Roadrunner's Digest

Good evening FMS Families and Staff,

I hope you've enjoyed a nice week. We have a lot of information in this week's Digest for our eighth grade students including end of year activities, class photo,and summer school opportunities.

We are excited to invite you to participate in Farquhar's 2025 Career Day on Thursday, May 22nd, from 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM! This is a wonderful opportunity to inspire our middle school students by sharing insights about your profession, career journey, and the skills needed in your field. We believe that hearing directly from professionals like you will help spark curiosity and guide our students as they explore future career paths. We still need SIXTEEN volunteers to make Career Day a success! Please consider signing up to be a volunteer by April 11. Your participation will help our Counseling Department organize an engaging and meaningful event for our students.

Thank you for your continued partnership, and I wish everyone an excellent week ahead!

In this newsletter you will find:

• This week's bell schedules
• This week's Roadrunner Shout Outs
• After School Activities Schedule
• FMS Counseling Updates
• NEW: NJHS Induction Ceremony
• NEW: 8th Grade Class Panoramic Photo
• NEW: Summer School Info (for current 8th grade only)
• 8th Grade End of Year Activities
• NEW: Student v. Staff Volleyball Game
• Hearing and Vision Screening for 8th Grade
• NEW: Media Center April Update
• NEW: Moco BridgEd Freshman Year 101
• FMS Annual STEAM Night
• MCPS Things to Know

PTA Corner:

• Volunteers needed
• PTA Board Vacancies
• Join the PTA

Thank you to the following Roadrunners who have made a positive impact on our learning community!

• Ms. Pignone
• Ms. Trahern
• Ms. Rivas
• Sophia Robinson Mora
• Christopher Figueroa
• Boys and Girls Soccer Team
• Dr. Higley
• Arsema Gessesew
• Bethany Genua

Congratulations to our Farquhar Book Wars Team, who won second place AND the spirit award at Friday's competition! Well done, Amelia Qureshi, Charlotte Bond, Evelyn Forbes, Mira Alex, Sylvia Zelo, Charlotte Cheung, Amaya Howell, Faith Hall, and Giselle Marquez Cruz!

Congratulations also to Aurelia Irby and Charlotte Bond, who were recognized for mentoring 4th and 5th grade students at the MCPS Next Generation Leadership Conference!

Would you like to recognize a student or staff member?

Submit a SHOUT-OUT!

Thank you for taking a moment to thank a Roadrunner who has made a meaningful difference.

Activities 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.

Please check out the School Counseling Website for information regarding community events, SSL opportunities and mental health resources.

Attention 8th Grade Parents/Guardians

The 8th grade Panoramic Picture Day is TOMORROW, April 7th.

If your student is interested in ordering a picture, please pay online at mylifetouch.com (picture day ID: MJ074020T0) or complete the picture day form (that was previously given to all students) and send it in with them on picture day.

Summer School Registration

Please reach out to Melanie Bronstein, 8th grade counselor, Melanie_E_Bronstein@Mcpsmd.org, if your child is interested in taking summer courses due to failing a high school level course or for original credit:

1. The deadline for session 1 registrations is Monday, June 2.
2. The deadline for session 2 registrations is Tuesday, July 1.

Please access this link for additional details: Summer School Information

Attention 8th Grade Families,

We are quickly approaching the exciting end-of-year events for our 8th graders! Please mark your calendars for the 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at 1:00 PM. The ceremony will take place at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, and each 8th-grade student will receive two guest tickets. More details will be shared as we get closer to the date.

Additionally, Hershey Park permission slips have been distributed! To secure your student's spot, please return the signed permission slip and payment by Tuesday, April 22, 2025. Payment is made by accessing School Cash Online. Click below for the permission slip which includes all necessary details.

We look forward to celebrating these milestones with you!

In accordance with Maryland State Law students in Montgomery County Public Schools are screened for possible vision and hearing problems. Trained hearing and vision screeners will be screening students new to MCPS, students in Grade 8, and students referred by teachers because of possible signs of hearing or vision problems. The screeners will be at Farquhar April 9-11

Children who do not see clearly or are unable to hear what their teacher and classmates are saying have a harder time learning at school.

You will receive a referral form, via US mail, to take to your child’s doctor if your child fails the screening. If your child is already under care for a hearing or vision problem, or you do not wish your child to be screened at school because of conflicts with your religious beliefs, please notify the school nurse in writing.

If your child wears glasses or contacts, they should wear them every day and bring them to the screening.

School based vision screenings may not detect every vision problem. To learn more about possible vision problems and symptoms or health conditions that may require additional evaluation go to Montgomery County Government’s website at this link:

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/HHS-Program/PHS/SchoolHealth/HearingVision.html

Contact our school nurse, Ms. Caplan, at Harriet_Caplan@mcpsmd.org if you have questions.

Moco BridgEd, a student-led organization dedicated to promoting college and career readiness amongst secondary school students, is holding an event on April 11th from 6-7:30PM:

Criteria-Based Programs: Freshman Year 101.

Eighth graders, their families and other interested parties are invited to interact with students from criteria-based programs at Poolesville, Richard Montgomery, and Montgomery Blair High Schools.

Students will be able to speak directly with students from criteria-based programs and explore opportunities at their potential new school. Interested 6th and 7th graders are also welcome. With student input from those who have been there the longest, Moco BridgeEd hopes to help equip the rising 9th graders with the tools they need to succeed this upcoming academic year. The program representatives are leaders within their programs and communities and are excited to pass on their knowledge to prospective students!

We are hosting our 4th Annual STEAM Night on Thursday, May 1st, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. This extraordinary night features amazing opportunities, activities, and exposure to the world of STEAM to our bright and eager students through an EXPO style format. It is all about community and sparking the curiosity of learning and exploration as our students learn to become future leaders, problem solvers, and outstanding citizens of this world. Meet people from all over the STEAM community including the University of Maryland, Northrop Grumman, NASA, High School Robotics and so much more!

You and your family are invited to interact with the presentations, participate in the activities, and good food from our food trucks! Last year we were BLOWN AWAY when 300+ students, families, and community members came out to take part in this special event. This year, we expect nothing less and want YOU to be a part of it!

Hope to see you here on Thursday, May 1st!

If you are interested in becoming a Presenter/Volunteer to showcase a project, provide a STEAM activity, or share information about STEAM related clubs and activities, please fill out this GOOGLE FORM and save the date for 5/1/25.

Each week, MCPS shares a community message with helpful system-wide information, reminders, and invitations to events. Though they are sent out via email, we will always link them here.

VOLUNTEERS: Our FMS staff is AMAZING and we are in need of volunteers to support with snacks for the upcoming staff meetings. Please sign up here. The next staff meeting is Monday, October 7th and we need a volunteer!

Please log-in here. We will be providing board updates and discussing board openings for SY25-26.

FMS PTA Board has the following openings for SY25-26- President, Executive VP/Delegate, Treasurer, Communications and Programs VP. Additional details will be discussed at the April PTA Meeting.

Friday, April 11th. Please see the attached flyer for more details.

Direct donations to the FMS PTA are our primary source of fundraising! Help us avoid sales-based fundraisers!

• If you have already joined, but have NOT made a tax-deductible donation, we encourage you to do so. Any amount is appreciated!
• If you have not yet joined, please join, and donate, today!

Your direct donations help the PTA fund:

• Math, English, and STEM materials
• Counseling and wellness initiatives
• Field trips
• Arts, music, and athletic activities,
• Staff appreciation
• Parent/family resources

Feel free to contact me anytime and follow Farquhar on Twitter!

Email: Angelica_L_Smith@mcpsmd.org
Phone: 240-740-1200
Twitter: @farquharms