Shady Grove Matters

Dear Shady Grove Families,

The first marking period is nearly finished (grades close on Friday, October 31st). As we get closer to the end of the first quarter, please encourage your students to make this final push to finish strong. If students need additional support or assistance with a particular course, encourage them to speak with their teachers to get that extra help. If students need to make up missing assignments, encourage them to turn them in early rather than waiting until the final moment. Have your students stop by if they need assistance from their School Counselor or Grade-Level Administrator! We are here to help!

School Counselors

Ms. Alexandra Ortiz (Grade 7, last name beginning with A-I, EML students): Alexandra_E_Ortiz@mcpsmd.org

Ms. Kiana Thompson (Grade 8, Grade 7, last name beginning with J-Z): Kiana_K_Thompson@mcpsmd.org

Ms. Jorinna Tran (Grade 6): Jorinna_Z_Tran@mcpsmd.org

Grade-Level Administrators

Ms. Aba Anyomi (Grade 6, Grade 7, last name beginning with A-I): Aba_Anyomi@mcpsmd.org

Dr. Tim Bangerd (Grade 8, Grade 7, last name beginning with J-Z): Timothy_R_Bangerd@mcpsmd.org

Thank you very much for your continued support!

~Dr. Bangerd

October - November 2025

October Upcoming Events:

Hispanic Heritage Month (2nd Half)

Filipino American Heritage Month

National Principal Appreciation Month

Monday, October 20th - No School for Students or Teachers

Monday, October 20th - Friday, October 24th - National School Bus Safety Week

Tuesday, October 21st - Friday, October 24th - Book Fair

November Upcoming Events:

Native American/Alaska Native Month

Mental Health Awareness Week (11/3-11/8)

National School Psychologist Week (11/3-11/7)

Monday, November 3rd - No School for Students (Grading & Planning Day for Teachers)

Monday, November 24th - Early Release Day for Students

Tuesday, November 25th - Early Release Day for Students

Wednesday, November 26th - Schools and Offices Closed

Thursday, November 27th - Schools and Offices Closed

Friday, November 28th - Schools and Offices Closed

Parent Letter - Register for the Fall 2025 Game Changer Conference!

Mount Calvary Baptist Church’s 15th Annual Historically Black College and Universities College Fair on Saturday, November 1st, 2025 starting at 10:00 a.m. There are seminars especially for middle school students. This is a non-MCPS community event.

For Additional Information & Registration

Deara Students and Families:

Students will now sign up for after-school clubs using a Google Form. You will be able to sign up one week in advance, and all results will be posted on the cafeteria board.

Where to Find the Forms: All Google Forms will be linked in this Google Doc. You can find this Doc through either your Homeroom Canvas page or the After School Activities Canvas page. Students – if you haven’t already, please self-enroll in the After School Activities Canvas course using this link: https://mcpsmd.instructure.com/enroll/JF8X8P

Form Lock Times (subject to change):

Wednesday (end of day) – Tuesday's form will lock
Thursday (end of day) – Wednesday's form will lock
Friday (after Homeroom) – Thursday's form will lock

Important: If you do not sign up before the form locks, you will not be able to stay for clubs.

Transportation Info:

Bus Riders: There will be 2 activity buses on regular days and 3 buses on dance/game days. Please know your bus stop to find the right bus. View routes here: Activity Bus Routes for 2 Bus Day & 3 Bus Day

Car Riders: Parents/guardians must arrive for pick-up by 4:10 PM.

Walkers: You will be dismissed from the front entrance and will walk towards the back.

More info is available on the After School Activities Canvas page.

Here are a list of clubs we offer (please note: some clubs will begin later in the year):

Attention 7th & 8th Graders:

National Junior Honor Society applications were emailed out to eligible candidates on Monday, October 13th. To be eligible to apply to NJHS you needed to have a minimum GPA of 3.5 or higher last year. 7th graders needed a minimum of 20 SSL hours and 8th graders needed a minimum of 40 SSL hours. The teacher recommendation request is due October 24th and the application is due November 11th. Please see Ms. Kozma with questions.

Shady Grove MS Families,

As the cold weather is approaching, I would like to remind families that Physical Education classes will be outside over the next several weeks. Could you please remind students to bring in a sweatshirt/hoodie and sweatpants to keep in their lockers? We want to ensure that everyone is warm and comfortable as the weather changes.

Thank you,

Chanda Stephens

Health/PE/Electives Content Specialist

The Holiday Giving Project has provided Thanksgiving and December holiday assistance to low-income households for over 30 years. Local non-profits, faith-based organizations, and public agencies serve Holiday Giving recipients, as donations are available. If you and your family are in need and would like to be referred for possible assistance for the holiday season, please complete this referral form to provide the required information. Hard copies can be picked up in the counseling office as well. Please note the deadline to submit for both Thanksgiving and December holiday assistance is October 25th.

Holiday Giving Project Consent Form_English

Holiday Giving Project Consent Form_Spanish

Calling all students looking for fall SSL in person and virtual opportunities. See link enclosed for a list of SSL opportunities during the month of October.

Attention 8th graders! In addition to the various academic programs in the local schools, Grade 8 students who live in Montgomery County may be eligible to apply to MCPS High School Regional/Countywide Application Programs (criteria-based/selective and interest based/lottery). For more information, visit the MCPS regional/countywide high school application programs website . Application deadline is November 7, 2025.

Montgomery County Public Schools is taking an active role in the prevention of child abuse and neglect through early prevention and intervention education.

During the week of October 21st, our school counselors and Health Education teachers will be presenting lessons on the topic of child abuse and neglect. The lessons are known as Personal Body Safety Lessons and their purpose is to help students to:

Develop knowledge, decision making skills, and behaviors which promote safe living in the home, school, and community;
Learn skills for self-protection and identifying child abuse and neglect;
Learn skills for asking for help for self and others and practice reporting to a trusted adult; and
Engage in positive and appropriate interactions with peers and adults.

If you have any questions or concerns about the topics that will be covered, please contact your child’s grade level administrator, your child’s Health Education teacher, or your child’s school counselor.

Attention 8th Grade Families!

We will be going to Top Golf on November 14, 2025. We will leave school around 10:00 am and return at 1:00 pm. The cost of the field trip is $25.00. This includes two hours of golf time, lunch, and your bus ride. Permission slips for Top Golf were passed out on Friday, October 3, 2025. Please make sure that permission slip and payment is completed by October 24, 2025. Payment can be made at schoolcashonline.com, cash, or check to SGMS. If you have any questions, please email Courtney_E_Jones@mcpsmd.org.

Permission Slips: English or Spanish

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) offers enriched and accelerated programming in local middle schools and regional middle school magnet programs (Grades 6–8).

The Middle School Magnet Consortium (MSMC) is composed of three magnet themed middle schools. The MSMC is interest based, Grade 5 and 6 students are eligible to apply beginning this fall on the MSMC website, and placement is by a lottery. The MSMC schools include Argyle, A. Mario Loiederman, and Parkland middle schools.

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Carla D. Malozowski, instructional specialist, Department of Consortia and Application Program Services, email.

The PTSA is selling snacks and drinks during the lunch periods on Fridays. Please sign up for a slot or a few slots if you are available to help. Snacks are sold in the concession stand outside the lunch room during 6th, 7th and 8th grade lunches. Items are priced $.50 to $1.50. Any volunteers welcome!

Sign up Here

Hello!

Steel City Codes, a nonprofit organization dedicated towards STEM education, is offering cost-free after-school classes for students in 6th - 8th grade in the DC metropolitan area through which high school volunteers will be teaching computer science to students.

As of now, the classes will be held online via Zoom, and will start next month. Specific dates will be announced in the following weeks.

Students will learn throughout the year using our specially-designed curriculum and will complete a fun final project at the end of the unit! Different levels are offered for a variety of ages, for grades 6 through 8. Classes include Intro to Python, Intermediate Python, Intro to Java, and Intermediate Java. We will host Web Development if there is enough interest.

If you're interested in registering your child, please fill out this registration form:
https://forms.gle/wxvtdktjvPakJGD86

We will send out more information to those interested in the coming weeks.

For more information, feel free to check out our website at https://www.steelcitycodes.org/chapters. If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at washingtondc@steelcitycodes.org.

"These materials are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Board of Education of Montgomery County, the superintendent, or this school."

Steel City Codes Fall Flyer