Important Dates
April 12-14 - Spring Theater Performance "A Wrinkle in Time"
April 15 - 3rd quarter grades will be viewable in SIS ParentVue and report cards will be distributed
April 17 - PTA Meeting, 6:30 PM; Family Book Club, 7 PM
April 19 - Month of the Military Child Family Breakfast, 8 AM
April 29 - May 1 - History 7 Field Trips (by team)
May 2 - 8th Grade Family Night, 6 - 7:30 PM
May 3 - Teacher Workday
RAISE the Ram Card Winners
Congratulations to this week's Ram card winners:
Roy Kachale-Banda (Accountable, Inclusive)
Bella Barker (Accountable, Engaged)
Vanessa Wang (Respectful and Accountable)
Jeslyn Dondapati (Engaged)
EJ Ross (Accountable)
Meghana Nannapaneni (Engaged)
Great job Raising the Ram!
A Note from the Principal
Dear Rocky Run Community-
We should make 4-day school weeks permanent! I hope that all Rams enjoyed the holiday this past Wednesday, in observance of Eid al Fitr. Even though students were only in class 4 days this past week, there were many cool learning activities to highlight. In particular, I loved seeing our 7th grade history students working on writing, editing and filming silent films to study the changes of the 1920's. What a cool project! Some of the films might even have "celebrity" chamoes. Also, the solar eclipse on Monday provided amazing curricular connection for all of our science students.
The solar eclipse emphasized that learning opportunities are all around us. At Rocky Run, the literal "heart" of the building is the library (because of it's central location). April is School Library Month and it's a great time to celebrate the essential role that school librarians play in the lives of students. School librarians ensure students have access to a wide variety of high-quality books and resources that connect them to the world and build a culture of literacy. Librarians develop lessons that are meaningful to students and help them develop critical thinking, inquiry, and information literacy skills. They support learning across all subject areas by teaching students the skills to be independent problem-solvers and creative thinkers. By creating a safe environment for all students to be engaged and curious learners, FCPS libraries are places where everyone belongs. We are thrilled to have Ms. Grover on staff and appreciate all the ways that she supports learning.
Finally, I hope that all Rams wear purple on Wednesday, April 17. To show our support for all our military-connected families, we are inviting all Fairfax County students, families, school employees, and community members to “Purple Up!”. Why purple? Purple symbolizes all branches of the military as a combination of Army green, Marine Corps red, and Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force and Space Force blue.
As always, thank you for your continued partnership and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions. I look forward to seeing you at RRMS soon.
Sincerely,
Peter Kownacki
Principal
Rocky Run Middle School
@pakownacki
Theatre at the Rock Presents A Wrinkle in Time
Theatre at the Rock presents A Wrinkle in Time, based on the classic book by Madeleine L’Engle! Performances are April 12 at 7 pm, April 13 at 2 pm and 7 pm, and April 14 at 2 pm. General Admission Tickets are $10 and are available now at https://etix.com/ticket/v/15634/rocky-run-middle-school-theatre?performance_id=88602155&country=US&language=en. Buy your tickets early and be ready to follow Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin on an intergalactic adventure!
Month of the Miliary Child Recognitions
April is the Month of the Military Child. In FCPS there are approximately 14,000 military-connected youth. During April, we recognize that children from military families also serve and we recognize their contributions and sacrifices. At Rocky Run there will be a Rock Time lesson on April 9 about the contributions of children from military families. On April 17 students and staff will wear purple to show our support for military-connected youth and on Friday April 19, we will have a breakfast celebration to honor our students from military families. If you are a military family and would like to join us for breakfast, please complete this google form.
https://forms.gle/x27gVTp5w41EkFoU9
Spring Family Night for 8th Grade Families
Save the date! We are excited to announce that our second annual Spring Family Night for 8th Grade Families will be held on Thursday, May 2nd from 6:00-7:30 pm. This event is being planned to answer your questions about the upcoming transition to high school. The evening will include:
- Resource fair with representatives from our three main high schools and community organizations (including some HS spirit wear sales!)
- Student panel of Rocky Run alumni/current high school students for questions and answers
- Counselor presentation on how to help your student get and stay organized for success in high school
- Q&A on how to decipher the FCPS high school math sequence
- Green screen photo booth with your choice of a Chantilly, Centreville, or Westfield background
- Sessions in Korean and in Spanish on what to expect next year
While RSVPs are not required, for our planning purposes, we would appreciate it if you could let us know that you are planning to join us by completing this Google form. If you have any questions, please contact Lorraine Marshall at LJMarshall@fcps.edu or Rachel Sweeney at rwsweeney@fcps.edu.
We look forward to welcoming you to Rocky Run on May 2nd!
Spring Standards of Learning (SOL)
State assessments measure the extent to which students have learned the content and skills reflected in state standards and may also be used to measure growth in learning state standards. The format and timing of state assessments vary by grade level and content area, as noted in the table below. These include:
- Spring Standards of Learning (SOL) standardized tests in reading, mathematics, and science. For certain grade levels, the reading SOL tests includes an integrated reading/writing (IRW) component. More information is available on the SOL assessments webpage (https://www.fcps.edu/node/35021);
Test dates for Rocky Run Middle School are scheduled as follows:
- April 16 – IRW (8th grade only)
- May 9 – Reading SOL (7th and 8th)
- May 15 – Math SOL (7th and 8th)
- May 17 – Science SOL (8th grade only)
If you have questions about state assessments, contact your student’s counselor or Ashleigh Kim (askim@fcps.edu), the school test coordinator.
Time is running out to order a Rocky Run yearbook!
The Rocky Run yearbook is a fun way for students to remember this great school year. Guarantee a book for your student and ordering by April 27th. Books are just $30 and sell out every year. Order online at: https://www.yearbookordercenter.com/index.cfm/job/5333
Order now for free shipping on school pictures!
Free shipping on orders over $20 through April 18th. Promo code: APRIL2024. To view and order photos online : vosphoto.com/underclass use your student’s Student ID to locate the pictures. Photos will be archived at the end of the school year.
Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) School Health Services Survey
The Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) employs school health aides and public health nurses who provide school health services to the students in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). To determine the quality of these services, a survey has been developed by the FCHD. Please complete the sruvey during the upcoming survey window, April 15 - April 26, 2024. Survey link: www.redcap.link/FCHDSchoolHealthSurvey.
Survey results will provide a basis for quality improvement of School Health services. The data-driven process is in alignment with the FCPS Strategic planning process, and the survey results will contribute positively to the FCPS Strategic Plan that reflects a shared consensus among stakeholders.
Library Updates
Welcome! Mrs. Christine Haye is the new part-time library assistant! She helps in the library in the mornings until recess and she is already a wonderful addition to our library program!
This Week: The library has been full of learning this week! Ms. Speir’s & Ms. Castle’s Civics classes visited the library for a mini lesson and created protypes of their inventions in the Inspiration Studio as part of their economics unit. Students’ creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking were in full force as they put their projects together and learned about real-world economics, too. It was a pleasure to support students in developing these critical skills in the library and Inspiration Studio!
Author Visit: Next Wednesday April 17, author Stuart Gibbs will be visiting Rocky Run in the afternoon! All students will attend one of his presentations in the gym. Also: Stuart Gibbs will be doing book signings during C lunch in the library. Students who have a Stuart Gibbs book at home can bring it with them to school on Wednesday and have him sign it. There are no books available for purchase. Thanks to the Rocky Run PTA for sponsoring his visit!
School Library Month! This week, students celebrated School Library Month on the Library Schoology course by guessing the Masked Reader and creating inventive captions for funny animal photos. In the library, students participated in “Rams on the Loose!”, looking for pictures of rams around the library as a scavenger hunt. Today, staff came to the library during their lunch period and learned more about the Text to Image feature of AI and created AI “alter egos” of themselves. It was great fun had by all, and there was lots of great conversation around AI and education. There will be different activities for both students and staff next week, in addition to the author visit!
Science Olympiad
Congratulations to our Science Olympiad Team for their participation in the state tournament in Charlottesville last weekend! We are proud of how they represented Rocky Run and the creativity and innovation that they showed.
Team celebrations:
2nd place in Agricultural Science: Sarah A. and Shritha A.
6th place in Disease Detectives: Dylan F. and Aavyan T.
We also represented Rocky Run with a fantastic VASO state sticker and t-shirt design created by Amber B.
Thank you to all of the families who supported our students both during the season and at the competitions and a HUGE thank you to Mrs. Davis for leading our team this year!
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Summer Camps and Learning Programs
Have you made summer plans for your child yet? Are you looking for a camp for your child with special needs?
The Family Resource Center has compiled information on summer camps including local options, camps for students with special needs (sorted by need), and camps for students experiencing grief or who have parents in the military.
FCPS Summer Camp Offerings
Registration is now open for many summer camps and learning opportunities offered by FCPS for all students.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) camps and Institute for the Arts (IFTA) camps will be held in July at Lake Braddock Secondary School from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free bus transportation will be available from select FCPS middle and high schools. Visit these sites for more information:
Find session dates and registration links and deadlines on the FCPS summer programs webpage.
Save the Date for our Annual 8th Grade End of Year Party! Suggested attire is semi-formal.
More information coming soon!
After-School Program Information
Schedule for the week of 4/15
Important Program Information:
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Mark your calendar - there will be no after-school activities and no late buses on 5/24. The last day of late buses and activities for the school year will be Thursday, 5/31.
- Program updates, announcements, schedules, and late bus routes will be communicated through the After-School Schoology Course - all families have been added
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Registration form is required for ALL RRMS students (regardless of intent to participate). Your student will not be able to stay after for any clubs, activities, or events if this form is not completed.
- Check out our Program Preview
Questions? Contact Shannon Campbell, After-School Program Specialist, at SLCampbell@fcps.edu
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