Blake High School PTSA

This is a reminder that there is no school on June 1 for students who are not attending the graduation ceremony at DAR as all Blake staff participate in the graduation. Anyone attending the graduation ceremony must have a ticket to be admitted to DAR Constitution Hall. Classes for students in grades 9, 10 and 11 will resume on June 2.

Students, Parents, Staff, Alumni, Family and Friends of James Hubert Blake High School,

You are cordially invited to “Blake Celebrates Carole Goodman”, on the evening of Thursday, June 10, 2010, at 7:00 p.m., in the Blake High School Auditorium. The evening’s program will feature student, staff and parents past and present in a tribute to Principal Goodman through spoken words, music, and art. The program will be followed by an informal reception open to all who attend.

Ms. Goodman is leaving Blake at the end of this month and has been appointed by the Board of Education to assume the position of Associate Superintendent of Human Resources for MCPS on July 1. As Blake’s first and only principal, Mrs. Goodman’s departure brings with it change for the Blake community.  But we cannot let Mrs. Goodman go without having a fitting celebration of her years at Blake. Please join the school community past and present in celebrating Carole Goodman’s leadership, creativity and the legacy she leaves James Hubert Blake High School.

You can RSVP to this event on the Facebook page, Blake Celebrates Carole Goodman.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/22/AR2010052203359.html

Please be sure to check out this link to John Kelly’s Washington in the May 23rd Washington Post and congratulate Johnathan Dunn and his Revelations choir. Revelations preformed old songs about Washington, arranged by Johnathan Dunn, at the urging of John Kelly, who is a Washington Post columnist and graduation speaker for the class of 2009.

(from the May 19, 2010 Gazette)

Blake learns diamond diplomacy with Iraqi guests
by James Peters | Gazette Staff Writer

Like the rest of the public school baseball and softball teams in Montgomery County, Blake spent last week preparing for the regional playoffs.

At the same time, the Bengals were working on their international relations.

The Silver Spring programs spent a day of their postseason preparation teaching and hosting a group of Iraqi teenagers May 10, on the last leg of their recent trip to the United States. The teens also spent time at the Ripken Baseball Academy in Aberdeen and a Bowie Baysox game. …[FULL STORY]

According to Blake Principal Carole Goodman at last night’s PTSA meeting, Blake Journalism teacher Kevin Keegan was honored by the It’s Academic quiz show last Saturday with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was given during the taping of the show’s Superbowl game, which will air June 26 at 7pm on NBC4.

Our hearty congratulations to Blake senior Ulises Cordova-Chavez who has won an Award of Excellence in Musical Composition from the National PTA Reflections Program! Ulises was nominated by the Blake PTSA Reflections committee and went on to win county and state awards before receiving the national award. To see Ulises perform, watch the MCPS video.

A night to honor teachers who excel in the classroom

Liz Gipson got an A in English her first semester at Barnard College. But she couldn’t take all the credit and wrote a letter to thank the person who taught her the most about writing: Allison Finn, an AP English teacher at Blake High School in Montgomery County.
(By Timothy Wilson, The Washington Post)

May 11, 2010

Dear Blake Students and Parents:

This is without a doubt one of the most difficult letters I have had to write. At today’s meeting of the Montgomery County Board of Education, I was appointed to the position of Associate Superintendent for the Office of Human Resources and Development, effective July 1, 2010. Other than working with students, this opportunity allows me to give back to MCPS in the areas I enjoy most, which are hiring and training outstanding people. While I am excited by this prospect, leaving Blake is one of the most difficult things I can imagine.

I have had incredible opportunities in my 37 year career, but none will ever rival opening and leading James Hubert Blake High School for the past 13 years. Blake has been a labor of love for me, and I can honestly say I looked forward to going to school every day. From the first year before Blake even opened—when we wrestled with issues from boundaries in the Northeast Consortium to choosing a school name, mascot and colors—to the dynasty we have built as a strong community dedicated to excellence in academics, the arts and humanities and athletics, it has been energizing and exciting. Along the way, we have all come together to create an inclusive, creative and welcoming school culture where everyone is valued, that keeps our students coming back to visit with a sense of pride and belonging that is unmatched in Montgomery County.

Read more »

Please join us at the 10th grade parent/guardian meeting on Wednesday, May 12th at 7:00 p.m. in the Blake amphitheater! Ms. Beth Thomas, the 10th grade administrator, will discuss topics related to the Class of 2012, Ms. Bernadette White, Resource Counselor will be present to discuss APs and the college application process and Ms. Cindy Gleason will discuss her course, Career and College Development.

If you have any questions about the meeting or items you’d like to discuss at the meeting, please call/send an e-mail to Ann Joiner at 301-384-5339 or joiner457 AT aol DOT com.