Weekly Newsletter

November 1, 2026

Happy Sunday, Coyote Community!

I hope everyone is enjoying the weekend and that our students finished the first marking period strong! There is no school for students tomorrow or Tuesday as teachers finalize grades and we observe Election Day. This extended weekend provides a great opportunity for students to rest, recharge, and reflect on their academic progress as we prepare to begin the second marking period.

As a reminder, students must earn a semester average of at least 60% to receive credit for a course. If a student's first marking period grade was particularly low, it is essential that they put forth the effort needed during the second marking period to earn a passing semester average. I also want to emphasize that students who skip classes and fail those courses are no longer eligible for our credit recovery program and will be required to attend summer school. Attendance, effort, and academic responsibility matter, and we want every student to be successful.

Now, an important message about Personal Mobile Devices (PMDs).

Throughout the entire first marking period, we have made announcements twice daily reminding students of the MCPS expectations regarding personal mobile devices. These expectations apply to cell phones, earbuds, headphones, personal iPads, and other prohibited devices throughout the entire school day, including lunch and transitions between classes.

I want to acknowledge that most of our students are doing an excellent job following these expectations. Many have adjusted their routines and found other ways to enjoy their lunch periods without their phones. We appreciate their cooperation and willingness to adapt.

However, we continue to spend a significant amount of staff time and energy reminding other students to put away devices and addressing repeated noncompliance. After an entire marking period of daily reminders, coaching, and opportunities to adjust, it is time for all students to take responsibility for meeting these expectations. Our teachers, administrators, and security staff have many important responsibilities, and continually monitoring cell phone use should not consume the amount of time and attention it currently requires. That time and energy should be focused on instruction, student support, and maintaining a positive learning environment.

Beginning Wednesday, we will provide one schoolwide reminder at the start of the day. After that, students observed with prohibited devices will be directed by staff to store them in their backpacks or designated classroom storage areas. Continued noncompliance will result in the student being escorted to the administrative office, where the device will be secured in a locker managed by the administrative team until the end of the school day.

We are asking all families to have a direct conversation with their students about these MCPS expectations and the importance of following staff directions. We have spent an entire quarter teaching and reinforcing these expectations. Now, we need consistent compliance. We appreciate your partnership in helping us move beyond repeated reminders and return our full attention to what matters most: teaching, learning, and supporting our students.

Enjoy the rest of your extended weekend! As always, I look forward to welcoming our wonderful students back on Wednesday for a strong start to the second marking period.

Warmly,

Ms. O'Neill

November 11 Open House (Pre-register HERE)

November 23 and 24 Early Release and Parent/Teacher Conferences

November 25 Early Release

November 26 and 27 No School

It's time to order your cap/gown/tassel for graduation!

Orders must be placed by DECEMBER 18th .

Cap/Gown/Tassels: Order here

**IF you are borrowing from a friend/Sibling you MUST let Mrs. Coe know as soon as possible**

**If you need financial assistance, please reach out to Mrs. Coe (room 159)**

If you missed the senior meeting, please view the slideshow for important info!

You probably heard that Dr. Taylor held a press conference related to the MSDE release of the Maryland School Report Card today. The press conference celebrated schools who moved up in stars or increased academic proficiency (12.3 percent gain). I was invited to attend the event because Clarksburg made significant gains in the area of Math Proficiency. This gain is result of a l (12.3 ot of hard work of dedicated staff.

Part of today’s press conference also celebrated schools who maintained their star status because rating system starts from a blank slate each year. It does not factor in previous performance. CHS continues to be a 3-star school and we are VERY close (1.2 points) away from that 4-star status. Again, this is because of the dedication and hard work of our staff.

I am proud of the work our staff and students are doing together to make CHS a great school!

The Spirit of Clarksburg Marching Band wrapped up its competition season last night with a second place finish in the US Bands Mid-Atlantic Championships! Our band has been absolutely incredible with stunning performances this year. This honor is well-deserved! We ae very proud of this accomplishment.

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.

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.

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:

• Nov. 2 is Grading and Planning for the end of term; no school for students

• Nov. 3 is Election Day - Schools and offices closed

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 Educación al Día

You can now listen to all the EdTalk and Educación al Día 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.