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Important Upcoming Events
January 14- HS Counselors visit RCMS for Academic Advisement Lesson during Panther Time
January 14- Academic Advisement Lesson during Panther Time for RCMS students
January 15: Curriculum Night for Rising 7th grade families
January 19 - No School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; Orthodox Epiphany
January 20 – Course Selections Begins for 2026-27 school year
January 28 - End of 2nd Quarter; 2 Hr. Early Release
January 29 - Student Holiday, Staff Development Day
January 30 - Student Holiday, Teacher Workday
February 4: Math Night for 7th grade families
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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.
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.
Attendance Matters
Please review the attendance updates below.
🖥️New Parent Controls in the Lightspeed Parent Portal
FCPS has enabled new parent controls within the Lightspeed Parent Portal to support families in managing screentime on FCPS devices at home. Parents can now manage their child's access to YouTube and pause web browsing on district-issued devices, during designated "After School Hours" while students are off the FCPS network.
These parental controls are only active Monday-Friday from 3:30 PM to 6:00 AM, and all day on weekends and student holidays when students are off the FCPS network. Parental controls do not interfere with district filtering policies during the instructional day. Parents can register for the Parent Portal using the link provided in their weekly Lightspeed Online Student Activity Report email. For more information on Parent Portal, please visit the Lightspeed Parent Portal page on the FCPS website.
Some helpful Lightspeed Parent Portal Resources are below:
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Early Dismissal Procedure
Please do NOT request early dismissals online or by phone.
To request an early dismissal please send a note, or complete and print an Early Dismissal Request Form for your child. Your child should bring the note or form to the main office upon arrival to school in order to receive an early dismissal pass for that day. If you forget to send a note, students should still come to the front office to get an early dismissal pass. This will minimize class interruptions when the teacher knows in advance a student will check out early.
All early dismissals must be before 2pm.
Click HERE for more Carson Middle Attendance details.
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Private School or Program Application Process
Rachel Carson Middle School requires important documents to effectively accommodate your requests in a timely manner. Please provide all documents below two weeks in advance of the private school application deadline.
If your student is planning on applying to any private schools for the 2026-2027 school year, please complete the "Private School Request Form" and the "Parent Consent Form: SS-SE79" and submit them to the Student Service’s Office or to your child’s counselor. Counselors will be emailing all records to the requested schools via an admissions email OR the school's portal.
Please visit our website at RCMS Private School Requests for more information regarding required forms and teacher recommendations.
Please contact your child’s school counselor or our Student Services Assistant Andrea Tawil (ajtawil@fcps.edu) with questions.
🔔 Second Quarter Ends
The second quarter officially ends on January 28th. Please review your child's assignments and grades in the Student Information System (SIS) this week. If you have any concerns about their academic progress, please don't hesitate to contact their teachers to discuss necessary supports.
Second Semester Information
The second quarter of the 2026-2027 school year ends on Wednesday, January 28th, 2026. The third quarter as well as the start of the second semester begins on Monday, February 2, 2026. This is an exciting time as many of our students will begin new electives for the second half of the school year! Student schedules will be available online through SIS StudentVUE and SIS ParentVUE at 4:00PM on Thursday, January 29, 2026.
All students will receive an updated second semester schedule reflecting any changes that may have occurred due to normal shifts in enrollment throughout the school year. Therefore, we encourage all students to log in to SIS StudentVUE to view their schedules.
On Monday, February 2, 2026, students should report directly to their second period class upon arrival. This will be the location where they will receive a paper copy of their second semester schedule. Carson staff members will be available throughout the building to students who may need help locating their 2nd period class. Due to scheduling and staffing constraints, we are unable to accommodate schedule change requests for second semester courses.
RCMS Course Selection Events 2026-27 School Year
It is time to think about the 26-27 school year and January marks the start of our course selection season!
Please visit our Academic Advising & Course Selection website for detailed information regarding important dates, deadlines, course descriptions, and additional resources.
Both 7th and 8th graders will enter their course selections for the 2026-2027 school year into SIS during the school day. In addition, school counselors will meet individually with all students in January or February to answer questions and provide guidance regarding course selection. Parents and guardians will be able to view the courses their student selected through Student or ParentVue. Families who do not currently have a ParentVue SIS are encouraged to request one here as soon as possible, as parents will be asked to verify course selections in March.
School-life balance is an important consideration as students work toward both academic and personal success. Families are always welcome to contact their student’s school counselor, teacher, or case manager with any questions or concerns.
We look forward to partnering with you to help your child select courses for a successful upcoming school year.
Graduation Requirements and Planning
FCPS’ Graduation Requirements and Course Planning page provides information that students and families can preview to make informed decisions while planning for success in high school and beyond.
For additional support in tracking these requirements, families can now log into ParentVUE to monitor their student's progress toward graduation.
Reviewing the Program of Studies may also be helpful. Be sure to refer to our course catalog and course selection information.
Rising 8th Grade Families
SAVE THE DATE: Please join our math department for a Math Night on February 4th from 6-7 PM in the Bickford Theatre at Rachel Carson Middle School. Come learn more about math offerings and course sequencing at RCMS and in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). This presentation is designed primarily for caregivers of (current 7th graders) rising eighth graders.
Please click this link for the math night flyer.
Student Services Family Workshops
Student Services offers Family Workshops throughout the school year to support our families using feedback from our Advisory Council. Our first was a presentation on Internet Safety led by Stefan Mascoll with the FCPS Student Safety and Wellness Office. If you were not able to attend, you can view the recording in the Student Services 2nd Quarter Newsletter.
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
- Go to “Course History” for your middle or high school student
- 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
Additionally, a resource guide with frequently asked questions (FAQ) for the Graduation Status section is available for school counseling professionals on the Graduation Requirements site.
Supporting Your Child’s Mental Health
Children go through a lot of changes, and it can be hard to tell if their behavior is developmentally appropriate or if they could benefit from mental health support. It’s important to talk to your child and pay attention to their actions, especially these warning signs:
- Increased irritability, hyperactivity, energy, and/or aggressive behavior.
- Excessive sadness, hopelessness, or worries.
- Loss of appetite, or significant weight gain or loss.
- Lack of sleep or too much sleep.
- A decline in grades, school avoidance, or attendance concerns.
- Alcohol or drug use.
- Withdrawal from activities and/or friends and family.
- Thoughts of harming themselves or others.
If you notice any of these warning signs or feel your child may be experiencing a mental health challenge, help is available. Please contact your child's school counselor to discuss your concerns and identify resources. Find additional ways to support your child’s wellness.
If you or someone you care about is experiencing a mental health crisis such as thoughts of harming themselves or others, please take action right away. Call 988, go to the nearest emergency room, or contact the Sharon Bulova Center for Community Health Emergency Services at 703-573-5679.
Varsity Tutors Provides On-Demand Support at No Cost
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. Learn more about online tutoring with Varsity Tutors.
Paperless Report Cards
We’re excited to offer you a more environmentally friendly and expedient option for receiving your child’s report cards: Go Paperless!
By choosing to go paperless, you'll be able to:
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Access report cards directly in ParentVUE with just a few clicks.
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Reduce wait time in seeing your child’s report card.
Here's how you can opt-in:
- Log into ParentVUE, click on "My Account," and select “Go Paperless.”
- All parents/guardians living with the student at the same address must have an active SIS ParentVUE account to opt-in.
- Once selected, the “Go Paperless” option will apply to all associated students, no matter their grade level.
- If you’ve already opted for paperless for your secondary students, it will automatically apply to any younger siblings at the elementary level too!
Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night - January 15, 2026
Carson Middle School will be hosting a Curriculum Night for rising 7th grade families (current 6th grade students) at Carson MS on Thursday, January 15, 2026, from 5:45 PM to 7:15 PM. This evening session aims to provide parents with information that will help their incoming 7th grade student with the transition to middle school. Families will have the opportunity to explore elective course offerings and hear from a variety of staff about the courses and programs offered to 7th grade students. If inclement weather occurs, the event will be rescheduled for Thursday, January 22, 2026.
Online Verification/Update packet and Parent Digital Consent
Parents, we need your consent for your student to use digital resources! Teachers will use a variety of digital resources to help students learn during the 2025-26 school year. These digital resources have been vetted and approved by FCPS. In order for students to fully access these tools, we must have your consent on file. Please provide your consent for your student to use these resources through the Parent Digital Consent System. You can find step by step directions for how to fill out the consent application here. If you have any problems with this process, reach out to our School Based Technology Specialist, Megan Carr at mgcarr@fcps.edu
Please also complete the Permission to retest for state assessments located in the digital consent application. It is important for us to have the most up-to-date phone numbers, emergency contacts, and health information (such as health conditions and immunizations) for students. The enrolling parent* will be able to access OVU through their SIS ParentVUE account.
*The enrolling parent is the natural or adoptive parent or legal guardian with whom the student lives the preponderance of the school week and who enrolled the student in school (See Regulation 2240).
Support Your Child’s Success by Checking SIS ParentVUE
Access your student’s attendance records, grades, and assignments at any time with SIS ParentVUE. Parents/caregivers should receive an activation code when they register their child. Contact TBD if you need a code.
Once you have activated a SIS ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same SIS ParentVUE account. You may also access SIS ParentVUE using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices.
Need help creating an account? This video walks through the steps. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE.
📊 New Automated Lightspeed Student Online Activity Report Coming Soon
Beginning the week of October 12, the weekly Lightspeed Parent Reports will be sent automatically to all parents and caregivers with SIS Records Access. This change streamlines the process, and parents will no longer need to manually sign up for the service.
These reports allow parents and caregivers to stay informed of their child's online activity on FCPS devices. The report's features, including the link to the Parent Portal for more details and the ability to pause internet access during non-school hours, remain the same.
Visit the Lightspeed Parent Report page on the FCPS website for more information and answers to frequently asked questions.
📱We Are a Phone-Free School!
Please remind your student that cell phones and personal devices (airpods, earbuds, headsets, other items connected to the internet) must be off and away for the entire school day (bell to bell). Cell phones are also not permitted to be used as an instructional tool. If you need to contact your student during the school day, please call our front office. Learn more about FCPS’ cell phone policy, which helps students stay focused, safe, and engaged at school.
FCPS CARES submissions
Want a quick way to thank an employee? Submit an FCPS CARES nomination! Families, colleagues, and students are all welcome to submit a nomination. A submitted CARES is automatically sent to the recipient and their supervisor and also is posted on the public FCPS website. Please consider recognizing our amazing staff to let them know their hard work is appreciated!
Greetings Panther Families,
Please take a minute to look over the updated after school schedule. We have added several new walk-in clubs including Astronomy, STEAM Builders, Best Buddies and many more. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mr. Barrows, rtbarrows1@fcps.edu
After School Weekly Schedule
Other Schools Are Sharing
Westfield HS's Winter Dance Clinic!
Rachel Carson Middle School students are invited to join the Westfield HS Varsity Dance Team for our Winter Dance Clinic on Sunday, January 25th from 8 AM - 1:00 PM -- PLUS an opportunity to perform at the WHS Boys Varsity Basketball game on Thursday, January 29th!
Rising 9th Graders (Current 8th) Mark Your Calendars - HS Curriculum Nights
Academic advising season is coming up soon. We will share more detailed information later this month. In the meantime, please review the curriculum night dates and times for our feeder high schools and add them to your personal calendar. For additional information, please visit the Rachel Carson Academic Advising website.
- Westfield HS - Tuesday 1/13/26, 6-8 PM (snow date: 1/20/26)
*Check HS websites for most updated info and sign up to receive the HS News You Choose
South Lakes High School IB Information Night
Monday, February 9th
6:30 pm-7:30 pm in the SLHS Cafeteria
Learn about the IB Middle Years, Career-related, and Diploma Programs at South Lakes High School.
Who to Contact
If you have a question or concern, please visit our website for a full listing of Who to Contact. This listing includes all of our administrators, our counselors, and who to speak to regarding a specific content area or class. Contact information for all staff members is listed on our website - just click on the name of the person you wish to contact to be redirected to their email address: RCMS Staff Directory.
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