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Greetings Frost MS Families,
It has been a great week at Frost Middle School. I continue to be so proud of the work of our students and staff do in the online learning environment.
This past week, we had the great fortune to have Ms. Rachel Bailey to join us at our PTA meeting. The presentation was interactive, informative and a must see! Ms. Bailey is a parenting specialist and has a podcast called “Your Parenting Long Game”. We were floored with her presentation and I am certain that all parents can gain some much-needed insight from her presentation. Kudos to the PTA for bringing her on board last week.
Earlier this week, we welcomed 30 students back to school in-person to attend engagement and intervention sessions. It was energizing to see students in the building! They did a great job getting acclimated to the building while maintaining safety, health and mitigation measures. We are looking forward to the larger groups of Frost MS 7th and 8th graders to return in March.
Return to School Listening Sessions:
In preparation for the return of students to in-person learning in March, I hosted a town hall on Return to School updates at 6:30 PM last night. This session focused on the in-person learning procedures for families. Use this link to view the recording.
https://frostms.fcps.edu/node/5151
In addition, we will hold a parent session to explain concurrent instruction the following week, February 18, 2021 at 6:30 PM. Use this link to join the session. We will hold additional, student specific orientation sessions during upcoming Falcon Focus.
Monday Check-in reminder:
Please remember that students are required to complete the online check-in/attendance form on Mondays for the remainder of the year, even as some students transition to in-person learning. All FCPS schools are required to note attendance on Mondays. Students are expected to check in and work through asynchronous assignments each Monday. Teachers will report attendance and students will be marked with an unverified absence if they do not complete the form.
Congratulations, Ms. Balduf!
We are proud to announce that Ms. Megan Balduf has achieved renewal as a National Board-Certified Teacher. Ms. Balduf is one of a select few educators in the nation who have succeeded in earning this distinction. Congratulations, Ms. Balduf!
Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with questions, concerns, or feedback.
All the best!
Anthony
#ONE Frost
February 25 Teacher Prep Day - Asynchronous Learning for Students
February 26 Teacher Prep Day - Asynchronous Learning for Students
March 2 8th Grade Students In-Person Start Date
March 5 Two-hour early release
March 8 Staff Development Day (No school for students)
March 9 7th Grade Students In-Person Start Date
- The calendar will be updated with additional dates for parent/community events as they become available.
Important Update on Return to School Plan
In preparation for students’ return, schools have created staffing plans based on the number of students who selected in-person instruction earlier this school year. Students who have already selected to return to in-person instruction will be able to do so two days a week. Due to social distancing requirements, schools may not be able to accommodate additional students who wish to change their selection from virtual to in-person instruction.
For parents requesting changes from full-time virtual to in-person instruction, principals will do their best to accommodate the requests, however, it may not be possible to accommodate changes if classes are at capacity.
February 16: Frost MS revised bell schedule will start and will be from 7:30-2:00
March 2: 8th Grade Students return
March 9: 7th Grade Students return
Updated Frost Middle School Bell Schedule
Beginning February 16, 2021
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Monday
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Tuesday - Friday
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Planning and Intervention Time
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Period
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Times
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Minutes
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Notes
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1/2
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7:30-8:55
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85
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Morning Announcements
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3/4
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9:05-10:25
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80
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SEL/intervention is 4th period
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5/6
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10:35-11:05
11:05-12:30
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30
85
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Lunch
Class
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7/8
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12:40-2:00
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80
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In-Person Student Key Technology Items to Remember
- Students are reminded to bring in their laptop everyday fully charged. They should bring their charging chords as well in the event the machine needs to be charged at school. Students will not be provided with “loaner” laptops. They will be provided alternate assignments by the classroom teacher and encouraged to remember to bring in their laptop each day.
- Students should have their own set of headphones in the event they need to use technology and software on their laptops that require headphones. Headphone use will directed by the classroom teacher.
- Students should remember to reboot their computers every day; clear their cache; and update Chrome.
In-Person Student Breakfast and Lunch
Breakfast and lunch will be free to all students through the end of the school year. Both meals will be cold meals and will be grab and go. Microwave ovens will NOT be available. Students are reminded to bring a refillable water bottle every day, as fountains have been disabled.
If you wish to change your student's meal preference to requiring meals on in-person school days, please contact Susan Morningstar at sjmorningsta@fcps.edu
Reminder- Updated Bell Schedule and Family Version of our Return to School Calendar are on the Frost MS website
https://frostms.fcps.edu/node/5151
Family Guide for 2020-2021 Return to School
Fairfax County Public Schools have published a guide to help families know what to expect as students return to school. The guide includes steps families will need to take at home in preparation for the return to school. Please download this document and take time to review the information.
Return to School Family Guide 02-2021.pdf
Health Commitment Form
Parents/caregivers of students who are returning to in-person instruction on March 2 or March 9 are being asked to acknowledge a Health Screening Commitment form before their student(s) return to school buildings. This document confirms that a parent/caregiver/guardian will complete a daily health screening and will keep their students home when they are ill.
If you have already submitted your health commitment form, either through ParentVUE or with a paper copy, thank you!
If you have not yet had the chance to do so, the Health Commitment form can be submitted electronically through in ParentVUE (PVUE). Or you may print the form, below, and scan and email it to Susan Morningstar at sjmorningsta@fcps.edu. If you need a hard copy, please call the school at 703-426-5700.
https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/HealthScreeningCommitment.pdf
TJHSST Applications Closes on February 26
Interested in applying to TJ? Read on for an important Admissions Update:
On January 7, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology posted an update to their Freshman Application webpage, https://www.fcps.edu/node/42685, announcing the Application Window will begin on February 1 at 8:00 am and close on February 26 at 4:00 pm. It is anticipated that additional information will be posted beginning next week. Visit https://www.fcps.edu/node/42685 for up-to-date information. This information has been shared directly to Frost MS students as well through their grade level Google Classroom.
TJHSST Admissions Policy Update
The Fairfax County School Board voted to enact several changes to the admissions policy for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST). The Board sought to develop an admissions policy that recognized and addressed cultural and socioeconomic barriers to access while maintaining the high standards for which the school is known.
The new criteria, which will be used to select the class of 2025, is based on a holistic review aimed at improving diversity and access at the school. The changes to the current process include the following:
- Increase of the capacity of each admitting class to 550 from 480;
- Elimination of the Quant-Q, ACT Aspire Reading and Science tests;
- Elimination of the application fee;
- Elimination of the teacher recommendations;
- The top 1.5 percent of eighth-grade students at each public middle school who meet the minimum standards will be offered admission
The holistic process will evaluate students on 1) grade point average (GPA); 2) a student portrait sheet where students will need to demonstrate Portrait of a Graduate attributes and 21st Century Skills; 3) a problem-solving essay; and 4) experience factors – which include provisions for economically disadvantaged students, English language learners, special education students, and/or students who are currently attending underrepresented middle schools. The new admissions policy also includes recruitment communications to all eligible students and targeted recruitment of students from such disadvantaged groups.
The Board also approved several follow-on motions to further strengthen the admissions policy including the administration of the essay and student information sheet to all eligible students at their middle schools. This change will be effective for the 2026 class and opts eligible students into the application process. The School Board also voted to establish a process, effective for the 2027 class, that will proportionally allocate seats to the top eligible 8th grade students in each of Fairfax County’s middle schools.
Student Spotlight - Mia M. Supports Frost Teachers in Earning Her Silver Award
Frost student Mia M., working toward her Girl Scout Silver Award, made re-usable cloth bags for Frost teachers. In Mia’s words:
"I am Mia Monroe, an eighth grader at Frost, and I have been a Girl Scout since kindergarten. In middle school, Girl Scouts are able to earn the Silver Award, the highest award a Girl Scout my age can earn. A Silver Award is earned by taking action to make a difference in an issue you care about. For my Silver Award project I am helping teachers at Frost. I have, with the help of volunteers, made a reusable cloth bag for all the teachers at Frost."
We are all so grateful for Mia and are looking forward to using these awesome bags! Thank you!
Public Comment Opportunity: Review of the History and Social Science Standards of Learning
Which stories, events, individuals, and perspectives are centered in our history and social science curriculum? Whose stories are marginalized or missing entirely? What priorities should shape the design of curriculum standards? These important questions are key drivers of curriculum reform for cultural responsiveness in FCPS Social Studies. Over the next few weeks, people across Virginia have the opportunity to voice their ideas and concerns about the curriculum standards set forth by the VDOE Standards for History and Social Science, and we encourage school and community stakeholders, including students, to participate in shaping the future of social studies in Virginia.
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) will proceed with the review and revision process of the History and Social Science Standards of Learning, scheduled to be completed before November 2022. An important part of the review process for the History and Social Science Standards of Learning is the solicitation of comments from teachers, administrators, students, families and community stakeholders who have an interest in curriculum reform or expertise with the content of the current standards.
FCPS students, educators, families, and community members may review and comment on the current standards via VDOE’s website. The public comment period is open from January 29, 2021 through March 1, 2021. All comments received by March 1, 2021 will be considered for the review and revision of the History and Social Science Standards of Learning.
In addition to submitting input directly to VDOE, FCPS Social Studies invites stakeholders to email their comments on the current History and Social Science Standards of Learning to FCPSsocialstudiesreform@fcps.edu to share their feedback directly with the team. Reviewing these comments will better enable the FCPS team to advocate for our community’s priorities and to support ongoing revision curriculum resources and related professional development
Additional community engagement focused on anti-racism and anti-bias education in and beyond social studies will take place in the coming months to inform the development of related FCPS policies. More information is forthcoming.
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