Headfirst Summer Camps has camp options for kids ages 3-13, with locations in DC, Bethesda, and Northern VA. And now – they are extending a special discount just for Murch families! See below for more information.
MurchFlyer-Headfirst 2024Archives for 2024
Budget Update from Principal Cebrzynski
Good afternoon Murch families,
As a follow-up to the HSA bulletin from last week, I shared the approved Murch budget with the faculty/staff and the LSAT and am sharing this with the parent community.
The LSAT met on two evenings to make budgetary decisions. The first evening was to decide which non-teaching positions would go unfunded in next year’s budget. The second evening they met to decide how to fund the additional 2nd grade teacher.
The following positions are not funded as part of the SY 24-25’s budget: Assistant of Strategy and Logistics, RW-3 Custodian, and Math Specialist. The allocation used to fund the math specialist position was reallocated to fund an additional 2nd-grade teacher to reduce class size.
This budget meets the DCPS requirements for programs at our school that were not direct allocations including core content, related arts, attendance, and LEAP. LEAP is a professional development program that all teachers are required to attend and is led by instructional coaches.
Any updates about the budget will be shared when received.
Cordially,
Principal Cebrzynski
March 1, 2024: Budget Update for SY24-25
Dear Murch Families,
I hope this newsletter finds you and your families in good spirits. I would like to provide an update on the school budget process and share a bit about how I approached this very challenging budget cycle. However, I will be sharing the details of budget decisions first with the faculty/staff and our Local School Advisory Team (LSAT) before sharing specifics publicly, so please be patient with me.
In mid-February, Murch received its initial school budget for the 2024-25 school year, after which the LSAT and I began reviewing the allocation and soliciting feedback from the school community via a parent survey and two LSAT meetings. As of this week, our budget has been submitted back to, and approved by, DCPS Central Office. While this is not necessarily the end of our budget process – things could change between now and when the DC Council approves all budgets in June – I am pleased to announce that while tough decisions had to be made, our budget continues to reflect our school vision, which states that, “Every child will feel safe and welcomed as they develop as a compassionate person and inquisitive learner. All children will be celebrated for their individuality and will be prepared to contribute positively to our school and the world.”
Every day, we strive to ensure that EVERY Murch student, along with their family, can see themselves in this vision. We also recognize that every decision made (and there are many) will not necessarily be reflective of individual priorities. I wish that our budget was infinite and that we were able as a school (and as a society) to meet every need of every student, but with what we have been given, I feel confident that we are continuing to move in a positive direction.
The following four areas of the budget are a reflection of our continued efforts to realize our school’s vision:
-
Continued Investment in Academic Programs: We are dedicated to maintaining and enhancing our core academic programs to ensure that every student receives a well-rounded education that meets their individual needs.
-
Support for the Arts: We understand the importance of a vibrant arts program in fostering creativity and receiving a well-rounded education.
-
Maintaining Resources for Student Support Services: We are committed to providing comprehensive support services to help every student thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Our budget allocates resources for counseling, special education, multilingual learners, development of our core principles as a member of the TRANSCEND group which focuses on the development of the whole child, and other support programs.
-
Staff Professional Development Opportunities: We believe in the importance of ongoing professional development for our educators to stay updated on best practices and innovative teaching methods. Our budget provides resources for staff training and development programs.
I want to express my gratitude to our school community for your continued support and collaboration throughout the budgeting process, particularly to the Murch staff and our LSAT. The input and feedback from everyone has been invaluable in shaping our priorities and decisions. Planning for next year will be underway soon, and together we will make the upcoming academic year a rewarding and successful experience for all of our students.
As always, should you have any questions or would like more information about our approved budget, please do not hesitate to reach out to me, Assistant Principal Hawkins, and/or the LSAT. As I mentioned, more budget details will be forthcoming in the next few weeks.
Warm regards,
Principal Cebrzynski
Spring Baseball
Bulldog Baseball Registration is NOW OPEN! Learn about all the various spring offerings here.
Wanna Learn Cello?
Hope Johnson teaches one-on-one and small group lessons, and is looking to take on a few more students in the months ahead. She focuses on building strong foundations of rhythm, posture, intonation, music reading, and sound production skills for beginner students.
Call/text 206-909-7183
Email hopecaneel@gmail.com
GirlsUP Summer Programs
GirlsUP offers extraordinary summer programs for girls aged 10-13 focused on developing character, confidence, and critical thinking through an innovative journey toward self-discovery. GirlsUP is a proud partner of the UN Foundation Campaign for Girls.
For more information on summer programs, please visit their website.
Murch Night at Audi Field – June 1
On Saturday, June 1 @ 7:30PM, come cheer on D.C. United with the Murch Elementary School community! Tickets are just $30 to sit with friends and family in our reserved section (Section 203).
To purchase tickets or if you would like to go, but cannot purchase tickets, please contact Anne Pizer at anne@pizer.net by May 17.
Murch Track & Field – Things to Know
Here are some highlights and next steps from the Feb. 29 Track and Field information session:
PRACTICE SCHEDULE
- Practice begins Monday, March 4
- Mondays and Wednesdays – From 3:15PM to 4:30PM
- Mondays we will be at Fort Reno
- Wednesdays we will be at Jackson Reed HS
- Practice Rain or Shine
TRACK MEET SCHEDULE
- Meet 1: Tuesday, April 2 or Wednesday, April 3 (TBD) 12:00 pm; Bus leaves Murch ~10am
- Meet 2: Wednesday, May 1 or Thursday, May 2 (TBD) 12:00 pm; Bus leaves Murch ~10am
- Championship Meet: Tuesday, May 21
- All meets will be held at Springarn High School. 2500 Benning Rd NE, Washington, DC 20002
REQUIRED PAPER WORK TO PARTICIPATE
- Sign-up here if you’d like to join the team.
- All paperwork is due before practice on Monday, March 4.
- All student athletes must complete a Participation Packet every school year.
- Students also must have a physician complete the Universal Health Certificate (UHC). If your child’s last physical was prior to 05/21/2023, please schedule one and have their physician fill out the UHC.
- For students with certain medical conditions, they may also need to complete an Asthma Action Plan or an Anaphylaxis Action Plan.
- If your child participated in Cross Country and/or on either basketball team during this school year, your forms should be up to date, but please double check! You can send an email to the Murch athletics team.
Your Coaches in Murch Track and Field,
Paul Jacobs, Loren Pope, Cydonie Mothersill, Dana Shum, Jason Levin, and Lourdes Gallardo
Questions? Contact Lourdes.
Murch Celebrates Black History Month via Read for Black History
On Thursday, February 15th, Murch celebrated Read for Black History!
As part of the program, members of the Divine Nine historically African American Greek-letter sororities and fraternities joined us as guest readers. They visited classrooms and read books as part of the nationwide observance of Black History Month.
The books selected for Read for Black History at Murch celebrated the triumphs and rich cultural heritage of African American people spanning centuries.
Our students also sang several songs under the direction of Murch music teacher Dr. Eugene Branch, including “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and enjoyed a step performance by the Beta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. of Howard University. Thank you to Dr. Branch and our resource team for coordinating our Black History Month assembly at Murch.
**Photos courtesy of Mark Terrance Photography LLC.