|
Upcoming Important Dates
|
|
All FCPS Schools are closed until further notice. For more information regarding building closures, please go to fcps.edu.
|
|
November 22
|
Deadline to nominate an outstanding Irving staff member for the annual FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards. See the info below to nominate our amazing staff for this recognition.
|
|
After School Activities Every Day
|
We have great after school clubs meeting virtually! Check out the schedule click here! For more information - see the spotlight on After School below!
|
|
November 24
|
Full Day of School - Periods 1,3,5, & 7 will meet
|
|
November 25-27
|
Holiday (Thanksgiving) - No School
|
Mr. Horvat (Civics) & Mr. Brown (CTE) are doing a great job of teaching students both in-person and at home at the same time in our WIMS concurrent pilot. They are purposeful in their work to make sure both learning environments are engaging!
FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards
Now through 11:59 pm on Sunday, November 22nd, members of the larger Irving MS community have an opportunity to nominate Irving staff members for the annual FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards. This county-wide program ultimately selects one final “Teacher of the Year,” “Leader of the Year,” etc. Irving had good representation in last year’s competition in that one of our teachers emerged as the Pyramid’s Teacher of the Year, and an operational employee was a finalist overall and named the “Region 4 Operational Employee of the Year.” Use the link to this Google Form to nominate one or several people from Irving’s staff: https://forms.gle/fZAax2swzKp98zAu8
Irving Teachers ROCK!
Calling all parents and students! Is there a teacher, counselor, or other Irving support staff that you would like to recognize for doing awesome things to build community and model positive character traits? Use this form to acknowledge them: https://forms.gle/5i4i7oE4ZzGszhXe6
Want a way to support families in our community this holiday season?
Normally, Irving staff adopts families in the community to provide gifts during the holiday season. As you can imagine, there is even more need this year in the Irving community. Instead of providing gifts this year just from Irving staff, we are requesting donations and plan to provide gift cards to these families. If you would like to provide a gift card that will go directly to a family in need at Irving, please sign up using this Sign Up Genius. You have the option to deliver the gift card to Irving or can send it by email to our social worker, Traci Jamison, at tdjamison@fcps.edu by December 1st.
If your family needs assistance, please reach out to Ms. Jamison at tdjamison@fcps.edu.
Parent Presentation - Eating Disorders in Adolescents: What to Look for and How to Help
The West Springfield Pyramid presents Ashley Steelman, MA, LSCW, Clinical Director at Clementine Twin Lakes, on Tuesday, November 10th at 7:00pm to discuss eating disorders in adolescents. This will be a virtual presentation on Blackboard Collaborate at: https://us.bbcollab.com/guest/6b64102cdcd046e3a9a7e7a96d1a8da3
Library News
7th grade students should have already gotten a narrative non-fiction book to read for their quarterly reading project. Parents, your student should be able to explain to you what this term means. But, just in case, I’ll offer that a “narrative nonfiction book” is a factual book that reads like a story, often these are biographies. English teachers have highlighted titles of appealing narrative nonfiction books for young adults in class. We are also always willing to help your student find a book that is a good match for them. Students can email us, or drop in at our office hours through the library Schoology Course’s Blackboard Collaborate link, on Tuesdays and Thursday, right after school. Irving has many new, appealing titles to choose from. Please take advantage of the collection that we’ve built for this assignment and for our students.
Curbside pickup service of library books continues each Monday afternoon, from noon until 3 pm. We had a good turnout and were so happy to start providing our students with the books that they’ve requested.
The deadline for placing books on hold is Thursday (NEW!!) at 11:59 pm, prior to the Monday pick-up times. We are distributing books at Door 2, near the Band Room.
If getting to the school on Mondays is an impossibility for your family schedule, email Ms. Monk and other arrangements will be made for getting the books to your student.
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 is thriving during our after-school meetings on Wednesdays. We’re beginning discussion of our second book of the year starting on 11/18th. It’s a perfect time to join in. Students who are interested in joining can find the join link for “Readers Unite” in the After School Program’s website. 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
Technology News
Digital Resource Parent Permission
Action Item: Irving teachers use some digital resources that require parent consent. These have been carefully vetted by IS and IT for instructional appropriateness, technical functionality, and student data management which is compliant with FERPA and state law. If you have not yet provided consent for your child to use these digital resources, please do so today. Thank you!
Link to the Parent Permission Form ｜ Link to Irving MS Digital Resources
Reminder: Healthy Student Laptops!
Please ensure your student is shutting down their FCPS-issued laptop each night and plugging in. Then, leave enough time in the morning to turn it on and allow any updates to load. Not only will this keep the laptop healthy, but it will also help students in accessing programs during the school day. Regularly clearing the chrome cache will also help keep devices running smoothly.
Digital Distractions, Multitasking and Time Management
Are you concerned with the amount of digital multitasking your child does? Explore this family tip sheet from Common Sense Media and try some strategies as a family to get some distance from distractions.
10 Websites All Kids Should Bookmark
Explore this resource from Common Sense Media, with suggestions for websites that kids of all ages should bookmark as supplements to their digital toolkits.
After School Program
It’s not too late to get involved in the After School Program!
If your child is interested in joining one of our clubs, please have them visit the After School Program Student Website in the All Students Course in Schoology. If your child needs help signing up for a club, check out this video tutorial! Tutorial for Accessing the Irving After School Program Student Website
Club Schedule
To view the weekly club schedule, click here.
Questions about After School? Please email Emily Geary (emgeary@fcps.edu)
News from your PTA
Thanks to all who attended the PTA meeting this week.
ICYMI, the PTA is working to make SpiritWear available directly from Burke Sporting Goods - including Irving hoodies and pajama pants. So be on the lookout for a link!
Also, be on the lookout for info about a drive-in movie at the school in December (think inflatable movie screen and broadcast directly to your car stereo!).
Finally, with your holiday shopping, see the info here about connecting your shopping with Amazon Smile to support the PTA and how to download the Boxtops App.
If you haven't joined the PTA yet, you can do that on our MemberHub site here.
We hope to see you at the next PTA meeting on January 12th!
|
