QOHS Weekly Newsletter
Weekly Updates & Information for Students, Staff & Families
October 20, 2024
The past week was filled with events and celebrations! Congratulations to our marching band for an outstanding show at the marching band showcase and our JV girls cheer team for their superior performance on Saturday!
As we approach the end of the first marking period, we’re excited for some wonderful events ahead. Join us this Tuesday 10/22 at 7 PM for the Band and Orchestra Pyramid Concert, featuring students from our entire cluster. On Wednesday 10/23, our Chorus will also take the stage for their Pyramid Concert at 7 PM. In addition, we will continue celebrating QO Class of 2025 Fall Senior Athletes with Girls’ Volleyball on Tuesday 10/22 and Flag Football on Wednesday 10/23.
We are also thrilled to welcome families to our Open House and Cafecito on Tuesday, October 22, starting at 8:30 AM. It’s a great opportunity to connect and learn more about the amazing things happening at Quince Orchard High School.
This past Friday was a day of reflection and professional learning, but it was also bittersweet as I shared the news of my upcoming retirement. If you haven’t seen the letter yet, please check Synergy and Remind for the details. I want to clarify that my last day will be December 4, as I will begin my leave for foot surgery on December 5, with my official retirement starting on January 1.
Many have asked if there was a specific reason for this decision. I want to reassure everyone that this was a personal choice and not due to any particular event. Serving as principal has been the most rewarding and challenging experience of my career, and I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together over the past seven years. Now, I look forward to spending more time with family and friends and creating new memories.
Thank you for your continued support and remember, we can’t hide our Cougar Pride!
All the best,
Elizabeth Thomas (Beth)
Principal, Quince Orchard High School
MCPS Mental Health Awareness Week
Dear QOHS families,
October 21-25, 2024 is Mental Health Awareness week in MCPS. All week we will be engaging in activities to promote mental wellness and end the stigma around mental health. Below you will find information about what is happening at QO all this week.
Also, MCPS along with the Montgomery County School Psychologists’ Association is hosting a Mental Health Resource Fair on Saturday, October 26, 2024, from 10:00 a.m.– 2:00 p.m. at Seneca Valley High School (19401 Crystal Rock Dr., Germantown, MD 20874). The event is open to students, families, and staff and will include MCPS and community partners sharing information about mental health and wellness; as well as a student forum focusing on issues impacting Montgomery County youth. Students may earn Student Service Learning hours for attending the Resource Fair.
More information can be found at MCPSmentalhealth.org. There will also be keynote speaker Dr. Charles A. Barnett, a district-level administrator in Virginia, practiced as a school psychologist for 13 years at the elementary and secondary levels, who will be presenting!
At QO we care deeply about the mental health and wellbeing of our students and staff. We hope you will join us in engaging in these important conversations about mental health, and reaching out when you are concerned about someone you care about. You are not alone. We care about you. Things will get better. Check out the QO Counseling website for more information about the available supports at QO: https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/qohs-counseling/
School Picture Make-up Day is This Friday!!
Make-up school photographs will be taking place this Friday in the auditorium from 7:45 to 1:45. Any students who did not have a school photograph taken (or students who purchased a picture package and would like their photo retaken) can come to the auditorium during that time. New IDs will also be printed for students who need them.
Please remember students should now be wearing their school ID's at all times. Also a CURRENT school ID is required to get into all athletic events.
Buy your 2024-2025 yearbook!
Yearbooks are for sale NOW! Visit jostens.com/buyyearbk or scan the code to purchase.
LGBTQ+ History Seminar
Come to room 229 on Friday 10/25 at lunch to help close out LGBTQ+ History Month in style! Come participate in the LGBTQO: Let's Get Better Together QO Seminar!
Trivia Night!
Tuesday, 10/29/24
Join Rho Kappa and the Quizbowl team for Trivia Night!
When: 10/29/24
Where: QOHS
Time: 7- 8:30 pm
Cost: 5 dollars per student/ 8 dollars per adult.
Hosted by Rho Kappa, Proceeds benefit the Quizbowl team. See you there!
MCPS Student Handbooks - Please become familiar with this important info!
Hard copies are available in the main office in English & Spanish!
- 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. If you have questions, please speak to the administration at your school. If you have comments about any of these publications, please send them in writing to the MCPS Department of Communications at pio@mcpsmd.org.
Please follow this link to access hanbooks in multiple languages.
Gaithersburg Student Union October Events
Please check out some of the upcoming Gaithersburg Student Union Events!
GSU Lounge Every Tuesday & Thursday
October Event Calendar
Earn SSL Hours at Oktoberfest
Keep Walking & Rolling All October!
National Walk and Roll to School Day was Wednesday, October 9, 2024. We encourage students, families, and staff to walk and/or bike to school to commemorate this very healthy and safe alternative to traveling to school. More information is available at the following website: https://www.walkbiketoschool.org/.
Letter to AP Students and Caregivers
Dear students and caregivers,
Attached is an important letter dated October 3, 2024 to all AP students and their caregivers. Please make sure to read it carefully.
For English - https://tinyurl.com/2zfmytz3
For Spanish - https://tinyurl.com/3wrfku5n
*********************************
Estimados estudiantes y cuidadores,
Se adjunta una carta importante fechada el 3 de octubre de 2024 para todos los estudiantes de AP y sus cuidadores. Por favor asegúrese de leerlo atentamente.
Para español - https://tinyurl.com/3wrfku5n
Para ingles - https://tinyurl.com/2zfmytz3
SSL Opportunities for October
Click the link to check out all the great October 2024 SSL Information for MCPS Students!
Check out ALL the clubs that QOHS has to offer!
QOHS has over 90 Sponsored Clubs that students can be a part of. Please explore the link below to find out what clubs we have, who the sponsor(s) is/are, and the meeting time of the group: https://bit.ly/QOHSClubs24-25
College and Career Center Corner
Regional & Countywide HS Applications for SY 25-26 are now open!
Visit links below for details. Applications due by 11/1/24
Sign up for future college visits @ QOHS
Families, please encourage your students to sign up for college visits at Quince Orchard High School. For instructions on how to sign up for a college visit or to view a list of colleges coming to Quince Orchard High School, please click on the link below: https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/qohs-counseling/the-college-career-center/visits?authuser=0
The Holiday Giving Project
The Holiday Giving Project has provided Thanksgiving and December holiday assistance to qualifying households for over 30 years. If you and your family are in need and would like to be referred for possible assistance for the holiday season, please complete this referral form provide the required information. Resources are limited: please apply only if you and your family are truly in need. Families can only be referred once; please do not complete a referral if you have already been referred from another school or agency. While a referral is not a guarantee of assistance, the Project helps as many families in need as donations allow. If you need help completing the form please contact Ms. Ruiz Miller at 240-447-8963.
Referral form: https://forms.gle/QC4GCL39awvfbLHa9
El Holiday Giving Project ha brindado asistencia para el Día de Acción de Gracias y los días festivos de diciembre a los hogares que califican durante más de 30 años. Si usted y su familia están en necesidad y les gustaría ser referidos para una posible asistencia durante la temporada de festividades, complete este formulario de referencia para proporcionar la información requerida. Los recursos son limitados: solicite solo si usted y su familia realmente lo necesitan. Las familias solo pueden ser referidas una vez. Por favor no complete este referido si ya le han referido de otra escuela o agencia. Si bien una referencia no es una garantía de asistencia, el Proyecto ayuda a tantas familias necesitadas como lo permitan las donaciones. Si necesita ayuda para completar el formulario, comuníquese con la Sra. Ruiz Miller al 240-447-8963.
formulario de referencia: https://forms.gle/QC4GCL39awvfbLHa9
Speak Up, Save a Life Video Contest
This contest challenges teenagers to create an original video to promote awareness about the dangers of illicit opioids, fentanyl and risk of overdose. The video contest is open to all 6th - 12th grade students living in Montgomery County. Top prize is $1,000, second place is $750, third place and fan favorite winners will receive $500 all donated by The Magnolia Companies in honor of two young Montgomery County residents lost to fentanyl; Michael Pisarra and Matthew Loudon. The 2024 contest is now open and accepting entries. For more information, see the link below: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/SAO/other/SpeakUpVideoContest.html
All entries are due by midnight on November 8, 2024.
Athletics
Schedule for Week of 10/21/24 - 10/26/24
10/22/2024 Tuesday Girls Volleyball Paint Branch at Quince Orchard 6 pm
10/23/2024 Wednesday Girls Flag Football Whitman at Quince Orchard 6 pm
10/24/2024 Thursday Girls Volleyball Quince Orchard at Rockville 6 pm
10/25/2024 Friday Varsity Football Northwest at Quince Orchard 6:30 pm
10/26/2024 Saturday JV Football Northwest at Quince Orchard 10 am
Playoff Schedule for Week of 10/21/24 - 10/26/24
Thursday 10/24/24 Field Hockey Region Semifinals vs. Wheaton Time TBD
Saturday 10/26/24 Cheerleading County Championships at Blair HS 5:00pm
Saturday 10/26/24 Girls Soccer Region Semifinals vs. TBD 6:30pm
Fall Sports Senior Nights
Check out the chart below for fall sports senior night dates and times.
2024-25 Winter Sports Registrations
MCPS and Quince Orchard High School are excited to announce that registration for Winter Sports will open on Monday, October 14th at 12pm! Below is information regarding the upcoming Winter Sports season, as well as the registration process. Additional information can be found on the MCPS Athletics website. (Note – tryouts for Winter sports will start on Friday, November 15th)
Registration Information
How to Register
Students must be registered by a parent through the MCPS ParentVue Portal. Students must be registered by Wednesday, November 13th in order to guarantee that their registration will be processed in time for the first day of tryouts.
Steps for Registering Via ParentVue
- Login to MCPS ParentVue Portal
- Locate “Online Registration” in the upper right hand corner of the screen.
- You should then see prompts to enter information for the “2024-2025 HS Athletics Registration – Winter”.
If you see something for “Annual Verification” or “Resume Annual Registration”, please click the “Start Over” button, logout and log back in, this should then allow you to access the Athletic Registration. - The Athletics Registration screens will have you verify information in the system and then allow you to review and complete the Athletics Registration forms.
If any of the information appearing on the “Family” or “Parent/Guardian” information screens is incorrect, please contact the our Registrar at Kristin_A_Barnes@mcpsmd.org to have this corrected before completing your registration. - If you have already registered for All-School Registration, click on that your don’t want to register for a sport during that season so you can continue to register
ParentVue Troubleshooting Information
If a parent is having trouble logging into the MCPS ParentVue Portal:
(MCPS also has a guide to ParentVue for parents here).
- If you have never activated your parent account:
Parents were sent activation information at the beginning of the school year, which included an Activation Key. If you still have this information, use it to activate your parent account. If you do not have the activation information, call the Main Office at Quince Orchard at 240-740-3600 during normal office hours. - Forgot your password? Click on the Forgot Password link on the ParentVue Portal.
- Forgot the email address you used to activate your account? Email Quince Orchard Athletic Director Jeffrey_L_Rabberman@mcpsmd.org. Be sure to include the student name, ID and parent name in the email.
Pre-Participation Physicals
Students should complete their pre-participation physical (MCPS Form SR-8) so that the medical eligibility form (last two pages of SR-8) is ready for online submission or for submission to the coach prior to tryouts/practices. Physicals are valid for 13 months from the day of the physical. A partial list of Clinics that offer Sports Physicals within the Montgomery County area is available online. Physicals can be uploaded by the parent during the registration process. However, if a parent needs to submit a physical after the student has already been registered, email an electronic copy of the completed pre-participation physical (MCPS Form SR-8) to Quince Orchard Athletic Director Jeffrey_L_Rabberman@mcpsmd.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the timeline for the start of winter sports?
Registration will open on Monday, October 14th. Tryouts/practices will begin on Friday, November 15th. Tryouts and preseason will continue for three weeks, with the first contests beginning on Friday, December 6th.
If a student registered for All-School Conditioning, does the student have to register for the Winter season?
Yes! Registration or participation in off-season workouts does not mean the student is registered for the upcoming Spring season. Any student who would like to participate in this upcoming Winter Sports season must be registered by a parent using ParentVue as outlined above.
Is there a schedule of games or practices posted yet?
The practice schedule will likely be Mondays through Fridays with Saturday practices and games. The First Day Tryout schedule will be available by October 21st. Game schedules are posted on www.qoathletics.com .
Will there be tryouts, or are all students who register going to be on a roster?
This will depend on the sport and the number of student registrations. Tryout/practice information will be posted and communicated to students and parents, including whether there will be a tryout period to start the season. Similarly, information about where to report for tryouts and what the student needs to bring to tryouts will be communicated to parents and students at that time.
Can a student tryout for more than one sport in the same season?
Parents must declare only one sport per season during the registration process. However, if a student would like to change his/her sport prior to the start of tryouts, the parent must email Quince Orchard Athletic Director Jeffrey_L_Rabberman@mcpsmd.org in advance of tryouts. Similarly, if a student tries out for a sport and does not make the team (or decides to change sports after the tryout date), please have the parent email Quince Orchard Athletic Director Jeffrey_L_Rabberman@mcpsmd.org.
Will transportation be provided for tryouts and practices?
Unfortunately, transportation is not provided to and from tryouts and practices. Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation for tryouts and practices. Additionally, students may not remain on campus for extended periods of time before or after tryouts and practices due to supervision policies.
How can I contact a coach if I have a question?
The Quince Orchard coaching staff, as well as contact information can be found on our Athletic Department Staff Directory page.
2024-25 QO Athletics Season Passes
QO Athletics Full Year, Fall, Winter and Season Passes are now on sale at the link below. These passes are good for regular season home games only!
https://gofan.co/app/school/MD24824?activity=Digital%20Season%20Pass
MCPS Things to Know
October 17, 2024
English / español / 中文 / français / Português / 한국어 / tiếng Việt / አማርኛ
National C-SPAN Documentary Video Competition Open to Secondary Students
Students in 6th through 12th grades are invited to participate in C-SPAN’s annual national video documentary StudentCam competition, which encourages them to think critically about issues that affect our communities.
This year, students are being asked to create a five-to-six-minute video documentary on a topic that relates to the competition theme, “Your Message to the President.” Students may compete individually or in groups.
The submission deadline is Inauguration Day, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. C-SPAN awards cash prizes to the top 150 student documentaries.
Historically, MCPS students perform well in this contest. Last year, a Montgomery Blair High School 9th grader won the High School East Division and in 2023, two Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School 8th graders took home the Grand Prize.
Get a Little Drama in Your Life!
The curtain is rising on fall theater and dance productions throughout the school system at middle and high schools. Plan now to see these great performances, which run into early 2025.
From “Mamma Mia” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to “Charlotte’s Web” and “SpongeBob the Musical,” there’s something for everyone. Come on out!
2024-2025 Fall Theater/Dance Productions
Marking Remembrance and Reconciliation Month
The Commission on Remembrance and Reconciliation was established by the Montgomery County Office of Human Rights in 2019 to promote a better understanding of its history and legacy of African Americans in the county. This is the third year MCPS has observed Remembrance and Reconciliation Month with mandatory brief K-12 learning on local African American history and support of local Emancipation Day celebrations.
Below are upcoming MCPS events for this year (other celebrations will be coming later in November):
Button Farm Living History Center’s Emancipation Day Celebration (16820 Black Rock Road, Germantown)
Saturday, Oct. 26, noon-3 p.m.
Students can earn up to 3 SSL hours.
Sandy Spring Slave Museum – Maryland Emancipation Day
Virtual Event: The Real Juneteenth
Wednesday, Oct. 30, 6:45-8 p.m.
Students can earn up to 1.5 SSL hours.
Registration Link (You must register to receive the virtual meeting link.)
Flyer
Sandy Spring Slave Museum’s Emancipation Day Celebration (18524 Brooke Road, Sandy Spring)
Saturday, Nov. 2, noon-3:20 p.m.
Students can earn up to 3 SSL hours.
Urban Farm Volunteer Event Set for Nov. 9 at Loiederman MS
Middle and high school students are invited to participate in a Veterans Day volunteer opportunity from 9 a.m.- 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9 at A. Mario Loiederman Middle School, 12701 Goodhill Road in Silver Spring. Students will help build garden beds and benches for the first urban farm being built through the REACH Hub and learn from professionals in the field. SSL hours and lunch will be provided. Registration
Community Meetings Will Address ‘Walkability Studies’ and Safety Needs for Six Schools
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is holding in-person meetings to present and address the findings of walkability studies and discuss the sidewalk and safety needs of students walking and biking to six schools. The studies involve Kensington Parkwood, Lake Seneca, Waters Landing, Rosemary Hills and Rock Creek Forest elementary schools, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School.
The meetings will be held—
Wednesday, Oct. 23, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School, 13737 Wisteria Drive, Germantown. Regarding the studies for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle, Lake Seneca Elementary and Waters Landing Elementary schools.
Thursday, Dec. 5, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Rosemary Hills Elementary School, 2111 Porter Road, Silver Spring. Regarding the studies for Rosemary Hills Elementary and Rock Creek Forest Elementary schools.
The meeting for Kensington Parkwood Elementary School was held on Oct. 9. Read more about it here.
Fall Parent Academy Schedule Now Available
Families and students can stay engaged throughout the school year with Parent Academy TO GO, a series of free virtual webinars for families. October, November and December webinars are now available on the Parent Academy website. Topics include managing bedtime battles, learning skills for better communication and tools to diffuse power struggles, and handling disappointing grades. Registration is available here.
Athletics Championship Season Is Here!
The first-ever postseason pickleball tournament will be held on Monday, Oct. 21 and Wednesday, Oct. 23. Semifinals and finals will be on Oct. 23 at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda. See the schedule.
The inaugural girls’ flag football county championship tournament will be during the weeks of Oct. 28 and Nov. 4. The state tournament of champions will be held on Friday, Nov. 8. Check out an overview of the playoff schedule.
See the fall playoff and tournament schedules for cheerleading, cross country, field hockey, football, golf, soccer and volleyball here.
Reminders
Mental Health Resource Fair: This free event, open to students, families and staff, will be held from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Seneca Valley High School, 19401 Crystal Rock Drive in Germantown. Transportation is available. RSVP.
Game Changer Conference: This free event, geared toward Black or African American and Latino and Hispanic male students in 4th through 12th grades, will be held from 8 a.m.–noon on Saturday, Oct. 26 at Montgomery College, Germantown Campus, Globe Hall, 20200 Observation Drive. Students and parents can register here.
VISIT the MCPS homepage.
CALL 240-740-3000. Staff take calls from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, in English and Spanish (240-740-2845)
READ news and information sent via email and text message and on the MCPS News page.
FOLLOW the MCPS social media pages on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram in English and Spanish.
http://twitter.com/mcps
https://www.facebook.com/mcpsmd
https://www.instagram.com/mcps_mdhttps://www.facebook.com/mcpsespanol
https://twitter.com/MCPSEspanol
https://www.instagram.com/mcpsenespanol/SIGN UP for emails and text alerts and make sure your ParentVue information is up to date.
WATCH the MCPS cable channels Comcast 34 (1071 HD), Verizon 36 or RCN 89
Open Registrations
More From MCPS
- School calendar
- Parent resource page
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- Latest photo galleries
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Email us: ASKMCPS@mcpsmd.org
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Fall Calendar Dates
October
- 10/21 - 10/25: Mental Health Awareness Week
- 10/22: QO Cluster Fall Pyramid Concert - 6 pm in the Auditorium
- 10/23: QO Cluster Fall Pyramid Choral Concert - 6 pm in Auditorium
- 10/25: Make-up Picture Day
- 10/29: Rho Kappa/Quizbowl Trivia Night - 7 pm @ QOHS
**11/3 Marks the end of the 1st quarter
Please visit www.qocougars.com for the fall Athletics Calendar!
Find the most up-to-date calendar information on myMCPS Classroom!Class of 2025 - Senior Class Info!!
Senior Portraits
Who? Seniors in the Class of 2025
What? Senior portraits
When? 11/19, 11/20, 11/21, 12/9
Where? QOHS Media Center or Auditorium
How? Sign up using this link: https://seniors.legacystudios.com/quince-orchard-hs-gaithersburg-md/
For senior portrait information:
Legacy Studios contact: Melissa Merlo- (716) 512-6336 | extension: 108
If you have any questions or concerns about senior year information, please contact 12th Grade Administrator Ms. Eberhart-Bliss at elicia_m_eberhart-bliss@mcpsmd.org or Senior Staff Sponsor, Profe Skeen at emily_m_hoefert-skeen@mcpsmd.org.
ID Cards for Students MUST be carried at all times
Did your student get their Red or Black lanyard?
If your student has not received a lanyard to carry their student ID, please have them stop by the main office during lunch.
Please support our commitment to well-being, safety & security
As we open our doors and welcome students back on campus for the 2024-2025 school year, we are continuing our commitment to student well-being, safety and security to ensure that our students feel welcomed, supported and safe.
To support this commitment, all students will be required to carry and show their Quince Orchard High School student ID. For the first two weeks of school, students can utilize their ID from the 2023-2024 school year. Once student pictures have been taken on September 9th and 10th, they will be required to have a 2024-2025 ID. Students will need to have their student identification every day so Quince Orchard staff can ensure only students are accessing campus during the school day.
Key Points
Visibility:
Your ID must be worn around your neck and visible at all times. We will be providing a lanyard for all students during the first week of school.
Replacement:
If you lose your ID or it becomes damaged, you can get a new ID from the Quince Orchard security office for $5 .
Lunch and School Events:
Students must have their school ID in their possession to leave during open lunch, if permitted as an 11th or 12th grade student, AND to attend all school sponsored events (either at Quince Orchard or away)
Lunch Process & Norms
Quince Orchard High School's lunch policy varies according to a student’s grade level:
Students in Grades 9 and 10 must remain on QO property for lunch. They cannot leave QO property unless they are signed out by a parent/guardian/caregiver via the attendance office.
Students in Grades 11 and 12 may leave QO property for lunch. They must have a student ID card that reflects their 11th and 12th-grade level status. If an 11th or 12th grader wants to leave campus during lunch, they MUST show their current year school ID card to school staff. No exceptions.
All students must follow lunch procedures as outlined below:
1. Students have the option to purchase lunch in our cafeteria or bring food from home.
2. Students may sit in the following areas to enjoy their lunch:
- Cafeteria
- On the designated side of most hallways
- In a classroom with a staff member, if given permission and supervised
- Outside near the main entrance, tennis courts, basketball courts, or backfield area
Students may NOT eat in their cars, auditorium, gymnasiums, the Cougar Dome, or stairwells.
3. Students are reminded that when they leave campus and enter the surrounding community, they must follow the MCPS Student Code of Conduct. Open lunch is a privilege. Permission to leave campus during lunch can be revoked.
4. For 11th or 12th graders allowed to leave campus for open lunch, students must:
show their current year school ID card to check out with staff at the designated exit
Students may ONLY exit campus at the bus loop/QO library exit along Quince Orchard Rd.
not leave campus or attempt to leave campus anywhere except the designated exit
not access vehicles and/or leave campus in a vehicle without staff authorization
Students with abbreviated schedules must show staff their schedule to leave campus in a vehicle
Students who have been signed out in the attendance office must show documentation to staff to leave in a vehicle
return to the building and arrive to class on time
use the crosswalk and sidewalks only
follow staff directions when crossing the street
behave courteously and respectfully to staff, to other students, to the public, and to the business locations in our community
5. Students who attempt to use another person's ID card for open lunch privilege will result in the revocation for both students and/or other consequences as determined by the MCPS Code of Conduct.
6. Visitors are not allowed in the lunchroom or other areas throughout the school without permission. All visitors must sign in at the welcome center and wear an issued visitor badge sticker.
7. Students are not allowed to have off-campus food delivered to the school. Any food delivered will be kept by the welcome center and available for pick up at the end of the school day.
The full lunch policy is linked here and is available in the student handbook. Each family should thoroughly review and become familiar with the lunch procedures and policies.
PTSA, NAACP-PC & Booster Club Information
School Calendar Feedback Survey
Families, please follow the link or QR code below to complete the MCPS School Calendar Feedback Survey for 2025-2026 and 2026-2027:
Anyone can participate and provide pointed feedback, from students to caregivers to teachers.
We still need Volunteers!
The PTSA still needs volunteers to help with the following:
- Recognition of our Students Academic Achievements
- Focused outreach to our families who have not been engaged, specifically our Hispanic/Latin families
- Active engagement of our student leadership as part of the PTSA
- Advocacy for building upgrades/enhancements
If you know anyone who has experience with or interested in any of these areas please have them contact the PTSA! Thank you!
Reflections Program Reboot
We need people to explore bringing the Reflections Arts Program to QO. Each year the National PTA sponsors an art contest open to all students at participating schools. This year the theme is "Accepting Imperfection." Students can submit entries in various categories including visual art, dance, music, film, photography or literature. For more information click here: https://www.pta.org/home/programs/reflections. Note, there is countywide zoom information session on October 28 providing help to volunteers who are trying to set up this program with their PTSA.
If you are interested in leading this effort, contact Sue Kravitz before October 28/ASAP.
Boosters Seasonal Roots Fundraiser
Sign-up now!
Scan the QR code below or visit seasonalroots.com/qohs to join for just $25 and support the Boosters Club!
Join our Amazing Organizations!
Our PTSA, NAACP-PC, and Boosters Organizations are key to our success. Our amazing organizations are offering a joint membership option that allows for a 20% discount. Membership forms can be found below or at qohsboosters.com and at https://qohsptsa.memberhub.com/store. I urge you to support these worthy organizations which do so much to support our school and help us provide the best education possible to our students. You will find your involvement with one of our parent groups will help increase your student’s sense of belonging and pride in Quince Orchard High School, as well as bring families together! Check out the links below to get familiar with our volunteers and see how you can get involved:
Welcome Letters & Organizational Info:
Membership & Sponsor Information:
Important Links
Stay connected throughout the school year with these important links:
Elizabeth L. Thomas
Email: Elizabeth_L_Thomas@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/qohs/
Location: 15800 Quince Orchard Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA
Phone: 240-740-3600
Twitter: @QOHSPrin_Thomas