|
English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو
An exciting week at Franklin as we celebrated Stress Less, Laugh More Week, and we took home the ‘Battle for Route 50’ Trophy, author Jennifer Nielsen came to visit, students got the chance to pet Alpacas, and mock trial cases happened in our theater.
 Students got to have a person visit with a therapy dog, the two mascots peacefully assembling prior to the big game, our staff going all in for take a vacation Tuesday, part of Stress Less Week, and 8th grade students visiting high school for a preview of next year.
Franklin Community,
We had an amazing week here at Franklin. Here are some of the highlights with an abbreviated community message as we head into spring break:
- Author Visit from Jennifer Nielsen
- Alpaca Visits to PE classes
- Stress Less, Laugh More week
- Mock Trials in Civics classes
- Activities Fairs at Oakton and Chantilly High Schools
I want to thank all of the parents and students who came out to the basketball event last night! We were able to reclaim the trophy with victories by our Staff and Boys teams. The Franklin Girls lost in very closely contested game as we almost had the sweep! I want to recognize our fans and athletes for great sportsmanship and school spirit.
I hope that all of our students and families are able to have a restful, safe, and FUN spring break. Go Falcons!
Tom DeRusso
Principal
Franklin MS
Weekly CARE Card Raffle Winners
  Congratulations to Franklin for bringing home the Battle for Route 50 Trophy! Both the staff and boys teams won, while the girls fought hard until the end.
Important Dates
April 14-18 - Spring Break - Schools & Offices Closed
April 24 - Volleyball vs Hughes
6pm Girls/7pm Boys
Stress Less, Laugh More Week
We finished our annual Stress Less, Laugh More week today and we hope the students and staff enjoyed it. We are grateful for all of our parents who made donations to help make this week a success!
Academic Advising
In January and February, our counselors support all students with academic advising and course requests for the 2025-2026 school year. See below for updates by grade-level and reminders about upcoming deadlines.
Rising 7th Grade Reminders:
-
March 2025: Families will be able to see final course selections in ParentVUE.
-
June/July 2025: End of year performance verifies course selections, including Algebra 1 Honors placement and support classes for literacy and math.
For more information, including presentations, course selection sheets, and the course catalog, please see the Franklin MS Site: https://franklinms.fcps.edu/Rising7th.
Rising 8th Grade Information:
-
February 28: Finalized course selections are due by 4:00 pm on Friday, February 28, 2025.
-
March 2025: Families will be able to see final course selections in ParentVUE.
-
June/July 2025: End of year performance verifies course selections, including support classes for literacy and math.
The course catalog is now available, and families can explore these resources on the Franklin MS Site: https://franklinms.fcps.edu/Rising8th.
As your student navigates these processes and events, our counselors are here to support. Please reach out to your student’s counselor with any questions or concerns.
Save the Dates: Spring Testing
Spring SOL Testing dates have been identified.
-
Wednesday, March 19, 2025: Integrated Reading & Writing SOL Test (8th Grade Only)
-
Tuesday, May 13, 2025: Reading SOL (All Students)
-
Friday, May 16, 2025: Science 8 SOL (8th Grade Only)
-
Wednesday, May 21, 2025: Math SOLs (All Students)
Please avoid any scheduled absences like appointments and trips on the dates identified to ensure students are ready and able to test on the given dates.
Retakes: The Virginia Board of Education allows elementary and middle school students who fail their spring Standards of Learning (SOL) tests by a narrow margin to retake the test before the end of the school year. Retesting is available when a student fails their first SOL attempt with a score of 375-399. (A score of 400 is considered passing for SOL tests.) Note that retests are not offered for the integrated reading/writing (IRW) component of the grade 8 SOL reading tests. A decision not to allow retesting will not impact your student’s course grade or academic record.
Parent/guardian permission is required for the school to retest any student in grades 3-8. If you believe that your student would benefit from a second opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills on the spring SOL test, submit your decision using the Parent Digital Consent application (https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/technology/digital-resources/consent).
Updates from National Junior Honor Society:
- 7th graders/families: Our 7th Grade NJHS Induction Ceremony will take place after school on Monday, May 19th. More information about the ceremony and membership will be coming in mid-April.
- 8th graders/families: Please check the Schoology group and make sure you have completed your service hours for 3rd quarter. The 8th Grade Pinning Ceremony will be on Tuesday, May 20th after school. More information about the pinning ceremony will be posted in the NJHS Schoology group.
|
🌻Teacher Appreciation Week - Donations Needed
Teacher Appreciation Week is the beginning of May. We want to make our teachers and staff feel appreciated throughout the week but we need your help. Please see the link below to sign up. Your donations and volunteering of time would mean so much to the teachers and staff!
For our Sun-Sational Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week
After-School Program Information
More information on the After-School Program and schedule for next week can be found on the After-School Program website and on the Parent Schoology.Buses will run Monday-Thursday. There is programming on Fridays but there are NO Late Buses. Parent pickup only by 4:35pm.
MS Sports - Spring Track
Registration for Spring Track & Field will close on Thursday April 10. Practice next week will be on Tuesday April 8 and Wednesday April 9. The first Track Meet will be on Saturday April 26 at Madison HS.
MS Athletes will need the following to participate in Track for the Spring:
Chantilly High School Sports Physical Registration Now Open!
Believe it or not, it is time to start planning for the 2025-2026 school year. The first step to participate in any preseason or afterschool athletic event is completing a VHSL Sports Physical (https://www.vhsl.org/vhsl-physical-form/). The Chantilly High School Athletic Training Department will be offering sports physicals at Chantilly High School on Wednesday, June 4th, 2025. We provide a comprehensive physical evaluation with several stations including height, weight, blood pressure, vision screening, and orthopedic and postural evaluations performed by Athletic Trainers, Nurses, EMTs, and Physical Therapists.
This physical will be good for all sports and out-of-season practices (green days, yellow days, weight room workouts) for the 2025-2026 school year.
The cost of the physical is $50 when you register online, $60 for walk-ins. Appointment times range from 5:30-7:30pm.
You can register by following this link: 2025 Athletic Physical Registration
Month of the Military Child
💜 April is the Month of the Military Child! Every year we take the opportunity to recognize military-connected youth for their service and contribution to our community. Fairfax County Public Schools is proud to have over 14,000 military-connected youth as a part of our student body. We appreciate the varied life experiences they bring to our school community, and recognize their strength and resilience.
🌈Autism Acceptance Month
April is Autism Acceptance Month. One in 44 children is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder in the United States, according to the CDC. Our schools and staff play a vital role in creating and ensuring inclusive environments that accommodate and affirm autistic students.
National Arab American Heritage Month
FCPS is proud to celebrate National Arab American Heritage Month in April. This special month provides an opportunity to recognize the history and valuable contributions of Arab Americans. Arab Americans have ancestry in one of the world’s 22 Arab nations, which are located from northern Africa through western Asia. The people of these nations are ethnically, politically, and religiously diverse but share a common cultural and linguistic heritage. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.
Institute for the Arts
If you are interested in the Arts, please see the link below regarding summer enrichment opportunities with the Institute for the Arts.
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/summer-learning-programs/camps-and-institutes-institute-arts-ifta
Summer Art Camp
Ms. Mull and Ms. Kennedy will be hosting three week-long art camps this summer at Chantilly HS. Camp is for rising 3rd-8th graders and students will be grouped by age. Each week, students will explore a variety of sculpture, painting, drawing, and mixed media projects. Can’t wait to create art with you this summer!
 |
|
Oakton High School Dance Team
If you love to dance and are interested in the Oakton High School Dance Team, see the attached flyer regarding an Interest Meeting, Spring Prep Clinic and Tryouts.
|
Oakton High School Dance Team hosts Junior Dance Camp!
Who: Rising 1st-8th graders
When: T-Th June 24-26, 8:30am-12:30 pm
Where: Oakton High School
What: dance, perform, craft, and have fun!
Questions: kmrowley@fcps.edu
Registration: bit.ly/ohsjuniordancecamp2025
|
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.
Please note that students wishing to enroll in a summer course must enroll and notify their counselor by March 7,2025 in order to ensure a seat in the desired course (s) for 25-26 school year.
☀️ Save the Date for the FCPS Summer Extravaganza
Discover summer learning and activities available in Fairfax County!
Attend the FCPS Summer Extravaganza on Saturday, May 10, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., at Woodson High School and get a jump on summer learning. At this free event, participants can engage in educational and enrichment activities designed to inspire curiosity and growth.
Activities will include student performances, story time, a moon bounce, and face painting. For more information, visit the Summer Extravaganza webpage.
Franklin Middle School PTA
 Please consider becoming a member, volunteering is not required but always appreciated. Member funds go right back to supporting our students and staff!
Membership
https://franklinmspta.givebacks.com/store?limit=21&live=true
Stay up to date on what’s happening by following us on Facebook and signing up for E-mail reminders via our website!
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/fmsptainchantillyva
Website
https://fms.ptboard.com/
 Excellence Is at a Crossroads
Fairfax County residents believe in the value of a strong public school system. Residents live here because of the excellence of Fairfax County Public Schools, even our community members with grown children. Excellence in FCPS comes from its people — dedicated teachers and support staff who make sure that our students are ready to learn. Today, that excellence is at a crossroads.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will finalize the budget on Tuesday, May 6, and the current advertised budget underfunds FCPS by $150 million.
Now is the time. Do we want continued excellence, or are we ready to consider cuts to important programs that we have come to expect from FCPS?
Do you believe in the power and promise of public education? Go to fcps.edu/crossroads.
Make Sure Your Children Are Up-to-Date on Immunizations
Please make sure your child has all of their necessary immunizations. Remember, all students are required to be immunized against certain diseases to attend school in Virginia. This is an important part of keeping children healthy!
Starting Monday, May 19, students who have not provided proof of immunization may not be allowed to attend school. You can check your child’s immunization status and submit updated immunization information by accessing SIS ParentVUE.
Please check with your healthcare provider to make sure your child is up to date on required immunizations for the 2024-25 school year. If your child needs an immunization, make an appointment with your healthcare provider, visit the Fairfax County Health Department website for a list of child immunization clinics, or view other Immunization Resources. Be wise and immunize!
|
School Pictures are Ready
To order, log in to your account on mylifetouch.com or create an account using your student's student ID number.
All families can also log on and order a FREE Digital SmileSafe card.
Varsity Tutors Provides On-Demand Support at No Cost
FCPS is partnering with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra learning resources. 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; and study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests. Learn more about online tutoring with Varsity Tutors.
Quick Links
|
