February 2025 - News & Notes
Dear Walt Whitman High School Parents & Community Members,
We hope this message finds you well following the recent big Super Bowl Sunday. The transition from the first semester to the second is a busy yet exciting time at Walt Whitman High School. Traditionally, this time allows our staff to engage with a new group of students and foster enriching learning environments based on strong, healthy relationships. It has been a pleasure to observe our teachers and staff prioritizing relationship building through team and community activities early in this semester. This focus is crucial for our students' academic success.
February brings the conclusion of our winter sports season, the Winter Musical Pippin, and various opportunities to acknowledge and celebrate the diversity within our school community. Throughout this month, we will honor the rich history and contributions of Black Americans in recognition of Black History Month, emphasizing the strength, resilience, and accomplishments that have shaped our nation.
Moreover, students and staff will aim to celebrate the cultural traditions of Ethiopian and Eritrean heritage, Islamic culture, and the Chinese New Year.
Thank you for your continued support as we strive to create an inclusive environment where all students feel safe, valued, and empowered to thrive.
Schedule at a Glance
Thursday, February 13 - WIDA Testing
Friday, February 14 - WIDA Testing; Stressbusters Event-Compassion Carnival Commons, Lunch; HBCU College Fair at Universities of Shady Grove 6-8:30pm
Monday, February 17 - NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, February 18 - PTSA Meeting, 7 pm Media Center
Wednesday, February 19 - Walt Wisdom Time
Thursday, February 20 - Saturday, February 22 - Winter Musical: Pippin
Friday, February 21 - Stressbusters Event-Compassion Carnival, Commons
Tuesday, February 25 - Stressbusters Event- Compassion Carnival, Commons
Wednesday, February 26 - OneWhitman
Thursday, February 27 - BSU Potluck-Lunch, Commons; Instrumental Concert 6:30 pm, Auditorium
Friday, February 28 - EARLY RELEASE
School-wide Updates
Safety & Security
Our unwavering commitment to safety and security must remain the top priority in our work at Whitman. In our most recent community letter, we provided important updates concerning safety and security at Whitman.
It is essential for students, parents, and caregivers to review and understand the MCPS Student Code of Conduct as well as the MCPS Students Rights and Responsibilities. These documents are designed to ensure a safe, productive, and positive learning environment. Students who engage in violent behavior are subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the MCPS Student Code of Conduct.
Earlier this year, in collaboration with MCPS Systemwide Security leaders, we implemented a QR code monitoring system used in restrooms by administrators and security members in order to help reduce the number of students present at one time.
Working with teachers and teacher leaders, we have enhanced our routines and expectations surrounding hallway usage through hall sweeps and hall passes, implemented cell phone guidelines during the school day, limiting hall access during instructional time, enforced lunch protocols, and required student and staff identification procedures.
We welcomed a new dedicated Community Engagement Officer, Patricia Desouza, in early January. Officer Desouza has done an amazing job building relationships with our students, staff, and community members during her short time at Whitman thus far.
Staff will maintain increased vigilance during unstructured times, such as transitions and lunch periods.
In partnership with MCPS Systemwide Safety & Emergency Management, all MCPS middle and high schools will have vape sensors installed this spring. These sensors will alert school leaders and security to vape, smoke, THC detection, and unusual sounds.
We are also looking to collaborate with the state’s attorney’s office to provide educational sessions during a future OneWhitman event about the dangers and legal implications of recording inappropriate and dangerous behaviors.
Students seeking additional support are encouraged to reach out to their school counselor or a grade-level administrator. They are also welcome to visit the counseling suite and/or Bridge to Wellness at any time.
Scheduling
Student IDs
Students and staff are required to wear their school-issued ID visibility at all times while on school grounds. We are pleased to share that we have gotten off to a wonderful start, and students are adapting well to the new Student ID policy. We kindly ask for your support in encouraging your student to remember to wear their ID each day. For students who forget their ID, they will need to visit the main office to receive a temporary "ID for the day" or to replace a lost ID. Please note that there is a $5.00 fee for replacing lost IDs or lanyards. If the student returns their temporary ID at the end of the day, with the plastic holder, they are not issued an obligation.
For the safety of all, we would greatly appreciate your assistance in reminding your student to take their ID with them when they leave home and to wear it around their neck throughout the day. Thank you for your cooperation!
Second Semester Parking
Second semester parking is in full swing. We had over 440 applications for our student lot of 270 spaces -- a new record! Students with purple second semester permits should park on the Whittier Blvd side of the main parking lot only. Students without permits may park at the baseball field on a first come - first served basis. Please be conscious of your fellow students’ needs and carpool as much as possible.
If you are visiting Whitman, please park in our Visitors spaces, right behind the accessible parking in the main lot. If no visitor spaces are available, make sure to let the Main Office know your vehicle information and where you parked.
WIDA Testing - February 13 & 14
SAT School Day - March 19
Mark your calendars! On Wednesday, March 19, 2025, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) will offer the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) free of charge to all Grade 11 students at each local high school. The SAT is one measure of student readiness for college and careers that many colleges and universities use in the admissions process. By offering the SAT during the school day, it helps to remove barriers associated with college entrance examinations and ensures equitable access to these critical steps to college and career readiness. More information about how to register for the SAT and the adjusted bell schedule will be sent to families in February.
Athletic Department
The winter sports season is going well for all of our student-athletes and their respective teams. Please visit our website at Walt Whitman Vikings to see schedules for our squads. We are charging admission for boys' and girls' basketball games and wrestling. No cash will be accepted at games and all tickets must be purchased through GoFan. We offer single-game tickets or you can also purchase a pass for the entire winter sports season. Here is a link to purchasing tickets: Walt Whitman High School Events and Tickets by GoFan
All boys' basketball games will be Tier I. This means students must show their ID at every home and away game. Only home and visiting students may attend the games. Middle and elementary school students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Only two guests per adult will be permitted to attend Walt Whitman High School games.
The spring sports season starts on March 1 and registration for spring sports opened on Monday, January 27. Please visit our website at Walt Whitman Vikings for more details on the registration process. All families must register for spring sports through ParentVue.
SPORTSMANSHIP
We also want our fans and teams to practice good sportsmanship at all of our contests. A condition of entry into our games is that all spectators agree to model appropriate behavior. We want our events to be a positive environment for our fans, visiting teams and officials. Let's applaud and support everyone involved!
Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @whitmansports and on X @WWHSAthletics
Counseling Department
Counselors spent much of January working with students to register them for classes for the 25-26 school year, as well as updating students’ second semester schedules.
Second Semester Schedule Changes: As a reminder, the only schedule changes that will be made for the first two weeks of the second semester are for students who have holes in their schedules (i.e. missing a period), are in the wrong class (e.g. a 9th grader in Honors English 11), and students who are trying to move into an Advanced Placement (AP) class. Once those schedules have been corrected, we will open the window for other schedule changes to occur.
Students will be required to have a parent/caregiver signature for all requested schedule changes that are not due to a schedule error.
Because of the intense and rapidly paced curriculum, students will not be permitted to move to an AP class after the second week of the semester.
We do not accept nor honor requests for teacher changes.
There will be no schedule changes after Friday, February 28
Scheduling for the 25-26 School Year: Counselors spent the last two weeks of January registering students for next school year. We have closed the online portal for students to make schedule requests and counselors will now work to make sure all students have the correct number of classes, as well as those needed for graduation.
Towards the end of the third quarter, through April 25, students and their families will be encouraged to look at their course requests and contact their counselor to make any desired changes to their 25-26 courses. After April 25, there will then be no more course/schedule changes until the start of the 25-26 school year and we will follow the same policy as noted above.
For students who did not get the chance to meet individually with counselors for registration purposes, counselors will be available for make-up meetings on February 6th and 7th. English teachers will send those students down to the counseling office during their English class.
Parents/caregivers of current juniors, please be on the lookout for information regarding our upcoming College Information meeting. At this meeting, we will go over all things college as they pertain to Whitman.
February 3rd through 7th was National School Counseling Week. In order to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems, National School Counseling Week highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. This year’s theme was "School Counseling: Helping Students Thrive.”
Also, please see below regarding happy news for one of our Whitman staff couples.
English Department
Omari James and Angela Fang (Counseling) are expecting at the beginning of March! They are very excited to welcome their daughter, and are currently open to any suggestions for taking on two kids!
At lunch on Monday, February 3, our school held its annual Shakespeare Monologue competition! Students competed by performing one monologue from Shakespeare’s timeless plays. The school winner will advance to the regional level competition later in February. Thank you to Matt Bruneel for organizing this opportunity for our students!
Please join us in honoring Black History Month 2025: African Americans and Labor. Broaden your knowledge with this reading list of books addressing the labor contributions of the Black community–from medicine to agriculture, from entertainment to politics. For additional relevant books, take a look at the Almeda County Library list or the Vermont State Colleges list.
WhitMAP, open 2:30-4 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays in 292, will continue in the second semester. Staff members can refer students who struggle with organization and/or assignment completion, so we can help them develop executive functioning skills and routines before the work starts rolling in. Vike 2 Vike will also continue in the second semester. Students can make an appointment during the second half of lunch on Mondays and Fridays and/or drop in 2:30-3:30 in 292. Here is a list of all in-school resources.
Fine Arts Department
The art department is calling on students eager to earn SSL hours! We invite you to meet with your teachers and lend a hand in organizing artwork as we prepare for the exciting Festival of the Arts. Your involvement will make a difference!
Our Whitman National Art Honor Society is actively seeking more students to join in the exciting project of painting the Engineering Mural. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to earn SSL hours while contributing to a meaningful artistic endeavor.
Additionally, the National Art Honor Society is wrapping up its inspiring work on the Memory Project. This initiative is designed to promote international kindness and cultural understanding by having art students create portraits for children worldwide who have faced significant hardships. The two works below are Whitman's first submissions. We look forward to sharing more as submissions are completed by February 18. This project also is looking to donate $20 per artwork to the Memory Project. Meetings are on Tuesdays at lunch in room 218 and Ms. Stanton is the sponsor; so if you are interested in becoming a part of the NAHS activities, please email her at Katherine_M_Stanton@mcpsmd.org
Music
Get ready for the thrilling drama productions and instrumental concert happening this February!
- February 20-22: Whitman Drama Presents: PIPPIN The Musical:
- Thursday, Friday, Saturday @ 7 PM, Saturday Matinee @ 1 PM
- February 27: Whitman Instrumental Adjudication Preview Concert - 6:30 PM:
- Concert Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble
Physical Education & Health
Math Department
Congratulations to the following students for scoring high enough on the AMC Math competition to qualify for the AIME : Xinkai Guo, Sean Wang and Kevin Xia. The American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME) is the second exam in the series of exams used to challenge bright students on the path toward choosing the team that represents the United States at the International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO). While most AIME participants are high school students, some bright middle school students also qualify each year.
The Leadership Academy for Social Justice (LASJ)
Career & Technical Education Department
Principles of Engineering: Bionic Hand Project. Student groups 3d printed hands with movable fingers, then connected the hand to motors that controlled the movement of the fingers. Their task was to pour water between two cups and pick up a screwdriver. Students learned: 3D printing basics, CAD design, mechanical control systems, and computer programming to control the motors.
AP Computer Science Principles: Photo Liker App. Students designed and programmed an app that allowed users to like and comment on pictures that are posted on social media. Students learned about the types of data used, app design, responsible use, appropriate access, and maximizing interactions with users on social media.
Science Department
The following information can always be found on the Whitman Science webpage:
Whitman Science Registration/MCPS Course Requirement Quick Guide (PDF)
Whitman Science Course Registration presentation (Google Slides)
An updated list of science internships, events, and competitions (Google Doc)
Social Studies Department
Student Opportunities
Student-led Advocacy: Black Students Creating Safe Spaces for Learning
Description: High School Black Student Union members will share how they use advocacy to create learning environments that embrace Black students.
Date: February 20, 2025
Time: 6:30 - 8 PM
Students may earn up to 2 SSL hours for attending the event.
World Language Department
With course registration upon us, it is time to think about language placement tests for next year! The best time to take a placement test is NOW as course offerings are based on enrollment. For all placement tests, there will be a speaking and writing component. Please reach out to the appropriate person (below) ASAP to schedule your placement test.
Who to contact:
Arabic: Sarah_A_AbdallaMetwally@mcpsmd.org
American Sign Language: Cathy_B_Horowitz@mcpsmd.org
Chinese: Yi_Song@mcpsmd.org
French: Michele_R_Beach @mcpsmd.org & Helen_D_Harris@mcpsmd.org
Italian/Latin: Ilenia_DiCesare@mcpsmd.org
Japanese: Yukiyo_Moorman@mcpsmd.org
Spanish: Rebecca_L_Zatz@mcpsmd.org
Over the summer → Contact Rebecca Zatz
There will be two placement test days offered for Spanish
All other languages may have to wait until teachers return to school at the end of August
**Please note that placement tests are ONLY needed if you would like to start a language in which you already have experience. You do NOT need a placement test to go to the next level in the course sequence if you are already enrolled in the language.
Upcoming Cafe Events:
Feb. 7: Lunar New Year Celebration
Feb. 11: Ethiopian Eritrean Celebration
Thank you to the Muslim Student Association (MSA) and World Language Cafe for organizing the Muslim Cultural Potluck in the Commons.
Student Government Association (SGA)
In February, the SGA is pleased to kick off Charity Month in support of Nourishing Bethesda. From now through the middle of March, we will host a series of fun events and all proceeds will be donated to the organization.
- February 14: Valentine Grams delivered by the famous Whitman FOMZ
- Mid-February: Auditions for Whitman Idol. Students interested in auditioning for the Whitman Idol singing competition should keep an eye out for details in the Whitman HS Canvas announcements!
- End of February: Krispy Kreme donut sale via School Cash Online! Families may purchase donuts by the dozen in advance and can pick them up on March 3.
Whitman Education Foundation
VIKE NIGHT 2025 -- Tickets and Sponsorships are on sale now for Whitman Foundation's Parent Social on March 21
Parents, don't miss out! Grab your tickets for the most exciting social event of the spring! Vike Night promises to be a fun evening out with food + drinks, music + dancing, and an auction! You don't want to miss this! Mark your calendars for Vike Night on Friday, March 21, 2025, 7 pm at Tommy Joe's in downtown Bethesda.
Purchase your tickets and learn about *SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES* here: https://www.whitmanfoundation.org/event
***Have a vacation home or sports/events tickets you're willing to donate for the auction? Receive sponsorship benefits in exchange for your donation! Contact Kristi Gunster (kgunster@gmail.com) to discuss!***
All proceeds from the evening will go to the Whitman Education Foundation, a nonprofit organization run by Whitman parent volunteers and solely supported by Whitman families. Money raised will be used to fund grants for Whitman in the areas of technology, media, facilities, professional development, arts, athletics, mental health services, special education, and more.
Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA)
Upcoming PTSA Meeting & Presentation
Remember that old expression "garbage in, garbage out?" Well…
...that's no cap. Find out more about the complex relationship between wellness and nutrition in this interactive workshop with local neuropsychologist, nutritionist and wellness coach, Nicole Salman of Snapdragon Wellness. Her patients rave about her!
Dr. Salman serves neuro-diverse and -typical patients of all ages, with myriad learning and performance challenges; helping them curate health plans to foster results they want to achieve.
Spirit Wear
Upcoming WhitWorld Events
February 14th - couples Valentines potluck evening.
February 27th - book club gathering. Visit to Bible Museum (date TBD).
Stressbusters
Get ready for some WWHS LUUUVVVV!
Cue Marvin Gaye and... Throughout February, Stressbusters is sponsoring our first ever Compassion Carnival!
Celebrate this month of extra love with events full of fun and meaningful activities that connect, de-stress, and spread loving kindness! Look for signage for all the dates! Always in the Commons.
Parents, don’t get FOMO. Volunteers for all daytime events are needed and appreciated. Please email smbritter@gmail.com for more information.
Walt Whitman High School remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering a supportive and welcoming environment for all students.
Sincerely,
The Walt Whitman High School Administrative Team
Go Vikes!
