Greetings, Team Langston Hughes:
The month of February is devoted to highlighting and acclaiming the contributions and accomplishments of African Americans. I encourage you to explore and celebrate the accomplishments both during February and throughout the year. Because February is a month filled with love, friendship, and positive energy, I want to wish our entire Panther family a Happy Valentine’s Day!
We are excited to start the 2nd semester. Our focus remains to cultivate a positive climate and create the best learning environment possible. Student and staff safety, high-quality instruction, and student learning are our highest priorities. Everything we do at Langston Hughes Middle School is designed to help students meet success. There is no question about it: Partnership between home and school is a key ingredient for student success. I hope to see you at the PTA meeting Monday, February 5, 2024, at 7 p.m.
Continue to check your emails, read my Sunday’s THIS and THAT, follow us on Twitter, and check the school’s website. Finally, I remain proud to serve the Langton Hughes Middle School community, for I am convinced that we have the best students in FCPS! I appreciate your continued support!
With Panther Pride Amplified,
Principal Mizell
National School Counseling Week 2024 (#NSCW24) is Feb. 5-9, 2024. It's purpose is to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by ASCA, highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. National School Counseling Week is always celebrated the first full week in February. The 2024 theme is "School Counseling: Standards-Based, Student-Focused."
INFORMATION FROM YOUR ADMINISTRATION TEAM
Modeling Responsible Behavior
Parents and caregivers play an important role in modeling responsible behavior for their children. Young children will grow to become adolescents and then adults who are responsible for their own behavior. These adults have taken information from what they’ve seen in the world and experienced, to make their own life choices. What do you want them to emulate? What conversations do you want to have? What hopes and dreams would you like to share with them? What will be your legacy? Parents have a huge impact on whether their children use alcohol and drugs. Maintaining a strong, open, and non-judgmental relationship with them will create a safe space for potentially uncomfortable conversations. Children make better decisions when they have positive relationships with their parents. Make sure your actions match your words.
For further Information & support contact Monica Rogers, Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist, at mrrogers@fcps.edu. For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: (571) 423-4270.
Sources & Resources
Why You Should Talk to Your Child About Alcohol & Drugs
Fairfax County Youth Survey
Talk They Hear You
FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program
High School Curricular Transfer Requests Opened February 1st
Students who are in the Herndon High School boundary but would like to continue the International Baccalaureate program at South Lakes High School may complete a transfer application and choose the IB program as the reason for transfer. Placement is not guaranteed, but the application must be completed to make the transfer request. Please note that transportation is not provided for high school curricular transfers.This website provides more information and directions for the transfer application: FCPS Student Transfer Information. The transfer process begins on February 1st for curricular programs.
Summer Learning Online Campus Information
Registration for the FCPS Summer Online Campus has opened. Middle and high school students who meet the course prerequisites can take one online course. Students who have completed a high school math course in person may take an online campus math class. Middle school students who plan to expunge a high school math or Spanish course or those wanting to recover a course credit may take the course again. For more information about summer learning, see https://www.fcps.edu/academics/summer-learning/online-programs or contact your child's school counselor.
2nd Quarter Report Cards and SIS ParentVUE
You may view 2nd quarter/1st semester grades in SISParentVUE on Monday, February 5th at 6:00am. We will also send printed copies of report cards home with students on that date.
Students participating in the courses listed below receive either Pass (P) or Fail (F) grades. These courses are not standards-based course but are designed as an intervention to build skills in the areas where your child needs additional support. The goal of the course is for your child to make measurable progress in skills. Your child is not assessed in the course against standards. Students who are working to make progress in skills will receive a passing score. The following courses are included: Strategies for Success, Personal Development, Action Literacy, Literacy through Active Participation (LAP), Literacy 7/8, and Math 180. As a reminder, if you prefer for your student to receive a standard letter grade, please contact our Director of Student Services, Michele Beard as soon as possible, at mbeard@fcps.edu.
If you do not already have a ParentVUE SIS account, it is very important for you to activate this feature to support your child’s academic success. Through ParentVUE, you can monitor your student’s attendance, grades, and assignments at any time. Once you have activated a ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. In addition, all students in the same family can be accessed through the same ParentVUE account. SIS/ParentVUE can be accessed using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device. Do you need help creating a SIS ParentVue account? This video walks you through the steps on how to do so. Watch this video to learn how to set up your account. You can also find out more about SIS ParentVUE here: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/technology/student-information-system-sis-fcps/sis-parent-account-overview
Second Semester Schedules
Second semester begins Monday, January 29th. Students will be able to see their schedules in SIS StudentVUE on Friday, January 26th at 4:00 pm. Students will also be given a printed copy of their new schedule. If students are taking semester classes, their new classes will begin on January 29th. For some students taking semester classes, their PE class period may change to accommodate their second semester elective. Student schedules are set, and we do not make schedule changes during the school year other than for academic reasons.
Academic Advising for the 2024-2025 School Year
Parents/Guardians of current 8th Graders:
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Our Langston Hughes counselors will be meeting with students in their Civics classes the week of February 5th. The schedule is below:
Monday 2/5 and Tuesday, 2/6 – Ms. Pappas’s and Ms. Spicer’s classes
Wednesday, 2.7, Thursday, 2/8, and Friday, 2/9 – Mr. Donnelly’s, Ms. Ruffin’s , and Mr. Seeger’s classes
Counselors will present an overview of course selection for South Lakes High School* and will meet with students for academic advising. Students will bring home a course selection sheet and information – please be on the lookout! The week of February 12th South Lakes counselors will be here at Langston Hughes to meet with students individually for course selection. Students and parents will be able to view high school course requests through SIS ParentVUE and SIS StudentVUE under the “Course Request” tab. More details to come from South Lakes counselors! If your student has an IEP, be on the lookout for an invitation to a high school transition meeting. *If your student is slated for Herndon High School, students met with Herndon counselors on January 11th and brought home a course selection sheet. If they are planning to request a transfer to South Lakes, the high school curricular transfer request form opens on February 1, 2024. Find information here: https://www.fcps.edu/registration/student-transfer-information
Parents/Guardians of current 7th Graders:
Langston Hughes counselors will meet with 7th grade students the week of February 20th for academic advising. Counselors will present an overview of course selection for 8th grade and will meet with students one on one for academic advising. Students will bring home a course selection sheet and information – please be on the lookout! Parents/guardians will complete the course selection sheets with students and sign and return. Students should return the completed and signed course selection sheets to their history teachers no later than Friday, March 1, 2024. We will enter course selections in SIS and notify you when you can view course requests in SIS ParentVUE and SIS StudentVUE under the “Course Request” tab.
For more information about academic advising and course selection for the 2024-2025 school year, please visit our Langston Hughes website: https://hughesms.fcps.edu/index.php/registration and contact our Director of Student Services, Michele Beard, at mbeard@fcps.edu or your student’s counselor with questions.
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 Order your Langston Hughes Yearbook for 2023-2024! We sold out last year so get yours before they are gone!
The cost is $30.00 and may be pre-ordered online through May 4th.
Where to order: www.yearbookordercenter.com, enter our school code (13926)
Questions? Please email Ms. Kerze – jmkerze@fcps.edu
We are very excited to announce Spring Track & Field interscholastic competition at the middle school level! This program will start in March, but students and parents will need to complete several steps prior to participating in middle school sports, including:
The anticipated Competition Schedule:
When?
4/13, 4/20, 4/27, 5/4, (5/11)
7:30 (arrival) - 1:30 (depart)
Where?
Meets will be on HS campuses.
1 meet per site (8-10 schools per meet)
Please submit all forms to the main office in care of Mr. G or Mr. Kyle.
We look forward to an exciting season!
South Lakes High School IB Information Night
Thursday, February 15th
6:30 pm to 8 pm in the SLHS Cafeteria
Learn about the IB Middle Years, Career-related, and Diploma Programs at South Lakes High School.
 
February 19 - President's Day - Schools and Offices Closed
March 5 - Student Holiday - School Planning Day
March 25 - 29 - Spring Break
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