5 Things to Know

1. Special Education Parents Asked to Complete State Survey 

Parents or guardians of children aged 3 to 21 who are receiving special education and related services through their local school are encouraged to participate in the Maryland Special Education Parent Involvement Survey by Friday, May 19.

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has mailed the survey to all parents/guardians of students with an IEP in Montgomery County. The information provided will help guide the state’s efforts in improving special education and related services in public schools.

There are two options to complete the survey:

• Complete the survey online at https://www.mdparentsurvey.com. 

• Complete the hard copy of the survey for your child’s grade and mail it back in the postage-paid envelope received from MSDE by Friday, May 19.

Participation is voluntary and anonymous. Parents are asked to complete a separate survey for each child receiving services.

For additional information, please contact Kenneth Hudock at MSDE at 410-767-7770

or Kenneth.Hudock@maryland.gov.

2. Annual Gaithersburg Book Festival Is May 20 

Join the Gaithersburg community and beyond for a celebration of books, writers and literacy excellence. This year’s Gaithersburg Book Festival will be held from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. on Saturday, May 20 at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg. The festival features a great lineup of authors and activities for children of all ages, writing workshops for adults and teens and more. Students Service Learning Hours (SSL) opportunities are available for students 16 and older.

Visit the festival website for more information. 

3. Join the Extended School Year Summer Program Team 

Join MCPS virtually from 6–7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 10 for an information session about positions in special education and related services. The department is looking to fill positions in the Extended School Year (ESY) summer program. Teachers and paraeducators hired for ESY positions will receive incentive pay at 18% above their current salary. Staff from the Office of Special Education will be there to answer questions. Please RSVP. 

Meeting: Zoom link 

Meeting ID: 810 0827 8171 

Passcode: 898137

4. Applications Open for First Student Climate Action Council

Do you know an MCPS student in grades 8-11 who is passionate about sustainability and combating climate change? Applications are now open for the Student Climate Action Council. The newly created council of students will work to:

• Create the MCPS Climate Action Plan.

• Advise the Board of Education and superintendent on sustainability/climate action.

• Solicit, review and fund student sustainability projects in MCPS schools.

• Partner with the schools and students to promote, support and empower sustainability initiatives, and work on other priorities they choose.

5. Bright Spots This Week

Graduating Seniors Recognized for Achievements

The Montgomery County Alliance of Black School Educators (MCABSE) honored 27 graduating seniors during its annual Distinguished African-American Scholars and Community Leaders Awards Ceremony on April 26. 

BOE to Recognize 17 Individuals, Organizations for Distinguished Service

The Montgomery County Board of Education has announced its recipients for the 26th Annual Awards for Distinguished Service to Public Education. Nominations were received from the general community, as well as community organizations, businesses, Board members and MCPS staff.

Learn more and see the full list of winners.

Information Session for Parents: Popular Culture and Hate: Understanding What Your Student Is Exposed to in Society Today

This session will be led by Liza Wiemer, author of The Assignment. It will focus on helping parents and caregivers understand how hate is spreading through popular culture, gaming and social media, ways in which hate speech and acts are used in schools, and how parents and caregivers can help their students identify and stand against hate speech. 7 PM - 8:30 PM

(English) May 10, 2023, Registration Link    (English Flyer)
(Spanish) May 31, 2023, Registration Link   (Spanish Flyer)

Montgomery County Public Schools