 Our book fair this week was a great success! Thank you to the students, staff and families who shopped at the book fair. We appreciate the support of our parent volunteers and our amazing PTA!
Franklin Families and Students,
Good morning. I hope that you had an enjoyable finish to your week. With a handful of days remaining before the start of our Winter Break, I am proud of the way our students and staff are finishing strong with lots of positive momentum. We were fortunate to have a few special events this week involving our FMS students and I wanted to share to some of these with all of you.
On Wednesday, four of our student-chefs, Ellie Whiteman, Hannah Lee, Anvita Gandi and Janya Patel, along with their teachers Mrs. Jeffry and Mrs. Spencer, were celebrated in an event at Chantilly High School. These students represented Franklin MS at a Culinary Competition last Spring that is sponsored by one of our community partners, Real Food for Kids. The entrée they developed as a team, the Vegejita Wrapadilla, was selected for the Community Choice award at this competition. As a result of this success, the FCPS Food and Nutrition Services team decided to serve this vegetarian dish at all of our high schools throughout the division and the dish premiered on menus this week. Mrs. Stella Pekarsky, our Sully District School Board Member, Ms. Rebecca Baenig, the Region 5 Assistant Superintendent, and the Real Food for Kids leadership team were on hand to celebrate these talented students.
Our school was also fortunate to be visited by our new superintendent, Dr. Michelle Reid, on Thursday. Dr. Reid was joined by our Springfield District School Board Member, Mrs. Laura Jane Cohen, and Ms. Rebecca Baenig, the Region 5 Assistant Superintendent. Our staff has been working hard to keep our students at the center of all that we do and I was proud that these guests had a chance to see some of these efforts on display. Additionally, the Franklin community is made up of wonderful families and I was excited that these guests got to meet our amazing students.
We will finish out the final school days of 2022 with another Spirit Week that has been developed by our Leadership Class students. Be on the lookout for more details that will be available on our Schoology page.
Always feel free to contact me directly at dpwright@fcps.edu if you have questions, concerns, or if there is anything our team can do to support you.
Thank you for your continued support and enjoy the weekend!
With Gratitude,
Dustin Wright
Principal
 Our school was fortunate to be visited by our new superintendent, Dr. Michelle Reid, on Thursday. Dr. Reid was joined by our Springfield District School Board Member, Mrs. Laura Jane Cohen, and Ms. Rebecca Baenig, the Region 5 Assistant Superintendent.
Important Dates
December 12-13 - VGA Testing
December 13 - FMS & RRMS Chorus Concert at 7:00 PM at RRMS
December 19 - January 2 - No School - Winter Break
January 3 - Classes Resume (Gray Day - 2, 3, 4, 6, 8)
Virginia Growth Assessment - Winter VGA Dates
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 here about Virginia Growth Assessments.
Students at FMS will be taking the winter VGA tests on the following dates:
Monday, December 12 - Pre-Algebra, Math 7 and Math 7H VGA*
Tuesday, December 13 - Reading 7 and 8 VGA
* VGA tests are not available for students enrolled in a high school credit-bearing math course, such as Algebra 1.
Students do not need to prepare for these tests as they are used to determine current understanding of content. However, we do ask that you remind your students of the test dates and be sure they come to school with a fully charged laptop.
If you have any questions regarding testing, please contact Franklin’s school test coordinator, Kathryn Thurston at 703-904-5281 or ktthurston@fcps.edu.
After School Program Information
After school activities for Monday, December 12th are canceled. Next week, after school activities will happen on Wednesday, December 14 and Thursday, December 15. The After School Program will be closed on Monday, December 12, Tuesday, December 13 and Friday, December 16. For questions regarding the After School Program, please email Mrs. Mollé or contact the main office.
Assignments Over Winter Break
So that all students may enjoy winter break and rest and recharge, no assignments will be due, nor assessments given on January 3-4.
Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) Spring Screening
Spring 2023 AAP Level IV referrals and optional screening materials are due by Friday, December 15, 2022. Parents or guardians of seventh grade students may initiate screening for full-time AAP Level IV services by submitting an Advanced Academic Programs Level IV Referral Form and any optional screening materials to FMS AART, Meg Dombro. Please view AAP Testing and Identification Timelines for more information.
AAP Level IV services are available to students in grades 3-8. Students may be found eligible for full-time placement in AAP Level IV Center classes through a central selection process where multiple criteria are reviewed by a central selection committee to determine eligibility for all FCPS advanced academic services. More information about the screening process as well as an overview of AAP services available at the middle school level may be found here on the FCPS website or families can view this video, AAP Overview of Services.
If you have any questions about this process please reach out to Meg Dombro, FMS Advanced Academics Resource Teacher.
Substance Abuse Prevention Updates
Please click here for information on mental health and coping. For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety and Wellness at: (571) 423-4270.
Preparing for Winter Weather
Winter weather will be here before you know it! Watch this video to see how weather-related closing decisions are made. FCPS’ inclement weather procedures will remain the same as last year. The first five inclement weather days will be traditional “snow days” with no school activities. After those five days, we will use the flexibility provided by the Virginia General Assembly to have unscheduled virtual learning days, whenever possible, to maintain the continuity of learning. Virtual learning on these days will be synchronous/live instruction, following the inclement weather virtual learning day schedule (includes a two-hour delay).
FCPS’ website is generally the first mode of communication during emergency weather closings. Other communication channels will be used as quickly as possible including email, text, social media, and news stations. Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated.
Be sure to plan ahead for the winter season. Make sure your contact information is up-to-date in weCare@school, bookmark the FCPS website, plan for childcare, if appropriate, and know what items your child may need to take home before a weather event.
Lost and Found Items
We have accumulated many misplaced items. Please encourage your student to check for their lost items in the lost and found area in the cafeteria before winter break. At the end of the school day on Friday, December 16, any remaining items will be donated to a local charitable organization.
Winter Break – Franklin MS Office Closed
The Franklin MS office will be closed during Winter Break (December 19, 2022 – January 2, 2023). For urgent needs, please contact FCPS at: (571) 423-2000. We look forward to seeing you back on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
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