Forest Knolls Mustang Message

Email: Jennifer_Taylor-Cox@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/forestknollses
Location: 10830 Eastwood Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20901, USA
Phone: 240-740-1640

Celebrate Literacy Week at Forest Knolls! Show Your Reading Spirit this week!

I’m excited to introduce myself as the new Attendance Secretary! My name is Mrs. Maria Mao and I grew up in Takoma Park, MD. I attended Rolling Terrace ES, SSIMS, Montgomery Blair HS, and later graduated from Montgomery College with a degree in Criminal Justice. I’m honored to join a school that celebrates such a diverse range of cultures and backgrounds. I am Dominican and Costa Rican, and my husband is Cambodian. We love teaching our three children-two of whom are students here at Forest Knolls- the importance of embracing our differences and celebrating what makes us unique. In my free time, I enjoy watching True Crime documentaries, solving puzzles, hiking, and gardening, which has become my newest hobby. I’m grateful for the warm welcomes I’ve received so far and I’m excited to embark on this new journey at Forest Knolls. I truly look forward to growing alongside such a wonderful community. Go Mustangs!

The Elementary and Secondary Mathematics teams are hosting two Curriculum Nights, which will include information on math curricular resources, course programming for Grades K–12 and upcoming changes from the Maryland State Department of Education regarding Integrated Math. Attendees will also participate in learning experiences from the Eureka Math and Illustrative Math curricula.

The in-person sessions will be held:

• Tuesday, March 18, 6:30–8 p.m., Wheaton High School, 12401 Dalewood Drive, Silver Spring

• Wednesday, March 26, 6:30–8 p.m., Watkins Mill High School, 10301 Apple Ridge Road, Gaithersburg

Recordings will be available on the mathematics website on Monday, April 7, in English and Spanish.

Math Curriculum Nights, 2025

As a reminder, the Elementary and Secondary Literacy teams are also hosting Curriculum Nights to introduce families to the new elementary literacy curriculum, Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts. Upcoming sessions are:

• Wednesday, March 5, 6:30–8:30 p.m., John F. Kennedy High School, 1901 Randolph Road, Wheaton

• Thursday, March 6, Virtual session via Zoom, 6:30–8:10 p.m.

RSVP.

Online registration for kindergarten for the 2025-2026 school year opens on Monday, Feb. 3. Children who will be 5 years old by Sept. 1, 2025 are eligible to register. Registration will be online through the ParentVUE portal. If your family is new to MCPS, you will need to create a ParentVue account here. For more information about eligibility and the registration process, visit the MCPS Kindergarten Enrollment webpage or contact your local elementary school.

Maryland Integrated Science Assessment (MISA); Grade 5 only

Fifth grade students will take MISA the first week in March. Here is the specific testing schedule that went home on February 13th. MISA is aligned to the Maryland Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The NGSS integrates three dimensions necessary to understand science. The dimensions are the Science and Engineering Practices, the Crosscutting Concepts, and the Disciplinary Core Ideas. Click here for more information about this assessment.

Do you want to know what taking the MISA portion of the MCAP assessment is like? Practice tests for each grade level of the assessment are available here for you to familiarize yourself with the kinds of items and format used for the MISA MCAP assessment.

MCPS has clear procedures in place to ensure student safety if immigration officials visit a school. These steps help staff respond appropriately while prioritizing student well-being:

• Verify the visitor's identity and obtain official documentation.

• Notify MCPS legal counsel for guidance.

• Contact the impacted student’s family in their preferred language.

• Follow security protocols to protect all students and staff.

For more information and Frequently Asked Questions, visit the MCPS Immigration Supports page.

MCPS Stance: Our schools are and will always remain safe places where every child—regardless of immigration status—is welcomed, valued, affirmed, validated, respected, and loved.

Scheduled for Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, the first day of the 2025–2026 school year, Student Transition Day is a new non-instructional full day designed to support students transitioning to new school levels or schools by fostering a sense of belonging and preparedness.

This full day will welcome students entering kindergarten, Grade 6 and Grade 9, and those new to MCPS schools, ensuring that they receive a positive first experience with staff and other students. Schools will share individual messaging to welcome students with their communities. Parents and guardians are asked to fill out this brief survey to provide additional input for Student Transition Day.

Note: the first day of school for all students is Tuesday, Aug. 26.

The focus of this annual contest is to increase awareness and demonstrate your school’s commitment to environmental sustainability and sustainable actions related to energy conservation, waste reduction, and responsible recycling.

All art must be a student or staff member's original work and not contain copyrighted elements. Posters should be no smaller than 8.5 inches by 11 inches and must not exceed 18 inches by 24 inches in size.

Please submit posters to DSC, 45 W. Gude Drive, Suite 4000, Rockville, by Friday, April 4, 2025. For more information, email or call 240-740-3210.

More information: Contest Flyer

To enter, complete the Contest Entry Form

Read about Contest Guidelines

Please contact Mrs. Gonzalez with questions, needs, or ideas at 240-740-4620 (office), 240-550-3254 (cell), veronica_gonzalez@mcpsmd.org (email).

We have wrapped up our parent workshops on health. We spent 4 weeks talking about High Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, Diabetes and Brain and Heart Disease. Members who participated and who attended all workshops were entered into a raffle for a free Blood pressure monitor. Our winner was Ana Orozco.

Future Presentations for out Parent Coffee will be:

Knowing your rights-presented by SAMU

Camps and activities- present by Montgomery County Recreation

Food resources-Presented by MANNA

As a reminder please join our Parent Whatsapp group with this link to follow any valuable information our community is sharing regarding events and resources in the community and county-wide.