This week is our chance to show the incredible teachers and staff at Farmland Elementary just how much they mean to us! From May 4 through May 8, we are excited to celebrate the educators who support, inspire, and uplift our students every day. 💙

 

We would love your help to make the week extra special! Each day includes a fun way for students to participate, from bringing a flower to wearing bright colors. Please see the daily activities below and consider supporting gift card donations for staff raffles. Send gift cards to the office labeled “STAFF Raffle.”

 

Thank you for your continued partnership and support!

 

Plant a Seed of Thanks 🌸

Bring a flower from home, real or handmade, to help build a beautiful bouquet for our teachers and staff. The PTA will also treat staff to a special breakfast to start the week!

 

Show Your True Colors 🌈

Wear your favorite color to help fill the halls with a rainbow of appreciation. Students can also create a colorful drawing of a teacher or staff member.

 

Words Are Like Sunshine 💌

Write a handwritten note of thanks on the flower paper sent home, or write your own, and add it to our Gratitude Garden. Admin will also provide a special lunch for staff.

 

Dress Like You Are in Full Bloom 🌼

Wear bright colors like yellow, orange, or anything cheerful to help brighten the building and show appreciation.

 

You Make Us Shine Celebration Day ✨

Wear Farmland colors and celebrate the pride of our school community. KAH will treat staff to ice cream to end the week on a sweet note!

 

💜 Thank you for helping us make this a meaningful and joyful week for our amazing staff!

On Friday, staff and students in grades 3–5 kicked off testing season with our first-ever MCAP Pep Rally! Students sang “M-C-A-P” to the tune of YMCA and joined in a high-energy version of “Thriller – MCAP,” with lyrics designed to motivate and build confidence for testing.

 

We also reinforced our shared goal of becoming a 5-Star school and reviewed key success strategies, including getting 10–12 hours of sleep the night before testing, taking time and rereading responses, and using positive self-talk such as “I won’t give up” and “I’ve got this!”

 

The energy in the room was high, the message was clear, and our students are ready to show what they know!

 

Testing Days May and June by grade level can be accessed by clicking these links:

 

 

Calendars also include MAP and DIBELS testing dates. If your grade level is not listed, or you have questions about testing dates, please email your classroom teachers for more information.

 

Friday was Portfolio Day! 🎉 Thank you to all the families who attended this first-year event. Although it was our first time hosting, we received so much positive feedback from students and parents who thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to showcase all of the incredible work they’ve accomplished this year.

 

🌟We are extremely proud of our students and the growth they demonstrated! 💙

 

We look forward to refining the experience and making it even better next year! 🚀

 

The Farmland Staff Inclusion Committee is planning a school-wide project for Autism Awareness Month. 💙

 

Students will create sensory jars (sensory bottles) to learn calming and self-regulation strategies. 🌟

 

We are looking for family support to help provide supplies. If you are able, please consider signing up using the link below. Thank you for your support!

 

 

Advanced tickets and pre-sale pizza are now open for our annual Spring Festival. Learn more about this exciting event at farmland-pta.org/springfestival.  

 

Save These Dates! Lots of upcoming fun ahead!

May 15 - Spring Festival

June 2 - PTA Meeting and Volunteer Appreciation

June 4 - Popsicle Party @Montrose Park

June 11 - End-Of-Year Classroom Parties

 

As AI becomes more common in our daily lives, there is a need to help support our kids in the changing learning environment. A group of parents from the Farmland PTA is working with Farmland staff and administration to try to address the needs of parents and families as we all navigate these technology changes. We have created a short survey to try to better understand what parents know about AI and what kind of support would be helpful in coordination with our childrens’ school education. Please take the parent survey at the link below to tell us your thoughts on these issues. Every parent's voice is important!

If you have questions or comments, please contact our technology volunteers: farmlandptatechnology@gmail.com

 

On April 29, the Board of Education approved the 2026–2027 school calendar following strong feedback from families and staff, with over 30,000 survey responses. The calendar maintains stability by not starting school earlier in August and preserving winter and spring breaks. Transition Day is August 24, 2026, and the first day of school for all students is Tuesday, August 25, 2026. Read more. 

 

We Want to Hear About Your MCPS Experience! With less than 10 minutes of your time, share with us what’s working well and where we can improve as a district, from academics

and communication to the overall school and office climate. Your input does matter. This important annual survey is open until May 10. Learn more and take the survey.

Families: Take the survey.

Students: Take the survey. *NEW* this year: No student ID required! 

Watch in English | Spanish | French | Chinese | Vietnamese | Amharic | Korean | Portuguese

 

State testing for the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) is now underway. Testing began April 28 and continues through May. These end-of-year assessments measure what students know, understand, and can do after a full year of learning. The following strategies are taught and reinforced during instruction to support students’ focus, problem-solving, and confidence during test sessions. Read more.