Important Upcoming Events
- January 25 - 2 Hr. Early Release, End of 2nd Quarter
- January 26 - Student Holiday/Staff Development Day
- January 27 - Student Holiday/Teacher Workday
- January 30- Start of 3rd quarter/ 2nd Semester- B or even day periods 2, 4, 6, 8.
|
|
 |
Way to go Carson's Mrs. McCoy-Williams!
This past week we recognized our FCPS Honors nominee for Rachel Carson Middle School Outstanding Teacher. Congratulations to Ms. Kelli McCoy Williams, Strategies for Success and Power Math Teacher.
Virginia Student Survey of Climate and Working Conditions
RCMS, in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Department of Education, is conducting the Virginia School Survey of Climate and Working Conditions. The survey is administered to all students in Virginia in grades 6,7, and 8. The purpose of this survey is to measure student support, student engagement, school discipline, and safety conditions in each school. This information will be used to guide educational practices that produce a safe and supportive school environment.
The survey will ask questions such as how students feel about their school, how students get along with one another and their teachers, how students feel about school rules, and their perceptions of their teachers’ willingness to help them. Students will also be asked what kinds of bullying they may have observed during school and whether they have been bullied themselves. You may review the questions asked in the student survey at this website: https://tinyurl.com/VaSchoolSurvey.
The survey is voluntary, and your child can decide not to participate. If you do not wish for your child to participate, please notify the school using this form, or by emailing the school testing coordinator, Sharri Clifford (ssclifford@fcps.edu), no later than Friday, January 27th.
Parent Advocacy Handbook
The Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC) has created a Parent Advocacy Handbook to provide information and support to families as they navigate the FCPS system for their children. It is designed to be particularly useful for families who may be less familiar with such a large school division and/or with schooling in the U.S.
You may download a copy from the web in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Korean at: https://www.fcps.edu/parentadvocacyhandbook
Panthers On Time!
Please continue to stress on-time class arrivals with your student(s). Carson’s expectations for being to school and class on-time support a safe and less disruptive learning experience for all students. Students who accumulate three tardies in any one class will meet with their administrator to plan for timely arrivals. Students and families can review their attendance and class tardies on their StudentVue and ParentVue accounts.
https://carsonms.fcps.edu/about/attendance-procedures
Second Semester Updates
The second quarter will end on January 25th. The third quarter begins on January 30th. This is the beginning of a new semester as well. Some students will change electives courses for the second semester. Due to scheduling and staffing constraints, we are unable to accommodate change requests for second semester courses. Thank you so much for your support.
2nd Quarter Report Cards
SIS ParentVue and SIS StudentVue Gradebook and Report Card Modules will be unavailable Wed, Jan 25, 2023 @ 4pm until Mon, Feb 6, 2023 at 6am in order for teachers to finalize second quarter grades. A copy of your child’s report card will be distributed to students on February 3, 2023, through Panther Time. Saturday, February 4th, 2nd Quarter Report cards will be visible in SIS StudentVue and ParentVue.
Academic Advising
Please visit our school website for more information. Feel free to contact your child's counselor for any questions.
- Students will meet with their counselor individually between January 17 to Feb 28 to enter their course selections in SIS.
-
Summer Learning Opportunities: If you have a student planning to explore summer learning opportunities, please visit the FCPS Summer Learning site for more information. Please have your student speak to their counselor about summer learning plans.
Request for Academic Records
If you are moving or transferring to a new school request for student academic records may be directed to the registrar in our Student Services Office. Please call 703-925-3614 or email Andrea Tawil at ajtawil@fcps.edu. There is a 5-day turnaround time, so please plan accordingly. If you want copies mailed, please be sure to provide us with a stamped, addressed envelope. Requests for student medical records also should be directed to the registrar. If you are currently applying to private schools, please follow the instructions listed below to complete the process.
Private School Application Process
Please complete the "Private School Request Form" and the "Parent Consent Form: SS-SE79" and submit them to the Student Service’s Office (You can email Andrea Tawil at ajtawil@fcps.edu) or submit to your counselor. Counselors will be emailing all records to the requested schools via an admissions email OR the school's portal. Please note these requests are due at least 2 weeks prior to the due date.
Please visit our website here for more information regarding required forms and teacher recommendations.
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
Easy and safe communication between families and school
FCPS has recently approved the use of TalkingPoints, a two-way messaging app that allows parents and caregivers to communicate with teachers and schools. Carson staff members will be starting to use this service to help communicate to all of our families. The app translates messages, so teachers can input messages in English, and parents can respond in their preferred language. TalkingPoints supports 125 languages, making it easier and faster for our FCPS families to connect with their schools. If you need to update your preferred correspondence language, contact our registrar, Lesa Lloyd. For more information, visit the FCPS TalkingPoints webpage
From the Oakton Pyramid-Substance Abuse Prevention
Mental Health, Coping & Addiction
One in four Americans suffers from a mental illness. Almost 3 in 5 people with mental illness will receive no treatment or medication. In 2019, an estimated 47.6 million adults (19% of the country) had a mental illness, but only 43% received any kind of mental health care (Johns Hopkins). There are many reasons why a person may turn to drugs or alcohol initially, including using these mind-altering substances as a coping mechanism for stress, difficult emotions, physical ailments, and other issues.
Before using drugs as a coping strategy here are some recommendations for a healthier mindset. The goal is to identify the “void” or issue and work towards healing. In the meantime, experts recommend diet and exercise as great places to start. See your Primary Care Physician and a therapist if needed. Quality sleep is also a major factor in a healthy mind. Surround yourself with good people and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: (571) 423-4270.
Resources:
Substance Use Disorder info
FCPS Social Work
For further Information & support:
Michael McNulty
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
mpmcnulty@fcps.edu
AFTER SCHOOL CORNER
Spelling Bee
Students interested in participating in the 2023 Spelling Bee will need to complete the form below by Friday January 13th. The Preliminary Spelling Bee will take place on Tuesday February 14th. Students with perfect scores on the Preliminary Test will participate in the School Spelling Bee on Tuesday February 28th. The preliminary test and the school spelling bee will take place during A Block after school in the cafeteria.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScVIso0GfHSfkzB5LBvl39WqL7mBiPYq2eV6qRQfnmddPKCWQ/viewform
Riley Barrows
After School Program Specialist
Building Use Coordinator
Would you like to be a part of the RCMS PTA Family? Members and volunteers are needed.The Carson PTA is sponsoring school events in support and gratitude for our educators and families and kicking off 2 major fundraisers to support our mission statement in support of our students. Parents, please join the PTA fun and participate in our "Name that Tune" contest.
Free and Reduced-Price Meal Applications
For the past two years, the federal government has provided no-cost meals to all public school students without the need to complete the annual Free and Reduced-Price Meal application. The extension of the no-cost meals benefit to all students is expected to expire at the end of this school year, meaning families must submit an application and be approved to be eligible for free and reduced-price meals for the 2022-23 school year. Learn more about the Free and Reduced-Price Meal program online.
 |
|
Yearbook Sales
2022-2023 Yearbooks are available for purchase. Reserve your copy today by purchasing through MySchoolBucks!
Link to Purchase: Yearbook Sales - MySchoolbucks
We have a limited number of surplus, once we reach our sales limit yearbooks will be sold out. Sales are on a first come first serve basis. Make payments online to avoid the handling of cash and check.
|
If a student will be absent or arriving late to school, parents or guardians should always report the details of the absence to the RCMS Attendance Office. Teachers do not have access to mark a student excused for an absence, which is why it is imperative that parents contact the attendance office (instead of, or in addition to, the teacher) when their child is absent so we can mark them correctly.
To report an absence, parents have these options:
- Use the link to our online attendance form (preferred) from the main page of the RCMS website:
- Send an email with full details to: CarsonMiddle.Attendance@fcps.edu, or
- Call the attendance line at 703-925-3636 being sure to include the spelling of your student’s last name and reason for the absence.
If your student will be picked up early for an appointment:
Please send them to the front office in the morning with a note stating the time of the dismissal. Students will be given a pass to leave class and meet parents in the office. Parents should come to entrance #1, to the main office, with a photo ID to pick up their student for early dismissals.
For more information on the attendance policies, please visit the RCMS Attendance page.
Here Comes the Bus Mobile App
 Here Comes the Bus® app is a school bus tracking app that can simplify morning and afternoon routines for parents and students by giving them real-time bus location and text or email notification alerts, helping them get to the bus stop on time. Here Comes the Bus® utilizes our GPS data and an easy-to-use customizable map that works on one or multiple devices, such as a tablet or smartphone.
Using the app is EASY! You will need the FCPS school district code 28982 and a Student Information System (SIS) Parent Account. Please be sure to follow the detailed instructions at this link. Do Not Use the Student Login or Sign Up links.
If you have problems with the Here Comes the Bus app, please contact the support information within the app itself. Your school has no access to this third-party system.
Other Schools Are Sharing
Who to Contact
If you have a question or concern, please visit our website for a full listing of Who to Contact. This listing includes all of our administrators, our counselors, and who to speak to regarding a specific content area or class. Contact information for all staff members is listed on our website - just click on the name of the person you wish to contact to be redirected to their email address: RCMS Staff Directory.
|
