Weekly Update from Irving MS

Thank you for joining Ms. Mossburg and Mrs. Conley for our ParentVue and Schoology information session. If you were unable to attend, please listen to the recording here and view the slides by clicking the image on the left.  Issues with the recording are being resolved.  If you are unable to access it please try again on Monday.

Technology Support

Visit Irving’s Virtual Learning page for Schoology and SIS support, as well as troubleshooting tips for common device issues. Parents and students can also submit a ticket in the FCPS IT Support Portal.

Maintaining a Healthy School-Issued Laptop

An important maintenance task that can keep your school laptop performing throughout the school year is regularly restarting it. This installs updates and ends background processes. It is highly recommended that anyone with a school laptop shut down at the end of each school day. On Tuesday nights, leave it on, but plugged in, and restart the device on Wednesday mornings. Microsoft uses Tuesdays to push out updates, and this will ensure that they are installed in a timely manner.

Schoology (and other) Troubleshooting Tips

For issues logging into Schoology try these troubleshooting tips:

1. Refresh the browser tab (Chrome is the recommended browser)
2. Restart the computer

For issues accessing Google files or Google Drive:

1. Restart the computer
2. Log out and back into the FCPS Google account (student ID number@fcpsschools.net)
3. Log into Schoology

For issues accessing Horizon (eCart) or other sites/links for class:

1. Check that your student can log into Schoology and can also log into Blackboard. If they can, but not Horizon, this usually means it is taking too long to connect to the Horizon database, rather than an issue with your student’s account. This could be a browser issue, the student laptop, or the network they are using.
2. Close any extra programs, windows and/or tabs while using Horizon.

1. Clear the Chrome Cache.
2. Try a different browser, such as Internet Explorer.
3. Restart the computer.

If there is another device to try it on and they are able to log in, submit a RequestIT Ticket.

Welcome to Ms. Kim’s Class! Ms.Kim teaches 7th grade Math.

Irving MS Enrollment Forms Section Updated

Please take a look at our Enrollment Forms website! If you have not completed and submitted the required and applicable optional forms, please do so as soon as possible so we can make sure we have the most up-to-date information regarding your child.

Want a way to support families in our community this holiday season?

Since 2016, Food For Neighbors (FFN) has been providing holiday meals to families in middle and high schools throughout Fairfax and Loudoun counties. Please consider making a donation that would allow a family in the Springfield area to enjoy Thanksgiving as well. Holiday meals are a special time when families come together. With your generosity, students throughout our community will experience this joy during what has been a difficult year. Thank you for your generosity. https://www.foodforneighbors.org/home/holiday-meals/

Free and Reduced-Price Meals

If you submitted an application for Free or Reduced-Price Meals last school year for your child(ren), please remember to submit a new application for this school year. The current eligibility status will expire on October 20, 2020. Apply for free and reduced-price meals by visiting www.MySchoolApps.com. Eligibility may also provide your child(ren) other important benefits. Be sure your child(ren) are approved for the 20-21 school year. 

The online application is available in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, Tagalog, French, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Korean. Paper applications are available to complete and submit in English upon request at FCPS food distribution sites.  

Virtual Class For Parents

African American Culturally Focused Virtual Parent Café, Are you parenting a child 0-18 years old? Thursdays 6-7:30 p.m.

Library News

Curbside pickup service of Library Books began last week!  We had a good turnout and were so happy to start providing our students with the books that they’ve requested.  

Curbside pick up will be held on Mondays from noon until 3 pm.  (We’ll be there this Monday too, even though it is a student holiday).  It is already too late to reserve books for pick up this Monday, October 12th.  The deadline for placing books on hold is Wednesday at 11:59 pm, prior to the Monday pick-up times.

Things went very smoothly last week, but we have decided to make one change.  PLEASE DRIVE TO DOOR 2, near the band room, to pick up library books from now on.  That’s where you will find us with the books you’ve placed on hold!

The first step is for students to place books on hold, using the library catalog.  Here is a short video that explains how to put books on hold:  https://youtu.be/pugYVMyu7Ow Looking forward to waving to many of you “at the curb!”

Readers Unite Book Club began on Wednesday, October 7th.  We now have had two meetings and have chosen our first book of the school year.  Students should join “Readers Unite” through the “Groups” link in Schoology.  V34J-RN2R-VVR84 is the code to join.  The club meets from 2:30-3:30 on Wednesdays through the Blackboard Collaborate link available in the Readers Unite Group page.

--Ms. Monk & Mrs. Gawalt

After School Program

How to Sign Up for Clubs

Interested in having your child participate in the After School Program but not sure how to help them get involved?  Watch this video tutorial of the After School Program Student Website so you can assist your child in getting signed up for clubs! 

Tutorial for Accessing the Irving After School Program Student Website   

New Club Offerings!

New clubs will be added to our program frequently.  For more information about these clubs, visit the After School Program Student Website.

• Rising Spartans Football Club – Starts Tuesday, October 13th at 2:30! (Now open to both 7th and 8th graders!)
• Garden Entrepreneurship Club – Starts Wednesday, October 14th at 3:00!  (Sign Up required – see details below)
• Strategic Board Games Club – Starts Thursday, October 22nd at 2:30!

Garden Entrepreneurship Club

Students will work with representatives from Arcadia Farms and FCPS staff to create a small business plan, prepare a budget, maintain good fiscal records, and create promotional marketing materials for their plant or business idea.  The program will include special guest speakers, virtual visits to farms/gardens, cooking classes and more!  The club will meet weekly on Wednesday from 3:00-3:45 pm.  It begins on October 14th and runs for 12 weeks, and is open to students from Irving MS, Key MS, Sandburg MS, and Whitman MS.  Space is limited, so sign up is required.  If your child is interested in participating, please complete this sign-up form:  Garden Entrepreneur Club Sign Up Form

To view the weekly club calendar, click here.

Questions about After School?  Please email Emily Geary (emgeary@fcps.edu)

News from your PTA

• Don’t forget to join the PTA!  
• The Learning Legends: Love a Teacher! campaign ends this Monday, October 12th! 
• Please support our teachers - $11 gets one teacher a WIMS T-shirt and an Anita’s breakfast burrito! You can also get a spiritwear shirt for yourself*!
• **note that the teacher shirts are gray with blue writing and the WIMS supporter shirts will be white with blue writing; see the updated picture below!
• Joining, spiritwear purchases, and contributing to the teacher campaign can all be done on our MemberHub store - https://irvingms.new.memberhub.store/store.
• Stay tuned – the PTA is looking for your input about virtual learning. In the next few weeks, look out for a survey link about “Wins and Wishes.” Be thinking about “Wins” – what’s going well in virtual learning, and “Wishes” – what you wish could happen or be implemented.
• And we look forward to seeing you at our next PTA meeting on November 10th via Zoom!

8100 Old Keene Mill Springfield, VA 22152  | Main Office: 703-912-4500
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