The March 24, 2026 Newsletter

Dear Janney Families,

There is a lot of excitement in the air this week as we look ahead to the Janney Auction this Saturday. This event is always a highlight of the year, and it is so much more than a celebration. It is a powerful example of what makes our community special.

In the spirit of March and March Madness, we are reminded that strong teams are built through commitment, connection, and shared purpose. Dawn Staley, head coach of the University of South Carolina women’s basketball team and a national championship leader, has guided her team to continued success this season and another strong run in the 2026 tournament. She shares, “We’re not just building a team, we’re building a culture.” That idea resonates deeply with our work at Janney.

When our community comes together to support the Janney Auction, it strengthens the culture we are building every day, one grounded in our core values of community, kindness, empathy, integrity, and joy. Your support helps ensure that our students continue to feel loved, challenged, and prepared to thrive.

We also want to acknowledge that there are many ways to be part of this effort. Whether you are attending, contributing, volunteering your time, or supporting in another way, every contribution matters and helps strengthen our school community.

We are grateful for each of you and look forward to celebrating together this Saturday.

With Appreciation,

Principal Singh

Mar. 26 | Club/Teams/Group & Retake/Makeup Photo Day

Mar. 27 | DC MySchool Lottery Results come out & Re-enrollment opens for all students

Mar. 28 | Janney Auction 🎉

Apr. 6 | No School (Records/Wellness Day)
Apr. 13-17 | Spring Break
Apr. 24 | International Night
Apr. 25 | Janney Spring Workday

May 1 & 2 | 5th Grade Musical
May 13 | 5th Grade Panoramic Photo Day

June 5 | Spring Picnic

📸 Get Camera Ready! Club/Teams/Group photo day will be on Thursday, March 26th -- the same day as group class photos! Retakes/makeup photos will also be on this day.

Pre-order Pictures here

To request for a portrait retake, please use the link here.

It'll take place on the same day as group photos.

The PK–8th grade lottery results and waitlist will open through your MySchool DC account on March 27, 2026.

Enrollment for the 26-27 school year begins this Friday, March 27th. As a reminder, 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 take a moment before Friday to login to your ASPEN account and be sure you can access your parent portal. If you have password problems, please reach out to Ms. Reid or Mr. Barnhart. https://aspen.dcps.dc.gov/aspen-login/go

A huge thank you to Liz Scheier and Arie Rubenstein, our incredible Community Service Co-Chairs. Through six events already this school year, they have created meaningful opportunities for Janney families to come together, give back, and make a real impact across our broader DC community.

From organizing hands-on service projects to making it easy and welcoming for families to participate, Liz and Arie are helping our students see the value of showing up for others. We are so grateful for their leadership, energy, and commitment to building a stronger, more connected community.

We are also so grateful to all the Janney families who show up and make these events so special, we couldn’t do it without you!

And the momentum continues! Join them to pack grocery bags for DC seniors with We Are Family on April 11th. More details to follow. Questions? Reach out to communityservice@janneyschool.org

Anita Siegfriedt and Jackie Ross

PTA Co-Presidents

Step into an enchanted hideaway for an unforgettable evening of music, wild bids, and Jaguar pride. Money may not grow on trees, but as daylight fades, watch generosity take root.

LAST CALL: Buy Your Tickets Today and Join Us Beneath the Canopy

Can you believe that there are only four (4) more days until we will all be the Jaguars Beneath the Canopy at the 2026 Janney Auction? Us either. If you haven’t yet done so, grab your ticket today. Tickets can be bought at the door, but for a larger donation. Looking forward to dancing, sipping, and bidding with all of you.

The Canopy is Buzzing - Come Lend a Hand!

While we can’t wait to celebrate, we need ALL THE HANDS WE CAN GET to help transform the space and wrap things up after the celebration. Is that you?? If you can spare a little time Friday night, Saturday or Sunday morning, please sign up for a specific time slot—every shift makes a big difference!

The auction items are LIVE online and this is your chance to secure social time with other Janney families, book a birthday party entertainer, or find your family’s next vacation. Whether or not you are attending the Auction, you can participate! If you have not bought a ticket (sad), you will be prompted to create an account.

See you all soon in the under the canopy for an unforgettable evening of music, wild bids, and Jaguar pride.

Spring has sprung at Janney—and so has our Lost & Found! It’s practically blossoming with lonely jackets, wayward water bottles, and single mittens searching for their perfect match.

Before these items put down roots or migrate off for summer break, take a moment to stop by and reclaim what’s yours. You might be surprised what’s been “growing” there!

Let’s do a little spring cleaning and reunite these belongings with their rightful homes.

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.

JoJo Veysey is a Janney student who participated in the City Spelling Bee.

The Spelling Bee will air on Tuesday, April 14 at 7:00 p.m. on DKN and will be available the following day on DC’s streaming network, DCE. DCE can be accessed at dcenetwork.com.

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!)

Volunteer sign-up

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!

Alice Deal Middle School prospective families are encouraged to visit Deal for one of our in-person open houses. You will meet current students, connect with Principal Neal for a welcome and FAQ session, be able to purchase Deal Gear, and participate in a student guided tour.

Families who wish to attend should sign up here to help us plan. Sessions include:

• Saturday, April 25 | 10:00 - 12:00 noon

• Wednesday, May 20 | 5:00 - 6:30pm

Alice Deal Middle School is located at 3815 Fort Drive NW

• Register on Remind for important updates
• Subscribe to the Janney PTA calendar
• Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more updates!
• Sign up for our Janney Community Listserv by emailing: janneyEScommunity+subscribe@groups.io.
• Our Newsletter drops every Tuesday, see the SY25-26 Archive
• Check out our Website for important links 👇

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. 👇

• Join the Janney Bike Bus | Join Janney students and parents on Friday mornings for a fun bike bus to school! Join the Janney Bike Bus WhatsApp group for updates and info.
• Field Trip Fees | Pay here for Field Trip Fee.
• Chaperones | DCPS requires chaperones to complete a volunteer clearance application, after which you will receive an email with background check instructions. Fingerprinting is also required as part of the process but this can now be done remotely with instructions. DCPS Volunteer Clearance is valid for 2 years. List Michael Barnhart, michael.barnhart@k12.dc.gov, (202) 282-0110, as your contact and email him your clearance letter once received.
• Communicable Diseases | Check out our Mini Guide to Communicable Diseases to stay healthy!
• Lice Guide | Please read and share: Download our Suggested Lice Guide.