Weekly Update
Farmland Weekly UpdateWeek of September 28
Good afternoon, Farmland Families,
Please see below for this week’s announcements, reminders, and updates.
Have a great week!
Warmly,
April
April D. Longest
Principal
Farmland Elementary School
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Contact Information
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📸 Fall Picture Day – Monday, September 28Get those smiles ready! Fall Picture Day will be on Monday, September 28. Check with your classroom teacher for any additional information.
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🌾 Fridays are Farmland Fridays!Wear Your Farmland Gear On Fridays!
Students and staff are encouraged to wear Farmland gear, school colors, or anything that shows their Farmland spirit.
Let’s end each week by showing our school pride and reminding everyone that Together We Can! 💚
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Charles W. Woodward High School will reopen in Fall 2027, and MCPS is asking the community to provide feedback on the school’s mascot and colors. Families can review the finalists and share their preferences through the community survey.
Please click here to submit only one response per person by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, October 2.
Your feedback will help inform the planning team’s final selections.
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Date: Monday, October 12
Time: 9:25–11:30 a.m.
Families are invited to visit Farmland and see learning in their child’s classroom. We are excited to welcome you!
When you arrive:
During your visit:
If your child’s teacher needs to be absent that day, the teacher will contact families with information about a different day to visit the classroom.
At 11:30 a.m., an announcement will be made asking all visitors to leave through the front office doors.
If you have questions, please contact your child’s teacher.
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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.
Date: Monday, November 16, 2026
Time: 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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Families are invited to join the Accelerated and Enriched Instruction (AEI) Family Webinar Series this fall. The four-part virtual series will provide families with information and resources to better understand enrichment and acceleration opportunities, gifted and talented identification, the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and parent advocacy.
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Parent Teacher Association News and UpdatesPTA Membership Contest - 1 Week Left
Thank you to the 116 members who have already joined! We are more than halfway to our goal of 200 members. Click here to join.
Bonus recess contest update: The homeroom class with the most memberships by Oct. 1 wins. Ms. Jaffe’s class has pulled into the lead, followed closely by Ms. Stimley’s class, and a 4-way tie for third place (Ms. Mininsohn’s, Ms. Pino’s, Ms. Choi’s, and Ms. Singman’s classes). Every membership gets your child closer to that coveted extra outside time!
Thank you for your support! Questions about membership? Email FarmlandPTAMembership@gmail.com.
PTA Meeting Tuesday October 6th - HYBRID - 7 PM
Join us for our first PTA meeting of the year and learn about current PTA projects such as programming and advocacy, as well as how you can get involved. We will also hear from our guest speaker, Principal Longest, about the school administration’s goals and efforts in the areas of academic achievement for all students (known as the “School Improvement Plan”). We hope you will join us in person; we will also offer a Zoom link to listen in.
Movie Night is coming to Farmland, but first, we need YOU to choose the movie!
Save the Date: Friday, October 9 at 6:30 PM
Farmland Playground
Movie Night is coming to Farmland, but first, we need YOU to choose the movie!
All Farmland PTA members are invited to cast their vote for what we’ll show on the big screen:
🍄 Super Mario Galaxy
🦊 Zootopia 2
🤠 Toy Story 5
Not a PTA member yet? Join now so you can cast your vote and help pick the movie!
Voting closes Friday, September 25th
PTA Members: Cast Your Vote!
Not a Member? Join the PTA!
For now, save the date for October 9! More details about Farmland Movie Night, including food and everything you need to know for the evening, are coming soon.
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Montgomery County Public School UpdatesGet Involved: Closure & Consolidation Engagement Meetings Begin in October
MCPS will hold engagement meetings across the county this fall for upcoming school closures and consolidations. No decisions have been made, and community input is an important part of the process before developing any recommendation. With multiple in-person and virtual meetings offered in two rounds, families can choose the location and time that works best for them. You do not need to attend every meeting, as sessions within each round will cover the same information. Interpretation and language support will be available. We encourage families, staff, students and community members to participate and make their voices heard.
Learn more and see the schedule here.
Regional Center High School Center Programs: Fall Showcases Begin in October
MCPS is expanding access to specialized regional high school Center programs, giving 8th grade students more opportunities to pursue programs connected to their interests while continuing to offer rigorous programming at every local high school.
Center programs span five areas: Medical Science; International Baccalaureate, Humanities & Languages; Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM); Leadership & Public Service; and Visual & Performing Arts. Additional Middle College dual-enrollment opportunities are being explored in partnership with Montgomery College.
Eighth grade families can start exploring this fall! High schools across all six MCPS regions will host Fall High School Showcases throughout October, beginning Thursday, Oct. 1. These events are a great opportunity for students and families to visit schools, learn about programs and courses, meet staff and begin thinking about the high school experience that best fits their interests and goals.
As a reminder, the six region showcases are scheduled at schools throughout the Southern, Eastern, Central South, Central, Central North, and Northern regions.
Learn more and get ready:
Family Quick Guide: Social Media — Think Before You Post
Social media can be a great way to connect and share—but what happens online can quickly become very real. Help your child make smart, safe choices.
Before they post, encourage them to pause:
Keep the conversation going: Ask what your child is seeing online, what makes them uncomfortable and what they would do if something feels wrong. Remind them to block, report, save the evidence and tell a trusted adult.
Find more practical resources for families on the MCPS Family Quick Guide page.
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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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