Cooper News 10/29


Save the Dates

October 31, 2025 - Two-Hour Early Release for Students

November 3 and 4, 2025 - No School for Students

November 4, 2025 - Federal Impact Aid On-Line Forms Due

November 6, 2025 - FCPS Youth Survey Opt-Out Forms Due

November 10, 2025 - Veteran’s Day Event 

November 11, 2025 - Schools Closed - Veteran’s Day

November 20, 2025 - Picture Make-up Day

November 26, 27 & 28, 2025 - Thanksgiving Holiday Break

January 27, 2026 - Curriculum Night  5:30PM - 7:00PM

February 3, 2026 - SNOW DATE for Curriculum Night 5:30PM - 7:00PM

 

2025-2026 School Year Calendar

2025-2026 Cooper MS Events Calendar


Paperless Report Cards

We’re excited to offer you a more environmentally friendly and expedient option for receiving your child’s report cards: Go Paperless!

By choosing to go paperless, you'll be able to:

  • Access report cards directly in ParentVUE with just a few clicks.
  • Reduce wait time in seeing your child’s report card.

Here's how you can opt-in:

  1.  Log into ParentVUE, click on "My Account," and select “Go Paperless.”
  2.  All parents/guardians living with the student at the same address must have an active SIS ParentVUE account to opt-in.
  3. Once selected, the “Go Paperless” option will apply to all associated students, no matter their grade level.
  4. If you’ve already opted for paperless for your secondary students, it will automatically apply to any younger siblings at the elementary level too!

TJHSST Applications are Open

Am I Eligible to Apply?

You can apply if you meet the following criteria:

✔️ Currently in 8th grade

✔️ Enrolled in Honors Algebra I or a higher-level math course

✔️ Taking science honors and at least one other honors course

(e.g., English, Civics, or identified as a Young Scholar)

✔️ Earned a 3.5 GPA or higher (7th grade + first quarter of 8th grade)

✔️ Passionate about STEM

🔗View the full, up-to-date eligibility criteria:

https://www.fcps.edu/registration/thomas-jefferson-admissions/eligibilityrequirements

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Calendar for the Freshman Application

  • Oct 20  Application open at 4:00 PM
  • Nov 12     Application must be started by 4:00 PM
  • Nov 14    Application must be submitted by 4:00 PM
  • Dec 10     Notifications sent to ineligible students
  • Jan 24     Essay and Student Portrait Sheet Administration
  • Feb 4   Accommodations & Make-Up
  • Mar 3   Review Process Begins
  • Apr 30  Final Decision Release (No Later Than)

*Dates are Subject to Change


Fairfax County Youth Survey

Please read the following letter with more information regarding the Fairfax County Youth Survey. 

If you do not want your child to take part in the Fairfax County Youth Survey, please complete the opt-out form and return it to your child’s school counselor no later than November 6th.


FEDERAL IMPACT AID SURVEY

There's still time to complete your Federal Impact Aid Survey! 

The Federal Impact Aid program provides money to districts that enroll federally connected students. Help FCPS secure funding from the Impact Aid Program by helping us identify: 

  • Military families.
  • Federally connected families.
  • Families living on a military base.

Please complete one form for each child in your household. Remember that only the parent that registered the student with FCPS (the ‘enrolling parent’) can fill out the Impact Aid Survey form. 

For families without access to ParentVUE, a paper copy of the form will be sent home with your student starting November 12. Your information will be kept strictly confidential.

All on-line surveys are due November 4, 2025.

Your support will ensure that we receive the resources for which we are eligible.

To access the Impact Aid Form from your computer or mobile device, we recommend using Google Chrome.

Step 1: CLICK HERE or type sisparent.fcps.edu into your Chrome address bar to be taken to SIS ParentVUE. If you don’t have a SIS ParentVUE account, contact your child’s school for an activation letter. 

Step 2: After you’ve logged into your ParentVue Account, look for the ‘Online Packets’ link at the top of the page. Click ‘Online Packets’.

Step 3: Next, click the ‘Federal Impact Aid Survey’ button on the bottom of the page. This will take you to the Impact Aid Survey for you to complete.

If you have multiple children in Fairfax County Public Schools, please fill out a form for each child. You will know you have completed all of the forms when you get to the final page, and see a green check next to each of their names.

If you have tech difficulties, please contact the ParentVue Tech Support at 833-921-3277 or type https://go.fcps.edu/ParentTechnologySupportRequest/ in your browser.


Langley High School Open House

On Sunday, November 9th, from 2-4pm, Langley High School is hosting an Open House.  Eighth-grade students and their families are invited to attend the information session presented by administrators, tour the building with student ambassadors, and chat with experienced parents and faculty. Interested families should RSVP to Assistant Principal Jim Robertson using the link below by November 1, 2025:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf187CHF_VZf48GjQWJ_zS4O3eU-MPnWN2FxRF2-rp_rZUqVw/viewform

Who: 8th-grade students and their families in the Langley & McLean Pyramids

What: Langley High School Open House

Where: Langley HS Auditorium, park in the main lot and enter through door #14

When: Sunday, November 9, 2025, 2-4pm


turkey

Thanksgiving Food Drive

This Thanksgiving, our SCA is sponsoring a food drive to help local families in need. We’re asking for donations of canned goods and non-perishable items.

Donation Dates: November 1–21

Please send all items to your child’s advisory teacher.

Even a small donation can make a big difference. Thank you for helping us support our community this holiday season!


turkey

TURKEY TROT 5K -  REGISTER Today!

Get your "crew" together and join us for the 4th Annual Langley Crew and McLean Crew Clubs' Turkey Trot Saturday, November 29, 2025.  There will be music, food and coffee trucks, a bake sale, and a winter greenery sale.

Register by October 31st to guarantee your free commemorative Turkey Trot t-shirt & the first 100 Langley affiliated people to register get an iron on Langley Crew logo to customize their trot shirt!

  • Early Bird Pricing - $35 through Oct 31st; then, $50 through race day
  • Click HERE to register.

The details:

  • Where: Langley High School
  • When: Sat. November 29th
  • Time: Event opens at 8 am, Race starts at 9 am
  • Early race Packet Pick-Up: Nov 25, 4:30–7:30 PM at Langley HS Door 14 Lobby  or Race Day from 8:00 AM

📢Cooper Career Fair

🗓Friday, December 19th

Cooper Middle School is hosting a Career Fair on Friday, December 19th, to help students explore future career paths and connect classroom learning with real-world opportunities. We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers from a variety of professions to share their career journeys, demonstrate tools of the trade, and inspire our students to dream big about their futures. If you're passionate about what you do and would like to make an impact, we would love to have you join us!

Click here to sign up. To learn more, please contact Tara Williams tawilliams2@fcps.edu


Community Service Information

Please remind your students about the FCPS expectation that they will need to complete fifteen (15) Community Service hours by the end of 8th grade. This is a combined amount from 7th grade and 8th grades. The attached slide deck (Google slides or PDF) provides instructions about service hours, how to register or log hours on x2Vol, and how to join the Schoology Group for more resources. Teachers can send the PDF version to parents. For additional questions, our Community Service liaison is Pam Konde, pgkonde@fcps.edu.   


Join a Community Conversation with Superintendent Dr. Reid

Your voice matters, and Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid wants to hear from you! At FCPS, parents are partners, working with us to set our students up for long-term success at school and in life.

A series of Community Conversations will be held across the school division to discuss current challenges and future opportunities. These events are also a chance for you to share your thoughts and ask questions. Events are planned for the following dates:

Registration links will be shared soon. Childcare and interpretation services will be provided. Events are open to all.

 


News from Cooper Clinic

FCPS Illness Exclusion Guidance

Student Illness Guidance: When to Stay Home

This  guidance follows the FCPS attendance policy and reflects CDC guidance on preventing infections in K-12 schools. Guidance may change if a healthcare provider gives your child a specific diagnosis or there is an outbreak of a communicable disease at school. Visit FCPS’s attendance website for additional guidance on when to keep students home during an illness: https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/policies-regulations-and-notices/attendance-policies/attendance-recommendations


Save the Date - Books and Bingo

Cooper will be hosting a Bingo Night for families on Wednesday, December 3 at 6PM.  More details to follow.  We hope you can join us for bingo and the Book Fair.  


Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers are a vital part of Cooper Middle School, and we value their time and dedication. To enhance student safety, FCPS has updated its volunteer process to include sex offender registry checks and, in some cases, background checks.

We invite all who are interested in becoming a volunteer to register through Volunteer FCPS. Click “Learn More,” then “Sign Up” to create a profile, watch the orientation video, and complete the application.

All volunteers — including field trip chaperones, book fair helpers and classroom assistants — must be registered. Those working unsupervised with students will also need a background check.

We know these changes may be new for long-time volunteers, but they help ensure every student feels safe and supported.

Reminder: All volunteers and visitors must sign in using the visitor kiosk and scan their ID. For more details, visit the Volunteer FCPS FAQ page.

 


Community Updates from our Family Liaison

SNAP Program

Governor Glenn Youngkin has declared a State of Emergency to address the lapse in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits starting Nov. 1 due to the ongoing federal government shutdown.

  • To fill this gap the State has created an emergency food assistance program called Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance (VENA).
  • VENA will provide emergency food assistance to eligible SNAP households while the federal shutdown continues in November.  
  • The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) is implementing VENA directly, without local Fairfax County involvement.
  • Emergency food assistance under VENA will be added to existing SNAP EBT cards starting Nov. 3.  

The Virginia Department of Social Services will provide updated information as it becomes available and remains committed to supporting all Virginians during this challenging period.

We recognize this may cause significant challenges for many of our SNAP households. Fairfax County is committed to supporting our community through these uncertain times. Resources are available if you need food or other financial assistance:

Capital Area Food Bank is committed to providing food for our neighbors in need, throughout the year and in unexpected moments of economic hardship.

  • To support federal employees and contractors affected by the government shutdown, the food bank is holding additional food distributions at locations throughout its partner network. These new food distributions will offer boxes of shelf-stable pantry items and fresh produce for the duration of the shutdown.
  • These new food distributions will begin the week of October 20th. To receive food, visitors will need to show a government work ID.

 

Week of Action

November 8-16

Only YOU can save our trees!  All are invited to participate in a “Week of Action,” November 8-16, when people across Fairfax County will come together to rescue trees from invasive vines. This is the official launch of Fairfax Tree Rescuers PRISM (Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management), a community-wide initiative to save our trees and natural areas from the invasive plants that are smothering and strangling them. The many events are listed at FairfaxPRISM.org, where you can also learn about other ways to help or to get help with this work. Registration is required for the tree rescue events because of limited parking in some locations. If you are able to attend an event, you’ll want to wear sturdy clothing for clipping vines.

Please click on the link for more information. 

 

Cooper wear Donations with Ms. Cannon (ongoing)  –  There is a box in the front office for Cooper wear donations to pass on to new families and rising 7th graders.  If you no longer need yours, have your student bring it by!

Please contact our Family Liaison, Ms. Mollie Cannon (mcannon@fcps.edu) with any questions.


📚 Order Your Yearbook Today!

🗓 Deadline: November 30, 2025

🌐 Order Online: YearbookOrderCenter.com

🏫 School Order Number: 5267

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yearbook

Attention Parents!

We need photos of your students and their Cooper friends for the yearbook. We are specifically looking for photos from last summer, sports, weekends, holidays, first day of school, and students with their families.

Please email any photos you would want to see in the yearbook to Cooperyearbook@gmail.com ASAP. THANK YOU!

From the Yearbook Staff.


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