Hello Wootton Community,

The 2024-2025 school year begins tomorrow! It's the first day of school, and I hope everyone is as excited as I am. This year, I want to welcome you back to some long awaited improvements at Wootton High School. Areas like hallways, the gymnasium, Commons and auditorium have all been painted and improved. Some of our bathrooms have been updated and upgraded. There are ADA improvements that have taken place outside, and that stadium has new turf. Our students deserve a building that supports them well. I hope you appreciate all the enhancements. Many students have advocated passionately for improvements, and I am proud that this effort has produced results! On Monday, two areas of the school will be closed for continued construction. Please take note of the details below.

Don't forget -

• Back-to-School Night is Thursday, August 29th with the formal program beginning at 7:00PM with activities happening in advance. Additional details will be shared. Historically, Wootton has offered a Senior Parent/Caregiver Meeting prior to the start of BTSN. This event will not take place at the normally scheduled time. Details about the new date for this event will be shared with students and parents in the Class of 2025 soon.
• The first Wootton PTSA meeting of the school year will be Tuesday, September 17th beginning at 7:00PM. Our PTSA is critically important to our school so please plan on attending.

Have a great first day of school,

Doug

We’ve been working all summer on some exciting building updates that need additional time to conclude. To ensure a safe return to school, we are closing off the following areas during the first week of school. Please note that ALL classrooms will be accessible, and we will have staff members assisting students in finding their way around.

• 1st floor hallways near 128, 130, and 141 will be closed for bathroom work. There will be cones and signage indicating this area.
• 2nd floor hallways near 230 and 240 will be closed for bathroom work. There will be cones and signage indicating this area.
• The entrance to the building from the lower lot will be closed. All students - both drivers and drop-off - should enter through the main entrance of the school from the lower lot.

We are asking that all students use the main entrance to enter the building during the first week of school. Additionally, please note that 1 of our 2 elevators will be closed off, but the elevator by the health room is available.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the main office at 240-740-1500.

If your student did not have an opportunity to attend New Student Orientation last Thursday, no worries. New students to Wootton can pick-up a chromebook at the Media Center beginning at 7:20am. Students can also visit during lunch. A device will be signed out to your student for the year.

Wootton is a place where hate and intolerance is not acceptable. What is hate bias, Hate-Bias conduct is disruptive behavior that includes intentional discriminatory behavior based on a person’s background, race, sex, national origin, disability, age, socioeconomic background, and gender identity. A major way that we confront incidences that are wrong and hurtful is to report them. Any student should report to a trusted staff member. School administrators are responsible for ensuring incidents are documented and investigated. That any serious Incidents are reported to the police who may investigate the matter, and that supportive measures are put into place. The Stronger Student App is a way to report anonymously. Please be sure to download this app.

AM/PM Bus Information: Please find the bus route information for the upcoming school year. This information will remain available to parents/caregivers on the Wootton website.

Activity Bus Information: Activity buses will run every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday beginning on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, through Thursday, June 5, 2025. Departure time is 4:35pm with two routes departing from the school.

THU, AUGUST 29 Back to School Night

MON, SEPTEMBER 2 Labor Day, Schools and offices closed

Students and parents will be able to see their Semester A schedules on Wednesday, August 21, 2024 via StudentVue/ParentVue in Synergy. Parents, please check with your student to confirm they know how to access their schedule. The school will only be providing paper schedules to students upon request.

A critical component of the transition to Semester A is ensuring that students have correct schedules. Please review your child's schedule, and if you notice an error in the schedule, we ask that you contact your child's counselor to make necessary changes. Counselors are engaging in pre-service activities so we appreciate your patience as we make sure your child’s return to school goes smoothly. Unfortunately, we cannot honor requests for specific teacher changes or changes in periods.

You may request a schedule change for one of the following reasons:

1. The scheduled course(s) are incorrect from what was requested at the beginning of the school year. Your student's schedule is considered correct if an approved alternate class was used when the primary class could not be scheduled.
2. The schedule is incomplete. For example, there is a missing class period (most students should have seven classes listed), or two courses are listed in the same period.
3. Your student earned credit for a class this summer and no longer will take the course listed.
4. Your student would like to reconsider the level of class that they initially requested. Please note that schedule changes for level reconsideration will only be made based on space availability.

STUDENTS should disregard second semester schedules as they are not accurate.

Please note that we continue to balance classes until the day before the new semester starts, which may cause some teacher/period changes. Your child should follow the schedule that appears on Monday, August 26, 2024, in Synergy.

MCPS Handbooks

• 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.

MCPS Information

• Annual MCPS Notice for Privacy and Directory Withholding Form (Will be sent home)
• Annual MCPS Pest Management Notice
• Annual MCPS Asbestos Notice
• Bullying, Harassment, and Intimidation Reporting
• Emergency Information - Please update for your student via ParentVue - links to the ParentVUE Support Guide and directions for completing the annual verification of information to update contact information. It is critical to keep this information up-to-date.
• PTSA Website - Please join the PTSA!

EVERYONE must complete the application process. Even if you completed the application for an end-of-year permit at the conclusion of the school year, you must reapply for the new school year and submit all required documents.

COMPLETED APPLICATIONS WILL BE PROCESSED ON A FIRST COME; FIRST SERVED BASIS. APPLICATIONS ARE NOT CONSIDERED COMPLETE UNTIL YOU HAVE SUBMITTED ALL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS.

PRIORITY IS GIVEN TO STUDENTS IN THE 12TH GRADE (Class of 2025). If spaces are still available after the 12th grade applicants have been processed, applications may be accepted from 11th grade students.

• FY25 Parking Permit Application
• FY 25 Parking Regulations

Apply online NOW so students receive free meals on the first day of school! Households meeting identified federal income standards are eligible for free school meals. MCPS encourages all families who may be eligible, to apply. To receive this benefit, a new FARMS application must be completed every school year. Please submit the online FARMS application through https://www.myschoolapps.com/Home/PickDistrict. Students not newly qualified for free meals will be charged the following meal prices. Only one application is needed for all students in a household. Meal prices: Breakfast—$1.30; Lunch—$2.55 (Elementary), $2.80 (Middle and High)

Students who qualify for reduced-price meals will receive meals at no charge! Students use their MCPS ID number when receiving a meal, so confidentiality is maintained and no child is overtly identified as receiving free or reduced-price meals. Funds can continue to be added to student

meal accounts at no charge by bringing cash or checks directly to the school cafeteria managers. There will be an increase in the transaction fee from $1.95 to $2.49 per transaction associated when adding funds to student meal accounts using the online My School Bucks software.

For more information and How-To videos, visit the Division of Food and Nutrition

Services (DFNS) website: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/food[1]and-nutrition/meal-p

2024-2025 School Year Vaccination Requirements

Back to School Free Immunization Clinics

Regular daily attendance is expected. It is critical to a child's academic success. Parent/caregiver support of regular daily attendance is essential. Parents/caregivers should provide a note within 3 days stating the reason for absence. This will ensure the absence is marked excused. Students who were absent from school have the responsibility to request make-up work from their teacher.