Turn Back Time This Weekend: Don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour on this Sunday, Nov. 1, for daylight saving time. As we return to shorter days and earlier evenings, remember to stay alert on the roads, and be extra vigilant for pedestrians and cyclists.
Calendar Notes:
MCPS Is on the Rise! More Schools Earn Top STAR Ratings
Big news worth celebrating! 134 MCPS schools, nearly 69%, earned 4 or 5 STAR ratings on the 2026 Maryland School Report Card. Fifty-six schools improved their STAR ratings, including 50 that reached four or five STARs. Even better, ZERO MCPS schools received a 1-STAR rating! These results reflect the hard work of our students, educators and school communities, with important gains in reading and math across the district.
Read the Press Release | Read the Information One-Pager | Watch the Event Video
School Closure and Consolidation Study: Last Round One Virtual Session; Nov. 2
MCPS is wrapping up the first phase of community engagement sessions on the elementary and middle school closure and consolidation study. The final opportunity to provide feedback in a virtual meeting is: Join on Zoom — Mon, Nov. 2, 6-7 p.m.
If you’ve already attended one of our sessions, please take the time to share your perspective on our feedback form. Your valuable input will be reflected in our updated FAQs, which will be available in the coming weeks. The form is open through Wednesday, Nov. 4.
A second round of engagement sessions will be held in late November and early December.
Visit mcpsstudy.org to review study information, explore frequently asked questions, learn about the process and find opportunities to share your feedback. Learn more.
Inside MCPS: The Realities of Our Aging Facilities
Leaking roofs. Failing heating and cooling systems. Aging buildings. Rising construction costs. The hard truth is that MCPS has significant facility needs, and waiting to address them only makes the problems more expensive.
In a new video series, "The Hard Truth," MCPS takes you inside schools and support facilities to show the real facilities challenges facing our district.
The Hard Truth: Doing nothing is not an option.
Watch the Video Series
The Latest EdTalk: Supporting Multilingual Students and Families
On the newest episode of EdTalk, hear from host Board of Education President Grace Rivera-Oven and principals Alicia Deeny (Richard Montgomery High School) and Isabelle Mensah (Rolling Terrace Elementary School) about how their schools create welcoming environments, engage students and maximize family involvement for multilingual students and families. Watch EdTalk | Vea EducaciĂłn al DĂa
You can now listen to all the EdTalk and EducaciĂłn al DĂa episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
Be Sure to Weigh In on the 2027-2028 School Calendar
As MCPS continues to develop the 2027-2028 school calendar, the district is seeking more input from you!
Complete this second survey to share input on the proposed draft calendar for the 2027-2028 school year. The survey will close on Friday, Nov. 6. Take the survey.
Public Comment on Two Policies Due Nov. 6
The Board of Education is seeking public comment on proposed amendments to two policies — Policy IPD: Travel Study Programs, Field Trips and Student Organization Trips and Policy BLB: Rules of Procedures in Appeals and Hearings.
Policies for Public Comment
Board Seeking Public Comment on Two Policies
The Board of Education is seeking public comment on proposed amendments to two policies — Policy IPD: Travel Study Programs, Field Trips and Student Organization Trips and Policy BLB: Rules of Procedures in Appeals and Hearings.
Policies for Public Comment
Wear Your MCPS Pride—It’s for a Good Cause!
Show your MCPS spirit with official gear for the whole family! From sweatshirts and pullovers to shirts and more, there’s something for every MCPS fan. Every purchase gives back—all proceeds help offset student meal debt.
Shop the MCPS Gear Store today!
Student Opportunities
*NEW* All middle and high schools have made final updates to their extracurricular activities lists for the school year. The list is available here.
*NEW* USG Lab Crawl: Open to high school students interested in engineering, technology, health or life sciences. Discover what it’s like to learn and work in these fields through interactive simulations and hands-on activities. Event is from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2 at the Universities at Shady Grove, Building IV, 9631 Gudelsky Drive in Rockville. Register.
C-SPAN StudentCam Documentary Competition: Students in 6th through 12th grades are invited to participate in C-SPAN’s annual national video documentary StudentCam competition, which encourages them to think critically about issues that affect our communities. This year, students are being asked to create a five-to-six-minute video documentary on a topic that relates to the competition theme, “Mr. Speaker, I Rise To …”. Deadline: Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2027.
Speak Up, Save A Life Video Contest: Create an original video promoting awareness of the dangers of illicit opioids, overdose and fentanyl among teens. Secondary students can earn 10 SSL hours. Videos can be submitted in English or Spanish. First place wins $5,000, 2nd place, $3,000 and 3rd place, $1,000. Deadline: Monday, Nov. 30. Submit an entry.
Capital Weather invites K-8 kids to submit original artwork inspired by weather, seasons, climate or nature to its Kids Art Showcase. Learn more.
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