The Wildcat Lineup!

Dear Parents and Caregivers:

As we welcome the cooler days and vibrant colors of autumn, it’s a perfect time to reflect on the exciting opportunities that lie ahead, both socially and academically. Homecoming season is upon us, bringing with it a time for fun, school spirit, and cherished memories with friends and classmates. This is always a special time at Walter Johnson High School, and we are looking forward to the festivities that will help unite our students and celebrate our Wildcat pride.

While we encourage students to enjoy the excitement of Homecoming and all the social interactions that come with it, we also want to remind everyone of the importance of maintaining balance. As the academic year continues, staying focused on coursework, attending classes regularly, and engaging in study habits are critical to each student’s success. We encourage students to find harmony between enjoying these social events and prioritizing their academic responsibilities.

In addition to academics, it’s equally important for our students to make responsible decisions and choices—especially during times of celebration. We urge everyone to look out for one another and remain safe, whether on or off campus. As always, your health and well-being are our top priorities.

Parents, this is a great opportunity to engage with your child about the importance of time management, self-care, and making thoughtful choices during busy times. Together, we can ensure that our students are making the most of their high school experience by balancing fun with focus and staying safe.

We look forward to seeing everyone at our Homecoming events and cheering on our Wildcats! Let’s make this season one of unity, positivity, and growth—both academically and socially.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

With Wildcat Pride,

Nicole J. Morgan

Principal

Monday, October 14th - Generations Day

Tuesday, October 15th - Pink Day

Wednesday, October 16th - PSAT DAY! and PJ Day

Thursday, October 17th - Class Colors

Friday, October 18th - Professional for Teacher ( no school for students)

October 18th - HOCO Game at 6:30 PM!

CAC October 2024 Calendar Events!

• 10/08- Survive and Thrive H.S. 7 PM Zoom

  (For more details see the Connect Ed sent on October 1, 2024)

• 10/15 - "Good Fit" College List & How to Research 7 PM Zoom
• 10/22- Scholarship Strategies

"Shout Out" to Ms. Gayle Evans for coordinating the Hispanic College Fair for 53 students.

The Hispanic College Fair was held from 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4, at the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville.

A Hispanic Parent Night: Financing College Information Session is being held in conjunction with that event. The Parent Night will be held from 6–7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 15 W. Gude Drive, Third Floor, Potomac Room.

Join the Bridge to Wellness Team for the Workshop:

November 4, 2024

Navigating: Social Media Safety and Digital Footprint

Zoom information attached

National Walk and Roll to School Day is Wednesday, October 9, 2024. We encourage students, families, and staff to walk and/or bike to school to commemorate this very healthy and safe alternative to traveling to school. More information is available at the following website.

Please provide feedback for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school year calendar using the QR code.

The safety of our Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) community is critical and being able to communicate with students, staff, and families during severe weather or other emergencies is of the utmost importance. Sometimes a change in operational status for the school system is necessary due to severe weather or other emergencies.

To streamline our attendance process, we are now using a form instead of email for all attendance-related communications. Please use this form to report absences, late arrivals, or early dismissals.

WJHS Attendance Form (here).

The school's website will be updated to reflect this change by Thursday, October 10th.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Supporting Svcs and Teacher Awards Memo

Each year staff and community members can nominate supporting services and teachers for awards. The link above contains more information.

6400 Democracy Blvd.

Bethesda, MD 20817

240-777-0922

In September, our counselors delivered the annual "9th Grade Counts" lesson to all 9th grade students during their science classes. The lesson aims to help freshmen adjust to high school expectations, equip them with tools and resources to navigate both academic and extracurricular opportunities at WJ, review MCPS high school graduation requirements, and offer valuable tips for success throughout high school.

This is the lesson - Ninth_Grade_Counts SY 24-25

The Kensington 8K event, which took place on Saturday, September 21st

was a huge success! Since 1994, the Kensington 8K has been a favorite fall race in the DC area, known for being a fun, fast, and exciting event that showcases the beauty and challenge of our local community. "Shout out" to Andi Morris, her mother, the WJ Poms and Eddie, to name a few for participating in this event. We look forward to seeing you next year.

Monday, September 2nd - Labor Day - MCPS Schools and Offices Closed

Tuesday, September 3rd - USA Day

Wednesday, September 4th - Despicable Me (Dress like Minions)

Thursday, September 5th - Jersey vs. Jersey Shore Day

Friday, September 6th - Class Color Day (9th - Red, 10th - White, 11th -Black ,12th - Green)

Welcome to the start of the 2024-2025 school year!

As a reminder, please complete the annual verification through ParentVUE - https://md-mcps-psv.edupoint.com/PXP2_Login.aspx which is also linked on the main page of the Walter Johnson website. This verification should be done every year and is particularly important in case of an emergency as this is the information that will be used to contact you. Please be sure to complete your annual verification by September 30, 2024.

Annual Notice for Directory Information and Student Privacy

If you do not wish to have your student’s information released, please make sure you indicate that during your Annual Verification in the section that covers “Student Privacy”. You may withhold all your student’s information or just parts of it. If you need a paper copy of the form your student can pick it up in the main office. Once filled out they may return it to the main office. For more information on the Student Privacy Notice visit the MCPS website here:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/studentprivacy/

G Suite for Education: Additional Services

You may also indicate your approval or denial of additional educational tools in the section marked “Students” during your Annual Verification. If you prefer a hard copy one may be picked up in the main office. Once filled out please return to the main office. For more information on the G Suite for Education: Additional Services visit the MCPS website here:

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/forms/detail.aspx?formID=3619&formNumber=271-2&catID=1&subCatId=0

Free and Reduced Meals (FARMS)

This school year families will need to apply for Free and Reduced Meals if they have a need as lunch will return to pre-pandemic lunch procedures and prices. The link to apply online is here:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/food-and-nutrition/meal-payments/#FARMS

Please note there have been some changes to include the addition of the Special Dietary Needs Form” where you can specify any dietary needs your student may have.

Integrated Pest Management Annual Notification

Maryland laws and regulations for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Maryland public schools require that:

• Notification is sent home to parents/guardians of each student attending the school and distributed to all staff members each school year.

• Pesticide and herbicide applications within MCPS are rare, applied only as a last resort or in an emergency situation, and only by licensed and registered pest control workers.

• If at any time a pesticide application becomes necessary, IPM staff will inform you of the situation and provide the necessary written notifications to be sent home with students.

For more information and the form go to the MCPS webpage linked below:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/sustainability/pest/index.aspx