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Dear Key MS Families,
We would like to wish everyone a wonderful holiday break! As our students enjoy their break, please remind them to read for at least 20 mins per day – research shows that students who read daily achieve in the 90th percentile or higher on standardized tests. Also, we have some overdue library books, so let the kids know to look under their beds and in their closets and return any overdue library books they find. They can always renew them after the break. Happy Holidays to ALL.
e-Notify Emergency Messages Will Be Communicated via New Vendor Beginning December 14
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 cell phone number (in the cell phone 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 cell phone field in order to receive text messages from FCPS.
New this year, parents can enter their student’s cell phone number in weCare so that their student will also receive text messages for delayed openings, school closings, and late bus notifications. The student’s cell phone number will need to be entered in Section 4, under Additional Information. If the student’s cell phone 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
Spelling Bee
Key is excited to announce our annual Spelling Bee! English teachers will continue hosting preliminary bees in their classrooms when we return from the winter break. One winner from each classroom will move forward to participate in a school-wide bee on the evening of Thursday, January 24th. The School Champion will represent Key Middle School at the Fairfax County Spelling Bee in March. If you have any questions about the spelling bee please contact the reading specialist, Jennifer Frate (jlfrate@fcps.edu) or Lori Horner (lrhorner@fcps.edu).
2019 FCPS Gap Year Fair
FCPS’ School Counseling Services and Go Overseas are co-hosting the annual FCPS Gap Year Fair on Wednesday, February 6, 2019, at George C. Marshall High School from 6:00-8:30 p.m. This event is for high school students and parents who are interested in learning more about the growing array of gap year opportunities.
The evening will begin with a presentation in the auditorium from 6:00-6:45 p.m., by Holly Bull, President, Center for Interim Programs. Immediately following, the program fair will be in the cafeteria from 6:45-8:30 p.m., with representatives from over 40 programs offering gap year opportunities. Students and their parents are encouraged to meet the representatives and learn about the variety of experiences available.
Students are encouraged to pre-register for this event. For more information, visit: USA Gap Year Fairs
In the event of inclement weather, the snow date and location for the fair will be Friday, February 8, 2019, at McLean High School from 6:00-8:30 p.m.
Contact
Stephanie Gray
sjgray@fcps.edu
571-423-4428
From the PTA
The PTA would like to send a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who made donations to the staff for their Winter Wonderland on 12/13! This is our second year supporting this event and it is a nice way to show our teachers and staff how thankful we are for all their hard work and dedication to our children.
Enjoy a Happy and Peaceful Holiday
Key MS Pencil Drive: Looking to help Key MS? Please consider donating pencils. New and gently used pencils can be brought to the main office. We will then distribute these to our staff. Got Questions? Email Dr. Holleb: ajholleb@fcps.edu
NJHS Fundraiser: Join the Key community at Bertucci’s for lunch or dinner on December 19th and support our National Junior Honor Society! Present the attached flyer to help us earn funds for our students. Questions? Email Tracey Kyle, Sponsor, at tckyle@fcps.edu.
Lee HS TEAM STORE on the Lee HS Activities webpage at www.lancersportszone.net Once you go to that link, you can click on “Lancer Spirit Wear”, there is a link that will pop up that says “spirit wear link.” This will take you to the Lee Store where you can purchase Lee gear for yourself and our future lancers!
The link below will also take you directly there: https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/virginia/springfield/robert-e-lee-high-school
Friday Food Packs—Key Middle School’s Department of Student Services will be providing food packs to students on Friday afternoons each week during the school year. If you would like to have your child receive a food pack, please contact Ms. Rivera at 703-313-3913 or edrivera@fcps.edu.
Paquetes de comida cada viernes-El departamento de servicios estudiantiles de la escuela de Key va a proveer paquetes de comida para estudiantes todos los viernes durante el año escolar. Si Usted quiere que su hijo reciba un paquete de comida, póngase en contacto con la Sra. Rivera al 703-313-3913 o edrivera@fcps.edu
February 5- Key Family Programs: Let’s Cook! --Session 3: Meatless and Mighty Dinners This afterschool program provides hands-on cooking classes to empower families with the skills to be healthy, self-sufficient, and confident in the kitchen. The classes will cover meal preparation, grocery shopping, nutrition, and clean-up. Participants will practice fundamental food skills, including proper knife techniques, reading ingredient labels, working with different cooking methods, and making a healthy meal for a family of four. Location: Key Middle School; Room #119, From 6pm to 8pm.
Instructor: Registered Dietitian, Jennifer Littau (4th year teaching the program at Key MS)
Remaining Class Dates & Topics:
Session 3: Meatless & Mighty Dinners, February 5, 2019 (Tuesday)
Session 4: Smart Snacking 101, April 2, 2019 (Tuesday)
SIGN UP Today!! With Ms. Spencer: 703-313-3961 or email kfspencer@fcps.edu
Courthouse Field Trips: On Wednesday, January 23 and Thursday, January 24, there are field trips to the Fairfax County Courthouse for small groups of eighth grade students to get a real life experience of how our judicial system works. The field trips will occur during the school day, with students to be chaperoned by Key MS staff and transported by FCPS busses. Students will be selected to attend the field trip based on an application in their Civics class. Unfortunately, due to limited availability set by FCPS, not all students who apply for the field trip will be able to attend. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the field trip coordinator Mr. Barr. This is a reminder that the deadline has passed and the applications were due Monday, December 10th.
Amazon Smile : Do you shop on Amazon? If so, please consider using our link. A small percentage of your purchase (0.5%) will come back to the PTA. It does not cost you anything! Just start at https://smile.amazon.com/ch/54-1260502. This will only count for purchases that are made using the smile link. Once you have linked your account with Key, you just have to start at Smile.amazon.com and we will get credit. This will not work for purchases through the smartphone app.
No-Sell Fundraiser : We will continue to accept donations for our No-Sell fundraiser throughout the school year. If you would like to donate, the easiest way is via PayPal, using our direct link: https://www.paypal.me/keymspta
Join the Key community at Bertucci’s for lunch or dinner on December 19th and support our National Junior Honor Society! Present the attached flyer to help us earn funds for our students. Questions? Email Tracey Kyle, Sponsor, at tckyle@fcps.edu.
CALENDAR
December 2018
12/24-1/4 Holiday - Winter Break
January 2019
1 Happy New Year
8 CCE - GMU Speaker @ 9-9:30 LH1
10 Parent Coffee @ 10am Library
14 Even Day
15 BAPES interest meeting during advisory
15 Rising 9th grade curriculum night at Lee HS @6-8pm
15-17 Battle of the books
16 AVID interest meeting during advisory
17 Parent Night - Avid Presentation @ 6:30pm Lecture Hall
18 TJ Semi-Finalist Notification
18 Early Dismissal
21 Holiday - Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday
22 7 period day
22 Rising 9th grade presentation
23-24 Rising 9th grade registration through HPE
23 2nd quarter book club
24 Spelling Bee @7-8pm
29 Advisory Lesson reading reasons
29 Spelling Bee
29-30 Rising 9th grade registration through HPE
31 Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night
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