Save the Dates
December 3, 2025 - Bingo Night Cancelled
December 8 - 12, 2025 - SCA Spirit Week
December 22, 2025 - January 2, 2026 - Holiday Winter Break
January 5, 2026 - First Day Back from Holiday Break
January 19, 2026 - Holiday for Students and Staff
January 27, 2026 - Core and Elective Curriculum Night (Snow Date February 3, 2026)
2025-2026 School Year Calendar
2025-2026 Cooper MS Events Calendar
Welcome Our New Assistant Principal
Join us in welcoming Jennifer Diglio as the new Assistant Principal at Cooper Middle School. Ms. Diglio brings more than 20 years of experience in Fairfax County Public Schools, including roles as Assistant Principal at Sandburg Middle School and Dean of Students at Centreville High School. She holds a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from George Mason University. Ms. Diglio is excited to join Cooper for its commitment to inclusivity and student-centered culture, looking forward to fostering academic growth and social-emotional development. Outside of school, she enjoys time with her husband, Tom, and their children, Mia, Aedan, and Ian, and riding her horse, Finn. Please join us in welcoming Jennifer Diglio to the Cooper Middle School administrative team.
Outstanding Staff Awards👏
We are thrilled to announce and celebrate the incredible staff members who have been recognized by their peers for their exceptional dedication and contributions to our school community!
Please join us in congratulating the following Outstanding Employee award recipients:
- Outstanding Teacher: Anneliese Richey
- Outstanding New Teacher (<3 years teaching): Calliandra Harris
- Outstanding Professional Employee: Heather Dorman
These individuals exemplify the high standards and spirit of service that make our school an incredible place to learn and work. We are immensely proud to have them here at Cooper and wish them the best of luck as they move on to represent Cooper at the pyramid level of the competition!
🎁PINE SPRING GIFT SIGN UP
Dear Cooper Community,
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
We have partnered with Pine Spring ES, our "sister school" located in Falls Church. Below you will find a list of wishes from the kindergarten students; we are looking for families to fulfill these wishes. The students have selected a toy they hope to receive. You will find the student's name and gender in the column with their gift below their name.
We ask that gifts are wrapped and labeled clearly with their name and the teacher's name. Gift price should be around $25-30. Please bring your wrapped and labeled gift to the front office at Cooper by Friday, December 12.
We are so thankful for your continued generosity. Please reach out to Lindsay Bovenzi (lmbovenzi@fcps.edu) should you have any questions.
Cooper MS: 2025 Cooper MS Gift Collection for Pine Spring ES Kindergarten Class
📢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
Graduation Status Now Available in ParentVUE & StudentVUE
A new Graduation Status section is now available in ParentVUE and StudentVUE. The Graduation Status is a tool that helps parents and students monitor and track their progress in meeting graduation requirements. This feature includes progress towards the Standard or Advanced Studies diploma for high school students and middle school students who have enrolled in one or more high school courses. This new graduation status section is available in addition to the course history and unofficial transcript options in ParentVUE and StudentVUE. To view the graduation status section, please take the following steps:
- Login to your SIS ParentVUE Account 2. Go to “Course History” for your middle or high school student 3. Go to “Graduation Status” and toggle “on”
For questions about graduation requirements, please contact your school counselor. Additional information about ParentVUE is available on the following website: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/technology/student-information-system-sis-fcps/sis-parent-account-overview
Portrait of a Graduate
Parents and Guardians, during advisory on December 3rd, students were asked to identify an example of a project or assignment in school that proves that they are good at one of their previously selected POG skills, making them a talented communicator, collaborator, critical & creative thinker, global & ethical citizen, and/or goal directed & resilient individual. They then wrote a summary of how this project or assignment proves that they are good at this POG skill. We encourage you to ask your child (at dinner, in the car on the way to practice, over your weekend, or any time you can!) about their evidence or about their progress with Portrait of a Graduate skills. If you’d like to learn more about Portrait of a Graduate at FCPS, please see this web page: https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/portrait-graduate.
Spring Full-Time AAP Screening
Parents and teachers interested in referring students for the spring full-time AAP screening must submit a full-time AAP referral form to the school’s Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART) by December 15, 2025. Spring 2026 screening is only available for current 7th grade students. For information pertaining to the screening process, testing and identification timeline or identification and placement, please contact Rachel Wolfe at rawolfe1@fcps.edu.
American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) 8
Cooper MS will again host the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) AMC 8 test. The AMC 8 is a 25-question, 40 minute multiple choice exam in middle school mathematics designed to promote the development of problem solving skills. Additional information can be found on the MAA website.
This optional competition will be offered after school on Tuesday, January 27th from 2:30-4:00 PM. Students can be picked up at Cooper at 4 PM, students can take a late bus home at 4:30, or any student that typically is a walker can walk home.
There is a $4.00 fee to take the test which can be paid through MySchoolBucks.
If your child is interested in taking the AMC 8, please complete this Google Form no later than Monday, December 15th; late registrations will not be accepted.
Please contact Lisa Walsh (lswalsh1@fcps.edu) with any questions.
📅Save the Date!
Rising 9th Grade Curriculum Night📚
Monday, January 26th!
More information around course selection will be sent out in December, save the date for rising 9th grade curriculum night now. Please join us to discuss 9th grade course selection options and some important tips you can be doing now to support your child’s transition to high school next fall!
Monday, January 26, 2026
7:00pm -8:15pm
Langley High School Auditorium
📅Save the Date!
Core and Elective Curriculum Night📚
Who: Rising 7th and 8th grade Students and Guardians zoned to attend Cooper MS 🧑🎓
What: Cooper MS Core and Elective Curriculum Night 🍎📚
Where: Cooper Middle School 🏫
When: Tuesday, January 27th from 5:30-7:30 PM (Snow Date: February 3rd)
Why: Discover all the exciting Core Classes and Elective Options for next year! ✨
Can't attend? No problem! Materials will be available to review online starting the following day on the Cooper MS website. 💻
📆IMPORTANT REMINDER
FEDERAL IMPACT AID SURVEY
There's still time to complete your Federal Impact Aid Survey on line!
Type the following in your web browser for info and instructions: https://www.fcps.edu/impact
If a student brought home a paper form, kindly have them return the form to the front office.
Your information will be kept strictly confidential.
Your support will ensure that we receive the resources for which we are eligible.
Thank you to all our families who took the time to complete the survey!
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
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
Family Academy is a great resource for additional support in your child’s school journey!
https://www.fcps.edu/family-academy
The Family Resource Center offers a variety of free webinars to help children and families succeed. Speakers are invited from various academic fields and from experts within FCPS. Check out the link for more information and registration details. https://www.fcps.edu/services/families-and-caregivers/family-academy/catalog
Recorded meetings can be sent to registered participants.
Upcoming Webinars
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12/5
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Recognizing, Understand, and Responding to Impact of Traumatic Stress
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12/12
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Safe and Supportive Learning Environments for All Learners
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12/19
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The Power of Restorative Justice Practices to Support Students and Families in Schools and at Home: Part 2
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1/9
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Futures Planning in Unique Circumstances: What Resources are Available and What Plans Do I Need to Put in Place for my Special Needs Child? Session 1
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1/16
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How to Develop Motivation with Your Child
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1/23
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Futures Planning Workshop: Creating the Framework for Futures Planning Session 2 (In person)
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1/27
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Tips to Reduce Parent Stress and Anxiety
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Family Café Series
12/9: Join The Connected Family: Navigating the Digital World Together, a family workshop to receive hands-on learning and strategies to engage with middle schoolers about Internet, social media, and app safety. For more information and details, please contact the Family and School Partnerships Office at 703.204.4300 or email: FamilyEngagement@fcps.edu.
Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace is now open for enrollment through January 30th, 2026. HealthWorks for Northern Virginia offers free, in person assistance enrolling in Medicaid or private insurance through the Marketplace. Click for more details.
Camp Fairfax Winter and Spring Break Camp registration has started. Click for more details.
💙 Cooper Wear Donations - Share the Spirit!
Do you have Cooper Wear your student has outgrown or no longer needs?
We’d love to pass it along to new families and our rising 7th graders!
A donation box is in the front office, so just have your student drop off any items you’d like to share. Every piece helps a fellow Cooper family feel right at home!
If you have any questions, please reach out to our Family Liaison, Mollie Cannon, at mcannon@fcps.edu.
📚 There is still time to Order Your Yearbook Today!
Cost: $42.00
🌐 Order Online: YearbookOrderCenter.com
🏫 School Order Number: 5267
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Urgent Request from the Yearbook Staff!
Last chance to submit any SUMMER, SPORTS, FIRST DAY, OR FALL photos of your student and friends! Please email any photos you would want to see in the yearbook to Cooperyearbook@gmail.com ASAP. THANK YOU!
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