Greetings MMS Families,

As our cold weather has persisted all week we have continued to work to keep our school warm physically and emotionally for our kids! We hope that the weather warms some this weekend and by the time our Mustangs return on Tuesday we are in a little better space and spirit – the cold has been draining! As noted last week we will continue to work to open the doors early on days where it is excessively cold but it does stretch our resources, so once temperatures rise back up students will have to wait until our official 8:10 opening time. Please plan accordingly.

As we are on the verge of closing out Term 2 there are a few key items to note:

• All students must complete any and all missing work immediately and submit it to their teachers first thing this week.
• Student grades will be published in Aspen in about two weeks – report cards will also be sent home and provided to students, advisors will review them for goal setting purposes.
• Students who have a D or F in ELA, Math, Social Studies or Science for EITHER Term 1 or Term 2 are in danger of failing the course for the year and not promoting to the next grade. These students and families will receive direct messaging home to coordinate a meeting to discuss the needed interventions to avoid summer school and retention and their required tutoring attendance.
• 7th Grade students and families are reminded that all 7th grade classes and grades are weighed heavily by selective schools and competitive high schools for entrance and course placement. Students should finish the school year at the top of their game.
• Please connect directly with your Mustang’s advisory teacher and/or grade level counselor if you need support:
• 6th Grade – Ms. Sargent – Leslie.sargent@k12.dc.gov
• 7th Grade – Ms. Thompson – Kelly.thompson@k12.dc.gov
• 8th Grade – Ms. Castro – liana.castro@k12.dc.gov

Have a great weekend,

NEW INFORMATION/RESOURCES – new to this week’s Parent Email:

Please see the notes above – there is no additional new information this week.

REMINDERS/PREVIOUSLY SHARED – reminders and resources from previous Parent Emails:

REMINDER - 8th Grade/All Parent resource from Ms. Castro – please see attached is a HS Season One-Pager in English and Spanish.

As a quick note – We currently have 57 applications out of 157 students. We are encouraging all students to research their options and to apply to at least one school. Please reach out to Ms. Castro if you have any questions

REMINDER - Summer Bridge for New Mustangs 8.5-8.8 (Tu-Fri) – Yes – it’s a long way off, but we are always asked about Summer Bridge early in the year, and we are sharing our dates now so you can plan for your newest Mustang or share with feeder school partners and friends.

REMINDER - Literacy Night is Coming! – 2.6 – this is a night for all families, staff, students and community members to come learn about how we are supporting literacy growth for our Mustangs and learn some great strategies to share and explore. We hope to see you all there!

REMINDER -2.11, 2.12 – ACCESS Testing – MLL Students – students will test and have an adjusted schedule.

REMINDER - 4.28-5.9 – CAPE Testing – All students – our biggest test of the year – students will test each morning and have a modified schedule.

REMINDER - Open Houses Coming Up – January 27th, 1pm, February 19th, 5pm - Please share with other families and feeder school families!!

Parent Resource – REPEATED - As a new administration moves into our federal government, we know that some of our vulnerable communities and families may have concerns or seek information related to possible immigration actions. We have attached multiple resources for our families to review and are actively collaborating with our partner schools and central office to offer more workshops and resource support. If you have any questions or a specific need, please reach out to Mr. Novoa-Marcano – edgar.novoa-marcano@k12.dc.gov

The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to MacFarland Middle School! - Get ready—the Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our school! This is a great opportunity to connect with your child over the thrill of bringing home new books to dive into again and again. Studies show that kids read more when they choose books for themselves. A love of independent reading boosts academic success, plus children who read more frequently also report improved mental health[1]. Here’s everything you need to know about the Book Fair -

Dates: February 3-7 open during school hours AND Literacy Night

Location: Library

2.6 – Literacy Night – Open to All Families/Community Members

2.11, 2.12 – ACCESS Testing – MLL Students – All students will test and/or have an adjusted schedule.

4.9.25 – 4th Period/5:00pm for families – Spring Arts Showcase

4.28-5.9 – CAPE Testing – All students

6.6.25 – 4th Period – EOY Talent Showcase

8.5.25-8.8.25 – Tu-Friday - Summer Bridge for New Mustangs 8.5-8.8 (Tu-Fri)

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!

We hosted A LOT of people this week in our school and classrooms! There are a number of shout outs in this area I’d like to share:

• Shout out to our math team, Ms. George and our receiving teachers who hosted ~25 teacher leaders, central office leaders and staff for math visits on Wednesday. We hosted the January LEAP Leader PD and it was a great learning experience! Special shout out to our teachers who welcomed visitors Wednesday:
• Mr. Stevens and Ms. McMillian
• Ms. Pearson and Ms. Vidal
• Ms. Bax
• Mr. Hinds and Mr. Chapman
• Shout out to our ELA team, Ms. McKinley and our receiving teachers who also hosted another ~25 folks from other schools and central office on Thursday! This was the January LEAP Leader PD for ELA – another great learning and collaborative experience. Special shout out to our hosting ELA teachers:
• Ms. Punwani and Ms. Megginson
• Ms. Vallano and Ms. Nelson
• Mr. Samper and Ms. Resnik
• Ms. Upchurch and Mr. Knotts
• On Friday (today) we will host another ~20 visiting minsters of education from a variety of countries to observe classes, learn about our MLL and DL programs and meet with our students. Shout out to Mr. Cordoba, Ms. Leonor and our DL/MLL teams for collaborating and connecting with them and our hosting teachers:
• Dr. Hankins/Ms. Riggen
• Mr. Santiago
• Mr. Zetina
• Ms. Leonor
• Shout out to Ms. Walker-McLean and our OPS team who readied the library for these large groups and ensured it was well taken care of for their stays on each of these days! We also displaced Ms. Beckett, Ms. Flemmings classes and Mr. Hall’s club this week and their flexibility and patience is deeply appreciated! Thank you all for the sacrifices for this team effort!!

Via email or by appt. – lucas.cooke@k12.dc.gov

Next Curbside Coffee – TBD – we are working on coordinating with our next in person PTO meeting

February PTO Meeting – 2.11 – 6:00pm - LINK

Below is the calendar of faculty meetings for the school year. There will be no afterschool activities on these days.

24-25 Faculty Meeting/PD Days Dates:

• February 5th
• March 5th
• April 2nd
• May 7th
• June 4th

Afterschool programming began on Monday 9-9-2024. Tutoring and clubs commence at 3:30 and end at 4:45. Students will have supper then go with their perspective teachers. All students will be dismissed at 4:45 to go home.

Students will need to fill out the emergency contact form prior to attending after-school activities. Students will also be able to list their club choices on the emergency contact form.

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

Please use this form to refer a student to the MMS Wellness Team. / Utilice este formulario para referir a un estudiante al equipo de bienes.

https://forms.office.com/r/S6pRi9yLRt

WELLNESS TEAM MEMBERS: Ms. Raphael, Social Worker Ms. Virginia, Mary’s Center Therapist Ms. Kent, Psychologist Ms. Sargent, 8th grade counselor Ms. Castro, 7th grade counselor Mrs. Thompson, 6th grade counselor LAYC: Ms. Rachel & Mr. Raul

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.