 Stone Families,
Stone has a STONE! I am sure you have probably noticed this week a giant boulder was delivered to the school. The arrival of the new STONE is all due to the hard work of one of our 8th graders, Dixon and his mentor, Ms. Woolheater. In the coming days we hope to paint it for the first time with a welcoming message.
Keep Your Child Warm During Outdoor Activities
At Stone MS, we will monitor the weather for low temperatures, wind chill advisories and warnings, and weather advisories which may prevent students from being outside. Our students will go outside for their recess break if the temperature is 40 degrees or above. Make sure your child is dressed appropriately with a warm coat and other cold-weather clothing, so they can comfortably enjoy their time outdoors.
If you need assistance supplying your child with cold-weather clothing, please call Fairfax County's Coordinated Services Planning at 703-222-0880 OR contact Denisse Stein, Stone MS Family Liaison at dstein@fcps.edu.
📢 Monitor Your Child’s Online Activity with Lightspeed Parent Reports!
Parents, you can stay informed about your child’s internet activity on their FCPS device! The Lightspeed Parent Report provides a summary of websites your student visits while using their FCPS computer.
🔗 Request access and learn more here: Lightspeed Parent Reports.
Let’s work together to promote safe and responsible online habits! 🌐
The next two weeks leading up to the winter break will be full of activities and spirit weeks. Keep your eyes on the calendar!
Let's have a great week Panthers,
Sonya Williams
Principal
 We are writing to inform you about the spring standardized testing that will take place at Stone. These assessments are a valuable tool to help us measure student progress, identify areas for improvement, and ensure that we are meeting educational standards.
Please take note of the testing dates:
- Integrated Reading and Writing (IRW) grade 8 SOL - Thursday, March 20
- Reading grades 7 & 8 SOL - Monday, May 5
- Math grades 7 & 8 SOL - Thursday, May 8
- Science grade 8 SOL - Tuesday, May 13
We appreciate your support and partnership in helping our students succeed. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the upcoming assessments, please feel free to contact the school testing coordinator, Jenni Maybury at jpmaybury@fcps.edu.
 Our Career Day will be VIRTUAL this year through pre-recorded videos to not only expand the outreach and exposure to anyone nationwide, but also for students to reference all year. Volunteers will be asked to upload their own videos using a Google form (QR on flyer). Students will explore these videos and connected activities on December 12th through Panther Block.
Students will explore these videos and connected activities on December 12th through Panther Block.
Please see any member of our counseling team with questions and THANK YOU in advance for your support with this community effort for our students!
 We are excited to hold our annual College and Career Week this week for all students. This week offers various activities surrounding career exploration and opportunities for students to hear from some members within our community about their jobs through our virtual Career Day. We are excited for students to engage in our College & Career Spirit Week also. If you have questions, reach out to your child’s school counselor.
At Tuesday’s School Board work session, staff from Prismatic Services, Inc., presented options for adjusting start times at FCPS middle schools. As a reminder, Prismatic is charged with developing an action plan to help the School Board reach its goal of starting middle school at or after 8 a.m.
The presentation includes five options for adjusting middle school start times based on the consultant’s analysis from community forums, surveys, and interviews with staff, parents, associations, and other groups. The School Board will provide next steps to the superintendent.
Watch a video of the work session. Visit the Middle School Start Times webpage for more information on the project.
 Winter break is Monday, December 23, 2025 through Friday, January 3, 2025. To help make sure you and your children have a restful break, we have asked that no homework be assigned during this time. Teachers may assign long-range assignments in the weeks before the break, allowing students to practice time management skills, but no assignments will be due immediately after the break.
Classes resume on Monday, January 6, 2025. We look forward to welcoming students back in the new year!
See the complete school year calendar.
Food insecurity impacts more than 96,000 Fairfax County residents. There are many resources available to support those who need food assistance. Learn how to help these families and the many resources available to support those who need food assistance on Fairfax County’s website or view the county’s Human Services Resource Guide.
The Fairfax County Park Authority has rounded up its seasonal fun into a handy list of events happening across the county.
- Learn more about the Winter Wonderland and the Holiday Train at Burke Lake Park, Holiday on the Farm at Frying Pan Farm Park, and many more fun events.📚 Bundle Up With Books Over Break
Fairfax County Public Library’s (FCPL) winter reading adventure has begun and will continue through Friday, January 31, 2025. Visit your local FCPL library branch or visit their website to register and get a sneak peek at the prizes being offered. Check out their Winter Reading Events webpage to learn about laser tag, movie nights, crafting sessions, Noon-Year Eve celebrations, and book discussions.
Community meetings regarding FCPS’ comprehensive boundary review will take place in each of the division's six regions. There are three remaining meetings.
Please register in advance by clicking on the date. Language interpretation will be available. For more information visit: Comprehensive School Boundary Review webpage
 Winter weather will be here before you know it! Watch this video to see how weather-related closing decisions are made.
FCPS’ website is generally the first place to find out about emergency weather closings. Other communication channels will be used as quickly as possible including email, text, social media, and news stations. Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated.
Be sure to plan for the winter season. Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, bookmark the FCPS website, and arrange for childcare if needed.
District News/In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Family Academy Orientation
- Literacy Resources
- Winter Programs and Activities
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, sign up today.
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