Glasgow Community Gazette - March 22

Glasgow Community:

This is an extraordinary time for us as a school community. On a normal week, when I am not at work, I am typically out at sports practices or games for one of my three boys, and it has felt strange to stay at home. I’m sure many of you can agree. While it has been quite an adjustment, it has also been a good reminder for me to slow down and enjoy my family and the little things. We have been spending time together taking hikes, seeing the Cherry Blossoms and jumping on the trampoline. Although it is such a stressful and uncertain time, each time I see a family together, it gives me hope and reminds me of what is most important: our health and our families.

With that in mind, I would love to hear how you are spending your time. I have created a Google Photos album titled “Glasgow Community - Staying Connected Photo Album” to share pictures of how you are “social-distancing”.

Though the Team Glasgow is not in the building, we are working closely with the school district to determine next steps for our distance learning plans for our students. According to FCPS, if we are not able to return to school on April 14, then we will begin countywide distance learning. We are in the beginning stages of this preparation and I anticipate that like everything our staff will embrace this new way of teaching and learning with the same passion and drive towards excellence. Know that our motto over the next few weeks will be to “keep it simple, take it slow and focus on working collaboratively" to provide meaningful learning experiences for our students.

In the weeks that lie ahead, we will work to stay connected and healthy. FCPS leadership will continue to send ongoing updates and I will continue to limit written communication, unless it is Glasgow specific, in order to make space for important messages FCPS sends.

Take care of your families and loved ones and 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/

Volunteer Opportunities

Get Involved, Run for the PTA Board - The PTA is looking for interested parties to serve on the board, there are a number of opportunities available. Some positions are easily performed remotely. Please email the PTA if interested: glasgowms.pta@gmail.com. 

Food Donation - Fortunately our feeder neighborhoods have several pre-existing food truck delivery programs through Food For Others. If you are interested in donating food, we recommend that families donate using information from the website: https://www.foodforothers.org/

POSTPONED - 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

April 6 - 10 - Spring Break 

April 14 - PTA Meeting - POSTPONED

April 14 - Tentative Distance Learning Roll Out

April 24 - Hoop It Up Night - POSTPONED

Important Information 

Coronavirus Updates - For the most up to date information about coronoavirus from FCPS use the following link: https://www.fcps.edu/news/coronavirus-update

FCPS Continuity of Learning Resources - The Glasgow website has been updated to have the link to the Continuity of Learning Resources linked directly on our home page https://glasgowms.fcps.edu/.  You may also access the learning activities on FCPS 24-7 (Blackboard).  We will be given further direction before March 27, if additional school based distance learning will be created.  Paper packets will be sent home to all families who do not have any access to technology during the week of 3/30. Stay tuned for more updates about distance learning.

FCPS Cable Channels - Learning activities are now available on FCPS cable channels. New instructional videos are currently being developed and recorded and will be added to the programming shortly. Channel 21 includes elementary school programming, Channel 25 includes middle school programming, and Channel 99 includes high school programming. This content will also be available online at www.fcps.edu.

Free Internet Access - Comcast and Cox are providing free or low cost internet to families in need. Click the links below to learn more:

Comcast Free Internet

Cox Free Internet

Emergency Breakfast & Lunch - FCPS will continue to provide grab and go breakfasts and lunches at no cost for students at multiple sites to students, with breakfast from 8:00-10:30am and lunch from 10:30am to 2:00pm. School-age students are welcome to come to any of the nearest sites listed below to pick up a lunch during that time period. Other sites are also available on the FCPS homepage. All meals are available at no cost to children 18 years and under. Adult lunches are available for purchase for $2.

• Annandale Terrace, 7604 Herald St., Annandale
• Braddock Elementary,  7825 Heritage Dr., Annandale
• Bailey’s Elementary School, 6111 Knollwood Dr., Falls Church
• Crestwood ES, 6010 Hanover Ave., Springfield
• Glen Forest ES, 5829 Glen Forest Dr., Falls Church
• Parklawn ES, 4116 Braddock Road, Alexandria
• Bailey’s Community Center, 10-10:30 a.m., 5920 Summers Ln, Falls Church

Library Resources - MackinVIA, which is the e-book and audiobook platform that provides middle school and high school students access to hundreds of popular fiction and nonfiction e-books curated by FCPS Library Information Services. The purpose of this collection is to inspire students to read for fun. Users can download the free MackinVIA app from the ios and android app stores to read or listen on their mobile devices, or they can log in to fairfax.mackinvia.com using their FCPS network username and password.  Be sure to log in to the FCPS blue bar, NOT the Follett prompt. Watch a 4 minute tutorial: MackinVIA Screencast Tutorial 2020.mp4. Here are some questions for a family and friend book club: Book club discussion questions.

Food Donation - Fortunately our feeder neighborhoods have several pre-existing food truck delivery programs through Food For Others. If you are interested in donating food, we recommend that families donate using information from the website: https://www.foodforothers.org/

Yearbooks on Sale Now! - Parents are 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. 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.

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.

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's article from KQED is about "Tips for Managing the Stress of Social Distancing” and “How to Support Families and Out of School Kids.” Check them out.