Blazer Press

Dear Blazer Community,

Welcome to the first edition of the Blazer Press for the 2026–2027 school year! This bi-weekly publication provides key news, updates, and information for our entire community.

We enjoyed a fantastic start to the academic year. It was a pleasure welcoming our 9th graders and new students during Transition Day on August 24, followed by the return of all students on Tuesday, August 25. Our community has transitioned smoothly as we adapt to the new MCPS and Maryland state policies regarding cell phones and off-campus privileges. Over the past few days, I have spent time visiting classrooms and observing exceptional instruction—featuring clear lesson framing, explicit content objectives, and a strong emphasis on applying academic language. With learning fully underway, now is a great time to talk with your student about how they are adjusting to their daily routine and classes.

Thank you to all the families who joined us for Back to School Night yesterday. I truly enjoyed connecting with parents and seeing our teachers share course expectations and engaging content.

Highlights & Upcoming Events:

Football Opener: Football fans are encouraged to support the team tonight at Wheaton for our first game of the season!
Campus Athletics: A variety of athletic events are taking place right here on campus, and we hope you will join us to cheer on our student-athletes.

Have a wonderful three-day weekend, and we will be in touch again soon!

-Damon

Upcoming Events & Key Dates

Monday, Sept. 7 – Labor Day

all schools and offices closed

Saturday School

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.

Youth Town Hall Offers Students a Seat at the Table

The Montgomery County Council will host its annual Youth Town Hall meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 29 (a pizza reception will begin at 5:30 p.m.) Join Montgomery County Councilmembers and MCPS student leaders as they discuss important youth-centric issues, in person at the Council Office Building, Third Floor, 100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville, or on Zoom. Student attendees will be able to share their questions and concerns, and participate in a conversation with county leadership. Students may earn two SSL hours for attending and participating. Register to attend.

Academic Updates & Testing Information

The science department has had a fantastic start to the school year.

We have filled our classes with discussions around science safety, hands on activities, practice using lab materials, and working on science vocabulary.

MCPS to Cover AP and IB Exam Fees for the 2026–2027 School Year

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 Ms. Blaha, Testing Coordinator.

Quarterly Curriculum Overview

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.

Student Spotlight & Community Achievements

Gold Medal at the USA Bio Olympiad

A massive congratulations to Blair’s Kian Dhawan on an extraordinary achievement in science! After earning a Gold Medal at the USA Bio Olympiad (USABO), Kian went on to represent Team USA on the global stage at the International Biology Olympiad (IBO) in Lithuania where he won a prestigious Gold Medal! This incredible performance places Kian among the top elite high school science students in the world.

Jumpstart Your Engineering Career program

Huge congratulations to Blair's own Dylan Siah for representing our school this summer in the University of Maryland’s Cyber-Physical Systems Engineering (CPSE) Jumpstart Your Engineering Career program! Watch the summer program highlight video and learn more about the Jumpstart summer program here.

Blair Robot Project

Shoutout to the Blair Robot Project (FRC Team 449) for completing their sixth consecutive year of teaching free summer STEM classes to local MCPS students. This summer, nine dedicated Blair team members served as instructors, mentoring 45 students in grades K–12 across four weekly courses:

CAD Basics: Computer-aided design fundamentals

Algebra 1 Bootcamp: Preparation for upper-level math

Python PROgramming: Introduction to Python code

Scratch Simplified: Beginner block-based programming

We are so proud of Team 449 for using their technical expertise and passion to give back to our community and inspire the next generation of STEM leaders!

Annual Magnet Picnic

On Thursday, August 20th, the Magnet department welcomed over 60 families to the annual Magnet Picnic! This event allows 9th grade students to meet teachers in the department and students in their class. Despite the weather, we had a great turn-out and are looking forward to a great year!

Counseling, Wellness & Student Services

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.

Newly Updated Student Service Learning (SSL) Forms as of August 2026

MCPS has updated its Student Service Learning (SSL) forms! Please review the changes, critical dates, and new form links below.

Key Form Changes

MCPS Form 560-51 (Student Service Learning Activity Verification Form)

Organization must provide academic preparation and service action details
Provides expanded space for thoughtful student reflection

MCPS Form 560-50 (Individual Student Service Learning 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 (tinyurl.com/SSLOrganizations)
Organization must provide academic preparation and service action details

Important Dates

Effective date: Active immediately
Grace period: SSL Coordinators will accept the old SSL forms until September 25, 2026. Any service completed after September 25, 2026, should be documented using the new SSL forms.

Access New Forms

SSL Activity Verification Form (560-51): tinyurl.com/SSLHoursForm
Individual SSL Request Form (560-50): tinyurl.com/SSLPreApproval
MCPS SSL website: www.mcps-ssl.org

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.

Athletics & Extracurricular Activities

Activity Buses Start Next Week

Our After-School Activity Buses will begin running on Tuesday, September 8. They will leave Blair at 4:45pm every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with the exception of abbreviated schedule day and any day before a school closure. Find your route here.

Parent & Community Corner

Blair Unida

Blair Unida is a community of parents, teachers, and neighbors who have come together to support local families whose children attend schools within the Blair Cluster. We are a schools-connected chapter of the Montgomery County Immigrant Rights Collective (MoCo IRC).

We are a chapter of MoCo Immigrant Rights Collective (MoCo IRC). Our legal fund is a core component of our efforts, built on the foundation of our Blair Bears (Care Bears), who connect with impacted families to support them in accessing supports that meet their immediate and ongoing needs. We strive to coordinate closely with staff at our local schools, who play a pivotal role in ensuring families and students can access the many resources available through MCPS and our county.

Join this effort by filling out this form and checking out our website. Thank you!

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

Share Your Feedback for Next Year’s School Year Calendar

MCPS is seeking your input as it works to develop the 2027-2028 AND 2028-2029 school calendar. Please complete this survey by Sept. 20 to share your input.
Your feedback is critical to the process. MCPS will consider educational interests, operational needs, mandated school closures by state law, compliance with minimum instructional days and credit hour requirements, inclement weather and other emergencies, staff professional days and early release days, and assessment schedules aligned to MCPS Board Policy IDA, School Year Calendar.
Take the survey.

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.

Now You Know — Immunizations

MCPS has immunization requirements for students in kindergarten, Grades 7 and 9, as well as students who are new to MCPS. Check your child’s medical records with your pediatrician and make sure your child is up to date on immunizations. If you need a vaccination, the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services offers free vaccination clinics for school-aged children. Find a clinic. Your child must have proof of vaccination — or a vaccination appointment scheduled — within 20 calendar days of the first day of school to remain in school.
Learn more: English | español | 中文 | français | Português | 한국어 | tiếng Việt | አማርኛ

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.

Stay Connected to MCPS

VISIT the MCPS homepage.
CALL 240-740-3000. Staff take calls from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, in English and Spanish (240-740-2845). Visit the AskMCPS website.
READ news and information sent via email and text message and on the MCPS News page.
FOLLOW the MCPS social media pages:
x.com/mcps / facebook.com/mcpsmd / instagram.com/mcps_md facebook.com/mcpsespanol / x.com/MCPSEspanol / instagram.com/mcpsenespanol
SIGN UP for emails and text alerts and make sure your ParentVue information is up to date.
WATCH the MCPS cable channels Comcast 34 (1071 HD), Verizon 36 or RCN 89

More MCPS Resources

Attendance, Operations & Policy Reminders

Chromebooks and keeping them safe

Each MCPS high school student is issued a Chromebook for use at school and home. Each Chromebook comes with a charger and a case. Please keep in mind that MCPS obligates students when a Chromebook is lost or broken, so please make sure your student takes care of these items.

Currently, the most common obligations include:

$28.25 for a replacement charger

$160 for a broken screen

$350 for a lost Chromebook

Broken screens are the most common thing to break; keeping the Chromebook in its case will help protect it. Most Chromebooks with broken screens were not kept in their case.

Students are not obligated for malfunctioning Chromebooks or other unavoidable issues.

When a student graduates (or is otherwise withdrawn) from Blair, the Chromebook, charger, and case must be returned in working order or paid for.

If your student loses their Chromebook, we have tools that often (but not always) can help track it down. Please have your student visit the media center at lunch, before school, or after school to report a missing Chromebook, and to get a new one. We have far more success finding lost Chromebooks when they are reported missing promptly. Chromebooks that are reported missing weeks or months after they are lost have a much lower recovery rate.

New Electronic Form for Submitting Attendance Notes

Parents/Guardians now have the ability to submit a student absence within ParentVue. Click here for directions and a how-to video. Visit our Attendance page for information on what constitutes and excused absences and on our county-aligned processes and procedures. The Online Attendance Note Submission Form will be discontinued soon.

Past Newsletters

Welcome Back to School!
September 4, 2026
September 18, 2026
October 2, 2026
October 16, 2026
October 30, 2026
November 13, 2026
November 27, 2026
December 11, 2026
December 25, 2026
January 8, 2027
January 22, 2027
February 5, 2027
February 19, 2027
March 5, 2027
March 19, 2027
April 2, 2027
April 16, 2027
April 30, 2027
May 14, 2027
May 28, 2027
June 11, 2027

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Montgomery Blair High School

51 University Blvd East

Silver Spring, MD 20901-2451

(240) 740-7200

https://mbhs.edu/

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