|
August 17, 2021
Dear Lancers,
We had a great first two days at Longfellow today welcoming back all of our Lancer Staff. Our dedicated staff is working very hard to prepare for the start of the year, and welcoming back our students on Monday, August 23rd. I would like to thank our PTA for providing a wonderful breakfast this morning, what a great way to start the school year!
There is a lot of information in this newsletter regarding our opening of school activities. Please take a few moments to review the many activities we have set aside this week as we prepare for our first day of school.
Thanks,
Jim Patrick
Principal
Longfellow Middle School
IMPORTANT DATES
August
17 - 7th Grade Open House + Computer Distribution, 3:00pm - 6:00pm
18 - 8th Grade Open House + Computer Distribution, 3:00pm - 6:00pm
19 - 7th and New Student Orientation + Computer Distribution, 9:00am - 11:00am
19 - Back to School - Town Hall, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
20 - Last chance to get schedule and laptop before the first day, 8:00am-12:00pm
23 - First Day of Classes 2021
25 - Admin Meet & Greet, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
31 - Back to School Night 2021
September
3-6 - Labor Day Holiday (No school on Friday, Sept. 3 or Monday, Sept. 6)
15 – After School Activities Begin
17 - Celebrate McLean, 4:00pm - 6:30pm
30 – School Picture Day
7th Grade Open House: August 17 from 3:00 - 6:00pm
Rising 7th grade students and parents are invited to our 7th grade Open House on August 17 from 3:00pm - 6:00pm. Students and families will have a chance to walk around the building, locate their classrooms, and open their lockers. We look forward to welcoming our newest students and their families to our building!
8th Grade Open House: August 18 from 3:00 - 6:00pm
Rising 8th grade students and parents are invited to our 8th grade Open House on August 18 from 3:00pm - 6:00pm. Students and families will have a chance to walk around the building, locate their classrooms, and open their lockers. We look forward to welcoming our newest students and their families to our building!
7th Grade & New Student Orientation: August 19 from 9:00am - 11:00am
Students walk through their class schedule and meet their teachers. This event is for students only, however, parents are invited to the event below which occurs at the same time. Bus transportation from feeder elementary schools will be sent in an eNotify tomorrow, Wednesday. Parents/Guardians may bring their student to the location most convenient for them. Pick-up and drop-off times will be sent via E-Notify, but will be approximately 30 minutes prior to the event start time. Parents/Guardians may also drop students off at Longfellow using our Kiss and Ride line at door 4.
Parent orientation slides will be on our website instead of being in person. This event will not be held in the lecture hall.
LMS Back to School Town Hall: August 19 from 7:00pm - 8:00pm, Google Meet
Join us on August 19 from 7:00pm to 8:00pm to learn about our exciting plans for the beginning of the school year. We will share information about upcoming events, mitigation plans, lunch, lockers and more. Please complete this form if you are interested in attending and we will send you the link the day of the event.
Make-Up Day: August 20 from 8:00am to 12:00pm
If you did not attend Open House, you may pick up your class schedule, locker, and laptop in the main office.
Not able to get your schedule in advance? We got you covered!
All students report directly to their first period class. Students may locate their 1st period class two ways: Clicking Class Schedule in StudentVUE or checking in with a staff member will be ready to help your child find their first period class. Our 1st period teachers will provide all students with a paper copy of their class schedule and locker assignment. Laptops will be distributed during the first two days.
Admin Meet & Greet: August 25 from 7:00pm to 8:00pm
Parents/Guardians are invited to meet the LMS Admin Team, ask questions, and share feedback about your student’s first few days back at school. We look forward to seeing you there!
Staff Changes:
Marissa Brooks has accepted a position as School Counselor at Langston Hughes Middle School. Ms. Brooks has served as the Director of Student Services at Longfellow for the past three years. She has had a tremendous impact on LMS during her tenure. Her leadership has been critical to the success of our school community during a most challenging time. A counselor at heart, Ms. Brooks is excited to return to Hughes where she began her counseling career. This role will allow her to work more directly with students, develop social-emotional learning opportunities, and spend more time with her young children. Ms. Brooks’ last day at LMS will be August 20th. A big thank you to Marissa for all of her dedication to the staff and students of Longfellow. “Once a Lancer, Always a Lancer!”
Assistant Principal Katie Madigan has agreed to serve in the role of Acting Director of Student Services effective August 23rd. As a school based administrator for the past seven years, Katie’s leadership has been built upon a foundation of relationships (socio-emotional wellness) and academic success for each community she serves. Katie is excited to take on this new role and will be working side by side with Marissa in the upcoming days.
RETURNING STRONG - WELCOME BACK!
Longfellow Middle School in conjunction with FCPS are excited to return strong for the 2021-22 school year. There are so many questions about the upcoming school year we are working hard to provide you with the most up to date information. If any of your questions remain unanswered, please complete this feedback form. We will follow up with you and your feedback will guide our upcoming communications.
Safety Mitigation
FCPS and LMS are continuing to use the following layered prevention strategies to keep schools safe places for all students to learn: masks, vaccination, screening for sickness, cleaning and disinfecting, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, ventilation and contact tracing and quarantining. The most up to date information from FCPS about the Return to School can be found here: https://www.fcps.edu/returntoschool including detailed answers to many FAQs. Below are some highlights.
Student Schedules Available in SIS - No Later Than August 19:
Student schedules will go live in SIS ParentVUE and StudentVUE for all FCPS secondary students at 6:00am on August 19. To view your student’s class schedule when it becomes available, sign up for ParentVUE.
Vaccines
The pandemic disrupted routine well-child doctor visits, causing many children to fall behind the recommended vaccine schedule. For more information about which vaccines are required prior to the first day of school for 7th and 12th graders, please see this document from the Virginia Department of Health: immunization requirements.
Bell Schedule
Our school hours are 7:30am to 2:15pm. We operate on an A-B block schedule. A yearlong A-B calendar and bell schedule, including class times and lunch periods, will be provided in the coming weeks. Don’t worry! We help students understand the bell schedule and they will understand it in no time!
School Supplies
Click here to view a general list of school supplies. Teachers may have specific supply requests once school begins, but students will have plenty of time to get those materials. If you are in need of school supplies, please contact our Parent Liaison, Frances Wilson.
Lockers
Having lockers is often thought of as a right of passage for middle school students and we are pleased to announce that LMS students will be using lockers this year! Students will be able to locate and practice opening their lockers during their orientations and we are building in time for practice during our first week of school, as this is new for ALL of our students this year.
PE Locker Rooms
Students will be allowed to use locker rooms in PE this school year. Just as in previous years, students will be required to change into their Longfellow PE Uniform prior to physical activity in class. Your child’s teacher will share information about purchasing a PE uniform when school starts. Likewise, in accordance with FCPS policy, students will be allowed to unmask while they are participating in Physical Education outdoors.
Lunch
All students may receive one (1) no-cost breakfast and one (1) no-cost lunch meal each school day. This never-before implemented benefit combined with all students returning to school buildings has the potential to significantly increase participation in the meal programs. Menus, allergens, and nutrition information are all available online at https://fcps.nutrislice.com/menu/. Students should bring a water bottle with them to school which can be refilled at hydration stations. Students will not be permitted to drink from water fountains. All students will have the opportunity to eat lunch outside in designated areas (weather permitting). Students will be able to remove their masks at lunch while eating, but will be required to put them back on when they are finished.
Student Support - School Counselor Assignments
Your Longfellow school counselors have been eagerly preparing for the return of students to the building. This year we will assign students to counselors based on their grade level and last name. You can identify your student’s Longfellow counselor by reviewing the chart below. Here are some examples of how your student’s counselor can be of assistance:
• Social and emotional support and resources
• Academic support, such as study skills and organization
• Questions about your class schedule
• Assistance navigating middle school life
We understand that returning to school this year may bring up a wide array of emotions for students and we are here to help. Please reach out to your student’s counselor if you need any support.
|
Grade Level
|
Counselor
|
Last Name
|
|
7th Grade
Kevin Sami, Assistant Principal
|
Jill Scharl
|
A-K
|
|
Vaughnetta Caldwell
|
L-Z
|
|
8th Grade
Aidan Vigil, Assistant Principal
|
Bruce Walker
|
A-L
|
|
Lorraine Marshall
|
M-Z
|
|
7th and 8th Grade
ESOL Levels 1-4
|
Sam Ramatowski
|
A-Z
|
Student Office Aid Application
We are pleased to announce the return of Student Office Aids for the 2021-2022 school year. Student Office Aids are 8th grade students who exemplify positivity and strong communication skills. They are carefully selected to perform various front office tasks and routinely interact with students, families, and staff. We are limited to 2 Student Office Aids per period (excluding 4th period), per semester. When selected, Student Office Aids will have to drop a semester elective in order to participate.
If you are interested in serving Longfellow Middle School as a Student Office Aid, please review this Student Office Aid Information Letter and complete the attached application by August 18, 2021.
Bus Stop and Route Information
Bus stops and route information will be shared with families via the ParentVue accounts on August 10. All staff and students riding a bus will be required to wear a mask. For more information about bus transportation, including how to access the Bus Delay Notification System, visit the Transportation page. If you would like to change your transportation status, please contact Kathy Holstrum, klholstrom@fcps.edu at Longfellow and they will assist you in making the update in our Student Information System.
TECHNOLOGY UPDATES
Computer Distribution
Our staff has been working hard this summer reimagining and preparing our student’s computers for the upcoming school year. Computer distribution will take place on the following days:
• 7th Grade Open House, August 17 from 3:00pm - 6:00pm
• 8th Grade Open House, August 18 from 3:00pm - 6:00pm
• 7th Grade & New Student Orientation, August 19 from 9:00am - 11:00am
• Make Up, Pick Up Day, August 20 from 8:00am - 12:00pm
• First Day of School, August 23
Digital Consent Forms
Fairfax County Public Schools uses a variety of resources to support student learning. In cases where FCPS contracts with a vendor to host student information, FCPS requires that the vendor adhere to the security and privacy requirements specified in a confidentiality agreement included in their contracts. FCPS does not have contracts with every instructional tool vendor. Many valuable instructional tools are governed by Terms of Service (TOS) and include both free and paid tools. Some of the digital resources your child may use this year require parental consent. You can find more information about FCPS’ commitment to student privacy at Digital Privacy in FCPS and a list of all approved digital tools is viewable online in the FCPS Digital Ecosystem Library which has links to the vendors’ privacy notices and other useful information. To provide your parental consent for each student in your family, please follow this link and follow the provided directions starting on August 11 (the form will not be live before then).
Family Life Education Instructional Program Information
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) 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 will be included in your child’s back-to-school/orientation packets and are available online for Elementary (K-6) https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-school-academics-k-6/elementary-family-life-education , Middle School (7-8) https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle-school-academics-7-8/family-life-education-fle, and High School (9-12) https://www.fcps.edu/academics/high-school-academics-9-12/family-life-education-fle. Please fill in the opt-out form and return it to your child’s school prior to Family Life Education instruction.
Detailed grade-level program descriptions are available online at Elementary (K-6), Middle School (7-8), and High School (9-12). FLE grade level-specific lessons and media that FCPS has streaming rights for are available for parents online in Schoology. Parents/guardians login to Schoology using the same username and password as their Student Information System (SIS) Parent account. Grade level-specific lessons are also available at the City of Fairfax Regional Library (this location does not have media). Grade level-specific lessons and media that is not streamed online are available for review at your child’s school library. Due to copyright permissions, we are unable to stream all media online.
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.
Schoology - Learning Management System
FCPS transitioned to Schoology as our learning management system this summer. Students, families, and staff will begin using the system as we Return Strong this fall.
We are excited to share that students, families, and teachers throughout FCPS and in our school community will use Schoology (pronounced /SKOO-luh-jee/) as our learning management system beginning Summer/Fall 2021.
Here is what you need to know now:
• Starting in July 2021, we will not use Blackboard 24-7 Learning or Blackboard Collaborate Ultra (BBCU)
• Schoology has a connected web conferencing tool, Zoom
• Schoology works with Google Drive
• You need a SIS/ParentVUE account to login to Schoology: http://bit.ly/FCPSSIS
• You can learn more about Schoology: https://www.fcps.edu/schoology
• Parent accounts will be available in mid-August (Information about how to login to parent accounts will be shared with you closer to the start of the school year)
• Students will have a Schoology account by June 18, 2021 (Students will not see any classes until the grading period starts; Students use their FCPS student ID and password to login to Schoology: https://lms.fcps.edu. Look for the FCPS logo to make sure you are on the correct login page.)
Schoology is a learning space that enhances communication, collaboration, and personalized learning for students, teachers, and families. As a parent or guardian, you will be able to use Schoology to view:
• your child's class
• your child’s assignments and participation
• your child’s calendar
• teacher comments, scores, and feedback
We are asking that you:
• Make sure you have registered for a SIS/ParentVUE account: http://bit.ly/FCPSSIS
• Learn more about Schoology: https://www.fcps.edu/schoology
• Look for the next communication about how to login to Schoology.
We look forward to using Schoology along with your SIS/ParentVUE account.
• These short videos in multiple languages will help parents learn how to navigate Schoology.
o English playlist
o Arabic playlist
o Chinese playlist
o Farsi playlist
o Korean playlist
o Spanish playlist
o Urdu playlist
o Vietnamese playlist
|
PTA
Join the PTA
We highly encourage you to join the Longfellow PTA by visiting their website. Click here and learn more about this incredibly supportive organization. Longfellow offers numerous programs and an abundance of educational resources due to our strong PTA membership.
Volunteers Welcome
We are pleased to welcome volunteers back to schools this year. All volunteers must complete the application and background check process, and follow FCPS health and safety protocols. Below is a sample message you may use when communicating with volunteers:
Read more about the application and background check process.
All volunteers must also adhere to FCPS’ layered prevention strategies, including universal indoor masking.
|
EMERGENCY CARE UPDATES NOW IN PARENTVUE
Emergency Care Updates Now in ParentVUE
Parents can update their student’s emergency care information online using weCare@school (weCare) which is now linked within SIS ParentVUE. Learn more about weCare and ParentVUE here.
|
