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Students in English doing an English research project, students in FACS making delicious cookies, students sharing about their Hero research, and our Get 2 Green Team busy making our school beautiful for spring.
Franklin Community,
Today I was able to drop into the Library to see many of our students presenting about someone that they identified as a hero. Students were asked to speak to why they consider this person a hero and what impact they have had on society. They also answered questions from classmates and staff members that were attending the presentations. Great job to all of our students involved!
Next week is teacher appreciation week! We have several things planned to recognize our amazing staff of teachers! You can also consider reaching out to your student's teachers directly to tell them how much you appreciate them and encouraging your child to do the same! Those kind words go a long way!
Next Wednesday, May 7, is National Walk, Bike, and Roll to School Day. If your child is able to do so safely, consider encouraging them to ride their bike, walk, or take a scooter to school. This program is meant to promote physical activity and reduce pollution.
Lastly, I would like to share information about our tardy protocols and stress the importance of arriving to class on time. When students are late, they miss valuable instructional time and may find it challenging to catch up, which can affect their overall learning experience. Beginning the week of Monday, May 5, we will conduct random tardy sweeps and implement our school-wide response to tardiness. If your child arrives to class after the bell during a tardy sweep, the teacher’s door will be locked, and a staff member will record the tardy. Students who are caught in the tardy sweeps will be assigned lunch detention and parents/guardians will be notified via email. Students may also be assigned lunch or after school detention for excessive tardies. Students will be informed of Franklin’s tardy procedures through a video announcement on Monday, May 5.
Falcons on Time
To help create a smooth and effective learning environment, we ask that students make every effort to arrive on time to each class. Please review Franklin’s response to tardies outlined below. These will begin the week of May 5. Parents/guardians will be notified if your child is assigned lunch or after school detention.
- Tardy Sweeps: Tardy sweeps will begin the week of May 5 and occur randomly throughout the month. A tardy sweep means if your child arrives to class after the bell, the teacher’s door will be locked, and a staff member will record the tardy. Students who are recorded in a tardy sweep will be assigned lunch detention.
- Class Tardies: Students may receive an office referral from their teacher if they reach four tardies to a single class. Students who receive an office referral will be assigned detention.
- Excessive Tardies: Students who reach a total of 10 or more tardies across all classes in the month of May will be assigned an after school detention.
Thank you for your support in emphasizing the importance of being in class and ready to learn when the bell rings. Have a great weekend!
Tom DeRusso
Principal
Franklin MS
Weekly CARE Card Raffle Winners
Franklin Students of the Month
Congratulations to our Falcons who were honored as our March Students of the Month. Great job!
 Important Dates
May 5-9 - Teacher Appreciation Week
May 7 - National Walk, Bike, Roll to School Day
May 9 - Music Department Trip to Kings Dominion
May 13 - Reading SOL (all students)
May 16 - Science SOL (8th grade only)
May 19 - NJHS 7th Grade Induction Ceremony
May 20 - NJHS 8th Grade Pinning Ceremony
May 21 - Math SOL (all students)
May 22 - Last Day of After School Activities
May 26 - Memorial Day Holiday - Schools & Offices Closed
May 30 - 8th Grade Formal/Dance (more info to come soon)
Lazy Dog School Fundraiser
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:
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March 2025: Families will be able to see final course selections in ParentVUE.
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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:
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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.
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Tuesday, May 13, 2025: Reading SOL (All Students)
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Friday, May 16, 2025: Science 8 SOL (8th Grade Only)
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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.
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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.
- No After-School Program on Friday, May 9
- Last Day for the After-School Program will be May 22
MS Sports - Spring Track
Track & Field will practice Tuesday and Thursday next week during the first block of the After-School Program. Track athletes should sign into the After-School Program and be ready for practice by 2:25pm.
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- May 3 Track & Field Meet at Woodson HS - 8:00AM
- May 10 Track & Field Meet at Fairfax HS - 8:00AM
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
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdXXOx5rT8lEym3LwHR6XZc6kUwD30liAcgKpjAuMq2h7av1A/viewform
Chantilly Dance Team Clinics - After-School
Chantilly HS Dance team will be hosting dance team clinics every Thursday. Clinics will be during the 2nd block of the After-School Program May 1, May 8 and May 15.
Oakton High School Performing Arts presents: INTO THE WOODS
James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim’s TONY award winning musical follows everyone's favorite storybook characters as they travel “into the woods” to achieve their goals and break the Witch’s curse.
Performances begin on Thursday, May 1st and run for 2 weekends with a family friendly matinee on Saturday, May 10th of only Act 1.
Oakton won the BVD Best Musical Award last year for their musical PIPPIN, sending Best Actress Meera Ayyar (who plays the Witch) on to perform at last years Jimmy Awards. With a Cast, Orchestra and Crew of over 125 of Oakton’s top talent, you won’t want to miss this show.
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!
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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.
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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
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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.
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage MonthPeople with ancestral roots in Asia and the islands of the Pacific have been integral to the story of America. In 1992, May was designated Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month to celebrate their heritage and contributions.Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.
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!
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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.
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