Glasgow Community Gazette - October 27

Important Information

Interior Cameras Survey: Glasgow Middle School is considering installing internal cameras in high traffic areas. We believe that internal cameras will increase the ability to maintain the safety of all students, staff members, visitors, and families within the building. According to Glasgow’s Family Engagement Survey, 88% of parents said that they agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “my child feels safe at school.” It is our goal that 100% agree with the statement aforementioned and we believes this is a step in that direction. Cameras will not be installed in areas such as classrooms, restrooms, or locker rooms; and parents will be notified if video has been reviewed regarding their son/daughter. Please click the following link to fill out the survey on the addition of internal cameras: https://forms.gle/4efTPtKTTBKzDABVA. 

Sign Up for Weekly Progress Reports: All parents/guardians of middle and high school students who have registered for a SIS ParentVUE Account and have a primary email address recorded in SIS ParentVUE can receive Weekly Progress Reports via email. This report provides a summary of your student(s) grades for the current quarter. 

To activate the Weekly Progress Reports via email, login to your SIS ParentVUE Account and first verify that you have a primary email address within the system. It is listed under the “My Account” tab. If it is blank, enter the email address where you would like to receive the progress reports and click on update account. Once confirmed, parents/guardians are able to activate and select their preferences for receiving these reports within the SIS ParentVUE “My Account” tab.

Weekly progress reports for all of your middle and high school students will be included in one email. FCPS Elementary Schools do not use the SIS grade book and therefore are not included in these reports. For questions about a specific progress report or grade you can login into your SIS ParentVUE Account to find detailed grade book information. Additionally, your student’s teacher is always the best resource to answer any grade book questions that you may have. Weekly Progress Report Parent Quick Reference Guide

2019 Fairfax County Youth Survey: The Fairfax County School Board and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors work together to administer the Youth Survey. The results are used by school officials, youth leadership classes, youth-serving county agencies, and local non-profits to determine the effectiveness of prevention and intervention programs offered in schools and communities. The youth survey will be administered to all 6th and 8th grade students between November 6-15. Information regarding the survey and opt-out forms are available here.

Student-Parent Survey For Federal Impact Aid: FCPS has asked all families to fill out a Student-Parent Survey for Federal Impact Aid. Please return this form as it is important because information from this survey results in an anticipated $3 million dollars in grant funds each year from the U.S. Department of Education. These funds are used to support all Fairfax County public schools and centers.

For each school-aged child in your household, please complete, sign, date, and return the survey to your child's school. If sections 1 and 2 of the survey do not apply to you, just check the box in Section 3. All forms must be signed, dated, and returned by October 30. All results are CONFIDENTIAL. Learn more by watching this short video - https://youtu.be/uPqC3BLf3Ow

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.

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.

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.

Glasgow Goodies

Panthers of the Month - October: The IB Learner Profile that we focused on this month for our Panther of the Month was Caring. Students who demonstrate caring actively care about others and participate in active service. Our Panthers of the Month, Ethan Mengesha, Diana Prudius, Michael Vela-Rojas, Sofia Cardoza-Flores, Steven Barrera-Herrarte, and Genesis Rivera were chosen for being empathetic, compassionate and respectful towards the needs and feelings of others, and for showing a personal commitment to service by acting to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment! Congratulations to all of our winners and nominees! 

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.

"Your children are the people in this world who you most want to be happy, healthy and successful. And like it or not, your behavior as a parent has a lot to do with it. Here's what researchers say the parents of high-achieving kids do differently." Link: https://www.inc.com/christina-desmarais/science-says-most-successful-kids-have-parents-who-do-these-5-things_3.html. 

Volunteer or Donate to Glasgow!

National Career Development Month - Selfie Videos Needed - November is National Career Development Month, and Glasgow Student Services needs your help! We are looking to highlight careers through our morning news show and our Panther Time lessons throughout the month of November. We need you to participate by sending us a 2-3 minute “selfie style” smartphone video of you at work, explaining your career and the educational pathway for your career (see sample). Please send your video to cspareja@fcps.edu.

Open Campus Donations Needed: At the end of each quarter, Glasgow staff celebrate student achievements with a special event called Open Campus. Students sign up for a fun activity led by staff, giving kids a chance to relax and have some extra fun at school.

Here's how you can help... Teachers have compiled a wish list of items, most of which are  available to purchase online. However, it's not necessary to buy the items that way, the links are provided to let you know what items you are being asked to donate.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084AA4A92DA0FC1-1stquarter

Donations can be sent to school with your student, or you can drop them off. Please mark items "Open Campus" and bring them to the main office. Alternatively, donations purchased online can be mailed to the school:

Tess Roper or Michael Pulver, Glasgow MS, 4101 Fairfax Pkwy, Lincolnia, VA 22312

DONATIONS ARE REQUESTED BY NOVEMBER 4! Please contact Jen Hitchcock with any questions: jenjim24@gmail.com; 703-489-7024. 

Important Dates

November 4 & 5 - Student Holiday

November 6 - World Language Credit Exam

November 7 - FCAG “Know College Sooner” Presentation

November 18 & 19 - Vision and Hearing Screening

November 21 - Thanksgiving Lunch

FCAG Presents “Know College Sooner” - November 7: Fairfax County Association for the Gifted is pleased to host Dr. Nancy Levonian of Lives Under Construction on November 7 from 6:30-8:30 at the Burke Library as she compares options for enriching the high school years in preparation for college. Join us as we discuss how to learn college-level material early by self-study, AP resources, college classes in high school, and early college. This program is for middle and high school students and their parents to learn more about options for advanced study. Free and open to the public with advanced registration. Refreshments will be provided. To register send names of the adults and students who will attend to fcagevents@gmail.com.

Vision and Hearing Screenings for 7th Grade Students: Glasgow will be conducting Vision and Hearing Screenings for 7th Grade Students on November 18 and 19. If your child wears eyeglasses or contact lenses, please ensure they wear or bring them on these days.

Club Volleyball Coming to Glasgow Middle School: Interested in your 10, 11, or 12 year old girl playing volleyball? Attend an interest meeting on November 12 at 6:00pm at Glasgow to learn more about Starlings, USA. Playing a sport and being part of a team has a wealth of benefits for girls. Consider these statistics:

 * Girls who participate in sports are 92% less likely to get involved with drugs.

 * Girls who participate in sports have a higher level of self esteem.

 * Girls who participate in sports are three times more likely to graduate from high school.

Club sports are expensive, and that puts the experience out of reach for many. Starlings Volleyball, USA was created as a way to make club sports accessible to girls of every socioeconomic background and of every level of play. If you have any questions, please contact Corey Haynes at cehaynes1@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.

Be Informed, Stay Involved!

• Sign up for News You Choose. 
• Visit the Glasgow Middle School website.
• Follow Glasgow on Twitter.
• Visit Glasgow Middle School on Facebook.
• Monitor your students academics with a SIS Parent Account.
• Join the Glasgow Middle School PTA and attend meetings.
• Keep your contact information up-to-date.