College Fair Set for April 8–9, Also Offers Virtual Options

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) has two options for high school students who want to connect with colleges and universities—an in-person fair and a virtual option.

This year’s Montgomery County NACAC College Fair will be held from 9:45 a.m.-1 p.m. on April 8–9 at the Adventist Healthcare Fieldhouse in Germantown. It is in-person, free and open to students in Grade 11 during the day as a field trip with their school. Students will not be allowed to drive themselves during the day. Students can contact their College/Career Information Coordinator (CCIC) or school counselor for more information regarding the date and time they will be attending the fair. From 6:30-8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8, the fair will be open to students in Grades 9-12 and their families. The evening event will also include a workshop, “The College Application Process: Timeline and Resources,” in English and Spanish. More information

NACAC is also hosting two virtual college fairs this year to connect students with colleges that match their interests, campus size, majors and geographic region. Once registered, students will have the experience of visiting college booths, one-on-one chatting, and reviewing live and pre-recorded sessions. The virtual fair option is open to students in Grades 9-12.

• Register for Sunday, March 23.

• Register for Sunday, April 27.

MCPS Students Showcase Culinary Talent at 2025 Real Food for Kids Challenge

Shady Grove and Takoma Park middle schools participated in the 2025 Real Food for Kids Culinary Challenge. Students had the chance to create vegetarian dishes that could inspire future school lunch menus. Read more to learn about the creative dishes they crafted and how they met the challenge of making meals both delicious and nutritious for their peers.

Students Compete at Montgomery County History Day

More than 350 MCPS students from 35 middle schools and five high schools took part in the Montgomery County History Day competition earlier this month. The top two projects from each individual and group category (documentary, website, paper, performance, exhibit) were recognized and will move on to compete at the state level on Saturday, May 3. See the results.

Summer School Registration Opens April 3

Summer school registration opens on Thursday, April 3. This year, instead of online registration, school counselors will work with students and families to make course recommendations and register students.

Summer School Session Dates:

• Session 1: June 30 – July 18
• Session 2: July 22 – August 8
• Location: Gaithersburg High School
• Virtual options will also be available.

Summer school offers students the opportunity to stay on track academically or get ahead in their studies. For details about fees, other summer programs and credit recovery options, visit the MCPS Summer School website.

Join the MCPS Transportation Team!

MCPS is hosting a job fair for bus drivers from 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. on Monday, March 17. The fair will be held at the Department of Transportation, 16651 Crabbs Branch Way in Rockville.

To become a bus driver, the minimum qualifications are:

• Must be at least 21 years old.
• Clean driving history; no more than one point on driver’s license.
• At least three years of driving experience, with at least one year driving in the U.S.
• Ability to meet all pre-service training and testing requirements.

Interested candidates are invited to create a profile on the MCPS Careers portal.

They can also receive help with this during the event. For more information, call 240-740-6080.

Special Education Parents Asked to Complete Survey

Special education parents: the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) wants to hear from you.

MSDE has mailed the Maryland Special Education Parent Involvement Survey to all parents/guardians of students receiving special education and related services in Montgomery County. The purpose of the survey is to determine how well your child’s school is partnering with you. The information provided will help guide the state’s efforts in improving special education and related services in public schools.

Parents/caregivers have the option of returning the survey in the MSDE pre-paid postage envelope or responding to the survey online.

The survey is anonymous. Parents are asked to complete a separate survey for each child receiving services. Parents are asked to complete the survey by Friday, May 30.

Finalists Selected for Student Member of the Board of Education

From left to right: Anuva Maloo, current SMOB Praneel Suvarna and Peter Boyko

Peter Boyko, a junior at Northwest High School and Anuva Maloo, a junior at Montgomery Blair High School, are the finalists for the 48th Student Member of the Board of Education (SMOB). From a pool of 10 students, Boyko and Maloo were elected by more than 400 voting middle and high school delegates. The election, open to all secondary students, will be held on Wednesday, April 23. Read the news release.

Marking Women’s History Month

In a nod to this month’s commemoration of Women’s History Month, read about how MCPS is honoring and celebrating female students, staff and alumni: 

• MCPS and MoCo EmpowHER Host the First EmpowHERed Leaders Luncheon
• Four Women from MCPS Honored with Women Making History Awards

Reminders

COSA Changes: The Change of School Assignment (COSA) process lets parents/caregivers request that their child attend a school other than their home school, under specific circumstances. Note important changes for this year:

• The 2025–2026 open season for COSA requests ends on Tuesday, April 1.
• Requests submitted after April 1, 2025 will not be considered unless there was a recent move or an emergency event that could not have been foreseen prior to April 1.
• All COSA requests must be submitted online through ParentVue in Synergy.

If you need support on how to use ParentVue or complete an online COSA request, reach out to a staff member at your child’s assigned school. Detailed information can be found in the 2025-2026 COSA Information Booklet, or in your child’s school.

For questions, call the Division of Pupil Personnel and Attendance Services at 240-740-5620 or visit the website.

Math Curriculum Nights: In-person sessions will explore math curricular resources, course programming for Grades K–12 and upcoming changes from the Maryland State Department of Education regarding Integrated Math. Attendees will also participate in learning experiences from the Eureka Math and Illustrative Math curricula. Sessions are:

• Tuesday, March 18, 6:30–8 p.m., Wheaton High School, 12401 Dalewood Drive, Silver Spring.
• Wednesday, March 26, 6:30–8 p.m., Watkins Mill High School, 10301 Apple Ridge Road, Gaithersburg.

Recordings will be available on the mathematics website on Monday, April 7, in English and Spanish.

Budget Forums: Forums on the Fiscal Year 2026 Operating Budget are being hosted by Montgomery County Council Vice President Will Jawando, who will be joined by MCPS Superintendent Dr. Thomas Taylor and Montgomery College President Dr. Jermaine Williams. RSVP.

The events will be held:

• Thursday, March 13, 6:30–8 p.m., Virtual Session via Zoom
  (Link to join: https://mcpstv-org.zoom.us/j/88481640202, Webinar ID#: 884 8164 0202)
• Monday, March 17, 6:30–8 p.m., Springbrook High School, media center, 201 Valley Brook Drive, Silver Spring
• Tuesday, April 1, 6:30–8 p.m., Rockville High School, cafeteria, 2100 Baltimore Road, Rockville

Upcoming KID Museum Programming

KID Museum is offering opportunities this spring for students, including spring after-school classes, school day out and spring break camp. What’s coming up:

Spring After-School Classes: Starting the week of March 17.

• *NEW* 6th–8th Grade: 3 Bethesda Metro Center, Bethesda, Wednesdays, 4:30-6 p.m., Invent the Future Club

Day Camp: Monday, March 31, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m., KID Museum, 3 Bethesda Metro Center, Bethesda. Register

Spring Break Camp: Monday, April 14-Thursday, April 17, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m., KID Museum, 3 Bethesda Metro Center, Bethesda. Register

USG Hosting Open House on March 29

The Universities at Shady Grove (USG) invites prospective students and families to learn more about the USG campus and the variety of degree programs offered by its university partners at the 2025 Undergraduate and Graduate Open House from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 29. The event will be held in Building IV (Biomedical Sciences and Engineering Facility), 9631 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville.

USG, part of the University System of Maryland, offers about 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs from nine state universities on one campus in Montgomery County. Undergraduate programs at USG are designed for transfer students, with partner universities providing third- and fourth-year coursework. Students admitted into the university programs must complete their first two years at Montgomery College (MC) or another accredited institution.

Visitors will be able to tour campus, meet with faculty and program advisors, and learn about the admissions process for each program. Representatives will be available to discuss transfer requirements for their programs, career pathways and financial aid opportunities. MC advisors will be on site to provide guidance on transferring to USG programs.

Email with questions. Learn more and register to attend.

Girl Power Contest Open for Submissions

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Montgomery County Commission for Women is inviting county residents aged 5 and older to participate in the eighth annual Girl Power Contest. Participants are asked to submit a short story, poem or medium of their choice that addresses the question:

The media we consume plays a powerful role in shaping confidence, ambition and self-worth, especially for young girls and women, by providing representation, positive role models and stories that challenge stereotypes. What kind of media (TV shows, social media content, YouTube series, movies, books) would you create to inspire, uplift and empower girls and women in the community?

Entries are due by 5 p.m. on Monday, March 31. Written entries should be no more than 500 words. Entries should include full name, age, grade and school (if applicable), phone number and email. Entries submitted by anyone under the age of 18 must include written permission from a parent or guardian and be the minor’s own work.

Read more and submit an entry. For questions, call 240-777-8300 or visit the website.