Montgomery County Public Schools

Former Dallas Cowboys star running back Tony Dorsett visited Northwest High School recently. He spoke with the football team, parents and staff members about ProPower, a nonprofit organization he co-founded to help student athletes through tutoring programs in school. Dorsett, who also won a Heisman Trophy in college, presented academic awards to several of the students.

Chef Jon Ashton, who has appeared on nationally syndicated cooking shows, treated a group of Farquhar Middle School TV production and digital arts students to tasty snacks and provided healthy eating tips during his visit to the school.Ashton encourages teens to get more calcium in their diets and to eat healthy foods.

Schools and offices throughout MCPS are lending a helping hand to those in need this holiday season. Students and staff are participating by collecting food, coats, clothing and gifts for local families in need.

Julius West Middle School encourages the development of strong work and study skills in many ways. African American students belonging to the BOSS (Brotherhood of Super Stars) Club meet regularly to talk about the importance of academics and have an opportunity each month to hear speakers who model successes in fields such as law, finance, aeronautics and journalism.

Highland Elementary School in Silver Spring has been named a Maryland Blue Ribbon School by the state Department of Education.  Blue Ribbon Schools show exceptional reading and mathematics achievement, as measured by state tests. With a poverty rate above 80 percent and 60 percent of students learning English, Highland's Maryland School Assessment scores rivaled those of schools that do not face the challenges associated with highly diverse, high poverty, and high mobility student populations. 

Superintendent Jerry D. Weast recommended a $2.1 billion Fiscal Year 2010 Operating Budget for county schools. The budget closes a $176 million gap, without seeking any new local taxpayer funding and without any across-the-board increase in class size. The proposed budget is balanced, in large part, by a combination of current year savings that will be carried over to Fiscal Year 2010, major budget reductions for the next year, and the elimination of cost-of-living pay raises for all employees. 

National Inclusive Schools Week was celebrated this year from Dec. 1–5. This year’s theme, “Together We Learn Better: Inclusive Schools Benefit All Children,” focused on the advantages of inclusive schools in promoting quality education and better educational outcomes for all students, including students with disabilities. Some schools, such as Northwood High School, encouraged students to write a persuasive essay on the advantages of being an inclusive school. Chris Mbulu, the top winner at Northwood, is shown here with special education teacher Travis Hairston and special education transition support teacher Kisheena Wanzer.

Thirty-five Thomas Edison High School of Technology students received hands-on experience in digital printing and publishing when they visited the MCPS Print Shop, part of the Editorial, Graphics and Publishing Services unit of the Office of Communications and Family Outreach. The students brought their own electronic art file and followed the project through the entire printing process, including plate making, printing and finishing.