 Parents, teachers, and administrators working together 
Monday, February 2, 2015
Administration
Dear SHS Community,
We have started a new feature in these newsletters to make reading it more enjoyable
and efficient for you. We often repeat some items which are still active or to happen in the
future. However, we realize many of you may already know about them if you’ve read our prior
issues. From now on we will place a
image next to each new item in the current issue
(except for the calendar and publication schedule, which are always updated to be current.)
That way you can scroll past the information you’ve already seen if you wish. If you’ve missed
prior issues or just want a refresher, then you may want to read all of it. Now you will have a
quick way to go directly to what you want to read. We welcome your feedback and ideas on
how to make this newsletter that is designed for you, better for you. Please let us know what
you think about this new feature and anything else by sending an email to our editor, Cathy
Futrowsky, at [email protected].
in this issue: Science, Drama, Music, Student Achievements and Community Tidbits.
Please remember that course registration cards for next school year are due tomorrow,
February 3rd. If you have questions about our course offerings, please see our course bulletin:
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/springbrookhs/departments/couns
eling/20152016%20Springbrook%20High%20School%20Course%20BulletinFINALVERSION.pdf
And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter: @Springbrook_HS
Sincerely,
Daniel E. Garcίa, Assistant Principal
Calendar
Tues., February 3
o Music Boosters Meeting – 7pm
Wed., February 4
o Athletic Boosters Meeting – 7pm
Thurs., February 12
o Friends of the Arts Meeting – 7pm
Fri., February 13
o Theater Night for Middle School Students –
Auditorium 3:30-8pm – Registration Required
Mon., February 16
o No School – Presidents’ Day
Tues., February 17
o PTSA Meeting – Media Center - 7pm
o Science Department Team Amazon Peru
Chipotle Cherry Hill Fundraiser
Fri., February 27
o Blue Devil Alumni Career Day
o Early Release Day
News from the PTSA
Hope to See You February 17!
Our meetings are usually held on the 3rd Tuesday of the month. Our next meeting will
be Tuesday, February 17. Should you have any PTSA related questions or concerns,
please feel free to contact its president, Antoinette (Toni) Hinds by email:
[email protected].
The After Prom On-line Auction Starts Soon!
Starting Friday, February 13 the Springbrook High School PTSA After Prom will be
auctioning off many fun and unique items to raise money for our 2015 After Prom
celebration. Help us build our catalog by adding personalized items from the
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Springbrook community. These items are often the ones that create the most
excitement among our bidders. Stay tuned for more details to be announced soon.
*****
After Prom is a safe, drug- and alcohol-free celebration immediately following Prom. It
keeps our students safe during those often dangerous hours between midnight and
5am. Click on this link to see photos from After Prom 2014:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/687p1lpid2vcuvc/AAB0toykF7xdAhmv3o_PGu2Xa?dl=0
Points of Contact: Bessy Cabrera, [email protected] and Nora Robles,
[email protected]
Counseling Department
Course Bulletin
The Springbrook High School Course Bulletin is available on our website. The Bulletin
has a great deal of information in it including graduation and promotion requirements,
course descriptions and sequences, contact information for resource teachers and
administrators, and important information regarding the timeline for registering for
classes for the 2015-2016 school year.
2015-16 Class Registration
Counselors have shared recommendations with students and made a presentation
which covers all information needed for the registration/course selection process. If you
have any questions regarding a specific recommendation, please contact the classroom
teacher right away. If you have any questions regarding the process, please contact
your/your child’s counselor immediately. Please note the last page of the SHS Course
Bulletin is an appeal form. If you are unhappy with any of the recommendations and
wish to appeal for a different course or level, please complete the appeal form and have
your child submit it to the counseling office stapled to his/her registration form. The
course registration forms are due Tuesday, February 3.
College and Career Center News
The College and Career Center has many scholarships available. Seniors should be
visiting the College & Career Center on a regular basis to hear from college
representatives and to learn about the many scholarships that are available. Here are
some wonderful programs available to our students through the Career Center:

Online FAFSA applications are now available. The online application deadline is
March 1, 2015. Please visit www.FAFSA.gov.
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

Please mark your calendars for the HBCU College Fair at Einstein High School
on February 18, 2015 at 7pm.
There are 2 tables filled with scholarship information in the College and Career
Center. Please encourage your son or daughter to stop by. There are awards
and scholarships available for students in all grades.
Class of 2015 Tee Shirts Available
Senior year is a whirlwind of activity, from college and career planning to SAT/ ACT
testing, to working hard to complete graduation requirements. For many seniors, it
seems as though the year cannot possibly end quickly enough. Then, as June rapidly
approaches, it seems that the end of the high school years comes all too quickly.
Consider commemorating those years with the purchase of a Class of 2015 Tee shirt,
which bears the name of all members of the senior class. They can be purchased from
Ms. Greger or Mr. Overton in the Counseling Services Office for $10.00. Proceeds
support the Senior Class.
Point of Contact: Eileen Lisker, [email protected]
The International Baccalaureate Diploma
Programme (IBDP)
Internal and External Assessments
All students examining in one or more IB Diploma Programme subjects are required to
complete all assessment pieces in order to receive a score for each subject. The
second semester is a busy time for examining students, especially IB diploma bound
seniors who are examining in a minimum of four subjects, Theory of Knowledge and the
Extended Essay (turned in December 2014.)
In February and March, internal assessments (assessments scored by the teacher and
moderated by external examiners) and external assessments (assessments not scored
by the teacher that are sent to external examiners) will be due. Teachers schedule
individual times for teacher-student assessments (the oral components in English and
World Language subjects) and set deadlines for internal and external assessment
pieces (written assignments, films, art portfolios, and labs.) Over the third marking
period, students will be experiencing more challenges to their time and stress
management skills. Please help your examining student(s) with their time management
over the coming marking period. Your support will greatly increase their ability to
manage stress. Perseverance is probably the greatest lesson students will take away
from their experience in the IB DP. They will not appreciate it while going through it, but
they will attain a level of confidence in their abilities that will serve them well thereafter.
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Point of Contact: Mark Griffiths, [email protected]
The International Baccalaureate Middle
Years Programme (MYP)
IB MYP Progress Reports Coming Soon!
IB MYP progress reports will be handed out the week of February 2. Assessment is a
primary component of the IB MYP and our students are assessed throughout the year in
all subject areas. Each subject area has pre-determined assessment criteria
established by the International Baccalaureate (IB) Organization for all authorized world
schools. Task-specific scoring rubrics (assessment criteria) are used to evaluate each
student’s understanding of skills and content in 8 discrete disciplines which align to
most courses taught in the MCPS program of studies. It is important to remember that
the MYP Progress Report does not replace the standard MCPS report card. Instead, it
is our way of providing a view of your child’s progress through the IB lens.
Point of contact: John Weinshel, IB MYP Coordinator, [email protected]
The IB MYP comprises rigorous learning objectives:
• a student-centered approach to teaching • international perspectives
• concern for the whole child
• sustained teaching and learning in more than one language • a focus on learning how to learn
• the development of flexible thinking that prepares students to evaluate information critically and apply knowledge in
complex, unfamiliar situations.
Science Department
Springbrook Science Students Headed to the Amazon in Peru This
Summer!
Springbrook students and staff will be traveling to the AMAZON in Peru this
summer! Staff, chaperones and students are super excited about this scientific
research expedition! However, this trip costs money. We are asking for your
participation in supporting our CHIPOTLE FUNDRAISER on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY
17 at the Cherry Hill Location (by the Target and Babies R Us.) We will receive a
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donation based on every purchase. Springbrook's varsity basketball teams play at
Wheaton on Feb 17th at 5:15 and 7pm, so you can spend the entire evening supporting
Springbrook...on a full tummy of course! Team Amazon Peru thanks you for your
support in advance. FEEL FREE TO SPREAD THE WORD. Look for our Chipotle
coupon in the next issue of the parent newsletter.
Drama Department
Middle School Night
In 3 weeks, the High School Musical cast of will be welcoming middle school students
into a rehearsal and teaching them some of the songs and dances from the show. This
is a great opportunity for middle school students to become familiar with the drama
program at the Brook, meet the cast and receive a free ticket to any one showing of
HSM! There is a registration fee of $10 to cover the cost of dinner.
What:
A Musical Theatre Workshop where you will meet the cast, learn songs and scenes
from the Springbrook HS Spring Musical, put on a showcase performance, and receive
one FREE Ticket to High School Musical -- any performance.
When:
Friday, February 13, 2014, 3:30 - 8:00 pm (Showcase from 7:30-8:00)
Any middle school student is welcome. Please return completed registration (form
attached) to Emily Donaldson at Springbrook High School (201 Valley Brook Road,
Silver Spring, MD 20904) or email information to: [email protected]
If you know of a student who would like to participate but can not afford the registration
fee, please contact Ms. Donaldson or Ms. D'Orazio. Thank you!
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Music Department / Music Boosters
Chipotle Fundraiser a Success and Candy Fundraiser Happening Now
Huge thanks to all who came out to Chipotle on January 13 for our fundraiser. It was a
great success. There is a candy fundraiser happening now which directly defrays the
individual students’ costs for the Memphis trip in late March. Thanks for supporting our
kids’ musical education by participating in these fundraisers.
On to Memphis in Late March!
The music program students are traveling to Memphis in late March to participate in a
musical festival competition and go on fun and educational tours of Graceland, the
Gibson Guitar Factory and other music venues. The first trip deposits were due by
January 15 and the second deposit is due February 1. Medical forms and permission
slips were due in January as well. If your child is going on this trip, please make sure to
submit all forms and payments timely. Thank you!
Swing into Spring
Swing into Spring is a big annual event of the music department and is on the horizon.
We need volunteers to make it a success for the music department and all who attend
this fun evening of music, dancing and dinner. Please contact us (details below) if you
can help out in any way.
Music Boosters Next Meeting
Please plan to attend the Music Boosters meetings on the 1st Tuesday of every month
at 7pm in the Band Room. The next one is Tuesday, February 3. We are gearing up
for Swing into Spring and the trip to Memphis in late March!
Point of Contact: Wyman Jones, [email protected] and
[email protected]. (Scott Brock, President, Springbrook Music
Boosters)
Follow us on Twitter: @SHSMusicBoosters
See us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpringbrookHsMusic
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Athletic Department /Athletic Boosters
News from Springbrook’s Athletic Director and Department
* The Springbrook athletic hall of fame is currently accepting nominations for the 2015
class. Please visit our website to nominate former athletes, coaches or community
members.
* Spring sports are right around the corner. All athletes must have an updated
physical on file and be academically eligible to try out! Make those doctors’
appointments now!
Check our website for upcoming games and events – www.springbrookathletics.org.
Winter Sports in Full Swing!
Parents if you have not yet joined the Athletic Boosters Club, now is the time! The
Athletic Boosters Club helps promote our athletes by helping to fund athletic programs
and purchase athletic equipment (e.g., lighting for the field, weight room equipment,
video cameras, sport camps and much more!) The most important contribution you
can make is to attend your child’s games.
Athletic Boosters and Non Perishable Food and Essentials Drive
Thank you to everyone who donated canned goods and toiletries during our
Springbrook Cares donation drive. Also a huge thanks to the Springbrook Swim and
Dive team which did a fantastic job of collecting money and can goods from team
members. We are sorting the donations to deliver to A Wider Circle in the next few
weeks.
Save the Date: SPRINGBROOK's MULCH SALE will be Saturday, May 2. We
deliver! Please do not order your mulch from anywhere else! Order forms will be sent
out and will be available online soon. The Boosters Club is also seeking volunteers to
help coordinate the sale. Please contact Rachel Spangenburg at
[email protected] or attend our next meeting to offer your help with this
important fundraising event.
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The next Boosters meeting will be held Wednesday, February 4 from 7-8pm in the
cafeteria.
For more information on Boosters activities visit our webpage on the Springbrook
Athletics page, click on “Boosters”, or by clicking on this link:
http://springbrookathletics.org/index.cfm?action=main.boosters
Please join our boosters listserv by clicking on the following link:
[email protected] or contact Rachel
Spangenberg at [email protected] to be added to our email list.
Questions? Contact co-Presidents Rachel Spangenberg at [email protected] or
Tina Errigo at [email protected].
GO BLUE DEVILS!!!
Point of Contact: Sarah Kestner, [email protected]
College Career Research Department
2nd Annual Career Expo to Be Held February 27
Our first expo was such a success that we will be hosting our second Career Expo on
February 27! We will invite alumni to come back to Springbrook and speak to current
students about their careers, schooling, challenges and everything in between. See the
flier attached to the December 5, 2014 edition for more information. If you are in touch
with Springbrook alumni, please spread the word!
Security Team
Ride-On Youth Cruiser SmarTrip Card
As of January 1 students are no longer be able to ride Metro or Ride-On buses for free
by showing a student ID card. They must purchase a Youth Cruiser Card for $2.00.
Students will still be allowed to ride for free from 2-8pm by tapping the fare box with
their new card. Students can also add money to the Youth Cruiser Card and use the
same card during other hours when rides are not free. Springbrook’s security team has
graciously offered to sell Youth Cruiser Passes right here at school. Students can see
Ms. Sutton in the security office during lunch or after school to fill out a quick registration
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form and pay $2.00 for a card. For more information about this program, please visit
Montgomery County Department of Transportation webpage:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dot-transit/kidsridefree/index.html
Point of contact, Donna Sutton, [email protected]
Student Achievements
Springbrook artist Faith Young has been chosen to participate in a county-wide art
exhibition at Johns Hopkins University’s Montgomery County campus. Her work, Five
Faces, combines both painting and sculpture, and was chosen by the jury as a great
example of this year’s theme: Out of the Ordinary. The show opened January 26 in
Gaithersburg. Faith is a senior in Ms. Lyddane’s Studio Art 2 class. Congratulations!
Community Tidbits
Nominate a Candidate for a Distinguished Service to Public Education
Award
Do you know a person or organization that has contributed greatly to public education in
Montgomery County? Montgomery County’s Board of Education is accepting
nominations for the Distinguished Service to Public Education Award. If you know a
person, group or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to Montgomery
County’s public education, now is the time to nominate them. Nomination forms can be
found on the Board of Education website. Completed forms must be turned in by 5 p.m.
on Friday, Feb. 13.
http://patch.com/maryland/silverspring/nominate-candidate-distinguished-service-publiceducation-award?utm_source=newsletterdaily&utm_medium=email&utm_term=schools&utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_content
=article-mostrecent
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The Montgomery County GreenFest
Save the date for the Montgomery County GreenFest, held on the Montgomery College
Takoma Park/Silver Spring campus on Saturday, March 28. Hear from national and
local speakers, explore exhibits and talk to nonprofits, participate in “How to” workshops
and more. Participants can also visit an electric vehicle display, listen to music or watch
an environmental film as a part of the Environmental Film Festival. This free event will
be held rain or shine! See more details about attending or participating as a
presenter/exhibitor at www.montgomerycountygreenfest.org.
News from the Brook - Upcoming Publication Schedule
Publication Date
Submission Due Date/
Deadline for Submission
Friday, February 13
Friday, February 6/
Monday, February 9
Friday, February 27
Friday, February 20/
Monday, February 23
Friday, March 13
Friday, March 6/
Monday, March 9
News from the Brook, point of contact: [email protected]
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