Parent workshops in eastern Montgomery County

‘‘Staying Connected” using resources from MCPS will be held 7 p.m. Thursday at Wheaton High School, 12601 Dalewood Drive, Silver Spring.

‘‘What are the High School Graduation Requirements” will be held 7 p.m. at Paint Branch High School, 14121 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville.

‘‘The Power of Positive Discipline” will be held 7 p.m. March 20 at Sligo Middle School, 1401 Dennis Ave., Silver Spring.

Other workshops are being held throughout the county. For a complete schedule, visit www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org⁄departments⁄parentacademy⁄.

Kennedy to hold Woman’s Leadership Conference

The 10th annual Woman’s Leadership Conference, sponsored by the Leadership Training Institute at John F. Kennedy High School, will be held 8 a.m. today at the school, 1901 Randolph Road. The conference recognizes the achievements of women in the professional world.

Speakers include: Suzi Pomerantz, author and executive coach of Innovative Leadership International, a corporate trainer who develops leadership skills with clients; Ana Lopez of Community Bridges, an empowerment and leadership group for girls; Wendy Lesko, founder of Youth Activism Project, which encourages youngsters to take on causes they care about; Dr. Karen Cousins, a family doctor; and Carol Pearson, director at the James MacGregor Burns Academy of Leadership at the University of Maryland.

The speakers will present information about their lives and their career paths, their education and preparation, and talk about those who inspired them.

Silent auction at Forest Knolls ES

A silent auction to benefit the Forest Knolls Elementary PTA will be held 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at the school, 10830 Eastwood Ave., Silver Spring.

Cost is $3 per person, $5 per couple, and includes musical entertainment and a dessert reception. Call the school at 301-649-8060.

‘Cheap Date Night’at Paint Branch

‘Cheap Date Night’ fundraising dinner with food from Carrabba’s Italian Grill will be held 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday in the cafeteria at Paint Branch High School, 14121 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville. Funds raised will benefit the school’s after-prom event on May 16. Paid reservations are required by Thursday and forms can be found on the school’s Web site: www.montgom2eryschoolmd.org⁄schools⁄paintbranchhs⁄news⁄carrabbasreservationform.3.18.08.pdf. No walk-ins. Call 301-421-1740 for more information.

Forensics Leaguefinals at Blake

The Montgomery County Forensics League finals will be held 3:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at James Hubert Blake High School, 300 Norwood Road, Silver Spring. Headquarters is the room directly across the hall from the school’s cafeteria. Competitions are in humor, drama, poetry, prose, children’s literature, original oratory, extemporaneous speaking, and group events. The awards ceremony and presentations will be held 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Libraries sponsorteen art contest

Montgomery County Public Libraries are accepting design submissions from county students between the ages of 14 and 18 for its Teen Art Contest. The prize is the cover of Teen2Teen, a booklet filled with reviews written by and for teenage students.

Students can submit only one entry, either by mail or email, and will be judged on creativity, artistic sense and appeal for teen reading. The design should have a ‘‘books and⁄or reading” theme and include the words ‘‘Teen2Teen, 2008-2009”and the phrase ‘‘Book recommendations for teens by teens.”

Send entries as an email attachment to libraryteenart@yahoo.com or mail to Chevy Chase Library, 8005 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815. A $100 prize will be awarded to the artist whose design is selected for the cover. Entries are being accepted now through April 12, and the winner will be notified by May 15.

For complete guidelines and contest rules, check the library website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov⁄mcpl_teensite.

For other questions and information, contact the Chevy Chase Library at 240-773-9590.

Paint Branch HS to hold International Night

The International Club of Paint Branch High School will hold its 5th International Night 7 p.m. Friday in the auditorium, 14121 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville. Sixty-two nationalities are represented by Paint Branch students, according to information from the school, and many of those cultures will be represented at International Night.

The evening will begin with performances from Paint Branch students dressed in native costumes. The countries represented by the performers include: France, Italy, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Pakistan, Vietnam, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Uremia, Uganda, Columbia and South Korea.

The Paint Branch Organizion de Latinos Americanos, Inspirational Choir, Colombian Folk Team, Modern American Dance Group (Hip Hop) and the Step Team will also perform.

Guests will be able to sample foods from around the globe provided by Paint Branch students and their families.

Admission is $5 and proceeds will be donated to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Blake administratorspresent at conference

Two administrators from James Hubert Blake High School made a presentation to annual convention of the National Association of Secondary School Principals last month.

Principal Carole Goodman and assistant principal Christopher Berry’s 90-minute interactive presentation was called ‘‘From Management to Leadership: Building Capacity in Assistant Principals.”

The session was attended by nearly 100 principals and assistant principals from around the United States, according to a news release from Blake.

NAACP parentcouncil meeting

The NAACP Parent Council will meet 7 p.m. Thursday in the media center at James Hubert Blake High School, 300 Norwood Road, Silver Spring.

Area schools to hold fundraising mulch sales

Kennedy High School NJROTC’s mulch sale will be held 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in the school parking lot, 1901 Randolph Road. Cost is $4 per 3-cubic-foot bag. Delivery is $5, up to two miles from the school. Orders for delivery must be received by March 13.

Order forms are available at www.jfkptsa.org or by e-mail: mulch@JFKPTSA.org. Send orders with check made out to JFK HS NJROTC, 1920 Autumn Ridge Circle, Silver Spring, MD 20906.

For more information, e-mail mulch@JFKPTSA.org or call 301-460-4725.

Montgomery Blair High School’s mulch sale is taking place through Saturday. Three-cubic-foot bags of Dennison shredded hardwood will cost $4 for delivery within five miles of Blair and outside that radius, each bag will cost $4.25. For more information, contact Jimmy Short at 301-649-2808 orJimmy_V_Short@mcpsmd.org.

The Springbrook Booster Club’s mulch sale will be held April 5 at White Oak Middle School. High-grade shredded hardwood mulch will be sold for $4 pick-up or $4.25 delivered (delivery for Northeast Consortium only, 10-bag minimum). All proceeds to benefit Springbrook athletics. An order form can be found at www.gobluedevils.net⁄boosters⁄index.html.

James Hubert Blake High School will hold its mulch sale 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 5. The sale is sponsored by the Blake Booster Club and benefits school activities. Three-cubic-foot bags of shredded hardwood mulch cost $3.75 before March 28 and $4 afterward. To order, call Ken Salins at 301-384-7616 or e-mail kensalins@verizon.net.

High schools hostdinner-dances, jazz nights

Several eastern Montgomery County schools are hosting dinner-dances and jazz nights as fund-raisers for their music programs.

James Hubert Blake High School will present its annual Jazz Swing night 7 p.m. Friday at the school, 300 Norwood Road.

The event features performances by student, alumni and professional musicians and is open to the public, with proceeds benefiting the school’s music program. General admission tickets are $25. Contact Brian Damron, Blake’s director of Bands and Jazz Studies, 301-879-1339, or Brian_A_Damron@mcpsmd.org.

An Italian dinner, desserts and drinks are included. Tables of eight may be reserved. Doors open at 7 p.m. and semi-formal attire is requested.

Albert Einstein High School will hold its annual ‘‘Swing into Spring” dance 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday at the school, 11135 Newport Mill Road, Kensington. The event is sponsored by the Performing Arts Coalition of Einstein and proceeds will benefit Einstein’s music program.

Members of Einstein’s jazz bands will perform, free dance lessons will be available and light refreshments will be served. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the door. Call 301-929-2200.

‘Beauty and the Beast’coming to Blair

The Montgomery Blair Players will present Disney’s ‘‘Beauty and the Beast” at the Montgomery Blair Theater 6:30 p.m. Thursday and 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Cost for adults is $7 and students and senior citizens $4. Add $1 per ticket for online reservations. Go to http:⁄⁄mbp.mbhs.edu⁄ for more information or call 301-649-2800.

A cast of 60 will participate, featuring a full orchestra, conducted by Dustin Doyle, according to a news release from the school. The stage crew is directed by John Kaluta. Directors are Blair teachers Miriam Plotinsky and Kelly O’Connor, who took a leave of absence in 2004-2005 to study and perform Shakespeare at Stratford-on-Avon in England. She teaches at Oxford University in the summers.

Photography festival

The Nora School, 955 Sligo Ave. in Silver Spring will hold its sixth-annual Nora School Photography Festival for students in grades 6-12. Works by middle and high school students from area schools will be judged by a panel of professional photographers and will be on display at the school April 18. Deadline for entries is April 4. Students may obtain an entry by calling the school at 301-495-6672, or by downloading from the Web site, www.nora-school.org. Directions to the school also are available on the site.

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