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1. Important Dates
November 1 - No School (Holiday- Diwali, All Saints Day, Dia de los Muertos)
November 4-5 - No School
November 7 - Fall Family Night, 5 - 6:30 PM & PTA Event with Dr. Reid, 6:30 PM
November 8 - Veteran's Day Breakfast, 8 AM, No After-School Program
November 11 - No School (Veteran's Day)
November 18 – 7th Grade Wellness Screening and 8th Grade Youth Survey during Rock Time
2. A Note from the Principal
Dear Rocky Run Families-
One quarter down, three to go in the 2024-2025 school year! I hope that all students enjoy a relaxing, five-day weekend and recharge their batteries for the start of the second quarter on November 6 (Gold Day).
Even though the quarter was coming to an end, we had a great (civically focused) week at RRMS. Our lecture hall was transformed by the social studies department on Tuesday and Wednesday for all students to participate in a mock-election. We even gave out "I Voted" stickers! It's never to early to remind students of their civic responsibility to vote. On Thursday, we held our 2nd Annual Day of Service, and it was a HUGE success. Students participated in meaningful activities that focused on giving back to our community and creating positive impact. Each student earned five hours of service towards the 15 hour requirement in middle school. I had a blast packaging food, planting trees, and weeding invasive plants. Overall, it was a great day at Rocky Run.
As we come back to school in the first week of November, I hope to see you at Family Night on Thursday, November 7. We will hold breakout sessions targeted to parents and caregivers starting at 5:00 PM. Topics include: executive functioning, math sequencing, gradebooks, and the power of words. Our evening will wrap up with a session with Dr. Reid, FCPS Superintendent, starting at 6:30 PM.
Thank you for your continued support and please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Peter Kownacki
Principal
Rocky Run Middle School
@pakownacki
3. Action Items for Families
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Plan to attend our Fall Family Night on November 7! RSVP here to let us know you are coming!
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Complete Impact Aid Survey via SIS ParentVUE account
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Get Your Yearbook Today!
ONLY ONE MONTH LEFT BEFORE THE PRICE GOES UP!
Buy your Yearbook at https://prod.yboc.varsity.com/
School Code: 5333
Get Yours While Supplies Last!
4. Student Celebrations
Rocky Run Day of Service
At today’s Day of Service Rocky Run had representative coming from the Travis Manion Foundation, Raising Responsible Citizens, the Bluebell Chapter of the National Charity League, Fairfax Releaf, Food for Neighbors, and Rise Against Hunger. In addition, our students also participated in projects for school beautification, invasive species education, Sunrise Senior Living (making Thanksgiving cards and Fall centerpieces), Project Linus, the Kindness Campaign, Love for our Elders, Soldiers Angels, Cards for Hospitalized Kids, Operation Gratitude, Soldiers Angels, and writing Veterans Day letters. We hope that all students were able to participate in a variety of service-learning opportunities, and learned way in which they can continue to give back to their community.
All of our 8th grade students packed food with Rise Against Hunger thanks to the generous donations of our community, Pohanka Chevrolet, TruOrthodontics, Expectation Church, Tony Saa at Weichert Realty, Realtor Gotta Go with Joe, and Ed Lang with ReMax Premier. The class raised $7,927.05 to provide food for those experience food insecurity.
Today we also kicked off a food drive with Food for Neighbors. Students can bring in food drive items next week on November 6, 7, & 8. The team with the most items will get donuts at their team party!
RAISE the Ram Card Winners
Congratulations to this week's Ram card winners:
Sean Choe (Engaged)
Smera Jasani (Engaged)
Carmen VanYperen (Respectful and Engaged)
Kathy Smith (Engaged)
Chelsea Monroy (Engaged)
Craighton Vijoy (Engaged)
Great job Raising the Ram!
 Punctual on Purpose Student Winners
We recently began our Punctual on Purpose (POP!) drawing to recognize students who are on-time to all classes during the prior week. Each week, students have a fresh chance to be entered into the POP drawing. POP winners are announced every Monday, and students can select from a variety of rewards. Please encourage your child to be on time to all classes, including 1st and 2nd period. This week's POP winners are Andrew Li, Talha Ilmek, Jonathan Genes, Sana Almidani, Abie Yoo, and Anisha Goel. Congratulations and thank you for Raising the Ram by getting to class on time!
5. Student Services Updates
 RRMS Celebrates our Veterans!
Family members of RRMS students who have served or are currently serving in the military are invited to join us for an honorary breakfast on Friday, November 8th from 8:00-8:45am. After breakfast, veterans have the opportunity to briefly visit their student’s 2nd period class (optional). If you would like to join us, please complete this form by Monday, November 4th. Email Lorraine Marshall (ljmarshall@fcps.edu) with questions.
 Please Join Us- Rocky Run Fall Family Night
All Rocky Run families (adults and students) are invited to join us for our Fall Family Night on Thursday, November 7! From 5:00-6:30pm, we will have breakout sessions on the following topics:
- Helping your student get (and stay!) organized
- Navigating the FCPS math sequence
- Understanding the rolling gradebook & middle school grading policies
- Unpacking the Power of Words and exploring the concept of Intent vs. Impact
From 6:30-7:30, we will have a Q&A session with Dr. Michelle Reid, FCPS Superintendent. We welcome all families in the Chantilly pyramid to join us to meet Dr. Reid and get your questions answered!
Please RSVP to help us better prepare for the event. RSVPs are NOT required to attend, they are just helpful for our planning! We hope to see you there!
The Federal Impact Aid Survey
The Federal Impact Aid program provides money to districts that enroll federally connected students. Help FCPS secure funding from the Impact Aid Program by helping us identify: Military families, Federally connected families and Families living on a military base. Please complete one form for each child in your household. Remember that only the enrolling parent can fill out the Impact Aid Survey form by logging in to your SIS ParentVUE account. For families without access to ParentVUE, a paper copy of the form will be sent home with your student starting November 12. Your information will be kept strictly confidential.
7th Grade Wellness Screening
All middle and high schools in FCPS teach students about mental health and how to seek help if they are worried about themselves or a friend. All schools use an evidence-based program called Signs of Suicide (SOS). During the lesson, students learn:
- That depression is treatable, so they are encouraged to seek help.
- How to identify depression and potential suicide risk in themselves or a friend.
- To ACT (Acknowledge, Care and Tell a trusted adult) if concerned about themselves or a friend.
- Who they can turn to at school for help if they need it.
At Rocky Run Middle School, the SOS lesson and accompanying screening will occur on Monday, November 18, 2024 during Rock Time. We recognize that you may have opted your child out of this screener through the Parent Digital Consent tool. If you did not complete opt out using the parent portal and would still like to do so you can OPT OUT (meaning you child will not participate in the screener) by completing the Google Form: https://forms.gle/t7kue3aKtCt1zWMp7.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s school counselor listed below and/or Young Hong, Director of Student Services at yjhong@fcps.edu.
8th Grade Fairfax County Youth Survey
Rocky Run Middle School will be administering the Fairfax County Youth Survey to all 8th graders on Monday, November 18th during Rock Time classes. The Fairfax County Youth Survey, a collaboration between the Fairfax County School Board and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, is a comprehensive, anonymous, and voluntary survey given each year to students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12. The survey examines behaviors, experiences, and other factors that influence the health and well-being of Fairfax County's youth. The results, published each year at https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/youthsurvey, identify trends and areas of need, providing a snapshot of the county's youth and serving as a barometer of the community's effectiveness in fostering healthy choices in young people.
If you do not wish for your child to take part in the Youth Survey, please complete the form linked here and return it to your child's school counselor no later than November 8, 2024. If you have already opted your child out of this survey using the Parental Digital Consent Portal you do not need to provide additional information to the school counselor.
6. Instructional Updates
Outstanding Employee Awards
Let someone at Rocky Run know how outstanding they are!
Anyone can nominate a Rocky Run teacher or staff member for an FCPS Outstanding Employee award. Nominations are now open! You may nominate one employee at our school or multiple employees (one individual may only nominate one employee per category). All that is required for a preliminary nomination is a few sentences about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work in the criteria for that category. Check out our website for more information and links to nominate staff members!
7. After-School Program Information
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Schedule for the week of 11/4
- No after-school activities on Friday, 11/8 - all students depart at the 2:15 dismissal (exception - fall theater rehearsal is still on!)
- Mark your calendars: there will be no after-school programs on these upcoming dates - 10/31, 11/8, 11/25, 11/26, 12/20
- Late buses will depart Monday - Thursday between 4:45 - 5:00 PM. Routes differ from regular AM/PM buses as there are fewer late buses and fewer stops. Routes are posted on the After-School Schoology Course. Please make sure your student knows their late bus number prior to staying after.
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Late Bus Runs were updated on 10/2 - the updated route sheet is pinned on Schoology with the impacted buses highlighted in yellow
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Registration form is required for ALL RRMS students (regardless of intent to participate). Your student will not be able to stay after for any clubs, activities, or events if this form is not completed.
- Program updates, announcements, and schedules are posted on the After-School Schoology Course - all families have been added.
- Check out our Program Preview for information on program times, pick-up, etc.
After-School Program Questions? Contact Shannon Campbell, After-School Program Specialist, at SLCampbell@fcps.edu
Congratulations to our girls and boys basketball teams on a great fall season! They were so much fun to watch on the court and always showed great teamwork and sportsmanship. They made us proud! Go, Rams!!
 
8. Community Corner
Westfield High School Fall Theatre Production
Westfield High School Theatre Presents A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
Nov. 7, 8 and 9 at 7pm and Nov. 9 at 2pm
Tickets: $15 adult, $10 student. All seats reserved. All info found at www.westfieldtheatre.com
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