More News

More than 700 students and more than 100 staff members and parents participated in the 3rd annual Help the Homeless Mini-Walk at Great Seneca Creek Elementary School on Oct. 2. 

This event helped to raise over $10,000 for The Dwelling Place, a two-year residential program for homeless families making the transition to stability and independence, according to a statement from the nonprofit. 

"We are so grateful to the families and staff at Great Seneca Creek for their commitment to helping homeless families working toward independence," Alice Houk, Help the Homeless Program Coordinator for The Dwelling Place, said in the statement.  "It is especially impressive how the entire school community gets involved with this effort, through the staff reinforcing the importance of helping those in need and parents and other family members joining in the Walk."

The Great Seneca Creek Elementary School community will host a holiday gift collection for The Dwelling Place in December. 

Several more mini-walks and other educational programs for The Dwelling Place will be held through November.  Mini-walks can be sponsored by schools, community organizations and congregations.  For more information, call The Dwelling Place at 301-948-1988. 

Candidates' forum

A School Board candidates forum on special education will be held 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday at Rock Creek Church, 19100 Muncaster Road, Derwood.

Candidates will address special education in Montgomery County Public Schools and answer questions from the audience, at this event sponsored by a coalition of families. For more information call Alice Kirkman at 301-424-7383.

Watch for lions

Waters Landing Elementary School's PTA is hosting a Reading Safari Scholastic Book Fair. The fair will run 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Thursday. There is with a special family event 5-7 p.m. today. Books will be offered at a 30 percent discount. The school is at 13100 Waters Landing Drive, Germantown.

Go international

Take a trip around the world without leaving Montgomery County at Darnestown Elementary School's International Night.

The free event is 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the school, 15030 Turkey Foot Road, Gaithersburg.

"The goal of the event is to introduce our children to other country's cultures, traditions, foods, etc.," PTA member Kristen Crook wrote in an e-mail to The Gazette.

Booths representing more than 17 countries will have food, art, and information about the country such as maps, flags, language and population. Countries represented include Zambia, Madagascar, Iran, Bolivia, Norway, Bosnia and China.

For more information, call 301-840-7157.

Bake sale

donations needed

The Parent Teacher Student Association of Seneca Valley High School is seeking baked goods and other food items to sell at the school on Election Day, Nov. 4.

Money from the sale, which is scheduled for the entire day, will be used for the school's after-prom event. Those wishing to bake something or bring other food to the sale should contact Ellen Graff at 301-540-2943 or by e-mailing Patty Williams at psw0916@msn.com or Graff at ecgx2@verizon.net

Donations can be dropped off at Graff's house the evening before the event or by bringing them to the school the day of the sale. Volunteers are also being sought to sell items.

School Notes is a weekly column during the school year. Send story ideas by 10 a.m. Thursdays to Melissa A. Chadwick via e-mail at mchadwick@gazette.net, by fax to 301-670-7183 or by mail to 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.