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March 28, 2025- End of Third Quarter
March 31, 2025- Student & Teacher Holiday (Eid al Fitr)
April 1, 2025- Student Holiday
April 14-18, 2025 Holidays (Spring Break)
Counselors are assigned by alphabet and your first point of contact for any question or concerns you might have.
Families, remember that when coming to the school to pick up your student, an official photo ID must be presented to the Main Office staff. Please understand that this is for security purposes. Driver’s licenses, passports, and military IDs are appropriate examples of official IDs.
Regular school attendance is crucial for student success, and we are committed to ensuring all students have the opportunity to learn and thrive. Missing just 10% of school — just two days a month — negatively affects a student’s academic performance. When students reach six (6) or more days absent from school they will be invited to attend our Attendance Recovery Program. These are after-school sessions to make up for missed instructional time. This will help them stay on track with their coursework and avoid falling behind. Student may also choose for other After-School Academic offerings, such as staying with a teacher, to make up for missed instructional time.
Benefits of Attending After-School Sessions:
- Catch up on missed classwork and assignments
- Receive personalized assistance from teachers
- Improve academic performance and understanding
To encourage strong attendance during the spring season, Jackson is excited to announce a special event, "Spring into Spring with Perfect Attendance”, scheduled for April 25th during the last block of the day. This event is exclusively for students who maintain perfect attendance (this meaning coming to school each day!) from March 24th to April 25th. This initiative aims to combat the typical increase in absences in the spring, which can significantly impact our school's overall chronic absenteeism rate. Please support your student by ensuring they are at school each day! Attendance Matters!
 Dear LJ Parents and Guardians, Limiting hallway wandering during school hours is a simple step that makes a big difference in keeping our middle school safe. When students make it to class on time and stay in classrooms or supervised areas, it’s easier for staff to know who’s where—reducing the chance of unnoticed incidents like bullying, accidents, or strangers slipping in. By encouraging kids to move purposefully between classes, we create a safer, more secure environment where everyone’s accounted for.
For my position as a School Resource Officer, this isn't about the rules—it’s about safety. Fewer students roaming means fewer opportunities for trouble, from minor scuffles to bigger safety risks. We’ve seen that schools with clear hallway expectations report fewer incidents and have faster resolutions to any problems that occur. Partnering with us to reinforce this habit at home—like reminding your student to head straight to class—helps keep our school a safe, focused place for everyone.
Take care,
SRO E.J. Green (342395)
Fairfax County Police Department
The Integrated Reading and Writing (IRW) test will be administered next week in all 8th-grade English classes. As with all state-mandated assessments, parents have the option to opt their student out of the IRW. If you would like to opt your student out, please contact Ms. Shawn English at srenglish@fcps.edu.
Here is a reminder of the upcoming SOL test dates:
- Thursday, May 1, 2025 – Reading SOL
- Wednesday, May 7, 2025 – Science SOL
- Tuesday, May 13, 2025 – Math SOL
Thank you for your continued support in ensuring your child's success.
Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts has awarded grants to 14 teachers at public high schools and middle schools in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., to fund music, dance, and theater projects in their classrooms.
Three teachers at FCPS schools are among the grant recipients. The grants are part of Wolf Trap’s Grants for Performing Arts Teachers, an annual program that issues financial awards to support area public school teachers who are working to bring new and exciting performing arts experiences to their students.
All grantees and their students are invited to participate in a celebratory day of learning at Wolf Trap; participating high school students will perform at The Barns at Wolf Trap on Monday, April 28.
 Grants awarded to teachers in FCPS include Stacey M. Jones, Luther Jackson Middle School, (pictured above) for the project “Reviving Ghanian Traditions Through the Blues Workshops” Students in Luther Jackson Middle School's advanced theater arts class will work with Kennedy Center Teaching Artist and Focus 5 Consultant Imani Gonzalez, to learn about Ghanian traditions, connecting the African culture to the African American tradition of the Blues. Studying the blues genre will allow students to explore and tell their own stories. Students will write monologues to connect with the long tradition of defiant storytelling in the face of adversity. Bringing this type of cultural integration into the classroom will strengthen students' sense of identity while promoting acceptance of other cultures through a better understanding of how we are all connected.
Senator Mark Warner will be hosting his annual Academy Day on Saturday, April 26th at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg. This event is for any middle or high school student, their parents/guardians, and school counselors in VA interested in the service academies. Event details are below.
End of Quarter 3
As we approach the end of Quarter 3, we want to ensure you are aware of important grading timelines:
Quarter 3 Ends: Friday, March 28
ParentVUE Gradebook Access:
- Closes: Friday, March 28 at 4:00 PM
- Reopens: Monday, April 7 at 6:00 PM
During this time, teachers will be finalizing grades. Please encourage your student to check in with their teachers about any missing assignments or reassessments before the quarter ends.
Thank you for your partnership in supporting student success!
Report cards will be distributed to students through their Advisory mid-April.
Become Unskippable: Share the Facts
Talking with teens about the facts of fentanyl is a conversation you can’t skip. Learning about fentanyl gives teens a better understanding of the risks and effects of the drug.
Share these important facts with your child:
- Even half a fentanyl-laced pill can be fatal. Just a few salt-sized grains of fentanyl are enough to cause an overdose.
- More than half of local street pills contain a deadly dose of fentanyl. As of 2023, seven in
10 counterfeit pills in the U.S. contain enough fentanyl to cause a fatal overdose.
- Fentanyl is usually taken accidentally. Many people have no idea they’ve taken it until they overdose because you can’t see, smell, or taste it in pills and powders.
- Overdose can happen in an instant. In as little as four minutes, the lack of oxygen can lead to brain damage and even death.
Learn more about how to have conversations with your child in a way that will make you Become Unskippable.
Restaurant Fundraiser: Our next fundraiser will be at Shake Shack, Fairfax, on Tuesday, March 25th, all day. Mention “Donation Day” at the register or use code DONATE.
Want to join the PTA board for the 2025-26 school year? If interested, please send a note to nominatingljmspta25@gmail.com and/or president@jacksonmspta.org by April 15th
PTA Meeting, Tuesday, April 22nd: Our next PTA meeting will be online on Tuesday, April 22nd, at 7 pm. Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/FKnO_yu2T9aZvILkrMJmCg
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Audit Committee: We are actively seeking volunteers to conduct an internal audit of PTA financial accounts. Any member is welcome to review the PTA finances, and you don't need prior audit experience. If interested, please email president@jacksonmspta.org.
Proposed cuts to After-school programs: A proposed budget reduction for FY2026 could eliminate funding for the Middle School After-School (MSAS) program in all 27 Fairfax County middle schools, including LJMS.
Intramural Sports, Performing Arts rehearsals, after-school tutoring and homework help, teacher office hours, and many enrichment activities like College Career & Exploration, Science Olympiad, TSA, Math Counts, NJHS, and Model UN could all go away.
Please contact your Fairfax County Supervisors immediately to express your support for the Middle School After-School Program. You can find contact information for your representatives on the Fairfax County website: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/myneighborhood/
School boundary review: One of our PTA members serves on the Superintendent's Boundary Review Advisory Committee. If you want to connect with them to share any inputs or concerns, please send a note to president@jacksonmspta.org.
PTA website: Visit our website to become a PTA member, donate online, or to buy spirit wear at https://jacksonmspta.org/
Spring Track and Field season kicks off with an interest meeting next week... Monday, March 3rd, in the MPR during A session after school.
All athletes must be registered, and have a valid physical on file. (if you were on the Cross Country Team in the Fall, you don't need a new physical... but you still need to register.)
The first day of practice is Monday, March 24th!
Head on over to the LJMS Athletics Website for details and steps needed to complete your registration for the team!
Magnus Chess Academy
February 21 -May 16 (10 weeks, skipping March 28, April 11&18 for Spring Break)
Magnus Chess Academy has been teaching chess in Fairfax County since 2008. Over that time period we've taught more than 30,000 students in after school clubs, before school clubs, and camps. They include kids who've won seventeen state championships and four national championships, but most of our students are beginners looking to learn a fun new game. That's how all the champions start out too!
Future-Preneurs: A Young Entrepreneurs Workshop
February 21 -May 16 (10 weeks, skipping March 28, April 11&18 for Spring Break)
Step into the shoes of a business owner and experience the excitement of running your own company! From brainstorming product ideas to crafting marketing strategies, you'll learn what it takes to turn your vision into a thriving business.
Each activity has room for a max of 20 students, so sign up today!
FRIDAY ACTIVITY REGISTRATION
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 If you love to dance and are interested in trying out for the Oakton High School Dance team for the 2025-26 school year or the year after, the Dance Team is holding a Mini-Clinic Saturday, March 22 from 9am-12 at Oakton HS, as well as a Tryouts Prep Clinic May 19, 21, 27, and 29 from 4-6pm at Oakton HS. Both clinics are open to students in grades 7-11! The clinics will teach a variety of skills and choreography that will be helpful in preparing for tryouts for next year or the year after.
If you are interested in participating in the Dance Team Mini-Clinic, get more information and register using the March 2025 Prep Clinic link.
If you are interested in participating in the 4-Day Tryouts Prep Clinic, get more information and register using the Tryouts Prep Clinic link.
If you have questions, please reach out to Coach Rowley at kmrowley@fcps.edu.
Oakton HS Dance Team Interest Meeting
If you are interested in trying out for the Oakton High School Dance Team for the 2025-26 season, there will be informational meetings Tuesday, April 22 at 3:15pm in the Oakton High School library and 6pm (virtual meeting). Please sign up here if you plan to attend the meeting and to get the link if you wish to attend the virtual meeting. If you are interested in information but cannot attend the meeting, fill out the form to be sent information. Coach Rowley will share information about what a year on dance team is like, as well as share tryout information and talk about the tryout process.
Oakton HS Dance Team 2025-26 Tryouts
If you love to dance and want to be involved in your school, come try out for the Oakton High School Dance Team! Tryouts will be held June 9, 10, and 11 for the 2025-26 team selection. Not sure if you have all of the skills for dance team?? Fill out the form and come to tryouts anyway! You will have the opportunity to learn skills there, and dancers are often selected based on potential ability to pick up the needed skills! Sign up to get more information about tryouts with this Tryout Interest Form link. Filling out this link will also get you information about various Dance Team events occurring in the Spring to prepare for tryouts. Contact Coach Rowley at kmrowley@fcps.edu with questions.
See below for information about two different summer program opportunities available for rising 7th and 8th graders here at Luther Jackson:
  Registration opens March 11!
When students need to miss school, it is important for parents/guardians to communicate those absences with the school. This can be done by calling the attendance phone line at 703-204-8282.
Whether students miss school because of illness or any other reason, missing school leads to learning loss.
Help your child succeed by encouraging them to attend as many days as possible, but do make sure your child stays home if they are sick. Visit FCPS’ website for information on when to keep your child at home.
If your child has a chronic illness, make sure to notify their teacher so that support can be provided if needed. Also, keep an open line of communication with your school's public health staff.
Read about how families can help form good attendance habits. Attend today, achieve tomorrow!
📋 Permission Forms
Families can easily grant permission for their children to access a variety of school resources through the Parent Digital Consent system. Parents can opt their child in or out of resources including online educational tools, school counseling services, and tutoring services. They can also change how student information is managed. Visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. See how to use the tool.
The "Discrimination and Harassment: Let's Talk" platform is an essential tool that allows anyone within our school community to report incidents of discrimination, harassment, or other concerning behaviors confidentially. More information about the platform, including how to access and use it, can be found at https://www.fcps.edu/submit-discrimination-and-harassment-report.
 
Parents can complete the Lightspeed Parent Report Request. This request provides parents with Weekly Parent Reports delivered by Lightspeed directly to an authorized parent email over the weekend. These reports summarize the websites visited by the student while using an FCPS device.
At the bottom of the weekly report, parents can register for the Parent Relay Portal, which provides detailed browsing information. The sign-up is embedded within the Lightspeed report and does not require any further submission to IT or IT intervention. The extended access also gives parents the ability to pause internet access on their child’s FCPS laptop during non-school hours, such as dinner or bedtime. However, parents cannot pause the internet during the school day.
Families,
We Need Your Consent for Select Digital Resources
At Jackson Middle School, our teachers will use a variety of digital resources to support student learning and promote communication and collaboration with students and families. Some of the digital resources your child may use this year will require your consent before they can be used. Please find the link to the digital form, where you can give your consent, here: https://digitalconsent.fcps.edu/ispb/r/is01/pdcp/login?session=17253181329964. You can find further direction here: a list of the resources that require parental consent here: https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/technology/digital-resources/consent.
Need technical support? Call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS). This will be answered by staff members from 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
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If a student returns a Chromebook damaged, they will receive a warning, and if there is a second instance of the same damage, they will have to pay for the repair cost. If a student returns a Chromebook damaged and the case is removed, they will have to pay for the repair cost in the first instance. Repair costs are listed below.
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HP Fortis Parts
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Cost
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Chromebook replacement
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$481
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Charger
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$25
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System Board
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$315
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Screen
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$90
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Keyboard and palm rest
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$48
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Touchpad
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$21
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Heatsink
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$30
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Daughterboard
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$22
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Base enclosure
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$20
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Bezel
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$18
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Speaker
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$16
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