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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.
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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Nov 20 & 21
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No After School Activities
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Nov 22-24
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No School, Thanksgiving Break
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Nov 29 & 30
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LifeTouch School Picture Retake Days (8:30-1:30) both days
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Nov 29
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Chorus Concert at 7:00 pm
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Greetings, Irving Families!
Thank you for your generosity in supporting our Thanksgiving baskets for families. We have been able to support many families in our area thanks to the kindness of our Irving community!
In our library this week, students have been adding leaves to the Thankful Tree. It has been fun to read the many things our students are grateful for. As we approach the Thanksgiving break and closing out the month of November, I want to make sure I share how grateful I am for our Irving Middle School community. Thank you to our families for supporting our staff and your children. We see the efforts, advocacy, and partnership you provide for your child and we are grateful to you. (We also see how kind you are when a laptop, lunch, and/or coat is forgotten too!)
I am grateful for our staff who put so much effort into planning lessons, providing engaging lessons, and supporting our students in so many ways. I am so glad each and everyone of them chose to work at Irving Middle School. Most importantly, I am grateful for our students - the heartbeat of our school. Seeing them grow throughout the two years we have them at Irving is the highlight of working at Irving Middle School.
I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving Break. A reminder that we do not expect students to work on any homework or projects over break. Our staff will be taking the break as well, so Irving Middle will be closed November 22-26. We will reopen on Monday, November 27 at 7:00 am.
Take Care!
Cindy Conley
Principal
Shark Tank Panelist Needed
Do you like the show Shark Tank? Always wanted to be an investor in great ideas? Here’s your chance! Mx. Beil’s students are working on designing and creating an invention that focuses primarily on the FCPS Portrait of a Graduate Attribute of Ethical and Global Citizen. Their projects should promote environmental stewardship. Sharks will be judging anywhere from 4 or 5 student teams. Each team has 15 minutes which includes set up time, the presentation and a few minutes to take questions from the judges. Judges’ “investment budget” is a pretend $300,000 for the day. Judging will take place around the 2nd week in January. If you are interested in being a Shark for these student presentations and would like more information, please email Mx. Beil at elbeil@fcps.edu.
November is Family Engagement in Education Month
When schools and families work together to support learning and healthy development, everyone benefits! Click this link for the calendar of events.
Music Boosters Fundraiser
The Washington Irving Music Boosters have a new fundraiser for the upcoming holiday season. If you’re looking for ways to decorate your home for thanksgiving or the holidays, or maybe you just need a gift idea, Lynch Creek Fundraising has a wide selection of decorations. A 15% contribution from your purchasing goes to the Music Boosters and directly supports WIMs music students. Check out the link below for their selection of wreaths, centerpieces, garland, and more!
https://www.lynchcreekfundraising.com/c/301614
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
Substance Abuse Prevention (Spanish)
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:
Ken Johnson,
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
Kwjohnson@fcps.edu
Fairfax County Youth Survey for all 8th graders
The Fairfax County School Board and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors work together to administer the Fairfax County Youth Survey. The survey is given to all students in grades 6, 8, 10, and 12 each fall. It provides a wealth of information about a variety of topics related to our youth that influence their physical and mental well being, from sleep and nutritional habits to substance abuse behaviors to symptoms of depression and suicidal thoughts.
At Irving Middle School, we plan to administer this survey to all 8th graders through our 3rd period Advisory class on Monday, December 4. Families of 8th grade students should expect to receive a physical letter in the mail soon with more details and an optional opt-out form. You may follow the link above for more information, now. You may preview the entire 8th grade survey here.
Please contact our School Test Coordinator, Leigh Arscott (lbarscott@fcps.edu), with any questions you have about this survey.
Lightspeed Classroom Management
As part of our commitment to creating a safe and focused learning environment for our students, our school has started using a new classroom management tool that will help teachers better connect with student devices during classes and we will expand our use over the next few weeks. This tool will provide teachers with a number of helpful features:
- Easily view student screens in real time from the teacher console to see which students may need guidance or support.
- Focus student attention on a particular website on their device to minimize distractions.
- Pause student access to the internet to focus on other classroom tasks.
We believe this classroom management tool will allow us to maximize class time to support your student’s learning while at school. Please note that student devices will not be monitored outside of school hours. The regular filters remain in place on school devices, but once they are home, teachers cannot monitor students. As parents, we would like to encourage you to sign up for your own Lightspeed reports, which will allow you to see how your child is spending time on the computer during and after school hours.
ParentVue Accounts
With a SIS ParentVue account you can sign up to receive weekly progress reports for your child’s courses, access Schoology, MySchoolBucks, Here Comes the Bus, etc. Click the links to learn more and activate your account today!
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
Due to the popularity of Volleyball, Volleyball Clinic will take place after Winter Break. There are other athletic opportunities, please check the schedule in the After School Programs Folder.
Back to Basics Leadership is postponed until 11/29
Harry Potter Club is postponed until 2/22
Clubs updates: Art Club will not meet during the month of November
Library News
Students have enjoyed adding leaves to our “Thankful Tree” in the library this week. Our middle school students are thankful for many things–some of them are a little funny, but other leaves express their sincere feelings.
In our “Irving Says” poll from last week, we asked students a reading-specific question. 55% of students voted to say that they’d rather read a new, exciting book every week and never finish it, rather than reading the same book over and over forever. It was interesting to hear the debate and discussions that students were having about this!
We encourage all students to make sure that they have reading material or audio books to enjoy over the Thanksgiving break. Please encourage your student to stop by the library on Monday or Tuesday of next week so that they’ll have something to read or listen to (maybe on that long car trip???)
We are thankful this Thanksgiving that we get to work with your students and encourage them to enjoy reading as a life-long hobby. –Ms. Monk and Mr. Brizek
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PTA News
SPIRIT NIGHT - Our next Spirit Night will be Ledo's in December! Stay tuned!
SPIRIT DAY EVERY THURSDAY - All Day at Papa John's in Springfield. Order online using promo code IMS4010. You'll get 40% off all menu prices! https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uvMIqPZsfaUqefNk619KuQ4sGYes7hWz/view?usp=sharing (COPY & PASTE SINCE THE LINKS ARE NOT LIVE)
TEACHER APPRECIATION DECEMBER 13th - Be on the lookout for more info about how to donate or volunteer!!
NEW SPIRITWEAR / NEW LOGO - COMING VERY SOON!!
JANUARY 9th IN-PERSON PTA MEETING + "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. This presentation will be combined with our January general PTA meeting.
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)
Feel free to reach out to learn more about the Irving PTA, or with questions you might have.
Website: https://irvingms.memberhub.com (copy & paste link)
Email: irvingmspta@gmail.com
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