 The Liberty Ledger
Weekly newsletter providing families with the important updates and report of events happening at Liberty Middle School.
Important Dates:
- Thursday, August 14- Leap into Liberty: New Student Orientation
- Friday, August 15- Liberty Live: Open House
- Monday, August 18- First Day of School!
Leap into Liberty New Student Orientation and Liberty Live Open House:
Leap into Liberty: New Student Orientation will be held on Thursday, August 14th for ALL 7th grade students and any 8th grade students who are NEW to Liberty. The orientation is for students only and runs from 9:30 am to 11:30 am. Upon arrival, students will receive their schedules and will participate in various activities to become more acquainted with Liberty and meet new classmates.
Transportation for the orientation will be provided by FCPS school buses from feeder elementary schools. The schedule is as follows:
Bull Run Elementary- 9:00 am
Centreville Elementary- 9:10 am
Centre Ridge Elementary- 9:10 am
Colin Powell- 9:10 am
Union Mill Elementary- 9:15 am
You may also drop your student off in Kiss and Ride at Liberty and pick-up there as well.
(Please do not drop off prior to 9:20 am.)
Liberty Live: Open House will be held on Friday, August 15 from 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 am. for ALL Liberty students (including returning 8th graders) and their families. Liberty Live is an open house format for you to come when you can. This is an excellent opportunity for new families to start the process of becoming acquainted with Liberty Middle School.
We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of all our Liberty Lions and look forward to a wonderful year together.
Back to School Forms:
We are excited to welcome all of our Liberty Lions to a new school year filled with learning, growth, and community. As we prepare for a strong start, it is essential that all families complete the required beginning-of-the-year forms. These forms provide important information that helps us ensure a safe and supportive experience for every student.
To make the process as smooth as possible, we’ve outlined the five required forms below, along with details and helpful links. The following forms are to be completed by Friday, August 15, 2025. Completing these forms in a timely manner allows our staff to better serve your students and helps us build a successful school year from day one.
Thank you in advance for your partnership and support!
PARENT FORMS:
All six (6) required beginning-of-the-school-year forms are included below and will also be available on the Liberty Middle School website at this link: https://libertyms.fcps.edu/SchoolOpening
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Online Verification Update (OVU): All required school forms are now available through ParentVUE. The Online Verification Update (OVU) packet allows parents to review and update phone numbers, emergency contacts, and health information (such as medical conditions and immunizations). Enrolling parents can access OVU through their SIS ParentVUE account.
ParentVUE: For assistance setting up your ParentVUE account, please contact our Student Services Assistant, Victoria Reyes, at VVReyes@fcps.edu.
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After-School Registration Form: Please complete the After-School Registration Form located through FCPS’s easy-to-use Parent Digital Consent System. These forms are required for all students. For questions, contact our After-School Specialist, Sandra Donlon, at SLDonlon@fcps.edu.
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Digital Content (Accessible starting 8/11): Please review and provide your child’s digital consent through FCPS’s easy-to-use Parent Digital Consent System. This form is required. For more information, visit the Fairfax County Public Schools website.
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SOL Retake Permission (Accessible starting 8/18): Students may have the opportunity to retake Standards of Learning (SOL) tests during the Spring. Please complete the SOL Retake Permission form to grant your child permission to participate in a retake if eligible.
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Intent to Ride: Please complete this form to indicate your child’s intent to ride the school bus for the 2025–26 school year. This form is accessible through ParentVUE.
General Procedures for Kiss and Ride:
Parents should always enter and exit from the 2nd entrance closest to Compton Road. The bus entrance is for buses, not kiss and ride. Please follow the signs and directions of school staff. Students may exit their vehicles starting at 7:05AM.
Please remember SAFETY and PATIENCE when dropping off (7:05AM) or picking up your student in the Kiss and Ride loop. Students will not be allowed in the building until 7:10. If they are allowed in due to weather or other reasons, students must report to the cafeteria until 7:10.
Always enter and exit the kiss and ride loop at the second entrance closer to Compton Road. In the mornings, please pull all the way around to the last kiss and ride sign that tells you to stop. This allows us to unload several cars at once instead of only a few when a car stops in the middle of the loop. Give other cars time and wait for them to pull out. This means do not pass on the inside lane. Staff will direct you around slow or stalled cars. Safety is our #1 priority.
If possible, your student may walk or ride the bus.
In the afternoons, drivers may line up in the kiss and ride circle. Students will be dismissed at 2:15 and report to the kiss and ride circle. Staff will direct cars out safely, as soon as the student is in the car. Thank you very much for your patience and cooperation!
Updated Away for the Day Policy:
Fairfax County Public Schools has adopted a new, consistent policy for all schools. This change is designed to create a more focused and productive learning environment for every student by minimizing distractions and encouraging direct engagement in the classroom.
Beginning this school year, cell phones and other smart devices, including earbuds and smart watches, must be turned off and stored away in a backpack or other personal bag throughout the school day, from the first bell at 7:25 AM to the dismissal bell at 2:15 PM.
This policy means that students are not permitted to use their phones, smart devices, or accessories during class time, passing periods, or lunch.
Here’s a breakdown of the new policy:
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No Devices in Class: Phones and other smart devices are not to be used for instructional purposes and must be off and out of sight. For classwork requiring audio, students will be required to use wired headphones. We’re excited to share that the Liberty MS PTA is generously covering the cost of a pair of wired earphones for every student for the upcoming school year.
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No Devices in Restrooms or Locker Rooms: To ensure student safety and privacy, phones are strictly prohibited in these areas unless there is a medical necessity.
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Consequences for Violations: We have a clear, progressive disciplinary plan in place for policy violations.
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1st Violation: The device will be confiscated and can be picked up from the front office at the end of the school day by the student.
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2nd Violation: The device will be confiscated, the student will receive one day of lunch detention, and an administrator will conference with the student and/or a parent.
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3rd Violation: The device will be confiscated, the student will receive two days of lunch detention, and an administrator will conference with the student and/or a parent.
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4th Violation and Beyond: The device will be confiscated, the student will receive three days of lunch detention, and will lose the privilege of having a cell phone on campus for 20 school days. During this period, the student must check their phone in at the main office each morning and pick it up at the end of the day.
We believe this updated policy will help our students better focus on their education and their interactions with peers and staff. Your partnership in reinforcing this policy is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school administration.
After-School Program:
What Is Your Middle School Student Doing After-School?
Liberty has MS Sports and many more activities for your students after 2:15PM!
Whether your student is running Cross Country, Track & Field or playing in our interscholastic After School sports (basketball team, volleyball team, Flag Football team, or Futsal/Soccer team), your student MUST have a current FCPS MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS ATHLETIC PARTICIPATION/PARENTAL CONSENT/EVALUATION FORM.
The form must be in before a child can participate. Please have your student drop off their physical forms in the front office.
For more information about Middle School Sports (Cross Country and Track & Field) and its requirements, access the FCPS Link listed here: Middle School Athletics
The Liberty After-School Program for 2025-26 will start in mid-September with lots of great opportunities for your students.
Required for all students is the After-School Registration Form which can be found through FCPS’s easy-to-use Parent Digital Consent System. These forms are required.
For more information, visit the Fairfax County Public Schools website.
Almost all students stay after at least once for a teacher, rehearsal, or project completion, but we hope your student wants to join many of our clubs, activities, and sports every day after school.
After-School programs are still seeking sponsors and firming up activities and schedules. We will have more on this in the coming weeks. Cross country and Basketball teams will begin practices the first weeks of September. All other activities will be added as staffing is in place and ready to start.
Please review the ‘25-‘26 After-School Flyer for an overview of the program.
For additional questions, email Sandy Donlon, Liberty After-School Specialist at sldonlon@fcps.edu.
Student Services Team
 Shirley Alvarez-Leon, Liberty Counselor
Valerie Peters, Director of Student Services
Quesuan Wigfall, Liberty Counselor
Raychal Hart, Lead Liberty Counselor
Free and Reduced-Price Meals:
Learn more about the criteria and process to apply for free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch.
If you have children eligible for the federal Free and Reduced-Price Meals program, they may also be eligible to participate in other Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) fee-based programs without paying a fee or by paying a reduced fee (e.g fees associated with elective classes).
To learn more and apply online click here:https://www.fcps.edu/frm
The free and reduced-price meals application also includes a section where you provide consent to share information allowing FCPS staff (School Principal, school counselors and other FCPS program staff) to share information about your children's meal eligibility status.
Information received by FCPS staff will only be used for the purposes described in the application.
Questions or Concerns?
If you have any questions regarding resources like food and family assistance, please contact Sarah Hughes, School Social Worker at shughes@fcps.edu or visit our Social Worker Page.
Helpful Resources
LMS Administrative Team
 Assistant Principal: Jennifer Filsinger | JLFilsinger@fcps.edu
Assistant Principal: Sarah Letina | SCLetina@fcps.edu
Principal: Adam Erbrecht | AWErbrecht@fcps.edu
Director of Student Services: Valerie Peters | VCPeters@fcps.edu
Assistant Principal: Gregory Hall | GHall3@fcps.edu
After-School Specialist: Sandy Donlon | SLDonlon@fcps.edu
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