The Green Scene has been busy this summer, and is excited to share the fruits (and veggies!) of their labor. The Murch garden is bursting with fresh lettuce, chard, herbs, and lots of basil—and they’d love your help harvesting it!

 Help Harvest the Garden
Sunday, July 20 from 9:00AM – Noon
Join the Green Scene this Sunday as they harvest the summer garden! They’ll be donating the fresh veggies to Northwest Community Food, a local nonprofit that provides fresh produce, pantry staples, and hygiene essentials to DC families—and proudly partners with the Capital Area Food Bank. Meet at the Pre-K picnic tables to lend a hand!

 Pumpkin Planting
Saturday, August 2 from 9:00AM – Noon
The Green Scene is planning (and planting!) for Halloween pumpkins! Join us as we experiment with planting both seeds and seedlings. Most pumpkins take about 90 days to grow, so now’s the time to get started. Meet at the Pre-K picnic tables to join the planting fun!

 Murch Beautification Day
Saturday, August 23 from 9:00AM – Noon
Save the date! We’ll come together to spruce up the school grounds before the new year begins—more details to come.

If you have any questions, please contact Alma Paty or Kirsten Metzger-Gilbert.

Thanks for helping us grow and give back! 

Help Shape Safer Routes to Murch! 

We’re excited to share that Murch has been selected to participate in DC’s Safe Routes to School (SRTS) initiative—an important program designed to improve safety and accessibility for students walking or biking to school.

The initial SRTS observations and meetings have already taken place, and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), along with their SRTS planning team, is now drafting recommendations. But before finalizing anything, they want to hear directly from YOU—Murch parents and caregivers! 

📣 Your input matters. Community feedback plays a vital role in making these recommendations truly reflect the needs of our school.

📬 How you can help:

• Complete the short survey linked below
• Share the flyers (English & Spanish) on social media and with your networks
• Spread the word to other Murch families—even during summer break!

📝 Survey Links:

English: 2025 Parents and Caregivers Survey
Spanish: Encuesta a padres y cuidadores 2025

Thank you for taking a few minutes to support safer, healthier routes for our students!

SRTS Survey Flyer 2025 ENG

SRTS Survey Flyer 2025 ESP

New to Murch Elementary School and seeking to connect with others in the Murch community? 

Each year, the Murch Home and School Association (HSA) works with Lauren Miller, Murch’s guidance counselor, to organize the Murch Buddy Program.

The Buddy Program partners new families with returning families to provide new families with a resource for information about Murch and a new connection to the community.

The time commitment is minimal – a meet up at the playground and/or a cup of coffee – however, a little goes a long way to welcome new families and continue to grow and strengthen our community!

New or returning families who are interested in participating can complete THIS FORM by Friday, September 19, 2025. Families are paired during the last week of September and first week in October.

If you are a new or returning family with questions about the Buddy Program, please contact Lauren Miller (lauren.miller@k12.dc.gov).

Parents and caregivers who are new to Murch Elementary School are invited to a new parent breakfast on Tuesday, September 16 from 9:15-10:00AM in the Murch PreK and Kindergarten Commons (open area in-between the Pre-K and Kindergarten halls; across from the gym).

Come meet and mingle with other Murch parents, Principal Cebrzynski, and members of the Murch Home and School Association (HSA) Board. You’ll have the opportunity to learn more about the HSA, our school, and our community. Light breakfast treats and coffee will be served.

To RSVP, please click here. If you have any questions, please contact HSA VP of Family Support, Hayley Love.