Glasgow Parents and Community:
I hope you and your families are enjoying a peaceful and rejuvenating spring break. As we return to school in April, I wanted to share some important updates and reminders with you:
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Student Holidays: Please note that there will be student holidays on April 1st and 2nd for our teacher work day and staff development day. We appreciate your understanding and support as our staff engage in professional development to better serve our students.
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PBIS Grade Level Open Campus Celebration: We will be hosting PBIS Grade Level Open Campus celebrations for students who have demonstrated exemplary behavior aligned with our Panther Principles. These celebrations will take place on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday when we return from break. We look forward to recognizing and celebrating our students' positive behavior.
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4th Quarter and SOL Testing: With the 4th quarter upon us, we are gearing up for the VDOE SOL testing in May. Our Science, Math, and English departments have been diligently preparing to ensure our students are well-prepared for these assessments and meet state and federal accountability measures. Please encourage your child to stay focused and engaged in their studies as we approach testing season.
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Federal Accountability Indicators: Our school has been classified under the Federal Accountability Indicators of Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI), with a specific focus on 8th-grade science. To our 8th-grade parents, we urge you to work closely with your child's teacher to ensure they receive the support they need in their science classes. We offer after-school support and student resources to ensure your child is adequately prepared for their SOL exams.
As always, your partnership and support are invaluable to us in helping our students succeed. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher or the school administration. Thank you for your continued support, and let's make this 4th quarter a successful one for our students! April is a critical month, as we prepare for SOL testing. We have developed a school improvement plan that utilizes data from SOLs, FCPS benchmarks, classroom tests/quizzes and exit tickets for various student groups to determine areas for opportunity. For us, our 8th Grade science SOL scores and Absenteeism is a big focus for us. Our actions to address this have been within Tier I classrooms, intervention blocks, Lexia intervention, after-school intervention, Saturday school events and small group targeted instruction. Here are a few resources parents may find helpful:
Please see the Glasgow Middle School PTA Meeting recording. CLICK HERE.
Humbly,
Victor L. Powell, Principal
Contact Information:
Email: vlpowell@fcps.edu
Twitter: @VictorLeonPowe1
Website: http://www.fcps.edu/GlasgowMS/
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⏰ Community Forums on Middle School Start Times
Fairfax County Public Schools is exploring options for adjusting middle school start times and invites the public to be part of the process. Prismatic Services, Inc., an educational consulting firm, will lead the forums. All forums will deliver the same presentation and provide the same feedback opportunities. Please attend the event that works best for your schedule:
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Monday, April 29, 6-8 p.m., at Glasgow Middle School.
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Monday, May 6, 6-8 p.m., at Whitman Middle School.
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Monday, May 20, 6-8 p.m., at Hughes Middle School.
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Wednesday, May 22, 6-8 p.m., at Frost Middle School.
Registration is not required but does help with planning. Click one of the dates above to register. Language interpretation and childcare will be provided. Learn more about the project exploring middle school start times.
⛱️ Summer Camp for Middle Schoolers
All rising middle schoolers are invited to attend a summer of fun and leisure with VIP Camp. VIP Camp — which takes place Monday, July 1, to Thursday, August 1 — is designed to encourage teens to develop healthy and positive recreation interests and features a wide variety of leisure activities and programs.
Registration is open. VIP Camp costs $100 to attend. Reach out to your school's after-school specialist for scholarship availability due to financial hardship. This camp is sponsored by Fairfax County Public Schools and Fairfax County’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services.
Glasgow Middle School PTA News
We are looking for new board members for the 24-25 school year. We are tentatively looking for all 6 positions. We will be holding a zoom call to discuss the positions and what it means to be on the PTA board. This will happen at a mutually agreeable time, once we have interest. Please reach out to the Glasgow email: Glasgowpta.va@gmail.com if you would like to attend this zoom session.
Glasgow Spelling Bee 2024
Friday Night at Glasgow Middle School proved to be an exciting evening as twenty-one students participated in the 2024 Spelling Bee for the chance to represent GMS at the County Spelling Bee. The students clearly took the task very seriously and their preparation resulted in an impressive display of spelling prowess. After 22 rounds of competition, seventh grader Muhammad Gulzar emerged as the Glasgow Middle School Spelling Bee Champion with the winning word "dendrochronology." It is worth noting, that our winner Muhammad is the younger brother of the 2022 Glasgow Spelling Bee Champion.
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Thank you to all the participants for their hard work and for tackling words such as senescent, leks, conjunto, grebe, hypocaust and luciferin among others: Nafiza Sultana – runner up; Jonathan Baires, Alexander Cruz-Portillo, Truman ‘Red’ Linden, Afiuddin Mohammed, Marlei Boykin, Molly McGrorey, Kaleb Zewdu, Lilly Cornelius, Stefani Criz-Portillo, Sampurna Joshi, Sheela Bahrami; DeeAnnie Scotland, Gage Snook, Agustin Wachs, Henry Castle, Julia Clarke, Joseph Ewnetu, Kendall Herbas Vera and Katherine Jackson. The Glasgow community is so very proud of you!
We also extend a special thank you to the judges who worked very hard to evaluate the competition: Pronouncer: Kim Lanoue, Leah Richardson and Felisa Klubes, as well as the staff, especially Mr. Williams and Mr. Powell.
Glasgow Blue Ribbon
Over the last two weeks, the Glasgow Middle School Music Department has taken different ensembles to State Assessment to be adjudicated on their performance. It is our pleasure to announce that we have been named a “Blue Ribbon School,” which is the highest honor bestowed by the Virginia Music Educators Association for musical excellence. This is awarded to schools who receive Superior ratings for their most advanced Band, Choir and Orchestra Ensembles. In total, Glasgow has Seven ensembles perform at assessment, all earning Superior or Excellent ratings. We are so proud of our students. Go Glasgow!
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We are excited to invite you and your family to a special community event hosted by Glasgow Middle School aimed at fostering team building, community engagement, service learning, and much more.
Date: April 1, 2024
Time: 11-2:00PM
Location: Glasgow Middle School
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This event is designed to bring together students, families, and staff to strengthen our school community and explore ways to make a positive impact both within our school walls and outside. We believe that by working together, we can create a supportive and inclusive environment where every individual feels valued and empowered to thrive.
In addition to engaging discussions and hands-on activities, there will be delicious food provided for all attendees, courtesy of our generous sponsors. Best of all, participation in this event is entirely free of charge.
To help us better prepare for the event and ensure we have enough food and materials for everyone, we kindly ask that you RSVP by filling out the following form: https://forms.gle/bwK3ozRQSmhy225E8 . Please note that if you indicate you are coming , it is imperative that you show up, as this will help us run the event smoothly and effectively.
The centerpiece of our philanthropic experiences is the Life Cycles™ team building program. This bicycle-building event is a perfect example of the ripple effect of “paying it forward.” It’s the Life Cycle of creating something valuable and passing it on. Your team will experience firsthand the influence their actions, integrity, attention and intention have on their work. They’ll recognize their impact on the lives of their co-workers, families, friends and customers, while discovering how much they get from the simple act of giving. The Helping Hands program (now referred to as the Build-a-Hand™ program) is about changing lives. This program is a charitable, CSR team building opportunity focused on perspective, inspiration, collaboration, and giving back. You will become a part of a growing movement to connect your team to the “WHY” of their work, each other, and the world. This program will have your team thinking and feeling deeply while they build prosthetic hands that will be donated around the world. Through virtual, hybrid and in-person events, over 70,000 prosthetic hands have been funded, built and donated to recipients in more than 90 countries. If you want to have a global impact while building your team, the Helping Hands program is what you’ve been looking for!
We truly believe that your involvement in this event will make a difference in our school community, and we look forward to seeing you there. Together, let's make Glasgow Middle an even better place for our students to learn, grow, and succeed.
If you have any questions or require assistance, please feel free to contact us.
Thank you for your continued support.
Community Conversations
Families and community members are welcome to attend whichever Community Conversation is most convenient for them. Feel free to only promote the event being held in your region, if you prefer to shorten the message.
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🎤 Our Schools, Our Future: Community Conversations Continue
Join Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid for Our Schools, Our Future – A Community Conversation. Your voice matters! Share your thoughts about FCPS and bring your questions to a conversation on:
- Tuesday, April 16, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Graham Road Elementary School.
- Tuesday, April 30, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at South County Middle School.
- Thursday, May 2, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Terraset Elementary School.
- Wednesday, May 8, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Hybla Valley Elementary School.
- Thursday, May 16, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Poe Middle School.
- Tuesday, May 21, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Katherine Johnson Middle School.
Pre-registration for a Community Conversation is not required but will help FCPS plan. Childcare and interpretation services will be provided for all events based on staff availability. Events are open to all. Learn about other opportunities to connect with Dr. Reid.
🎤 Nuestras Escuelas, Nuestro Futuro: Las Conversaciones Comunitarias Continúan
Únase a la Superintendente Dra. Michelle Reid para Nuestras Escuelas, Nuestro Futuro Una Conversación Comunitaria. ¡Su voz es importante! Comparta sus pensamientos acerca de FCPS y traiga sus preguntas a una conversación el:
- Graham Road.
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Martes, 30 de abril, 6:30-7:30 p.m., en la Escuela Intermedia South County.
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Jueves, 2 de mayo, 6:30-7:30 p.m., en la Escuela Primaria Terraset.
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Miércoles, 8 de mayo, 6:30-7:30 p.m., en la Escuela Primaria Hybla Valley.
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Jueves, 16 de mayo, 6:30-7:30 p.m., en la Escuela Intermedia Poe.
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Martes, 21 de mayo, 6:30-7:30 p.m., en la Escuela Intermedia Katherine Johnson.
No es necesario inscribirse con antelación para asistir a una conversación comunitaria, pero nos ayuda a planificar el evento. Se ofrecerán servicios de cuidado de niños y de interpretación para todos las conversaciones comunitarias. Estos eventos están abiertos para todos. Infórmese sobre otras oportunidades de conectarse con la Dra. Reid.
Morning Drop Off Kiss and Ride
When dropping your child off in the mornings, please use the kiss and ride lane and drop students off at the front of the building. Dropping students off in the back by the buses or in the parking lot is dangerous and puts your child’s safety at risk. We realize that the kiss and ride lane can back up, so we will provide students with EXCUSED TARDY passes, if students are late due to the length of the kiss and ride lane. We do ask that all cars pull as far up as they can when dropping off, so that more students can get out of the car on the sidewalk, Thank you for your help with this.
Updated COVID-19 Guidance
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) and the Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) have updated school COVID-19 recommendations in accordance with the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) respiratory virus guidance.
The COVID-19 isolation period of 5 days is no longer recommended.
The new respiratory virus guidance applies to respiratory viral illnesses, to include COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Students who have symptoms of, tested positive for, or have been diagnosed with, a respiratory virus e.g., COVID-19, influenza, RSV may return to school when:
- Student is fever-free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication; AND
- Student’s symptoms have improved or resolved
- Students should follow additional precautions as outlined per the CDC upon resumption of normal activities
🤧 Updated COVID Recommendations
In accordance with the updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) respiratory virus guidance, FCPS and the Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) have updated school COVID-19 recommendations.
The COVID-19 isolation period of five days is no longer recommended.
New respiratory virus guidance applies to respiratory viral illnesses, including COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Students who have symptoms of, test positive for, or have been diagnosed with a respiratory virus may return to school when the student is fever-free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication; AND the student’s symptoms have improved or resolved.
Students should follow additional precautions as outlined per the CDC upon resumption of normal activities.
Should I Send My Child to School?
Please refer to the chart on this attendance webpage if your child is experiencing symptoms or illnesses, and you are unsure if they should go to school.
Thank you for helping keep our students and staff healthy.
How to Access Free Resources from Tutor.com
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FCPS students continue to have unlimited access to live, 24/7, one-on-one online tutoring services through Tutor.com at no cost to families. Student participation is optional and parents/guardians can opt their student(s) out of accessing the services. Detailed information and FAQs are available on the Tutor.com Online Tutoring Services webpage. |
Students can access Tutor.com via a link in Schoology. Additional information about how to log in and access a tutor is provided to families via the following: Middle & High - How It Works. Questions not answered in the posted resources may be sent to OnlineTutoring@fcps.edu.
🏐🤼♀️ New sports, new opportunities for students!
FCPS’ advertised budget for next school year expands high school athletics with boys volleyball and girls wrestling, giving students more ways to nurture their passion and enhance their well-being.
🗣️ FCPS is now in the middle of the annual budget process, which includes opportunities for you to give feedback. See the Budget Calendar for details: bit.ly/FCPSBudgetCalendar
✅ Learn more about the FCPS FY 2025 Advertised Budget: bit.ly/FCPS-AdvBudget-FY25
🏐🤼♀️ ¡Nuevos deportes, nuevas oportunidades para los estudiantes!
Nuestro presupuesto propuesto para el próximo año escolar amplía el atletismo de la escuela secundaria con el voleibol masculino y la lucha libre femenina, dando a los estudiantes más formas de alimentar su pasión y mejorar su bienestar.🗣️ Ahora estamos en medio del proceso presupuestario anual, que incluye oportunidades para que usted pueda dar su opinión. Consulte el calendario presupuestario para más detalles: bit.ly/FCPSBudgetCalendar
✅ Aprenda más sobre el Presupuesto Anunciado de FCPS FY 2025: bit.ly/FCPS-AdvBudget-FY25
New Regulation on Meditation and Silent Reflection Spaces
FCPS has developed Regulation 1502 to ensure all students and staff have reasonable accommodation and access to meditation and silent reflection spaces within the school division. The regulation provides guidance for schools on how to manage requests for silent reflection during instructional and non-instructional time, and for students to leave school for religious activities.
These spaces are for individuals to engage in prayer, meditation, or silent reflection, inclusive of their religious or non-religious beliefs. Parents/caregivers must provide written permission for students requesting to miss instructional time on a regular basis. s. View Regulation 1502. Visit FCPS' Guidelines for Religious Activities webpage for more information.
Nueva Regulación sobre Espacios de Meditación y Reflexión
FCPS ha desarrollado el Reglamento 1502 para asegurar que todos los estudiantes y el personal tengan acomodaciones razonables y acceso a espacios de meditación y reflexión en silencio dentro de la división escolar. La regulación provee una guía para las escuelas sobre cómo manejar las solicitudes de reflexión silenciosa durante el tiempo de instrucción y no instrucción, y para que los estudiantes puedan faltar a la escuela para actividades religiosas.
Estos espacios son para que los individuos puedan dedicarse a la oración, la meditación o la reflexión en silencio, independientemente de sus creencias religiosas o no religiosas. Los padres/cuidadores deben proporcionar un permiso por escrito para dar permiso a estudiantes que falten a clase con regularidad. Visite la página web de FCPS Pautas para Actividades Religiosas para obtener más información.
☀️ Safely View the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8
A total solar eclipse will occur on Monday, April 8, and will be viewable, depending on weather, in Fairfax County. The eclipse will begin in our area around 2:04 p.m. and end around 4:32 p.m., with the maximum eclipse occurring around 3:20 p.m.
Because the timing overlaps with dismissal, it is crucial that students understand the importance of safe viewing practices. We encourage families to review these Solar Eclipse Resources, especially the eye safety information. We hope everyone takes the opportunity to learn more about this extraordinary natural phenomenon while prioritizing safe solar viewing.
☀️ Ver con Seguridad el Eclipse Total de Sol del 8 de Abril
El lunes 8 de abril se producirá un eclipse total de Sol que podrá verse, dependiendo de las condiciones meteorológicas, en el condado de Fairfax. El eclipse comenzará en nuestra área alrededor de las 2:04 p.m. y terminará alrededor de las 4:32 p.m., con el eclipse máximo ocurriendo alrededor de las 3:20 p.m.
Debido a que el momento coincide con la hora de salida, es crucial que los estudiantes entiendan la importancia de las prácticas de seguridad para ver el eclipse. Animamos a las familias a revisar estos recursos sobre el eclipse solar, especialmente la información sobre seguridad ocular. Esperamos que todos aprovechen la oportunidad de aprender más sobre este extraordinario fenómeno natural, mientras dan prioridad a una observación solar segura.
 
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