Message from Mr. Coch
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Dear Thoreau Community:
I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a terrific winter break. Madison pyramid schools have a tradition that the faculty will not be assigning homework, projects, essays, etc. to be specifically done over the break. Any work that your child might do is either optional or is a long-term assignment that happens to span the break. Both the Thoreau faculty and our students need a breather from the daily grind of school life over the next two weeks. Madison pyramid schools are unified in this message as it is important to do what we can to help everyone maintain a healthy home-school life balance.
Winter Break: Office Closed
The office will be closed during the winter break from Monday, December 23rd through Friday, January 3rd.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Thoreau on Monday, January 6th.
Have a great holiday break!
Jon Coch
Interim Principal
Upcoming Important Dates
- Thursday, December 19th: Choir winter concert, Madison HS, 6:00 PM
- Friday, December 20th: No after-school activities or late buses
- Monday, December 23rd - Friday, January 3rd: Winter holiday, Thoreau main offices closed
 At our annual Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU) kick-off in October, 7th graders had the opportunity to win lunch and a tour of the NFCU headquarters. Students who were able to answer questions about our partnership with NFCU were rewarded with this fun outing. Along with school counselors Eric Fishman and Kerrie Turner, the students enjoyed lunch with NFCU employees.
Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) Level IV Referrals
Parents or guardians of seventh grade students may initiate the full-time AAP Level IV screening process by completing and submitting an Advanced Academic Programs Level IV Referral Form to their child’s school counselor no later than Thursday, January 9, 2020. No late referrals will be accepted.
AAP Level IV services are available to students in grades 3-8. Students may be found eligible for full-time placement in AAP Level IV center classes through a central selection process and receive a highly challenging instructional program in science, social studies and English.
Multiple criteria are reviewed by a central selection committee to determine eligibility for all FCPS advanced academic services. More information about AAP services available at the middle school level may be found here.
If you have any questions, you should contact your child’s counselor or Thoreau Director of Student Services, Rebecca Aguilar, at rjaguilar1@fcps.edu.
French Department News
Thoreau's French department is planning the annual trip to France in late June of 2020. This year's adventure will include a three day stay in Paris, and travel to Normandy and Brittany to include some of the most historic and beautiful sights in France. The trip will be a total of nine days. Thoreau will be hosting a parent information meeting on Thursday, January 9th at 7:00 PM in room A137. Email Madame Locke at nelocke@fcps.edu if you can attend, or with any questions.
Student Services Updates
For your planning purposes, please make note of the following registration events in preparation for the 2020-2021 school year:
Rising 9th Grade Academic Advising and Course Registration Information - Please see individual school sites for additional details.
Oakton HS Curriculum Night - Wednesday, January 8th at Oakton HS
Madison HS Curriculum Night - Thursday, January 9th at Madison HS
Marshall HS Curriculum Night - Wednesday, February 5th at Marshall HS
In addition to these high school sponsored events, high school counselors from Madison, Marshall and Oakton high schools will be meeting with students on Tuesday, January 7th and Wednesday, January 8th within the school day during our Eagle Time block. Students will bring home course selection sheets and will meet with Thoreau counselors to discuss course registrations during the months of January and February.
Rising 8th Grade Academic Advising and Course Registration Information
Thoreau counselors will conduct course presentations in mid-February and will continue to work with students and families through mid-March to complete this process.
Rising 7th Grade Academic Advising and Course Registration Information
Thoreau Activities Fair for Rising 7th grade students - Tuesday, February 4th and Wednesday, February 5th from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Students are transported to Thoreau from feeder elementary schools for this event.
Thoreau Curriculum Night and Family Open House - Thursday, February 6th at Thoreau from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Drama Department News
Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 American musical-romantic comedy. It offers a lighthearted depiction of Hollywood in the late 1920s with the three stars portraying performers caught up in the transition from silent films to "talkies".
- Performance dates/times: Thursday, January 16th at 3:00 PM, Friday, January 17th at 7:00 PM, and Saturday, January 18th at 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM
- Duration: 1 hour and 20 minutes,15 minute intermission
- Tickets: Tickets may be purchased at the door or online here. Cash or major credit cards accepted. Children age three and older must have a ticket.
See this flyer for more details.
Thoreau Yearbook News
2019-2020 Thoreau Yearbook
This year's yearbook is a collection of Thoreau student memories you will cherish for years to come. It will include hundreds of pictures of activities and school events. Over 400 yearbooks have been sold which brings our remaining inventory to 50%. Thank you to all who have purchased a yearbook. We hope the magnet distributed to yearbook purchasers will serve as a helpful reminder.
If you would like to donate the purchase of a yearbook, please send cash or a check payable to Thoreau MS along with a note indicating "yearbook donation" to Ms. BenZion/yearbook. Donations are appreciated. Thank you in advance for supporting our students.
- A generic version of the yearbook can be purchased for $40.00 at MySchoolBucks.com. Please note that the price will increase to $45.00 on March 1st.
- An upgraded version can be purchased for an additional cost at yearbookforever.com. This site will show the customized prices and options.
Volunteer Photographer Needed
The yearbook committee is looking for a parent photographer willing to teach students and share their expertise taking yearbook quality pictures. Weekly meetings will be held starting (tentatively) on Tuesday, January 14th from 2:20 PM - 3:10 PM. Interest or questions, please contact Thoreau yearbook sponsor Ms. Galeet BenZion at gbenzion@fcps.edu.
My School Bucks (MSB) Update
MSB is up and running for class fees and school store purchases. Please visit My School Bucks.
 Choir director James McNamara led the Chamber Choir in a winter holiday concert for Thoreau's business partner Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU). The choir entertained NFCU staff during lunchtime at their headquarters in Vienna.
After-School Programs and Late Buses
After-school programs and buses are underway. After-school information will always be communicated via our website, the TMS after-school Google site, the PTA newsletter, Eagle News (our morning news show), and will be published in future issues of Thoreau Matters.
For planning purposes, the last day of after-school activities is Thursday, May 28th. The after-school program will not meet on student holidays, or during inclement weather cancellations. In addition, there will be no after-school activities or buses on the following dates:
- Friday, December 20th
- Friday, January 17th
- Friday, February 14th
- Friday, April 3rd
- Friday, May 22nd
Vienna's Club Phoenix
Want to hang out with your friends, play fun games and participate in some pretty awesome events? The Vienna Teen Center's Club Phoenix is your place to be during after-school hours!
Thoreau's after-school program is offering a Club Phoenix shuttle bus that will transport students from Thoreau to the teen center at 3:15 PM every Thursday that the after-school program is running. Only students who participate in Thoreau's after-school program and are registered with Club Phoenix will be able to use this service. This is a first-come, first-serve service. Only the first 20 students will be accepted. The students will then be able to participate in Club Phoenix activities until the center closes at 6:30 PM. Students will need a mode of transportation home from the center. The registration form is available at the teen center, in Thoreau's front office or via email to Vienna teen center employee Natalie Duncan at Natalie.Duncan@ViennaVA.gov. Please submit your Club Phoenix teen shuttle registration form to Thoreau after-school specialist Colleen Taylor as soon as possible, but know that your child can not ride the shuttle bus until a registration form has been received and approved by Colleen Taylor.
 Orchestra teacher Heather Yacovissi led her students in an annual performance last week at Union Station.
PTA News and Announcements
It's Time to "BEE" Amazing
Get ready for the Thoreau Spelling Bee on Tuesday, February 11th at 6:30 PM. Students who wish to participate in this fun and challenging event must register in advance. Entry forms will be available in the school office and on the PTA website following winter break. Registration will be open from Monday, January 6th through Friday, February 7th.
PTA Meeting and Parent Presentation
Save the date for the next PTA meeting on Tuesday, January 14th at 6:30 PM. The meeting will be held at Club Phoenix in the Vienna Community Center. The brief business meeting will be followed by a parent education presentation on preparing your teen for college. Jose Torres, Assistant Director of Transfer Admissions at Mary Washington University will present. Make plans to join us!
Help the PTA
Please join the PTA and consider making a donation to our no-fuss fundraiser.
Other easy ways you can earn money for Thoreau are:
- register your Harris Teeter VIC card with school code 3258
- designate Thoreau for your Amazon Smile charity
- keep collecting and sending in Box Top
Andrea Kramer, Thoreau PTA President
president@thoreaupta.org
2019-20 PTA Board Members
Andrea Kramer, President
Irina Smirnoff, Vice President
Amy Vernon, Treasurer
Wendy Pearson, Secretary
Thoreau Food Program
Thoreau is piloting the first middle school program with Food for Others this year. Food for Others is an organization that provides schools with weekly "Power Packs." These packs include nonperishable food items for school-aged children in need. Families who would like to contribute can do so directly with Food for Others.
News from the Creative Writing Class
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During the month of November, creative writing teacher Jen Wharton's students learned interviewing techniques and wrote probing interview questions in order to conduct an interview with an elder over the Thanksgiving break for The Great Thanksgiving Listen, a StoryCorps oral history project. Students shared their podcasts during a class listening party. Eighth grade student Narai asked her father, "If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self?" His answer taught the class a lesson in resilience. "Fail as many times as it takes to achieve your goal." Students had an opportunity to archive their interviews with the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. |
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