Northwood High School

05/13/2019

Updates and reminders for the week of May 13.

AP testing will continue this week. Monday is AP Biology; Tuesday's tests are AP Calculus AB and Calculus BC, AP English Language and Composition, AP World History, AP Statistics, AP Music Theory and AP Computer Science A. A complete Spring Testing Calendar is available on the Northwood website. https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/northwoodhs/.
We are asking all AP test takers to rest well and arrive on time. You’ve got this!

Prom and AfterProm are this week!! Tickets for both events are on sale now. The PTSA is still looking for parents to Volunteer for AfterProm on May 18. Interested volunteers should see the signup genius on the school website. Seniors are Free, Juniors and Partners are $10. Tickets are required to enter AfterProm.

Also Saturday, May 18, the Wellness Center - in partnership with CASA de Maryland - will be conducting a workshop for students and parents to speak about health insurance and other health care options in Montgomery County. The workshop will begin at 10am in the Wellness Center. All intersected parties should contact Erica Garcia at 202-420-1598.

ESOL parents are invited to attend an information night on Wednesday, May 15, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm in the cafeteria. Counselors, administrators, the Parent Community Coordinator and Wellness Center Staff will be available to provide information and answer questions about Graduation requirements, Promotion requirements and summer school. Interpreters will be available.

The end of the school year brings special programs and events that you will not want to miss! To stay abreast of the latest news and updates check the school website and follow me on Twitter . That’s it for this week’s updates and reminders. Have a great week!

Academies are smaller learning communities within high schools that are designed to help students prepare for higher education and explore possible career pathways. The Academies at Northwood High School focus on community and diversity.

05/06/2019

On April 2019, Northwood HS mailed Summer School Recommendation Letters to those students who need to attend the 1st session summer school (June 24-July 12, 2019).

If your student received a summer school referral and needs to register for summer school, please encourage them to do so during the following times or by going directly to the MCPS website https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/extendedhours/summerschool/

• Before School
• During their elective courses (by appointment only)
• Lunch Time
• After School

The absolute deadline to register for the first session of Summer School is June 4 before 12:00 p.m.

Please contact the counseling service department if you should have any questions at 301-649-8270.

Hope to see you there.

Session 1:  June 24, 2019 - July 12, 2019 (NOTE:  No School on July 4 and 5, 2019)Session 2:  July 16, 2019 - August 1, 20198:10 a.m. - 1:55 p.m.

04/02/2019

Gladiators: There will be no block days this week; Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday are seven-period days. Wednesday, April 3, is the end of the marking period and an early-release day for students. Students are urged to finish strong by completing all make-up assignments and ensuring understanding of core course content. The final marking period of the 2018-2019 school year begins Thursday, April 4.

Attention Class of 2020: It's time to begin your college search! You can do this on Tuesday April 2 at the Annual Junior College fair. This event will host more than 300 universities and colleges. Students will be able to ask questions and more. Questions? Please see Ms. Snape in the College and Career Center.

Please support Northwood High School athletes and coaches with the Northwood Athletics Association’s biggest fundraiser. Buying mulch directly supports the equipment and maintenance needs of Northwood’s athletic teams. Purchase 3 cubic foot bags of double-shredded hardwood mulch for $5.00 pick-up at Northwood or $6.00 delivery to your home on April 6. You can purchase mulch online by visiting Northwood’s website. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Northwood Beautification Day is sponsored by the SGA and will coincide with the mulch sale on Saturday, April 6. Students can earn SSL credit for the hours they work - and instruction will be provided on the morning of the event. Students should be encouraged to bring gloves and expect to get dirty.

Our Northwood Child Development Program is now accepting applications for our preschool. If you have a child who will be 4 years old by September 1 and would like to take advantage of this wonderful program, please call 301-593-3800 or look at our school website for more details.

Students: Are you interested in running for a SGA or Class Officer position? If so, please pick up an application outside of A218, in the cafeteria, or in the main office. Completed packets are due April 3 by 2:30 p.m. See Ms. Reazer for details.

The Northwood Chapter of the National Honor Society will begin the application process after the third marking period ends on April 3. Invitations to apply will be delivered to students by April 12. Please click on the link to review acceptance criteria or review the PDF document on the school’s website for details.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1wNLKD6iqHmgv1o0t9mmh1TwookWP0vII&authuser=0

That’s it for this week’s updates and reminders. Have a great week!

02/28/2019

Starting on March 1, 2019, Northwood High School will be providing free breakfast to ALL students via the Maryland Meals For Achievement (MMFA) grant. Breakfast will be served from 7:00 – 7:40 am in the cafeteria. Students will need their student ID number to receive the breakfast.

02/05/2019

Please remember that we have added a Monday and Tuesday G.L.A.D. session this week to make up lost instructional time due to last week’s weather-related early dismissal. Monday’s G.L.A.D. session will take place sixth period; Tuesday’s G.L.A.D. session will take place seventh period.

This week is National School Counseling Week. The week, sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), highlights the unique contributions of school counselors within U.S. school systems and the tremendous impact they can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. Take a moment to thank your child’s school counselor. To learn more about National School Counseling Week, visit www.schoolcounselor.org/nscw

Gladiators: cards will be distributed in a special homeroom Feb. 6.

In response to the multiple inclement weather schedule changes last week, Northwood’s Black History Month Celebration planned for Thursday, Feb. 7, has been rescheduled for Wednesday, Feb 20. The show will still begin at 7:00pm and all members of the community are invited! Pre-sale tickets will be available this week!
Gladiator Spirit Night is Friday, Feb. 8. Come cheer on the boys and girls varsity basketball teams at 5:00 and 7:00 pm as they take on BCC. During both half times, there will be a 50/50 raffle to win a chance at the 3-point challenge. Proceeds benefit the Northwood Athletics Association.
The PTSA’s Silent Auction will be Sunday, Feb. 17 at MiRancho in Silver Spring at 6:00pm. There will be more than 100 amazing donations to bid on. Online Bidding has already started. Please go to the NorthwoodPTSA website for more information.

Families: As we enter the first full week of second semester, I want to stress the importance of students being prompt and present in school each day. Changes to Maryland education policy have redefined chronic absenteeism; students who miss too much class are at risk of losing credit for the course, regardless of their grade. Students will get a detailed explanation of expectations at an upcoming town hall meeting. Information will also be communicated to parents. If there are special circumstances impacting regular attendance, please contact a school counselor, if you have not already done so. Please help us in ensuring that all Gladiators are prompt and present!

Winter weather means school closings and delays. Information about weather-related school operations is available on local radio and television stations as well as the MCPS website. You may also get the latest information by following me on Twitter .

National School Counseling Week 2019, "School Counselors: Providing Lessons for Life," will be celebrated from Feb. 4-8, 2019, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by ASCA, highlights the tre...

01/14/2019

Attention Parents - our next PTSA meeting will be held on Jan. 15 from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m., in the media center. Parents will learn about new safety drills that will take place in the early part of the year. Please join us! Save the date: February 17, is the PTSA’ s Silent Auction at Mi Rancho @ 6:00 pm. Proceeds go to fund AfterProm.

On Saturday, Jan. 19, the Wellness Center, in partnership with Casa de Maryland, will be hosting an employment workshop from 9 am to noon. The workshop will take place in the Northwood High School Wellness Center (Room F115). If interested, please call Erica Garcia at 202-420-1598 to sign up.

Parents, guardians, students and drivers: please be reminded that classes begin at 7:45 am. Students who arrive late disrupt class and miss out on vital instruction. Students should be reminded that all head covering that is not classified as religious or medicinal shouldn’t be worn during the school day.

Families: It is not too late to submit free and reduced lunch forms. Please submit the form online or bring the form to Ms. Jasper in the main office.

Winter weather means school closings and delays. Information about weather-related school operations is available on local radio and television stations as well as the MCPS website. You may also get the latest information by following me on Twitter . Depending on conditions, Northwood staff will not be available to answer weather-related calls to the school.

That’s it for this week's updates and reminders. Have a great week!

12/11/2018

Northwood students will begin registration for the 2019-2020 school year this week. Counselors will visit social studies classes to help students with course selection and the completion of Naviance tasks. A link will be posted on the counseling web page with registration directions. Parents may review and edit course selection through the mymcps portal by following the registration link after logging in. Parents may also reach out to their student’s school counselor with questions.

The Northwood National Honor Society is hosting the Annual Toys for Tots drive through December 19. Please donate new, unwrapped toys using the boxes located in the main office.

Parents: you should have received a letter from the PTSA asking for a donation of $20.19 to benefit AfterProm. Your donation will help provide a fun and safe event for all of our students.

Looking ahead: There will be no December PTSA meeting. The next meeting will be in January where parents will learn about new safety drills that will take place in the early part of the year. Winter dance concert will take place Dec. 19 and Dec. 20. Winter break begins Dec. 24.

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has released a new accountability report card for every school in the state. The report card measures school success in several ways, including state test results in English Language Arts and math; postsecondary readiness; progress of English learners in achieving English language proficiency; graduation rate; and students with access to and earning credit for a well-rounded curriculum.

Northwood is among seven MCPS high schools and 4 DCC schools assigned 3 out of 5 stars. Information about accessing and interpreting the complete report is available in the email version of this message.

Due to limitations of the new report card, MCPS has developed an Equity Accountability Model that provides a more detailed and focused report of school success. As Superintendent Jack Smith noted in a Nov. 30 letter to the community, the Equity Accountability Model uses multiple and frequent measures of students’ progress to determine if a school is meeting the needs of ALL students with a special emphasis on reducing and eliminating disparities in student achievement. Data for the MCPS Equity Accountability Model will be published in January. We will discuss the results during our PTSA meeting.

11/19/2018

There are a number of changes to our bell schedule this week due to last week's snow day and this week's Thanksgiving Holiday. Each day this week will be a 7-period day. Monday's schedule will include a GLAD period during which students will complete important counseling lessons using Naviance. Tuesday will run a special schedule for report card distribution. Wednesday is an early release day. School is closed Thursday and Friday. My staff and I will welcome students back to school Monday, Nov. 26.

Northwood's outstanding Latin Dance Team, Calor Gladiadores, competes in the MCPS Latin Dance Competition at Strathmore Monday evening. This award-winning team competed for the first time last year and brought home two trophies. Please join me in wishing the team the best of luck in the competition.

Tuesday, Nov. 19, we will hold our monthly PTSA meeting in the Media Center at 7:30 pm.

Over the next few weeks, we will be working to identify students who do not have high speed internet access regularly in their homes. If a student does not have regular and reliable internet access at home Sprint will provide them with a tablet and a monthly high-speed data plan free of charge. This is part of a new MCPS partnership with Sprint. Please look for detailed information to come home in the next two weeks. Information will also be shared in the weekly call.

Each month during the school year, the Media Center will share tips and resources for parents through our partnership with Common Sense Education. One initiative is Connecting Families https://www.commonsense.org/education/connecting-families. In preparation for spending time with your teen during Thanksgiving break, please check out Common Sense Digital Glossary https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-glossary to decode your teens'
text language or learn about the latest digital apps.

That’s it for this week’s updates and reminders. I would like to wish all Gladiator Families a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I am grateful to be part of such an outstanding community. Have a great week!

Comprehensive resources including lesson plans, digital games, assessments,professional development for teachers, and family education materials toteach students safe and responsible technology use.

11/13/2018

There are a number of changes to our bell schedule this week due to early release days Monday and Tuesday of this week. Monday and Wednesday are odd block days; Tuesday and Thursday are even block days. Friday is a seven-period day.

Has your child received a flu shot yet? If your child is between the ages of 3 and 18 years, make an appointment for your child to receive a free flu shot at John F. Kennedy, Northwest, or Rockville high schools on Tuesday, Nov. 13, from 1:30-4:30 p.m. by visiting the Montgomery County Government website at www. MontgomeryCountyMD.gov or calling 311. .

On Thursday, Nov. 15, the Academy of Music, Theater and Dance presents our fall play: The Importance of Being Earnest. The production opens at 7:30 pm in the auditorium. Tickets are $8 for students, $10 for adults and $5 for seniors. Please see the website for information about ticket sales and additional shows.

Please support The Class of 2019 fundraiser by purchasing an item or two from Honey Baked Ham between November 5, 2018 to November 16, 2018. All proceeds will go towards reducing the cost of 2019 Junior/Senior Prom. Purchases can be made online at the following link https://bit.ly/2jIbINF or order form given to the Senior Class sponsors, Ms. Loughney or Mr. Medor. Items ordered will be available for pick-up on November 20 and 21, 2018. Thank you for your generosity.

Looking ahead, report cards are distributed Tuesday, Nov. 20. Wednesday, Nov. 21 is an early release day and school is closed Nov. 22 and 23 for Thanksgiving.

That’s it for this week’s updates and reminders. Have a great week!

10/30/2018

It was a winning weekend for Gladiator athletes! Varsity Cheer took third place in the Division II county championships and Cross Country had a terrific showing in the MCPS Championships. Girls had their best finish in decades and boys claimed the top spot for the first time in history!

Please join me in congratulating our championship teams, coaches and supportive families.
Please remember that every Tuesday students take part in GLAD. Take a moment to ask your child how he or she plans to take advantage of this important time to make up missed work or to get ahead. This GLAD session is particularly important because the marking period ends next week. GLAD is designed to ensure students get the time, support and enrichment they need to finish strong.

Wednesday, Oct. 31, is Halloween. Students are reminded that masks, fake weapons and costumes depicting hate, violence or gore are not permitted.

Northwood will host ArtSpeak!, featuring Broadway stars Will Swenson and Corey Cott on Nov. 1 at 7 pm. The free event is open to the public and will feature performances, interviews, audience Q&A, trivia and prizes! Mark your calendars!

Northwood parents and students: the PTSA is collecting your opinions on the possible plans for the building renovation of Northwood High School. It is important that we have your input so we can present it to the Board of Education. The survey link will be circulated on the Northwood PTSA listserv and is available on the Northwood PTSA website at www.northwoodptsa.com. The survey will be open until Nov. 8th.

Looking ahead: school is closed Nov. 6 for the general election. Nov. 7 is an early release day.

That’s it for this week’s updates and reminders. Have a great week!

Please check out all of our different pages, it has so much information you won’t know where to start. Hello Northwood Parents! The Cluster Coordinators have put together a survey based on the renovation options MCPS is considering for Northwood High School. It is extremely important that as many ...

10/15/2018

Monday, Oct. 15, the Counseling Services Department will host a Senior Parent Information Meeting from 6- 8 pm. We will discuss post-secondary opportunities available to students after high school. We will discuss the college application process from 6-7 pm. From 7-8pm, we will have a guest speaker who will present information on FAFSA. There will also be time for questions.

Haven't joined the PTSA yet? You can now join online. Just visit our new website: northwoodptsa.com. Take a look and see how you can help make Northwood a great place to learn and work. Please also join us this Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 7:30 pm in the Media Center for our regular meeting. Our School Resource Officer, Officer Mavritte, will be there to share important information and answer questions about security at Northwood. You won't want to miss this opportunity.

Please remember that every Tuesday students take part in GLAD. Take a moment to ask your child how he or she plans to take advantage of this important time to make up missed work or to get ahead.

On Oct. 18 we will host our DCC Open House for prospective students. Please help spread the word about Northwood by sharing your experience with your neighbors!

Also on Oct. 18, Northwood student leaders are hosting a lunch meeting with Maryland representative Jamie Raskin. Rep. Raskin will take questions from students on education policy and discuss opportunities for student civic engagement.

Looking ahead, Northwood will host ArtSpeak!, featuring Broadway stars Will Swenson and Corey Cott on Nov. 1 at 7 pm. The free event is open to the public and will feature performances, interviews, audience Q&A, trivia and prizes! Mark your calendars!

Families: A schedule of this week’s athletic events are attached to the email version of this message. We hope to see you at one of our athletic contests.

That’s it for this week’s updates and reminders. Have a great week!

09/26/2018

Ms. Charley-Greene, 2018 Maryland Principal of the Year, had the opportunity to meet with Senator Chris Van Hollen today to discuss what's happening in our classrooms. Congratulations Ms. Charley-Greene!

Look who dropped by the Senate this week: Maryland’s Principal of the Year—Mildred Charley-Greene! Mildred has been teaching for over two decades and currently works at Northwood High School in Silver Spring. We had the opportunity to discuss her work in schools, the need for great teachers in the classroom, and federal funding for education, especially afterschool programs, a well-rounded curriculum, and mental health services. The Senate has passed legislation to increase funding for these critical programs—the House should pass the bill and President Trump should sign it this week!