Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of 911, please keep the families of the fallen in your thoughts.
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Principal's Message
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Student and staff safe are a priority for all of us. Langston Hughes MS has a comprehensive crisis management and emergency preparedness plan for our school that is reviewed and updated regularly. This plan includes procedures on how to respond to incidents such as fires and tornadoes. Students and staff regularly practice these drills every school year. We also practice lockdown drills. We are required to practice lockdown drills twice each year. FCPS lockdown drills do not include any type of active shooter scenario training, they are instruction and classroom based. During this time of COVID, the actual procedure for the lockdown in the classroom is modified for the drill only.
A new Virginia Law (22.1-137.2) requires schools to notify parents at least 24 hours before a school practices a lockdown drill. The first lockdown drill of the 2021-22 schoolyear is scheduled for Monday, September 14.
Additional information on our lockdown drill program including parent tips and FAQs can be found on the Emergency Planning and Crisis Response web page. After reviewing this content, you are invited to discuss the importance and value of these safety drills with your child. Keeping our school safe and secure for all students and staff involves the participation of the entire school community, and we thank you for your support in these efforts. Please do not hesitate to reach out to any member of the administrative team should you have questions about the upcoming lockdown drill.
Sincerely,
Aimee Monticchio
Principal, Langston Hughes MS
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REMINDER
Monday September 13, 2021 there is a PTA meeting; you can join us "In Person" in the library or you may join virtually by going into the "Parent All" course in Schoology, in the left "menu" click on "Zoom" and then click "Join".
 
Family Life Education Updates
Parents & Guardians,
All information regarding curriculum resources, lesson progression, and opt-out considerations for Family Life Education (delivered through health and PE courses at both grade levels,) is available via the Parents All Course in Schoology. Materials are also housed in the LHMS library for parent review.
Opt-Out forms: The hard copies of the opt-out form that went home in back to school packets were not the correct version. If you sent in a hard copy, Amy Smith, the assistant principal that supervises the health & PE department, has reached out directly. If you have not completed a form but would like to opt your student out of some or all of the lessons, please use the direct link below. Contact your student’s HPE teacher or Amy Smith should you like more specific information about the lessons or opt-out considerations.
Program Descriptions, opt out forms, and home connection letters are also available at:
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle-school-academics-7-8/family-life-education-fle
Cafeteria & Lunch Updates:
Students have settled into a routine during lunches and this week were allowed to choose their own seats and access our patio as well. Students completed a seating chart that will remain in effect until the end of the first quarter. Food service lines are moving smoothly and students seem to be enjoying their downtime. Personal electronic devices can be used in the cafeteria (the one exception to our “Away for the Day” rule!) and we ask students to consider appropriate volume and the use of headphones/earbuds to maintain a reasonable volume
SIS Gradebooks and Student Schedules
Parents will be able to view student grades in SIS ParentVUE beginning September 7th. While we have allowed some schedule changes as students may have realized an elective wasn’t quite what they thought or a core class level was too easy or challenging, after this time we will not be making schedule changes. The classes have begun to build culture and community with teachers and students, and teachers have begun entering grades. Students (and parents) can connect with their teachers and counselor if they need support in a class.
Connections and Return to Learn
3rd Period Connections - Our students are assigned a 3rd period teacher as a “Connections” teacher. In this class, students engage in school-wide lessons about academic and social emotional supports. Students will build community with their teacher and Connections classmates, and the Connections teacher will also have time for individual check-ins with students to support their academic success and well-being. Connections will meet on the first blue/odd period day of each week – Mondays or Tuesdays.
Return to Learn – We will begin our “Return to Learn” rotation on September 8th. On blue/odd period Wednesday, Thursdays, or Fridays, instead of Connections, students will “return” to their classes for extra support from teachers or extra time to complete or make up assignments or assessments.
Please see the schedule below for Connections/return to Learn:
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The AVID College Readiness System is designed to increase the number of students who enroll and succeed in higher education and in their lives beyond high school. Many AVID students will be first-generation college students.
AVID tutors work with small groups of approximately 5-7 middle or high school students during the school day in an academic elective class called Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID). The class is led by a trained teacher and may include 2-4 tutorial groups (depending on class size). These groups use higher order questioning strategies to help students develop a variety of college preparatory skills such as critical thinking and problem solving.
Tutors may work 1 to 25 hours per week, depending on tutor availability and openings in select Fairfax County public schools. They earn $17.71 per hour. Candidates must be currently enrolled in college or be college graduates. They should be willing to serve as positive role models for middle and high school students. Comfort with higher-level math is especially needed, though not required.
Becoming an AVID tutor is also available to college students as a part-time job OR internship.
Finally, tutors must have reliable transportation as most of our schools are not accessible using public transport.
Interested applicants should send a resume to Bridget Wright at bmwright@fcps.edu.
This is a program at Langston Hughes, but you can also work at other schools close by including South Lakes and Herndon Middle and High school.
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Please consider purchasing some professional apparel from the AVID fundraiser. The funds raised will help us take the 8th grade on a full day field trip (if colleges open back up to group tours, maybe in the spring). Purchase from CustomInk here and it will be delivered to the school (or you can pay extra to have it shipped to you). I need to sell 18 more items! The polo is the sport, quick dry material, the hoodie, and jacket have thumb holes to help you keep your hands warm too! These are all screen printed, so there won’t be a fabric patch on the back. The deadline to order is Wednesday 9/15.
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Our Health and Safety Guidance Webpage has the most current information about our layered prevention strategies, what happens if your child becomes ill at school, and the process when there is a pause in instruction or activities after a positive COVID case.
 Mask Up! View your mask as your superhero cloak. Masks are not simply a piece of fabric we are told to wear. They have superpowers. Masks are an effective tool to keep ourselves and others safe and keep students learning together in classrooms.
 Vax Up! Vaccination is the key to moving us all out of the pandemic and reducing the need for pauses in in-person learning. If you haven’t done so already, get vaccinated today
 Wash Up and Cover Up! Washing hands, covering coughs and sneezes, and other good hygiene practices are easy. Yet these are simple things we can do every day to stay healthy and stop germs from spreading
 Hold Up! Pause before heading to school or work. Do you feel sick? Are you having any symptoms of COVID-19? If so, stay home until you are better.
September 13, 2021 PTA Meeting - Virtually or "In Person" in the library - 6:30PM
September 16, 2021 - Yom Kippur - Religious/Cultural Observance
October 5th & 6th - School Picture Days
October 11 - Student Holiday - Indigenous Peoples’ Day
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