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Good afternoon Stone Families,
We have finished another great week here at Stone. Next week will be a short week but full of learning, so please have your student here every day and on time.
Here is this week's updates:
SAVE THE DATE
Curriculum Night - Wednesday, February 5th at 6pm
This program is designed for parents to learn about the 7th and 8th grade curriculum offered at Stone MS.
Quarter 1 Honor Roll
Congratulations to all students who earned All A Honor Roll or AB Honor Roll for Quarter!🌟 All students who earned all As or As and Bs earned Honor Roll status. Their Panther Block teachers were given a certificate and bracelet to hand out to students for recognition. Students who earned all As (154) were called together for a brief ceremony (YouTube link) on Thursday followed by a donut reception.
PTSA News
- PTSA Executive Board is seeking a VP of Communications to help with sharing the happenings of the Stone PTSA
- Flowers will be on sale for the winter music concerts
- Membership Drive is still happening, please join.
- Next Meeting December 10th at 7pm in the Stone Theater. Presentation is on Student Mental Health with a guest speaker.
- Planners still available for $10 in the main office
- Stay organized all year long with a planner made just for Stone students. Each planner includes Fairfax County holidays, Odd/Even day schedules, and plenty of space to track assignments, goals, and activities. Don’t miss out—grab yours today! Planners can be purchased for ONLY $10 via Givebacks (https://ormondstoneptsa.givebacks.com) or in the Main Office (Checks/Cash Accepted). Please make checks payable to Stone Middle School PTSA."
🛡️ Implementation of Open Gate Weapon Detection System
As of Friday, November 21st Stone MS is in full implementation of our open gate system.
➡️ All students arriving to school will now enter at Door 1.Upon entering, students will immediately be directed to go to the cafeteria until 7:22 a.m.
Let's have a great week Panthers,
Sonya Williams
Principal
💻 Action Required! Update Your Permission for Google Tools
Google recently made changes to how educational applications are managed and accessed on the Chrome Browser and Chromebooks. Many applications are moving from the Chrome Web Store to the Google Play Store.
To ensure your student(s) can continue accessing all approved instructional tools, FCPS has updated its digital consent platform to include both the Chrome Web Store and the Google Play Store.
Please review and provide your consent for these two new options through our easy-to-use Parent Digital Consent system:
- Additional Google Services – Chrome Web Store
- Additional Google Services – Google Play Store
Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting safe and effective digital learning experiences for all students.
For questions or support, please visit FCPS’ Family Technology Resources page or open a ticket with our Technical Support desk.
Manage Your Child’s Screen Time on FCPS Devices
FCPS offers the Lightspeed Parent Portal to help you manage screen time on your child's FCPS device at home. With a Parent Portal account, you can control your child’s access to YouTube and pause website browsing during after-school hours.Please note that parent controls are active only during after-school hours, defined as Monday through Friday from 3:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. (including student holidays) and all day Saturday and Sunday.
If you haven't signed up for the portal yet, use the link at the bottom of your weekly Lightspeed Online Student Activity Report email. To learn more, please visit the Lightspeed Parent Portal page on the FCPS website.
Monitoring Support for Your Child in ParentVUE
All FCPS schools use an approach called Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to make sure every student gets the help they need to learn.
MTSS helps school teams deliver high-quality instruction for all students and provide extra time, support, and interventions as needed. Families are partners in this process. We will share information about your child’s individual learning, needs, and progress.
You may view your child's intervention plans and progress in SIS ParentVUE. Expect progress to be updated quarterly, with report card due dates.
Social and Emotional Learning Screener: Parent Reports
Students in grades 3-12 took the SEL Screener last month, providing information on skills like achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships, and making responsible decisions. The screener also asks students how well their school community makes them feel valued, included, and supported.
Individual student SEL Screener results will be available to families in the Documents section of SIS ParentVUE the week of November 17. For families who do not have an active ParentVUE account, results will be shared by our school.
For support in understanding your individual student’s results or for ideas on how to support them at home, please review the Family Guide or reach out to school staff.
Advanced Academics Programming
Window for Full-Time AAP Referrals Closes on December 15
Parents and guardians of students in Grades 2-7 who would like their student to be considered for full-time Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) services must submit the AAP Full-Time Referral Form to [name and email address of the AART or principal] no later than December 15, 2025.
Each year, families can submit a referral for full-time AAP services any time from the first day of school through December 15. No late referrals for full-time AAP services will be accepted.
Once a referral is received, our school will compile information related to the student. Then, a committee of six trained professionals from across the county will review materials to determine eligibility for full-time AAP services.
Next Steps for Parents
Eligibility decisions are communicated by early April. Parents may request a copy of their child’s materials after February 20, 2026, by emailing Stone's AART.
At the elementary level, referrals for subject-specific and part-time AAP are screened by the school. If you miss the full-time referral deadline, your student can still be screened for subject-specific or part-time AAP services for the remainder of the year.
At the middle school level, honors courses are open to all students.
For more information, please visit the Advanced Academic Programs webpage.
 ❄️ Prepare for Winter Weather
Winter weather will be here before you know it! Watch this video to see how weather closing decisions are made at FCPS.
FCPS’ website is generally the first place to find out about emergency weather closings. Other communication channels will be used as quickly as possible, including email, text, social media, the new FCPS mobile app, and news stations. Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated.
Be sure to plan for the winter season. Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, bookmark the FCPS website, and arrange emergency child care if needed.
 🦃 Community Meal Nights Hosted by FCPS
FCPS Office of Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) is excited to host special Community Thanksgiving Dinners for our students and families, in partnership with Educate Fairfax.
If you are unable to attend your student's Thanksgiving lunch at school, FNS invites you to attend one of our Community Thanksgiving Dinners. These dinners are a great way to enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving-inspired meal and celebrate the season with your school community.
- When:
- Monday, November 24, 6–7 p.m. at Herndon High School and Justice High School.
- Tuesday, November 25, 6–7 p.m. at Annandale High School and Mount Vernon High School.
- Cost: Meals are FREE for both children and adults thanks to the FNS afterschool program and a generous partnership with Educate Fairfax.
- Details: No registration is required. Meals will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Families can look forward to enjoying a delicious Thanksgiving-inspired meal, featuring a main dish, side items, fresh fruits and vegetables, and dessert. Meals must be eaten on-site.
- The FCPS FNS team is excited to welcome all families, celebrate the season together, and continue building meaningful connections across our school communities.
📓 Help Us Write Stone’s Next Chapter: Fiscal Year 2027 Budget
There’s a story behind the success of every FCPS student — a story about what’s possible with the appropriate funding for world-class teachers, rigorous academics, and future-ready learning experiences. At FCPS, student success starts with a strong budget!
FCPS is currently developing the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget, which is for the 2026-27 school year. In January, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid will present a proposed budget to the School Board.
During this process, we’ll be sharing FCPS’ budget story with you. The different chapters will explain the impact of chronic underfunding, why strong funding benefits all of Fairfax County, what’s at stake when Stone Middle School and other FCPS schools don’t get the support we need, and more.
We invite you to follow along and learn how you can help write our next chapter!
Volunteer FCPS Helps Community Members Connect With Schools
The new volunteer management system, Volunteer FCPS, allows individuals to search and register for volunteer opportunities at our school or across the school district.
Volunteer FCPS is how FCPS provides a safe, consistent, and welcoming environment at all of our schools. Anyone interested in volunteering with FCPS must:
- Create a profile in Volunteer FCPS.
- Register for opportunities through Volunteer FCPS.
- Sign in and out of schools using the visitor kiosk on EVERY visit – no exceptions.
Recent Updates to Volunteer Opportunity Levels
Due to the overwhelming response, FCPS is temporarily pausing fingerprint requirements for most Level 3 volunteers. Those who have already been fingerprinted will be processed to be eligible for all Level 3 opportunities.
Field trip chaperone opportunities will now be classified as Level 2 (not requiring a comprehensive background check that includes fingerprinting).
To ensure continuous safety, all new volunteers are required to sign a Volunteer Certification Statement. This statement is a legal confirmation that you have no history of violent felonies, physical or sexual crimes against children, or crimes of moral turpitude (dishonesty, fraud, things that are immoral by society’s standards).
Visit the Volunteer FCPS website to complete a volunteer orientation. View Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about the volunteer levels.
 Parents....please pre-order your student's yearbook for the 2025-26 school year.
District News/In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- FCPS Budget
- Prepare for Winter Weather
- Community Meal Nights
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, sign up today.
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