We also extend a heartfelt thank you for the many thoughtful gestures during Staff Appreciation Week, including beautiful flowers, kind notes, a generous PTA breakfast, new sweatshirts, and many other acts of kindness. Your support means a great deal to our staff and helps make our school community a positive place to learn and work.

 

Last week, students in grades 3 and 5 began MCAP testing. Staff shared that many students demonstrated strong effort by taking their time, re-reading responses, and using scratch paper to plan their thinking. Students earned “Grugu tickets” for these strategies, including answering all parts of each question. Students then entered their tickets into a prize drawing. Each day, five names were selected from each classroom, and students had the opportunity to choose from donated prizes such as sticky hands, stress balls, pens, and a free meal at Habit Burger. Students were highly motivated and excited to earn tickets and participate in the drawing, which helped encourage sustained effort and engagement throughout testing.

 

We still have several testing sessions ahead and would appreciate continued donations of small prizes to support student motivation.

 

 

We are proud of our students’ efforts and continued focus as we work together toward our goal of becoming a 5-star school next year.

 

Have a wonderful week!

April

April D. Longest

Principal

Farmland Elementary School

 

There are only a few days left to complete the survey, and it takes less than 10 minutes.

 

Please take a moment to share what is working well and where we can improve as a district, including academics, communication, and overall school and office climate. Your feedback is important and directly helps guide our work.

 

We currently have 31 completed surveys and need 240 to meet the district’s 40 percent family response goal. Once we reach our goal, students will earn extra recess as a celebration.

Please share your feedback by May 10 using the link below. Your voice matters.

 

This important annual survey is open until May 10. Click the links to learn more and take the survey.

The testing calendar for May and June is linked below. In the coming weeks and months, students will participate in end-of-year assessments. Please support them by ensuring they get adequate rest and encouraging them to use their testing strategies, such as slowing down, taking their time, and rereading their work. A helpful reminder for students is: “Slow down to show what you know.”

 

 

 

Below is the calendar for May and June. If you have specific questions about assessment dates, please check with your child’s classroom teacher.

 

Literacy and Math enrichment and acceleration were shared at the most recent Board of Education meeting. At Farmland, we are currently reviewing and processing the information that was provided to principals on Friday. Once we have a clearer understanding of the new math curriculum and how the new guidance will function under this new directive, we will share additional details with families, most likely during Back to School Night in the fall.

 

Starting in the 2026–2027 school year, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is launching a new model for mathematics and literacy designed to provide more flexible and equitable enrichment opportunities for all students. I have linked the presentation below and also included a brief summary of the key information shared in the presentation.

 

 

MCPS is moving away from the "Compacted Math" model, which skipped content and tracked students into fixed pathways. The new model aligns with state requirements to ensure no content is skipped while offering flexible acceleration beginning as early as Grade 3.

 

Students currently in the 4/5 class will continue this progression into a 5/6 class. However, there will no longer be 4/5 compacted classes moving forward.

 

A unified “Cluster Grouping” model will be implemented for elementary literacy. At Farmland, we will not be offering the Model 1 classes that were available this year. Instead, all schools will implement Model 2 and will cluster group students for instruction.

 

Research and local data indicate that this model better supports a wide range of student needs, including those of students receiving Special Education services and Emergent Multilingual learners. To gain a better understanding, you can click the slide presentation that was shared with the Board of Education.

 

Instead of rigid "tracks," identified students will be grouped in their regular classrooms for ongoing enrichment and acceleration services tailored to their needs.

 

Student progress will be monitored continuously using multiple data points, such as MAP-M and CogAT scores, allowing for flexible "on and off ramps" throughout the year.

 

MCPS will introduce the Amplify Desmos Caregiver Hub, which provides tools and guidance to help parents support their child's math learning at home. Additionally, parents will receive quarterly updates on their student's progress toward meeting these new enriched standards.

 

 

Join us this Friday for an evening of fun and friends at Farmland! Dance and play games with our fun DJ, jump on bounce houses from our friends at Kids After Hours, play organized field games with i9 sports, enjoy face painting, buy a treat from Kona Ice, and connect with friends old and new at our new grade-level meet-up spots!

 

We recommend ordering your tickets and pizza in advance! Limited pizzas will be available for purchase so please order ahead. (Sorry, no food trucks at this event.)

 

Buy your tickets by Friday at 10:00 AM at a discounted price: $5 per person or $20 per family. You can also buy admission tickets at the event for $6 per person or $24 per family.

 

 

$2 per slice or $15 per whole pizza

Cheese or Pepperoni

 

Volunteers are needed! Please sign up to help if you can.

 

It is testing and assessment season, and we are so proud of the way students are showing perseverance and focus.

 

Your support at home remains important:

Registration for Summer School!: MCPS is offering the Ignite Middle School Academy, which will offer math and literacy at six sites. Register on ParentVue. There is also an in-person high school and a virtual high school summer school. Check out College Essay Writing and Test Prep to build student confidence and reduce test anxiety. Talk with your high school counselor to sign up.