Roadrunner's Digest
Mrs. Rivas-Smith's Newsletter for the Farquhar Community
Sunday, February 4, 2024
Message from the Principal
I hope this message finds you in good spirits, excited for another great week ahead. We had so much fun on Farquhar Day Out! Thank you so much for your support and communication which made the day a success for all three grade levels. The beginning of a new semester brings students a fresh start--an opportunity to practice time management and organization habits. This is especially true for our eighth graders who just began their last semester of middle school!
February is Black History Month! This month we will be elevating the accomplishments and contributions of the Black and African-American community. Be on the look out for highlights in this month's Roadrunner's Digests!
In previous Digests, we included an announcement about procedures for picking up students early from school. In an effort to ensure student safety and minimize interruptions to instruction, please ensure you're taking the following steps:
- Send a note to Ms. Slocum, our attendance secretary, the morning of the early pick up at Nancy_Slocum@mcpsmd.org. Your student can also deliver a written note during arrival. The note should include the date and time of pick up, as well as who is picking up your student. Please note that students may only be released to adults listed as parents/guardians/emergency contacts in Synergy.
- Ms. Slocum will provide your student a pass to leave class a few minutes before pick up time so the student can excuse themself, get their belongings, and report to the main office for pick up. Our goal is for the student to be ready for pick up at the communicated time.
- All adults must enter the main office with their photo ID to sign the student out. This is a non-negotiable protocol to ensure student safety. Students may not be released via a phone call from the parking lot.
Thank you for your partnership in ensuring our students' safety.
In this week's newsletter you will find:
- This week's schedules
- This week's Roadrunner Shout Outs
- NEW: It's National School Counseling Week!
- NEW: Report Card Distribution
- NEW: It's time for the FMS Spring Musical!
- TIMELY: All County Band & Orchestra Concert February 7
- NEW: SGA is selling Valentines at lunch this week!
- NEW: 8th Grade Baby Pictures for Yearbook due February 29
- NEW: Hall Sweeps @ FMS
- UPDATE: MCPS System Messages
PTA Corner Updates
- TIMELY: PTA Fundraiser February 5 @ Panera
- UPDATE: Healthy Minds Initiative
- Support a staff meeting!
- Parent Support for the IXL Initiative
Need to get back to an previous edition of the Digest? Find them in the archive on our school's website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/farquharms/.
Main Bell Schedule: All Week
After School Activities February 5-9
REMINDER: A note about transportation during after school activities...
Clubs end at 4:15 and students must be picked up no later than 4:30. Students should take the activity bus if they cannot be picked up by 4:30, as the main office closes at this time.
Craft Club will not be meeting for the next few weeks. An announcement will be made once the club resumes meetings.
This Week's Roadrunner Shout Outs!
Thank you to the following Roadrunners who have made a positive impact on our learning community!
- Aylani Callwood
- Students who attended 8th grade field trip
- Mr. Lichvar
- Mark Eisenhower
- Tetze Hunzelmann
- Bryan Rodriguez
- Lucy Pontes
- Matthew Lichvar
- Mark Eisenhower
Would you like to recognize a student, community member, or staff member?
NEW: It's National School Counseling Week!
National School Counseling Week 2024 is Feb. 5-9, 2024, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by ASCA, highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. We thank our amazing school counseling team, Ms. Lazaris, Ms. Bronstein, and Ms. Payne, for their unwavering support for all of our students and families at Farquhar.
NEW: It's time for the FMS Spring Musical!
Interested in joining the cast or crew for Farquhar's production of Dear Edwina JR? Visit room 129 on Tuesday, February 6th during 6th grade lunch, 8th grade lunch, or 7th grade study hall to learn about the 30 cast roles and numerous sound, light, set, and prop crew positions. The online audition form and sign-up genius will be posted to the school website that evening.
Audition forms are due by Monday, February 12 and cast auditions begin on Tuesday, February 13.
TIMELY: All County Band & Orchestra Concert February 7
SEVENTEEN Farquhar musicians will be performing in the Southeast Regional All County Band & Orchestra Concert on Wednesday, February 7. This performance is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations necessary. The concert begins at 7:30 pm at Einstein High School.
Congratulations to our talented Roadrunners!
NEW: Report Card Distribution
Marking Period 2 report cards will be posted electronically to Synergy tomorrow, February 5. Paper copies will be distributed to students on Tuesday, February 6.
NEW: Send a chocolate valentine to a friend!
Our Farquhar MS SGA is holding a Valentine's Day fundraiser this week! Students may purchase a chocolate rose for a classmate with a personalized message for Valentine's Day. The valentines will be sold on February 5, 6, and 7 during grade level lunches for $3.00 each. The chocolate roses and personalized messages will then be delivered directly to the recipients during advisory on February 14. All proceeds of the fundraiser are supporting the FMS Music Department! Thanks for supporting our student community and our amazing music department!
NEW: 8th Grade Baby Pictures for Yearbook due February 29
To ensure that your student has their baby picture included in this year’s yearbook, fill out this Baby Picture Submission Google form, or send them via email directly to Ms. Gramkow at amber_m_gramkow@mcpsmd.org. The deadline to submit pictures is Thursday, February 29th. Any pictures submitted after the deadline will not be included in the yearbook.
NEW: Hall sweeps at FMS
In our continued efforts to address the issue of student tardiness to class, all grade level teams are instituting random hall sweeps beginning the week of February 12. Hall sweeps will be at random times on random days. Here's what they look like in practice:
- At the beginning of a transition time, an announcement will be played over the intercom notifying everyone that a hall sweep is taking place, and the remaining time before the late bell rings.
- Students who are still in the halls after the late bell rings will be given a pass for a 15-minute lunch detention with their team leader. If the hall sweep is before lunch, they will serve the detention that day. If the hall sweep is after lunch, the detention will be the following day.
- Students who are repeatedly being addressed during the random hall sweeps will receive notification home with any next steps.
Hall sweeps are practiced in many schools across MCPS and are a preemptive measure to make sure students are in class on time and ready to learn rather than a reactive measure to rally students already late to class. Our hope is that the randomization of hall sweeps will encourage students to arrive to class on time consistently.
MCPS System Messages
Share Your Input on the Community Engagement Officer (CEO) Program
Take this five-minute survey to share your feedback on the MCPS and Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) Community Engagement Officer (CEO) program.
- Inclement Weather Communication and Make-up Days Please provide your feedback on communication around inclement weather that may impact school operations. We would also like to hear your preferences on how MCPS approaches inclement weather make-up days.
- Tell Us What You Think About Our Food The Division of Food and Nutrition Services (DFNS) is collecting feedback on what you want to see on school menus. Please take a few minutes to fill out this survey. Survey results will directly impact menu development.
- The 2024-2025 Change of School Assignment (COSA) transfer season is now open. The COSA process allows families to submit a request for their children to transfer out of their assigned home school. All COSA request applications must be submitted no later than Tuesday, April 2. Read full details. A special reminder to our current 8th graders on a COSA: All rising freshman must apply for a COSA to continue their feeder pattern.
- Registration is open for the 16th Annual HBCU Fair. This free in-person event at The Universities at Shady Grove will provide students in Grades 8–12 an opportunity to meet representatives from more than 50 Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Read more.
PTA Corner
TIMELY: PTA Fundraiser @ Panera in Olney
The battle of the classes continues! Come to Panera Bread in Olney, MD with your family and friends Monday, February 5th, 4:00-8:00 p.m. Tell them you're there to support Farquhar Middle School for proceeds to support our amazing PTA!
Support a staff meeting!
The PTA has been supporting our FMS staff with snacks at their monthly staff meetings and we need your help to purchase snacks for the upcoming meetings. Please consider donating here!
UPDATE: PTA Healthy Minds Initiative
Based on our recent Healthy Minds family survey and insights from FMS administrators and counselors, Healthy Mind was found to be very important for students and families.
Please read the article for expert advice on what families can do to address mental health (en espanol) . Each week we will share a resource/article about mental health and well-being.
Parent Support for the IXL Initiative
At FMS, teachers utilize the IXL learning platform to provide students with practice opportunities in math and literacy that is tailored to their needs and meets them at their level. FMS has instituted an incentive program that is very popular with students. The students look forward to trading in their earned tickets for fun merchandise. As we begin the new year, the school is planning to restock the store and could use our help. Please consider purchasing incentive supplies for the IXL store through the Amazon Wish List: Amazon.com
Contact Mrs. Rivas-Smith
Email: Angelica_L_Smith@mcpsmd.org
Phone: 240-740-1200
Twitter: @farquharms