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1. Important Dates
December 19 - No After-School Program (all students depart at 2:15 PM)
December 22 - January 4 - Winter Break
January 8 - Rising 9th Grade High School Transition Presentation
January 13 - Rising 7th Grade Virtual Curriculum Presentation
January 14 - Rising 7th Grade Student Orientation
January 15 - Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night and Electives Fair
January 24 - TJ Essay Writing Administration
2. A Note from the Principal
Dear Rocky Run Families-
I’m excited to share that Rocky Run has been recognized as Distinguished under Virginia’s new School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF). This rating, based on data from last school year, shows that our school is meeting or exceeding expectations set by the state around student performance.
This new framework places a greater emphasis on standardized test results, alongside student growth, graduation, and readiness measures that vary by school level.
One thing has not changed: our students are learning and growing, and our teachers and staff continue to do exceptional work every day. This recognition reflects the strength of our entire school community. Our strong performance stands out and is something to celebrate.
We will continue building on this success. Our team is committed to keeping high expectations for learning, supporting each student’s unique strengths, and creating a school environment where every child feels welcomed, challenged, and cared for. We are also grateful for the support we receive from families. Your involvement makes a difference, and it plays an important role in helping our students succeed.
Thank you for being such an important part of our community. Together, we will continue helping every student at Rocky Run thrive. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Peter Kownacki
Principal
Rocky Run Middle School
@pakownacki
3. Action Items for Families
Full-Time AAP Referral Window Reminder for Families
Parents/caretakers of seventh grade students who would like their student to be screened for Full-Time Advanced Academic Program services may submit the Full-Time Referral Form to Rocky Run Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART), Anna Slevin at agslevin@fcps.edu, or principal no later than December 15, 2025. Late referrals will not be accepted.
Full-Time Referral Form (PDF)
 Winter Wonderland Spirit Week
Join us for a Winter Wonderland Spirit Week next week (December 15-19) to celebrate the end of 2025 at Rocky Run!
Monday, December 15: Mozy-in Monday! Cozy up and start the week right- pajamas, fuzzy socks, and comfort all day!
Tuesday, December 16: Team Tuesday! Show your school pride by rocking your team colors:
Platinum: Grey
Meteors: Red
Emerald: Green
Kryptonite: Yellow
Tiger's Eye: Orange
Sapphire: Blue
Wednesday, December 17: Whiteout Wednesday! Bundle up in all white!
Thursday, December 18: Thermo-Thursday! STay warm in hoodies, puffer jackets, or fleece for a toasty Thursday.
Friday, December 19: Flannel Friday! Show up in your finest flannel and stay cozy and warm!
School Photos Available Now!
School Photos are now online!
Families should have received an E-proof via email.
Please remember to check your spam.
For any questions about your student's school pictures please contact: underclass@vosphoto.com
4. Student Celebrations
Rams on a Roll
Each month, teams identify two students who have gone above and beyond exemplifying our RAISE traits- Respectful, Accountable, Inclusive, Safe, and Engaged. These students have been Raising the Ram both in and out of the classroom- way to go!
7th Grade Rams on a Roll:
Melanie Lopez Romero, Camden Gross, Esha Vukkalkar, Carlos Nazario-Colon, Olivia Vineis, and Emmett Valerio
8th Grade Rams on a Roll:
Connor Clarke, Ben Fernandez, Skyler Lee, Jose Rodriguez Gudiel, and Sanah Panda
RAISE the Ram Card Winners
At Rocky Run, students can earn RAISE the Ram cards for exhibiting our RAISE attributes: Rams are Respectful, Accountable, Inclusive, Safe, and Engaged. At the end of each week, we randomly select one winner from each team.
Congratulations to this week's RAISE the Ram card winners:
Meteors: Ayaan Chowdhry (Accountable and Engaged)
Platinum: Devyn Smith (Accountable and Engaged)
Emerald: Nad-E-Ali Jafri (Respectful and Accountable)
Kryptonite: Daniel Padilla (Safe, and Engaged)
Sapphire: Olivia Lu (Engaged)
Great job Raising The Ram this week!
5. Student Services Updates
Rising 9th (Current 8th Grade) HS Transition
SY 2026–2027 Academic Advising season is just around the corner!
Right after winter break, our current 8th graders will kick off their high school journey with key information about the transition and course selection process. Be sure to review the event details below, and don’t forget to visit our Academic Advising website for additional resources and updates.
High School Counselors' Presentation - Thursday, January 8, Rock Time
Counselors from Chantilly, Centreville and Westfields High Schools will be visiting Rocky Run and sharing about 9th grade course selection and high school student life
SIS Course Entry Lesson - January 12 - January 13
Rocky Run counselors will visit our 8th grade classes to present how to enter their course requests in SIS
Virtual Parent Coffee - Thursday, January 15, 9:30-10:30 AM
Rocky Run Student Services will host a virtual meeting to present information and answer any questions from caregivers about choosing courses and electives for their child's high school. Stay tuned for more information.
Individual Academic Advising - January 20 - February 6
Rocky Run Counselors will meet one-on-one with all 8th graders to go over courses, electives and make sure all classes have been entered correctly in SIS.
Mark Your Calendars - HS Curriculum Nights
*Check HS websites for most updated info and sign up to receive the HS News You Choose
6. Instructional Updates
Library Happenings
This week, Ms. Broskey’s Developing Academic Language classes visited the library to extend their learning about street art. With the guidance of Ms. Broskey and Mrs. Grover, students explored a website that showcases street art around the world and selected a favorite piece to write a claim, evidence, reasoning argument, while incorporating the vocabulary they were learning about art in their current unit. Students were engaged and resilient as they practice multiple skills during this activity.
7. After School Program Information
After-School Schedule for the week of 12/15
- No after-school/late buses on Friday, 12/19 - all students depart at the 2:15 dismissal
Current after-school club offerings
- More clubs will be added throughout the year so check back frequently.
Review the late bus routes that are posted on the After-School Schoology Course
For now, here are some steps to complete:
- Review this general After-School Information.
- ALL families must complete the After-School Consent Form (via the Parent Digital Consent System). Students cannot stay after until this is submitted. Almost all of our Rocky Run students will stay after at some point this year, so please make sure the form is completed ASAP so your student has the flexibility to participate.
- If your student is interested in Spring Track and Field they will need to submit an Athletic Physical Packet. A portion of this must be completed by a health care professional so do not delay working on this! More details on interest meetings, practice dates, game dates, etc. will be provided in advance of a sign-up or tryout.
Questions? Contact Shannon Campbell, After-School Program Specialist, at SLCampbell@fcps.edu.
Basketball is Coming Soon!
Intramural Tournament
- 12/18 Sign-Up Due (students must be logged into their fcpsschools account to access)
- Week of 1/5 - Practices on Monday and Wednesday from 2:30- 4:05
- Week of 1/12 - Tournament Play on Monday - Wednesday from 2:30 - 4:05
Tryouts
- For students who want to be considered for our boys and girls teams for the 2/27 game vs Franklin MS at Chantilly HS. We will have 10-12 students on each team.
- Week of 1/19
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To be eligible for tryouts, students must submit the following by 1/12 at 3 PM - no exceptions, this is a hard deadline.
- Basketball Registration Google Form (coming soon)
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Middle School Sports Physical- one page requires a doctor's signature, so do not delay! If your student submitted a sports physical packet this fall for Cross Country, that same packet will work for basketball. Not sure? Email Shannon Campbell to check your student's status.
Rocky Run Spelling Bee: Coming in January!
If your student is a good speller, encourage them to sign up for this year’s Rocky Run Spelling Bee! Students must attend one practice in January to qualify for the Spelling Bee. Word lists and practice date information is now available in the library, so students can study over the winter break! Questions? Email Mrs. Grover, Spelling Bee Coordinator (ragrover@fcps.edu).
January 23: Written round during Rock Time (1/27 snow date)
February 5: Speaking round- top 15 scores only (2/12 snow date)
Practice dates- Students MUST attend one practice:
1/7: 1st session (2:30)
1/12: 1st session (2:30)
1/14: Rock Time (1:25)
Request for Gaming Donations
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Upgrading your child's gaming equipment for the holidays or just cleaning out items you have been storing?! Our Retro Video Game Club would love to take those items off of your hands! They are looking for some more retro handhelds (like Game Boys, Nintendo DS). Even if they are broken, the club can often repair them. If you have items to donate, you can drop them off in our main office for our club sponsor, Mr. Williams. Questions? Email Mr. Williams at lwilliams@fcps.edu. We very much appreciate your donations! |
8. Community Corner
Artificial Intelligence Tips
Here is a quick tip sheet to start having conversations about AI and its impact in your family life.
Inteligencia Artificial: Incluida hay breves consejos informativos sobre IA y como se puede afectar la vida de su familia.
Artificial Intelligence (AI):
AI shapes how pre-teens and teens interact, learn, and feel. Awareness helps families guide kids toward healthy habits.
Mental Health Considerations:
- AI-driven content can increase comparison, anxiety, and over-stimulation.
- Virtual “companions” may replace real friendships and reduce empathy
- Encourage breaks, physical activity, and face-to-face time
Tips for Parents:
- Create shared family tech guidelines.
- Keep screens out of bedrooms at night.
- Discuss what’s real vs. AI-generated.
- Encourage creative and educational uses of AI.
- Seek help if your child shows signs of distress or overuse.
Recommended Resources:
 
Winter Break Camp
Fairfax County's Department of Neighborhood and Community Services is offering the Teens in Action Camps for Winter and Spring Breaks. Click here for more information.
Shark Tank Technology Challenge – Applications Now Being Accepted
Fairfax County’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services is now accepting entries in the Fairfax Area High School Student Shark Tank Technology Challenge. Initial proposals are due Dec. 19, 2025. Open to all students in Fairfax County, Fairfax City and the City of Falls Church, the 2025-26 challenge invites youth to develop an innovative device or app that will have a positive impact in the lives of older adults, adults with disabilities, caregivers or wounded warriors. The winning students will be recognized with cash awards provided by sponsor IntegrityOne Partners. Winners will also be recognized by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors at a spring 2026 reception. Please visit the Shark Tank Technology Challenge website for more details, including a detailed application packet. For additional assistance, email NCSTechChallenge@fairfaxcounty.gov.
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