Monday, February 27, 2023
Dear Lancers-
I would like to thank our Health and Physical Education Department for bringing the “Gwyneth's Gift” organization to LMS last week. On Wednesday and Thursday all of our students were trained in hands-only CPR during the HPE classes. This was a big undertaking which involved numerous parent volunteers as well. Thank you to all that helped to bring this important program to our community!
Our staff also participated in Instructional Rounds last Wednesday. This is where 31 teachers observed a broad cross-sampling of their colleagues’ classrooms. During this process, observing teachers looked at the academic tasks in which students were engaged. Teachers observed students actively engaging in their learning by practicing their collaboration skills, sharing ideas to solve real world problems and scenarios, and displaying their thinking using a variety of tools. This professional learning opportunity supported one of our school goals: to ensure students are working on high quality tasks in all classrooms. This is the second year we were able to complete “instructional rounds”. The feedback from our staff on the process has been overwhelmingly positive and many have shared that it has been a great practice to help improve teaching and learning here at LMS.
Lastly, I would like to thank everyone that was able to come out to the parent coffee on Friday. Here is a link to the slides that were shared.
As always, please feel free to reach out directly if you have any questions.
Jim
Jim Patrick
Principal
Longfellow MS
Longfellow students qualify for AIME
Longfellow Middle School is proud to announce that of the 96 students that took the American Mathematics Competition 10 (AMC 10), eight of those students scored high enough to advance to the next round. On February 7, EIGHT Lancers took the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME). LMS would like to congratulate the following students: Anderson Hao, Sarah Li, Michelle Lin, Yanling Lin, Arnav Talreja, Kalan Warusa, Paul Yoo, Shunyao Yan. To put this into perspective, only the top 2.5% of all AMC 10 scores nationwide advance to take the AIME.
Congratulations! We are proud of you!!
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CALENDAR EVENTS
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Spring SEL Screener
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) commits to supporting all students’ mental wellness and social and emotional learning (SEL). The School Board has approved a screener to review students’ skills and experiences in these areas. FCPS staff will use the screener to identify strengths and needs for students in grades K-12. The screener provides information regarding students’ experiences and how staff can support their needs.
All students in grades K-12 will participate in the screener twice a year, in the fall and spring. Students in grades 3-12 will reflect and report on their own skills and experiences. Screener data will only be accessible to teachers, administrators, and staff with legitimate educational interests. Results will be maintained in secure files and databases accessible only to these individuals. Screener results will be used with other data to inform practices for SEL skill development and mental wellness. Screener data will also help staff plan interventions for students with identified needs. Parents and guardians will receive an individualized report regarding their student’s screener results following each assessment window in SIS ParentVUE. School staff will be available to discuss results with families on planned support. As shared previously, there is also a family guide for parents/guardians to use with their children.
Longfellow MS students will take the spring SEL Screener on Monday, March 13th during Lancer Time. If you do not want your student to take part in the SEL screener, please complete the opt-out via your SIS ParentVUE account or the SEL Opt-Out Form by Friday, March 10th. If you opted your student out in the fall, you do not need to submit this request again.
More information, including a short video about the SEL screener in FCPS and the screener questions, can be found on the SEL Screener webpage (https://www.fcps.edu/node/43892). Please contact your student's school counselor with questions.
Strategic Planning - 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.
School Board Approves 2023-24 School Year Calendar
The Fairfax County School Board approved a calendar for the 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 school years at their February 9 meeting. Learn more about the approved calendar.
Tutor.com - Extra Help for Students at No Cost to Families
With Tutor.com through Schoology, FCPS students are able to get learning help at any time, even from bilingual tutors! Students in FCPS meet with tutors thousands of times each week to practice reading, prepare for an upcoming math test, write computer programs, study for the SAT, or to get feedback on scholarship essays–all at no cost to their families! If you haven’t already, we encourage you to take just a few minutes to connect with a tutor with your child. More info about Tutor.com in FCPS is available here.
AFTER SCHOOL CORNER
No after school activities or late buses on Thursday, March 2nd.
PARENT INFORMATION
MHS PTSA General Membership Meeting
Join us at our PTSA meeting and hear from guest speaker Mr. Joash Chung, FCPS Manager
Monday, February 27th 7:00pm-8:15pm
Guest Speaker Topic: How to use the FREE 24/7 on-demand 1-on-1 virtual tutoring service by 3,000+ Expert Tutors in 250+ Subjects
Guest Speaker: Mr. Joash Chung, FCPS Manager (You do NOT want to miss this)
Time: Monday Feb 27, 2023 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Location: Cafeteria, McLean HS
In-Person attendance will be more effective as Mr. Joash will use a presentation to provide detailed instructions in person.
McLean Pyramid Art Show
On Display: March 1-11/Reception: Thursday, March 9, 4:30-6 PM
Location: McLean Project for the Arts at the
McLean Community Center -Emerson Gallery
1234 Ingleside Ave
McLean, VA 22101
Gallery Hours: Tues-Fri 1pm-4pm, Saturdays 10am-3pm
Late hours Fri March 10 until 7pm
https://mpaart.org/visit-2/
March Lancer Parent Academy
Please join Amy Smith, 7th grade assistant principal and other staff for our next Lancer Parent Academy on Tuesday, March 14th at 6:30 pm. We’ll meet in the library to discuss effective communication strategies with your teen. Please sign up here if you plan to attend.
Kiss & Ride reminders
As a reminder, students who are getting dropped off or picked up from our Kiss & Ride lane should do so directly in front of door 4. Picking up or dropping off before arriving at door 4 creates safety concerns and slows the flow of traffic through that area.
T-SHIRT RECYCLING
Have old t-shirts? FCCLA needs old t-shirts that need to be recycled for sewing projects. Donations can be dropped off in the main office.
Safe Community Coalition "Improving Your Family's Emotional Health"
The Safe Community Coalition, in partnership with the McLean Community Center, is pleased to share details of an upcoming event on Wednesday, March 15th, 2023 from 7 to 9pm at The Alden Theatre.
Anxiety and worry are normal and expected parts of learning and growing, but when teens and children face challenges cognitively, socially or emotionally, anxiety can step in and take over. Anxiety can be overwhelming and rigid, but it’s also based on predictable patterns that can be shifted once we learn how it operates.
Lynn Lyons, licensed independent clinical social worker and best-selling author of Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents and the newly-released The Anxiety Audit, presents Helping Your Family’s Emotional Health: Practical, Strategic Skills and Solutions for Managing Anxiety, Enhancing Flexibility, and Creating Wellbeing.
Based on current research and over 30 years of clinical experience, Lynn Lyons presents a strategic approach based on skill-building, with prevention as the preferred route. Using creativity, connection and awareness of their own patterns, parents will learn how to increase their child’s flexibility, support the tolerance of uncertainty, and emotionally and preventatively equip themselves and those they love as we all move forward.
This program takes place March 15th from 7 to 9 pm at The Alden Theatre, 1234 Ingleside Avenue, McLean, VA. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at http://mcleanscc.org/. Space is limited.
Visit the Safe Community Coalition website for more information: http://mcleanscc.org/.
Spring Hill Fun Fair Volunteer Opportunity
Are you a student who needs volunteer hours? Do you remember all of the FUN of going to a Fun Fair in elementary school? We’d love for you to volunteer your time to support the Fun Fair at Spring Hill Elementary School and will provide all verification you need to earn your service hours. We can’t make Fun Fair a success without your help!
If you would like to volunteer at Fun Fair on Saturday, March 18, please click the Student Volunteer Sign-up button on our website and fill out the I Want to be a Student Volunteer at Fun Fair Form. You must answer all the questions to submit your registration. A Fun Fair Committee member will contact you about volunteer opportunities.
https://springhillpto.org/fun-fair/volunteer/
McLean Student Services and McLean PTSA presents:
Helping Your Kids Build a Life They Want: Parent Talk with Authors Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson
Thursday, March 30, 2023
6:30 – 7:30 PM
McLean High School Auditorium
No registration needed!
We all want our kids to be happy and successful in life. Too often, many parents feel that if kids aren’t pushed harder, they won’t be successful. But this can result in anxiety and depression, chronic stress, and a negative parent-child relationship.
Instead, let’s help our kids build a life they want – a life where success is defined by happiness, strong relationships, and overall wellness, and not simply by academic and career achievement. Bill and Ned will share strategies parents can use to help our kids achieve this life!
We welcome all McLean HS and Longfellow MS parents to attend this informative session. If you are interested in learning about Bill and Ned’s work, please check out this podcast on achievement culture, as well as their books, linked below.
https://www.steventshapiro.com/experiencematters/thisisyourbrainonachievementculture
https://theselfdrivenchild.com/
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