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Dear
Whitman Community,
This
has been a week to remember for many reasons. For me, it has highlighted
the enduring spirit and compassion of our students to feel empathy for their
fellow students – both at Whitman and across our country. It has also
given voice to the many victims of school shootings I have painfully witnessed
since Columbine in 1999. My hope, as a community, is that we come
together as educators, parents, students, and concerned citizens to influence
our leaders to help end school violence.
On
a positive note, I am so proud of our 8th grade student, Alex
Stewart, and his artwork recently featured at the Regional Scholastic Arts
Awards held at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale. We
already knew he was a Gold Key Winner but in a wonderful surprise, he won not
only the Chief Academic Officer’s Award but also the coveted Superintendent’s
Award only given to two students across the entire Northern Virginia
Region! Alex’s work entitled “Real Ones Never Fail” will be considered for
a national award which will be held in New York City in the coming
months.
At Whitman
Middle School, we care about students’ safety and learning. It is their
safety and their learning that every single adult at Whitman cares about most,
every day. The issue of school safety is particularly relevant right now,
and many of you and your students care deeply about this important issue.
Students’ desire to be active, engaged citizens is something we
encourage. We have said to you as parents and to teachers that we support
efforts to express opinions through speech and other ways as long as it is done
respectfully, does not interfere with the rights of others, and does not
disrupt learning in the school.
Earlier
today, the administrative staff of Whitman addressed students on the morning
news show to make clear that anyone who abuses the flexibility and support we
have shown students who feel strongly about this issue will have consequences
according to Student Rights and Responsibilities. The safety and security
of Whitman Middle School is our highest priority and we will not compromise
when it comes to ensuring students are safe.
For those
students who feel strongly about the issue of school safety, we will continue
to work together to ensure their voice is heard. We will be meeting with
student leaders in the coming days to discuss this issue and ways we can
support student efforts to express their opinions and align them with national
events that are planned in the coming weeks. In the meantime, please
consider encouraging your student(s) to express their opinion in other ways,
such as contacting their representatives and/or newspapers.
Thank
you so much for your support and as always, please let me know if you have any
questions.
Sincerely,
Craig
Herring, Principal
2/28 PEP Meeting, 6:30 PM
3/2 Read Across America Day
3/5-3/23 8th Grade Writing SOL Testing
3/8 PTSA Meeting, 6:30 PM
3/14 Whitman Family Market, 2:45 - 5:45 PM
3/23 No After School Program and No Late Buses
3/26-4/2 Spring Break
We invite you and your teen to join us March 8,
2018 at 6:30PM for a presentation by Dr. Margaret Leary on how to keep our
children safe on the internet. The goal of our presentation is to raise
awareness of safe and responsible use of the internet. Please sign up at:
http://evite.me/HurZqA5SQv
PTSA OFFICER NOMINATIONS FOR UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR
We are currently recruiting candidates (moms, dads,
grandparents, staff, community members), to hold PTSA officer positions
for 2018-2019 school year. Officer positions to consider are: President, Vice
President, Treasurer, and Secretary. We would like to have potential
candidate names by our March 8th meeting. The election will take place May 10,
2018 @ 6:30PM at the general membership meeting. You may email your interest
and/or questions to parentsforwhitman@gmail.com
Sincerely,
Sherry Nachnani, PTSA
President & mother of 8th grader, Jaya
Melissa Schmechel, PTSA Vice
President & mother of 8th grader, Olivia
Cara Stankewick, PTSA
Treasurer & mother of 7th grader, Catherine
Sandra Desir, PTSA Secretary
& community volunteer
Don't miss the upcoming College Camp – Washington, DC at George Washington
University on Saturday, March 3rd. The Hispanic Scholarship
Fund (HSF) is presenting this free, bilingual, half-day program designed to
help middle and high school students – and their parents – prepare, plan, and
pay for college.
Where:
George Washington University
The Cloyd Heck Marvin Center
800 21st Street, NW
Washington, DC 20052
When:
Saturday, March 3rd, 2018
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
Admission.
Lunch and light refreshments will be provided.
College Camp – Washington, DC breakout sessions are tailored to
address the needs of all middle and high school students. Parents can
choose to receive information in either English or Spanish. Breakout
session topics will include:
· Preparing
for and applying to college
· Choosing a
college that’s the right fit
· Writing a
personal statement
· Researching
financial aid and scholarship opportunities
· Understanding
the real cost of a college education
Participants will also have the opportunity to interact with HSF
Scholars, Alumni, and supporters, including local business leaders, sponsors,
and educators. Registered guests who attend will be automatically entered
to win prize drawings!
This event is free and open to the public, however space is
limited. Registration will close once capacity has been reached, and
no later than Monday, February 26. Secure your ticket by registering
today!
To the Parents of FCPS Middle School Students:
We extend a special invitation to middle school girls (boys are
also welcome) to participate in STEMtastics 2018 to be held on Saturday, March 10 (8:00 AM - 12:15 PM) at NOVA - Annandale Campus. This event is
presented by the American Association of University Women (Fairfax City, McLean
Area, Springfield-Annandale, and Vienna Area Branches) in partnership with
Fairfax County Public Schools and NOVA Systemic.
The following flyer provides additional information. Online
registration is open as of February 1 at mclean-va.aauw.net/stemtastics until March 4 (or earlier if capacity is reached). We
suggest you register early for the best selection of workshops, as choices are
“first come, first served.”
If you have questions, please look at our Frequently Asked
Questions page at mclean-va.aauw.net/stemtastics/faq/. All participants who have registered and paid will receive a
final confirmation email approximately 4 days before the event. Any questions
can be sent to mclean-va@aauw.net.
School Health Services Survey
The
Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) employs school health aides and public
health nurses who provide school health services to the students in Fairfax
County Public Schools (FCPS). To determine the quality of these services, a
survey has been developed by the FCHD to be shared with all parents or
guardians who interact with the school health rooms.
Electronic versions of the survey forms may be accessed
at:
Parent Survey (English): https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FCPSParent2018
Parent Survey (Spanish): https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2018SpanishP
The survey will take less than five minutes to complete
and will provide the FCHD with valuable information. Your participation
in this important endeavor is appreciated.
Deadline: 2/26/2018-3/12/2018
Financial Awareness for
Middle School Parents
(Whitman Middle School hosting
College Access Fairfax)
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
7:00-8:30 PM
Lecture Hall
  Weather Cancellation Procedures
Be informed in the case of inclement weather or other emergency situations.
When bad weather or other emergency situations occur, it may be necessary for FCPS to cancel, delay, or close schools early. Parents and students should have a well-communicated plan in place in the event of these emergency situations. Children need to know where to go or what to do if a parent will not be home.
The safety of our students and staff is our number one priority any time a decision must be made regarding school closures and delays during a weather situation. We review information from emergency management and state highway administrators about road conditions, and school personnel also go out and inspect the conditions of roads, sidewalks, and FCPS parking lots and bus lanes.
Due to the speed of updating, the official @FCPSnews Twitter account (with blue checkmark) is generally the first and fastest mode of communication. Other communication channels will be updated as quickly as possible including email, text, website, other social media, and news stations. Please be aware, due to the large volume of emails sent there will likely be a lag between the FCPS Twitter alert and receipt of an email in your inbox.
In the case of emergency for a weather-related closing, delay, or early dismissal, the FCPS website will automatically include an alert at the top of each page with the appropriate information (see sample alert below). This information will remain posted until normal operations have resumed, or you click "Close This Alert" to remove it. If you have closed the alert, a red exclamation mark will remain (highlighted by red circle below) to indicate that the alert is still active.
https://www.fcps.edu/resources/safety-and-transportation/weather-cancellation-procedures
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