Bells Mill Celebrates Blue Ribbon Award 

The National Blue Ribbon Award, presented by the U.S. Department of Education, recognizes schools for outstanding academic performance. Bells Mill Elementary School earned the award in the Exemplary High-Performing Schools category, which highlights institutions with strong achievement across all student groups. Woodfield Elementary School also received the honor and will hold its ceremony in January 2025.

BOE Approves FY 2026 Capital Budget

The Montgomery County Board of Education approved the Superintendent’s Recommended Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY 2025–2030 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) during a meeting on Nov. 21.

The CIP lists projects to improve or build new facilities and infrastructure. 

The superintendent’s recommended FY 2026 Capital Budget totals $1.853 billion. While the budget total does not increase, the district is requesting $21.6 million from Montgomery County to address revenue shortfalls. CIP website

Thanksgiving Week Schedule and Attendance

A reminder that schools will release students early on Monday, Nov. 25, and Tuesday, Nov. 26. It is important for students to attend school on these days and complete their work to stay on track before the holiday break.

Schools and offices will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 27, through Friday, Nov. 29 for the Thanksgiving holiday. 

For a full list of important dates and to stay up to date with the school calendar, visit the MCPS School Calendar.

Explore the New Operating Budget Dashboard

MCPS launched a new Budget Dashboard for Fiscal Year 2025 (the current school year), offering a user-friendly and transparent way to explore the $3.3 billion operating budget. 

What You Will See
The tool includes search functions and downloadable Excel files, simplifying budget analysis.

Users can compare all three budget phases:

• The superintendent’s recommended budget in December.

• The Board of Education’s tentatively adopted budget in February.

• The adopted budget in June.

Learn More about the budget:

Watch the Previous Budget Forum

Watch the Spanish Budget Forum on Pregúntale a MCPS Live

Don’t miss tonight's budget forum:  Nov. 21, 6:30–8 p.m., Clarksburg High School, 22500 Wims Road in Clarksburg.

MCPS Fall Sports County Champions

Congratulations to the following high school teams for their outstanding performances in the 2024 Fall Sports County Championships:

• Boys’ Cross Country – Montgomery Blair High School

• Girls’ Cross Country – Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School

• Cheerleading Division I – Winston Churchill High School

• Cheerleading Division II – Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School

• Cheerleading Division III – John F. Kennedy High School

• Field Hockey – Walt Whitman High School

• Golf 3A/4A – Walt Whitman High School

• Golf 2A/1A – Damascus High School

• Pickleball Co-Champions – Damascus High School & Walter Johnson High School

• Boys’ Soccer – Walt Whitman High School

• Girls’ Soccer – Walt Whitman High School

• Volleyball – Richard Montgomery High School

• Girls’ Flag Football – Clarksburg High School

These high school teams showcased exceptional skill, dedication, and sportsmanship throughout the season. To see the pictures of some of the winners visit our website. 

Student Opportunities

On-The-Spot Admissions: Several local and regional colleges and universities are offering on-the-spot admissions to MCPS seniors from 3–6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at Richard Montgomery High School. Attendees will also get FAFSA support and learn about the Montgomery College application process. Richard Montgomery is located at 250 Richard Montgomery Drive in Rockville.

Vision Zero Youth Ambassador Program: The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is seeking up to 35 high school students to join the Vision Zero Youth Ambassador Program for 2024. The program offers students a chance to influence road safety policies and infrastructure, with selected ambassadors required to attend in-person sessions starting in January. For more information or to apply, visit the MCDOT website.

Choose Respect 2025: Middle and high school students are invited to participate in the Choose Respect competition for a chance to win up to $1,000. To enter, students must create a 60-second video with a message raising awareness about emotional abuse, consent, or how to support a friend facing a difficult situation. Participants can earn SSL hours, and the winning videos will be showcased at RespectFest 2025. The deadline to submit videos is Sunday, Feb. 16. To learn more, visit the website. 

KID Museum Programming: The KID Museum is hosting Middle School Maker Night from 5:30-8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6 at its 3 Bethesda Metro Center location. Register here. Scholarships are available on request.