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RAVEN REPORT
What a weather roller coaster last week and now today! In all seriousness, stay safe everyone!This week was full of lots of field trips, with our 7th graders going to the MWEE field trip, followed by our theater students going to the Kennedy Center, and with our rescheduled Finance Park trip. Thank you to all of those who supported planning and chaperoning on these field trips. I heard the students had a blast!
Please be careful out there today and take precautions. Make sure you let your students know to go to lower levels, stay away from windows and doors, in the event a tornado warning affects your neighborhood.
Wish you all a great week and enjoy Friday off, I know I will!
Follow us on Social Media: To see the latest from Poe MS follow us on Instagram at @poeravensfcps!
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Important Dates |
3/20: No School
3/27: Early Release Day Q3
3/30-4/3: Spring Break
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Raving Ravens |
As we begin to finish up our high leverage moves, I’d like to take some time to share the impact these moves have had on individuals and their instruction. Here is an example that I’d like to highlight:
“ How has your teaching changed so far as a result of the environmental scan observations & feedback?”
ELA Reflection:
I knew that was an area of growth for me. Sometimes, I feel like leaving my elementary school practices was not the best idea--so bringing back Book Clubs, small group discussions, is my goal this year and beyond. Students learn best with this type of instruction and grow more confident as readers and isn’t that what we all want? 💙💚”
FRED Cards: Here’s what people are saying about our amazing staff. Below are some of the highlights from the recent FRED Cards that were submitted. The person’s name is who is being highlighted followed by what was said about them by a colleague. I will continue to highlight them in each Raven Report so keep them coming!
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Sarah Ummen: “Thank you for coming to the orchestra concert. The students were so happy to see you there! Your support of students builds solid relationships!”
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Alex Shideler: “Thank you for all you're doing for the 6th graders and all your many years of service at Poe! I have heard so many students say that they love engineering and they learn so much from you. I also really appreciate your collaboration and advocacy for math!”
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Eliette Claros: “Thank you for being a thought partner with me for instructional rounds. I really enjoyed hearing your perspective and I can see how much you care about our kids. It was fun working with you.”
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Activities |
Turnpike Classic Basketball Event: We are excited to share an upcoming opportunity for our students to participate in the Turnpike Classic Basketball Event between Poe Middle School and Holmes Middle School.
The event will take place on Friday, May 1, 2026, at Holmes Middle School (6525 Montrose St., Alexandria, VA 22312) and will feature a boys basketball game and a girls basketball game between student teams from each school.
Students currently in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade at Poe Middle School will have the opportunity to try out for the Poe team that will compete in this event.
Additional information will be sent to families via email on Monday, March 9 at 10:00 AM of what is required to participate.
Save the following date: Student Interest Meeting: A mandatory interest meeting will be held for students who would like to try out.
Date: March 17 Time: During the 1st block of the After School Program Location: Poe Middle School After-School Program
We look forward to providing this exciting opportunity for our students and appreciate your support.
 Prepare for Summer Learning and Fun for Students; Registration is open or will be available soon for summer camps and learning opportunities offered by Fairfax County Public Schools for all students.
Career and Technical Education and Institute for the Arts Camps: Career and Technical Education camps and Institute for the Arts camps will be held in July at Robinson Secondary School from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bus transportation will be available from select FCPS middle and high schools. Tuition assistance is available to FCPS families eligible for free or reduced meals.
CTE Summer Academy (CSA) is a week-long enrichment program that allows students in grades 6-11 to dive deeper into CTE program areas, develop skills, and begin career exploration. Watch this video about CTE camps. Registration is open for these programs through Friday, June 5.
Institute for the Arts (IFTA) is a two-week camp for students currently in grades 6-11. Students select from nearly 60 classes in art, dance, music, and theater. Rising freshmen have the option to take Health and PE 9 through IFTA as well!
Production Camp is a four-week summer theatre intensive for students in grades 6-11. Students in performance or technical theatre tracks rehearse, design, and build a musical in a collaborative atmosphere. The show is presented to the public at the end of camp.
New this year: Students in the above camps can also register for aftercare, which is available from 2 to 5 p.m.
VIP Camp is Almost Here!: We’re excited to announce that VIP Camp will be returning for another year for any rising 6th, 7th, and 8th graders (attending Glasgow MS, Holmes MS, Jackson MS, Kilmer MS Poe MS, or Thoreau MS) and will be held at Glasgow Middle School (4101 Fairfax Pkwy, Lincolnia, VA 22312)!
Registration Opens: March 17, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. (link will go live then)
Be sure to mark your calendars — spots may fill quickly!
For any questions, please contact Mr. Harsh (pgharsh@fcps.edu)
Heritage Night:
Forest Hollow 5K & Fun Run:This family-friendly community event is helping raise funds to improve the Forest Hollow pool parking lot, a space where many neighborhood kids gather for swim team practices, summer programs, and community events. The event is designed to be fun and welcoming for all ages, and we expect many local families to attend.
Hillbrook Community Cleanup: Join us on April 18 from 9am-12pm to clean up our community. To celebrate Earth Day we will be cleaning and refreshing our important community spaces and help keep these spaces safe, welcoming, and enjoyable for everyone.
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Important Information |
Weekly March Madness Attendance Competition Update
- Congratulations to the HORNETS team for winning this week’s March Madness Attendance Competition with the lowest percentage of absences for the week (3.98%)
- Congratulations to the HORNETS team continuing to be the team in lead in the 2nd week of our March Madness Attendance Competition with the overall lowest percent of absences for the competition (4.42%)!
- All Hornets advisories will be called to the cafeteria at the beginning of Advisory tomorrow (Monday 3/16) to pick up their prize
- Continue to encourage your advisory students to be present every day in March to help your team win! Even if your team isn’t in the running for the overall prize, they can still win the weekly competition prize!
- Remember that the team in the lead for that week will earn a small prize the following Monday, and the team that wins the entire competition will earn breakfast burritos from Anitas on Monday 4/13
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2026 Special Education Family Conference: Rescheduled: The 2026 Special Education Family Conference has been rescheduled to April 18, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Marshall High School.
A new conference registration form is now available. Participants are asked to register again using the updated form, as previous registrations have expired.
Updated conference details are now available on the Special Education Family Conference webpage.
FCPS Family Engagement Survey: FCPS is administering our Family Engagement Survey, which will be open from Monday, March 9, to Monday, March 23. Your feedback is critical in helping us to better recognize, understand, respect, and address family strengths and needs in our schools.
Survey topics include:
- Welcoming environment.
- Student success.
- Family and school partnerships.
- Community partnerships.
The survey will be available in English, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Pashto, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese.
Parents/caregivers will receive a survey link via email from FCPS on March 9. A survey link will also be posted on FCPS’ website. Paper surveys will be available at each school. Please stay tuned for more information.
Fairfax County Health Department Measles Update: Measles is a highly contagious virus that infects 9 out of 10 people who are exposed, if unvaccinated or not immune. It has been in the news lately due to cases in Northern Virginia and among people who have traveled through local airports.
If your spring break or summer plans include traveling abroad or to an area in the United States with high measles activity, the Fairfax County Health Department encourages you to ensure your family is protected. Children 12 months and older should have 1 or 2 doses before traveling. Depending on your specific travel plans, your health care provider may also advise you to vaccinate infants 6 to 11 months old. Read more about these recommendations.
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.
Rooted in Resilience, Echoes of Excellence: FCPS’ Second Annual Black History Month Celebration: The spirit of heritage and the promise of the future filled the air at Carter G. Woodson High School as FCPS held its second annual Black History Month Celebration with the theme, Rooted in Resilience: Echoes of Excellence. This year’s event was especially significant as it coincided with the 100th anniversary of the movement that became Black History Month.
Students from across the division took center stage as the true "echoes" of this excellence. The program featured student-led Moments of Pride that connected local and national history to contemporary achievements. Vernon Walton, senior pastor at the First Baptist Church of Vienna, delivered a spirited keynote speech. Another highlight of the night was the FCPS Black Excellence video tribute.
Read more about the Black history event.
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Updates from Tech Office |
Chromebook Cases: On Monday, March 23rd, we are asking Advisory teachers to inspect student Chromebooks to make sure both pieces of the plastic case are correctly attached to their Chromebook. In the Advisory lesson, there will be a slide that has the link for teachers to get to the form. Please complete the Google Form ONLY if a student does not have BOTH PIECES of the case attached.
News from the PTSA
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Chic-Fil-A Spirit Day: We have another Chick-fil-A spirit day on Tuesday, March 24! Order Chick-fil-A any time throughout the day and use the word "ravens" at checkout to have a portion of the sale donated back to our school.
Bonus Raffle: Save your receipts and bring to our April General Membership Meeting to be entered into a raffle to win a Poe Middle School tote bag!
Membership
Please join us! It will take you 3 minutes to get a membership if you scan the QR code below. We have 25 members currently, and around 900 students in the school. Funds from memberships are essential for us to fund programs that expand opportunities for students, purchase spirit wear, and support the community-building activities that the school puts in place for our kids.
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