Community Gazette 2.5.23

Glasgow Parents and Community: Greetings! This past Friday was movie night in the Powell household. Saturday was a Paw Patrol event at Eagle Bank arena in Fairfax with the kids. Today we are attending church, spending time with the kids and getting ready for the week! I hope everyone has had a peaceful weekend thus far!  Additionally, February 6th – February 10th is National School Counseling Week.  This week is designed to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by ASCA, highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. I encourage everyone to show our wonderful Glasgow MS counselors your appreciation next week through Words of Affirmation, emails, cards, etc.  Great news! We have two new Safety and Security Assistants who started on February 1st. John Monaco and Kiona Burrell are coming to us from outside of FCPS. John has over 25 years of experience in Safety and Security from New York. Kiona is coming to us from the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services. Please take a moment when you see them in the hallways to welcome them to Glasgow Middle. Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS. As a parent, you might be wondering what apps and games are age-appropriate for your child. How can you help your child enjoy technology and media in a safe way? FCPS recommends a four-pronged approach for supporting children. This approach will help your child become a smart, safe and balanced user of technology.  Parents using the four-pronged approach will: Establish expectations by developing and enforcing media and device plans. Select and use age-appropriate media (games, apps, videos, books, and other media types). Use parental controls to set limits. Support your child’s technology use by using it with them. Eating disorders are serious but treatable mental and physical illnesses that can affect people of all genders, ages, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, body shapes, and weights. While no one knows for sure what causes eating disorders, a growing consensus suggests that it is a range of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors. Eating disorders are not fads or phases, and can have serious consequences for health, productivity, and relationships. IIn collaboration with the Fairfax County Health Department, FCPS has developed a web page with detailed information and resources to be provided to parents and guardians of Fairfax County Public Schools. This information may be found at the following link: https://www.fcps.edu/node/37440 Humbly, Victor L. Powell, Principal Contact Information: Email: vlpowell@fcps.edu Twitter: @VictorLeonPowe1 Website: http://www.fcps.edu/GlasgowMS/

Report Cards

Families will be unable to access SIS to view grades from January 25th – February 6th.  Second quarter report cards are scheduled to be printed on February 1 and mailed out soon after.

Glasgow Course Selection

The course selection process for the 2023-2024 school year is about to begin!  Rising 7th and 8th grade Glasgow students will receive lessons about available course options and how to select courses in SIS starting on January 9th.  Counselors will be meeting with students for academic advising throughout January and February.  7th grade students will be meeting with counselors during the week of January 16th.  6th grade students will be meeting with counselors beginning on February 2nd.  Rising 9th grade students will meet with counselors later in the month of February.  Once students meet with counselors for advising, courses will be available for your preview in SIS ParentVue as well as SIS StudentVue by selecting “Course Request”.  Please be sure you are talking with your child about their course options for next year in preparation for their academic advising meeting.  If changes need to be made after their academic advising meeting, please contact your child’s counselor.  Students have until March 15th to make any requests for changes for the 2023-2024 school year.  March 15th is our deadline to help us prepare for staffing for the upcoming year.

Second Semester Schedules

The third quarter began on January 30th.  This is the beginning of a new semester as well.  Some students will change electives courses for the second semester.  Students received new schedules on January 30th. Due to scheduling and staffing constraints, we are unable to accommodate change requests for second semester courses.  If there is an error on your child’s schedule or you have questions about their schedule, please reach out to your child’s counselor.  Thank you so much for your support.

Student Vue and Parent Vue

All FCPS students have a Student Vue account. All student schedules are active and up to date in SIS Student Vue and SIS Parent Vue. If you do not have a SIS Parent Vue account, we strongly encourage you to sign up for an account. You can find directions on how to do so at this link: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/technology/student-information-system-sis-fcps/sis-parent-account-registration. 

Once you have signed up for an account, you’ll need an activation code - which we will work as quickly as we can to provide to you. You can find a video that provides information on how to use SIS Parent Vue and all that you will be able to access with your account here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLwkkemipws.

Kiss and Ride

We have many families who choose to drop off and pick up students at school.  We ask that you please use the kiss and ride lane and do not double park in our parking lot or the kiss and ride lane to drop off or pick up students.  In order to keep the flow of traffic moving along and to maintain safety, we ask that you pull your cars up and stop at the locations our monitors direct to before allowing your child to exit your vehicle.  We often have a long line of traffic waiting behind you and we want everyone to get through the line quickly and safely.  Please be sure students have all of their belongings ready to exit car doors onto the sidewalk.   If you need to enter the building, please find a spot to park in our lot.  Most importantly, please maintain a safe speed - we have students and staff members who are crossing the street to enter our building. We want to be sure that we are all doing our part to keep everyone safe.  Thank you so much for your cooperation.

Find Free COVID-19 Testing in Your Community

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a COVID-19 Testing Locator website, which allows consumers to search for free testing sites near them. Testing is available at pharmacies, commercial laboratory sites, community sites, and retail locations. Results are typically provided within 24-48 hours.

Low-Cost Internet for Free and Reduced-Price Eligible Students 

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program to lower internet costs for families with children who have been eligible for free or reduced-price meals within the last 12 months. A qualifying household will receive $30 per month toward internet services and a one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. Families can check their eligibility and register at AffordableConnectivity.gov or by calling 877-384-2575.

SERVE IT UP NIGHT AT GLASGOW !! 

Mark your Calendars for a new event at Glasgow – Indoor Volleyball night! Thursday February 16th, 2022, 5:30 to 9:00 PM at the Glasgow Main Gym. Come play or cheer your friends on as they play their hearts out.  There will be concessions served by the PTA and a $5 fee for anyone older than 5 years old.  Let’s bring our community together for some Volleyball!

• Indoor volleyball games featuring 6th Grade/7th Grade/8th Grade Students vs Staff and Community Members (parents and families are welcome to play or support this event)!
• We will need many volunteers the evening of the event, so please email theresacanopa@gmail.com if you can help.
• Many thanks to Mr. Powell, Mr. Stuecheli, and Mr. Williams for supporting our inaugural Serve it up community event.
• If interested in joining, please contact Mr. Stuechili or Mr. Williams for more information.

VSRS (Virginia Stingrays Recreational Softball) league

The league consists mainly of girls attending the Justice HS pyramid. VSRS is a great way for the girls to participate in athletics, make friends, and learn teamwork. See the attached flyer for more information.

VSRS Flyer - Spring 2023.PNG.pdf

Deadline Extended for Feedback on Draft School Year Calendars

Thank you to the approximately 27,000 families, staff, students, and community members who completed FCPS' Calendar Feedback Form!

The School Board discussed the feedback during their January 31 work session. If you haven't had a chance to share your thoughts about the draft school year calendar options, please participate today. The form will close on Monday, February 6, at noon. The School Board is scheduled to vote on a calendar on Thursday, February 9. 

Learn more about FCPS' calendar development process.

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM).

Although we spread awareness 12 months out of the year, we are marking this month by wearing orange next Tuesday, accepting entries for our annual Teen Art Contest, and then celebrating our winners and expressions of art at the Teen Talent Showcase. These are planned with the help of the Teen Advocates program where teens themselves come up with ideas for how they want the events to look and ways to spread awareness about healthy relationships and consent throughout the entire school year.

Please see the information below and in the attached fliers!

• Art Contest: Teens may submit anything from visual art to a musical performance to a Tik Tok dance in response to the theme Awareness + Action = Social Change (related to healthy relationships, dating violence, consent, etc.). Visual art or performances can be submitted either through the QR code in the flier or at a community center or teen center by Friday, February 3.
• Art Contest CFE 2023_v3- FINAL.pdf
• Teen Talent Showcase: On Friday, February 24 at 5pm at the Sully Community Center, the art from the contest will be displayed (or performed) and winners will be announced. There will also be food, arts & crafts, performances, and more!
• Art Contest Showcase 2023_v1.pdf
• Orange Out: Wear orange on Tuesday, February 7 to take a stand against teen dating violence! Pictures can be sent to Debra Miller at Debra.Miller@fairfaxcounty.gov.
• Orange Out Flyer 2023_v2.pdf

Share Your Thoughts with Us!

What keeps you optimistic about FCPS? What are your concerns? Answer these and two other questions on our Strategic Plan Feedback Form, and help shape our school division’s future. 

Have Your Say on Our Future! Remaining Strategic Planning Community Forums will take place:

• Thursday, February 2, 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Mason Crest Elementary School.
• Saturday, February 4, 9 to 10:30 a.m., at Spring Hill Elementary School.
• Monday, February 6, 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Edison High School.
• Tuesday, February 7, 6:30 to 8 p.m., at South County High School.

• Wednesday, February 8, 6 to 7:30 p.m., in Spanish, virtual.
• Thursday, February 9, 12 to 1:30 p.m., virtual.
• Saturday, February 11, 9 to 10:30 a.m., virtual.
• Wednesday, February 15, 6:30 to 8 p.m., at West Springfield High School.
• Thursday, February 16, 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Hunters Woods Elementary School.

Click the date above to register for that forum, or check out the full schedule of Community Forums and register for one that is convenient for you. Childcare will be provided at in-person forums. Language interpretation will be provided, as available, at all events. Please register today. 

I'm Determined Youth and Family Summit - June 2023

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