To help ensure that every Murch family has what they need during the holidays, Guidance Counselor Lauren Miller is coordinating support in partnership with teachers and the mental health team.

We are collecting gift cards to places like Amazon, Target, and local grocery stores. You may:

 Purchase gift cards directly from this wishlist.

• Please send ALL gift cards to: Murch Elementary School c/o Ms. Lauren Miller, 4810 36th Street NW, Washington DC 20008 
• When you make a gift card purchase, be sure to click the “Mark Purchased” button

 Drop off other gift cards—with a receipt—at school by Friday, December 12. 

Thank you for helping us care for every member of our community.

The Murch Staff Holiday Gift Fund recognizes the more than 65 staff members who support our students beyond the homeroom classroom. This includes our resource team (art, music, and PE), instructional support staff, special education and ELL teams, mental health and social work staff, logistics team, and custodial and building staff. Their work is essential to our school community.

Please consider making a donation to the HSA’s Murch Staff Holiday Gift Fund by Monday, December 15 to help us express our gratitude this season!

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.

Thank you to everyone who donated Halloween costumes this year—our Costume Share was a great success! Looking ahead to next year, we are specifically seeking youth sizes 8 and up. Due to limited storage, please only send in clean, gently used costumes in larger youth sizes at this time. (We can also accept adult size small costumes, if school-appropriate.)

If you’d like to donate, please drop items off with Lauren Miller or Elizabeth Mailley, and we’ll store them for next year’s Costume Share.

Thank you for helping make sure all students can join in the fun!

Amore Learning’s popular after-school enrichment classes are returning to Murch this winter — and registration is now open! Classes begin the week of January 5, offering engaging opportunities for students to explore creativity, STEM, storytelling, and more.

Murch Winter Schedule:

Mondays: Creative Writing (Grades 2-5)
Tuesdays: Curious Minds Lab (Pre-K–1) & STEAM Explorers (Grades 2-5)
Thursdays: Storybook Artists (Pre-K–1) & Acting 101 & Beyond (Grades 2-5)
Fridays: LEGO Engineering (Pre-K–1)

Click on the above links for more information about each class and to register. You can also view the full list of Amore’s winter classes at Murch HERE.

These classes fill quickly, so be sure to sign up soon!

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!

The Murch Girls Basketball Team has one game left of the regular season! Come cheer them on for their last HOME game on Friday, December 5 at 4:30 PM!

Let’s pack the gym, make some noise, and show our Mustangs the home-court love they deserve!

 Mark your calendars! 
Here’s the full schedule for the 2025 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