Weekly Newsletter

September 6, 2026

Dear Coyote Community,

I hope everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful weather we are experiencing this weekend. Just a reminder that there is no school tomorrow in observance of Labor Day.

As we begin the year, one of our priorities is helping students be persistently present—coming to school every day, arriving on time, and remaining engaged in their classes. An important part of that effort is addressing tardiness. Students are expected to arrive at school and to each of their classes on time. This week, we will restart the tardy detention process that was in place last year. Students have now had two weeks to learn their schedules, locate their classrooms, and determine the best routes to get where they need to be within our six-minute passing time.

Students have generally done a good job adjusting to the new personal mobile device (PMD) policy, and we appreciate their efforts. Over the first two weeks, we have focused on reminders, redirection, and coaching to help students develop new habits. Those supports will continue; however, we will also begin following the progressive discipline continuum established by MCPS. When a student's device continues to be a concern, it will be secured in a designated locker in the main office, and a caregiver will be contacted. Please take a moment to remind your student of the expectations and encourage them to continue making good choices.

Finally, for those using the parking lot on the auditorium side of the building, please follow the designated traffic patterns, exercise caution, and drive slowly. This is especially important during our busy morning arrival and afternoon dismissal times. Your patience and attention help keep our students, staff, and other drivers safe.

Please enjoy the rest of the weekend. I look forward to welcoming our Coyotes back on Tuesday!

Warmly,

Ms. O'Neill

September 7 No School

September 9 Student Expectations Lessons

September 18 Clarksburg Day Lite and Student Early Release

September 21 No School

September 22 PTSA Meeting (Media Center)

Students will complete the required annual student expectations lessons on Wednesday, September 9. The training module has two parts, and both are required learning experiences. Part one focuses on culture of belonging. Part two ensures that students are aware of key information in the MCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities and MCPS Code of Conduct. Both parts are required for completion credit. The intended audience is all students in grades 6 through 12. Students will earn 3 SSL hours for full completion of the training module. The schedule for the day is below.

Clarksburg High School is searching for an Attorney Advisor for our Mock Trial competition team. Our student members compete against other county high school as trial lawyers and wittiness. We are in need of an advisor to support the staff sponsors and students.

Meetings are held after school, if you can volunteer your time to support these great students contact the Team Coaches (sponsors)- Kim Moore (kimberly_c_moore@mcpsmd.org) or Megan Wessel (megan_j_wessel@mcpsmd.org) for more information.

This year, CHS is placing an increased emphasis on recognizing and rewarding students who are persistently present and engaged in their learning. Students who maintain an attendance rate of 90% or higher will be considered persistently present and will have access to a variety of privileges and incentives.

An important part of strong attendance is arriving to every class on time and remaining in class for the entire period. To support this expectation, CHS will also continue to address patterns of tardiness. Students who are tardy three or more times to a particular class will be assigned a teacher and/or administrative lunch detention. DETENTIONS START TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8.

We ask families to partner with us by reinforcing the importance of showing up, being on time, and staying engaged. Together, we can build strong attendance habits that help every student make the most of each school day.

Did you complete SSL hours over the summer? If so, there are three ways to submit SSL forms to Mrs. Coe:

• Drop off in the main office
• Bring form directly to Mrs. Coe in room 159
• Use our CHS google form to submit electronically

**Mrs. Coe CAN NOT accept forms that are emailed**

UPDATE: There is a new SSL form beginning this year! Old forms will be accepted through August, but any hours completed after August MUST use the new reflection form.

Don't forget that we have our CHS Bank of Projects that are open to all students. These virtual SSL hours are a great way to complete your hours!

We are pleased to share that Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) will pay the exam fees for Advanced Placement (AP) exams for the 2026–2027 school year.

Students who enroll in an AP 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 fees, some students may be interested in taking an AP 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.

If you have questions, please contact your school counseling office or Ms. Daly, the CHS testing coordinator.

Apply online for meal benefits today! A new FARMS application must be completed every school year, even if your children qualified the previous year. Households meeting federal income standards are eligible for free school meals, but must apply to receive this benefit. Only one application is needed for all students in a household.

Learn more.

Help your child build confidence and academic success with Saturday School (George B. Thomas, Sr. Learning Academy). Programs run on Saturday mornings for students in grades K–12, focusing on reading, math, test prep and STEM enrichment, such as coding and robotics. Clarksburg is a Saturday School site.

The opening ceremony is on Sept. 19 for families to register and learn about the program. The first tutoring session is Sept. 26 from 8:30-11 a.m.

Cost: $85/year ($40 for FARMS recipients) Note: Fees increase to $100 / $50 FARMS after Sept. 1.

Transportation: Free MCPS bus routes available to center sites.

Details & Registration: saturdayschool.org

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.

Thank you to all of the families who joined us for Back-to-School Night! It was wonderful to welcome so many new faces to CHS and reconnect with familiar ones.

We are also grateful to our Booster Clubs and community partners for helping make the evening a success. A special shout-out goes to our amazing Student Ambassadors, who did a fantastic job welcoming our visitors, answering questions, and helping families find their way to classes throughout the evening.

Thank you to our staff and eveyone else who helped make Back-to-School Night such a welcoming and positive start to the school year!