Good evening, Seneca Valley!!

I hope everyone had a good Memorial Day weekend!  The extra day certainly helped..

Seniors!!!  This is the week!  We are certifying grades tomorrow.  Walking at graduation is a privilege, make sure you attend the mandatory rehearsal on Thursday at 7:45am.  our requirements in order to participate in the graduation ceremonies.

Screaming Eagles in the news:  

Senior Exodus Waites won an individual state title in boys tennis on Saturday.  A great way to to close out his career at Seneca Valley!

Junior Sanaa Chege was featured on ABC 7 this weekend, highlighting the need for water safety.

Please make sure you read updates from our PTSA, Boosters, and Athletics.

I wish you all a great evening.  

Have a great Monday and week on purpose!

Ricardo Hernandez, Principal

Additional Boundary Study Engagement Sessions Soon

(Sessions will include maps with initial boundary options and a tool to use your home address to discover any changes to school assignments.)

In case you missed it, MCPS will be hosting additional boundary study engagement sessions.

We invite you to participate in the upcoming engagement sessions focused on the reopening of Charles W. Woodward High School, the opening of Crown High School and the expansion of Damascus High School. These sessions will cover the initial options for each study and share how potential changes may affect families with middle and high school students beginning in the 2027 school year.

There are multiple dates and ways to engage in these sessions. For more information, dates and locations, visit the boundary study website at mcpsmd.info/BoundaryStudy.

Project staff will share the process and the data that explain the formulation of these initial options. Note: Elementary school assignments do not change as part of this study.

Spanish

Sesiones adicionales de participación sobre el estudio de límites escolares

(Las sesiones incluirán mapas con opciones iniciales de límites y una herramienta para usar su dirección y descubrir cualquier cambio en la asignación escolar).

En caso de que se lo haya perdido, MCPS llevará a cabo sesiones adicionales de participación sobre el estudio de límites escolares.

Lo invitamos a participar en las próximas sesiones enfocadas en la reapertura de la escuela secundaria Charles W. Woodward, la apertura de la escuela secundaria Crown y la expansión de la escuela secundaria Damascus. Estas sesiones presentarán las opciones iniciales para cada estudio y compartirán cómo los posibles cambios podrían afectar a las familias con estudiantes de secundaria y preparatoria a partir del ciclo escolar 2027.

Hay múltiples fechas y formas de participar en estas sesiones. Para más información, fechas y ubicaciones, visite el sitio web del estudio de límites en mcpsmd.info/BoundaryStudy.

El personal del proyecto compartirá el proceso y los datos que explican la formulación de estas opciones iniciales. Nota: Las asignaciones para las escuelas elementales no cambian como parte de este estudio.

Academic Programs Analysis - Survey Extended

Your Input is Needed!

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is conducting a study to ensure that high school students have equitable access to high-quality academic programs that reflect the needs of our student community, enabling them to thrive in their futures and meet the demands of tomorrow’s workplace and industries. The changes made as part of this analysis will create a lasting foundation for many years, so we want to hear from all families, including those whose children are not yet in high school. Your feedback is very important to ensure that the needs of all students are considered.  As part of this effort, we invite all families to complete this short survey. The survey will take no more than 5 minutes to complete and closes on May 31, 2025.

Spanish

Análisis de Programas Académicos – Encuesta Extendida
¡Necesitamos su opinión!

Las Escuelas Públicas del Condado de Montgomery (MCPS) están llevando a cabo un estudio para garantizar que los estudiantes de secundaria tengan acceso equitativo a programas académicos de alta calidad que reflejen las necesidades de nuestra comunidad estudiantil, permitiéndoles prosperar en su futuro y cumplir con las exigencias del lugar de trabajo y las industrias del mañana. Los cambios que se realicen como parte de este análisis establecerán una base duradera por muchos años, por lo que queremos escuchar a todas las familias, incluyendo aquellas cuyos hijos aún no están en la escuela secundaria. Su opinión es muy importante para asegurarnos de que se consideren las necesidades de todos los estudiantes. Como parte de este esfuerzo, invitamos a todas las familias a completar esta breve encuesta. La encuesta no tomará más de 5 minutos y estará abierta hasta el 31 de mayo de 2025.

Attention: Class of 2025 Senior Parents - Reminders for all Seniors and Senior Parents and Guardians About May 2025 Events 

Graduation Rehearsal is on May 29 at 7:45 at SVHS.  Students will be provided with a grab and go breakfast before the rehearsal.  After rehearsal students who have no obligations will receive their cap, gown and stole, a graduation pin, and 7 tickets to graduation. Students who have obligations must pay them before receiving their items.  Please check for obligations frequently on SCO and take care of them before rehearsal.

Graduation will be on May 30 at 2 pm at UMBC.  Students must be at UMBC/s Chesapeake Arena by 12:45 pm, and in line by 1 pm.

Guest Accommodations: If you have guests who need ASL or handicap accommodations for graduation, please complete the form linked HERE

The  Parent Presentation Slides  from the March meetings can be found HERE.

This presentation includes dress regulations, cap decorating guidelines and much more for graduates and parents

Lee Ann Wolfe

Class of 2025 Co-Sponsor

From the Counseling department:

Summer School Registration Opened April 3

Summer school registration opens on Thursday, April 3. This year, instead of online registration, school counselors will register students who request to participate in summer school. 

Summer School Session Dates:

• Session 1: June 30 – July 18

• Session 2: July 22 – August 8

• Location: Gaithersburg High School

• Virtual options are available.

Summer school offers students the opportunity to stay on track academically or get ahead in their studies. For details about fees, other summer programs and credit recovery options, visit the MCPS Summer School website.

For initial registration, students must complete the MCPS 2025 Summer School Interest Form

For questions about summer school, please contact your student's School Counselor. 

2025-26 Course Requests Review 

It is hard to believe that this school year is almost over, and the SV School Counselors have already been hard at work to prepare for a fantastic year at SV next year! In preparation for the 2025-26 school year, students and families are encouraged to review their student course requests by visiting the “Course Request” tab on StudentVUE or ParentVUE. A reminder that at this point, these are course requests, and not actual schedules. If you have any questions about your course requests, please reach out to your student’s Counselor and they will be happy to assist. 

Student Service Learning Reminder

All MCPS students must earn 75 SSL hours to graduate from high school, and spring break is a wonderful time for students to earn hours! Middle school and high school students can find virtual/remote and/or in-person SSL opportunities on the Montgomery County Volunteer Center website. Students can also find SSL forms, guidelines, resources and more at the SSL Hub for Students/Families. For the High School Certificate of Meritorious Service (seniors who have 240 or more SSL hours) or the Middle School Superintendent’s SSL Award (middle schoolers who have completed the 75-hour SSL graduation requirement), students must submit MCPS Form 560-51 to their school’s SSL coordinator by Friday, April 4. All other SSL forms should be submitted on a rolling basis, but no later than the required deadline of Friday, May 30.

Class of 2026 - Arising Senior 

Senior portrait scheduling page is now active and open for seniors to select their Spring and Summer appointment dates and times.  The link for seniors to schedule their appointments is below. Once these dates fill up, it will open the Fall dates. Or, if they don’t fill, it will open the Fall dates shortly after these have passed.  Class of 2026 seniors are encourage to schedule, link will be posted on the school website where seniors can find it.  

Just a few tips about scheduling: 

• This link will be the same for all senior portrait dates. Seniors looking to schedule an appointment for a later date can do so through this same link. 

• Seniors can access the scheduling site either through the customized link provided or by visiting the Legacy Studios website and searching by school. 

• Both the school customized link and a link to the Legacy Studios website are provided here:  

• https://seniors.legacystudios.com/  

• https://seniors.legacystudios.com/seneca-valley-hs-germantown-md/

• Below is the contact information for our customer care service in case they require any assistance. 

• Call: 716-512-6336 Ext. 108

• Email: customercare@legacystudios.com  

• Chat: https://seniors.legacystudios.com  

Dual Enrollment

Jump Start to College: Dual Enrollment Pathway

Are you interested in jumpstarting your college education while still in high school? The Dual Enrollment Program at Seneca Valley High School, in partnership with Montgomery College, offers you the opportunity to take college courses at no cost. This program allows you to earn college credits while still in high school and is open to students in all grades. Registration is underway so don't delay in registering before classes fill up!

Fall 2025 Courses Offered at SVHS!

📚 CCJA 110 – Administration of Justice (M/W | 1– 2:30 PM)

📚 COMM 108 – Foundations of Human Communication (T/TH | 1 – 2:30 PM)

📚 HLTH 121 – Nutrition for Fitness and Wellness (T/TH| 1:00 – 2:30 PM)

To learn more about these exciting opportunities and the eligibility requirements, visit Mrs. Blaine in Room 2107B or email at stacey_j_blaine@mcpsmd.org.

Notes From the SVHS College & Career Center

Mr. Nalda, SVHS College & Career Information Coordinator (email)  

Mandatory Senior Exit Survey!

All MCPS seniors will be required to complete an exit survey before your last day, which is May 23.  This survey will ask about post-high school plans, college acceptances, enrollment, scholarships, and services utilized while at SVHS.  The survey can be found in Naviance, and is part of the senior check-out process as we prepare for graduation.

If you missed the presentation in your English class, please complete this ASAP.  Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

Click here to learn more about the survey and how to access

Important Note About the FAFSA from Montgomery College!

This important message from Montgomery College is for students who filled out the FAFSA and plan to attend MC this fall...

Montgomery College has observed a recurring issue where students are entering the incorrect school code on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This error significantly delays the processing of their financial aid applications and may impact their eligibility for various aid programs. 

Correct School Code: 006911 

Montgomery College's official FAFSA school code is 006911 Rockville Campus. Using any other code, such as the codes for Germantown or Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus — will result in us never receiving their FAFSA, causing unnecessary delays and complications. 

If you selected Germantown's (or another) Campus, please log into your FAFSA to make the change ASAP! Use the following directions as a guide:  https://studentaid.gov/help/how-add-college

If you have questions, please contact the Financial Aid Office at 240-567-5100 or FinancialAid@montgomerycollege.edu. Our team is available Monday through Friday for walk-ins, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

MDCAPS - Check Your Account for Awards and Accept If Offered!

Attention Seniors - If you plan on attending a college or university in the state of Maryland, including Montgomery College, this is a reminder to check your MDCAPS account for any potential awards offered by the state of Maryland.  You will need to log into your account, confirm the school you plan to attend in the fall, and accept the award if you were offered.  You should have also received an email with instructions.

Tip:  To accept the GA Grant, you will need to edit your Enrollment and only select the school you plan to attend in the fall.  You will then need to select which degree you plan to pursue.  Once those steps have been completed, you should be able to accept your award.  

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

MDCAPS login page - https://mdcaps.mhec.state.md.us/

Upcoming Scholarships 

• June 01 - Herb Block Scholarship -  up to 100 last dollar awards that cover tuition, school fees, books and transportation; attend Montgomery College; DACA, MD Dreamers, and Virginia Dreamers are eligible to apply; no GPA cut off; need to have a high school diploma or a GED to apply.

• June 02 - SchoolHouse Connection Scholarship - multiple awardees receive a $2,500 scholarship and monthly stipends of up to $100 throughout college, one-on-one support from SchoolHouse Connection staff, 3 all expenses paid trips, and more; currently residing in the U.S. (undocumented applicants are eligible); born on or after June 2, 2005; starting college (four year, community college, or trade school) for the first time in the 2026-2027 academic year (not including dual-enrollment courses); this applies to high school juniors, high school seniors planning to take a gap year, or students receiving a GED and planning to begin college for the first time in the 2026-2027; experienced homelessness in the last six years; eligibility, demographic, and education questions; transcript; 1,000 word essay; 1-3 letter(s) of recommendation.

• June 10 - A&F Scholarships - $1,000 award; available to all high school juniors and seniors as well as all students currently registered in any accredited post secondary institution;   write a 500-1000 word essay describing your educational career and life goals (see link for specific prompt); your submission must be sent by email to the address provided on the linked site. 

• June 15 - Horatio Alger Association Career & Technical Education Scholarship - 300 awards of up to $2,500; for students who have overcome great obstacles in their lives and wish to pursue a career or technical degree/certificate/diploma at a not-for-profit trade/vocational school or community college; Have completed high school (or equivalency) by July 1; plan to attend a not-for-profit community college or trade/vocational school; enroll in an associate’s degree, certificate, or diploma program by September that will lead to employment; may not be enrolled in pre-requisite courses; demonstrate financial need (applicants must show household income of $65,000 or less); under the age of 35; be a United States citizen.

• June 19 - BigSun Scholarship - $500 award; senior; plan to attend a college or university in the fall; all student athletes are eligible regardless of the sport they are engaged in or the capacity in which they participate; short essay (500 - 1,000 words) about how your participation in sports has influenced you. 

Click here to see the SVHS Scholarships Page for more opportunities.

Other Opportunities

UMBC Summer Enrichment Academy at USG

UMBC is offering four dynamic courses this summer at the Universities at Shady Grove campus in Rockville, MD. These engaging, hands-on courses are open to high school students and include:

• Arduino Robotics Bootcamp (7/28–8/1, 1–4 PM)

• Food Deserts vs. Food Swamps (7/14–7/18, 1–4 PM)

• Bioterrorism & Bio-Warfare (7/14–7/18, 9 AM–12 PM)

• SAT Test Prep Course (7/28–8/1, 9 AM–12 PM)

About UMBC's Summer Enrichment Academy:

Our unique and challenging academic workshops are led by UMBC faculty, industry experts, and graduate students.

Students can register at sea.umbc.edu.  Click here for the flyer 

Library Media Center News:   

A few reminders from the LMC this week especially for our graduating seniors!

On June 1, MCPS is hosting a Community Pride Day from 1pm-4pm at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. The event will feature games, story time, community resources and more!

First, any graduating seniors who have not returned their Chromebooks/chargers should bring them to the Library Media Center ASAP, to ensure your graduation and avoid a financial obligation.  Second, any outstanding library books need to be returned to the LMC immediately. Assessments for books not returned will be issued soon and could affect graduation.  

Underclassmen should return books by June 2.

Memorial Day was this week, but we have been recognizing those who serve all month, as well as celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Desi Heritage Month and Jewish American Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness month. Drop by the LMC to find out more! 

The day for after school activity buses is this week -- Thursday, May 29, 2025.  That means that the LMC's after-school hours will change next week.  Beginning on June 2.  The library will close at 3:30PM every day through June 17.

The annual Drive for Supplies is coming, and the Media Center will be a collection point for gently used school supplies.  Details will be announced soon but keep the Drive for Supplies in mind as you begin to clean out your lockers for summer! 

Finally, a fond farewell to the Class of 2025! Each of us here in the LMC wish each of you in the graduating class the very best in all your future endeavors!

REMINDER:  Although students are permitted to eat lunch in the LMC's classroom section, NO OUTSIDE FOOD is allowed in the LMC. This is a longstanding library rule that will be enforced more diligently because of multiple incidents in the past several months of students bringing outside food into the LMC and leaving a mess, especially after school.  Students with outside food will be asked to eat it outside of the LMC.

News from the Business and Finance Office 

Business Office: Mrs. Monique Riddick, School Business Administrator, 240-740-6413

Finance Office:  Ms. Lillian Burgos, School Financial Specialist, 240-740-6414

Finance Office Hours: Monday through Friday 7:15 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

• The window is closed daily from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

• Students may visit the finance office before school, during lunch, and after school. 

Payments may be made using School Cash Online or in cash, check, and money order at the finance window.   All checks should be made payable to Seneca Valley High School or SVHS.  Please include the student’s name and ID number on all checks.  Returned check fees are $25.00 per check and are obligated toward the student’s account until paid. This includes checks collected as part of fundraisers. 

Obligations: All outstanding obligations must be paid in order for students to participate in extracurricular activities such as athletics, clubs, Homecoming and Prom.  Seniors with outstanding obligations will not be permitted to participate in senior activities including the graduation commencement ceremony.  Outstanding obligations may be viewed and paid at https://mcpsmd.schoolcashonline.com/

SchoolCash Online

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Montgomery County Public Schools has transitioned to a new online payment system called SchoolCash Online as its preferred method of payment for school-related fees such as fundraisers, field trips, obligations, etc. (Please note that the new payment system is NOT related to school cafeteria accounts)

SchoolCash Online helps parents/guardians and community members pay school-related fees safely, quickly, and easily. SchoolCash Online will help increase efficiency and security at schools by making payments directly into schools’ bank accounts and eliminating the need for teachers to handle money. In addition, once registered, you will be immediately informed about school activities!

Powered by KEV Group, SchoolCash Online is the industry leader in the management of school fees. The new system puts all of the school-related fees online for purchase so users can make purchases online using a credit card or e-check. A processing fee will be included on all items available for purchase, regardless of the type of payment used on SchoolCash Online or at the school.

Parents/guardians can register now at - https://mcpsmd.schoolcashonline.com/