Congratulations to Claire Broderdorf!
7th grader Claire Broderdorf received one of four honorable mention awards for the "Women in STEM" essay contest. Her essay was titled, "Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte - First Native American Medical Doctor". She will be attending the awards ceremony on March 18th to receive her award.
UPCOMING EVENTS
DETAILS ON UPCOMING EVENTS
New date for Gwyneth’s Gift!
Thursday, March 13th and Friday, March 14th, we will be hosting an all-day AED and hands-only CPR training for our entire student body. This amazing opportunity is all thanks to our ongoing partnership with the Gwyneth’s Gift Foundation. If you would like to donate your time to help us manage students during the event, please email Amanda Creeden at amcreeden@fcps.edu to let us know the day and time you would like to assist. Below are the time slots we would welcome assistance:
Thursday 3/13:
Period 1: 7:30-8:55
Period 3: 9:00-9:45
Period 5: 10:45-12:15
Period 7: 12:50-2:15
Friday 3/14:
Period 2: 7:30-8:55
Period 3: 9:00-9:45
Period 6: 10:45-12:15
Period 8: 12:50-2:15
Schedule for the next two weeks:
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Connect With Your Kids: Simple Steps to Stronger Communication
Teens skip things that don't interest them, including lectures from their parents. How do you connect with your children and really know what's going on in their lives? How can you become “unskippable”?
Effective communication can build trust and understanding, but it takes thought, planning, and effort.
The latest Healthy Minds Blog offers practical strategies to improve communication and build strong, lasting relationships:
• Ditch distractions and create a safe space where your child feels comfortable opening up.
• Listen actively and validate their feelings, even if you don't agree.
• Ask "how" questions instead of "what" questions to get them talking about their experiences.
For more tips and techniques, read the full article on the Healthy Minds Blog, which shares information related to youth mental health and wellness.
For support on talking with your teen about difficult subjects like fentanyl, discover how to Become Unskippable
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 to be provided to parents and guardians of Fairfax County Public Schools. This information may be found at Eating Disorders.
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.
AFTER SCHOOL CORNER
Girls March Madness tournament will take place on Monday, March 10th. If you are interested in playing you need to fill out this form.
Congratulations Longfellow Science Olympiad!
Please congratulate the Longfellow Science Olympiad team on their 1st place finish at the Regional tournament at the University of Mary Washington this past weekend. The team earned medals in all 23 events, including 12 gold medals. They won by a huge margin!
The following students are members of the team: Tala A, Vaanya B., Sofia B., Youyi C., Ariana C., Charles C., Benjamin G., Jaejoon H., Myra K., Chaemin K., Michelle K., Noah K., Anne-Sophie L., Evan L., Chak L., Nathan L., Veronica M., David M., Jolyn N., Emrys O., James P., Miranda S., Neel S., Andrew T., Alex W., Edward W., Ray W., Michael Z., Andrew Z., and Ethan Z.
Please wish the team GOOD LUCK as they compete at the State tournament at the University of Virginia later this month!
We are proud of all of your hard work, Longfellow Science Olympiad!
PARENT INFORMATION
Come Present at Career Day - May 16, 2025
Do you (or someone you know) have an impressive or inspiring job? We are looking for passionate presenters to share their experiences with a group of students during our 2025 CAREER DAY. Our students have a range of interests, and we want to represent a variety of careers. Please ask your family members, community members, and friends to sign up. Career Day will be held on the morning of Friday May 16th at Longfellow Middle School. Click HERE to sign up. Thanks for your willingness to make this a motivating and inspirational experience for our students!
Career Day Presenter - Sign Up Form
Heritage Night
Join us for a feast from around the world on Wednesday, March 26th from 6:00 p.m. until 8p.m at Heritage Night, Longfellow's largest community event of the year!
Show off your cooking skills and represent your home country or simply cook a favorite dish to share with our LMS families. Please bring enough for 12-15 people.
Students who make a dish from scratch or volunteer to help can receive one service hour for their time.
Please be sure to include the name of your dish and ingredients when bringing your delicious contribution to Heritage Night.
Food Drop off: Drop off at cafeteria or students will be available at kiss and ride for food collection from 5:00-6:00 p.m.
Questions? Contact Weina at wfdorsky@gmail.com 617.365.0831 if you have any questions.
Date: Wednesday, March 26th 2025
Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Location: LMS Cafeteria & Gym
Sign up here Heritage Night Sign Up
🚀 Prepare for a Summer of Learning and Fun
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 camps and Institute for the Arts camps 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.
CTE Summer Academy (CSA) 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 this 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.
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Earn Credit Toward Graduation This Summer
Take advantage of the opportunity to earn a high school course credit via this summer’s online campus program. Registration is now 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 to eligible middle and high school students.
Summer is a great time for high school students to fulfill the Economics and Personal Finance course requirement. This is a self-directed course where students work independently. The course is available between Monday, June 23, and Friday, July 25. Registration is now open. Students must register by Friday, May 23. For more information, visit this Summer Learning page.
2025 Family Summit - Beyond Labels: Nurturing a Culture of Belonging! (an Extension of the Special Education Conference)
Families, educators, and community members are invited to the 2025 FCPS Family Summit: Beyond Labels: Nurturing a Culture of Belonging. Fairfax County Public Schools will be hosting the free, in-person event in collaboration with valued community partners. The summit will be held Saturday, March 15, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at South Lakes High School.
This event will feature:
• Opening Session: Julie Causton and Kristie Pretti-Frontczak — best-selling authors, motivational speakers, and advocates for inclusion — will share practical tools and evidence-based strategies to empower and assist all families, with a special emphasis on parents of students with individual education programs (IEPs) and 504 Plans.
• Breakout Sessions: Learn more about special education and global topics that benefit all families.
• Student Showcase: FCPS students will share their efforts in fostering inclusivity through posters, essays, videos, songs, art, and other mediums.
• Exhibitor Hall: Discover valuable resources and services in the community to support families.
• Networking Opportunities: Connect with other families, staff, and community partners.
Childcare will be provided. Special education staff will be available to care for children with high support needs. You may sign up for childcare during the registration process.
Learn more about this event and register today! Contact FamilySummit@fcps.edu for more information.
Middle School Transition Fair
Future Planning for Elementary and Middle School Students in Special Education
For families, caregivers, and educators of students receiving special education services.
March 12, 2025
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Luther Jackson Middle School 3020 Gallows Road
Falls Church, Virginia 22042
Join Career and Transition Services (CTS) to learn about planning for life in and after high school!
It’s never too early or too late to start preparing for your future. We want to help you start planning for a successful transition from school to life as a young adult. Ensuring postsecondary success of our students with disabilities is dependent on what is known as transition planning. Please join CTS and other support service personnel for an evening focused on planning for the future.
You will have the opportunity to meet and ask questions of representatives from CTS programs and services for students with disabilities, as well as learn about short and long-term postsecondary supports, employment, postsecondary education considerations, Supported Decision Making, and student self-determination as an evidence-based predictor of post school success.
This event also includes two speakers who will discuss IEP transition planning, special education services, and postsecondary options for younger students as they navigate FCPS and plan for their future. A questions/answer session will follow.
Click here to register:http://bit.ly/3Cjke4b
FCPS News
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:
• Summer Camps and Learning Opportunities
• Supporting Academic Growth
• Preparing for Tough Conversations With Your Child
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
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