Glasgow Community:
What an amazing week at Glasgow! On Thursday, author R.J. Palacio visited to speak with students, sign books, and host an assembly for our 6th graders. Inspired by her blockbuster phenomenon Wonder, students learned about her new book, White Bird: A Wonder Story.
White Bird is an unforgettable story of the power of kindness and unrelenting courage in a time of war. She spoke about our Panther Principle of kindness, and reminded students, “if you have the opportunity to be right or be kind, be kind.” After the event, Ms. Palacio shared with me how impressed she was by the quality and thoughtfulness of the students' questions.
Check out photos from the event courtesy of Anne-Marie Ward here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/6LCzYyVSwVT7P57c9
On Tuesday, October 15, in partnership with the Glasgow PTA, we will be hosting a Parent Grading Workshop. The event will begin at 7:00pm and will provide parents an overview of our assessment practices and grading policies at Glasgow Middle School. 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 outlining Glasgow’s “Grading Practices.” Link: http://bit.ly/2zW4pNT
Have a great week and as always, let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Shawn DeRose
Principal
Contact Information
Twitter: @ShawnDeRose
Email: spderose@fcps.edu
Website: http://www.fcps.edu/GlasgowMS/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlasgowMS.FCPS/
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Important Information
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 November 9. TJ Prep sessions will be available for students during academic time after school. Please refer to the after school website to check the time and location of the sessions. If you have any further questions please contact, Glasgow TJ Liaison Counselor Greg Frantz at gdfrantz@fcps.edu.
Free and Reduced Price Meals Application: Did you know that free and reduced price meal application forms need to be completed EVERY year? We encourage you to apply online using this link. Applications are also available in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Tagalog, French, and Vietnamese. To change the language of the application click on the Language link in the top right of the screen. For more information, please click here.
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.
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FCPS Cares
Do you know a Glasgow Middle School staff member who went beyond what is expected this first week of school? If so, then click here to submit a brief description so we can all acknowledge the good work of Glasgow faculty and staff members.
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Breakfast and Lunch
Parents may access the MySchoolBucks app to add money to student breakfast and lunch accounts, see menu options, check ingredients and allergen information, and much more. The official FCPS mobile app is available for iOS and Android at no cost. Lunch menus can be viewed online at https://fcps.nutrislice.com/menu/glasgow-middle-school.
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Article of the Week
In addition to keeping you updated on important information related to Glasgow Middle School, the Gazette will also provide information about what parents can do at home to help their student improve academically and help parents build the social and emotional skills that students need to be successful.
This week, we feature an article from The Atlantic, "Why is Middle So Hard for So Many People?" In the article, it outlines what we say often to our staff... "Tweenhood is torturous, and tending to those in the midst of it can be excruciating and embarrassing: Tweens will make lots of mistakes, and they’ll learn from them, and still make more mistakes after that. Yet those mistakes—and the growth that follows—are precisely what give middle school its meaning."
Link: https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2019/10/why-middle-school-and-preteens-are-so-challenging/599542/
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Important Dates
October 14 - School Planning Day (Student Holiday)
October 15 - Fall Orchestra Concert (at Justice HS)
October 15 - PTA Meeting/Parent Grading Workshop, 7pm
October 16 - Fall Chorus Concert (at Justice HS)
October 17, 6:30-8:00pm - International Potluck
October 23 - Fall Band Concert
November 1 - End of the 1st Quarter
November 4 - School Planning Day (Student Holiday)
November 6 - World Language Credit Exam
PTA Meeting/Parent Grading Workshop - October 15: Mark your calendar for the next Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meeting on Tuesday, October 15 at 7:00pm. After a brief PTA meeting and Principal's Report, the special program for the evening will be a Parent Grading Workshop. All parents and caregivers are welcome to attend. PTA membership is not required. Spanish and Arabic interpreters will be present.
Credit for World Language Exam - November 6: Glasgow will host the World Credit Exam on Wednesday, November 6 at 8:00am in the lecture hall. 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 2019 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 closes on Thursday, October 10, 2019, 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.
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After School Program News
Glasgow After School Program has begun. Late buses are available for students every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. To learn more about Glasgow’s After School Program, check out our website, email Greg Williams, After School Coordinator at gwilliams2@fcps.edu or call 703-813-8885.
Glasgow Chess Club by DMV Chess: Is your student interested in learning the game of Chess? Are they a critical thinker and like strategy? Then have your student join Glasgow Chess Club. Novice players will learn the rules of the game, the value of each piece, game strategy and principles and patterns for checkmating.
Chess teaches logical thinking, improved attention span, planning and academic achievement. Chess Club will operate one day per week. Fees for instruction would be $15.00 per student per session. For more information, please contact Greg Williams at gwilliams2@fcps.edu.
Attendance Matters!
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
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.
Report Student Absences: In order for our students to get the most out of their education, students must be in school and on time to class every day. Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half the students who miss 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school.
Save this phone number in your phone! Call the Attendance Line at 703-813-8787 by 8:00am when your student is absent from school.
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Be Informed, Stay Involved!
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