For a weekly schedule of After School Activities click here: Irving Stays After
Irving Middle School teachers are Lifelong Learners! Monday teachers participated Book Study Learning Groups during our Professional Development Day! Thank you to Ms. Kalasz for Leading the Student Engagement Teacher Learning!
Positivity Project (P2)
This week, students are learning about the character strength Teamwork! Please be sure to ask your student what they are learning and how they use teamwork in school. Next week the students will be learning about Open-Mindedness. The students will learn to view things from a variety of perspectives and why it is important to keep an open mind.
Parents who would like to take the VIA Character survey, a separate NYC will be sent out tomorrow with the links and directions. We are excited for parents to take the survey and continue these P2 conversations!
Red Ribbon Spirit Week
All FCPS schools participate in the National Red Ribbon Week sponsored by National Family Partnership. Since 1985, the symbol of the Red Ribbon has been used as a catalyst to mobilize communities to educate youth and encourage participation in drug prevention activities. For more information about National Family Partnership and Red Ribbon Week, please click here.
At Irving, we will be having a spirit week to raise awareness for drug prevention during the week of October 22nd through October 26th. Students are encouraged to dress up for the theme each day. The themes for each day are:
Monday October 22nd: Pajama Day – “Drugs are a nightmare.” Students are encouraged to wear school-appropriate pajamas.
Tuesday October 23rd: Twin Day – “Double up against drugs.” Students are encouraged to pair up with another student or group of students and dress the same.
Wednesday October 24th: Jersey Day - “Team up against drugs.” – Students are encouraged to wear their favorite team’s gear.
Thursday October 25th:Throwback Thursday – “Throw away drugs.” Students are encouraged to pick a decade or time period and dress accordingly (ex. 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, etc.)
Friday October 26th: Meme Day “Drugs aren’t funny, memes are.” – Students are encouraged to dress up like their favorite school-appropriate meme.
SCA School Dance
Our first school dance will be after school on Thursday, October 25, from 2:25 PM to 4:30 PM. During the dance, students may enjoy dancing in the 7th grade gym or play basketball in the 8th grade gym. A snack of pizza, chips and a drink will be served to all students during the dance. The theme for this dance is Throwback Thursday, and corresponds with our Red Ribbon Week. Students are encouraged to pick a decade or time period and dress accordingly (ex. 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, etc.). On the day of the dance, students may ride late busses home, be picked up by a parent, or walk home.
Tickets to the dance cost $4 and will be sold in the cafeteria before school from 7:10 AM to 7:25 AM each day during the week of October 15 - October 19. Please note - to ensure we are able to order prepare for the dance - tickets will not be sold during the week of the dance. On the day of the dance, students will receive a wristband which will serve as their ticket into the dance.
8th graders and parents, please direct questions to Dave Dachille (dmdachille@fcps.edu)
7th graders and parents, please direct questions to Emily Geary (emgeary@fcps.edu)
Wellness Screening for 8th Grade Students
Parents/guardians of 8th grade students received a letter explaining that your student has an opportunity to participate in the SOS Wellness Screening (November 7th, 8th, 14th, or 15th). Please review the linked video to learn more about the screening. You may contact your child’s school counselor if you have questions/concerns or would like to opt your student out of this curriculum. 2018 SOS Video
WIMS Civics: Call for Volunteers!
The Civics team is requesting volunteers for two of our major events in the fall. The 2018 Mock Election will have students participate in a mock midterm election on Friday, October 19th, 2018. We are looking for volunteers to help students "check in" and run the polling station. If you are available to help, even for an hour, please click on the Mock Election link below.
Mock Election: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0E4DABAA2EA57-mock
Irving will be visiting Finance Park on November 26, 27, 30 and December 3. Volunteers help run student groups and share their personal finance expertise. More information about Finance Park can be found here. If you are available to volunteer and support our students from 8am-1pm, please sign up using your student’s team link. We would love to have you!
Red Team (11/26): https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0E4DABAA2EA57-finance
White Team (11/27): https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0E4DABAA2EA57-white
Black Team (11/30): https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0E4DABAA2EA57-black
Purple Team (12/3): https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0E4DABAA2EA57-purple
Please contact your student’s Civics teacher with any questions. Thank you!
Applying for Level IV Advanced Academics
Fairfax County Public Schools Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) offers a continuum of services to meet the needs of a broad range of advanced learners. Advanced academic services in middle school include honors classes, mathematics course acceleration, and full-time (Level IV) AAP services. Middle school honors classes are open enrollment. Eligibility for Level IV services is determined through a central selection process. Instruction in honors and Level IV classes is designed to develop critical and creative thinking skills as well as engage and challenge students through problem-based learning, concept-based instruction, and learner-centered inquiry.
Full-time (Level IV) AAP services are available for students in Grades 3-8 who have been found eligible through a central selection process. Central screening for Level IV service eligibility occurs twice each year:
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Fall screening is held for students who are new to FCPS and have been referred.
- Spring screening is held for any FCPS-enrolled student in Grade 2-7 who has been referred.
- Due to the volume of files screened centrally for Level IV services, deadlines are strictly held.
- A referral form may be submitted from the first day of school until the published deadline.
- The referral deadline is October 11, 2018 for students who are new to FCPS and January 10, 2019 for students who are not new to FCPS this school year.
Information about Advanced Academic Programs in middle school is available on the FCPS website at: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle-school-academics-7-8/advanced-academics.
STUDENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE PYRAMID CHALLENGE!
Get a jump start on those service hours this year and earn up to 4 hours toward your 2018-19 requirement. Meredith Brody is seeking Washington Irving Middle School students to help out with this year's PYRAMID CHALLENGE RACE to be held on Saturday, October 13, 2018 at Washington Irving Middle School. The race runs from 10 AM-12 PM, but volunteers are needed for various shifts between 8 AM - 12 PM the day of the race. Volunteer positions include help with set up/take down, course monitors, finish line attendants, runners/pacers, and food truck attendants. To sign up please visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c44ada72fa4f49-pyramid.
Ms. Brody can be contacted by email at mib511@yahoo.com if you have questions
STUDENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR OHES FALL FESTIVAL!
Orange Hunt Elementary School’s annual fall festival is held on October 19th. Student volunteers are needed for this event. To sign up, please visit this link:
https://www.signupgenius.com/index.cfm?go=s.signup&urlid=5080844aca72aa2fa7-volunteer&useFullSite=true
Lost and Found Items
Irving’s Lost and Found is on display for all students to check during their lunch period. At the end of every month we wash and donate all clothing, lunchboxes, and water bottles. If you child has lost an item, please advise them to check for it during lunch. We will make announcements the week up to donation day to remind students to claim their belongings. If you would like to inquire about an item, please email besamuelson@fcps.edu.
Library News
8th Grade students should have now visited the library to borrow a fiction book for their first-quarter project. Ask your 8th grader what he / she is reading. Ask them why the librarians recommended that they keep a stack of sticky notes near them while they read this title!
Almost all of the 7th Grade students have visited for a fun Library Orientation activity--the rest will come on Friday! Please ask your student what they had to do to open up the “Breakout Boxes.” The 7th graders will be back again in mid-October to select their book for a first-quarter English project.
Network Password Recovery Service for Students
Students are eligible for the FCPS network password recovery service available at: https://itweb.fcps.edu/accountrecovery/index.cfm As the end of the school year approaches, teachers will be encouraging students to register for this service, which might save considerable time should their network password be forgotten over the summer. Any information used for a recovery option will remain private. Students may register for this service by either accessing the link above or by following the directions below:
Go to the FCPS main website and search for “password”
Click the first result “Password Management - Forgot or Need to Change Your Password?”
Select Students > Manage your recovery options
After School
After School Parent Pick Up
Please speak with your child about their plans to stay after, including how they will be getting home. If you plan to pick up your student, please arrive by 4:45p on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Please arrive by 3:30p on Wednesday and Friday.
Late Bus Schedule
Late buses come at approximately 4:45p on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday during the school year. Please review the letter you received from the transportation office to determine your child’s late bus number and late bus stop- they are different from their normal bus number and stop! This information is also available in SIS.
Additional Information
Please review the Activities portion of our website for information on the structure and policies for the After School Program. The list of available clubs for this school year has also been updated. Information about known volunteer opportunities also appear on the Activities section of our site!
WSHS Fall Festival
The West Springfield PTSA
would like to announce our Spartan Fest/Craft Fair on October 13th. http://wshsptsa.net/spartanfest.html
PTA News
Next PTA meeting - November 13 at 7:00PM
Reminder: October 8th is Teacher workday. PTA is planning to treat the teachers with coffee and snacks. If you’re interested in providing any breakfast treats or snacks please contact the PTA at the email address below.
Website: https://wimspta.ptboard.com/home
School Code: T9EEWQ
Email: irvingmspta@gmail.com
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