Springbrook Weekly Digest
Week of Oct 8, 2023
A Message from Ms. Valentine, Principal
Greetings, Students, Staff, and Families,
I hope you had a great weekend. Here are a few reminders regarding this week.
Wednesday, October 11, 2023, is College and Career Readiness Day for grade 12 students and PSAT Day for students in grades 10 and 11, and Mock PSAT Day for students in grade 9.
Class of 2024 - Grade 12 students engage in College and Career Readiness Day which includes the following:
- Senior Class Portrait
- Light Breakfast
- Panel discussions by college representations and Springbrook alum
- Panel discussions by military and apprenticeship personnel
- College and Career Fair with over 100 colleges and universities
- All juniors are registered to test and should report to school
- Students may qualify for scholarship opportunities
- All sophomores are registered to test and should report to school
Class of 2027 - Grade 9 students take theMock PSAT assessment
- All freshmen are registered to test and should report to school
Following testing, students will have lunch and then transition to periods 6 and 7.
Mark Your Calendars for upcoming Student, Parent, and Caregiver Meetings
- Class of 2025 - Tues, Nov 14, 2023 at 6:30 PM
- Class of 2026 - Wed, Dec 6, 2023 at 6:30 PM
- Class of 2027 - Thurs, Oct 19, 2023 at 6:30 PM
In this issue:
- Schedule for the week
- Celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month
- Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month
- Springbrook Hispanic Heritage t-shirts on sale
- Grade 10 students apply for the ACES program now
- Varsity Football Game Themes
- Springbrook athletes enter games FREE
- Brook Codes hosts a 2-Day Hackathon
- Congressional App Challenge
- Gr 12 College and Career Readiness Day - Oct 11, 2023
- Schedule senior portrait makeup appointments
- Sign up for College Visits
- Fire and Rescue Cadet Open House
- Fundraiser at Panera - Oct 16, 2023
- Weekly Math Trivia
- PTSA News
- Seal of Biliteracy
- Check out Thomas Edison Technology HS Programs
- See Something, Say Something
- Women's Bar Association Mentorship Opportunity
Warm regards,
Stephanie Valentine
Principal
Springbrook High School
Follow Principal Valentine on Instagram and Twitter
X formely Twitter @SBHSPrinc
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM) honors the diverse cultures and achievements of Americans who have roots in Latin America and Spain. The celebratory period runs from Sept 15 - Oct 15, 2023. The month also celebrates the independence days of several Latin American countries including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua on Sept 15th, Mexico on September 16th, and Chile on the 18th, and Chile on the 18th. The period also includes holidays that recognize Hispanic contributions such as Virgin Islands-Puerto Rico Friendship Day which is celebrated in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Springbrook Hispanic Heritage T-Shirts
ACES is Accepting Applications for Grade 10 Students
Are you a 10th grader with plans to go to college? Consider applying to the ACES Program! ACES stands for “Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success”, and it is a countywide partnership with MCPS, Montgomery College, and The Universities at Shady Grove. Students admitted to the program receive the following:
- 1-on-1 coaching and
- a personalized plan leading to a seamless educational pathway from high school to college completion.
ACES also prepares 11th-grade and 12th-grade students for life after high school, with targeted support for students who have been historically underrepresented in the higher education system.
The application is NOW OPEN, and will close on January 12, 2024! For more information, including the admission criteria and application link, please visit our website at www.acesmontgomery.org. If you have further questions, contact Mr. Cristian Pineda, the Springbrook Coordinator for ACES, at cristian.a.pineda@mcpsmd.net.
Blue Devils Be Sure to Rep Springbrook Themes at Varsity Football Games
Springbrook Athletes Enter Games FREE
2-Day Hackathon Sponsored by Brook Codes
Springbrook's Brook Codes hosts a virtual 2-day hackathon for middle and high school students interested in computer science; no coding experience is required! Students have an opportunity to:
- earn prizes worth up to $200 such as Sony headphones, Amazon Echo Dots, or high-quality keyboards,
- participate in 2 beginner and 2 advanced challenges
- engage in workshops to learn from professors, engineers, computer scientists, and outreach coordinators.
Workshops include:
- Java Foundations
- Ethical Hacking and How to Do It
- Cybersecurity
- Website Development
- Becoming an Electrical Engineer
- Girls in Physics
and mentors to assist with projects!
The VIRTUAL hackathon runs from Sat, Oct 14th until Sun, Oct 15, 2023. Register here at bit.ly/bc23Register (use your home account)! For additional questions refer to our website: brookcodes.org or email us at brookcodes@gmail.com!
Congressional App Challenge
On behalf of Congressmember Jamie Raskin, this invitation is for your students to participate in Congressmember Raskin’s 2022 Congressional App Challenge (CAC).
The Congressional App Challenge’s mission is to inspire, include, and innovate efforts around stem, coding, and computer science education. Since its inception in 2015, participation in the challenge has grown exponentially. It is considered the most prestigious prize in student computer science.
Students must be in middle school or high school on November 1st, 2023. They can compete as individuals, or in teams of up to four (4) students. At least half of teammates on any team must live or attend school in Rep. Raskin’s 8th Congressional District.
The deadline for students to register and submit their app online is 12:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, November 1, 2023.
For your convenience, below, are several links to important information regarding the CAC:
- Rep. Raskin’s Congressional App Challenge Webpage
- Congressional App Challenge Website
- Congressional App Challenge Rules
- Congressional App Challenge Student Registration
- Congressional App Challenge Prizes
- Congressional App Challenge Past Winners
If you have any questions or need any assistance, please contact us at (301) 354-1000 or nina.weisbroth@mail.house.gov and hailey.roh@mail.house.gov.
Class of 2024 College and Career Readiness Day - October 11, 2023
- Senior Class Breakfast
- Senior Class Portrait
- Financial Aid, Scholarship, and Apprentice Session
- SBHS Alumni College Session coupled with info Regarding the Gap Year
- Military Session
- College and Career Fair (over 92 colleges will be in attendance, plus military, and trade schools)
- Students will resume classes after the lunch block
Schedule Senior Portrait Make-Ups
Senior Portrait Information
- Victor O'Neill Studios (VOS) is the official school photographer this school year.
- Senior portrait makeup photos will be held October 16-18 from 3:00 - 8:00 PM. A portrait link will be emailed to students, parents, and caregivers in early September. There is no cost for your yearbook photo.
- Click to view sample senior portrait images: Photos
- Click to see what to expect at your senior portrait session: Video
- For senior portrait questions, email VOS at seniors@vosphoto.com or call VOS photo at 703-532-0013.
New Colleges Added for College Visits
What is a College Visit?
College Admission Representatives will visit Springbrook to share highlights about their specific college and university programs.
- Students will receive information about the College Admissions Process, Majors, Campus Life, Athletics, Housing, Scholarships, and more.
- Students can sign up through Naviance, and presentations are approximately twenty-five to thirty minutes during class time, lunch, and after school.
- All students must have permission from their teacher as well as a pass to attend the visits.
- See visits scheduled for September 2023 below.
For more information regarding college visits please contact Ms. Tammy Patterson, college and career information coordinator at Tammy_R_Patterson@mcpsmdmd.org.
Montgomery County Department of Fire & Rescue
The High School Cadet Open House is Tues., Oct 17, 2023, from 6:00 - 7:00 PM at the Public Safety Training Academy. Read the flyer, shown below, for more information.
Please spread the word! Support SBHS by enjoying dinner at Panera Bread on Mon., October 16, 2023, at 12285 Tech Road from 4:00 PM-8:00 PM. Please show the attached flyer and 20% of your purchase will go to Springbrook.
Weekly Math Trivia: Presented by the Springbrook Math Honors Society
Email your response to 167995@mcpsmd.net or melatghebr0@gmail.com for a chance at being recognized in the next digest. The answer to last week's problem was 1! Great job Abel Yohannes for getting last week's problem correct.
PTSA is supporting The College Day
The PTSA is supporting The College Day on October 11th and we need you to make this event successful. Please sign-up to volunteer Springbrook: Senior College Day - Oct. 11 (signupgenius.com) or Donate towards the food that will be provided that day. Thank you for supporting our children as they plan for their bright futures.
Learn about Technology Programs at Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison High School of Technology will be on hand on October 20, 2023, in the AUD during lunch. Hear about career opportunities, industry licensure, and work-based learning.
Safety is extremely important to our Blue Devil Community!
Blue Devils, please remember the SBHS See Something, Say Something Initiative. If you've seen something concerning at school, please use this QR code to report the incident. Providing details, location, and timeframe is really helpful.Women's Bar Association Program 2023-2024
The Montgomery County Women's Bar Association is excited to launch its 2023 -2024 High School Mentorship Program. The application is now available (go to www.mocowba.com/hs-mentorship). Students must apply by October 13, 2023, and provide two references.
Springbrook High School
Email: Stephanie_Z_Valentine@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/springbrookhs/
Location: 201 Valley Brook Drive, Silver Spring, MD, USA
Phone: 240-740-3800
Twitter: @SBHSPrinc