SVHS Green and Gold
Community Edition - October 9, 2022
How to Translate this Newsletter/Cómo traducir este boletín
This Week's Notes from the SVHS College & Career Center
SVHS College & Career Monthly Newsletter - October, 2022-23
Attention Seniors - Applying to Colleges
Are you planning on applying to a four-year college or university? If the answer is yes, you should be working on the process now! October 15 and November 1 application deadlines are quickly approaching! Please review the SVHS College Application Process document and use this as a guide.
Please reach out to Mr. Nalda or your counselor if you have any questions.
NEW - Curious or want to learn more about a particular college? Click this link to see where some of our SVHS staff members attended. They have volunteered to speak with students about their school and experience!
Financial Aid - FAFSA Window Opened October 1! (Seniors)
The window for seniors to begin filling out and submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application opened on October 1. This is the application for financial aid from the Federal Government. Based on your family's financial situation, you may qualify for aid in the form of a Pell Grant. All eligible seniors should fill out and submit this form, regardless of family income.
Those students ineligible to apply for the FAFSA are encouraged to fill out the Maryland State Financial Aid Application (MSFAA) to receive financial aid to attend colleges or universities in the state of Maryland.
Click here for more information and instructions
University of Alabama FREE App Week, Oct 17-21
We are excited to announce The University of Alabama Free App Week, running
October 17-21, 2022. From October 17 - 21, UA Undergraduate Admissions offers an application fee waiver to those applying to enter as freshmen or transfer students in the Spring, Summer or Fall 2023 Semesters. You must submit your application by 11:59 p.m. CDT on Friday, October 21 to apply for free.
College Representative Visits in the College & Career Center (Room 2408)
Juniors & Seniors are encouraged to participate in visits to learn more about colleges and universities that may be of interest to them. Students interested in participating in visits are asked to register in Naviance (instructions).
Next week’s visits:
Florida Institute of Technology - Mon October 10 @ 9:40 AM
Loyola University Maryland - October 10 @ 10:30 AM
American Pool (Lunch Visit) - Mon October 10 @ 11:12 AM - 11:54 AM
*No registration in Naviance needed. Stop by the cafeteria anytime during lunch to learn more about jobs at American Pool (lifeguards & other positions).
Bridgewater College - Mon October 10 @ 12:55 PM
Neumann University - Tue October 11 @ 9:55 AM
University of Maine - Tue October 11 @ 10:30 AM
Stevenson University - Tue October 11 @ 12:05 PM
James Madison University - Fri October 14 @ 10:30 AM
Click here to learn more about rep visits to campus and see the full list of schools scheduled to visit SVHS this school year!
Upcoming Scholarships
§ October 17 - College JumpStart Scholarship - 1-$1,000 award; grades 10-12; U.S. cit. or legal res.; attend 2-year, 4-year or trade school; answer 1 of 3 questions in 250 words or less.
§ October 18 - Heisman High School Scholarship - (deadline is 6pm on 10/18) $1,000, $2,000, and $10,000 awards; senior; min 3.0 GPA; participate or have participated in grades 9, 10, or 11 in at least one of the sports listed on the site (click here to see list); proven leader and role model within their school and community.
§ October 21 - Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Achievement Week Scholarship - 4-5 students who have the highest GPAs and leadership experiences will receive a minimum $3,000 scholarship; senior; African American; male; min. of 3.5 (weighted) or 3.0 (unweighted) GPA; leadership roles (in or out of school); community service experience (in or out of school); the top 50 students will be notified and invited to attend its 2022 Achievement Week celebration on November 16, 2022 at the Silver Spring Civic Center at 7 pm.
§ October 21 - Omega Psi Phi Fraternity International High School Essay Contest - awards of $500, $1,000, $2,000, $3,000, and $5000; open to college bound seniors of any race; submit an essay between 700-750 words addressing the following theme: A world crisis has caused a paradigm shift for health disparities and social justice; what are your suggestions for positive change?
Click here to see the SVHS Scholarships Page for more opportunities.
Upcoming Events
Mid-Atlantic Carpenters’ Training Center (MACTC) Information Session
Are you interested in becoming a Carpenter Apprentice? The Mid-Atlantic Carpenters’ Training Center (MACTC) has scheduled an information session. This session will be held on Monday, October 10th, 2022 at 6:00pm in Upper Marlboro.
For anyone interested in joining the apprenticeship program, please visit their website at www.mactc.net and click on the red box on the front page that says “October 10th, 2022 Information Session.” Once you click on the red box it will take you to the registration page where you can fill out the form to register to attend.
FAFSA Assistance Night @ WMHS
This event is open to Class of 2023 students & families from Watkins Mill High, Gaithersburg, and Seneca Valley High Schools. Need help completing the FAFSA and/or FSA ID? Experts from Montgomery College will be on hand to guide you through the process of creating an FSA ID number and completing your FAFSA. This in-person event will take place in the Watkins Mill HS Cafeteria. Assistance available to students & families in English & Spanish/Español.
§ Wednesday, October 12, 6:00pm @ Watkins Mill High School (In-Person)
§ What information to bring to this session to complete the FAFSA (they will help with #1)
SAT Information & Updates
Click here for the latest information regarding the SAT.
Looking for a Job???
Panda Programmer - actively seeking high school students to teach computer programming to elementary and middle school students in Germantown and the surrounding areas; looking for students who are good with kids, have solid computer programming experience, and have reliable transportation; rates for student teachers start at $17 per hour; click link for more information.
Copper Canyon Grill (Gaithersburg) - looking for high energy, fun and hard working people to work in one of Gaithersburg's premier restaurants; looking to hire food runners, bussers, and hosts; must be at least 16 years old; click on link for more information.
Congratulations to all of our newly inducted National Honor Society Members! #ThisIsSenecaValley #SVPROUD
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK 2022 OCTOBER 10–15, 2022
Congratulations to the Seneca Valley High School marching band for winning first place in their category in the Gaithersburg Labor Day parade!
PSAT Test - October 12
Good Evening Seneca Valley High School Families -
If your student is in 10th grade, or if they are an 11th grader who registered, they will be taking the PSAT on the morning of Wednesday, October 12th. At the link below, students and families who are taking the PSAT will find important information about the testing, including:
- What to bring and NOT bring to testing
- Test Format information and Practice Tests
SVHS Parent/Student Communication Information
Modified Testing Schedule for Wednesday, October 12th:
Because of the PSAT Testing, there will be a modified schedule for the school on Wednesday, October 12th.
- 7:45-12:15 - PSAT Testing
- 12:15-12:54 - LUNCH
- 1:00-1:42 – Engagement Day – Rotation 1
- 1:48-2:30 – Engagement Day – Rotation 2
Transportation will run on the normal morning schedule, and students that are NOT testing (in 9th, 11th and 12th grade) can choose to come in at the normal start of school and will be provided with supervision and time to complete work and independent study in the auditorium. Non-Testing students are allowed to choose to come in for lunch and the Engagement Day activities only.
Engagement Day Activities:
We have prepared a variety of activities for our Engagement Day that include: Club meetings, Game rooms, Stress-free art, Subject-specific study halls, CTE Exploration, Financial Aid - FAFSA help, and Internship info sessions. We also have SSL opportunities, and homecoming decorations for students on Wednesday, Oct 12.
Please encourage your child to take advantage of the opportunities to gain SSL hours, attend study sessions and receive information about financial aid for college.
SVHS Engagement Day - October 12 after the PSAT
Wednesday October 12 will be our first Seneca Valley Engagement Day! In the morning, PSAT testing will occur for ALL 10th grade students and for 11th grade students who have signed up for the test. All other students have a delayed opening, and are asked to report to school at 12:15 p.m. If you must ride the MCPS bus to school, you will need to arrive on time. We will have an organized study hall and student service learning opportunities available during this time. In the afternoon, all students will attend two engagement day sessions. Look under your grade level below to see what your options are.
For more information and a detailed schedule for SVHS Engagement Day, please click here.
LIBRARY MEDIA NEWS: EXPLORE THE VIRTUAL SVLMC!
9th Grade and ESOL LMC Orientation Underway
From September 22nd - October 14th, LMC staff are thrilled to welcome 9th grade and ESOL students to the library media center (LMC) for in-person orientation. During this session, students learn about our physical and online spaces, and services and opportunities presented in the LMC. In addition, staff review basic Chromebook care and troubleshooting tips. Please ask your students about what they learned during their visit!
Explore the Virtual SVLMC
Did you know that the Library Media Center (LMC) has a virtual presence through which students may access research resources, information on citing sources, tools for reading online, opportunities to participate in reading programs, and more? Last week, students who are not already enrolled in the Virtual SVLMC should have received an invite in their myMCPS Classroom/Canvas accounts. If they did not, they simply need to click on this link to enroll. By clicking on the LMC Information tab, students can access LMC orientation slides. The last 10 slides provide a self-directed tour through our virtual space. If you have questions about this, or any other aspect of the library media program at SVHS, please contact our school librarian, Ms. Little.
Reading Promotions & Book Club Updates
- In addition to our National Hispanic Heritage Month Reading Promotion, we are still running a very tactile Banned Book Promotion in celebration of the freedom to read. Next week, we are also unveiling our Halloween Spooktacular display, featuring spooky, scary books to commemorate the season -- fans of horror should definitely stop by!
- Finally, we polled our readers and pushed our One Maryland One Book discussion back one week. It is now scheduled for lunch on October 11th, providing more time for more participants to join! We still have copies of the book What’s Mine and Yours by Naima Coster -- please stop by the LMC or email Ms. Little or Ms. Rossman for more information.
Free Tutoring Available
FREE Tutoring Opportunity through our CARES Program
Our CARES Tutoring program will be starting on September 26th. Our program provides high dosage tutoring designed to:
- accelerate learning at a student's grade level or above
- support students who are performing below grade level
- provide additional support beyond classroom instruction to support student success
Program Highlights
- FREE Tutoring by SV Teachers and Support Staff
- Flexible Scheduling - After School, Evening and Weekend hours
- In Person and Virtual Times available
- English, Math, Science, Social Studies, World Languages and More!
- Organization and General Support
Click HERE to sign up!
Contact Elizabeth_Maxey@mcpsmd.org for additional information.
Academic Support Website and Resources
At Seneca Valley High School we have many great opportunities and resources for students to get academic support.
Check out our Academic Support Website, which can also be found on our Seneca Valley High School website under Quick Links: Academic Support.
Here you can find information on:
- CARES Tutoring - our FREE after school tutoring program
- Project GRAD - our credit recovery program
- Opportunities for support during the school day
- MCPS Opportunities
- And more!
Maryland Seal of Biliteracy
IB’ in the Classroom:
IB Registration: IB Registration runs from Friday, October 7th - Friday, November 4th. On Friday, October 7th, Natasha Ezerski, the IB CP/DP Coordinator presented to all IB classes in the auditorium. The following links were shared with students.
- IB Exam Slide Show (presentation from Ms. Ezerski)
- IB Registration Form - May 2023 (Online registration form for IB exams)
- IB Exam Packet (Instructions for registering for exams and Financial Assistance form)
- 5 Things You Should Know About IB Testing (Additional information about IB exams)
- School Cash Instructions (How to create an account to pay for all School fees)
- School Cash Login (Main page to login to pay for fees; Ms. Riddick provide PIN codes for all students at the Registration presentation on 10/7)
If you have additional questions about School Cash, please contact Ms. Carol Lee or Ms. Monique Riddick in the financial office. (monique_n_riddick@mcpsmd.org or carol_l_lee@mcpsmd.org)
At SVHS we believe all students can achieve and it is an expectation that all students will take the IB exam for all courses they are enrolled in. Please contact Ms. Ezerski at natasha_l_ezerski@mcpsmd.org or stop by Room 3510 with any additional questions.
IB’ in the Classroom: Mrs. Gardner's IB Psychology applied the knowledge they learned about the parts of the brain as they dissected a sheep brain. The students collaborated together to determine the different parts of the brain using models, pictured, and text.
Think Big Program: Our first Think Big Program field trip is on Thursday, Oct. 20th and our group of supervisors has been busy planning! Teachers from both Seneca Valley and Watkins Mill met on Thursday at Glenstone Museum and the AMP by Strathmore to begin planning for this year’s student cohort. The teachers enjoyed a guided tour of Glenstone, followed by time at AMP interacting with a tap dancer and planning for the first student experience. We still have space for additional 10th graders! Please encourage interested students to see Mrs. Becraft in room 3514 for a permission slip.
WINTER SPORTS REGISTRATION OPENS MONDAY VIA PARENTVUE
Please visit this site for Mr. Irvin's Athletics' updates for the week.
SVHS Student and Family Resources Page
Click here for a list and links to resources and supports available for students and families in the Seneca Valley Community. SVHS Student and Family Resources Page
Seneca Valley High School
Twitter: @SenecaValleyHS
Instagram: @SenecaValleyHSWebsite: www.senecavalleyhighschool.com
Location: 19401 Crystal Rock Drive, Germantown, MD, USA
Phone: 240-740-6400