Weekly Update
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Week of September 13
Good afternoon, Farmland Families,
I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful weekend! We are looking forward to another great week ahead at Farmland. Please take a few moments to review this week’s update for important information, reminders, and upcoming events happening around our school.
Have a great week!
Warmly,
April
April D. Longest
Principal
Farmland Elementary School
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Contact Information
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Please mark your calendars for these upcoming schedule changes:
⏰ Friday, September 18 – Early Release
Students will have a half-day of school and will be dismissed at 1:20 p.m.
Please plan accordingly for your child's dismissal and afternoon arrangements.
⏰Monday, September 21 - No School
Thank you for helping us ensure a smooth September!
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Get ready to show your Farmland spirit sponsored by the Minority Scholars! Students and staff are invited to participate in a fun-filled Spirit Week from Monday, September 14-18. Each day will have a different theme. Participation is optional, but we hope everyone will join in the fun!
👗 Monday, September 14 – Dress to Impress
Start the week looking your best! Dress up in an outfit that makes you feel confident and ready for a great day.
🔤 Tuesday, September 15 – Scrabble Day: Make a Word With a Friend
Team up with your friends! Wear a shirt with a large letter on it and work together with classmates and friends to create words throughout the day.
🏈 Wednesday, September 16 – Team Jersey Day
Show your team spirit! Wear a jersey, shirt, or colors representing your favorite sports team.
🎸 Thursday, September 17 – Rock Star Day
Farmland is full of rock stars! Dress like a rock star or your favorite musician—or wear an outfit that makes you feel like a star!
😴 Friday, September 18 – Pajama Day
We made it to Friday! Finish Spirit Week by getting cozy and wearing your favorite school-appropriate pajamas.
We can't wait to see everyone's creativity and Farmland spirit throughout the week! 🌾⭐
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🌟 Back to School Night — Grades 1–5📅 Thursday, September 17
⏰ 6:00–7:15 p.m.
We are excited to welcome our Grades 1–5 families to Farmland Elementary for Back to School Night! This is an opportunity to learn more about your child’s grade level, curriculum, classroom expectations, routines, and what you can look forward to during the school year.
Please check with your child's teacher for their online link if you are attending virtually.
Schedule
6:00–6:35 p.m. — In-Person Session
6:35–6:40 p.m. — Transition
6:40–7:15 p.m. — Hybrid Session (In-Person & Virtual)
For the 6:40 p.m. hybrid session, teachers will share a Google Meet invitation with families who would like to participate virtually.
Grade-Level Locations
Back to School Night is designed as a general presentation rather than an individual conference. Teachers will not be able to discuss individual student progress during the sessions. If you would like to speak with your child’s teacher about your child specifically, please contact the teacher to schedule a separate time.
🍎 Kindergarten Families
Kindergarten held a Back to School Night/Orientation earlier this year and will not participate on September 17. If you missed the orientation, have questions, or would like to meet with your child’s teacher, please reach out directly to schedule a time to connect.
Classroom teachers will share the presentation slides with families after Back to School Night, so everyone has access to the information, even if you can't attend.
We look forward to seeing you and partnering with you for a wonderful school year! 🌾⭐
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NEW: Report Your Child’s Attendance in ParentVUEReporting Student Absences in ParentVUE
Families now have a simple way to report a student absence directly through ParentVUE.
To report an absence:
Once you submit it, the school will automatically receive the absence notification.
For additional help, please click Instructions/Instrucciones or Video/Video Instructivo to access step-by-step directions and a helpful video tutorial.
Thank you for helping us keep our attendance records accurate!
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We are excited to welcome Imon Parker from the MCPS Office of Enrichment and Acceleration, along with Mrs. Carolann Carpentier, Reading Specialist, and Ms. Ashley Thornton, Staff Development Teacher, for an evening focused on literacy enrichment at Farmland.
When: 6:30–7:30 p.m.
Where: Farmland Cafeteria
Join us to learn more about how literacy learning is extended for students in K–5, how teachers determine when students are ready for additional challenge, and how families will see that learning reflected through classroom experiences, feedback, and communication.
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We are excited to share some positive news for our second-grade students! Due to increased enrollment, Farmland has been allocated an additional second-grade classroom. This will allow us to reduce class sizes across the grade level and provide additional opportunities for small-group instruction and individual support.
Attention Second-Grade Parents and Caregivers: If you would like to share information about your child, including important friendships or other information that may help us as we create the new class, please complete this survey.
The survey is optional and must be completed by Friday, September 18. If you would like your feedback to be considered as we create the new class, please be sure to submit it through the survey.
We are beginning the process of hiring a new second-grade teacher and will continue to keep families updated as we prepare for this transition.
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We are continuing to build positive routines that help students move safely and orderly throughout Farmland. You may have noticed the stars on the hallway floors downstairs. These stars provide students with a clear visual guide for where to walk and help classes stay in a single-file line as they move through the building.
We would like to expand these visual guides to additional hallways and are asking families who are interested to consider donating materials from our Amazon Wish List.
Donations are completely optional, and we appreciate any support families are able to provide as we continue creating safe, calm, and welcoming hallways for all students.
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Parent Teacher Association News and UpdatesFall Festival is THIS FRIDAY, September 18th - Check Out What Is New For 2026!
Don’t miss these Fall Festival Favorites:
And NEW this Festival, don’t miss. . .
PTA Meet and Greet September 17th - 5 PM
Join us in the All Purpose Room (“APR”) before Back to School Night to meet other Farmland grownups and learn about our PTA in a casual mixer setting. Open to grownups in ALL grades (Kindergarten, too!)
PTA Membership Update
Thank you to the 67 families and teachers who have joined - we are hoping to reach 200! Click here to join and/or donate. By joining, you are supporting Farmland and you can also win:
All PTA members will get a coupon for 1 free drink at this Friday’s Fall Festival family event (and the same thing for the Spring Festival event). Thank you for your support! Questions about membership? Email FarmlandPTAMembership@gmail.com.
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Montgomery County Public School UpdatesCalendar Reminder: Friday, Sept. 18 is an early release day for all students. Monday, Sept. 21 is a non-instructional day; there will be no school for students and teachers.
Attendance Matters. Being Present Matters. Every Day Matters.
We get it, mornings can be hectic. Alarm clocks don’t cooperate, shoes disappear and sometimes getting everyone out the door deserves its own trophy. But being in school really does matter.
Every day in class is another chance to learn something new, see friends, connect with teachers and keep moving forward. And those “just a day here and there” absences? They can add up fast. Missing 10% of the school year, 18 days, is considered chronic absenteeism. That’s not good.
MCPS is a great place to be; it’s a place to belong. We want your student here, connected and part of our school community every day.
Saturday School Is Back—The Sixth Day of Learning Can Go a Long Way!
Sleeping in is great. But you know what else feels pretty good? Getting ahead. Saturday School is gearing up for another year of learning, confidence-building, and extra academic support for MCPS students. With certified teachers, support aligned with the MCPS curriculum, and locations across the county, it’s a Saturday morning well spent.
Opening ceremonies are Saturday, Sept. 19, and registration is coming up—so don’t forget to get your student signed up!
One Quick, Confidential Application. More Support for Your Family.
Here’s one school form that’s worth a few minutes of your time. If your family may qualify for Free and Reduced-Price Meals (FARMS), apply! There’s no stigma, no special lunch line, and no reason to hesitate. A student’s eligibility is confidential, and students receiving free meals use the cafeteria just like everyone else.
Best of all, you only need one application for all MCPS students in your household, even if they attend different schools.
It’s quick. It’s confidential. And it could make a real difference for your family. Don’t count yourself out, take a few minutes and see if you qualify.
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Mark Your Calendars!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.
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Administration
Mrs. April Longest, Principal (Kindergarten and 3rd Grade)
Ms. Pam Strauss, Assistant Principal (2nd Grade and 5th Grade)
Mrs. Kharima Wilson, Assistant Principal (1st grade and 4th grade)
Administrative Assistances
Health Room Contacts -
Asmeret Fessha - Health Tech
Turquoia Johnson - Nurse
Food Services
Mrs. Olga Cardenas, Food Svc Satellite Mgr II - For questions related to menu or lunch accounts
PTA President
School Hours
Doors Open: 9:15 pm
Bell Rings: 9:25 am
Dismissal: 3:50 am
Office Hours
8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Office Phone: 240-740-0660
School Address: 7000 Old Gate Rd, Rockville, MD 20852
Early Release Schedule
9:15 am Doors open
9:25 am Bell Rings
1:20 pm Dismissal
No Recess
Two-Hour Delay Schedule
11:15 am - Doors open
11:25 am - School Day Begins
(No recess on a delayed opening
Important Links
Farmland Master Schedule - NEW!
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