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This past week we learned all about KINDNESS. When you score high in KINDESS you are generous to others and you are never too busy to help out. You enjoy doing good deeds for other people. Affection, gentleness, warmth, concern, and care are words that are associated with kindness. While kindness might have a connotation of meaning someone is naive or weak, that is not the case. Being kind often requires courage and strength. Kindness is an interpersonal skill, which means it can be taught.
The Forest Edge PTA fund drive "Feather Our Nest" is still going on. Please visit the PTA website to join our PTA, make a donation, and learn about volunteer opportunities here at Forest Edge!
Fairfax County Public Schools will be moving to a new vendor to provide emergency and essential email, text, and phone notifications beginning December 14, 2018. If you currently receive emergency and essential communications via email, text, or phone, you do not need to do anything as you will continue to receive this information.
Parents and guardians who have included a cellphone number (in the cellphone field) on a student’s emergency care card will receive a text message on December 14 to confirm the account is set up to receive text messages from FCPS. You do not need to do anything when you receive the text message from the new vendor, School Messenger, on December 14th. If you do not receive a text message, please check the contact information listed on your child’s emergency care card in weCare. Your cellphone number must be listed in the cellphone field in order to receive text messages from FCPS.
New this year, parents can enter their student’s cellphone number in weCare so that their student will also receive text messages for delayed openings, school closings, and late bus notifications. The student’s cellphone number will need to be entered in Section 4, under Additional Information. If the student’s cellphone is listed in weCare, they will also receive the text message on December 14.
Emergency and essential information includes:
- Emergency
- Delayed openings/school closings
- Attendance
- Early release
- Buses running late
- Low lunch balance
- Power, telephone, internet outages or facility repairs
- Back to school information
- Important testing dates
If you have recently changed your contact information, please be sure to update the emergency contact information in weCare.
As a reminder, in addition to email and text messages, all FCPS weather delays and openings are also posted on Twitter, Facebook, FCPS website, school websites, and local radio and television broadcasts. Read more about Weather Cancellation Procedures.
You are invited to join us on the Parent Advisory council. The council is a team of parents and staff members that collaboratively discuss school-wide issues and build a special relationship between home and school. Our first meeting is this Wednesday, December 12th from 6-7 in the library. Childcare is provided for children ages 4 and up. If you would like to join, please complete the short google form below. We hope to see you Wednesday!
https://goo.gl/forms/IQmMRCKhr2TXJqPI3
 Are you planning a family trip for the holidays? As you think about your arrangements, we want to stress the importance of sending your child to school every day possible. Every year, absences spike in the weeks before and after the winter holiday as families squeeze in a few more vacation days. It’s time to break that cycle. We know that just a few missed days here and there, even if they’re excused absences, can add up to too much lost learning time and put your child behind in school. This is as true in kindergarten as it is in high school. Put simply, too many absences at any age can affect a student’s chances for academic success and eventually for graduation.
We recognize that holidays are an important time for reconnecting with families far away. The costs of plane tickets often influence when you want to travel. But keep in mind the costs to your children’s education if they miss too much school— and the message you will be sending about the importance of attendance. Even if you’ve got a homework packet from the teacher, it doesn’t make up for the interaction and learning that happens in the classroom. Our teachers will be teaching, and our students will be learning, right up until vacation starts and the first day back. You can help us convey that message. This holiday season, give your children the gift of an education and the habit of attendance.
January 10, 2019 is the deadline for the Advanced Academic Programs Level IV Referral Form and optional materials for students in Grade 2 who are not in pool and students in Grades 3–7. Please drop off all materials in the front office by close of business on January 10, 2019 to Attention: Esther Lee, AART. Please make sure to enclose all materials in a file folder or manila envelope with your child’s name. Please make sure that the referral form is also signed.
• PLEASE NOTE: Due to the tight time frame, do not wait for test information to submit a referral if you would like your student screened. No exceptions to the referral deadline are made.
Please visit the AAP website to access the referral form and more detailed information on the application process at:
Advanced Academic Programs website
If you have any questions about the referral form or optional materials/work samples, please contact Esther Lee at eclee1@fcps.edu.
Parents, guardians, students, and friends,
At Langston Hughes Middle School we have an elective called AVID which is about helping prepare for college, set goals, and achieve their dreams. AVID is a national program that targets students considered ‘in the middle,’ meaning they do well in regular classes, but could take at least one honors course with additional support. Look at the description below to see if you fit into this awesome family we call AVID!
AVID students are typically students achieving in the middle, capable of completing a college preparatory path with support. These students often are not realizing their full potential academically. In the identification process a number of criteria are considered, including:
- 0+ GPA (some 2’s, but mostly 3’s and 4’s on elementary report card)
- Positive behavior and leadership potential
- Passing State test scores
- Good attendance record
- Demonstrates desire and determination to achieve academically and prepare for college
- Strong possibility to be first in the family to attend college
- Member of group that is historically underrepresented in 4-year colleges/universities
- Economically-disadvantaged
- Other special circumstances
If this sounds like you, then you may want to consider applying to AVID! Students must apply to be enrolled in the AVID elective. The application process includes written responses, an interview, and teacher recommendations. You can get an application from your teacher or counselor. Applications are due by January 18th. After applications are collected Mrs. Burke will visit your school to conduct interviews. There will also be a meeting at Langston Hughes on Dec. 18, 2018 from 7:45-8:15am for you to learn more about the AVID program as a parent. Please RSVP by going to https://goo.gl/forms/q5FRpE8xtOxyYPWm1. We hope you can make it!
You can also check out this article that answers 3 big questions parents have about AVID: goo.gl/6ohQjs
Any questions? Please contact
Kristina Burke - AVID teacher and Coordinator :: ktburke@fcps.edu
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Some of our 5th Grade Eagles conducting a science experiment on mixtures and solutions! |
- December 14th - Student 3-hour early release
- December 24th-January 4th - Winter Break
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