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A Message from Principal Harris

Dear Frost Middle School Parents and Guardians,

I hope you and your families are having a wonderful, relaxing summer and enjoyed a restful 4th of July holiday! 

As we approach the mid-way point of summer, our administrative team is moving full steam ahead into structural and policy updates designed to ensure a safe, focused, and exceptional environment for the 2026–2027 school year.

In this second volume of our summer preparation series, we are highlighting several critical changes and new security enhancements impacting all Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) campuses this autumn. Please review these updates carefully with your student so we can work together as a seamless community when the doors open in August.

Thank you for your ongoing agility, trust, and proactive collaboration as we partner to ensure your student has an incredible, focused, and secure space to learn. Enjoy the remainder of your July!

All the best,

Mr. Harris

Principal

Summer Office Hours

The Frost Middle School main office is open throughout the summer months to assist with registrations, document drop-offs, and general inquiries. Please note our modified summer schedule:

Please mark your calendars with these key upcoming dates as we approach the start of the school year:

Meet the Frost Admin Team

Put a face to the names! Join us on August 6 from 6:30pm - 7:30pm for a virtual gathering to meet the Frost Administration Team. This is a great opportunity to learn more about our upcoming initiatives, ask questions, and chat about how we can best support you.

A link to the meeting will be shared closer to August 6.

Student Rights and Responsibilities Updates

The Fairfax County School Board approved changes to the FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) regulation. The SR&R outlines expectations for student behavior, parent/guardian engagement, and adult responses. With a focus on promoting positive behavior, the SR&R encourages safety at schools and creates equitable, supportive school environments.

The approved changes include updated guidance for carrying and using cell phones and other personal devices connected to the internet. The changes align the FCPS cell phone policy with SB108, a new Virginia law. SB108 goes into effect on July 1, 2026, and states that all schools in the state must follow a “bell-to-bell” phone-free policy.

This means that starting July 1, 2026, across all grade levels at FCPS, phones, cell phone accessories, and smart devices are prohibited and must be off and personally stored for the duration of the bell-to-bell school day. High school students will no longer be able to use cell phones, cell phone accessories, and smart devices during lunchtime. More details are available on the FCPS Cell Phone Policy webpage. 

Other changes to the SR&R for School Year 2026-27 include:

• Increased and standardized annual training requirements for staff through centralized online training.
• Added guidance and procedures for in-school and out-of-school suspensions and discipline investigations, including supports for students with disabilities and multilingual learners. 
• Expanded guidance and standardized disciplinary procedures (“Universal Grade Matrices”) related to harassment, hate speech, discriminatory behavior, and Title IX reporting requirements.
• Added new offenses and disciplinary responses involving intimate images, fighting, physical aggression, object throwing, and drug policy violations.

Weapons Detection Information

Attention Rising 7th Grade and New to Frost 8th Grade Families!

As communicated last year, middle school is an exciting time of transition for our students, with opportunities to explore new courses and clubs, as well as new friendships to be made. It is also a time of change as students transition to managing more responsibilities as young adults in a larger school environment. FCPS continues to work hard to keep students safe in our buildings by constantly reviewing the latest in school safety best practices. In the most recent effort to strengthen our layered safety and security programs, FCPS has instituted a weapon screening system across all middle schools last fall.

It’s important to note that this is not a traditional metal detector system. It is a weapons detection system, meaning that many common items containing metal—such as phones, earbuds, water bottles, and calculators—can pass through without issue. Only a small number of items need to be removed from bags before screening, and students adjusted quickly to knowing what those were. Primarily, they are laptops, large 3 ring binders, and foldable umbrellas. Please assist your students in packing their backpacks to ensure that they are organized and free of trash, so that it is easier for them to remove these items from their bags and then place them back inside. Frost MS staff will provide more detailed information to students, and will provide clear bags for ease of use, upon their return to school in the fall.

We appreciate your support and patience as we all continue to learn this new process together. Our priority is creating a safe and secure environment for all students and staff, and we will continue monitoring closely and making adjustments as needed.

Getting Involved with the PTA

A strong partnership between home and school is a hallmark of the Frost Middle School community. Our Frost MS Parent Teacher Association (FMPTA) plays an indispensable role in supporting student programs, funding classroom grants, and organizing community-building events. We invite all parents—both returning and new—to join the PTA for the upcoming year. Keep an eye out for their table at our August Open House!

Want to keep up with the PTA? Sign up for the PTA Newsletter right here to get the latest updates, event reminders, and opportunities to volunteer delivered straight to your inbox.  Simply enter your e-mail, select Middle Schools, Frost Middle School, then Frost PTA

Rising 7th Grade Lift Off Program - Registration Required

August 6th - Morning and afternoon sessions offered

Registration for the Frost Falcon Lift Off is now open!  This program will take place on August 6th and is open to all rising 7th grade students who will be attending Frost in 26-27. Students will have the opportunity to participate in school orientation activities such as tours of the school, discussion of middle school procedures, and Q&A sessions with teachers and counselors. 

Families may sign up their student for one of two sessions from 8 AM – 11 AM OR 12 PM – 3 PM.  There is no cost of the program, but parents must provide transportation to and from Frost. If interested, please register your student using the following link. If your child is unable to attend, please know that the topics will be covered throughout the first weeks of school as well!

Rising 7th Grade Orientation – August 20th

No registration needed!  All students are invited to attend (no registration necessary) on August 20th from 8:00 – 10:00 AM. During the orientation students will receive their class schedules, will attend each class for a short time, and meet their teachers. The morning is for students only. 

We anticipate that nearly 600 students will attend this event. To assist with arrival and dismissal, transportation will be provided to and from each elementary school. If you would like your student to use this transportation, please complete the survey here no later than August 5, 2026.

Students and parents are invited to come that afternoon from 1-3 pm for self-guided tours to practice walking the student’s schedule.

Summer Reading & Learning Resources

To combat the summer slide and keep academic skills sharp, we highly encourage students to dedicate time each week to continuous learning. Our faculty has curated a robust list of optional enrichment resources that you can find here.

Quick Links & Phone Numbers

Attendance Phone Line: 703-426-5702

SIS Parent Vue Account Set-Up Video

Parent Information Phone Lines: Phone lines available in different languages to assist families.

Parent IT Support Portal

Frost MS Website  

Frost MS PTA Homepage

FCPS School Year Calendars

SIS ParentVUE Account Access

Mental Health Resources and Emergency Services Information

Frost MS Adminstration

Anthony Harris: Principal apharris@fcps.edu

Kenya Champ: Assistant Principal kschamp@fcps.edu

Katy Kownacki: Assistant Principal kkownacki@fcps.edu

Richard Deixler: Assistant Principal radeixler@fcps.edu 

Ellen Reed: Assistant Principal evreed@fcps.edu 

Danielle Hornbecker: Director of Student Services dshornbecker@fcps.edu 

Counselors

Megan Dunn mpdunn@fcps.edu 

Larkin Gibas lrgibas@fcps.edu 

Dan Joo djoo@fcps.edu 

Becky Mendoza ramendoza@fcps.edu 

Katie Webb kawebb@fcps.edu 

Frost is on Instagram! 

Follow us at @FrostMsFCPS 

4101 Pickett Rd Fairfax, VA 22032  | Main Office: 703.426.5700
Attendance: 703.426.5702 | Web | Twitter