Key Middle School Families

Important Dates:

• March 17: King Arthur Baking Program for all 7th Graders
• March 28: End of 3rd Quarter
• March 31: Student Holiday - No School
• April 1: Teacher Workday - No School for Students
• March:
  • Women's History Month
  • March 9 - Daylight Savings Time
  • March 17 - St. Patrick's Day

Let's all be kind to one another.

Perfect Attendance Popcorn Party

We are proud of all of our students who were able to participate in the Perfect Attendance Popcorn Party this week. Our very own principal, Mr. Campbell, dawned the Mr. Popcorn suit in honor of our wonderful. students. Keep up the good work and let's have even more students join next time!

Lewis HS Singers Visit Key MS

Thank you to the Lewis HS Singers for an excellent performance in front of our Key MS students as they prepare for upcoming assessments. Good luck Lewis HS Singers.

Budget

📖 Supporting Academic Growth and Reading on Level by Third GradeThe FCPS Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Advertised Budget invests in academic growth and excellence for each and every student, which is one of the priorities of the FCPS Strategic Plan. 

Across FCPS, teachers, staff, parents, and even older students are invested in helping our youngest learners grow their love of reading from a strong foundation. 

The goal is for students to move from “learning to read” to “reading to learn” by the end of the third grade. Reading on grade level is connected to other Strategic Plan goals, including completing advanced coursework and graduating on time. 

Last fall, FCPS introduced a new reading curriculum that aligns with evidence-based literacy instruction. Between fall and winter, reading screener results show more than a 4% increase in the number of students in kindergarten to third grade approaching or meeting expectations. Similarly, 3.4% more third graders demonstrate strong foundations of reading and 8.4% more third graders are mastering grade-level standards. 

Discover how an elementary school employs a science-based approach, including phonics, to supercharge students' reading.

Learn more about the FCPS FY 2026 Advertised Budget. View the Budget Development Calendar to stay up to date.

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!

Each winter, Career and Transition Services (CTS) sponsors a transition-focused community event geared towards elementary/middle school students and their families. This event focuses on planning for high school options for special education students, as well as supports available for these students after they exit the school system.  

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

Want to Join the Track and Field Team? Our spring track season is coming quickly.  We will start with some pre season practices on Mondays from 2:40 - 4:30 starting March 3. Your student must be registered for the season and turn in a sports physical before participating.  The first official practice will be on Wednesday, April 2 at 2:40 pm. Practices will be held every Monday and Wednesday from 2:40-4:30 pm, throughout the season. Students will be able to ride the late bus at 4:30 pm if needed. Our meets (races) will be held on Saturdays from April 26th to May 31st. A reminder, the registration form is live and available HERE . Students who wish to participate in track and field MUST have a sports physical dated after May 1, 2024. If your child participated in cross country in the fall, they do not need to get another physical, but they do need to register for track and field through the form linked above. If your child has forms to turn in, please either email them to Ms. Alexis Delosrios at adelosrios@fcps.edu or turn them into the main office.  This season our coaches are: Coach Fouse and Coach Lockhart and our Athletic Coordinator is Ms. Delosrios. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to the coaches or Ms. Delosrios.

Zero Waste at Key MS

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are excited to announce a new initiative that will be launching in March as part of our ongoing commitment to becoming a zero-waste school. To support this goal and foster a greater sense of community, we will be introducing a Shared Table in the cafeteria.

The Shared Table will provide a space for students to place non-perishable, unopened food items that they are not able to finish. These items will be available for others who may need them, helping to reduce food waste while encouraging students to support one another. This initiative aligns with our efforts to promote sustainability, responsibility, and kindness within our school community. We believe it will not only reduce waste, but also teach our students valuable lessons about sharing and caring for others.

We kindly ask for your support in discussing the importance of mindful consumption with your child and encourage them to participate in this initiative when it begins. Together, we can make a positive impact on both our environment and our school community.

Thank you for your continued support.

V/r,

Skyy Bollers

HPE Department Chair

Health, Physical Education, and Yoga for Wellness

Stay active, breathe deeply, and eat clean

🚀 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. 

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.

Ramadan

Friday, February 28 marks the beginning of Ramadan, a month that is observed by a large number of students, families, and staff in the Key community.

In alignment with FCPS regulations and expectations, Key MS ensures that students and staff of all religious backgrounds have reasonable accommodation and access to meditation and silent reflection spaces within the school building. Students whose religious beliefs require them to pray at a specific time that coincides with instructional time can be accommodated with written parental permission. Additionally, we provide an alternate location during all lunches for students who are fasting and don’t want to be in the cafeteria during that time. 

To provide permission for your child, please complete this form. If you cannot access the form, please provide written permission to the main office.

Talking to Teens About Fentanyl and Tough Topics Become Unskippable: Practical Guidance for Talking With Teens About Fentanyl Video reel 🗣️ Teens skip things that don't interest them, especially talks with their parents. But Fairfax County loses teens to fentanyl overdose every year – so it's important to have short, impactful talks with them about the risks. Learn how to “become unskippable” at fcps.edu/BecomeUnskippable. #FCPS #BecomeUnskippable #FentanylAwareness As a parent or caregiver, you have the power to become “unskippable” and talk with your teen in a way they will listen.  See our tips for talking with your teen about fentanyl and other difficult subjects. Watch this video to learn more about becoming unskippable.

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 

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: English Spanish

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.

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

Thank you, Key MS Admin Team

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.

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. 

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:

• • A Strong Academic Foundation
  • 70th Annual Regional Science Fair
  • New Breakfast Options

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

Spanish:

En caso de que se lo haya perdido en FCPS This Week, la división escolar compartió actualizaciones sobre los siguientes temas y otros:

• Una fundación sólida en lo académico
• 70ª Feria Regional de Ciencias
• Nuevas opciones para el desayuno

Lea FCPS Esta Semana para aprender más sobre estos temas. Si aún no recibe este boletín semanal, suscríbase hoy mismo. 

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

6402 Franconia Road, Springfield, VA 22150  |  Main Phone: 703.313.3900
 Attendance: 703.313.3939 | Website | Twitter | Instagram