Weekly Newsletter

March 23, 2025

Dear Coyote Community,

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful weekend. We ended the week on a high note with the exciting opening day of our spring sports season and the debut of our spring play, Chicago. It was fantastic to see our student-athletes and performing artists shine in their respective activities!

This week, we continue the celebration of spring with Spring Spirit Week (see themes below), our Spring Pep Rally, and the much-anticipated Cultural Night & Art Show! Our World Language and Art departments have been working hard to organize an incredible evening that highlights the diversity and creativity of CHS. We would love for you to join us!

As part of this event, we are also launching the Clarksburg Cares Pantry, housed in the former ticket booth in the gym lobby (see details below). If you would like to contribute, please reach out to Ms. Cao, who is leading this important initiative.

Looking ahead, we are approaching the end of Marking Period 3 next week. It is crucial for students to stay focused, attend classes regularly, and put forth their best effort. I also want to take a moment to address concerns regarding academic integrity. At CHS, we hold high academic expectations and emphasize the importance of honesty in learning. We follow the MCPS Student Code of Conduct, which outlines appropriate actions for academic dishonesty. Many infractions fall under Levels 1 or 2, where teachers may assign a zero for cheating. However, repeat offenses or more serious violations—such as distributing test materials—will be escalated to the student’s assigned Assistant Principal for further investigation. Please take a moment to discuss with your student the importance of academic integrity and the impact of cheating on their learning.

Finally, any family of a senior who requires ASL translation during our graduation ceremony on June 12, please complete this form by March 28.

Wishing you all a warm and wonderful week ahead!

Warm regards,

Ms. O’Neill

March 24-28 Spring Spirit Week

March 27 Cultural Night and Art Show (6:00 pm -- Food, Festivities and Art - see flyer below)

March 28 Spring Pep Rally

March 28 Marking Period 3 Ends

March 31 No school for students (grading and reporting day)

April 4 Prom (8:00-11:00 pm at Pinestripes)

🎉 Introducing Clarksburg Cares – our very first Clarksburg High School Pantry! 🏫✨

We’re excited to invite all CHS families to visit our brand-new Clarksburg High School Pantry! Whether you need clothing, non-perishable foods, school supplies, or hygiene products, we’re here to support you—completely free of charge!

🎉 ¡Les presentamos Clarksburg Cares, nuestra primera despensa de la preparatoria Clarksburg! 🏫✨

¡Nos complace invitar a todas las familias de CHS a visitar nuestra nueva despensa de la preparatoria Clarksburg! Ya sea que necesiten ropa, alimentos no perecederos, útiles escolares o productos de higiene, estamos aquí para apoyarlos, completamente gratis.

Thank you so much for your support for this year After Prom! With a heavy heart, we have to share that After Prom will not take place this year. The PTSA voted on the matter at its Tuesday meeting, and approved the cancellation.

The PTSA team will review and connect with all who have generously donated. There is an ask if the funds already contributed can be directed to support the Senior Picnic. The Senior Picnic will also need a great team to lead. We can provide guidance and lessons learned (from past events) to the incoming team, and support them in any way we can.

Unity Christian Fellowship, Inc. will host its semi-annual Game Changer Conference on Saturday, April 5, 2025, from 8:00 a.m.–noon at the Montgomery College––Germantown Campus.

The conference theme is "Achievement to Thrive in 2025 is a Game Changer! What are your goals for winning your future?” The target audience is Black or African American and Hispanic male students of color in Grades 4–12. In addition, parent workshops will be held every half hour (beginning at 8:00 a.m. and the last session ending at noon). A continental breakfast will be provided. Although there is no charge for registration, all participants are asked to register in advance here. Transportation will not be provided.

There will be an essay writing competition for students to improve their writing skills and better prepare them for school and college essay writing. Students are encouraged to write and submit a 300-word essay based on the theme, "Achievement to Thrive in 2025 is a Game Changer! What are your goals for winning your future?” Submissions are due by Monday, March 24.

Please see the parent letter for complete details.

Are you, or someone you know, in search of a top-notch preschool experience for your little one? Look no further than Coyote Pups Preschool, located at Clarksburg High School!

DETAILS:

• If your child will be 4 years old before September 1st and is potty trained, they are eligible to attend.
• Very limited number of spaces - 6 boys and 6 girls.
• Preschool will start about the second week of October.
• Preschool is Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
• NEW! Preschoolers attend from 8:00am - 1:30pm.
• NEW! Preschoolers will bring lunch to eat at school.
• Tuition will be $525.00 per semester ($1050 for the year)

Coyote Pups Preschool offers a unique educational opportunity where preschool children and high school students learn and grow together. Led by CHS Child Development students, this program fosters a vibrant learning environment for both young learners and student teachers.

Here's what makes Coyote Pups Preschool stand out:

• Dual Educational Experience: Children aged four and high school students collaborate in a dynamic learning environment, fostering growth and development for all participants.
• Practical Application: High school students enrolled in Child Development courses get hands-on experience by implementing curriculum and techniques learned in class, under the guidance of certified early childhood professionals.
• Quality Education: Our program is designed to provide a high-quality educational experience for preschoolers, ensuring they are well-prepared for kindergarten and beyond.

If your child will be four on or before September 1st, 2025, we invite you to express interest in Coyote Pups Preschool by completing our INTEREST FORM here. Our preschool coordinator will be in touch with registration details after that is complete.

Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity for your child's early education journey! For more information, please visit our website: COYOTE PUPS WEBSITE

Due to SAT Day on Wedesday, the Period 7 attendance competition was extended through Monday. Winner(s) will be announced next week.

This week we move on to Period 8. Who will take the prize?

Congratulations to our indoor percussion team. They won the Keystone Indoor Drill Association (KIDA) competition on Saturday. Next Sunday they compete for the KIDA Championship.

Congratulations to Team Closer to a Cure led by junior Neluki Sarathchandra who raised over $60,000 in support of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's. The team was recognized Saturday night at a celebration for 30 teams who collectively raised almost $1.5 million for research, advocacy and patient support.

We are excited to announce the successful launch of our free Chinese After-School Program at Snowden Farm Elementary School. Thanks to the support of Snowden Farm, Hallie Wells, and Clarksburg High School principals, this initiative introduces young students to Chinese language and culture while fostering community engagement and volunteerism.

Sponsored by Ms. Karen He, Chinese teacher at Clarksburg High School and Hallie Wells Middle School, the program is led by 30 dedicated student volunteers from Clarksburg High and Hallie Wells Middle. Each week, our elementary students will engage in interactive lessons and mini-games, making learning fun and rewarding.

Our first session exceeded expectations with 46 students enrolled! Students learned basic greetings and self-introductions like “Hello” (你好), “Goodbye” (再见), and “I am…” (我是…), practicing through games and speaking activities. By the end, they confidently greeted parents and teachers in Chinese, earning stickers as rewards.

A huge shout-out to our amazing volunteers who participated in the first week:

• Clarksburg High School: Carolyn Lam, Kendra Ndongo, Katherine Lam, Olivia Chan, Felix Lin, and Meiwen Wang.
• Hallie Wells Middle School: Inaam Ahmed, Jameson Eng, Aziz Kechrid, Summit Lu, Richard Ning, and Lisa Wu.