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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.
이 소식지를 다른 언어로 읽으려면, 우리 웹사이트를 방문하시기 바랍니다.
.يرجى زيارة موقعنا الألكتروني لقراءة هذه النشرة الإخبارية بلغات أخرى
Parent Information Phone Lines Available in Eight Languages
Parents/caregivers who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese may call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS. View the list of phone numbers.
in this issue:
Visit the KJMS Facebook and Instagram to see more pictures and videos.
KJMS Event Calendar
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October 29 - Fall Community Stewardship Day - 9AM - 12PM
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October 29 - Compost Your Pumpkin
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October 30 - SCA Halloween Dance - 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
- Student can take the late bus home or parent pick-up
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November 2 - Pre-VMEA Concert - 7:00 PM - KJMS Auditorium
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November 3 - End of the First Quarter - Early Release - 12:15 PM
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November 6 & 7 - School Planning/Teacher Workday - No School
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November 7 - Fall Drama Camp at Fairfax High School
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November 9 - World Language Credit Exam
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November 10 & 11 - KJMS Drama Play - Charlotte's Web (tickets)
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November 13 - Family Life Education (FLE) Preview Night
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November 11 - Career Day - 8:15 AM - 10:40 AM
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November 17 - VMEA Concert - Greater Richmond Convention Ctr.
- Bella Canzone@ 11:00 AM
- Chamber Orchestra @ 1:00 PM
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November 22 - 24 - Thanksgiving Break/Holiday
October 27, 2023
Happy Final Friday of October!
Can you believe that it is almost time for November and all it brings? November is the season for thankfulness and for nominating Outstanding Employees. See the "Nominations are now open for the Outstanding Employee Awards" section below. From elections to family gatherings, November is busy for many of us! This has been a busy week at KJMS. Here is a peek at what has been going on here!
Monday morning was a great day to be on the Orchard hallway! The Family and Consumer Sciences classes made delicious home-made macaroni and cheese. Next door, our Work and Transition students served staff hot tea and coffee from their Eagulps beverage service! On Monday evening, we had our first Academic Opportunities Information Night. This event included the opportunity to to ask staff and students questions about everything from AVID to Science Olympiad to academic questions. Thank you to the dozens of families who made time to come to KJMS! See the pics in the collage below for the smiles on everyone’s faces during our busy Monday!
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On Wednesday, we had another group of career professionals speak to students in our after school program through our Think Big partnership. The picture below shows a picture of the members from Bohler Engineering, a land-development consulting firm. What a unique opportunity to be the only FCPS Region 5 middle school to have this chance for students to learn about career options on a regular basis. Our annual KJMS Career Day will take place on November 10. We have of 50 guest speakers.
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Each day this week, a different group of 7th graders have attended the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MeWEE) at Cub Run Rec Center. Our Eagles demonstrated the SOAR trait in all of their interactions as they studied our local environment. Thank you to all of the parents who volunteered to chaperone. Our students definitely enjoy this trip each and every year–even more so with the beautiful weather we had all week! |
In final big news this week, I wanted to share about a cool Learning Seminar (LS) that was offered in the recent rotation: “How to Train Your Dragon.” This LS was offered by our newest librarian, Ms. Betten. She described in the LS sign-up form that students would “Research how to care for a bearded dragon. Then, write a proposal to Dr. Silipigni detailing why we should have a pet dragon in the library.” While I was out of the building on the proposal day, Ms. Bousman-Stanczak, our AP over science, happily sat in and must have been wowed by the kids! When I returned, there was a new KJMS pet taking residence in our library. A naming contest was soon announced with the winning name and numbers: “Our Dragon has a name! Hence forth Dragon shall be known as Lord Bartholomew, Destroyer of Worlds. We had 281 votes, here are the results:
 Fun Fact: Bartholomew Roberts was a real-life pirate in the 1700s known as "Black Bart". He is credited with creating The Pirate Code, which was an honor system followed by fellow pirates.”
If your family would like to welcome Lord Bartholomew with a gift, after researching, our students have created a wish list found at Amazon Wish List: Library Dragon Supplies. The collage below is your introduction to Lord Bartholomew, Destroyer of Worlds.
In closing, please remember that at the beginning of the school year, we relayed a message from Fairfax High School alerting all middle school families that middle and elementary school-age children cannot be dropped off without their parents at FHS football games or other FHS sanctioned events. Parents must be with their children. If students come to the gate without parents, they will not be allowed to enter, and parents must come back to pick up the students as soon as possible. We have announced this at all lunches to ensure students know. Thank you for your support.
Your Bearded Dragon Loving Principal,
Dr. Silipigni
Nominations will be/are now open for the Outstanding Employee Awards! To submit a nomination for a KJMS Outstanding Employee in one of the categories below, please complete the nomination through this Google form links below. You may nominate one employee at our school or multiple employees (one individual may only nominate one employee per category.)
All that is required for a preliminary nomination is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work in the criteria for that category. The google form link has more information regarding the criteria for each of these awards and the eligibility requirements are below.
Deadline to submit a nomination is November 1, 2023
If you have any questions, please contact Emily Gardiner at eegardiner@fcps.edu
FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. To make it easier, the form is now available online in SIS ParentVUE.
Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is important because information from this survey results in an additional $3 million in grants each year from the U.S. Department of Education. These funds are used to support all Fairfax County public schools and centers.
Once logged in to SIS ParentVUE, click “Online Packets” in the top right corner. Then, select “Federal Impact Aid Survey.” Get more information.
Middle school students who have an aptitude and passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) are encouraged to apply for admission to the Class of 2028 at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST).
The application is available on the TJHSST Freshman Application Process webpage. Applications must be started by 4 p.m. Wednesday, November 15, with a deadline to submit the application by Friday, November 17, at 4 p.m.
Thomas Jefferson High School Application dates to remember:
Wednesday, Nov 15th Last Day to Begin New Application by 4:00 pm
Friday, Nov 17th Application Deadline – 4:00 pm
FLE and Emotional & Social Health will be included in the 7th and 8th grade PE curriculum this school year. There will be a VIRTUAL preview night for both programs on November 13, 6:30 PM-7:30 PM.
Please let us know if you will be able to attend by clicking on this link. A Zoom link will be sent to you via email prior to the meeting date.
Thank you.
Katherine Johnson Families, please consider stocking snacks and drinks for our amazing staff. One way to contribute is by using our KJMS Amazon Wishlist. Our Amazon Wishlist is quick, easy, and set-up for the items to be delivered directly to the school. As a reminder, you are always welcome to bring other items (prepackaged snacks, waters, etc.) to the Main Office as donations. We thank you in advance for your generosity and partnership.
If you have any questions please reach out to Kara Payne at 703-934-2401.
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Want to make a difference in the life of a child? Fairfax County Public Schools is looking for enthusiastic, engaged, and dedicated substitute teachers.
Substitutes help our students thrive when their teacher must be out of the classroom and are essential members of every school’s team. More information about the application process and requirements is available online.
Visit the Recruitment Events calendar for a list of all FCPS job fairs.
If you need to contact one of our parent liaisons, Ana Maxey (Mon.,Thur., Fri.) or Jennie Choi (Tues. & Wed.), please call 703-934-2454 and leave a message with your name, your student's name and phone number. You may also contact them via email: Ana Maxey at ajmaxey@fcps.edu or Jennie Choi at jchoi4@fcps.edu
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Results of Fairfax County Youth Survey
- Become a Tutor!
- End of First Quarter
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, sign up today.
The Family Resource Center (FRC) offers free webinars, confidential consultations, a lending library, and resources to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities. The FRC is hosting the following events in November:
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Sibshops: An Exciting, In-Person Workshop for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs, Monday, November 6, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., at Providence Community Center.
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SibTeen: An Exciting, In-Person Workshop for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs, Monday, November 6, 1-4 p.m., at Providence Community Center.
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Moving on to Life in the Community Resource Fair, Thursday, November 9, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at Annandale High School (Cafeteria).
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Coping Strategies for Anxiety, Depression, and Stress: Part Two (virtual), Friday, November 10, 10-11:30 a.m.
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Funcionamiento Ejecutivo - Ayudando a tus hijos con la organización, la regulación emocional , y la flexibilidad (presentado en español), Friday, November 17, 10-11:30 a.m.
Families can find printable resource guides and details about the center’s free lending library on FRC’s homepage. They may also sign up to receive the FRC newsletter for updates on webinars, resources, and other information. If you have questions, please contact the FRC via email at frc@fcps.edu or call 703-204-3941.
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Do you want to celebrate a Katherine Johnson employee who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way, or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone.
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Parents/caregivers who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese may call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS. View the list of phone numbers.
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