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To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.
Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.
이 소식지를 다른 언어로 읽으려면, 우리 웹사이트를 방문하시기 바랍니다.
.يرجى زيارة موقعنا الألكتروني لقراءة هذه النشرة الإخبارية بلغات أخرى
in this issue:
KJMS Event Calendar
Good evening KJMS Families,
Welcome to the end of Semester 1! We did it! Good things lie ahead for Semester 2, maybe even great things as we continue to partner together to support all students. Course selection season runs through the month of February, and we wanted to take a moment to explain how we can work together to help your student end the year strong and find success next year.
To get ready for next year, we load the base courses for rising 8th graders into SIS StudentVue which includes Algebra in alignment with the proposed FCPS goal of enrolling all 8th graders into Algebra or Algebra Honors in the 8th grade. You may be wondering if that class is the right fit for your student next year. Connecting with your child's math teacher now and in the spring can be informative. Counselors will also meet with all 7th and 8th graders in February for an Academic Advising session and to answer questions about classes for next year. In addition, here are a few tips for ALL KJMS Eagles to make sure Semester 2 is successful:
How can you help your child complete work and engage in school?
- Ask what is working well and what they need help with to do better.
- Ask about their day and listen to what they say about success and stressors.
- Acknowledge all successes, large and small, to help build your child’s confidence.
- Help your child see the connection between effort and success.
Are there any Routines/Structures we can implement at home?
- Schedule 1 to 2 hours a night for homework.
- Ensure your child has a quiet place to study and complete homework.
- Check your child’s Schoology and SIS student account every night.
- Check to see that homework has been completed each night and is in the backpack, ready to turn in or has been submitted in Schoology.
- Actively study with your child before tests and quizzes.
- Encourage independent reading of choice books, magazines, and online resources.
What are some Home and School Connections that we can access?
- Encourage your child to stay after school for additional help - see our website for teacher after school dates, or ask your student’s teacher or counselor about staying after school.
- Monitor your child’s attendance to ensure he/she attends school every day and is on time to all classes.
- Communicate with teachers via e-mail or by phone. Check the class syllabus on Schoology for contact information.
- Call your child’s counselor and schedule a parent conference.
Here at KJMS, we analyze multiple data points to determine where and how we can best support students during the school day. We consider the following supports:
- additional assistance during Learning Seminar and/or after school,
- intervention programs targeting specific courses and learning needs, and
- individual or small group counseling as appropriate.
By entering Semester 2 with a plan for success, we can help all students be ready for what comes next. To be ready for the 23-24 school year, elective courses need to be finalized in SIS StudentVue no later than March. We do have the flexibility to adjust the rigor level of core classes through the spring and even up to the last day of school if you are not yet sure about taking advanced classes. Benchmarks and data points such as the SOL will be available in April and May, and these can help us fine tune course selections for the 23-24 school year.
Thanks for allowing us to partner with you during this time of adolescence.
-The KJMS Admin and Counseling Teams
Text-to-Speech Available on FCPS Websites
FCPS is introducing an innovative way to address the diverse needs of the community. A new text-to-speech feature, available on the FCPS website and each school website, will read the words aloud from webpages.
The feature will help those with accessibility needs, such as visual impairments, dyslexia, or other difficulty reading large amounts of online text. The text-to-speech feature is available for English, Spanish, and Korean. Learn more and try out the new feature.
We Want Your Feedback! Draft 2023-24 School Year Calendar OptionsYour feedback is important! FCPS is seeking community feedback on the draft calendar options for the 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 school years. Please share your thoughts by filling out this form. The form will be open through Tuesday, January 31, 1 p.m.
Fairfax County Public Schools will participate in the 2023 Virginia School Survey of Climate and Working Conditions. KJMS will administer the survey on February 15th and 17th.
The purpose of the survey is to provide schools with information on school climate, safety, and working conditions in order to maintain a safe and orderly school environment conducive to learning. The survey is a component of the annual school safety audit which school divisions are required to submit to the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety (VCSCS), according to the Code of Virginia.
The survey is voluntary and your child can decide not to participate. No action will be taken against you, your child, or the school if your child does not participate.
Please contact Griselda Mendoza at gmendoza@fcps.edu for any question you have regarding the survey.
Due to the cumulative learning loss of students during this pandemic and in order to maximize instructional time, FCPS will implement virtual learning for day 6 and beyond in which school buildings are closed due to inclement weather.
The first 5 inclement weather days will continue to be traditional inclement weather days. Following that, FCPS will utilize flexibility provided by the General Assembly to have unscheduled virtual learning days, wherever possible. Virtual Learning on these days will be synchronous instruction following the Inclement Weather Virtual Learning Day Schedule which includes a 2-hour delay.
In the first semester, KJMS students & teachers have borrowed:
11,231 books.
That’s nearly 10 books per reader.
The 7th grade is still reading MORE than 8th grade.
Biggest readers: Mr. Curran’s 8th Period with 27 checkouts per student!
Most popular series: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Hahn
Currently overdue:
395 library books
The winners of our first Overdue Book Return Competition are the Highlanders and the Hokies! Our MVP Teacher is Ms. Radja, who rounded up an incredible 95% of her students’ overdues in two weeks.
Please keep reminding students to return or renew their books on time. This helps ensure that everyone has access to the books they want.
Other News:
Battle of the Books
Meets after school on Thursdays from 2:30-3:30. Each participant will read 4 (or more) of the 16 competition books. We will spend our meetings team building and practicing for the inter-school competition on May 31. Questions? Email Ms. Carmichael at ecarmichael@fcpsschools.net.
Lunchtime Parent Volunteers
Lunchtime is the busiest time of day in our library. We are seeking parent volunteers to help supervise students having fun in the library between 10:45-12:45. Interested? Stay tuned for a Signup Genius link.
#TeamLibrary has an Amazon Wish List!
If you need to contact one of our parent liaisons, Ana Maxey (Mon.,Thur., Fri.) or Jennie Choi (Tues. & Wed.), please call 703-934-2454 and leave a message with your name, your student's name and phone number. You may also contact them via email: Ana Maxey at ajmaxey@fcps.edu or Jennie Choi at jchoi4@fcps.edu
Who is your school counselor for SY 22-23?
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Community Feedback on Calendars
- Text-to-Speech Function on Websites
- Summer Camps Information
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, sign up today.
The Parent Resource Center (PRC) offers free workshops (webinars), consultations, a lending library, and resources to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities.
PRC is dedicated to helping adults support the success of all students. The PRC will present the following webinars in February:
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The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for families, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story, so we can all acknowledge the good work of FCPS employees at Katherine Johnson MS. We love our staff members; let's tell them how we feel!
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Parents who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese can call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS and to receive support if they are having difficulty communicating with their children's schools due to a language barrier.
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