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For a weekly schedule of After School Activities click here: Irving Stays After
Food for Neighbors volunteers drove, picked up, carried, sorted, and packed up over 2200 lbs of donated food on Saturday, September 7!
Portrait of a Graduate
Greetings and thank you for a great third week of school - the first full week! Our students have settled into school and class routines and we are excited to see what students have already accomplished in just a few days. This year we will continue to focus on Portrait of a Graduate (POG) which are 5 attributes that every FCPS student will have fully developed by the time they graduate from high school. Be sure to ask your child how they were a Communicator, Collaborator, Critical and Creative Thinker, Goal-Oriented and Resilient Individual, and/or Global and Ethical Citizen this week! For more information about POG, please take a look at the FCPS resources available at this link. POG skills are easily transferable to any setting - how is your family using the skills associated with POG?
Food For Neighbors
Thank you for an amazing Red Bag Collection last Saturday; all of our volunteers were amazing! We collected over 2200 lbs of food that will be sent right back out to our students in need.
Food for Neighbors is an all-volunteer organization committed to helping local teens struggling with hunger. Last year, we were able to provide over 1500 weekend snack packs for Springfield area middle and high school students. If your student needs a snack pack (soup/pasta, crackers, granola bar, oatmeal, fruit snack and milk/juice) for the weekend, please email Meg Gollinger at magollinger@fcps.edu.
With your support, we can reach even more students in need. Participation is as simple as filling a Food For Neighbors Red Bag once every other month and putting it on your porch on our pick up days. We provide the bags, a desired food list, and pick-up date reminder texts. Our next collection day is October 26th. If you would like to donate food, please register as a Red Bag Donor today at: https://www.foodforneighbors.org/red-bag-program/
Thanks for helping us provide food to students who need that extra support!
Free and Reduced Meals
The Free and Reduced Meals Application is now online. Families must re-apply every year to receive this service. More information and a link to the application can be found at: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/student-safety-and-wellness/food-and-nutrition-programs/free-and-reduced-price-meals. Please also complete the consent to share information (section 4 of the application) as this can allow the school to waive course fees and receive reduced fees for other activities. If families do not re-apply their number will be inactivated in early October.
Free Showing of "Angst"
Free showing of the documentary “Angst” on November 13 - Angst is a 56-minute, eye-opening documentary that explores anxiety, its causes, effects, and what we can do about it. The film features kids and young adults affected by anxiety, mental health experts, and Olympic athlete and mental health advocate Michael Phelps, in opening up the conversation and providing hope around a topic many find difficult to discuss. The documentary will begin at 7:00pm at West Springfield High School and a panel discussion with mental health experts will follow. For more information, click here.
Library News
We’re excited to be so busy here in the new school year as students are visiting the library to borrow books. One reason that everyone is checking out books so early in the year is to prepare for our new, school-wide, daily reading program called “Take Ten.” During “Take Ten” time, students will read for the first ten minutes in their 5th or 6th period class; each Friday, students will share a brief reflection about what they’ve read over the week. The “Take Ten” program officially begins on Monday,September 9th, though many teachers and classes have gotten so excited about it, that they’ve already begun.
Students may visit the library to borrow, return or renew books at 7:10 each morning, during their learning seminar time, and immediately after school.
Heart and Sole
Heart and Sole, a Girls on the Run program, is coming to Irving Middle School! Heart and Sole is a physical activity based positive youth development program for girls in 6th-8th grade. The program teaches life skills through dynamic interactive lessons and running games. The goal of the program is to unleash confidence through accomplishment, while establishing a lifetime appreciation of health and fitness.
Starting the week of September 23rd, the team will meet every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:25 PM – 4:00 PM. The program culminates in a celebratory 5k at the end of the season on the weekend of November 23rd and 24th! The standard program fee is $175 and includes 20 lessons/practices, a t-shirt, water bottle, entry into the 5k, a 5k medal, and more. Financial assistance is available for anyone who needs it, with the lowest program registration cost being $22 for the season. Registration begins on August 19th at www.gotrnova.org.
If you have questions about the program you can reach Heather Hendershot at hmhendershot@fcps.edu or 703-912-4523.
After School Program
Academic Support Week: September 16th - September 20th
Only academic support with teachers and Homework Club will be offered the week of September 16th-20th. Barker Hall and the library (not the gyms) will be open during 2nd block during this week. There will be NO after school activities on Thursday, September 19th due to Back to School Night.
First Week of After School Clubs and Activities: September 23rd - September 27th
For a weekly schedule of After School Activities click here: Activities Calendar
Please review the following for a variety of information regarding the After School Program this year.
Late Buses
Late buses are available on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursdays. The Transportation Office sent home letters with late bus numbers, however, students may check their bus during lunch with Ms. Geary. Late buses pick up students at approximately 4:45pm.
Pick Up
- Pick up after 1st block (3:25pm): Your student may meet you in the FRONT of the building. You do not need to check your student out in the main office. Please arrange with your student to meet them, as there may not be anyone available in the main office to find your student for you.
- Pick up after 2nd block (4:35pm): Please use the same KISS-AND-RIDE lane used during normal drop off/pick up times. Our late buses will need access to the bus loop. Please do not park in our bus look after 4pm.
- Pick up while students are in a club/activity: It is preferred you arrange a time for them to meet you. If you cannot pre-arrange a time, our building is locked after school and you will need to ring the bell for entry. Please report to the main office and a staff member will locate your student. Please understand our staffing for after school is limited and it may result in a delay in locating your student.
- Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday: All students must be picked up by 4:45pm
- Wednesday and Friday: All students must be picked up by 3:30pm. The only club offered on these days is our Homework Club.
Signing up for Clubs & Activities
The majority of our clubs and activities are open-access and students do not need to pre-select which activities they would like to attend. If a student is only open to certain students (i.e. 7th grade or 8th grade, or invite-only), it will be noted on the club calendar. Once students arrive to an activity on a given day, they must stay at that activity for the hour block.
2nd Block
During 2nd block (available on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday), we will have a variety of large-group sites open for students. The library will be open for students who need a quiet work space. Barker Hall will be open for students who want to have some social time with peers and play board games, etc. The 7th and 8th grade gyms will be open for students to play basketball. Availability for the 2nd block large-group sites is listed on the weekly clubs and activities calendar.
Join Irving’s Peer Tutoring!
Are you a good student? Do you like helping others? Are you interested in making a big impact at Irving while you earn service hours?
Yes? Well then you should become a peer tutor!
Come to the Irving Peer Tutoring interest meeting in the library after school during first block on Monday, September 16th.
We will have cookies and a lot of information about why being a peer tutor is amazing.
If you have any questions, please see Dr. Frenck in Room 223.
Please contact the After School Program Specialist, Emily Geary (emgeary@fcps.edu) with questions about the after school program.
Lost & Found
Irving’s Lost & Found is on display for all students to check during their lunch period. At the end of each month, we wash and donate all clothing, lunch boxes, and water bottles. If your child has lost an item, please advise them to check for it during lunch. We will make announcements the week leading up to donation day to remind students to claim their belongings. If you would like to inquire about an item, please email Emily Geary (emgeary@fcps.edu).
PTA News
Next PTA meeting - November 12 at 7:00 pm
We would like to elect the Executive Board for the 2019-2020 school year; we need members to attend the meeting in order to hold the elections. We hope to see you on Tuesday, September 10 at 7:00 pm!
Website:https://wimspta.ptboard.com/home
School Code: T9EEWQ
Boxtops for Education collection in the main office
Email: irvingmspta@gmail.com
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