Northwood News ♦ October 2003

Northwood High School to Reopen, Focus on 4 ‘Academies’

The Downcounty Consortium is comprised of five high schools (Montgomery Blair, Albert Einstein, John F. Kennedy, Northwood, and Wheaton) plus feeder middle and elementary schools.  Students will have the opportunity to choose from a number of unique academy programs at each high school.

Parents of every eighth grader in the county should have received a packet of material and forms in the mail regarding their choice of high school for next year.  (Information is also available on the DCC website and informational meetings will be held at each DCC middle school throughout this month.)  Students are only guaranteed their base school, during the choice process in December, if it is written as their first or second choice.

Northwood High School will reopen with a ninth grade in August 2004.  The high school will then add one grade each year, over the subsequent three years.  Facility upgrades begin July 2004 and are expected to be completed by July 2006.

Each high school will feature several “academies,” which give students the opportunity to complete high school graduation requirements plus coursework related to college prep and career themes.  The four at Northwood will be:  Environmental Sciences, Gilder Lehrman Academy of American History, Humanities and Film, and Political Science and Advocacy, as follows:

• Environmental Sciences
• Students who have an interest in improving the environment will have many hands-on opportunities to explore related sciences and careers.  This academy will provide students the opportunity to learn about earth and its relationship to human society while using technology as an important component of their studies.  The approach will allow students to be actively involved in studying environmental conditions and their implications for the community-at-large.  Concentrating on the concept of “green schools,” students will be involved in the modernization process of Northwood High School, while learning how to conserve energy and reduce consumption of resources in their own building. Their classrooms will include the greenhouse at Northwood High School, Wheaton Regional Park, and many other local resources.
• Gilder Lehrman Academy of American History
• Students who have a desire to probe deeply into the study of American History will find this academy an inspiring opportunity to experience the history of the world as influenced by American culture.  This nationally recognized program encourages interactive and cooperative learning.  Enrichment programs are provided by the Gilder Lehrman Institute and the University of Maryland, College Park.
  Site visits and the study of public documents will assist the research process as students develop a strong understanding of the history of the United States and insight into the challenges our nation faces.
• Humanities and Film
• Imagine having the opportunity to study the impact of film and its effect on our society.  The academy will provide a rigorous curriculum emphasizing various genres of language, literature, history, culture, and film studies.  Students will learn to produce of a variety of film media products that demonstrate an understanding of humanities and the arts and that reflect our multicultural community.  A partnership with the American Film Institute highlights this enriching academy experience and will benefit the students’ endeavors in their college preparatory work.
• Political Science and Public Advocacy
• In order to prepare for the future, it is vital that students learn the characteristics needed to serve as advocates of self and community.  This academy offers students a hands-on opportunity to study government at the local, state, and national level.  Students are to become articulate in the areas of policy, citizenship, and advocacy.  Instruction will include the study of political science, law, law enforcement, and public safety in order to motivate students to make a difference in their lives and the lives of the community at large.

For more information, visit the website at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/ schools/downcounty or call the Down­county Consortium office at 301.649.8081.  You also can contact Northwood High School directly.  Call 301.649.8088 and speak to either Principal Henry R. Johnson, Jr. (Henry_Johnson@fc.mcps.k12.md.us) or Academy Coordinator Wendy Gonzales (Wendy_Gonzales@fc.mcps.k12.md.us).

[The MCPS website URL has been updated since the printed newsletter.]   ■