1.7.24 Community Gazette

Glasgow Parents and Community: Greetings! The first week back has been smooth! We are so excited to see our students back in school and getting back into the routines of school for 2024. We have had Grade Level Expectation Meetings with students to review our rules and PBIS incentives within our PBIS program. We are gearing up for the End of the Quarter, WIDA ACCESS testing and our Open Campus PBIS activities for students at the end of the quarter who have been demonstrating behaviors aligned with our Panther Principles of Kindness, Commitment and Safety. You’re invited to celebrate our multilingual learners.  Join us for a night of activities that will engage your family in promoting and celebrating your child’s language learning skills. Come to Glasgow on Tuesday, January 16th from 7-8 for music, games, language learning, student awards, and food! You are invited to a Glasgow PTA Zoom meeting. When: Jan 9, 2024 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Register in advance for this meeting: https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYucuurrDstHNZqWLTnwLCFTu6Z0Ny-bcPM  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Conversation to Raise Awareness of Fentanyl and Other Drugs In this video, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid interviews the Fosters, a family who tragically lost their son Cayden to a half pill of fentanyl mistaken for Percocet. This heart-wrenching yet eye-opening video of their experience is essential to raise awareness among parents/caregivers and students about the dangers of fake painkillers. Please join Dr. Reid on Wednesday, January 10, at 6:30 p.m., at Edison High School for a community conversation about opioid awareness. You may register to attend. However, registration is not required; it is simply for space considerations. The evening’s program is appropriate for parents/caregivers and students in grades 6-12. All attendees will receive free REVIVE! Narcan training during the event and learn about support services currently available within FCPS and Fairfax County. FCPS’ website also has resources to help you to start the conversation and additional support for families struggling with substance misuse.  Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video walks through the steps. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE. If a student’s bus is delayed, parents may access the Bus Delay Notification System or use the Here Comes the Bus mobile app to receive the delayed bus report.  Teachers use Schoology to post their classroom materials online; to provide a secure forum for students to discuss their ideas and collaborate on projects; and to assign and collect homework electronically. It helps students stay organized, and it keeps the class connected. A Schoology Parent Account gives you access to: Your child’s classes. Your child’s upcoming assignments. School, class, and group announcements. Parent accounts will be available after August 21. To access Schoology, parents will need to have an active SIS/ParentVUE account. Get more information on how to login and use Schoology. Humbly, Victor L. Powell, Principal Contact Information: Email: vlpowell@fcps.edu Twitter: @VictorLeonPowe1 Website: http://www.fcps.edu/GlasgowMS/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlasgowMS.FCPS/

Multilingual Learners Night at Glasgow

You’re invited to celebrate our multilingual learners.  Join us for a night of activities that will engage your family in promoting and celebrating your child’s language learning skills. Come to Glasgow on Tuesday, January 16th from 7-8 for music, games, language learning, student awards, and food!

Upcoming High School Events for Current 8th Graders/Rising 9th Graders

Falls Church High School:

Curriculum Night - January 10th 6:15-8:00pm

We wanted to share with you that the first big event to begin our academic advising season will be our curriculum night. We will hold the event in person, hosted by our Principal, Director of Student Services, Academy Administrator, Director of Student Activities and department representatives.

Who: Students, Parents & Caregivers of 8th, 9th, 10th, & 11th graders that will be attending FCHS in the Fall of 2024 

When: January 10, 2024,  6:15pm – 8:00pm

Where: Falls Church High School Auditorium & Lobby

What: Curriculum night is a presentation to families regarding course selection information, diploma requirements, Academy opportunities and curriculum information such as AP and honors levels. The Falls Church Academy is included and holds an open house to allow all eligible high school students a chance to learn about the Academy offerings.

Why: Your child will be selecting his/her/their courses for the next school year, this presentation offers lots of information on making the best choices for a successful school year.

Annandale High School:

Rising 9th Grade Open House - January 17: Come to Annandale High School on January 17 from 6-8pm for an Open House to learn more about what high school at Annandale is all about! We will offer short (optional) sessions on our various Annandale programs, and teachers will be in their classrooms throughout the evening to share all about our core and elective courses for 9th Graders. The goal is for students and parents to leave this event excited about all the opportunities you will have as an Annandale Atom and prepared to complete your course request form! If you have any questions, please contact Erik Healey.

Breakout Sessions on the following topics will be offered throughout the evening: Welcome to Annandale, Course Request 101;Activities and Athletics; and Student Life.

If you have specific questions that you would like to be addressed during this event, please submit your questions via this Google Form. Thank you in advance for your input and assisting us in making this event a success!

Stay Tuned for more information from Justice HS about their rising 9th grade Night!

Glasgow Middle School Course Selection

The course selection process for the 2024-2025 school year is beginning!  This week, Rising 7th and 8th grade Glasgow students will receive lessons about course options.  Counselors will be meeting with students for academic advising throughout January and February in their Social Studies/History and Health/PE classes. Once students begin academic advising, course selection previews will be available in SIS ParentVue and SIS StudentVue by selecting “Course Request”.  Please talk with your child about the classes that they want to take.  Rising 9th grade students will meet with counselors later in the month of February.  Stay tuned to future Gazettes for more information for students and families about course offerings at Glasgow!

Rising 6th grade Curriculum Night

Glasgow will be holding its first IN PERSON middle school transition/curriculum night event for families of rising 6th graders who will attend Glasgow on Wednesday January 24th from 6pm - 8:30pm (Snow date January 31st).  Families with students who will be in 6th grade at Glasgow next year are invited to attend..  Students are welcome to come with their families to this event.   Please be sure to share with anyone you know who has a rising 6th grader who will be attending Glasgow next year.

🕑 Middle School Start Times

In September, FCPS awarded a contract to Prismatic Services, Inc., to develop a plan for potentially changing middle school start times. The plan will explore starting the middle school day no earlier than 8 a.m., without changing high school start times or impacting FCPS’ budget.

Prismatic will present their findings to the School Board in January. The board will decide in the spring whether or not to proceed with changing middle school start times.

Winter Olympics Camp

December 18-20 - Winter Olympics Camp for Students Grades 2-8: Annandale High School will be sponsoring a 3-day Winter Olympics Camp at Poe Middle School for students in 2nd through 8th grade during Winter Break. Camp will be held Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 8:30am-3:00pm. Cost is $100. Payment will be accepted during drop off on the first day. https://bit.ly/Olympics23Poe

Student Prayer Opportunities

Per FCPS Policy, Glasgow provides accommodations for students who request time and space during the school day for prayer. Students may have the opportunity to pray for the last 15 minutes of the day in designated, supervised areas of our school. Students interested in this opportunity for prayer should come to Student Services to pick up a prayer pass. 

How to Access Free Resources from Tutor.com

FCPS students continue to have unlimited access to live, 24/7, one-on-one online tutoring services through Tutor.com at no cost to families. Student participation is optional and parents/guardians can opt their student(s) out of accessing the services. Detailed information and FAQs are available on the Tutor.com Online Tutoring Services webpage.

Students can access Tutor.com via a link in Schoology. Additional information about how to log in and access a tutor is provided to families via the following: Middle & High - How It Works. Questions not answered in the posted resources may be sent to OnlineTutoring@fcps.edu.

Safe Students, Safe Schools

Fairfax County Public Schools believes that academic success is built on the foundation of a safe learning environment. This includes physical safety, and mental health and wellness. 

FCPS has a comprehensive approach to safety that involves physical security measures, online monitoring by security staff, and crisis intervention support. We created the Safe Students, Safe Schools Brochure (PDF) to enhance your awareness of potential hazards and to equip you with practical tips. Visit our website for more information.

Conversation to Raise Awareness of Fentanyl and Other Drugs

 In this video, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid interviews the Fosters, a family who tragically lost their son, Cayden, to a half pill of fentanyl mistaken for Percocet. This heart-wrenching yet essential discussion aims to save lives by raising awareness among students about the dangers of fake painkillers.

Please join Dr. Reid on Wednesday, January 10, at 6:30 p.m., at Edison High School for a community conversation about opioid awareness. You may register to attend. However, registration is not required; it is simply for space considerations. 

FCPS’ website also has resources to help you start the conversation and additional support for families struggling with substance misuse.

New School Board Members Sworn In

Recently elected members of the Fairfax County School Board took the oath of office on December 13 at Jackson Middle School. The 12 members of the board were elected for a four-year term on November 7, 2023. They began their terms on January 1.

National Mentor Month

Imagine a world where young people feel empowered, encouraged, and understood. Mentors can make that world a reality by helping young people find and follow their passions, excel in school, and thrive wherever they are. Learn more about Mentoring Month.

Research has shown that young people with at least one trusted mentor are less likely to skip school, less likely to use illegal drugs or drink alcohol, and more prepared to enter college or the workforce. Yet one in three children lack a mentor.

All it takes is one person to serve as a trusted adult to help change a young person’s path in life. Mentors provide attention, support, and enrichment, and help connect their mentees to resources that may help them on their journey in life.

FCPS’ MentorWorks program matches mentors with students in schools near where they live or work. They meet for at least 30 minutes a week. Learn more about how to become a mentor for an FCPS student. Please contact Martha Macdonald, mentoring specialist, for additional information at mmacdonald@fcps.edu.

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