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Dear Lancers:
I hope everyone had a nice weekend. As many of you know, FCPS started middle school interscholastic sports this year. We had our inaugural cross country season in the fall, and we will start our first ever Track and Field season in the spring. We are currently looking for track and field coaches for our team this spring. Coaching can be a highly fulfilling and rewarding experience. If you have the availability and enthusiasm, please reach out to our esteemed Athletic Coordinator, Mr. Stokes, at ebstokes@fcps.edu.
As always, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Jim
Jim Patrick
Principal
Longfellow Middle School
CALENDAR EVENTS
Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history.
Learn more about Black History month.
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National School Counseling Week 2024, “School Counseling: Standards-Based, Student-Focused,” will be celebrated from February 5–9, 2024, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems and how students are different as a result of what school counselors do. National School Counseling Week highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. Thank you Ms. York, Ms. Ricker, Ms. Scharl, and Mr. Walker for all that you do for our Longfellow community!
Want to say thank you to your School Counselor? Please use this google form to share by Thursday, February8th: https://forms.gle/RmHfvWNZfoPaKrdUA
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Kiss and Ride Procedure
Safety is of utmost importance during arrival and dismissal times. We would like to remind families to remain aware and considerate during these periods. If you opt to drop off your child in the morning, drop-off is available as early as 6:55 am. The waiting time in the Kiss and Ride line is significantly shorter earlier in the morning compared to closer to 7:30 am.
Furthermore, we have noticed an increase in families dropping off their children while being outside our property. Specifically, we have received numerous complaints from residents on Hopewood Drive. Not adhering to our kiss and ride procedure can pose risks as children in these situations often cross roads without the presence of crossing guards or designated crosswalks. Unfortunately, in recent years, we have had incidents where students were hit by vehicles while running across Westmoreland because they were dropped off on the opposite side of the street. Please remember to exercise patience and only drop off your child in the designated zone near door #4, where our staff members are available to assist you and ensure your child's safe exit from the vehicle.
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AFTER SCHOOL CORNER
Nine members of our Debate Team competed in a tournament this past Saturday. Ashley Yan and April Sheng placed in the top 10 for best individual speaker. They also placed in the top 10 for best team, along with their teammate Leena Melkote. Congratulations to our team!
Are you interested in puzzles? The Puzzle Club is accepting new members. They meet on Thursdays during 1st Block.
Do you like to organize, plan, and execute food and clothing drives? Design advertisement campaigns. Run social media accounts. Work with like-minded people. Be an ethical and global citizen. GIVE back to your community. Longfellow GIVE will meet on Tuesdays during 2nd Block.
The Longfellow Rangers Club is a hands-on science focused club that goes outside to explore nature. Using naturalists’ tools we build skills like animal tracking and how to identify trees, wildflowers and birds. We touch on broader issues like forestry, water quality in streams, urban planning and stewardship. We have guest speakers including many esteemed local scientists. Come join us on Wednesdays after school!
Third Quarter Schedule
Middle School Spring Track Season
Spring track and field season will start mid to late March, with the first meet being April 13th. You must fill out the Spring registration form if you are planning on participating in the track season. If you have a physical on file from the fall, then you do not need a new one. Practice will be two days each week and students are expected to attend all practices.
Track meets will be on High School campuses starting April 13th. (4/13,4/20,4/27, 5/4, and 5/11)
The events will be (100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1600m, shot put, and long jump)
Spring Registration Form
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdjUd-OTRSQ4z63JKeBJ6i5_e6Et2KkQkZKOL2er-u__CQjyA/viewform
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Emotional & Social Health Education
Students will cycle through lessons on emotional and social health from January 30th through March 22nd (students will cycle through the unit at different times in this window depending on who their HPE teacher is.)
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle-school-academics-7-8/family-life-education-fle
For questions or concerns, please contact your child’s Health and Physical Education teacher.
PARENT INFORMATION
Parent Volunteers Appreciated for Upcoming CPR Training
On Wednesday, February 21st and Thursday, February 22nd we will be hosting an all-day AED and hands only CPR training for our entire student body. This amazing opportunity is all thanks to our ongoing partnership with the Gwyneth’s Gift Foundation. If you would like to donate your time to help us manage students during the event, please email Amanda Creeden at amcreeden@fcps.eduto let us know the day and time you would like to assist.
Below are the time slots we would welcome assistance:
Wednesday 2/21:
Period 1: 7:30-8:55
Period 3: 9:00-9:45
Period 5: 10:45-12:15
Period 7: 12:50-2:15
Thursday 2/22:
Period 2: 7:30-8:55
Period 3: 9:00-9:45
Period 6: 10:45-12:15
Period 8: 12:50-2:15
Here Comes the Bus
Want to know if your child's bus is on schedule or where the bus is? Here Comes the Bus® is an easy-to-use website and app that enables parents to see the location of their child’s school bus — almost in real time — on a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer.
Parents can track multiple buses if their children don’t all ride the same bus; know exactly when children arrive at school or the bus stop; and receive customized text and/or email notifications about bus locations, schedule changes, or delays.
To get started, download the app from the Apple iOS or Android app store. Check out the Here Comes the Bus and Frequently Asked Questions webpages for more information.
Already using the Here Comes the Bus app? Send your feedback to HCTB@fcps.edu.
Student Intention Forms
Moving this summer? If your family plans include relocation, please notify us by completing the Intention Form and send it to Ms. Jordan Reina - jareina@fcps.edu at your earliest convenience.
You’re Invited! Travel to France and Spain in Summer 2025
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Get ready to taste new foods, explore new places and meet new people.
If you are interested in your child traveling abroad during the summer of 2025, please register for an information session on February 21 at 6:30 PM to learn more. You can click on this link to discover more information and to register for the meeting: https://bit.ly/3vuXSIR
STEM Essay Contest 2024
The sixth annual STEM Essay Contest sponsored by the McLean Area Branch of AAUW (American Association of University Women) is now open.
Women have not always been recognized for their contributions in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The McLean Area Branch is sponsoring its sixth annual STEM Essay Contest in 2024 to challenge 7th and 8th grade students, girls and boys, to discover and publicize women who made a difference in STEM fields, but who did not receive recognition for their contributions while alive. Strong preference is given to essays about women who are not well known even today.
For this contest, the student is asked to describe one woman’s STEM contribution and its impact, as well as why the student selected the woman.
An application form can be downloaded here: In fillable PDF format: 2024 STEM Essay Contest Application-PDF-Fillable
The deadline for submitting applications is Monday, February 12, 2024, at 11:00 pm EST. No late submissions will be accepted. Only one essay per student is permitted. ALL STUDENTS SHOULD EMAIL mcleanaauw@gmail.com AFTER UPLOADING AN APPLICATION IN ORDER TO GET A RETURN EMAIL VERIFYING THAT A COMPLETE APPLICATION HAS BEEN RECEIVED.
NOTE: All students should check that they have submitted a file that is filled in (NOT BLANK) and is in either a readable PDF or Word format. Any questions about the STEM Essay Contest may be sent to Judy Page, STEM Chair, at mcleanaauw@gmail.com.
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