Farmland Elementary School

Good evening, Farmland Families,

 

Just in case you missed the exciting news — Farmland is a 5-Star School!

 

The Maryland State Department of Education rates schools using a star system, and 5 stars is the highest rating a school can earn. We are incredibly proud of this recognition and, even more importantly, of the hard work behind it.

 

This accomplishment reflects the dedication of our entire Farmland community:

 

This success took all of us working together!

 

Our staff also received a personal congratulatory email recognizing Farmland’s success from Dr. Taylor and Board of Education member Mrs. Yang. This was an honor and a meaningful reminder that the hard work of our students, staff, and families is being recognized beyond our school community. 

 

Have a wonderful week!

 

Thank you! 

April

April D. Longest

Principal

Farmland Elementary School

Turn Back Time This Weekend: Don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour on this Sunday, Nov. 1, for daylight saving time. As we return to shorter days and earlier evenings, remember to stay alert on the roads, and be extra vigilant for pedestrians and cyclists.

Want to learn more about Farmland’s 5-Star rating? Click here to visit the Maryland Report Card website and see our results.

Farmland earned 78.6 total points, up from 74.3 points last year! 

 

We are especially proud of our growth in several areas, including:

 

 

These results reflect the hard work of our students and staff and the continued partnership of our Farmland families. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This week, our students recommitted to helping make Farmland a school where everyone feels accepted, respected, and a sense of belonging, no matter who they are or where they come from.

 

Through our No Place for Hate program, students and staff pledge to:

As part of No Place for Hate, we will participate in schoolwide activities throughout the year focused on inclusion, respect, identity, and creating a community where every student feels they belong.

 

A special thank you to the 5th grade students who led these presentations and to Ms. Mann, our No Place for Hate sponsor, for helping lead this important work at Farmland!

 

If you would like to find out more about No Place For Hate, click here

Have extra Halloween candy? The Farmland community is invited to donate unopened, commercially packaged candy to support our local firefighters and first responders.

 

📅 October 29–November 6

📍 Drop-off Location: Main Office

 

Please place donations in a bag marked “Candy Donation.”

 

For safety, please do not send opened candy or homemade treats.

 

Let’s show our local heroes how much we appreciate all they do for our community!

 

Farmland will join MCPS in recognizing Mental Health Awareness Week. This year’s MCPS theme is “Mental Health Matters: Connect. Support. Thrive.” Throughout the week, we will remind students that taking care of our minds and emotions is just as important as taking care of our bodies.

 

We will also recognize Mental Health Awareness Week with a spirit week designed to promote wellness, connection, and support.

 

 

Resources for Families: MCPS has created resources to help parents and caregivers support their child’s mental health and well-being, including tips for starting conversations, recognizing changes, and knowing where to find help. Explore MCPS Mental Health Resources

 

Families are also invited to the MCPS Mental Health and Wellness Fair on Saturday, November 14, from 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. at James Hubert Blake High School. The event is free and includes workshops, community resources, and activities for students and families.

Our popular Student Entrepreneur Night is back for 2026!  This memorable event and learning experience for our students is a unique opportunity for our students.  Learn more here.

 

Applications are due November 10th. Market night is December 3rd.  Contact Becky F with questions: farmlandPTApresident@gmail.com.

 

The PTA will host the first of three classroom parties on Friday, Nov. 6!

Families can help by volunteering or making the suggested $15 donation per student, which supports all three parties this year.

Learn More | Donate | Volunteer

 

Join the Farmland PTA and school administration Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom for a conversation about communication. We’ll review survey feedback and discuss ways to strengthen communication across our community.

Take the Survey | Submit a Question | Join Zoom

 

Congratulations to all students who qualified for this year’s Geography Bowl! View participants here.

Questions? Email farmlandgeobowl@gmail.com.

 

Thank you to everyone who volunteered and shopped at our Book Fair! It was a wonderful success.

Online shopping remains open through Nov. 5. Shop online here, and 25% of purchases comes back to Farmland.

Big news worth celebrating! 134 MCPS schools, nearly 69%, earned 4 or 5 STAR ratings on the 2026 Maryland School Report Card. Fifty-six schools improved their STAR ratings, including 50 that reached four or five STARs. Even better, ZERO MCPS schools received a 1-STAR rating! These results reflect the hard work of our students, educators and school communities, with important gains in reading and math across the district.

Read the Press Release | Read the Information One-Pager | Watch the Event Video

 

MCPS is wrapping up the first phase of community engagement sessions on the elementary and middle school closure and consolidation study. The final opportunity to provide feedback in a virtual meeting is: Join on Zoom — Mon., Nov. 2, 6-7 p.m.

 

If you’ve already attended one of our sessions, please take the time to share your perspective on our feedback form. Your valuable input will be reflected in our updated FAQs, which will be available in the coming weeks. The form is open through Wednesday, Nov. 4.  

 

A second round of engagement sessions will be held in late November and early December.

 

Visit mcpsstudy.org to review study information, explore frequently asked questions, learn about the process and find opportunities to share your feedback. Learn more.

 

On the newest episode of EdTalk, hear from host Board of Education President Grace Rivera-Oven and principals Alicia Deeny (Richard Montgomery High School) and Isabelle Mensah (Rolling Terrace Elementary School) about how their schools create welcoming environments, engage students and maximize family involvement for multilingual students and families. Watch EdTalk | Vea Educación al Día

You can now listen to all the EdTalk and Educación al Día episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

 

As MCPS continues to develop the 2027-2028 school calendar, the district is seeking more input from you!

Complete this second survey to share input on the proposed draft calendar for the 2027-2028 school year. The survey will close on Friday, Nov. 6. Take the survey.

 

Leaking roofs. Failing heating and cooling systems. Aging buildings. Rising construction costs. The hard truth is that MCPS has significant facility needs, and waiting to address them only makes the problems more expensive.

In a new video series, "The Hard Truth," MCPS takes you inside schools and support facilities to show the real facilities challenges facing our district.

The Hard Truth: Doing nothing is not an option.

Please review the important dates below as we prepare for the new school year.

 

Please ensure you have all MCPS No School days and Early Dismissal Days marked on your calendars. You can find those by clicking here.