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

A parent of a new kindergarten student shared with Administration that he was not aware of all the ways to stay in communication with Forest Knolls ES. In collaboration with the parent, principal, and our Instructional Leadership Team, we created the Stay Connected to Forest Knolls Elementary School document. Check it out and let us know your thoughts. Additionally, the document will be shared with parents and caregivers of students new to Forest Knolls ES.

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.

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in partnership with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services and Montgomery Goes Purple, will host a family forum on mental health and substance use prevention to provide expertise and resources to students, staff, and families regarding the dangers of substance use. Attendees will learn about the dangers of fentanyl, alcohol, and other substances; information to keep students safe; school and community-based substance use prevention, harm reduction and treatment initiatives and what insurance is required to cover. Workshop topics will include: starting conversations on

substance use; accessing treatment; resources and insurance coverage and non-opioid pain management options. School-based mental health providers will have the opportunity to gain information on how to support students and families with substance use prevention programming. This event will also include Narcan training and distribution, and a resource fair. The MCPS Mental Health website will have more specific details.

Saturday, March 1, 2025, from 8:00 a.m.–noon: The Mental Health and Substance Use Prevention Family Forum will take place at Gaithersburg High School, 101 Education Blvd, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877.

MCPS is proud to honor Black History Month with its celebration and recognition of Black history, culture and achievement. Throughout February, students, staff and the community will engage in meaningful activities that highlight the contributions of Black leaders. Don’t miss this Q&A with Brenda Wolff, a dedicated member of the Board of Education representing District 5, as part of this month’s celebration. Read the profile.

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