Glasgow Community Gazette - October 7

Glasgow Community:

It was great to see so many of you at Back to School Night (BTSN) on Thursday evening. As I stated in my opening video, Glasgow is truly a remarkable school. Our 1806 students and their families come from 53 different countries and speak 50 different languages.  We have an incredible staff that is tirelessly dedicated to the learning of each and every student. We believe that quality instruction means:

* Students spend the majority of class time meaningfully reading, writing, discussing, thinking. 
* Students know what they are doing, why they are doing it and how they’ll know when they’ve got it. 
* Each lesson teaches a skill. Not just content.
* Our role as educators is to show students how to learn, not just tell them what to know.

I hope you left the event with a better sense of what your student needs to be successful in their classes and the important role you can play in supporting their learning. I strongly encourage you to continue to communicate with your student’s teachers throughout the year. The parent-school partnership is vital to the success of our students. Working together, families and teachers can be a powerful team in supporting students’ learning.

This Thursday, we will celebrate our diversity at our International & Cultural Food Night from 6:30-8:00pm. We hope you'll drop by to enjoy samples of food from all over the world! Check out the link below for more information on how to volunteer or how to bring food to share. https://bit.ly/2y4r0qa 

As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

Shawn DeRose
Principal

Contact Information
Twitter: @ShawnDeRose
Email: spderose@fcps.edu
Website: http://www.fcps.edu/GlasgowMS/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlasgowMS.FCPS/

Important Dates

October - National Bullying Prevention Month
October 7 - School Planning Day (No school for students)
October 9 - Fall Orchestra Concert (at Justice)
October 11, 6:30-8:00pm - International & Cultural Food Night
October 16 - PTA Meeting/Parent Grading Workshop
October 17 - Fall Band Concert (at Justice)
October 17 and 18 - Picture Day
October 18 - Fall Chorus Concert
November 2 - End of the 1st Quarter
November 5 - School Planning Day
November 6 - Teacher Workday
November 8 - World Credit Exam

IMPORTANT DATES

October - National Bullying Prevention Month
October is National Bullying Prevention Month and the Student Services Department will continue our Anti-Bullying Lessons through our Panther Time classes. The lesson will teach students what bullying looks like, tips on how to handle it in a variety of situations, and cyber bullying. Our goal is to work together to stop bullying and cyberbullying by increasing awareness of the impact of bullying on students.

International Walk to School Day - October 10
Glasgow students are encouraged to participate in International Walk to School Day on October 10. The day is celebrated as a way to promote physical activity while reducing traffic congestion and pollution near schools. All students are encouraged to walk or bike to school where safe to do so or walk to their bus stops on October 10.

International & Cultural Food Night - October 11 from 6:30-8:00pm.
Celebrate Glasgow’s diversity at our International & Cultural Food Night this Thursday, October 11 from 6:30-8:00pm. We hope you'll drop by to enjoy samples of food from all over the world! This free event celebrates our diverse Glasgow community. So far, Glasgow families are bringing food from the United States, Guatemala, El Salvador, South America, Russia, France, Slovakia, Ireland, Nigeria, Morocco, Indonesia, Korea, and The Philippines.

Can your family bring something to share as well, from anywhere in the world? Can you help in advance or at the event? Sign up to help or bring food to share: https://bit.ly/2y4r0qa or send an email to the PTA at glasgowms.pta@gmail.com

Picture Order Forms - Distributed October 12
Picture order forms will be distributed to students on Friday, October 12, 2018 during Panther Time.  Order forms will also be posted on the Glasgow web site this week. Families can pay with a check (made payable to Lifetouch), EXACT cash, or follow the directions to pay on-line. 

Picture Day - October 16 and 17
Picture Day has been scheduled for Tuesday, October 16 and Wednesday, October 17.  Your student will have their picture taken during their PE class. If your student has PE on an EVEN day (Periods 2, 4, 6), they will have their picture taken on Tuesday, October 16.  If student child has PE on an ODD day (Periods 1, 5, 7), they will have their picture taken on Wednesday, October 17.
If your student has PE during Period 3, they will follow this schedule:
Tuesday, October 16:
6th Grade Morgan, Eastman, Stuecheli, Shuford
Wednesday, October 17:
Ruddy, Haggett, Pulver

PTA Meeting/Parent Grading Workshop - October 16
We will be hosting a PTA meeting and Parent Grading Workshop on October 16. The PTA Meeting will begin at 7:00 and then we will host a Parent Grading Workshop to provide parents an overview of our assessment practices and grading policies. In addition, we will also review a sample grade card and answer any questions to ensure you have a clear understanding of the IBMYP criteria for all subject areas. Here is a link to the BTSN presentation on Glasgow’s “Grading Practices.” Link: http://bit.ly/2zW4pNT

Credit for World Language Exam - November 8
The exam is designed to assess students’ native language proficiency and enable them to earn one or two credits toward fulfilling the world languages requirement for the Advanced Studies Diploma.

The 2018 Credit Exam for World Languages will be administered November 6th, 7th and 8th. Twenty-nine languages will be included:  American Sign Language, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali/Bangla, Chinese/Mandarin, Farsi/Persian, French, German, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Nepali, Pashto, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Sanskrit/Samskritam, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog/Pilipino, Tamil, Telugu, Tigrinia, Turkish, Twi, Urdu, and Vietnamese.

Registration opens Monday, September 10 and closes on Wednesday, October 10, 2018, at 4 p.m. Students must meet with their school counselors to register. Late registrations will not be accepted. Please see information on the credit exam website or contact Irania Escalante, school counselor, at ivescalante@fcps.edu, for questions or more information.

Article of the Week

At Glasgow, we believe assessment & grading should: 1) help students know their areas of strength and areas of growth, 2) allow teachers to adjust instruction to meet the needs of students, 3) provide communication between students, 4) teachers and parents about learning progress and empower students to drive their own learning. Check out this article on why all schools should move beyond averaging grades and the BTSN presentation on Glasgow’s “Grading Practices.” Presentation link: http://bit.ly/2zW4pNT

Article: https://www.amle.org/BrowsebyTopic/WhatsNew/WNDet/TabId/270/ArtMID/888/ArticleID/21/Its-Time-to-Stop-Averaging-Grades.aspx

Volunteer Opportunities

Panther Store Volunteers Needed - October 12
Glasgow’s Panther Store will be held on October 12. Students earn Panther Cards from Glasgow staff when they commit acts of Kindness, Commitment or Safety - these are the Panther Principles! Once a month, students have the opportunity to redeem their Panther cards at the Panther Store, which is open during lunch. Parents staff the Panther Store, and it's one of the few volunteer opportunities at Glasgow during the school day that puts you in direct contact with students. Click here to volunteer: 
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c084aa4a92da0fc1-spring5

Get Involved, Volunteer Today!
The Glasgow PTA needs YOU! See volunteer opportunities at Glasgow Middle School, supporting our teachers and staff, throughout the year: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c084aa4a92da0fc1-glasgow12

Important Information

Advanced Academic Program - Screening Process
The screening of elementary and middle school students for eligibility in Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) will begin this month. For more information, visit the Advanced Academics website. The website contains information about AAP services, testing, screening, and this year’s Level IV parent referral deadline of January 10, 2019.  Please note that students screened in the fall of 2018 (fall parent referral deadline of October 11, 2018) and found ineligible may be referred again in January of 2019 for the 2019-2020 school year.

TJHSST After School Prep Program
Glasgow will be offering an after school TJ prep program for interested 8th grade students. This program is designed to help your child get ready for the upcoming TJ test that will be held in mid-November. TJ Prep sessions will be available for students during academic time on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Please refer to the after school website to check the time and location of the sessions. If you have any further questions please contact, After School Specialist, Aaron Cannon at acannon@fcps.edu.

Weekly Progress Report Emails
All parents with existing SIS Parent Accounts will be opted into the FCPS Weekly Progress Report Emails system. Parents are able to update their preferences for receiving these accounts through their SIS Parent Account on the “My Account” tab. Emails are sent according to the parent elected selections. More information is available here.

2018 Fairfax County Youth Survey
Information regarding the Fairfax Youth Survey can be accessed in the links below. The youth survey will be administered to all 8th grade students between November 7-16. Information regarding the survey and opt-out forms are available here.

Students with disabilities and/or limited English proficiency, have the option this year to take a shortened survey online. For students receiving English Read Aloud Accommodation click here and ESOL Level 1 and 2 students click here. Parent Letter, Opt-Out Form, and Translations can be found on the FCPS website.

REMINDERS & REFERENCE

Locker Request Forms - Now Available in Student Services
If you would like to request a locker for your student, locker request forms are now available in Student Services. In addition, if you have concerns specific to your student, we will work with you to ensure your student has what they need to be successful at Glasgow this year. Please visit the Student Services website at https://glasgowms.fcps.edu/student-services and email your student’s counselor.

EZ Lunch Application
Parents may access the EZ Lunch App to add money to student lunch accounts, see menu options, check ingredients and allergen information, and much more. The official FCPS mobile app is available on the iTunes Store and Google Play at no cost. The app links to http://www.myschoolbucks.com to add money to student lunch accounts. Lunch menus can be viewed online at https://fcps.nutrislice.com/menu/glasgow-middle-school.

Virginia Tech Maker Festival - November 3
The Virginia Tech Maker Festival is entering it’s 4th Year. For the past three years, the Virginia Tech Maker Festival has hosted its STEM festival at the Virginia Tech Northern Virginia Center in Falls Church, VA. The goal of this event is to increase STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) learning in all ages, nationalities, genders, and socio-economic backgrounds.

Virginia Tech is one of the leading research universities in the country specializing in Engineering, Science, and Math. Our very own students and Professors discovered the lead in the water in Flint, Michigan. With partnerships, and laboratories, Virginia Tech wants to expand the STEM growth in the National Capital Region with the Virginia Tech Maker Festival. They hope to inspire future generations of Science, technology, engineering and math students, researchers, professors, leaders, and beyond.
They will have robots, experiments, and interactive games. Come join the fun and Register Now!

PTA’s Panther Press
Look for PTA-specific information in the new PTA's Panther Press, which will be distributed every Tuesday.  Connect with the PTA through glasgowms.pta@gmail.com or glasgowpta.org.

Kiss & Ride
Parents who drop off/pick up their student to school must do so at the main entrance, Door #1. Students can be dropped off beginning at 7:00am. Keep in mind that congestion and backup can be significant, causing your student to be late to their class if you drop off your student after 7:15am. School ends at 2:15pm.

Importance of Student Attendance
The new school year has been off to a wonderful start. Students are adjusting to their new routines, and routines are such an important part of academic success. In order to support consistent school attendance, please read the following information:
* Students who attend 90% or more of the school year are more likely to graduate from high school on time.
* Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with peer conflicts or facing some other potentially serious difficulty, and help is available.
* Being in school promotes academic and social growth for students as they learn from their peers who become a strong influence for students during their middle school years.
Visit FCPS’s attendance site for more information on the importance of school attendance: FCPS Attendance Policies

Be Informed, Stay Involved!

• Sign up for News You Choose.
• Visit the Glasgow Middle School website.
• Follow Glasgow on Twitter.
• Visit Glasgow Middle School on Facebook.
• Monitor your students academics with a SIS Parent Account.
• Join the Glasgow Middle School PTA and attend meetings.
• Keep your contact information up-to-date.