Important Upcoming Events
- June 7 & 8 Math Final Exams
- June 16 - Last Day of School - Early Release-All medications must be picked up from the clinic
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A Message from Principal Stokes
Greetings Panthers,
We are in the final month of the school year. Keeping focused on a few main ideas (daily attendance, positive interactions, and best effort on all assignments and tasks) will help this part of the year move in a smooth fashion. Thanks to all of our families for your support in these critical matters.
Sincerely,
Gordon Stokes
Principal
Mathspace information
Please click HERE for information on how to log in to Mathspace.
Student Rights and Responsibilities Update - Personal Device Away for the Day:
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Students in K-8 must keep phones silenced and in backpacks for the duration of the school day. Cell phones may only be used on campus before and after school outside of the building.
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The Student Rights and Responsibilities document (SR&R) explains expectations for student behavior. The new section on cell phones prohibits cell phone use in classrooms. We recognize that this new policy will be a shift for many students and families this year, but research shows that managing phone use during class time will support students’ attention and ability to fully engage in their learning. Schools are partnering with parents to have students understand the importance of putting their phones away to minimize distractions during class.
Sincerely,
The RCMS Administrative Team
Safe Student Drop-off – Kiss N Ride Procedures
With the final month of school approaching we want to share important reminders to provide a safe Kiss N Ride experience for our students and community.
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Please use the Kiss N Ride loop when dropping off students in the morning. No students should be dropped off in the RCMS parking lot, on the shoulder of McLearen Rd., or on EDS Dr. All locations other than Kiss N Ride place students in a dangerous situation and contributes to unsafe conditions for students.
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Students who participate in after school programs should be picked up in the Kiss N Ride loop and not at another location on or off-campus.
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As a reminder when driving through the RCMS parking lot please proceed slowly and with caution as there are a number of natural blind spots in parking lots.
An alternative to Kiss N Ride is to ride the bus. All students who arrive via bus are considered on-time. We appreciate your attention to these important procedures.
Sincerely,
The RCMS Administrative Team
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Coming Soon!
This year we will be conducting our National Junior Honor Society ceremonies in person for 8th grade and during the school day virtually for 7th grade in our Panther Time block.
The Zoom session will open 5 minutes before the start of each ceremony.
Ceremonies will be held on Zoom at the following times:
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Trailblazers and Discovery: Wednesday, June 7 at 9:35 AM
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Volunteer Help Needed- End of Year Team Events, June 14-15
We are seeking parent volunteers to help with our end of year activities.
Please click HERE for more specific information if you are interested.
Notes from the Tech Department!
Student laptops and chargers will be collected during PE Classes on Monday, June 12, 2023 and Tuesday, June 13, 2023. In preparation for laptop return please make sure any stickers your child put on the laptop are removed. The sleeve with the ID card with your child’s name on it should not be removed.
Students who are enrolled in a summer learning program may keep their laptop and charger until the end of the summer learning program. Laptops and chargers should be returned to Carson immediately following the completion of your child’s summer program with all equipment returned no later than Friday, August 4, 2023.
Please note that students who do not return their laptop and charger will not receive a laptop at the start of the 2023-2024 school year whether they are still at Carson or have moved on to high school.
RCMS Tech Department
Student Services Updates
HS Credit Course Expunge Process
High school credit courses taken in grades 7 and 8 become part of the student’s high school transcript and are included in the calculation of the high school Grade Point Average (GPA) and weighted as such. Virginia state and FCPS regulations permit parents/guardians of a middle school student who has completed a high school credit course to have that course expunged from the student’s record.
The request to remove a course from the transcript must be made in writing to the middle or high school that the student will attend the following year and prior to the end of the first nine weeks of the school year.
See Request to Expunge High School Courses Taken in Middle School Form.
or click here.If you have questions or concerns regarding this, please contact your child’s middle school counselor no later than June 16.
Student Intention Forms
Moving this summer? If your family plans include relocation, please notify us by completing the intention form and send it to Ms. Andrea Tawil ajtawil@fcps.edu at your earliest convenience
Dear Parent or Guardian:
The school health room is reminding parents and guardians that all medication stored in the health room must be picked up no later than the student dismissal time on the last day of school- June 16. Medication left in the health room after that time will be destroyed. It is school policy that medications must be picked up by the parent or guardian. Medication cannot be sent home with your student. However, with parent or guardian permission, a high school student may transport over-the-counter medications to and from the school health room. If your student will be enrolled in a summer program sponsored by Fairfax County Public Schools, the existing medication authorization form (s) may be used for the summer program, but you will need to pick up the medication on the last day of school and deliver the medication and completed forms to the summer learning site on the first day of the summer program. Please let the health room know if you would like a copy of the form (s).
If you have any questions, please contact your school public health nurse, Minjung Ellenburg, at mellenburg@fcps.edu.
For more information on medication authorization forms and guidelines, please click HERE.
Student Services Fourth Quarter Newsletter
Please click here to read the Student Services Fourth Quarter Newsletter. It contains information about recent school-wide events including Wellness Week and Career Day as well as important information about upcoming end of the year activities and summer learning opportunities.
Attention 8th Grade Families Only!
School ticket sales will be on June 2, and June 9th. Tickets are $30 each. Cash or checks only.
Click HERE to purchase tickets to the 8th grade dance.
Update Your Contact Information in WeCare@School
Within SIS ParentVUE, FCPS provides weCare@school (weCare), an emergency care information system. weCare helps manage contact and emergency medical information by allowing parents/caregivers to enter and update their children’s data online.
That contact information automatically enrolls parents/caregivers to receive critical updates from the district and their child’s school through the eNotify system. FCPS uses eNotify to communicate emergency, transportation, attendance, weather closing and delay, and essential outreach messages. Messages are sent by email, text, and occasionally by phone. Learn more about updating your emergency care information
Testing will take place first thing in the morning. It is critical that students be in attendance and on-time for their designated test days. If at all possible, please avoid or reschedule absences/appointments for the morning of your child’s test dates. Also make sure that your child brings a fully-charged laptop on test days.
Contact Sharri Clifford, school test coordinator, with any questions (ssclifford@fcps.edu).
The Virginia Board of Education allows certain elementary and middle school students who fail their spring Standards of Learning (SOL) to retake the test before the end of the school year. Retesting is available when a student fails their first SOL attempt with a score of 375-399. (A score of 400 is considered passing for SOL tests.) Parent/guardian permission is required for the school to retest any student in grades 3-8. Your child is bringing home a form for you to indicate whether or not you would like your child to have the opportunity to retake an SOL test, should their first score fall in that range. Please fill out and return by Thursday, April 20th. If you prefer, you may fill out this electronic form instead. Please direct any questions you have regarding SOL testing and retakes to our school testing coordinator, Sharri Clifford (ssclifford@fcps.edu).
Attention Rising RCMS 7th Graders!
RCMS-101
Coming August 2023!
Click HERE
To register for the summer program for RCMS Rising 7th Graders. Registration will close soon and then reopen in July. Dates TBD.
Or go to:
https://carsonms.fcps.edu/announcements/rcms-101
Summer VIP Camp Program
Click on the link below for more information about the Summer VIP Camp
click HERE
or go to:
https://www.canva.com/design/DAFehD4otWw/RU00gVfR_il3Th1yiWyGVQ/view?utm_content=DAFehD4otWw&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink
VIP Camp Registration Form - click HERE
Or go to:
https://forms.gle/rr3DNsrR5aaCSW2P7
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.
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Yearbook Sales
Order your Yearbook now before it’s too late!!
2022-2023 Yearbooks are available for purchase. Reserve your copy today by purchasing through MySchoolBucks!
Check your MySchoolBucks account’s order history to see if you’ve already purchased a yearbook to avoid duplicate purchases.
Link to Purchase: Yearbook Sales - MySchoolbucks
Yearbooks are scheduled to be distributed on June 7th and 8th during PE classes.
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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.
Other Schools Are Sharing
Oakton High School
9th Grade Jump Start Program - Save the Date
We will be hosting a two day optional Jump Start program to help prepare freshman for the 2023-2024 school year. The program will be held on August 1st and 2nd from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm. Oakton teachers will lead sessions on topics including study skills, literacy and math skills, as well as a fun and exciting introduction to Oakton High School. Participants will get to hear from Oakton teachers and students regarding questions they have for the upcoming school year. Participation is $20.00 and there may be transportation available. If you are interested in your rising 9th grader attending, please fill out the registration form HERE. Payment will be made at a later date.
Questions? Email rising 9th grade administrator, James Oberndorf, at: jpoberndorf@fcps.edu.
Please note this is separate from our 9th grade orientation. We are still finalizing plans for orientation but it will be held the week of August 14, 2023. No registration is required for 9th grade orientation.
Calling all Rising 9th Westfield Parents!
Westfield High School PTA urgently needs volunteers to serve on the Westfield PTSA Board (President, VP of communication, VP of Programs, Treasurer, and Secretary) for the school year 2023-24.
Officers serve a two year term and below is a condensed list of theRoles and responsibilities:
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President- Preside over all meetings of this local PTA/PTSA and coordinate the work of the officers and committees of the PTA/PTSA
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Treasurer- Handles and oversight of all funds and finances for the local PTA & PTSA, keep full financial records to include an accurate account of receipts and expenditures as directed in the bylaws. Make disbursements as authorized by the president, executive board or general membership in accordance with the budget adopted by the general membership.
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Secretary- Record the minutes of all meetings of the local PTA/PTSA and perform other duties as assigned.
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Vice President- Act as an aide to the president and perform other delegated duties as assigned.
Any questions should be directed to Hamsa Viswanath, Membership Chair- Westfield PTSA at westfieldmembership@gmail.com.
Charge Ahead
Class of 2027 Orientation- Chantilly Rising 9th Grade
Back by popular demand, Chantilly High School is offering 3 one day Freshman Orientation options for your student to attend this summer’s “Charge Ahead Program”. The choices to attend a 1 day session are either Aug 8th, 9th, or 10th from 9am-1pm. Students will get a chance to get to know us and learn how to navigate high school life here at Chantilly. The cost is $50 per student that includes a class of 2027 t-shirt, snacks, & a Chick-fil-A lunch. Registrations are on a first-come, first-served basis until July 28th. Register today to secure your spot. Click here for Registration link:
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Chantilly High School
Any rising freshman girls interested in playing basketball at Chantilly next year, please fill out this google form so Coach Regan can let you know about offseason workouts, summer camp, and other events. We are looking forward to seeing you and can’t wait for you to join the Charger family!
Please click the link below.
https://forms.gle/QayT22zgXfjzVTJL7
Parents can email Coach Regan at reganjg@fcps.edu with questions or for more information.
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SOUTH LAKES CHEERLEADING
Calling all rising 9th graders! Interested in trying out for the South Lakes Cheerleading program? If so, please fill out the following online interest form to be added to our email list: https://forms.gle/hVeWZPTPR187AnmX9 Those on our email distribution list will receive information throughout the spring/summer regarding the upcoming season.
A little bit about our program: South Lakes Cheerleading is both a sideline and competitive program. When we are not on the track cheering on the SLHS Football team on game nights, we are practicing for our own District, Region, and State competitions! We have two teams: JV and Varsity that both begin on July 31st and run through early/mid November.
We welcome all levels of experience and hope to meet you soon!
If you have any questions at all feel free to email Coach Slaight at: raslaight@fcps.edu
SOUTH LAKES DANCE TEAM
The South Lakes Dance Team is excited to be holding our 23-24 tryouts from June 20-22! If you are interested in trying out, please fill out this interest form and we will add you to our email list: https://forms.gle/MbkS57BPWUer9tK17. We will be sending out communication about our interest meeting, tryouts, and eligibility requirements through the email list.
The South Lakes Dance Team performs at Football games, Basketball games, pep rallies, and various other school events. We also compete regionally and sometimes even nationally! We love cheering on the Seahawks and promoting school spirit in the community. South Lakes currently has only a Varsity level Dance Team, but we encourage dancers of all skill levels to tryout! We will also be holding a pre-tryout skills clinic on April 13th.
Please email Coach McDermott at chmcdermott@fcps.edu with any questions.
SLHS Seahawk CO-ED Golf Meeting For Rising Freshmen
Is your student-athlete interested in playing for the Seahawk Co-ed Golf Team? Tryouts are projected to begin July 31 and the regular season runs through mid-September. Email Coach Anderson at kanderson3@fcps.edu for more information.
SOUTH LAKES FOOTBALL
Calling all rising 9th graders! Are you:
-Bigger than most people? -Faster than your friends? -Tougher than most others?
If you answered yes to one or more of those questions then we are interested in you trying out for the South Lakes Football Program!
Hurry and fill out the following online interest form to be added to our email list:
https://forms.gle/xbGnwMhDN2M11CPM6
Those on our email distribution list will receive information throughout the spring/summer regarding the upcoming season.
A little bit about our program:
South Lakes Football has three levels in our program; Freshmen, Junior Varsity, and Varsity. Our season officially begins on July 31st, but the JV and Varsity teams are already preparing for our next season and so should you too!
We welcome all levels of experience and hope to meet you soon!
If you have any questions at all feel free to email Coach Hescock at: jrhescock@fcps.edu
SOUTH LAKES GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Calling all rising 9th graders! Interested in trying out for the South Lakes Girls Volleyball program?
For additional questions please email Coach Miller at pmiller@fcps.edu
SOUTH LAKES FIELD HOCKEY
Calling all rising 9th graders! Interested in trying out for the South Lakes Field Hockey program. For additional questions please email Coach Mueller at: almueller@fcps.edu
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.
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