A Message from the Principal
Greetings, Irving Families!
We are excited to share the details of our Picture Days coming up in just a few weeks. Our picture days will be on October 24 & 25 during PE classes. Our picture vendor this year will be Victor O’Neill. To help make sure our picture days run smoothly, we need 2-3 volunteers each day. If you are interested in volunteering time on picture day (anytime between 7:30-2:00) either day, please email our outstanding administrative assistant, Ms. Hollie McLaughlin at hrmclaughlin@fcps.edu. As a thank you, volunteers will receive a $25 discount code via email after Picture Day.
In this newsletter, we are also kicking off our Yearbook sales for the year. Our yearbook vendor continues to be Walsworth. Yearbooks will be on sale until mid-April. If you would like to order your child a yearbook, please scan the QR code above or click on this link: yearbookforever.com. Our students in the after school club have already started to capture the year and we look forward to sharing their hard work in June.
Lastly, I want to congratulate the Cross Country team who won 3 out of 4 races last Saturday at Key Middle School. The team will travel to Herndon to compete at Rachel Carson Middle School in the third meet of the season. The team will have a week off before finishing the regular season at Poe Middle School on Saturday, October 19.
Take Care!
Cindy Conley
 Picture Day is Coming!
School Picture Day is Coming:
📅 Date: Thursday October 24th & Friday October 25th 2024
🛒 Pre-order Online: https://vando.imagequix.com/g1001164738#login
📸 Images Available: Approximately two-three weeks after picture day
📧 Questions about Ordering? Email us at underclass@vosphoto.com
Yearbook Sales
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)
Varsity Tutors Provides On-Demand Support at No Cost:
FCPS is partnering with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra resources for learning. Every student can take advantage of Varsity Tutors’ services at no cost, including weekly live online classes, on-demand 24/7 chat tutoring, essay editing, and study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests. Learn more about online tutoring with Varsity Tutors.
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Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Interested Irving students and families, we hope that you were able to join us last week for our TJHSST information session brought to you by a Thomas Jefferson Representative. Please see here the link to the presentation that was reviewed: https://irvingms.fcps.edu/tjhsst-freshman-presentation.
If you missed our meeting you can find the TJ Admissions Video for 2024 as well as the remaining county wide presentation schedule available to the public on their website, www.fcps.edu/tjadmissions. We strongly encourage you to view their YouTube admissions video prior to attending any meeting or applying.
***Reminder: 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).
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
Food for Neighbors
We had a great turn out for volunteers and donations for our Red Bag Collection on September 14!
Food for Neighbors is an organization committed to helping local teens struggling with hunger. The food donated goes straight to students and families in Springfield and neighboring communities. With your support, we can reach even more students in need. Participation is as simple as filling a Food For Neighbors Red Bag once every other month and putting it on your porch on our pick up days. We provide the bags, a desired food list, and pick-up date reminder texts. Our next collection day is November 9th. If you would like to donate food, please register as a Red Bag Donor here. If you would like to volunteer as a driver to pick up food or to help sort the food once it is delivered to Irving on our collection days, please sign up here.
If your student needs extra food for the weekend (soup/pasta, crackers, granola bars, oatmeal, fruit snack or milk/juice), please email Meg Gollinger at magollinger@fcps.edu.
Veterans Day Observance
Irving Middle School would like to celebrate Veterans Day by decorating our halls with posters of veterans who are close relatives to our students. We ask that families in our Irving community create posters of a veteran they want to honor and recognize the sacrifices they have made for our country. We ask that you turn in these posters to our student services office by November 1st so that we have time to hang them up before Veterans Day. Please use this template to share information. If you need a printed copy, please stop by Student Services.
Library News:
We are happy to report that library books are circulating well at Irving Middle School. In addition to students having books borrowed for 7th grade English projects, we have a good number of students who are borrowing and reading for their own enjoyment. Ask your student what they are reading right now!
Each week our students are weighing in on important issues in our library “Irving Says” polls. Even though students only attended three days this week, we were able to get their opinion on the following: “Would you rather dress in MONOCHROME outfits for one year, or wear EQUESTRIAN gear to school for one week?” A strong majority of 72% of students said that they’d rather wear single-colored outfits for a year rather than to show up for one week dressed like an equestrian athlete or cowboy. It is fun to see the students’ responses when they encounter unfamiliar words in the weekly questions. As you might expect, we keep a dictionary close by so that students can define any new words that help them make their decision.
Please encourage your student to return books on time. We are trying to stamp the due date in the back of all books now. It is especially important for books in long series, such as some anime titles, to be returned in a timely manner. When some volumes are missing, other students cannot enjoy reading through the series.
We enjoy working with your students in the library!
Ms. Monk & Mr. Brizek
Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Information
After School Information
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
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
Canceled for next week:
Core Conditioning for Athletes
Robotics
No After School or late buses, Wednesday, October 9
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.**
PTA News
Parent Education Session - October 10, 6-7pm - Understanding Your Middle Schooler!
Join our school counselors and a representative from the Family Resource Center in the school library for an informative session designed to help parents navigate the unique challenges and needs of middle schoolers. We will explore effective strategies for supporting our children during these critical developmental years through a presentation, resource sharing, and a Q&A session. Let’s collaborate to ensure our kids thrive during this pivotal time. See you there!
Membership Update
Thank you to our new and returning members! We are only 33 away from reaching our 250-member goal! It’s not too late to join us. Membership dues are $10 per parent/guardian, $9 for additional family members, and $5 for staff/faculty. Signing up is easy—simply copy and paste this link into your browser: https://irvingms.memberhub.com/store/
Reflections Nationwide Arts Contest
Reflections is a nationwide PTA arts contest that encourages students to explore and express themselves creatively. This year’s theme is “Accepting Imperfection.” Students can submit original work in visual arts, photography, literature, music composition, dance choreography, or film production by November 15, 2024. For more information, visit: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/reflections.
Direct Donations
Our direct donor fundraising campaign is in full swing! Please consider donating to help fund our PTA programs, family events, staff appreciation, and more. 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. Thanks to everyone that has already contributed.
Save The Date!
November 12 - PTA General Membership Meeting at 6:30 p.m.
November 15 - Family Fun Night from 6-8 p.m.
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 will be donated to the PTA.
For questions, contact us at irvingmspta@gmail.com.
Social Studies Basal Resources Review
FCPS is adopting Social Studies Basal Resources for the 2025-26 school year. Basal resources are the primary resources used to support instruction in a given subject. Public review of the instructional materials under consideration — which is part of the process for selecting new resources — is underway. Visit the Community Review webpage for more information on how to view the materials online or in person.
All community feedback will be shared with School Board members before they vote to select materials in spring 2025. FCPS adopts basal resources by the process outlined in Regulation 3004.
Important FCPS Information
Our Schools, Our Future: Register Today for a Community Conversation!
Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid will host a series of Community Conversations this fall. She invites you to share your thoughts and ask questions. Click the dates below to register for any of the following conversations:
Events take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Childcare and language interpretation services will be provided.
FCPS NEWS
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:
- FCPS Strives to Become Purple Star School Division
- Sign and Return SR&R
- Upcoming Immunization Clinics
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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