Key MS - News You Choose - 02/14/25

Key Middle School Families


Important Dates:

  • February 17: Holiday - No School
  • February:
    • Black History Month
    • February 20 - World Day of Social Justice
    • February 28 - National Science Day

Let's all be kind to one another.


DG Popcorn

Key MS Students Catch Dance Fever

PArty Pic

Thank you to our students and staff for a wonderful Cupid Day party full of dancing, laughing, food, and good music. The students and staff all had a great time.


Black History Month Celebration – Date Change

The event begins with a light reception followed by a formal program, From the Threads of Our Past to the Fabric of Our Future. The program will honor the enduring contributions of Black history and culture while envisioning a future rooted in equity and excellence. It will include inspiring performances, personal stories, reflections, and opportunities to connect and celebrate. The event is open to the entire community. 

For more information, contact Nina Thomas, senior manager for Professional Learning and Cultural Responsiveness.


Student Voices at Family Summit

Students Invited to Share Their Voices at the 2025 Family Summit

The 2025 FCPS Family Summit will take place on Saturday, March 15, at South Lakes High School. Visit the Family Summit webpage for more information. 

At the event, FCPS students are invited to showcase projects and advocacy efforts around inclusivity in schools. This is a great resume-building opportunity, and students can earn service hours as well. Students may share their work in a share-fair environment using posters, essays, videos, songs, or art. They will interact with attendees through conversations about their work, ideas, and efforts to foster inclusivity in school communities. 

Students must use this Google Form to participate by Monday, February 17. A list of possible projects is also on the form. More information will be provided after the student’s submission is received. Please contact Manuel Gomez Portillo with any questions. 

✨ Centering student voice is part of FCPS’ Strategic Plan Goal 2: Safe, Supported, Included, and Empowered. 


Student Fasting Meal Kits 

Student Fasting Meal Kits for February 28 - March 28

Thanks to a new program from the Virginia Department of Education, students who are fasting during the school day between February 28 and March 28 can now take school meal kits home at the end of the day.Families will need to fill out a weekly Fasting Meals Request Form for their child or children to receive school meal kits. A separate form must be filled out for each week and each student.To receive meal kits for Friday, February 28, and the week of March 3, please submit the first request form by Monday, February 24. Visit the FNS webpage for more information, including weekly request forms and deadlines.


Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener Notification

The Spring Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener will be administered to students on March 19, 2025. Students use the SEL Screener twice a year to share their perspectives on how well their school and community help them develop skills they need to succeed. The screener works by asking questions or presenting statements that students can think about and respond to. More information is available about the SEL Screener by accessing this link: https://www.fcps.edu/student-tests-and-assessments/student-assessment-details/social-emotional-screener 


Yearbook

Dual Immersion Lottery

🗺️ Dual Language Immersion Lottery Registration

Countywide lottery registration for the Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program for first graders in the 2025-26 school year is open through Thursday, February 13, at 4 p.m. Current pre-K students may apply for the kindergarten immersion program through Thursday, March 6, at 4 p.m.  

Dual Language Immersion is available in French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish. 

Interested parents/caregivers may attend an informational meeting at the school site. Visit the Dual Language Immersion Program registration page for a list of meetings by language offered

Get more details on the DLI Program webpage.


Breaking Down the Budget: Investing in Our Classrooms

Did you know that more than 85% of FCPS’ budget stays in our classrooms? Currently, 92.5% of FCPS staff are school-based, more than neighboring school districts. We are in the middle of FCPS’ annual budget process, which includes opportunities for you to give feedback. Learn more about the proposed FCPS FY 2026 Proposed Budget and see the budget timeline. 


TJ Eng

TJ Esp

Safe and Welcoming Environment for All

FCPS Trust Policy

On April 28, 2022, the School Board voted to adopt the Trust Policy which affirmed our commitment to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all students and their families. This policy aligns FCPS policy with Fairfax County Government’s Public Trust and Confidentiality Policy. This policy ensures that students and families can access the division’s benefits and services without fear of information being disclosed, directly or indirectly, to federal immigration officials.

At the following link, you will find a copy of the Trust Policy’s One Pager highlights of the responsibilities for the Trust Policy . Information regarding this policy can be found here: www.fcps.edu/trustpolicy.


Track Eng

Track Esp


Family Engagement

Family Engagement Policy and Compact

For the News You Choose, we have to share our Family Engagement Compact and provide parents with an opportunity for feedback. Here is the preamble to the document that you can adapt for the blurb:

Key Middle School is a Title I school within Fairfax County Public Schools’ (FCPS) and utilizes the Title I grant to improve student achievement and help all students meet the objectives of the FCPS Program of Studies and the Virginia Standards of Learning. A partnership with families is essential to meeting this goal.

Under Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, schools that receive Title I funds are expected to collaborate with families to develop and maintain a parent and family engagement policy that describes the school’s approach to involve families in students’ learning and includes a compact expressing the partnerships among staff, caregivers, and students to reach high academic goals for every student.

Key Middle School jointly developed this policy and compact with members of the school community and adopted it for the 2024-2025 school year. Several of the provisions specifically address state or federal expectations for the policy and compact.

This policy and compact is distributed to all caregivers in a language that families can understand. Caregivers have opportunities to provide comments and feedback on the policy and compact through regular communication with the school and participation in family events. Comments are submitted with the school’s policy and compact to FCPS central offices and the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). This policy and compact are made available to the broader school community through the school website.

Here is the link to the Family Engagement Compact on our website.

Here are the links to the surveys:


Federal Impact Aid Survey

Federal Impact Aid Survey 

The Federal Impact Aid Survey is now available in electronic format via ParentVUE. All families should complete the survey whether you are military affiliated or not.

Please complete this survey online in ParentVUE. Click HERE to log into ParentVue to complete the survey or to create and set up a ParentVUE account. Please remember, only the enrolling parent may complete and submit the survey. 

If you have multiple children in Fairfax County Public Schools, please fill out a form for each child. You will know you have completed all of the forms when you get to the final page, and see a green check next to each of their names.


Order Your School Pictures

Order school pictures at shop.jostenspix.com. Be sure to include the Key MS event code FE172724.


Pix

Immunizations

Middle and High School Clinics

FCPS is partnering with the health department to host immunization clinics at middle and high schools. Clinics will take place during the school day. Students may only participate in the clinic at the school where they are enrolled. Parental/caregiver consent is required for students to receive immunizations.

Please check the Immunization Resources page for clinic locations, dates, and how to submit a consent form.


Title I Parent Advisory Committee

Patriot Community-

This is a friendly reminder that we need a Title I Parent Advisory Committee representative for your school ASAP. Please email Debbie Vel (dsvel@fcps.edu) if you are interested in supporting Key MS in this capacity.

The representative should be a parent who is able to attend each meeting and relay important information back to the school. This is also a great opportunity to advocate for any resources our school may need. Meetings will be held in a hybrid format, so our representative can attend either virtually or in person once a month.

You may also complete this google form if you would like to sign up.

Meeting dates are listed below, and they will take place from 7:00 – 8:30 pm.

 
 
 
  • March 18, 2025
  • April 22, 2025
  • May 20, 2025

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Debbie Vel at dsvel@fcps.edu.

Thank you, Key MS Admin Team


SIS ParentVUE

Everything You Can Do Through SIS ParentVUE

Want to easily access back-to-school forms and checklists? Log in to your SIS ParentVUE account to find forms and make updates.

Update Contact Information

Be among the first to know about weather closings, bus delays, and other critical communications from our school and FCPS by adding your cell phone number and email to SIS ParentVUE. To update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, click the “Online Packets” tab in the upper right of the screen, then click the “Online Verification/Update” icon. 

Parents/caregivers who do not have a SIS ParentVUE account should print and complete the Emergency Care Information Form (PDF) and submit it to our front office

Complete Permission Forms

Families can now easily give permission for their children to access a variety of school resources through the Parent Digital Consent system. This online tool can be accessed using your SIS ParentVUE account. You can easily opt your child in or out of resources including online educational tools, school counseling services, and tutoring services. You may also change how your student’s information is managed.

Visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. Watch this video to see how to use the tool

Submit Absences

Parents/caregivers can submit up to two full-day absences through SIS ParentVUE. Log in and click “Report Absence.” Absences longer than two days, partial day absences, and changes of transportation should still be reported to our front office. 

Don’t Have a SIS ParentVUE Account Yet?Contact our front office for an activation code and follow the directions on the SIS ParentVUE Account webpage


Bus

Drivers Wanted

Fairfax County Public Schools Needs School Bus Drivers to Meet Our Growing Requirements.

School Bus Drivers earn $25.04/hour plus excellent benefits.

$2,000 signing bonus!

For more information call 571-423-3023


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 and others:

  • Flu Prevention
  • Students Spread Joy
  • Investing in our Classrooms

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.


Key MS Administrative Team

Principal: Drew Campbell  |  amcampbell1@fcps.edu

Assistant Principal: Shawn D. Brown |  sdbrown@fcps.edu

Assistant Principal: Shari Peters |  sapeters@fcps.edu

Director of Student Services: Jane Flegal |  jcflegal@fcps.edu