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  Students in Ms. Baez’s 1st period Enrichment Class are working to ensure all of our students and staff are aware of the religious and cultural observances, monthly recognitions, and providing opportunities for students and staff to share information about their cultures. The picture above is our newest student created display to remind us to look beyond a disability.
Greetings Irving Families!
We are just one week from the end of the first quarter! I want to make sure that you are aware of the extended break students have coming up…
- Thursday, October 31 (last day of the 1st quarter) is a 2-hour early dismissal. Students will dismiss at 12:15 pm.
- Please note on this day, we do allow students to wear school appropriate costumes but ask that students leave masks and any type of dripping makeup at home.
- Friday, November 1, is Diwali and a FCPS holiday; all schools and offices will be closed.
- Monday, November 4 and Tuesday, November 5, are teacher workdays and student holidays.
- Students will return to school on Wednesday, November 6.
I also want to make sure to highlight our upcoming Fall Festival on Wednesday, October 30. This is the first time we are offering an activity like this for our students. Tickets are on sale now through October 29. So we can ensure we order enough food and drinks, we are not able to sell any tickets on the day of the event. If your child would like to attend, please be sure to purchase a ticket through MySchoolBucks.com today!
Tomorrow is the first FCPS Middle School Championship Cross Country Race at Liberty Middle School. We have 20 students who will be racing to represent Irving Middle School. We are so proud of all of our student athletes and wish the finalists all the best tomorrow!
Lastly, please make sure you return your Federal Impact Aid Survey via SIS ParentVUE. For more information regarding the survey, please see below. We would like to get 100% of our families to return this important survey.
Take Care
Cindy Conley
Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey
FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets (in the upper right corner after logging in). Please complete it as soon as possible.
For any families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE, we will provide paper forms starting Wednesday, November 13. Paper forms should be returned by Wednesday, December 4.
Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is important. Information from this survey resulted in more than $4 million in funding last year from the U.S. Department of Education. These funds are used to support all Fairfax County public schools and centers.
For more information, please watch this video on Impact Aid and visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.
Need to Register for ParentVUE?
Learn how to activate your SIS ParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey.
Technical support for using ParentVUE or completing the survey online is available by submitting a Parent Support Request ticket. Select SISParent in the Application dropdown menu and type Federal Impact Aid Survey under Issue Description. Or, call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS).
Thanksgiving Baskets
Last fall, we asked our Springfield community to donate Thanksgiving baskets for families in need and we received 83 baskets! This year, the goal is 150 baskets.
Ania Cress and Aneta Anderson, Realtors, are organizing this collection and will share these with families from Hunt Valley,Cardinal Forest, Rolling Valley, West Springfield, Sangster, Keene Mill Elementary Schools, Irving MS and West Springfield HS. Click here to sign up to donate and click here if you would like to receive a basket for your family. Drop off and pick up of baskets will take place on November 22nd at Ledo Pizza and Robeks. For more information, please click here.
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.t this placeholder text.
Library News
The quarter is nearing its end. As such, 7th grade students are finishing up with their first-quarter fiction books soon and returning them to the library. Students may always check to see what they have on loan and when the items are due by logging into the library’s Destiny catalog.
Students will have an extended break from school coming at the end of next week. We’ll be encouraging students to make sure that they have some reading material to tide them over for those days. Maybe you can make plans to read or listen to a book together during that time!
Each week our students are weighing in on important issues in our library “Irving Says” polls. This week’s question asked students:
“Would you rather your doctor be a CHARLATAN or be a PREVARICATOR?”
I am the first to admit that there is no good choice here. After students look up the words in the nearby dictionaries, we have enjoyed hearing the reasoning behind their choices. Perhaps because the week’s question had no good answer, our results were quite close. A slight majority of 52% of our students responded that they’d rather have a CHARLATAN acting in the role of their doctor rather than having a doctor who is a PREVARICATOR.
As promised, we will follow up to reinforce the words we’ve used throughout the quarter and invite students during break time to play a Kahoot to see how well they remember the ‘big words' they've learned. That event is scheduled to happen during all break sessions on Friday, October 25th.
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
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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:
Chess Academy, will start Wednesday, November 6, 1st block, requires the Weekly Sign-up
Community and Leadership Workshop, will start Wednesday, November 6, 1st block, requires the Weekly Sign-up
Ultimate Frisbee, will start Thursday, November 7, 1st block
Super Sleuths, will start Friday, November 8, during FAB Fridays, requires the Weekly Sign-up
Canceled for next week:
N/A
No After School or late buses on Thursday, October 31, 2-hour early release
FAB Fridays end at 3:30pm. There are no late buses on Fridays and the Weekly Sign-up is required.
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.**
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Students are invited to participate in this year’s Reflections theme: “Accepting Imperfection.” Submit original artwork in visual arts, photography, literature, music composition, dance choreography, or film production by November 15, 2024.
Grade divisions:
Middle (Grades 6–8)
Accessible Arts (all grades)
More details, including a Dropbox link for submissions, are coming soon. Check out the PTA website for more information https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/reflections. Don’t forget to share your creativity using #PTAReflections!
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Spirit Wear:
Spirit Wear orders have arrived and will be distributed to the students by the end of next week. Thank you for your patience and for supporting our school with your Spirit Wear purchases!
PTA General Membership Meeting:
The next PTA General Membership Meeting is on Tuesday, November 12 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. This will be a hybrid meeting (in person and via Zoom). Details to follow closer to the meeting.
Family Fun Night: – November 15, 6-8 p.m.
We hope to see you at our first Family Night that will be held on Friday, November 15 from 6-8 pm at Irving! Register here for a fun, family-friendly event that everyone can enjoy: https://app.givebacks.gives/wims-pta-familyfunnight
Support WIMS PTA & Local Farmers with Seasonal Roots!
Support local farmers and our school by joining Seasonal Roots, a local online farmers market! New customers get 50% off the annual membership fee (a $25 savings!), and WIMS PTA receives a $20 donation for each sign-up. To learn more and to sign up, visit www.seasonalroots.com/wims, and use code: WIMS.
Calling All Local Businesses!
The Washington Irving Middle School PTA would love to partner with you! Your business can make a lasting impact while gaining visibility within our community! Your tax-deductible donation will play a vital role in the educational and social experiences of students, staff and families at Irving. We have a variety of sponsorship levels. Interested in learning more? Contact us at irvingmspta@gmail.com.
WIMS PTA Donor Drive
Want to support our school without the hassle of selling, baking or volunteering? It’s simple—just click, donate, and you’re done! Thanks to our generous donors, we have raised 21% of our $10,000 fundraising goal.
Donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of your contribution directly benefits Washington Irving Middle School. Funds will support student and family events, staff appreciation, the 8th grade dance, a new water bottle filling station & much more. To learn more and donate, visit: https://irvingms.givebacks.com/w/donate.
Thank You! We appreciate your support! If you have any ideas or questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the PTA Board. We’re here to help. Email us at: irvingmspta@gmail.com.
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:
- Federal Impact Aid Survey
- Football Players Tackle Literacy
- Tips to Keep Children Safe
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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