Important Upcoming Events
- 11-3 - End of 1st Quarter, 2 Hour Early Release
- 11-6 - Student Holiday, School Planning Day
- 11-7 - Student Holiday, Teacher Workday
- 11-9 - Lifetouch Picture Retakes
- 11-11- Veteran's Day Observance
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- Federal Impact Aid Survey
- Spirit Week!
- Hearing & Vision Volunteers Needed
- Picture Retakes
- Other Schools Are Sharing
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A Message From Principal Stokes
Greetings Panthers,
An important component of our work with students is fostering their growth in Portrait of a Graduate skills and attributes. Beyond the specific knowledge that students gain in their core and elective classes, we aim to enhance each student’s abilities with these five skills. Becoming a more effective communicator, creative and critical thinker, collaborator, globally and ethically minded, as well goal-directed and resilient will help students take on challenges and respond to complex situations that occur in school and life. Through each class this year, students will engage in experiences where students learn more about these skills and put them to use. I encourage you to ask your child about how what types of POG-related moments they have experienced. You can learn more about Portrait of a Graduate on the FCPS website.
Thank you and have a great week.
Gordon Stokes
Principal
End of Quarter and Early Release
As a reminder, Friday, November 3, is the last day of the first quarter, and a two-hour early release for students. Also, schools are closed for students on Monday, November 6, and Tuesday, November 7 for a school planning days. Be sure you are reviewing SIS with your child to ensure they have everything turned in. If you have any questions feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher(s).
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For SCA Spirit Week, we celebrated Twin Day (or Triplet Day) on Tuesday.
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Don't forget to complete the Federal Impact Aid Survey online!
Federal Impact Aid Survey for SY 23-24
This year, families will be able to complete the Federal Impact Aid Survey online via SIS ParentVUE beginning October 16. If you do not have a ParentVUE account, please click HERE to set up and activate your account.
Technical support with ParentVue may be resolved by clicking HERE
For families unable to complete the survey on-line, a paper form will be available after October 31. We strongly encourage families to fill out the online forms to reduce the paper form management.
Background on the Impact Aid program
The Federal Government owns property in Fairfax County, and those properties are removed from the local tax base. FCPS is eligible to apply for Federal Impact Aid funds as reimbursement for the lost tax revenue. Federally connected students are children of active-duty uniformed services personnel, children who live on federal property or in subsidized federal housing, and children whose parents are employed on eligible federal properties.
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October 16: Federal Impact Aid Survey electronic data collection in ParentVUE opens.
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December 15: Deadline Date for Impact Aid electronic or paper forms to be sent to the Impact Aid Office.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact Monique Berkeley at mtberkeley@fcps.edu
Picture Retake Day is Thursday, November 9
Don't Forget to Order This Year's School Pictures
ENJOY 10% OFF
your order!
CODE: F202310OFF
EXPIRES: May 1, 2024
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Hearing & Vision Screening Volunteers Needed
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This year our Student Hearing & Vision Exams will be conducted on Wednesday, November 8 and Wednesday, November 15.
Please click the link below to sign up for a volunteer slot to assist the Carson Clinic Staff.
Your support to our students is greatly appreciated!
Hearing & Vision Sign up Here
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Remembering Our Veterans on November 11
RCMS remembers our military Veterans and family members who served in the military. Every year our main foyer area features a display of pictures on the wall of those Carson Staff or family members who served.
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Conversing with Teens about Substance Use
Within this society’s culture sometimes we avoid talking about topics that make us uncomfortable but can be both lifesaving and changing, such as finances and drugs. Are there things that would have really made a difference in some of your experiences if known when younger, that can be shared with your teenager now? Here’s a few tips for talking about substance use and misuse with your teenager.
Click HERE for more information
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Attendance Tip: Scheduling Family Trips or Events
Good attendance is an important life skill that will help students succeed in school and beyond.
When scheduling trips or family events, try to use weekends and school holidays, and refer to the FCPS Calendar when planning. Every day of learning is a day toward success. Keep in mind that absences add up quickly. Students who are absent 10% of the school year (or just two days per month) are considered chronically absent.
When possible, schedule appointments for your child outside of school hours. If your child needs to miss school because of an illness or another reason, you must report the absence to their school. Most schools have links to their attendance email or notification systems on their homepages. If you are unsure how to report an absence, please call your school’s front office.
Watch this video with tips on understanding our school calendar and visit our Attendance webpage for additional information. Attend today, achieve tomorrow!
Tips to expedite early dismissals
If your student will be picked up early for an appointment the following will help expedite the wait time to locate students and minimize class interruptions during instruction time:
- Please send students to the front office in the morning at arrival time with a note specifying dismissal time. Even without a note, students should come to the office to get a pass. The office staff will then provide a pass to excuse the student from class. This process allows for a smoother check out because your student will be in the office when you arrive
- Parents should come to entrance#1, to the main office with a photo ID to pick up their student for early dismissals. No early dismissals can occur after 2:00pm.
- In emergency cases, or unscheduled early dismissals, please be patient with our office staff as we locate your student and request they be sent to the office.
Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
Greetings Panther Families!
Mr. Barrows will communicate with students about activities through email and Schoology and will also be in lunches where a daily schedule will be shown on the projector. We try our best to communicate any changes such as cancellations immediately though email and Schoology. Late buses will be offered Monday-Thursday. Late buses are different than your regular bus number. Please make sure students know their late bus number prior to staying after school. You can find your late bus number in SIS and it will say RCLR (Rachel Carson Late Run).
RCMS Q1 After School Schedule
Riley Barrows
After School Program Specialist
Building Use Coordinator
🚍 Transportation Patience and Safety
Thank you for your patience as we all get used to new routines this school year. We appreciate our families following kiss-and-ride procedures and being patient while waiting for your children’s buses.
If a student’s bus is delayed, parents/caregivers may access the
Bus Delay Notification or use the Here Comes The Bus Application to receive the delayed bus report. Email messages will be sent to announce significant bus delays. Visit the Transportation Services Contact Webpage to see who to contact with specific questions.
To make sure you receive email messages about bus delays, update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE.
Other Schools are Sharing
TJHSST Invitational Science Fair 2024!
We are TJ Investigative Science Outreach, a student-led organization at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. We will be hosting our 11th annual science fair on March 16, 2024 and we would like to invite 5th-8th grade students from your school to participate. Admission to the science fair is completely free.
Participants will complete a research project of their choice and present at the fair in-person on March 16, 2024. We help students prepare for this fair by holding multiple sessions to teach them important skills in STEM like brainstorming, collecting data, presenting, writing an experiment summary, using statistics, creating an experimental diagram, etc.
Our first interest/brainstorming session is Friday October 6th, 2023 at 6:00 pm. We will be holding this session in-person at TJHSST. During this session we will go over the goals and guidelines of this fair and introduce students to a multitude of project ideas. All interested students should sign up using the form at the link: https://forms.gle/RMfQYuvACK3YajRw8
We would greatly appreciate it if you could advertise the fair on a weekly school newsletter or through some other means.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email us back. Feel free to also check out our website at tjsciencefair.wordpress.com or email us at tjhsstsciencefair@gmail.com.
Sincerely,
TJ Investigative Science Outreach
Link to Purchase: Yearbook Sales - MySchoolbucks
2023-2024 Yearbooks are available for purchase. Reserve your copy today by purchasing through MySchoolBucks!
We have a limited number of surplus, once we reach our sales limit yearbooks will be sold out. Sales are on a first come first serve basis.
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.
RCMS PTA Officers for 23-24
Joy Charles, RCMS PTA President-joyandcoevents@gmail.com
Richa Varshney, RCMS PTA Webmaster-
Roopa Kadiri, RCMS PTA VP events
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