Roadrunner's Digest

Happy New Year Farquhar Families and Staff!

It was a short but productive week at Farquhar, and we are gearing up to keep the momentum in this upcoming week! Please note that we are completing MAP-M testing on Tuesday, January 14. Attendance to school on this day is important and appreciated.

We are excited to share that the Farquhar PTA is hosting an evening Winter Social on January 31 from 6-8pm. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance on School Cash Online. We strongly recommend purchasing your student's ticket in advance so they can walk right into the dance and avoid long lines for ticket purchases at the door. Tickets purchased at the door are cash only. If you are interested in chaperoning the dance, we are in need of some more volunteers! Check out the information and link below.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership, and have an excellent week!

In this newsletter you will find:

• This week's bell schedules
• This week's Roadrunner Shout Outs
• After School Activities Schedule
• FMS Counseling Updates
• UPCOMING: MAP-M Testing This Week
• TIMELY: MLK Service Week Update
• NEW: HBCU College Fair
• NEW: COSA Application Process Opens Soon
• NEW: Student Delegates for SMOB Election
• NEW: NJHS Meetings Coming Up
• NEW: MocoCAP Lunch Bunch
• 7th Grade Families: Finance Park Update
• 8th Grade Families: Skate Zone Reminders
• 8th Grade Families: Sherwood HS Articulation Night
• MCPS Things to Know

PTA Corner:

• Volunteers needed
• New PTA Treasurer Needed
• Winter Social Volunteers Needed
• Join the PTA

Thank you to the following Roadrunners who have made a positive impact on our learning community!

• Owen Parker
• Addie English
• Li Channer
• Ms. Smith
• Brittany Hawkins
• Roy Lynn
• Mr. Katzel
• Bitaniya Gezew
• christian lacroix
• Aylani Callwood

Would you like to recognize a student or staff member?

Submit a SHOUT-OUT!

Thank you for taking a moment to thank a Roadrunner who has made a meaningful difference.

Activities end at 4:15 and students must be picked up no later than 4:30. Students should take the activity bus if they cannot be picked up by 4:30, as the main office closes at this time.

Please check out the School Counseling Website for information regarding community events, SSL opportunities and mental health resources.

On Tuesday, January 14, we will be conducting MAP-M testing. All 6th graders will participate, along with selected 7th and 8th graders who would benefit from taking the winter administration of the MAP assessment. Seventh and eighth grade students who are not participating in testing will engage in a MoCo Cap lesson during this time frame.

Each student has received an email through their school Gmail account (mcpsmd.net) that includes their specific testing location or MoCo Cap assignment.

Thank you for your attention to these important details, and we look forward to our students demonstrating their literacy progress thus far. Please reach out to Mr. Katzel at Stephen_M_Katzel@mcpsmd.org if you have any questions or concerns.

MLK Week of Service will now be held January 21st – January 24th due to the recent snow days and donations have been extended! Please see the updated flyer below! Our students will participate in various activities focusing on the themes of kindness, empathy, and social responsibility. These activities will help students understand how they can make a positive impact in their communities and how small actions can contribute to larger changes in the world.

Activities will include: Making hygiene/cleaning kits for the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless, blankets & friendship bracelets for local hospitals, dog toys for the Montgomery County Humane Society, friendship bracelets for children in hospitals, and cards for our military troops. Off-campus service options will be available to students as well to volunteer at local elementary schools, nursing homes, public libraries, etc. More information about volunteer opportunities at other MCPS schools will be shared via Remind before Winter Break.

We need your help to make this day a success! We need supplies to make the donated items. Please take a moment to look through the Amazon Wish List linked below and help us make our day of service a success. Items purchased on the list will ship directly to the school. However, if you would like to purchase items on your own and drop them off in the main office, we will happily accept them. We will also be collecting used/old t-shirts to create the dog toys. Please send old t-shirts in a bag labeled “MLK Day of Service”. Lastly, SGA will be conducting a Food & Diaper Drive. Students can bring in non-perishable food items and drop them off in the collection bins in the main lobby. Most commonly needed diaper sizes are indicated on the Amazon Wish List.

For questions, email Ms. Mason (Kristina_D_Mason@mcpsmd.org) or Mrs. Page (Miya_V_Page@mcpsmd.org).

Join Ms. Mason, Ms. Payne, and Mrs. Page to attend the 17th Annual Montgomery County HBCU Fair on Friday, February 14, 2025! Farquhar will provide a bus to and from the fair for students who need transportation. Students should be dropped off at FMS at 5:15 pm to depart to the Universities at Shady Grove. This is for 8th grade students only

This sign-up is for transportation on a first-come, first-serve basis for the first 36 students. If you are interested in learning more about HBCUs and the many other opportunities for students please complete the google form HERE.

Please note, families are welcome to take their student to the fair independently from Farquhar. This sign up is only for those who would like transportation provided.

If you have any questions please reach out to Ms. Kristina Mason (Kristina_D_Mason@mcpsmd.org) or Ms. Payne (Jacqueline_M_Payne@mcpsmd.org).

The MCPS 2024-2025 Change of School Assignment (COSA) transfer season opens on Monday, Feb. 3, and ends on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. The COSA process allows families to submit a request for their children to transfer out of their assigned home school.

Important changes for the upcoming COSA transfer process:

• Requests submitted after April 1, 2025, will not be considered unless there was a recent move or an emergency event that could not have been foreseen prior to April 1.

All COSA requests will now be submitted online through ParentVue in Synergy. Parents who need support on how to use ParentVue to complete an online COSA request will be encouraged to reach out to a staff member at their child’s assigned school.

• Detailed information related to the COSA process can be found in the 2025-2026 COSA information booklet, which will be available at the end of January. Hard copies will be sent to schools.

**If your 8th grade student is currently at Farquhar on a COSA, you will need to re-apply for the COSA in order to remain in the preferred feeder pattern in high school.**

For questions, call the Division of Pupil Personnel and Attendance Services at 240-740-5620.

Are you interested in seeing the process of the SMOB election unfold? Want to attend the annual SMOB Nominating Convention to participate in the democratic process in the selection of our two finalists for the next SMOB? If you are interested, please contact your school’s SGA advisor Danielle Affinito (danielle_n_affinito@mcpsmd.org) by January 24, 2025 to learn more about the process to becoming a delegate to the SMOB Nominating Convention. Winners will be chosen on January 29th.

Attention Grade 7 NJHS New Inductees

The New Inductee Meeting has been rescheduled for next Friday 1/17/25. It will be in Room 004 during the first 10 minutes of Open Rock.

Attention Grade 8 NJHS New Inductees & Current Members

Your meeting will be Friday 2/7/25. It will be in Room 004 during the first 10 minutes of Open Rock.

(Due to the Grade 8 Skate Zone trip)

At both meetings we will discuss:

• The 5 Pillars of NJHS
• Valentine's for First Responders
• Clothing Drive Collection

Attention all Moco Cap Student Career Council Members!

Join us for a lunch bunch Monday- January 13 in Room 029 during your grade level lunch. Please obtain a pass from either Mr. Lichvar or Ms. Merchant beforehand.

Interested in joining? All students are welcome!

Parents of Ms. Page's 7th grade World Studies and Mr. Green's 7th grade Humanities and those of Ms. Rojas' students that missed the January 3rd trip. Our trip to JA Finance Park has been rescheduled for February 6, 2025. Permission slips will be coming home on Monday. I will need 15 parent volunteers. Please use the following link to register as a volunteer.

JA's VolunteerHub: https://vhub.at/jafpmc

Attention 8th grade families!

This is a final reminder that the permission slip and $31 payment for the Skate Zone field trip were due by Friday, December 20, 2024.

Please ensure both are submitted by the deadline of Monday, January 13, 2025 to secure your child's participation in the trip on Friday, January 17, 2025.

If your child will not attend, kindly contact Mrs. Gaske at Michelle_R_Gaske@mcpsmd.org.

Please submit payment online at your earliest convenience. Click on the link provided below and follow the instructions for SCO. The item you are looking for will be at the bottom of the page so please scroll down.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/parents/

Please complete and return the attached permission slip as soon as possible to ensure your child's participation in the trip.

Thank you for your prompt attention!

Attention families of students attending Sherwood High School next year:

The incoming 9th grade parent night has been rescheduled and will take place on Wednesday, January 15th, starting at 6:30pm in the Sherwood High School Ertzman (Auditorium).

Each week, MCPS shares a community message with helpful system-wide information, reminders, and invitations to events. Though they are sent out via email, we will always link them here.

VOLUNTEERS: Our FMS staff is AMAZING and we are in need of volunteers to support with snacks for the upcoming staff meetings. Please sign up here. The next staff meeting is Monday, October 7th and we need a volunteer!

The PTA is looking for a new treasurer, as our current Treasurer's term will be ending. We will be sharing more information in the coming weeks, so if you are interested, stay tuned!

Direct donations to the FMS PTA are our primary source of fundraising! Help us avoid sales-based fundraisers!

• If you have already joined, but have NOT made a tax-deductible donation, we encourage you to do so. Any amount is appreciated!
• If you have not yet joined, please join, and donate, today!

Your direct donations help the PTA fund:

• Math, English, and STEM materials
• Counseling and wellness initiatives
• Field trips
• Arts, music, and athletic activities,
• Staff appreciation
• Parent/family resources

Feel free to contact me anytime and follow Farquhar on Twitter!

Email: Angelica_L_Smith@mcpsmd.org
Phone: 240-740-1200
Twitter: @farquharms