DCPS announced yesterday that MacFarland Middle School’s comprehensive neighborhood program will start with a 6th grade in August 2018, and grow one grade each year from there. The full announcement is at the end of this post in English, Spanish, and Amharic.
Since the announcement MacFarland would open its neighborhood program in School Year 18-19, we’ve gotten input on how to make the transition as successful as possible for MacFarland and for its neighborhood education campuses: Truesdell, Raymond, and West. We believe a phased opening is the best way for MacFarland to steadily grow its program while also allowing middle school students in the EC’s to graduate from the schools many of them have attended since Pre-Kindergarten.
What will this look like for MacFarland?
MacFarland opened a 6th grade Dual-language program this year, and will grow to a 7th and 8th grade over the next two years. When it opens its neighborhood comprehensive program in School Year 2018-2019, it will open with a 6th grade only, and grow one grade each of the next two years.
What will this look like for Raymond, West, and Truesdell?
For the next school year (2017-2018), there will be no changes. When MacFarland’s neighborhood program opens in School Year 2018-2019, the three education campuses will no longer take 6th grade students, and continue to serve 7th and 8th graders. The following year (SY2019-2020) they will serve 8th grade students before transitioning to traditional PK3-5 elementary schools in SY2020-2021.
Interested in learning more? We’ll be at West EC’s Principal Chat and Chew on May 22nd at 6pm, and will post additional meeting dates at Truesdell and Raymond as we schedule them. We look forward to continuing to engage over the coming weeks, months, and years to support our school communities through this transition – as always, feel free to reach out to DCPS.Planning@dc.gov with any questions or comments.
MacFarland Phased Opening Raymond
DCPS School Planning 