RHS Rams Corner News

As we move through November centered on gratitude and giving, I am reaching out with a heart full of pride and deep appreciation for our incredible school community.

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on our blessings and celebrate what we can build when we work together. Today, I am thrilled to share a gift that is the direct result of our collective dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment: Rockville High School has officially earned a 4-Star rating on the Maryland State Report Card!

This milestone is a testament to the extraordinary progress happening inside our classrooms:

• Rising Higher: We raised our overall performance score by 7.8 percentage points, moving us from 3 stars to 4 stars.

• A Distinction of Our Own: Rockville High was the only high school in Montgomery County Public Schools to make the leap from 3 stars to 4 stars for the 2025–2026 school year.

• In Elite Company: We are now proudly 1 of only 8 four-star high schools in all of MCPS.

In the spirit of this season, my gratitude starts with our students. I am profoundly proud of their relentless effort, their enthusiasm for learning, and the personal commitment they bring to their own education every single day. They stepped up to every challenge, and these results reflect their determination to succeed.

I am equally proud of and grateful for our exceptional teachers and staff. Day in and day out, they give selflessly of their time, energy, and expertise to ensure every student feels supported, challenged, and valued. Their dedication to our students’ academic and personal growth is the backbone of this success.

Achievements like this do not happen in isolation—they are born from a true partnership between school, home, and community. Thank you for entrusting us with your children, for supporting their learning at home, and for continuously pouring your encouragement into RHS.

Recognizing how far we have come is the greatest motivation for where we are headed next. Thank you for your partnership, your belief in our vision, and your shared pride in our school.

I remain the immensely proud principal of Rockville High School.

November is also National Native American Heritage Month—a key opportunity for our community to recognize, learn from, and honor the histories, cultures, and ongoing contributions of Native American and Indigenous peoples.

Throughout the month, we encourage students and families to engage with Indigenous voices and histories through literature, local cultural events, and informed discussion. Together, we look forward to deepening our shared understanding and celebrating the traditions that shape our broader society.

Thank you for your continued partnership in cultivating a thoughtful, supportive, and engaged school environment. I look forward to seeing the positive momentum we build together this month.

AP Exam registration is closing soon! Students must “join” their courses in AP Classroom by Friday November 6. Any exam changes made after November 13 will result in a $42 late registration or cancellation fee. This also includes any students who drop their AP course after the November 14 deadline.

Students who are having difficulty joining their course in AP Classroom should email Mr. Hankerson@ Sidney_A_Hankerson@mcpsmd.org.

Excited for another school year.

The Senior and Junior ACES groups have already completed their orientations to kick off the school year.

We are actively recruiting Sophomores (10th graders) now. Here is the link: Application Form 2027

FAFSA applications are open now for seniors. ACES is working closely with Ms. Wolk to help every senior complete the application process.

Mr. Joel Solorzano MBA (he, him)
ACES Student Success Coordinator, Rockville High School

Montgomery College

Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success

Joel.Solorzano@montgomerycollege.edu

Directions for submitting an absence note through ParentVue is available at the directions linked below:

ParentVUE Attendance Notes Quick Guide [Parents-Guardians] - ALL.pdf

Please give your feedback on the School Year Calendar for 2027 - 2028 by using this link:

Round 2: School Year Calendar 2027-2028 Feedback

The annual Winter Choral Concert is on December 3rd at 7pm, in the auditorium. Hear songs from Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, and Vocal Point acapella. Admission is free - see you there!

The Holiday Giving Project provides Thanksgiving and December holiday assistance to low-income households. A network of social workers, school counselors, and human service professionals refer families in need of assistance. Local non-profits, faith-based organizations, and public agencies service Holiday Giving recipients, as donations are available. If your family is in need and would like to be referred for possible assistance for the holiday season, please complete THIS REFERRAL form to provide the required information.

While a referral is not a guarantee of assistance, the Project helps as many families as donations allow.

Please note deadlines:

• Thanksgiving requests: November 3, 2026

• December requests: November 17, 2026

El proyecto *Holiday Giving Project* ofrece ayuda para el Día de Acción de Gracias y las fiestas de diciembre a familias de bajos ingresos. Una red de trabajadores sociales, consejeros escolares y profesionales de servicios sociales remite a las familias que necesitan asistencia. Organizaciones locales sin fines de lucro, grupos religiosos y agencias públicas atienden a los beneficiarios del proyecto, sujeto a la disponibilidad de donaciones. Si su familia necesita ayuda y desea ser referida para recibir posible asistencia durante la temporada festiva, por favor complete ESTE formulario de referencia con la información requerida.

Aunque una referencia no garantiza la obtención de ayuda, el proyecto asiste a tantas familias como lo permiten las donaciones.

Tenga en cuenta las fechas límite:

• Solicitudes para el Día de Acción de Gracias: 3 de noviembre de 2026

• Solicitudes para diciembre: 17 de noviembre de 2026

Ms. Alejandra Crawley

Resource Counselor

Dual Enrollment –Enrollment for Spring 2027 Opens Oct 26. Deadline Dec 18.

The enrollment/registration process for MCPS students participating in Dual Enrollment can be cumbersome and may take three weeks or longer.

Dual Enrollment lets College and Career Ready high school students (target audience 11th and 12th graders) take college courses at Montgomery College (MC) that count for both high school graduation and college credit.

MCPS will pay for up to two approved college courses per semester for College and Career Ready students enrolled in the JumpStart to college program. MCPS will no longer cover the cost of embedded developmental courses (such as ENGL 011).

Interested students should complete the checklist, first by meeting with their counselor, then by meeting with me.

Students can stop by the College and Career Center. I am available in the building from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

QUESTIONS?

Shondra Jenkins, Shondra_B_Jenkins@mcpsmd.org

Individual Score Reports (ISR) are now available in ParentVUE for students in grades 9-12 who took one or more MCAP exams last spring. The ISR provides information about your student’s performance and progress toward Maryland’s academic standards. Please log in to ParentVue to view the report. If you have any questions about your student’s score or information, please reach out to the counseling office.

Here is the google link for Teacher of the Year Award and Rising Teacher of the Year Award nomination - https://forms.gle/Y3PEJJCaUBGMNi1p6

If we could get all forms in by November 11, 2026 this would be great.

Parent-Teacher Conference Tip Sheets

• These Tip Sheets are designed for teachers and parents to review together. Please send them to families in advance and ensure all teachers review them. Updated this year, there are separate versions for Elementary, Middle, and High School, and they are available in all MCPS languages.

• Elementary Schools (English)
  español / 中文 / français / tiếng Việt / 한국어 / አማርኛ / portuguese

• Middle School (English)
  español / 中文 / français / tiếng Việt / 한국어 / አማርኛ / portuguese

• High School (English)
  español / 中文 / français / tiếng Việt / 한국어 / አማርኛ / portuguese

Take the Survey; Help Improve Your School! 100% Important
MCPS invites parents/caregivers to share your experiences and thoughts on academics, communication and overall satisfaction with your school and the district. We want to improve our teaching and make our schools and district a more welcoming place for all students, staff and families.

Surveys are now available in eight languages:
English | Spanish | French | Chinese | Vietnamese | Amharic | Korean | Portuguese
To complete the survey, you will be asked for your child’s student ID number. You can find this in ParentVUE → Student Information.
Your responses are confidential—the student ID is used only to connect your input to the right school.

Your Input Matters!

Don’t Miss Upcoming Boundary & Secondary Programs Analysis Engagement Sessions

In the next few weeks, MCPS is inviting the community to participate in a series of Q&A engagement sessions on the boundary studies and academic programs analysis efforts. Learn more here.

• Oct. 30: John F. Kennedy High School, 1901 Randolph Road, Silver Spring (Region 3)

• Nov. 4: Watkins Mill High School, 10301 Apple Ridge Road, Gaithersburg (Region 5)

• Nov. 10: Montgomery Blair High School, 51 University Blvd. East, Silver Spring (Region 1)

• Nov. 13: Winston Churchill High School, 11300 Gainsborough Road, Potomac (Region 4)

• Nov. 17: Paint Branch High School, 14121 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville (Region 2)

• Nov. 18: Clarksburg High School, 22500 Wims Road, Clarksburg (Region 6)

In addition, be sure to join MCPS for a virtual “Pregúntale a MCPS” live on Facebook for Spanish-speaking families at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 5. The session will focus on the boundary study options and new academic programs in secondary schools.
Why It Matters
Academic Programs Analysis Webpage

The Division of Specialized Support Services and the Montgomery County School Psychologists’ Association are co-hosting the 2026 Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) from November 9–14, 2026. This year's theme is "Mental Health Matters: Connect. Support. Thrive."—focusing on creating connected, supportive school communities for all students and families. Rockville High School will be hosting various lunch activities and have a color theme going for the week. Additionally, Rockville Minds Matter will be hosting a Club Meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 10th in room 1050, please plan to join for a mental health activity. Please bring your lunch.

The week will culminate with the free Mental Health and Wellness Fair on Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Blake High School (300 Norwood Road, Silver Spring, MD 20905). Open to students, families, and staff, the fair features information tables from MCPS and community partners, a student-led forum, and interactive workshops on key mental health topics.

Attendees can register using the QR code on the flyer or the link below. Please complete registration by November 6, 2025:

https://bit.ly/OpenHouseNov1126

Please note that all attendees must be a verified parent/guardian contact listed in Synergy for the identified student. Emergency contacts are not permitted for Open House visits.

All visitors must sign in and out of the main office, with a valid, government-issued ID.

We look forward to welcoming you at Open House!

Parent-Teacher Conferences on Monday, November 23, 2026, from 12:05 PM to 6:00 PM.

Full registration details will be sent via community message and posted to our website by Monday, November 9th.

At Rockville High School, our bathrooms are shared spaces that should be safe, clean, and respectful for everyone. We are asking all students to follow our RHS Bathroom Guidelines every time they use the restroom.

Students are expected to:

• Enter, use the restroom, and return to class promptly—no gathering or spending more than five minutes in the bathroom.

• Keep restroom stalls for individual use—only one person in a stall at a time.

• Keep food and drinks out of the bathroom.

• Keep cell phones put away—no TikTok, dancing, or performances.

• Leave hot irons, curling irons, and other heat-producing devices at home.

• Maintain a safe and respectful environment—no fighting, vaping, smoking, drugs, or strong/non-controlled substances.

• Treat the facilities and one another with respect.

These expectations are about more than rules—they help us maintain a school environment where safety, dignity, cleanliness, and respect are priorities. When students use the bathrooms appropriately and responsibly, everyone benefits from a safer and more welcoming school community.

We will be utilizing School Cash Online for all payments made to the school. Please make sure you are registered and can see all of your students under your profile.

NOTE: Payments to the cafeteria are separate. See this website for more information about paying for student meals and the Free and Reduced Meals Program.

During the first week of school, students sat for their yearbook pictures and received their printed, RHS Student IDs and lanyards. All students and staff are required to wear their RHS IDs on lanyards when on school property, so that IDs are visible.

As a reminder, all visitors to RHS must check into the main office with a government-issued ID and will be given a visitor sticker to wear visibly while in the building for scheduled visits.

The class of 2027 is having a fundraiser at the Chipotle in the Norbeck Shopping Center (5504 Norbeck Rd, Rockville, MD 20853) on November 18th from 5:00 – 9:00pm. Please come out to support! We look forward to seeing you there!

If not already done, all seniors need to input their cap and gown size.

The Key Club is hosting a thanksgiving canned/dried goods food drive. Non-perishables will be collected through the month of November in a box outside the main office. All donated items will be delivered to Manna Food Bank in Rockville.

Pursuant to Maryland Code, Education § 7-103.2, the MCPS Virtual Inclement Weather Plan establishes a consistent districtwide approach to continuing instruction when in-person school is not possible due to severe weather or other emergency conditions. The plan protects instructional time, supports equitable access to learning, and ensures students and families know what to expect.

When MCPS announces a virtual inclement weather day, schools will follow a 2 hour delay virtual instruction schedule. MCPS staff will operate under their normal duty hours. Students will be able to access virtual instruction via Zoom. Zoom links for each class can be found on teacher Canvas pages, by clicking on the purple virtual learning button.

Yearbooks are on sale! As of today, we have only 42 $5 promo codes left. Promo codes are available on a first-come, first-served basis. If a code is available, it will apply automatically to your cart. Order today to take advantage of the SAVINGS! Payment options, including AfterPay (allows you to make payments), are available at checkout.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER TODAY!

Senior Congratulatory Ads are on sale! Design and place your order by 10/30/26 to take advantage of early bird savings. Prices increase on 10/30/26. The final deadline to place your ad order is 1/29/27. Payment options, including AfterPay (allows you to make payments), are available at checkout.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR YEARBOOK AD!

As November arrives, bringing with it a season centered on reflection and Thanksgiving, Rockville High School is focusing our energy on community impact and mutual support. We are naming this month our Season of Service—a chance to look closely at what sustains us and actively extend that support to those around us.

Generosity at Rockville High is reflected in our everyday culture rather than isolated acts. It lives in how we offer our time, share our abilities, and practice everyday empathy.

Authentic giving begins with awareness. November serves as a helpful pause point to recognize the daily constants we easily take for granted: our families, trusted friendships, educational opportunities, and the safety net of a connected school environment. Grounded in that awareness, we are asking our students to bring generosity into their daily routines:

• Generosity through Time: Offering a hand with community initiatives, helping a neighbor, or taking ten minutes to explain a tough concept to a classmate.

• Generosity through Action: Small, intentional acts make a lasting impression. We are challenging students and staff alike to practice everyday kindness—from sending a brief note of thanks to a mentor to offering steady words of support when someone needs it.

We invite you to carry these conversations into your home as well. Taking time as a family to discuss what appreciation and shared support mean to you can reinforce these habits outside the classroom.