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Important Upcoming Events March 28 - End of 3rd Quarter  March 31 - No School, Eid-al-Fitr April 1 - Student Holiday, Teacher Workday  April 14-18 - Spring Break

March Student Recognition

Each month teachers from different departments recognize students for their hard work, perseverance, and commitment to making a positive impact at Carson through our SWAG Student Recognition Program. SWAG stands for “Students with Awesome Growth”. Mrs. Archible- Ehivue shared why each student was nominated during our March celebration. Congratulations to the following students for having Carson SWAG: Pierce, Arnavi, Henry, George, Prahan, Charlotte, Madeline, Gissel, Walter, Aiden, Leo, Alexandra, Alistair, Nehemiah, Samuel, Karmynnah, Katshumi, Abigail, Abigiya, Maya, Erkhemzaya, Aaradhya, Dhanyashree, Madina, Kristhel, Julie, Brayden, Sofia, Liliana, Kyle, Akshana

 Congratulations, Panthers!

2024-2025 Yearbooks are available for purchase. Reserve your copy today by purchasing through MySchoolBucks! Link to Purchase: Yearbook Sales - MySchoolbucks  We have a limited number of surplus, once we reach our sales limit yearbooks will be sold out. Sales are on a first come first serve basis.

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 theFNS webpage for more information, including weekly request forms and deadlines.

Carson Wellness Week 

RCMS Wellness Week 2025

We are celebrating Carson’s annual Wellness Week through this Friday, March 21st.  Each day we will continue to focus on wellness and learning different coping strategies to deal with stressful moments that occur when life presents us with changes, pressures, and challenges.  

We are offering different activities throughout the week during lunchtime and are playing songs during class transitions related to the daily themes.  We are excited to have therapy dogs visit our classrooms again this year during Panther Time tomorrow (Wednesday). 

Families can read more about Student Wellness Tips and Strategies linked here on the FCPS website.  The website includes quick tips to lift your mood and ways to bring balance into your life.  Questions…reach out to your student’s school counselor. 

Please review your child's course request in SIS ParentVue. 

We have lots of exciting information to share with you as your child transitions to new grade level. At this time, please review your child’s course selection for the upcoming school year.

• Once you log into your SIS ParentVue, select “Course Request” in the left side bar. The screen has 2 parts: Selected Course Requests and Alternate Elective Requests. Click the blue arrow to the left of the Course Title to see the course description. 
• Parents will need to have a SIS ParentVUE Account to view the Online Course Requests for their child. To create an account, the parent must contact their child’s elementary school to receive an activation code.  
• Please note that this list is NOT a schedule, but a confirmation of the courses entered into the Student Information System.
• To make any changes to the courses and/or electives entered, please contact  ajtawil@fcps.edu 
• Please note that SY25-26 staffing is based on student's' course selections and that your child's selection represents a firm commitment. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

• Algebra 1HN - If your child is in Advanced Math in 6th grade, they will have Mathematics 7 Honors in their course request. This will not change until a later date in the Spring .
• Music Courses - Students who have signed up for the music courses (Band, Orchestra and Chorus) will initially be placed in the Beginning level until auditions and placements have been completed. Please know that music directors will work with counselors to make the appropriate updates. 

• Academic Support Courses - Elective courses can be adjusted based on students' academic needs. Contact your child's current teacher(s) if you have a question regarding the support course recommendation. 

SEL Screener

Hello Families,

The Spring Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener will be administered to RCMS students on Friday, March 21st during Panther Time. 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. Students who have opted-out will NOT take the screener. 

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  

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. 

School Bus Safety Program Update

Cameras have been installed on the stop arms of 50 of our school buses, to identify drivers who pass stopped school buses while children are entering and exiting the bus (called a “stop arm violation”). Warnings for drivers will begin on Wednesday, April 9. After a 30-day warning period, citations will begin to be issued on Thursday, May 8.

We appreciate our law enforcement partners for working with us to improve road safety and reduce accidents. More information about the stop arm cameras and all of the ways that we work with our county partners to keep students safe on their way to and from school can be found on this webpage.

I encourage you to share this information with your families, friends, and neighbors so that we can all work as a community to keep our students safe. Together all things are possible!

Coming Soon: Author Visit!

Carson MS is partnering with our PTA to sponsor an exciting author visit on April 8. This year, the author visiting Carson MS is New York Times Bestselling Author, Jennifer Nielsen! During her time here, Ms. Nielsen will deliver engaging presentations to ALL students, participate in book chats during lunch with select students, and engage in the evening’s Parent Teen Book Club. April 8 is sure to be a day to remember at Carson!

To get the most out of the author visit, the librarians encourage students to participate in the Jennifer Nielsen Challenge. In this just-for-fun challenge, when a student finishes a book by Jennifer Nielsen, they complete the Google Form posted on the Library’s Schoology Course. Once they have completed the Google Form, students are encouraged to stop by the library to  get a “Sticky Review” from a librarian. They can fill out the “Sticky Review” and then tape it to the book they read in the hallway display outside the library. It is a great way to share their reading with others! Please encourage your child to participate in the Jennifer Nielsen Challenge!

Also, the librarians invite parent / student pairs to sign up for our second Parent Teen Book Club on April 8, 2025 from 7-8:30pm. After choosing one of the five remaining book options (The False Prince is already full!) by Jennifer Nielsen, you and your child will be loaned a copy of the book to read. Then, on April 8, we will come together to talk about the book selection and have some light refreshments. 

Jennifer Nielsen will be at the PTBC event and is excited to participate in our book club discussions! CLICK HERE to learn more and to read about the book choices. Ready to sign up for a fun evening of literary conversations with your middle schooler, fill out the sign up form HERE!

Summer 2025 Online Campus Courses

Registration for the Summer 2025 Online Campus courses starts Friday, February 14, 2025, and ends Friday, June 6, 2025. 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.

We encourage students wishing to enroll in a summer course to enroll as soon as possible.

The dates for Carson's Spring SOL testing are as follows:

Testing will take place first thing in the morning.  It is critical that students be in attendance and on-time for their designated test days.  If at all possible, please avoid or reschedule absences/appointments for the morning of your child’s test dates.  Also make sure that your child brings a fully-charged laptop on test days. 

Contact Jessica Arrowood, school test coordinator, with any questions (jkarrowood@fcps.edu).

The dates for High School credit Final Exams are as follows:

Dear Carson Families and Community Members,

It’s that time of year we provide opportunities for students to explore careers. On Thursday April 10, 2025 from 1:00-2:00 PM, Student Services will hold our annual Career Day. This year's event will be in person.

 If you enjoy your occupation, have a story to tell about your career journey, and can relate well to middle schoolers in a classroom setting, please join us to speak with our 8th grade students.

We are hoping to have speakers of various careers and education levels volunteer their time, sharing their experiences. 

If you are interested or would like more information, please click on the Google Form by February 1, 2025.

Thank you for supporting our students! 

________________________________________________________________________

Dear Carson Families and Community Members,

It’s that time of year we provide opportunities for students to explore careers. On Thursday April 10, 2025 from 1:00-2:00 PM, Student Services will hold our annual Career Day. This year's event will be in person.

 If you enjoy your occupation, have a story to tell about your career journey, and can relate well to middle schoolers in a classroom setting, please join us to speak with our 8th grade students.

We are hoping to have speakers of various careers and education levels volunteer their time, sharing their experiences. 

 If you are interested or would like more information, please click on the Google Form 

Thank you for supporting our students! 

Tutoring Resources for Families

Is your family looking for resources to help support your child’s academic success? FCPS’ Family Resource Center (FRC) maintains a list of district employees who hold a valid Virginia teaching credential and who are available to be hired as a tutor by parents. FRC maintains this list, but families are responsible for contacting and working directly with tutors. This list is not “approved” by FCPS and is only meant as a resource.

FCPS also partners with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra resources for learning. Every student can take advantage of Varsity Tutors' services at no cost, including weekly live online classes, on demand 24/7 chat tutoring, essay editing, study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests.

Going Green at Carson

Get2Green leads, Ms. Bickford and Ms. Walsh, are thrilled to announce that Carson MS is starting a food sharing and food scrap collection program to reduce food waste in our cafeteria and to help families with food insecurities in our community. When you are helping students pack their lunches, encourage them to only pack what they need and will eat. If your child buys lunch, encourage them to take part in the food sharing and food scrap collecting process when appropriate. Students who bring their lunch may participate too. The food sharing table and food scrap collection containers are on the right side of the stage. A big “thank you” goes to the PTA who is paying for Composting Crew to pick up our collected food scraps each week. We also want to acknowledge the Going Green Club members who are gathering donated food each lunch and putting it in the fridge each lunch period. Lastly, thanks to Ms. Clark for creating a Sign-Up Genius to organize families to pick up the donated food each Friday and bring it to the Cornerstone food collection warehouse in Sterling each week. A student can earn an hour of service for participating in this food transportation with their parents. Any family in the Carson community can sign up. Detailed directions are on the Sign-Up Genius. Together WE can make a difference. 

TJ Information

The TJ Investigative Science Outreach, a student-led organization at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology will be hosting their 12th annual invitational science fair on April 5th, 2025 and welcome 5th-8th grade students to participate. Admission to the science fair is completely free. 

Participants will complete a research project of their choice and present at the fair in-person on April 5th, 2025. We help students prepare for this fair by holding multiple sessions to teach them important skills in STEM like brainstorming, collecting data, presenting, writing an experiment summary, using statistics, creating an experimental diagram, etc.

Our first interest/brainstorming session is October 11th, 2024 at 6:00 pm. We will be holding this session both in-person at TJHSST and virtually through zoom. During this session we will go over the goals and guidelines of this fair and introduce students to a multitude of project ideas. All interested students should sign up using the form at the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd0Y0oodU11TzBUfWFnU5lsxoWaqixuX50fxVNv5A5DxcmRvw/viewform?usp=sf_link 

Feel free to also check out our website at tjsciencefair.wordpress.com or email us at tjhsstsciencefair@gmail.com

Sincerely,

TJ Investigative Science Outreach

Summer CTE Academy and Camp

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) office is once again planning engaging summer enrichment programs for students! For our current kindergarten to 5th grade students, we have Tech Adventure Camp. For our current 6th to 11th grade students, we have CTE Summer Academy.

You can also find the translated versions in these Google Folders: Tech Adventure Camp and CTE Summer Academy.

Other Schools Are Sharing

Oakton High School

Registration Required. Space is limited.

Click here to register

Rising 9th Grade Chantilly Chargers

Hello!  We are starting to gear up for the summer!  Chantilly High School is offering 3 sessions of Charge Ahead for our rising 9^th graders.  The program is led by our upper classmen, leadership students and Chantilly staff.  The dates are August 5^th, 6^th, or 7^th from 9:00am-1:00pm.  Each session is a half-day, parents must arrange transportation to and from the school. This is not a mandatory activity for incoming freshman. This program is beneficial for students to understand how the day-to-day experience looks as a Charger! 

We want to find out if there is any interest for a Wednesday afternoon session from 1pm - 5pm for our rising 9^th graders!  Click on this link for your feedback.

Thank you for your time!

Go Chargers!

Rising 9^th Grade:

***Please subscribe to your child’s base high school News You Choose messages for the most up-to-date information about 9^th grade transition. You can enroll here. Unsure what school your child will attend in 9^th grade? Click here to access the FCPS boundary locator.***

Parents and caregivers can report up to two consecutive full-day absences using ParentVUE. For absences longer than two days, please contact CarsonMiddle.Attendance@fcps.edu

All Day Absences: The Attendance feature in ParentVUE is the FCPS secure web solution for reporting all day absences.

Partial Absence: To report late arrivals, or to update already submitted attendance, please contact CarsonMiddle.Attendance@fcps.edu

Early Dismissal Procedure

Please do not request early dismissals online or by phone. 

To request an early dismissal please send a note with your child, or complete and print an Early Dismissal Request Form for your child. Your child should bring the note or form to the main office upon arrival to school in order to receive an early dismissal pass for that day. If you forget to send a note, students should still come to the front office to get an early dismissal pass.

All early dismissals must be before 2:00pm.

• Learn more about attendance reporting through ParentVue

Phones Down, Engagement Up: FCPS Cell Phone Policy and Storage Pilot

Keeping cell phones off during the school day helps students focus and learn. It also boosts positive social behavior. Review FCPS’ cell phone expectations by grade level with your child and help keep our classrooms free of distractions! If you need to reach your child during the school day for emergencies only, please call Rachel Carson Middle School main office - 703-925-3600.

Registration is now open for Spring Track!  Please register before April 11th in order to participate in the required practices before the first meet. Registration will CLOSE on May 7th at 2:30pm. All requirements for competing in middle school sports must be completed before students may participate in Track & Field practices or meets.

Greetings Panther families!

Click the link for the  Q3 After School Schedule. Each activity is hyperlinked with a description and information about each club. In order for students to participate in our after school program, parents must fill out the After School Registration Form (This form gives your child permission to participate in after school activities, it does not sign them up for specific activities) 

Late bus numbers are different than regular bus numbers. Please check SIS to find your child’s late bus number, it will say RCLR (Rachel Carson Late Run).

If you have questions about our after-school program, please contact  Riley Barrows, rtbarrows1@fcps.edu. 

After School Program Specialist

Who to Contact

If you have a question or concern, please visit our website for a full listing of  Who to Contact.  This listing includes all of our administrators, our counselors, and who to speak to regarding a specific content area or class. Contact information for all staff members is listed on our website - just click on the name of the person you wish to contact  to be redirected to their email address: RCMS Staff Directory.

13618 McLearen Rd. Herndon, VA 20171 |  Main Phone: 703.925.3600
Attendance: 703.925.3636 or CarsonMS.Attendance@fcps.edu 
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