Check out Montgomery County!

Montgomery County is located adjacent to the nation's capital, Washington D.C., and includes four hundred and ninety-five square miles of land area. The topography is rolling with an elevation range from fifty-two feet above sea level near the District Line to eight hundred and fifty feet in the northern portion of the County. It is Maryland's most populous and affluent jurisdiction. Montgomery County has a population of more than eight hundred thousand, one of the nations fastest growing areas. With growth has come enormous cultural and ethnic diversity. The economy has changed to modern technology, retail and service industries. Due to the 1950's M-NCCP plan for development, a third of the county remains as farm or park land, still giving us the beautiful vistas and natural resources that drew people to the area in the beginning. The scenic Potomac River forms the county's western border.

Montgomery County is a business leader in the Washington metropolitan region and the nation. The diversity of dynamic high technology business, and local, state and federal government services is a strategic advantage for career building.

Montgomery County's residential areas stretch from urban (down county) to traditional and modern suburban (mid-county), and rural settings. Types and styles of homes range from the small and chic to the executive styled custom home in an estate setting. The most recent average sales price for Montgomery County homes calculated to $362,997. Local, county and state parks are well planned and offer recreation for residents of all ages. The city of Gaithersburg, as well as Montgomery County, sponsor and organize many youth and adult sports programs.

The cultural programs are plenty. The Museums at the Smithsonian Institution, the Kennedy Center of the performing Arts, the National Capital, the White House, Georgetown, the C&O Canal, the National Zoo, Maryland's state Capital Annapolis, Baltimore which prides itself on the Inner Harbor area and the Aquarium, are in close proximity and enrich the learning experience of our students.

The mission of the Montgomery County Public Schools is to provide a quality, world-class education that ensures success for every student through excellence in teaching and learning. MCPS offers a variety of specialized programs that allow students to develop specific skills, pursue particular academic interests in depth, and explore career possibilities. These programs include challenging magnet programs, the International Baccalaureate, signature programs that offer distinctive academic focus such as the arts or the global society, and more than 20 career-focused programs including medicine and technology.

The following information was published
in the MCPS annual report:

• Key Results 1998-99: 69% of 9th graders completed Algebra I or higher math course.
• 33% of 8th graders completed Algebra I or higher math course
• 54% of high school students enrolled in honors or AP courses
• 83% of 6,124 AP Exams qualified for college credit.
• 77 % of 12th graders took the SAT - the highest participation rate ever.
• 1092 score on the SAT is the highest average in Maryland.
• 1.96% drop-out rate
• 90% of parents satisfied with education of their children During the past 10 years.
• MCPS has maintained a consistent share of public and private school enrollments.
• MCPS enrolled 81.5 percent of the county's school-age students in 1998-99.

Transportation: Ride the Marc Rail system from the western upper Montgomery County towards Germantown, Gaithersburg, Rockville and the Union Station in D.C. The Red Line of our capitals Metro system boards at its first stop in Gaithersburg and connects riders to the DC metropolitan area and northern Virginia. The Ride-on Bus routes throughout Montgomery county. Choose your Airline departure from either Dulles, Reagan National, or Baltimore/Washington International. Highways and Byways are well maintained and the rush hour traffic moves.

Weekend getaways: Take a three hour trip to either Ocean City and Maryland's Eastern Shores, or travel the scenic Rt.68 to a resort in the mountains of Western Maryland. Pick an all season's vacation or weekend at Deep Creek Lake including skiing in the winter. Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia provides the most enjoyable history lesson imaginable. More than one hundred craftsmen practicing the eighteenth century techniques bring the restoration to life. Shenandoah Valley, Virginia is famous for its majestic mountains, beautiful scenery in the country, and world-renowned resorts and bed-and-breakfast inns. Follow Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park, across the Blue Ridge Mountain, is literally to drive across the top of Virginia. Nature was generous in the Valley, creating the Natural Bridge, one of the seven wonders of the world, and eight limestone caverns, all are open for tours.

Our Climate: Suburban Maryland enjoys the four seasons and a relatively moderate climate. Summers are generally warm and humid, winters fairly mild, with the coldest temperatures in late January and early February. The weather is generally pleasant particularly in the spring and autumn.

Check out these links for more information:

	Montgomery County Public Schools
	Maryland at a Glance
	Montgomery County
	Gaithersburg
	Maryland Office of Tourism
	Maryland State Parks and Forests
	Washington's 100 Best Restaurants for Washington Metropolitan Area
	Washington, DC Office of Tourism