The March 31, 2026 Newsletter
Dear Janney Families,
I am still reflecting on what an incredible evening we shared at the Janney Auction 2026: Jaguars Beneath the Canopy. It was truly a special night, and I am filled with gratitude.
A heartfelt thank you to our auction co-chairs, AJ Pearlman and Jami Westerhold, and to the entire committee for their extraordinary work in transforming our space, building partnerships, and securing auction items. Your leadership and dedication made the evening what it was.
To our families and community, thank you. Whether you attended, contributed, volunteered, or supported in other ways, your generosity makes a meaningful difference. Because of you, we are able to continue the important work of supporting our students and strengthening our school community.
As we move into the final stretch before spring break, with just under two weeks to go, we are enjoying this beautiful stretch of spring, summer-like weather. It feels especially meaningful after the winter we’ve had. During this time, we remain focused on strong teaching and learning, while continuing to prioritize student health and safety.
Looking ahead to April, we will recognize Arab American Heritage Month and Poetry Month. We welcome opportunities to partner with families who would like to share their culture and experiences, and we look forward to celebrating the creativity and expression that poetry brings to our classrooms.
Thank you for your continued partnership,
Principal Singh
🏫 Janney Enrollment
Enrollment for the 26-27 school year is OPEN and ALL families must re-enroll each year. This early enrollment push is to secure our budget funding and clarify staffing needs for the new year. Please login to your ASPEN account to access your parent portal. If you have password problems, please reach out to Ms. Reid or Mr. Barnhart.
ASPEN: https://aspen.dcps.dc.gov/aspen-login/go
As a reminder, the PK–8th grade lottery results and waitlist are now available via MySchool DC account!
A Night to Celebrate. Thank You, Janney!
Saturday night's auction was a reminder of just how special Janney is. The energy and the generosity that filled the room (and who could forget the costumes!)—came together in a way that felt meaningful and fun at the same time. This is what it looks like when a community shows up for each other.
That kind of night doesn’t just happen—it takes dedication, and a lot of coordination. And this year, it started with our rockstar 2026 Auction Co-Chairs, AJ Pearlman and Jami Westerhold. AJ and Jami, thank you for leading this year’s auction with so much care, creativity, and heart. You managed countless details, navigated all of the curveballs, and delivered a truly record-breaking night—all with thoughtfulness, flexibility, and a great sense of humor. We are so grateful for everything you gave to make this event such a success.
💞 To everyone who attended, volunteered, donated, and supported in any way—thank you.
We want to share a special thank you to a few of the people who helped bring this night to life:
- Mike Barnhart and Jenn Reid, for being the steady, behind-the-scenes forces that keep everything running smoothly
- Niki McCarthy, Chris Bolger, and our powerhouse solicitations team, for bringing in such an incredible lineup of auction items
- Alex Johnson, Jami Westerhold, and Chris Worrell, for securing the sponsors that power this event
- Shelby Hammond and Libby Deal, for using their creative decorating genius to truly transform our school into a canopy-worthy celebration space – including that 25-foot tree!
- Emily Ornstein, Jenn Lucey, Lynn Deavers, and Lisa Lennon—and the amazing parents, teachers, and volunteers behind classroom creations, Janney parties, and teacher treasures
- Alison Share and Heidi Brown for coordinating the food, and Anne Gialanella, Meagan Bellshaw, Joe Bondi, and Eric Johnson for ensuring everything on the beverage side came together seamlessly
- PTA Comms Committee Co-Chairs Wendy Wang Pisa, Tamia Barnes, and Jacqueline Worrell, for keeping our community informed every step of the way and for creating a beautiful video that captured what makes Janney so special
- Chris O’Shea with C2 Auctions, also a 2nd grade Janney parent, for his incredible counsel and for the many ways he has helped shape and strengthen our auction over the years
To all those who donated vacation homes, tickets, and other amazing items, or who raised the paddle for this incredible community, or who stepped up as a family sponsor— please know
how grateful we are for your generosity.
And to the many volunteers who gave their time in so many ways—decorating, cleaning up,
making calls to local businesses—every minute mattered. We are so appreciative of all that you
did.
Finally, a heartfelt thank you to our incredible Janney Auction sponsors, many of whom are
Janney parents or closely connected to our school community. These generous businesses
stepped up in a big way for Janney and we are so grateful. When choosing where to turn for
services or support, we hope you’ll consider starting with them.
⭐Maya & Kate Team – Compass (2026 Auction Platinum Sponsor)
⭐Kid’s Elite, our Year-Long Platinum Sponsor
⭐Allan Woods Flowers (2026 Auction Gold Sponsor)
⭐Gelber Family
⭐Susan Jaquet with Compass Realty
⭐Friendship Hospital for Animals
With an abundance of appreciation to all,
Anita Siegfriedt & Jackie Ross
PTA Co-Presidents
✍🏻 Panorama Spring Surveys
Our Panorama Spring Surveys for students, families, teachers and staff, and school leaders have been open for almost two weeks and will remain open through Friday, April 3. We are hoping for 100 percent participation.
Your feedback is extremely important and helps us understand what is working well at our school and where we can continue to grow. The information from these surveys directly informs how we support students, families, and staff.
If you have not yet completed the survey, please consider taking a few minutes to do so. Your voice matters and helps us continue building a strong school community for every student.
🌍 🌏 🌎 International Night - Sign Up is LIVE
Travel the world without leaving the neighborhood! This year’s International Night—one of Janney’s most beloved traditions celebrating our community’s rich cultural diversity—is happening on Friday, April 24th, 6-8pm. We hope you’ll be part of the celebration!
Sign up to share your heritage with our community - ideas for table setups are provided! We'll be closing sign-ups earlier this year so we can plan around the atrium closure accordingly; sign up soon!
Country Table & Show sign-up
We're also seeking volunteers to help with set-up, clean-up, or working the welcome/prize table (your middle and high school students can earn service hours while helping out Janney!)
🪷Janney Spring Workday
Please join the Janney Garden Committee for our Spring Workday, Saturday, April 25th, 9:00am-12:00pm! Our main goals for the day are to clear weeds, tidy up garden materials and prepare for (and possibly begin) some Spring planting! Please come help for any amount of time you can - all ages and levels of garden experience are welcome!
💬 Overheard A+ Janney
Do your little Janney Jaguars say the funniest, silliest, or most profound things? Don't let those gems be heard only by the Janney chickens (or just you)! Share these memorable moments with the whole community! Submit elementary school-appropriate quotes from your kids here. All contributions are posted on the Janney Instagram anonymously. 👇
