Good Evening Seneca Valley Community,

Hope you had a great weekend! First semester has ended and Tuesday we start the 3rd quarter and 2nd semester.  Grades should be finalized soon, please make sure you are checking your studewnts progress on ParentVue.  If you need any assistance with accessing your ParentVue let us know.  

Registration has been completed.  Counselors are working on finalizing registration so we can start planning for next year.  

Please see messages from the Boosters regarding upcoming meetings.

Have a great day and week, on purpose!

Ricardo Hernandez, Acting Principal

I want to highlight two Seneca Valley Seniors who have won Full Tuition scholarships from QuestBridge:

• Nilgun Colak, Seneca Valley High School, Boston College

• Feben Fekadu, Seneca Valley High School, Northwestern University

Read the full story here.

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

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

Sustainability Contests

Students, please consider entering these exciting sustainability contests!

Electric Vehicle Wrap Design Contest:

All MCPS students and staff are invited to participate in the Division of Sustainability and Compliance's (DSC) 2024 EV Wrap Design Art Contest! The focus of this contest is to increase awareness and demonstrate our school district's commitment to environmental sustainability and sustainable actions.  All entries must be received by Friday, February 2, 2024.  For more information, visit:  EV wrap contest | Montgomery County Public Schools | Rockville, MD (montgomeryschoolsmd.org)Links to an external site.

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.

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. Students must complete their products and create a Google Slide highlighting their projects by February 20th. Then, student collate their process documents, evidence, and reflection into a Final Report due March 1st. For more information, please see this handout! Please visit our SVHS IB Program website to check out the lesson and materials from last week.

• Types of Projects:

  • IB Learner Project: This project is for all 9th, 11th, & 12th graders, who can earn 10 SSL hours upon completion. 

  • MYP Personal Project (PP): This project is for all 10th graders, who can earn 15 SSL hours and .5 elective credit for "MYP Research Seminar" upon completion. Different than the IB Learner Project, the MYP PP is an IB requirement for all MYP students. SVHS staff will assess the projects using an IB MYP rubric in March and scores will be submitted to IB. 

• Successful Project completion: Students must submit their product google slide and passing (grade of 3 or above) final report in order to earn the benefits outlined above. 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. 

Current 9th Grade Course Registration

NEW FOR THE CLASS OF 2027: All 10th graders will be registered for the MYP Personal Project (Course #NSS2309 - MYP Research Seminar) for 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

FAFSA Completion Event @ SVHS (Seniors & Families)

Wednesday, January 31st, 6pm- 8pm  |  Seneca Valley High School Cafeteria

Students and families can get assistance completing the FAFSA & MSFAA!

• Workshops will be facilitated by the Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) of Montgomery College (MC), and offered in collaboration with MC Financial Aid and MC Recruitment.

• Other dates and school locations available. See link for details.

Registration and completion of intake form (also included in registration link below) required to participate.*

*For staffing purposes, if you plan to attend, please register using the link below!

Click here for more information and to register

PLEASE NOTE: For any students and/or parents who plan to attend, I would highly recommend creating an FSA ID ahead of time (if you have yet to do so) in order to be able to proceed further in the process.  Click the link below to create an FSA ID.    

https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch

2024–25 FAFSA Info & Updates

The 2024–25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form is available at fafsa.gov as part of our soft launch. During the soft launch, the FAFSA form will be available while we monitor site performance and form functionality.

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

Upcoming Scholarships 

• January 31 - The Sparkling Ice® Flavorful Futures Scholarship* - (*6pm deadline on 1/31) $5,000 award; senior; min 2.5 GPA (unweighted); U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident; enter a 2-year, 4-year, college, university, trade or vocational school in the fall.  

• January 31 - The Sparkling Ice® Flavorful Futures Go Green Scholarship* - (*6pm deadline on 1/31) $5,000 award; senior; min 2.5 GPA (unweighted); U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident; pursue a degree related to environmental studies; involvement in sustainable initiatives and projects (volunteering work, job, etc.); enter a 2-year, 4-year, college, university, trade or vocational school in the fall.  

• January 31 - Girls in Technology Scholarship Program - $500 STEM Experience Awards for 6-11th Grade Girls & $2,000 Higher Education Scholarships for 12th Graders; resident of the DC Metro Area; see link for full rules and details.

• January 31 - Navy NROTC Scholarship - $180,000 towards a four-year institution's tuition and expenses; please read all application instructions and checklist carefully to determine eligibility and requirements of the scholarship; long application, start early!! 

• February 01 - Mental Health Scholarship for Women - $500 award; senior; U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident; write a short essay answering prompts about mental health; see website for prompts.

• February 01 - Naomi Rabb Winston Scholarship and Frank Wright Awards in Two-Dimensional Art - (due by 5pm on 2/1/24) $16,000 in Scholarships and Awards; citizen of the United States; copy of birth certificate, passport, or naturalization papers must be submitted with application; be at least 16 years old, but not older than 22 years by March 1, 2024; submit images of 5 examples of the applicant's two-dimensional artwork; see instructions on types of acceptable artwork and how to submit application materials; informational brochure. 

• 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. 

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

Montgomery College Special Program & Scholarship Opportunities

January 31 - Macklin Business Institute (MBI) Honors Program at Montgomery College - senior; min 3.0 GPA; provides a collegiate experience that parallels that of the best business schools in the country, bringing together highly talented students with an interest in business; the two-year program is designed for incoming MC freshmen, while the one-year program is for second-year college students; upon completion of the program, students will have had unique opportunities which will expand your transfer options; click on the link for more details. 

January 31- Montgomery Scholars Program at Montgomery College - senior; min 3.0 GPA; the Montgomery Scholars Program is a selective-admission two-year interdisciplinary honors program designed for high school graduates as the first step in completing a four-year degree; each student admitted into the Scholars program is awarded merit scholarships that cover the cost of tuition and fees for two years of study at Montgomery College (30 credits per year at the in-county resident tuition rate); essay; 2 letters of rec; personal creative work; click link for more information and details. 

Please note: students must have already applied to MC and received their M Number before they can begin the application for either of these opportunities!  Apply ASAP as it typically takes a few weeks to receive your M Number! (click here for the link to apply)

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

MD Army National Guard , Lunch Visit - Tue January 30 @ 11:12 AM - 11:54 AM

*No registration in Naviance needed. Stop by the cafeteria anytime during lunch to learn more about the MD Army National Guard or the military.

Unraveling College Admissions (Webinar)

Thursday, February 1st | 7:00 p.m. 

Understand the college application process and get tips for reducing stress. Find out what’s changed with the process, what colleges consider, where to put your best efforts, and general Do’s and Don’t’s.  Students from all MCPS high schools are welcome.

Click here to register  |  Click here for the flyer

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

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 - December/January, 2023-24

Library Media News: Celebrate Black History! ✊🏿

• Keep your eyes out for our Black History Month display, which will be unveiled on February 1st.  Stop by to peruse a wide array of fiction by Black authors, Black biographies and memoirs, and non-fiction selections that acknowledge and celebrate Black history.

• Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) has brought back their winter reading challenge!  Through March 20th, students can participate in a winter reading challenge for the chance to win 2 tickets to the April 12, 2024 Wizards game.  To learn more, click HERE.

• Stop by to borrow a copy of the graphic novel Mamo by Sas Milledge so that you can join us for our Book Club discussion on Thursday, February 8th!  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. 🌻