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Important Upcoming Events February 3-7 - National School Counselors Week February 15 -  National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day February 17 - Holiday- No School February 22-  School bus driver appreciation day

Understand Executive Function Milestones, Challenges, & Implement Effective Strategies at Home for Children in Upper Elementary (3-6)

February 7, 2025

10 - 11:30 a.m.

Discover how to support your child’s executive function skills in our webinar series. We will present information on understanding your child’s developmental milestones, recognizing signs of executive dysfunction, and implementing effective strategies to support their learning at home and in school.

Register Here

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Comprendiendo el Trauma en su Hijo

(presented in Spanish: Understanding Trauma in Your Child)

February 14, 2025

10 - 11:30 a.m.

Aprendemos sobre el Trauma en este semanario de web de 3 partes y sobre los diferentes tipos de trauma, las respuestas naturales y los efectos que esto puede tener tanto en los niños como en los padres y estrategias que los padres pueden usar para apoyar a sus hijos.

Register Here

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FCPS Risk Prevention Series: Part 1 Risk Prevention

February 18, 2025

10 - 11:30 a.m.

Review how FCPS Risk Prevention processes and procedures support a safe and healthy school community. Learn about risks assessments when a child expresses threats of harm to self and threats of harm to others and/or demonstrates concerning behaviors. Families and caretakers will be provided practical information and strategies to support building factors for those in their care.

Register Here

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Parenting an Anxious Child :Counterintuitive yet Evidence-Based Skills and Strategies

February 21, 2025

1 - 2:30 p.m.

Join Dr. Jonathan Dalton, PhD, founder and director of the Center for Anxiety and Behavioral Change as he reviews the important differences between healthy and unhealthy anxiety with a focus on the role of avoidance in creating and maintaining anxiety disorders. We will discuss specific parenting techniques and approaches that families can begin using immediately to help reduce their children's experience of anxiety. 

Register here

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SibShops

February 22, 2025

10 - 1:00 p.m.

For children grades 2-6 enrolled in Fairfax County Public Schools.  An opportunity to meet other siblings in a relaxed setting.  Celebrate the many contributions made by brothers and sisters of children with special needs.  Share sibling experiences, while receiving peer support.  Enjoy games and have fun!

Sibshops: Located at Sully Community Center, 13800 Wall Road Herndon, Virginia

Register Here

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FCPS Risk Prevention Series: Suicide Prevention – Supporting Your Child

February 25, 2025

10 - 11:30 a.m.

This session will equip caregivers with the knowledge and skills to identify signs of suicidal ideation in their children and respond effectively to these crises. Caregivers will learn how to respond if they learn or observe that their child may be experiencing thoughts of suicide. This session will provide practical tools and strategies to help caregivers navigate these challenging situations with compassion and confidence.

Register Here

National School Counseling Week - 2/3-2/7

February 3-7 is National School Counseling Week, and highlights the tremendous impact school counselors have in helping students achieve academic success and planning for a career. School counselors work with students in a variety of different capacities, whether it is through classroom lessons, group sessions, or individual counseling. We are truly grateful for our wonderful counselors, Ms. Chustz, Ms. Copeland, Ms. Ghafori, Ms. Ryder, and Ms. Schires.  Click here to show your appreciation for our amazing school counselors who are always there to support our students!

February 14th - Valentines Day

National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day - 2/15

The National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) encourages schools and communities to recognize the valuable work of their school resource officers (SROs) during National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day on February 15 of every year. National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day was established in 2022 to recognize the valuable work of School Resources Officers. We are lucky to have Officer Griffin! Learn more about NASRO and SRO Appreciation Day.

Parent Teen Book Club: You’re Invited!

Greetings Carson Families,

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 second Parent Teen Book Club on April 8, 2025 from 7-8:30pm, and we would love to see you there! After choosing one of the six book options, you and your child will be loaned a copy of the book to read. Then, on April 8, we will come together to talk about the book selection and have some light refreshments. 

This spring, the theme is Jennifer Nielsen since all of the books are written by this loved middle grades author. Ready for the best news? Ms. Nielsen will be at school April 8 speaking to all the Carson students, and she will attend the Parent Teen Book Club that evening!  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!

Please reach out to librarians, Ellen Bickford (elbickford@fcps.edu) or Elizabeth Donovan (emdonovan1@fcps.edu) with any questions. 

❄️ Preparing for Winter Weather

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.

Keep Your Child Warm During Outdoor Activities

We will monitor the weather for low temperatures, wind chill advisories and warnings, and weather advisories which may prevent children from being outside. Make sure your child is dressed appropriately with a warm coat and other cold-weather clothing, so they can comfortably enjoy their time outdoors. See the National Weather Service’s tips on staying safe during cold weather.

If you need assistance supplying your child with cold-weather clothing, please call Fairfax County's Coordinated Services Planning at 703-222-0880. Their multilingual staff can assist with any challenges you are facing, including food, shelter, employment, financial assistance, and health care.

2024-2025 Yearbooks are available for purchase. Reserve your copy today by purchasing through MySchoolBucks! Link to Purchase: Yearbook Sales - MySchoolbucks  We have a limited number of surplus, once we reach our sales limit yearbooks will be sold out. Sales are on a first come first serve basis.

Quarter End StudentVUE/ParentVUE Gradebook Closure

Quarter 2 officially ended on January 28, at 2:15 p.m. To ensure accurate and timely grade reporting, the Gradebook will be temporarily closed as teachers finalize grades and prepare report cards.

Gradebook Closure Details:

• Start: Tuesday, January 28, at 4:00 p.m.
• Reopen: Tuesday, February 4, at 6:00 a.m.

• During this time, grades will not be accessible in the portal. Please encourage your child to address any outstanding assignments or questions with teachers before the closure. If you have any concerns about their academic progress, please don't hesitate to contact their teachers or school counselor to discuss necessary supports.

Report cards are issued quarterly and will be available in SIS StudentVUE/ParentVUE or mailed to families without ParentVUE accounts. Need info on grades?

Access Your Child’s Grades Through SIS ParentVue.   Learn how your ParentVUE account allows you to easily access grade reports and other helpful information about your child. 

College Partnership Program

The application process for the College Partnership Program (CPP) is now open.  Interested 8th Grade students need to apply now to participate as a 9th grader in high school. See FCPS web site for more information about this program and the support it provides to students.

Applications are due February 28, 2025: CPP Application

For more information, visit the FCPS CPP Website.  

Questions: Contact Nina Ghafori, School Counselor

Student and Family Resources

Fairfax County Public Schools has compiled a list of resources for students and families in case they need assistance while schools are closed for winter break. Please visit FCPS’ winter resources webpage for information on academic support, mental health support, and county resources related to food, clothing, housing, and other needs. 

RCMS Course Selection Events 2025-26 School Year

It is time to think about the 25-26 school year and January will begin our course selection season! 

Please check our Academic Advising & Course Selection website for more detailed information about dates, deadlines, course descriptions, and more! 

Both 7th and 8th graders will enter the 25-26 classes they want into SIS during school. Counselors will also meet individually with all students in January or February to answer questions. Parents can see the classes students selected in Student or ParentVue. Parents who do not have a ParentVue SIS account should request one here so that in March they can verify the classes their student has selected. We are looking forward to helping your child select classes for the upcoming school year !

School-life balance is an important consideration as students strive for academic and personal success. Families are welcome to contact their student’s school counselor with questions. More information will be shared soon.

Academy Open Houses

🗓️ Save the Date: Academy Open Houses Begin in January!

FCPS high school academies will hold open houses for interested students beginning in January.

A high school academy is a center within a high school that offers advanced technical and specialized courses to prepare students for postsecondary education and/or career fields. Students enrolling in academy elective courses will be provided with opportunities to participate in a variety of career experiences including shadowing, mentoring, or internships with local businesses.

Learn more and view the calendar of Academy Open Houses. families are encouraged to visit the RCMS Website for more information.

Fall Student Testing Results - Available in SIS ParentVUE

Each fall, FCPS students take part in screening assessments for reading and mathematics to identify strengths and areas for support. Score reports for families are posted in ParentVUE in the “Documents” section, generally about one month after testing has been completed.

• iReady reports in grades 1-8 are available in ParentVUE now.
• Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth reports for grades 6-12 will be available by Friday, December 13, following an extension to the fall testing window.

Visit FCPS’ website for additional information about student tests at each grade level, including what each test is for and when each test takes place. Caregivers may follow up with their children’s teachers for more information about how they use test results to support student success.

The dates for Carson's Spring SOL testing are as follows:

Testing will take place first thing in the morning.  It is critical that students be in attendance and on-time for their designated test days.  If at all possible, please avoid or reschedule absences/appointments for the morning of your child’s test dates.  Also make sure that your child brings a fully-charged laptop on test days. 

Contact Jessica Arrowood, school test coordinator, with any questions (jkarrowood@fcps.edu).

The dates for High School credit Final Exams are as follows:

Spring Pictures are Coming! Picture Day Date(s): March 06 - 07, 2025 Picture Day ID: EVTMJG7RN

Dear Carson Families and Community Members,

It’s that time of year we provide opportunities for students to explore careers. On Thursday April 10, 2025 from 1:00-2:00 PM, Student Services will hold our annual Career Day. This year's event will be in person.

 If you enjoy your occupation, have a story to tell about your career journey, and can relate well to middle schoolers in a classroom setting, please join us to speak with our 8th grade students.

We are hoping to have speakers of various careers and education levels volunteer their time, sharing their experiences. 

If you are interested or would like more information, please click on the Google Form by February 1, 2025.

Thank you for supporting our students! 

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Family Workshop Recording

We recorded December’s Family Workshop featuring guest speaker, Rachel Bailey, focused on helping students manage anxiety.  Caregivers learned how to respond effectively to their child in the moment when they are feeling overwhelmed or anxious. They also learned how to foster children's resilience so that they don't experience as much anxiety and stress to begin with.  To view the recording of the workshop, please click here.  A copy of the slides shared during the presentation is  located here. Enjoy

Tutoring Resources for Families

Is your family looking for resources to help support your child’s academic success? FCPS’ Family Resource Center (FRC) maintains a list of district employees who hold a valid Virginia teaching credential and who are available to be hired as a tutor by parents. FRC maintains this list, but families are responsible for contacting and working directly with tutors. This list is not “approved” by FCPS and is only meant as a resource.

FCPS also partners 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, study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests.

Private School Request

If your student is planning on applying to any private schools for the 2025-2026 school year, please complete the "Private School Request Form" and the "Parent Consent Form: SS-SE79" and submit them to the Student Service’s Office or to your counselor.  Counselors will be emailing all records to the requested schools via an admissions email OR the school's portal.  Please note these requests are due at least 2 weeks prior to the due date.

Please visit our website for more information regarding required forms and teacher recommendations – Rachel Carson Middle School Private School Requests

Going Green at Carson

Get2Green leads, Ms. Bickford and Ms. Walsh, are thrilled to announce that Carson MS is starting a food sharing and food scrap collection program to reduce food waste in our cafeteria and to help families with food insecurities in our community. When you are helping students pack their lunches, encourage them to only pack what they need and will eat. If your child buys lunch, encourage them to take part in the food sharing and food scrap collecting process when appropriate. Students who bring their lunch may participate too. The food sharing table and food scrap collection containers are on the right side of the stage. A big “thank you” goes to the PTA who is paying for Composting Crew to pick up our collected food scraps each week. We also want to acknowledge the Going Green Club members who are gathering donated food each lunch and putting it in the fridge each lunch period. Lastly, thanks to Ms. Clark for creating a Sign-Up Genius to organize families to pick up the donated food each Friday and bring it to the Cornerstone food collection warehouse in Sterling each week. A student can earn an hour of service for participating in this food transportation with their parents. Any family in the Carson community can sign up. Detailed directions are on the Sign-Up Genius. Together WE can make a difference. 

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 

Feel free to also check out our website at tjsciencefair.wordpress.com or email us at tjhsstsciencefair@gmail.com

Sincerely,

TJ Investigative Science Outreach

Other Schools Are Sharing

Oakton High School

If you plan on attending the session at Oakton High School on February 11, 2025, 

Here is the RSVP link: https://bit.ly/hipsohs021125

South Lakes High School IB Information Night

Wednesday, February 12^th

6:30 pm to 7:30 pm in the SLHS Cafeteria

Learn about the IB Middle Years, Career-related, and Diploma Programs at South Lakes High School.

Rising 9^th Grade:

***Please subscribe to your child’s base high school News You Choose messages for the most up-to-date information about 9^th grade transition. You can enroll here. Unsure what school your child will attend in 9^th grade? Click here to access the FCPS boundary locator.***

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 through ParentVue

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.

Registration is now open for Spring Track!  Please register before April 11th in order to participate in the required practices before the first meet. Registration will CLOSE on May 7th at 2:30pm. All requirements for competing in middle school sports must be completed before students may participate in Track & Field practices or meets.

Greetings Panther families!

Click the link for the  Q2 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. 

After School Program Specialist

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.

13618 McLearen Rd. Herndon, VA 20171 |  Main Phone: 703.925.3600
Attendance: 703.925.3636 or CarsonMS.Attendance@fcps.edu 
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