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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.
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يرجى زيارة موقعنا الألكتروني لقراءة هذه النشرة الإخبارية بلغات أخرى.
Yearbook pre-orders are open!
Pre-order your yearbook today! https://yearbookforever.com/schools/washington_irving_middle_school_320438/cLwxkvJ2bUUdlsILz2gm52Zx
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Upcoming Important Dates
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Saturday, October 7
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Music Boosters Car Wash - 9:00 am-12:00 pm at Irving Middle School! TOMORROW!
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October 9
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Student Holiday
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October 11
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No After School Program or Late Buses
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October 16-20
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Digital Citizenship Spirit Week
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October 23-27
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Red Ribbon Spirit Week
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Greetings, Irving Families!
Congratulations to all of our Cross Country student athletes who participated in the first Cross Country meet in FCPS on Saturday, September 30! Irving took 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th place in the boys' race and 4th place for the girls' race. In addition to seeing so many proud students and families last weekend, one of the highlights of the day was seeing the true spirit of being a good sport as the last two runners in the girls' race, an Irving student and a Liberty student, crossed the finish line holding hands. I could not think of a better ending to a fantastic day.
We have so many talented students at Irving, from music, art, reading, acting, creating, dancing and running - Irving students are truly amazing! Tomorrow, our outstanding music students, teachers, and our Music Boosters will be holding their annual Fall Car Wash from 9:00-12:00 pm out front of our school. Donations are welcome and can be made via cash or PayPal.
Coming up starting the week of October 16, is Digital Citizenship Week! Students will be learning about what it means to be a good digital citizen during our 3rd period advisory lessons. To help remind students about what it means to be a good digital citizen, we also connect a spirit week and a dress theme for each day of the week. See the flier below to start planning your spirit week outfits! Students will earn team points for the yearlong Team Challenge by participating in the spirit week themes. The following week, October 23-27, is our annual Red Ribbon Week hosted by SCA. Red Ribbon week is a national campaign that helps encourage students to be drug-free. For more information about Red Ribbon Week, please click this link: https://www.redribbon.org/.
Lastly, we want to wish the West Springfield Spartans good luck tonight as they take on Robinson Secondary School at the WSHS homecoming football game tonight at 7:00 pm. A friendly reminder, all elementary and middle school students MUST be with a supervising adult who STAYS at the game to be let into the football game tonight.
Please stay safe this weekend!
Take Care!
Cindy Conley
Principal
Headphones
The 23-24 school year supply list includes headphones. Please make sure your student brings them in daily. Students on free and reduced lunch may visit their counselor to get a pair of headphones.
Food for Neighbors
We had a great turn out for volunteers and donations for our Red Bag Collection on September 9!
Food for Neighbors is an organization committed to helping local teens struggling with hunger. The food donated goes straight to students and families in Springfield and neighboring communities.
With your support, we can reach even more students in need. Participation is as simple as filling a Food For Neighbors Red Bag once every other month and putting it on your porch on our pick up days. We provide the bags, a desired food list, and pick-up date reminder texts. Our next collection day is November 11th. If you would like to donate food, please register as a Red Bag Donor here. If you would like to volunteer as a driver to pick up food or to help sort the food once it is delivered to Irving on our collection days, please sign up here.
If your student needs extra food for the weekend (soup/pasta, crackers, granola bars, oatmeal, fruit snack or milk/juice), please email Meg Gollinger at magollinger@fcps.edu.
Red Ribbon Week
Enrique (Kiki) Camarena was a Mexican-American man working for the DEA after serving in the Marine Corps, being a fireman, police officer, and deputy sheriff in California. While on assignment in Mexico for four years, he was on the trail of the country’s biggest marijuana and cocaine traffickers. He was getting close to exposing a multi-billion dollar drug pipeline in 1985, until he was kidnapped that February. He was headed to lunch with his wife when he was last seen being thrown into a van by masked men, his body wasn’t discovered until a month later.
After his death, “Camarena Clubs” were launched in his hometown of Calexico, California. Hundreds wore red ribbons and pledged to lead a drug-free life in his honor. Then President Ronald Reagan was in office, so club members presented a proclamation to First Lady Nancy Reagan which brought it national attention. The campaign became official in 1988 by the National Family Partnership with President Reagan and “Just Say No” creator Mrs. Reagan as honorary chairpersons. Red Ribbon Week is celebrated annually from October 23-31st.
For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact The Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: (571) 423-4270 and be sure to follow us on Twitter at @FCPSSAPS.
For further information & support:
Kenneth Johnson
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
Kwjohnson@fcps.edu
A Google Earth: special preview on “The Life of DEA Special Agent Kiki Camarena”.
Sources & Resources:
DEA
Fairfax CSB Opioid Info
REVIVE Training for Opioid Overdoses
Medication Disposal
Teen Substance Use
FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program
DEA Drug Take Back Day
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology
***The TJ application will become available on Monday, October 23 at 4:00 pm via the TJ website.
What is TJHSST?
A FCPS regional Governor’s high school (9-12th grades) for students interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). You can now find the new TJ Admissions Video for 2023 as well as the presentation schedule that is available to the public on their website, www.fcps.edu/tjadmissions. We strongly encourage you to view their YouTube admissions video prior to attending this meeting.
TJHSST Admissions: Contact Information
Admissions Office (general inquiries): Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Phone:571-423-3770 Email: tjadmissions@fcps.edu Website:www.fcps.edu/tjadmissions
TJ Science Fair
Do you love science and research? The TJ Investigative Science Outreach student-led organization at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology will be hosting the 11th annual science fair on March 16, 2024 at TJ and they are inviting all 5th-8th grade students from FCPS to participate (Admission to the science fair is completely free). Participants will complete a research project of their choice and present at this fair. This organization will help students prepare for this project-fair by holding multiple sessions to teach students important skills in STEM like brainstorming, collecting data, presenting, writing an experiment summary, using statistics, creating an experimental diagram, and so much more!. The first interest/brainstorming session is Friday October 6th, 2023 at 6:00 pm at TJHSST. All interested students sign up here: https://forms.gle/RMfQYuvACK3YajRw8
Irving Stays After - After School Program Registration
The After School program at Irving Middle School provides students access to high-quality activities in a safe environment for all students. The Program strives to improve academic performance, foster social, emotional, and physical well-being, all while reducing the potential for risk-taking behaviors.
https://forms.gle/jj9RXegR3C85tJ6u6
Information about Cross Country will be shared by Coach Sommers. Please remember students cannot leave school and return for the after school program and/or practice.
Clubs starting next week:
Open Gym - Tuesday, October 10, first block
SCA Interest Meeting - Tuesday, October 10, first block
*Volleyball Teams - optional practice, Wednesday, October 11, both blocks; must provide your own transportation, THERE ARE NO LATE BUSES
Harry Potter Club - Thursday, October 12, first block
*The After School Schedule, shows what is coming soon for October (only on All Students)*
Library News
Irving Says…
A new interactive display in the library this school year is that of a weekly poll. Last week’s question revealed an overwhelming majority of students would rather be a wizard than a superhero. This week, students voted between “always being right but not listened to” versus “always being wrong, but being influential.” Tune in for results next week!
This was a busy week in the library, as many 8th grade Civics classes visited for a read-aloud and a follow-up discussion of a book about citizenship and the 14th Amendment.
Students interested in book-related activities, such as Readers Unite Club and Battle of the Books should inquire in the library with Ms. Monk or Mr. Brizek.
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PTA News
We'd love for you to join the PTA! $10 Parents/Guardians; $9 additional family members; $5 Staff/Faculty. https://irvingms.memberhub.com/store?limit=21&live=true (COPY & PASTE SINCE THE LINKS ARE NOT LIVE)
From this link you can also donate to our Headless Heroes Fund. It is a direct donation and our largest fundraiser. You will also see remaining pieces of Spirit Wear in that section. Grab it while it's there. We'll do an online sale with more items in October.
SPIRIT NIGHT at Papa John's on Rolling every Thursday!! Get pizza - Support the PTA. What's a spirit night you ask? A local restaurant provides the PTA with a percentage of the sales from a given night or day. Our local Papa John's has offered to do it EVERY THURSDAY! It's a WIN-WIN-WIN: your kids eat, you get a break from cooking, and Irving PTA makes money. Oh - AND - you're supporting a local business or franchise! You can't afford NOT to do it.
Upcoming: Our next PTA Meeting will be in November. TBD - "Kids in Today's Society" presentation (formerly Hidden in Plain Sight) from our local Fairfax County Police in West Springfield. This presentation provides insight into a range of teen behavior, from risky to illegal, that the local police are currently dealing with. It is an adult only presentation. More details to follow.
Feel free to reach out to learn more about the PTA, or with any questions you might have.
Website: https://irvingms.memberhub.com
Email: irvingmspta@gmail.com
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