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In This Issue
April 21 Statewide Election: No Classes, Meals Available 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. Fairfax County Public Schools will still exceed the required number of instructional hours for students, as set by the Virginia Department of Education.
FCPS will offer lunch and a snack at no cost to children aged 18 and under on April 21 at participating schools. The meals must be eaten on site.
For more information, visit the FCPS Food and Nutrition Services webpage.
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April
21 | Special Election/Student Holiday
23 | MentorWorks Event
24 | Spring Musical, 7:00 PM
25 |Track & Field Meet, Herndon HS at 8:00 AM
25 | Spring Musical, 7:00 PM
26 | Spring Musical, 1:00 PM
27-May 1 | Herndon MS Staff Appreciation Week
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May
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Mental Health Awareness Month
Jewish American Heritage Month
National Speech-Language-Hearing Month
1 | Math SOL
6 | National School Nurse Day
8 | Science 8 SOL
13 | Reading SOL
National Library Week
April 19-25 is National Library Week and this is a great time to celebrate the essential role that school librarians play in the lives of students. School librarians ensure students have access to a wide variety of high-quality books and resources that connect them to the world and build a culture of literacy. Librarians develop lessons that are meaningful to students and help them develop critical thinking, inquiry, and information literacy skills. They support learning across all subject areas by teaching students the skills to be independent problem-solvers and creative thinkers. By creating a safe environment for all students to be engaged and curious learners, FCPS libraries are places where everyone belongs.
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Staff Appreciation and End of Year Wishlist
Staff Appreciation Week begins Monday, April 27, and we are excited to celebrate the incredible teachers and staff who support our students every day. We also invite our Hawk community to help us plan ahead for our end-of-year Staff Luncheon by contributing to our combined Staff Appreciation & Luncheon Wishlist.
If you would like to participate, please submit your donation by Wednesday, April 22, to help make both celebrations extra special.
As always, thank you for helping us recognize and support our amazing Herndon Middle School staff!
Updates to 2026-27 School Year Calendar
The School Board voted to direct the superintendent to designate Veterans Day as a standard instructional day for the 2026-27 school year. Because this day was added, the 2026-27 school year will now end for students on Wednesday, June 16, 2027. Find additional information on BoardDocs. View the updated complete school year calendar on FCPS’ website.
The last day of school for the current school year — Wednesday, June 17, 2026 — has not changed.
Support Your Children During Important Spring Assessments
Students will be participating in spring assessments based on their grade level and courses. This includes summative assessments like Standards of Learning (SOL) tests, which measure what a student knows, and progress assessments like Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) tests, which measure where they are in their learning.
FCPS encourages all families to support their students in taking these tests. Virginia requires schools to test at least 95% of students on SOLs, so when families choose not to participate in testing, it can impact a school’s accreditation, accountability ratings, and ability to measure student progress accurately.
Parents and caregivers can help their children perform their best on these tests by reminding them to get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, bringing in their FCPS laptop fully charged, and that the cell phone policy still applies during testing season.
It is important that students attend school on the following scheduled testing dates. If you are aware of a conflict that may cause your student to miss a test, please notify your student’s school as soon as possible.
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Math: May 1
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Science 8: May 8
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Reading: May 13
If you have any questions, please reach out to our School Testing Coordinator, Melissa Sobchak, at msobchak@fcps.edu. Learn more about how to support your child and why test participation matters.
Strategies to Help Children Stay Safe Online
Technology connects us like never before, but it comes with risks. Learn how to help your family stay safe online. Navigating the Digital World Together, by the FCPS officer of Intervention and Prevention Services, is an interactive workshop that covers today’s most popular apps and social platforms, practical strategies for talking with children about digital safety, and key topics that support healthy online habits from childhood through adulthood.
Register to attend the workshop on Wednesday, April 29, at 6:30 p.m., at the Mason District Government Center.
Webinar: Partnering With Your Child’s Middle School
In this webinar, families of rising middle school students are invited to explore ways to stay connected to learning and maintain strong family-school partnerships throughout their child’s secondary education.
Register to attend on Tuesday, April 28, at 7 p.m.
Start an Unskippable Conversation With Your Teen
When was the last time you talked to your teen about fentanyl and overdose? Learn how to start an Unskippable conversation, and find resources to share with your teen on how to spot an overdose and how to respond.
National Drug Take Back Day
Drug take-back programs are a safe method for disposing of over-the-counter and prescription drugs, and are organized and closely monitored by local, state, and federal government agencies. Safe disposal of unused or expired medications prevents drug misuse and accidental poisoning. It also protects the environment.
Dispose of medications on the national Drug Take Back Day, Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., by bringing your unused prescription drugs to a nearby collection site.
Community Conversations: Share Your Thoughts With Dr. Reid
As a listening leader, connecting with community members across our school division is critical to FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid. Her Community Conversations are opportunities for you to share your thoughts and ask questions. Events will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on:
Click on a date to register to attend that event. Registration is not required, but helps with planning, especially for child care and interpretation services. Events are open to all. Visit the superintendent’s engagement page for the most up-to-date information.
Calling All 8th Grade Parents: Get Involved at Herndon High
As you prepare for your student’s transition to Herndon High School this fall, we invite you to get involved in a meaningful way. Nominations are now officially OPEN for the 2026–27 Herndon High School Sports Boosters Board of Directors.
We’re looking for thoughtful, dedicated parents who want to support our student-athletes and help carry this incredible mission forward. Serving on the Board is both an honor and a rewarding way to connect with the school community from day one.
Please consider submitting a nomination for yourself or another parent.
Volunteers Needed: April 25 Track Meet at Herndon High
Hello Herndon Middle School Families! On Saturday, April 25, Herndon High School will host HMS, along with 12 additional FCPS middle schools! We are very excited to welcome all of you to the Nest for this event. We plan to have our snack bar up and running and were hoping that some of you might be willing and able to volunteer for a bit of time during the event. All the proceeds from the snack bar goes to support athletics at Herndon HS and is completely staffed by our Herndon Sports Boosters. You do not need any experience, and a Herndon HS Sports Booster parent will be there at all times - we just need some extra support. The meet begins at 8:00am and there are three 2-hour timeslots needed for volunteers.
Please sign up here for some time and we look forward to seeing everyone there!
Herndon Middle School’s Hawk Theatre Presents Disney’s Newsies JR.
It’s time to carry the banner with HMS’s hardworking and talented theatre students! This year’s inspiring 90-minute musical, Disney’s Newsies JR., is based on the 1992 Disney film Newsies and the 2012 Broadway production of the same name.
You’ll be doing flips for the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of young newsies in Manhattan. When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsies’ expense, Jack rallies young workers from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions and fight for what's right! Adapted especially for young performers, this musical features a Tony Award®-winning score by Alan Menken and Jack Feldman and a book by Tony Award® winner Harvey Fierstein, and includes rousing songs like “Carrying the Banner,” “Seize the Day,” and “King of New York.” Newsies JR. is packed with impressive acting, singing, and choreography along with a timeless message perfect for the whole family and every audience.
Performances will take place in the Herndon Middle School Auditorium on:
- Friday, April 24th at 7:00 PM
- Saturday, April 25th at 7:00 PM
- Sunday, April 26th at 1:00 PM
Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for students.
For tickets please visit etix.com/ticket/v/15663/herndon-middle-school-theatre.
Disney’s Newsies JR. is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized materials are supplied by Music Theatre International, New York, NY (212) 541-4684 mtishows.com. For more information about licensing Newsies JR. or other Disney shows, please visit www.DisneyMusicals.com.
Register for VIP Summer Camp Today!
Register today for the VIP Summer Camp which will be hosted at Rachel Carson Middle School from July 1st to July 30th.
VIP Camp is for rising 7th and rising 8th grade students attending Carson, Hughes, Herndon, Longfellow, and Cooper Middle School. Camp costs $100 and includes breakfast, lunch, and transportation. Activities include basketball, soccer, cooking, theatre, STEAM, and weekly field trips.
Please contact Liana Shivers at lshivers@fcps.edu if you have any questions.
Reston Flag Football: Players and Coaches Needed
We’re thrilled to share that this season is already one for the record books with over 500 players registered across the league! Thank you to our amazing families and community for helping make this one of our biggest and most exciting seasons yet.
As we finalize team rosters, we’re just a few players away from rounding out several divisions and ensuring balanced, competitive teams. Here’s where we still have openings:
Boys Divisions
Girls Divisions
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Grades 1–3: 4–14 players needed
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Grades 4–6: 10 players needed
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Grades 7–8: 10 players needed
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High School: 10 players needed
We’re also in need of a few more volunteer coaches, especially in our upper and girls divisions. Coaching is a rewarding way to support our players and help make the season a success.
If you know friends, neighbors, or classmates who may still want to join, please encourage them to register as soon as possible so we can finalize teams and schedules: https://restonseahawks.org/
Scheduling Update
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Girls divisions and upper boys divisions will most likely play Friday evenings (6–10 PM), with a few exceptions
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Boys Grades 1–2 and 3–4 will play Saturday mornings (9–11 AM)
We’re looking forward to another fantastic season—thank you for being part of it!
Access Schoology to Support Your Child
Schoology is the learning management system used in FCPS. Parents and students can use Schoology to view assignments and messages from teachers. Learn more about how to access and navigate Schoology.
Visit the Schoology Snippets YouTube playlist to watch short tutorials that walk you through how to use Schoology.
Need help logging in or accessing Tech Support? Visit the Schoology for Parents page.
Food Assistance and Resource Guide
Food insecurity impacts more than 96,000 Fairfax County residents. Learn how to help and discover the many resources available to support those who need food assistance or shelter.
View the county’s Human Services Resource Guide.
FCPS Cares
The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story, so we can all acknowledge the good work of FCPS employees.
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