Roadrunner's Digest
Mrs. Rivas-Smith's Newsletter for the Farquhar Community
Message from the Principal
It's hard to believe that we're officially into December! I enjoyed seeing many of you at Friday's Cluster Staff Basketball Game, and your generosity of spirit was so encouraging to me. Your Farquhar Roadrunners secured a decisive win over the Brooke Grove-Sherwood ES "Eagle Sharks" with a final score of 49-22! Our students (and staff!) also had a blast at the SGA dance on Wednesday, and we thank all those who played a part in its success. Interims are approaching quickly on December 11, which is only five school days away! It would be wise for students to address missing assignments and reassessments early this week.
In this week's newsletter you will find:
- This week's bell schedule
- This week's Roadrunner Shout Outs
- NEW: Support Dickens Day for Seventh Grade
- NEW: Personal Body Safety Lessons December 13
- Yearbook Sale, Early Bird Discount
- NEW: Virtual Meeting re: International Travel December 5
- Girls' and Boys' Basketball Tryouts are LIVE!
- College Student Volunteers Needed in December
- TIMELY: Instrumental Music Updates
- POMS Clinic @ Springbrook HS
- Support FMS by shopping at Harris Teeter
PTA Corner Updates
- December PTA Special Guest "The Screens Between Us"
- 12th Annual Olney/Brookeville Toy Drive
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/.
Thank you to the following Roadrunners who have made a positive impact on our learning community!
- Gabby Anderson
- Joe Mirindi
- Mrs. Miller
- Mr. Lichvar
- Ms. Lipford
- Mr. Eisenhower
- Mr. LaCroix
- Mr. Davis
- Ms. Mason
- Mr. Ford
- Mr. Rodriguez
- Mr. Thompson
Would you like to recognize a student, community member, or staff member?
One of Farquhar's cherished traditions, Dickens Day, a day of service for our seventh grade students, is approaching quickly! Please review this linked letter for details about the vision for this event and how you can support. If you would like to donate supplies for this event, you can go directly to the Signup Genius Wish List.
If you want to learn more, take a few moments to see how last year's seventh graders blessed their local community with their service projects! (Watch video)
Montgomery County Public Schools is taking an active role in the prevention of child abuse and neglect through early prevention and intervention education.
On December 13th, students will be receiving a lesson on the topic of child abuse and neglect through their advisory classes. The lessons are known as Personal Body Safety Lessons (PBSL) and their purpose is to help students to:
Develop knowledge, decision making skills, and behaviors which promote safe living in the home, school, and community;
Learn skills for self-protection and identifying child abuse and neglect;
Learn skills for asking for help for self and others and practice reporting to a trusted adult
Engage in positive and appropriate interactions with peers and adults.
If you have any questions or concerns about the topics that will be covered, please contact your child’s grade level counselor.
Yearbook sales are up and ready to be sold on the Walsworth Website. They can be purchased at yearbookforever.com , when parents buy them now, they will be cheaper. The price is $35 from now until 12/23/24 when they will be $40.
From Ms. Gramkow:
Dear families,
I am following up on my previous email about the informational meeting for the Scotland & Ireland trip. I am excited to see how much interest there is in travel!
See the meeting details and register for the meeting here:
https://bit.ly/3Qgb3V1
Those who register for the meeting will be eligible to receive a $200 tour scholarship and be eligible for Risk-Free Enrollment if they enroll on our tour!
As a reminder for those with questions about this opportunity: all questions will be answered at the meeting. Registration for the meeting is mandatory, so do not wait.
Looking forward to seeing you all there!
Amber Gramkow
All students interested in participating in the Farquhar Boys' or Girls' Basketball Team can sign up for try outs. Parents can sign their student up for tryouts online through ParentVUE. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mr. Davis (Brent_M_Davis@mcpsmd.org).
- Girls: December 5, 6, and 7
- Boys: December 12, 13, and 14
FMS College Week is coming up December 18-22, 2023. If you have a college student who is home during this time and would like to volunteer to speak to our Roadrunners about their experiences, please encourage them to participate! Interested volunteers can sign up here:
6-8th Grade Band Field Trip 12/12
Permission slips went home this week and are due 11/28. You can view and print from this link if you lost your paper copy.
Band & Orchestra Winter Concert is Thursday, December 14th at 7:00 p.m. Students report for warm-up at 6:30 p.m. All black concert attire for this performance. Jenny_M_Lipford@mcpsmd.org with questions about this required performance.
The Together In Education program gives schools a chance to earn funds when you link your VIC card and shop Harris Teeter.
Any VIC member can link their card to a school.
Link your VIC card to support Farquhar Middle School. Simply sign in to your account, search for Farquhar, and you're done!
Harris Teeter donated $376 to FMS last year with only 26 families participating. Thank you for helping us reach our goal of 50 families this year!
Click here to learn more about a local Toy Drive to support some foundations that are near and dear to our Olney Community.
The Olney/Brookeville Toy Drive is being held on December 9th from 2pm-4pm at 18706 Ashbourne Place, Olney. Come drop your unwrapped donations, take a picture with Santa, Mrs. Claus & Frosty and grab some hot chocolate! Please read below to learn more about these amazing organizations where your donation is going.
MasonStrong Village (MSV) https://www.masonstrongvillage.org/ - We are donating to MSV’s JOY boxes that will be given to the children (and their siblings) who are patients at Children’s and Hopkin’s hospitals. The goal of the JOY boxes is to have the children feel Joy and be able to entertain themselves – a little escape from their difficult journeys. The boxes will be filled with small items (think 5 below!!).
For 3 Sisters https://www.f3s.org/ - We are supporting For 3 Sisters Bundles of LOVE program where they provide care packages full of goodies to a breast cancer patients or survivors in need of a pick-me-up. Any gift cards leftover will be used either to purchase any additional patient needs (e.g. - gifts for kids) or gifted directly to a breast cancer patient with an expressed need. This year, their biggest need is focused on holiday meals.
Olney HELP http://www.olneyhelp.org/ - The donations collected for Olney HELP will go directly to children in need within our community.
Contact Mrs. Rivas-Smith
Email: Angelica_L_Smith@mcpsmd.org
Phone: 240-740-1200
Twitter: @farquharms