Originally delivered on 4/2/2024 8:01 am

SUBJECT: Hoover Notes April 2, 2024

Newsletter
HOOVER NOTES

Hoover Notes will be sent out weekly to help you keep track of important school community news and events. New items are bolded.  Links are blue.

PTA News
  1. Thank you to all who participated in the Read-A-Thon.  We met our fundraising goal of $6,000 with Hoover staff and students raising $6,155!  Top readers and classes will receive prizes this week.  
  2. Congratulations to August McFeaters who received an Award of Excellence for Music Composition and Anvita Bangalore who received an Award of Merit for Literature at the Free State (MD) PTA level of the National PTA Reflections program.  
  3. Thank you to everyone who volunteered to help with outdoor recess. Please consider signing up here for future Fridays.  We need to have at least 3 parentsper grade or recess will not happen.  Be sure to call the main office at 301-968-3740 before going to the school to confirm that recess has not been cancelled because of staffing shortages and/or weather.
  4. Thank you to Edith Deng, Golru Ghaffari and Anne Glynn for serving on the Hoover PTA Nominating Committee.  The Committee is seeking volunteers to serve as board members or on various committees for the 2024-2025 school year.   As a new or current Hoover parent, getting involved in the Hoover PTA is a great way to be involved in the school and show your support for the teachers, staff and students.  Interested parents should email Anne Glynn at anne.glynn@gmail.com.
  5. Mark your calendar for our next fundraising Spirit Night on 4/10 - Potomac Pizza (Potomac Village and Travilah).
  6. Save the date for Skate Night on 4/13 from 6:30-8 pm at the Cabin John Ice Rink.  Tickets are available for purchase online here and will be sold during lunch on Wednesday and Thursday this week for $15 (cash only).  Please note that tickets will not be sold at the event. Your name will be added to a list at the door.  
  7. The PTA's Safety Committee is working with the MCDOT Safe Route to School.  Learn more about the Committee's advocacy efforts here.
  8. Items on the Hoover Staff's Amazon Wishlist includes support for staff appreciation.  Items should be delivered to the "Gift Registry Address" at 11208 River View Drive, Potomac, MD 20854.
  9. Join the PTA if you haven't already. We would love to get to 100% participation!
  10. Link your Harris Teeter VIC card to the Together in Education program to earn money for Hoover. Click here for more details.
  11. Stay up-to-date with PTA activities when you join the Hoover PTA Facebook Page.
Hoover News
  1. Dr. Kim's March Message is available here.  
  2. Please click here to view a letter from Dr. Kim regarding the upcoming Signs of Suicide (SOS) Prevention Program. 
  3. Hoover's World Languages & World Studies Showcase will be on 4/11, 5-7 pm. Students and families will have a blast going back in time to test their trivia knowledge while also enjoying treats and music from different cultures.
  4. In accordance with Maryland State Law, students in MCPS are screened for possible vision and hearing problems. Trained hearing and vision screeners will be screening students new to MCPS, students in 8th Grade, and students referred by teachers because of possible signs of hearing or vision problems. The screeners will be at Hoover on 4/25, 4/26, and 4/29.  
  5. Save the Date for Hoover's Parent Engagement Night on 5/16 from 5-7 pm.  More details will be shared soon.
  6. Hoover's Career Expo Night will be on 5/30 from 5-7 pm. Click here for the flyer which advertises the event and includes a QR code to recruit presenters.
  7. Hoover's Music Department is holding a Krispy Kreme donuts fundraiser to repair instruments, buy more classroom resources, and help reduce the cost of the May Hershey Park field trip. You can donate here.  Donors will receive an e-certificate for Krispy Kreme donuts.  This link will be open until 6/13.
  8. Churchill HS is offering two WCHS Local Summer and Prep Program opportunities for rising 9th graders. Click here for more information. 
  9. Congratulations to Mr. Linwood Pumphrey, Hoover's Building Service Manager for winning third place in the MCPS Top Supporting Service Employees Award! 
  10. Please use turn signals when entering and exiting the Hoover parking lot at drop off and dismissal.  This will help Hoover's Security Staff better direct the flow of traffic.  
  11. The Media Center is looking for volunteers. Here is the link to sign up. Sign up is till the end of February. Volunteers will need to complete one module: Online "Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect Training" via your MCPS Classroom/Canvas Account. You can read the user guide here. Questions? Contact Saumya Sharma-Bhardwaj at avi.guh@gmail.com.
MCPS Community News
  1. Read the latest edition of MCPS QuickNotes, which includes a calendar of events and MCPS news and information.
  2. Learn more about the MCPS Superintendent Search here.
  3. Monday, April 22 will shift to an asynchronous learning day for all students. Students will engage in learning experiences and complete work asynchronously. Read the message here.  
  4. The Board of Education's Secondary School Speech Contest for all middle and high school students has been cancelled due to low enrollment.
  5. Save the Date for a Cluster-Wide Event! The Churchill SGA is sponsoring a Community Carnival on 4/27 from 10 am - 2 pm with games, rides, bounce houses, face painting, a petting zoo, free sports clinics, food, music, and more. Along with all of the fun - there will be information booths about clubs and groups, services for our community, the schools and PTSA's from each of the individual schools will be there - and registration information for Kindergarten will be available. Come out and join the community for this fun for all ages event!
  6. Nominations are needed for Churchill Cluster Coordinators for the upcoming school year (2024-2025).  Up to three coordinators can represent the Churchill Cluster.  Past PTA Presidents as well as those who are interested in education advocacy and policy serve as excellent candidates. Candidates must have served on a PTA Board in any role and be current dues paying PTA members.  Questions?  Contact Susan Lifsey,Winston Churchill Cluster Coordinator at susanlifsey@gmail.com.
Student Service Learning (SSL)

Student Service Learning is a Maryland state graduation requirement. 75 SSL hours are required to graduate.  For more information and SSL opportunities, visit the MCPS SSL page, the Montgomery County Volunteer Center's website, and the PTA's SSL page.  If you have questions, email Hoover's SSL Coordinator, Amalia Triantis at Amalia_D_Triantis@mcpsmd.org.

SSL Opportunity:

Hey Hoover teens - more green, less screen!  Drop your phones and come work for MSI! Calling all 7th graders and older who love soccer and would like to earn SSL hours (or get paid) while having fun!  Our MSI Youth Game Leaders enthusiastically manage our soccer games for our first and second grade teams. MANY games are played at Hoover every weekend.  Our YGL’s take responsibility for leading two to three hour-long games on Saturdays. You’ll learn valuable leadership, communication, and decision-making skills.  Our YGL role makes a perfect “first job”.  To learn more details, CLICK HERE (or go to our MSI website, www.msisoccer.org > "Programs" > "Development" > "YGL." 

Week of April 1, 2024

4/1   No School (Spring Break)

4/5   Friday Outdoor Recess (sign up to volunteer here)

Week of April 8 2024

4/10  No School (end of quarter)

4/10  PTA Spirit Night, Potomac Pizza (Potomac Village and Travilah)

4/11  Hoover World Languages & World Studies Showcase, 5-7 pm

4/12  Friday Outdoor Recess (sign up to volunteer here)

4/13  PTA Skate Night, 6:30-8 pm (purchase online here)

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