Thoreau Matters
March 8, 2024
Dear Families,
What a fun week it's been at Thoreau! Last week and this week, our school buzzed with excitement during Eagle Time. Our enthusiastic Crosstown Hoops teams battled it out against our dedicated staff in four exciting basketball games (see pics below). Although the staff ultimately emerged victorious, the games were a display of incredible sportsmanship and school spirit. We cannot wait to cheer on our Crosstown Hoops teams on Wednesday night at Madison HS! Go Eagles! Thank you to our SCA for developing the following spirit days for the event: Monday is jersey day, Tuesday is BBQ dads vs. soccer moms, and Wednesday is BLUE out to beat Kilmer!
Starting this Monday, students who bring lunch from home will need to remember to pack their own utensils. Food and Nutrition Services have made a switch from plastic utensils to eco-friendly bamboo options. This change aligns with FCPS’s commitment to sustainability.
This week and next, our talented band, chorus, and orchestra ensembles will be participating in their annual assessment performances. During these assessments, independent judges will score each group, providing valuable feedback to our music program. We are incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication our students have put into their music, and we wish them the very best of luck!
A friendly reminder about spring break – it's almost here! Classes will be dismissed from March 25th to 29th. We look forward to welcoming your children back on Wednesday, April 3rd, after two valuable teacher work days.
Thank you for your continued support of Thoreau!
Sincerely, Teresa Khuluki
Principal
8th Grade Activities Fair
Our 8th graders will be going to Madison, Marshall and Oakton High Schools on Friday, March 15th, for their annual activity fair. Almost all 8th grade teachers and counselors will be assigned as chaperones for the trip. Students will be bused over to the high schools around 9:45am. Madison (around 375 students) and Oakton (around 200 students) students will return to Thoreau around 11:45am, eat lunch, and then be sent to 9th period. Marshall students (around 25 students) will return around 12:45pm and will be sent directly to their 9th period class because they will have already eaten lunch while visiting Marshall. All of this information & more can be found on the student field trip permission slips that were handed out to students on February 14th in their science classes.
Attendance Reminder
We want to emphasize the importance attendance has in a student success. Studies show that just two absences per month can negatively impact a student's academic progress. Our dedicated teachers are constantly teaching new concepts, while our students actively learn and build upon their knowledge every day. By ensuring regular attendance, we can all work together to help students finish the school year strong. Visit FCPS’ website for attendance resources.
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. Karla Macoto - kmmacoto@fcps.edu at your earliest convenience.
Middle School Sports
Track and Field Competition is coming to Thoreau MS this Spring!
- Events to choose from will include 100m, 200m, and 400m Sprint Events; 800m and 1600m Distance Events; Long Jump and Shot Put
- On Monday, March 18th we will be hosting a Track & Field interest meeting for all students in Eagle Hall after school at 2:20 PM. Parents are welcome to join for this as well
- Practice begins Wednesday, April 3rd and will be held Mondays and Wednesdays 2:25 PM – 3:20 PM. Additional After-School activities are available if students wish to use the Late Buses to get home
- There will be four meets scheduled in April and May. These will be held on Saturday mornings on High School Tracks
- To participate in the Middle School Track Program the following information must be completed:
- Complete this form Thoreau MS Sports Registration
- Have a doctor complete the MS Sports Physical Form. (Physical forms on record for Cross Country are valid if they were done within the current school year). Please have your student turn in the forms to the main office
- Complete and sign the attached Emergency Care Card. The ECC can also be found and printed from your Parent Vue account. Please double-check that all information is current
The 3 steps must be completed before students can participate.
We are pleased to welcome back Coach Sharphorn as one of our Track & Field coaches this spring!
Crosstown Hoops Final Countdown!
We're in the final countdown, Thoreau vs Kilmer basketball! Let's go EAGLES!
Ticket check-in -- Barcode with original email confirmation required for check-in at the game. No tickets will be sold at the door and tickets purchased on the Kilmer MS Crosstown Hoops link will not be valid for Thoreau students.
Concessions at the Crosstown Hoops game will be CASH ONLY. There will be water, pretzels, cookies and candy bars for sale so make sure your student brings cash.
SOL Test Calendar
The SOL assessment schedule can be found below. The testing schedule will impact the bell schedule each day. Please avoid prearranged student absences on the dates your child will be taking an SOL test. More information regarding middle school SOLs is available on the SOL assessments webpage.
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Date
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7th grade
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8th grade
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April 16th
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Integrated Reading & Writing SOL
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May 9th
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Science SOL (Except for the Turtle Team)
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May 13th
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Science SOL (Turtle Team)
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May 15th
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Reading SOL
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Reading SOL
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May 17th
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Math SOL
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Math SOL
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Make-Ups
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Scheduled as needed throughout window
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Retakes
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For any student who receives a score of 375-399, they will be offered a retake. Thoreau staff will make parent phone calls to obtain parent permission and teachers will provide remediation to students.
Retakes will occur May 28th-31st.
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If you have any questions regarding testing, please contact Thoreau’s school test coordinator, Erin Lynch (703.846.8058 or emlynch@fcps.edu).
FCPS Summer Learning and Fun
Career and Technical Education
CTE Summer Academy (CSA) is a week-long enrichment program that allows students in grades 6-11 to dive deeper into CTE program areas, develop skills, and begin career exploration. Visit the CSA webpage to register.
Institute for the Arts Camps
IFTA is a two- or three-week summer enrichment program for students currently in grades 6-11. Students select from nearly 90 classes in art, dance, health and physical education 9 (graduation requirement), music, and theater. Visit the IFTA webpage to register.
Self-Directed Economics and Personal Finance
Summer is a great time for high school students to fulfill the Economics and Personal Finance course requirement. During the self-directed course, students work independently to complete the requirements. Students must register by Friday, May 24. For more information, see the Summer Learning information page.
Summer Online Campus
Take advantage of the opportunity to earn a high school course credit via this summer’s online campus program. Registration ends Friday, June 7. Math, health and physical education, career and technical education, English, science, social studies, and world language courses are available to eligible students.
Additional Summer Learning Opportunities
Please go to the following website Summer Learning information page to learn about these summer opportunities:
- Credit Recovery Academy/ Extended Learning
- English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
- Self-Directed Economics and Personal Finance
Thoreau After-School Program
After-School clubs & late buses occur on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between the hours of 2:25pm - 4:45pm for the remainder of the school year!
THOREAU WEEKLY AFTER-SCHOOL CLUBS SCHEDULE:
Week of March 11th - March 15th
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QUESTIONS/CONCERNS?
Email Ms. Colleen Myers at cmmyers@fcps.edu or call 703.846.8089.
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