Principal's Newsletter-Week of 10/16-10/20


Upcoming Dates to Remember:

10/23-10/27--Book Fair

10/25--Chick Fil-A PTA Fundraiser 

10/26--Fall Ball

10/26--PTA Meeting at 6:30 pm

10/28-PTA Vendor Fair and Fundraiser from 11 am - 3 pm

11/10--Breakfast with the Counselors/Veteran's Day Open House at 7:45 am

Parent Vue

Please call Mrs. Carnahan at 703-988-8200 if you have not signed up for Parent Vue. Report Cards will be delivered to parents through Parent Vue. No report cards will be sent through US mail. We want all parents to be informed of student grades. Please be sure to sign up!

Wellness Screening—ALL seventh graders

Liberty Middle School is conducting a Wellness Screening on Tuesday, October 31st and Wednesday, November 1st with all seventh grade students. The screening from the Signs of Suicide prevention program is designed to help assess whether students may have symptoms consistent with depression.  Depression is a treatable illness and effective treatment of depression helps to prevent suicide, as well as significant behavioral, social, and educational problems.  Parents should be receiving a letter in the mail with additional details, including the opportunity to opt your student out of the program.  Please return the opt out form to your student’s counselor by Friday, October 20th only if you do not want your child to participate in the screening.

Fairfax Youth Survey for 8th Grade Students

All 8th grade students are scheduled to take the Fairfax Youth Survey on November 16 and 17 during their English 8 classes. Letters have been mailed home with information about the survey and information for parents who choose to opt out their students from participating in the survey.

The survey is both voluntary and anonymous. Students’ names are not used at any time during the survey. The purpose of the survey is to  provide a snapshot of the county's youth and to serve as a barometer of the community's effectiveness in fostering healthy choices in young people. The Youth Survey is a collaboration of the Fairfax County Government and Fairfax County Public Schools. To see the results from last year’s survey or to learn more about the Youth Survey, please visit this webpage  https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/demogrph/youthpdf.htm

Please contact Liberty’s survey administrator, Assistant Principal Natalie Lissy, if you have additional questions about the survey.

Executive Functioning

This will be the third year that LMS implements executive function skills in the classroom.  Executive functioning is a way of describing how well we manage information and our behavior. Research states that EF skills are a better indicator of academic success than IQ.  EF changes the way students think about their work and how they work. The month of October will be dedicated to growth mindset and the importance of GRIT or perseverance. Teachers and staff are going to be keeping an eye out for students that display GRIT. When a teacher notices that a student is displaying characteristics of GRIT, they will reward the student with a GRIT card.  Anyone earning a GRIT card will be eligible to win a GRIT sweatshirt at the end of the month! Organization will be the EF skill for November.

Scholastic Book Fair

Our Scholastic Book Fair is right around the corner! Next week!  October 23rd – 27th.   Come shop the Liberty Middle School Book Fair from 7:15am- 2:30pm Monday through Thursday and 7:15 to noon on Friday.  We’ll also be open during A block on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  Students will have the opportunity to walk through the Book Fair and browse or purchase books with their English classes.  They may also come down anytime with permission from a teacher.   Along with our books, we’ll also have fun stationery items like UV spy pens, erasers, bookmarks, and posters for sale!  With each book purchased, you’ll get a chance to win free books or a portable power bank.  All proceeds benefit our school.  Shop in person or online.  Online sales start October 18th and end October 31st.  Use this link for online sales or find the link on the Liberty Middle School website

Volunteers make a difference, and we need your help to pull off the best book fair ever! We need volunteers for set up on Friday, October 20th as well as throughout the week October 23rd and 27th.  Sign up here

Fall Ball

The Fall Ball will be after school on October 26.  Permission slips are available in the cafeteria and available to print here.   Parent volunteers are needed to sell tickets during all three lunches (10:37-12:07). Please let me know if you have any questions. Please click here to sign up.

Breakfast with the Counselors and Veterans Day Open House

Friday, November 10th, 7:45 AM in the Library
The Student Services Department invites you to join them for breakfast and to hear about the programs available for you and your student.  Parents are welcome to stay and visit your student’s classes for our Veterans Day Open House.  Class visitation will be from 8:30-10:30.  Please click on the link here to RSVP by November 3rd.

Resources from the School Social Worker:

Click here for some resources/announcements that have been given to you by our school social Worker, Angie Huber.  If you have questions, please call her.  Her number is (703) 988-8222.  Thank you. 

From the PTA

On Wednesday, October 18th, PTA membership forms will be distributed to students during Lion Time.  The PTA is sponsoring a membership drive competition in an effort to boost numbers and fundraising.  The 7th and 8th Grade Lion Time classes with the highest number of PTA parent members will earn a pizza party in the first week of November.  If you are already a member, just return the envelope blank - we will ensure your student's/students' class(es) gets credit for you.  The cost to join is $15 per member.  If you are not sure if you joined yet please reach out to PTA president, Sean Foster, at sean.david.foster@gmail.com.  Remember - membership in the PTA does not obligate your time, but it does help us support much needed programs and activities.

Also, please come by the school on Saturday, October 28, to support the Fall Vendor Festival and Fundraiser.  There will be many vendors with various goods, as well as activities and opportunities to win prizes.  The Fair will run from 11-3.  If you would like to volunteer at this event please sign up here.

Finally, the next PTA meeting will be held on Thursday, October 26, at 6:30 in the library.  As part of the meeting, we will have a guest speaker who will discuss the real problem of sex-trafficking issues here in Northern Virginia.  Non-members are absolutely welcome to attend.  And don't forget to support Restaurant Night at Chick-Fil-A on October 25 at 4516 Fair Knoll Drive in Fairfax.