 |
|
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.
|
Message from Ms. Kearns
Hello Bruin Families!
I had an opportunity to see our HS Theatre's performance of Almost, Maine last night and I hope you have a chance to go this weekend. It was a wonderful show and I am so proud of our students for their hard work.
As we head into Thanksgiving week, we at Bruin Nation are grateful for our staff, our students, and our families. We appreciate the opportunity to work together and wish everyone a warm and happy Thanksgiving.
Go Bruins!
Lindsey Kearns
 We will be closed next Wednesday through Sunday and will reopen on Monday, November 27. Learn more about the first Thanksgiving. See the complete school year calendar.
In this Issue
New Information and Important Reminders
Memorial Celebration
LB Band Children's Holiday Concert
Lost & Found
Holiday Food Drive Help
Family Engagement Month
Middle School Bruin News
Reminder: Window for Full-time AAP Referrals Closes on December 15, 2023
MS Yearbook Information
High School Bruin News
HS District Chorus
Yearbook Information
Class of 2024 News
Important Dates
PTSA Mulch Sale and All Night Grad Party
IT FAQs
Family Liaison News
Reminders
FCPS News
Quick Links
New Information and Important Reminders
Memorial Celebration
Tomorrow at 1:00 pm, a memorial celebration in honor of MS Social Studies teacher, Mr. Irv Katz, will be held at Lake Braddock in the Lecture Hall. Please join us to honor Mr. Katz.
 Video Link:
https://www.wevideo.com/view/3233665406
Lost & Found
Has your student misplaced a jacket, water bottle, lunch bag or other personal item at school? If so, please ask your student to check the Lost & Found closet located in the corner of the cafeteria. Items that have been separated from their owners are placed in the Lost & Found on a daily basis. Please note - any unclaimed items will be donated at the Thanksgiving break.
Holiday Food Drive Help
As we head into the holiday season, we want to offer a wonderful opportunity to help support some of our Bruin families in need! We are coordinating a holiday food drive at Lake Braddock to provide a little extra help for some of our Bruin families over the two-week winter break. If you are able to help, please click on the sign up genius link below to see what items we still need! We will be accepting donations at Door #1, during regular school hours, from November 9 - December 1.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0448A4AA28A7FB6-45834767-home
News from SGA
Family Engagement Month
 
This is our last week for sharing the Family Engagement calendar. We hope you have found it helpful.
If you have questions or would like more information, ask your school office to connect you with your family liaison or visit FCPS’ website for a list of region representatives.
Middle School Bruin News
Reminder: Window for Full-time AAP Referrals Closes on December 15, 2023
Parents/guardians of students in Grades 2-7 who would like their student to be considered for full-time advanced academic programs may submit the AAP Full-Time (Level IV) Referral Form to <<fill in the name and email address of the AART or principal>> no later than December 15, 2023.
The window for families to submit a referral for full-time AAP services is the first day of school through December 15, annually. Forms for full-time and part-time referrals are available on the AAP Forms Page. No late referrals for Full-Time AAP services will be accepted.
Submitting a referral form for full-time AAP will initiate a process that begins at the local school and is then completed at the central office level. Our school will put together a portfolio that includes multiple data which are considered holistically. At the central office level, a committee of six trained professionals from various schools and roles will review the portfolio materials to determine eligibility for full-time placement. Eligibility decisions are communicated by early April. Parents may request a copy of the portfolio that was submitted after they have been turned in for central selection by emailing <<fill in the name and email address of the AART>>.
Referrals for subject-specific and part-time AAP are screened at the local school. If you miss this deadline, your student can still be screened for subject-specific AAP or part-time AAP for the remainder of the year and submit a referral for full-time AAP next fall.
For more information, please visit the Advanced Academic Programs website.
High School Bruin News
HS District Chorus
CONGRATULATIONS to the 40 students from Lake Braddock who successfully auditioned for District Chorus! The event will take place at West Springfield HS in February.
SATB Choir: Yoredanos Ayele, Ben Bailey, Henry Baldwin, Joseph Bergaust, Ava Brotemarkle, Rowan Corbitt, Jaelyn Cruz, Khoa Dinh, Nicholas Doan, Grace Eaton, Anna Foret, Bee Giska, Audrey Hill, Paige Hill, Ryan Houck, Juniper Jones, Lindsay Kawane, Olivia Lawrence, Aryanah Lee, Madden Levine, Emma Richey, Micah Senter, Tina Tran, Madeline Vukich
SSAA Choir: Julie Auten, Riley Betzel. Amelia Cole, Isabella Cuellar, Devorah-Sarah Heesch, Clarissa Igl, Ayana Kawashita, Isabella Melchior, Karly Neal, Amanda Padilla Laboy, Isabela Palomino, Gretchen Parrott Reid, Keira Perry, Katelyn Richey, Juliet Simbulan, Emilie Verton
Class of 2024 News
We are excited for the start of the school year and are looking forward to celebrating the success of our Class of 2024 Seniors all year.
March 7th, 2024 - 100 Days Meeting @ 6:30 pm in the Cafeteria - Informational session for parents leading up to graduation, prom, and All Night Grad Party
May 17th, 2024 - Prom - Falls Church Marriott Fairview Park
June 4th, 2024 - Graduation - Eagle Bank Arena @ 2:00 pm
June 5th, 2024 - All Night Grad Party @ Saint James 11:00 pm
PTSA Mulch Sale and All Night Grad Party
Please see two important save the dates below. Please know that we are currently actively searching for adult volunteers to LEAD some events at the Mulch Sale as well as the ANGP. If you are interested in being a part of the magic that happens at Lake Braddock, please fill in the attached google form. Again, we are searching for adult volunteers across ALL grades to help us out!
SAVE THE DATE:
The Mulch Sale
Lake Braddock's Senior Class LARGEST fundraiser for the All Night Grad Party
March 15-17, 2024
Mulch will go on sale after Jan 1, 2024.
All Night Grad Party
Wednesday June 5, 2024
11pm-5am
Any questions please direct them to patterson_eileen@yahoo.com.
|
IT FAQs
Throughout the school year, we often hear the same questions asked regarding technical assistance. We hope to help everyone by sharing various information. Today's tip is regarding joining the school WiFi.
TALKINGPOINTS:
Q: What is TalkingPoints?
A: TalkingPoints is an easy and safe way families can communicate in their home languages with their child’s teachers for free. We will be using this platform to communicate with you about your child’s education and progress.
Here are two ways families can use TalkingPoints:
- School and teacher messages will come directly to the phone number that is registered in our system as a SMS text or through the TalkingPoints Parent App.
- You can reply by text or through the app.
Families will receive messages in the language they have listed as their correspondence language. Families can reply in any language and the message will be translated into English for the school.
If families prefer to not receive text messages from TalkingPoints, they can reply with "GOODBYE" at any time.
Q: How might I access the TalkingPoints App?
A: The FAMILIES | TalkingPoints app is free. You can go to your Google Play Store or Apple Store and search for FAMILIES | TalkingPoints. Once you’ve downloaded the app, you can follow this Getting Started Guide for Families to login for the first time.
Q: Who can I contact in the Talking Points App?
A: Families are able to respond to teachers and staff members via TalkingPoints, however messages sent to Lake Braddock Secondary School administration will not be monitored. If you’d like to contact Lake Braddock administrators, please send them an email directly using the email address in this directory.
Family Liaison News
Please stay up-to-date with our Family Liaisons on our web site:
https://lakebraddockss.fcps.edu/student-services/information-our-family-liaisons
There you will find our weekly newsletters full of important information for our families.
Reminders
Additional Resources
Family and School Partnerships
Family Resource Center
Parenting Education Programs through Fairfax County
English Empowerment Center: USA Learns
English Empowerment Center: Free Conversation Class and Continued Learning Between Semesters
FCPS News
Student Attendance and Engagement
During the Academic Matters segment of the November 9 School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid discussed student attendance and engagement. Attendance and absenteeism rates are one measure for Goal 2 of our 2023-30 Strategic Plan.
Chronic absenteeism — which is defined as a student missing 10% or more of school for any reason — is a concern across Virginia school districts. Although FCPS continues to outperform the state average in attendance rates, we are tracking chronic absenteeism closely.
Data shows that:
- Missing just 10% of school — just two days a month — negatively affects a student’s academic performance.
- Only 17% of students who were chronically absent in both kindergarten and first grade were reading proficiently in third grade, compared to 64% of those with good attendance.
- Students who fail to read at grade level by the end of third grade are four times more likely than students who achieve proficiency to drop out of high school.
- By sixth grade, chronic absenteeism becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.
Attendance is critical for academic success!
Missing School Over the Holidays
Looking ahead to the holiday season, if missing school is unavoidable, please speak with your child’s teachers in advance to create a plan for making up missed work. However, a homework packet cannot make up for the interaction and learning that happens in the classroom.
Visit FCPS’ website for more attendance resources.
Special Education Resources for Families
Fairfax County Public Schools has the following resources available to assist families of students with special needs:
- The Office of Special Education Procedural Support helps staff, families, and students with the implementation of and compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended.
- Kathy Murphy, the assistant ombuds for special education, provides information and support to caregivers and students regarding special education and Section 504 services. Contact the Ombuds Office by submitting a question, calling 571-423-4014, or emailing ombuds@fcps.edu.
Additionally, the Virginia Department of Education has updated the Virginia Family's Guide to Special Education. This state guide was developed to help those involved in special education including families, teachers, school administrators, advocates, and students.
Observance Graphics Created by Students in Design Challenge
In May, the FCPS Office of Communications called for entries for new graphics to help acknowledge the religious and cultural observances identified on the 2023-24 School Year Calendar. Eleven winning designs will be featured on FCPS and school social media platforms, and in newsletters leading up to the holidays starting with Diwali, which falls on Sunday, November 12. See the full list of winners.
The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Saves Lives
Information was recently posted to the Healthy Minds Blog on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and other resources for suicide prevention.
The Healthy Minds Blog shares information related to youth mental health and wellness. Articles include tips and strategies for increasing wellness and resiliency, as well as fostering success at home, at school, and in the community.
The Healthy Minds Blog is a collaborative project between Fairfax County Public Schools and the Prevention Unit of the Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services. Subscribe to Healthy Minds and receive a quarterly digest of articles.
District News/In Case You Missed It
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Important Forms for Caregivers to Complete
- Immunization Reminder
- Free Tutoring Resources
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, sign up today.
Quick Links
Never miss out and stay up-to-date with all things High School Athletics by subscribing to the LBSS Student Activities Weekly Newsletter!
|
