Weekly Update

Good evening, Farmland families,

This week brought cold weather and a bit of snow!

We appreciate your help in keeping our students safe during drop-off and pick-up times. Please remember the following safety guidelines:

Drive slowly and cautiously when entering and exiting the school, always watching for students crossing the street.
Walkers should be picked up at the flagpole or through the car rider line.
Please do not enter the driveway while buses are in the loop. This can create safety challenges for students.
Please do not call students to your car in a way that would require them to cross between buses while they are loading. Additionally, parents should not cross between buses in the loop, either with their child or on their own.
Please do not wait by the front of the building during dismissal. This area must remain clear as there are many students exiting the building to board buses.

If you do not see your child at the flag pole, teachers on duty with walkie-talkies can assist and contact the office. Once buses have completed their pick-up, parents are welcome to park in the lot again.

Thank you for helping us keep all students, families, and staff safe during arrival and dismissal.

Warmly,

April

April D. Longest

Principal

Farmland Elementary School

Personal Body Safety Lessons

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is committed to preventing child abuse and neglect through early education and intervention.

During December, our school counselors and classroom teachers will present Personal Body Safety Lessons. These lessons are designed to help students:

Build knowledge, decision-making skills, and behaviors that promote safety at home, school, and in the community;
Learn how to recognize and protect themselves from child abuse and neglect;
Practice asking for help and reporting concerns to a trusted adult; and,
Engage in positive and respectful interactions with peers and adults.

For more information about the lessons, please visit: Personal Body Safety Lessons – MCPS.

If you have any questions or concerns about the lessons, please contact your child's school counselor or classroom teacher.

Ms. Stephanie Mann – Grades 1, 3, and 5 (Email: Stephanie_L_Mann@mcpsmd.org)

Ms. Denika Mason – Grades K, 2, and 4 (Email: Denika_Mason@mcpsmd.org)

A bustling indoor market with various tables and many people browsing.

💡Young Entrepreneurs Shine 💼

Our Student Entrepreneurs Fair was a tremendous success. We had 70 student vendors and more than 200 shoppers join us for an evening filled with creativity, excitement, and community spirit. Our fifth graders raised over $600 to support their end-of-year celebration, showcasing an impressive range of products including earrings, cookies, bread, flower bouquets, wands, and many other handmade items.

Thank you to all of our future entrepreneurs who used their creativity, perseverance, and problem-solving skills to bring their ideas to life. Another special thank you goes to Mrs. Frank, who introduced this fantastic idea and coordinated such a meaningful event for our students.

We are proud of our young innovators and look forward to seeing even more students participate next year.

A colorful 'Thank You' message with balloons and stars.

🎉 Students Earn Extra Recess!

As a special thank you for helping us reach 236 survey responses, students will receive extra recess. This is the largest number of responses we have ever received! We are grateful for the strong level of participation from our community.

Thank you for taking the time to share your input. Your partnership and feedback are integral to helping us understand how we can continue to improve and support families in meaningful ways.

❤️Join Farmland in Giving Back

All Farmland classes will be learning about empathy and helping our community. We will collect canned and healthy food for the Manna Food Center.

What to Bring:

Instant oatmeal
Whole-grain pasta
Canned tuna, salmon, or chicken
Canned veggies, fruit, or fruit cups
Cooking oil or spices
Baby formula or baby food

Bring items to your class box by December 19.

The class in each grade with the most items wins the Empathy Award + extra recess!

Parent Teacher Association News and Updates

🐝 2026 Farmland Spelling Bee

The Farmland PTA-sponsored Spelling Bee is back! All interested students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade are invited to participate. The Farmland Spelling Bee is voluntary and free of charge, and the Farmland champion will advance to the Montgomery County Regional Spelling Bee! Families should complete a brief online registration form to register a 3rd, 4th, and/or 5th grader: Farmland Spelling Bee Registration Form.

The Spelling Bee will take place on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, with pretests taking place on January 8 and 9. To learn more and get pre-test study guides, visit https://www.farmland-pta.org/spelling-bee.

💛💙 Shop Farmland Spirit Wear - Show Your Spirit and Support Our PTA!

The Farmland spirit wear store is now live at http://1stplace.sale/44007. Now until December 10, you can receive 20% off sitewide. Support Farmland PTA with each purchase. This is a great time of year to stock up on new Farmland gear for the entire family!

📸 Say Cheese! Let’s Fill the Yearbook with YOUR Moments! 🎉

We’re creating an awesome yearbook this year — and we need your photos to make it amazing!

Send us your best snapshots from classroom fun, spirit days, field trips, sports, clubs, and all the unforgettable moments in between.

📲 Got a great pic? 👉Click here Password: FarmlandES26!

MCPS Community Updates

Important Student Performance Results Available in ParentVUE

Fall Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) growth assessment results are available for parents and guardians to view in ParentVUE. Click the documents tile, then click the MAP Report-Fall 2025 link to see the report. Beginning with the fall 2025 results, MCPS is applying new national comparison data (norms). This means your student's RIT score is compared to a new national average, which may result in a higher percentile rank than in previous years, even though their actual RIT score hasn't changed. Learn more.

Latest EdTalk Focuses on Building Student Leaders

Hosted by Board of Education member Julie Yang, the newest EdTalk podcast discusses the importance of providing students with leadership experiences, how those experiences are provided, and the benefits. Guests share their leadership journeys and skills they’ve learned along the way. Watch the show.

Save the Date: FY27 Operating Budget Presentation Dec. 17

Superintendent Thomas Taylor will deliver his Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget presentation at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 17. Join us virtually by watching online and on TV. Details are coming soon. The superintendent has heard from staff, parents, and community members during listening sessions this week; one has been in person and one virtual. Attendees have raised important questions and shared honest feedback. Read more.