Weekly Update from Irving MS


 

Upcoming Important Dates

Missing Library Books - West Springfield Pyramid schools are missing books checked out last school year. Please take a look around for any FCPS library books you may still have and return them to their “home school library."

February 1 - February 26

TJHSS&T Application Window Open

February 22

Teacher Workday - students will work asynchronously on Monday. Group 3 students will continue with their schedule as planned. All other teachers will be preparing for in-person learning that will occur the following week.

February 23 (rescheduled)

Student Lunch Q&A - Optional during all lunch shifts (10:30-12:30). Students will be able to join Ms. Conley during lunch time to ask questions about the Return to School. Information will be shared during an upcoming ROCK Block.

February 25 & 26

Asynchronous Classes for all Students (Except Group 3 students who will continue with their planned schedule). Per the division - Thursday, February 25 & Friday, February 26, are Teacher Workdays so teachers can prepare for students who are returning to in-person learning. Students will work on asynchronous both days.

 


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We are busy preparing for Return to School for students who selected in-person. Please be sure to review the calendar above for Asynchronous/Teacher Planning Days.


Return to School - Students who Selected In-Person Learning

Please be sure to check ParentVue to make sure we have received all required forms and all vaccinations are up-to-date. If you have any questions about whether we are missing any forms, please call 703-912-4500. 

As you prepare for your child’s return to school, please make sure your child wears a mask and brings their CHARGED, school issued, laptop (or personal device), computer charger, headphones/earbuds, something to write with/write on, and a book to read each day they are in school. We will not be using lockers this year, so please make sure your child packs their backpack with only what they need. 

We will continue with “Away for the Day” for phones when students return to school. Students will need to keep their phones off and in their backpacks from 7:10-2:00 pm daily. 

Finally, we will be sharing an informational video with students on Tuesday during ROCK Block and Ms. Conley will host an Optional Q & A session for students returning to school during each lunch shift. A link for the session will be shared during ROCK Block.


Requests for Change to Educational Setting - In-Person Waitlist

We have received many requests to make changes to students’ educational settings. Unfortunately, at this time we cannot change student preference from virtual to in-person. Our ability to create a safe, secure, and socially distant in-person master schedule was dependent on the data that families provided. We are keeping a waitlist and if you would like your child’s name to be added to the list, please email your child’s counselor. 


Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology Admissions

The application window for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology will open on February 1, 2021 at 8:00AM and close on February 26, 2021 at 4:00PM. 

Please visit http://www.fcps.edu/tjadmissions  to submit your application and view the updated calendar.  TJHSST parent virtual information session coming soon!


Library News 

Curbside Pickup:  This continues on Mondays from noon until 3 pm, at Irving’s Door 2.  Books placed on hold through the library catalog by the previous Thursday at midnight will be pulled from the shelves and ready for pickup.  This service WILL continue once the in-person students return to the school building because we want to provide access to our library’s holdings to all Irving students, including those who will continue learning virtually throughout the year.

Readers Unite Book Club 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

 


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Technology News

Returning to School In-Person: Tech Items

For students returning for in-person instruction:

  1. Please shutdown and plug-in the laptop each night so that it is fully charged for the school day.
  2. Bring the laptop, laptop charger and headphones or earbuds to school each in-person day.

Digital Resource Parent Permission: Action Item

We are almost there!! Thanks to the many parents/guardians who have already given permission for their child to use digital resources at Irving. It is imperative that we have consent for all students. If you have not yet provided this consent, please use the first link below to provide your consent today and the second link if you wish to view the list of digital resources at Irving. Thank you!

   Link to the Parent Permission Form   |   Link to Irving MS Digital Resources

Chrome Sync Message for Parents: Reminder

As part of FCPS’s ongoing effort to support student use of technology, Chrome Sync and the ability to save passwords is now available. Students are not required to use Chrome Sync and save passwords, but may choose to them in order to:

  • reduce their log-in time.  
  • access bookmarks and extensions across devices.  

Chrome will remember and offer saved passwords when students are logging into different instructional applications. Chrome will also make bookmarks and extensions available on any device in which the student logs into Chrome and turns on Sync.

If your student would like to use Chrome Sync and save passwords, support resources are available on the FCPS website.  If your child is logged into Chrome now, they may need to log out of Chrome and log back in to see the new features. 

Student Laptop Message: Windows License Expiring

If your child is receiving a message that their Windows license is expiring on their FCPS-issued laptop, follow the steps below to fix this:

  1. Turn off the laptop
  2. Drive or walk to the nearest FCPS site/parking lot (this can be any FCPS site)
  3. Get close enough to the building so the laptop automatically connects to the WiFi
  4. Turn the laptop on and login to the laptop
  5. Wait 5 mins and then restart (be sure you are restarting the laptop and not just shutting down)
  6. Log back into the laptop (while on the FCPS WiFi)
  7. Wait 5 another mins and then restart a second time (be sure you are restarting the laptop and not just shutting down)
  8. The licensing issue should be resolved, and you can take the laptop back to your residence

After School Program

Clubs Next Week (2/22-2/26)

We will have clubs Monday-Friday of next week, even on the asynchronous student work days.  Encourage your child to check out the After School Website posted on the All Students Course in Schoology to see which clubs are happening next week!

Club Schedule

To view the weekly club schedule, click here.

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  

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


News from your PTA

It's hard to believe, but the PTA is looking for nominations for PTA Board members for next year!! A nominating committee has been formed. The current Board positions are President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Nominations can be submitted to IrvingMSPTA@gmail.com. Please include the nominee's name, contact info (email or phone), and position being nominated for and then the nominating committee will determine a slate of candidates to be voted on at an upcoming PTA meeting. 

The PTA is also working on another round of SpiritWear sales. Stay tuned for a link with new products. Even before that, WIMS masks will be available to order next week!

The PTA is planning to invite rising 7th grade parents to an upcoming meeting to talk about "What I wish I would have known...." coming to Irving. To help with that, please take a few minutes to share your thoughts in this survey - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3QKSZS5 - to help guide the discussion!

For any questions, comments or ideas, please contact us at IrvingMSPTA@gmail.com.

If you haven't joined the PTA yet, you can do that on our MemberHub site here.

We hope to see you online at the next PTA meeting on March 9!


 

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