October 21 - Federal Impact Aid online survey opens in ParentVue
October 25 & 28 -Hearing & Vision screenings- (Date change from the 24th)
October 31 - 2 - hour early release
November 1 -Holiday-Religious or Cultural Observance - No School
November 4 & 5 - Teacher workdays-No School
November 11- Holiday - Veterans Day- No School
November 13 - Grade 7 World Language Credit Exam - Carson Middle 7:30a.m.
November 14 - Grade 8 World Language Credit Exam - Carson Middle 7:30a.m.
November 27-29 Holiday - No School
A Message From The Principal
Fall is in full swing, and we can certainly feel the crisp change in the air, save the last few days. Our 7th graders are embracing the season with a hands-on learning experience at Lake Fairfax in Reston. As part of their watershed field trip, they're delving into local environmental issues and discovering ways to make a positive impact through informed decision-making. Be sure to ask your child about their field trip and what they learned about protecting our natural resources!
Sincerely,
Tony Washington
Principal
First “SWAG” Student Recognition of the 2024-2025 School Year
We are excited to announce the return of our SWAG Student Recognition Program. SWAG stands for “Students with Awesome Growth.” Each month teachers from different departments recognize students for their hard work, perseverance, and commitment to making a positive impact at Carson.
Mr. Washington had the pleasure of celebrating the first nominees of the school year this past week. Each student was brought up to the podium to learn why they were nominated by a teacher and received a certificate and SWAG bag. Congratulations to these students for having Carson SWAG: Congratulations to Luis, Ian, Jonathan, Juvel, Sergio, Rimas, Alexander, Henry, Liam, Hojin, Ayan, Huzaifa, David, Lucas, Gavin, Lucas, Omer! A picture of these students is proudly displayed outside of the cafeteria for all to see.
Did you miss picture day? Would you like to retake your picture?
Retakes are right around the corner. Picture day retakes are scheduled for Friday, November 8, 2024.
RCMS Family Liaison
If you have questions about navigating the school, learning about FCPS resources, or getting your student setup for success, our Family Liaison can help. If you need to contact our parent liaison, Drina Teran, please call 703-925-3603 and leave a message with your name, your student's name, and phone number. You may also contact her via email, Drina Teran at drteranalfar@fcps.edu
Volunteers Needed!
Carson Middle will conduct the annual Hearing & Vision screenings for students on Thursday, October 25, and Friday, October 28. Please note the date change from the 24th to the 28th!
If you can sign up as a volunteer, please click the link below.
RCMS will celebrate Veteran's Day on November 14th and 15th.We would like to invite veteran's to come into the school building to share their experiences with students.
If you are able to participate, please complete the form by clicking the link below.
Are you looking for a way to connect with your teen? Would you like to get involved in the Carson community? Do you love to read? If you answered “YES” to any of the questions, please consider signing up to participate in Carson’s first Parent Teen Book Club!
The Carson Library is thrilled to announce our first Parent Teen Book Club on November 14, 2024 from 7-8:30pm, and we would love to see you there! After choosing one of the five book options, you and your child will be loaned a copy of the book to read. Then, on November 14, we will come together to talk about the book selection and have some light refreshments.
This fall, the theme is Virginia Readers’ Choice Books, and all book choices are texts that are part of our state and school’s just-for-fun reading program. CLICK HERE to learn more and to read about the book choices. Ready to sign up for a fun evening of literary conversations with your middle schooler, fill out the sign up form HERE!
It is hard to believe but we are already at the halfway mark of the first nine weeks of school. Please continue to monitor your child’s attendance and academic success at Rachel Carson.
Please sign up for Weekly Progress Reports via SIS ParentVUE. All parents/guardians of MS and HS students who have registered for a SIS ParentVUE Account and have a primary email address recorded in SIS ParentVUE can receive Weekly Progress Reports via email. This report provides a summary of your student(s) grades for the current quarter.
To activate the Weekly Progress Reports via email, login to your SIS ParentVUE Account and first verify that you have a primary email address within the system. It is listed under the “My Account” tab. If it is blank, enter the email address where you would like to receive the progress reports and click on update account. Once confirmed, parents/guardians can activate and select their preferences for receiving these reports within the SIS ParentVUE “My Account” tab.
Transportation Information
Please check the Here Comes the Bus app or FCPS School Bus Delays website for potential delays. Students are expected to be at their bus stop at least five minutes before the scheduled pickup time. A double back route assignment may require your bus schedule to be adjusted earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon.
Please note that the provided times are estimates and that buses may be delayed due to weather, traffic conditions, and a national and regional driver shortage.
TJ Information
The TJ Investigative Science Outreach, a student-led organization at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology will be hosting their 12th annual invitational science fair on April 5th, 2025 and welcome 5th-8th grade students to participate. Admission to the science fair is completely free.
Participants will complete a research project of their choice and present at the fair in-person on April 5th, 2025. We help students prepare for this fair by holding multiple sessions to teach them important skills in STEM like brainstorming, collecting data, presenting, writing an experiment summary, using statistics, creating an experimental diagram, etc.
Our first interest/brainstorming session is October 11th, 2024 at 6:00 pm. We will be holding this session both in-person at TJHSST and virtually through zoom. During this session we will go over the goals and guidelines of this fair and introduce students to a multitude of project ideas. All interested students should sign up using the form at the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd0Y0oodU11TzBUfWFnU5lsxoWaqixuX50fxVNv5A5DxcmRvw/viewform?usp=sf_link
This year's World Languages Credit by Exam will be administered at each FCPS middle, high, and secondary school.
The World Languages Credit by Exam is an optional test for students in grades 7-12 who can speak and write (type) proficiently in a language other than English. Based on the results of the exam, they can earn 1, 2, and/or 3 passing world language credits.
The 2024 World Languages Credit by Exam will be administered at Rachel Carson Middle School on the following two days.
Wednesday, November 13 at 7:30 AM for 7th grade
Thursday, November 14 at 7:30AM for 8th grade.
Eating Disorders
In 2013, Virginia passed a law requiring every school system to provide information to parents annually about eating disorders with parents/guardians of students in the fifth through twelfth grades.
According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA 2023):
Eating disorders are serious but treatable mental and physical illnesses that can affect people of all genders, ages, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, body shapes, and weights. In the United States, 28.8 million Americans will suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives.
There is no single cause of an eating disorder. Rather, it is a complex combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors that converge and set off an individual’s predisposed genetic vulnerability.
In collaboration with the Fairfax County Health Department, FCPS has developed a web page with detailed information and resources about eating disorders. To find out more, please visit the FCPS Eating Disorders website.
to sign up to join us on Thursday, November 7, 6:30-8:30pm at Madison High School.
Federal Impact Aid Survey is Available now in ParentVue!
The Federal Government owns property in Fairfax County, and those properties are removed from the local tax base. FCPS is eligible to apply for Federal Impact Aid funds as reimbursement for the lost tax revenue. Federally connected students are children of active-duty uniformed services personnel, children who live on federal property or in subsidized federal housing, and children whose parents are employed on eligible federal properties.
The Federal Impact Aid Survey is now available in electronic format via ParentVUE. It is important to complete this survey in ParentVUE. Click HERE to create and set up a ParentVUE account. Please remember, only the enrolling parent may complete and submit the survey. Please complete the online survey by November 21, 2024.
Click Here for more information on Impact Aid and a visual tutorial on how to access and complete the survey in ParentVue online.
Recycling @ Rachel Carson MS
Rachel Carson MS is revitalizing our recycling program!
Students are being encouraged to “think before they throw” to make sure every item they dispose of goes into the correct trash or recycling container. Last week all students engaged in a recycling lesson during Advisory and played a game to practice thinking before they throw. Did you know that recycling in FCPS is single-stream, meaning all recyclables can go in one bin? That means cardboard, mixed paper, plastics #1, #2, #5 and tin/aluminum cans can all go into the blue bins. Ask your child about Carson’s recycling procedures. Every Friday, each teacher sends a student with the class’s blue recycling bin to the foyer where custodians, Ms. Vasquez and Ms. DeDelacruz, and Get2Green leaders, Ms. Bickford and Ms. Walsh, collect the week’s recycling! It really is a school-wide effort. Share recycling successes as a family! Together WE can make a difference!
Ellen Bickford
Librarian @ Carson MS
Fairfax County Public Schools
Attention 8th Grade Parents - Civics Field Trips
Rachel Carson Middle School 8th graders will attend Finance Park in person this year. We would love to have you come along with us! We are in need of 25 parent volunteers for each of our six teams. This is a 4.5 hour commitment, and includes an hour of training at the Finance Park facility next to Frost MS before our students arrive. You will help guide students through different phases of the day, which simulate real-world budgeting decisions, spending research, and bill payment. Then you’ll share your own life experiences and help them walk a day in your shoes. You bring the program to life!
Carson MS 8th grade teams are going to Finance Park on the following dates (any snow days will be rescheduled at a later time) –
Monday, December 16th - Dolphins
Tuesday, December 17th - Discovery
Wednesday, December 18th – Explorers
Thursday, December 19th - Voyagers
Friday, December 20th - Wolves
If you are able to volunteer with Carson’s Finance Park field trip, please view this link to create a JA account and then sign up for your child’s date to volunteer.
Thank you for donating your time and experience to our students. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s civics teacher.
Attendance
Attendance: Help your student stay engaged. Showing up for school has a huge impact on a student’s academic success. Even as children grow older and more independent, families play a key role in making sure students get to school every day and understand why attendance is so important for success in school and on the job.
Parents and caregivers can report up to two consecutive full-day absences using ParentVUE. For absences longer than two days, please contact CarsonMiddle.Attendance@fcps.edu
All Day Absences: The Attendance feature in ParentVUE is the FCPS secure web solution for reporting all day absences.
Partial Absence: To report late arrivals, or to update already submitted attendance, please contact CarsonMiddle.Attendance@fcps.edu
Early Dismissal Procedure
Please do not request early dismissals online or by phone.
To request an early dismissal please send a note with your child, or complete and print an Early Dismissal Request Form for your child. Your child should bring the note or form to the main office upon arrival to school in order to receive an early dismissal pass for that day. If you forget to send a note, students should still come to the front office to get an early dismissal pass.
All early dismissals must be before 2:00pm.
Learn more about attendance reporting throughParentVue
Regular attendance is crucial for the academic success of all students. Studies have repeatedly proven that students with better attendance records perform better in school and are more likely to graduate high school on time.
Did you know?
All Absences, excused AND unexcused count towards a student's and Caron’s Chronic absenteeism rate.
Missing just 10% of school — just two days a month — negatively affects a student’s academic performance.
By sixth grade, chronic absenteeism becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.
We understand that there may be obstacles preventing students from attending school regularly, such as illness or personal circumstances. That’s why it is so important for our school team to work together with our students and families to remove any barriers. We all belong here!
Digital Tools Consent
FCPS has approved the use of many digital tools that enhance our student’s learning. Some of these tools require parental consent. Students WILL NOT be able to access these tools until FCPS receives your consent. You can find more directions on this process here.
Phones Down, Engagement Up: FCPS Cell Phone Policy and Storage Pilot
Keeping cell phones off during the school day helps students focus and learn. It also boosts positive social behavior. Review FCPS’ cell phone expectations by grade level with your child and help keep our classrooms free of distractions! If you need to reach your child during the school day for emergencies only, please call Rachel Carson Middle School main office - 703-925-3600.
Greetings Panther families!
Click the link for the Q1 After School Schedule. Each activity is hyperlinked with a description and information about each club. In order for students to participate in our after school program, parents must fill out the After School Registration Form (This form gives your child permission to participate in after school activities, it does not sign them up for specific activities)
Late bus numbers are different than regular bus numbers. Please check SIS to find your child’s late bus number, it will say RCLR (Rachel Carson Late Run).
If you have questions about our after-school program, please contact Riley Barrows, rtbarrows1@fcps.edu.
Riley Barrows
After School Program Specialist
Donations Needed!
We have a vibrant “Creative Yarn” after school club in need of donations. We are especially in need of yarn and crochet hooks. If you are cleaning out your craft corners – please consider sending crochet and knitting supplies our way. Items can be left in the front office. Many thanks.
Elena James
Carson Middle School
Other Schools are Sharing
Westfield High School
Westfield Theatre is offering a FREE workshop on Friday, November 1st at Westfield HS from 10am-12pm!
Students in 4th-8th grades can join us for fun theatre games, snacks and a backstage tour. Space is limited - click here to register!
Fairfax High School
Join the Carson MS PTA
We highly encourage you to join the Carson PTA by visiting their website. Click here and learn more about this incredibly supportive organization.
Are you ready to give back to our RCMS community and to join this amazing team of PTA volunteers? Have questions? Please contact us rcmspta@gmail.com
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.
