SVHS GREEN AND GOLD
Community Newsletter
October 22, 2023
SVHS Student and Family Resource Page
Click here for a list and links to resources and supports available for students and families in the Seneca Valley Community.
Principal Awards: Nomination materials for The Washington Post Principal of the Year Award and the Superintendent’s Annual Mark Mann Excellence and Harmony Award must be received by midnight on Friday, December 22, 2023, and must be submitted to Ms. Sandra J. Karis, administrative services manager, Office of Human Resources and Development (OHRD) via email.
Teacher Awards: Nomination materials for the Montgomery County Public Schools Teacher of the Year Award, Montgomery County Public Schools Rising Star Teacher Award, The Washington Post Teacher of the Year Award, and the Shirley J. Lowrie “Thank You for Teaching” Award must be received by midnight, Friday, December 22, 2023, and must be submitted to Ms. Sandra J. Karis, administrative services manager, Office of Human Resources and Development (OHRD) via email.
Registration for Dual Enrollment is Open
Registration for the Spring Semester of Dual Enrollment will begin on October 31st. 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
Seneca Valley High School Birds Of Play
SVHS Birds Of Play presents the fall play, Radium Girls. Radium Girls is D.W. Gregory’s gripping drama based on the true story of female laborers who were poisoned and killed by their factory’s radium-based paint Radium Girls fiercely examines the commercialization of science, the pursuit of both health and wealth, the power of the underdog, and the fierce injustice laborers in America have faced, and may even continue to face in the present.
November 3 @ 7pm
November 4 @ 2pm
November 10 @ 7pm
November 11 @ 2pm
tickets $10 Adults, $8 Students
Montgomery Virtual Academy
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) offers a full-time virtual learning program through the Montgomery Virtual Academy (MVA). New this year, the admission season for MVA will occur in the fall from October to November in the online registration section in ParentVUE. This is the same window as the secondary regional/countywide programs' admission process. Admission to the MVA is open to students in Grades 2–12 during the 2024–2025 school year
MVA is in a state of transition due to data on family interest, student retention and academic outcomes.
NEW this year, students interested in attending the MVA for the 2024–2025 school year may apply during the same period as the regional/countywide high school programs. The application is in ParentVUE for rising students in Grades 2 to 12 students.
MVA has limited seats and if there are more requests than seats available, a lottery will be conducted. New student applicants will either be invited to MVA or receive a waitlist number for vacant seats.
Students currently enrolled in MVA will be able to secure a seat for the 2024–2025 school year once they reapply on ParentVUE.
Daily attendance is required to comply with the Maryland State Department of Education. School hours align with MCPS schools at similar levels.
MVA will have two admission periods. o The first-round deadline of November 3, 2023, is for entry into the school year 2024–2025 and the waitlist for Semester 2 of the 2023–2024 school year.
The second-round deadline of February 9, 2024 is the waitlist for the 2024–2025 school year.
Starting the application process for the MVA in the fall will align student placement results with regional/countywide programs, staffing calendars, and will provide MCPS with more accurate staffing projections.
Important Dates:
November 3, 2023 - Application deadline for 2024–2025 admission
February 9, 2024 - Application deadline for 2024–2025 waitlist
ACT-SO
ACT-SO is an enrichment program and competition designed to encourage high school students to strive for excellence in up to three of thirty-one categories within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), Humanities, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Business, and Culinary areas of student interest. ACT-SO students create projects and receive support at monthly seminars and mentoring from professionals in the related field. The Montgomery County National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Parents’ Council and MCPS collaborate to designate liaisons at each high school to recruit students for ACT-SO each year. Please contact Mr. Grindley if you have any questions: chris_grindley@mcpsmd.org.
IB Projects: All SVHS students will have their 3rd SEL lesson working on their IB Project this Wednesday. Students will be refining their project proposal through research. For more information, please see this handout! Please visit our SVHS IB Program website to check out the lesson and materials from last week.
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.
The IB Career-related Seniors traveled to the Glenstone Museum in Potomac last week. Glenstone is a private contemporary art museum founded in 2006. They learned about the sustainability efforts of Glenstone and analyzed various pieces of art on the property. The students were able to practice ATL skills such as critical thinking and communication.
The IB ESS, IB Biology, and Horticulture classes traveled to the Kingsley Environment Center this week. On the trip students explored the forest ecosystem and identified several species of plants and animals and identified measurable variables in the environment as they immersed themselves into the trails, streams, and paths at Kingsley.
Maryland Seal of Biliteracy
Registration is open for the MD Seal of Biliteracy. All seniors and juniors who speak a heritage language and/or are enrolled in an IB French or Spanish class OR ASL 2 are invited to register to take the assessments to earn the seal for your diploma and wear a medal at graduation? Have questions? Please email Ms. Rebecca Hanford or stop by the media center during lunch on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.
Notes From the SVHS College and Career Center
Applying to Colleges - Next Major Deadline is November 1
Seniors, the next major deadline for college applications is November 1. As you continue working on applications, students should refer to the SVHS College Application Packet as a guide to applying to colleges and for specific instructions.
Special note about University of Maryland-College Park: November 1 is the University of Maryland-College Park’s Early Action deadline. We strongly encourage all students interested in applying to the University of Maryland to apply by this deadline.
Staff Alma Maters
Curious or want to learn more about a particular college? Click this link to see where some of our SVHS staff members attended college. They have volunteered to speak with students about their school and college experience!
2024-25 FAFSA & Some Upcoming Changes
Once the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) becomes available in December, all eligible Class of 2024 seniors should fill out the 2024-25 FAFSA as that will be their first year of attending college, university, or trade school. This includes students planning to attend Montgomery College. Accidentally filling out the wrong year’s FAFSA may lead to issues or delays in receiving financial aid! Mr. Nalda will provide details and updates as they become available.
Click here to view some of the upcoming changes to the 2024-2025 FAFSA (shared with us via MC).
Click the following to learn more about the redesign: Implementing the 2024–25 FAFSA Process
College Representative Visits in the College & Career Center
Juniors & Seniors are encouraged to participate in college rep visits to SVHS to learn more about colleges and universities. Students interested in participating in rep visits must register in Naviance.
Click here to learn more and see who is scheduled to visit SVHS this Fall!
Next Week’s College & Career Center Visits:
Shenandoah University - Mon October 23 @ 8:45 AM
Lincoln Technical Institute, Columbia - Mon October 23 @ 9:40 AM
Stony Brook University - Mon October 23 @ 12:05 PM
The Catholic University of America - Tue October 24 @ 9:40 AM
St. John's University, New York - Tue October 24 @ 10:30 AM
St. John's College (MD) - Tue October 24 @ 12:55 PM
Stevenson University - Thu October 26 @ 12:05 PM
Goucher College - Thu October 26 @ 12:55 PM
Upcoming Scholarships
October 31 - Voice of Democracy Scholarship - 1-$35,000 top prize, other awards ranging from $1,000-$21,000; grades 9-12; although U.S. citizenship is not required, must be lawful U.S. permanent resident or have applied for permanent residency (the application for which has not been denied) and intend to become a U.S. cit. at the earliest opportunity allowed by law; write & record a 3-5 min. essay on the theme: What Are the Greatest Attributes of Our Democracy?
November 01 - NC State Park Scholarships Program - four-year scholarship to NC State University; the mission of the Park Scholarships program is to bring exceptional students to NC State, based on outstanding accomplishments and potential in scholarship, leadership, service, and character; see link for more information.
November 01 - Young Writers Awards - $1,000, $500, and $250 awards for each category; winners and finalists could also be eligible for up to $60K in undergrad scholarships at Bennington College; 9-12 grade; enter an original work in one of three categories: poetry, fiction, and nonfiction; see link for full rules and guidelines.
November 08 - Regeneron Science Talent Search - win up to $250,000; senior; students will be given the challenge of conducting independent science, math, or engineering research; to be considered, you must submit a maximum 20 - page research report explaining your experiments and conclusions; research must be the work of a single individual, group and team projects are not eligible; see link for full details and guidelines.
November 13 - Elks Most Valuable Student Award - 500 awards ranging from $1,000-$30,000 per year for four years; senior; U.S. Citizen; judged on scholarship, leadership, and financial need; top 20 national finalists traditionally win a leadership trip to interview for up to $30,000.
November 13 - Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards - awards of up to $1,000 to use for college education or to fund a community service effort; senior; be of Hispanic heritage (includes Spain, Brazil, Philippines); min 3.0 GPA (unweighted); essay questions; letter of recommendation; transcript; if selected, attendance to virtual regional awards ceremony is mandatory.
November 16 - Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship - over 100 awards of up to $55,000/year to attend a four-year school; senior; min. 3.5 GPA (un-weighted); judged on persistence, service to others, and leadership; essays, letters of recommendation; financial need (will consider applicants with family income up to $95,000); students can apply via Common App.
December 15* - BURGER KING Scholars Program* - multiple awards ranging from $1,000-$50,000; senior; min 2.0 GPA (unweighted); must enroll at a two- or four-year school full-time next Fall; recipients are selected based on their grade point average, work experience, extracurricular activities and/or community service.
*Apply early as scholarship closes on December 15 or when 50,000 applications are submitted, whichever occurs first!
Click here to see the SVHS Scholarships Page for more opportunities.
Other Info & Opportunities
MC Financial Aid Night (Online Webinar)
Tuesday, October 24, 2023, 5:30–7:30 p.m. Online
This webinar will introduce the concepts of financial aid and scholarships to students and families. We will identify key deadlines and highlight Maryland state grants and MC scholarships. The session will also provide a general overview of the many options to pay for college. A live question and answer period will follow the presentation.
Click here for the flyer | Click here to register
Montgomery College Harvest Fest
Saturday October 28 | 10 a.m.– 2 p.m. | Rockville Campus
Fun for residents of all ages:
Activities for Kids (face painting, games, and prizes) | Art Show | Dancing | Coding Demonstration | DJ | Ice Cream | Raffle
Learn more about MC's classes and offerings - The whole family is welcome at this free event.
Click here for the flyer with more information
The First Job Experience with Old Navy
Saturday October 28 | 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. | FBR Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington (THEARC Campus), 1901 Mississippi Ave SE, Washington, DC 20020
The First Job Experience, a one-of-a-kind event designed to help teens connect with professionals and develop their workforce skills. At The First Job Experience, teens will have the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals in various fields, participate in engaging discussions about career paths, and connect with like-minded peers.
Click here to register | Click here for the flyer with more information
For more information, contact Ashley Miller by email at amiller@bgcgw.org or by phone (301) 353-9600.
Mount Calvary Baptist Church - 13th Annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) College Fair
Free and open to the public! Come check out our Workshops and Seminars (see link below for a list).
Saturday, November 4, 2023 | 9:30 AM until 1:00 PM EST
Mount Calvary Baptist Church at 608 N. Horners Lane, Rockville, MD 20850
Click here for more information and to register | Flyer
Library Media News: #spookyszn 🎃
We 🎃#spookyszn!
Last week, we kicked off #spookyszn with our first book club discussion of the year. Turnout fabulously necessitated splitting the club into two groups for discussion. The general consensus was that House of Hollows by Krystal Sutherland was creepy, but good.
This week and next, we are running a spooky story writing contest. Students and staff are encouraged to write a two-sentence (max) horror story for the chance to win one of three small Squishmellows. Entries will be posted in the LMC on Friday and shared with SV staff, who we will ask to help judge the contest.
Finally, come check out our spooktacular reading promotion, which features a wide range of books perfect for those looking for a good scare this Halloween. In addition, a display celebrating Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Month features many thought-provoking, speculative reads.
Book Club Updates 🌻
The next book discussion will take place during lunch on Monday, November 20th. In recognition of Native American Heritage Month and in collaboration with Maryland Humanities One Maryland One Book, we are reading There There by Tommy Orange. Students interested in participating in this program should stop by the LMC or email Ms. Nicole Little for more information.
Student Athletes, Families, and Screaming Eagle Fans!
Please see our weekly update from the athletic department.
SV Boosters
SAVE THE DATES:
This Week- Concessions and spirit wear will be for sale.
MONDAY -Soccer Championships (5:30) and (7:30)
TUESDAY -Soccer Playoffs (5:30) and (7:30)
SAVE YOUR SPACE AND GET READY TO MAKE SOME DEALS
November 4th- SVHS Boosters Community Yard Sale.
JOIN THE BOOSTERS:
2023-2024 Booster Membership is now open to join!
Please use this QR code or link to sign up and send your $15 membership fee
https://square.link/u/7qiWt8kq
Membership gives you voting rights for decisions in Boosters, changes, and how to disperse money to clubs and athletics. You will also receive a Seneca Valley bumper sticker.
VOLUNTEER WITH THE BOOSTERS:
Use link below or contact Rob Duda- boosterssenecavalley@gmail.com or robduda@verizon.net
Sign up genius is LIVE for our fall season:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e4fadaf2ca1fc1-svhs#/
Please know that Boosters needs a ton of volunteerism and in turn, this allows our clubs and teams to achieve requested grants.
Visit us on social media!
IG: #seneca_boosters and #stormtheeagle
Facebook: Seneca Valley HS Boosters
Twitter: @svhsbooster
Welcome to Safe Schools Maryland
An ANONYMOUS and FREE reporting system available to students, teachers, school staff members, parents, and the general public to report any school or student safety concerns, including mental health concerns.
Safe Schools Maryland is Maryland’s only official anonymous reporting system.
Safe Schools Maryland operates twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year.
Your anonymous report can be submitted by calling the tip line (1-833-MD-B-SAFE / 1-833-632-7233), completing an online form (below), or downloading the free Safe Schools Maryland app from the App Store or Google Play.