SVHS Green and Gold

Click here for a summary of the back to school newsletter.

On behalf of the Seneca Valley High School (SVHS) staff, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2021-2022 school year. I hope that you are healthy, rested, and ready for the new school year. We are excited to finally have the opportunity to open our doors to all of our students and staff in a way that honors our school's rich history, and that also integrates many of the traditions of our broader community. At Seneca Valley, your voice matters. We look forward to hearing from each of you as we build our new school culture together.

While this year will certainly be different from any we have experienced in the past, what has not changed is our dedication to providing our students a world-class instructional program that supports their individual growth and development, appropriately challenges their ability to think critically, and allows them to compete in the workforce. I share your belief that each of our students has within them the capacity for greatness, and I am committed to working collaboratively with you to ensure that all of our Screaming Eagles leave high school college-and-career ready.

A Note on Face Coverings: As we return to campus, all MCPS students and staff will be required to wear face coverings in school buildings this fall, regardless of vaccination status. This decision aligns with recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics, as well as local health officials. MCPS must ensure the safety of all students and staff as it prepares for a return to in-person instruction five days a week. Masking requirements will be reviewed regularly and is subject to change as the district reviews guidance from federal, state and local health officials. Face coverings are not required outdoors but are strongly recommended for unvaccinated individuals.

Dr. Marc J. Cohen, Principal

The partnership between our school and our parent community is critical. I urge you to support these worthy organizations which do so much to support our school and help us provide the best education possible to our students. You will find your involvement with one of our parent groups will help increase your student’s sense of belonging and pride in Seneca Valley High School.

Boosters

PTSA

African American Parent Council

We want to hear from you! As we prepare to welcome students back to in-person learning, we know there are mixed emotions of excitement and uncertainty. We want to meet your needs! Please complete this brief, two-question Student Survey by Friday, August 20, 2021. This information will be shared with your teachers when they return to school the following week.

Student Emergency Information should be updated through ParentVUE. Each year parents/guardians are required to complete the Annual Verification of Information through the Online Registration portal (in the right corner of your ParentVUE home screen). We highly recommend that you complete this as soon as possible. It is critically important that we have accurate parent contact information on file with the school and system as soon as possible.

Here are links to the ParentVUE Support Guide and directions for completing the annual verification of information.

As our school continues to grow, so does our staff. Please join me in welcoming new staff to Seneca Valley High School. Each individual brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his/her position and a commitment to our students and school community. We still have a couple of positions remaining to fill, but we anticipate being fully staffed by the first day of school.

Click here to see the most recent list of new hires at SVHS for the 2021-2022 school year.

Click here to learn about each member of our administrative team. Please make note of your specific administrator. You can reach out to your administrator in regards to any items and/or concerns.

Click here to find out who your child's counselor is and how to reach them. To learn about the rest of our counseling services team, please visit our counseling services website.

Click here to view the bell schedules we will be following during the 2021-2022 School Year. Please note that these schedules are currently in draft form and are subject to change either prior to the school year or as the need arises. Should a change be required, the community will be notified in advance of the change.

9th and 10th Grade Orientation (Students only) will be held on Thursday, August 26, 2021 from 7:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. School bus schedules for orientation will follow a normal morning pick-up schedule and return students home on a three-hour early dismissal schedule. There is no flexibility on the dismissal time as school buses serve multiple schools. If your child is a walker, then he/she should walk to and from school or you may drop off/pick up students at the car-rider loop in front of the school building.

This program will give students:

• An opportunity to meet school staff and classmates

• A chance to become familiar with the school building (finding classrooms and offices)

• An overview of the academic program

Students will begin arriving at approximately 7:20 a.m. and should report directly to the auditorium by 7:45 a.m. There will be staff members stationed at various points throughout the building to help students find their way.

Follow this link for information related to the following topics:

• Senior Portraits
• Senior Panoramic Picture
• Underclassmen Picture Days
• Business/Finance Office Hours
• Financial Obligations

Seneca Valley is excited to offer our students variety of opportunities to engage in extracurricular activities: from athletics to arts to STEM, there is something for all interest and skill levels. Check out our extracurriculars list and make a plan to contract the sponsor(s) of the activities that pique your interest.

Click here to be taken to our current list of activities. And remember, if you don't see something that interests you, you can always start a club yourself. For more information about how to do so, please contact Ms. Monique Riddick in our Business and Finance Office.

During the school year the webmasters at Seneca Valley High School post candid and posed photos on the school website of students participating in activities such as sports, clubs, assemblies, field trips, class projects, homecoming, prom, and other school events.

Unless you this form to the school we will assume that you give consent for the nonprofit use of your student’s likeness to be used on the school website with or without the use of the student’s name. No other permission will be forthcoming.

YOU ONLY NEED TO COMPLETE THIS FORM IF YOU DENY CONSENT!

Denial of Consent and Release Form

PARKING PERMITS

Permits for assigned parking spots will be issued, by semester, to Seniors Only with valid driver’s licenses on a first-come, first-served basis, with preference given to students who have out-of-the-building internships already built into their schedules. Permit applications must have all required documents and be hand-delivered to Ms. Riddick in the business office so she can verify eligibility for parking. No permit applications will be accepted before August 18, 2021. Second semester applications will be accepted beginning January 14, 2022.

For more information about student parking, including how to apply for a parking permit, please click here.

Back to School Night (Parents and Students) will be a live event on Thursday, September 9, 2021. After a community event and activities fair, parents will be invited to attend will follow their student’s schedule and meet all of their student’s first semester teachers. More information will follow.

Dear SVHS community,

Despite the challenges, we had a fantastic 2020-2021 school-year with our International Baccalaureate Programs at Seneca Valley High School. We began implementation of our new IB Middle Years Program (MYP), an important step towards becoming a wall-to-wall IB school from 9th through 12th grade. In partnership with our amazing new career programs, we completed the verification process for the IB Career-related Program and our first class completed their junior year. Lastly, we continued our tradition of IB excellence with over 81 11th & 12th grade students taking 218 exams, including 76% students of the IB Diploma candidates successfully earning their diplomas. We are extremely proud of the hard work and accomplishments of our students with the support of staff, administrators, counselors, parents, and guardians.

Click here to read more from the SVHS IB Team.

Seneca Valley - College & Career Center

Parents and students can make an appointment with Mr. Nalda in the College & Career Center for help on getting started on a college, career or scholarship search. This is especially important for eleventh graders.

The College & Career Center holds a wealth of information and resources for students as they ponder "life after high school." Students planning to attend a post-secondary school, whether it is 2 year, 4 year, or Technical/Trade, should visit the College & Career Center.

The MCPS Code of Conduct and A Student's Guide to Rights & Responsibilities will be distributed to all students in September. They are also online at http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/students/rights.

All students will receive an official Seneca Valley High School student ID card free of charge in September once they have taken their school photograph. The student ID will be digital this year with hard copies made available upon request. Student IDs are needed to purchase student tickets for athletic events as well as tickets for many other events, including the Homecoming Dance and Prom.

Students are required to be present and on time for every class, every day. When students are absent, they must bring notes from their parents or guardians within three school days in order for the absence to be excused. Notes must include a parent signature and should be taken to the attendance office before school, during lunch, or after school. Three unlawful tardies are equal to one unlawful absence. Students with five or more unlawful absences in a class can lose credit for the class.

For questions, please reach out to our attendance secretary, Ms. Norma Perfetto, at norma_j_perfetto@mcpsmd.org.

Seneca Valley High School has one lunch period for all students, so that teachers can be available for make-up work, tutoring, and student organization meetings. Students are allowed to eat in the cafeteria and in designated hallways throughout the building. The media center and gym are also available for student use during lunch, but food is not allowed in the gym. Students may only eat in classrooms with teacher permission. Please note that NO students will be allowed to leave campus for lunch or be allowed to order food for delivery. Please also note that parents may not deliver lunch to their students either.

If a parent does not wish to have his/her child’s name made available to military recruiters and/or does not wish to have their child’s directory information included in the student directory, they should complete the “Directory Information Withholding” portion of the ParentVUE annual verification of information online registration. You may also complete MCPS form 281-13 - Annual Notice for Directory Information and Student Privacy. The form must be returned to the school by September 10, 2021.

In order to receive accommodations on these tests, a student must request the accommodations by submitting a Student Eligibility Form. The form must be completed by both parents and school officials and then mailed to the College Board at least seven weeks in advance of the student taking the first test.

The criteria established by the College Board for granting testing accommodations differs

significantly from those used by Montgomery County Public Schools. Students who have an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) or a 504 Plan are not guaranteed that the College Board will provide accommodations. The College Board requires current neuropsychological testing (within the past three years) which documents the specific need for each requested accommodation. Please contact your student’s counselor in the Counseling Office (240-740-6420) in order to obtain the forms and to ask questions about this process.

All meals will be provided free of charge during the 2021-2022 school year. MCPS will continue to provide breakfast, lunch and dinner meals to all students in schools and at designated food distribution sites. It is recommended that families still complete the 2021-2022 FARMS application that is now available online. Here is the link: www.MySchoolApps.com. If you need assistance completing the online form, please contact your student’s counselor.

These Official Class T-shirts are only available for a limited time, so please act soon if you want one for your student.

Click Here to Order

The safety and wellness of our students remains a top priority. Below are resources to support the physical, social and psychological well-being of our community. If you believe your child is in crisis, please contact the Montgomery County Crisis Center at 240-777-4000. Students can also reach out to their counselor and school psychologist to set up a confidential appointment.

Waymaking Video Series

• Suicide Awareness
• Managing Stress and Anxiety for Students
• Managing Stress and Anxiety during Social Distancing

Mindful Moments Video Series
Tips on Addressing Student Grief
Tips for Preventing Youth Suicide

Effective home/school communication is important to us at Seneca Valley High School. Our entire staff is available to help you with your questions and concerns. The main school number is 240-740-6400. A more complete list of important contact people and numbers is published on our Staff Directory and is also available through the MCPS Directory. Please do not hesitate to call or make an appointment.

Maintaining open lines of communication between school and home are essential in creating a positive academic and social experience for our students. There are four major methods of communication from my office to homes that each of you will experience in the coming year.

• A weekly call out every Sunday night which will be supplemented with an equivalent email message.

• Regular and frequent updates will be made on the main page of the school website with news, events and important dates.

• The Green and Gold newsletter will be sent to you by email every Sunday through the MCPS Connect System. These will also be posted on Twitter, the SVHS PTSA Facebook page, and on the school website. Included in these messages are important reminders to parents about upcoming deadlines and events; celebrations of recent student and staff accomplishments; and links to important documents.
  
• Twitter will be utilized to communicate messages and share news with our community. Many of our teams, clubs, departments, staff members, and parent organizations have their own Twitter accounts so please contact them to access their specific Twitter handles. However, several to get you started are below:

-- Seneca Valley High School @SenecaValleyHS

-- SVHS 2.0 @TheNewSVHS

-- SVHS Counseling @SVHSCounseling2

-- SVHS Athletics @SVHSathletics

-- SVHS Booster Club @SVHSBoosters

-- SVHS PTSA @PTSA_SVHS

-- SVHS SGA @SVHSSGA

Are you proud to be a part of the SV community? We want to let everyone know how much we love being a part of the Screaming Eagle family. We have a challenge for you. Let's go viral!!!

• Tweet, Snap, IB, FB, etc., a pic of you repping "The Valley" by wearing your Seneca gear.
• And don't forget to use #svproud. Go Eagles!

Email: marc_j_cohen@mcpsmd.org
Website: www.senecavalleyhighschool.com
Location: 19401 Crystal Rock Drive, Germantown, MD, USA
Phone: 301-353-8000
Twitter: @SenecaValleyHS