Roadrunner's Digest
Mrs. Rivas-Smith's Newsletter for the Farquhar Community
Sunday, March 3, 2024
Message from the Principal
I hope everyone is having a great weekend! Our students, staff, and community partners came together on Friday for our fourth annual Be Well Student Conference. This event continues to be a hallmark of Farquhar's mission to foster the development of the whole child--prioritizing student social, emotional, and mental health as well as their academic success. We are excited to extend these meaningful experiences to the rest of the Farquhar community when we host our first annual Community Wellness Fair on March 12!
March is Women's History Month and Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM)! The purpose of MIOSM is to raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children and to remind citizens that school is where all children should have access to music. In honor of MIOSM, I'm excited to share a playlist of the All-County Band & Orchestra concert performances that feature sixteen of our talented musicians!
Thank you so much for your continued trust and support, and have an excellent week!
In this week's newsletter you will find:
- This week's schedules
- This week's Roadrunner Shout Outs
- TIMELY: Your Voice Matters: Family Survey for School Improvement
- UPDATE: Adjustment to Math MCAP Testing Dates
- NEW: March MATHness @ FMS
- Community Wellness Fair March 12
- NJHS Annual Earth Day Project
- MCPS System Messages
PTA Corner Updates
- NEW: Healthy Minds Initiative
- PTA Fundraiser at Chipotle March 11
- Order FMS Swag by March 18
- Pie Day at FMS
- 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: March 4-7
Open ROCK Friday, March 8
After School Activities March 4-8
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.
This Week's Roadrunner Shout Outs!
Thank you to the following Roadrunners who have made a positive impact on our learning community!
- Ms. McDonough
- Mrs. Moton
- Ms. Councilman, Mrs. Cunneen, and the FMS Counseling Team
- Mrs. Moton
- Mr. Green, Mr. Ford and Mr. Thompson
- Hanna Mesfin
Would you like to recognize a student, community member, or staff member?
TIMELY: Your Voice Matters: Family Survey for School Improvement
At Farquhar, we believe in the power of collaboration and the importance of your perspective. Your family's input is crucial in shaping the future of our school community, and we invite you to participate in our Family Survey.
This survey aims to gather valuable insights into your experiences and opinions regarding various aspects of our school district. Your honest feedback will help us understand what's working well and identify areas where we can improve to create a more supportive and engaging learning environment for all students.
Participating in this survey is easy, and it will only take a few minutes of your time. Your responses are completely confidential, and the information you provide will be used solely for the purpose of enhancing our educational programs and services. The survey closes March 15, 2024.
To access the survey, please click on the link provided below:
https://parentsurvey.mcpsmd.org/
We appreciate your commitment to our school community and value the unique perspectives each family brings. Together, we can continue to build a positive and thriving educational environment.
UPDATE: Adjustment to Math MCAP Dates
NEW: March MATHness @ FMS
Are you ready to rumble? March 1st is the first day of March MATHness! FMS is one of 14 middle schools across the county participating in this competition.
The rules are simple:
- The goal: For students to reach proficiency with a SmartScore of 80 for each link practiced.
- School success will be based on the percentage of students who are participating.
- Every Friday, we will know if we move onto the next round of the competition.
- The contest will end on Friday, March 29, 2024 - so be sure to keep practicing throughout Spring Break!
- The top 3 winning schools will be announced when we return after Spring Break.
Let the MATHness begin!
First Annual FMS Community Wellness Fair
We will be joined by Joe and Gabrielle Fontana, members of the Mia Fontana Foundation (MFF), for a free special screening of the short film "LIKE," followed by a discussion with Rachel Singer, founder of “The Mindful Heart at Olney,” MD. “LIKE” tells the true story behind social media platforms: you and each of us are the product. Analyze why we find social media so irresistible and examine who controls who. It also lets us know the positive aspects of social media. How to have a balanced perspective when navigating social media platforms; This is an essential factor for all parents and teachers who are in charge of raising and educating this generation.
Your contact information is required by MFF due to the conditions of your film license; however, it will not be shared. The "Pacha Mama juice truck will have a variety of juices and 100 boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables provided by “Hungry Harvest” for sale. We hope you can join us at the FMS “1st Annual Community Wellness Fair” sponsored by the PTA National Healthy Minds Grant at:
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm
Farquhar MS
17017 Batchellors Forest Rd. Olney, MD 20832
En Español...
Únase a nosotros para nuestra “Primera Feria Anual de Bienestar Comunitario” la misma se llevará a cabo el martes 12 de marzo, 2024 en la Escuela Secundaria William Farquhar de 5:30 a 7:00 p.m.
Tendremos actividades y recursos atractivos enfocados en el apoyo del bienestar mental y físico de nuestros niños. Habrá información de programas sobre el bienestar físico, presentaciones de salud mental y socios comunitarios con mesas de recursos de bienestar. ¡Por favor, venga, participe y traiga a su familia!
Nos acompañarán Joe y Gabrielle Fontana, miembros de la Fundación Mia Fontana (MFF), para una proyección especial gratuita del cortometraje "LIKE", seguida de una discusión con Rachel Singer, fundadora de “The Mindful Heart en Olney”, MD. “LIKE”, se cuenta la verdadera historia detrás de las plataformas de redes sociales: tú y cada uno de nosotros somos el producto. Analiza por qué las redes sociales nos parecen tan irresistibles y examina quién controla a quién. También nos deja saber los aspectos positivos de las redes sociales. Como tener una perspectiva equilibrada en la navegación por las plataformas de redes sociales; este es un factor esencial para todos los padres y maestros que tienen a cargo la crianza y educación a esta generación.
Su información de contacto es requerida por MFF debido a las condiciones de su licencia de la película; sin embargo, la misma no será compartida. El camión de jugo tendrá a la venta una variedad de jugos y 100 cajas de frutas y verduras frescas proporcionadas por “Hungry Harvest”.
Esperamos que pueda participar con nosotros en la “1ª Feria Anual de Bienestar Comunitario” de FMS patrocinada por la Subvención Nacional de Mentes Saludables del PTA en:
Martes, 12 de marzo 2024
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm
Escuela William Farquhar
17017 Batchellors Forest Rd. Olney, MD 20832
FMS NJHS Annual Earth Day Project
The FMS National Junior Honor Society students are currently working on their independent exploration Earth Day projects. Students will self-select how they will conduct and complete their project. NJHS members and new inductees will give back to the environment and community. These students will learn, explore, and help our local environment. Projects are due April 2.
MCPS System Messages
- 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.
PTA Corner
UPDATE: PTA Healthy Minds Initiative
Based on our recent Healthy Minds survey and insights from FMS administrators and counselors, stress was found to be very important for students. Please listen to this podcast about how can l help my teen manage stress. Each week we will share a resource/article about mental health and well-being.
PTA Fundraiser @ Chipotle March 11
PTA Fundraiser: Monday March 11th, 5:00-9:00 p.m. at Chipotle 3333 Olney Sandy Springs Rd, Olney, MD 20832. The battle of the classes continues!
CLICK HERE to access your fundraiser flyers.
Please participate as we need at least $150 in sales to receive a donation. All funds go directly towards supporting your students, staff and academic departments at FMS.
Order FMS Swag by 3/18!
Sales raise money for the FMS PTA and are a great way to show off your school pride.
The store will be open February 14 and closes at midnight on Monday March 18th, 2024!
Here is the link and happy shopping:
https://farquharmiddle2024.itemorder.com/shop/home/
PTA provides funding for student programs from this and other fundraising events.
We thank you for your support!
Pi(e) Day @ FMS
Any Way You Slice It, FMS Has the BEST Teachers and Staff! Happy Pi(e) Day! Join the FMS PTA in treating the amazing FMS staff by donating a pie for Pi Day. Pies can be homemade or store bought. To donate, please sign up and drop off the pies in the front office on March 13 from 7:45am-3:00pm. The staff will enjoy pies with their lunches the following day. Please indicate what type of pie you will be bringing in the comment section so we don't have too many duplicates. We thank you for your support!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090949ACAC2CA57-47572584-anyway
March 11 at Chipotle in Olney. The battle of the classes continues!
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