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 2024March 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:
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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.
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Support for the Arts: We understand the importance of a vibrant arts program in fostering creativity and receiving a well-rounded education.
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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.
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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.
2024 WETA PBS Kids Writers Contest
This writers contest is for children in grades K-4 in the Washington DC area, and all who participate will receive an acknowledgment of achievement for their efforts.
This year, WETA PBS Kids Writers Contest submissions must start with the following writing prompt: “A Day at My Favorite Place…”
The deadline to submit an entry is April 8. Visit weta.org/write for more details.
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.
Friendship Place Walk to End Homelessness, April 27th on the National Mall
Your support, and fundraising among your friends, make a difference in the lives of the 5,000 people Friendship Place serves every year!
We hope you can join us this year!
We will meet at the Reflecting Pool at the base of the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday, April 27th. Registration and fun start at 9:30, with the program and Walk beginning at 10:30.
This year we will have fun activities for the whole family, including:
- Children’s games
- Souvenirs for your pups
- Exciting guest speakers
- And more!
You can register for the Walk by signing up here: Friendship Place Walk to End Homelessness
We hope to see you there!
Spring and Summer Tennis
The Lafayette Tennis Association has just opened its 2024 tennis season for youth and adults!
We believe that tennis is one of the greatest sports and can be played for a lifetime! Our Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall programs offers one-hour classes for boys and girls (ages 5-17) for beginner, advanced beginner and intermediate players. Our tennis instructors will focus on teaching tennis techniques and strategies, building strength and endurance, improving agility, and enhancing players’ coordination and speed. And we’ll make sure our players are having fun and getting lots of exercise!
All of our programs are held at Lafayette-Pointer park located at Lafayette Elementary in Chevy Chase, DC. All ages and area schools welcome!
We are offering the following programs:
-Spring afterschool youth (starts week of March 11, one-hour classes held at 3:30, 4:30 and 5:30 pm for kids aged 4-17 years of age).
-Summer camp (starts week of June 24). Half-day camps (Morning camp: 8:30 am-noon/Afternoon camp: 1:00 pm-4:30 pm). Full day option available too and we also offer pre and post-camp care. Get our early bird discount if you register by March 1!
-Winter tennis: We still have slots open for our youth (indoors at Chevy Chase Community Center) and adult Winter tennis programs which you can pro-rate.
You can register for all of these programs by visiting lafayettetennis.org
Thank you and hope to see your kids on the courts this year!
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