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Greetings, Irving Families!
We are very excited to kick off Cross Country season with our first meet tomorrow at Twain Middle School. I want to thank our coaches - Coach Smart, Espinal Waller, and Krouse for helping get our students ready for race day. We would also like to thank Ms. Duncan and Ms. Wilson for making sure our students are ready to participate by ensuring students learned the routines of after school activities and for organizing all of the forms. It will be a beautiful morning, and we wish our student athletes all the best!
As we continue through the year, I want to take a few minutes to share a few reminders about arrival. Our doors open at 7:00 am for students. If students arrive at 7:00 am, they will need to report directly to the cafeteria until the bell rings to dismiss them to the rest of the building. We serve breakfast daily in the cafeteria and all students are welcome to purchase and eat their breakfast until 7:25 am. We do ask that all food stay in the cafeteria and that it is not eaten in the hallways. This helps us ensure students are moving in the hallways and there are no spills.
Lastly, we are excited to announce that next week we are opening our Math Support Center, after school in the library. We highly encourage students to stay after when they need support or want to work on math. The center will be supported by Math teachers who are ready to help with either grade level and content from any of our math classes. Thank you to our Math teachers for offering this opportunity for students.
Take Care!
Cindy Conley
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Irving’s Math Support Center is OPEN!
What: If your student needs extra support in math, they should come to the Math Support Center after school. Students can get support from math teachers on homework, classwork, studying and more!
Where: Library
When: After School during first block (2:25 – 3:25 PM)
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Library News:
On Thursday, September 19th, students who participated in the Summer READ! Program were invited to the library for a small celebration. Students enjoyed a donut and were excited to hear of the two 7th grade students and two 8th grade students who won the drawing for $25 Barnes and Noble gift cards.
In other library news, as students visit the library, they vote in our weekly “Irving Says” poll. Last week, students weighed in on whether they’d like to fall into a pit of LETHARGIC boa constrictors, or to have one AGGRESSIVE boa constrictor loose in their neighborhood. An overwhelming number of students, 83%, chose to take their chances with the loose, neighborhood snake. Stay tuned next week to see what else “Irving Says.”
Two reading-related clubs will be starting next week. During the first block on Tuesdays, students may attend the after-school book club, led by Ms. Monk, called “Readers Unite.” On Wednesdays during first block, Mr. Brizek will lead our school’s “Battle of the Books” program. Students who need more information about either of these opportunities can ask the librarians, or just show up on the first day and find out what it’s about.
Blue Star Welcome Week
We are celebrating Blue Star Welcome Week to help military families feel more connected to our community. To kick off our celebration, we will be hosting a coffee meet up on Monday, September 23 at 0730 in our library. We recognize that being a military family comes with various challenges and we want to make sure you are feeling connected and supported by our Irving community. We also welcome families who have lived here for a while to join so you may share your knowledge of Irving and Northern Virginia to assist in acclimating the new military families. Our Military and Family Life Counselor (MFLC), our Family Liaison and members of our administrative staff will be in attendance as well. We will also invite our military connected students who moved to the area over the summer at the beginning of this program.
If you are able to attend, please complete this form by September 16th so we will know how many people to expect.
If you are not able to attend, but would like support from our MFLC, you can reach Ms. Stephens at 202-253-4706 or stehensa4@magellanfederal.com.
When a Student Should Stay Home From School
Whether students miss school because of illness or any other reason, missing school leads to learning loss.
Help your child succeed by encouraging them to attend as many days as possible, but do make sure your child stays home if they are sick. Visit our website for information on when to keep your child at home.
If your child has a chronic illness, make sure to notify their teacher so that assistance can be provided if needed. Keep an open line of communication with your school's public health staff.
Read about how families can help form good attendance habits. Attend today, achieve tomorrow!
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology Information Session
Interested Irving students and families please join us on Thursday September 26th from 6-7PM at Irving – Barker Hall Auditorium for a TJHSST information session brought to you by a Thomas Jefferson Representative. Learn about the programs, classes, student life and the admission application.
***The TJ application will become available on Monday, October 21 at 4:00 pm via the TJ website.
What is TJHSST?
A FCPS regional Governor’s high school (9-12th grades) for students interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). You can now find the new TJ Admissions Video for 2023 as well as the presentation schedule that is available to the public on their website, www.fcps.edu/tjadmissions. We strongly encourage you to view their YouTube admissions video prior to attending this meeting.
Eligibility to Apply (8th grade):
(1) Residency requirement-FCPS is included
(2) Completed a full-year course of Algebra 1, OR be currently enrolled in a full-year course of HONORS-level Algebra 1 or higher math
(3) Be enrolled in HONORS science
(4) Be enrolled in HONORS social studies OR English OR be identified as a “Young Scholar”
(5) Have a 3.5 or higher GPA in all core academic courses (Math, Science, Social studies, English, and if taken for high school credit, World Language) at the time of application.
TJHSST Admissions: Contact Information
Admissions Office (general inquiries): Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Phone:571-423-3770 Email: tjadmissions@fcps.edu Website:www.fcps.edu/tjadmissions
Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R)
The SR&R document explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses. Parents using SIS ParentVUE will be prompted to sign the document when logging in to that platform. A printable version of the document with a signature sheet is available on the SR&R webpage. This form should be signed and returned by Friday, September 30.
World Language Credit Exam
Can your child read and write proficiently in another language?
If the answer is YES then you may want to register them for the World Language Credit Exam
What is the World Language Credit Exam?
A free, optional test offered by FCPS to provide students the opportunity to EARN HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT for their ability to read and write in another language. This is a rigorous test that assesses language experience (example: A student can read an entire newspaper in another language and write an essay using complete sentences).
Why take the World Language Credit Exam?
If students pass the exam, they can earn up to three (3) high school credits towards the advanced diploma language graduation requirements.
When is the World Language Credit Exam?
The 2024 World Language Credit Exam will be administered at Irving Middle School between November 6-22, 2024. School counselors will register students from September 4-October 4, 2024. If you are interested in registering your child for this test, please email your child’s assigned school counselor:
7th Grade:
Mrs. Pareja – cspareja@fcps.edu, Mr. Frenck – djfrenck@fcps.edu
8th Grade:
Ms. Nelson – aenelson@fcps.edu, Ms. Kiefaber – smkiefaber@fcps.edu
The After School Program runs 4 days a week unless noted. Monday through Thursday, our clubs and activities will run in two activity blocks (2:25 pm to 3:25 pm and 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm). The club schedule will vary by day and week, the most up-to-date schedule will be posted in the “After School” section in the student portal.
In order to sign up for a club, students must sign up using the Weekly Signup located in the After School Program folder located in the Schoology All Students Course and the After School section of the student portal.
Students may participate in as many clubs as they want. We encourage them to try something new as part of the After School Program! Use the following link to register your student. After School Registration Form
Monday, September 23 - Activities and Clubs start, please remind your student that ALL athletic activities and clubs require athletic footwear to participate, locker rooms are not accessible during the After School Program.
Coming Soon:
WITS (Washington Irving Theater Society) will start Tuesday, October 1, 1st block
Arcade will start Monday, October 7, 1st block
Humanity Club will start Monday, October 7, 1st block
Orchestra Sidekicks will start Monday, October 7, 2nd block
Minecraft Club will start Thursday, October 10, 1st block
FAB Fridays will start Friday, October 18, the program will end at 3:30pm. There are no late buses on Fridays.
View the schedule on our website, the current schedule is available on your student’s Schoology and their Student Portal.
** When picking up students from After School programs, please use the front loop - students will come out the main entrance.**
Thank You for Attending our First PTA Meeting!
A big thank you to everyone who attended our first PTA meeting of the year! Your participation and input help make a difference, and we appreciate your time and support. Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, November 12 at 6:30 p.m.
Spirit Wear Store is Open! Grab your WIMS spirit wear now at https://shop.burkesports.com/. Use code HORSEMEN to shop until noon, Wednesday, October 2. Orders will be delivered to students in mid-October.
Membership Update Thank you to everyone who has joined the PTA! We’re excited to announce that we've reached 84% of our goal and currently have 209 members. If you haven’t joined yet, it’s not too late! Membership dues are $10 per parent/guardian, $9 for additional family members, and $5 for staff/faculty. As a member, you'll receive our exclusive weekly newsletter, packed with detailed updates about events sponsored by the PTA and more. Signing up is easy—simply copy and paste this link into your browser: https://irvingms.memberhub.com/store/
WIMS PTA Direct Donation Drive (Headless Heroes) Want to support our school without the hassle of selling, baking or volunteering? It’s simple—just click, donate, and you’re done!
Our direct donor fundraising goal this year is $10,000 to enhance the WIMS experience for every student. Funds will support field trips, the 8th grade dance, family and community events, staff appreciation, and more - including a water bottle refill station and boys’ restroom privacy dividers.
Donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of your contribution directly benefits Washington Irving Middle School. To learn more and donate, visit: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/donate. Thank you!
SAVE THE DATE – Parent Education Session Join us on October 10 at 6 PM for our first Parent Education Session, “Understanding Your Middle Schooler,” hosted by our WIMS school counselors.
Papa John’s Spirit Days – Every Thursday Enjoy 40% off all menu prices at Springfield Papa John’s (Rolling Road) every Thursday from 11 AM to 10 PM! Use promo code IMS4010 when you order online (10% of sales donated to the PTA).
For any questions, feel free to reach out to us at irvingmspta@gmail.com.
Fairfax County Special Education PTA (SEPTA)Join SEPTA next Tuesday, 9/24 at 7pm for their first general membership meeting of the year! Register is free at www.tinyurl.com/SEPTASept2024
Following SEPTA's business, SEPTA will present a virtual event for students and parents: Executive Function Tips with Wendy Weinberger, President and Co-Founder of Illuminos, and Top 10 Things Neurodivergent Kids Wish Adults Knew with Jackie Waldman of Jackie Waldman Coaching.
In Case you Missed It
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:
- Caregiver Checklist
- New Food Options at FCPS
- Early Release Mondays at Elementary Schools
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
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