Carson MS Weekly Updates -Week of June 10


Carson Middle School

        Important Upcoming Events

  • August 19 - 1st day of school 

 


23-24 SY Theme

Weekly highlights
  • Message from Mr. Stokes 
  • Summer office hours
  • Overdue Library Books!
  • Student Services Information
  • Other Schools Are Sharing

Happy Summer Break

August 19th is the first day of school


A Message From Principal Stokes

Greetings Panthers,

We made it.  Last day of school and the 23-24 school year is in the books.  On behalf of the Carson staff, I want to share my thanks and praise for this year’s students.  It was an honor to see you achieve in the classroom, perform on stage and in concert, and see you engaged with extracurricular activities.  I am proud of who you are as individuals and what you accomplished throughout the year.  To our 8th grade students, we wish you much success in high school and beyond.  Once a Panther, always a Panther.  For our 7th graders, we look forward to your return and continuing the journey with you next year.  Thank you to all of our families for the support.  We value your contributions to our learning environment. 

Please have an enjoyable and safe summer.

Sincerely,
Gordon Stokes


Summer hours

The office summer hours will be M- F - 9-12pm


Laptop return

Laptops and Chargers Collection

 

 Students who are enrolled in a summer program will return their laptop after the summer program is concluded.  Laptop return information for students in summer programs will be sent to families at a later date.

Carson Tech Team


Medication Pickup

The school health room is reminding parents and guardians that all medication stored in the health room must be picked up no later than 12:15 PM on Wednesday, June 12.Medications left in the health room after that time will be discarded.  It is school policy that medications must be picked up by the parent or guardian.  Medication cannot be sent home with your student. 

 If your child will be enrolled in a summer program sponsored by Fairfax County Public Schools, your existing long-term medication authorization form(s) may be used for the summer program.  Please let the health room know if you would like a copy of the form(s). 

If you have any questions, please contact your school health room aide, Zahida Choudhary, at (703) 925-3610 or ztchoudhary1@fcps.edu, or your school public health nurse, Hannah Wilkinson, at (571) 595-6273 or hwilkinson@fcps.edu.


🥗Remember to Check Your Student’s Lunch Balance 

It’s a busy time of year, and we know there are many priorities on families’ plates. As we approach the end of the school year, it is important to remember to check your students’ MySchoolBucks account and pay any remaining school meal balance. 

Families that earn less than 185% of poverty level qualify for free and reduced-price meals. However, an application must be completed and submitted each school year to receive that benefit. The application for the 2024-25 school year will be available this summer. 

If families have a current balance and think they may be eligible for free and reduced-price meals, please fill out the FRM application for the 2023-24 school year. Get more information about free and reduced-price lunch.


Library Books

All Carson Library books were due Wed, May 29th. Overdue notices were emailed out again to students and parents today, June 5. If books can’t be found after diligent searching, students must pay for lost books. Payment must be made via My School Bucks. Directions can be found in the Library’s Schoology Course on the Updates feed or in the Library Information folder. Questions? Please reach out to a librarian, elbickford@fcps.edu or emdonovan1@fcps.edu. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Librarian @ Carson MS

Fairfax County Public Schools


Virtual Mental Wellness Consultations

This summer, the FCPS Office of Intervention and Prevention Services will offer virtual Mental Wellness Consultations from Monday, June 24, through Friday, August 2. Any FCPS parent or secondary student can schedule a 45-minute consultation with a school psychologist or social worker by phone or videoconference. 

Parents of students in any grade level can request a consultation to receive guidance on how to support their child’s social, emotional, and academic success. Information about community resources will also be provided.

Middle or high school students can request a consultation to receive guidance and support for concerns related to anxiety, mood, behavior, peer or family interactions, or school transitions and changes. Strategies and tools can also be provided to address academic challenges such as organization and time management.

We encourage all families to take advantage of this service. Request a consultation or call and leave a message at 703-503-2520.


Online Campus Summer Registration Closing Soon!

Registration for summer classes with FCPS' Online Campus will close on Friday, June 7. Online campus courses are for students in grades 7-12. Email OnlineCampus@fcps.edu or call 703-503-7781 with any questions.


Mathematics Independent Learning Options for Families

Summer enrichment opportunities can provide students access to review and support meaningful learning experiences aligned to course objectives. Required summer assignments are not allowed as they can pose barriers for students who are unable to complete them and create the perception that the rigor of a course is only accessible for those with conditions that support structured learning over the summer. 

The purpose of optional summer enrichment might be to:

  • Activate students’ background knowledge and skills;
  • Provide opportunity to review introductory topics/prerequisites for the course; or 
  • Create or enhance enthusiasm and interest in a subject or to serve as a springboard for future learning.

Summer enrichment activities should not be given to learn new material or fill large gaps as a result of the pandemic. Whenever possible, it is recommended to provide students with voice and choice in their learning. Linked below are options that can be shared with students and families.

Summer Learning Options Mathematics ES

Summer Learning Options Mathematics SS


Student services

Student Testing Results Coming Soon

Later this month, you will begin receiving your child’s spring assessment results. If you aren’t sure what assessments your child took this year, view this list of tests by grade level on FCPS’ website. 

How the results are delivered depends on the test. Scores will be posted in SIS ParentVUE, or sent by mail or from the school or testing organization. Learn what to expect regarding assessment reporting practices and timelines

Visit FCPS’ website for additional information about student assessments, including what each assessment is testing for and how to interpret the test results. Caregivers should contact their children’s teacher with any testing questions.

📈 New SOL Growth Reports for Grade 3-8 TestsVirginia Standards of Learning (SOL) test results, along with other student data, help demonstrate in which subjects or topics students may need additional academic support.

In order to help interpret SOL results for parents, the Virginia Department of Education has released new Standards of Learning Growth Parent Reports for families of students who took grade 3-8 SOL math and reading tests this spring. 

The Growth Parent Report ties together scores from fall and winter Virginia Growth Assessments (VGA) with the student’s current spring SOL results to show their trend in academic progress this year. 

Learn how to understand your student’s grade 3-8 SOL results and find resources to support their ongoing learning.Support Your Child’s Success in SIS ParentVUE Signing up for a SIS ParentVUE account helps you to support your child’s academic success. Caregivers can view important information in ParentVUE such as attendance, grades, progress reports, and assessment scores. 

Once you have activated a ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same ParentVUE account. A SIS ParentVUE app is available for Apple and Android devices. 

Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video explains the steps. Find out more. To create a new account, please contact aholmes@fcps.edu for an activation letter. 

If you already have an account, be sure your contact information is up-to-date. Parents/guardians can update their phone numbers or email addresses in the Parent/Guardian section. View more information


Student Services Updates

HS Credit Course Expunge Process

High school credit courses taken in grades 7 and 8 become part of the student’s high school transcript and are included in the calculation of the high school Grade Point Average (GPA) and weighted as such. Virginia state and FCPS regulations permit parents/guardians of a middle school student who has completed a high school credit course to have that course expunged from the student’s record.  

The request to remove a course from the transcript must be made in writing to the middle or high school that the student will attend the following year and prior to the end of the first nine weeks of the school year.

See Request to Expunge High School Courses Taken in Middle School Form. If you have questions or concerns regarding this, please contact your child’s middle school counselor no later than June 14.

Once deleted, the course and grade awarded cannot be reinstated.

Courses taken in the summer session following student promotion from the eighth grade are ineligible for removal from the high school transcript.

Student Intention Forms 

The school year is almost over and we are preparing for the 2024-2025 school year.  If you are moving over the summer and your child is not returning to RCMS next school year, please notify us by completing the Intention Form and emailing Ms. Skold at meskold@fcps.edu  at your earliest convenience. This information will enable us to prepare transcript information so that it is available when requested by your child’s school.

 

7th Grade Immunization Requirement

The Code of Virginia requires all students to be immunized against certain communicable diseases prior to entrance into Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS).

All students entering 7th grade will be required to receive one dose of each of the following immunizations prior to the beginning of school: Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis booster (Tdap), Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

  • To meet the Meningococcal (MenACWY) requirement, the vaccination must be administered at age 10 or older.       
  • As a parent/guardian, you may decide that your child not receive the HPV vaccination. The school does not require documentation if a parent/guardian elects for their student not to receive the HPV vaccination.

ACTION REQUESTED: Please provide one of the following immunization documents to the Student Information Assistant (SIA) or Registrar at your child’s current elementary school as soon as possible:

  1. An immunization record showing that the child has received at least one dose of each of the required immunizations listed above.
  2. A note on a healthcare provider’s letterhead stating the date the vaccine(s) was given.
  3. A healthcare provider’s written statement of a permanent or temporary medical exemption.

4.            A notarized Religious Exemption Form 

Immunizations are available from your child’s healthcare provider, the Fairfax County Health Department, or other community resources. 

Fairfax County Health Department

Low Cost Healthcare Resources

Health and Community Resources


Save the Dates!


Summer events

Mason Math Odyssey Enrichment Camp at GMU

July 8, 2024 - July 12, 2024

Mason Math Odyssey enrichment camp (MMO) is a place for rising 6th - 9th graders who are curious about math to learn about beautiful mathematics concepts typically not taught in K-12 curriculum. Students will engage in fun and friendly team competitions that will help build mathematical maturity while honing problem solving, collaboration, and communication skills. Camp participants will embark on an exciting mathematical journey through space and time to learn about some of the greatest mathematical discoveries from ancient times to this day, get exposed to some of the fundamental mathematical concepts from the areas of geometry, topology, number theory, probability and algebra, as well as mathematical modeling, and compete for a chance to win the camp trophy. As part of the daily agenda, students will be immersed into one of the mathematical themes through guest lectures, hands-on activities, and group projects featuring Olympiad-style problems as well as simple mathematical puzzles and culminating in a peer and instructor judged presentation.

Where: In-person – GMU Fairfax Campus

Dates: July 8, 2024 - July 12, 2024

Time: 9am - 3pm (drop off and pickup windows TBD)

Cost: $490 includes all materials, activities, and daily lunch!

Registration Deadline: Friday, June 4, 2024

 More details: Mason Summer Day Camp | GMU College of Science.

Contact: Jennifer Lawler jlawler@gmu.edu


FCPS Summer Learning and Fun

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

VIP Camp: July 1 - August 1


VIP Camp

Online Tutoring

This is a reminder that all students in FCPS have access to Tutor.com.  This a free service where students have 24/7 access to an on-line tutor.  Students can connect with someone about nearly any school subject.  We encourage all families to take a few minutes to review the basics of Tutor.com and log-in to try out this great resources.  You can go directly to tutor.com or review the FCPS overview page at:  https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/tutoring-options-fcps/tutorcom-online-tutoring-services


Other Schools Are Sharing


Final

Oakton HS

For more information on the Oakton HS Dance Team click HERE


Field Hockety-Oakton

Click here to register for the Oakton Field Hockey Camp


Oakton Dance

Click here for more information about registration for the Oakton Junior Dance Team Camp.


Chantilly HS

Chantilly High School

Charge Ahead Freshman Orientation Registration & Payment links

Chantilly High School is offering three Freshman Orientation options.  The choices to attend a 1-Day session are either August 6, 7, or 8 from 9:00-1:00 PM.  Students will get a chance to get to know us, ease any anxiety, and learn how to navigate high school life here as a CHARGER.  It’s so fun and you don’t want to miss out!  The cost is $50 per student via MySchoolBucks which includes a Class of 2028 t-shirt, snacks, and a Chick-Fil-A Sandwich.  Registrations are on a first-come first-serve basis until July 28.  Register today to secure your spot.

Payment via studentswww.myschoolbucks.com


ClickHERE for information about Chantilly HS Sports


Who to Contact

If you have a question or concern, please visit our website for a full listing of  Who to Contact.  This listing includes all of our administrators, our counselors, and who to speak to regarding a specific content area or class. Contact information for all staff members is listed on our website - just click on the name of the person you wish to contact  to be redirected to their email address: RCMS Staff Directory.