The Raider Nation Newsletter

Dear Raider Nation,

What a great weather weekend we just had. Hopefully you had a chance to get out and enjoy some sunshine. Maybe a preview of what's to come for Spring Break?

As nice as the weather was, I needed to head indoors so I could see our Space Raiders Robotics team compete at Walt Whitman. The team feels like this is their best "bot" since pre-COVID competitions and it shows in high scores for matches over Saturday and Sunday and a trip to the finals where their alliance with students from Loudon County and Springfield, VA fell short of winning. However, all was not lost because Team 2537 has qualified for the District Championship.

Being there on Saturday was a good reminder of what I see when I go to many Atholton events:

1. It's so important to find something you like to do and immerse yourself in the experience!
2. Learning doesn't just happen in the classroom and the lessons cover so much more than just academics.
3. The connections you make with friends now can last a lifetime.
4. Student achievements don't happen with staff and family support. Thanks for being there for our students.

Here's some of the team and their "bot!" Good luck at District Championships!

Go Raiders!

Sincerely,

Nick Novak

Principal

Please note that Monday April 6th is now a full day of school. Please submit absence notes for your student to ahsabsence@hcpss.org. All the approved calendar changes can be found here. More updates coming!

Do you have tickets for the RAIDER ROAST yet?

If not, you are missing out on this awesome event!

Come out on April 11th to enjoy food, friends, and fun. Casino games, silent auction, raffles. You could even win priority seating at graduation--one of the best views of the stage at Merriweather!

Get your tickets here!

“Are you a current sophomore that’s ready to take the next step of your leadership journey? Leadership U [LU] is a transformative 5-month leadership program for high school juniors in Howard County, MD, offering opportunities to activate your leadership skills, network with peers and community leaders, and make a difference through student-led team projects. Applications for the 2026 program are open! Current sophomores can apply on the LHC website at Leadership U - Leadership Howard County. The application process will be open for students until April 6, 2026, with interviews taking place in late April and the program commencing in Summer 2026 as students begin their junior year.

Want to learn more? Join us for a Leadership U 2026 Info Session on Tuesday, March 24th at 6:30pm. Hosted at the Elkridge Branch Library (Belmont Room), students and parents are invited to learn more about the program and hear from recent graduates about their LU experience. Register here: https://www.leadershiphc.org/leadership-u-2026-march-info-session-3-24/ (encouraged but not mandatory). Invite a friend and bring your questions! Updates located on the LHC website and on social media @lhcleads. Questions? Contact Program Coordinator, Alli Eastham, at aeastham@leadershiphc.org.”

Howard County Student Film Festival: The Howard County Student Film Festival’s HoCo 250 film category Redefining Patriotism invites middle and high school students to judge entries! While experience in civic engagement or filmmaking is preferred, a strong interest in either will also enhance applications. Applications are due by 4pm on Wednesday, March 18th. Link to the Application for Student Judges: https://forms.gle/FqryZMT74K1cAq378

3/24 & 3/25 Junior Interviews

3/27 Evacuation Drill-Period 2

3/27 Spring Pep Rally

3/28-4/5 Spring Break

4/6 Full Day of School

4/8 Raidertime: Club Meetings

4/11 Raider Roast

4/14 End of the 3rd Marking Period

Atholton PTSA

Atholton PBSA

Atholton Boosters

Atholton Drama Boosters

Atholton JROTC Boosters

Atholton Music Boosters

Atholton Robotics Boosters