Franklin MS Weekly Update - November 6

Franklin Families and Students,

We are off to a great start in the 2^nd quarter of the school year. After a long weekend, we would like to thank all of our students for the energy they brought to their classes this week.  We hope to see many of their smiling faces at our opportunity for yearbook photos next week!

Please remember that today is the last day to complete the Intent Form if you wish to change your July decision of learning location from in-person to virtual or from virtual to in-person.  We need your responses by 7:00 PM tonight.   We cannot make changes after this time due to the planning required to implement concurrent instruction.  

Wednesday, November 11th will be a 2-hour early release day and the bell schedule can be found below. Additionally, the FCPS School Board approved a change to the calendar that makes Inauguration Day on Wednesday, January 20 a holiday for all staff and students.

The weather for the next few days looks amazing! I hope that all of you have a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable weekend.

Sincerely,

Dustin Wright

Principal

Early Release Schedule for Wednesday, November 11

On the morning of Wednesday, November 11, Franklin students will have the opportunity to view a special Veterans Day presentation during their Falcon Time session. Afterwards, teachers and students will be engaged in reflective discussions about the importance of honoring our veterans and what Veterans Day means to them. This is a two hour early release day for students, and we will follow the bell schedule below.

Lifetouch School Pictures on November 9 & 12

Lifetouch photographers will be at the school to take individual student portraits on Monday, November 9 and Thursday, November 12 at the times listed below. Please use the Sign Up Genius to sign up in advance for individual time slots

We will be doing a drive through system for school pictures (see photo below). To ensure that the event runs as efficiently for all our families, please arrive at your scheduled time. Vehicles should enter the Kiss ‘n’ Ride parking lot to the right of the building next to the playing fields, proceed forward to the access road, and drive around the back of the school building to Exit 5. Parents and guardians should remain in their vehicle. Please ask your student to wear a mask, which will be taken off for the picture. With staff direction, students will exit their vehicles, enter the building at Door 5 for a temperature check and proceed to the photographer in the building. Parents and guardians may pick up their students on the blacktop (between Doors 4 and 5) and continue around the loop to the front of the building to exit. Photographers and staff will adhere to social distancing and recommended health protocols. 

Orders may be placed online at MyLifetouch.com or by phone at: 1-800-736-4753 using the Picture Day ID: EVT9DJDD3. For assistance with ordering pictures, please contact Lifetouch by phone or by email at: UCanswers@lifetouch.com.

Sign-Up Genius for School Pictures on November 9 and 12

PTA Spirit Wear Sale - 2nd Chance to Purchase!  Orders due November 26

The PTA is offering a second chance to get Spirit Wear! There will be no more opportunities to buy until the Fall of next school year. Some new items have been added, and the favorites are still included to choose from. Purchases are online only and ordering is open until Thursday, November 26 at 11:00PM. No late orders will be accepted and all sales are final. Please click here to order your Franklin MS spirit wear. Distribution of orders will be before the winter holiday break, with scheduled pick-up windows held outside of school. Families will be contacted with pick-up information when the orders are in. Please contact our Spirit Wear Coordinator with any questions.

Student Recognition for Nila Elangovan

Congratulations to Nila Elangovan, an 8th grader at Franklin who authored and recently published a children’s fiction novel. Nila’s book, The Adventure to the Ancient City is available on Amazon. Congratulations to Nila on this impressive accomplishment.

Outstanding FCPS Employee Awards

Each year Fairfax County Public Schools recognizes outstanding employees through an employee awards program. Nominations are now open for the Outstanding FCPS Employee Awards. Franklin families will be able to submit a nomination for Outstanding Employee in one of the categories below using the google form link. Nominations may be in one or more category. All that is required for a preliminary nomination is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work in the criteria for that category. The google form link will have more information regarding the criteria for each of these awards and the eligibility requirements are below. The deadline to submit a nomination is Friday, November 20. Please reach out to Zena Chapman with any questions.

Outstanding Teacher 

Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category

Outstanding New Teacher

Eligibility: Within their first three years of being a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category

Outstanding Principal

Eligibility: Has at least three years’ experience as a building principal (in any school/school district)                                        

Outstanding Leader 

Eligibility: At least one year of experience in their current position as a Schedule-C or School-Based Administrator scale employee (that is not the building principal):

Common positions in this category: Assistant and Associate Principals, Director of Student Activities, Director of Student Services

Outstanding Professional Employee 

Eligibility: At least one year experience in current position as a Schedule-B employee or other non-instructional employee in a school that supports school leadership

Common positions in this category: School-Based Technology Specialist, Technology Support Specialist, Assessment Coach, Career Center Specialist, Instructional Coach, Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor, Safety and Security Specialist, Resource Teachers that serve in an administrative role in a school 

Outstanding Operational Employee

Eligibility: At least one year of experience in current position as Schedule-A or Classroom Instructional Support Scale employee

Common positions in this category: Administrative and Office Staff, Safety and Security Assistant, Custodial Staff, Food Service Staff, IA, PHA, PHTA, All Parent Liaisons 

Franklin MS After School Program

After-School reminders:

• Students can find more information about the After-School Program in their grade-level Google Classroom and on the student After-School site.
• Students should check out the “Clubs by Day” and “Club Descriptions” sheets for club information and schedules.  

If you have any questions about the After-School Program, please feel free to contact Mrs. Mollé.

Family Life Education Virtual Information Session on November 12 

Fairfax County Public Schools provides a comprehensive, sequential Family Life Education (FLE) program for students in grades kindergarten through grade twelve. Instruction is seen as a partnership among parents and guardians, the school, and the community in supporting the learning essential to the development of strong families, positive relationships, and a healthy community.

Parents/guardians may choose to opt their child out of all or part of the Family Life Education program. Students who are opted out are provided with age-appropriate, nonpunitive alternative health instruction, and every effort is made to foster respect for family choices. If you wish to opt your child out of all or part of FLE for this school year, opt-out forms are available online for Middle School (7-8) https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle-school-academics-7-8/family-life-education-fle.   

Parents/guardians wishing to opt their child out of instruction may complete and return the opt-out form or scan and email a copy of the completed form.  An opt-out request can also be made in an email which indicates the lesson(s) the child will be opted out of. The actual opt-out form is not required. Opt-out emails should be addressed to Mr. Howes at srhowes@fcps.edu with the subject line FLE opt-out: Student last name. 

Detailed grade-level program descriptions are available online at Middle School (7-8). FLE grade level-specific lessons and media that FCPS has streaming rights for are available for parents online in FCPS 24-7 (Blackboard) Parent Vue https://www.fcps.blackboard.com.

There will be a Virtual Parent Preview Night on Thursday, November 12 at the times listed below for parents to meet the teachers and to ask any questions pertaining to the FLE (7-8) curriculum in November.  Links for the meetings will be sent on Thursday afternoon, November 12.

Program questions may be addressed at your child’s school or by contacting Instructional Services at 571-423-4550 or by contacting Carrie Reynolds, Health and Physical Education Coordinator at cfreynolds@fcps.edu.

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