/No Credit” for the remainder of the year. We believe that this grading approach will ensure fairness and equity for all students, while also engaging students in the curriculum, providing meaningful feedback, and tracking their progress. We are currently working with stakeholders (teachers, parents, students and union leaders) to ensure a smooth transition to this system and ensure that teachers and students understand the criteria for success. We understand that there will be many questions about implications of this grading approach, and those questions will be answered. But we believe that traditional grading practices will not best serve all students and a more universal approach is needed. More information about implementation of this system, including how the final semester grade will be reported on transcripts, will be provided in the coming weeks.
Student Attendance and Accountability
Although daily student attendance will not be taken in traditional ways, teachers and school administrators will monitor student engagement and participation. This will be tracked in a number of ways, including:
- Assignment completion
- Students attending live sessions or virtual “office hours
- Email or phone calls with students/parents/guardians
- Paper/pencil assignments that students turn in
We want to stress that student engagement and participation in remote learning is critical. If your child(ren) is having trouble engaging in online learning, please contact their counselor or a school administrator as soon as possible. You can also submit a question or concern here.
Week 4 Distance Learning Schedule
Class of 2020- Celebrating YOU
If you are interested please complete our this form.
If you have a graduation photo you would like us to use (or a photo of you in your college or career swag) attach it, otherwise we will use your senior photo from our records.
- Questions? Let Mr. Sinclair know.
Dear Class of 2020
Below is some additional information from the class council.
Click below for information from MCPS on the Zoom platform
Virtual PTSA Meeting - MONDAY, April 20
Join the Blake High School PTSA for our first virtual meeting scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on Monday, April 20, 2020.
At this meeting we will be reconnecting with our community and will be talking about where we are with distance learning, any information we have regarding fourth marking period, discussing ways we can celebrate our seniors, and ways we can support out Bengal families in need. You can check out the agenda here.
Families can join our PTSA meeting either online (through Google meet) or by phone.
- If you would like to join us online you can click here. This will take you into Google Meet. You can learn more about google meet on the google help forum.
- If you would prefer to call in and join by phone, you can access the meeting by calling 484-641-8407 and using the pin:358976966#
Some quick tips and information on the process:
- We will start with a quick introduction to the platform and the process for the meeting.
- We will start with a presentation, welcoming and opening remarks. We will then get into the agenda items for this meeting.
- During the meeting we are asking that all microphones remain muted and that participants use the chat box to ask questions and provide comments
We are looking forward to reconnecting our community and hope you can join us at 7:00 p.m. on Monday.
Families should continue to check the MCPS Continuity of Learning web page on a regular basis for updates and information.
MCPS Food Distribution Sites
Food distribution sites will continue to operate as we shift into online and distance learning. MCPS is providing access to three meals a day at a number of sites throughout the county. You can find the list of locations here. Free meals will be provided Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students do not have to present ID to receive meals but must be under 18 years old. They can visit any of the sites to receive a nutritious meal.
April 20- Distance Learning- Content Sharing Day (First Day of the 4th Quarter)
April 20- Online PTSA Meeting, 7 pm
April 21- Distance Learning- Office Hours, Periods 1-4
April 22- Distance Learning- Office Hours, Periods 5-7
April 23- Distance Learning- Office Hours, Periods 1-4
April 24- Distance Learning- Office Hours, Periods 5-7
April 27- Distance Learning- Content Sharing Day
April 28- Distance Learning- Office Hours, Periods 1-4 (Please note- this was a day off and is now an instructional day)
April 29- Distance Learning- Office Hours, Periods 5-7
April 30- Distance Learning- Office Hours, Periods 1-4
May 1- Distance Learning- Office Hours, Periods 5-7
May 4- Distance Learning- Content Sharing Day
May 5- Distance Learning- Office Hours, Periods 1-4
May 6- Distance Learning- Office Hours, Periods 5-7
May 7- Distance Learning- Office Hours, Periods 1-4
May 8- Distance Learning- Office Hours, Periods 5-7
May 11- Distance Learning- Content Sharing Day
May 12- Distance Learning- Office Hours, Periods 1-4
May 13- Distance Learning- Office Hours, Periods 5-7
May 14- Distance Learning- Office Hours, Periods 1-4
May 15- Distance Learning- Office Hours, Periods 5-7
Currently May 15 is scheduled to be the last day of school closure
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