A Message from the PTSA

A huge thank you to all parents, guardians, staff and students who came to our first PTSA meeting this past Tuesday. It was wonderful seeing such a great turn out and all of your smiling faces. Thank you for the questions, feedback and concerns which provided some great discussions. This type of communication helps us improve as a community. We hope to see many more of you at our next meeting in October.  

If you have not done so yet, please join our Facebook - Seneca Valley High School PTSA | Facebook

Need to join the PTSA click here - Join Now

Save the dates! 

Tuesday, October 17, 2023 - PTSA meeting at 6:30 in the Media Center.

Monday, November 6, 2023 - Restaurant Night at Chipotle 5pm-9pm.

Have questions, comments, feedback for the PTSA? Email us at svhsptsapres@gmail.com 

Have a great week 💚💛

SVHS PTSA 

Homecoming Dance Tickets on Sale Soon

Homecoming Dance tickets will be going on sale Tuesday, September 26th through School Cash Online. Parents can register for a school cash online account using their Parent Vue log in information.  The Homecoming Dance is on Saturday, October 14.  

Speak Up, Save a Life - Video Contest

What is Speak up, Save a Life?

The Opioid Epidemic is devastating families and communities nationwide. According to Maryland Department of Health, the number of drug and alcohol-related intoxication deaths occurring in Maryland increased in 2020, reaching an all time high of 2, 799 deaths, an 8% increase over the number of deaths (2, 379) in 2019. Eighty-nine percent of all intoxication deaths that occurred in Maryland in 2020 were opioid-related. To tackle this epidemic and reduce the number of overdose deaths, the State's Attorney's Office for Montgomery County has initiated Speak up, Save a Life, an Opioid Overdose Education and Prevention Program. Our mission is to educate students, families, and the community about the opioid epidemic and provide knowledge of Maryland's Good Samaritan Law. 

The Video Contest challenges teenagers to create an original video to promote awareness of the dangers of opioid abuse, overdose and fentanyl among teens. The contest is open to all 6th - 12th grade students living in Montgomery County. Top prize is $1,000

Learn More 

Notes From the SVHS College and Career Center

SVHS Required Senior Post-Secondary Interest Form

If you have yet to do so, please fill out the SVHS Required Senior Post-Secondary Interest Form.

All SVHS Seniors are required to complete this form to indicate their post-high school plans.  This is an important part of the SV college application process in order to help ensure all high school documents are submitted in a timely fashion.  This information will also help us support you as you plan for life after high school.

Applying to College

Any Seniors interested in applying to college should start familiarizing themselves with the SVHS College Application Packet document.  This document is a step-by-step guide to applying to colleges.  It has information and instructions on how to apply to college, including Montgomery College.  If you plan on applying to any four-year schools, you should start working on this process ASAP!  Feel free to reach out to your counselor or Mr. Nalda if you have any questions.

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! 

College Representative Visits in the College & Career Center

Juniors & Seniors are encouraged to participate in visits to learn more about colleges and universities.  Students interested in participating in 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:

• Landmark College* - Tue September 26 @ 8:45 AM

  • *Landmark College is a community designed exclusively for students who learn differently, including students with a learning disability (such as dyslexia), ADHD, autism, or executive function challenges.

• Boston University - Tue September 26 @ 9:40 AM

• Notre Dame of Maryland University - Tue September 26 @ 12:05 PM

• Wilkes University - Wed September 27 @ 8:40 AM

• Dalhousie University (Nova Scotia, Canada) - Wed September 27 @ 9:30 AM

• Lafayette College - Wed September 27 @ 12:15 PM

• Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania - Thu September 28 @ 8:45 AM

• Bridgewater College - Thu September 28 @ 10:30 AM

• Allegany College of Maryland - Thu September 28 @ 12:05 PM

• University of Rhode Island - Fri September 29 @ 9:40 AM  

Upcoming Scholarships 

• September 26 - QuestBridge National College Match - recipients are granted early admission to one of QuestBridge's college partners with a full four-year scholarship, worth over $200,000; any high school senior, regardless of citizenship, currently attending high school in the U.S. is eligible for the National College Match (should review the Additional Citizenship Requirements); have earned primarily A's in the most challenging courses available (usually including Honors, AP, and/or IB level courses); financial need as finalists typically come from households earning less than $65,000 annually for a typical household of four and have minimal assets.

• September 30 - Don't Text and Drive Scholarship - $1,000 award; 9-12 grade; U.S. Citizen; submit a 140-character personal statement that completes this sentence: "I pledge to not text and drive because...."

• October 01 - Golden Door Scholarship - funding for a four-year degree at Golden Door partner schools and access to mentors, fellowship, and career support; must have DACA, TPS or be undocumented (if you are a current US citizen or permanent resident, you are not eligible to apply); high financial need; transcript; leadership and extracurricular activities; essay - you can use one written from one of your college applications or use one of the prompts from The Common Application.

• October 02 - Coca-Cola Scholars Program* - (*deadline is 5pm on 10/02) 150-$20,000 awards; senior; U.S. Citizen, legal resident, refugee (see link for full eligibility list); min 3.0 GPA; achievement based scholarship; planning to pursue a college degree after high school; involved in school and community activities; transcript.

• October 08 - AES Scholarship - $500 award; senior; no gpa requirement; open to all students planning to attend a post secondary (after high school) educational facility (college or trade school); you are not required to be taking Engineering courses to be eligible; submit a 500-1000 word essay answering the following: "When you look back on your life in 30 years, what would it take for you to consider your life successful? What relationships or accomplishments will be important on this journey?" 

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

Other Info & Opportunities

MoCo EmpowHER College Prep Panel

Are you interested in learning more about the college application process? Join MoCo EmpowHER on Zoom for the 2023 College Prep Panel meeting! The meeting will feature a panel of MoCo EmpowHER alumni who have been through the college application process and are currently attending college. There will be a 2nd panel going over the basics of college applications by a college admissions expert!

NOTE: This event is open to ALL MCPS students.

Event Date: September 26th  |  Event Time: 6:00-7:30 pm  |  Event Location: On Zoom

Click here for more information  |  Click here to RSVP 

Mentor Opportunity for High School Ladies (Stipend Available)

The STYLES girls mentoring program is looking to partner with local high school young ladies to be mentors to girls in middle school. They would meet with the middle school girls at their local school one day a week from 3:30pm-5:30pm. There are four local middle schools that are participating in this after school mentoring program. The schools are Roberto Clemente, Neelsville, Forest Oak, and Montgomery Village Middle School. The program runs from October 2, 2023- December 21, 2023. Each mentor will be given a stipend. 

STYLES has been operating in Montgomery County Public Schools and Community Centers for the past 10 years. 

Interested or have questions?  Please reach out to serenityinsis@gmail.com

University of Rochester’s Multicultural Visitation Program (MVP)

Are you interested in a free trip to Rochester to learn more about our welcoming community?

University of Rochester’s Multicultural Visitation Program (MVP) offers a funded campus visit for prospective students from a wide range of backgrounds and allows them to experience Rochester on a more personal level. We invite current high school seniors attending school in the United States who otherwise financially might not be able to visit campus to apply for MVP.

As a participant in MVP, you will receive free transportation to and from campus, a one-night stay in a residence hall with a current student, and specialized programming on top of our Research Rochester Open House events. MVP will take place Thursday, November 9– Friday, November 10. 

Learn more about the program and application details at admissions.rochester.edu/visit/multicultural-visitation-program.

Space is limited, so apply by the deadline on Friday, October 6. The application requires two brief essay responses, a permission slip, and your unofficial transcript, so we recommend reviewing the application in advance.

If you have any questions, please contact mvp@rochester.edu or (585) 275-3221. 

National Hispanic College Fair

We are excited to announce the Hispanic College Fair will take place at Bohrer Park on Friday, October 13, 2023! Admission representatives will be there to answer your questions about Admission Requirements, College Essays, Financial Aid, Scholarships and more. This college fair opportunity is open to students in 9th, 11th, and 12th grade. Students of all races and ethnicities are welcome to attend this fair. This will be a field trip during the school day.

Field Trip Details:

• Date:   Friday, October 13, 2023

• Location:  Bohrer Park, 506 S Frederick Ave, Gaithersburg, MD 20877

• Time:  Students will depart SVHS at 11:00am and return to school at 12:30pm

• Cost:  FREE (MCPS bus transportation provided)

In order to participate in this field trip, students need to return a Signed permission slip to Mr. Nalda in the College/Career Center, Room 2408. Click here or students can obtain a paper copy from the Career Center.

Signed permission slip is due to Mr. Nalda (Room 2408) by Thursday, September 28. 

Click here for more information

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¡Nos complace anunciar que la Feria Universitaria Hispana se llevará a cabo en Bohrer Park el viernes 13 de octubre de 2023! Los representantes de admisión estarán allí para responder sus preguntas sobre los requisitos de admisión, ensayos universitarios, ayuda financiera, becas y más. Esta oportunidad de feria universitaria está abierta a estudiantes del grado 9, 11 y 12. Estudiantes de todas las razas y etnias son bienvenidas a asistir a esta feria. Esta será una excursión durante el día escolar.

Detalles de la excursión:

• Fecha:  Viernes, 13 de octubre de 2023

• Lugar:  Bohrer Park, 506 S Frederick Ave, Gaithersburg, MD 20877

• Horario:  Estudiantes saldrán de SVHS a las 11:00 a. m. y regresarán a la escuela a las 12:30 pm

• Costo:  Gratis (se proporciona transporte en autobús de MCPS)

Para asistir a este feria, estudiantes tienen que entregar una hoja de permiso firmado al Sr. Nalda en el College/Career Center, Room 2408. Haga clic aquí o los estudiantes pueden obtener una copia de la hoja de permiso en el Career Center.

Estudiantes deben entregar la hoja de permiso antes de que finalice el día jueves 28 de septiembre. 

Haga clic aquí para más información

Need Money for College or Trade/Career School? - Financial Aid FAFSA & MSFAA Workshop

NEED MONEY FOR COLLEGE OR CAREER/TRADE SCHOOL?

Join us for a workshop to learn how to apply for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Maryland State Financial Aid Application (MSFAA for Undocumented Students).  There will be one session offered in English and one session offered in Spanish.  

Wednesday, October 11 |  6pm - 8pm  |  Seneca Valley High School

Click here for the flyer  |  Click here to register

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¿NECESITAS DINERO PARA LA UNIVERSIDAD O INSTITUTOS DE CARRERAS?

Les invitamos a un taller sobre la aplicación federal (FAFSA) y sobre la aplicación que brinda oportunidad de becas para estudiantes indocumentados (MSFAA).  Habrá una sesión en inglés y una sesión en español.

Miércoles, 11 de octubre  |  6pm - 8pm  |  Seneca Valley High School

haga clic aquí para ver el folleto  |  haga clic aquí para registrarse

SVHS College & Career Monthly Newsletter

• September, 2023-24

Blueprint for Maryland’s Future—Montgomery County Career Advising Program

Parent Notification of College and Career Readiness Expectations under the

Blueprint for Maryland’s Future related to Career Advising

Dear Student and Parent/Guardian: 

The Maryland General Assembly passed the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future (Blueprint) legislation in 2021. The legislation is designed to transform public education in the state into a world-class education system by increasing educational funding, enriching student experiences and accelerating student outcomes, as well as improving the quality of education for all children in Maryland. One component of this legislation relates to providing individualized career advising services to middle and high school students. With this in mind, I am excited to share that Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) will collaborate with WorkSource Montgomery (WSM) and Montgomery College (MC) to develop and implement an exciting new Montgomery County Career Advising Program (MoCoCAP) beginning this school year. 

MoCoCAP will assist us in transforming the way we support career success for our students. The vision for MoCoCAP is to provide career advising services that will enable students to vividly describe their own strengths, interests, and workplace values; identify how they are expanding their skills and knowledge; describe the various opportunities ahead of them; and describe their goals for their future as they develop life long career management skills. During the 2023-2024 school year MoCoCAP will support Grade 6 and Grade 9 students, and expand the roll out of MoCoCAP to all secondary students by the 2025-2026 school year.

Full implementation of this innovative and transformative work will take time to plan, deploy, study, and perfect. Input and feedback on this work will be critical in the coming months and years. To learn more about MoCoCAP and our partners in this work, visit the MoCoCAP website. 

If you have questions about this new initiative, please use the link above.  This will support the development of an FAQ that will be posted to the MoCoCAP website to ensure all stakeholders are informed about this work as we continue to plan and implement.

Sincerely,

Dr. Marc J. Cohen

November 4th- SVHS Boosters Community Yard Sale.  

News from the Business & Finance Offices 

Business Office: Monique Riddick, Business Administrator, 240-740-6413

Finance Office:  Tara Owens, Financial Specialist, 240-740-6414

Important Dates to Remember:

• Senior Portraits - January 8-9, 2024

• Senior Panoramic Portrait - October 15, 2023

• Picture Make-up Day - October 11

• Last Day Seniors may pay with check - May 1, 2024

Finance Office Hours: Monday through Friday 7:15 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

• The window is closed daily from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

• Students may visit the finance office before school, during lunch, and after school. 

Payments may be made using School Cash Online or in cash, check, and money order at the finance window.   All checks should be made payable to Seneca Valley High School or SVHS.  Please include the student’s name and ID number on all checks.  Returned check fees are $25.00 per check and are obligated toward the student’s account until paid. This includes checks collected as part of fundraisers. 

Obligations: All outstanding obligations must be paid in order for students to participate in extracurricular activities such as athletics, clubs, Homecoming and Prom.  Seniors with outstanding obligations will not be permitted to participate in senior activities including the graduation commencement ceremony.  Outstanding obligations may be viewed and paid at https://mcpsmd.schoolcashonline.com/.

Parking Permits: The Student Parking Application Form must be completed and submitted to the Business Office for approval. The Seneca Valley High School student parking information and regulations can be found here.