| Principal's Update | 
Strategic Planning Goals & Objectives
Thanks to your participation, we are continuing to make great strides in our new strategic planning process. Based on your feedback from input sessions, data, and surveys, members of Murch's Local School Restructuring Team (LSRT) identified two academic goals as well as lists of objectives that will help us meet those goals.
GOAL 1
All Murch Elementary students will meet or exceed proficiency in math by the year 2013 and will be prepared for rigorous mathematics work in secondary school and for citizenship in a global community.
Annual Target: By differentiating instruction, challenging high-achieving students, and supporting below-level students in mathematics, 88% of all tested students will score proficiency and 50% of students will score advanced in math on the 2011 DC CAS.
Objectives
· Create curriculum maps that vertically articulate the math curriculum at Murch among all grade levels, Pre-K through Grade 5.
· Develop curriculum-based assessments for Pre-K through Grade 2 that provide necessary diagnostic data for teachers on each student and predictive information for performance on the DC CAS.
· Identify, purchase, and organize instructional resources needed to fully implement a differentiated mathematics curriculum in Pre-K through Grade 5.
· Identify and foster creative instructional techniques for teaching mathematics pre-K through grade 5.
· Provide rigorous learning opportunities for all students and further instructional challenges for students who are exceeding grade level standards in math.
GOAL 2
All Murch Elementary students will demonstrate mastery of the all science standards at their particular grade levels by the year 2013 and will be prepared for secondary science instruction and for citizenship in a global community.
Annual Target: 70% of Murch students will demonstrate proficiency on summative, standards-based assessments in science during the 2010-2011 school year.
Objectives
· Develop standards-based assessments for all grade levels that provide necessary diagnostic data for teachers on each student.
· Identify, purchase, and organize instructional resources needed to fully implement the science curriculum Pre-K through Grade 5.
· Identify and foster creative instructional techniques for teaching science Pre-K through Grade 5.
While the targets are annual and the goals are long-term, we hope to accomplish these objectives within one to three years. Our work will be monitored routinely to make sure that we are meeting our objectives and if we are not, we will continuously seek out new or different ways to reach the goal.
Does this mean that Murch will not focus on reading or writing, art, music, social studies, or any of the other subjects that are so important to our students? No! We will continue to provide each student with a well-rounded and balanced educational experience. The strategic planning goals simply identify two areas where we want to focus intense improvement efforts to increase instructional effectiveness. We can't take on strenuous improvements in every subject at the same time. Based on parent and staff input as well as supporting data, we know these are the areas in which we need to start working. The next step in the planning process
is to develop an action plan to achieve these goals. Above all there is
GOAL 3
Murch will nurture the social and emotional well-being of all our children.
Teacher Appreciation Week
On another note, the Murch staff was showered with appreciation last week, and we are all very grateful for the royal treatment we received. Thank you to all the parents and students who have expressed their gratitude to the teachers and other staff members through flowers, letters, treats, and thank-you notes to the HSA for the delicious luncheon on Friday, the breakfast on Monday, and the Murch bags and water bottles. It is no wonder that our staff wants to stay here! Murch parents are the best.
As always, feel free to contact me with any questions.
--Dawn Ellis, principal
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HSA Update | |
Teacher Appreciation Week - A Big Success
The school year is winding down, the but these final weeks are our busiest time of year. Thank you to everyone who helped during last week's Teacher Appreciation Week. We're especially grateful to Karen Bond for organizing the incredible staff lunch last Friday, and to Jennifer Closser for organizing the volunteers and to the parents who covered the classrooms so teachers could enjoy their luncheon.
Plant Sale & Flea Market Recap
Thanks to Deborah Crouch and Jennifer Landry-Jackson for chairing the HSA's first-ever plant sale and flea market last weekend. We also appreciate Donna Scharpf's work organizing the delicious bake sale. It was a great (albeit windy) day, and a terrific community event.
Mark Your Calendars
We have several more fun events ahead: this weekend's GROW cook-off on Sunday at 3 pm; coffees on the playground on May 21 and June 18; and, at long last, the Talent Show on June 4.
Get Ready for Summer:
May 22 and 23 at Politics and Prose
Stock up on summer reading at Politics and Prose next weekend. Politics and Prose will contribute 20 percent of your purchase to the HSA if you mention that you are a Murch supporter We can't think of a better way to get ready for Murch's second annual Summer Reading Challenge (details to come). It's also a great opportunity to make end-of-year contributions to classroom libraries. Teacher wish lists will be available. Of course, no HSA fundraiser could happen without the generous support of our volunteers. If you can spare some time on May 22 or 23, please sign up here (contact: Pam Joos).
It Can't Snow in June, Can It?
Talent Show to take place Friday, June 4
After being postponed twice (due to Snowmaggedon and Snoverkill), the much-anticipated Murch Talent Show will finally take place on Friday evening, June 4 at 6:30 pm. Plan to make an evening of it -- The 5th grade will host a pizza sale prior to the show. If you missed your opportunity to audition for the Talent Show the first time around, there is space available for a few new acts. Auditions for new acts will take place May 25 at 3:30 in the Auditorium. Mandatory rehearsals for all performers and stage crew are June 1 and June 3 at 3:30 pm. Please direct questions to Brendan Canty and Joshua Winchell.
Thank you! As always, we're appreciative of all you do to make these events meaningful to our school community.
--Karin Perkins & Alison Howard, co-presidents
Find out more about the HSA here. |
| Assembly |
Pound, Stomp, Kick!
 Step Afrika, which performed at Murch on May 4, is a group of women and men who step to make music, otherwise known as body percussion. First they wanted to have a challenge, so they went head to head on the stage. One person lost every time so they stepped together and got a mighty applause...
...read fifth grader Sophia Poulos', full article on the Student Blog.
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Athletics
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Girl Racers Finish First and Second
 Our May 5 track meet at Anacostia was a success: Murch came in first and second. It was the East/West championship meet. This means that the West schools race against the West and the East schools race against the East.
We were in the Western division. The Murch girls placed first and second, finishing with a total of 156 points. The boys finished with 116 points...
...read Kali Hoechstetter's, fifth grade, full article here
for more athletics see here.
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| Survey | |
 Did You Turn Off and Tune In?
April 19-25 was "TV-Turnoff Week." Did you turn off the TV and do something else? Read more on the Student Blog.
-- Survey & photos by Tim Berger, third grade, and Jacob Mintz, third grade
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Classroom Dispatches
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 Quail Cam
Ok, we don't exactly have a live-action camera on the quail hatchlings in Mr. Welsh's classroom, but this frequently updated album is the next best thing. Keep checking these pictures of the little cheepers (yes, that's what young quail are really called) on Mr. Welsh's website and see how fast they grow. Mr. Welsh will bring the quails to Homestead Farm -- where we picked our pumpkins -- once they are grown.
-- Erna Marcus, instructional aide
See more classroom dispatches here.
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Classroom Dispatches
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Poets Toolbox
 This month Ms. Friedman's class is having a poetry unit in reading. In our "Poets Toolbox" we learned about such things as onomatopoeia, personification, alliteration, and repetition. This week in our homework we have to choose a poem, practice reading it aloud, and answer some questions about it. On Friday, we will read our poems aloud to the class.
--Adelaide Kaiser, third grade
see more classroom dispatches here.
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Field Trip
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Busting Loose with Dr. Seuss
 Who was the real Dr. Seuss? That's what students in Ms. Bogan's and Ms. Wieranga's pre-K classes learned about when they went to the Levine School of Music on May 5 to see "A Story That No One Can Beat!"...
...read Laura Kaiser's entire article on the field trip page.
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Green Scene
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Mustangs Nibble on First Harvest
 Parent volunteers from the GROW committee met with every class over the last two weeks to talk about the gardens and answer the students' questions. All of the volunteers reported that the kids are very excited about the garden and had great questions ranging from color (of vegetables) to compost to consumption - as in, when can we finally eat these vegetables?...
...read Lisa Burke's full article in the GreenScene.
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New Lunchtime Bookclub
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 Join the Murch Mustang Book Club, which meets on Thursdays from 12:30 - 1 pm in Ben 1 (the former Music Room in the demountable building on the playground).
The club will be reading and discussing Tales from Shakespeare. The plays they will study this spring are The Merchant of Venice (comedy), King Henry VII (history), and Hamlet (tragedy).
Discussion will start with the life of Shakespeare and move into an intensive vocabulary study of words in each play. Membership is open to third, fourth, and fifth graders.
Contact reading teacher Ms. Young for more information.
Look for more activities here.
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Share the Murch Mustang Express with your children | |
Join our Mailing List
Are you a Murch student and do you have your own email?
Ask your parents to sign you up to get the MURCH MUSTANG EXPRESS delivered to your own email box!
Click here to sign up |
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Registration Reminder
Now's the time to enroll your child at Murch for 2010-2011. Click here for forms and more information.
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GROW
Chef
Todd Returns to Murch May 16
Back by
Popular Demand!
GROW
presents a cooking exhibition with Chef Todd Gray and Murch alum Ellen Kassoff
Gray, owners Equinox Restaurant.
Sunday,
March 16 at 3 p.m. at Murch Come, learn, cook, taste, and grow!
See more on GreenScene.
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On Monday, May 17 at 6:00 p.m. at Deal, Councilmember Cheh and Ward 3 State Board of Education Member Laura Slover are hosting the annual Ward 3 Education Forum. |
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Events |
May 14
1:30-3 pm Butterfly Garden Planting Day May 14
Ms Bickart's Kindergarten Class Field Trip to Smithsonian May 16
3 pm GROW Cooking Demonstration w/ Chef Gray May 18
9 am 5th Graders
Deal Math Placement Exam May 18
Picture Day Individual Portraits May 18
Track and Field Meet at Dunbar HS May 19
3:30-4:15 pm Student Bloggers Meet Room 102 May 20
6-8 pm Murch 10-Year Reunion May 21
6:30-9 pm Basket Ball May 22 & 23
10-6 pm BOOK FAIR at Politics & Prose May 24
3:30-4 pm Student Council Meeting May 28
8:45 Fourth Grade Field Trip to Mount Vernon May 31
Memorial Day, NO SCHOOL June 4
Talent Show June 7
3:30-4 pm Student Council Meeting June 7
Murch Night at Comet Ping Pong |
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May 18 is Picture Day
Our individual spring photos and fifth grade panorama photo will be taken on Tuesday May 18.
The photographer will come to the classrooms Tuesday morning; the fifth graders will take their photo between 1:30-1:45 pm.
Please fill in and put your payment in the Lifetouch envelopes you received this week. Return them to school not later than Monday 17. All pictures have to be prepaid.
If you have any questions please contact Trenny Jefferson. |
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Murch Monday
See details about our newest school tradition here:
monthly pizza nights at Comet Ping Pong.
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Bloggers Wanted
We are looking for student bloggers and photographers. Contact
Laura Kaiser and Robin Schepper to join the online team.. |
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Student Council Minutes
May 10, 2010
Vice President Riley Hager ran the meeting since President Allie Schwalb was sick.
After reviewing minutes from the last meeting, we talked about Spirit Week. The possibilities we are considering are:
60s Day
80s Day
Beach Day
Book Character Day
Career Day
Decades Day
Dress as a Celebrity
Dress Up Like Your Teacher Day
Favorite Animal Day
Historical Figure Day
Jersey Day
Maui Monday
Spirit Day
Sports Day
Twin/Triplet Tuesday
Wacky Wednesday
Youth Day
The Student Council members voted for their top five choices, and results will be announced at our next meeting on May 24.
-- Justin Atwood, secretary, fourth grade |
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School Store Hours
Closed until further notice.
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Shop for Murch
Check out all the ways you can raise money for Murch while doing your regular shopping.
Click here for details |
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Stay Connected | |
Join the HSA Classifieds Yahoo! Group & the Murch Forum
Click here to find out more ways to stay connected. |
Publishing Schedule
The Murch Mustang Express's next issue will be May 28.
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| Got News? Comments? Contact us | Copy deadline: Tuesdays at noon.
Editors: Laura Kaiser, Robin Schepper, Stefanie Berger, Mike Heffner,
Kelly Callahan Poe, Justine Kenin, Donna Scharpf
Contributors: Justin Atwood, Tim Berger, Lisa Burke, Kali
Hoechstetter, Adelaide Kaiser, Erna Marcus, Jacob Mintz, Sophia Poulos
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