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Irving MS Weekly Newsletter

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Please ask your students to stop by our Lost and Found in the cafeteria.

All items not claimed by December 3, will be donated.

A Message from the Principal

Greetings, Irving Families!

We are excited for our PTA Family Fun Night tonight Friday, November 15, from 6:00-8:00 pm. If you have not registered yet, please click HERE, so the PTA can ensure there are enough supplies for the evening.

Over the next couple of weeks, please have your child look through our overflowing lost and found (see the picture above). Parents/Guardians are also invited to stop by the lost and found before or after school to claim their child’s belongings - we ask that you check in at the Main Office. We want to make sure that all items get back to their original owners and find it very helpful if items are labeled with the child’s first and last name. Currently, we have water bottles, lunch boxes, shoes, hoodies, sweatshirts, and a variety of other belongings. Any items left after December 3, will be donated or discarded as appropriate.

Lastly, as we get closer to Thanksgiving Break, we want to make sure that everyone is able to take a break and enjoy some downtime. We will not be asking students to complete any work over the break. Upon returning from break, we will not have any projects due or have any tests/quizzes on Monday, December 2 and Tuesday, December 3. We also ask our staff to disconnect from work from November 27-December 1. During the break, staff will not be available to respond to emails. If you are looking for something academic over break, we recommend that students read each day.

Take Care!

Cindy Conley

Student's School Photos are now online!

School Photos are now online!

Families should have received an E-proof via email.

Please remember to check your spam.

For any questions about your student's school pictures please contact: [email protected]

The team at Victor O’Neill Studios would like to thank Washington Irving Middle School for a great picture day!

Yearbooks are on sale!

Yearbook Sales!!!!!

Please check out a sneak peck of this year's issue!

Scan the QR code to order one today!

Boundary Review Community Meeting

Community meetings regarding FCPS’ comprehensive boundary review will take place in each of the division's six regions. You are encouraged to attend the meeting in our region, which will take place on Tuesday, December 3, 6:30-8 p.m., at Lake Braddock Secondary School Cafeteria.

Please register in advance by clicking on the date. Language interpretation will be available.

If you are unable to attend on this date, view the full list of meetings on the Comprehensive School Boundary Review webpage.

Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey

FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets (in the upper right corner after logging in). Please complete it as soon as possible.

For any families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE, we will provide paper forms starting Wednesday, November 13. Paper forms should be returned by Wednesday, December 4.

Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is important. Information from this survey resulted in more than $4 million in funding last year from the U.S. Department of Education. These funds are used to support all Fairfax County public schools and centers.

For more information, please watch this video on Impact Aid and visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.

Need to Register for ParentVUE?

Learn how to activate your SIS ParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey.

Technical support for using ParentVUE or completing the survey online is available by submitting a Parent Support Request ticket. Select SISParent in the Application dropdown menu and type Federal Impact Aid Survey under Issue Description. Or, call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS).

Rising 9th Grade Course Selection Information

Please visit West Springfield High School’s website to learn information about the timeline to choose classes for 9th grade as well as important resources.

Thanksgiving Baskets

Last fall, we asked our Springfield community to donate Thanksgiving baskets for families in need and we received 83 baskets! This year, the goal is 150 baskets.

Ania Cress and Aneta Anderson, Realtors, are organizing this collection and will share these with families from Hunt Valley,Cardinal Forest, Rolling Valley, West Springfield, Sangster, Keene Mill Elementary Schools, Irving MS and West Springfield HS. Click here to sign up to donate and click here if you would like to receive a basket for your family. Drop off and pick up of baskets will take place on November 22nd at Ledo Pizza and Robeks. For more information, please click here.

Library News

This week the library has been hosting 7th grade History classes as we collaborated with Ms. Patchan and Mr. Esposito’s classes on a project that examined old political cartoons that were published around the time of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. Students learned tips and tricks for analyzing political cartoons, and then finished up their activity by writing about a cartoon. Additionally, eighth grade students are hearing book talks about several novels that they can choose from for their Dystopian Fiction reading project for English class.

If your Thanksgiving plans include a long ride in the car with your family, you might want to select an audio book for the family to listen to as you travel. Have your student ask in the library about how they can borrow audiobooks.

In this week’s “Irving Says” poll, students voted about whether they’d rather “be a famous, successful author who must write using a PSEUDONYM” or “be a MEDIOCRE author who gets to write using their own name.” Only 20% of students wanted to write using their own name, while the rest would write using a PSEUDONYM. I’m wondering if the words “famous,” and “successful” had anything to do with influencing student decisions.

We enjoy working with your students in the library! Please talk to your student about what they are reading. If they don’t have a book right now, encourage them to get one and read it together.

Ms. Monk & Mr. Brizek

____________________________________________________________________________________

After School Information

The After School Program runs 4 days a week unless noted. Monday through Thursday, our clubs and activities will run in two activity blocks (2:25 pm to 3:25 pm and 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm). The club schedule will vary by day and week, the most up-to-date schedule will be posted in the “After School” section in the student portal.

In order to sign up for a club, students must sign up using the Weekly Signup located in the After School Program folder located in the Schoology All Students Course and the After School section of the student portal.

Students may participate in as many clubs as they want. We encourage them to try something new as part of the After School Program! Use the following link to register your student. After School Registration Form

ALL athletic activities and clubs require athletic footwear to participate, locker rooms are not accessible during the After School Program.

Coming Soon:

Chess Academy, started Wednesday, November 6, 1st block, requires the Weekly Sign-up

Community and Leadership Workshop, started Wednesday, November 6, 1st block, requires the Weekly Sign-up

Ultimate Frisbee, started Thursday, November 7, 1st block

Super Sleuths, started Friday, November 8, during FAB Fridays, requires the Weekly Sign-up

Canceled for next week:

Future Makers and Robotics is postponed until further notice

FAB Fridays end at 3:30pm. There are no late buses on Fridays and the Weekly Sign-up is required.

View the schedule on our website, the current schedule is available on your student’s Schoology and their Student Portal.

** When picking up students from After School programs, please use the front loop - students will come out the main entrance.**

News from the PTA

Family Fun Night – Friday, November 15 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.Tonight’s the night! Bring the entire family for a fun evening at Irving! Enjoy parents vs. kids kickball and volleyball, board games, and a no-bake creative competition. Please note - all students MUST be accompanied by an adult. Register for this FREE event here: https://app.givebacks.gives/wims-pta-familyfunnight (use promo code ‘FREE’ at checkout). Pre-order 50/50 raffle tickets on the same link.

Reflections Entries Due Today, November 15Today is the last day to submit entries for this year’s Reflections program! Students are invited to participate in the theme: “Accepting Imperfection.” Submit original artwork in visual arts, photography, literature, music composition, dance choreography, or film production. Entry form and digital submission instructions can be found on the PTA website: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/reflections. If you have any questions, please contact our Reflections Chair, Megan Dross, at [email protected]. Winners will be announced in mid December.

Panera Bread Spirit Night – Monday, November 18 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.Support WIMS PTA at Panera (6230 W. Rolling Road, Springfield, VA) on November 18 from 4-8 p.m. Enter promo code FUND4U at online checkout. 25% of the proceeds will support our school!

WIMS PTA Donor DriveIn December, we’ll be rolling out some special treats for the Irving staff and opening applications for Teacher Grants. Please consider making a contribution to the PTA if you’re able—donations are tax-deductible. To donate, visit: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/donate.

If you're interested in volunteering or have any questions, please reach out to us at [email protected]. Thank you for your support!

Feel free to reach out to us to learn more about the WIMS PTA. Email: [email protected]

FCPS News Our Schools, Our Future: Register Today for a Community Conversation!

Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid will host a series of Community Conversations this fall. She invites you to share your thoughts and ask questions. Click the dates below to register for any of the following conversations:

Wednesday, October 30, at Herndon Middle School.

Events take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Childcare and language interpretation services will be provided.

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:

Veterans Day Recognitions
Resources on IEPs, Financial Aid, Literacy, Community Leadership
Teacher Hiring Event

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

Irving MS Special Edition Reminder Newsletter

GovDelivery1 week ago

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Look What is Coming up on November 15, 2024 Irving MS Outstanding Employee Nominations

We have outstanding staff members! It is now time to select our Outstanding Employees for the 2024-2025 school year. If you would like to make a nomination, please click on this link, make your selection(s) and provide a few sentences regarding what makes the employee(s) outstanding. All nominations are due by noon (12:00 pm) on Friday, November 15.

WIMS PTA Family Fun Night: Friday, November 15

Join us on Friday, November 15, for the PTA Family Fun Night.

Please note - all students MUST be accompanied by an adult.

If you would like to volunteer, please sign-up here!

To register for our family fun night, please click here (use promo code 'FREE" at checkout).

Lastly, if you would like to pre-order Chick-fil-A - the deadline is midnight tonight (Wednesday, November 13.)

Students are invited to participate in this year’s Reflections theme: “Accepting Imperfection.” All entries are due by Friday, November 15.

Students may submit original artwork in:

visual arts
photography
literature
music composition
dance choreography
film production

For more information regarding how to submit entries go to the WIMS PTA Website: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/reflections

Irving MS Weekly Newsletter

GovDelivery1 week 5 days ago

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Today Irving Middle School observed the Veterans Day holiday in Advisory class. Students listened to a read aloud of “America’s White Table” by Margot Raven. In the story, a young girl helps her mom set up a “little white table” to surprise her uncle on Veterans Day. Each piece of the table symbolizes the sacrifices made by our Veterans. Irving set up our own “America’s White Table” in our library to honor our Veterans. Students were encouraged to visit the table and think of one additional item they could add to the table to symbolize their sacrifice. Make sure to ask your student about “America’s White Table” as you honor our Veterans this weekend

Student's School Photos are now online!

School Photos are now online!

Families should have received an E-proof via email.

Please remember to check your spam.

For any questions about your student's school pictures please contact: [email protected]

The team at Victor O’Neill Studios would like to thank Washington Irving Middle School for a great picture day!

Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey

For any families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE, we will provide paper forms starting Wednesday, November 13. Paper forms should be returned by Wednesday, December 4.

For more information, please watch this video on Impact Aid and visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.

Need to Register for ParentVUE?

Learn how to activate your SIS ParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey.

Thanksgiving Baskets

Last fall, we asked our Springfield community to donate Thanksgiving baskets for families in need and we received 83 baskets! This year, the goal is 150 baskets.

Library News

Students love to visit the library during break time. They work on puzzles, complete weekly “Smarties Scrambles,” vote in our weekly “Irving Says” poll, play card games, build with Keva planks, and of course, check out books! We hope that your student is welcome and comfortable in the Irving Library!

We had a SCARY question for last week’s Halloween-ish “Irving Says” poll. Students responded whether they’d want to be a SOMNAMBULIST who lives near steep cliffs, or a NARCOLEPTIC who has constant nightmares. You may have detected a pattern that a lot of our questions don’t have clear, “good” answers! Fifty-seven percent of students said that they’d prefer to be the NARCOLEPTIC rather than the SOMNAMBULIST.

Please encourage your student to return books on time. We are trying to stamp the due date in the back of all books now. It is especially important for books in long series, such as some anime titles, to be returned in a timely manner. When some volumes are missing, other students cannot enjoy reading through the series.

We enjoy working with your students in the library!

Ms. Monk & Mr. Brizek

____________________________________________________________________________________

After School Information

ALL athletic activities and clubs require athletic footwear to participate, locker rooms are not accessible during the After School Program.

Coming Soon:

Chess Academy, started Wednesday, November 6, 1st block, requires the Weekly Sign-up

Community and Leadership Workshop, started Wednesday, November 6, 1st block, requires the Weekly Sign-up

Ultimate Frisbee, started Thursday, November 7, 1st block

Super Sleuths, started Friday, November 8, during FAB Fridays, requires the Weekly Sign-up

Canceled for next week:

Future Makers and Robotics is postponed until further notice

FAB Fridays end at 3:30pm. There are no late buses on Fridays and the Weekly Sign-up is required.

View the schedule on our website, the current schedule is available on your student’s Schoology and their Student Portal.

** When picking up students from After School programs, please use the front loop - students will come out the main entrance.**

News from the PTA

Family Fun Night on November 15 from 6-8 pm

Bring the entire family for a fun evening at Irving! Enjoy parents vs. kids kickball and volleyball, board games, and a no-bake creative competition. Refreshments will be provided. Register for this FREE event here: https://app.givebacks.gives/wims-pta-familyfunnight (use promo code ‘FREE’ at checkout). Pre-order Chick-fil-A meals and 50/50 raffle tickets on the same link. To volunteer, please sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/wimsfamilynight.

News from the PTA

PTA Meeting – Tuesday, November 12 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Please join us in the school library or virtually on Tuesday, November 12 from 6:30 to 7:30.

Zoom Link: https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/j/92918117157?pwd=UemsfGVF3I9ryavMvkSnO9i7ahFxMu.1

Meeting ID: 929 1811 7157 Passcode: 342096

Reflections Entries Due November 15

Students are invited to participate in this year’s Reflections theme: “Accepting Imperfection.” Submit original artwork in visual arts, photography, literature, music composition, dance choreography, or film production by November 15, 2024. Entry form and digital submission instructions can be found on the PTA website: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/reflections. If you have any questions please contact our Reflections Chair, Megan Dross, at [email protected].

WIMS PTA Donor Drive

In December, we’ll be rolling out some special treats for the Irving staff and opening applications for Teacher Grants. Please consider making a contribution to the PTA if you’re able—donations are tax-deductible. To donate, visit: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/donate. Thank you!

Support WIMS PTA & Local Farmers with Seasonal Roots!

Support local farmers and our school by joining Seasonal Roots, a local online farmers market! New customers get 50% off the annual membership fee (a $25 savings!), and WIMS PTA receives a $20 donation for each sign-up. To learn more and to sign up, visit www.seasonalroots.com/wims, and use code: WIMS.

Papa John's Spirit Day - Every Thursday

Every Thursday is Spirit Day at Springfield Papa John's (Rolling Road). Order online using promo code IMS4010 to get 40% off all menu prices, and Papa John’s will donate 10% of all online sales to the PTA. Offer valid every Thursday from 11 AM - 10 PM.

Feel free to reach out to us to learn more about the WIMS PTA. Email: [email protected]

FCPS News Our Schools, Our Future: Register Today for a Community Conversation!

Wednesday, October 30, at Herndon Middle School.

Events take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Childcare and language interpretation services will be provided.

FCPS News In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:

Federal Impact Aid Survey
Football Players Tackle Literacy
Tips to Keep Children Safe

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

Irving MS Outstanding Employee Nomination form is Live!

GovDelivery1 week 6 days ago

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Outstanding Employee Awards

Nominations are now open for the Outstanding Employee Awards! To submit a nomination for an Irving Middle School Outstanding Employee in one of the categories below, please complete the nomination through this Google form. You may nominate one employee at our school per category.

All that is required for a preliminary nomination is a few sentences about how the each employee you nominate demonstrates exceptional work in one more of the criteria for that award category. The Google form has more information regarding the criteria for each of these awards. The eligibility requirements are below.

Outstanding Teacher

Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category

Outstanding New Teacher: Eligibility: Has up to three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category

Outstanding Principal: Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a building principal (in any school/school district)

Outstanding Leader: Eligibility: At least one year of experience in their current position as a Schedule-C or School-Based Administrator scale employee (that is not the building principal) at their current location

Common positions in this category: Assistant and Associate Principals, Director of Student Activities, Director of Student Services

Outstanding Professional Employee: Eligibility: At least one year experience in current position as a Schedule-B employee or other non-instructional employee in a school that supports school leadership at their current location

Common positions in this category: School-Based Technology Specialist, Technology Support Specialist, Assessment Coach, Career Center Specialist, Instructional Coach, After-School Specialist, MTSS Coordinator, Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor, Safety and Security Specialist, Resource Teachers that serve in an administrative role in a school, Special Education Department Chairs that teach less than 50% of their time, Reading Specialists that do not have a regular course load/do not give grades

Outstanding Operational Employee: Eligibility: At least one year of experience in current position as Schedule-A or Classroom Instructional Support Scale employee at their current location

Common positions in this category: Administrative and Office Staff, Safety and Security Assistant, Custodial Staff, Food Service Staff, IA, PHA, PHTA, All Parent Liaisons

The deadline to submit a nomination via the Google form is Friday, November 15.

If you have any questions, please contact Hollie McLaughlin at [email protected] or Cindy Conley at [email protected].

Irving MS Weekly Newsletter

GovDelivery2 weeks 6 days ago

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Irving MS Student Services staff participate in the Staff Halloween Costume Contest as the emotions from Inside Out 2! Students vote on the best staff costume.

A Message from the Principal

Greetings, Irving Families!

Today, we wrapped up the first quarter and I am thrilled with how well our students have done the first few weeks of school. A reminder that students will be out of school Monday, November 4 and Tuesday, November 5, for teacher workdays. This also means that from Monday, Oct. 28 at 4:00 p.m. until Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 6:00 a.m., the grade book and report card modules in ParentVue will not be available while teachers enter the end of quarter grades.

This week we celebrated Red Ribbon Week - we started each day with a message about the importance of saying “no” to drugs, alcohol, and vaping. While we lifted this message up each day this week, it is a message that we will continue to remind students of throughout the year. We encourage all families to openly talk about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. FCPS has a number of resources available to help with these conversations including the “Talk. They Hear You.” resources.

Coming up in the second quarter, we will be asking students to reflect on their first quarter and think about how they grew as learners. Students will share their reflections in a Portrait of a Graduate Presentation of Learning (POG POL) during their first period advisory. This is an opportunity to make connections to the skills they have learned and share evidence of their growth. If you would like more information regarding Portrait of a Graduate, please click here.

We hope you have a wonderful and safe weekend. We look forward to seeing students back at school on Wednesday, November 6 at 7:30 am.

Take Care!

Cindy Conley

Vision and Hearing Screening

Vision and Hearing Screening will be held on November 7th and 8th. If anyone is available and able to help out please contact Hollie McLaughlin at [email protected]

Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey

For any families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE, we will provide paper forms starting Wednesday, November 13. Paper forms should be returned by Wednesday, December 4.

For more information, please watch this video on Impact Aid and visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.

Need to Register for ParentVUE?

Learn how to activate your SIS ParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey.

Thanksgiving Baskets

Last fall, we asked our Springfield community to donate Thanksgiving baskets for families in need and we received 83 baskets! This year, the goal is 150 baskets.

Veterans Day Observance

Irving Middle School would like to celebrate Veterans Day by decorating our halls with posters of veterans who are close relatives to our students. We ask that families in our Irving community create posters of a veteran they want to honor and recognize the sacrifices they have made for our country. We ask that you turn in these posters to our student services office by November 1st so that we have time to hang them up before Veterans Day. Please use this template to share information. If you need a printed copy, please stop by Student Services.t this placeholder text.

Library News

We enjoy working with your students in the library!

Ms. Monk & Mr. Brizek

____________________________________________________________________________________

After School Information

ALL athletic activities and clubs require athletic footwear to participate, locker rooms are not accessible during the After School Program.

Coming Soon:

Chess Academy, will start Wednesday, November 6, 1st block, requires the Weekly Sign-up

Community and Leadership Workshop, will start Wednesday, November 6, 1st block, requires the Weekly Sign-up

Ultimate Frisbee, will start Thursday, November 7, 1st block

Super Sleuths, will start Friday, November 8, during FAB Fridays, requires the Weekly Sign-up

Canceled for next week:

N/A

No After School or late buses on Thursday, October 31, 2-hour early release

FAB Fridays end at 3:30pm. There are no late buses on Fridays and the Weekly Sign-up is required.

View the schedule on our website, the current schedule is available on your student’s Schoology and their Student Portal.

** When picking up students from After School programs, please use the front loop - students will come out the main entrance.**

News from the PTA

Family Fun Night on November 15 from 6-8 pm

Bring the whole family to Irving for an exciting, fun-filled evening! Join us for a free night of activities including kids vs. parents kickball and volleyball, board games, and a no-bake creative competition!

Register for this FREE event: https://app.givebacks.gives/wims-pta-familyfunnight. Enter promo code ‘FREE’ at checkout to secure your spot. You can also pre-order Chick-fil-A meals and purchase 50/50 Raffle Tickets through the link above. We can’t wait to see you there!

News from the PTA

PTA Meeting on November 12 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm

Our next PTA Meeting is Tuesday, November 12 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Please join us in the school library or virtually. Not a member yet? Signing up is easy—just copy and paste this URL into your browser: https://irvingms.memberhub.com/store/ Membership fees are $10 per parent/guardian, $9 for additional family members and $5 for staff/faculty.

Family Fun Night on November 15 from 6-8 pm

Reflections Entries Due November 15

Students are invited to participate in this year’s Reflections theme: “Accepting Imperfection.” Submit original artwork in visual arts, photography, literature, music composition, dance choreography, or film production by November 15, 2024. Entry form and digital submission instructions can be found on the PTA website: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/reflections. If you have any questions please contact our Reflections Chair, Megan Dross, at [email protected].

WIMS PTA Donor Drive

Want to support our school without the hassle of selling, baking or volunteering? It’s simple—just click, donate, and you’re done! Donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of your contribution directly benefits Washington Irving Middle School. Funds will support student and family events, staff appreciation, teacher grants, a new water bottle filling station & much more. To learn more and donate, visit: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/donate. Thank you!

Support WIMS PTA & Local Farmers with Seasonal Roots!

Papa John's Spirit Day - Every Thursday

Feel free to reach out to us to learn more about the WIMS PTA. Email: [email protected]

FCPS News Our Schools, Our Future: Register Today for a Community Conversation!

Wednesday, October 30, at Herndon Middle School.

Events take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Childcare and language interpretation services will be provided.

FCPS News In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:

Federal Impact Aid Survey
Football Players Tackle Literacy
Tips to Keep Children Safe

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

Irving MS Newsletter - Special Sunday Reminder Edition

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October 31

Students may wear school appropriate costumes - no masks, or dripping makeup

2-hour Early Dismissal - students will dismiss at 12:15 pm

November 1

Veterans Day Recognition Posters Due to Irving

November 9

Food for Neighbors Red Bag Collection

November 12

PTA General Membership Meeting 6:30 pm

November 15

WIMS PTA Family Fun Night - 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Veterans Day Observance

WIMS Fall Celebration - October 30 - 2:30-3:30

$5 tickets are on sale via MySchoolBucks.com and will close on October 29. To properly prepare for the event - NO tickets will be sold on October 30 - no exceptions.
- Ticket includes pizza and a drink
Students will be able to dance in the 8th grade gym, watch Hocus Pocus in Barker Hall, or participate in trivia in the cafeteria
Students may walk home/be picked up at 3:30 or students may ride the late bus at 4:45 pm.

After School Registration required

Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey

For any families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE, we will provide paper forms starting Wednesday, November 13. Paper forms should be returned by Wednesday, December 4.

For more information, please watch this video on Impact Aid and visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.

Need to Register for ParentVUE?

Learn how to activate your SIS ParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey.

Irving MS Weekly Newsletter

GovDelivery3 weeks 5 days ago

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Students in Ms. Baez’s 1st period Enrichment Class are working to ensure all of our students and staff are aware of the religious and cultural observances, monthly recognitions, and providing opportunities for students and staff to share information about their cultures. The picture above is our newest student created display to remind us to look beyond a disability.

A Message from the Principal

Greetings Irving Families!

We are just one week from the end of the first quarter! I want to make sure that you are aware of the extended break students have coming up…

Thursday, October 31 (last day of the 1st quarter) is a 2-hour early dismissal. Students will dismiss at 12:15 pm.

Please note on this day, we do allow students to wear school appropriate costumes but ask that students leave masks and any type of dripping makeup at home.

Friday, November 1, is Diwali and a FCPS holiday; all schools and offices will be closed.
Monday, November 4 and Tuesday, November 5, are teacher workdays and student holidays.
Students will return to school on Wednesday, November 6.

I also want to make sure to highlight our upcoming Fall Festival on Wednesday, October 30. This is the first time we are offering an activity like this for our students. Tickets are on sale now through October 29. So we can ensure we order enough food and drinks, we are not able to sell any tickets on the day of the event. If your child would like to attend, please be sure to purchase a ticket through MySchoolBucks.com today!

Tomorrow is the first FCPS Middle School Championship Cross Country Race at Liberty Middle School. We have 20 students who will be racing to represent Irving Middle School. We are so proud of all of our student athletes and wish the finalists all the best tomorrow!

Lastly, please make sure you return your Federal Impact Aid Survey via SIS ParentVUE. For more information regarding the survey, please see below. We would like to get 100% of our families to return this important survey.

Take Care

Cindy Conley

Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey

For any families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE, we will provide paper forms starting Wednesday, November 13. Paper forms should be returned by Wednesday, December 4.

For more information, please watch this video on Impact Aid and visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.

Need to Register for ParentVUE?

Learn how to activate your SIS ParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey.

Thanksgiving Baskets

Last fall, we asked our Springfield community to donate Thanksgiving baskets for families in need and we received 83 baskets! This year, the goal is 150 baskets.

Veterans Day Observance

Library News

The quarter is nearing its end. As such, 7th grade students are finishing up with their first-quarter fiction books soon and returning them to the library. Students may always check to see what they have on loan and when the items are due by logging into the library’s Destiny catalog.

Students will have an extended break from school coming at the end of next week. We’ll be encouraging students to make sure that they have some reading material to tide them over for those days. Maybe you can make plans to read or listen to a book together during that time!

Each week our students are weighing in on important issues in our library “Irving Says” polls. This week’s question asked students:

“Would you rather your doctor be a CHARLATAN or be a PREVARICATOR?”

I am the first to admit that there is no good choice here. After students look up the words in the nearby dictionaries, we have enjoyed hearing the reasoning behind their choices. Perhaps because the week’s question had no good answer, our results were quite close. A slight majority of 52% of our students responded that they’d rather have a CHARLATAN acting in the role of their doctor rather than having a doctor who is a PREVARICATOR.

As promised, we will follow up to reinforce the words we’ve used throughout the quarter and invite students during break time to play a Kahoot to see how well they remember the ‘big words' they've learned. That event is scheduled to happen during all break sessions on Friday, October 25th.

We enjoy working with your students in the library!

Ms. Monk & Mr. Brizek

____________________________________________________________________________________

After School Information

ALL athletic activities and clubs require athletic footwear to participate, locker rooms are not accessible during the After School Program.

Coming Soon:

Chess Academy, will start Wednesday, November 6, 1st block, requires the Weekly Sign-up

Community and Leadership Workshop, will start Wednesday, November 6, 1st block, requires the Weekly Sign-up

Ultimate Frisbee, will start Thursday, November 7, 1st block

Super Sleuths, will start Friday, November 8, during FAB Fridays, requires the Weekly Sign-up

Canceled for next week:

N/A

No After School or late buses on Thursday, October 31, 2-hour early release

FAB Fridays end at 3:30pm. There are no late buses on Fridays and the Weekly Sign-up is required.

View the schedule on our website, the current schedule is available on your student’s Schoology and their Student Portal.

** When picking up students from After School programs, please use the front loop - students will come out the main entrance.**

News from the PTA

Grade divisions:

Middle (Grades 6–8)

Accessible Arts (all grades)

More details, including a Dropbox link for submissions, are coming soon. Check out the PTA website for more information https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/reflections. Don’t forget to share your creativity using #PTAReflections!

Spirit Wear:

Spirit Wear orders have arrived and will be distributed to the students by the end of next week. Thank you for your patience and for supporting our school with your Spirit Wear purchases!

PTA General Membership Meeting:

The next PTA General Membership Meeting is on Tuesday, November 12 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. This will be a hybrid meeting (in person and via Zoom). Details to follow closer to the meeting.

Family Fun Night: – November 15, 6-8 p.m.

We hope to see you at our first Family Night that will be held on Friday, November 15 from 6-8 pm at Irving! Register here for a fun, family-friendly event that everyone can enjoy: https://app.givebacks.gives/wims-pta-familyfunnight

Support WIMS PTA & Local Farmers with Seasonal Roots!

Calling All Local Businesses!

The Washington Irving Middle School PTA would love to partner with you! Your business can make a lasting impact while gaining visibility within our community! Your tax-deductible donation will play a vital role in the educational and social experiences of students, staff and families at Irving. We have a variety of sponsorship levels. Interested in learning more? Contact us at irvingmspta@gmail.com.

WIMS PTA Donor Drive

Want to support our school without the hassle of selling, baking or volunteering? It’s simple—just click, donate, and you’re done! Thanks to our generous donors, we have raised 21% of our $10,000 fundraising goal.

Donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of your contribution directly benefits Washington Irving Middle School. Funds will support student and family events, staff appreciation, the 8th grade dance, a new water bottle filling station & much more. To learn more and donate, visit: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/donate.

Thank You! We appreciate your support! If you have any ideas or questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the PTA Board. We’re here to help. Email us at: irvingmspta@gmail.com.

FCPS News Our Schools, Our Future: Register Today for a Community Conversation!

Wednesday, October 30, at Herndon Middle School.

Events take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Childcare and language interpretation services will be provided.

FCPS News In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:

Federal Impact Aid Survey
Football Players Tackle Literacy
Tips to Keep Children Safe

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

Irving MS Special Reminder Newsletter

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Special Reminder Edition

So much is coming up this week and next, we are sending a special reminder edition! Please be sure to read all the way to the end.

WIMS Fall Celebration - Wednesday, October 30 from 2:30-3:30 - Tickets on Sale

Tickets are on sale NOW for $5 tickets via MySchoolBucks.com and will close on October 29.
- To properly prepare for the event - NO tickets will be sold on October 30 - no exceptions.
- $5 pays for pizza/drink
Students may be picked up or walk home (if they normally walk to/from school) at 3:30 or they may ride the 4:45 late buses
Students will have 3 activities to choose from at the Irving Fall Festival
- Trivia - cafeteria (stage side)
  - Pizza will be served in the cafeteria (window side)
- Dance - 8th grade gym
- Hocus Pocus movie (rated PG) - Barker Hall
  - Pizza will be served in Barker Hall
- Ticket cost includes includes pizza and a drink

Picture Days

Date: Thursday, October 24 & Friday, October 25

Pictures Available: Approximately two weeks after photo day

Pre-order Online by clicking here

Questions about Ordering? Email us at [email protected]

To help make sure our picture days run smoothly, we need 2-3 volunteers each day. If you are interested in volunteering time on picture day (anytime between 7:30-2:00) either day, please email our outstanding administrative assistant, Ms. Hollie McLaughlin at [email protected].

Red Ribbon Week

In 1988, National Family Partnership (NFP) sponsored the first National Red Ribbon Celebration. Today, the Red Ribbon serves as a catalyst to mobilize communities to educate youth and encourage participation in drug prevention activities. Since that time, the campaign has reached millions of U.S. children and families. The National Family Partnership (NFP) and its network of individuals and organizations continue to deliver his message of hope to millions of people every year, through the National Red Ribbon Campaign®.

Students will be encouraged to dress up for a Red Ribbon Theme Week Monday, October 28- Thursday, October 31. On October 31, students are permitted to wear school appropriate costumes. Students who dress up will be able to participate in the student parade of costumes each week.

Please no masks or dripping makeup. If you have any questions regarding a costume, please do not hesitate to call the school.

Stay tuned for each day's theme for the spirit week.

Irving MS Weekly Newsletter

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Yearbooks are on sale now for $24! Be sure to go to yearbookforever.com to order your yearbook today.

Students participated team building activities today in our first Team Activity Day.

A Message from the Principal

Greetings Irving Families!

It is hard to believe that we are just a couple of weeks away from the end of the 1st Quarter! We are wrapping up the regular season of cross country tomorrow at Poe Middle School and we are finishing up our first rotation of Enrichment activities. Today, we celebrated being a part of a community by having students participate in Team Day Activities. Students were able to meet their full team and collaborate in fun games and activities. We are excited to continue team building throughout the school year in a variety of team challenges and activities.

On Fridays, we have seen an increase in the number of students walking over to the Plaza (Trader Joe's Shopping Center). Recently, we have received concerns from local businesses regarding negative behaviors at the Plaza. If you choose to give your child permission to walk to the Plaza after school, please remind them that everyone in our community needs to be able to enjoy the restaurants and businesses in our area. I know our students are capable of behaving in a manner that is respectful and provides opportunities for others to enjoy shared spaces.

We will continue to speak with students about appropriate behavior and representing themselves in a positive manner both in school and out in our community in our announcements and lessons. We will also remind students that our ROCK expectations - being Respectful, Owning their behavior, Communicating when they see something or need something, and being Kind - are important traits both in and out of school. I look forward to partnering with our students, community leaders, and parents/guardians to find ways for our students to enjoy the Plaza in a safe and appropriate manner.

Take Care

Cindy Conley

Applications Open October 21, for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology

Middle school students who have an aptitude and passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) are encouraged to apply for admission to the Class of 2029 at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST).

The application will be available on the TJHSST Admissions Office webpage starting Monday, October 21, at 4 p.m. Applications must be started by 4 p.m. Wednesday, November 13, with a deadline to submit the application by Friday, November 15, at 4 p.m. Visit the TJHSST registration page for more information.

Food for Neighbors

We had a great turn out for volunteers and donations for our Red Bag Collection on September 14!

Food for Neighbors is an organization committed to helping local teens struggling with hunger. The food donated goes straight to students and families in Springfield and neighboring communities. With your support, we can reach even more students in need. Participation is as simple as filling a Food For Neighbors Red Bag once every other month and putting it on your porch on our pick up days. We provide the bags, a desired food list, and pick-up date reminder texts. Our next collection day is November 9th. If you would like to donate food, please register as a Red Bag Donor here. If you would like to volunteer as a driver to pick up food or to help sort the food once it is delivered to Irving on our collection days, please sign up here.

If your student needs extra food for the weekend (soup/pasta, crackers, granola bars, oatmeal, fruit snack or milk/juice), please email Meg Gollinger at [email protected].

Veterans Day Observance

Library News

Books and students are always coming and going here in the library! 7th grade students should be finishing up with their first-quarter fiction books soon and returning them to the library. Students may always check to see what they have on loan and when the items are due by logging into the library’s Destiny catalog.

Each week our students are weighing in on important issues in our library “Irving Says” polls. This week’s question asked students:

“Would you rather be a POLYGLOT or be fully AMBIDEXTROUS?”

Seventy-one percent of our students responded that they’d rather be able to speak many languages than to be fully ambidextrous. However, the baseball pitchers and volleyball “setter” position players among the student body usually couldn’t pass up the dream of not having a weak side and cast their vote for the latter option

After weeks of posting these questions, a student asked me this week, “Why do all of your questions have big words that I don’t know?” With a big smile I replied, “That’s the point! So that you can learn new words.” As stated before, old-fashioned, hard-back dictionaries are close by so that students can define any new words that help them make their decision. We plan to follow up to reinforce the words we’ve used throughout the quarter and invite students during break time to play a Kahoot to see how well they remember the ‘big words” they’ve learned.

We enjoy working with your students in the library!

Ms. Monk & Mr. Brizek

____________________________________________________________________________________

After School Information

ALL athletic activities and clubs require athletic footwear to participate, locker rooms are not accessible during the After School Program.

Coming Soon:

Lego Masters, will start Monday, October 21, both blocks

Mallet Madness Mondays, will start Monday, October 21, for band-percussion students, during the 1st block

Future Makers (formerly known as Makerspace) interest meeting Wednesday, October 23, during the 1st block

Chess Academy, will start Wednesday, November 6, 1st block

Community and Leadership Workshop, will start Wednesday, November 6, 1st block

Super Sleuths, will start Friday, November 8, during FAB Fridays

Canceled for next week:

History Club

No After School or late buses on Thursday, October 31, 2-hour early release

FAB Fridays ends at 3:30pm. There are no late buses on Fridays and the Weekly Sign-up is required.

View the schedule on our website, the current schedule is available on your student’s Schoology and their Student Portal.

** When picking up students from After School programs, please use the front loop - students will come out the main entrance.**

News from the PTA

Reflections Nationwide Arts Contest Reflections is a nationwide PTA arts contest that encourages students to explore and express themselves creatively. This year’s theme is “Accepting Imperfection.” Students can submit original work in visual arts, photography, literature, music composition, dance choreography, or film production by November 15, 2024. For more information, contact our Reflections Chair, Megan Dross, at [email protected] or visit: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/reflections.

Parent Education Sessions Thank you to our amazing school counselors, Ms. Kiefaber and Ms. Nelson, The FCPS Family Resource Center, and everyone who joined us for last night's Parent Education Session! We hope you found it informative and helpful. If you have suggestions for future sessions, please email us at: [email protected].

Direct Donation Campaign - Help Fund the Fun at Irving! Our direct donor fundraising campaign is in full swing! Please consider donating to help fund our student and family events, staff appreciation activities, a new water bottle refill station and much more. Donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of your contribution directly benefits Washington Irving Middle School. To learn more and donate, visit: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/donate. Thank you to everyone who has already contributed!

Spirit Wear Update Spirit Wear orders will be delivered to students at school the week of October 21. Thank you for supporting the PTA and our school with your Spirit Wear orders! We'll have another opportunity to order Spirit Wear in the spring.

Taco Bamba Springfield Spirit Day – All Day on Tuesday, October 22 Mention the unique code "IRVING" or “Washington Irving Middle School” when ordering in-store to ensure credit for our school. When ordering online, enter the code "IRVING" in the coupon code area at checkout. 20% of sales will be donated to the PTA.

Papa John’s Spirit Days – Every Thursday Enjoy 40% off all menu prices at Springfield Papa John’s (Rolling Road) every Thursday from 11 AM to 10 PM! Use promo code IMS4010 when you order online, and 10% of sales will be donated to the PTA.

Save the Date! November 12 - PTA General Membership Meeting at 6:30 p.m. (In-person & on Zoom) November 15 - Family Fun Night from 6-8 p.m.

PTA Membership It’s not too late to become a PTA member! Dues are $10 per parent/guardian, $9 for additional family members, and $5 for staff/faculty. Signing up is easy—simply copy and paste this link into your browser: https://irvingms.memberhub.com/store/

For questions, contact us at irvingmspta@gmail.com.

FCPS News Our Schools, Our Future: Register Today for a Community Conversation!

Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid is hosting a series of Community Conversations this fall. She invites you to share your thoughts and ask questions. Click on a date below to register:

Events take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Childcare and language interpretation services will be provided.

Weekly News Your Choose

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Upcoming Important Dates Picture Day is Coming!

School Picture Day is Coming:

📅 Date: Thursday October 24th & Friday October 25th 2024

🛒 Pre-order Online: https://vando.imagequix.com/g1001164738#login

📸 Images Available: Approximately two-three weeks after picture day

📧 Questions about Ordering? Email us at [email protected]

To help make sure our picture days run smoothly, we need 2-3 volunteers each day. If you are interest either day, please email our outstanding administrative assistant, Ms. Hollie McLaughlin at [email protected]

Yearbook Sales: A Message from the Principal

Greetings, Irving Families!

It has been a week full of experiential learning! Our 7th grade students participated in the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) at South Run Park. The students explored 6 stations throughout their trip. Some of the things they participated in included looking at the human impact on the watershed, invasive species, and testing the water. It is a great experience for our students and I want to thank the Science 7 department and all of the teacher and parent/guardian chaperones who made this field trip possible. Pictured above are 10 Backyard Invasive Species that are in the Fairfax area. Talk to your child about what to do if you have these plants growing in your backyard. Eighth grade students who attended Irving last year also participated in the MWEE trip and can also help identify those invasive species.

We are just about finished with our first rotation of Enrichment Fridays. Students have been able to learn how to knit, work on STEM projects, learn about and play a variety of games and sports, work on service learning projects, and so much more. Our second rotation will begin in November and run through the entire 2nd quarter. These opportunities are important because they expose students to hobbies, ways to give back to the community, and activities that they can enjoy beyond middle school. Be sure to ask what enrichment activity your child signs up for next week.

Lastly, next week kicks off our first of two spirit weeks this month. First up is our Digital Citizenship Week. Each day next week, we encourage students to dress up to represent good digital citizenship skills. See the image above with the description of what to wear each day. We look forward to our students and staff participating in dressing up and learning about digital citizenship.

Take Care!

Cindy Conley

Irving’s Math Support Center is OPEN!

What: If your student needs extra support in math, they should come to the Math Support Center after school. Students can get support from math teachers on homework, classwork, studying and more!

Where: Library

When: After School during first block (2:25 – 3:25 PM)

Varsity Tutors Provides On-Demand Support at No Cost:

FCPS is partnering with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra resources for learning. Every student can take advantage of Varsity Tutors’ services at no cost, including weekly live online classes, on-demand 24/7 chat tutoring, essay editing, and study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests. Learn more about online tutoring with Varsity Tutors.

_______________________________________________________________

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology

Interested Irving students and families, we hope that you were able to join us last week for our TJHSST information session brought to you by a Thomas Jefferson Representative. Please see here the link to the presentation that was reviewed: https://irvingms.fcps.edu/tjhsst-freshman-presentation.

If you missed our meeting you can find the TJ Admissions Video for 2024 as well as the remaining county wide presentation schedule available to the public on their website, www.fcps.edu/tjadmissions. We strongly encourage you to view their YouTube admissions video prior to attending any meeting or applying.

***Reminder: the TJ application will become available on Monday, October 21 at 4:00 pm via the TJ website.

What is TJHSST?

A FCPS regional Governor’s high school (9-12th grades) for students interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).

Eligibility to Apply (8th grade):

(1) Residency requirement-FCPS is included

(2) Completed a full-year course of Algebra 1, OR be currently enrolled in a full-year course of HONORS-level Algebra 1 or higher math

(3) Be enrolled in HONORS science

(4) Be enrolled in HONORS social studies OR English OR be identified as a “Young Scholar”

(5) Have a 3.5 or higher GPA in all core academic courses (Math, Science, Social studies, English, and if taken for high school credit, World Language) at the time of application.

TJHSST Admissions: Contact Information

Admissions Office (general inquiries): Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Phone:571-423-3770 Email: [email protected] Website:www.fcps.edu/tjadmissions

Food for Neighbors

We had a great turn out for volunteers and donations for our Red Bag Collection on September 14!

If your student needs extra food for the weekend (soup/pasta, crackers, granola bars, oatmeal, fruit snack or milk/juice), please email Meg Gollinger at [email protected].

Veterans Day Observance

Library News:

We are happy to report that library books are circulating well at Irving Middle School. Ask your student what they are reading right now. It’s a wonderful pastime to read a chapter aloud with your student, while alternating pages.

Each week our students are weighing in on important issues in our library “Irving Says” polls. This week’s question asked students:

“Would you rather travel only by a ZEPPELIN that can land anywhere, or travel everywhere in a self-driven Tesla with IMPRECISE GPS readings?”

We experienced our most lop-sided results ever with the voting this week. 85% of students opted to travel by zeppelin. Either the kids didn’t know what a “zeppelin” is, and familiarity with the old band “Led Zeppelin” influenced their choice, or they are smart enough to be wary of any vehicle that has faulty GPS! A few actually used the nearby dictionary to look up the meaning of “zeppelin” and decided that traveling in that manner would be pretty cool. It is fun to see the students’ responses when they encounter unfamiliar words in the weekly questions. As you might expect, we keep a dictionary close by so that students can define any new words that help them make their decision.

We enjoy working with your students in the library!

Ms. Monk & Mr. Brizek

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Information 2024-2025 PTA Reflections: “Accepting Imperfection”

Grade divisions:

Primary (Pre-K–Grade 2)

Intermediate (Grades 3–5)

Middle (Grades 6–8)

Accessible Arts (all grades)

After School Information

ALL athletic activities and clubs require athletic footwear to participate, locker rooms are not accessible during the After School Program.

Coming Soon:

Future Makers (formerly known as Makerspace) interest meeting Wednesday, October 16, during the 1st block

Fab Fridays, will start Friday, October 18

Lego Masters, will start Monday, October 21

Canceled for next week:

N/A

No After School or late buses, Monday, October 14

FAB Fridays will start Friday, October 18, the program will end at 3:30pm. There are no late buses on Fridays and the Weekly Sign-up is required.

View the schedule on our website, the current schedule is available on your student’s Schoology and their Student Portal.

** When picking up students from After School programs, please use the front loop - students will come out the main entrance.**

PTA News

Save the Date! November 12 - PTA General Membership Meeting at 6:30 p.m. (In-person & on Zoom) November 15 - Family Fun Night from 6-8 p.m.

Social Studies Basal Resources Review

FCPS is adopting Social Studies Basal Resources for the 2025-26 school year. Basal resources are the primary resources used to support instruction in a given subject. Public review of the instructional materials under consideration — which is part of the process for selecting new resources — is underway. Visit the Community Review webpage for more information on how to view the materials online or in person.

All community feedback will be shared with School Board members before they vote to select materials in spring 2025. FCPS adopts basal resources by the process outlined in Regulation 3004.

Important FCPS Information Our Schools, Our Future: Register Today for a Community Conversation!

Events take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Childcare and language interpretation services will be provided.

FCPS NEWS

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:

FCPS Strives to Become Purple Star School Division
Sign and Return SR&R
Upcoming Immunization Clinics

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

A Message from Irving MS

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Parent Education Session Understanding Your Middle Schooler!

(Tomorrow) Thursday, October 10: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Irving Library

Please join our school counselors and a representative from the Family Resource Center in the school library for an informative session designed to help parents navigate the unique challenges and needs of middle schoolers.

We will explore effective strategies for supporting our children during these critical developmental years through a presentation, resource sharing, and a Q&A session.

Let’s collaborate to ensure our kids thrive during this pivotal time. We hope to see you tomorrow!

Weekly News Your Choose

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Upcoming Important Dates A Message from the Principal

Greetings, Irving Families!

We are excited to share the details of our Picture Days coming up in just a few weeks. Our picture days will be on October 24 & 25 during PE classes. Our picture vendor this year will be Victor O’Neill. To help make sure our picture days run smoothly, we need 2-3 volunteers each day. If you are interested in volunteering time on picture day (anytime between 7:30-2:00) either day, please email our outstanding administrative assistant, Ms. Hollie McLaughlin at [email protected]. As a thank you, volunteers will receive a $25 discount code via email after Picture Day.

In this newsletter, we are also kicking off our Yearbook sales for the year. Our yearbook vendor continues to be Walsworth. Yearbooks will be on sale until mid-April. If you would like to order your child a yearbook, please scan the QR code above or click on this link: yearbookforever.com. Our students in the after school club have already started to capture the year and we look forward to sharing their hard work in June.

Lastly, I want to congratulate the Cross Country team who won 3 out of 4 races last Saturday at Key Middle School. The team will travel to Herndon to compete at Rachel Carson Middle School in the third meet of the season. The team will have a week off before finishing the regular season at Poe Middle School on Saturday, October 19.

Take Care!

Cindy Conley

Picture Day is Coming!

School Picture Day is Coming:

📅 Date: Thursday October 24th & Friday October 25th 2024

🛒 Pre-order Online: https://vando.imagequix.com/g1001164738#login

📸 Images Available: Approximately two-three weeks after picture day

📧 Questions about Ordering? Email us at [email protected]

Yearbook Sales

Irving’s Math Support Center is OPEN!

What: If your student needs extra support in math, they should come to the Math Support Center after school. Students can get support from math teachers on homework, classwork, studying and more!

Where: Library

When: After School during first block (2:25 – 3:25 PM)

Varsity Tutors Provides On-Demand Support at No Cost:

_______________________________________________________________

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology

***Reminder: the TJ application will become available on Monday, October 21 at 4:00 pm via the TJ website.

What is TJHSST?

A FCPS regional Governor’s high school (9-12th grades) for students interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).

Eligibility to Apply (8th grade):

(1) Residency requirement-FCPS is included

(2) Completed a full-year course of Algebra 1, OR be currently enrolled in a full-year course of HONORS-level Algebra 1 or higher math

(3) Be enrolled in HONORS science

(4) Be enrolled in HONORS social studies OR English OR be identified as a “Young Scholar”

(5) Have a 3.5 or higher GPA in all core academic courses (Math, Science, Social studies, English, and if taken for high school credit, World Language) at the time of application.

TJHSST Admissions: Contact Information

Admissions Office (general inquiries): Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Phone:571-423-3770 Email: [email protected] Website:www.fcps.edu/tjadmissions

Food for Neighbors

We had a great turn out for volunteers and donations for our Red Bag Collection on September 14!

If your student needs extra food for the weekend (soup/pasta, crackers, granola bars, oatmeal, fruit snack or milk/juice), please email Meg Gollinger at [email protected].

Veterans Day Observance

Library News:

We are happy to report that library books are circulating well at Irving Middle School. In addition to students having books borrowed for 7th grade English projects, we have a good number of students who are borrowing and reading for their own enjoyment. Ask your student what they are reading right now!

Each week our students are weighing in on important issues in our library “Irving Says” polls. Even though students only attended three days this week, we were able to get their opinion on the following: “Would you rather dress in MONOCHROME outfits for one year, or wear EQUESTRIAN gear to school for one week?” A strong majority of 72% of students said that they’d rather wear single-colored outfits for a year rather than to show up for one week dressed like an equestrian athlete or cowboy. It is fun to see the students’ responses when they encounter unfamiliar words in the weekly questions. As you might expect, we keep a dictionary close by so that students can define any new words that help them make their decision.

We enjoy working with your students in the library!

Ms. Monk & Mr. Brizek

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Information After School Information

ALL athletic activities and clubs require athletic footwear to participate, locker rooms are not accessible during the After School Program.

Coming Soon:

WITS (Washington Irving Theater Society) will start Tuesday, October 1, 1st block

Arcade will start Monday, October 7, 1st block

Humanity Club will start Monday, October 7, 1st block

Orchestra Sidekicks will start Monday, October 7, 2nd block

Minecraft Club will start Thursday, October 10, 1st block

Canceled for next week:

Core Conditioning for Athletes

Robotics

No After School or late buses, Wednesday, October 9

FAB Fridays will start Friday, October 18, the program will end at 3:30pm. There are no late buses on Fridays.

View the schedule on our website, the current schedule is available on your student’s Schoology and their Student Portal.

** When picking up students from After School programs, please use the front loop - students will come out the main entrance.**

PTA News

Parent Education Session - October 10, 6-7pm - Understanding Your Middle Schooler!

Join our school counselors and a representative from the Family Resource Center in the school library for an informative session designed to help parents navigate the unique challenges and needs of middle schoolers. We will explore effective strategies for supporting our children during these critical developmental years through a presentation, resource sharing, and a Q&A session. Let’s collaborate to ensure our kids thrive during this pivotal time. See you there!

Membership Update
Thank you to our new and returning members! We are only 33 away from reaching our 250-member goal! It’s not too late to join us. Membership dues are $10 per parent/guardian, $9 for additional family members, and $5 for staff/faculty. Signing up is easy—simply copy and paste this link into your browser: https://irvingms.memberhub.com/store/

Reflections Nationwide Arts Contest
Reflections is a nationwide PTA arts contest that encourages students to explore and express themselves creatively. This year’s theme is “Accepting Imperfection.” Students can submit original work in visual arts, photography, literature, music composition, dance choreography, or film production by November 15, 2024. For more information, visit: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/reflections.

Direct Donations
Our direct donor fundraising campaign is in full swing! Please consider donating to help fund our PTA programs, family events, staff appreciation, and more. Donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of your contribution directly benefits Washington Irving Middle School. To learn more and donate, visit: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/donate. Thanks to everyone that has already contributed.

Save The Date!
November 12 - PTA General Membership Meeting at 6:30 p.m.
November 15 - Family Fun Night from 6-8 p.m.

Papa John’s Spirit Days – Every Thursday
Enjoy 40% off all menu prices at Springfield Papa John’s (Rolling Road) every Thursday from 11 AM to 10 PM! Use promo code IMS4010 when you order online. 10% of sales will be donated to the PTA.

For questions, contact us at irvingmspta@gmail.com.

Social Studies Basal Resources Review

All community feedback will be shared with School Board members before they vote to select materials in spring 2025. FCPS adopts basal resources by the process outlined in Regulation 3004.

Important FCPS Information Our Schools, Our Future: Register Today for a Community Conversation!

Events take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Childcare and language interpretation services will be provided.

FCPS NEWS

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:

FCPS Strives to Become Purple Star School Division
Sign and Return SR&R
Upcoming Immunization Clinics

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

Weekly News Your Choose

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Upcoming Important Dates

8th grade parents/guardians, please be sure to ask your child about their Finance Park experience this week!

A Message from the Principal

Greetings, Irving Families!

This week our 8th grade students got a glimpse of what being an adult is like at Finance Park. They walked through planning and budgeting for all the things adults must consider, like whether to rent or buy a home, planning for childcare, whether to use public transportation or buy a car and what goes into the upkeep of having a car. It became clear to students quickly that they were not going to be vacationing and eating out a lot once they saw the realities of a budget and the unexpected costs that pop up. I encourage our 8th grade parents/guardians to have a conversation with their child about their experience at Finance Park. I am sure they will have a new appreciation for all you do for them!

Congratulations to our Cross Country team on a successful first meet. Irving placed 1st in the women’s races and the men earned 2nd place! We are so proud of how our students performed in the races. Not only did our students run well, but they were also excellent representatives of Irving Middle School as they cheered on their teammates and encouraged students on other teams to keep going! We wish them all the best this Saturday at Key Middle School for the second meet of the season.

Lastly, please note the addition of our Picture Days on the calendar - October 24 and 25. This year Victor O’Neill will be our vendor for school pictures. You will be receiving information soon about ordering pictures. Pictures will be taken during students’ PE class. The makeup day for school pictures is scheduled for Tuesday, December 3.

Take Care!

Cindy Conley

Irving’s Math Support Center is OPEN!

What: If your student needs extra support in math, they should come to the Math Support Center after school. Students can get support from math teachers on homework, classwork, studying and more!

Where: Library

When: After School during first block (2:25 – 3:25 PM)

Food for Neighbors

We had a great turn out for volunteers and donations for our Red Bag Collection on September 14!

If your student needs extra food for the weekend (soup/pasta, crackers, granola bars, oatmeal, fruit snack or milk/juice), please email Meg Gollinger at [email protected].

Veterans Day Observance

Library News:

Two reading-related clubs started this week! During the first block on Tuesdays, students may attend the after-school book club, led by Ms. Monk, called “Readers Unite.” On Wednesdays during the first block, Mr. Brizek will lead our school’s “Battle of the Books” program. Students who need more information about either of these opportunities can ask the librarians, or just show up on the first day and find out what it’s about.

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Information After School Information

ALL athletic activities and clubs require athletic footwear to participate, locker rooms are not accessible during the After School Program.

Coming Soon:

WITS (Washington Irving Theater Society) will start Tuesday, October 1, 1st block

Arcade will start Monday, October 7, 1st block

Humanity Club will start Monday, October 7, 1st block

Orchestra Sidekicks will start Monday, October 7, 2nd block

Minecraft Club will start Thursday, October 10, 1st block

Canceled for next week:

Core Conditioning for Athletes

Robotics

No After School or late buses, Wednesday, October 9

FAB Fridays will start Friday, October 18, the program will end at 3:30pm. There are no late buses on Fridays.

View the schedule on our website, the current schedule is available on your student’s Schoology and their Student Portal.

** When picking up students from After School programs, please use the front loop - students will come out the main entrance.**

PTA News

WIMS PTA Direct Donation Drive – Thank You to Our Donors!

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has generously contributed to our Headless Heroes Direct Donation Drive! Thanks to your support, we’ve already reached 15% of our $10,000 goal, helping us enhance the WIMS experience for all students.

If you haven't donated yet, there’s still time! Your tax-deductible gift will help fund field trips, teacher grants, staff appreciation, family events, the 8th grade dance, and important school improvements like a water bottle refill station and boys’ restroom privacy dividers. Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference!

To donate and learn more, visit: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/donate. Thank you for supporting our school community!

Spirit Wear Store – Order Deadline Next Week

Grab your WIMS spirit wear now! Visit https://shop.burkesports.com/ and use code HORSEMEN to shop before noon on Wednesday, October 2. Orders will be delivered to students in mid-October.

Parent Education Session - Understanding Your Middle Schooler – October 10 at 6 PM

Join our school counselors for an informative session to help parents better understand the unique challenges and needs of middle schoolers. We’ll explore how to support them during these crucial developmental years with a presentation, resources and Q&A session. Let’s work together to help our kids thrive during these pivotal years!

Reflections Nationwide Arts Contest

Reflections is a nationwide PTA arts contest that encourages students to explore and express themselves creatively. This year’s theme is “Accepting Imperfection.” Students can submit original work in visual arts, photography, literature, music composition, dance choreography, or film production by November 15, 2024.

For more information, visit: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/reflections.

Papa John’s Spirit Days – Every Thursday

Enjoy 40% off all menu prices at Springfield Papa John’s (Rolling Road) every Thursday from 11 AM to 10 PM! Use promo code IMS4010 when you order online. 10% of sales will be donated to the PTA.

Feel free to reach out to us with questions or to learn more about the WIMS PTA. Email: [email protected]

Important FCPS Information Our Schools, Our Future: Register Today for a Community Conversation!

Events take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Childcare and language interpretation services will be provided.

FCPS NEWS

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:

FCPS Strives to Become Purple Star School Division
Sign and Return SR&R
Upcoming Immunization Clinics

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

A Weekly Message from Irving Middle School

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A Message from the Principal

Greetings, Irving Families!

We are very excited to kick off Cross Country season with our first meet tomorrow at Twain Middle School. I want to thank our coaches - Coach Smart, Espinal Waller, and Krouse for helping get our students ready for race day. We would also like to thank Ms. Duncan and Ms. Wilson for making sure our students are ready to participate by ensuring students learned the routines of after school activities and for organizing all of the forms. It will be a beautiful morning, and we wish our student athletes all the best!

As we continue through the year, I want to take a few minutes to share a few reminders about arrival. Our doors open at 7:00 am for students. If students arrive at 7:00 am, they will need to report directly to the cafeteria until the bell rings to dismiss them to the rest of the building. We serve breakfast daily in the cafeteria and all students are welcome to purchase and eat their breakfast until 7:25 am. We do ask that all food stay in the cafeteria and that it is not eaten in the hallways. This helps us ensure students are moving in the hallways and there are no spills.

Lastly, we are excited to announce that next week we are opening our Math Support Center, after school in the library. We highly encourage students to stay after when they need support or want to work on math. The center will be supported by Math teachers who are ready to help with either grade level and content from any of our math classes. Thank you to our Math teachers for offering this opportunity for students.

Take Care!

Cindy Conley

Irving Middle School News

Irving’s Math Support Center is OPEN!

What: If your student needs extra support in math, they should come to the Math Support Center after school. Students can get support from math teachers on homework, classwork, studying and more!

Where: Library

When: After School during first block (2:25 – 3:25 PM)

______________________________________________________________

Library News:

On Thursday, September 19th, students who participated in the Summer READ! Program were invited to the library for a small celebration. Students enjoyed a donut and were excited to hear of the two 7th grade students and two 8th grade students who won the drawing for $25 Barnes and Noble gift cards.

In other library news, as students visit the library, they vote in our weekly “Irving Says” poll. Last week, students weighed in on whether they’d like to fall into a pit of LETHARGIC boa constrictors, or to have one AGGRESSIVE boa constrictor loose in their neighborhood. An overwhelming number of students, 83%, chose to take their chances with the loose, neighborhood snake. Stay tuned next week to see what else “Irving Says.”

Two reading-related clubs will be starting next week. During the first block on Tuesdays, students may attend the after-school book club, led by Ms. Monk, called “Readers Unite.” On Wednesdays during first block, Mr. Brizek will lead our school’s “Battle of the Books” program. Students who need more information about either of these opportunities can ask the librarians, or just show up on the first day and find out what it’s about.

Blue Star Welcome Week

We are celebrating Blue Star Welcome Week to help military families feel more connected to our community. To kick off our celebration, we will be hosting a coffee meet up on Monday, September 23 at 0730 in our library. We recognize that being a military family comes with various challenges and we want to make sure you are feeling connected and supported by our Irving community. We also welcome families who have lived here for a while to join so you may share your knowledge of Irving and Northern Virginia to assist in acclimating the new military families. Our Military and Family Life Counselor (MFLC), our Family Liaison and members of our administrative staff will be in attendance as well. We will also invite our military connected students who moved to the area over the summer at the beginning of this program.

If you are able to attend, please complete this form by September 16th so we will know how many people to expect.

If you are not able to attend, but would like support from our MFLC, you can reach Ms. Stephens at 202-253-4706 or [email protected].

When a Student Should Stay Home From School

Whether students miss school because of illness or any other reason, missing school leads to learning loss.

Help your child succeed by encouraging them to attend as many days as possible, but do make sure your child stays home if they are sick. Visit our website for information on when to keep your child at home.

If your child has a chronic illness, make sure to notify their teacher so that assistance can be provided if needed. Keep an open line of communication with your school's public health staff.

Read about how families can help form good attendance habits. Attend today, achieve tomorrow!

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology Information Session

Interested Irving students and families please join us on Thursday September 26th from 6-7PM at Irving – Barker Hall Auditorium for a TJHSST information session brought to you by a Thomas Jefferson Representative. Learn about the programs, classes, student life and the admission application.

***The TJ application will become available on Monday, October 21 at 4:00 pm via the TJ website.

What is TJHSST?

A FCPS regional Governor’s high school (9-12th grades) for students interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). You can now find the new TJ Admissions Video for 2023 as well as the presentation schedule that is available to the public on their website, www.fcps.edu/tjadmissions. We strongly encourage you to view their YouTube admissions video prior to attending this meeting.

Eligibility to Apply (8th grade):

(1) Residency requirement-FCPS is included

(2) Completed a full-year course of Algebra 1, OR be currently enrolled in a full-year course of HONORS-level Algebra 1 or higher math

(3) Be enrolled in HONORS science

(4) Be enrolled in HONORS social studies OR English OR be identified as a “Young Scholar”

(5) Have a 3.5 or higher GPA in all core academic courses (Math, Science, Social studies, English, and if taken for high school credit, World Language) at the time of application.

TJHSST Admissions: Contact Information

Admissions Office (general inquiries): Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Phone:571-423-3770 Email: [email protected] Website:www.fcps.edu/tjadmissions

Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R)

The SR&R document explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses. Parents using SIS ParentVUE will be prompted to sign the document when logging in to that platform. A printable version of the document with a signature sheet is available on the SR&R webpage. This form should be signed and returned by Friday, September 30.

World Language Credit Exam

Can your child read and write proficiently in another language?

If the answer is YES then you may want to register them for the World Language Credit Exam

What is the World Language Credit Exam?

A free, optional test offered by FCPS to provide students the opportunity to EARN HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT for their ability to read and write in another language. This is a rigorous test that assesses language experience (example: A student can read an entire newspaper in another language and write an essay using complete sentences).

Why take the World Language Credit Exam?

If students pass the exam, they can earn up to three (3) high school credits towards the advanced diploma language graduation requirements.

When is the World Language Credit Exam?

The 2024 World Language Credit Exam will be administered at Irving Middle School between November 6-22, 2024. School counselors will register students from September 4-October 4, 2024. If you are interested in registering your child for this test, please email your child’s assigned school counselor:

7th Grade:

Mrs. Pareja – [email protected], Mr. Frenck – [email protected]

8th Grade:

Ms. Nelson – [email protected], Ms. Kiefaber – [email protected]

After School Information

Monday, September 23 - Activities and Clubs start, please remind your student that ALL athletic activities and clubs require athletic footwear to participate, locker rooms are not accessible during the After School Program.

Coming Soon:

WITS (Washington Irving Theater Society) will start Tuesday, October 1, 1st block

Arcade will start Monday, October 7, 1st block

Humanity Club will start Monday, October 7, 1st block

Orchestra Sidekicks will start Monday, October 7, 2nd block

Minecraft Club will start Thursday, October 10, 1st block

FAB Fridays will start Friday, October 18, the program will end at 3:30pm. There are no late buses on Fridays.

View the schedule on our website, the current schedule is available on your student’s Schoology and their Student Portal.

** When picking up students from After School programs, please use the front loop - students will come out the main entrance.**

News from the PTA

Thank You for Attending our First PTA Meeting!

A big thank you to everyone who attended our first PTA meeting of the year! Your participation and input help make a difference, and we appreciate your time and support. Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, November 12 at 6:30 p.m.

Spirit Wear Store is Open! Grab your WIMS spirit wear now at https://shop.burkesports.com/. Use code HORSEMEN to shop until noon, Wednesday, October 2. Orders will be delivered to students in mid-October.

Membership Update Thank you to everyone who has joined the PTA! We’re excited to announce that we've reached 84% of our goal and currently have 209 members. If you haven’t joined yet, it’s not too late! Membership dues are $10 per parent/guardian, $9 for additional family members, and $5 for staff/faculty. As a member, you'll receive our exclusive weekly newsletter, packed with detailed updates about events sponsored by the PTA and more. Signing up is easy—simply copy and paste this link into your browser: https://irvingms.memberhub.com/store/

WIMS PTA Direct Donation Drive (Headless Heroes) Want to support our school without the hassle of selling, baking or volunteering? It’s simple—just click, donate, and you’re done!

Our direct donor fundraising goal this year is $10,000 to enhance the WIMS experience for every student. Funds will support field trips, the 8th grade dance, family and community events, staff appreciation, and more - including a water bottle refill station and boys’ restroom privacy dividers.

Donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of your contribution directly benefits Washington Irving Middle School. To learn more and donate, visit: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/donate. Thank you!

SAVE THE DATE – Parent Education Session Join us on October 10 at 6 PM for our first Parent Education Session, “Understanding Your Middle Schooler,” hosted by our WIMS school counselors.

Papa John’s Spirit Days – Every Thursday Enjoy 40% off all menu prices at Springfield Papa John’s (Rolling Road) every Thursday from 11 AM to 10 PM! Use promo code IMS4010 when you order online (10% of sales donated to the PTA).

For any questions, feel free to reach out to us at irvingmspta@gmail.com.

Fairfax County Special Education PTA (SEPTA)Join SEPTA next Tuesday, 9/24 at 7pm for their first general membership meeting of the year! Register is free at www.tinyurl.com/SEPTASept2024

Following SEPTA's business, SEPTA will present a virtual event for students and parents: Executive Function Tips with Wendy Weinberger, President and Co-Founder of Illuminos, and Top 10 Things Neurodivergent Kids Wish Adults Knew with Jackie Waldman of Jackie Waldman Coaching.

FCPS News In Case you Missed It

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:

Caregiver Checklist
New Food Options at FCPS
Early Release Mondays at Elementary Schools

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

A Weekly Message from Irving Middle School

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Irving Middle School was featured on the Fairfax County Public Schools Instagram page! This week, our Aquaponics students harvested vegetables and cleaned up our pond. Please be sure to check out the rest of the photos on Instagram.

A Message from the Principal

Greetings, Irving Families!

It was a joy to see so many parents/guardians at Back-to-School Night on Tuesday. We appreciate your flexibility in utilizing the parking lot at Keene Mill Elementary school. Throughout the evening, we shared what students will be learning in each subject and we promoted the PTA. On Tuesday night, we added just under 50 new members to the PTA, giving us a total of 193 members this year. We would love to reach 200+ members this year! If you are interested in joining the PTA, please take a look at the PTA section below for more information.

Speaking of the PTA, next week we will host the first PTA meeting of the year, in our library on Tuesday, September 17 from 6:30-7:30. Along with the PTA meeting, we will provide a Schoology 101 session from 7:00-7:30. This session will help parents/guardians navigate Schoology and share what to be on the lookout for when logging on to your Schoology account. We hope you will be able to join us for both events.

Lastly, the week of September 23-27, is Blue Star Welcome Week! We are excited to invite our military families in on Monday, September 23 for a coffee meet up in our library at 7:30 am. We will have a performance and share information about how staff at Irving Middle School can support military connected families and students. We are proud to be a Purple Star School and look forward to meeting our military families at the Blue Star event. For more information about the Blue Star event and the registration form, please see below.

Take Care!

Cindy Conley

Irving Middle School News Blue Star Welcome Week

If you are able to attend, please complete this form by September 16th so we will know how many people to expect.

If you are not able to attend, but would like support from our MFLC, you can reach Ms. Stephens at 202-253-4706 or [email protected].

When a Student Should Stay Home From School

Whether students miss school because of illness or any other reason, missing school leads to learning loss.

If your child has a chronic illness, make sure to notify their teacher so that assistance can be provided if needed. Keep an open line of communication with your school's public health staff.

Read about how families can help form good attendance habits. Attend today, achieve tomorrow!

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology Information Session

***The TJ application will become available on Monday, October 21 at 4:00 pm via the TJ website.

What is TJHSST?

Eligibility to Apply (8th grade):

(1) Residency requirement-FCPS is included

(2) Completed a full-year course of Algebra 1, OR be currently enrolled in a full-year course of HONORS-level Algebra 1 or higher math

(3) Be enrolled in HONORS science

(4) Be enrolled in HONORS social studies OR English OR be identified as a “Young Scholar”

(5) Have a 3.5 or higher GPA in all core academic courses (Math, Science, Social studies, English, and if taken for high school credit, World Language) at the time of application.

TJHSST Admissions: Contact Information

Admissions Office (general inquiries): Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Phone:571-423-3770 Email: [email protected] Website:www.fcps.edu/tjadmissions

Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R)

World Language Credit Exam

Can your child read and write proficiently in another language?

If the answer is YES then you may want to register them for the World Language Credit Exam

What is the World Language Credit Exam?

Why take the World Language Credit Exam?

If students pass the exam, they can earn up to three (3) high school credits towards the advanced diploma language graduation requirements.

When is the World Language Credit Exam?

7th Grade:

Mrs. Pareja – [email protected], Mr. Frenck – [email protected]

8th Grade:

Ms. Nelson – [email protected], Ms. Kiefaber – [email protected]

After School Information

The After School Program runs 4 days a week unless noted. Monday through Thursday, our clubs and activities will run in two activity blocks (2:25 pm to 3:25 pm and 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm). The club schedule will vary by day and week, but the most up-to-date schedule will be posted in the “After School” section in the student portal.

Monday, September 16 through Thursday, September 19 - Interest Week, please encourage your student to attend after school the day they are available to peruse the offered activities and clubs, and meet potential sponsors.

*Monday, September 16, Coach Noriega will be on site 2nd block, please remind your student to bring their athletic attire. If your student is unable to stay for the 2nd block, Coach Dennis will be present 1st block.

Monday, September 23 - Activities and Clubs start

** When picking up students from After School programs, please use the front loop - students will come out the main entrance.

News from the PTA

Spirit Wear Store is Open!Grab your WIMS spirit wear now at https://shop.burkesports.com/. Use code HORSEMEN to shop until noon, Wednesday, October 2. Orders will be delivered to the students in mid-October.

Membership UpdateIt was a pleasure speaking with many of you at Back to School Night! We’re excited to report that we've reached 75% of our membership goal with 193 members. If you haven’t joined yet, it’s not too late! Membership dues are $10 per parent/guardian, $9 for additional family members, and $5 for staff/faculty. Signing up is easy—simply copy and paste this link into your browser: https://irvingms.memberhub.com/store/

Join Us for the First PTA Meeting!Please join us on Tuesday, September 17, at 6:30 PM in the WIMS library for our first PTA meeting of the year. You'll hear about the PTA’s plans, budget (voting on this item), and opportunities to get involved. You don’t have to be a member to attend, but membership gives you voting rights and helps keep you informed.

Headless Horseman Heroes FundraiserThis year, the PTA is focusing our fundraising efforts on a direct donation drive, ensuring that every dollar you donate directly benefits our Washington Irving Middle School community. Help us reach our $10,000 goal to enhance the WIMS experience for every student. To learn more about how the donations will be used and to donate directly please visit the PTA website: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/donate No donation is too small. Let’s make this a fantastic year for our kids! Thank you!

Papa John’s Spirit Days – Every ThursdayEnjoy 40% off all menu prices at Springfield Papa John’s (Rolling Road) every Thursday from 11 AM to 10 PM! Use promo code IMS4010 when you order online (10% of sales donated to the PTA).

SAVE THE DATE – Parent Education SessionJoin us on October 10 at 6 PM for our first Parent Education Session, “Understanding Your Middle Schooler,” hosted by our WIMS school counselors.

For any questions, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].

FCPS News In Case you Missed It

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:

Caregiver Checklist
New Food Options at FCPS
Early Release Mondays at Elementary Schools

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

A Weekly Message from Irving MS

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Check out how Middle School Sports are Empowering Students in this FCPS video. Keep an eye out for our outstanding Irving student athletes!

A Message from the Principal

Greetings, Irving Families!

We are off to a great start! Students did an outstanding job incorporating the new process of unlocking and locking the Yondr pouches into their daily routine. A couple of tips that we will continue to remind students of to help ensure pouches make it back and forth to school each day.

Once a student has removed their belongings from the pouch, we will be reminding them to close and lock their pouches and then put them in the front pocket of their backpack so they are ready to be used the next day.
Students who do not have a phone or do not bring their phone, should store their pouch in the front pocket of their backpack and leave it there for the year. They will only need to take out their pouch when there is a pouch check.

Next week, our Cross Country season officially begins! Students will meet the coaches on Monday, September 9, after school from 2:25-3:25 in Barker Hall. Students will learn about the routines and procedures during practices, review expectations, and prepare for their first practice. Students will also be told what paperwork is needed for them to participate. A reminder of what is needed is also listed below. The first practice will be on September 12 from 2:25-3:25 pm and then every Tuesday and Thursday for the remainder of the season. As of today, we have 145 students signed up to participate this year! We have 2 coaches and would like to have at least 1-2 more coaches and/or volunteers for the season. If you are able to assist with coaching or as a volunteer, please email me at [email protected].

Speaking of after school, we are excited to share that September 16-19, is Preview Week for our After School Program! Students will have the opportunity to learn about the different clubs and activities we will be offering this semester after school. Students may stay for the first block and then walk home or be picked up at 3:25 pm or students may stay until 4:30 pm and ride a late bus. Parents/guardians planning to pick up their child should use the front bus loop. Students will exit the main entrance.

Lastly, a friendly reminder that Tuesday, September 10, is our Back to School Night. We will have an OPTIONAL Family Life Education preview from 5:30-5:55. Our main program will begin in your child’s 1st period class at 6:00 pm. Please note - our parking lot is small and we will be utilizing our back field as a secondary parking lot along with Keene Mill Elementary School. Please be sure to follow our staff members directions in the field and pack your patience in our parking lot to ensure everyone arrives and departs safely. We look forward to seeing you Tuesday night!

Take Care!

Cindy Conley

Irving Middle School Information World Language Credit Exam

Can your child read and write proficiently in another language?

If the answer is YES then you may want to register them for the World Language Credit Exam

What is the World Language Credit Exam?

A free, optional test offered by FCPS to provide students the opportunity to EARN HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT for their ability to read and write in another language. This is a rigorous test that assesses language experience (example: student can read entire newspaper in another language and write an essay using complete sentences).

Why take the World Language Credit Exam?

If students pass the exam, they can earn up to three (3) high school credits towards the advanced diploma language graduation requirements.

When is the World Language Credit Exam?

7th Grade:

Mrs. Pareja – [email protected], Mr. Frenck – [email protected]

8th Grade:

Ms. Nelson – [email protected], Ms. Kiefaber – [email protected]

Parent Digital Consent

We want your child to get the most out of their school experience! To open up a world of exciting activities and valuable opportunities, we need your collaboration. Please take a moment at the beginning of the school year to review and provide your consent through our easy-to-use Parent Digital Consent system.

To use the online Digital Consent portal, log in with your ParentVue account.

You can also print a paper copy for your student to return to their Advisory teacher.

Thank you for your support!

Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity

FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.

Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites their child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.

Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.

Cross Country

Cross Country season will begin in September. If you missed the Cross Country Parent/Guardian Information Meeting, please take a look at the complete slides HERE. The updated meet dates are below.

Students are not able to participate until all 3 steps below are completed. Students may NOT practice without following steps 1-3.

Complete AND Submit the FCPS MS Athletics Registration Google Form online. It is imperative that this is Step 1.

Complete AND turn in the Middle School Athletics Physical Form to the School-based Athletic Coordinator (Ms. Roz Wilson - Room 154). This MUST be dated after May 1, 2024.

Complete AND turn in the Emergency Care Form to the School-based Athletic Coordinator (Ms. Roz Wilson - Room 154). This MUST be filled in each school year.

Meet Dates, Times, & Locations

Saturday, September 21 - 8:30 am at Twain MS
Saturday, September 28 - 8:30 am at Key MS
Saturday, October 5 - 10:30 am at Carson MS
Saturday, October 19 - 8:30 am at Poe MS

Library News

The library has been lively as we help our new seventh graders get accustomed to how things work in middle school. All seventh graders visited the library with their English teachers to complete a breakout box challenge designed to teach them how to use the library. Working in groups of three, students deciphered clues that taught them how to find books, access our online catalog, understand the rules for checking out items, and return materials on time. Additionally, all seventh grade classes have had the opportunity to check out books for an upcoming English project in October.

Our library hosts a weekly “Irving Says” poll question. Last week, we asked students if they would rather sing everything they say or dance everywhere they go. The results were close, with 59% voting for singing and 41% for dancing. With such a range of abilities, it sounds like Mr. King has plenty of talented performers to work with this year!

Lastly, don’t forget to stop by the library during Back-to-School Night next Tuesday to say hello. We look forward to meeting you.

Ms. Monk & Mr. Brizek

After School Information

The After School Program runs 4 days a week unless noted. Monday through Thursday, our clubs and activities will run in two activity blocks (2:25 pm to 3:25 pm and 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm). The club schedule will vary by day and week, but the most up-to-date schedule will be posted in the “After School” section in the student portal.

Monday, September 9 - Cross Country Overview, Hollow Lounge and Homework Club

Thursday, September 12 - Cross Country Practice, Hollow Lounge and Homework Club

Updates:

Tuesday, September 10 - No after school or late buses; Please visit the After School Program table at Back to School Night

Wednesday, September 11 - No after school or late buses

** When picking up students from After School programs, please use the front loop - students will exit through the main entrance.

PTA News

Congratulations to Our VIP Parking Spot Winners! We are excited to announce the winners of the drawing for two VIP parking spots at Back to School Night! Congratulations to Raagen Mack and Tina Diamond—your reserved spots will be ready for you at the event. Everyone who joined the PTA by September 5 was entered into the drawing. If you haven’t joined yet, it’s not too late! Membership dues are $10 per parent/guardian, $9 for additional family members, and $5 for staff/faculty. Signing up is easy—simply copy and paste this link into your browser: https://irvingms.memberhub.com/store/

Join Us for the First PTA Meeting of the Year Mark your calendars for our first PTA Meeting on Tuesday, September 17, at 6:30 PM in the WIMS school library. Learn about our plans for the year and how you can get involved! You don’t need to be a PTA member to attend, but becoming one gives you voting rights and helps keep you informed.

Ledo Pizza Spirit Night - Monday, September 9, from 5-9 PM Enjoy a great family dinner while supporting our school! Ledo Pizza (8324 Old Keene Mill Road) will donate 10% of takeout and online orders to the PTA when you use the code "Fundraiser." Dining in? Show this flyer to your server: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zCo8utzfQqXNx0eEzMwufU65Qgr4kDyg/view (copy & paste link).

Please contact us if you have any questions or want to learn more about the WIMS PTA. Email: [email protected].

FCPS Information

Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights

Fairfax County Public Schools wants all parents and caregivers to understand its policies regarding surveys, records, curriculum, privacy, and related rights.

In its Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights and Opt-Out Forms (Annual Notice), FCPS provides explanations of the rights listed above as well as forms that may be used to exercise opt-out choices. Two versions of the Annual Notice are available: a grades K-8 version and a grades 9-12 version. Parents/caregivers with children at different grade levels should read each applicable version of the Annual Notice, because the notices and opt-out rights vary depending on the student’s grade level.

Get more information and view the 2024-25 Opt-Out Booklets.

FCPS NewsIn case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:

Immunization Reminder
Make Attendance a Priority
How Is FCPS’ Redesigned Website Working for You?

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

A Weekly Message from Irving MS

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Yondr Pouch distribution is on Tuesday, September 3 during 1st period Advisory!

A Message from the Principal

Greetings, Irving Families!

Another great week has flown by and we were busy! Students received their brand new Chromebooks this week - this is the first year students will use Chromebooks instead of Windows devices. Students did a great job navigating and getting used to the differences in the devices. I want to thank our Technology Specialist, Holly Mossburg, for working throughout the summer and leading a team over the last few days to prepare over 1200 devices for our students.

Students also participated in the annual Students Rights and Responsibilities lesson and presentation this week. With close to 1,350 students & staff in our building it is important that we are all mindful of our surroundings as we move throughout the building. If you could help us by encouraging your child to walk throughout the building, that will help us with maintaining a safe environment for all.

Today, I shared information about our Cell Phone Storage Pilot program with students during 1st period. I demonstrated how the Yondr pouch works, explained the arrival and dismissal procedures, and shared the expectations of when and how to use the pouch. All students will receive their issued Yondr pouch on Tuesday, September 3, during 1st period. We appreciate your patience in our Kiss and Ride, as we add unlocking pouches to our dismissal routine over the next few days.

Lastly, I want to remind you that our Back to School Night is on Tuesday, September 10. We will host an Optional Family Life Education Preview and Information session from 5:30-5:55 pm and then our Main Program will run from 6:00 pm - 8:05 pm. We promise to have you out in time to be home for the presidential debate later that evening. On that night you will be able to join the PTA! More information about the PTA can be found below.

Take Care!

Cindy Conley

Important Information from WIMS Receive Credit for Proficiency in Languages

This year's World Languages Credit by Exam will be administered at each FCPS middle, high, and secondary school.

The World Languages Credit by Exam is an optional test for students in grades 7-12 who can speak and write (type) proficiently in a language other than English. Based on the results of the exam, they can earn 1, 2, and/or 3 passing world language credits.

Registration opens on Wednesday, September 4, at 8 a.m., and closes on Friday, October 4, at 4 p.m. Late registrations will not be accepted. Please contact your student’s school counselor to register for the exam.

Find more information, including the list of eligible languages.

Arriving Late or Leaving Early

Students arriving after 7:30am must check in in the Main Office to receive a pass from the attendance office assistant. Students who arrive late must have a written excuse from their parent/guardian to receive an excused tardy pass if the parent has not called prior to the student’s arrival. Parents/Guardians do not need to accompany the student if they have called or sent a note explaining the late arrival.
If a student needs to be dismissed for an appointment before the end of the school day, they must bring in a note from the parent/guardian stating the reason and time of dismissal unless the parent/guardian has made previous arrangements by phone. Students should visit the Main Office before school to receive an early dismissal pass.
To arrange a same-day early dismissal during school hours, a parent/guardian should call 703-912-4500 and select 0.
For early check out, parents/guardians/guardians must come into the Main Office, provide their driver’s license or other form of government issued photo ID and sign the student out. If someone other than a parent/guardian is picking up the student, this should be included in the note or message from the parent/guardian even if they are on the emergency care card.
To avoid being blocked in by buses, students would be picked up no later than 1:45 pm.

Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity

Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.

Cross Country

Cross Country season will begin in September. If you missed the Cross Country Parent/Guardian Information Meeting, please take a look at the complete slides in the Parent Schoology Group. To learn more about how to log into Schoology click HERE. The updated meet dates, times, and locations are below.

Students are not able to participate until all 3 steps below are completed. Students may NOT practice without following steps 1-3.

Complete AND Submit the FCPS MS Athletics Registration Google Form online. It is imperative that this is Step 1.

Complete AND turn in the Middle School Athletics Physical Form to the School-based Athletic Coordinator (Ms. Roz Wilson - Room 154). This MUST be dated after May 1, 2024.

Complete AND turn in the Emergency Care Form to the School-based Athletic Coordinator (Ms. Roz Wilson - Room 154). This MUST be filled in each school year.
Paper work day is Monday, September 9 from 2:25-3:25 pm - students may ride the late bus home if needed. We will be ensuring everyone has their paperwork turned in and review expectations for the season. Students will not be running on this day.
Thursday, September 12 - 2:25-3:25 pm First Practice!
- Practices will be held every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:25-3:25 pm for the entire season.
- Students may walk home or be picked up at 3:25 pm or ride the late bus home at 4:30 pm.
A reminder that students must participate in 3 practices to be eligible to run in a meet.

Meet Dates, Times, & Locations

Saturday, September 21 - 8:30 am at Twain MS
Saturday, September 28 - 8:30 am at Key MS
Saturday, October 5 - 10:30 am at Carson MS
Saturday, October 19 - 8:30 am at Poe MS

PTA News

Win a VIP Parking Spot for Back to School Night!

Join the PTA for a chance to win one of two VIP parking spots for Back to School Night on Tuesday, September 10! Parents/guardians and staff members who join by Thursday, September 5th, as well as those who have already joined for this school year, are eligible. Membership dues are $10 per parent/guardian, $9 for additional family members, and $5 for staff/faculty.

Signing up is easy—just copy and paste this link into your browser: https://irvingms.memberhub.com/store/

Why Join the PTA?

Research shows that children thrive when parents are involved both at

home and at school. Joining the PTA means you’re contributing to:

Higher grades and test scores
Improved self-esteem and school performance
A stronger connection with teachers and administrators
Enhancing our school’s programs and events
Being a role model and showing your child the value of education
Access to state and national PTA resources
A network of fellow parents to connect, share, and support

Plus, we are going to have a lot of fun! We’re excited to make this school year amazing for our Washington Irving Middle School Community. We’d love to have you join us!

SPIRIT DAY EVERY THURSDAY at Springfield Papa John's (Rolling Road). Get pizza - support the PTA. Order online using promo code IMS4010. You'll get 40% off all menu prices & Papa John’s will donate 10% of All Online Sales to the PTA. This offer is valid every Thursday from 11am -11pm for delivery or carryout (carryout until 10pm).

Thank you, Papa John’s!

Important Information from FCPS Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights

Fairfax County Public Schools wants all parents and caregivers to understand its policies regarding surveys, records, curriculum, privacy, and related rights.

Get more information and view the 2024-25 Opt-Out Booklets.

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:

Understanding the Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R)
School Safety Reminders
Community Conversations with Dr. Reid

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today. I

A Weekly Message from Irving Middle School

GovDelivery2 months 4 weeks ago

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Pictured above is a collaborative challenge for Ms. Roeske’s Math classes. Students were asked to work together as an entire class to create a scene using index cards. Above is a beach scene, a cityscape, and a fleet of boats. It takes a lot of work and Portrait of a Graduate skills to work collectively as a group of 25+ students to agree on and complete this challenge. Well Done!

A Message from the Principal

Greetings, Irving Families!

What an amazing week! Our students are ROCK stars! I have been so impressed by their willingness to help each other find classes, collaborate in the various get-to-know-you activities, and exhibit the ROCK expectations of being Respectful, Owning their behavior, Communicating when they need something, and being Kind to their peers and staff.

We have so much to look forward to this year and I can’t wait to share each week how we are growing as learners and members of our community. We want to make sure you are involved throughout the year. Our teachers will be using Talking Points to communicate back and forth with our parents/guardians. For more information and to download the app, click here. A great way to get involved at Irving is to join the PTA!

Please be sure to stop by the PTA booth during Back to School Night on Tuesday, September 10. Our schedule for the night includes an OPTIONAL Family Life Education program from 5:30-6:00 and Parents/Guardians will walk through their child's schedules from 6:00-8:05 pm and meet their teachers. We hope to see you there!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Take Care!

Cindy Conley

Arriving Late or Leaving Early

Students arriving after 7:30am must check in in the Main Office to receive a pass from the attendance office assistant. Students who arrive late must have a written excuse from their parent/guardian to receive an excused tardy pass if the parent has not called prior to the student’s arrival. Parents/Guardians do not need to accompany the student if they have called or sent a note explaining the late arrival.
If a student needs to be dismissed for an appointment before the end of the school day, they must bring in a note from the parent/guardian stating the reason and time of dismissal unless the parent/guardian has made previous arrangements by phone. Students should visit the Main Office before school to receive an early dismissal pass.
To arrange a same-day early dismissal during school hours, a parent/guardian should call 703-912-4500 and select 0.
For early check out, parents/guardians/guardians must come into the Main Office, provide their driver’s license or other form of government issued photo ID and sign the student out. If someone other than a parent/guardian is picking up the student, this should be included in the note or message from the parent/guardian even if they are on the emergency care card.
To avoid being blocked in by buses, students would be picked up no later than 1:45 pm.

Transportation Patience and Safety

Thank you for your patience as we all get used to new routines this school year. We appreciate our families following Kiss and Ride procedures and being patient while waiting for your children’s buses.

If your student’s bus is delayed, you may access the Bus Delay Notification System or use the Here Comes the Bus mobile app to receive the delayed bus report. Email messages will be sent to announce significant bus delays. Please contact the Transportation Office at 703-446-2050 with any additional questions. For concerns after 5:30 p.m., contact Safety and Security at 571-423-2000.

Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE to make sure you receive email messages about bus delays.

Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity

Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.

Cross Country

Cross Country season will begin in September. We will host a Cross Country Information night on Tuesday, August 27, in conjunction with our Cell Phone Storage Pilot information night. The Cell Phone Storage Pilot information will be from 6:30-7:00 pm and the Cross Country portion will start at 7:00 pm.

To ensure that students are able to participate, please follow these steps below. Students may NOT practice without following steps 1-3.

Complete AND Submit the FCPS MS Athletics Registration Google Form online. It is imperative that this is Step 1.
Complete AND turn in the Middle School Athletics Physical Form to the School-based Athletic Coordinator (Ms. Roz Wilson - Room 154). This MUST be dated after May 1, 2024.
Complete AND turn in the Emergency Care Form to the School-based Athletic Coordinator (Ms. Roz Wilson - Room 154). This MUST be filled in each school year.

PTA News

Welcome back, Washington Irving Middle School families!

We enjoyed meeting many of you at the PTA table during the Open House and are excited about the year ahead! We hope you'll join us in making this school year a great one for the entire Washington Irving Middle School community. Here’s how you can get involved:

Complete our short survey – We value your input as we plan the year ahead! Copy and paste this URL into your browser: https://forms.gle/hQjdQa9Yju2d5ih76
Volunteer with us – Whether it’s for a one-time event or as your schedule allows, we'd love to have your help! We're hoping to bring back popular events like Bingo and Reflections (a national art contest), but we need volunteers to make them happen. Complete the volunteer opportunities form by copying and pasting this URL into your browser: https://forms.gle/ZqcVbErgYaibLB7h8
Attend our first PTA meeting of the year on Tuesday, September 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the school library. You don’t need to be a member to participate, but joining ensures you receive email updates from the PTA and shows your support for our school. Signing up is easy—just copy and paste this URL into your browser: https://irvingms.memberhub.com/store/.

Membership dues are $10 per parent/guardian, $9 for additional family members and $5 for staff/faculty. Thank you!

Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights

Fairfax County Public Schools wants all parents and caregivers to understand its policies regarding surveys, records, curriculum, privacy, and related rights.

Get more information and view the 2024-25 Opt-Out Booklets.

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:

Everything You Can Do Through SIS ParentVUE
Updating Immunizations and Records
Transportation Patience and Safety
Superintendent Reid Welcomes Everyone Back to School

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

Irving MS Weekly Newsletter

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Upcoming Important Events

Greetings, Irving Families!

It was great seeing so many of our families at our Open House yesterday! We are grateful for your patience as we navigated the new Online Verification Update process yesterday and will continue to work with families as they update the forms through ParentVue. I want to thank our parents/guardians for their flexibility and patience this morning during Orientation in our Kiss and Ride. We know it is a small space with a lot of cars, thank you for ensuring our students arrived and dismissed safely.

As you prepare for the start of the school year, please make sure your child gets plenty of rest each night- we start at 7:30 am. Students may enter the building beginning at 7:00 am, however they must report to the cafeteria until 7:10 am. We serve breakfast from 7:00 am - 7:25 am every morning for $1.75.

We want to make sure everyone arrives safely onto our campus.

If your child is a bus rider please be sure to check ParentVue for your child’s bus stop and pick-up time. Please ensure your child is at their bus stop at least 5-10 minutes early the first few days as drivers acclimate to their routes.

If your child is a walker, please make sure they give themselves enough time to arrive at school no later than 7:25 to give themselves time to get settled into class.
If you will be driving your child to school, please pack your patience, student drop off begins at 7:00 am by door 2. A reminder that our Kiss and Ride will back up onto Old Keene Mill, so please make sure you are at school no later than 7:10 am so that your child is not late to first period.

We look forward to seeing all of our students bright and early Monday morning!

Take Care!

Cindy Conley

Cross Country

To ensure that students are able to participate in Cross Country, please follow these steps below. Students may NOT practice without following steps 1-3.

Complete AND Submit the FCPS MS Athletics Registration Google Form online. It is imperative that this is Step 1.

Complete AND turn in the Middle School Athletics Physical Form to the School-based Athletic Coordinator (Ms. Roz Wilson - Room 154). This MUST be dated after May 1, 2024.
Complete AND turn in the Emergency Care Form to the School-based Athletic Coordinator (Ms. Roz Wilson - Room 154). This MUST be filled in each school year.

Phones Down, Engagement Up: FCPS Cell Phone Policy and Storage Pilot

Keeping cell phones off during the school day helps students focus and learn. It also boosts positive social behavior. Review FCPS’ cell phone expectations by grade level with your child and help keep our classrooms free of distractions! If you need to reach your child during the school day, please call our 703-912-4500.

At the May 9, 2024 School Board meeting, the School Board directed the superintendent to develop a pilot program for cell phone storage at FCPS. Starting with the 2024-25 school year, select middle schools will be cell phone free and each student will use a personal storage pouch. Schools in a control group will not be using pouches, but will be following the policy closely and recording violations.

Our school is participating in this pilot as a pouch school and we will be following the guidelines above closely. We appreciate you reinforcing with your child why you support the FCPS Cell Phone Policy. Find more information and additional resources on our cell phone storage webpage.

Please join us on Tuesday, August 27, for a Parent/Guardian Information Night at 6:30 pm.

PTA News

Please join us on Tuesday, September 17, at 6:30 pm for our first PTA general membership meeting in the Irving Library.
Monday, September 9 from 5-9 pm is our first restaurant/spirit night at Ledo Pizza

Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights

Fairfax County Public Schools wants all parents and caregivers to understand its policies regarding surveys, records, curriculum, privacy, and related rights.

Get more information and view the 2024-25 Opt-Out Booklets.

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:

Counting Down to First Day Fairfax
Phones Down, Engagement Up
Middle and High School Grading Updates

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

Irving MS Weekly Message

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A Message from the Principal

Greetings, Irving Families!

We look forward to welcoming students back in just a few days. Our staff returns on Monday and we are eager to meet you on Thursday, August 15, at our Open House. As you read through this newsletter, we are providing information about Middle School Sports, our Kiss and Ride, and a few other pieces of information to get you started.

As we look toward the start of the school year, we need your help! We want to make sure we start the year with the most recent information for your child. Please help us by logging into ParenVue and completing the beginning of the year Online Verification Update (OVU). There are several optional forms on the website such as FCPS Privacy and Opt-Out forms, FLE Opt-Out forms, and the Medication Authorization form, among others; please make sure to fill out the forms that apply to you and bring them with you to our Open House.

Lastly, the picture above is of our Kiss and Ride. Please make sure you take a look at the directions for Kiss and Ride drop off and pick up below so you are prepared when school starts. As you will read below, we thank you in advance for packing your patience!

Take Care!

Cindy Conley

Back-to-School Information TalkingPoints

TalkingPoints is a safe and easy way for Irving teachers and staff to communicate with families in their home language for free. We will be using this platform to communicate with you about your child’s education and progress. There’s also a Mobile App! Visit the TalkingPoints page on the FCPS website to learn more.

Cross Country Season Information

We are excited to start season 2 of Cross Country this September! Cross Country is open to all FCPS middle school students! A reminder, if your child is interested in participating in cross country this fall, your child must have a sports physical prior to the season starting in September. This physical form is required for all students who plan to participate in middle school sports. More information about the requirements to participate in middle school sports can be found by clicking this Middle School Sports link. To view the information specifically about middle school, please scroll down past the high school information.

MySchoolBucks

Did you know MySchoolBucks can be used to pay almost all student fees? Lunch account, elective class fees, instrument rental, dance tickets, computer power cord replacements, etc.

School Supplies for the 24-25 School Year

Please click here to see the school supply list for this school year.

Varsity Tutors

Irving MS PTA

The Washington Irving Middle School PTA is excited for the new school year and we'd love for you to join us! Here’s how you can get involved:

Stop By the PTA table at the Open House on August 15 from 2-5 PM. We’ll have spirit wear items for sale and information about membership & volunteer opportunities.

Join the PTA to support our efforts and keep up to date on all PTA activities throughout the year. Membership is $10 and $9 for each additional family member. To join, copy and paste this URL: https://irvingms.memberhub.com/store/items/76046.

Volunteer and make a difference by helping with our events and activities. To sign up, please copy and paste this URL: https://forms.gle/ZqcVbErgYaibLB7h8.

Donate – your generous, tax-deductible donations to the PTA help enhance our students' educational experience and support our school community. To donate, copy and paste this URL: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/donate

WSHS News & Information FCPS New & Information Free Workshops for Families

Parents and caregivers can access free webinars, confidential consultations, a lending library, and resources to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities. Learn more about the Family Resource Center (FRC).

In September, the FRC will host webinars for families on supporting siblings of children with disabilities, helping students organize their school work, working with children who like to push boundaries, and teen development and well-being. Sign up for the FRC newsletter for their latest offerings or visit their webinar website.