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March 10- Sully District Budget Town Hall at Rocky Run, 7pm
March 28 - Last day of 3rd Quarter, No After-School Program (all students depart at 2:15 PM), Chantilly Pyramid Art Show
March 31 - No School (Eid-al-Fitr)
April 1 - Teacher Workday
April 9 - Author visit with Jennifer Nielsen and Family Book Club
April 10 - Rocky Run vs Franklin Basketball Games, 5 - 8 PM, Chantilly HS
April 11 - No After-School Program (all students depart at 2:15 PM)
April 14 - 18 - Spring Break
2. A Note from the Principal
Dear Rocky Run Community-
We had another great week of learning at Rocky Run Middle School. This week, I particularly loved popping into Civics classes as they learn about the criminal justice system. I even filmed an interview about my recent experience being called in for jury duty. As a former social studies teacher, I always love reengaging in the classroom with the content that brought me into my educational career.
In March people throughout the United States will celebrate Women’s History Month and Disability Awareness Month. Both histories are foundational parts of American history. Students deserve meaningful, sustained opportunities to learn about the experiences and contributions of this history year-round, and the celebration of Women’s History Month and Disability Awareness month are opportunities to honor these diverse and important stories. Read more about Women’s History Month in National Geographic Kids. New this year, Rocky Run will celebrate Neurodiversity Week March 17-March 21. The idea for the spirit week was developed and planned by members of our student body. More information will be shared soon about the events scheduled for the week.
Be sure to remember to set your clocks forward one hour in the evening on Saturday, March 8. As I sent out in a separate email on Wednesday, we will start monitoring our “Rams in Good Standing” on March 10. I don’t want any students to be late on Monday because of daylight savings time! Thank you for your continued partnership as we work to instill good attendance and technology habits in our students.
Finally, I want to be sure that everyone knows that Rocky Run will be hosting the Sully District Budget Town Hall meeting on Monday, March 10. Supervisor Kathy Smith and School Board member Seema Dixit will be discussing budget initiatives that impact our students. I highly encourage you to attend this important meeting.
As always, thank you for your continued partnership and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions. I look forward to seeing you at RRMS soon.
Sincerely,
Peter Kownacki
Principal
Rocky Run Middle School
@pakownacki
3. Action Items for Families
Family Book Club
Sign up here to attend our Rocky Run Family Book Club with our visiting author, Jennifer Nielsen! Spaces may need to be limited in each group. See Instructional Updates for more information about the Family Book Club.
Ramadan Planning
We are seeking input from our Rocky Run families who will be observing Ramadan this year. Please complete this form at your earliest convenience if you would like your student/s to have the option of accessing a prayer space during the day and/or the option of visiting an alternative space in place of the cafeteria during lunchtime due to fasting. If you have any specific questions or would rather discuss your preferences, please contact Rachel Sweeney, Assistant Principal, at rwsweeney@fcps.edu or 703-802-7704, or your child’s counselor.
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. Visit the FNS webpage for more information, including weekly request forms and deadlines.
Neurodiversity Celebration Week
Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that challenges the stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. It aims to change how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported at school. There will be a Rock Time lesson on Neurodiversity on March 10 and we will spread awareness by having a spirit week March 17-21.
4. Student Celebrations
Rams on a Roll- February
Each month, teams identify two students who have exemplified our RAISE attributes throughout the month by being Respectful, Accountable, Inclusive, Safe, and Engaged. These students are consistently Raising the Ram both in and out of the classroom! Congratulations to our Rams on a Roll for January:
Team Emerald: Julia Koch and Luke Truong
Team Meteors: Sarah Chenzaie and Vihaan Shukla
Team Platinum: Oliver Shuman and Zara Struna
Team Kryptonite: Sabella Mitchel and Nikita Ramakrishnan
Team Sapphire: Gabriela Chavez-Meruvia and Ara Jung
Team Tigers Eye: Ibrahim Mahmoud and Dani Sardana
RAISE the Ram Card Winners
Congratulations to this week's Ram card winners:
Adelyn Oh (Engaged)
Oliver Shuman (Accountable)
Luke Truong (Respectful, Accountable, and Engaged)
Fatima Dafaalla (Engaged)
Dom Contreras (Respectful, Inclusive, and Engaged)
Mi So Kang (Accountable and Engaged)
Great job Raising the Ram!
 Punctual on Purpose Student Winners
Each week, our Punctual on Purpose (POP!) drawing recognizes students who are on-time to all classes during the prior week. Each week, students have a fresh chance to be entered into the POP drawing. POP winners are announced every Monday, and students can select from a variety of rewards. Please encourage your child to be on time to all classes, including 1st and 2nd period. The POP winners for this week are Penelope Howard, Zeynep Yardim, Sabhab Rai, Emma Genus, and Aidan Fong. Congratulations and thank you for Raising the Ram by getting to class on time!
5. Student Services Updates
Spring SEL (Social Emotional Learning) Screener
Rocky Run will administer the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener on Wednesday, March 12. Students use the SEL Screener twice a year to share their perspectives on how well their school and community help them develop the skills they need to succeed. The screener works by asking questions or presenting statements that students can think about and respond to. This gives students a way to share how well their school community makes them feel valued, included, and supported. After each screening, results are available in the Documents tab of SIS ParentVUE and mailed to families who do not have a ParentVUE account. For more information, including SEL Screener questions and opt-out information, please visit the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage.
Please log into your SIS ParentVue, select “Course Request” in the left side bar. This list is NOT an actual schedule, but a confirmation of the courses entered into SIS. To make any changes to the courses and/or electives entered, please complete the Change Request Form or email the your child’s counselor. Please note that SY25-26 staffing is based on students' course selections and that your child's selection represents a firm commitment.
Summer 2025 Online Campus Courses
Registration for the Summer 2025 Online Campus courses started Friday, February 14 and ends Friday, June 6. Courses are open to middle and high school students who meet prerequisites.
Courses may be cancelled if they are under-enrolled. If a course is cancelled, students will be notified using the registration contact information and a full refund will be given.
Please note that Chantilly HS students wishing to enroll in a summer course must enroll and notify their counselor by today, March 7, 2025 in order to ensure a seat in the desired course for 25-26 school year.
6. Instructional Updates
Family Book Club - April 9
Rocky Run’s Family Book Club is an opportunity for parents (or grandparent, aunt, uncle, older sibling) and students to read together and to discuss books. This is a great opportunity to communicate with your teenager as they move forward in shaping an identity and in making good choices for the future. Please accept this invitation to support your child as a lifelong reader! To learn more about Family Book Club, click here for answers to Frequently Asked Questions. All are welcome!
Jennifer Nielsen will be the guest author at our April 9 Family Book Club. We are offering three of her titles for the book club; The False Prince, A Night Divided, and Words on Fire. Students will receive two copies of their selected book to borrow and take home for reading prior to the evening discussions on April 9. Families can also choose to purchase their own books to have signed.
Sign up here to attend. Spaces may need to be limited in each group.
If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Slevin – agslevin@fcps.edu. Hope to see you soon!
Author Visit Update
We are so excited to have New York Times Bestselling Author, Jennifer Nielsen, coming to visit Rocky Run in April! Preorders are now open for her two newest titles, Uprising and One Wrong Step (releasing next week!).
- Place your order using this Google Form or visit tinyurl.com/2025AuthorVisit
- Use MySchoolBucks, exact cash, or a check made out to Rocky Run Middle School.
- All orders will arrive to Rocky Run just before her visit.
- There will also be a special signing time when Ms. Nielsen is here.
- Proceeds will benefit the RRMS Library.
- Hurry! Preorders close on Friday, March 14.
- Questions? Email Mrs. Grover, RRMS Librarian (ragrover@fcps.edu)
 Library Updates
It has been a busy week! All English 7 students visited the library this week to check out a book for their upcoming Independent Reading Project. As a class, we reviewed how to pick out a good book and did a fun book pass activity so students could explore titles more in depth before selecting one for their project. Students were engaged in the activity and continue to become experts at using the self checkout stations!
Is your student struggling with the new no gaming policy? It is always a good idea for students to keep a fun book to read in their backpack! We have all kinds of titles, including fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, and manga. Something for everyone! Be sure to suggest to them that they stop by to get something just for fun to read for when they are finished with their work in class.
7. After-School Program Information
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After-School Schedule: Week of 3/10
- A new button has been added on the After-School Schoology Course for High School Sports. As I receive information, I will be posting there and sharing in a schoology update.
- Mark your calendars: there will be no after-school programs on these upcoming dates - 3/28, 4/11, 5/23
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Spring Track and Field: Click here to review the interest meeting slides. All required forms are linked in those slides. Forms are due by 3 PM on 3/28 for students to begin practicing on 4/2.
- Late buses will depart Monday - Thursday between 4:45 - 5:00 PM. Routes differ from regular AM/PM buses as there are fewer late buses and fewer stops. Routes are posted on the After-School Schoology Course. Please make sure your student knows their late bus number prior to staying after.
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Registration form is required for ALL RRMS students (regardless of intent to participate). Your student will not be able to stay after for any clubs, activities, or events if this form is not completed.
- Program updates, announcements, and schedules are posted on the After-School Schoology Course - all families have been added.
- Check out our Program Preview for information on program times, pick-up, etc.
After-School Program Questions? Contact Shannon Campbell, After-School Program Specialist, at SLCampbell@fcps.edu
VIP Summer Program registration opens on Tuesday, March 11th, at 6 PM. All rising 7th and rising 8th grade families will receive a News You Choose from Western Fairfax VIP with more details and the registration link so you are ready to access on Tuesday evening. Don't delay - it fills up QUICK!
  
8. Community Corner
 Sully District Budget Town Hall
Please join Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith and Sully District School Board Member Seema Dixit for a joint town hall as we present the proposed FY 2026 Budgets and take your comments. If you would like to ask a question regarding the FY26 Budget, please send an email to Sully@FairfaxCounty.gov with "Budget Town Hall" in the subject.
Detailed information about the FCPS FY26 Budget can be found on our website.
When: Monday, March 10, 2025
Time: 7 - 9 pm EST
Where: Rocky Run Middle School Lecture Hall
Address: 4400 Stringfellow Road, Chantilly, VA 20151
*If American Sign Language or language interpretation is needed, please submit your request by March 6th.
 CyberGirls Link
Imagination Link
Techstravaganza 2025
Presented by Tomorrow's Women in Science and Technology (TWIST), a student organization at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. This is a free, public, hands-on STEM activity fair for elementary and middle school students in Northern Virginia. Use this link to register: https://tinyurl.com/techstrav25. More information about the event can be found on their website at tjpartnershipfund.org/techstravaganza/.
 
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