Important Dates
April 29 - May 1 - History 7 Field Trips (by team)
May 2 - 8th Grade Family Night, 6 - 7:30 PM
May 3 - No School (Teacher Workday)
May 9 - Reading SOL
May 10 - Music Department Trip
May 15 - Math SOL
May 17 - Science SOL
RAISE the Ram Card Winners
Congratulations to this week's Ram card winners:
Angel Castro (Safe)
Tegan Burns (Accountable and Engaged)
Samuel Feldshteyn (Respectful and Engaged)
Patrick Fisher (Respectful and Engaged)
Ruby Bang (Engaged)
Riley Lorjuste (Engaged)
Great job Raising the Ram!
A Note from the Principal
Dear Rocky Run Community-
We wrapped up one of my favorite weeks of the year at Rocky Run! We had the pleasure of welcoming best-selling author Stuart Gibbs to school on Wednesday. Kids (and staff) were in awe of the literary celebrity walking our halls. Mr. Gibbs had lunch with students, signed autographs and talked about the writing process. One cool piece of information that I learned was he came up with the idea for his series, "Spy School" while he was a middle school student. I think his presentations really energized the students to flex their creative muscles!
We wrapped up the week by celebrating the "Month of the Military Child" with a breakfast on Friday to celebrate our military connected students. These students rock! I am envious of their strength and flexibility as they navigate growing up within the military system. The motto, "bloom where you are planted" is evident with our Rocky Run Rams.
Next week, April 22-April 26 celebrates Administrative Professional Appreciation Week. Please join me in giving a HUGE thank you to our amazing office staff. Rocky Run would not be the school that it is without the hard work and community focus from AJ Ries, Carol Cutler, Will Martin, Carol Chrzanowski, and Cleo White.
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
Next week is Stress Less week at Rocky Run.
Join in spirit wear as we celebrate ways we can take care of ourselves
when things can feel overwhelming.
Remember, we (your school counselors) are always here to help you, too!
Mrs. Bae, Dr. Jacobson, & Mrs. Marshall
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:
- 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.
Final week to order a Yearbook!!
The yearbook order center will close for orders next Saturday, April 27. This is your last chance to pre-order and secure a book for your student.
To Order: Visit : www.yearbookordercenter.com and use school code 5333
Lost and Found
Our lost and found is overflowing and items will soon be donated or discarded. If your student is missing items (sweatshirts, jackets, water bottles, etc.), please have them check the lost and found in the cafeteria by Friday, 4/26.
|
|
 |
Sports Physicals
Athletic physicals are required for all middle and high school student-athletes. Beginning May 1, 2024, FCPS high schools will offer athletic pre-participation physical exams for students interested in sports during the 2024-25 school year. This is for rising 7th and rising 8th graders who are interested in participating in our Cross Country and/or Track & Field teams next year OR rising 9th graders who will be participating in a high school sport next year. These events serve as the primary fundraiser for our high school athletic training programs and each exam costs $50. Rising middle school students are eligible to receive a physical at no cost although donations to the HS athletic training program are welcomed.
Pre-registration is highly encouraged; walk-in appointments may not be available. You can register here: Student registration. Once your registration is received, the school’s athletic trainer will contact you to confirm your appointment time. Athletic physical exams must be completed on this form:
Form for Rising 7th and Rising 8th Grade Students to participate in Cross Country and/or Track & Field next school year. Please note: A physical is NOT required for general participation in the Middle School After-School Program - this is only for Cross Country and/or Track & Field participants: FCPS Middle School Sports Athletic Participation/Parental Consent/Physical Examination Form (PPE)
Form for Rising 9th Grade Students to participate in any high school sport next year: https://www.fcps.edu/activities/student-athletics
If you are a medical professional (MD, DO, NP, PA, ATC, PT, EMT, etc.) interested in volunteering your time in support of these events, please register to help out: Volunteer registration.
Questions about middle school forms? Contact Shannon Campbell at SLCampbell@fcps.edu. Questions about high school forms? Contact your high school's athletics office.
Library Updates
This has been an amazing week of fun, poetry, and reading! Thanks to the Rocky Run PTA, we had an absolutely fabulous author visit with Stuart Gibbs on Wednesday. All students attended one of his presentations and learned more about how some of his stories were inspired, including his work as a field scientist learning about different animals. He graciously signed more than 50 books during his visit! To prepare for his visit, our Student Library Advisory Team created a Scavenger Hunt for students to complete during Rock Time. Also thanks to the PTA, 30 students were randomly selected from completing the Scavenger Hunt to win a copy of his new book, Evil Spy School, the graphic novel, and 10 teachers were randomly selected, too!
Also this week, Mrs. Magwire’s English 8 classes visited the library to participate in Poetry Palooza, an annual activity for students to complete 5 stations exploring different aspects of poetry. Some of the stations include blackout poetry and book spine poetry, which will be part of their poetry portfolio for the quarter. It is amazing to watch students work together to flex their poetic and figurative language skills in various ways! Next week, Mrs. Williams/Ms. Morning’s classes will have Poetry Palooza!
The end of the school year will be here before we know it! All library books will be due on or before Wednesday, May 29. This date applies to all FCPS schools. In a few weeks, I will start to visit English classrooms to let students know about what books they still have checked out. It is my goal to have 100% clear accounts by June 12! If your student cannot find a book they have checked out, please contact me to make arrangements for replacement (ragrover@fcps.edu)
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.
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 4/22
Important Program Information:
-
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.
- We are proud of our track & field team for their performance and sportsmanship at their first meet last week. We are looking forward to cheering them on this weekend at Edison High School. Go Rams!
- Program updates, announcements, schedules, and late bus routes will be communicated through the After-School Schoology Course - all families have been added
-
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
Quick Links
|
