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Principal's Message |
Greetings Tiger Families!
Next week we will celebrate Thanksgiving, which of course is a traditional time to spend with family and reflect on all that we are thankful for. Every year I am the most thankful for the health and safety of the family and friends that I am lucky to have in my life. This year, I am also very thankful for the opportunity to lead and work alongside all Tigers here at Twain. We are fortunate to have a supportive community, a talented and dedicated faculty and staff, and a student body with endless potential.
Sadly, although this is a joyful time of year for many, it can also be a stressful and sad time for others. If you are in need of information to support your student’s mental health and resiliency, you can find information and resources on the FCPS Website here. If you or someone you know is in a mental health crisis, you can access information about resources here.
Have a nice weekend and a restful Thanksgiving holiday.
Gratefully,
Matt
Twain’s Weekly Schedule
Monday, November 20: Even Day Schedule
Tuesday, November 21: Odd Day Schedule
Wednesday, November 22: Holiday break – No School
Thursday, November 23: Thanksgiving – No School
Friday, November 24: Holiday break – No School
Monday, November 27: Anchor Day Schedule
Tuesday, November 28: Odd Day Schedule
Wednesday, November 29: Even Day Schedule
Thursday, November 30: Odd Day Schedule
Friday, December 1: Even Day Schedule
Crosswalk and Kiss & Ride Safety
As the late autumn & winter weather has seemingly finally arrived, there is a increase in the number of students being dropped off by parents and guardians in the morning. We have also seen an increase in the number of students who are arriving late to school, either as drop-offs or as walkers. We would like to prioritize on-time arrival to the first class of the day as it helps them start their day in a positive manner and minimizes lost learning time.
We attempt to have our kiss & ride process move as smoothly and efficiently as possible and it is a partnership we share with our families and students. Thank you for reviewing the reminders below.
- Plan your departure time with a small cushion to allow for on-time drop-off.
- Students are unable to enter the building until 7:00 AM, at which point we have staff present to provide supervision.
- Pull forward as far to the front of the drop-off zone as possible, to allow multiple cars to unload efficiently and then exit campus.
- Only drop students off in the designated drop-off zone. Dropping students off in the staff parking lot can create unsafe pedestrian situations during a busy 25 minute timeframe.
- Do not use the curb along Franconia Road or Craft Road in the neighborhood across Franconia Road as a drop-off zone. Doing so creates an untenable pedestrian flow across the crosswalk that does not allow for the efficient flow of cars on Franconia Road. Additionally, some of the students are then running across a busy road while not using the crosswalk.
- Our crossing guard also supports safe arrival at Edison High School, therefore she cannot remain with us past 7:30. Students arriving this close to our start time may have to cross without the crossing guard being present.
Thank you again for your partnership in making sure our Tigers can arrive to school safely and on time every day.
PTA Updates
Mark Twain’s Birthday Celebration
Cupcake Day is around the corner and we still need help with donations of cupcakes and volunteers to help serve. We’ll be celebrating Mark Twain’s Birthday on November 30th. Each and every student and staff will receive a complimentary cupcake during the lunch periods. We are asking for your help by donating homemade or store-bought cupcakes, helping to serve cupcakes at lunch, and collecting cupcake donations in the Kiss N Ride. We are asking for regular sized cupcakes. so that everyone gets the perfect size of cupcake. No minis. Allergen free cupcakes will also be provided. Sign up to help out by clicking this LINK. Thanks for making this a great day at Twain!
Parent Strategy Session New in 2024
Starting in January, Parent Strategy Sessions will piggyback monthly PTA meetings. Speakers will present on the topics you want to know about. Give us your suggestions, and we will work to find speakers. Already know a great speaker for the topic, or do you have skills that might be helpful to other parents? Be sure to include their information on the form. We would love your input! Responses due by 11/21
Reflections Art Contest
There is still time to participate in the Reflections Art Contest. Deadline is November 27th. Twain students are invited to create theme-based artwork in the categories of dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography or visual arts. This year’s Reflections Theme is "I am Hopeful Because...." Please submit your completed work of art with an artist’s statement to the MTMS Front Office before November 27, 2023. The entry form has instructions and more details. Click here for the entry form. Please reach out to Michelle Schafer (schafer.michelle@gmail.com) with any questions.
PTA Membership
Did you know? PTA Membership is valid for one year. If you joined the PTA for the 2022-23 school year, please renew your membership for the 2023-24 school year. PTA dues provide for many of the events and programs, including teacher mini-grants, Tiger Night, and staff appreciation events.
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December 4 - 8
Twain MS Library
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Gingerbread House Workshop
Edison Academy Culinary Arts
5801 Franconia Rd, Alexandria, VA 22310 In room H-128
December 9, 2023
Session 1: 9:00 am-10:30 am
Session 2: 10:30 am-12 noon
Enjoy the holiday season with friends and family with Gingerbread FUN! Let us take care of all the mess and stress. Our talented culinary students will assist you in creating a truly unique house for display during the holiday season. The workshop includes all the ingredients to decorate a beautiful gingerbread house. Hot cocoa and cookies will be available after your decorating experience.
Pricing: $45 and a minimum of 4 canned goods per house (the canned goods will be donated to the Koinonia Foundation food pantry).
Due to limited space a maximum of three people per house.
Recommended age: 5 years old and up. Participants 13 and under must have an adult chaperone.
Registration and money payment is required by December 1st. (limited to 24 paid participants). Please register for this event with this link: https://goo.gl/forms/QgPPJ7Blwbnt8oZ42
In case of inclement weather and cancelled event, take home kits will be available for pick up before noon on the 15th and 16th.
Alcohol & The Holidays
Holidays may involve family time, games, movies, food, and possibly drinks. Although loneliness is a cause for alcohol or drug consumption, being around others does not necessarily mean a decrease in unhealthy habits. Alcohol consumption increased during the pandemic and has not decreased after we have returned to a semblance of normalcy. Many people are still trying to figure out how to navigate our “new normal”. We encourage the consideration of a few things as we move towards the end of the year, have time off, and look forward to social interactions.
Questions to consider when drinking with your family:
- What message am I sending if I drink in excess around my underage child?
- Have I had conversations about responsible drinking with my child(ren)?
- Are the conversations I have about alcohol consumption realistic?
- Are the conversations I have with others reinforcing alcohol use as a coping skill during stressful times?
- What messages am I sending my underage child(ren) if I allow them to drink with me or another adult in the house?
Information to consider:
“One-third of Fairfax County students (33.7%) reported drinking alcohol at least once in their lifetime, ranging from 18.8% of eighth-grade students to half of twelfth-grade students (49.4%). One in seven students (15.2%) reported drinking alcohol in the past month, ranging from 4.5% of eighth-grade students to 27.7% of twelfth-grade students.” (FCPS Youth Survey 2020)
“Female students reported higher rates of alcohol use in their lifetime (36.1% compared to 31.2% of male students), in the past month (17.1% and 13.1%, respectively), and binge drinking in the past two weeks (7.3% and 6.5%, respectively)” (FCPS Youth Survey 2020).
Resources:
Holiday Stress
Helpful Info to Quit Vaping
FCPS video on Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs
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:
Shawn Elliott, BS, QMHP-C
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
sbelliott@fcps.edu
Please note, there will be no issue of Twain’s News You Choose on Tuesday, November 21, 2023. Enjoy the Thanksgiving Break!
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