Things to Know
Thursday, June 26, 2025
Summer Meals Now Available
Children 18 years old or younger may come to summer meals locations Monday through Friday for a healthy and nutritious lunch. The Summer Meals Program is designed to bridge the “nutrition gap” when school is out at no cost to families.
Check out the list of 2025 summer food service meal sites. No appointment is necessary. Meals must be eaten at the location.
Summer meal menus:
Visit the summer programs website for more information.Building a Safer School System
The Board of Education received an update on safety and security during its business meeting on June 24. Keeping students and staff safe is a top priority — and MCPS is seeing progress.
This year, MCPS delivered on several key safety efforts:
- Student ID program has been rolled out in all high schools.
- Backlog of tech safety requests has been cleared.
- Smart sensors have been installed at all high schools.
- Exterior cameras have been added to middle schools.
Data shows that student safety incidents dropped from 1,069 last year to 966 this year, showing overall improvement. The biggest decreases were in fights and trespassing; reports involving weapons also went down.
Watch the presentation to the Board from the June 24 business meeting.Tell Us What You Think!
At the start of the 2027-2028 school year, MCPS will open two new high schools — Charles W. Woodward High School and Crown High School — and the expansion of Damascus High School will be complete. In preparation for these openings, the district is studying school boundaries in large parts of the county to make sure all students benefit.
In the spring, MCPS shared initial boundary options and asked for feedback. We heard from many of you — and your voices are guiding the next steps.
We know that questions or concerns remain about what the changes mean for your student. We encourage you to:
- Join Virtual Office Hours: Held weekly through mid-July on Tuesdays from 8-9 a.m., Thursdays from 6-7 p.m. and Fridays from noon-1 p.m.
- Zoom link: Meeting ID: 812 8216 3918; passcode: MCPS
- Review the Initial Options: Explore the proposed options for the reopening of Charles W. Woodward High School boundary study and the opening of Crown High School and expansion of Damascus High School boundary study, including data tables, maps, articulation patterns and an interactive map tool for each option.
- Use our Interactive Map Tool: Enter your home address to see how boundary options could impact your school assignment. (Quick video guide for Woodward, Crown and Damascus).
- Visit our Website: For full details, timelines and resources: mcpsmd.info/BoundaryStudy.
- Complete the Survey: The surveys for the reopening of Charles W. Woodward High School boundary study and the opening of Crown High School and the expansion of Damascus High School boundary study will remain open through mid-July so you can review the initial options and accompanying resources and provide meaningful feedback.
In September, you’ll have another chance to review and give feedback on the updated plans.
More information on the Boundary Studies
Regeneron Science Talent Search Now Open!
The 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search application is now open to high school seniors to submit original research to the nation’s oldest STEM competition in the hopes of being named a scientific leader of the future – and of winning the top prize of $250,000.
The online application consists of an original research paper, essays, recommendations and transcripts. Visit our website for more information and spread the word with the young scientists in your network. This year’s deadline is 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6.
Earn SSL Hours This Summer!
Summer is a wonderful time for middle and high school students to participate in Student Service Learning (SSL) opportunities and earn hours towards meeting the 75-hour state graduation requirement.
Students who have completed fifth grade can start earning SSL hours. There are some fun in-person opportunities and select remote opportunities that follow the guidelines posted on the MCPS SSL webpage. Bet you didn’t know SSL could look like this.
Join VAC Students, Teachers for Free Gallery Talk on June 27
Be sure to drop by The Teen Experience, an exhibit created by student artists from the MCPS Visual Art Center at Albert Einstein High School, at the Katzen Arts Center at American University Museum on display now through Aug. 10. A free gallery talk featuring the students and their teachers will be held from 2-3 p.m. on Friday, June 27.
Through paintings, installations and immersive environments, this exhibit explores identity, mental health, family and digital life from a teen's perspective. The Teen Experience invites all ages to reflect on what it means to grow up today.
Mark Your Calendars for the Annual Back-to-School Fair
MCPS is hosting its annual Back-to-School Fair on Saturday, Aug. 23 from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. at Westfield Wheaton mall. The event is a wonderful opportunity for families to learn about the school system, and county programs and services. Enjoy children’s activities, music, entertainment and giveaways. There will also be an immunization clinic.
Westfield Wheaton is located at 11160 Veirs Mill Road. Stay tuned to the website for updates throughout the summer.
The Latest from the News Page
Saying Goodbye to 2024–2025: The school year comes to a close. Celebrate our 2025 graduates and have a great summer!
Fifth Grader Saves Child’s Life: Rolling Terrace Elementary School safety patrol Jefferson Reyes sprung into action one day during dismissal when a young child broke away from his parent and ran toward the bus lane as a school bus pulled out.
National History Honors: Five student teams earned national recognition for their projects at this year’s National History Day competition, which welcomed nearly 3,000 students.
Girl Power: Students use media to uplift and empower others through the Montgomery County Commission for Women’s contest. Meet the winners.
We’re continually updating our news page with happenings around the district, so bookmark this site to keep up with the latest.
-
VISIT the MCPS homepage.
-
CALL 240-740-3000. Staff take calls from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, in English and Spanish (240-740-2845)
-
READ news and information sent via email and text message and on the MCPS News page.
-
FOLLOW the MCPS social media pages on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram in English and Spanish.
-
http://twitter.com/mcps
https://www.facebook.com/mcpsmd
https://www.instagram.com/mcps_md -
https://www.facebook.com/mcpsespanol
https://twitter.com/MCPSEspanol
https://www.instagram.com/mcpsenespanol/
-
SIGN UP for emails and text alerts and make sure your ParentVue information is up to date.
-
WATCH the MCPS cable channels Comcast 34 (1071 HD), Verizon 36 or RCN 89
