Dear Quince Orchard Students, Staff, and Families,

What an incredible weekend it has been! Our QO Theater cast, crew, and pit delivered a fantastic opening weekend performance of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. This production had it all—humor, positive messaging, music, and dancing—all while bringing the beloved comic series to life. If you missed it, don’t worry! You still have two more chances to catch the show next Saturday, November 23rd, with performances at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM. Don’t miss this opportunity to support our talented students!

Looking ahead, here’s what’s happening this week at Quince Orchard:

• Tuesday, November 19: Join us for our NAACP Parent Council meeting at 6:00 PM, followed by the PTSA meeting at 7:00 PM.

• Friday, November 22: Our football team continues its playoff run, hosting B-CC in the third round. Let’s pack the stands and cheer on our Cougars!

• Winter Sports: It’s been great to see so many student-athletes coming out for winter sports tryouts and practices. We look forward to an exciting season ahead!

Looking Ahead

• Staff-Caregiver Conferences: Conferences will take place on Monday, November 25th, and registration is now open. Please check the newsletter for details on how to sign up.

• Early Release Days: November 25th and 26th are early release days. These days will feature modified schedules as we focus on Safety Days, engaging students in important safety-related activities. Details about the schedule are included in this newsletter.

• Thanksgiving Break: There will be no school on Wednesday, November 27th, as we begin our Thanksgiving holiday preparations.

Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting our students and school community. We hope to see you at one of our upcoming events and encourage you to enjoy the final Charlie Brown performances and playoff games! And remember, we can't hide our Cougar Pride!

All the best,

Elizabeth Thomas (Beth)

Principal

QO Theatre is proud to present "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown!" Our last performances will take place on November 23rd at 2pm and 7:30pm.

"You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" offers a charming and light-hearted portrayal of a day in the life of Charlie Brown and his friends from the "Peanuts" comic strip. Throughout the show, Charlie Brown and the gang encounter themes of friendship, self-discovery, and the simple joys of life, culminating in the realization that happiness can be found in the little things.

Tickets are $8 for QO Students, $12 for adults, and $10 for others. Cash or check at the door or ahead of time with GoFan.

Dear Quince Orchard Families,

Ms. Coleen Djouha, the Career Advising Coach, is seeking professionals from various fields to participate in our upcoming "Meet A Pro" career exploration events. These events provide students the opportunity to learn about different career paths directly from experts in their fields. We are currently looking for professionals in the following areas:

• Engineering
• Business
• Medicine (Doctor)
• Law
• Athletics
• Art Education
• Cosmetology
• Culinary Arts

There are so many careers involved in construction! You can be on the front lines and be working on a construction site with a hard hat and tools...but did you know that there are so many other things you can do in the construction industry? You can be a website designer, a project manager, build sets for a movie or a television show and so much more!

Learn all about the different careers in construction! There will be a Construction Trades Meet a Pro Event on November 25 at Quince Orchard High School during periods 3 and 4! You will have the opportunity to hear from people in the construction industry and learn about all the different career fields you can go into. You may sign up for 1 or 2 sessions. Please email Ms. Djouha at coleen_m_djouha2@mcpsmd.org if you would like to attend this event. Please see Ms. Djouha in room 235 if you have any questions!

Who: QO Science National Honor Society, the American Red Cross, and QO staff and students

What: Blood drive

Where: Small gym

When: Friday December 20, 8 am - 2 pm

Why: Every day, blood donors help patients of all ages--accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those battling cancer. In fact, every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. Your donation will make a difference to someone's life.

In order to make a donation appointment, you must

• Be at least 16 years old or older

• Meet certain height and weight requirements (doc)

• Complete an information sheet and signed parental/legal guardian consent form regardless of your age (per MCPS policy)

• English (PDF)

• Spanish (PDF)

• Turn the information sheet and signed consent form into Ms. Haase in room 331 or drop it off in the Blood Drive tray in the main office. You will be scheduled for an appointment. We will email you at your @mcpsmd.net account with the time of your appointment. We will deliver a Blood Drive pass to you the week of December 15.

On the day of your donation:

• Get a good night's sleep

• Eat a good breakfast and a good lunch

• Stay hydrated!

• Bring a photo ID that has proof of age OR be able to pull up StudentVue on your phone as proof of age

For more information:

• Red Cross Information for student donors (link)

• How to prepare for your donation (PDF)

• Stop by the twice-weekly information tables in the main lobby at lunch time

• See Ms. Haase in room 331

Save the date for the Class of 2026 Chipotle Fundraiser for Quince Orchard High School. 25% of event sales get donated to the Class of 2026.

This year, caregiver-teacher conferences will be held on Monday, November 25, from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. You have the option to meet with your student’s teacher either virtually or in person. Conference sign-ups will open on ParentVue starting November 18, with each conference lasting 15 minutes.

If you’re unavailable on November 25 or find that all slots are filled, please reach out directly to your student’s teacher to arrange an alternative meeting time.

For step-by-step support on signing up, refer to the guides available in both English, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lkmLPlXDB3Yzv4OrEih4LwU6W-hA2RYMNumO4dtmfSA/edit?tab=t.0, and Spanish https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_7kpTzVpU2JlVd5Ejgk4dYMIIdKSc6tK/view.

The QOHS Theater Department is looking for volunteers to help hand out tickets, programs and more for their upcoming performance of “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown!” The volunteer sign-up is located on the theater bulletin board, or see Mrs. Miller in room 340 for more information. Multiple dates and times needed!

Check out other November SSL Opportunities here!

Dear AP students and caregivers, Attached is an important letter dated November 1, 2024 to all AP students and their caregivers. Please make sure to read it carefully.

For English - https://tinyurl.com/3dwd5bdp

For Spanish - https://tinyurl.com/msnbmp93

*********************************

Estimados estudiantes y cuidadores, Estimados estudiantes y cuidadores de AP, Se adjunta una carta importante fechada el 1 de noviembre de 2024 para todos los estudiantes de AP y sus cuidadores. Por favor asegúrese de leerlo atentamente

Para español - https://tinyurl.com/3dwd5bdp

Para ingles - https://tinyurl.com/msnbmp93

Yearbooks are for sale NOW! Visit jostens.com/buyyearbk or scan the code to purchase.

Attention Seniors! Are you planning to attend college next year? Are your application deadlines rapidly approaching? If this is you, you MUST request your transcript be sent out to all the schools you are applying to! If you have not yet done so, please request your transcript ASAP! It takes several days to process your request and send out your documents! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScR5j16bnD0bf6svKNmLUmM96jGlp6D5YPEksKE3QjUM2qByA/viewform

Seniors! If you are using the Common App to apply to schools, and are getting stuck, we have created a resource document for you! There are very helpful documents, resources and videos! Please check it out, and if you still need help, come see us in the College/Career Center of the Counseling Services Suite!

Common App Resource Guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17N5y6PKFMRo2KwlDtT1osKqxkjV3fU9gfkybxBtjoJc/edit

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 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

Fri 11/22 at 7:00pm Varsity Football State Quarterfinals vs. B-CC

Tickets will be $6 (plus $1 processing fee) for everyone 7 years of age and above. Ticket link will be available in GoFan on Tuesday at 12pm.

The Winter Sports Parent/Caregiver Meeting will be held on Monday, November 25th in the QO Auditorium. We have a new format this year. New parents and any other parents that would like to, should arrive at 6:30pm for the AD Presentation. The rest of the parents should arrive at 7pm. At that point, WE will cover new items for the season. They will also hear from our Athletic Trainer, Mike Monahan and the QO Booster Club. At 7:20pm, we will dismiss to our individual team meetings.

Please email AD at Jeffrey_L_Rabberman@mcpsmd.org with any questions.

1. Login to MCPS ParentVue Portal
2. Locate “Online Registration” in the upper right hand corner of the screen.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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

QO Athletics Full Year, 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

English / español / 中文 / français / Português / 한국어 / tiếng Việt / አማርኛ

MCPS Students Begin Construction on 44th Young American House

MCPS students in the Construction Trades Foundation program are hard at work on the early phase of construction for the 44th Young American House in Silver Spring. This exciting project highlights the skills and dedication of our construction technology students, who are bringing this home to life from the ground up. Check out the latest photos from the build and get an inside look at the craftsmanship that’s already underway. Don't miss this behind-the-scenes glimpse—head to our website for the full story and more pictures.

Understanding the MCPS Operating Budget

MCPS has created a new Operating Budget Dashboard to offer an accessible, user-friendly and transparent way for all stakeholders to explore the operating budget.

Take a moment to watch the video below for more information on the dashboard.

MCPS is hosting a series of listening sessions to discuss the Fiscal Year 2026 Operating Budget. Join MCPS leadership to explore how every dollar is allocated within the school system, learn about upcoming changes and share your insights.

Your voice is important and we encourage you to ask questions and engage in the conversation. Upcoming forums:

• Monday, Nov. 18, 6:30–7:30 p.m., Spanish session through Facebook Live on MCPS en Español Facebook

• Thursday, Nov. 21, 6:30–8 p.m., Clarksburg High School, 22500 Wims Road in Clarksburg. RSVP

Did you miss the first Budget Forum ? You can watch it here.

Winter Weather Is Coming (Maybe): Are You Ready?

Winter is near and MCPS has you covered! Visit our Stay Connected website for tools to stay in touch and how to get real-time information on weather delays and closures. Stay safe this winter!

Don’t Miss the Superintendent’s Video

Watch the video: https://youtu.be/ugfu7nIDpuk

We Need Your Feedback for the School Calendar!

MCPS continues to develop the 2025–2026 Traditional School Year Calendar. The district is seeking additional feedback from staff, families, students and the community. Take a moment to give us your feedback on Round 2 of the survey. The survey will close on Sunday, Dec. 1.

Click here to access the survey.

Get Ready for End of Course Exams

The End of Course (EOC) exams for Biology B and National, State, and Local (NSL) Government B courses are approaching. The testing window is open from Dec. 9, 2024, to Jan. 22, 2025. These exams count for 20% of students’ second semester course grades.

Why It Matters:

The EOC exams are state-mandated assessments that evaluate student knowledge from both Semester A and Semester B of Biology and NSL Government courses. It directly impacts the final grade of the student.

Where to Learn More:

Visit the MCPS Website to read about the EOC process and find frequently asked questions here.

Student Opportunities

Participate in the National C-SPAN Documentary Competition

The National C-SPAN Documentary Competition provides students in 6th through 12th grades an opportunity to think critically about important societal issues. Students are asked to create a short video documentary on a topic related to the theme, "Your Message to the President."

Details:

• Video Requirements: Students must create a 5–6 minute video documentary.

• Format: Students may compete individually or in groups of 2-3. Grades 6-8 compete in the Middle School category, and grades 9-12 compete in the High School category.

• Submission Deadline: Monday, Jan. 20, 2025.

• Prizes: Cash prizes are awarded to the top 150 student documentaries.

What's Next:

• Submit your entry by the end of day on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025.

Where to Learn More:

For more information, including how to enter and the competition rules, you can visit the official C-SPAN StudentCam website.

Apply to the Rales-O’Neill Scholarship

Applications for the Rales-O’Neill Scholarship, offered by the Montgomery County Public Schools Educational Foundation (MCPSEF), are open now for high school seniors. The scholarships provide $10,000 toward future studies and will be awarded to two hundred students.

Applications must be submitted by Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. For more information on eligibility and rules, visit the MCPSEF website.

MPSSAA Football Playoff Tickets On Sale!

Get ready for the action! Tickets for the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) Football State Quarterfinals will go on sale at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 19.

Don’t miss out on the excitement—mark your calendars and grab your tickets to cheer on your team!

Day of Service to the Environment!

Join the Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Education Center for a day of service from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23. Families of all skill levels are invited to work on environmental-friendly projects to improve and beautify the center. Students who participate with their parents can earn Student Service Learning (SSL) hours. Sign up in advance to participate and make a difference!

Stay Connected

• 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_md

• https://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

• Prekindergarten and Head Start Registration Open for Income-Eligible Families

More From MCPS

• School calendar
• Parent resource page
• News and Information page/Noticias en Español
• Latest photo galleries
• MCPS TV videos
• MCPS TV español

Email us: ASKMCPS@mcpsmd.org

©1995–2024 Montgomery County Public Schools

Attention Seniors! Are you planning to attend college next year? Are your application deadlines rapidly approaching? If this is you, you MUST request your transcript be sent out to all the schools you are applying to! If you have not yet done so, please request your transcript ASAP! It takes several days to process your request and send out your documents! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScR5j16bnD0bf6svKNmLUmM96jGlp6D5YPEksKE3QjUM2qByA/viewform

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.

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 11/19 in the media center with NAACP.

The agenda will be:

• 6:00-6:30 NAACP Agenda
• 6:30-7:00 Mrs. Thomas
• 7:00 PTSA Agenda

The next NAACP-PC & PTSA meetings will be held November 19, 2024 starting at 6:00pm in the Media Center.

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!

Scan the QR code below or visit seasonalroots.com/qohs to join for just $25 and support the Boosters Club!

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:

• Boosters President Letter
• NAACP Parent Council Welcome Letter

• Why Join the PTSA?

Membership & Sponsor Information:

• Booster Club Sponsorship Letter
• Booster Club Sponsorship Form
• Booster Membership Webpage
• PTSA Membership Hub

Stay connected throughout the school year with these important links:

• MCPS Student Handbooks (Code of Conduct, Rights & Responsibilities etc.)

• QOHS events calendar can be found on the myMCPS Classroom webpage.

• Arrival & Dismissal Bus Routes

• QOHS Website

• QOHS 2024-25 Student Handbook (Here you'll find our lunch policy, ID policy & much more.)

• QOHS Bell Schedules

• Traditional School Year Calendar 2024-25

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