To have an item listed mail to 10220 River Road, Suite 303, Potomac, MD 20854, e-mail to almanac@connectionnewspapers.com, or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline is Thursday at noon for the following week’s paper. Photos and artwork encouraged. Unless otherwise noted, all events are in Potomac. If you have any questions, call Rebecca Halik at 703-917-6476.
The Eastern Montgomery Regional Services Center will host daytime ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes for adults beginning September 13 and running for 20 consecutive weeks. Two classes will meet on Wednesdays from 10 a.m.-noon and a third class meets from 1-3 p.m. Free with a $10 refundable deposit and $16 book fee are required. Registration and placement testing will take place on the first day of class. The center is located at 3300 Briggs Chaney Road in Silver Spring. To sign up for a class or to receive more information, call 240-777-8400.
Act Two's classes for students grades 3-12 are now open for registration. Classes are offered in ballet, jazz, tap and modern dance, as well as acting and musical theatre cabaret. Visit http://www.acttwo.org/classes.htm or e-mail Scott Selman at sselman@acttwo.org.
Montgomery County’s Department of Public Works and Transportation, Division of Operations, recently completed the replacement of nearly 5,800 downtown Silver Spring parking meters. The new electronic meters allow parkers to use the Cash Key. The Cash Key, also available in Bethesda, North Bethesda, and Wheaton, eliminates the need for coins and fits on a key chain. For more details about the Cash Key go to the County’s website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dpwt.
Mom's Club of Potomac offers activities for stay-at-home mothers and their children and meets on the third Monday of every month at the Potomac Community Center, 11315 Falls Road at 10:30 a.m. The next two meetings are Monday, Sept. 18 and Monday, Oct. 16. Playgroups meet weekly and there is a full calendar of activities every month. For more information e-mail or call Jennifer Klein at momspotomac@gmail.com or 301-299-2711.
"Time for Tots" designed for children from birth to 2-years-old starts Sept. 11 at 10:30 a.m. at Gaithersburg Library, 18330 Montgomery Village Ave. Features stories, rhymes, music and songs and be held on the second Monday of the month. No registration required. 240-773-9490.
Tally Ho Toastmasters Club is having a special meeting on Sept. 18 from 7:30-9 p.m. to kick off their 25th year in Potomac. This is a special meeting designed for guests and new members. Meetings are every first and third Mondays of each month from 8-9 p.m. at the Potomac Community Center, 11315 Falls Road, Potomac. Contact Sue Schick for more information at info@tallyho.freetoasthost.com or 301-838-4703. Visit tallyho.freetoasthost.com for more.
Free parking for customers of the Bethesda Library is now in effect. However, commuter parking is strictly prohibited. Earlier this year, the Montgomery County Executive and County Council adopted a policy of free parking at all Montgomery County public libraries. Signs have been erected in the Bethesda parking lot and meter heads have been removed by the County. The signs indicate that no parking is allowed before 9 a.m., Monday-Saturday, and vehicles found in the lot prior to that time will be ticketed.
Montgomery County Council is accepting applications from qualified voters for appointment to a term on the Merit System Protection Board. The appointment is for three years. Letters expressing interest, including a resume listing professional and civic experience, should be addressed to Council President George L. Leventhal, Montgomery County Council, 100 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD 20850. Applications must be received by Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 5 p.m.
Socrates Café, a philosophical discussion group exploring life’s “big questions” and based loosely on the Socratic dialogue method, takes place Saturday, August 26, 7–9 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Rockville, 100 Welsh Park Drive, Rockville. Coffees, teas and light refreshments will be served. Free and open to all. Call 301-762-7666 or go to www.uucr.org for directions and more information.
Hazardous Waste Collection. Drop off household hazardous waste on Saturday, Oct. 14 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Westland Middle School, 5511 Massachusetts Ave., Bethesda. The Shady Grove Transfer Station has a permanent household hazardous waste receiving area, open year-round, Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
The ASCE Toastmasters Club meets at the Potomac Community Center, 11315 Falls Road, Potomac on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 9:20 a.m. Become a better public speaker. Newcomers always welcome. Contact Bernard Gogel at bggogel@hotmail.com or at 703-524-8038, or call Kin Wong at 202-366-0626 for information.
Mom's Club of Potomac offers activities for stay-at-home mothers and their children. The club has playgroups that meet weekly and a full calendar of fun activities every month. For more information e-mail or call Jennifer Klein at momspotomac@gmail.com or 301-299-6917. Monthly meetings are regularly held at the Potomac Community Center, 11315 Falls Road at 10:30 a.m. on the third Monday of every month.
The ASCE Toastmaster Club meets on Saturday, Aug. 26 at 9:20 a.m. at the Davis Library, 6400 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda. Become a better public speaker and newcomers always welcome! Contact Bernard Gogel at bggogel@hotmail.com or 703-524-8038 or Kin Wong at 202-366-0626 for information.
Li-Ming Toastmasters Club welcomes guests in developing communications and leadership skills at a monthly meeting from 10:15-11:30 a.m. at 16039 Comprint Circle, 2nd floor, Gaithersburg. Free to newcomers. Call 301-762-7978 or visit www.li-ming.org/toastmaster.
Coffee club for all members meets on the third Tuesday of the month at White Flint Mall Eatery, 11301 Rockville Pike North, Bethesda. Meet in front along the side. Come out, have a drink, chat and walk. 301-309-2444.
Speakers of languages other than English can now find information about Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in one click from the MCPS Web site's home page.
Web sites have been created in Chinese, French, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese to enable non-English-speaking families to more easily find news, documents, and information about services. Links to the sites can be found just below the featured story on the MCPS home page. Each site also can be accessed via the following Web address (simply replace the language name after the slash to go to another language site): www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/chinese.
Each language site links to the Navigating the System guide for parents, Parent Connection newsletter, and Aim High booklets. Each site also features links to streaming video of the Our Schools Today TV program and to the QuickNotes e-mail newsletter. Visitors also will find links to Web sites for English as a Second Language/Bilingual Programs, the Downcounty Consortium, and the Middle School Magnet Consortium. This is the first phase of a project to improve access to information in other languages on the MCPS Web. Information and links on these sites will grow in future months. Suggestions and comments can be e-mailed to the Web Services Team at webmaster@mcpsmd.org