|
English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو
 Students launch their model rockets in Technology Education.
Good afternoon, Franklin Community,
We had another exciting week here at Franklin Middle School, including the visit of our rising 7th graders! Our current students played such an important role in these visits, serving as tour guides and panel members for our future Falcons. It was so fun seeing the pride and excitement of our students being able to share their experiences with our rising 7th graders and helping to set them up for a great 2 years here.
One of the important tips our current students shared with our rising 7th graders is the importance of checking grades. As we approach the last 2 weeks of the second quarter, I want to take this moment to remind our students and their families to please check Parentvue and Studentvue over this long weekend to double check grades and, if needed, determine a plan to finish the quarter strong. Our teachers and counselors are here to support you with any questions you might have about grades.
And lastly, I have some bittersweet news to share about an integral member of our Franklin Middle School community. My administrative assistant, Jade Horne, has been promoted to a new role in FCPS, serving as the Region 4 executive administrative assistant. Jade has been a friendly, helpful and caring person for all of our families and students since 2020 and prior to that, at Oak Hill Elementary School. I am so excited for her to move on to this well-deserved opportunity but she will be greatly missed here. Jade’s last day at Franklin is today. I am in the process of hiring a new administrative assistant and will share updates on that as soon as they are available. In the meantime, if you have had the pleasure of speaking with Jade, I know you share my bittersweet sentiments but absolutely wish her the very best.
I hope you all have a wonderful long weekend and as always, please reach out to me at MLCase@fcps.edu with any questions.
Sincerely,
Michelle Case
Interim Principal
Important Dates
January 15 - No School - Holiday (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
January 16 - Family Life Education (FLE) Preview Night at 6:00 PM
January 17 - Curriculum Night for Rising 7th Graders at 6:00 PM
January 19 - Religious and Cultural Observance
January 19 - SpongeBob Musical at 7:00 PM
January 20 - SpongeBob Musical at 7:00 PM
January 25 - End of 2nd Quarter, 2 HR Early Release at 12:15 PM (No After School Program)
January 26 - No School for Students - Teacher Workday
January 26 - SpongeBob Musical at 7:00 PM
January 27 - Sponge Bob Musical at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Holiday
As a reminder, schools and offices will be closed on Monday, January 15, for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. Learn more about Martin Luther King Jr.
Quarter End, Early Release, and Student Holiday
Thursday, January 25, is the last day of the quarter and a two-hour early release for students. Also, schools are closed for students on Friday, January 26, for a teacher work day. See the complete school year calendar.
The SpongeBob Musical, Youth Edition at Franklin MS
Franklin Drama’s Winter Musical opens on January 19. Performances will be on January 19, 20 and 26 at 7:00 PM and on January 27 at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM. Tickets are $7 for students and $12 for adults, and can be purchased here. Thank you for supporting our students!
Family Life Education (FLE) Parent Preview Night Rescheduled for January 16
We invite you to join us at Franklin Middle School for the FLE Parent Preview Night that has been rescheduled for Tuesday, January 16, at 6:00 PM. This opportunity is for parents who would like to meet the teachers and ask any questions pertaining to the upcoming FLE (7-8) curriculum. Parents and guardians will need to have their SIS Parent Vue username and password available for the session.
Prior to attending, it is recommended that parents and guardians view the detailed Middle School (7-8) program descriptions online. FLE grade level-specific lessons and media that FCPS has streaming rights to are available for parents online in Schoology/SIS Parent Vue.
Human Growth and Development (HGD) Timeline:
- 7th Grade HGD classes will be taught January 29 - February 1
- 8th Grade HGD classes will be taught February 2 - February 7
- All HGD classes will be gender separate
Emotional and Social Health (ESH) Timeline
- 7th and 8th ESH classes will be taught February 5 - March 22
Parents and guardians may choose to opt their child out of all or part of the Family Life Education program. Students who are opted out are provided with age-appropriate, nonpunitive alternative health instruction, and every effort is made to foster respect for family choices. If you wish to opt your child out of all or part of FLE for this school year, click here for opt-out forms. Any parents/guardians wishing to opt their child out of instruction may complete and return the opt-out form or scan and email a copy of the completed form. An opt-out request can also be made in an email which indicates the lesson(s) the child will be opted out of. The actual opt-out form is not required. Opt-out emails or scanned forms should be addressed to Mr. Steve Howes at: srhowes@fcps.edu with the subject line FLE opt-out: Student last name, Teacher and Class Period.
Academic Advising
In January and February, our counselors support all students with academic advising and course requests for the 2024-2025 school year. Here’s what you can expect in the coming weeks:
Rising 7th Graders:
- January 17: Franklin’s Curriculum Night will take place on January 17, 2024. Curriculum Night is for rising 7th graders and families for the 2024-2025 school year. During this in-person event, you will have the opportunity to hear from school leaders about the academic advising process and course offerings in the Gymnasium beginning at 6:00 PM, and then explore electives course offerings and ask questions to individual staff members across the building from 6:45 PM - 7:30 PM. All students and families are welcome!
- February 2: Elementary counselors and teachers will support rising 7th graders will inputting course selections into SIS by February 2.
- For more information, including presentations, course selection sheets, and the course catalog, please see the Franklin MS Site: https://franklinms.fcps.edu/Rising7th.
Rising 8th Graders:
- Franklin students will begin the academic advising and course selection process in February. Students will learn about courses and programs through counselor lessons in early February.
- The course catalog is now available, and families can explore these resources on the Franklin MS Site: https://franklinms.fcps.edu/Rising8th.
- February 3: Join us for a virtual Curriculum Night. This event will take place over zoom (link to come) and will preview the academic advising process and course options for the 2024-2025 school year.
Rising 9th Graders:
- Early February: Franklin MS Counselors will meet with students individually to review student choices and complete the course request process.
- February 3: Join us for a virtual town hall to have any final questions answered about the course request process. This event will take place over zoom (link to come).
As your student navigates these processes and events, our counselors are here to support. Please reach out to your student’s counselor with any questions or concerns.
Save the Date: Academy Open Houses Begin This Month
Is your child interested in architecture and construction, information technology, or health science? FCPS high school academies will hold open houses for interested students beginning in mid-January.
A high school Academy is a center within a high school that offers advanced technical and specialized courses to prepare students for postsecondary education and/or career fields. Students enrolling in Academy elective courses will be provided with opportunities to participate in a variety of career experiences including shadowing, mentoring, or internships with local businesses.
Learn more and view the calendar of Academy Open Houses.
Middle School Sports - Track Coming this Spring
All FCPS Middle Schools will field Track teams in the spring. Interested MS Athletes will need the following to participate in Track in the Spring. More information will be provided at a Track Interest Meeting in February. (Date TBD)
FCPS Physical Form, Emergency Care Card and MS Sports Registration must be completed before a student can begin practicing. More information can be found on our website about Cross Country and Track or you can visit the FCPS MS Athletics Website.
Franklin MS After-School Program Information
Click here to see the Club/Activity Descriptions and Weekly Schedule.
All students that stay after-school for academic support, clubs or activities must have a completed After-School Registration Form. The After-School Registration only needs to be completed once for the 23-24 SY.
There are many activities to choose from in the After-School Program each day. Students that may have an interest in starting a club can reach out to Mr. Tippins.
Bus Transportation for the After-School Program is available Monday - Thursday. There is no transportation on Fridays for the After-School Program and dismissal is by parent pick up only.
Yearbook Request: Submit Your Holiday Photos
The yearbook class is creating a page about different holidays that Franklin families celebrate. Submit a photo of your student or your family celebrating a holiday, along with a brief description, to Anne Baker.
Franklin MS 2023 yearbooks are on sale through May 4, 2024. The cost of the yearbook is $30. Families may order online by clicking here (school code 5330). Please contact Kelly Barlow with any questions.
Volunteer with Give Together
FCPS students continue to find incredible ways to serve their community while building Portrait of a Graduate skills such as becoming an ethical and global citizen. The school division is excited to collaborate with Volunteer Fairfax for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.
Students and families can volunteer on Monday, January 15, at Volunteer Fairfax’s Give Together event. It is designed to engage families with children (ages 5-12) in service learning. Projects will include a food drive, assembling caring kits for community members who need support, making no-tie fleece blankets for veterans, environmental stewardship, and support for animal welfare.
Students ages 13 to 18 are welcome to serve as teen event volunteers. This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.
Quick Links
|
