Northwest News

Dear Northwest Students and Families,

I hope everyone is enjoying the Labor Day weekend and has had an opportunity to spend time with family, recharge, and enjoy the unofficial close of summer. As a reminder, there is no school tomorrow, Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day. We look forward to welcoming our Jaguars back on Tuesday, September 8.

As we move further into September, our students are settling into their classes, routines, and activities. Thank you to our students, staff, and families for the strong start to the school year and for your continued partnership as we reinforce the expectations and habits that will support student success throughout the year.

As always, the Northwest News will be sent each Sunday evening and remains one of our primary sources of schoolwide communication. Please take a few minutes each week to review the newsletter for important dates, schedules, reminders, activities, athletics, and other information affecting our students and families.

Upcoming Dates & Events

📅 Monday, September 7 – Labor Day
There is no school for students or staff in observance of Labor Day. Classes resume Tuesday, September 8.

🎓 MC2 Senior Parent Meeting – Monday, September 14
Our MC2 Senior Parent Meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Northwest auditorium. Families of MC2 seniors are encouraged to attend to learn more about their student's senior year as a full-time Montgomery College student.

📸 School Picture Days – September 15–17

School Picture Days are coming to Northwest!

📅 Tuesday, September 15; Wednesday, September 16; and Thursday, September 17

📸 Pictures Available: Approximately two weeks after photo day

🛒 Pre-order Online: https://shop.imagequix.com/g1001417124

📧 Ordering Questions: underclass@vosphoto.com

Student Expectations & New Policies

Students have now had time to become familiar with our schoolwide expectations and procedures. Earlier this year, students participated in our Safety Day and Student Expectations lessons, which reviewed important procedures and expectations for the 2026–2027 school year. Families are encouraged to review the linked information and continue reinforcing these expectations at home.

At this point in the school year, our expectations are fully in effect, including those related to the Student Code of Conduct, Grading and Reporting, student identification requirements, attendance, and our Personal Mobile Device (PMD) Policy.

Personal Mobile Devices (PMDs): Students are expected to follow our PMD expectations throughout the school day and comply immediately when directed by staff. These expectations are designed to reduce distractions, protect instructional time, and create learning environments where students can fully engage with their teachers and classmates. We appreciate families continuing to reinforce these expectations at home.

Student IDs: All students should have their Northwest student ID with them each day and follow established ID expectations. Our identification procedures are an important part of maintaining a safe and secure school environment.

Attendance & Being On Time

As we settle into the school year, consistent attendance and punctuality must remain a priority. Students should arrive at school and to each class on time and ready to learn. Missing even portions of instructional time can quickly add up and impact academic progress.

Families may submit student absences directly through ParentVUE. Written directions are available in multiple languages, and a step-by-step video is also available to assist families with the process.

We ask families to continue monitoring attendance through ParentVUE and communicating with the school when concerns arise.

Arrival, Dismissal & Transportation

Thank you to our families for helping us maintain safe and efficient arrival and dismissal procedures.

Car riders must be dropped off and picked up through the lower/gym lobby entrance. Car drop-offs and pick-ups are not permitted in the upper bus lot during arrival (7:00–7:55 a.m.) or dismissal (2:20–2:55 p.m.).

Please continue to allow additional time, particularly during our busiest arrival and dismissal periods. Drivers should slow down, remain alert for pedestrians and cyclists, and follow all posted traffic directions.

Students riding MCPS transportation should continue using their assigned bus stop to support safe and efficient routing. Bus information is available through ParentVUE/StudentVUE, the Northwest website, and the MCPS Transportation webpage.

Technology & Staying Connected

Students should now be regularly accessing Canvas, StudentVUE, and Google Workspace for Education as part of their daily academic routines. Families are encouraged to use ParentVUE to monitor grades, assignments, and attendance and to communicate with teachers when questions or concerns arise. If your student does not yet have the necessary permissions to access Google Workspace for Education, please complete the required MCPS permission form as soon as possible.

Looking Ahead

As we return from the Labor Day weekend, we are moving beyond simply getting accustomed to the school year. Now is the time for students to establish the academic habits that will carry them through the semester.

Students should be checking Canvas and StudentVUE regularly, completing and submitting assignments on time, attending every class, communicating with their teachers, and seeking assistance early when they need it. Families can support this work by regularly discussing academic progress and encouraging students to advocate for themselves.

This week's Northwest News contains additional information about upcoming events, athletics and activities, college and career opportunities, PTSA and Booster Club information, ParentVUE resources, and opportunities for students and families to become involved in our Northwest community. Please take a few minutes to review the newsletter in its entirety.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support of Northwest High School. I hope everyone enjoys the remainder of the Labor Day weekend, and we look forward to seeing our Jaguars back in the building on Tuesday, September 8, rested and ready for another strong week.

Go Jags!

Attention Senior Parents & Guardians!

Please join us for our Class of 2027 Senior Parent Meeting to get all the details you need to navigate your student’s final year smoothly.

• Date: Wednesday, September 9th
• Time: 7:00 PM
• Location: School Auditorium

We will cover critical dates, graduation requirements, and upcoming senior events. A brief Q&A session will follow the presentation.

We strongly encourage at least one parent or guardian to attend. We look forward to partnering with you to make this a memorable and successful year!

ATTENTION STUDENT DRIVERS: This is the final week of open parking. Beginning Monday, September 14, all student vehicles must display a valid 2026-2027 parking permit and park exclusively in their assigned spaces. Unpermitted cars or vehicles parking in the wrong spaces risk being ticketed and towed at the owner's expense.

Through Friday, September 11, you may still park in any space in the lower parking lot. Use this week to submit your application and purchase your permit before the open parking window closes.

How to Apply & Pay:

• Submit Applications: Drop off your forms at the Business Office (Room 322), before/after school or during lunch.
• Cost: A full-year permit is $78.00 (processing fee included).
• Payment Method: Paid online through SchoolCash Online. A custom payment link will be emailed to your student account once your application is approved.

Eligibility Requirements:

To qualify for a permit, you must meet the following criteria:

• Academic Standing: Hold a 2.0 cumulative GPA with no more than one "E."
• Financial Standing: Have zero outstanding financial obligations to the school.

Permit Pickup:

All approved parking permits will be distributed in the Business Office (Room 322) on September 10 and 11, before/after school or during lunch.

College Visits For Juniors & Seniors:

College representatives will begin visiting NWHS on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
The full schedule is posted in Naviance and on the NWHS College/Career Website. Students must register in Naviance for each visit (whether in person or virtual). The full schedule is posted in Naviance under “college”, then “college visits.”

Student Workshops:

Common Application & Scholarship Workshops: Common App assistance is available on Thursdays during lunch, and Scholarship Workshops are held on Wednesdays during lunch

Financial Aid Assistance On the dates listed in the flyer, students can receive assistance during lunch with creating their FSA ID or MDCAPS account

ASVAB @ NWHS: 10/23/26:

Northwest High School is offering Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors the opportunity to take the ASVAB or Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery on Friday, October 23,2026 from 7:45am-11am.

The ASVAB is a valuable career exploration tool that helps students identify their strengths and interests; whether they plan to join the military or pursue a civilian career.

Find out more about the ASVAB and how to register HERE. Completed permission forms must be returned to Ms. Miller in the Career Center by Wednesday, October 21, 2026.

Financial Aid Events:

Financial Aid Information Nights September 17 – Virtual English Session; October 13 – Virtual Spanish Session. Click the flyer to register

Montgomery College Information Night September 22 at 6:30 p.m.

FAFSA Completion Night November 10 from 6:00–8:00 p.m. Click the flyer to register

Save The Dates:

College Fairs USA Field Trip- This trip is for our 11th & 12th grade students to explore college options, meet with college representatives, and ask questions about admissions, programs, financial aid, and campus life. Date: Friday, October 9, 2026. Permission forms and more information coming soon!

Grade 9 College Tour Experience: Lincoln College of Technology- NWHS is excited to partner with the Montgomery County Career Advising Program (MoCoCAP) to offer grade 9 students an opportunity to visit Lincoln College of Technology on Friday, December 11, 2026. Permission forms and more information coming soon!

We are pleased to share that Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) will pay the exam fees for Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams for the 2026–2027 school year.

Students who enroll in an AP or IB course and register for the corresponding exam will not be required to pay the exam fee. This reflects MCPS's continued commitment to expanding access to rigorous academic opportunities and supporting student success.

Now that MCPS will cover AP and IB exam fees, some students may be interested in taking an AP or IB course. Students and families who would like to discuss their academic options are encouraged to contact their school counselor. We encourage students to enroll in challenging coursework that aligns with their interests, strengths, and future goals.

We will share additional information about exam registration procedures and timelines as it becomes available. If you have questions, please contact our counseling office or AP/IB coordinator, Ms. Amy McClintock at Amy_M_McClintock@mcpsmd.org.

This survey represents one component of the initial process for developing a school year calendar for the school years 2027-2028 AND 2028-2029 incorporating feedback from our students, staff, families, and community members.

In alignment with MCPS Board Policy IDA, School Year Calendar, we will consider educational interests, operational needs, mandated school closures by state law, compliance with minimum instructional days and credit hour requirements, contingencies for inclement weather and other emergencies, staff professional days and early release days, alignment with assessment schedules, etc.

MCPS provides a school year calendar that allows for effective use of time for teaching and learning, for professional growth opportunities, and planning instructional strategies focused on improving student achievement, while maintaining our lens of equity for all students and commitment to community engagement.

Please limit to one response per person. This survey will close on September 20, 2026.

Please see MCPS Board Policy IDA, School Year Calendar for more information about the School Year Calendar for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and MCPS Calendar Central for the current school year calendar.

Amharic

Chinese (Simplified)

English

French

Korean

Portuguese (Brazil)

Spanish

Vietnamese

Sick of shopping for school supplies at Target? Come shop locally at Northwest instead. The Free Store in room 264 has binders, prep books, paper, backpacks, and more, and everything is free!

Do you have any school supplies you no longer need? The Free Store would love your donations! We take all gently used school supplies, but at the start of the year, we especially need backpacks, calculators, and test prep books. At the moment, we have NO SPIRAL or COMPOSITION notebooks, and we are desperate to stock up. Students have been asking for them non-stop. Please bring items to the front office or The Free Store in room 264.

The Free Store is open most days at lunch in room 264 and is available to all NW students and staff. Thank you for reusing materials, and thank you for your support.

Do you love to take photos of you and your Jag friends?

Did you photograph summer events? School events? School friends?

Contribute to the PHOTO bank that yearbook uses to create the 2026-2027 edition of Silver Paws.

Upload your photos on the QR code. Add first and last name(s) and a brief summary of the photo.

Yearbook staff will consider featuring your photo(s) in the 2026-2027 edition of Silver Paws.

ALSO, Spring Supplements have arrived and are ready for pickup. You can find them in the media center, the attendance office or room 250 before school, during lunch or after school until 2:45. The Spring Supplement is free and features spring sports, spring events such as prom, graduation, and the spring play.

In order to maintain a safe and secure school environment, all staff and students are required to have their ID badges visible at all times while on campus.

Key Points:

• ID Visibility: Your ID must be visible at all times. We will be providing a lanyard for all students during the first week of school.

• Replacement: If you lose your ID or it becomes damaged, you can get a new ID from the Northwest security office for $5.

• School Events: Students must have their school ID in their possession to attend all school-sponsored events (either at Northwest or away).

NON-NEGOTIABLES (Law, Policy, Regulation citations)

MCPS Regulation JNA-RB, Collection of Student Financial Obligations

MCPS Regulation IGT-RA, User Responsibilities for Computer Systems, Electronic Information, and Network Security

MCPS Chromebook Acceptable Use Policy (Spanish)

GUIDELINES

Each student is financially responsible for avoidable damage to or loss of any Chromebook, case, and/or charger. Charging families for avoidable damage is required, and not left to an individual's discretion. Charges must be assessed in alignment with the following: FY 2027 Chromebook Repair and Replacement Costs. No cost is associated for a student to borrow, possess, or use a chromebook. Obligations must be recorded and processed at the time damage or loss is identified. Families may request an appeal or waiver after the charge has been issued.

MCPS is taking steps to enhance transparency and ensure consistent implementation of core instructional texts. To support this, all parents and guardians will be provided with advanced notification of instructional texts used in the classroom and will be permitted to inspect any text on the notification list. Additionally, parents and guardians will be permitted to inspect texts and will have the opportunity to request that their child be excused from instruction involving material that substantially interferes with their sincerely held religious beliefs.

This process requires the following steps:

• Lists of the instructional material to be used in the core areas of instruction will be made available for your review no later than the first week of each quarter. To review that list, click here.

• You will have the opportunity to review these lists and ask questions of your school about the content of the texts. You may also make an appointment with your school to view the texts in person.

• To the extent that any text on the list of instructional materials, sincerely interferes with your families’ sincerely held religious belief, you may request that your child be excused from instruction by completing and submitting a request form. That form will be made available to you on our school webpage.

• If your request is granted, your child will be excused from instruction when his/her teacher is using the text you identified as objectionable and may be afforded the opportunity for other academic work during the period of time in which the student would otherwise be participating in the instruction the student is excused from.

• We will release more specific information about this process soon with links to and instructions for completing the request form.

If students are arriving by car, they must be dropped off at the lower gym lobby entrance until 7:45am. After 7:45 am, car riders must be dropped off at the upper main entrance. Students who walk to school may arrive at the main entrance or the gym lobby. All buses will drop students off at the upper main entrance. Please note that these procedures are the same for dismissal in the afternoon.

Some additional things to note:

• If parents are going to pick their children up for early dismissal, they must come before 2:10 p.m. Parents should either send a written note or an email with the student's full name, I.D. number, and the full name of their parent or guardian in order for them to get a pass to leave their class. When the parent or guardian arrives to the school to pick up their child, they must present a form of identification to the attendance office. If parents do not send an email or provide a written note, they should be aware that it will take up to 10 to 15 minutes for the student to be pulled from class.
• To have an excused absence, the student must also bring a note or email from their parent or guardian including the student's full name, I.D. number, and the full name of their parent or guardian.
• If a student will be absent for more than three days due to traveling purposes, the parents must present a supporting letter in advance stating the days that the student will be absent and the reason why the student will be missing school.

Families, please remember to adhere to the speed limit on Richter Farm Road. Additionally, please do not let students out of your vehicles on Richter Farm Road. We want everyone to arrive to school safely.

It's a long-standing tradition at Northwest for each grade to wear their assigned CLASS COLOR on Pep Rally days! Each class sits in a designated section at the rallies so make an impact for YOUR CLASS by wearing your grade level color and make your presence known! Although participation with wearing class colors is optional, we hope you will join in the FUN!

The grade level colors are as follows:

Freshmen (Grade 9): YELLOW

Sophomores (Grade 10): GREEN

Juniors (Grade 11): RED

Seniors (Grade 12): BLUE

You can wear any clothing and/or accessories in your assigned color as long as you adhere to the school dress code. You can opt to wear clothing that you already own in your grade level color, you can purchase a shirt from the PTSA/Booster Club website for $8: http://www.nwhsptsa.org/shop (available sizes and quantities are limited), or you can purchase a T-shirt in your color at Michael's or Joanne's (the cost is usually around $5) and personalize with fabric markers or paint pens! The possibilities are endless to show your #JagPride!

Email: Scott_E_Smith@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://northwestjags.org
Location: 13501 Richter Farm Road, Germantown, MD, USA
Phone: (240)740-7100
Twitter: @NorthwestJags