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October 3rd- Rosh Hashanah- Schools and Offices Closed
October 4th- Teacher Work Day (student holiday)- Office Hours 9am -1pm.
Due to the four-day weekend for students, there will be NO AFTER SCHOOL on Wednesday, October 2nd. All students will be dismissed at the regular dismissal time.
Families, remember that when coming to the school to pick up your student, an official photo ID must be presented to the Main Office staff. Please understand that this is for security purposes. Driver’s licenses, passports, and military IDs are appropriate examples of official IDs.
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Makeups/retakes are scheduled for November 8th. You can sign up for a time slot using this Signup Genius. Information about ordering retakes will be available closer to that date. |
Yes! That's a thing!
We are excited to offer two new activities on FRIDAYS this fall, starting on September 20th through December 13th (skipping Oct 4, Nov 1, and Nov 29 because of school holidays).
Both activities will meet from 2:35-3:35pm, and we will offer study hall and/or open gym for students until the parent pickup deadline (4:00pm).
No late buses are available on Fridays.
Magnus Chess Academy
Magnus Chess Academy has been teaching chess in Fairfax County since 2008. Over that time period we've taught more than 30,000 students in after school clubs, before school clubs, and camps. They include kids who've won seventeen state championships and four national championships, but most of our students are beginners looking to learn a fun new game. That's how all the champions start out too!
Super Sleuths (Crime Scene Investigators)
Get out your magnifying glasses and detective hats; we have clues to decipher and crimes to solve! We’ll put our critical thinking skills and STEM knowledge to the test and get to the bottom of mysteries by learning the tricks real investigators use to solve cases. While experimenting with simple detection techniques, your reasoning skills will grow, and your problem-solving skills will be on par with real CSI Agents!
Each activity has room for a max of 20 students, so sign up today!
Students must register separately for these two Friday activities, using the form below.
FRIDAY ACTIVITY REGISTRATION
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Regular school attendance is crucial for student success, and we are committed to ensuring all students have the opportunity to learn and thrive. Missing just 10% of school — just two days a month — negatively affects a student’s academic performance. When students reach six (6) or more days absent from school they will be invited to attend our Attendance Recovery Program. These are after-school sessions to make up for missed instructional time. This will help them stay on track with their coursework and avoid falling behind. Student may also choose for other After-School Academic offerings, such as staying with a teacher, to make up for missed instructional time.
Benefits of Attending After-School Sessions:
- Catch up on missed classwork and assignments
- Receive personalized assistance from teachers
- Improve academic performance and understanding
When students need to miss school, it is important for parents/guardians to communicate those absences with the school. This can be done by calling the attendance phone line at 703-204-8282.
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 FCPS’ 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 support can be provided if needed. Also, 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!
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 Monday, September 30
📋 Permission Forms
Families can easily grant permission for their children to access a variety of school resources through the Parent Digital Consent system. Parents can opt their child in or out of resources including online educational tools, school counseling services, and tutoring services. They can also change how student information is managed. Visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. See how to use the tool.
The "Discrimination and Harassment: Let's Talk" platform is an essential tool that allows anyone within our school community to report incidents of discrimination, harassment, or other concerning behaviors confidentially. More information about the platform, including how to access and use it, can be found at https://www.fcps.edu/submit-discrimination-and-harassment-report.
Immunization Regulations
New regulations have been presented to schools. If you have received a notification that your student is out of compliance with their vaccines requirements, please communicate with Ms. Hercules regarding appropriate paperwork. For families that have upcoming immunization doctors appointments scheduled, please communicate your date to our school. Appointment notes can be brought to school as proof.
Attendance Tip
Good attendance is an important life skill that will help students succeed in school and beyond.
When planning trips or family events, refer to the FCPS calendar and try to use weekends and school holidays. Every day of learning is a day toward success. Keep in mind that absences add up quickly. Students absent 10% of the school year (or just two days per month) are considered chronically absent.
When possible, schedule appointments for your child outside of school hours. If your child needs to miss school because of an illness or another reason, you must report the absence.
Watch this video with tips on understanding the FCPS school year calendar and visit the Attendance webpage for additional information. Attend today, achieve tomorrow!
Consejo para la asistencia: Programar viajes o eventos familiares
La buena asistencia es una habilidad importante para la vida que ayudará a los estudiantes a tener éxito en la escuela y más allá.
Cuando planee viajes o eventos familiares, refiérase al calendario de FCPS y trate de usar los fines de semana y días festivos de la escuela. Cada día de aprendizaje es un día hacia el éxito. Tenga en cuenta que las ausencias se suman rápidamente. Los estudiantes que faltan el 10% del año escolar (o sólo dos días al mes) se consideran ausentes crónicos.
Cuando sea posible, programe citas para su hijo fuera del horario escolar. Si su hijo tiene que faltar a clase por enfermedad u otro motivo, debe reportar la ausencia.
Vea este vídeo con consejos para entender nuestro calendario escolar y visite nuestra página web de Asistencia para obtener información adicional. ¡Asista hoy, para tener exito mañana!
World Language Credit Exam
The World Language Credit Exam will be offered at LJMS on November 19th. The exam assesses language proficiency. Students who take the exam may earn up to three pass-or-fail credits (levels one, two and three) in the language. Credits are typically added to the student transcript by the Spring semester. Exam credits may also fulfill the World Languages requirements for the Advanced Studies Diploma and the Virginia Department of Education’s Seal of Biliteracy when your student reaches high school. A student may participate in the exam two times per language between grades 7 through 12. In other words, students have two chances per language to earn credits by taking the exam.
Please use this link to register your student.
**Parents should also be prepared to fill out this form to register your child.**
Last day to register through your counselor is Friday, October 4th @3:00p.m.
LJMS Exam Date: November 19, 2024 - Luther Jackson Middle School
For more information, please see the website below:
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/high-school-academics-9-12/world-languages/credit-exam-world-languages
Don’t Have a SIS ParentVUE Account Yet?
Contact Ms. Carbajal for an activation code and follow the directions on the SIS ParentVUE Account webpage.
Students to Be Surveyed on Social-Emotional Learning
FCPS is committed to supporting the mental wellness of all students. The Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener helps our students share their perspectives on how their schools and communities support them and help them develop the skills they need to succeed.
The screener is offered to all students in grades 3 through 12 in the fall and spring. It addresses skills such as achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships with adults and peers, and making responsible decisions. Students also share how successful their school and community are at making them feel valued, included, and supported. Screener data is used to plan programming for the division, schools, and individual students.
After each screening, results will be available in the Documents tab of SIS ParentVUE and mailed to families who don’t have a ParentVUE account. For more information, please visit the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage.
Families who wish to opt their child out may do so by completing the opt-out form in the Annual Notice packet or SIS ParentVUE. For more information, please visit the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage or contact our front office.
Please note that the SEL Screener is not the same as the anonymous Fairfax County Youth Survey, which will take place later this fall.
Counselors are assigned by alphabet and your first point of contact for any question or concerns you might have.
Jackson Middle students! Mrs. McLean is traveling to Scotland in Summer 2026 and you can come too! We’ll be hosting an informational meeting so you can learn more. Here’s the link for your family to register for my meeting: https://bit.ly/3MDnfOh This is a non-school sponsored trip.
The Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology online application portal will open Monday, October 21st, at 4:00PM. Please contact Mr. Tickle at BRTickle@fcps.edu or 703 204 8124 for questions or for help with the application process. For more information, please go to the TJ Admissions webpage at https://www.fcps.edu/tjadmissions.
Parents interested in referring your student for the Fall Level IV Screening must submit a Level IV Referral form to Ms. Shawn English, Jackson’s Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART) by October 15, 2024. It may be helpful for you to complete and submit the Parent/Guardian Questionnaire in addition to your referral form. This can also be found on the page that is linked above. Once I receive the referral form, a request for work samples and ratings will be requested from your student’s current teachers. Then the information will be passed along to the screening committee. The screening committee will meet in December and make the appropriate recommendations for your student.
Not all students are eligible for fall screening. Students who are eligible for fall screening are:
- Students new to FCPS schools as of January 1, 2024 to October 15, 2024.
- Students of a family re-enrolling in one of FCPS schools after being gone last school year.
If these qualifications do not apply to your student, then your student is eligible for spring screening. Referral forms for Spring Level IV Screening are due December 15, 2024.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at srenglish@fcps.edu.
 Interested inworking backstage on our school play, Aesop Live? Then make plans to attend the tech interviews on Monday, September 23rd for both sessions. Be sure to sign up on After School Schoology.
 Families,
We Need Your Consent for Select Digital Resources
At Jackson Middle School, our teachers will use a variety of digital resources to support student learning and promote communication and collaboration with students and families. Some of the digital resources your child may use this year will require your consent before they can be used. Please find the link to the digital form, where you can give your consent, here: https://digitalconsent.fcps.edu/ispb/r/is01/pdcp/login?session=17253181329964. You can find further direction here: a list of the resources that require parental consent here: https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/technology/digital-resources/consent.
Need technical support? Call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS). This will be answered by staff members from 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
 Reflections is a National PTA-sponsored program that encourages students to express themselves through the arts. Students can submit work in the following six categories: Dance Choreography, Music Composition, Literature, Film Production, Visual Arts and Photography. Student submissions are reviewed by independent third-party judges based on artistic skill as well as interpretation of the theme. The winner in each category moves on to the County level, then possibly to the State level and finally to the National competition. This year entries can either be submitted digitally https://jacksonmspta.org/reflections/ or entry forms can be picked up and returned to Ms Lundeen’s artroom 410.
This year's theme is: "Accepting Imperfection”
Deadline: Friday November 15, 2024.
Visit the Reflections website to see entry guidelines for each art category. If you have any questions, please contact the Reflections program Chair Meredith Caldwell at reflections@jacksonmspta.org
PTA Membership: The LJMS PTA serves as a bridge between our school's administration, teachers, and parents, fostering a supportive student environment. PTA membership for the new school year is now open, and you are welcome to join and donate online at https://jacksonmspta.org/
Would you like to volunteer for the PTA? Contact president@jacksonmspta.org
Food Pantry: Did you know that LJMS runs a food pantry in the school to support families in need? Please consider signing up for distributions at
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904084DA8AC2EAA8-ljms2#/
Pantry Supply Coordinator: The Food Pantry needs a volunteer to serve as the Pantry Supply Coordinator. The responsibilities include:
- Working with other pantry leads to understand current pantry food stocks and what is needed for distribution every 2 weeks. (Usually plan to pack 40 complete sets of bags.)
- Ordering supplies from Capital Area Food Bank and pick up/deliver to school or coordinate someone else to pick up/deliver. Timing is flexible as long as it's during school hours to access the pantry.
- Purchasing and delivering other supplies as needed from grocery stores when not available at CAFB.
- Managing the school's donor relationship with Merritt Academy
- Keeping receipts and maintaining the pantry ledger
- Holding the PTA Pantry bank card
If you are interested in filling this vital role to help the LJMS community and its families, please get in touch with megandho@gmail.com.
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