Mustang Matters

Greetings MMS Families,

Thank you for a great week this week of Mustang life! We have several major highlights thanks to our students, staff and partners below and we are ready to embark on closing out the school year with some success, some planning for next year and some fun. I look forward to seeing many of you for our final PTO meeting of the year this coming Tuesday.

As I shared with our staff this week I am excited to close out this school year with our Mustangs, families and staff. But I am even more excited about the coming year. We have some great new programs, classes and experiences in our future. This year has been a challenge in many ways, and for myself it has been a challenge on the personal front much more than the school front. I am so fortunate to be part of this Mustang family though, and appreciative of the people, students staff and families, that I work with and serve. I’m looking forward to a stronger year next year for MacFarland as we continue to grow and make progress, and a stronger year for myself as I work to continue to do the same.

Next Friday will be our last parent message for the school year and we will pick back up again in late July. Looking forward to sharing some final highlights and celebrations!

Have a great weekend!

6.9 – PTO Meeting – 6:00pm

6.9 – 8th Grade King’s Dominion Trip

6.10 – 8th Grade Awards Ceremony

6.11 – 8th Grade Dance

6.17 – 8th Grade Promotion

6.18 – Last Day of School

Afterschool Activities Conclude on Friday, 6.12 – Please note as the following week we have multiple events, trips and the last day of school our last day for afterschool activities and clubs will be Friday, June 12th.

Parent Resource/Opportunity for June – I thought this was an interesting resource to listen to with Mustangs as career exploration (especially for 8th graders) is a them that they begin to consider – note I have not listened to or screened all of these: Audio Interviews with U.S. Workers - In this article in Social Education, Andrew Decker provides links to a series of Library of Congress audio interviews with Americans in a wide variety of jobs, among them:

• Luann Miller, grocery story cashier in Seattle, Washington
• Barbara Miller Byrd, circus owner, Hugo, Oklahoma
• Roberta Washington, architect, New York City
• Henrietta Ivey, home health care provider, Detroit, Michigan
• Dolores Fortuna, professional potter, Galena, Illinois
• Thomas Sink, circus clown, Mead, Oklahoma

These interviews, 6-9 minutes long, are excerpts from longer talks about why each person got into this job and what it was like on a day-to-day basis. “Using the America Works Podcast and Occupational Folklife Project to Personalize Economics in the Classroom” by Andrea Decker in Social Education, March/April 2026 (Vol. 90, #2, pp. 67-71)

Reference – Wellness Team Members – please reach out if you believe your Mustang (or another Mustang) would benefit from additional support.

6th Grade – Ms. Kent, School Psychologist –Christina.Kent@k12.dc.gov

6th Grade – Ms. Castro, Counselor - Liana.Castro@k12.dc.gov

7th Grade – Ms. Raphael, Social Worker - Alexandra.Raphael@k12.dc.gov

7th Grade – Ms. Sargent, Counselor - Leslie.Sargent@k12.dc.gov

8th Grade – Ms. Raifsnider, Social Worker - Jennifer.Raifsnider@k12.dc.gov

8th Grade – Ms. Thompson, Counselor - Kelly.Thompson@k12.dc.gov

PTO Liaisons have been coordinated to support each grade level and grade level families. You can expect to see them at PTO meetings and connect with them if need be. For 25-26 SY the staff liaisons are:

- 6th Grade – Jessica Gibian – jessica.gibian@k12.dc.gov

- 7th Grade – Fadwa Hussein – fadwa.hussein@k12.dc.gov

- 8th Grade – Sarah Riggen – sarah.riggen@k12.dc.gov

In addition, the family Grade Level Liaisons for this year are:

• 6th Grade – Anita Rechler and Julie Gallo – rechlera@gmail.com, julie.schwenk@gmail.com

• 7th Grade – Patrique Smellie – pacamp01@gmail.com

• 8th Grade – Nidia Dence – nidia.dence@gmail.com

A huge thanks to all of our liaisons for this year, and a reminder to all families: be sure to join the PTO’s WhatsApp or email list if you haven’t already (see info at the bottom of this message)!

Shout Outs and Celebrations: Please check out a few shout outs to MacFarland community members who are embracing our belief that we are one MacFarland!

Shout out to AP Galloway, Team 6 and our operations and custodial team for supporting a huge event in collaboration with our central office partners for the Blue Origin, COSI HIVE Roadshow event sharing experiences and opportunities to learn about space exploration and careers in science! This was such a tremendous experience for our kids and staff on Thursday and we were fortunate to have Chancellor Ferebee visit as well! This was a big effort and the appreciation of the work while both AP Dance and I were out at a conference is deep. Thank you team and thank you to our Mustangs for their great engagement and conduct!

Shout out as well to AP Bradford, Mr. Chapman, Ms. Walston and Team 7 for coordinating a field trip for the 7th graders the same day. It’s a good time of year to have some fun trips and the chance to have a group of 7th graders out supported even smoother operations Thursday for the 6th grade team!

I was so sad to miss it but I still need to share a HUGE shout out to Mr. Ring, Ms. Lewand, Dr. Guyton, Mr. Santiago our Mustang artists and scientists and all of the supporting team members for an amazing Thursday afternoon and evening event for our Science Fair and Spring Arts Showcase! We had photography, music, science and community and PTO engagement and partnership and form all I heard from afar it was a wonderful afternoon and evening. It’s a ‘proud to be a Mustang’ feeling I get from these experiences for our families, staff and students and I can’t thank all of you enough for all the hard work and collaboration to make it happen!

We also had Mr. Ring and our some of our student band members the Ringtones (the students chose the name!) performed at Porchfest Saturday afternoon to much acclaim! It’s been so amazing to see our young musicians grow and engage with and uplift our community. Thank you Ring and the Ringtones and the custodial team and PTO members who supported this!

Shout out to Dr. Lee and our self-contained math team and students for having a great demonstration of growth and success on their EOY testing this past week. I had a chance to review the data and we saw great progress for so many of our students with some of the highest needs in the building. Please read the shout out/overview from Dr. Lee below . . .

Good afternoon, MacFarland Family,

I am thrilled to share some exciting news from our BES/SLS cohort! This school year presented its share of challenges, yet our students demonstrated remarkable perseverance, resilience, and determination. Their hard work is reflected in their impressive end-of-year assessment results! Data from i-Ready, IXL, and MobyMax confirms what we already knew—our students are committed, meeting expectations, and making significant progress.

I want to emphasize that this success is a collective effort. Thank you to everyone who has invested in these students throughout the year. As I always tell them: we start strong, and we finish strong—and they truly did!

When you see these students, please take a moment to celebrate their achievements with a high five, a shoutout, or encouraging words—they have certainly earned it!

Be sure to check out the PowerPoint presentation showcasing their growth and accomplishments—you’ll be proud of what you see!

Thank you all for your continued support in making this such a successful year for our students. Let’s keep the momentum going!

Dr. Lee

Day Eight’s spoken word poetry show, Bright Before Us Like a Flame, was a big hit for us this February during Black History Month and our partners here have shared they have a free school summer writing camp, featuring the performers and director of the show. Here is the information:

• Day Eight’s FREE, youth development and youth leadership focused, summer camp at the Shepherd Park Library supports youth to complete independent and group creative projects. Each week includes a poet writer in residence, this summer including Amuche Nwafor, Pi-Anir - the show's performers - along with Rebecca Bishophall, and Brandon Douglas. The camp co-director is Regie Cabico (director of Bright Before Us.) Thank you for letting any parents/students know that might be interested. The link for more information and registration is: https://dayeight.org/registration-open-for-day-eights-middle-school-summer-writing-camp/ and a flier is attached. We’re looking forward to a great summer at camp!

Youth Sports For All (YSFA), a Go Play program, offers free after-school and summer sports programs for DC youth in grades K-8, especially those with limited access to enrichment opportunities. Families can sign up for upcoming seasons and give kids a chance to grow through play, building confidence, making friends, and staying active in a supportive environment.

Registration and program details: https://www.goplaydc.org/ysfaspringregistration
Questions? Contact our team at ysfa@goplaydc.org or 202-679-3432.

Youth Sports For All (YSFA), un programa de Go Play, ofrece programas deportivos gratuitos después de la escuela y en verano para jóvenes de DC en los grados K-8, especialmente para familias con acceso limitado a oportunidades recreativas. Las familias pueden inscribirse en las próximas temporadas para que los niños disfruten del deporte, desarrollen confianza, hagan nuevos amigos y se mantengan activos en un ambiente de apoyo.

Enlace de inscripción y detalles del programa: https://www.goplaydc.org/ysfaspringregistration

¿Preguntas? Contacta con nuestro equipo en ysfa@goplaydc.org o 202-679-3432.

The Brightwood Family Success Center is pleased to share updates on our upcoming events and services.

Upcoming Events:

- June Food Distribution: Our next distribution is June 18th, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

Please register in advance at: https://forms.gle/ivnyJcWdJWjycq34A

- Wellness Wednesday Bingo: Wednesday, June 24th, 1-3 PM. Join us for an exciting afternoon of Bingo Games! Get your dabbers ready for fun and the thrill of winning!

Please register in advance at: https://forms.gle/fw79WikMF32znxko9

- Kids, Cops and Karaoke: Friday, June 5th, 2026 Join us before school ends and start your weekend with music, community, and good vibes!

Please register in advance at: https://forms.gle/UMyjrH68GLqTZei6A

- Streaming Summer Camp Announcement: Summer camp opportunities have arrived! Registration opens on June 1st for our Streaming Summer Camp orientations. Please see the flyer for more info.

Available Resources:

- Computer Lab: Open daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

- Clothing Closet: Offering spring and summer clothing.

- Employment Assistance: Support with resume writing, mock interviews, and "Dress for Success" preparation.

- Service Navigation: Referrals to community services via our comprehensive database.

- LIHEAP Applications: Assistance with completing online applications.

Dear MacFarland community, as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) tightens its stance on food support to families, MacFarland is seeing more pull on our food pantry that supports students and families year-round.

Most of the items that are typically used to support families have been depleted. If you have any unexpired, non-perishables in your pantries and cupboards, please think about supporting our families with these items. Protein meals (including beans, and other grains, canned fish/meat) are of value to our families. With every school break comes more stress for families; because we’re a school community that supports the whole child, this is our way of ensuring care beyond the walls of the school campus.

If you are able to support, you may drop off the non-perishable goods in the main office, so that we can sort, store, and support families immediately in need.

Thank you for all that you do to support our school community.

The Petworth Library will be closing for a building refresh project on December 12th and we will likely be closed for the remainder of the school year. For more information please visit the link below:

https://www.dclibrary.org/news/petworth-library-renovation

NEW ATTENDANCE EXCUSE NOTE PLATFORM: Families can now submit attendance excuse notes via the Aspen GO (Parent Portal). Step-by-step instructions attached below.

At DC Public Schools, we want every student to feel loved, challenged, and prepared to positively influence society and thrive in life. To reach this ambitious goal, every student needs to be in school every day. However, too many of the young people in our city are not coming to school every day.

The Office of the State Superintendent’s (OSSE) finds that one in four kids in DC are chronically absent from school – which means missing 10 percent or more of the school year. At some DCPS high schools, three out of four students are chronically absent.

DCPS believes that every day counts.

Students, families, and the community must be empowered to track our progress in helping every young person get to school. By being transparent about our challenges, our city can work together to reduce the barriers that too many students and families face.

Definitions

• Truancy: Measures the percent of students aged 5-17 who are considered truant. To be “truant” means that a student has 10 or more unexcused absences from school – with or without – parental knowledge, consent, or otherwise securing prior approval from the start of the school year.
• In-school Attendance: Measures the average percent of students who are attending school.
• Chronic Absence Rate: Measures the percent of students who miss 10 percent or more days in a school year from the start of the school year.
• Attendance Entry Rate: Measures the percent of classes for which a school has entered attendance.
• 60/40 rule: Students are considered legally absent for the day if they miss more than 40% of their classes.

Regular school attendance is critical for academic success. Our goal is to ensure that every student attends school regularly and on time. Daily presence in school has a huge impact on a student’s academic success, starting in kindergarten and continuing through high school. Even as children grow older and more independent, families can continue to play a key role in making sure students get to school safely every day and understand why attendance is so important for success in school and in life.

We realize some absences are unavoidable due to health problems or other circumstances. But, we also know that when students miss too much school—excused or unexcused—they can fall behind academically. Your child is less likely to succeed if he or she is chronically absent—which means missing 18 or more days in a school year. Research shows that:

Children that are chronically absent in kindergarten and 1st grade are much less likely to read at grade level by the end of 3rd grade. By 6th grade, chronic absence is a warning sign for students at risk of dropping out of school. By 9th grade, good attendance can predict graduation rates even better than 8th grade test scores.

Questions/Concerns:

If you have any questions or concerns please contact Ms. Claribel Salgado via email at claribel.salgado@k12.dc.gov or by phone at (202) 671-6033.

• https://dcps.nutrislice.com/menu/macfarland-middle-school

The allergy season is here and many individuals who suffer from frequent asthma attacks are beginning to feel the impact of the various allergens and irritants in the air. For students and families, we are sharingthis link to Children’s National -- https://www.childrensnational.org/get-care/departments/impact-dc-asthma-clinic -- as a resource for helping to manage your students’ asthma related-illnesses. If your child suffers from asthma, be sure to complete and submit the Asthma Action Plan and Medication Plan and Procedure to the Nurse. The Anaphylaxis Plan must be completed for acute allergy sufferers who need to be administered an Epi-pen. Also, if your child is on any medication during school hours—including over-the-counter medications—a Medication Plan and Procedure Form must be completed and submitted to the Nurse along with your child’s Medication Treatment Administration Form, signed by your child’s primary care physician. All these documents must be provided to the Nurse by parents, along with the medication/s your child is taking during school hours. Students are not permitted to self-carry or self-medicate. All the forms mentioned in this message are attached, for your convenience.

For Mental Health Support Resources in English and Spanish for Students, Parents, and Teachers. Topics include: Stress, Grief and Loss, Anxiety, Suicide and Self-Harm, Healthy Relationships, Social Media, and much more! -- Mary`s Center (maryscenter.org)

This school year, DCPS is partnering with Children’s National Hospital to support our students’ health and attendance through the Collaborative for Attendance Resources in Education and Health (CARE-H); CARE-H is now available in all DCPS schools. Through this program, parents or guardians can give permission to DCPS to securely share attendance information with their child’s doctor(s), nurse(s) and medical office staff. This information will help these healthcare professionals to provide special outreach and medical attention to children that might be missing school and their families. Information about this initiative can be found here.

POC: Andrea.Allen@k12.dc.gov

The MacFarland PTO has set up an email list for discussion and connection among current and enrolled MacFarland families. Any family member or guardian of a MacFarland student can join by either of these methods:

Attention families, anyone with a child that would like a Kids Ride Free SmartTrip Card can sign up for one in the main office. We will process and distribute on a rolling basis.