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March 10th- Daylight Saving Time- Set clocks forward 1 hour
March 22nd- End of Third Quarter
Mach 25-29th- Holiday (Spring Break)
When students need to miss school, it is important for parents/guardians to communicate those absences with the school. This can be done by calling the attendance phone line at 703-204-8282 or by using the online reporting form which can be accessed by CLICKING HERE or on our Luther Jackson Middle School website. Please DO NOT report absences through the Talking Points app.
 Students in Family and Consumer Sciences participated in the ‘Real Food for Kids’ culinary competition last Saturday. They competed with several DMV area high schools and middle schools and won third place in the main judged category. Their dish, ‘Cornucopia Cascade’ was judged by a panel of eight judges and received a lot of praise for its creativity, presentation, and execution. It was an amazing, rewarding experience for the participating students as they got to meet chefs from the DMV area and presented their dish to them while talking about their inspiration and challenges in preparing for the competition.
Do you have a student between grades 8 through 11 who wants to go to college? If so, they should consider applying to the College Partnership Program (CPP), which offers support as students explore the idea of going to college! The deadline to apply is March 15, 2024.
CPP offers programming to help prepare students and families from 9th grade all the way through applying to and enrolling in college, including:
- Academic counseling;
- College visits;
- Help with completing college and scholarship applications;
- Monthly meetings;
- Parent education sessions;
- SAT preparation classes;
- A summer overnight experience on a college campus; and
- News and information related to colleges and careers via Schoology.
All students are eligible and encouraged to apply to this program, and are expected to meet the following requirements:
- Maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher in core classes
- Attend CPP activities
- Are willing to pursue advanced coursework
- Demonstrate leadership in school or community activities
The goal of the program is to systematically mitigate the impact of barriers to access and opportunity, and support students who are from populations that are historically underrepresented on college campuses. This includes students who are the first in their family to attend college in the U.S., English language learners, students who are economically disadvantaged, and students with disabilities.
Click HERE to apply.
All applications will be submitted ONLINE ONLY.
Counselors are assigned by alphabet and your first point of contact for any question or concerns you might have.
Hello,
My name is Aqa Gul Aiyubi, and I am the Family Liaison here at Luther Jackson Middle School. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to work closely with you and your family. As a Family Liaison, my role is to support and connect with families, ensuring that you have the resources and information you need for a positive experience.
I'm here to be a helpful point of contact for any questions, concerns, or information you may require. Whether it's navigating educational resources, understanding school policies, or addressing any challenges your family may face, I'm here to assist and advocate for you.
Feel free to reach out to me at any time at aaiyubi@fcps.edu or aaiyubi@fcpsschools.net or (703) 204-8137. I’m dedicated to fostering open communication and building a strong partnership between the school and our wonderful families.
If there's anything specific, you'd like to discuss or if you have questions about how I can support your family, please don't hesitate to let me know. I'm looking forward to getting to know you better and working together for the success and well-being of your family.
Ramadan
Ramadan begins at sunset on Sunday, March 10th and continues until sunset on April 9.
Ramadan is the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. It is marked by personal and community prayer as well as fasting from dawn to sunset. It’s important to recognize that students may be getting up and beginning their day as early as 3 a.m. for morning prayer as well as fasting throughout the day. During the last 10 days of Ramadan, which are very important, students and families may attend prayer services at the mosque nightly. These observances can have a huge impact on a student’s school day.
Wednesday, April 10th, is a holiday for students and staff in FCPS in honor of Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic celebration for the breaking of the fast at the end of Ramadan.
 Participate today!
Make Your Voice Heard!
Share your thoughts around important topics impacting your student’s success. By participating in the Family Engagement Survey, parents/caregivers are making their voices heard. Survey topics include:
- Welcoming environment
- Communication
- Student success
- Advocacy
- Family and school partnerships
- Collaboration with the community to see if FCPS is meeting its goals at the school, region, and division levels
Help us better recognize, understand, respect, and address family strengths and needs in our schools.
TAKE THE SURVEY!
Visit the Family Engagement Survey website for more information
Restaurant fundraiser – April 8th and 9th Shack Shack, Mosaic - Let’s raise some money for our PTA by dining at Shack Shack, Mosaic district, all day on April 8th and 9th (Monday and Tuesday)! PTA gets 25% of the proceeds! Mention LJMS PTA before ordering, dining in, or taking out.
PTA Board for the next school year: Would you be interested in joining the PTA board for the 2024-25 school year? It is a rewarding experience; the existing board members will help you get started. There are multiple roles available. Please email president@jacksonmspta.org
Food Pantry: The Luther Jackson Middle School Food Pantry needs your help! We need parent volunteers to assist with food pick-up, bag packing, and food distribution. Interested in helping, but your schedule doesn't allow you to volunteer? Please consider donating food, personal hygiene items, household cleaning products, or reusable grocery bags to help our families utilize the food pantry. Follow the Sign-Up Genius link below if you are interested in volunteering:
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/904084DA8AC2EAA8-ljms2
Spirit Wear Sale/ Donations: Please check out the PTA website, where you can find the links to buy Spirit Wear, join the PTA, or donate: https://jacksonmspta.org/
The experience of traumatic events shapes us, no matter if they happened during childhood or as an adult. Trauma is an event or series of circumstances that have lasting effects on mental, emotional, physical, social and spiritual well-being. Stress occurs from our minds and bodies identifying an event as physically or emotionally life-threatening. The situation triggers our survival instincts and our natural fight-flight-freeze response. But our minds and bodies cannot sustain being in survival mode for extended periods of time. Sometimes, those who experience high amounts of stress and traumatic situations are unable to process or move past what has happened, and are stuck in a loop.
Childhood trauma manifests in many ways and when carried into adulthood, it can create a cycle of adverse experiences that affect future generations. The effects of traumatic events place a heavy burden on the individual, connected families, and communities. Responses to stress and traumatic experiences are personal. There is an intersection between trauma, coping, and substance misuse. Studies show that about 61% of adults have had at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE) according to the CDC. Trauma prevention and intervention strategies are important. Creating a strategy of helpful coping skills to pull from prepares us to face difficult moments and our levels of resilience and feelings of wellbeing increases also. Here are a few tips to add to your coping strategies:
- Seek mental health and/or substance use treatment
- Identify one or more people you feel safe with who can help to hold you accountable
- Develop, repair, or maintain healthy relationships for internal and external support
- Learn and practice self-regulation skills
- Encourage yourself and others
- Find ways to increase your self-esteem
- Focus on your strengths
- Model healthy behavior when dealing with difficult situations
- Identify your triggers and practice ways to work through them
Resources:
Why Historical Trauma is Critical to Understanding Black Mental Health
Addressing Childhood Trauma Starts with Family Support
Violence Prevention
ACEs and Minorities
For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: 571.423.4270.
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