Northwest News

Happy Sunday, Northwest Families!

As we approach the final week before winter break, I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for your continued partnership and support this year. Together, we’ve celebrated successes, overcome challenges, and worked hard to ensure the very best for our students and staff. This time of year is a wonderful opportunity to reflect and recharge. I encourage everyone to finish strong while also taking time to rest, connect with loved ones, and set goals for the new year ahead. Please note that this will be our final edition of the Northwest News for 2024. Our next newsletter will arrive in 2025, and I look forward to continuing our journey together in the new year. Wishing you and your family a joyful, peaceful, and safe holiday season!

Attention Seniors! Do not forget to order your caps and gowns. They are $80 through 1/31/25. Cash and check will be accepted.

The application for the Ulysses Signature Program Class of 2029 at Northwest is now open! Interested 8th graders who live in the Northwest cluster are eligible to apply. The application can be found on the Northwest website, under the Quick Links menu option for “Ulysses Signature Program” then navigating to the “Admissions” tab. You can also find the application linked here along with more information about the program. The deadline for submitting applications is February 14th, 2025. If you have any questions about the application process or the Ulysses Program, please contact Mr. David Parks david_p_parks@mcpsmd.org.

The application for the Middle College (MC2) Program at Northwest is now open! Interested 9th and 10th grade students and current 8th grade students who reside in the Northwest HS cluster and missed the deadline to apply through the MCPS common application are eligible to apply via this application. The application can be found on the Northwest HS website, under the Quick Links menu option for “Middle College Program” then click on NWHS In Cluster Application. You can also find the application linked here along with more information about the program.The deadline for submitting applications is February 14th, 2025. If you have any questions about the application process or the Middle College Program, please contact Mrs. Lisa Shapiro at Lisa_M_Shapiro@mcpsmd.org.

A reminder that ALL students must wear and display their IDs while on campus. If you need an ID, a lanyard or a clear ID holder, stop by the main office.

In this week's newsletter, there are only a few new items. Please see them listed below and check out the details in the newsletter.

• Ways to Report Incidents of Hate/Bias
• Ways to Support the PTSA and Join PTSA/Boosters
• Support the PTSA at Tortacos
• The Adopted 2025-2026 School Year Calendar
• College and Career Updates
• HBCU Fair
• Become a Summer RISE Host
• Upcoming Financial Aid
• Financial Aid Workshops
• Bilingual FAFSA events
• Athletics and Events Schedule for the week (December 16 - December 23)

There are some important, and timely reminders this week. Check them out below.

• We need your Instrument Donations!
• Welcome to MealViewer

• 10 Days of Winter Spirit - December 9 - December 20
• ASL Honor Society Shirt Fundraisers
• Ways to Support the Class of 2025
• Candy Fundraiser to benefit the SGA
• Computer Science Education Week

• Important Chromebook Updates
• PTSA Staff Appreciation Gift Wrapping and Dessert Bar 12/13/24
• Ordering your Cap and Gown for the Class of 2025

• Save the Date for the TENTATIVE Class of 2025 Graduation
• Ulysses T-Shirt Sales

• Jewelry and Trinket Giveaway
• School Supplies Recycle Collection
• NexTrek Recycling
• Free Market Updates
• Important AP Exam Updates
• Still need to purchase a Yearbook?
• Important early dismissal and absence procedures
• Our Cell Phone Policy
• Our ID policy
• The policy for chromebooks, chromebook chargers and the costs for families to replace them
• The Free Store
• ParentVue resource
• College T-Shirt Tuesdays
• Class spirit gear

We thank you for your continued support and trust. Let's make it a great week!

During the December 5, 2024, Board of Education (Board) business meeting, the Board adopted the school year calendar for 2025-2026. The school year calendar includes a new Student Transition Day, which is a non-instructional full day designed to support students transitioning to new school levels or schools by fostering a sense of belonging and preparedness. It is designed for students in Grades K, 6, 9, Grade 3 students in Grades 3-5 elementary schools, and students new to a school or MCPS.

• 2025-2026 Traditional School Year Calendar

• 2025-2026 Innovative School Year Calendar for Arcola Elementary School

NEW December 2024: Communication from the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) regarding the Maryland Student Financial Aid Application (MSFAA) for undocumented students that are unable to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The MSFAA is now available on the MHEC OneApp for the 2025-2026 award year. The MHEC One-App is a dual-purpose application. Click HERE to view the communication in its entirety. | Post 10 DEC 2024 |

REMINDER: Bilingual In-Person FAFSA Completion sessions:

• Wednesday, January 15 @ 6 pm
• Tuesday, February 18 @ 6 pm

Details on location are available on the Registration Form. Register for any of these events here!

Please check out the Northwest College Career e-NEWS Bulletin for additional Financial Aid Events and Workshops. New Financial Aid resources have been published on our website from 2024-2025 presentations

NOW! GET READY FOR THE FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid! Create your electronic signature or FSA ID - View the 6-minute video linked here @ How To Create an FSA ID (Account Username and Password) video

NEW! DISCOVER MARYLAND AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK | FEB. 10 | Registration opens mid-December. Sophomores & Juniors. Visit admissions.umd.edu and search ‘calendar’.

NEW! Registration is OPEN for the Summer RISE 2025 program. Don’t miss your chance to participate this summer as you explore your future career, develop professional and technical skills needed for the workforce, and build your professional network. Participating students are matched with career Hosts in an industry of preference to participate in a minimum of 50 hours of hands-on career learning. Summer RISE runs between June 23, 2025, and July 25, 2025, with students needing to be available Monday-Friday between the hours of 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. for the duration of the program.

Consider attending an Information Session to learn more about the program, visit www.MCPS-SummerRISE.org or meet with Summer RISE staff who will be at school on Monday, January 13 in the College Career Information Center, Room 126 during lunch.

Complete the REGISTRATION HERE by Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. to be considered for an opportunity to participate.

NEW! The 17th annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) College Fair will be held on Friday, February 14, 2025, from 6:00–8:30 p.m. The in-person event will take place at The Universities at Shady Grove for students in Grades 8–12 and their families to meet with representatives from over 50 historically black colleges and universities. The HBCU College Fair will include the following:

• On-the-spot scholarship opportunities for Grade 12 students;
• Workshops on financial aid assistance, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), scholarship opportunities, presentations from the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, an overview of HBCUs, and how to find your best-fit HBCU;
• A panel discussion on college life with representatives from the Montgomery County National Pan-HellenicCouncil Fraternities and Sororities.

During the fair, students and parents can interact with college admission representatives and attend workshops, including a separate workshop and activities for middle school students. Registration for the college fair will open on Friday, December 13, 2024, and can be found on the HBCU Fair website.

NEW! MCPS FAFSA/MHEC One Application Completion Event Announced! 12th grade students and parents are invited to this in-person event on Friday, February 14; 6:00 - 8:30 PM at the Universities at Shady Grove. The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC), Montgomery College Financial Aid Outreach, and the Educational Opportunity Center will share important information about the FAFSA and MHEC One App. Representatives will be on-site to provide individual support for students and parents For updates and registration visit https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/familysupport/hbcu/.

NEW! Please join us on Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 5:30 pm on Zoom to learn more about FAFSA and financial aid from Tony Sutphin, Financial Aid Counseling & Partnerships Associate at George Washington University-learn why you should apply for FAFSA even if you don’t think you qualify for aid!

MONEY MATTERS → SCHOLARSHIP HIGHLIGHTS & REMINDERS:

For a complete list of scholarships, including details for those listed below, download the latest publication of our Jag Scholarships ‘Apply Now’ Bulletin on the web. Post date refers to the first date published in the Jag Scholarships ‘Apply Now’ Bulletin. Additional Northwest High School Scholarship Resource (PDF format)

RESOURCE FOR SENIORS applying to Montgomery College: Institutional Grants & Scholarships are available.

NEW! SCHOLARSHIP: $40,000 GE REAGAN FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP. SENIORS. High school seniors who showcase leadership, drive, integrity, and citizenship are eligible to apply for a $10,000 renewable scholarship – up to $40,000 total per recipient. Recipients not only receive money for college, but also join a network of exceptional students and young professionals who desire to lead, serve, and have a positive impact on their communities. Click the link to view the eligibility requirements and to apply. DEADLINE TO APPLY: JANUARY 3 2025 | Post 10 DEC 2024 |

NEW! SCHOLARSHIP: The Project Management Institute (PMI) Montgomery County Chapter Scholarship. SENIORS. $1,500 award. 2.75 minimum GPA. Applicants must take a pass the PMI quiz. All fields of study eligible. Click HERE to download the quiz and apply. DEADLINE TO APPLY: MARCH 31 2025 (RECEIVED BY) | Post 30 OCT 2024 |

NEW! SCHOLARSHIP: The Asian Pacific Community Fund (APCF) is excited to announce that our 2025 scholarship applications are now open! We are offering over $400,000 in scholarship funding to high school SENIORS in their support of higher education. Several partner organization scholarships available. Criteria may vary. In general, the applicants should have a plan to pursue post-secondary education at either a 4-year college/university or community college in the fall of 2025. A minimum unweighted GPA of 2.5 is required. Financial need considered. DEADLINE TO APPLY: APRIL 21 2025; 11:59 PM | Post 6 DEC 2024 |

NEW Information! SCHOLARSHIP: MC MONTGOMERY SCHOLARS – open to SENIORS planning to attend MC; in order to be competitive, applicants should have at least a 3.0 GPA; official transcript required; college test scores not required but recommended; two letters of recommendation required; resume and essay required; full scholarship with summer experience included in the award. *** Please NOTE: Northwest High School seniors should use the Scholarship Transcript Request Form to request a transcript for this program. Once the request is processed in our Registrar’s Office, an unofficial transcript will be sent to your mcpsmd.net email address for you to upload in the Montgomery Scholars application platform.*** DEADLINE TO APPLY: JANUARY 31 2025 | Post 4 DEC 2024 |

NEW Information! SCHOLARSHIP: MC MACKLIN BUSINESS INSTITUTE SCHOLARS (2-year program) – open to SENIORS planning to attend MC with a focus in business; official transcript and official test scores required; two letters of recommendation required; resume and essay required; apply to MC by December 15. *** Please NOTE: Northwest High School seniors should use the Scholarship Transcript Request Form to request a transcript for this program. Once the request is processed in our Registrar’s Office, an unofficial transcript will be sent to your mcpsmd.net email address for you to upload in the Montgomery Scholars application platform.*** DEADLINE TO APPLY: JANUARY 31 2025 | Post 4 DEC 2024 |

We are excited to announce a new class at Northwest High School designed for students who have never had the opportunity to play an instrument before. To help make this opportunity possible, we are seeking donations of musical instruments in working order or those needing only minor repairs. If you have an instrument that you no longer use, please consider donating it to our music department. You can drop off any donations at the Northwest main office. Your contribution could give a student a chance to experience the joy of learning to play an instrument—an opportunity that might otherwise be out of reach. Thank you for supporting the musical growth of our students!

Beginning after Thanksgiving, all students using the media center during the instructional day with a teacher signed pass will need to Sign In/Out electronically. Two Chromebooks are available at the circulation desk and a QR code for ½ day students. Please enter your Student ID Number, reason, teacher. An email will be generated and sent to your teacher to let them know you arrived. You will also need to sign out for the restroom or to move to another location. The expectation is that you email in the media center location or return to your classroom location during the period.

At this time, due to the turnover of different models of Chromebooks, we do not have any loaners. Please do not send students to get a loaner Chromebook at this time.

Additionally, all freshmen and sophomores should have upgraded their Chromebook to the light grey touchscreen with the 65 watt chargers. If you have not done this already, please do so before December. Chromebook style C771 is being disabled. An email went out to approx. 200 students asking them to return their Chromebooks for an upgrade. After December 4th, 2024, these Chromebooks will not work. Pictured below is how you can tell you have a model C771. Please bring these Chromebooks to the media center as an upgrade.

The Ulysses Senior Research class is hard at work preparing their culminating projects. Students will present their work to classes in December, and at the Ulysses Fair in January.

We are launching our Tee Shirt Sale to help us raise funds for Ulysses activities and support the program. If you are interested in purchasing a shirt, please follow the link below. All proceeds will go towards materials for the Ulysses Fair and other events. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mr. Parks david_p_parks@mcpsmd.org.

Thank you!

Ulysses Tee Shirt Sale - Fall 2024

• All students who are enrolled in AP classes are required to take their corresponding AP exam(s) in May (a schedule of exams can be found here). ALL AP students must be registered for their AP course(s) in AP classroom.
• Joining the corresponding AP Classroom creates an order for the exam. Students should have already registered for their AP Classroom(s) at the beginning of the school year. ALL students should login to their AP Accounts and check that all their courses are listed. If they are missing a course their AP teacher(s) can provide them with the join code. Students must be registered by November 15th to have their exam(s) ordered free of charge.
• Any exams ordered, after November 15th, will be assessed a late order fee of $41.75.
• Any student who orders and exam and then does not take the exam in May will be assessed an unused exam fee of $41.75. These fees are set by the College Board and MCPS. If you have any questions please contact Ms. McClintock (amy_m_mcclintock@mcpsmd.org) the Northwest AP coordinator.
• Any students who have account issues, creating an account or logging in to an existing account, must call the College Board for assistance (888-225-5427). Northwest does not have access to account login information and can't help troubleshoot account issues. The name on your account should match your legal name and the name used on any accommodation paperwork to ensure you receive the correct exams.
• If there are any questions or concerns about AP exams, AP Classroom, or registering for an exam please contact Ms. McClintock (amy_m_mcclintock@mcpsmd.org) the Northwest AP Coordinator.

Still Need to Purchase a Yearbook?

Purchase Link: Then the rest are $100; $105 in person at distribution

Seniors must select the picture that they want to appear in the yearbook by December 2. Or the photo company will select for you. We have a community upload spot for candids. Please upload any pics of your student(s) that may end up as features in the yearbook. We are currently seeking students who participate in hobbies outside of the school building.

Purchase Yearbook Space for Your Senior!!

If you would like to submit a business ad, these prices apply as well.

Personal Ads (upload text and pics online):

Full page: $360

½ page: $195

¼ page: $110

⅛ page: $70

Baby Pic ad Link to pay

Link to Upload pic and quote $25

Purchase this as an add-on when purchasing a yearbook in the 1st link. THEN upload quote and pic to the 2nd link to the left.

Final Deadline for all ad space: 1.20.2025

We still have the 2024 spring supplement available for pick up from the vestibule of the main office between 7:45-3 pm OR in room 250 or 261 before school, during lunch, and after school until 2:45.

Seniors With Siblings. It's a yearbook tradition. Help us keep it alive! Please complete this form to be included in the yearbook page by November 8. FREE!

Want a copy of the Panoramic Pic of the Entire Senior Class? Purchase here. ($20) by December 13.

We are reviving the LIT MAG. Come join us for the Creative Writing Club on the 3rd Wednesday of each month in room 250. See Ms Koutsos for details in room 250. Next meeting: November 20.

If you plan to pick up your child for early dismissal, please arrive before 2:15 p.m. To ensure a smooth process, send a written note or email with your child’s full name, student I.D. number, and the full name of the parent or guardian picking them up. Upon arrival at school, the parent or guardian must present identification at the attendance office. Without prior notification via email or note, please be aware that it may take 10 to 15 minutes to locate and dismiss your child from class.

For absences to be excused, your child must bring a note from a parent or guardian that includes the student’s full name, I.D. number, and the parent or guardian’s full name. If your child will be absent for more than three days due to travel, please provide a letter in advance detailing the dates of absence and the reason for missing school. This will help us maintain accurate attendance records and support your child’s learning during their time away.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us manage early dismissals and absences efficiently!

All electronic devices (e.g., smart phones, iPods, etc.) must be turned off and out of sight in classrooms and during class time, unless students have been given permission by the teacher to use the device for instructional purposes. Items will be confiscated if students do not adhere to the school policy, and confiscated items must be picked up by a parent. Northwest will assume no responsibility or liability for lost, stolen, or confiscated devices or for the unauthorized use of any such device.

*For a copy of the agreement to this policy that ALL students are expected to sign is linked here.

In order to maintain a safe and secure school environment, all staff and students are required to wear their ID badges at all times while on campus.

Key Points:

• ID Visibility: Your ID must be worn around your neck and visible at all times. We will be providing a lanyard for all students the first week of school.

• Replacement: If you lose your ID or it becomes damaged, you can get a new ID for $5 from the security office.

• School Events: Students must have their school ID to attend all school sponsored events.

*For a copy of the agreement to this policy that ALL students are expected to sign is linked here.

Do you have any school supplies you no longer need? The Free Store would love your donations! We take all gently used school supplies, but at the start of the year, we especially need backpacks, composition books, spiral notebooks, calculators, and test prep books. Please bring items to the front office or to The Free Store in room 264. We will also have a table at Back to School Night.

Once school starts, The Free Store is open most days at lunch in room 264 and is available to all NW students and staff. Thank you for reusing materials, and thank you for your support.

What is ParentVue?

ParentVUE provides a way to view all school related information and data for all your students. Register for athletics, special programs, communicate with teachers and verify your student information annually. For more information, please check out the "quick guides" linked below in various languages.

ParentVUE Quick Guides for Parents

• English
• Spanish
• Korean
• Chinese
• Amharic
• Portuguese
• French
• Vietnamese

ParentVUE Support Guide (link to translated version is in the footer of every page)

It's a long-standing tradition at Northwest for each grade to wear their assigned CLASS COLOR on Pep Rally days! Each class sits in a designated section at the rallies so make an impact for YOUR CLASS by wearing your grade level color and make your presence known! Although participation with wearing class colors is optional, we hope you will join in the FUN!

The grade level colors are as follows:

Freshmen (Grade 9): YELLOW

Sophomores (Grade 10): GREEN

Juniors (Grade 11): RED

Seniors (Grade 12): BLUE

You can wear any clothing and/or accessories in your assigned color as long as you adhere to the school dress code. You can opt to wear clothing that you already own in your grade level color, you can purchase a shirt from the PTSA/Booster Club website for $8: http://www.nwhsptsa.org/shop (available sizes and quantities are limited), or you can purchase a T-shirt in your color at Michael's or Joanne's (the cost is usually around $5) and personalize with fabric markers or paint pens! The possibilities are endless to show your #JagPride!

Email: Scott_E_Smith@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://northwestjags.org
Location: 13501 Richter Farm Road, Germantown, MD, USA
Phone: (240)740-7100
Twitter: @NorthwestJags