Key MS - News You Choose - September 12, 2022

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 09/12/2022 04:05 PM EDT

Key MS Families

Thank you to everyone who attended and supported our Back to School Night. It was a successful event and our families were able to meet their child's teachers and experience what it's like to be a middle school student.

TJ

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Presentation

Key MS Families,

Eligible 8th grade students who have an aptitude and passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and interested 7th grade families are encouraged to join us on September 22nd at 6pm at Key Middle School for a presentation by the TJHSST admissions staff.  For information on your 8th grade students eligibility status, please visit the TJHSST admissions website at www.fcps.edu/tjadmissions.  On this website, you are encouraged to watch the 30 minute video with detailed information before you attend the in person presentation.

If you have any questions, please contact Suzanne Corcoran at smcorcoran@fcps.edu or Laura Migdal at lamigdal@fcps.edu.
Cheer
Superintendent

Please save the date for a very special event! Dr. Michelle Reid, FCPS superintendent, will host a Community Conversation at Lewis High School on November 10, 2022 @ 6:30-7:30 p.m. This event will be a unique opportunity to help Dr. Reid get to know our school community and learn more about her vision for our district.

Language interpretation will be provided, as available, as well as child care and light refreshments. Please register to attend. 

The registration link for the Lewis pyramid event is https://forms.gle/ZNydLtUsLHwtJM2a9

[SPANISH - AMHARIC - ARABIC - CHINESE - KOREAN - URDU - VIETNAMESE] 
PTA

Key MS Virtual PTA Meeting Tomorrow (9/13/22)

Tuesday, September 13, 7 pm (virtual).  The Zoom link will be sent out through News You Choose prior to the meeting. Our first community event is our Soccer Challenge on September 30, 5:30-7:30.  Looking forward to seeing many of you there!

Become a PTA Member here:  https://keypatriotspta.memberhub.com/store

Have a great week!

Monica Perz-Waddington

President, Key MS PTA

KeyPatriotsPTA@gmail.com
Lockdown

Scheduled Emergency Drill

Key MS will conduct its first scheduled Lockdown Drill tomorrow (9/13/22) during the school day.

A lockdown may be initiated to isolate students and staff from a dangerous situation or threat inside of the building. 

Upcoming Assessments

Students will take a series of assessments beginning next week to help us to determine their instructional needs moving forward.  See the chart below for details.  While these assessments are not graded, we ask students to take them seriously and do their best so that we have the most accurate information possible that will inform our instructional planning. 

Assessment
  • Reading Inventory & Math Inventory- Used with students in grades 7-12 to determine students’ strengths and needs in literacy and mathematics. All students in middle school and selected students in high school participate in these assessments.  The purpose of these assessments is to identify students who may benefit from additional support with literacy and mathematics skills. In addition, school teams will consider assessment results as they plan instruction for your student. Assessments are administered at the beginning of the school year. Depending on grade level and initial performance, students may participate in follow-up assessment in the winter and/or in the spring. If you have questions about these assessments, please contact your student’s English or mathematics teacher.  Additional information about these assessments can be found at the following webpages:
  • Virginia Growth Assessments - In 2021, the Virginia General Assembly introduced the expectation for new state "through-year" assessments in elementary and middle schools. Beginning in 2022-23, students in grades 3-8 take the Virginia Growth Assessment  in fall and winter. The purpose of these assessments is to measure student growth and progress in reading and mathematics content standards.  Learn more information here about Virginia Growth Assessments.
  • No Red Ink Writing Diagnostic - Required as a beginning of year diagnostic for all grade 7-8 students, measuring grammar, usage, and mechanics aligned to grade-level writing standards.
  • Social-Emotional Learning Screener - Beginning of year screener of social-emotional learning needs to inform student supports. There is a fall and spring window for the SEL Screener. More information can be found on the SEL Screener webpage. Letters will be sent home with additional information and an opt-out form for parents who prefer that their child not take part in the SEL screener. Parents can also complete the opt-out in SIS ParentVue. 

If you have any questions regarding testing, please contact Key’s school test coordinator, Danielle Danz (703.822.8506 or dcdanz@fcps.edu).

Away for the Day

Students will not be permitted to use their cell phones, earbuds, AirPods, smart watches, and other similar devices during the instructional day from 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Phones must be silenced and kept away for the duration of the school day. 

Starting Monday (8/29/22), cell phones, AirPods, and similar devices will be confiscated if students are not following the Away for the Day procedure. 

If a device is confiscated, an adult family member or guardian will need to pick up the device from the school. Confiscated devices will not be returned to the student.

Expectations have been emphasized with all students during opening week.

Thank you for your support and partnership.

 Cell Phone