MindCraft is a program of JSSA which provides school-based mental health and wellness services to schools across Montgomery County.  This year, (2026-2027), JSSA is offering Tier I, Tier II and Tier III services at 98 elementary, middle and high schools. 

Students and parents can get information and make a referral through their grade level school counselor.

Farquhar Offers the following JSSA opportunities:

1. Therapeutic Mentoring 

2. Our Minds Matter

Therapeutic Mentoring 

JSSA, in partnership with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services is pleased to offer a therapeutic mentoring service as part of the expanded MindCraft Program.  We provide children and youth with opportunities for skill-building and developing positive and pro-social peer relationships through experiences in their everyday life, at their home, in school, or other settings.  Our team of therapeutic mentors use high-interest activities to model positive behaviors to support students to identify and build their strengths and relationship skills while coaching them on how to use these skills “Using  Positive Youth Development” framework. If you are interested in participating in the therapeutic mentoring program, please complete the MCPS Authorization and Consent Form and the Referral Form and a JSSA team member will contact you with more information!  

Therapeutic Mentoring is a FREE service for students and parents. There is no cost for parents associated with participation in this service.

Our Minds Matter

OMM is an evidence-based program approved and listed in the Suicide Prevention Resource Center’s (SPRC) Best Practice Registry. This national recognition reflects the strength of OMM’s program approach, safety practices, and evidence base — and marks an important milestone for the program we have built alongside young people, schools, and partners.

All students now have access to free tutoring and 24/7 Homework Help to support success in their current courses/grade level, through two new approved tutoring providers, FEV Tutor and Tutor Me Education. As part of comprehensive strategies to mitigate learning disruption associated with the pandemic, all students will have access to these virtual tutoring services through their MCPS Google Account, using Clever. More information can be found here: 

Students- To access this tutoring, at any time, just follow these steps:

• • Sign in to the Clever portal by navigating your web browser to https://clever.com/in/mcpsmd 

  • Log in to the MCPS Clever portal. a. 

    • Students | If prompted, choose Log in with Google  

  • Select the Tutoring Partner app to access the program resources  

Launching in September at Rockville Memorial Library!

MCPL's new math tutoring pilot program—designed to support middle and high school students in core math subjects—launches September 24. 

What We Offer: 

Free, high‑quality math assistance

Experienced tutors hired by Montgomery County Government

A supportive, structured group learning environment

Help with math assignments, problem solving, and building confidence 

Boost Your Math Skills!

Who Can Join:
Students in grades 6–12 

Why Participate:
Strengthen your math skills, get help with assignments, and stay on track academically at no cost. 

Location:
Rockville Memorial Library

Start Date:
September 24, 2026 

Registration:
Visit MCPL’s website or speak with staff at Rockville Memorial Library. Space is limited, so registration is required for each session. This pilot program runs through mid-December 2026. 

Montgomery County Public Libraries offers free online tutoring resources.

Brainfuse HelpNow offers live online tutoring, homework help, test prep, and writing assistance for customers of all ages. Available every day from 2:00 pm-11:00 pm EDT.

Here are the details regarding the service:

Services Offered: Live online tutoring, homework help, writing assistance, and specialized test prep.

Availability: Live tutoring is available daily from 2:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. EDT.

Requirements: You need a valid MCPL library card to access the services.

Help your child build confidence and academic success with Saturday School (George B. Thomas, Sr. Learning Academy). Programs run on Saturday mornings for students in grades K–12, focusing on reading, language arts, math, test prep and STEM enrichment, such as coding and robotics.

The opening ceremony is on Sept. 19 for families to register and learn about the program. The first tutoring session is Sept. 26 from 8:30-11 a.m.

• Cost: $100/year ($50 for FARMS recipients)

• Transportation: Free MCPS bus routes available to center sites.

• Details & Registration: saturdayschool.org

Now You Know: English | español | 中文 | français | Português | 한국어 | tiếng Việt | አማርኛ

Virtual Family Night: “Wish Upon A Star”

Date: Thursday, November 19th 2026

Time: 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

Location: Zoom (Free of charge)

Families can register with Gilly in English: https://calendly.com/gillyc-caringmatters/register-for-a-virtual-family-night-workshop

Families can register with Mabilia in Spanish Mabilia@caringmatters.org or 717 800 1631

CaringMatters’ Family Night Program brings grieving families together to share, communicate, and heal through conversation and creativity. Guided by trained facilitators, families learn coping tools, plan for holidays and special days, and honor their loved ones through a hands-on art activity.

This winter’s project, “Wish Upon a Star” will give families the opportunity to make a string of colorful stars decorated with their memories, hopes and wishes. (All art materials will be provided.)

Download and share the flyers in English and Spanish with families here: https://www.caringmatters.org/family-nights

The Division of Specialized Support Services and the Montgomery County School Psychologists’ Association will co-host the 2026 Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) from Monday, November, 9, 2026 to Saturday, November 14, 2026.

The theme for this year is “Mental Health Matters: Connect. Support. Thrive. Creating connected, supportive school communities where every student and family can thrive.”

The Mental Health and Wellness Fair will be held on Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.at James Hubert Blake High School, 300 Norwood Rd, Colesville, MD 20905.

The event is free and open to students, families, and staff and will include MCPS and community partners sharing information about mental health and wellness; as well as a student-led forum and mental health workshops focusing on issues impacting Montgomery County families.

Students may earn 4 Student Service Learning hours for participation in the Mental Health and Wellness Fair.

If one of your students has had a parent die in the last few years, PLEASE SHARE the Parenting While Grieving virtual FREE support series with their remaining parent or new caregiver.

Registration is now open and the Parenting While Grieving program begins on Zoom on September 30th. The deadline for registering is September 22nd. 

Grandparents who are parenting their grandchildren due to the child's parent dying, are also welcome. 

Currently, the program is only available in English

NOW is also the time to request a Good Grief Club (grief peer support group) for your grieving students.

Email me at gillyc@caringmatters.org with questions or to get a group started. 

Parenting While Grieving Online Workshop Series

Good Grief Clubs

Apply today! A new FARMS application must be completed every school year, even if your children qualified the previous year. Submit the online FARMS application through MySchoolApps (translations are available). Only one application is needed for all students in a household. More information

MCPS is excited to kick off another outstanding year of middle school interscholastic athletics! Whether you're a returning student-athlete or participating for the first time, now is the time to complete your athletic registration and prepare for the upcoming season. ParentVUE registration is now live.

New This Year!: Sixth-grade students are now eligible to participate in MCPS middle school athletics. Boys' and girls’ softball and coed cross country are the fall sports offered.

• To be eligible to participate, students must:

• Complete the online registration through ParentVUE.

• Have a current Pre-Participation Physical (MCPS Form SR-8) on file.

• Upload the required medical clearance and complete all required electronic forms during the registration process.

For questions regarding registration, eligibility or required forms, contact your school's Athletic Coordinator. 

As you may know, Maryland is faced with five recent drownings of nonverbal autistic children who eloped from home and/or under the supervision of an adult. Together, we believe the information attached in this correspondence is critical to share with parents, family members, school staff, support staff, and community members who engage with children and students with disabilities.

• Flyer to obtain a Safety Kit

• 911 flyer in English

• 911 flyer in Amharic

• 911 flyer in Korean

• 911 flyer in Mandarin/Chinese

• 911 flyer in Spanish

With winter weather just around the corner, updates to school schedules and operations may sometimes need to be made. To receive the latest information on delays, closures and operational changes, Stay Connected, subscribe to Alert MCPS, and monitor our color-coded status system.

Keep Your Contact Information Current

To ensure you receive timely notifications, please update your contact details via the ParentVUE link on the MCPS Community Tech Support website.

Learn more about the color codes.

MCPS Operating Status Inclement Weather, 2024-2025

MCPS is continuing its partnership with the Parent Encouragement Program (PEP), a local nonprofit that provides resources and support to parents and caregivers. The PEP Family Resiliency Program is a free, online eight-week program which helps parents and caregivers learn tools to strengthen family connections, support children’s mental health and encourage success.

• 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

Kids ride free with the Youth Cruiser SmarTrip card on MCDOT Ride On buses and most Metro buses in the County. Get your card now at any MCPS middle or high school location or any Montgomery County Public library. 

Flyer English

Flyer Spanish 

Learn more at http://ow.ly/sagl50JOBsh 

You don’t always get all the time you’d like with your child’s teachers. And there’s a lot to get through! We can help you learn how to prepare a solid game plan so you can leave feeling accomplished.

Parent-teacher conferences: Toolkit for families

How to have a successful parent-teacher conference

We are pleased to announce the launch of new walk-in hours for mental health and substance abuse screenings ACCESS to Behavioral Health Services. Our goal is to provide easy access to resources and support for those in need. Effective September 30th, 2024.

Walk-In Hours:

• Mondays thru Friday:

• Please arrive by 8:30am for a morning appointment and by 12:30 an afternoon appointment

Services Provided:

• Confidential mental health screenings

• Substance abuse assessments

• Referrals to treatment programs and additional resources

• One-on-one consultations with trained professionals.

Location: 27 Courthouse Square, Suite 101, Rockville, MD. We are located in the Grey Courthouse Office Building on the bottom level.

Free parking is available at the Council Office Building Garage (COB) corner of East Jefferson Street (Route 28) & Monroe Street (accessible from both streets). We will validate after your appointment

Bus Routes* Ride-On 46 S. Washington St. & Courthouse Sq. 1 block

Ride-On 46, 54, 63 E. Jefferson St. & Maryland Ave. 1 block

Ride-On 301, Metrobus T2 W. Montgomery Ave. & Washington St. 2 blocks

Ride-On 46, 55 E. Middle Ln. & N. Washington St. 2 blocks

Ride-On 45, 55, 301, Metrobus T2 E. Middle Ln. & Maryland Ave. 2.5 blocks

Ride-On 44, 46, 47, 54, 56, 63 Monroe St. & Monroe Pl. 3 blocks

For more information, please contact us at 240-777-1770