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October 31, 2025
Happy Friday, Panthers!
What an incredible way to close out the first quarter! Our Fall Festival was a tremendous success, thanks to the outstanding leadership of Ms. Fee and our Student Council Association (SCA). From planning to execution, they approached every detail with creativity, enthusiasm, and teamwork.
A heartfelt thanks to YOU – our parents and staff – who donated and supported the Trunk or Treat. Your partnership made the evening truly special. It was wonderful to see our students having such a great time and our entire school community coming together for an evening filled with laughter, good food, and connection.
The first quarter is officially in the books! Please remember there is no school for students on Monday, November 3rd, and Tuesday, November 4th. Wednesday, November 5th, will be a “gray” day for students.
For our Panthers who have been consistently demonstrating positive behavior—arriving to class on time and maintaining a good behavior record—we look forward to celebrating you at our first PBIS Panther Party of the year! Seventh grade will celebrate on Thursday and eighth grade on Friday, during 7th or 8th bells.
I’m also excited to announce the kickoff of our schoolwide read, Finding Langston. The story follows an 11-year-old boy who moves from Alabama to Chicago after his mother’s passing in 1946. Lonely and adjusting to change, he finds solace in the Chicago Public Library, where he discovers the poetry of Langston Hughes—our school’s namesake—and a deeper connection to his mother and himself.
Finally, for those celebrating Halloween this evening, have fun and be safe! Enjoy the extended weekend!
In partnership,
Principal Mizell
Langston Hughes Middle School Outstanding Employee Awards 25-26
Nominations are now open for the Outstanding Employee Awards! To submit a nomination for an Outstanding Employee in one of the categories below, please complete the nomination through this Google form link:
Hughes Outstanding Employee Awards 25-26
You may nominate one employee at our school or multiple employees (one individual may only nominate one employee per category). All that is required for a preliminary nomination is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work in one more of the criteria for that award category. The google-form link has more information regarding the criteria for each of these awards. The eligibility categories are as follows: Outstanding Teacher, Outstanding New Teacher, Outstanding Principal, Outstanding School-Based Leader, Outstanding School-Based Professional Employee, and Outstanding School-Based Operational Employee.
The deadline to submit a nomination is Friday, November 7, 2025.
If you have any questions, please contact Sharon Duncan-Hudspeth at sdduncanhuds@fcps.edu.
 IMPORTANT DATES
No School/Teacher Workdays: Monday, November 3, 2025 and Tuesday, November 4, 2025
PTA Meeting: Monday, November 10, 2025 at 7 p.m.
No School/ Holiday (Veteran's Day): Tuesday, November 11, 2025
1st Quarter Honor Roll Celebration: Friday, November 21, 2025
SIS ParentVUE End-of-Quarter Closure
The Gradebook in SIS ParentVUE and StudentVUE will be closed for the end of the first quarter from Friday, October 31, 4 p.m. to Monday, November 10, 6 a.m. Please review your student’s grades in ParentVUE prior to the quarter ending. If you have questions or concerns about a particular class, please contact that content teacher or your student’s LHMS school counselor. Report cards will be mailed home and posted in ParentVUE under the “documents” tab. Our 1st quarter Honor Roll will take place on Friday, November 21. More details will be shared once the grading window closes.
Screening and Growth Assessments
Fall iReady and MAP Growth diagnostic assessments will be centrally distributed to families through SIS ParentVUE (Documents tab). Reports will be posted by Friday, October 31. Parents and guardians without ParentVUE access will be mailed paper reports.
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Application
Eighth graders who have an aptitude and passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) are encouraged to apply for admission to the Class of 2030 at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST). The application portal will open Monday, October 20, at 4 p.m. Deadline to start an application is 4 p.m. Wednesday, November 12, with a final submission deadline of 4 p.m. Friday, November 14. For more information on the application process including eligibility requirements, important dates and the application please utilize this link: TJHSST Freshman Admission Process
If you have any further questions, please email our TJHSST Liaison, Karen Bach, at kabach@fcps.edu.
Social-Emotional Learning with Second Step
This week’s lesson introduced strategies to help your child increase their motivation, especially for tasks they may not initially enjoy or find valuable.
Engage at home: Tell your child about a time when you found a way to make a boring or difficult task more enjoyable or meaningful. Ask them what strategies they might use to boost their motivation for something they don’t feel excited about.
Bullying Prevention Activities: November 6-14
We are excited to kick off Bullying Prevention Week with the inspiring theme: The Power of Good. Throughout the week, we’ll be encouraging students to stand up for kindness, inclusion, and respect.
📚 November 6 and 7: The Student Services Team will lead bullying prevention lessons during Social Studies classes. These sessions will introduce the week’s theme and highlight how students can be powerful, positive forces in our school community.
🎉 Monday, November 10 - Band Together Against Bullying: Students will create a school-wide unity chain during lunch and receive a wristband.
🎉 Wednesday, November 12 - Pajama Day: “Be Comfortable Being an Upstander” Students can wear their coziest pajamas to show that standing up for others should always feel right.
🎉 Thursday, November 13: Public Service Announcement about the ‘Power of Good.'
🎉 Friday, November 14 – Superhero Day- Students are invited to wear their favorite superhero shirt to celebrate everyday heroes who choose kindness and courage.
Thank you for supporting our efforts to create a safe and welcoming environment for all students. Together, we can empower our Panthers to be the good they want to see in the world.
November is Family Engagement Month!
This month reminds us that families are children's first and most important teachers, advocates, and nurturers. Strong family support is vital to student well-being and success.
FCPS has many resources designed to increase engagement and partnerships with families while fostering academic success and social-emotional growth.
Additionally, our Family Liaison, Janessa Valentine, welcomes our new families and helps to orient them with our LHMS school community. Please reach out to her at jrvalentine@fcps.edu for support.
Family Academy Offers Opportunities to Support Parents and Guardians
The FCPS Family Academy offers resources and in-person and virtual classes, workshops, webinars, and programs for families. The following webinars and workshops will take place in November. Visit the Family Academy Catalog to learn more about these and other resources.
- ABA Family Training: Prioritizing Skills to Teach at Home
- Co-Parenting: Two Parents, Two Homes (in Spanish)
- Supporting Your Military-Connected Student in Secondary School
- Moving on to Life in the Community
Other Family Resource Center webinars will cover topics such as communication with twice exceptional children, family engagement in the special education process, restorative justice practices in schools and at home, and improving routines.
Community Support and Resources
Through partnerships with community-based organizations and other Fairfax County agencies, Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) provides information, referrals, and advocacy to help individuals connect with services, including: basic needs (food, shelter, clothing), financial assistance, health care services, and referrals to services and resources.
Visit the CSP website or call 703-222-0880 for assistance.
How to Access or Donate Food to Those in Need
View the Emergency Food Access Providers webpage to see where to access food or donate to your local food bank.
🎭 Broadway Night Registration is Open! 🎶
Does your Langston Hughes Middle School student love to sing, act, or perform on stage? Don’t miss Broadway Night, a beloved South Lakes Pyramid tradition now in its 21st year! Sponsored by the South Lakes High School Chorus and Parents for Choral Arts (PCA), this year’s theme is “Broadway in the Books.”
Students from Langston Hughes and the South Lakes pyramid elementary schools will take part in musical theatre workshops focused on singing and movement, leading up to an exciting Broadway-style performance at South Lakes High School in late January. Participants will collaborate with SLHS musicians and a professional choreographer to create a show complete with lighting, live music, and choreography.
Registration closes October 31st—don’t let your performer miss out on this amazing experience!👉 See the link below to register.
https://southlakeschorus.ptboard.com/formvw?store=6864&form=9&item=0
🎭 Broadway Night Registration is Open! 🎶
Does your Langston Hughes Middle School student love to sing, act, or perform on stage? Don’t miss Broadway Night, a beloved South Lakes Pyramid tradition now in its 21st year! Sponsored by the South Lakes High School Chorus and Parents for Choral Arts (PCA), this year’s theme is “Broadway in the Books.”
Students from Langston Hughes and the South Lakes pyramid elementary schools will take part in musical theatre workshops focused on singing and movement, leading up to an exciting Broadway-style performance at South Lakes High School in late January. Participants will collaborate with SLHS musicians and a professional choreographer to create a show complete with lighting, live music, and choreography.
Registration closes October 31st—don’t let your performer miss out on this amazing experience!👉 See the link below to register.
https://southlakeschorus.ptboard.com/formvw?store=6864&form=9&item=0
Join RoPAWtics
Looking for a hands-on, high-tech after-school activity? Join RoPAWtics, Langston Hughes Middle School's VEX Robotics club, hosted by STEAM Labs Robotics. Students work in teams to design, build, and program robots for the VEX V5 competition, developing critical thinking, teamwork, and engineering skills along the way. No prior experience is needed—just curiosity and a willingness to learn. Our season is just beginning, and we’re looking for new members to join the excitement. If your student is ready to explore the world of robotics, fill out the attached form VEX ROBOTICS INTEREST FORM or contact Leighton Redditt (Coach Red) for more information by Friday, November, 7 2025: ltredditt@fcps.edu
Thank you for supporting your student’s participation in our after-school programs! If you have any questions, please contact our after-school specialist, Mr. Kyle, at FMKyle@fcps.edu.
After-School Clubs Schedule: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkDtOVASo9Dvoamwm4h56r84B5gWzoR6dX6iawunMiU/edit?usp=sharing
PTA Meetings for the 2025-26 school year!
Mark your calendars now: Nov 10, Dec 8, Jan 12, Feb 2, Mar 2, Apr 13, May 4, June 1.
All meetings are at 7:00 p.m. in our LHMS Library unless otherwise indicated.
 If you would like to purchase, please email Kristina Burke at ktburke@fcps.edu
 Pre-Order Here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe_-3m4hZYzDJ-fYnbuviC9RBuWQgN_6DK8xuvmvE4LbcCthQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=107935403404087634581
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