Good news! Fall Student Portraits are now online for viewing and ordering. Families of photographed students should have received an email from Freed Photography with a link to their private gallery (be sure to check your spam folder!).

If you did not receive an email, please contact Freed Photography at support@freedphoto.com or 301-652-5452 for assistance.

Mark your calendars for the Murch Scholastic Book Fair! Join us Tuesday December 16 – Thursday December 18; before school (8-9 am) and after school (3:30 – 6 pm) and during the Festival of Lights.

Parent volunteers are needed to sign up today!

Buy the perfect gift for the budding readers in your family and support Murch at the same time! 25% of revenue from the Book Fair goes directly to our school! The book fair ensures all students in our school get to take a book home.

Please visit the book fair website to add funds to your child’s eWallet, contribute to ensuring all students get a book through Share the Fair, and preview the book offerings!

Calling all 4th and 5th grade boys! Tryouts for the Murch Boys Basketball Team will be held on December 8, 9 & 11. Optional shoot arounds will be held the mornings of December 2 and December 4. See below for more details:

Optional Shoot Arounds
Tuesday, December 2: 7:45-8:15 AM (optional shoot around in the gym)
Thursday, December 4: 7:45-8:15 AM (optional shoot around in the gym)

Tryout Schedule
Monday, December 8th: 5:00-6:00 PM (Tryouts, Day 1)
Tuesday, December 9th: 5:00-6:00 PM (Tryouts, Day 2)
Thursday, December 11th: 5:00-6:00 PM (Tryouts, Day 3)

Important Reminders:

• Students must have their DCPS Student-Athlete Participation Packet and Universal Health Certificate submitted before tryouts. 📄 2025–26 DCPS Student-Athlete Participation Packet

• Please complete all questions in Part 1 of the Universal Health Certificate before uploading forms — incomplete forms are often rejected by the Jackson-Reed Athletic Trainer.

• If your student already submitted forms for Cross Country and you’d like to confirm they’re still valid, email Murch.Athletics@k12.dc.gov or stop by the Welcome Center.

If you have any questions, please contact Head Coach Sam Fisk (samuel.fisk@k12.dc.gov). We’re also excited to welcome Assistant Coach Rob Hartman (Murch parent) to the coaching staff this season!

• 9:15 AM – Pre-K, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grades (includes a special procession by Pre-K students)
• 10:45 AM – Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grades

If your 4th or 5th grade student is interested in participating in an official DCIAA sport(s) this year— 

• Fall: Cross Country
• Winter: Basketball
• Spring: Track & Field

• The packet only needs to be completed once per school year.
• Clearance is valid for the entire year (or until the health form expires).
• Submit forms as early as possible, ideally before school starts, since the clearance process can take time.

The Murch Online Directory is the easiest way for families to stay in touch and connect with our school community. The directory is available to Murch families only, and you control what information is visible to others.

Here’s how to access it:

• New families: Create an account to be listed and gain access.
  👉 Register on Membership Toolkit

• Returning families: No need to re‑register! Simply log in to update your contact info and privacy settings.
  

Class assignments (with 2025–26 teacher names) will appear in the directory in September.

💡 Tip: The directory is online‑only again this year. For the easiest access, download the Membership Toolkit app to your phone or tablet.

Questions? Email Rajiv D’Cruz.

We’d like to remind our Murch community that there is a designated handicapped parking spot on Davenport Street, near the corner of 36th Street on the school side.

A number of our students rely on wheelchairs and accessible transportation, and this spot is essential for ensuring they can safely arrive at and leave school—especially during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up.

We kindly ask that families refrain from parking in this space unless they have a valid need or permit to do so, so we can ensure accessibility for those who truly need it.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in keeping Murch inclusive and accessible for all!