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Principal’s Message |
Greetings Tiger Families!
Although the 2025-26 school year is months away, we are actively engaged in the recruiting and hiring process for next year’s faculty and staff. FCPS in general, and Twain Middle School specifically, is committed to hiring and supporting a diverse, dedicated, and talented workforce to serve our amazing students and supportive community.
In the coming months the division will be hosting various job fairs for instructional and operational jobs. You can find all the dates here. Whether you or someone you know may be interested in any potential opportunities at Twain specifically or FCPS in general, the choice to work in public education is both challenging and rewarding. You can learn more details about the many job opportunities that FCPS has to offer on the Career Page of the FCPS website.
Please feel free to share these exciting opportunities with anyone you believe may be interested. Have a wonderful weekend and for those who are celebrating the start of Ramadan this evening – Ramadan Mubarak!
Sincerely,
Matt
Twain’s Weekly Schedule
Monday, March 3: Anchor Day Schedule
Tuesday, March 4: Odd Day Schedule
Wednesday, March 5: Even Day Schedule
Thursday, March 6: Odd Day Schedule
Friday, March 7: Even Day Schedule
Twain’s After School Program Schedule
1st Block 2nd Block Scheduled Cancellations
March 3 2:30 – 3:30 3:35 – 4:40
March 4 No After School Program
March 5 2:30 – 3:30 3:35 – 4:40
March 6 2:30 – 3:30 3:35 – 4:40 No Drama Club
March 7 2:30 – 3:30 3:35 – 4:40
Farewell to Mrs. Stickler!
Today marks a bittersweet moment for Twain, as we say farewell to Ms. Tammy Stickler as she departs us in order to head to Marshall High School as their newest assistant principal. Tammy has served the Twain student body, faculty and staff, and community for six years and she will be missed. We wish her the best in the next stage in her professional journey. Once a Tiger, Always a Tiger!
Our process for identifying our next assistant principal has begun and we look forward to welcoming a new member of Team Twain in the coming weeks. In the meantime, please note that Mr. Steve Fitzgerald will serve as your administrative point of contact for our World Language Department and Ms. Shanice Roddey will serve as your administrative point of contact for our Science Department. Ms. Stickler’s student caseload will be divided between Ms. Montgomery and Ms. Roddey.
Weekend Snack Program
We are thrilled to announce that, thanks to the generous donations from Food for Neighbors, our school will begin offering snack baggies to any interested student every Friday at dismissal, starting this week. These to-go bags will include nutritious snacks designed to support our students throughout the weekend. Students do not need to sign up in advance—simply stop by the cafeteria when the bell rings at the end of the day to receive a snack bag. We hope this initiative proves to be a valuable resource for your child. Should you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact our Family Liaison, Keytlin Soto.
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.
College Partnership Program
Do you have a student between grades 8 through 11 who wants to go to college? If so, they should consider applying to the College Partnership Program (CPP), which offers support from exploration to application! The deadline to apply is March 7, 2025.
CPP offers programming to help prepare students and families from 9th grade all the way through applying to and enrolling in college, including:
- Academic counseling
- College visits
- Help with completing college and scholarship applications
- Monthly meetings
- A summer overnight experience on a college campus
- News and information related to colleges and careers via Schoology
All students are eligible and encouraged to apply to this program, and are expected to meet the following requirements:
- Maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher in core classes
- Attend monthly CPP meetings
- Are willing to pursue advanced coursework
- Demonstrate leadership in school or community activities
The goal of the program is to systematically mitigate the impact of barriers to access and opportunity, and support students who are from populations that are historically underrepresented on college campuses. This includes students who are the first in their family to attend college in the U.S., Multilingual learners, students who are economically disadvantaged, and students with disabilities.
The application is only open to students using their FCPS G-Suite account. All 8th graders have been sent an email with the link needed to apply.
All applications will be submitted ONLINE ONLY.
Prepare for Summer Learning and Fun for Students
 Registration is open or will be available soon for summer camps and learning opportunities offered by Fairfax County Public Schools for all students.
Career and Technical Education and Institute for the Arts Summer Camps
Career and Technical Education (CTE) camps and Institute for the Arts camps (IFTA) will be held in July at Lake Braddock Secondary School from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bus transportation will be available from select FCPS middle and high schools. Registration begins for these programs on Monday, March 10, and ends Friday, June 6.
Tech Adventure Camp is a week-long exploratory camp for current K-5 students. It offers a range of activities in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math), as well as in culinary arts, health, trades, and business and marketing. CTE Summer Academy is a week-long enrichment program that allows students in grades 6-11 to dive deeper into CTE program areas, develop skills, and begin career exploration. Watch our video about CTE camps.
IFTA is a two- or three-week summer enrichment program for students currently in grades 6-11. Students select from nearly 90 classes in art, dance, Health and Physical Education 9 (graduation requirement), music, and theater. E-IFTA is a weekly arts camp for students in grades 2-5 who love to sing, dance, act, perform, make, and create. Students take part in four daily classes related to dance, music, theater, and visual art. They work with FCPS fine arts teachers who create fun and engaging classes.
🎓 Earn Credit Towards Graduation This Summer
Eligible middle and high school students can take advantage of the opportunity to earn a high school course credit via this summer’s online campus program. Registration is open. Students must register by Friday, June 6. Mathematics, health and physical education, career and technical education, English, science, social studies, and world language courses are available.
Summer is a great time for high school students to fulfill the Economics and Personal Finance course requirement. During the self-directed course, students work independently to complete the requirements. The course is available between Monday, June 23, and Friday, July 25. Registration is open. Students must register by Friday, May 23. Learn more about the Self-Directed Economics and Finance course.
Avoid the Summer Rush: Schedule Required Seventh Grade Vaccinations Today!
As required by the Code of Virginia, parents or legal guardians need to provide proof of immunizations for their child to attend public school. All students entering seventh grade are required to receive one dose of each of the following immunizations:
- Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis booster (Tdap) given at age 7 or older.
- Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) given at age 10 or older.
- A complete series of two doses of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. After reviewing educational materials approved by the Board of Health, the parent/guardian, at the parent’s/guardian’s sole discretion, may elect for the child not to receive the HPV vaccine.
Parents/guardians are encouraged to plan ahead by scheduling an appointment with their child’s health care provider now to avoid the rush this summer. If your child does not have a health care provider, please visit the FCPS Immunizations Resource page to find out where to get an immunization.
Please review the Virginia Department of Health information packet for more information on rising seventh grade immunization requirements.
Plan for the Future Today for Students in Special Education
Join Career and Transition Services (CTS) on Wednesday, March 12, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at Jackson Middle School to learn about planning and supports for your student’s life in and after high school.
Meet and ask questions of representatives from CTS programs and services for students with disabilities. Learn about short- and long-term postsecondary supports, employment and postsecondary education considerations, supported decision-making, and student self-determination as an evidence-based predictor of post-school success.
This event also includes speakers discussing individualized education program (IEP) transition planning, special education services, and postsecondary options for younger students as they navigate FCPS and plan for their future. A question and answer session will follow. Register in advance.
✨ Preparing students for a wide range of postsecondary options and successfully navigating their future path is part of FCPS Strategic Plan Goal 5: Leading for Tomorrow’s Innovation.
Eating Disorder Parent Information
According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA 2023), Eating disorders are serious but treatable mental and physical illnesses that can affect people of all genders, ages, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, body shapes, and weights. In the United States, 28.8 million Americans will suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives. There is no single cause of an eating disorder. Rather, it is a complex combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors that converge and set off an individual’s predisposed genetic vulnerability.
In collaboration with the Fairfax County Health Department, FCPS has developed a web page with detailed information and resources for parents and guardians. This information may be found at the following website: Eating Disorders.
PTA Updates
PTA General Membership Meeting: March 11th!
Please mark your calendars for our next PTA membership meeting on Tues, March 11th @ 7:30pm. A zoom link will be posted in next week’s newsletter.
Spirit Night: Chipotle @ Kingstowne: March 12th!
Please support the Twain PTA by grabbing dinner on Wed, March 12th, 5-9pm, at the Chipotle restaurant in the Kingstowne Shopping Center (online promo code = P8YYY4B) This will be an in-person and online fundraiser. Eat good food and support your school!
Spring Tiger Night at Twain: March 21st!
Tiger Night is coming on Friday, March 21st from 6-8 PM. This very popular Twain student social has something for everyone! Activities include a dance, basketball tournament, Improv, karaoke, board games, video game, and minute-to-win-it games. Concession will be on sale including pizza, chip, soda, and slushies. Advance tickets will be on sale during lunches March 19-21 for $5.
Volunteers and donations are needed! A SignUp Genius will be published soon. Donations can be dropped off at the main office starting Wednesday, March 19 and ending Friday, March 21 by 3:00 PM.
PTA Nominating Committee
The PTA Board is looking for three PTA members to serve on the nominating committee. This committee is responsible for taking nominations from eligible persons for each vacant office on the PTA Board for the 2025-2026 school year. Please contact Robin Christman at mtmspresident@gmail.com, if you are interested in serving on the nominating committee.
Nominate a Staff Member of the Month
Nominate a teacher or staff member for the PTA Staff Member of the Month Award here: Staff Member of the Month Form. Nominations are due before February 28th.
Join the PTA
Did you know? PTA Membership is valid for one year. PTA dues provide for many of the events and programs, including teacher mini-grants, Tiger Night and staff appreciation events.
Visit the Mark Twain PTA site
Twain PTA on Social Media
Follow us on Facebook at Mark Twain MS PTA and Instagram at twainmspta to stay in touch with what’s happening at Twain PTA.
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