Weekly Newsletter

January 12, 2025

Dear Coyote Community,

I hope this message finds you safe and warm after last week’s snowy surprise! What an unexpected way to kick off the new year—returning from winter break only to enjoy a brief, extra mini-break. I took full advantage of the time, attempting (and failing!) to teach my dogs to ride a plastic sled and savoring several crockpots of soup after sledding and shoveling adventures.

On Thursday, I had the honor of participating in the MCPS Board of Education (BoE) presentation, where safety and security took center stage. A panel of central office leaders shared updates on the district’s ongoing efforts to ensure safe and secure environments for our schools. I was proud to represent our amazing staff and highlight the hard work they do every day to maintain a secure space where teaching and learning can thrive. This opportunity was a direct result of our fall safety and security walk-through, which was featured in an earlier newsletter. If you’re interested, you can view the safety and security segment of the BoE meeting here.

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Families play a key role in supporting MCPS’s safety initiatives. Please take a moment to review this helpful checklist of actions for caregivers.

Finally, I encourage you to check out the exciting program being highlighted at this week’s PTSA meeting: Summer RISE. This program provides MCPS students with invaluable summer opportunities to explore professional fields that interest them. Attending the meeting is a great way to learn more about this fantastic initiative!

As we return to a full schedule this week, let’s stay focused on strong attendance and finishing the semester on a high note. Together, we’ve got this!

Wishing you a safe, productive, and restful week ahead.

Warm regards,
Ms. O’Neill

January 6-14 P-Tech Career Workshops

January 12 Band Mattress Fundraiser (See info below)

January 14 PTSA Meeting (6:00, Media Center)

January 15 Rising 9th Grade Parent Night (7:00 via Zoom, see info below)

January 15-17 MCAP Make-up Testing (Students will receive messages and passes)

January 16 P-Tech Mock Interviews

January 16 Summer RISE Interest Meeting (Lunch, Auditorium)

January 17 Red Cross Blood Drive

January 20 No School

January 28 End of Semester 1

January 29 No School

Registration is OPEN for the Summer RISE 2025 program. Don’t miss your chance to participate this summer as you explore your future career, develop professional and technical skills needed for the workforce, and build your professional network. Participating students are matched with career Hosts in an industry of preference to participate in a minimum of 50 hours of hands-on career learning. Summer RISE runs between June 23, 2025 and July 25, 2025 with students needing to be available Monday-Friday between the hours of 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. for the duration of the program.

Consider attending an Information Session to learn more about the program, visit MCPS-SummerRISE.org or meet with Summer RISE staff who will be at school on Thursday, January 16 in the auditorium, during lunch.

See the information flyer here.

Information about high school courses and upcoming registration will be shared at our Rising 9th Grade Parent Night. Please see flyer below and share with others you know who might need this information.

The Red Cross Club is hosting a blood drive at CHS on Friday, January 17, 2025. Donations will be accepted in the auditorium on this day from 8:00am to 1:15pm. We welcome all staff and students who are eligible to donate to sign up (link to sign up, sponsor code = ClarksburgHS).

Eligibility requirements:

• At least 16 years old
• Height and weight criteria for student donors
• Other requirements for student donors

All students must also submit a signed parental consent form. These, and other informational materials, can be picked up on the bulletin board outside the cafeteria near room 190. They can returned to Dr. Smith in room 256 or brought to the blood drive on 1/17.

All donors are encouraged to eat healthy meals rich in iron and vitamin C and hydrate before your donation. Bring an ID with your birthdate (driver’s license or StudentVue for students, not school IDs).

Help us save lives by donating if you are. You can direct any questions to Erin Smith at erin_e_smith@mcpsmd.org.

Please see information here for the application programs information night at Seneca Valley HS.

• Please take three minutes to fill out this Clarksburg Cluster Input Form to help inform the ongoing collaborative efforts of MCCPTA Clarksburg Cluster Coordinators and our cluster schools.

• Want to learn key strategies to save for college? Join the Clarksburg community and the College Funding Coach for a free online webinar on 2/6 @ 6:30 p.m. about the "Little Known Secrets of Paying for College". See flyer here to register.