SVHS Green and Gold
Dr. Cohen's Newsletter to the SVHS Community
March 20, 2022 Edition
Summary of Newsletter from Dr. Cohen
Resources for Families
Mental health / crisis resources:
- Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Program: For more information on family-focused outpatient mental health services for children, adolescents and their families, visit here or call 240-777-1450.
- Screening and Assessment Services for Children and Adolescents SASCA: For information on confidential screening for substance abuse for children, and mental health and substance use assessments for children up to age 18, visit here or call 240-777-1430.
- Minority Health Services: Many of our Minority Health Initiatives have excellent resources and partner with nonprofit and community organizations to offer free mental health counseling. Explore more:
- ACCESS to Behavioral Health Services: For assistance with obtaining appropriate outpatient mental health or substance abuse services for individuals eligible through the public behavioral health system. Walk-In assessments and evaluations available Monday - Friday at 9 a.m. or 1 p.m. Learn more here or call 240-777-1770.
- EveryMind: For direct mental health services to youth, adults, older adults, families and veterans, visit here or call 301-424-0656.
- Crisis Center: For 24/7 free crisis services visit here or call 240-777-4000
- Crisis text line: Text "home" to 741-741 for free 24/7 support
- ChildLink: Early childhood services for children ages five and younger and their families. Learn more here or call 240-777-4769.
Family grief supports:
NEW: Message from MCPS - MCPS Strategic Plan FY 2022-2025
NEW: Testing Update - SAT School Day
Hello Seneca Valley High School Community,
We would like to share information about upcoming testing for next week. On Wednesday, March 23rd - All juniors will participate in the SAT School Day. Students should bring calculators, pencils, bottle water and/or a light snack. Students cannot have electronic devices, cell phones, Smart watches and devices on them at all during the testing administration. We are requiring students to turn off electronic devices and placing these items in their backpacks/bags located in the front of the room. This is to prevent any test violations.
Parent’s please encourage your child to bring the necessary materials, get a good night’s rest and eat breakfast prior to testing.
Thank you!
NEW: Dads on Duty - We would love to have you join the team.
Attention Seneca Dads. If you are still interested in participating in Dads on Duty and you have completed the volunteer training module and COVID attestation form, please consider signing up for a slot using the form below. We still need your support. The dads who have been coming in have reported having a great time while also seeing real evidence that they are making a difference.
Dads on Duty at Seneca Valley HS: Dads on Duty Sign-Up (signupgenius.com)
To access the online volunteer training and COVID vaccination attestation, use this link: Support Guide [Volunteers and Contractors: Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect] - Google Docs
NEW: Free, On-Demand Online/Virtual Tutoring Available for All Students, K-12
New Partnerships with FEV Tutor and Tutor Me Education
Beginning on January 25, 2022, all students will have access to free tutoring and 24/7 Homework Help to support success in their current courses/grade level, through two new approved tutoring providers, FEV Tutor and Tutor Me Education. As part of comprehensive strategies to mitigate learning disruption associated with the pandemic, all students will have access to these virtual tutoring services through their MCPS Google Account, using Clever. Some students will also be referred directly by their local school.
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/tutoring.aspx
NEW: Antiracist Audit Survey Sent to Families
Parents and guardians should check their email for a survey on racial and systemic barriers in MCPS. The anonymous survey will help us to better understand how racism affects teaching, learning and parent engagement. The survey is due by Thursday, March 31.
NEW: Updates from the College and Career Center
NEW: Moving Forward College & Career Readiness Series for Juniors
Juniors, let's start planning! We enthusiastically invite you all to participate in the following workshops to get a head start in planning for life after high school! Seniors are also welcome to register for the Alternative Career Fair on Mar 22. Once registered, a zoom to link will be sent to you 2 days before the workshop and 1 day before the workshop again.
Unless noted, all workshops are from 11:30 am - 12:00 pm.
Tuesday, March 22* - Alternative Career Fair (*10:30am - 11:30am)
Thursday, April 7 - College Essay Writing
Thursday, April 21 - Tips on Common Application
Tuesday, April 26 - Intro to Financial Aid and Scholarships
Click here for the flyerNEW: College Admissions Decisions & Results - Seniors
Already received admissions results and/or scholarships? Please update your Naviance accounts! Need help? See Mr. Nalda in the College & Career Center, Room 2113.
How to add and update admission decisions/results in Naviance (video)
How to add scholarships in Naviance (video)
NEW: NACAC College Fair Field Trip Opportunity for Juniors - April 6
The 2022 NACAC Montgomery County College Fair will take place at Adventist HealthCare Fieldhouse in Boyds, MD. There will be over 275 colleges and universities exhibiting! Registration is required for all attendees.
Interested Juniors will have the opportunity to attend the fair as a school field trip on Wednesday, April 6, from 9:45am - 11:15am. The cost for students for this field trip is $4.00 to cover the cost of transportation.
Signed permission slip and payment is due to Mr. Nalda (Room 2113) by Thursday, March 31. Click here for more information and the permission slip.
NEW: U.S. Service Academy Summer Programs for Juniors
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen would like to share information on an exciting opportunity that may be of interest to students.
Juniors (students in the Class of 2023) who have an interest in learning about opportunities to attend a U.S. Service Academy for college are encouraged to apply to participate in a summer program. Each Academy’s summer program provides a week-long immersion into the academic, military, and social life of that Academy. The Academies are ranked among the top undergraduate public universities in the country. The U.S. Naval Academy also offers a Summer STEM Program for rising 9th-11th graders. (Click here for more information)
NEW: Upcoming Scholarships
March 25 - 2022 NAACP Scholarship Award - $1,000 awards; senior; res. of Montgomery County; min 3.0 GPA; extracurricular activities; must participate in faith-based, religious-based, or volunteer activities (or employment); 2 references; include name of your current state Congress member and/or selegate (see link); 300-word essay; 3-4 paragraph essay; awards presented at the Annual Freedom Fund Dinner.
March 29 - Georges Lieber Essay Contest on Resistance - 1st-$1,000, 2nd-$500, 3rd-$300, and two Honorable Mentions-$200; 9-12 grade; in 2,000 words, you are encouraged to raise questions, single out issues, and identify dilemmas involving resistance; essays may be written in the formal or informal tone, but most importantly, an individual voice should be evident; see link for full details and guidelines.
March 31 - Zeta Phi Beta Sorority - Eta Pi Zeta Scholarship - awards of up to $1,000; senior; min 2.5 GPA; accepted to a 2- or 4-year college or university; proof of community service hours; personal essay; two letters of recommendation due by March 29 (provide recommenders with this link to submit); transcript.
March 31 - Legacy of Life Scholarship - 2-$5,000, 2-$3,000, and 6-$1,000 awards; senior; write an essay or produce a video convincing others to register to be organ, eye and tissue donors; winners must attend a "Donation 101" training and participate in one WRTC-approved event in the community.
March 31 - David Ebrahimzadeh Scholarship - 1-$1,000 award; senior; accepted into a college or university; for students who are seeking a degree in real estate, or have a passion in real estate; submit a 500-word essay about real estate.
March 31 - Look Back Give Back Scholarships - awards of $5,000, $2,500, and $1,500; senior; resident of MD; Black or African American; min 2.0 GPA (unweighted); demonstrate financial need; community service and/or Extra-curricular activity involvement; accepted to a two year or four year college or university ; letter of recommendation from school counselor; 300-500 word essay.Click here to see the SVHS Scholarships Page for more opportunities.
NEW: Upcoming College and Career Events
This Week's College & Career Visits - Career Center (Room 2113)
Lynn University - Tue March 22 @ 1:02 PM
Upcoming Events
Alternative Career Fair
Virtual Alternative Career Fair for juniors and seniors on Tuesday, March 22, from 10:30am - 11:30am. Once registered, a zoom to link will be sent to you before the workshop. If you need a place to watch this workshop, you are welcome to come to the College & Career Center, Room 2113.
Virtual Alternative Career Fair Participants:
Montgomery County Parks - Career/Job Opportunities - Special Events & Other Positions
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue
Work Source Montgomery
Montgomery College BioTechnology Program
Shapiro & Duncan, Inc. - Career, Internship, and Apprenticeship Opportunities - Construction (Mechanical Contracting, HVAC, Plumbing)
MC Scholarship Series 2022
Students and families are invited to join us for information about scholarships and financial aid. All sessions begin at 6pm. Click Here to Register
March 23: Appealing your Financial Aid Due to Special Circumstances & Maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)Click here to see the SVHS Homepage for more upcoming events
NEW: IB Spotlight
MYP Personal Project update: Our 10th graders should be working on completing their product for their MYP Personal Project. They should complete their product by Tues., April 5th, the week before Spring Break. After they complete their product, the students will organize and curate their evidence, and reflect on their learning in their final report. Here is a calendar of important dates for the MYP Personal Project.
If your student needs help:
· Tues., March 22: Our next advisory lesson.
· Wed., March 23: There is a delayed opening for the SAT school day. If students arrive at school early, Ms. Becraft will be offering help from 7:45 to 12:15 (start of lunch) in room 1107. Please encourage students to stop to ask questions or work on their project!
· Academic Support days: Students can use this link to sign up for a support session!
MYP Personal Project Spotlight: Sahana Audhithan, a 10th grader at SVHS, is collecting data on the mental health of SVHS students through an anonymous Google form. She will then analyze the results and write a report on her findings and recommendations. Please encourage your students to complete the survey to support Sahana’s MYP Personal Project! The QR code is below and also can be found at a higher resolution here. Great job, Sahana!
IB in the Classroom: Our IB Theory of Knowledge and IB Personal & Professional Skills class celebrated St. Patrick’s Day by sharing what we are lucky for. Check out some of the responses below!
IB Diploma Program and IB Career-related Programs:
Is your student a rising junior in several IB courses? If so, they should consider the full IB Diploma – seen as the Gold Standard Preparatory Program for colleges. Students build an immense toolkit that will help them in college and beyond.
Feedback from IB Diploma Alumni:
- “My peers struggle to write papers in college, but because I did IAs* in all my classes and the EE (Extended Essay), I do not have the same challenges, as I have the skills I need.” (*Unlike other external assessments, like Advanced Placement, IB scores are a combination of authentic internal assessments (IAs), graded by SVHS teachers and moderated by IB, completed throughout the year and externally assessed exams in May.)
- “Don’t listen to others – it is very doable!”
- “ I got an abundance of credits… I have sophomore standing.”
Is your student in a career pathway and in at least one IB course? Then, the IB Career-related program may be for them.
Visit the SVHS IB Website for more information at: https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/svhsibprograms/home or contact Ms. Ezerski the IB DP/CP Coordinator with your questions.
Coming Soon: Clash of the Classes!!!
Congratulations to all of our 1st semester Straight A students
Seneca Valley High School
Email: marc_j_cohen@mcpsmd.org
Website: www.senecavalleyhighschool.com
Location: 19401 Crystal Rock Drive, Germantown, MD, USA
Phone: 240-740-6400
Twitter: @SenecaValleyHS