News & Notes - September 4, 2026
Some thoughts for the starting school year
Schedule
This Week
Monday, September 7 - No School, Labor Day
Wednesday, September 9 - OneWhitman, 10:00-10:45, Period 3 Classes; Virtual Senior Parent Meeting, 6:00pm
Thursday, September 10 - LASJ Meeting, Lunch, Auditorium
Friday, September 11 - Senior English Classroom Visits - Counseling
Looking Ahead
Tuesday, September 15 - PTSA Meeting 7:00pm; Clubs Night 6:30-8:00pm
Wednesday, September 16 - Walt Wisdom Time, 10:05-10:45am, Homerooms
Friday, September 18 - Early Release Day
Monday, September 21 - No School
Thursday, September 24 - SGA Fall Game Day prior to Whitman vs Churchill Football game
Dear WWHS Students, Parents/Caregivers & Community Members,
Hope this message finds you well. We would first like to thank all of the parents/caregivers who joined us for Back to School Night on Thursday, September 3. This is truly one of our favorite events of the year, as we get to welcome our families into the building, introduce you to our exceptional staff, and provide a glimpse into what our students experience each day. It was wonderful to see our staff and families connecting throughout the evening, and we appreciate our staff for making sure every parent/caregiver received a warm Whitman welcome. For those of you who were unable to attend our welcome session, here are the slides we shared.
As we embark on Week 3, this is typically when the academic rigor begins to pick up across many of our courses. Students will have more assignments to complete outside of the school day while also preparing for upcoming assessments. We encourage parents/caregivers to check in with their students as they adjust to the increased workload and continue developing strong routines for the school year. If you have concerns about your student’s academic progress or overall well-being, please do not hesitate to reach out to their counselor or grade level administrator. We also encourage families to take advantage of the academic and well-being supports available to our students throughout the school year (which can be found on our website and in this newsletter)
Thank you, as always, for your continued partnership and support. We hope everyone enjoys a wonderful three day weekend.
Go Vikes!
Celebrations & Recognition
New Staff to Whitman
We are excited to introduce and welcome new staff members. The Whitman Special Education team is excited to welcome Mr. Julian Smith to the Social Emotional Special Education Services (SESES) Team! Mr. Smith served as Whitman’s social worker for the past four years and is now excited to continue supporting the Whitman community in his new role as a SESES teacher. As a proud Whitman alum, Mr. Smith has a special connection to the school and is looking forward to giving back to the community that helped shape him. He is especially excited to incorporate his mental health background into his resource classes, helping students build social emotional skills and strategies that support their success both in and outside of the classroom. Welcome to the team, Mr. Smith!
The Math Department would like to introduce and welcome Mr. Jack Thomas to the Whitman team. Jack came to us from Seneca Valley HS and will be teaching Honors Algebra 2 and Financial Math. Mr. Thomas will also be helping to manage the math work room.
The World Language Department is thrilled to welcome our new Arabic teacher, Ms. Shoruq Naser. Ms. Naser brings a wealth of knowledge in language teaching and acquisition to our students. She will be teaching Arabic 1 this year and looks forward to growing our Arabic language program.
Safety & Security
Student IDs Reminders
This past week, all students were issued a physical student ID and lanyard. Moving forward, all students are expected to have their ID visible and front-facing at all times during the instructional day.
Students should wear their IDs around their neck using the school issued lanyard or visibly displayed on their backpack. If students choose to keep their ID on your backpack, they are required to take their ID with them whenever they leave class, including when using the restroom, as IDs are required while in the hallways.
If a student misplaces their ID or forgets to bring it to school, a temporary sticker ID will be issued to allow continued participation in daily activities while a replacement is arranged. This process ensures minimal disruption to students’ engagement in school activities while maintaining safety standards. The cost for a replacement ID is $5.
9.9 Virtual Senior Parent Night
Join us virtually on Wednesday, September 9th at 6:00pm for our Senior College Information Night, designed for parents/caregivers of Class of 2027 (seniors). The Whitman counseling team will walk families through key dates and deadlines - including senior portrait information, the college application process (Common App, transcripts, recommendations, test scores), and a brief refresher on how to use Naviance, with time for Q&A at the end.
Senior year can feel like a lot, please know we're here to help make it manageable. We hope to see you there!
Virtual Senior Parent Meeting:
https://mcpsmd.zoom.us/j/84186498311?pwd=bxptiBMupEyGopmUdRuI5bnFFGINmO.1
Passcode: WWHS
Advanced Placement (AP) Testing Information
With the start of the new school year, we are excited to begin the AP exam registration process. Over the next week, students enrolled in AP courses will begin joining their respective College Board AP Classroom using the unique join code provided by their AP teacher. All students enrolled in an AP course are expected to take the corresponding AP exam in May 2027.
For the 2026–2027 school year, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) will cover the full cost of AP exams for students actively enrolled in an AP course, in alignment with the Maryland Blueprint and the MCPS Strategic Plan. Students who are actively enrolled in an AP course and complete their AP exam registration by November 6, 2026, will not be charged an AP exam fee.
2026–2027 AP Exam Schedule – Click Here
A more detailed community letter outlining the AP exam registration process, key dates and deadlines, AP exam fee structure, and other important information will be shared with all students and parents/caregivers later next week. In the meantime, if you have any questions regarding AP exam registration, please contact Mr. George Lavelle at 240-740-4800 or George_W_Lavelle@mcpsmd.org.
9.9 OneWhitman Lesson
We remain committed to creating a social emotional learning (SEL) space for our students. Our monthly OneWhitman periods continue to offer valuable opportunities to discuss real-world topics that affect our students. Our first OneWhitman lesson of the year will give students an opportunity to reflect on the student climate data collected at the end of last school year, explore our new school vision/mission and what they mean moving forward, and share how they are experiencing the new MCPS and Whitman structures and expectations. Most importantly, students will have an opportunity to provide feedback and help shape how we continue to strengthen the Whitman experience for everyone.
The Leadership Academy for Social Justice (LASJ)
Monthly Seminar
Thursday, September 10th, LASJ students have their first monthly seminar. All students in the program are required to attend monthly seminars that typically occur on the third Thursday of the month (some exceptions apply). Please note: Students may not miss these meetings to complete or make up a test or to meet with a teacher so please be flexible with them on these dates.
9.15 Clubs Night Information
The annual Clubs Night showcase will be taking place on September 15 from 6:30-8:00PM in the Whitman High School bus loop. Students are welcome to join us for an amazing exhibition of the work of over 175 student-led clubs and organizations that our Vikings have made. Participate in games and activities, sign up to join clubs and become an active part of the Whitman school community, all while making connections and enjoying delicious eats from local food trucks!
All Clubs seeking to operate in the school for the 26-27 school year must register using this form. Clubs Night participation is not required to run a club at WWHS, however, if you would like to have a table at Clubs Night, this form must be submitted by Friday, September 11th at 3:00PM!
Internships
We Need Your Help Hosting an Intern!
We are excited to have over 100 students seeking outside internship opportunities. Most students have been able to secure their position, however, we are still looking for companies that would be interested in hosting interns this year. If you are interested in hosting an intern or have additional questions, please reach out to Kathleen Bartels at Kathleen_E_Bartels@mcpsmd.org.
Student Supports at Whitman
Academic Support - Math Workroom
The Math Work Room is up and running. Students can get extra help after school on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays. In addition to the teacher present, peer tutors will also be available to help. Support is available up to PreCalculus. No signup is needed ~ just show up! Big thank you to the Whitman Foundation for their support in keeping this academic intervention available for students.
Tues/Thur: Room 412 with Mr. Thomas
Wed: Room 384 with Ms. Cline.
Time: 2:30-4:00 pm
Student Well-Being Supports
Whitman’s Student Well-Being Team (SWBT) consists of administrators, counselors, a psychologist, and our pupil personnel worker. The SWBT collaborates to identify internal and external resources available for students with specific social/emotional needs. Additionally, the SWBT monitors student attendance and coordinates student-centered wellness initiatives.
Whitman Bridge to Wellness is here to support students and families in collaboration with the SWBT from Monday to Friday. The team consists of a mental health therapist, a care manager, and a youth development specialist. Bridge to Wellness staff provide individual session groups for students and parents, along with workshops and school-wide events to support mental health in the Whitman community. We are excited to welcome our three new Bridge to Wellness staff members to Whitman.
New to Whitman Ms. Karen Bermudez, Therapy Services - Kbermudez@everymind.org
Ms. Anna Burton, Youth Development Services - Aburton@everymind.org
Ms. Olivia Traub, Care Management Services - Otraub@everymind.org
For more information, please feel free to visit the Whitman Bridge to Wellness website on the Whitman homepage.
MCPS Information
Quick Answers for Families, All in One Place
Looking for clear, easy-to-use information about MCPS? Visit our Quick Guides for Families, a one-stop resource designed to help families find answers, understand important school information and support their students throughout the year.
The guides cover topics families ask about most, including ParentVUE and digital tools, transportation, grading and assessments, study skills, school safety, mental health, student conduct, social media and personal mobile devices. Many resources are available in eight languages, making important information easier for families across our community to access.
Bookmark the page and come back throughout the school year as new resources are added.
Explore the MCPS Quick Guides for Families
Keep Earning: September SSL Opportunities Are Here!
All MCPS students need 75 Student Service Learning (SSL) hours to graduate. Be sure to check out September’s list of SSL opportunities. MCPS has updated its SSL forms; see the new forms below:
MCPS Form 560-51 (SSL Activity Verification Form)
MCPS Form 560-50 (Individual SSL Request): Required for students to complete service with any community organization that is not listed as an MCPS SSL organization on the Montgomery County Volunteer Center website.
A Safe Walk to School Starts With a Few Simple Habits
Walking to school is a great way for students to start the day, but staying alert and making safe choices is essential. Families can help by reviewing a few simple pedestrian safety habits with students:
Use sidewalks and designated crosswalks whenever possible.
Stop, look left, right and left again before crossing—and keep looking while crossing.
Make eye contact with drivers and never assume a vehicle will stop.
Put phones and headphones away when crossing streets or walking near traffic.
Follow crossing guards and traffic signals at all times.
Be especially careful around buses and school parking lots, where vehicles may be turning, backing up or stopping unexpectedly.
Drivers also play an important role: slow down, stay alert and watch carefully for students, especially during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal.
A few extra seconds of attention can make a big difference.
Reminders
Monday, Sept. 7 – Labor Day; all schools and offices closed
Refrigerator Curriculum: A one-page, easy-to-read overview of the written curriculum for the first quarter of 2026-2027 is available. This simple look at what K–12 students will learn each marking period includes major topics, themes and texts.
FARMS Applications: Apply today! A new FARMS application must be completed every school year, even if your children qualified the previous year. Access is based on household income. Submit the online FARMS application through MySchoolApps (translations are available). Only one application is needed per household. More information.
Saturday School: Build student confidence and academic success! Programs run from 8:30-11 a.m. on Saturdays for students in grades K–12, focusing on reading, math, test prep and STEM enrichment, such as coding and robotics. Learn more at the opening ceremony on Sept. 19. Tutoring begins at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 26. Cost is $100 for the year ($50 for FARMS). Free transportation to center sites.
Shop for Gear; Do Good: All proceeds from the sale of MCPS-branded merchandise help pay down student meal debt. Products will change regularly. Check out the MCPS shop.
Facility Advisory Committee: MCPS is seeking community members to serve for the 2026-2027 school year. Committee members will share their knowledge, experience and perspectives to help inform long-term planning for MCPS school facilities. Applications are due Friday, Sept. 4.
Thank you for your ongoing support of our efforts to ensure that Walt Whitman High School continues its long legacy of excellence.
Go Vikes,
Sincerely,
Mr. Gregory Miller
Principal
Go Vikes!