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Dear Whitman Middle School Families,
We’ve had a fantastic first three weeks of the school year, and we are excited to invite you to our Back to School Night! This is a wonderful opportunity to meet your child's teachers, learn more about our curriculum, and explore the various programs and resources available to our students and families.
Date: September 10th
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Location: Whitman Middle School
In addition to meeting our amazing teachers, you'll have the chance to visit displays from McCutcheon/Mt. Vernon Farmers Market, our MFLAC, Amy Demele, Student Ambassadors, Neighborhood & Community Use Services, our PTSA, our Parent Liaison, Raquel Monterrosa, United Community, Ft. Bevoir Youth Center, ONMV, Progresso Literacy Center, Minds Matter, Girls on the Run, an IB Presentation, and other community vendors. These organizations will showcase the support and opportunities they provide to our students and families.
Plus, don’t miss the chance to purchase Whitman gear and show your school spirit!
We look forward to seeing you there and sharing all the great things happening at Whitman Middle School!
Warm regards,
John Flowers Principal Whitman Middle School
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Michael Meiser is our new Assistant Principal, overseeing 8th grade and the alphabet L – Z. He comes to us after retiring from education and working 30 years in Charles County Public Schools. While there he served as social studies teacher, coach, vice principal, principal, director of adult education and most recently the systems school safety and residency administrator for the county. Mr. Meiser attended Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and Bowie State University. He is excited to be back in the schools working with students, staff, and parents to make Whitman Middle School the best school in Fairfax County Public Schools. |
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LaTasha Watson is a dedicated educator with 21 years of experience in the field. She has taught in various school divisions and across different educational levels. LaTasha holds a master’s degree in adult education from Central Michigan University and a master’s in administration from the University of Richmond. In 2020, she joined FCPS as a Technology Education instructor and has been a passionate advocate for STEM education. During her time at FCPS, LaTasha has taken on roles such as the STEAM Resource teacher, an evening administrator for the FC Adult High School, and a GED instructor at Plum Center. Her contributions have extended beyond the classroom as she served as the State Advisor for The Virginia Technology Student Association, is an executive board member of the Virginia Association for Career and Technical Education association and is a recipient of the Marshall O Tetterton Award. |
Dear Parents/Guardians of Middle School Students:
Students in grades 7-8 participate in Family Life Education (FLE) instruction through their health and physical education course. Students receive instruction in a human growth and development unit and an emotional and social health unit. For more information about the FCPS Family Life Education program, please see the detailed grade-level program descriptions at: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle-school-academics-7-8/family-life-education-fle.
In addition, grade level-specific curriculum lessons are available for review in multiple locations.
- Online in Schoology - includes lessons and media titles that FCPS has streaming rights for. Any additional media or book titles that are not streamed are available at your child’s school library.
o Parents/guardians login to Schoology using the same username and password as their Student Information System (SIS) Parent account.
- Your child’s school. Please contact the school to schedule a time to review lessons and/or media.
- City of Fairfax Regional Library – lesson only. Media is not available.
You are invited to attend an evening opportunity to preview the Family Life Education media and lessons and to talk with school staff about the program. The meeting will be held on September 10, 2024 at 5:30 PM in Whitman’s Lecture Hall. All program materials and media for all grade levels will be available for your review at this time.
Parents/guardians who do not wish to have their child participate in FLE instruction may choose to opt their child out of any or all of the lessons. If you would like to opt your child out of one or more lessons, please fill out the form provided to you in your child’s orientation packet at the beginning of the school year or you may access the opt out forms online at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle-school-academics-7-8/family-life-education-fle. If you have already indicated your desire to opt your child out of FLE lessons by using the form provided earlier in the school year, you do not need to complete another form. Should you opt your child out and then later decide you want your child included in FLE instruction, you must notify your child’s school principal or assistant principal in writing before instruction begins.
An alternative non-FLE health instructional program is provided for students who do not take part in FLE instruction, and every effort is made to foster understanding and respect for family choices and to avoid peer pressure for or against participation in the program.
Instruction occurs at various times during the school year. Please contact your child’s teacher for specific dates of FLE instruction. We look forward to working as your partner in providing information that will help your child make healthy choices related to the exciting changes and new challenges he/she will be facing in the next few years.
Estimados Padres/Tutores de Estudiantes de Secundaria:
Los estudiantes en los grados 7-8 participan en la instrucción de Educación para la Vida Familiar (FLE) a través de su curso de salud y educación física. Los estudiantes reciben instrucción en una unidad de crecimiento y desarrollo humano y una unidad de salud emocional y social. Para obtener más información sobre el programa de Educación para la Vida Familiar de FCPS, consulte las descripciones detalladas del programa de nivel de grado en: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle-school-academics-7-8/family-life-education-fle.
Además, las lecciones del currículo específico del nivel de grado están disponibles para su revisión en múltiples ubicaciones.
- En línea en Schoology: incluye lecciones y títulos de medios para los que FCPS tiene derechos de transmisión. Cualquier medio adicional o títulos de libros que no se transmitan están disponibles en la biblioteca escolar de su hijo.
o Los padres/tutores inician sesión en Schoology con el mismo nombre de usuario y contraseña que su cuenta de padres del Sistema de Información del Estudiante (SIS).
- La escuela de su hijo. Por favor, póngase en contacto con la escuela para programar una hora para revisar las lecciones y/o los medios de comunicación.
- Biblioteca Regional de la Ciudad de Fairfax - solo lección. Los medios de comunicación no están disponibles.
Se le invita a asistir a una oportunidad nocturna para obtener una vista previa de los medios y lecciones de Educación para la Vida Familiar y para hablar con el personal de la escuela sobre el programa. La reunión se llevará a cabo el 10 de septiembre de 2024 a las 5:30 p.m. en Whitman's Lecture Hall. Todos los materiales y medios del programa para todos los niveles de grado estarán disponibles para su revisión en este momento.
Los padres/tutores que no deseen que su hijo participe en la instrucción de FLE pueden optar por excluir a su hijo de alguna o todas las lecciones. Si desea excluir a su hijo de una o más lecciones, complete el formulario que se le proporciona en el paquete de orientación de su hijo al comienzo del año escolar o puede acceder a los formularios de exclusión voluntaria en línea en https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle-school-academics-7-8/family-life-education-fle. Si ya ha indicado su deseo de excluir a su hijo de las lecciones de FLE utilizando el formulario proporcionado anteriormente en el año escolar, no necesita completar otro formulario. En caso de que usted opte por excluir a su hijo y luego decida que desea que su hijo sea incluido en la instrucción FLE, debe notificar al director o subdirector de la escuela de su hijo por escrito antes de que comience la instrucción.
Se proporciona un programa alternativo de instrucción de salud no FLE para los estudiantes que no participan en la instrucción de FLE, y se hace todo lo posible para fomentar la comprensión y el respeto por las opciones familiares y para evitar la presión de los compañeros a favor o en contra de la participación en el programa.
La instrucción se lleva a cabo en varios momentos durante el año escolar. Por favor, póngase en contacto con el maestro de su hijo para conocer las fechas específicas de la instrucción de FLE. Esperamos trabajar como su socio para proporcionar información que ayudará a su hijo a tomar decisiones saludables relacionadas con los cambios emocionantes y los nuevos desafíos que enfrentará en los próximos años.
  
 
 
 
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