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Principal's Message |
Greetings Tiger Families!
“The human mind is an incredible thing. It can conceive of the magnificence of the heavens and the intricacies of the basic components of matter. Yet for each mind to achieve its full potential, it needs a spark. The spark of enquiry and wonder. Often that spark comes from a teacher… If you look behind every exceptional person there is an exceptional teacher. When each of us thinks about what we can do in life, chances are we can do it because of a teacher.” — Stephen Hawking
Next week we will celebrate our Twain Middle School Staff Appreciation Week, which aligns with National Teacher Appreciation Week. Twain has partnered with our generous PTA and our talented student government for various gifts, meals, and acknowledgements throughout the week. We are excited about this celebration – especially as we move into a busy and pivotal part of the school year. At Twain we are fortunate to have a dedicated faculty and staff who work each day to be the spark that Mr. Hawking mentioned in the quote above. As educators, the question never is whether or not we will have an impact on our students, but rather exactly what that impact will be. It is our privilege to serve our students and our joy to spark whatever talents and interests exist within each and every Twain Tiger.
Thank you also to all the educators that reside within our Twain community for the impact you have on your own students each and every day!
Have a wonderful weekend, Tigers.
Sincerely,
Matt
Twain’s Weekly Schedule
Monday, May 6: Anchor Day
Tuesday, May 7: Odd Day
Wednesday, May 8: Modified Even Day – Reading SOL -
Schedule: 4, 6, 2, 8 with lunch during 6th period
Thursday, May 9: Odd Day
Friday, May 10: Even Day
Schedule changes can be found on the Twain Website on our Bell Schedule page under Important Dates: Schedule Changes.
PTA Updates
*** Staff Appreciation Week****
May 6-10 is Staff Appreciation Week. The PTA would like to help the Twain Community say thank you to the amazing teachers and staff at Twain MS. Please consider making a monetary donation that will go directly towards the purchase of gift cards for the Gift Card Giveaway on May 8th. ***We hope to raise enough money to give each teacher and staff member at $25 gift card. With 136 staff members, we need your help to make this happen*** Any additions funds collected will go towards the desserts and catered luncheon planned during Staff Appreciation Week. Make your donation by clicking here. Please make your donations no later than today, Friday, May 3, so we have time to purchase the gift cards for May 8th. If you tried to use the QR code on the flyer and had trouble, please try again or click this link. The QR code was getting overloaded.
Spirit Night at Olympians
Order food from Olympians Family Restaurant at 6430 Landsdowne Centre on May 14 & 15 ALL DAY and support Twain PTA. Dine in or Carryout. Tell them your supporting MTMS PTA and proceeds will be donated to the PTA. When ordering online, remember to write in the notes that you are support Twain. Eat good food and help a good cause.
Twain Community Night
Join us for the annual Twain Community Night on Thursday, May 16 from 6-8 pm. This is a family-fun event open to the community. Invitations will be distributed to Twain’s feeder elementary schools and we are hoping for a big crowd. The PTA will be selling pizza, other concessions and SPIRIT WEAR. All Twain departments will be represented. Don’t miss the PICK A PRIZE Raffle. Prizes include Washington Nationals Baseball Tickets, LEGO Discovery, Total Wine, Fairfax County Park Foundation, Natalie Dicks Photography, Crumbl Cookie, and more. Help spread the word.
Please sign-up to help with set-up, concessions sales, and spirit wear sales. Use this sign-up genius link to volunteer.
8th Grade Dance
Mark your calendars for the much anticipated 8th Grade Dance on June 7th from 6:30-8:30 PM. The theme of the dance is The Pacific Voyage and the dress will be formal. Tickets go on sale during the lunch period the week of the dance for $5. Price of the ticket includes, admission to the dance, all the yummy refreshments, a party favor, and a keepsake photo with a 360-photo booth. Tickets will NOT be sold at the door, so plan ahead to get your ticket during lunch.
Spring SOL Schedule
Spring SOLs are approaching and Twain’s testing schedule is below. Please ensure students are in school on testing days and do not have appointments and commitments that would require them to be pulled out of their test. Please be aware that for all these dates, 4th period will be first which is the testing period. Students should come to school on time, well rested, and with a fully charged laptop. If you have any questions about spring SOLs, please contact our Testing Coordinator, Sara Joy Lebowitz, sjlebowitz@fcps.edu
Reading SOL - May 8
- The Bell Schedule for this day is 4, 6, 2, 8 with lunch during 6th
Math SOL – May 15
- The Bell Schedule for this day is 4, 8, 6, 2 with lunch during 8th
Science SOL* - May 17
- The Bell Schedule for this day is 4, 8, 2, 6 with lunch during 2nd
*Only 8th graders take this SOL, however, we will be administering a practice SOL to 7th graders on this day.
These schedule changes can be found on the Twain Website on our Bell Schedule page under Important Dates: Schedule Changes.
Fairfax VIP Summer Camp
Are you looking for an affordable FCPS summer camp? The Eastern Fairfax V.I.P Summer camp may be for your child. The camp is only for rising 7th and rising 8th graders who attend Mark Twain, Hayfield, Whitman, Key or Sandburg. The camp will be at Sandburg Middle School and will run from July 1st – August 1st from 8:30 am – 4:00 pm. Transportation will be provided for all students in need. Students will participate daily in sports activities, computer lab, game room and a cooking component as well as 5 field trips.
The registration form is located on the Mark Twain website and will stay open until June 1st. Please register soon as spots will fill up.
Thank you and please reach out to Dominic Amato – After School Specialist @ Twain – dfamato@fcps.edu
May Webinars and Events for Families
The Family Resource Center (FRC) offers free webinars for adults to support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities. Upcoming events include:
- Friday, May 10, 10-11:30 a.m. – Attached: Creating a Relationship With My Child Where They Feel Safe and Secure (Presented in Spanish)
- Tuesday, May 14, 10-11 a.m. and Wednesday, May 15, 7-8 p.m. – COVID-19 Compensatory Services Partnership Between FCPS and Varsity Tutors
- Friday, May 17, 10-11:30 a.m. – Meet the Author Series: “The Breakthrough Years” by Ellen Galinsky
- Friday, May 31, 10-11:30 a.m. – Behavior Solution Series for Secondary Families: Taming the Teenaged Brain
Click the linked titles above to register. Learn more about FRC webinars and events.
Let’s Finish the School Year Strong!
Student attendance at school is important all year long, up to the last day of school. Attendance has an effect on student performance and on school accreditation. See how to:
- Check your child’s attendance record.
- Help your student stay engaged at school.
- Report future absences.
- Understand the FCPS school calendar.
Learn more about attendance resources.
Share Your Thoughts on Middle School Start Times
FCPS invites the public to be part of the process of exploring options for adjusting middle school start times. Attend a forum to hear about adolescent sleep research from an expert, learn about the ongoing middle school start times study, and participate in small group discussions.
All forums will deliver the same presentation and provide the same feedback opportunities. Breakout sessions will be held for middle school students to share their voices. Students are encouraged to attend!
Register for a forum by clicking on one of the following dates:
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Monday, May 6, 6-8 p.m., at Whitman Middle School.
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Monday, May 13, 6:30-8 p.m., virtual forum.
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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.
While registration is not required, it does help with planning. Language interpretation and childcare will be provided. Learn more about the project exploring middle school start times.
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
People with ancestral roots in Asia and the islands of the Pacific have been integral to the story of America. In 1992, May was designated Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month to celebrate their heritage and contributions.
Jewish American Heritage Month
May is designated Jewish American Heritage Month to recognize the history of Jewish contributions to American culture and acknowledge the diverse achievements of the Jewish community in the U.S. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.
Yearbook
Buy your Twain yearbook today!
Go to yearbookordercenter.com
Use our code #: 8606
Last day to pre order has been extended to May 17!
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