Montgomery County Public Schools

MCPS paraeducators new to the school system this year learned more about their roles and enhanced their repertoire of instructional strategies during an Oct. 17 orientation. These essential staff members assist teachers, reinforce instruction and provide individualized attention to students.

Several Historically Black Colleges and Universities are conducting on-the-spot admissions and scholarship events at MCPS high schools. The events began this month and run through March. Parents are invited to attend and hear about the schools’ academics and college life and to ask questions. For more information, including schedules, interested students should contact the resource counselor or college/career information coordinator at their school, or e-mail secondary counselor specialist .

For the fifth consecutive year, The Music Center at Strathmore has opened its doors to all second grade students. Special performances by the National Philharmonic, conducted by Maestro Piotr Gajewski, feature an interactive, educational program. The concerts, pre-concert educational materials, transportation, and other supports are the result of a unique partnership among MCPS, the National Philharmonic and Strathmore. 

SHARP Suspension Programs celebrated its 10th anniversary Oct. 27. The grassroots, community-school partnerships in six Montgomery County locations offer support to suspended students through trained volunteers and mentors. The celebration was held at Sharp Street United Methodist Church, established as the first program site in March 1998.

A project of MCPS Retirees Association (MCPSRA) has won a national With Our Youth! Award of Excellence from the National Retired Teachers Association. The MCPS retirees assembled and distributed 1,315 toolkits for kindergarten students from Title I schools who participated in the extended learning over the summer. The group also purchased and distributed 1,600 new books to fourth and fifth grade summer school participants and provided 36 backpacks for homeless children.

Starting this month and continuing through March, Thomas Edison High School of Technology is offering tours to parents and students to check out the school’s programs. Edison offers advanced career technical education in 19 subject areas. Reservations are required for parents and students, and space is limited. Call 301-929-6920 for reservations. Edison also will hold its annual open house Dec. 4 from 5–8 p.m. Find out more on the web.

The school calendar for 2009–2010 is now available on the web, following approval by the Board of Education at its Nov. 11 meeting. School begins next year on Aug.  31, 2009, and ends June 16, 2010. The calendar is available in English. Translations will be available in December. 

Parents are encouraged to help improve services to students and families by telling MCPS what they think about their children's schools. The information will be collected and shared with principals, central office staff and school improvement teams. Parents’ answers are completely confidential. A few minutes of your time will help improve services for all families. Click on the link below to fill out the online survey.