CJMS Weekly Updates

Good Evening, Cabin John Middle School Families!

This is your Principal, Ms. Snider with the Sunday announcements for the week of October 14 - October 18. Remember, this week there is no school for students on Friday, October 18 because it is a professional development day for staff. This week we are also having our first principal's tea for our 6th grade parents and guardians on Thursday, October 17th. Come out and chat with myself and the 6th grade leadership team at 6:30pm in the Cabin John cafeteria. There will also be a presentation on Outdoor Education on this evening.

We had a successful Mental Health webinar this past Thursday, October 10, with over 40 parents in attendance discussing how mental health impacts adolescence development and academic performance. If you are interested, linked here is a copy of the recording and a copy of the presentation. Thank you to everyone who attended and to Ms. Poole and the counseling team for organizing this opportunity.

A reminder for 8th Grade Families: The HS Special Program Applications were made available on October 4 in ParentVUE. Look for the individual eligibility report letter in the Documents folder. Please review the offerings and programs in the letter and in the digital newsletter. Remember, applications are due November 1st.

Please remember the phone message just highlights some of the information you can find in our digital newsletter that arrives through email. Please take a look for more opportunities!

We look forward to welcoming every back tomorrow into our Cabin John community focused on respect, positive relationships, and resilience.

Have a great evening!

Ms. Somer Snider
Principal, CJMS

Our digital newsletter can be translated into many different languages and the font can be adjusted so our entire community has access to what is happening in the CJMS community!

To adjust your view of the newsletter, click on the "accessibility" button. The button is a circle with figure in it. Once you click the accessibility button, the menu to choose the language or different font size will appear.

In an effort to keep our weekly newsletter shorter and more concise, I am not going to add the resources that appear every week. Instead, I will link our BTS newsletter here so you have easy access to that information.

• Thursday, October 17 - 6th Grade Principal's Tea/Outdoor Education Information Night
• Friday, October 18 - No School for Students, PD Day for Teachers
• Friday, November 1 - Last Day of Marking Period 1
• Monday, November 4 - No School for Students, Grading Day for Teachers
• Tuesday, November 5 - No School for Students and Staff, Election Day
• Wednesday, November 6 - First Day of Marking Period 2
• Monday, November 11 - 8:15am to 10:36am - CJMS Open House - More Details to come!
• Wednesday, November 13 - MP1 Report Cards available in ParentVue
• Monday, November 25 - Early Release for Students (12:30pm Dismissal)
• Tuesday, November 26 - Early Release for Students (12:30pm Dismissal)
• Wednesday, November 27 - Friday, November 29 - Schools and Offices Closed

Please take time to review what students are currently learning in their classes this week at Cabin John Middle School in our weekly assignment summary.

Dear MCPS Families and Students,

Thank you for a great start to the school year!

Our community is entering a time that may bring challenging emotions and discussions into our schools and we want to ensure that our entire community—students, families, and staff—has the guidance and strategies to navigate these moments together. With the upcoming national election, the first anniversary of the October 7th attack, and the ongoing conflict, it’s important that we prepare for the range of conversations and emotions these topics may evoke.

For students to be their best in school, their learning environments must remain safe, welcoming, and inclusive. As educators, we strive to model thoughtful and positive expression and encourage students to make respectful, informed choices, especially during challenging times.

The new processes for responding to and communicating when faced with incidents of hate and bias, along with the information campaign addressing these issues, have been shaped by input from our community members. School staff and leaders have received these same resources to ensure we are all operating from the same guidance when managing student speech and expression in our schools.

Thank you for your continued partnership in making our schools a safe and inclusive space for everyone.

Respectfully,

Thomas W. Taylor, Ed.D., M.B.A.
Superintendent

Know the guidance for Student Speech and Expression.

• Staff, students, and families must know the rights and guidelines for students to express views on issues important to them.

• Guidelines for Students
  Español / 中文 / français / Português / 한국어 / tiếng Việt / አማርኛ

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  español / 中文 / français / Português / 한국어 / tiếng Việt / አማርኛ

Resources to Reduce and Address Incidents of Hate and Bias

• See the steps taken and plans for this school year to reduce and address Hate-Bias
  español / 中文 / français / Português / 한국어 / tiếng Việt / አማርኛ

• Visit the new Responding to Incidents of Hate-Bias website.

High-Quality Curriculum

• Civic Engagement conversations occur through Social Studies classes, where teachers are provided lessons, guidance, and ongoing professional development. A letter sent from principals and social studies staff provides notification of this work.

• Attend the Social Studies Curriculum nights to learn more about how Social Studies is taught!

Please join us this Thursday, October 17th, at 6:30pm in the CJMS cafeteria for an opportunity to talk with 6th grade leadership about Cabin John and the Outdoor Education experience. We are excited to talk with you!

Our first SGA meeting is on Thursday, October 17th 3:15-4:25pm. We will be meeting twice a month on Thursdays. All students who are interested in joining SGA are welcome to attend! Any and every student can become involved with SGA at any time. Elected officers are required to attend all meetings. We will be organizing upcoming fun events for the 2024-2025 school year.

I am excited to congratulate all of our newly elected Student Government Association (SGA) officers! Your commitment to leadership and dedication to improving our school community is truly commendable. We are confident that your voices will contribute to making Cabin John an even better place for students and staff alike.

SGA Officers 2024-2025

President: Sera Shaw

8th Grade VP: Melinda Jiang

7th Grade VP: Ronen Yu

6th Grade VP: Sriram Buddala & Preston Neches

Secretary: Luke Chadwick

To those who ran for office but were not elected, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you. Your willingness to step up and put yourselves forward as leaders demonstrates courage and passion. We encourage you to stay involved in school activities and to continue making a difference in our community. Your contributions are just as valuable, and we look forward to seeing the impact you will have throughout the school year.

Congratulations again to our new officers, and thank you to all who participated in this important process! Please do not hesitate to reach out to Ms. Pun (pamela_z_pun@mcpsmd.org) with any questions.

What is SGA?

Are you interested in becoming a Best Buddy? Best Buddies is a club which gives you the chance to get to know new friends and hang out with students who are often left out, because they have disabilities. The mission of Best Buddies is to enhance the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships.

In order to join Best Buddies, please complete the membership at https://forms.bestbuddies.org/4895599. This can also be found on CJMS website!

Middle School Maker Night is on Friday, October 18 from 5-8 pm at our 3 Bethesda Metro Center location. Participants will take over the museum as they get to try activities such as screen printing, light painting and a variety of maker challenges using a wide array of tools and materials.

• Tickets are $10 per student but we also offer scholarships if cost is a barrier. Scholarship information is on our website.
• Pizza and drinks will be provided to everyone who attends.
• Students will need to provide their own transportation to the museum.

The Wootton Acatonics, Wootton High School’s premier all gender a cappella group, released their debut album on all streaming platforms this Thursday 10/10/24! The album titled “Don’t You Understand” features professional recordings of their award winning competition set from 2024.

The album is now available to listen to on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and all other music streaming services. In addition to the album, the group has produced a music video for the three songs. That video can be found here: https://youtu.be/2IuTIZtGaSI.

The Acatonics are very excited to represent our entire Montgomery County community, and more specifically, our Wootton Cluster with this huge achievement. This is the community that raised them, supported them, and fostered their love of music. They are so appreciative of your support and hope that you will continue to support them with your song streams and views! The endeavor of competition season and recording an album is expensive. As they prepare for their 2025 competition season, please consider donating to them using this link: https://mcpsmd.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/75210/354/False/True. Any amount helps and goes a long way.

They are planning on representing our community this year in both Tennessee and in New York. You can also follow their year on Instagram using the handle @woottonacatonics or on Facebook as Wootton Acappella.

Questions or bookings? Please contact the Wootton Choral Director, Keith Schwartz, at Keith_A_Schwartz@mcpsmd.org. Congrats Acatonics!

Dear Students, Teachers, and Parents/Guardians,

We are excited to invite you to the Introduction Seminar for the 2025 Montgomery County Science Fair! ScienceMONTGOMERY is actively working on the planning of this next year's fair, and this seminar will help you stay informed and prepared.

We will cover essential topics including timelines, registration details, required forms, scoring criteria, general rules, and what to expect for the upcoming fair. Additionally, you'll learn about the Scientific Review Committee (SRC), the Institutional Review Board (IRB), and the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).

Seminar Details:

• Date: Wednesday, October 30th, 2024
• Time: 7:00 PM (Virtual)

Once you complete this survey https://forms.gle/1JMBVrFKV4v67fUb9 you'll receive an email with further details, including the link to join the seminar. Please take a moment to fill it out to express your interest and help us plan accordingly. We look forward to your participation as we work together to ensure another successful Science Fair season!

Stay Connected:

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/ScienceMONTGOMERY
• Twitter (X): twitter.com/Scimontgomery
• Zfairs Website: https://md-usmd03.zfairs.com

Best regards,

Fair Director

Congratulations to William Wang! One of his recent pieces, a string quartet, was selected to perform at Carnegie Hall this past Monday, October 7th, during a benefit concert you can read more about below. Congratulations again to William - well done!

Meng Wang Music Studio and The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp collaborated to support families facing serious illnesses through the healing power of music. The concert features the world premieres of original chamber works composed by seven young composers, all protégés of Ms. Meng Wang, as well as works by Professor Reiko Füting. All the proceeds from this performance will go directly to children and families battling cancer, sickle cell disease, and other critical illnesses.

Attention 8th Grade Students: The HS Special Program Applications will be available late on October 4 in ParentVUE. Look for the individual eligibility report letter in the Documents folder. Review the offerings and programs in the letter and at the links on the MCPS website.

The application deadline is November 1. Speak with Mr. Thompson, Ms. Poole, Mrs. Green, or Mrs. McCutcheon with questions.

2024-2025 Resources: Grade 8 High School Regional and Countywide Programs

• High School Programs At A Glance for Grade 8. Includes Eligibility and Open House Dates. Programas de la escuela secundaria. Incluye elegibilidad y fechas de reuniones.
• High School Preview Presentation recording.
  Grabación de la presentación de los programas que se ofrece en las esquelas secundarias.
• High School Application Programs Eligibility listed by High School Cluster

• Frequently Asked Questions - Preguntas frecuentes

• Current Grade 8 High School Application Essays - A resource for parents, students and schools -Vista previa de los ensayos en la aplicación: recurso para padres, estudiantes y escuelas.
• Directions for private and home schooled students.
• Video on how to access the application. (Coming soon) Vídeo sobre cómo acceder a la aplicación. (Estará disponible pronto)
• ParentVUE Support Guide / Guía de Ayuda para Usar ParentVUE
• Instructions on how to change the language in ParentVUE. ¿Cómo cambio el idioma en ParentVUE?

• Request support from your student’s counselor with accessing the application (starting on 10/7/2024). Solicite ayuda al consejero de su estudiante para acceder a la solicitud (a partir del 7/10/2024).

Wootton Patriot Players is now in the process of presenting two different Fall Plays, Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are In A Play!” and Game of Tiaras, and we are more than excited. Elephant & Piggie, November 9-10 and 16-17, is geared more towards elementary students, while Game of Tiaras, November 8-9 and 15-16, is geared more towards middle school students.

Don't miss Wootton Patriot Players presenting Game of Tiaras on November 8-9 and 15-16 in the Thomas S. Wootton auditorium! Game of Tiaras combines hilarious plot twists of Game of Thrones and the Shakespearean tragedy King Lear in a laugh-out-loud comedy.

Attention Parents! We are looking for all parents that would be interested in helping with the Black History Heritage Month Celebration preparations.

If you are interested, please contact Tamara Hardy in the Counseling Office or by email at Tamara_A_Hardy@mcpsmd.org for more information.

We strive to keep all of our students happy and healthy, so we appreciate your assistance by keeping your child home if they are ill. We do our best to inform you if your child is exhibiting signs of illness at school or if they have an unexpected injury. We appreciate communication from parents as well if a student is ill or injured outside of school and they need any special accommodations.

If you are concerned about respiratory viruses, which we do see more of in the wintertime, please feel free to have your child wear a mask to protect themselves from potential infection.

The Montgomery County Health Department and MCPS request that parents keep their children home when they are exhibiting signs of illness such as fever (over 100 F), vomiting, diarrhea, persistent coughing/sneezing, sore throat, severe headache, earache, eye infection, skin rash or other symptoms of infection.

As always, we are here to help your child to thrive while at school! Please feel free to contact me (Brienne_B_Merritt@mcpsmd.org) if you have any questions or if we can be of assistance.

Math Team Try-Outs will take place on Wednesday, October 16th after school in the cafeteria. Students from grades 6-8 can attend. Students need to bring a scientific (non-graphing) calculator and a pencil. 20 students will be accepted onto the team.

To register, go to bit.ly/cjms_mathteam24. Students must register with their school gmail account. More information is found on the form.

Join CJMS Coding Club (MCode)! We are a club where students will learn the foundations of computer science and the basics of programming languages such as Python and will use those skills in fun projects and exercises. For more information about the club and registration, go to: bit.ly/mcodeclass.

We have multiple classes for varying levels of experience with computer science at Cabin John. Our beginner Python class is open to all and teaches the fundamentals of computer science through the widely-used and popular programming language Python and will be given projects to help them develop their programming skills as well as logical and problem solving skills. Our intermediate Python class builds on the skills taught in the beginner class as students learn to build data structures and learn Object-Oriented Programming. This club is free, and students will need their laptops (or school-provided Chromebook) for either class. Interested students will have the opportunity to participate in both school-wide and multi-school Coding Fests.

The beginner class will begin Thursday, October 24th, and the intermediate class will begin Thursday, November 7th. If you are interested, email cjmscoding@gmail.com for more information and register with the link above.

The D.C. chapter of INTEGIRLS is hosting a beginner-friendly, in-person math competition Saturday, December 14th from 9 am - 4 pm at the Bioscience Education Center at Montgomery College Germantown Campus! Our mission at INTEGIRLS is to encourage girls and non-binaries in STEM fields through math competitions and events.

This year, we will have math competition rounds (individual and team), an estimathon, a speaker event, awards ceremony, provided lunch, and lots of fun STEM activities. Teams of up to 4 students will be able to connect with and enjoy math with other girls and non-binaries around the DMV. There will be a lot of prizes and fun swag for all participants.

Register here directly or go to the INTEGIRLS D.C. website (dc.integirls.org) to learn more about the competition.

The Social Studies team is hosting a series of Curriculum Night webinars for families to learn more about how social studies is taught in MCPS and how its curricula in kindergarten through 11th grade incorporate the history of various ethnic and cultural groups. The webinars will be held from 6:30–7:30 p.m. on the following dates:

• Thursday, Sept. 12–Black and African American History
• Thursday, Sept. 26–Asian History
• Thursday, Oct. 10–Hispanic History
• Thursday, Oct. 24–Arab History
• Thursday, Nov. 7–Indigenous History of the United States
• Thursday, Dec. 5–LGBTQ+ History (Middle and High School Only)
• Thursday, Dec. 12–Jewish History

To attend, families must register at the above links and a link to attend the webinar will be sent to them.

The safety of our MCPS community is critical, and being able to communicate with students, staff, and families during severe weather or other emergencies is of the utmost importance.

Use this link to find all the ways you can connect with MCPS to receive emergency operational information from the school system. The current operating status options for the school district appear on the MCPS website and on individual school websites.

In the event of a change in operational status, this link will provide more information about the MCPS Operating Status options.

Resources for SSL:

• SSL forms, resources, and guidelines
• September SSL Opportunities
• SSL opportunities -September and Montgomery County Volunteer Center
• SSL program overview
• Step-by-step directions for viewing student SSL record on StudentVUE
• Introduction to SSL Handout: English | Español| 中文 | Français | tiếng Việt | 한국어 | አማርኛ | Portuguêse

This year we have 15 minutes at the end of each grade level lunch for student wellness time. During this time, students are allowed to go for a walk in the courtyard, play outside for recess (weather permitting), or play games in the cafeteria. Thank you to all the families who donated games to us on Back to School Night! If you have any old board games or activities appropriate for middle school age students, please feel free to donate them! We will put them to good use! All donations can be dropped off in the main office.

PTSA has also created a wellness wish list for us if you would like to purchase an item from the list. All items will be shipped directly to CJMS and used for our students wellness time. Thank you in advance for all of your generosity!

Welcome to our new CJMS PTSA Board that was voted in during the Back to School Night Welcome Back Fair! We appreciate you!

Please be sure to become a member of this important organization. Our PTSA is funded primarily through our memberships and donations.

Membership Information:

Family Memberships (2 parents) are $50

Student and Faculty Memberships are $10

General donations are welcomed.

Ways to join the CJMS PTSA:

**Preferred Method** AtoZConnect (payment can be made with any credit card) @ https://cabinjohnptsa.membershiptoolkit.com/

Mail in an application (send in your membership form with a check;

mail to Cabin John MSPTSA, Attn: Treasurer, 10701 Gainsborough Road, Potomac, MD 20854)

Questions? Send an email to PTSA Membership.

Our first meeting will be at the start of Back to School Night on August 28th. Please join us to hear more about how we can all support our CJMS school community!

Main Office telephone: 240-406-1600

Counseling Office telephone: 240-406-1560

Health Office telephone: 240-406-1570

FAX: 240-740-4403

website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/cabinjohnms/

The school day for students is from 8:15 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. It is imperative that students not be dropped off prior to 7:55 a.m. Students being dropped off by parents/guardians at school must enter through the doors by the cafeteria. Parents/guardians, if you are using the student drop-off loop, please make sure to pull as far as possible to the stop sign at the end of the loop - students are not permitted to enter through the main office doors, so it doesn't help to drop them off at that location.

After school activities will start on September 10th and will be on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Students must be picked up from after-school activities by 4:35 p.m. as supervision is not scheduled outside of these hours.

If you have questions about events, schedules or other school-related matters, including reporting the absence of a student, please call us at 240-406-1600.

If you need to report an absence and would like to submit a letter via email, please send an email to our attendance secretary, Ms. Jordan Murek (email: Jordan_Murek@mcpsmd.org). CJMS Attendance policies can be found here.

Principal: Ms. Somer Snider

Assistant Principal (6th Grade): Mr. Casey Siddons

Assistant Principal (7th Grade): Mr. Andy Lee

Assistant School Administrator (8th Grade): Ms. Jen Wingate

Main Office Phone: 240-406-1600
Fax: 240-740-4403
Guidance Counseling Office: 240-406-1560
Health Room: 240-406-1570

Attendance Office: 240-406-1599 (to leave a VM)

Please call CJMS to notify us of your child's absence.

CJMS Attendance Office Procedures can be found here.

Email: Somer_Snider@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/cabinjohnms/
Location: 10701 Gainsborough Road, Potomac, MD, USA
Phone: 240-406-1600
X: @CabinJohnMS