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Dear Mustang Family-
As we embark on another week of virtual learning, we are excited to be in the planning phases of some small groups coming into the building in a few weeks. Our administrative team and teachers are working through logistics and it will be a new and welcomed energy to have students back in the building during the school day. I will continue to update you on additional plans to phase in students as the county develops them.
This week FCPS celebrates Digital Citizenship Week and SCMS celebrates Bullying Prevention Week. We have planned virtual spirit days and can’t wait to see the creativity from students and staff. On Wednesday, we join with many schools around the nation to celebrate Unity Day. we plan to host virtual lunches to provide students the opportunity to engage with peers in a virtual setting and continue to build community.
Lastly, it’s hard to believe, but the first quarter is quickly coming to a close. It will be important for students to stay updated on their grades through SIS StudentVue. Also, parents are able to see updated progress in SIS ParentVue. Let’s work to finish the quarter strong!
We hope that you are able to get outside and enjoy this beautiful fall weather. As always, our teachers, counselors and administrators are here for you if you need anything. Please let me know if you have any questions!
Sincerely,
Peter Kownacki
Principal, SCMS
@pakownacki
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Upcoming Dates |
- October 30th. End of first quarter. Two-hour early release.
- November 2nd. School Planning Day. No school for students.
- November 3rd. Teacher Workday. No School for students.
- November 11th. Two- hour early release. Veteran’s Day
- November 25th-27th (Wed-Thurs-Fri) Thanksgiving Holiday. No school for staff or students.
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Digital Consent Form |
At South County Middle School, our teachers will use a variety of digital resources to support student learning and promote communication and collaboration with students and families. Some of the digital resources your child may use this year will require your consent before they can be used. You can find our school’s list of the resources that require parental consent here: https://southcountyms.fcps.edu/adopteddigitalresources
Included on this page is also a link to a form where the enrolling parent or guardian will need to indicate whether or not their student is allowed to use the list of digital resources this year. This page also provides more information about how FCPS carefully reviews digital resources for approval and why we must request your consent before using certain tools. We encourage you to complete the parental consent for digital resources form as soon as possible, as your child will not be able to use the digital resources until we have received your permission. Please reach out to your child’s teachers first if you have questions or concerns about the digital resources we’ve chosen to use this year or you may contact the grade level administrators Jon Mitchel (8th Grade Assistant Principal) or Miranda Hendershot (7th Grade Assistant Principal).
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Teacher Office Hours |
Teacher office hours are available for students to receive intervention, additional instruction, or ask questions. Parents should not attend office hours, this is for students only. If a parent would like to speak to one of their student’s teachers they will need to set up a conference directly with that teacher or through the student’s counselor. Please email them directly with any questions or concerns.
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Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology |
Thomas Jefferson is still working on a plan for the 2020 application process. They will post the press release containing links to all the School Board sessions/Town Hall meetings for parents to view.
Based upon the School Board Work Session discussion on October 6th, the school board consensus was that testing (Quant-Q, ACT Aspire Reading and Science) will be eliminated for this year, the application fee will be eliminated and there will be an increase in student enrollment at TJHSST. We do not have a window for the application process at this time. The next scheduled School Board Work Session to discuss additional changes is currently set for November 17th. You may always check TJ’s website, https://www.fcps.edu/registration/thomas-jefferson-admission for current information.
SCMS Thomas Jefferson HS Liaison: Jennice Johnson: JLJohnson2@fcps.edu
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Monday Procedures |
All SCMS students will connect with teachers each Monday by noon. This is a required activity for all students! Students will connect/check in either by attending the 8:00-8:30 AM Check and Connect session (via link from 3rd period teacher) or by filling out the Google question they received from their 3rd period teacher. Each Monday teachers will share important school announcements and check in with students to support their learning for the week. Teachers at SCMS are asked to enter all student attendance by noon on Mondays so we ask that each student check in with their teachers by noon as well.
Individual teachers will hold additional office hours for student support on Mondays. Students should check their teachers' schedules and procedures for attending office hours.
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Go Paperless Report Card Option |
Parents click on GO PAPERLESS in ParentVUE to get your online report card. Please log into ParentVUE, then go to “My Account” and select "Go Paperless". This will not impact other FCPS mailings. Parents who do not choose this option or who have not yet set up their ParentVue account will continue to receive a paper copy of their child’s report card by mail this year.
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SCMS Library Offering Curbside Pickup |
Readers rejoice! Students can now check out books to take home from the South County Library. We're offering curbside pickup every Monday from 7:30-10:30 AM and 3:30-6:30 PM. Requests are made in advance: books selected by Thursday night will be ready the following Monday. Students must log into our library catalog (instructions here) with their fcpsschools account to place a hold.
All pickups will take place at the school, so be sure students can get a ride or can get there independently. Curbside will take place behind the school at Entrance 6, and we'll have signs out to help direct you. Books can also be returned to the school during curbside hours.
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Grab and Go Food Sites and Breakfast Bus Routes |
All FCPS students (regardless of age) are eligible for free grab and go breakfast and lunch, as well as other county children, under the age of 18. Adults picking up meals for children should let staff know how many children meals they need. Adults may pay $2 for the meals as well. The service will be available Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM only.
New for this fall: breakfast and lunch meals for Saturdays will be distributed at all sites and bus routes each Friday.
South County area Grab and Go centers are Burke School, Lorton Station ES, Oak View ES, South County High School.
In addition, FCPS has some breakfast bus routes set up for students in some areas. Please click on this link to see bus routes for the South County Community Service time for buses are between 6:00 and 8:30 AM.
https://www.fcps.edu/return-school/food/bus
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Parent and Student Technology Support Portal |
To support families who are working with their children during distance learning, FCPS has launched a Parent Technology Help Desk. The help desk can be reached at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS) and will be answered by staff members between 7:00 AM and 11 PM seven days a week.
FCPS has also set up a Parent and Student Technology Portal at https://itweb.fcps.edu/itsupport/ to allow older students and parents/guardians to request technology help directly. When a support ticket is entered through the portal, it is auto-routed to the Tech Team at the appropriate site to expedite service.
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Quick Links |
We encourage you to visit our school website frequently for updates and announcements. For more detailed information on all school matters, please visit our website at http://www.fcps.edu/southcountyms/
For further information on planning and events sponsored by the PTSO, please visit their website at http://www.scmsptso.org/
Parents of FCPS students may update contact information online through weCare@School http://www.fcps.edu/news/wecare.shtml, a feature of FCPS 24-7 Learning (Blackboard) or by contacting the student information officer at their child’s school to have the contact information updated in the student information system.
The News You Choose subscription service is a self-subscribing, self-updating, and self-unsubscribing service. To update your contact information and/or topic selections, or to unsubscribe, go to http://www.fcps.edu/kit/index.shtml#update for instructions. Schools and offices cannot update or delete subscribers.
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