Mustang Matters

Greetings MMS Families,

Happy Friday and happy last week of school! We have three more days this coming week, with our 8th graders closing our their year with promotion on Wednesday evening. Even though our year has been extended it still feels like it’s gone by quickly somehow . . .

KEY REMINDER – TODAY (6.12) is the last day for after school activities this year! Students must dismiss home/be picked up by 3:30pm. If a Mustang needs to wait a few minutes for pickup we will supervise them in the lobby/parent center.

As I shared in this week’s PTO meeting I feel like the second half of the school year I haven’t been at full strength, and I haven’t met the standard in general I set for myself in this work. I’m lucky to have such great teachers, leaders, staff, students and families who kept the ship sailing forward – we have continued to make so much progress – thank you all! That said I also shared how excited I am for the coming year – there are lots of reasons to feel this way, but at core it’s because I love being a Mustang, and the leader of this school. I’m ready to step it up again next year!

The PTO also elected new leadership for next year -- congratulations and a huge thank you for stepping up to all of them!

President: Cesarina Santana

Vice President: Sabrina Brown

Treasurer: Keith Finlay

Secretary: Julie Gallo

Director of Communications: Octavia Brown

At-large Family Representative: JillTraci King

This summer I will set up some connection sessions open to all families to share some focal points for the coming year, get some input and ideas and help fill out our LSAT and other teams as well as just connect with families. I’ll share these dates in the next parent message the week of 7.14 when the weekly parent message will return – they will be in the second half of July and August. If you have topics you’d like me to plan to address, please send them along in the meantime!

For now, this is the last message for this school year. I look forward to seeing many of you this week and during the summer – enjoy, stay cool and be safe!

Have a great summer!

6.15 – 7th Grade Cookout

6.15 – Athletics Ceremony – 3:45pm

6.16 – Primary Election Day: No school for students and teachers

6.17 – 8th Grade Promotion

6.18 – Last Day of School

Afterschool Activities Conclude on Friday, 6.12 – Please note as the following week we have multiple events, trips and the last day of school our last day for afterschool activities and clubs will be Friday, June 12th.

Parent Resource/Opportunity for June – I thought this was an interesting resource to listen to with Mustangs as career exploration (especially for 8th graders) is a them that they begin to consider – note I have not listened to or screened all of these: Audio Interviews with U.S. Workers - In this article in Social Education, Andrew Decker provides links to a series of Library of Congress audio interviews with Americans in a wide variety of jobs, among them:

• Luann Miller, grocery story cashier in Seattle, Washington
• Barbara Miller Byrd, circus owner, Hugo, Oklahoma
• Roberta Washington, architect, New York City
• Henrietta Ivey, home health care provider, Detroit, Michigan
• Dolores Fortuna, professional potter, Galena, Illinois
• Thomas Sink, circus clown, Mead, Oklahoma

These interviews, 6-9 minutes long, are excerpts from longer talks about why each person got into this job and what it was like on a day-to-day basis. “Using the America Works Podcast and Occupational Folklife Project to Personalize Economics in the Classroom” by Andrea Decker in Social Education, March/April 2026 (Vol. 90, #2, pp. 67-71)

Reference – Wellness Team Members – please reach out if you believe your Mustang (or another Mustang) would benefit from additional support.

6th Grade – Ms. Kent, School Psychologist –Christina.Kent@k12.dc.gov

6th Grade – Ms. Castro, Counselor - Liana.Castro@k12.dc.gov

7th Grade – Ms. Raphael, Social Worker - Alexandra.Raphael@k12.dc.gov

7th Grade – Ms. Sargent, Counselor - Leslie.Sargent@k12.dc.gov

8th Grade – Ms. Raifsnider, Social Worker - Jennifer.Raifsnider@k12.dc.gov

8th Grade – Ms. Thompson, Counselor - Kelly.Thompson@k12.dc.gov

Congratulations on the completion of another school year! As you prepare your child for the next year's uniform color (White for 7th, Black for 8th), please consider holding onto their current year's uniforms until the start of the next year. PTO will collect the gently used and washed uniforms (polos and pants/skirts only) for the uniform exchange during the first week of the school. For the 8th graders, please contact Yuki Kato (kato.yuki@gmail.com/949-836-4198) to donate them over the summer.

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¡Felicidades por completar otro curso escolar! Mientras prepara a su hijo para el color del uniforme del año siguiente (blanco para 7º, negro para 8º), por favor considere conservar el uniforme de su año actual hasta el comienzo del año siguiente. PTO recogerá los uniformes que usan y lavan en buen estado (solo polos y pantalones/faldas) para el intercambio de uniformes durante la primera semana de clase. Para los alumnos de 8º curso, por favor contacta con Yuki Kato (kato.yuki@gmail.com/949-836-4198) para donarlos durante el verano.

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!

A big shout out to our PTO for our final meeting this past Tuesday! We had incoming parents from next year as well as future parents with students still in kindergarten joining us to see what they can expect at MMS in the future. We also had the farewell to our PTO president Robin, who has been instrumental in helping our school and PTO grow and our welcome to our incoming board including the return of our first president Cesarina! It was a joyous, emotional and moving evening, and me continue to feel thankful to be a part of our school community and to have the chance to work with such great PTO leaders, past, present and future! Thank you to Ms. Gibian who closed a year of excellent and much appreciated work translating as well as those who joined us online for our last session – Ms. Leonor, Mr. Chapman and Ms. Chapman!

Ms. Lee and Team 8 showed the definition of perseverance and fortitude this week! With the King’s Dominion Trip Tuesday led by Ms. Riggen, the Awards Ceremony led by Ms. Drummond and attended by Ms. Lee, Ms. McKiney, Ms. Smith and Ms. Thompson and the 8th Grade Dance/Dinner Cruise led by Ms. Lee it was a fantastic if grueling series of events over those three days. The student experience and the family engagement though were tremendous. I had the chance to walk halfway home with one of our 8th graders Tuesday evening who couldn’t contain her joy as she recounted the fun she’d had and how intense and amazing the roller coasters were. I’ll carry that small moment with me and I know our students built many more foundational memories this week. Thank you so much Team 8 and Ms. Lee for your leadership, love of the kids and long hours!

The 7th Grade Hershey Park Trip was a great hit for the students thanks to the hard work of team 7, Coach Walston and Mr. Chapman and our chaperones. As the 7th grade close out the year with some joy and fun, including Monday’s BBQ, the hard work all year from our team leads is deeply appreciated!

The 6th Grade OASIS Trips meant some great team building for our students and a chance to push their boundaries as they close the year out together including ziplining and team building activities. Thank you Team 6, AP Galloway, Ms. Chapman, Ms. Holland and our chaperones and staff support!

The 7th Grade JA Financial Park Trip was ALSO a great experience thanks to the coordination of Mr. Stevens, Ms. Jordan and our central office partners. The students got some exposure to finance, a chance to have some fun and another great EOY experience – thanks team!

The Chess Team Trip to Ida B. Wells showcased our current and emerging chess athletes thanks to the work of Mr. Stevens! Thank you Coach Stevens for working to develop our young people and collaborate with our partners at Ida B. !

We got a great shout out from a parent this week that’s much deserved for Ms. Castro and the support she provides our students. I wanted to make sure I shared this great note from the MacFarland family:

Ms. Castro is phenomenal. We went over our student’s 504 plan yesterday and she is so patient and kind. It was a little family therapy too. We are so lucky to have this resource as a public school. I am so grateful.

DC Summer Meal Programs begin Friday, June 19, 2026- Sunday, August 23, 2026
El Programa Comienza el 19 de Junio- 23 de agosto

The D.C. Youth Meals Program (federally known as Summer Food Service Program) begins Friday, June 19. D.C. Youth Meals Program provides healthy meals to children 18 and under at no cost at various meal sites throughout the District. There is no application and no ID required.

To locate summer meal site locations please visit the link below:

https://dcfoodproject.org/summermeals2026

Day Eight’s spoken word poetry show, Bright Before Us Like a Flame, was a big hit for us this February during Black History Month and our partners here have shared they have a free school summer writing camp, featuring the performers and director of the show. Here is the information:

• Day Eight’s FREE, youth development and youth leadership focused, summer camp at the Shepherd Park Library supports youth to complete independent and group creative projects. Each week includes a poet writer in residence, this summer including Amuche Nwafor, Pi-Anir - the show's performers - along with Rebecca Bishophall, and Brandon Douglas. The camp co-director is Regie Cabico (director of Bright Before Us.) Thank you for letting any parents/students know that might be interested. The link for more information and registration is: https://dayeight.org/registration-open-for-day-eights-middle-school-summer-writing-camp/ and a flier is attached. We’re looking forward to a great summer at camp!

Youth Sports For All (YSFA), a Go Play program, offers free after-school and summer sports programs for DC youth in grades K-8, especially those with limited access to enrichment opportunities. Families can sign up for upcoming seasons and give kids a chance to grow through play, building confidence, making friends, and staying active in a supportive environment.

Registration and program details: https://www.goplaydc.org/ysfaspringregistration
Questions? Contact our team at ysfa@goplaydc.org or 202-679-3432.

Youth Sports For All (YSFA), un programa de Go Play, ofrece programas deportivos gratuitos después de la escuela y en verano para jóvenes de DC en los grados K-8, especialmente para familias con acceso limitado a oportunidades recreativas. Las familias pueden inscribirse en las próximas temporadas para que los niños disfruten del deporte, desarrollen confianza, hagan nuevos amigos y se mantengan activos en un ambiente de apoyo.

Enlace de inscripción y detalles del programa: https://www.goplaydc.org/ysfaspringregistration

¿Preguntas? Contacta con nuestro equipo en ysfa@goplaydc.org o 202-679-3432.

The Brightwood Family Success Center is pleased to share updates on our upcoming events and services.

Upcoming Events:

- June Food Distribution: Our next distribution is June 18th, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

Please register in advance at: https://forms.gle/ivnyJcWdJWjycq34A

- Wellness Wednesday Bingo: Wednesday, June 24th, 1-3 PM. Join us for an exciting afternoon of Bingo Games! Get your dabbers ready for fun and the thrill of winning!

Please register in advance at: https://forms.gle/fw79WikMF32znxko9

- Kids, Cops and Karaoke: Friday, June 5th, 2026 Join us before school ends and start your weekend with music, community, and good vibes!

Please register in advance at: https://forms.gle/UMyjrH68GLqTZei6A

- Streaming Summer Camp Announcement: Summer camp opportunities have arrived! Registration opens on June 1st for our Streaming Summer Camp orientations. Please see the flyer for more info.

Available Resources:

- Computer Lab: Open daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

- Clothing Closet: Offering spring and summer clothing.

- Employment Assistance: Support with resume writing, mock interviews, and "Dress for Success" preparation.

- Service Navigation: Referrals to community services via our comprehensive database.

- LIHEAP Applications: Assistance with completing online applications.

Dear MacFarland community, as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) tightens its stance on food support to families, MacFarland is seeing more pull on our food pantry that supports students and families year-round.

Most of the items that are typically used to support families have been depleted. If you have any unexpired, non-perishables in your pantries and cupboards, please think about supporting our families with these items. Protein meals (including beans, and other grains, canned fish/meat) are of value to our families. With every school break comes more stress for families; because we’re a school community that supports the whole child, this is our way of ensuring care beyond the walls of the school campus.

If you are able to support, you may drop off the non-perishable goods in the main office, so that we can sort, store, and support families immediately in need.

Thank you for all that you do to support our school community.

The Petworth Library will be closing for a building refresh project on December 12th and we will likely be closed for the remainder of the school year. For more information please visit the link below:

https://www.dclibrary.org/news/petworth-library-renovation

NEW ATTENDANCE EXCUSE NOTE PLATFORM: Families can now submit attendance excuse notes via the Aspen GO (Parent Portal). Step-by-step instructions attached below.

At DC Public Schools, we want every student to feel loved, challenged, and prepared to positively influence society and thrive in life. To reach this ambitious goal, every student needs to be in school every day. However, too many of the young people in our city are not coming to school every day.

The Office of the State Superintendent’s (OSSE) finds that one in four kids in DC are chronically absent from school – which means missing 10 percent or more of the school year. At some DCPS high schools, three out of four students are chronically absent.

DCPS believes that every day counts.

Students, families, and the community must be empowered to track our progress in helping every young person get to school. By being transparent about our challenges, our city can work together to reduce the barriers that too many students and families face.

Definitions

• Truancy: Measures the percent of students aged 5-17 who are considered truant. To be “truant” means that a student has 10 or more unexcused absences from school – with or without – parental knowledge, consent, or otherwise securing prior approval from the start of the school year.
• In-school Attendance: Measures the average percent of students who are attending school.
• Chronic Absence Rate: Measures the percent of students who miss 10 percent or more days in a school year from the start of the school year.
• Attendance Entry Rate: Measures the percent of classes for which a school has entered attendance.
• 60/40 rule: Students are considered legally absent for the day if they miss more than 40% of their classes.

Regular school attendance is critical for academic success. Our goal is to ensure that every student attends school regularly and on time. Daily presence in school has a huge impact on a student’s academic success, starting in kindergarten and continuing through high school. Even as children grow older and more independent, families can continue to play a key role in making sure students get to school safely every day and understand why attendance is so important for success in school and in life.

We realize some absences are unavoidable due to health problems or other circumstances. But, we also know that when students miss too much school—excused or unexcused—they can fall behind academically. Your child is less likely to succeed if he or she is chronically absent—which means missing 18 or more days in a school year. Research shows that:

Children that are chronically absent in kindergarten and 1st grade are much less likely to read at grade level by the end of 3rd grade. By 6th grade, chronic absence is a warning sign for students at risk of dropping out of school. By 9th grade, good attendance can predict graduation rates even better than 8th grade test scores.

Questions/Concerns:

If you have any questions or concerns please contact Ms. Claribel Salgado via email at claribel.salgado@k12.dc.gov or by phone at (202) 671-6033.

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

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.