Good Evening Seneca Valley Community,

Hope you had a great weekend! Report cards will be distributed on Monday, February 5th.  Please make sure you check in with your student to review not just their grades but their academic resumes as well.  If you need any assistance with accessing your ParentVue let us know. 

This week is National School Counselors Week!  We celebrate our Counselors and the hard work they do day in and day out! 

Please see messages from the Boosters regarding upcoming meetings.

Have a great day and week, on purpose!

Ricardo Hernandez, Acting Principal

It was a big week for Seneca Valley Sports ending with thrilling victories over Northwest and championships in Poms and Swim and Dive!

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!  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

Want to learn more?  An information session will be hosted at SVHS:

Monday, February 5, 2024 | 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. | Seneca Valley High School | 19401 Crystal Rock Dr, Germantown, MD 20874

Click here to register

Message from the PTSA

Join us on Tuesday, February 20th from 6:30pm-to-8:00pm in the SVHS media center or via zoom. We value your voice and hope to see you there! Come meet the Principal Mr. Ricardo Hernandez. 

The Wellness Center will be presenting at the PTSA meeting. Come learn more about the great resources they offer the SVHS community. 

**We are still in need of a couple volunteers to help with the SVHS After-PROM committee. Please reach out to us at svhsptsapres@gmail.com if you are interested. We thank you in advance! We hope to have a committee formed by mid February**

SAVE THE DATE

The PTSA will be having a fundraiser at Chick- Fil-A on Wednesday, March 13th from 5:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m. Funds raised will support the SVHS After-Prom and other PTSA sponsored events. 

Staff Appreciation 

The PTSA is working on putting together a staff appreciation event for our wonderful teachers. Be on the lookout for ways you can support this event. 

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

Support the class of 2025!

What are you doing on February 10th? Well, here's an excellent idea. At 7 pm on February 10, the Class of 2025 will be hosting a Seneca Valley Friends and Family Night at Capital One Area when the Washington Wizards take on the 76ers. A portion of each ticket sold through our exclusive link will benefit the Class of 2025.  Anyone with the link can help us raise funds for prom and for our senior year, so please feel free to share the link. 

See Ms. Wolfe or Mrs. Wolfe for more information or to get the QR code or you can find it on the Class of 2025s  Instagram.

The link is below     

LINK

https://fevo-enterprise.com/wiz-senecavalley24

See a Washington Wizards game and support the Class of 2025   - This is the flyer that we are putting up around the school.

Thank you,

Lee Ann Wolfe 

IB Projects

We are in the final stretch of our IB Projects! At this stage in the process, students should be working toward completing their final products and achieving their final learning goal. For more information, please see this handout! 

• Successful Project completion: Students must submit their product google slide and passing (grade of 3 or above) final report in order to earn the SSL and course credit (10th graders only) benefits. Additionally, students must adhere to our SVHS Academic Honesty policy on all components. 

  • All assignments for the project and supporting materials are posted in the Canvas classrooms. All assignments will remain open for the duration of the semester, and can be turned in at any time with no penalty for late work. 

• Timeline:

  • February 14: Next SEL Lesson for the IB Project

  • 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.

Current 9th Grade Course Registration

CLARIFICATION from last week: The MYP Personal Project (Course #NSS2309 - MYP Research Seminar) does NOT replace a class within the student's 8-period schedule (such as a student's elective class)  The course is an additional 9th period class added to their schedule for 2nd semester. 

NEW FOR THE CLASS OF 2027: All 10th graders will be registered for the MYP Personal Project (Course #NSS2309 - MYP Research Seminar) for the second semester of sophomore year. This is a Credit/No Grade course. Marking period grades for this course are based on completion only. Students should bring home a flyer with additional information distributed during Tuesday's homeroom. The flyer is also linked here. 

• Students who successfully complete the requirements of the MYP PP will earn credit (grade CR) added to their transcript for the .5 elective course, as well as 15 SSL hours.

• Students who do not successfully complete the requirements or do not abide by the SVHS academic honesty policy will earn a no grade (NG). This does not negatively impact GPA, but it will result in the student not earning credit for the course. 

Notes From the SVHS College and Career Center

2024–25 FAFSA Info & Updates

Jan 30, 2024:  2024-25 FAFSA Student Aid Index Update and Timeline 

A few important things to note from the latest announcement:

• Students will receive an email informing them that their FAFSA form has been fully processed and their FAFSA information has been sent to the schools they listed on their form.

• Students who applied using the online FAFSA form will receive an email that they can access their FAFSA Submission Summary by logging in to StudentAid.gov using their account username and password.

• Students will be able to make corrections to their FAFSA once their eligibility has been calculated and ISIR generated. Students may view their eligibility calculation by logging back into their Studentaid.gov account.

• Institutions, state higher ed agencies, and designated scholarship organizations will begin receiving batches of FAFSA information (ISIRs) starting in the first half of March. The information transmitted to schools will include updated SAI tables.

Reminder that students and families can visit StudentAid.gov/fillingout for resources about completing the 2024–25 FAFSA Form—including information about creating a StudentAid.gov account without a Social Security number (parents), how to complete the new 2024–25 FAFSA form, and what to do before and after completing the FAFSA form.

• Click here to learn more

• 2024–25 FAFSA Issue Alerts

2023-24 SV Financial Aid Guide for Seniors

Upcoming Scholarships 

• February 08 - Jimmy Rane Foundation Scholarship - multiple awards ranging from $500 to $5,000 per year (renewable); senior; U.S. Citizen or perm. res.; min 3.0 GPA; exhibit academic excellence, leadership, and community involvement; activities, awards & honors; financial need; demonstrate desire and ability to overcome barriers and to achieve their goals; must certify to not participate as a student-athlete in college. 

• February 10 - The League of Educators for Asian American Progress (LEAAP) of MCPS Scholarship - $3,000 awards; seniors; identify as Asian; plan to major in the field of Education; eligible applicants must be interested in pursuing a career in the field of education and show experience supporting the community and/or an organization; personal statement; two letters of recommendation from an administrator, teacher, or counselor. 

• February 12 - Montgomery County Public Schools Educational Foundation - Student Scholarships & Awards Opportunities from $250 - $40,000; all MCPS graduating seniors who plan to pursue higher education are eligible to apply; primary goal is to fund students who are passionate about pursuing educational goals, and face opportunity gaps in achieving those goals; personal essay (can use essay from another application); list of top 3 – 5 activities; demonstrated financial need via FARMS, FAFSA, or MSFAA. 

• February 13 - McDonald’s HACER National Scholarship - different tiers of awards ranging from $5,000 - $100,000; senior; legal U.S. resident or a DREAMer/DACA recipient; have at least one parent of Hispanic heritage; younger than 21 years old; minimum 2.8 GPA; attend a two- or four-year college or university with a full-time course of study in the fall; transcript; personal statement; letter of recommendation to be submitted online; list of community service projects; FAFSA report and/or 1040s.

• February 15 - Hispanic Scholarship Fund - many awards ranging from $500-$5,000; senior; must be of Hispanic heritage; U.S. citizen, permanent legal resident, or DACA; minimum of 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) for high school students; plan to enroll full-time in an accredited, public or not-for-profit, four-year university, or graduate school, in the US, for the 2023-2024 academic year; submit the FAFSA or state-based financial aid forms (if applicable). 

• February 18 - Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Issie Jenkins Scholarship - $2,000 award; senior; min 3.0 GPA (unweighted); three letters of recommendation from teachers,counselors, employers, and community or church leaders that address academic achievement, leadership, and community service; 200-word essay explaining how he/she has demonstrated effective leadership abilities in and outside the school setting; resume; transcript.

• February 20 - The Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarship - one award of $10,000 and four awards of $5,000; senior; open to vegetarian and vegan students; write an essay addressing different points on vegetarianism, including how you promoted vegetarianism in your high school and/or community and why it is important to you; copy of transcript; three or more recommendations (at least one teacher); any documentation related to your promotion of vegetarianism in high school and/or community including photographs, newspaper stories, etc.

• February 20 - Montgomery County Public Schools Educational Foundation - (deadline extended to 2/20!) Student Scholarships & Awards Opportunities from $250 - $40,000; all MCPS graduating seniors who plan to pursue higher education are eligible to apply; primary goal is to fund students who are passionate about pursuing educational goals, and face opportunity gaps in achieving those goals; personal essay (can use essay from another application); list of top 3 – 5 activities; demonstrated financial need via FARMS, FAFSA, or MSFAA; flyer.

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

Other Info & Opportunities

Summer RISE Application is Now Open - Info Session @ SVHS on Feb 5!

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!

Want to learn more about Summer RISE?  Attend the 2024 Summer RISE Parent/Student Information Session at SVHS:

Monday, February 5, 2024 | 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. | Seneca Valley High School | 19401 Crystal Rock Dr, Germantown, MD 20874

Click here to register

Upcoming College/Career Rep Visits to SVHS

University of the District of Columbia - February 6 @ 12:55 PM (Pd 7)

Juniors & Seniors should register in Naviance in order to receive a pass to attend.

City of Gaithersburg, Summer Job Opportunities for Students* - February 8 @ Lunch

*No registration in Naviance needed. Stop by the SVHS cafeteria anytime during lunch to learn about summer job opportunities (Gaithersburg Water Park and more) from the City of Gaithersburg.

Rockville USA Gap Year Fair

Monday, February 5 · 6:30 - 8:30pm EST  |  Richard Montgomery High School

Welcome all students, parents & educators!  Don't miss the opportunity to meet gap year program providers, counselors, and alumni from all over the world. Join us to get the most up-to-date information about exploring gap year options.  Whether you're dreaming of Spanish language immersion in Costa Rica, rock climbing in the American Southwest, or pursuing a virtual internship from the comfort of your living room, there are so many gap year options to choose from!

Click here for more information to register  |  Flyer (English | Español)

Maryland International University Fair

February 7, 2024, 5:30-7:30pm  |  Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School

Join us for an International University Fair!  Meet with 24 universities from 12 countries!  See registration link below for a list of participating institutions.  Students from grades 9-12 are welcome to attend.

Click here to register

16TH Annual MCPS Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU) College Fair

February 16, 2024, 6:00pm – 8:30pm   |  Universities at Shady Grove

This free in-person event at The Universities at Shady Grove will provide students in Grades 8–12 an opportunity to meet representatives from more than 50 HBCUs. Representatives will share information and answer questions from students and parents about admissions, financial aid, testing, majors and much more. The event will also feature a college preparation workshop for middle school students and parents, a discussion on college life, FAFSA completion assistance, scholarship information and more. This event is co-sponsored by Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and the Montgomery County Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Click here to learn more and to register  |  Click here for the Workshops Flyer

Service Year Maryland Virtual Information Session

Wednesday, February 21st at 7:00 p.m.

Service Year Maryland is a new program recently signed into law by Maryland Governor Wes Moore. The Service Year Option is an opportunity for those who recently completed high school, received their high school completion certificate or earned their GED in Maryland. A service year is an opportunity to develop real-world skills through hands-on service. Members will serve across the state of Maryland in organizations that will provide job training, mentorship and other resources to be successful all while earning $15 an hour plus focused professional development time each week. 

This session will provide information on how the program works and what opportunities are available.

Click here to register

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

• In recognition of Black History Month, SV Book Club leaders decided to read and discuss The Weight of Blood by Tiffany Jackson.  Set in the South, and inspired by Stephen King’s Carrie and a high school in Georgia that hosted its first integrated prom in 2014, this book explores racism in small-town America.  Readers will meet to discuss this book during lunch on Wednesday, February 28th.  Interested students should stop by the LMC for more information.  

• Please stop by to borrow books from our Black History Month display, which features a wide array of fiction by Black authors, Black biographies and memoirs, and non-fiction selections that acknowledge and celebrate Black history.

• Please remember that membership in SV’s Book Club is fluid and that all students and staff are always welcome.  Please note our upcoming scheduled discussions: 

  • • Thursday, February 8 - Mamo by Sas Milledge

    • Wednesday, February 28 - Weight of Blood by Tiffany Jackson

    • Thursday, March 7 - All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir

The LMC has a limited number of print copies of each book available, but students may also read these books in audiobook and/or eBook format.  For information about accessing books in Sora, our online reading app, please click on the READ Online! flag in the Virtual SVLMC or stop by the LMC for assistance. 🌻

• NEW AND EXCITING!  MCPS has recently made a wide selection of magazines available in Sora, our online reading app.  Seriously, there is something for EVERYONE - including most popular magazines that you’d find when in line at the grocery store.  To access these magazines, log into Sora using studentID@mcpsmd.org & your MCPS password (tutorial here). 

• Montgomery Connects received a new federal grant to provide 60,000 free Chromebooks to residents who do not have access to a computer.  To be eligible, you must be a Maryland resident and at least 7 years old. U.S. citizenship is not required. Please note that only one computer will be given per person, and those who have already received a computer from the County between May 2022 and April 2023 are not eligible for another one. To receive a computer, you must have an appointment, a library card, be a Maryland resident, and provide proof of ID and address.  For more information, click HERE.