Please join the Green Scene for a morning of planting and clean up on Saturday, April 26 from 9:30AM-12:00PM. We’ll plan to add more flowers, dirt, and mulch, as well as weed and clean up litter, so there will be something for everyone!

The pollinator garden can use some extra love as we try to create a healthy habitat for our butterflies. We have tools and gloves, but feel free to bring your own supplies (we are always low on trowels!). Coffee and donut holes also provided!

Can’t make the Spring Clean Up, but want to contribute??  We’d love extra plants or flowers! If you’re separating or looking to thin your own garden, bring your leftovers to Murch! Drop off by the shed on the Pre-K playground.

If you haven’t walked along the Davenport side of Murch and noticed the beautiful daffodils and crocuses from the Green Scene’s Fall Bulb Planting day, check it out soon! It’s so beautiful!

If you have any questions, please email Alma Paty or Kirsten Metzger-Gilbert. Please note the rain date is scheduled for Saturday, May 6.

Ms. Hairston’s Pre-K class is working on a structures unit and they are planning to build a milk jug igloo! To do this, they need a lot of milk jugs – roughly 500! If you have any gallon jugs that you can donate, please deliver your empty and rinsed jugs to room A102 as soon as possible – the Pre-K students are ready to build!

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Hairston. Thank you in advance for your help!

Murch’s beloved after-school program, Murch Plus, is back and registration is OPEN! The Spring session will take place on Wednesdays from 3:30-4:15PM for 6 weeks starting on Wednesday, April 30 and ending on Wednesday, June 4.

All Murch students in grades K-5 are eligible to participate. If demand exceeds available spots, placement will be given by a lottery. Murch Plus is a free program, generously sponsored by our HSA.

For more information and to register, please click HERE! Registration will close on Monday, April 21, so sign up today!

In addition to Murch Plus, Murch is partnering with Silver Knights Chess Academy (formerly Magnus Chess Academy!), Amore Learning, and Kaizen Karate to provide more after-school options this Spring!

Chess Academy is offering an after-school chess program at Murch on Mondays from 3:30-4:30PM for 6 weeks from April 28 – June 9 (except May 26). For more information and to register for Chess Academy, please click HERE.

Amore Learning after-school classes will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-4:30PM for 8 weeks starting April 22 (Tuesday) and April 24 (Thursday) and ending on June 10 (Tuesday) and June 12 (Thursday). Click on the links below for more information and to register.

• Tuesday Class Options:
  • LEGO Engineering (PreK-1)
  • Graphic Novels (2-5)
  • *Write Away (4 & 5)
• Thursday Class Options:
  • Fossil Finders (PreK-1)
  • Newsbreakers (2-5)
  • *Write Away (4 & 5)

*Please note Write Away will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 9 sessions from April 22 – May 20. 

For more information and to register for Amore Learning classes, please click HERE. 

Kaizen Karate is also back for Spring! Classes will be held on Thursdays from 3:30-4:30PM for 6 sessions from May 1 – June 12. For more information and to register karate, please click HERE.

Buy Tickets To See Murch’s Spring Musical: James and the Giant Peach, Jr.!

Join us for this delightfully offbeat adaptation of the classic Roald Dahl adventure featuring our talented 4th and 5th graders. Based on the beloved story, this musical adaptation will transport you to a world of magic and adventure. Buy tickets here. 

Performance Details-
Dates:
Thursday, May 15th AND Friday, May 16th

Time:
6:30pm (doors open at 6pm)
Performances are general admission and seating is first-come, first-served. Your ticket is for an unassigned seat.

Location: 
UDC Theater of the Arts
4200 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC 20008
Located at the intersection of Windom Pl NW & Connecticut Ave NW
Walking is highly encouraged. There is metered, street parking as well as a parking garage on Van Ness St NW which is part of UDC.

Produced by:
Stage Left Events

Show Synopsis:
James and the Giant Peach Jr. is a lively and whimsical musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s book. The story follows a young boy named James, who, after a tragic event, embarks on an incredible adventure.

Don’t miss this delightful show!

Enrollment begins March 28^th for the 2025-2026 school year, and we need your help meeting district benchmarks! Along with district benchmarks, we have set our own internal (ambitious) goal of 50% enrolled by April 11 (335 students). Please help us meet this goal!

DC Public Schools requires students to re-enroll each year.

• Enrollment begins March 28^th
• Families can enroll at https://aspen.dcps.dc/aspen-login/go (this is the preferred/online method via ASPEN). For issues regarding ASPEN, please email MurchESEnroll@k12.dc.gov.
• Families can download enrollment forms at http://enrolldcps.dc.gov/node/76 & enroll in person
• Please attach your proof of residency and any other supporting documents into ASPEN or bring them with you (if enrolling in person).
• If your student will not return to Murch next school year, please notify us via email at MurchESenroll@k12.dc.gov and request a withdrawal form.
• 2-week FAMILY challenge: As an added incentive, all families re-enrolled between March 28 and April 11 (at noon) will be entered into a raffle for a portable (wireless) speaker! We will be raffling off two speakers; winners will be randomly selected from all fully completed packets during Murch’s 2-week challenge. We will notify the winners on the afternoon of 4/11 (prior to spring break). Re-enroll now, so you’ll be music-ready for spring break and will help us meet our 50% goal!
• Grade-Level Challenge:  The grade with the highest percentage of re-enrolled students (with complete packets) by June 6th (at noon) will win a Pizza Party & Pick Your Activity Session with the Resource Teachers!

For more information, visit https://enrolldcps.dc.gov.

We look forward to receiving your enrollment packet. If you have any questions, please reach out to us via email at MurchESenroll@k12.dc.gov or 202-282-0130.

We want to hear from YOU!

• We are committed to creating a safe, welcoming space for every family.
• To ensure we provide the best support possible, we need your input!
• Your voice matters, and your feedback will help us create an environment where every family feels valued and supported.

Save the date and help us relaunch Murch International Night! Last held in 2019, our much-anticipated International Night at Murch will take place on the evening of Thursday, June 5 from 6:00-8:00PM.

That evening, students and other guests will perform cultural songs and dances, while families will host international tables with food, activities and information set up around the playground. Families will be able to visit these tables, have a “passport” stamped as they travel around displays of different countries (and U.S. states), and enjoy delicious food.

We are looking for families to share their culture through art, music, crafts, dress, and food. Please consider signing up to share your country and culture with our wonderful Murch community! There are many ways to help – SIGN UP HERE!

Lend an item to the Murch international display! 

In the coming weeks, the Murch International Committee will start decorating the international display at school with cultural items from various countries and cultures represented at Murch. The committee is looking for cultural items to be showcased. If you are interested in lending an item, please email Negar (nikifar30@gmail.com) and Sayuri (sbayona@gmail.com). The more the community participates, the better!

DCPS invites you to share your feedback via the 2025 DCPS Family Panorama Survey!

DCPS has a vision that every student is succeeding academically, connected to school, and prepared for what’s next.  Your voice is important in making this vision come true for every one of our students.

Please take the survey by March 28 by clicking HERE!

This year’s survey is part of OSSE’s state-wide school survey initiative, DC Says.  Please take the survey once for each public or public charter school where you have a student enrolled.

To ensure DCPS hears from every family, the survey is available in English, Amharic, Chinese (Simplified), French, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Families can select their preferred language from the survey home screen (top right).

Thank you for your feedback!

On your marks! The kick-off meeting for Spring Track & Field will take place on Thursday, February 27 at 3:30PM in the Pre-K Commons. All fourth and fifth graders (and their parents) are welcome and encouraged to attend. Practice will take place after school every Tuesday and Friday, rain or shine, beginning on Tuesday, March 4th.

Murch students will train and compete in events including sprints and relays, middle distance running (up to one mile), shot put, long and high jump. Don’t worry if your son or daughter has little or no experience in any of these events. Murch has a fantastic team of parent coaches to help train the athletes every step of the way. Our goal is to build a passion for running, jumping and throwing that will continue long into the future.

We hope to see as many of you as possible at the kick-off meeting. If you or your student are unable to attend, you can find a list of FAQs here. For follow up questions, please reach out to Coach Paul (pauldjacobs@gmail.com).

To register your child now, you may go to the following sign-up form: https://bit.ly/MurchTrack

Let’s make 2025 a Track & Field season to remember. Get Set! Go Murch!

The Murch Local School Advisory Team (LSAT) will meet on Monday, April 21 from 5:45-7:00PM. You can view the meeting agenda HERE.

Please click the Zoom link below to join the meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82240537885
Meeting ID: 822 4053 7885

As a reminder, all LSAT meetings are held virtually, open to the Murch community, and include an opportunity for Q&A. We hope you join us!