Glasgow Community Gazette - March 8

Glasgow Community:

This past week we celebrated our 8th grade student’s learning with Lobby Day!  Students identified problems in their school, state, or local communities and created an advocacy plan in order to lobby a legislator or decision-maker about the issue. Students presented advocacy plans that included increased fitness for Virginia residents, adding more counseling staff at Glasgow, public safety, controlling litter, and stopping cyber-bullying to name a few.  We had many members of our community stop by including parents, school board members, and even Dr. Brabrand. A big thank you to everyone who stopped by. I was most impressed at hearing our students present with so much confidence and clarity. Great work 8th graders and Civics Team!

The Glasgow Orchestra had their pre-assessment concerts this week. Kudos to Alex Touzinsky and Annie Ray and their orchestra students as they presented fantastic performances in preparation for their upcoming assessment.

This coming week I hope to see you all at the Harlem Wizards vs. the Justice Jammers on Thursday, March 12.  It will be a fun-filled Justice pyramid evening with slam dunks, athletic tricks and humor.  Hope to see you there.

Remember to spring forward this weekend and change your clocks. As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

Katie Madigan, Acting Principal

Contact Information
Twitter: @ktmadigan
Email: kemadigan@fcps.edu
Website: http://www.fcps.edu/GlasgowMS/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlasgowMS.FCPS/

Getting Ready for High School

Course Registration - Rising 9th graders - All academic advising and course registrations have been completed for rising 9th graders.  You can view the courses that your child has selected through StudentVue and ParentVue selecting the “course registration” tab.  At this time, if there are any changes that you or your child would like to make to high school course selections for next year, they will need to be communicated directly to the high schools. Glasgow counselors are no longer able to assist with changes to high school schedules. The contact information for the high schools is as follows:

Justice – Chrissy Spaulding caspaulding@fcps.edu

Annandale – Paula Disalvo at pdisalvo@fcps.edu

Falls Church - Jessica Grenfell at jmgrenfell@fcps.edu

Edison - Deborah Guillen at dlguillen@fcps.edu

Please be sure to communicate your requests to the appropriate high school by March 15th.  Please note, schools may not be able to accommodate requests made after March 15th. Thank you!

Volunteer Opportunities

Get Involved, Volunteer Today! - The Glasgow PTA needs YOU! See volunteer opportunities at Glasgow Middle School, supporting our teachers and staff, throughout the year:  http://www.glasgowpta.org/participate/volunteer/

Student Volunteer Opportunity - The Annual Beech Tree Fun Fair is Saturday, March 28th from 10 to 2pm. The Fun Fair is our PTA’s largest fundraiser of the year! Our PTA needs us ALL to make this a great success. Please sign up to donate some time. You can bake a cake for the Cake Walk, or make something for the bake sale, run a game, face painting, hair spray, or security.   Thank You! High school students are welcome to volunteer. Here’s the link to sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0544adae2da46-funfair2 

Volunteer at the Book Fair: April 13 thru April 20 - The Scholastic Book Fair is coming again to Glasgow!  Please consider volunteering some time. Here is the link to the sign-up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c084aa4a92da0fc1-spring1

Important Dates

March 10 - PTA Meeting, cancelled

March 10 - Beginning Chorus Concert, Annandale HS, 7:00pm

March 10 & 11 - 8th Grade Writing SOL 

March 11 - Chorus Pre-Assessment Concert, Justice, 7:00pm

March 12 - Harlem Wizards, 7:00pm, Justice High School

March 13 & 14 - Band Assessment, Sandburg Middle School

March 19 - 6th Grade Dance, 2:30pm - 4:30pm, Cafeteria

Upcoming Chorus Pre-Assessment Concerts - Chorus Pre-Assessment, Wednesday, March 11, 7:00 PM 

Harlem Wizards - March 12, 7:00pm - Please join our community and Glasgow staff, Katelyn Charbonneau, Michael Pulver, Jayme Harris, Keely Norris and Katie Madigan, at Justice High School on Thursday, March 12, as we come together for an evening of fun and laughter with the Harlem Wizards!  The Wizards will thrill the crowd with slam dunks, athletic tricks and humor appealing to all. Come see your favorite teachers, coaches and staff play against the famous Harlem Wizards! The game begins at 7:00pm and the doors will open at 6:00pm.Be sure to purchase your tickets in advance using this link. If available, tickets will be sold at the door: Students $15 and General Admission $18.

VBODA Band Assessment - March 13 & 14 -  Advanced band students will participate in the Virginia Bands and Orchestra Directors Association’s District Assessment. The performances are FREE and open to the public and will take place at Sandburg Middle School, and our student’s would love to share our performances with you. Symphonic Band performs on Friday March 13, 8:45pm. Sixth Grade Advanced Band, Saturday, March 14, 8:45am. Wind Ensemble, Saturday March 14, 4:45pm. Good luck!

6th Grade Dance - Thursday, March 19, 2:20-4:40 - The 6th grade dance has been scheduled for Thursday, March 19. The SGA needs 10 teachers to be paid chaperones.  If you are interested, email Marc Perella at maperella@fcps.edu (first 10 who reply to Marc will be notified this week). As always, ALL teachers are welcome to join us for the dance.

The cost for students is $5 and includes: Ticket, Soda, Pizza, Candy and fun times! Dance wristbands will be sold before school in the Lecture Hall from 7:10-7:25 and then during all lunches.  Students cannot buy a wristband for a friend. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Lines at lelines@fcps.edu or Mr. Perella at maperella@fcps.edu.

Justice High School Wolfpack Theatre is proud to present this year's spring play, A Midsummer Night's Dream! - March 19 - 21 - It all happens on a Midsummer Night.  Within twenty-four hours, lives are challenged and changed.  This romantic comedy features star-crossed lovers and fairies in a world full of magical creatures, mysterious circumstances and marvelous characters. Come and enjoy our unique modern take on this Shakespearean classic set in the world of the early 1980s, when the top 10 hits at any moment could be any style of music -- disco, rock, hip hop, folk, jazz, country, punk -- and just plain different.  There's dancing, fabulous costumes, and intrigue set to the beat of fabulous music.

We're also hosting a special Fairy Tea following the Saturday, March 21st, 2 pm matinee.  Participants will have a chance to meet a magical group of fairies, enjoy cool drinks, and photo opportunities for a $5 admission fee (parents attend free with children)!  For an additional $5 you can create your own fairy garden. RSVPs are required, at https://wolfpacktheatre.org/.

Show Times: Thursday, March 19 at 7 pm, Friday, March 20 at 7 pm, Saturday, March 21 at 2 pm and 7 pm 

Tickets: You are encouraged to purchase your tickets in advance (no service charge) at https://wolfpacktheatre.org/, but tickets will also be available at the door for cash, check and credit card. Adults: $10, Students & Seniors $8.

Justice HS Volleyball Weekend Camps in March: Sign Up Today! - Justice High School volleyball program is excited to be offering Volleyball Clinics for boys and girls in grades 6 through 9 grade every Saturday in March. For more information check out the following link: https://www.justicehssports.com/page/3095

Glasgow Goodies

Performing Arts Pre-Assessment Concerts - Shout out to our Glasgow Orchestras and Bands who did an amazing job these past two weeks at their “Pre-Assessment Concerts.”  The purpose of the concerts is to prepare for the upcoming District Band, Chorus and Orchestra Assessment season. The Pre-Assessment Concerts and District Assessment performances are free and open to the public. The music staff thanks all for your support.

Important Information

Coronavirus Updates - FCPS is working with the Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) and closely monitoring the health crisis as well as any impact it may have locally. The situation is ever changing, so a coronavirus webpage has been established to provide updates as needed.  Go to the coronavirus webpage. This page contains the three messages sent by Superintendent Scott S. Brabrand that describes FCPS’ response to the coronavirus to date. The page also contains fact sheets, videos, and other resources that you may find useful. Additional information is available from the Fairfax County Health Department and the CDC. As always remember to practice preventative measures: wash your hands, cover your cough, and stay home when you are unwell.

Celebrating Kindness @ Glasgow MS - As a school we are celebrating Kindness Month in the upcoming weeks for the rest of the month of March. Teachers and staff are encouraged to pass out as many Kindness panther cards as possible to our deserving KIND students. As per usual, students will be able to trade in their panther cards to our Panther Stores for a prize but in addition they will also be entered into a raffle to win a special kindness prize. Only Panther Cards with the ‘Kindness’ Panther quality circled will be entered into this raffle.

FINAL CALL - Yearbook Class Needs Photos of Your Child Outside of School! - The yearbook staff wants to see our students and staff engaged in an activity outside of school.  If you traveled to an exciting location (includes vacation destinations) or play sports outside of school, we want a picture! You can also include pictures of helping the community or attending a play, movie, evening school event, etc. Be creative and send those pictures to the yearbook staff!

To submit pictures you can submit to Mr. Perella in F226 (please put your picture in an envelope with name and Panther Time teacher)or click on the link below.  Please be sure to write a brief description of when and where the picture was taken. The deadline is March 9, 2020. Pictures can be submitted to this Google form: https://forms.gle/d5mimbsdHKLFZxYa6

FINAL CALL - 8th Grade Baby or Toddler Pictures Needed! - It's that time again! The yearbook staff would like 8th graders to bring in pictures when you were a baby or toddler.  To submit pictures, you can give them to a yearbook staff member or drop them off to Mr. Perella in room F226 (please put your picture in an envelope with name and Panther Time teacher) or click on the link below. The deadline is March 9, 2020. Pictures can be submitted to this Google form: https://forms.gle/Weyk8wpSh8rDMXh28 or emailed to Mr. Perella: maperella@fcps.edu or maperella@fcpsschools.net.

*Please note, not all pictures will be may be used based on image content, image quality, or size. The yearbook staff will try their best to get all submitted photos into the yearbook.

Yearbooks on Sale Now! - Parents encouraged to purchase a yearbook today! The cost is $30. You can purchase your yearbook on-line at https://www.balfour.com/virginia/alexandria/glasgow-middle-school or bring in cash/check to the office. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Perella at maperella@fcps.edu. Please note, yearbooks will be distributed to students at Glasgow during the last week of school.

2020-2021 Course Registration for Glasgow Students - Counselors have finished meeting with 7th and 8th graders and will start meeting with 6th graders this coming week for academic advising. New for this year, students are now able to enter their course selections on their own through SIS StudentVue prior to meeting with counselors. Parents will also be able to view their student’s course selections in ParentVUE when they are entered. You may help your student through this process by using the “How To” guide.  

Helpful Links:Online Course Selection - “How To” Guide 

Glasgow MS Course Catalog for Rising 7th Graders

Glasgow MS Course Catalog for Rising 8th Graders

Please note that all course request changes for Glasgow students are due by April 17, 2020. Finalizing requests by this date allows us to invest in staffing and resources based on students’ needs and interests. We will be finalizing schedules and placements throughout the late Spring and summer months.

Counselor Availability - Academic Advising - Academic Advising has started and will continue through early March. During this time, most counselors will be out of their offices during the school day to meet individually with all Glasgow students. We appreciate your patience and our counselors will respond to all emails and calls as soon as possible. 

Attention 8th Graders (rising 9th graders) CPP is Now Recruiting: The College Partnership Program (CPP) assist students who are traditionally underrepresented in higher education; explore, apply and enroll in college. CPP offers academic counseling, college visits, assistance with completing college and scholarship applications, monthly meetings, parent education sessions, SAT preparation classes, a summer overnight experience on a college campus, news and information related to colleges and careers via FCPS 24-7 (Blackboard) site.

Online application: https://tinyurl.com/CPPapp2020. Students will need to log in to their G Suite account (FCPS Google Apps in Education) to complete the online application. Paper applications are available in Student Services.  Please email Ms. Otoyo at ajotoyo@fcps.edu. Deadline is March 18.

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 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.

After School Program News

The after-school program is going great! Students are enjoying the different clubs and activities that are being offered. Late buses are available for students every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. 

Club Spotlight: Kiss My Kicks - Kiss My Kicks is an after school running club for girls, and is focused on fitness, healthy choices, and positive self-image. The girls run laps around the school in order to build endurance and prepare for the Justice Run with the Wolves 5K.  In Kiss My Kicks, the girls also partake in mini-lessons centered around health and fitness, and reflect on their own healthy practices.  We also invite former Glasgow students visit and discuss high school sports, and how participating in Kiss My Kicks prepares girls for their athletic journey.

ICAN Dance - ICAN Dance is part of our after school program at Glasgow.  It’s a developed dance curriculum and approach to encourage students creativity and integrates the use of specialized educational methods, developmental movement, expressive dance, therapeutic interventions, and ballet techniques. Contact Greg Williams, for more information and to see if this might be a program for your child.

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.

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.