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Principal's Message |
Greetings Tiger Families!
In March (although not only in March!), we recognize the importance of arts education in fostering student creativity, confidence, and critical thinking. This wouldn’t be possible without talented Twain educators like Mr. Kluttz, Mr. Garfield-Levine, Ms. Tolpa, Ms. Becker, and Ms. Alvarez! Good luck to our orchestra, band, and choir students in their assessment concerts over the next few days! Last school year our music program earned superior ratings, were awarded the Blue Ribbon Award for Excellence in Music and a new accolade of being named a Program of Distinction. We are so proud of our student artists who showcase their talents and dedication not only in these competitive environments, but in their classrooms on a daily basis!
Speaking of how important the arts are…
The Virginia Department of Education has initiated a process to review and revise the K-12 Fine Arts Standards of Learning. It is anticipated that the review will be completed by June 2027.An important part of the review process for the Fine Arts Standards of Learning is requesting comments from classroom teachers, students, parents, administrators, curriculum supervisors, fine arts educators, and other groups who have worked with the current standards. Comments may be submitted via the 2020 Fine Arts SOL Public Comment Form. Public comments will be received for Visual Arts, Music, Theatre Arts, and Dance Arts through Monday, March 30.
Sincerely,
Matt
Twain’s Weekly Schedule
Monday, March 16: Even Day Schedule
Tuesday, March 17: Odd Day Schedule
Wednesday, March 18: Even Day Schedule
Thursday, March 19: Odd Day Schedule
Friday, March 20: No School
After School Program
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1st Block
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2nd Block
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Monday, March 16:
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2:30 - 3:35
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3:35 - 4:40
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Tuesday, March 17:
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2:30 - 3:35
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3:35 - 4:40
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Wednesday, March 18:
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2:30 - 3:35
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3:35 - 4:40
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Thursday, March 19:
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2:30 - 3:35
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3:35 - 4:40
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Friday, March 20:
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No After School
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Program
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Eid al-Fitr and Nowruz (evening-only observance day, holiday)
Thursday, March 19, is an evening-only observance day for Eid al-Fitr, which begins at sundown. Friday, March 20, is a holiday, and all schools and offices are closed. See the complete school year calendar.
Eid Mubarak to those in our Muslim community celebrating! In Islam, Eid al-Fitr is a 3 day festival to mark the end of Ramadan. Muslims dress in new clothes, give charity, and pray in congregation. Nowruz Mobarak to all who celebrate! Nowruz, meaning “New Day,” is a more than 3,000-year-old spring festival marking the first day of the new year at the vernal equinox. Rooted in ancient Persian civilization, it is widely celebrated as the national new year in Iran and Afghanistan and across many Central Asian nations.
Responsible Technology Use and Care
All Twain students are issued an FCPS purchased Chromebook for academic purposes. At the start of each school year, we review technology expectations and the acceptable use policy, which are part of the Student Rights & Responsibilities (SR&R). Students who do not properly care for their devices are subject to technology limitations, discipline consequences, and financial obligations for repair or replacement. The current replacement costs are: full Chromebook - $601, charger - $27.75, screen - $89, and keyboard - $37.
Middle school students across the school division were all given devices that have a protective case on them to mitigate damage. Some students do not like the case because it makes the laptop more bulky and they try to remove it. Please ask your student to see their laptop to make sure they have not removed their laptop case, which is meant to mitigate any damage to the device.
You can review more specific details about FCPS Student Device Use Guidelines at this link.
April Statewide Election: No School for Students
There will be no school for students on Tuesday, April 21, for the Virginia statewide election. Student activities, athletic practices, and events may proceed as scheduled. Principals and directors of student activities may adjust event start times and entry points to ensure clear separation between student activity areas and polling spaces.
Fairfax County Public Schools will still exceed the required number of instructional hours for students, as set by the Virginia Department of Education.
Sleep Awareness Week
 The National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep Awareness Week is March 8 to 14. The observance highlights the critical link between sleep and health, both physical and mental. Read more about sleep health and sleep strategies you can try at home.
County Seeking Budget Input
About 70% of the FCPS budget comes from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. They are currently reviewing the county’s 2027 Fiscal Year Advertised Budget and are considering possible adjustments before the final county budget is adopted in May.
Provide the county with feedback by completing this survey.
Virginia’s Governor Wants to Hear From You About Virginia’s Public Schools
The Virginia Department of Education offers a survey for Virginians to submit feedback on public schools. Let our governor know what a successful school looks like to you, and what challenges or barriers are currently preventing students from thriving. The survey will close on Friday, April 10.
Kingstowne Cup Basketball Team Tryouts!
If your child would like to participate in the Kingstowne Cup Basketball Team tryouts this year vs Hayfield, they will need an up to date physical on file from this past August on. This is a new requirement for our event as it is being grouped into the sports that FCPS is already running in the county. Please use this Physical form if your child would like to try out.
All interested students must also fill out the Kingstowne Cup Registration Form before tryouts.
Girls Tryouts – Monday March 16th
Boys Tryouts – Wednesday March 18th
Thank you for your support and please Contact Dominic Amato, Twain’s After School Specialist at dfamato@fcps.edu or 703-313-3760 if you have any questions
Support Twain NJHS at Chipotle!
Join us for a delicious way to support the Twain National Junior Honor Society!
Where: Kingstowne Chipotle Mexican Grill, 5955 Kingstowne Towne Center, Ste 160, Alexandria, VA 22315
When: Saturday, March 14th
Time: 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Grab dinner for your family and help raise funds for Twain NJHS service projects and school initiatives!Dine in or Order online for pickup. For online orders use code: WL4CXJ4
Bring this Chipotle Fundraiser flyer or be sure to mention Twain NJHS at checkout so your purchase counts toward our fundraiser!
Every burrito, bowl, and taco makes a difference. Thank you!
AVID 8 University of Richmond Transportation Fundraiser
A tenet of the AVID program is to create an environment where students engage in authentic experiences leading to college readiness. A college visit in middle school prepares students for academic planning in high school and informs them about resources like financial aid and scholarship opportunities. Stepping onto a college campus helps our middle schoolers visualize their future as college students—a goal for all our Twain AVID scholars!
Twain’s AVID 8 students were invited to visit the University of Richmond this April, but we need help fundraising for a charter bus. We are looking to raise up to $2000 to cover the cost of transportation. Donations can be through MySchoolBucks. We appreciate any help you can provide! If you have questions about this fundraiser, please contact Kate Balderston at kebalderston@fcps.edu.
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