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Dear Parents and Caregivers,
Today we were grateful that the sun had dried up our fields, and the new South Lakes practice turf field was ready for our Middle School Break. The students enjoy a chance to head outside for some fresh air, sports, or just downtime with friends. We are so fortunate to share the campus with South Lakes and benefit from our shared spaces.
Just last year we were winding up the renovation of the building. The students are doing a nice job of treating the space with respect, keeping it clean, and picking up after themselves. We are also grateful for our hard-working custodial staff that takes pride in making our spaces shine. It is Custodian Appreciation Week, and we appreciate them every day!
As a reminder, Monday is a student holiday for the recognition of the Indigenous People of our nation. We hope you enjoy time together as a family in what looks to be a beautiful fall weekend.
Sincerely,
Aimee Monticchio
Parents and Caregivers,
On Thursday, October 6th and Friday October 7th students had photos taken. Families can preorder using this link: https://vando.imagequix.com/g1000942204. You must know your students ID number.
Photos will be mailed directly to your home.
Please contact: eventconfirm@vosphoto.com should you have any questions.
If your student missed either day, "Make-Up" picture day will be Thursday, November 17, 2022
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Reminder: 2023 yearbooks are on sale now!
This year we will have a student yearbook staff who will help Ms. Kerze and Ms. Burke create it. Buy now to save money and ensure you get one; there will be a limited number available!
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SIS WEEKLY PROGRESS REPORTS
All parents/guardians of Middle School students who have registered for a SIS ParentVUE Account and have a primary email address recorded in SIS ParentVUE can receive Weekly Progress Reports via email. This report provides a summary of your student(s) grades for the current quarter. To activate the Weekly Progress Reports via email, login to your SIS ParentVUE Account and first verify that you have a primary email address within the system. It is listed under the “My Account” tab. If it is blank, enter the email address where you would like to receive the progress reports and click on update account. Once confirmed, parents/guardians are able to activate and select their preferences for receiving these reports within the SIS ParentVUE “My Account” tab.
Weekly progress reports for all of your Middle and High School students will be included in one email.
For questions about a specific progress report or grade you can login into your SIS ParentVUE Account to find detailed grade book information. Additionally, your student’s teacher is always the best resource to answer any grade book questions that you may have. Weekly Progress Report Parent Quick Reference Guide
ACT (Acknowledge, Care, and Tell an Adult) Program and Wellness Screening
On October 25th and 26th our clinical support team will be introducing a county-approved wellness screening curriculum to our 7th grade students during health and PE classes The goals of this program are to educate students on the signs and symptoms of depression, to let students know what to do if they have concerns about themselves or a peer, and to connect students who may need support with resources inside and outside of our school. During the program, students will watch a video which will help students to identify signs of depression and distress in themselves and others, as well as what to do if they, or someone they know, are experiencing these symptoms. Students will watch age-appropriate video clips and participate in a guided discussion about depression, suicide, and what to do if they are concerned about a friend. Following the video, students will complete a response slip which asks whether they would like to talk to an adult about any concerns. School staff will conduct brief meetings with any student asking to talk. Students will complete a brief depression screening tool. This tool cannot provide a diagnosis of depression but does indicate whether a young person should be referred for evaluation by a mental health professional. We encourage you to visit www.sossignsofsuicide.org/parent for information on warning signs for youth suicide, useful resources, and some of the key messages students will learn. Parents can also view video resources here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5e27-ocGBHqSSvbIIL9-1Ibr8gutAe5k If you would like your child to Opt Out or would like more information, please contact our school psychologist, Miranda Carlson at mcarlson@fcps.edu.
Programa ACT (Acknowledge, Care, and Tell an Adult) y Evaluación de Bienestar
El 25 y 26 de octubre, durante la clase de educación física, nuestro equipo de apoyo clínico presentará a los estudiantes del 7º grado un plan de estudios de evaluación de bienestar que ha sido aprobado por el condado. Los objetivos de este programa son educar a los estudiantes sobre los signos y síntomas de la depresión, para que los estudiantes sepan qué hacer si tienen preocupaciones sobre sí mismos o sobre un compañero, y para conectar a los estudiantes que puedan necesitar apoyo con recursos dentro y fuera de nuestra escuela. Durante el programa, los estudiantes verán un video que los ayudará a identificar signos de depresión y angustia en ellos mismos y en los demás, así como qué hacer si ellos, o alguien que conocen, experimenta estos síntomas. Los estudiantes verán videos apropiados para su edad y participarán en una discusión guiada sobre depresión, suicidio y qué hacer si están preocupados por un amigo. Después del video, los estudiantes completarán una hoja de respuesta que les pregunta si les gustaría hablar con un adulto sobre cualquier inquietud. El personal de la escuela llevará a cabo reuniones breves con cualquier estudiante que solicite hablar. Los estudiantes completarán una breve herramienta de detección de depresión. Esta herramienta no puede proporcionar un diagnóstico de depresión, pero indica si un joven debe ser derivado para que lo evalúe un profesional de la salud mental. Lo alentamos a que visite www.sossignsofsuicide.org/parent para obtener información sobre las señales de advertencia del suicidio juvenil, recursos útiles y algunos de los mensajes clave que aprenderán los estudiantes. Los padres también pueden ver recursos de video aquí: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5e27-ocGBHqSSvbIIL9-1Ibr8gutAe5k Si desea optar que su hijo no participe o desea obtener más información, comuníquese con nuestra psicóloga escolar, Miranda Carlson al mcarlson@fcps.edu.
 Please contact Sharon DuncanHudspeth at SDDuncanHuds@fcps.edu if you think you can support this program. Donations of $5 or $10 gift cards are ideal and can be delivered to the school: Attention – Sharon DuncanHudspeth.
Social-Emotional Learning with Second Step
Our SEL lessons will continue on Monday, October 17 and students will explore ways to overcome roadblocks.
If you have any questions about Second Step Middle School, please reach out to your student’s school counselor. Thank you for your support as we work to build a safe and supportive school community.
Promoting Digital Wellness
The FCPS Parent Resource Center is hosting a free webinar about Digital Wellness on October 14 from 10:00-11:30am. Parents and caretakers can register for the webinar and learn about additional resources by clicking here: FCPS Parent Resource Center.
Veteran's Day Speaker Interest Form
We are planning a Veteran's Day school event for our students during the week of Thursday, November 10. We would love to have Veteran's connected to the LHMS community speak at the event. If you are interested in potentially participating, please submit your information on this form by October 14th. Mr. Blocker will be in touch with you and share more details shortly, and can be reached at 703-715-3638 or mark.blocker@fcps.edu . Thank you for your interest!
Veteran’s Day Sign up Link - https://forms.gle/xoyzTSjLeArGzJX56
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Langston Hughes After-School
Students who plan to attend after school activities must be registered in the after school program. Please make sure your child is registered prior to staying after.
Here’s the link to register: https://forms.gle/jkUdc4Hx1cnAE3C46
Here’s the link to the Club List: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkDtOVASo9Dvoamwm4h56r84B5gWzoR6dX6iawunMiU/edit?usp=sharing
Young Entrepreneurs: Sports, Music, Fashion and more
Thursdays 3:30-4:30
This weekly after-school activity is for boys and girls who may be interested in learning more about business and entrepreneurship, using sports, fashion and music as the primary topics to engage students. Interactive, workshop style sessions would be led by guest speakers from the community with business experience and supported by high school student volunteers who participate in clubs or coursework that focus on similar topics (entrepreneurship, athletic leadership, fashion / ‘merch’ and music recording).
Helping students understand how to connect the dots between whatever they are passionate about and entrepreneurial / business opportunities in the future is a target learning objective for this program. Participants can also learn about the clubs and courses available in high school where they can learn more, build their network, and get involved in extra-curricular activities
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Tutor.com
Students have unlimited access to 24/7, on-demand, online tutoring support services through Tutor.com at no cost to families. Students can connect online any time, any place, and in most K-12 subjects for however long they need. Tutoring may be on-demand and/or scheduled at a time convenient for the student and/or family.
Tutoring is focused instruction provided to students in a one-on-one format (voice and/or text chat). Tutors will focus on developing student’s strengths and capabilities in reading, mathematics, or other specified subjects. Tutoring services may be accessed before, during or after school hours and/or weekends.
See here for more information: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/online-tutoring-services
Register for the Digital Wellness Webinar
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist (SAPS) Introduction
Each school pyramid has a Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist (SAPS) assigned to provide substance abuse prevention, education, and intervention services. Substance Abuse Prevention Specialists are part of the FCPS Office of Student Safety and Wellness.
Key roles of a Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist:
- Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug education for students, parents, and the Fairfax County Community
- Intervention services upon violation of the Student Rights and Responsibilities handbook or suspected substance use involvement
- Assessing a student’s level of substance use and, if appropriate, making referrals to the Fairfax Community Service Board for additional services or other community resources as appropriate
- Group and individual prevention services for students, staff, parents, and the Fairfax County community
- Most importantly, building positive relationships with students to provide support and encouragement
Resources:
Free Virtual Parent Support Group
Free Online Narcan Training for Opioid Overdoses
Free Lock Boxes for Medications & Firearms
Spiritual Support by Phone for Adults
Spanish Podcast: Tips on How Parents Play an Important Role in Substance Abuse Prevention
Juvenile Court Parent Support Group
For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: (571) 423-4270.
For further Information & support:
Monica Rogers, mrrogers@fcps.edu
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
Sign-up to receive your students “Screen Activity Reports/Lightspeed Reports.
There is a new online service that is free to FCPS parents who are interested in knowing more about their child’s internet activity on an FCPS device. Parents can sign up to receive a weekly Parent Report from Lightspeed, our internet content filtering service, which will provide a list of the top sites the child visited that week.
Step 1: Make sure you have a SIS ParentVUE account
Step 2: Request the reports https://itweb.fcps.edu/itsupport/lightspeed/
Need Tech Help?
Resources for parents and students using FCPS technology are available online. Visit this website for quick help resetting passwords; accessing Schoology, Google, Zoom, or activity reports; and basic computer use questions. If your questions are not answered on that page, look for the link to submit a help ticket.
On your mark! Get set! Go!! The SLHS PTSA Food Pantry will be hosting its 5th Annual “Do It Your Way 0.5K” on October 16th from 2-4pm at Lake Anne Plaza. Join us for the fun, donuts, live raffle, and the most rewarding 650 steps you’ll take all year. Register online here. All proceeds go directly toward food, toiletries, and other necessities for SLHS pyramid families in need. A few Pantry facts:
- 1 MILLION: Pounds of food and toiletries distributed since April 2017
- 275+: Students and families served weekly
- 76,200+: Bags of food and toiletries distributed since opening
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Oct 10: Student Holiday (Indigenous Peoples’ Day)
Oct 17: PTA Meeting @ 7 p.m.
Oct 21: SLHS Homecoming Parade & Homecoming football game
Oct 24: Holiday (Diwali)
Oct 28: End of First Quarter, 2-hour early release
Oct 31: Student Holiday
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