Good Evening Seneca Valley Community,

Hope you had a great weekend.

Seniors and Senior Caregivers please see important information regarding senior caregiver meeting and graduation packages.

Friday March 1st is a half day early dismissal.

Please see messages from the Boosters and PTSA regarding upcoming meetings.

Have a great day and week, on purpose!

Ricardo Hernandez, Acting Principal

Seneca Valley Caregivers of Seniors:

Good Evening! Your Senior is less than four months away from graduating from Seneca Valley High School. There are two important items in this message, so please take note of both:

• First, we will hold a meeting for all parents of Seniors on Tuesday, March 12th at 6:30pm in the cafeteria. In this meeting, we will be sharing information regarding the graduation ceremony on June 5th. Please plan to attend this meeting. 

• Second, your student's graduation package - the payment for the ceremony, venue, cap and gown, t-shirt, stole, picnic, and sundry other items - has been attached to your student's School Cash Online (SCO) account as an obligation.  The grad package is $80 this year - lowered from last year because of good fundraising efforts! Your student must pay their grad package fee or will be in jeopardy of not participating in the graduation ceremony and not attending prom. If you have questions about how to pay the fee, please contact the finance office as soon as possible. All seniors should have provided the cap and gown size to Josten's by now. If not, please contact one of the senior sponsors.

Thank you for your time and efforts in getting your student to walk across that stage and we look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, March 12th at 6:30pm!

How to pay on School Cash Online:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JU4Yo3vIhK2hiPasss8VmnTIFkTnf06k9gspCaXo0lo/edit?usp=sharing

Monique Riddick

School Business Administrator

Seneca Valley High School

2024 Yearbook | Last Chance to Guarantee 2/25

Dear Families, Time is running out to purchase the 2024 yearbook. If you are interested, please CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE.   Payment plan is available at checkout.  We cannot guarantee a yearbook unless you preorder by 2/25.  If you are unsure if you ordered, please check here https://www.jostens.com/customer-service/yearbook-order-tracking

2nd Semester Student Parking Applications are now available.

SVHS STUDENT PARKING INFORMATION

Students interested in applying for a parking permit must read and review the following document carefully: 

• Student Parking Information

Please note that as part of the parking permit application process, the following forms must be completed and submitted for approval:

• Student Parking Application Form (online form)

• Parent/Guardian Request for Student Use of Private Vehicle Form (must be signed and uploaded into the online form above)

Monique Riddick

School Business Administrator

Seneca Valley High School

19401 Crystal Rock Drive

Germantown, MD 20874

240-740-6413

Attention Students and Caregivers!!

Summer RISE registration is open!  Deadline is Feb 27 @ 5pm Summer RISE (Reimagining an Innovative Student Experience) is an initiative led by the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Department of Partnerships to provide rising high school juniors and seniors with enriching summer career-based learning experiences.

Click the link below for more information about Summer RISE:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/partnerships/summer-rise/for-students

Click here to register

Montgomery County Recreation is Hiring for Summer; Job Fairs Scheduled in February, March and April 

Montgomery County Recreation is hiring part-time, seasonal employees to work during the 2024 summer season. Available positions include camp directors, assistant directors, camp counselors, lifeguards more.  

“Summer work in our Department of Recreation provides such a valuable and rewarding opportunity to create fun programming, exciting experiences and lifelong memories for youth in our community,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “I encourage everyone to come learn more and apply to work with us at these upcoming job fairs.”  

Job fairs are scheduled at the following locations and dates:  

• Thursday, Feb. 22, 6 – 8:30 p.m. at Gwendolyn E. Coffield Community Recreation Center, 2450 Lyttonsville Road, Silver Spring 

• Wednesday, Feb. 28, 5 – 8 p.m. Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center, 1319 Apple Ave., Silver Spring 

• Friday, March 8, 6 – 8:30 p.m. at Long Branch Community Recreation Center. 8700 Piney Branch Road, Silver Spring 

• Saturday, March 9, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at Nancy H. Dacek North Potomac Community Recreation Center, 13850 Travilah Road, Rockville 

• Saturday, March 9, 3 – 5:30 p.m. at Germantown Community Recreation Center, 18905 Kingsview Road, Germantown 

• Tuesday, March 12, 6 – 8:30 p.m. at White Oak Community Recreation Center, 1700 April Lane, Silver Spring 

• Thursday, April 4, 6 – 8:30 p.m. at Upper County Community Recreation Center, 8201 Emory Grove Road, Gaithersburg 

• Saturday, April 6, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at Bauer Drive Community Recreation Center, 14625 Bauer Drive, Rockville 

• Saturday, April 6, 3 – 5:30 p.m. at East County Community Recreation Center, 3310 Gateshead Manor Way, Silver Spring 

Applicants should bring their resumes, come dressed for success and be prepared to discuss their experience. The department is looking for dedicated, hardworking and motivated individuals. Applicants should note these job fairs are not job or location specific. Applicants may attend any job fair regardless of where they are seeking to work in the County.  

The part-time/seasonal pay rate begins at $16.70 an hour and increases based on experience. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age at the start of camps (lifeguards must be at least 15). Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply. 

As a condition of employment, applicants will be required to pass a criminal background investigation. The investigation will include state, federal and sex offender background checks. 

If you are interested in working with Montgomery County Recreation you can also visit the website for additional information or to apply online. Explore both part-time and full-time opportunities.  

# # # 

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Message from the PTSA

AFTER-PROM - We are very excited to have an After Prom committee lead and a couple of volunteers. However, we would love to get a couple of volunteers to help with this big event planned for May 3rd.  Please reach out to us at svhsptsapres@gmail.com if you are interested. We thank you in advance! 

RESTAURANT NIGHT RESCHEDULED - The fundraiser at Chick-Fil-A originally planned for Wednesday, March 13th from 5:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m is being rescheduled due to scheduling conflicts. A new date will be shared soon. 

Staff Appreciation - The PTSA is working on putting together a staff appreciation event for our wonderful teachers in early March. Information on how you can support will be shared soon. 

The PTSA is on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/954316351262170/

Have a great week 💚💛

SVHS PTSA 

#SVPROUD  

Thanks,

Chantal

Sustainability Contests

Students, please consider entering these exciting sustainability contests!

2024 Sustainability Poster Contest:   

All MCPS students and staff are invited to participate in the Division of Sustainability and Compliance's Sustainability Poster Contest.  The focus of this annual contest is to increase awareness and demonstrate your school's commitment to environmental sustainability and sustainable actions related to energy conservation, waste reduction, and responsible recycling. Posters must be submitted to DSC by Friday, April 5, 2024.  For more information, visit:  poster contest | Montgomery County Public Schools | Rockville, MD (montgomeryschoolsmd.org)Links to an external site.

DUAL ENROLLMENT!!

There is still time to register for the Spring Semester of Dual Enrollment! The classes offered in the building for Spring 2024 will be AOSC 100 (Weather & Climate) and BSAD 101 (Introduction to Business). These classes will be offered during 7th & 8th periods and are open to qualified students in all grades. Students are also able to take classes on campus at Montgomery College as well as virtually.  Tuition and books are at NO COST to students and families. This is a fantastic opportunity to start earning free college credit! Please email Stacey Blaine with any questions at stacey_j_blaine@mcpsmd.org

Stacey Blaine

Part-time Dual Enrollment Program Assistant

Seneca Valley High School

Room 2107B

IB Projects

Our last SEL lesson was on February 21st!! Please see the timeline below for the project due dates. 

• • February 20: Due date for students to complete their products and create a Google Slide highlighting their projects.

  • February 28, February 29, March 5, & March 6: 10th grade students will be assigned to one of the workshop dates during periods 6-8 in the Library Media Center with Mrs. Becraft to complete their final report. 

  • March 8: Due date for their Final Report.

MYP Personal Project workshops for 10th graders: As referenced above, I will be holding 4 workshops during periods 6-8 in the Library Media Center in order to help support 10th graders complete the IB-required final report for their MYP Personal Project.

• Workshop dates: Periods 6-8 on February 28, February 29, March 5, & March 8

• Students who submit their Product Google Slide assignment, due Feb. 20th, will be invited to ONE of the four workshops.

ATL Workshop Series 

As part of our EOS work, we will be hosting a series of ATL student workshops during lunch in room 1601 to support student skill development. These workshops are open to all students.

• Workshops topics & dates: Time Management on March, Developing Studying Skills on March 21 & Effective Note-taking on April 11 

• Students should register using the QR code below or bitly (https://bit.ly/SVHSATLworkshop).

Mid-Year Transcripts/Reports

If the college(s) you have applied to require a mid-year transcript, please reach out to your counselor and/or Mr. Nalda for assistance.  If you are unsure if you need to send a mid-year transcript, double-check your email and college portals.  

College Acceptance Wall - Tracking College Admissions & Merit Scholarship Offers in Naviance

Many seniors have already received college admissions decisions.  This is a reminder to keep track of ALL admissions results and merit scholarships for ALL colleges you applied to in Naviance.  Once you hear back from colleges via email or letter, please record your results in Naviance:

• How to update admission decisions/results in Naviance:  video instructions

• If you were accepted and offered a merit scholarship, congratulations!  Here is how to add your offered scholarship in Naviance (video instructions)

  • Note:  Under $ Awarded, enter the amount.  If you see that your award is renewable, please multiply the amount by four (for four years of college).

  • If you have been offered multiple academic scholarships, you may title them by using the name of the college or the name of the scholarship.

    • For example:  “University of Florida - Merit Scholarship” OR “Trustee Scholarship - Purdue U.”  (etc.)

Updating this will help us create our College Acceptance Wall which is coming soon!!  We will also need this information for our Senior Exit Surveys, when those become available later this Spring.

2024–25 FAFSA Info & Updates

2024-25 FAFSA Student Aid Index Update and Timeline (Updated Feb. 6, 2024)  |  2024–25 FAFSA Issue Alerts

Reminder to Seniors to complete your FAFSA or MSFAA (now MHEC One App in MDCAPS) if you have yet to do so.  Review the 2023-24 SV Financial Aid Guide for Seniors for more information and instructions.

A few notes about the FAFSA & MDCAPS:

• FAFSA information will not be sent to colleges until mid-March.

  • As a result, your FAFSA status may still be listed as processing.

  • This is a nation-wide issue, and colleges are aware of this situation.

  • Colleges may adjust their signing deadline(s).  Monitor your email for more information.

• Monitor your MDCAPS account for any potential Maryland state aid or award notifications.

  • Many of you submitted your MHEC ID to Mr. Nalda in order to submit your transcript information.  System issues/delays may require students to upload their transcripts directly.  Mr Nalda is monitoring the situation and will send out updates if necessary.

Upcoming Scholarships 

• February 29 - Pearls of Hope Community Foundation, Inc. (POHCF) Scholarship Program - multiple scholarship opportunities (please review each opportunity for eligibility requirements using the link); awards ranging from  $1,000-$8,000 over four years; senior; 2 letters of recommendations; school transcript; documentation of SSL hours (for the HBCU scholarship); essay; flyer. 

• February 29 - TheDream.US National Scholarship - up to a maximum of $16,500 for an associate degree and $33,000 for a bachelor’s degree at one of our Partner Colleges (see list)*; senior; min 2.5 GPA; have DACA, TPS, or came to the country before November 1, 2018, and otherwise meet the DACA criteria, or came to the U.S. before age 16; significant financial need; family's financial info; essays; responsibilities. 

  • *Morgan State University & St. Mary’s College of Maryland are the only partner colleges located in the state of Maryland. 

• March 01 - Montgomery College Board Of Trustees Scholarship - (3/1 is priority deadline, will take applications up until 5/1) one-year scholarship that covers the full-time cost of tuition and fees at Montgomery College at the county resident tuition rate, up to a maximum of 15 credits per semester; senior; must attend Montgomery College; 3.0 or higher weighted grade point average; letter of recommendation (must be emailed by staff to: botscholarships@montgomerycollege.edu); essay questions; please note: students must have already applied and received their MC M Number before they can begin the application.

• March 01 - Hagan Scholarship Foundation - up to $7,500 each semester for up to 8 consecutive semesters; senior; U.S. Citizen or have a Permanent Resident Card (Green Card); min 3.50 Cumulative Grade Point Average; enroll in an eligible four-year not-for-profit College or University the first semester following high school graduation; maintain a four year or less graduation schedule in college, or complete the equivalent of a four year degree if in a professional program; must work 240 hours from January 1, 2024 until commencement of the 2024 fall semester in college (see link for details); applicant’s Adjusted Gross Household Income reported for 2022 Federal Income Tax Purposes must not have exceeded $100,000; must apply for Federal and State grants if eligible; must not have a felony conviction; personal essay; four-year plan. 

• March 01 - Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation - senior; min. 2.0 GPA; maximum family adjusted gross income of $117,000 for the 2022 tax year; plan to attend a college or career training school listed on College Navigator website in the fall; see link for full details and requirements; must be a child of one of the following: an Active duty, reserve, or veteran U.S. Marine; a Marine killed while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps; an active duty, reserve, or veteran U.S. Navy Corpsman who is/was attached to a U.S. Marine Corps unit or who was killed while serving with a U.S. Marine Corps unit; a U.S. Navy Chaplain or Religious Programs Specialist who is/was attached to a U.S. Marine Corps unit or who was killed while serving with a U.S. Marine Corps unit. 

• March 02 - Team DC Student-Athlete Scholarships - awards of up to $2,000; senior with demonstrated academic success; self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer; participate actively in interscholastic athletics or a competitive sport (club sport, recreational league, etc.); enroll in a full-time, undergraduate program at an accredited two- or four-year college or university; official transcript; personal essay, maximum of 1,500 words (see link for prompt); two (2) letters of support from individuals qualified to address the candidate’s suitability for this award; copy of the acceptance letter for their chosen college or university.

• March 02 - Ivy Vine Charities, Inc. Collegiate Scholarships - awards totaling more than $35,000 are available to qualifying applicants; senior; resident of Montgomery County, Maryland; min 2.7 GPA (unweighted); plan to attend a four-year college or university, or community college; written essay (see application for prompt); evidence of participation in school activities and community involvement; evidence of Student Service Learning (SSL) hours; provide at least three pieces of evidence (certificates, letters of achievement) highlighting involvement in: academics, sports, clubs, student government, etc; signed copy of the parent waiver and release form. 

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

Other Info & Opportunities

Upcoming College/Career Rep Visits to SVHS

RSV Pools, Inc. (summer jobs for students) - Mon February 26 @ 11:12 AM - 11:54 AM

*No registration in Naviance needed. Stop by the SVHS cafeteria anytime during lunch to learn about summer job opportunities (lifeguarding and more) from RSV Pools.

U.S. Air Force Recruiter, Lunch Visit - Wed February 28 @ 11:24 AM - 12:06 PM

*No registration in Naviance needed. Stop by the cafeteria anytime during lunch to learn more about the U.S. Air Force.

Summer RISE Application - Deadline is Feb 27 @ 5pm!

Summer RISE (Reimagining an Innovative Student Experience) is an initiative led by the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Department of Partnerships to provide rising high school juniors and seniors with enriching summer career-based learning experiences.

Click here for the flyer with more information

Click here for the link to register for the Summer RISE program - Application Now Open! 

IEC Chesapeake's School-to-Apprenticeship (STA) Program Open House - Feb 28

February 28th, 6:30 – 8PM (In-Person)  |  IEC Chesapeake, 8751 Freestate Dr Suite 250 (Blue Awning Entrance), Laurel MD 20723

Join information sessions for students and parents/guardians to learn more about IEC Chesapeake’s Electrical School-to-Apprenticeship program.  

Learn about the expansive career opportunities in the electrical industry.

Great opportunity for rising seniors!  Must be on track to graduate.

Click here to register  |  Click here for the flyer 

SAT Day - March 19

SAT School Day will be offered to all Grade 11 students at SVHS on March 19. More details and information will be shared soon. In the meantime, I strongly encourage students to take advantage of Khan Academy’s free SAT prep to prepare.  

• Click here to access Khan Academy

• Click here for more information about SAT Day from the MCPS page

NACAC College Fair Field Trip for Juniors - March 20

Attention Class of 2025! It’s time to begin your college search! On Wednesday, March 20th, SVHS students will have the opportunity to attend the NACAC Montgomery County (MD) National College Fair as part of a school-wide field trip. This year’s event will take place at the Adventist Healthcare Fieldhouse (formerly the Maryland SoccerPlex) in Boyds, MD, and host over 275 Universities and Colleges. Admission representatives will be there to answer your questions about Admission Requirements, College Essays, Financial Aid, Scholarships and more. 

Click here for more information (Letter & Permission Slip)

To attend this field trip, the bus fee must be paid and a signed permission slip must be turned in to Mr. Nalda by March 13!

For any families interested in attending, the fair will be open to the public on the evening of March 19, from 6:30pm - 8pm (click here to register).  Workshop opportunities will be available to learn more about financial aid and the college application process.  See workshops flyer for more details and to register 

Internships, Summer Programs, and Pre-College Programs

Internships, summer programs, and pre-college programs are a great way for student to explore post-high school options and gain valuable experience they can add to their resume.  Many summer programs have spring application deadlines, so start searching soon if you may be interested!  Explore the many options and opportunities from the list below:

• Summer Programs & Internships - List of summer programs and internships created by MCPS College & Career Information Coordinators.

Do you have questions about internships or would you like to learn more?  Please reach out to the internship coordinator at SVHS, Ms. Kim Skufca. 

U.S. Service Academies - Summer Programs for Juniors

Click here for a letter from Senator Van Hollen’s office with more information, program dates, and application deadlines

SVHS College & Career Monthly Newsletter - February, 2023-24

Library Media News: MoComCon is in Germantown on Saturday!🦸🏽‍♀️

MoComCon is an all day, all ages event celebrating all things comics, graphic novels, and fandoms.  It will be held at the Germantown Library on Saturday, March 2nd, beginning at 10:30 am.  Entries to the Cosplay Contest will begin at 1:30 pm with lineup for judging at 3:15 pm.  For more information, including a schedule of events, click HERE.

LMC Events this week:

Tuesday, 2/27: Blind Date with a Book Prize Drawing @11:30 am

Wednesday, 2/28: Black History Month Book Club Discussion during lunch

Wednesday, 2/28 & Thursday 2/29: MYP Personal Project Workshops, pds 6-8

Creativity Contests 🎥

• The MCPS Division of Sustainability and Compliance is sponsoring an art contest to find designs to use as wraps for new electric-powered cargo vans. All MCPS staff and students from MCPS middle and high schools are invited to participate. The deadline is Friday, March 1. To learn more, click HERE.

• NEW! The National School Bus Safety Poster Contest is underway, and includes a category for K-12 Special Education students.  Submissions for the contest must be received by Gabriel Rose, Director of Pupil Transportation and Emergency Management for the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) by Friday, March 15.  Click HERE for more information.

• The Keeping It Safe (KIS) Coalition invites teams of two or more students to create and submit 30-second videos on one of three topics related to the risks and dangers of underage drinking. Entries are due by March 31, 2024.  Click HERE for more information and contest rules.

• The Division of Sustainability and Compliance Poster Contest, open to all MCPS students and staff, presents a chance to help raise awareness about the importance of environmental sustainability, energy conservation, waste reduction and responsible recycling, and showcase your creativity! Entries are due by Friday, April 5.