Montgomery County Public Schools

As part of a partnership between MCPS, Real Food for Kids and Silver Diner, a student focus group recently had the opportunity to taste-test new vegan meals for the school menu. Students were able to provide feedback on the meals and share whether they would like them as part of their lunch menu.

The Montgomery County Students Automotive Trades Foundation (ATF) is seeking car donations. Donations will help more than 400 high school students learn how to evaluate, repair and restore used cars. ATF is a nonprofit that fosters automotive education by offering students hands-on instruction in maintenance, repair, sales and marketing. The ATF accepts donations year-round between 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at Damascus, Gaithersburg and Seneca Valley high schools, at Thomas Edison High School of Technology and at the Shady Grove Bus Depot. Donations may be tax deductible. To schedule car donations, call Michael Snyder at 240-740-2047 or email Michael_C_Snyder@mcpsmd.org.

MCPS and the Montgomery County School Psychologists’ Association (MCSPA) will host free virtual events the week of Oct. 10–15 to give youth and families the opportunity to hear from mental health experts on a variety of issues. The weeklong expo will feature daily themes, dynamic speakers and informational videos, as well as two live events: a Waymaking special on student mental health, and a resource fair and Q&A session. The Waymaking mental health forum will be held from 6:30- 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 12. The virtual resource fair and expert panel will be held from noon-1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15.

Families can stay engaged throughout the school year with Parent Academy TO GO. Parent Academy TO GO is a series of webinars for families to watch at home and is designed to inform and empower families as advocates and partners in their children's education. The webinars provide families with useful information and resources to support their children's academic and emotional well-being, as well as help them to be college and career ready.

In collaboration with MCPS, the Literacy Council of Montgomery County (LCMC) is offering free English as a Second Language classes for MCPS parents. The classes will be held virtually and in-person, and there are options for all levels of English speakers. They are available to any MCPS parent for whom English is not their first language. Parents can complete to receive a placement test.  

The Board of Education has proclaimed Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 as Hispanic Heritage Month. Throughout the month, MCPS schools will be celebrating the unique culture and traditions of students, teachers, staff and community members who trace their roots to Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries in North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Hispanics and Latinos are the fastest growing ethnic group in MCPS, with 32 percent of the student population, representing 21 Spanish-speaking countries. MCPS resources to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month are available .   We want all MCPS students, parents and staff to celebrate with us! Share a picture that represents your Hispanic/Latinx heritage and MCPS may feature it in a virtual gallery. Email pictures to pio@mcpsmd.org. 

MCPS is a great place to work and we have jobs! There is nothing more rewarding than a career helping our youth grow into successful adults. Whether as a teacher, paraeducator or as a support professional, every job matters in the academic success of students. Learn more about two jobs in the videos below: working in transportation and the role of a paraeducator in a classroom.

Sunday is the 21st  year since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks; this is a solemn moment of one of the darkest days in American history. Nearly 3,000 lives were lost that day in New York City, at the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C., and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania Directly or indirectly, everyone's life was forever changed on that one day more than two decades ago. This is an important time in which we remember those we lost because of the attacks and the military actions that followed. Let us remember the people who risked their lives to save others. Reflecting, each year on 9/11, is an opportunity to build understanding among us all and to wish for peace throughout the world.