Upcoming Important Dates
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June 21 and 22
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Lost and Found Pick-up, 9:00am - 2:00pm
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July 31 - Aug 3
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Irving MS Summer Academy - for rising 7th graders only
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August 17
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Irving MS Open House 1:00-6:00 pm - all families and students welcome!
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August 18
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Irving MS New Student Orientation - for rising 7th grade students and 8th graders new to FCPS
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Greetings, Irving Families!
Thank you for entrusting us with your children and for supporting us by chaperoning, donating, encouraging, and providing feedback which resulted in another outstanding school year. We always look for opportunities for growth and your feedback has been helpful for us. We have truly enjoyed being able to bring back our families into the building this year and we look forward to expanding our programming and events even more next year.
I am so proud of the many accomplishments of our students and the dedication of our staff. Just within the last two weeks of school, we had about 400 eighth grade students participate in school sponsored service learning opportunities which allowed for awareness campaigns for our students involving the dangers of opioids, problem solving “Plaza” issues, trees being cared for and mulch spread on our grounds to improve the front of our building, invasive plants removed from Accotink park, 30 units of blood donated, (which potentially saves 60 lives), and over 40 blankets created to be donated to local animal shelters. Our students worked hard! We also had field trips, the 8th grade Celebration, team day, and ended the year with staff versus student volleyball games today.
As we wrap up this year, we still have one more thing for families to do - please stop by Irving on June 21 and 22, to take a look at our lost and found. We have so many jackets, hoodies, lunch boxes, and water bottles left behind this year. It will all be displayed in the cafeteria next week so families can claim lost items. Anything not claimed after June 22, will be donated.
Should you need to contact us over the summer, our office hours will be 8:00 am - 1:00 pm. I hope you have a wonderfully relaxing summer!
Take Care!
Cindy Conley
Principal
Summer READ! Program for Rising 7th and 8th Graders
Irving Middle School invites you to participate in its Summer READ! Program. Students have the choice to read from among 24 different options on a bingo-type card. When students complete one of the reading options in a square, they use this Google form to report to Irving what they read. For each square that a student completes, one entry will be made for a drawing for one of four $25 Barnes & Noble gift cards. Students may enter up to 24 times, by reading all 24 of the options listed on the bingo card. Students may only win 1 gift card. The winners will be announced and the prizes awarded at Irving next school year. A link to both the bingo card and the Google Form will remain on the Irving school website throughout the summer.
Students Leaving FCPS
Information for students leaving FCPS: when leaving FCPS, the student’s FCPS Google Drive Workspace account is automatically disabled the day after the last full day of enrollment. Once the account is deactivated, students will not be able to login to their FCPS Google account or access any files saved in Google Drive. Please plan to download any student files or data by Friday, June 16th. Instructions for downloading files and data can be found on the FCPS website or on the Irving All Students Schoology Course, as well as the All Parents Schoology Course.
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Middle School Technology Institute (MSTI)
Registration has opened for the 2023 Summer Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology’s Middle School Technology Institute (MSTI). The program will take place at Thomas Jefferson and is open to all FCPS middle school students. Participation in MSTI does not mean one is accepted into Thomas Jefferson.
The Virginia Partnership for Out-of-School Time (VPOST)
The Virginia Partnership for Out-of-School Time (VPOST) is excited to open our recruitment for our second cohort of Youth STEM Ambassadors! Virginia youth ages 13-18 are encouraged to apply to represent teens across the Commonwealth who love participating in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities during afterschool. Ambassadors are coached on crafting their unique STEM stories and how to talk to policymakers about their experiences. The Ambassador program will follow a cycle of the Virginia General Assembly season from election campaigns in the summer, through elections, and into the start of the Virginia General Assembly session. It will culminate with an advocacy day at the Virginia General Assembly in Richmond, VA in early 2024 where Ambassadors will bring their love of STEM to change-making!
- Ambassadors will participate in one monthly session, virtually, (times to be determined) between June and November 2023 and January-February 2024. Attend an advocacy day in Richmond, VA in early 2024. Successful completion of the program will be rewarded with a gift certificate for $100
Questions can be directed to Christine Jones Monaccio at christine.jones-monaccio@v-post.org. Full program info including the application is available here.
Mental Health Awareness Month
The month of May is a time to pause and raise awareness of the fact that many people live everyday with mental and behavioral health issues and there is a need to reduce the stigma attached with the experience. Post-COVID the reality is that millions of Americans are dealing with an increase in mental, behavioral, and substance misuse illnesses in their families (NAMI). Additional mental health challenges by the COVID-19 pandemic have also increased youth related substance use, mental health struggles, and suicide (HHS). According to HHS, suicide is still the second highest cause of death in youth ages 10 to 14 and adults from ages 24 to 35. This prompted the July 2022 launch of 988 the new three-digit code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7 call, text, and chat access to crisis counselors. It is for anyone experiencing suicidal, substance use, and/or mental health crises or emotional distress. Concerns about loved ones may also be addressed using the 988 dialing code. SAMHSA has described the new 988 dialing code as an important step in transforming how crisis and trauma situations are handled in the United States. Please note that the 800-273-8255 number still works, 988 is just built off of the 10-digit number.
Resources:
Substance Use Prevention and Encouraging Healthy Brain Development
Together for Mental Health
Fact Sheet: Celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month 2022
988 Frequently Asked Questions
For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: (571) 423-4270. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @FCPSSAPS.
For further Information & support:Ken Johnson, M.Ed.
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
Kwjohnson@fcps.edu
PTA News
As we wrap-up the year, THANK YOU from the PTA to all the volunteers that helped behind the scenes to keep the PTA running - Spiritwear, Restaurant Nights, Movie Night, Car Wash, Teacher Appreciation, and so much more. If you're interested in the PTA doing something new next year, don't hesitate to suggest it...and help! Send it to irvingmspta@gmail.com
From, your PTA Board for next year
Rob Johnson, President
Jennifer Johnson, Vice President
Christy Whiteaker, Treasurer
Cathy Wray, Secretary
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