Blake Updates
May 12, 2019
After Prom Needs YOU
In just under a week we will have our junior-senior prom with almost 375 students in attendance. This is an amazing evening for our students and one that we want to ensure they remember on a positive note. To that end our PTSA has been working to plan and coordinate our after-prom but we need your help.
Prom is Friday, May 17th and After-prom is being held at the White Oak Rec Center immediately following prom. Our PTSA is looking for volunteers to work from 10 pm Friday until 6 am Saturday to help set up, supervise students, and clean up. Please consider donating your time to help keep our Bengals Safe!
You can sign up at:
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/70a0a4dacab2ea46-afterprom
It is only through your support that we can make this happen.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact our after-prom at blakeafterprom@gmail.com
Thank you!!!!
IMPORTANT SENIOR UPDATES
Prom
- Prom is this Friday!!!
- Tickets will be available for pick up Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during lunch in the media center as well as Wednesday from 3-4 in the Media Center. Students can not have any outstanding financial obligations.
- STUDENTS MUST BE IN SCHOOL UNTIL 4th period to attend prom. Students attending prom may sign out (with a parent note) after 4th period to get ready
Graduation Updates
- Remember that graduation is June 6th at 10 am
- Graduation is at the Knott Arena and Convocation Center at Mount St. Mary's University
- Each graduate will receive 8 tickets at the May 24th cap and gown distribution
- May 17th is the last date to purchase bus tickets to go to graduation if you would like to ride on the Blake charter buses. Tickets can be purchased at https://osp.osmsinc.com/MontgomeryMD/BVModules/CategoryTemplates/Detailed%20List%20with%20Properties/Category.aspx?categoryid=BY286
Changes to the 2018 - 2019 Calendar Due to Inclement Weather
Inclement weather forced MCPS to close schools on four days this winter. The 2018–2019 MCPS school calendar includes 182 instruction days, 2 more than the minimum required in the state of Maryland. As a result of these closures, MCPS will need to use two designated make-up days to ensure that it meets the state-required number of school days. The school year will be extended to June 14, 2019, and schools also will be open on June 5, which was a previously scheduled professional day for staff. June 14 will be an early release day for all students.
Advanced Placement Exam Dates
Additional Advanced Placement Information
Students who are taking AP tests this year were sent their testing schedules and some general reminders on Friday, April 26 via email and text. If students do not know where they are testing for each of their tests, individual AP teachers have the rosters and can be of assistance.
It is imperative that students arrive by 7:45 for morning tests and 11:45 for afternoon tests. The timeline for administration is tight and proctors cannot wait for missing students.
Some tests are given at the People’s Community Baptist Church located about one mile from Blake near New Hampshire Ave. The address is 31 Norwood Road. If students have a test at the church, it is important to arrange transportation with a parent or a friend. If students are driving, they should park in the back behind the church, not on the side to avoid being towed.
Students should bring at least a couple of number two pencils and black or blue pens to the tests. If the test requires a calculator, students need to bring their calculators and it is recommended that spare batteries be brought as well as calculators and batteries are not proved.
It is recommended that students dress in layers and/or bring a sweatshirt/sweater as the temperatures in rooms can fluctuate. Some tests are given in the auditorium and it tends to be cooler in that environment. Desk lights are provided for each desk in the auditorium to adjust brightness for individual student needs
.
It is recommended that students bring water and a light snack. Non-water drinks will not be allowed in the testing area and will be accessed only after testing so it is best to finish those prior to arrival. If a student has two tests in one day, a filling, heavier snack and extra water should be packed so it can be consumed between tests.
Cell phones and smart watches will not be permitted in the testing room. It is best if those items are not brought in at all because they will be secured in bags away from testing.
If students have questions their teachers cannot answer, they can see Ms. O’Neill.
State Testing
MCPS Updates
Graduations Begin May 24
The 2019 high school commencement season is set to begin on Friday, May 24, and will end on Thursday, June 13. Graduations taking place at DAR Constitution Hall will be streamed live, courtesy of DAR, on DAR’s website at www.dar.org/constitution-hall/watch-graduation-live-stream. The graduation schedule can be found here.
MCPS is inviting parents/guardians to submit their favorite graduation snapshots. Parents and guardians should select the best graduation photo of their child(ren) and e-mail it to pio@mcpsmd.org. Many of the pictures will be posted on the MCPS website. Parents, guardians, and students also can submit photos via Twitter (using the hashtag #mcpsgrad). Pictures will be reposted on social media.
To contribute a photo via e-mail, follow these simple steps:
· Choose your best, horizontal snapshot.
· Send the photo as a jpeg file (no larger than 4 MB) and e-mail it to pio@mcpsmd.org.
· Include your child’s first name and school name. (We will not publish last names.)
By submitting a photo, parents/guardians are agreeing to its use for publication on the MCPS website. If you have questions, contact the Department of Public Information and Web Services at 240-740-2837 or via e-mail, at pio@mcpsmd.org.
Nominations Open for Staff & Student ESOL Awards
Nominations are open for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Outstanding Student, Outstanding Teacher, and Principal of the Year Awards. The ESOL/Bilingual Advisory Committee (EBAC) will be presenting several awards:
· Outstanding Teacher Awards will be given to three ESOL teachers (one each in elementary, middle, and high school) who are excellent teachers and leaders and who have guided ESOL students in learning English and adjusting to life in the U.S.
Teacher nomination form:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJ4uEsfYFq0gLUFdLG-erkU8pHtEFL67L8vn-89PI2FTV6Xw/viewform?pli=1
· Principal of the Year will be awarded to one principal who has provided exceptional support to the ESOL/Bilingual program in their school.
Principal nomination form: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc3QNUGEBbPPvsPexfZqQfIKnx6o9cp1TU8Y5KbbYuchdD3HA/viewform?pli=1
· Each school may nominate one ESOL student for every 20 ESOL students. These students will have shown growth in English language development and content during the 2018–2019 school year.
Student nomination form:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScotB4ggd-c1Jk8Eu7AVMxdX6wKd-2cYzHzwQlKXjGHjAUaLg/viewform?pli=1
Additional supporting documents, such as letters or statements, may be attached to the respective Google form as PDF files. All nominations are due online by Friday, May 10. For questions, contact Tamisha L. Sampson, supervisor of the Elementary Integrated Curriculum Team.
Don’t Miss the 2019 Gaithersburg Book Festival
The 2019 Gaithersburg Book Festival will take place Saturday, May 18, on the grounds of Gaithersburg City Hall, 31 South Summit Avenue in Gaithersburg. The festival features a great lineup of authors and activities for children of all ages. Several members of the MCPS community will be conducting readings at the festival, and there will be programs, workshops, and activities in the Children’s Village that are designed to promote interest in reading and writing.
More than 100 authors are scheduled to appear. Among the children’s and young adults authors attending are: Zeno Alexander; Fred Bowen; Amy Ewing; Jessica Day George; and Monica Hesse. Some of the writing workshops will cover how to build suspense, creative writing in Spanish, and journal writing.
For more information about the festival, visit www.gaithersburgbookfestival.org.
High School Career Readiness Camps
MCPS is offering summer readiness camps for students to explore skilled and professional careers and match their career goals and interest with career academies and high school programs. The camps will take place from 8:15 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Thomas Edison High School of Technology from Monday, July 15, 2019, to Friday, August 2, 2019. Students currently in Grade 8 are invited to attend. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Leslie A. Cardenas, transition specialist, Transition Services Unit, at 301-649-8008. To register, visit tinyurl.com/y5sdm535.
MCPS to Host Private Screening of the Film, Circles
MCPS staff, students, and families are invited to a free, private screening of the film, Circles. During the event, guests will have an exclusive chance to hear from the star of the film, Mr. Eric Butler, about his implementation of restorative circles both professionally and personally. Circles focuses on the life of Eric Butler, a Hurricane Katrina survivor and pioneer of the Restorative Justice movement. Shot over two years, the film follows Butler's impassioned efforts to nurture troubled youth and keep them in school, fighting racial discrimination by replacing snap suspensions and expulsions with gritty, intimate, and honest mentoring.
The screening will take place on Tuesday, May 28, at 6:00 p.m. at AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring. Admission is free, but tickets must be reserved online, at docs.google.com/forms/d/1ky1JSd2C_zPSISRbSYP3nSVAU-zl11AfBc9x0P-sCcQ/edit.
Key Dates
May 14, 15, 16- Prom Ticket Distribution at Lunch in the Media Center
May 15- Prom Ticket Distribution after School (3-4 pm) in the Media Center
May 17- Junior / Senior Prom (8:00 pm)
May 20 - 23- State Testing Window
May 21- Athletic Awards
May 22- Academic Awards
May 23- Minority Academic Gala
May 24- Last Day for Seniors
- May 27- Holiday- No School
- May 28- Music Awards (7:00 pm)
May 29- Blue Block Day
May 30- Silver Block Day
June 4- Graduation Rehearsal for Seniors (7:45 a.m. Main Gym)
June 5- SCHOOL DAY **This is a change due to snow days**
June 6- Graduation Day- School Closed
June 8- Bump It Up
June 13- FULL DAY OF SCHOOL **This is a change due to snow days**
June 14- LAST DAY OF SCHOOL - EARLY RELEASE **This is a change due to snow days**
James Hubert Blake High School
James Hubert Blake High School is a Signature School for the Fine Arts and Humanities
#ExpectExcellence
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