Happy Friday Murch Families,

Recently, we have seen a significant increase in covid cases at Murch. Below is the latest information we can share, effective May 6^th 2022 and subject to change based on the latest health guidance.

If you are a close contact and fully vaccinated:  Fully vaccinated individuals (or individuals who have tested positive for COVID within the last 90 days) do not need to quarantine if they are identified as a close contact, but please continue monitoring/testing regularly. Consider testing on day 5 after exposure. The day of exposure counts as day 0 (zero).  Close contacts are also required to wear a mask for 10 days after exposure.

If you are a close contact and are not fully vaccinated:   Individuals who are not fully vaccinated who are close contacts are required to quarantine until day 5 after exposure.  On day 5, the individual can test.  If the test is negative, and the individual has no symptoms for the 24 hours prior, the individual can return to school on day 6.  This would be an earliest return day, and we would need the negative test submitted via email or through the testing portal.  If the individual returns on day 6, a mask is required until day 10.  If you decide not to test, the individual will need to continue quarantining through day 10 and can return on day 11.

If you test positive:  The day we are notified or discover that a positive case exists, the individual will need to quarantine/stay at home through at least day 5 (with day 0 being the day of the test or beginning of symptoms).  On day 5, the individual can test.  If the test is negative, and the individual has no symptoms for the 24 hours prior, the individual can return to school on day 6. This would be an earliest return day, and we would need the negative test submitted via email or through the testing portal.  If the individual returns on day 6, a mask is required until day 10.

If the test is positive on day 5, however, the individual will need to continue quarantining through day 10 and can return on day 11.

If you decide not to test, the individual will need to continue quarantining through day 10 and can return on day 11.

If at any time you have questions, please feel free to contact me at chris.cebrzynski@k12.dc.gov.

Principal Cebrzynski

Happy Friday Murch Families,

What a beautiful Friday it is!

Thank you to all who attended the PARCC assessment sessions last night. If your child is in grades 3-5 and you have burning questions about the upcoming assessment, please feel free to reach out to me and/or your child’s teacher.

I hope you and your children enjoy the time away from school next week. Lots of big events coming up as students return to school on Tuesday, April 19th: PARCC testing, Lip Sync, Talent show, Auction, the return of MurchPlus, the end of term 3, track and field competitions, field trips, and you can throw tax day for the adults in there as well. Please don’t forget to follow our required test-to-return COVID testing prior to your return on Tuesday, April 19^th. Click HERE for more details.

Unfortunately, due to timing and other factors, we will not be hosting a public STEM fair this year. We will return to having this next year as well as many other things we have had to put on hold due to the pandemic.

Whatever you may do, wherever you may go, enjoy your time and be safe!

Principal Cebrzynski

Hello Murch Families,

Let’s start with some great news! For the past three weeks of asymptomatic testing, we have tested over 375 students with zero positive results.  With the change in the mask policy and now with travel restrictions being lifted, we hope this trend will continue.

As we move toward Spring Break, there are several things that will be happening as we get back. Teachers will attend in house training on Wednesday, April 6^th in preparation for the PARCC assessment which will be given to all 3^rd through 5^th grade students, starting the week of Tuesday, April 19^th. We will be assessing one grade level at a time and completing one test per day. All tests will be conducted in the morning and will last approximately 60 minutes. The rest of the school day will go on as normal for students who were testing and all other students. Prior to spring break, an assessment schedule for PARCC will be posted onto the website and shared by teachers from each grade level.

Monday, April 18^th, is professional development for teachers as well as records day. There is no attendance for students on this day.

Track and Field has begun for the students at Murch who were outside practicing yesterday. This is one of our largest participation sports for students in grades 4 and 5.

We are entertaining the idea of restarting Murch Plus some time after spring break and will be developing options for students in grades K-3. Since we have not held Murch Plus for some time now, we want to start slow and pilot how we think it may work best, taking some of the best of what we have done in the past with some new ideas. Information will be shared via the web page when available.

On Tuesday, April 19^th at 7:00pm, AP Hawkins, members of the DCPS equity team, and I will be hosting an evening listening session for parents of color. Invitations and an explanation/agenda for the evening will be sent prior to April 8^th. On the invitation we will be asking for attendance preference: in-person, virtual, or hybrid. We are looking forward to having a productive initial conversation that will lead to proactive actions that will help us move to a more inclusive school and community.

Lastly, the annual Lip Sync and Talent show will be back this year and are currently in the planning stages. Although these two events will be modified from their former selves, it’s nice to see these two events making a comeback. The jury is still out on whether we are going to have a STEM fair. A decision will be made by the end of next week.

Have a wonderful weekend!!!!

Principal Cebrzynski

Good afternoon Murch Families,

Tomorrow marks the two-year period from when the pandemic arrived and we began planning for virtual instruction to tomorrow, where we find ourselves making another transition and entering a new phase of getting back to the way life was pre-pandemic. All of you have received the notice from the Chancellor that starting tomorrow, masks are optional for all students, staff, and visitors.  This policy will apply to all school related activities.

There are several emotions that are coming to surface and all of us at Murch continue to prioritize the safety of every individual in our school. It is vital that whatever individual choices are made by families, teachers, and staff are respected.

We all recognize that this is a significant change for our school community and may cause some initial concern. I want to strongly reiterate that all our students and staff are welcome to continue to wear a mask if they choose, and we will actively promote a climate where this choice is respected.

Families who wish to continue to have their child wear a mask will have access to free masks at school. Families who wish for their child to continue to wear a mask, or not, should have a conversation with their child about their expectations.

We will continue to screen for students who exhibit symptoms and follow the protocols for positive cases that the district, in conjunction with the CDC and DC Health, have established.

The focus is on safety and doing our best to maintain the routines and practices we have worked very hard to be the consistent force that students need daily.

Please communicate with your teachers, any relevant information that you would find useful to share.  We will monitor the events of this first day to make sure that we are focusing on the right things.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to me at chris.cebrzynski@k12.dc.gov.

Respectfully,

Principal Cebrzynski

DCPS is revising the Elementary (Kindergarten-5th Grade) report card for future school years to respond to staff and family feedback on the current report card and ensure that our report card continues to be clear and supportive for our students and their families.

Please take a few minutes to review the proposed report card and share your feedback at this link: https://publicinput.com/elementaryreportcard22.  Questions? DCPS.OES@k12.dc.gov

Good afternoon Murch Families,

This coming week, Murch will join schools across the city and country to honor Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action. Our hope is this week honors the brilliant Black students, teachers, staff members and families at Murch and moves us toward cross-cultural dialogue to support a community where everyone feels safe, loved, appreciated and free.

Part of our work this year as a staff is talking about race and racism, which for many can be complicated. As we pursue conversations about race and black history month this week with students, there may be misunderstandings and confusion. We may stumble along the way. As a school we are committed to facing these topics together rather than shying away for fear of making mistakes. This year teachers are engaging in monthly discussions around our own racial identities and how our backgrounds impact interactions with students. For this Week of Action, we are using resources vetted by educators. Administrators and teachers who make up the Murch Equity Team will work with teachers and students this week where support is needed. We will follow up with families to share the outcomes from this week.

As a school we will focus on three guiding principles to teach about the Black Lives Matter movement. These concepts fall in line with what we have been working on for years as part of responsive classroom:

• Black villages: Families are people who take care of each other. There are lots of different kinds of families. Sometimes families are related, sometimes it’s people who choose to take care of each other.
• Restorative justice: If you do something that hurts someone, like knock over their blocks tower, you can’t just say “sorry” and walk away, you have to help them rebuild. It’s also important to give people a chance to make a better choice another time.
• Collective value: Everybody is important and has the right to be safe.

We are inviting community members to respond to these prompts, posted on bulletin boards in the gym hallway:

• What does Black Lives Matter mean to you?
• Black lives matter at Murch when… _____________________.
• Who are the people and families in your villages?
• Think of a time you worked out a problem with another person. What did you learn from talking with the other person and listening to their point of view?
• What do you need from your community to feel loved, appreciated and safe?
• How do you make sure everyone in your community feels loved, appreciated and safe?

If you as a parent or family member would like to offer any responses, I invite you to email me your words or send in hand-written notes via your student’s teacher. Feel free to answer all or just a couple that speak to you or your family. The email to send responses to is Sophie.schwadron@k12.dc.gov.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out. In the meantime, here are a few resources if you want to learn more or extend conversations at home:

• DC Area Educators for Social Justice — BLM Week of Action resources
• 13 guiding principles for Black Lives Matter in kid-friendly language
• CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall on race/racism

In partnership,

The Murch faculty and Staff

Happy Friday Murch Families,

I hope you take time to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, January 18.

Dr. King wrote, spoke, marched, and stood up for what he believed in. What is unique about MLK Day compared to other federal holidays is that it is the only holiday designated as a national day of service. MLK Day not only honors the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but it also encourages all of us to volunteer to improve our communities.

The holiday also serves as an opportunity to educate and demand social justice in real and tangible ways. There is still very little understanding among many people—teachers, parents, and students—that the actions we may take daily can contribute to perpetuating systemic racism. The events and actions we partake in school, what and how we communicate to parents, the ways we advocate for our children, and the opportunities we make available to them may have very real consequences that reproduce inequalities.

The Murch faculty and staff will continue to work towards addressing inequities at our school and within the DCPS system to ensure and inclusive educational experience for all students.

COVID Protocols
Rapid tests will be sent home with all Pre-K4 and Kindergarten students in attendance today, Friday, January 14.  Results for these tests MUST be uploaded prior to returning to school on Tuesday, January 19.  It is OPTIONAL for Kindergarten students to take this rapid test. If your child was not at school today and you would like to pick up a test, you can pick one up before 4:00 PM today, Friday, January 14, or Tuesday, January 19 before 8:05 AM. Here are some additional details:

For Pre-K4:

• Students will get a rapid test sent home in backpacks every Friday​ ​
• Parents, you MUST upload results the Sunday before they return to school on Monday, or upload on Monday for a Tuesday return, like next week, on January 18.​​

For Kindergarten:

• Students will get a rapid test sent home in backpacks every Friday​
• Students are encouraged but not required to upload results the Sunday before they return to school on Monday, or upload on Monday for a Tuesday return, like next week, January 18.​

A simple guideline to follow if a student is a close contact:

• If the student is fully vaccinated AND/OR has had COVID within the last 90 days and is asymptomatic, the student does not have to quarantine​.
• If the student is not fully vaccinated, he/she must:
  • Quarantine for at least 7 days​
  • Test on Day 5​
  • Return on Day 8 if negative​ ​

Regards,
Principal Cebrzynski

Happy Friday Murch Families,

Over the past week, we’ve experienced several individuals testing positive for covid. I can’t explain why but I want to express how deeply appreciative I am of the understanding and cooperation we receive from parents. For whatever reason, this year appears to be a bit more challenging than last. We have seen the impact the epidemic has on students’ social development and continue to keep their social/emotional development at the forefront. The district has seen its largest single day positive covid cases since the pandemic began. We will continue to use all the equipment and strategies we have at our disposal to minimize the spread of covid, to the extent that we can control it. We will get through this, and the reason why is attributable to the strength and cohesiveness of this community, working together and supporting each other.

There are many rumors flying around about what may or may not happen next week. At this point, that’s all they are. If I receive any information, I will most certainly share it with the community as soon as it is cleared for me to do so.

Now that students have begun to receive immunizations, if there is a case of covid in a classroom and your child is identified as a close contact, the date of the second shot needed to be given two weeks prior to the contact. If it has been at least since 2 weeks since the 2^nd dose and your child is identified as a close contact, based on current guidelines there is no mandatory quarantine unless symptoms develop. Testing & monitoring, however, is still encouraged to prevent transmission. We will continue to randomly test 20% of our students every Tuesday. OSSE will be releasing school vaccination rates soon.

Next week, we are going to limit the number of volunteers and visitors into the building as a cautionary measure. If for any reason you need to come to school, once you enter, the security guards will assist and direct you in the proper manner.

Thank you Murch families for all you continue to do to make this community wonderful and strong.

Enjoy your weekend!

Principal Cebrzynski

Dear Murch Families, 

Gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder. That is a perfect reflection of what I have experienced as principal of Murch ES. Every day, I am moved and inspired by what I see. Every day, I marvel at the incredible devotion of our staff and their unique ability to teach and inspire your children. Every day, I celebrate the amazing support from you, our parents, and our community. 

I believe that the success of our school is built on a foundation of mutual respect and inclusiveness.  Every day, dedicated teachers and staff nurture a culture of fairness, love and caring, all focused on the goal of providing a safe learning environment for our students and families.  Murch ES is committed to continue to grow with this focus and supporting our families during the school day and beyond. 

I am thankful that Murch ES continues to strive for excellence in each classroom, to grow stronger by our diversity, and to cultivate an open, positive, and inclusive school climate. 

During this time of Thanksgiving, I want to share my gratitude and thank you for being such an important part of this incredible school community. This is a wonderful time of the year to be thankful for all the wonderful people in our lives.  

As I reflect on what gratitude means to me……… I am thankful for every moment….Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received….Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling…. If you are thankful, what do you do? You share…. As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them…. We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have….  The more we express thanks, the more gratitude we feel…. The more gratitude we feel, the more we express thanks…. It’s circular, and it leads to a happier life…. No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks…. Appreciation can make a day, even change a life -Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary…. Strive to find things to be thankful for, and just look for the good in who you are…. I’m just thankful I’m surrounded by good people.   

On behalf of the Murch staff, I wish all of you a wonderful, safe, and happy holiday in which you can spend time with family and friends, be thankful for those things that bring joy to you, and the time to enjoy it.

Respectfully, 

Principal Cebrzynski 

Mayor Bowser and DC Health Announce Vaccination Plans for Children 5-11 Years Old

Public Health Officials and Pediatricians Are Strongly Recommending Vaccination Against COVID-19 for All Eligible Children

The Bowser Administration announced plans for vaccinating children against COVID-19. Once the pediatric Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is approved and distributed, families will be able to be vaccinated at more than 60 pharmacies, hospitals, and health centers in DC that will have the vaccine. Information about where the vaccine is available will be on vaccines.gov. Earlier this week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to be given to children ages 5 to 11. On Tuesday, November 2, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is expected to meet and make its recommendations. The final step in authorization will be approval from the CDC director.

Once approved, the vaccine will be shipped out. Washington, DC is expected to initially receive 24,600 doses that will be distributed to pharmacies, hospitals, and health centers across DC. The pediatric Pfizer-BioNTech is also a two-dose vaccine.

To provide additional opportunities for access, families will also be able to go to District operated pop-up sites set up specifically for 5-11 year olds. Families will be given more details about the second dose after their first dose. The COVID-19 vaccine for 5-11 year olds will not be immediately available at the District’s Take the Shot sites.

Vaccines will initially be available at select community pharmacies such as CVS, Giant, Grubb’s, Safeway, Walgreens and Walmart, as well as health clinics throughout the community. Children’s National Hospital has already announced that in addition to offering the COVID-19 vaccine to their pediatric patients at their eight primary care locations, they will also be offering the vaccine via their Mobile Unit throughout the community.

Below is a schedule for the first two weeks of the District’s pop-up vaccination clinics for children 5-11 years old. Community groups may request pop-ups through vaccineexchange.dc.gov which helps connect the community to local vaccine providers.

Note from Principal Cebrzynski:  The following locations listed in the table below, including Murch, are available for all DC residents with children ages 5-11 to attend.  Murch Elementary School is cooperating with the Department of Health and the Mayor’s office in providing a site for vaccinations to be administered. This is not a Murch sponsored activity. 

The Murch site is also not exclusive for Murch families to attend. All DC residents with children ages 5-11 can attend any pop up clinic on the dates listed below in the table. Please take advantage of other locations that are offering the vaccine as stated above.  There will be a finite set of vaccines available at each site which may not necessarily accommodate the entire student population at Murch. Please plan accordingly.