Clarksburg High School
Weekly Message 11/7/21
A message from Principal Edward Owusu
Good morning Clarksburg High School Families,
Its Sunday, November 7 and Daylight Savings Time ended at 2 am this morning, so hopefully you enjoyed an extra hour of sleep. Tomorrow morning (always in fact), please be on the lookout for student walkers and bikers on the way to school as time adjustments are always an adjustment on drivers.
Attention Parents and Students of Advanced Placement. This is the final week to make deposits for the AP exams. The deadline for AP exam deposits is November 12th. Exams will not be ordered for any student who has not paid their deposit or waiver by November 12th. Don't delay as any exam ordered after November 12th will be charged a $40.00 late fee from College Board.
(Want to pay by debit/credit? Payments can be made here. Want to pay by cash or check? Payments will be accepted in Room 157 before school and during lunch.)
All information regarding AP exams can be found in the letter that was previously sent out in October. If you have any questions, please email Amber Parks.
Get your tickets now for our CHStage production of SpongeBob SquarePants the Broadway Musical. Opening Night is this Friday. Bring the whole family and support our students and award winning program. See the message below and link to order tickets.
There are many seniors that need to take their Senior Photo. November 8th from 8:00 am until 3:00 pm are available for Seniors to take the Senior Photo if they have not already done so. (*Note: Seniors will be responsible for the classwork missed and should follow-up with their teachers.) Please go to Prestigeportraits.com to find your picture day information by entering the state and the city of your school. Simply enter your name to begin the scheduling process.
Only 46% of CHS students have changed their computer login passwords as required by the November 9th deadline. Students are reminded to update passwords or have them changed automatically, to then only be retrieved by teachers. Please see the information in the newsletter.
Report Cards will be provided to students at the end of the week. You may also find them in ParentVue by Friday. Parent-teacher conferences will occur November 22 and 23 in the afternoon. Parents and guardians may sign up via ParentVUE. More information will be shared in a separate email mid week.
The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) revised school quarantine guidance on Oct. 27. If certain criteria are met, students may not have to quarantine, or may be asked to quarantine for a reduced period of time. This new guidance is expected to reduce the number of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) students required to quarantine and participate in virtual learning. (Read the full message at the link below for the specific guidance.)
In this newsletter you will find information about Registration for Latin Dance Competition; Musical production of SpongeBob Squarepants; Winter Sports, Advanced Placement Exams (Click Button), PTSA Newsletter, Clothing Recycling, CHStage Fundraiser, college and university visits to CHS, and more.
As always, thank you for your continued support and trust. Together we are Clarksburg!
C'Burg Upcoming Events:
November is - Mental Health Awareness Month; Native American Heritage Month
Monday, November 8 - Girls Volleyball @ Northwest High School - 6:00 pm; Senior Photo Makeups - Wrestling Room;
Tuesday, November 9 - Advisory Schedule; Edmentum Credit Recovery; ACTIVITY BUS - 4:30 pm;
Wednesday, November 10 - Seal of Biliteracy Assessment - 7:45 - 11:45 am
Thursday, November 11 - Advisory Schedule; Seal of Biliteracy Assessment - 7:45 - 11:45 am; Report Cards Available in ParentVUE; Edmentum Credit Recovery; ACTIVITY BUS - 4:30 pm;
Friday, November 12 - Report Cards Distributed; (Opening night) SpongeBob SquarePants the Broadway Musical - 7 pm;
Saturday, November 13 - SpongeBob SquarePants the Broadway Musical - 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm
Mental Health Awareness Month
November is Mental Health Awareness Month. The CHS Counseling department will be sharing information with students and staff throughout the month to help raise awareness about mental health and help reduce the stigma. We will use this time to focus on the healing value of connecting in safe ways, prioritizing mental health and acknowledging that it’s okay to not be okay. Here are some resources. Please be on the look out for upcoming activities surrounding mindfulness, mental health awareness and self-care. If you have any concerns about your child’s mental health, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s school counselor.
CHS Media Center News - November 2021
Click HERE for the November News
In this issue:
- Native American Heritage Month
- Share Your Gratitude
- Veteran's Day
- World Kindness Day
- New Contest to Win a Prize
- Spotlight on Digital Citizenship: Online Hate & Cyberbullying Resources
Make a run for the Student Member of the Board (SMOB)
Are you interested in being the next Student Member of the MCPS Board of Education? How about representing the student voice, creating education policy, or gaining experience as the youngest elected official in Montgomery County? The current SMOB, Hana O’Looney, will be hosting a “How to Run for SMOB” online Zoom event on Wednesday, November 17th from 6-7:30pm, featuring former candidates who will walk you through the process of applying, campaigning, and being elected. Register to attend the event and receive more information: bit.ly/run4smob
Password Change
Starting this school year, students in Grades 3 and above are responsible for annually changing their passwords. Students will have until Nov. 9 to update their passwords. For students who do not update by Nov. 9, passwords will be automatically changed by the system, and students will need to get their new passwords from their teacher. The single password change will update students’mcpsmd.org and mcpsmd.net accounts.
Here’s how students can change their password:
- Navigate to SPM.mcpsmd.org
- Log in to SPM with their current user ID and password
- Enter a new password
For technical support, students can contact their school IT systems specialist (ITSS) or the Community Help Desk mailbox at communitytechsupport@mcpsmd.org.
Important Message Regarding AP Exams
Attention Parents and Students of Advanced Placement:
This is the final week to make deposits for the AP exams. The deadline for AP exam deposits is November 12th. Exams will not be ordered for any student who has not paid their deposit or waiver by November 12th. Don't delay as any exam ordered after November 12th will be charged a $40.00 late fee from College Board.
Want to pay by debit/credit? Payments can be made here.
Want to pay by cash or check? Payments will be accepted in Room 157 before school and during lunch.
All information regarding AP exams can be found in the letter that was previously sent out in October. If you have any questions, please email Amber Parks.
Advanced Placement Exam Enrollment and Fee
Hello 2021-2022 AP Students and Parents,
Congratulations on taking an AP course this year! We applaud your commitment to challenging yourself with college-level learning. The opportunity to earn college credit in an AP course is acquired by taking the AP Exam associated with the course and is dependent on the AP exam score and specific college requirements. Exams for the AP courses are scheduled to be administered in schools via pencil and paper and held during the first two weeks in May. Please see below for details about registering.
AP Exam Enrollment - First, you need to have a College Board (CB) Account! With this, students can access PSAT, SAT, and AP scores online and have them sent to colleges. Some students may already be registered.
If you already have one, please do not create a 2nd account.Your same CB account login is used for PSAT, SAT and AP, so if you have ever created an account for one of these, you’ve done step one!
If you are new to AP and CB, you can create your account at https://myap.collegeboard.org/login.
Once students have an account, they will be given a “join code” from their AP teachers where they can join their teacher’s AP Classroom. Once a student enters the join code, they are automatically registered for that AP exam.
AP Exam Fees –
Each exam costs $96.00, which can be divided into two payments:
$40 deposit per exam is due by November 12, 2021
Remaining balance of $56 must be paid by Monday, April 25, 2022
College Board LATE FEE for any exam ordered after the November deadline: $40 (in addition to $96)
CANCELLATION FEE after the November deadline: $40 (money paid above the $40 will be refunded)
Students that do not pay the $40 exam deposit by November 12th will have their registration cancelled and an exam will not be ordered for them.
Reduced fees are available to families with financial need. Families requesting financial assistance with exam fees must fill out the Fee Waiver request form. The reduced fee is $15.00. If families do not meet the criteria but do still need financial assistance from MCPS for exam fees, please email Amber_M_Parks@mcpsmd.org.
Payments
All payments can be made by either cash, check, money order, or by credit card using the Online School Payment link. If sending in a check/money order, please make your check/money order payable to “Clarksburg High School.” Address your payment envelopes to Amber Parks. Students may also deliver payments to Room 157 during lunch.
Should you have any questions, please reach out to Amber_M_Parks@mcpsmd.org, the AP Coordinator.
CHStage Fundraiser
To help raise funds for CHStage drama program, CHStage is selling fruit! The fruit can be shipped directly to your home or to another home (give the gift of fruit). Students will receive credit for their sales, or if you would like to order for the program in general please just use the link and you do not need to enter a student name. Thank you in advance for your support of our program!
Student Drop-Off and Student Parking
PTSA NEWSLETTER 11/7/21
Note from Clarksburg PTSA
November 7, 2021
“The month of November makes me feel that life is passing more quickly. In an effort to slow it down, I try to fill the hours more meaningfully.” – Henry Rollins
Dear Clarksburg High School Families,
With the arrival of November, we are faced with shorter days and longer nights. The long, lazy days of summer are swept away with the falling leaves. Now, we may ask, how can we fill our days to make the time we have in the light more meaningful and impactful? One way we can make our days meaningful is to be mindful of even the small things that make our day brighter and give thanks for them. In school, we spend the majority of our days with our CHS family. They can be our peers, our teachers, or the staff/administration. As we get caught up in our hectic schedules, we tend to overlook the positive impact they may have on our days. When we try to fill the hours more meaningfully, let us spare some time to say thanks to the people who have positively impacted our days.
Community Outreach Note
The PTSA is partnering up with local community organizations and the school to support our families and communities. We will hold a food distribution drive on November 20, 2021 at Clarksburg High School and we are working with the school to provide Thanksgiving meals to families throughout our communities.
- The Food Distribution drive is a Grab and Go, no registration is required. We would need volunteers to support the distribution and can give SSL hours to students who participate. Please email: clarksburghighschool.ptsa@gmail.com
- We would appreciate any and all support for the Thanksgiving meals so we can provide meals to all the families who have submitted requests for support. Please email: clarksburghighschool.ptsa@gmail.com
Our second general membership meeting will be held on November 16, 2021 at 7pm with Special Topic: College Readiness – The College Essay. Attendees must register for the meeting. The meeting is open to all but only members can vote.
- Register in advance for this meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtdOqopjgsE9x4r0Vsl174iSQCCCSDkfIb After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Please kindly save our email, clarksburghighschool.ptsa@gmail.com. Please also check your spam box for any email from us and then click on “report not spam” to ensure future emails from us goes to your inbox.
PTSA Committee Chairs Note
We have exciting programs/events for Student/Faculty Engagement, School of Excellence, Reflection, Community Outreach, Fundraising, After-Prom, and so forth but do need assistance with them in the form of Committee Chairs and Committee Team Members. The time commitment can be as little or as much as you are able to do – we will work with your availability. This is a team effort and so we will support you as much as we can. We do hope we can have your support so we can have an amazing and fun-tastic year!
We look forward to seeing you all on November 16, 2021 and wish all of our beloved CHS community a great week.
Kind regards,
Clarksburg High School PTSA 2021-2022
Important Reminders from our Attendance Office
Please review these important attendance reminders:
- If a student is late to school for any reason they must stop by the attendance office to sign in. This also applies if a student needs to sign out early with parent permission or parent pick up. An accurate sign-in/out time must be recorded in the system. (Please note: If a student does not stop by the attendance office then anything that the student is marked absent for will stay in the system).
- Please make sure whoever is signing the student out is on their emergency pick-up contact list in Parent VUE & is at least 21 years of age.
- Any notice sent for a student to sign out early must be submitted in writing.
Also, please remember that all parents/guardians and visitors are required to show ID upon entering our building.
College/Career Center Update - November 8, 2021 through November 12, 2021
Clarksburg High School
Monday, November 8, 2021 - Friday, November 12, 2021
The Clarksburg High School College/Career Center provides in-person services daily from 7:15 am through 3:30 pm. Visit the Career Center website and Career Center on Twitter: @Cburg_Readiness. If you have questions, contact Mrs. Somerville at Cintonya_A_Somerville@mcpsmd.org.
The Clarksburg High School College/Career Center provides in-person services daily from 7:15 am through 3:30 pm. Visit the Career Center website and Career Center on Twitter: @Cburg_Readiness. If you have questions, contact Mrs. Somerville at Cintonya_A_Somerville@mcpsmd.org.
Class of 2022 (Seniors)
Please bring copies of all acceptance and scholarship applications to the Career Center.
State of Maryland College Application Campaign (MCAC) Fee Waivers
How are you paying for your education? Seven (7) needed to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Create your FSA ID. Next, complete an MD CAPS’ account? If you need assistance, come by the Career Center.
Apply to Montgomery College for FREE!
Juniors and seniors, register in Naviance Single Sign-On to attend college/career visits. Visits will be held in the Career Center. Please share the reservation with your teacher. Attendance will be recorded.
Class of 2022 (12)
The Hispanic Heritage Foundation’s (HHF) 2021 Youth Awards Deadline: November 14, 2021
The Elks National Foundation’s “Most Valuable Student 2022” Competition - Deadline: November 15, 2021
Montgomery County (MD) Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (3 Scholarships) County-Wide Scholarship, MCAC Educational Program Scholarship, Career/Vocational/Technical Scholarship - Deadline: March 14, 2022
Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) Scholarship Program Deadline: January 26, 2022
Horatio Alger Association Scholarship Career and Technical Education Scholarship
Class of 2023 (11)
American Legion National High School Oratorical Contest [Damascus Post 171] (9-12) Deadline: December 20, 2021
2022 Coolidge Scholarship-Nomination Required (11) Deadline: January 19, 2022
Class of 2024 (10)
Carson Scholars (4-11) Deadline: December 17, 2021
Visionary Scholarship Program (9-12) Deadline: May 1, 2022
Class of 2025 (9)
Carson Scholars (4-11) Deadline: December 17, 2021 December 17, 2021
Prepared by: Cintonya Somerville, CCIC
SAY YES TO THE TEST
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is asking all families to consent for their children, at all grade levels, to receive free COVID-19 testing at their school. Testing helps to keep schools open and students and staff safe.
Two types of tests are available and the one given to students depends on the situation. The tests are fast, safe, and painless. A cotton swab is used on the front part of the nose. Students say it feels like a tickle! The tests are:
Screening tests for students with no COVID-19 symptoms
Rapid tests for students with COVID-19 symptoms that occur in school
Parents/guardians must consent for their children to participate in the COVID-19 screening and rapid tests. They only need to fill out one form to give their permission. The consent form is available in multiple languages and can be filled out online or schools can provide paper copies for families.
The weekly screening tests for a random sample of students with no symptoms can limit the spread of the virus. These tests are especially important for younger students because they are not yet eligible to be vaccinated.
The rapid tests for students with COVID-19 symptoms will help keep students in the classroom. Results are available in 20 minutes and if a student tests negative, classmates can remain in school and will not have to quarantine.
The tests are an important part of MCPS' plan to keep students learning in school, five days a week, and to keep our community safe. Learn more about what MCPS is doing and how everyone can do their part to stay safe.
Testing consent forms:
English / español / 中文 / français / Português / 한국어 / tiếng Việt / አማርኛ /
Ways To Report
Bullying, harassment (including sexual misconduct and sexual harassment), intimidation, hazing, incidents of hate-bias, and concerning issues involving student gender identity are not tolerated in MCPS. We are committed to ensuring our students feel safe, valued, and respected in our schools. Please see the multiple ways you can file a report below.
To file a Bullying Form online, click HERE
To file a Child Abuse & Neglect Form online, click HERE
To contact the MCPS Title IX Coordinator, click HEREHow You Can Report
✓ Contact school principal, counselor, student welfare liaison, or any MCPS staff member.
✓ Contact the Montgomery County Police Department, 301-279-8000.
✓ Submit MCPS Form 230-35, Bullying, Harassment, or Intimidation Reporting Form.
✓ Contact the MCPS Title IX Coordinator at TitleIX@mcpsmd.org. Reports and allegations concerning MCPS employees will immediately involve the Department of Compliance and Investigations. They can be reached at DCI@mcpsmd.org.
✓ Safe Schools Maryland Tip Line is an anonymous reporting system used to report threats to the safety and/or well-being of students. Call 1-833-MD-B-SAFE or download the App.
✓ Contact the Victim Assistance and Sexual Assault Program (VASAP) for support. VASAP provides information, referrals and advocacy, as well as crisis and ongoing counseling for victims of sexual assault.
✓ Contact the Montgomery County Hotline at 240-777-4357. A trained staff member or volunteer will provide supportive listening and information, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
✓ Send a text to EveryMind hotline telephone number, 301-738-2255, daily between noon and midnight.
✓ Use the MCPS Student Reporting Phone Application (Currently In Development)Digital Citizenship at Clarksburg High School
- MCPS and Common Sense Education are committed to working together to provide schools and educators within the district the necessary tools, training, and support to: (1) Empower students to think critically, behave safely, and participate responsibly with technology as part of the district’s Digital Citizenship Program, and (2) effectively integrate technology into the classroom to improve student outcomes.
- As part of the district’s Digital Citizenship Program, Common Sense Education will provide high-quality digital citizenship materials to schools to use with both students and families. A whole-community approach to digital citizenship is an implementation model that involves student instruction, family engagement, and educator professional learning and support.
- Implementation of the digital citizenship curriculum will be a shared responsibility of media specialists, school counselors, and teachers in digital literacy, English, health, and social studies. Media specialists will serve as the key contact at each high school and will receive professional learning during the school year to support the coordination of implementing the digital citizenship curriculum.
- Digital citizenship content will be embedded within existing curriculum giving each student in Grades 9–10 a minimum of 5 lessons over the course of the school year.
C'Burg Athletics
Return to RAISE Communication 11.5.21
Please refer to the November 5 communication for the latest updates regarding MCPS Athletics. A Spanish version is also available. This week’s announcement includes:
- Vaccination Reminders & FAQs
- Winter Sports Registration
- Fall County Championships
- MPSSAA Playoffs
- Testing in Schools Reminders
Also, please note the following regarding digital ticketing through GoFan:
Beginning with the second round of the football playoffs, along with state semifinals and finals, tickets for MPSSAA events and football games will be sold exclusively through GoFan. Links will be provided to participating schools in advance of each game to promote to their communities. There will be no cash sales at the door. MCPS will also utilize GoFan for additional events starting with the upcoming winter sports season. More information is available here.
The latest information continues to be available on the COVID-19 Athletics Information webpage.
Request A National Honor Society Peer Tutor
Clarksburg High School
Email: Edward_K_Owusu@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/clarksburghs/
Location: 22500 Wims Road, Clarksburg, MD, USA
Phone: (240)740-6000
Facebook: facebook.com/clarksburghighschool
Twitter: @Cburg_Coyotes