Northwest News

Happy Sunday, Northwest Families!

I hope this message finds everyone well after a short, Thanksgiving break. Happy December! We have three (3) weeks until Winter Break so it is important that students stay focused. Interims for marking period two (2) will come out on Friday, December 13. Looking forward to seeing everyone back tomorrow!

Straight A pictures will take place Friday, December 6. You will receive a pass to report to the auditorium for a specific time. Be on the lookout!

We are offering the MVA Learner’s Permit Test on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at 2:35 p.m. Students can pick up the permission slip in the main office and MUST RETURN the permission slip signed by Tuesday, December 3, 2024. Students must be at least 15 and 9 months to test.

Attention Seniors! For those of you who have not yet had your senior portraits taken, the last day to do so is Friday, December 13. Additionally, do not forget to order your caps and gowns. They are $80 through 1/31/25. Cash and check will be accepted. Do you want to purchase the Panoramic Pic of the Entire Senior Class that was taken 11.13? Purchase here. ($20) by December 13.

The application for the Ulysses Signature Program Class of 2029 at Northwest is now open! Interested 8th graders who live in the Northwest cluster are eligible to apply. The application can be found on the Northwest website, under the Quick Links menu option for “Ulysses Signature Program” then navigating to the “Admissions” tab. You can also find the application linked here along with more information about the program. The deadline for submitting applications is February 14th, 2025. If you have any questions about the application process or the Ulysses Program, please contact Mr. David Parks david_p_parks@mcpsmd.org.

The application for the Middle College (MC2) Program at Northwest is now open! Interested 9th and 10th grade students and current 8th grade students who reside in the Northwest HS cluster and missed the deadline to apply through the MCPS common application are eligible to apply via this application. The application can be found on the Northwest HS website, under the Quick Links menu option for “Middle College Program” then click on NWHS In Cluster Application. You can also find the application linked here along with more information about the program. The deadline for submitting applications is February 21, 2025. If you have any questions about the application process or the Middle College Program, please contact Mrs. Lisa Shapiro at Lisa_M_Shapiro@mcpsmd.org.

Northwest High School's very own Academy of Biotechnology has been named a finalist for BioBuzz's Workforce Champion of the Year. This is a huge honor, but we need your help. Each day, fill out this form to vote for the Academy of Biotechnology in the BioHealth Capital Region. The recognition will help us to expand our impact by connecting us with more organizations in the region that we don't yet have contacts at. Here is the link to vote. You can vote once each day between now and December 13th! Vote here!

A reminder that ALL students must wear and display their IDs while on campus. If you need an ID, a lanyard or a clear ID holder, stop by the main office.

In this week's newsletter, there are only a few new items. Please see them listed below and check out the details in the newsletter.

• College and Career Updates
• Upcoming Financial Aid
• On the Spot Admissions Opportunities
• Financial Aid Workshops
• Athletics and Events Schedule for the week (December 2 - December 8)

There are some important, and timely reminders this week. Check them out below.

• Important Chromebook Updates
• NW Got Talent Showcase
• Support NW Got Talent
• Support the Class of 2026 at Paisano's
• Shop Online for a Cause
• NWHS PTSA Reflections Program: Art Submission Deadline 12/7/24
• PTSA Staff Appreciation Gift Wrapping and Dessert Bar 12/13/24
• Ordering your Cap and Gown for the Class of 2025

• Save the Date for the TENTATIVE Class of 2025 Graduation
• Ulysses T-Shirt Sales

• Jewelry and Trinket Giveaway
• School Supplies Recycle Collection
• NexTrek Recycling
• Free Market Updates
• Important AP Exam Updates
• Still need to purchase a Yearbook?

• Holiday Giving
• Important early dismissal and absence procedures
• Our Cell Phone Policy
• Our ID policy
• The policy for chromebooks, chromebook chargers and the costs for families to replace them
• The Free Store
• ParentVue resource
• A call for parents to join our parent councils
• Ways to join the PTSA and Booster Clubs
• College T-Shirt Tuesdays
• Class spirit gear

We thank you for your continued support and trust. Let's make it a great week!

A message about the FAFSA release!

The message below is from Collegiate Directions, Inc (CDI). Northwest will have CDI host a FAFSA webinar on December 4 @ 6 pm. Details for that webinar are available on the College Career Financial Aid & Scholarships web page.

Message from Jill Semmons: You may have heard that the FAFSA opened for all users yesterday. Just wanted to share the following in case you have not seen it and it’s helpful. The exact announcement is listed below and can be found on the 2025-2026 FAFSA Beta Central Updates page.

A few things it’s important to note:

• The form is still in beta and will remain in beta until it’s fully tested, and the testing will end by Dec. 1
• The form seems to be working well, but as more users are added, students and families may experience slow performance or long wait times if they need to contact a call center
• Anecdotally, I’m hearing that the experience has been good for many families who have completed the 25-26 FAFSA, but I’m also hearing about some issues and glitches. If students are concerned, they do not have to submit a FAFSA yet, but it is a good time to encourage students and parent contributors to create a Federal Student Aid account (FSA ID). At the December 4 webinar, CDI will review exactly how to create the FSA ID.

Nov. 18: Online 2025–26 FAFSA Beta Now Available to All

The Department has entered Expanded Beta 4, which means the online 2025–26 FAFSA form is now available to all students and families. Interested students and contributors can now fill out and submit the online 2025–26 FAFSA form. Students and their contributors should sign up now for a StudentAid.gov account if they do not already have one but otherwise do not need to register in advance to participate. Consistent with widespread software best practices, the FAFSA form will remain in beta while the Department monitors its performance under the increased test load. Just like other beta periods, the Department will process FAFSA forms and send them to institutions of higher education and states. Students who submit a FAFSA form during any beta period, including Beta 4 and Expanded Beta 4, will be able to make any needed corrections to the form and will not need to submit a subsequent 2025–26 FAFSA form.

Students and families interested in completing the online 2025–26 FAFSA form can do so at fafsa.gov.

The Department will make the decision to end the beta testing and announce the official release of the 2025–26 FAFSA form based on platform stability, customer satisfaction, and contact center capacity, no later than Dec. 1.

NEW! GET READY FOR THE FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid!

Create your electronic signature or FSA ID - View the 6-minute video linked below

How To Create an FSA ID (Account Username and Password) video

REMINDER: MCPS On-Site Admit Events continue. LAST event is Tuesday, December 3 @ Richard Montgomery High School from 3 until 6 pm - deadline to register is Friday, November 29! Registration required. Click here to register. Seniors must have applied to their school of interest prior to the event.

NEW: COLLEGE CAREER CALENDAR → HIGH SCHOOL VISITS:

For a complete list of all college career high school visits use Naviance or view the Jag Events Calendar or our website | Students must register for all high school college career visits using their Naviance account. Select colleges → Select college visits

Monday, December 2:

• Montgomery College talks about the MC Scholars program and the Board of Trustees Scholarship @ 10:30 am

NEW: REGISTER NOW for the Financial Aid Webinar with Collegiate Directions on Wednesday, December 4, 2024 @ 6 pm. The FAFSA is open and available to complete NOW. The December 4 webinar will be the time hear about the changes and learn how to successfully submit your FAFSA. Click HERE to register. All registrants will receive a link to the Zoom meeting.

NEW: From Federal Student Aid: Join us on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, as we host a free one-day virtual event! This live webinar series will guide you through submitting the 2025–26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form and is tailored for both independent and dependent students. Register HERE.

This event will feature the following:

• A live demonstration of the 2025–26 FAFSA form

• An overview of the financial aid process, available programs, and funding sources

• Key facts and common myths about financial aid

• A guide on creating and accessing your StudentAid.gov account

• A demonstration on where to find certain information on StudentAid.gov

NEW: Bilingual In-Person FAFSA Completion sessions:

• Wednesday, December 11 @ 6 pm
• Wednesday, January 15 @ 6 pm
• Tuesday, February 18 @ 6 pm

Details on location are available on the Registration Form. Register for any of these events here!

Register for Montgomery College Financial Aid Events using this link @ https://bit.ly/FA_Help. The events start with How To Pay for College on Wednesday, December 4 from 5 until 8 pm in person. Visit the link for additional event dates and details.

MONEY MATTERS → SCHOLARSHIP HIGHLIGHTS & REMINDERS:

For a complete list of scholarships, including details for those listed below, download the latest publication of our Jag Scholarships ‘Apply Now’ Bulletin on the web. Post date refers to the first date published in the Jag Scholarships ‘Apply Now’ Bulletin. Additional Northwest High School Scholarship Resource (PDF format)

NEW! SCHOLARSHIP: MCPS Educational Foundation’s Student Scholarships & Awards Application Launch. SENIORS. The primary goal for our scholarships and awards is to fund students who are passionate about pursuing educational goals, and face opportunity gaps in achieving those goals.

To be eligible for any of our student scholarships and awards, you must:

• Be an MCPS senior
• Graduate with class of 2025
• Plan to pursue education after high school

Each opportunity has additional preferences and eligibility criteria. Visit our website to see if one of our student scholarships or awards is right for you! Apply today at www.MCPSFoundation.org/Scholarships. Students can apply November 15, 2024 through January 24, 2025. Please email (Ed_Foundation@MCPSMD.org) or call us (240-740-3216) with questions. DEADLINE TO APPLY: JANUARY 24 2025 | Post 18 NOV 2024 |

Beginning after Thanksgiving, all students using the media center during the instructional day with a teacher signed pass will need to Sign In/Out electronically. Two Chromebooks are available at the circulation desk and a QR code for ½ day students. Please enter your Student ID Number, reason, teacher. An email will be generated and sent to your teacher to let them know you arrived. You will also need to sign out for the restroom or to move to another location. The expectation is that you email in the media center location or return to your classroom location during the period.

At this time, due to the turnover of different models of Chromebooks, we do not have any loaners. Please do not send students to get a loaner Chromebook at this time.

Additionally, all freshmen and sophomores should have upgraded their Chromebook to the light grey touchscreen with the 65 watt chargers. If you have not done this already, please do so before December. Chromebook style C771 is being disabled. An email went out to approx. 200 students asking them to return their Chromebooks for an upgrade. After December 4th, 2024, these Chromebooks will not work. Pictured below is how you can tell you have a model C771. Please bring these Chromebooks to the media center as an upgrade.

We are excited to announce NWHS PTSA's participation in the National PTA's Reflections program. The Reflections Program is a national arts recognition and achievement program for students. Since 1969, over 10 million students across the nation have taken part in this popular PTA program.

NW students submit their works of art based on this year's theme "Accepting Imperfection" and Northwest selects its top three entries in each category (listed below) to submit to the county PTA for judging (MCCPTA). From there the county recognizes the outstanding students in each category and submits the best to state, state winners move on to the national competition. Students may participate in the following categories:

•Visual Arts – Drawing, Painting, Sculpture

•Photography – Film or Digital

•Music Composition – Instrumental or Vocal

•Film Production – Live Action, Documentary, Animation

•Dance Choreography – Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary

•Literature – Short Story, Essay, Poem

Visit https://www.nwhsptsa.org/reflections/ for more information or to submit artwork.

Season's Greetings! One of the most popular staff appreciation events is quickly approaching and we need your help! On Friday, December 13th, we will be offering gift wrapping for our amazing staff! They bring their holiday gifts to us in the morning and by the afternoon, they return to pick up beautifully wrapped packages! As an added bonus, we'll have a table of delicious desserts and hot drinks for the staff to enjoy. Please help show some holiday appreciation for our wonderful staff by donating your time as a "wrapper" or by donating goodies for the dessert table! Dessert donations may be dropped to the main office on Thursday, December 12th from 7:15 am-3:45 pm. Thank You and Happy Holidays! Sign up here to volunteer or donate: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409044BA4AF2DA75-50443756-volunteersdonatio#/

The Ulysses Senior Research class is hard at work preparing their culminating projects. Students will present their work to classes in December, and at the Ulysses Fair in January.

We are launching our Tee Shirt Sale to help us raise funds for Ulysses activities and support the program. If you are interested in purchasing a shirt, please follow the link below. All proceeds will go towards materials for the Ulysses Fair and other events. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mr. Parks david_p_parks@mcpsmd.org.

Thank you!

Ulysses Tee Shirt Sale - Fall 2024

• All students who are enrolled in AP classes are required to take their corresponding AP exam(s) in May (a schedule of exams can be found here). ALL AP students must be registered for their AP course(s) in AP classroom.
• Joining the corresponding AP Classroom creates an order for the exam. Students should have already registered for their AP Classroom(s) at the beginning of the school year. ALL students should login to their AP Accounts and check that all their courses are listed. If they are missing a course their AP teacher(s) can provide them with the join code. Students must be registered by November 15th to have their exam(s) ordered free of charge.
• Any exams ordered, after November 15th, will be assessed a late order fee of $41.75.
• Any student who orders and exam and then does not take the exam in May will be assessed an unused exam fee of $41.75. These fees are set by the College Board and MCPS. If you have any questions please contact Ms. McClintock (amy_m_mcclintock@mcpsmd.org) the Northwest AP coordinator.
• Any students who have account issues, creating an account or logging in to an existing account, must call the College Board for assistance (888-225-5427). Northwest does not have access to account login information and can't help troubleshoot account issues. The name on your account should match your legal name and the name used on any accommodation paperwork to ensure you receive the correct exams.
• If there are any questions or concerns about AP exams, AP Classroom, or registering for an exam please contact Ms. McClintock (amy_m_mcclintock@mcpsmd.org) the Northwest AP Coordinator.

Still Need to Purchase a Yearbook?

Purchase Link: Then the rest are $100; $105 in person at distribution

Seniors must select the picture that they want to appear in the yearbook by December 2. Or the photo company will select for you. We have a community upload spot for candids. Please upload any pics of your student(s) that may end up as features in the yearbook. We are currently seeking students who participate in hobbies outside of the school building.

Purchase Yearbook Space for Your Senior!!

If you would like to submit a business ad, these prices apply as well.

Personal Ads (upload text and pics online):

Full page: $360

½ page: $195

¼ page: $110

⅛ page: $70

Baby Pic ad Link to pay

Link to Upload pic and quote $25

Purchase this as an add-on when purchasing a yearbook in the 1st link. THEN upload quote and pic to the 2nd link to the left.

Final Deadline for all ad space: 1.20.2025

We still have the 2024 spring supplement available for pick up from the vestibule of the main office between 7:45-3 pm OR in room 250 or 261 before school, during lunch, and after school until 2:45.

Seniors With Siblings. It's a yearbook tradition. Help us keep it alive! Please complete this form to be included in the yearbook page by November 8. FREE!

Want a copy of the Panoramic Pic of the Entire Senior Class? Purchase here. ($20) by December 13.

We are reviving the LIT MAG. Come join us for the Creative Writing Club on the 3rd Wednesday of each month in room 250. See Ms Koutsos for details in room 250. Next meeting: November 20.

The Holiday Giving Project of Montgomery County provides a Thanksgiving meal and December holiday assistance to qualifying families. If you are interested in participating in this program, there are two ways that you can sign up.

1) Download and complete the Referral and Consent Form here, and return it to the Northwest Counseling Office or

2) Call Northwest's counseling office at 240-740-7080 to share your information for a referral. Please leave a message if no one answers, and someone will get back to you at our earliest convenience.

The deadline to request assistance for the Thanksgiving Holiday is October 24th, so please act today! Please feel free to call the counseling office if you have any questions, or email Ms. Kelly Cooper at Kelly_A_Cooper@mcpsmd.org.

Please note: There is only one referral permitted per family. Please include all children attending other MCPS schools. Assistance is based on the county's available resources and is not guaranteed. After referrals are submitted, you will be contacted directly by the organization coordinating distribution. It is the family's responsibility to pick up items at the designated time and location.

El Proyecto de Entrega de Canastas del Condado de Montgomery ofrece comida para el día de Acción de Gracias y asistencia navideña en diciembre a las familias que califican. Si está interesado en participar en este programa, hay dos maneras de inscribirse.

1) Descargue y complete el Formulario de Referencia y Consentimiento aquí, y devuélvalo a la oficina de consejería de Northwest o

2) Llame a la oficina de consejería de Northwest al 240-740-7080 y comparta su información para una referencia. Por favor, deje un mensaje si nadie responde, y alguien se pondrá en contacto con usted lo antes posible.

La fecha límite para solicitar asistencia para las canastas de Acción de Gracias es el 24 de octubre, ¡así que por favor hágalo hoy! Por favor, no dude en llamar a la oficina de consejería si tiene alguna pregunta, o envíe un correo electrónico a la Sra. Kelly Cooper al Kelly_A_Cooper@mcpsmd.org.

Tenga en cuenta: Solo se permite un formulario de referencia por familia. Asegúrese de incluir todos sus niños que asisten a otras escuelas en el Condado de Montgomery. La asistencia se basa en la cantidad de recursos que el condado tiene disponibles y no está garantizada. Después que enviamos los formularios de referencia al condado, la organización que coordina la distribución de sus donaciones, se comunicará con usted directamente. Es responsabilidad de la familia recoger los artículos en el lugar y la hora designados.

If you plan to pick up your child for early dismissal, please arrive before 2:15 p.m. To ensure a smooth process, send a written note or email with your child’s full name, student I.D. number, and the full name of the parent or guardian picking them up. Upon arrival at school, the parent or guardian must present identification at the attendance office. Without prior notification via email or note, please be aware that it may take 10 to 15 minutes to locate and dismiss your child from class.

For absences to be excused, your child must bring a note from a parent or guardian that includes the student’s full name, I.D. number, and the parent or guardian’s full name. If your child will be absent for more than three days due to travel, please provide a letter in advance detailing the dates of absence and the reason for missing school. This will help us maintain accurate attendance records and support your child’s learning during their time away.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us manage early dismissals and absences efficiently!

All electronic devices (e.g., smart phones, iPods, etc.) must be turned off and out of sight in classrooms and during class time, unless students have been given permission by the teacher to use the device for instructional purposes. Items will be confiscated if students do not adhere to the school policy, and confiscated items must be picked up by a parent. Northwest will assume no responsibility or liability for lost, stolen, or confiscated devices or for the unauthorized use of any such device.

*For a copy of the agreement to this policy that ALL students are expected to sign is linked here.

In order to maintain a safe and secure school environment, all staff and students are required to wear their ID badges at all times while on campus.

Key Points:

• ID Visibility: Your ID must be worn around your neck and visible at all times. We will be providing a lanyard for all students the first week of school.

• Replacement: If you lose your ID or it becomes damaged, you can get a new ID for $5 from the security office.

• School Events: Students must have their school ID to attend all school sponsored events.

*For a copy of the agreement to this policy that ALL students are expected to sign is linked here.

Do you have any school supplies you no longer need? The Free Store would love your donations! We take all gently used school supplies, but at the start of the year, we especially need backpacks, composition books, spiral notebooks, calculators, and test prep books. Please bring items to the front office or to The Free Store in room 264. We will also have a table at Back to School Night.

Once school starts, The Free Store is open most days at lunch in room 264 and is available to all NW students and staff. Thank you for reusing materials, and thank you for your support.

What is ParentVue?

ParentVUE provides a way to view all school related information and data for all your students. Register for athletics, special programs, communicate with teachers and verify your student information annually. For more information, please check out the "quick guides" linked below in various languages.

ParentVUE Quick Guides for Parents

• English
• Spanish
• Korean
• Chinese
• Amharic
• Portuguese
• French
• Vietnamese

ParentVUE Support Guide (link to translated version is in the footer of every page)

We hope that you and your family will join us for future events and that you will consider becoming a part of the Northwest Hispanic Parent Council, African American Parent Council and the Asian American Parent Council. Please take some time to respond to this questionnaire and let us know how you would like to become involved. This questionnaire has been translated into Spanish.*

Please contact the following administrators for more information about the Hispanic, African American, and Asian Parent Councils at Northwest High School.

Hispanic Parent Council: Nyurka_I_Morales@mcpsmd.org

African American Parent Council: Tara-dee_S_Henry@mcpsmd.org

Asian American Parent Council: Danielle_M_Abdelsalam@mcpsmd.org

It's a long-standing tradition at Northwest for each grade to wear their assigned CLASS COLOR on Pep Rally days! Each class sits in a designated section at the rallies so make an impact for YOUR CLASS by wearing your grade level color and make your presence known! Although participation with wearing class colors is optional, we hope you will join in the FUN!

The grade level colors are as follows:

Freshmen (Grade 9): YELLOW

Sophomores (Grade 10): GREEN

Juniors (Grade 11): RED

Seniors (Grade 12): BLUE

You can wear any clothing and/or accessories in your assigned color as long as you adhere to the school dress code. You can opt to wear clothing that you already own in your grade level color, you can purchase a shirt from the PTSA/Booster Club website for $8: http://www.nwhsptsa.org/shop (available sizes and quantities are limited), or you can purchase a T-shirt in your color at Michael's or Joanne's (the cost is usually around $5) and personalize with fabric markers or paint pens! The possibilities are endless to show your #JagPride!

Email: Scott_E_Smith@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://northwestjags.org
Location: 13501 Richter Farm Road, Germantown, MD, USA
Phone: (240)740-7100
Twitter: @NorthwestJags