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Sept. 23rd- Holiday (Rosh Hashanah) Building Closed
Sept. 25 & 26th- Picture Days for students
On-Time Attendance
We are off to a great start to the school year. Now students are settled in their classes and know the routines. We stress to our teachers bell-to-bell instruction to maximize instructional time and learning. If you drop your student off at school, make sure that they do not have to rush and arrive late to school. Help our students develop the habit of being punctual. Also encourage your student to arrive at each class on time. Arriving late is a classroom interruption and distraction for the teacher and all students.
We will begin to reinforce our school’s tardy policy, which includes tardy sweeps, detention, and parent contact for repeated tardiness. We will also recognize punctuality with fun incentives for our students. Thank you for your support.
Updated Attendance Codes
Attendance Codes have been updated for the 2025-26 school year. These updates will allow schools to better identify the primary reasons for student absences, which will help school teams identify patterns of absenteeism, make informed decisions, and develop effective strategies to improve attendance. Please note which codes qualify as “Excused” and which are “Unexcused.”
Codes no longer used:
- EXC-Excused
- PRE-Prearranged Absence
- UNL-Unexcused Local
Updated Code:
- MED-Illness or Injury Related
Excused Codes:
- COL-College Visit
- FAM-Family Emergency
- FRL-Funeral
- LGL-Legal Obligations
- MAP-Medical Appointment (Prescheduled)
- MIL-Deployment Related
- OEX-Other-Excused
Unexcused Codes:
- NON-Non-School Activity
- OUN-Other- Not Excused
- VAO-Vacation, Outing, or Non-Emergency Family Travel / Visit
Counselors are assigned by alphabet and your first point of contact for any question or concerns you might have.
World Languages Credit-by-Exam (WLCBE) Opportunity
Students in grades 7–12 who are proficient in another language (spoken, written, or signed) are invited to take the World Languages Credit-by-Exam (WLCBE). This optional fall assessment allows students to:
- Earn up to 3 world language credits, depending on proficiency level.
- Potentially satisfy requirements for the Advanced Studies Diploma or the Virginia Seal of Biliteracy.
To participate, a signed and completed registration form must be submitted to your student’s school counselor by Oct. 17th no late submissions will be accepted.
Questions? Please contact your student’s school counselor.
SEL Screener
On October 10th, LJMS students will take the FCPS Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener. This short survey, given twice a year, helps schools understand how students feel about their school experience, relationships, and social-emotional skills.
The results are used to support student well-being and strengthen school programs. Individual student information is kept private, and families will receive a report through ParentVUE about a month after the window closes.
For more details, including sample questions and opt-out information, please visit the FCPS SEL Screener webpage.
Class Changes
At Luther Jackson Middle School, we strive to provide stability and consistency for all students. Please note that class changes will be limited, and we do not encourage students to switch classes midway through a quarter or semester. If you have questions or concerns about your student’s schedule, we encourage you to reach out directly to their counselor for support.
What Is a Bond? To pay for large-scale construction and renovation work, Fairfax County sells bonds, which allows the county to pay for these projects over time, like a home mortgage. By maintaining its triple-A bond rating, Fairfax County bonds are purchased by institutional investors at very low rates, saving the county considerable amounts of money that might otherwise be paid in interest. The county estimates that the triple-A rating has saved taxpayers at least $1 billion in financing costs.
FCPS uses bonds to fund all of its capital improvement projects – the projects that are focused on the infrastructure of schools and facilities. From important renovations to new safety features like security vestibules, this work is paid for by bonds.
FCPS will have a bond referendum on the ballot this Election Day, Tuesday, November 4. Bonds can make a difference that represent an investment in public education now and in the future.
Read more about the FCPS 2025 Bond Referendum. And learn more about registering to vote and making a voting plan.
The 2023-30 Strategic Plan — Goal 5: Leading for Tomorrow’s Innovation FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan sets five main goals to create positive change in the division. These goals show where we should focus our attention and will help us align our efforts.
Goal 5 focuses on preparing every student for life after graduation with the skills they need to thrive. See how Goal 5 is being put into practice.
Participate in an Upcoming Community Boundary Review Meeting
As a reminder, FCPS will hold two sets of community boundary review meetings this fall — one in September and another in October. Each set of meetings will focus on two pyramids per meeting.
All September meetings will include an overview of where FCPS is in the comprehensive boundary review process, an update and opportunity for feedback on school start times, how community input is informing the process, and next steps in the boundary review process.
The meeting for our pyramid will be held Saturday, September 27th, from 9-10:30am at Marshall High School. Please register by clicking (In Person or Virtual) depending on how you would like to participate.
Child care for in-person participants and language interpretation/translation for all participants will be available as needed.
Visit the FCPS website for a full list of meeting dates and information about the October meetings
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.
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.
If your child still has their Chromebook, please have them bring it on the first day of school and they can return it to room 502 or the main office.
The Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) online application portal will open Monday, October 20th, at 4:00PM. Representatives from TJHSST will be giving an information presentation on Monday, September 15th, at 2:30PM in the LJMS auditorium. The presentation is approximately 30 minutes with additional time for questions and answers. Both students and parents are invited to attend. No registration is necessary. Please note that students attending this information session will need to sign up for a second after school session if they are not leaving school with a parent after the presentation. For more information, please go to the TJ Admissions webpage at https://www.fcps.edu/tjadmissions. Please visit the TJHSST website to understand the required courses that students need to take in their 8th grade year in order to apply to TJHSS. Please contact Mr. Tickle at BRTickle@fcps.edu or 703 204 8124 for questions or for help with the application process.
Hi LJMS Families! Here’s your quick guide to what’s happening and how you can support our school community:
Food, Friends, and Fun
We're excited about the ‘Salsa Dancing Social’ for students that we're hosting next Friday, 9/26 from 2:30 to 4:30 at school! LJ 7th and 8th graders will have the opportunity to learn salsa dancing from a professional instructor, hit the dance floor, and enjoy some refreshments!
Please email pta@jacksonmspta.org with any questions! Looking forward to a fun event! See you next week!
Contribute to Faculty Fairies Help us surprise and support our wonderful LJMS staff! Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/ljmsfacultyfairy
Join the PTA Become a member and help make a difference. Join here: https://ljmspta.givebacks.com/shop
Join a Committee Team We’d love your help on these committees!
⃣ Declutter & Donate Drop off reusable or paper grocery bags at the school office, or donate directly to the food pantry. Support here: https://tinyurl.com/ljmsfoodsupport
We’ve had an awesome first week of after-school activities at LJ After Hours! Students are already diving into clubs, sports, and enrichment opportunities that make our after-school program such a valuable part of the Jackson experience.
Parents—thank you for your continued support! For questions, program details, and weekly updates, please visit our website: jacksonms.fcps.edu/activities/after-school-programs.
We’re looking forward to another great week ahead!
Ms. McCabe (After-School Specialist)
 Don't Miss Out! Providence Day & Back to School Celebration is coming up on Saturday, September 20, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at George C. Marshall High School! Featuring performances by the Vienna Singing Princesses, Drew Blue Shoes, and local Providence talent, plus activities for all ages and even a chance to meet some adorable furry friends! Don’t miss this free, family-friendly celebration of our schools, neighbors, and community spirit.
RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/providence-day-back-to-school-celebration-tickets-1560093284009
Parents and teachers interested in referring students for the fall full-time AAP screening must submit a full-time AAP referral form to the school’s Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART) by October 15, 2025.
Fall 2025 screening is only available to students newly enrolled in FCPS after January 1, 2025, who were not screened in Spring 2025.
For information pertaining to the screening process, testing and identification timeline or identification and placement, please contact Laura Ballou at liballou@fcps.edu.
If you are interested in trying out for the fall play, Alice in Wonderland, please join our LJMS Drama Schoology using the code: R5GG-4486-2VXM3. All information, including the signup Google form, is there.
ALL are welcome- you do not have to be in the theatre electives to join. Questions? See Ms. Stacey in room 419 or drop her an email at:smjones3@fcpsschools.net.
Auditions will be Sept. 17th or 18th.
The backstage interest meeting for the fall play will be Tuesday, September 16th. Backstage interviews will be Wednesday the 24th . Questions? Please email Mr. McLellan at: lmclellan1@fcps.edu.
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.
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/is01/r/pdcp/
. 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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