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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,
This week was a special week at Franklin! We celebrated our teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week with a different meal or gift each day. Thank you to the PTA for all of the time and effort that they put in to make this a great week for our staff! If you haven't done so already, feel free to reach out to a teacher to let them know how much you appreciate them and/or encourage your student to do so!
As part of Teacher Appreciation Week, we brought back our Teacher CARE Cards! CARE Cards are an important part of our culture at Franklin, with teachers recognizing students for being Connected, Accountable, Respectful, and Engaged. This week, we turned the tables and allowed students to give CARE Cards to their teachers! The teacher CARE Cards also have space for students to write a message to their teacher. We set up in the cafeteria and had over 300 students fill out CARE Cards for a teacher. Thank you to all students who used this as a way to show their appreciation for their teachers!
I have gotten some questions recently from parents about our Boy's Restrooms. We have been reopening restrooms throughout the school, but we did have multiple closed over the last several weeks due to frequent vandalism and damage to the fixtures. Limiting the number of restrooms that was open allowed us to provide more supervision and ensure that the vandalism was not taking place. As we reopen most of the restrooms, please remind your students of the importance of respecting our building and reinforce that they should tell an adult if they see any vandalism.
Last week, I introduced our Falcons on time initiative in this newsletter. On Monday, students watched a video that outlined our response to tardiness, outlined below. Please continue to stress the importance of arriving on time to class with your students. It goes a long way in building a positive and productive learning environment!
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
 Important Dates
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)
Thank you to our PTA
Thank you to Pinky Williams and Becky Raicci for organizing an amazing Teacher Appreciation Week. From all of the parent donations to the small details each day, Franklin's teachers and staff had an amazing week!
Don't forget to support our local Lazy Dog, Red Robin and Harris Teeter. They sponsored the delicious lunch on Wednesday!
A special thank you to Dr. Helena Kilic, Oakton Family Dentistry, for donating numerous snacks, as well as 2 gift baskets! |
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Let’s transform summer learning together!
The FCPS Summer Extravaganza is an exciting event that helps families imagine all the possibilities to continue learning over the summer. This is possible by showcasing interactive and immersive activities for children and the power of collaboration across FCPS offices and community partners.
Several departments within Fairfax County Public Schools—including Transportation, the Office of Multilingual Learners (ESOL Services), the Hispanic Educators Association, Career and Transition Services, Get2Green, the Office of Intervention and Prevention Services, and Safety and Security—are collaborating to create a day filled with engaging and educational activities for all FCPS students. In addition, various student school clubs will be in attendance, showcasing their initiatives and contributions. This year, we're excited to introduce the Student Program Marketplace, a new feature where students will present and sell their handmade goods, with proceeds supporting their respective programs. This initiative is supported and led by Educate Fairfax; a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing educational opportunities for Fairfax County Public Schools students
The Summer Extravaganza will feature:
- Activities for children of all ages that inspire curiosity and a love of learning
- Opportunities for adults to learn how to support student well-being and academic success
- A special section of student-led activities
We invite you to attend and engage with our FCPS community.
Event Details Date: Saturday, May 10 Time: 10:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Location: Woodson High School Parking Lot (9525 Main St, Fairfax, VA 22031) REGISTER TODAY!
Please let us know if you will be able to attend by replying to this email.
We look forward to celebrating a summer of learning and growth with you. For more details, please visit our Summer Extravaganza webpage. This event is proudly sponsored by Educate Fairfax!
Updates from National Junior Honor Society:
- 7th graders/families: Our 7th Grade NJHS Induction Ceremony will take place after school on Monday, May 19th. Last week, selected students were invited to apply and added to our NJHS Schoology group. Please check the Schoology group for information about the NJHS contract and application. All applications and contracts are due on Monday, May 12th. Late applications and contracts will not be accepted.
- 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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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).
After-School Program Information
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.
- 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.
- May 10 Track & Field Meet at Fairfax HS 8:00AM
- May 17 Track & Field Meet at Chantilly HS 8:00AM
- May 31 Track & Field Championships at Robinson 8:00AM
VIP CAMP UPDATE
What are your rising 7th & 8th graders doing this summer?
Like you, we believe your child is a very important person and deserves a summer experience that is safe and full of fitness, friends, fun and enrichment. FCPS and Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (DNCS) have teamed up to offer a 5-week camp for rising 7th and 8th graders in the Western Fairfax area. Campers will have a great time participating in sports, games, fitness, art, and STEM activities in a safe environment. The program is led by FCPS After-School and DNCS Teen/Community Center Staff.
Camp Details:
- Dates - Tuesday, July 1st - Thursday, July 31st
- NO camp on July 4th
- 9:00 AM - 4:00PM (Site opens at 8:00AM for drop off)
- Location – Rocky Run Middle School, 4400 Stringfellow Road, Chantilly
- Bus Transportation will be provided from feeder middle schools and other selected stops
- Cost – $100* for all 5 weeks (this does not include field trips)
- *Scholarships are available for families who require financial assistance
- This camp serves rising 7th and 8th grade (2025-2026 school year) students who reside in the Franklin, Katherine Johnson, Liberty, Rocky Run and Stone Middle School boundaries.
Camp Registration:
As you are aware, registrations for the 2025 VIP Summer Camps have been on hold as this program may not be available or may be restructured. As of May 6th, the Board of Supervisors is proposing to restore funding for the Middle School After-School Program. If the budget is adopted on May 13th, then VIP Summer Camp will be ON for this summer.
- May 7th: Families will receive a News You Choose email from Western Fairfax VIP
- May 13th: Board of Supervisors adopts the 2025-2026 budget
- May 14th at 6 PM: VIP Camp registration opens
Questions? Contact Chris Tippins, our After-School Program Specialist, at WCTippins@fcps.edu.
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
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.
🏥End of School Year Medication Pick up
The school health room is reminding parents and guardians that all medication stored in the health room must be picked up no later than the student dismissal time on the last day of school (June 11 @12:15PM). Medication left in the health room after that time will be destroyed. It is school policy that medications must be picked up by the parent or guardian. Medication cannot be sent home with your student. If your student will be enrolled in a summer program sponsored by Fairfax County Public Schools, the existing medication authorization form(s) may be used for the summer program, but you will need to pick up the medication on the last day of school and deliver the medication and completed forms to the summer learning site on the first day of the summer program. Please let the health room know if you would like a copy of the form(s).
Thank you for your cooperation and have a good summer
We invite you to participate in a series of community meetings in order to review and reflect on the initial draft scenarios before the start of summer break. Another round of community meetings will be held in the fall.
As part of these community meetings, families, staff, and community members will be able to explore and visualize potential boundary scenarios using a customized Boundary Explorer Tool. The tool will also be accessible from our website.
- Thursday, May 15, 6:30-8 p.m., Oakton High School
- Friday, May 16 , 6:30-8 p.m., Robinson Secondary School
- Monday, May 19, 6:30-8 p.m., Herndon High School
- Friday, May 23, 7-8:30 p.m., Lewis High School
- Wednesday, May 28, 7-8:30 p.m., Annandale High School
- Thursday, May 29, 6:30-8 p.m., Whitman Middle School
- Friday, May 30 , 6:30-8 p.m., Chantilly High School
- Friday, June 6, 6:30–8 p.m., Glasgow Middle School
Each meeting will be hybrid, meaning that you may attend in person or via Zoom. Childcare for in-person participants and language interpretation/translation for all participants will be available as needed. Registration links will be shared soon.
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
People 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.
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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