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 Students performing at the Winter Band Concert; Spirit Week; Special Education students at Career Day
 Winning teams of the Food Drive had the chance to pie staff. A big thank you to Ms. Sciabica, Ms. Bjork, Ms. Bridenbaugh and Ms. Gove for being good sports!
Thank you to our amazing Administrators for spreading holiday cheer to the staff!
 Delivering hot chocolate, coffee and cookies to staff; supporting the front office during busy holiday festivities
Franklin Community,
This week at Franklin was one to celebrate! Spirit Week brought great energy and school pride throughout the building, and today we wrapped up the week with a wonderful Winter Concert performed by our band, orchestra, and chorus students. The performances were a true reflection of the time, effort, and talent our students put into their music, and we are so proud of them for such a strong showing. Thank you to Ms. Magwire, Ms. Mortensen, and Mr. Ayars for working hard to prepare our performers!
I’m excited to share that Franklin has been recognized as On Track 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 want to make families aware that we were required to close several of the boys’ restrooms this past week due to repeated vandalism. Unfortunately, ongoing damage makes it difficult to keep these spaces open, clean, and safe for student use, and it also places a significant burden on our custodial staff.
We ask for your partnership in reinforcing the importance of respecting our school building and shared spaces. Our goal is to keep all restrooms open and available to students, and that can only happen when everyone takes responsibility for making respectful choices. Please encourage your student to report any vandalism or unsafe behavior to a staff member right away. With continued support from home and school working together, we are hopeful that all restrooms can remain open without the need for frequent repairs or closures.
We also want to share an update regarding our continued work with students around the use of racial language. While we have been proactive in addressing this issue through education, discussion, and clear expectations, we did have two additional incidents occur this week.
We take these matters very seriously and continue to address them directly with the students involved, reinforcing expectations and helping students understand the impact that words can have on others. Creating an inclusive, respectful, and welcoming environment for all students remains a priority at Franklin.
We ask for your continued partnership at home in reinforcing these conversations. Talking with students about the importance of using respectful language, standing up for others, and understanding how words affect our community can make a meaningful difference. Together, we can help ensure that Franklin is a place where every student feels safe, valued, and respected.
As we head into Winter Break, we want to wish all of our students and families a safe, restful, and joyful holiday. We hope this time provides an opportunity to relax, recharge, and enjoy time together with loved ones. We look forward to welcoming our students back in the new year and are excited for all that 2026 has in store for our Franklin community.
Warmest wishes for a wonderful Winter Break, and we’ll see everyone in the new year!
Tom DeRusso
Principal
Franklin Middle School
Weekly CARE Card Raffle Winners
~Important Dates~
December 22-January 2 - Winter Break - School & Office Closed
January 5 - School Resumes
January 19 - School & Office Closed
January 22, 23, & 24 - The Day the Internet Died - Theatre Production
January 22 & January 23 - 7pm
January 24 - 2pm and 7pm
January 27 - Curriculum Night - 6pm-7:30pm
January 28 - 2nd Quarter Ends
January 29 & 30 - School Closed / Teacher Workdays
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The school and office will be closed for Winter Break December 20 - January 4. Have a wonderful break.
We will see you in 2026!
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Thank You, PTA!
~Action Items~
Tickets on Sale - Franklin's Performance of
The Day the Internet Died
Purchase Tickets
📸School Pictures Ready to View
School pictures are ready!
To order, log in to your account on mylifetouch.com or create an account using your student's student ID number.
All families can also log on and order a FREE Digital SmileSafe card.
More about the Smilesafe program here.
📔Yearbook Orders
Pre-order your 2025-2026 Franklin Yearbook! Orders are open between now and April 13. No late orders will be accepted.
To order, visit yearbookordercenter.com and use order number 5330, or use the QR code provided on the attached flyer.
Don't miss out!
☑️Register To Volunteer
All parents must register before volunteering for a school event. At Franklin Middle School, our volunteers are a vital part of our school community. We deeply value the time and care they give to our students.
We encourage all our parents and community members interested in supporting our students by volunteering at school to visit Volunteer FCPS, click “Learn More,” and then “Sign Up.” After you create a profile, you will view an orientation video and complete a volunteer application. Visit the Volunteer FCPS Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more.
Volunteer Registration Update
Due to the overwhelming response from our community, FCPS is temporarily pausing fingerprint requirements for most Level 3 volunteers.
If you are scheduled for an upcoming fingerprinting appointment, please cancel your appointment unless you are a mentor, host parent, or non-parent volunteer having frequent, direct, and unsupervised contact with students, which will still require fingerprinting. FCPS will be charged if individuals miss a fingerprinting appointment without canceling in advance.
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 background check).
To ensure continuous safety, all new volunteers are required to sign a Volunteer Certification Statement. This statement is a legal attestation confirming you have no history of violent felonies, physical/sexual crimes against children, or crimes of moral turpitude.
Want to volunteer? Visit Volunteer FCPS to find and sign up for volunteer opportunities. Contact Volunteers@fcps.edu with any questions.
~Student Services~
Rising 9th Grade Students
The Parent University 101: Helping Your Child Navigate Rising 9th Grade Academic Advising and the Important Rising 9th Grade Academic Advising Dates are posted in the Student and Parent Schoology.
🍞Food for Neighbors
Help Franklin MS and Food for Neighbors, Fight Student Hunger with the Red Bag Program
1 in 4 kids in Northern Virginia faces hunger. Food For Neighbors supports local students by collecting food through the Red Bag Program and distributing it to school pantries.
How it works:
- Request a free Red Bag
- Fill it with listed food items every 2 months
- Leave it outside on collection day — it’ll be picked up!
Learn more about what to donate and how to get involved: Red Bag program click here.
You can also volunteer to collect or sort bags — a great way for students to earn service hours.
Questions? Contact the school’s social worker, Elyse Brunais , or our family liaison, Janet McFadden.
~AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM~
Students should be picked up from the After-School Program no later than 5:00PM. Parents should communicate with your student on their pickup time. Late Buses run Monday-Thursday with a departure time of 4:45pm. On Fridays there are no late buses but parents may pick up their students by 4:35pm on Fridays.
MS Sports - Spring Track
MS Track & Field will begin in late March or April. Stay tuned for more information.You can also visit the Franklin MS Sports page or at the FCPS MS Sports site for more information.
 ~Franklin Middle School PTA~
Support Franklin's PTA
We're One-Third of the Way to Our Goal!
Welcome back to all our families to another busy school year! We're grateful to everyone who has already joined the PTA this year! So far, we're only about one-third of the way to meeting our membership goal. Your membership dollars go directly back into supporting our students, teachers, and classrooms by covering a variety of costs from classroom resources and teacher appreciation to student enrichment opportunities and more.
While we anticipated membership numbers might dip compared to last year, we're hopeful that families who are able can help close the gap. In addition to the standard $25 membership, please consider subscribing to the $50, $75, or $100 levels. Every extra contribution makes a big difference and helps reduce the need for heavier fundraisers later in the school year. Click here to register for membership, and please try to do so as soon as possible.
A reminder to returning Franklin families and awareness for our new families--for details and links on information and resources you'll need as your children progress through Franklin, visit and subscribe to our PT School Board and follow the Franklin MS PTA Facebook page.
~Helpful Information~
⛄ Winter Resources for Families
A list of resources has been compiled for students and families in case they or someone they know needs assistance while schools are closed for winter break. Please visit FCPS’ winter resources page for information on academic support, mental health support, and county resources related to food, clothing, housing, and other needs.
❄️ 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.
⛄ Keep Your Child Warm During Outdoor Activities
We will monitor the weather for low temperatures, wind chill advisories and warnings, and weather advisories that may prevent children from being outside. Make sure your child is dressed appropriately with a warm coat and other cold-weather clothing, so they can comfortably enjoy their time outdoors. View the National Weather Service’s tips on staying safe during cold weather.
If you need assistance getting cold-weather clothing for your family, please call Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) at 703-222-0880. Their multilingual staff can assist with any challenges you are facing, including food, shelter, employment, financial assistance, and health.
📱 Download the New FCPS Mobile App!
The FCPS mobile app offers a customized platform to help keep families connected and informed, directly from their smartphones. You can download the Fairfax County Public Schools mobile app by going to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and searching for “FCPS.”
With the app you can:
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Stay up-to-date: Get the latest news from FCPS.
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View school calendars: See events, activities, holidays, and early dismissals.
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Check school menus: See what’s for lunch and breakfast today, tomorrow, or next week.
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Tap to contact: Quickly call attendance lines or email school staff.
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Access key links: Jump to ParentVUE, Schoology, and the FCPS website in one tap.
Users can access updates and content without having to sign in, making it easy for everyone to stay informed.
Learn more about the new mobile app, including feedback from parents TeAndra Nelson and Roy Dykes.
Tutoring Resources for Families
Some families may be looking for additional resources to help support their child’s academic success. The FCPS Family Resource Center (FRC) maintains a list of FCPS employees who hold a valid Virginia teaching credential and who are available to hire as tutors. This list is a resource offered by the FRC, but families are responsible for contacting and working directly with the tutors. This list is not approved by FCPS and is only meant to be a resource to families.
FCPS also partners with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra resources for learning. Every student can take advantage of Varsity Tutors' services, at no cost, including weekly live online classes, on-demand 24/7 chat tutoring, essay editing, and study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests.
~Community Events~
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