FARQUHAR MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELING dePARTMENT
Word hard. Think Positivity. Never give up. Be kind. Dream Big and Do your very BEST!
Current Events
Save the Date: Career Day 2004
FMS Career Day will be held on Thursday, May 23rd from 8:00-10:30 am.
Please complete the Google Form below by April 12th to participate as a speaker at our school-wide event.
Contact the FMS Counseling department by email or phone at (240) 740-1200 with any questions.
Thank you so much for your support!
FMS MS Kindness Week
February 12- February 16th
FMS College Week
December 18-22
Monday- Wear your FMS Gear
Tuesday- Wear your favorite College Gear
Wednesday- Wear your PJ"S
Thursday- Take a picture of yourself wearing a graduation cap and gown
Friday- Wear festive holiday gear to show that your future is bright
FMS Mental Health Awareness Week
October 31 - November 3
Red Ribbon Week
October 25- October 27
Upcoming Event: "Angst" Movie Night
Tuesday, October 3, 2023: In collaboration with the Sherwood High School PTA, the PTA is hosting a showing of the movie “Angst”.
In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, all Farquhar students and their families are invited for a free viewing of the movie Angst on Tuesday, October 3rd in the Ertzman Theater, sponsored by the Mia Fontana Foundation and the Sherwood Cluster PTAs. A community discussion about addressing anxiety will follow. Free popcorn! Chick fil-A sandwiches, drinks, and other snacks will be available for purchase. Please rsvp here. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., program is from 7:00-8:30 p.m.
All MCPS students and families are invited to kick off the 2023-2024 school year at the MCPS Back-to-School Fair on Saturday, Aug. 26 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Westfield Wheaton mall.
Families will learn more about the school system, county programs and services; enjoy free music, entertainment and youth activities; pick up giveaways and receive updated immunizations. Stay tuned to the website for updates throughout the summer.
Westfield Wheaton is located at 11160 Veirs Mill Road.
Community Events
Football Clinic
Students in grades 1-8 are invited to a free coed football clinic on Tuesday, May 14 when they are off from school. The clinic will be hosted by the 480 Club in partnership with the MCPS Out-of-School Time program at Laytonia Turf Field in Gaithersburg between 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Read more.
RSVP here for elementary school students.
RSVP here for middle school students.
Gaithersburg Book Festival
The Gaithersburg Book Festival, a celebration of books, writers and literary excellence, will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, at Bohrer Park, 506 S. Frederick Avenue in Gaithersburg. Read more.
Special Education Family Resource Fair
Don’t miss this year’s Special Education Family Resource Fair on Saturday, May 11 at Montgomery Blair High School. The free event will be held from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., and is open to MCPS parents, staff and community members. The fair will include valuable resources from a variety of community resources and vendors and fun children’s activities, including moon bounces, music, arts and crafts, and balloon artists.
Save the date for safety Day!
The Montgomery Department of Transportation invites all MCPS families to Safety Day on Saturday, May 11 in the Carver Educational Services Center (CESC) parking lot in Rockville. Safety Day brings the community together to learn more about traffic safety in a fun and festive environment. CESC is located at 850 Hungerford Drive.
Grief Counseling: Virtual Family Night
Our last Family Night of the school year taking place on Thursday, May 9th at 6 pm on Zoom. This event is for grieving families. This Family Night is focused on Mother's Day, Father's Day, and other special days. Grieving families must register in advance. There is no charge for attending. Deadline to sign up is May 1, 2024.
Teen Mental Health Week at MCPL: Care, Be Aware
Join us for a week dedicated to addressing the pressing mental health challenges facing teenagers in Montgomery County, Maryland, as they navigate the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. At Montgomery County Public Libraries, we understand the importance of supporting our youth through serious challenges, which is why we are working to provide teens and their support networks with important information regarding Teen Mental Health Resources in our county.
From the April 6 kickoff with Grammy-nominated Queen Sheba — made possible with support from Friends of the Library, Montgomery County — through April 13, we invite teenagers, parents, educators, and community members to come together for a series of informative and empowering events designed to shed light on mental health issues and provide resources for support.
We aim to create a safe and welcoming space where teens can openly discuss their struggles and find solidarity in knowing they are not alone.
The full schedule of Teen Mental Health Week events is available on our dedicated website, in list format, and day-by-day. Click over and make your plan for the events you won’t want to miss!
The Kick-Off to Teen Mental Health Week on Saturday, April 6, from 1-4 pm at Wheaton Library with a performance from Grammy-nominated performer Queen Sheba, author of From Foster to Fame.
Teens and tweens can enjoy snacks, the performance, and a workshop with the artist, followed by a Teen Poetry Open Mic session with poet Simply Sherri. There will also be a mental health resource fair for parents and teens.
MCPS Pride Community Day
community engagement
pop-up event
Teen Stress Management
Learn the difference between stress and anxiety, discover the causes of stress and how your body responds to stress, and learn at least 3 ways to increase relaxation and reduce stress.
This Program is for Teens, ages 13-18, and registration is required.
Date/Time: Friday, April 12, 3:30pm - 5:00 pm
Location: Marilyn J. Praisner Library
Click Here for more information.
RespectFest
For 6th - 12th graders, parents, and youth-serving providers!
In Person on April 7, 2024, from 1:00 - 4:00 pm
at the Wheaton Community Recreation Center
* Park at Einstein High School (11135 Newport Mill Rd, Kensington) and take the free shuttle *
Registration on-site
Earn up to 3 SSL Hours!
To View the Schedule for Day Click Here
** If you need support, therapists will be available (in English and Spanish).
Choose Respect 2024 RespectFest SSL Form
After participation in the Choose Respect RespectFest sessions and activities, please complete the following SSL form by 11:59 PM on Sunday, April 14, 2024. All sessions/activities may be found at https://tinyurl.com/mocorespectfest
10TH ANNIVERSARY: AAHP COMMUNITY DAY
JOIN THE HEALTH EXPLOSION.
Enjoy Fun Interactive Activities for All Ages | Workshops | Screenings and Exhibitors| STEM Activities
for Youth | Fitness Exercises | Food Demos | Book Signings| Snacks | Door Prizes | Music by DJ One Luv |
Event is Open to All at No Charge.
Saturday, April 6, 2024, 9:30 AM - 2 PM
Montgomery College, Bioscience Education Center
20200 Observation Dr, Germantown, Maryland
Contact pvsncnwzoom@gmail.com for additional information about youth wellness session.
REGISTER HERE FOR THE DAY’S INTERACTIVE EVENTS AT EVENTBRITE.
Game Changer Conference
Game Changer Conference Set for April 20; Essay Contest Deadline: April 10
Calling all parents/caregivers of young male students in Grades 4-12! Register your student for the spring 2024 Game Changer conference and help empower and ignite their path to success. The conference will be held on Saturday, April 20 at the Universities at Shady Grove, 8 a.m.–2 p.m. Registration closes Wednesday, April 3. Spaces are limited.
VErizon Family Day
KID Museum invites your school community to join us this Sunday, March 24, 2024, for a FREE Verizon Family Day!
We hope that students, staff, and families can attend. It will be a wonderful day to engage in fun hands-on STEM experiences!
Families planning to attend are encouraged to pre-register for FREE tickets.
Click Here to see the flyer.
Free Spring Break Animation Workshops
Montgomery County teens and tweens can take animation classes during spring break this year.
Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) announced that it will be hosting several animation workshops for kids between the ages of 10 and 15 from March 25-29.
There will be a total of five workshops, one on each day. You’ll have to register your child for a workshop, but doing so is free.
Any participants will also get art supplies to use during the workshops.
Below is a list of the workshops, their locations, and links to register:
Monday, March 25 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Connie Morella Library, 7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda — RegisterTuesday, March 26 | 2-3 p.m.
Gaithersburg Library, 18330 Montgomery Village Ave., Gaithersburg — RegisterWednesday, March 27 | 2-3 p.m.
Twinbrook Library, 202 Meadow Hall Dr., Rockville — RegisterThursday, March 28 | 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Rockville Memorial Library, 21 Maryland Ave., Rockville — RegisterFriday, March 29 | 2-3 p.m.
Aspen Hill Library, 4407 Aspen Hill Rd., Rockville — Register
Youth Climate Summit
A full-day conference designed to educate MCPS students about climate change and equip them with the tools to create climate action projects in their communities
Camp Erin
What is Camp Erin?
Camp Erin is an overnight weekend camp for children and teens, ages 6-17, grieving the death of someone close to them. Campers will participate in wide range of activities including: recreation and outdoor activities, sharing memories, expressive arts, trust and bonding activities, campfire and drumming circle. Camp Erin, offered free of charge, is staffed by trained volunteers and professionals. This opportunity is for children and teens who have not attended a previous session of Camp Erin.
Objectives for Camp:
• Build community
• Tell one's story
• Learn coping skills
• Express and process grief
• Remember and honor those who died
• Have fun!
Sports Career Day
The Washington Wizards would like to invite back middle and high school students, with an interest in learning more about working in professional sports, to our annual Sports Career Day! Sports Career Day with the Wizards consists of an educational sports business breakout session hosted by members of the Wizards management team, a college fair with schools from around the country, and a Wizards basketball game after the daytime activities. This season, Sports Career Day will take place on Tuesday, March 19th, at 12:30 PM before the Wizards take on the visiting Houston Rockets. The event is open to all interested students, teachers, administrators, and chaperones, but we especially encourage members of organizations like DECA, FBLA, AVID, FCCLA, and Business Professionals of America to participate.
For more information and to register for this year’s event, please fill out the form in the link below, and a representative from the Wizards will be in touch shortly.
Thank you for your interest in joining the Wizards for our Sports Career Day and we hope to see you at Capital One Arena this March.
Interest Form: https://app.info.monumentalsports.com/
WATCH: 2024 HBCU Fair and How to Plan for College
Hundreds of students and their families packed this year’s HBCU Fair. The fair provided students in Grades 8–12 an opportunity to meet representatives from more than 40 HBCUs. Representatives shared information and answered questions from students and parents about admissions, financial aid, testing, majors and much more. If you missed it, be sure to watch a recap of tips shared with students who attended.
Family Forum on Mental Health & Substance Use Prevention
Join the Springbrook High School PTSA Saturday, Feb. 24 for a family forum on maintaining strong mental health and preventing substance use. Attendees will learn about the dangers of fentanyl, alcohol and other substances; information to keep students safe; school and community-based substance use prevention, harm reduction and treatment initiatives and what insurance is required to cover
RSVP HERE
Welcome Coffee & Cultural Orientation for Asylum seekers
Keep it Safe Video Contest
On behalf of the Keeping It Safe Coalition, we wanted to remind you to encourage your students to participate in this year’s Keeping It Safe Student Video Contest! Each student that enters will receive 5 SSL hours.
Students create a 30-second PSA to increase the awareness of under-21 alcohol consumption. The videos for this year would be under the following categories:
Topic 1: Standing Your Ground: Fighting Peer Pressure from Friends to Drink
Topic 2: Ways to Help/Support Friends Who are Misusing Alcohol
Topic 3: How Alcoholic Drinks Affect Mental Health
The last day to submit entries is March 31, 2024 by 4 pm.
For more information and to submit your videos, see the attached flyer or visit our page below:
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ABS/education/kis/