Blake High School PTSA

Chris Berry was announced as the new principal of Blake High School at the Board of Education Meeting on June 28, 2010. Currently Assistant Principal at Blake High School, Chris Berry starts his new position officially on July 1, 2010. Congratulations to Mr. Berry!

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.

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 »

Welcome to the Blake PTSA website. —please email president@blakeptsa.org if you have suggestions, comments, or announcements to add to this site.

–Robina Barlow, 2010-2011 PTSA President (president@blakeptsa.org)

Proceeds from Blake’s Silent Auction help us support our school’s outstanding academic environment, which includes a Signature Program in Fine Arts and Humanities. These funds help us enhance technology programs, such as our interactive Promethean Boards, and student programs, which may support areas like the National Award Winning student newspaper, the Blake Beat, or one of our Nationally Recognized musical theatre productions, like Les Miserables.

Here is how you can help:
• Contribute an Item or Service to be auctioned individually or bundled in a themed basket;
• Contribute an In-Kind Donation, such as food, beverage, or decorative items for the dinner;
• If you’re a business or organization, consider a Sponsorship of an Auction Table or Festival Hall.

Any item donated is a tax deductible contribution!

To make a donation to the 2010 Blake Silent Auction, please print the Auction Donation/Sponsorship Form, available on this web page. (See attached for mailing address).

Questions? Contact auction@blakeptsa.org.

Please remember to send in your Blake Blue Note articles for February and March by Jan. 23rd!  Please send the submittals to blakebluenote@yahoo.com/.

The Blake Counseling Department and Hospice Caring Inc. will be beginning our annual “Good Grief Group” this spring for students grieving a loss.  The primary purpose of the group is to provide a safe place where grief and loss can be expressed, and coping tools can be learned and practiced. Note – this is not a psychotherapy group, rather, it is a peer-support group.  Through listening to other group member’s stories, students discover they are not alone.   Grief and loss support groups provide an opportunity for adolescents to gain mastery that will benefit them now, and for the rest of their lives.
If your son or daughter has lost a close family member or friend recently, or even years ago and might be interested in participating, please reply directly to Christina_R_Gelb@mcpsmd.org.  Students will be interviewed to determine whether the group is appropriate or needed.  A parent/guardian letter and permission form will be sent home with the student.  This 7-week group will be co-lead by Ms. Gelb and a facilitator from Hospice Caring.
Thanks for your referrals!  Feel free to email me with any questions.

This Thursday, 7:30 pm, in the Black Box Theater, the Stage Company will host a performance by the Harvard DINS, an a cappella singing group from Harvard. Alum Justin Pereira is a member.

The program will last about 90 minutes and tickets will sell for $10 for all attending. In addition, the DINS will have their very own CD to sell.

This is a bit last minute, but we are very happy to establish something that is “alum-oriented” and hope to plan future “events” involving our graduates. Read more »

The James Hubert Blake High School chapter of the National Honor Society welcomes 42 new members. The formal induction took place on Monday, December 7, 2009.  Candidates for the National Honor Society are evaluated on four criteria:  leadership, scholarship, character, and service.  Members must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or weighted 4.0.  Ms. Beth Shepherd and Ms. Katie Kodan are the NHS advisors. 

The new members are:  Alexandra Abell, Daniel Arias, Nicholas Arnold-Medabalimi, Sarah Aylor, Lauren Barlow, Isabela Barriga, Adrienne Bush, Cynthia Cheng, Maia Chicherio, Git-Yee Chu, Aron Crews, Delaney Cruickshank, Somala Diby, Leanna Diggs, Rainier Gomez, Amy Gottlieb, Kelly Hanlon, Bridget Hawvermale, Ashley Haymaker, Blaire Hoffman, Lily Hua, Julie Huleis, Nicholas Hung, Dylan Hysen, Aimee Kohorst, Corinne Konoza, Sara Kushner, Jennifer Lien, Julia Maas, Quynh-Nhu Nguyen, Leena Owen, Joshua Paunil, Nicole Pontious, Linda Powers, Mariel Shilling, Gillian Spolarich, Britney Stuart, Sophia Venero, Shannon Wade, Kira Williams, Patrick Xiao

OLD SLR CAMERAS NEEDED

Do you have an old SLR camera, (35mm SLR cameras are film cameras that have a removable lens on the front), that you do not need anymore? They must be in working order. The Art Department is in immediate need of these. The lack of cameras is really impacting student performance.  Right now, there are several students whose cameras are broken that do not have access to other cameras. Old digital cameras are needed too.

Please drop them off in the Main Office or in E163.  If you have questions, please contact the front office, at 301-879-1300, or write to Ms. Hartenstine, Sara_Hartenstine@mcpsmd.org. Your donation will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for supporting the students at Blake.