Hello Wootton Community,

School is about to begin, and I am truly excited. Excited to see the return of our students, excited to see the impression a newly painted and improved facility will make, and excited to share all that has been prepared for students. Having a successful start is important to welcoming everyone back to school. We have a year of growth, and learning awaiting our students, and I cannot wait to begin.

I wanted to share a few important updates with you prior to the start of the first day of school.

• The time of the Advisory Period has changed. Last year, Advisory would take place following fourth period. While this period provided an extended time for students to reassess, socialize, and meet, it did present it challenges like students leaving without permission, and it was a challenge to monitor the building. To ensure we are promoting a school that is safe and operational, Advisory has been moved to after second period. It continues to be 30 minutes. I am confident we will adjust to this new structure.
• We have hired a new counselor to join the team at Wootton. I would like to welcome Ms. Genevieve Loving to our school. She is an experienced counselor joining us from Eastern Middle School. Please find the updated counselor assignments below and on the Wootton website.
• On the first day of school, students should be prepared to access school schedules through Synergy. It is recommended that students use their phone and have a backup copy of their schedule.

Don't forget -

• Back-to-School Night is Thursday, August 29th with the formal program beginning at 7:00PM with activities happening in advance. Additional details will be shared. Historically, Wootton has offered a Senior Parent/Caregiver Meeting prior to the start of BTSN. This event will not take place at the normally scheduled time. Details about the new date for this event will be shared with students and parents in the Class of 2025 soon.
• The first Wootton PTSA meeting of the school year will be Tuesday, September 17th beginning at 7:00PM. Our PTSA is critically important to our school so please plan on attending.

See you soon,

Doug

AM/PM Bus Information: Please find the bus route information for the upcoming school year. This information will remain available to parents/caregivers on the Wootton website.

Activity Bus Information: Activity buses will run every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday beginning on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, through Thursday, June 5, 2025. Departure time is 4:35pm with two routes departing from the school.

THU, AUGUST 22 New Student Orientation & New Student Picnic

THU, AUGUST 29 Back to School Night

New Student Orientation (NSO) is a wonderful program that takes place annually for any student who is new to Wootton High School. NSO will take place from 7:45-11:30AM on Thursday, August 22, 2024. MCPS busses will be running; it's a great chance to practice taking the bus. Students will have the opportunity to meet their teachers and go through their schedule prior to the first day of school.

Students who attend NSO will have the opportunity to pick-up their chromebook which will be assigned to them throughout the year. If your student cannot attend this event, do not worry. There will be an opportunity to acquire a chromebook when you come to school. We are excited for the year. Please see the NSO agenda below.

Wootton High School invites new families to attend the New Family Picnic. This event will take place on Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 5:00-7:00pm. It will take place in the lower parking lot area near the stadium entrance. At this event, we will be grilling food and student groups will be present to hold an activity fair. The Wootton PTSA will be present as well. Please consider coming out to this event to meet members of the Wootton community. See you there!

At Wootton High School, effective communication is essential. We ensure clear communication through several channels. Communication will take place through the Remind App, where students and parents can receive instant updates and important reminders. Remind will be the primary platform including during an emergency response. Everyone is strongly encouraged to be on the Remind platform.

Canvas Announcements will serve as a platform for academic and school-related information, ensuring everyone stays informed about classwork and school events. Teachers will continue to use direct email to communicate with parents. Regular updates to the Wootton website will provide information about school activities and resources. Additionally, weekly messages from Mr. Nelson and the Wootton PTSA will keep the community informed about the latest developments and upcoming events. These multiple channels ensure that all members of the Wootton High School community can stay connected and up-to-date.

It is important to know which administrator and counselor are assigned to support your student. Please find the assignments below.

Administrators -

• Last Names A-F - Ratti
• Last Names G-L - Gardner
• Last Names M-R - Labbe
• Last Names S-Z - O'Shell

Students and parents will be able to see their Semester A schedules on Wednesday, August 21, 2024 via StudentVue/ParentVue in Synergy. Parents, please check with your student to confirm they know how to access their schedule. The school will only be providing paper schedules to students upon request.

A critical component of the transition to Semester A is ensuring that students have correct schedules. Please review your child's schedule, and if you notice an error in the schedule, we ask that you contact your child's counselor to make necessary changes. Counselors are engaging in pre-service activities so we appreciate your patience as we make sure your child’s return to school goes smoothly. Unfortunately, we cannot honor requests for specific teacher changes or changes in periods.

You may request a schedule change for one of the following reasons:

1. The scheduled course(s) are incorrect from what was requested at the beginning of the school year. Your student's schedule is considered correct if an approved alternate class was used when the primary class could not be scheduled.
2. The schedule is incomplete. For example, there is a missing class period (most students should have seven classes listed), or two courses are listed in the same period.
3. Your student earned credit for a class this summer and no longer will take the course listed.
4. Your student would like to reconsider the level of class that they initially requested. Please note that schedule changes for level reconsideration will only be made based on space availability.

Please note that we continue to balance classes until the day before the new semester starts, which may cause some teacher/period changes. Your child should follow the schedule that appears on Monday, August 26, 2024, in Synergy.

MCPS Handbooks

• Student Rights and Responsibilities,
• Student Code of Conduct,
• Guidelines for Respecting Religious Diversity in MCPS, and
• Guidelines for Student Gender Identity

In order to ensure a safe, productive, and positive learning environment, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) publishes these handbooks to help students, parents/guardians, and staff understand the Montgomery County Board of Education's core values and commitments; students' rights; school rules; expectations for student conduct; and the possible consequences for violating the rules.

MCPS Information

• Annual MCPS Notice for Privacy and Directory Withholding Form (Will be sent home)
• Annual MCPS Pest Management Notice
• Annual MCPS Asbestos Notice
• Bullying, Harassment, and Intimidation Reporting
• Emergency Information - Please update for your student via ParentVue - links to the ParentVUE Support Guide and directions for completing the annual verification of information to update contact information. It is critical to keep this information up-to-date.
• PTSA Website - Please join the PTSA!

EVERYONE must complete the application process. Even if you completed the application for an end-of-year permit at the conclusion of the school year, you must reapply for the new school year and submit all required documents.

COMPLETED APPLICATIONS WILL BE PROCESSED ON A FIRST COME; FIRST SERVED BASIS. APPLICATIONS ARE NOT CONSIDERED COMPLETE UNTIL YOU HAVE SUBMITTED ALL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS.

PRIORITY IS GIVEN TO STUDENTS IN THE 12TH GRADE (Class of 2025). If spaces are still available after the 12th grade applicants have been processed, applications may be accepted from 11th grade students.

• FY25 Parking Permit Application
• FY 25 Parking Regulations

Apply online NOW so students receive free meals on the first day of school! Households meeting identified federal income standards are eligible for free school meals. MCPS encourages all families who may be eligible, to apply. To receive this benefit, a new FARMS application must be completed every school year. Please submit the online FARMS application through https://www.myschoolapps.com/Home/PickDistrict. Students not newly qualified for free meals will be charged the following meal prices. Only one application is needed for all students in a household. Meal prices: Breakfast—$1.30; Lunch—$2.55 (Elementary), $2.80 (Middle and High)

Students who qualify for reduced-price meals will receive meals at no charge! Students use their MCPS ID number when receiving a meal, so confidentiality is maintained and no child is overtly identified as receiving free or reduced-price meals. Funds can continue to be added to student

meal accounts at no charge by bringing cash or checks directly to the school cafeteria managers. There will be an increase in the transaction fee from $1.95 to $2.49 per transaction associated when adding funds to student meal accounts using the online My School Bucks software.

For more information and How-To videos, visit the Division of Food and Nutrition

Services (DFNS) website: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/food[1]and-nutrition/meal-p

2024-2025 School Year Vaccination Requirements

Back to School Free Immunization Clinics

The Back-to-School Fair is back! All MCPS families are invited to kick-off the 2024-2025 school year at Westfield Wheaton on Saturday, Aug. 24 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Parents will learn about the school system, and county programs and services while enjoying free entertainment, giveaways and family activities. Free shuttle transportation is also available

Support students by donating to the 13th annual GIVE BACKpacks campaign to purchase backpacks and school supplies for MCPS students. For as little as $20, families can provide a student with a backpack filled with supplies including, paper, crayons, pencils/pens, a pencil sharpener, binders, folders, and more.

Learn more on how you can help

Free online resources are available to support students who are not participating in summer tutoring or summer school. This document includes free academic resources and activities for elementary, middle and high school students to review content, practice skills and prepare for the 2024–2025 school year.

Regular daily attendance is expected. It is critical to a child's academic success. Parent/caregiver support of regular daily attendance is essential. Parents/caregivers should provide a note within 3 days stating the reason for absence. This will ensure the absence is marked excused. Students who were absent from school have the responsibility to request make-up work from their teacher.