Panda Press - August 10, 2026

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School Priorities Banner. Family Engagement, Sense of Belonging, Personalized Instruction

Image of our beautiful new welcome mural painted this summer by a team led by our wonderful art teacher Ms Eaton.

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Principal's Message

Dear Franklin Sherman ES Parents/Guardians,

 

Let the countdown begin!  The first day of school is August 24!

Our custodial team is hard at work freshening up the floors, while Ms. Eaton is busy painting our walls to showcase our Panda Pride!

I hope you all have a fantastic next few weeks. Our teachers return next week and will be anxiously awaiting your arrival. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back! 💚🐼 We hope to see you August 20th from 11-12 for our Open House. This is a great opportunity for students to walk the building and meet their teachers. 

 

 

Sincerely,

Farris Thomas
Principal
Franklin Sherman ES

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Important Dates

August 20  Open House 11 a.m. - Noon (Students Should Attend)

August 24  First Day of School

August 31  PTA Meeting and Back to School Night 5:30 - 7 p.m. (Adults Only) 

September 4 - 7  Labor Day Holiday

September 21  Student Holiday

FCPS Calendar:  2026-27

Franklin Sherman Calendar

 


Chalk the Walk

Sunday, August 23 at 9:00 a.m.
Join the PTA and Franklin Sherman families to help decorate the sidewalks with colorful messages to welcome all students and staff back to school.

 


FCPS News

FCPS logo

FCPS News

New Student ID Cards Coming for Bus Riders This Fall 

As part of the ongoing commitment to strengthening layered safety and security programs, FCPS will implement a new student ID system for students who ride our school buses.

The implementation of the student IDs is designed as an additional safety measure for our 130,000 FCPS students who ride the bus each day, ensuring they are on the right bus and that they get on and off at the correct bus stop, as well as making sure only authorized students are on our buses.

The IDs will be provided to students who ride the bus. Those students will be expected to tap on and tap off the bus. The student IDs do not track student movement. The only information available is when a student taps on or off a bus. Much like our Here Comes the Bus app, our new app will allow parents/guardians to track the progress of the school bus.

It is possible that the ID program will expand in the future to include uses such as library cards and meal payment. Learn more about the new transportation system and student ID cards.

 

Get Ready for the New School Year With the FCPS App!

📱Simplify your back-to-school prep! Download the FCPS mobile app to check school calendars, breakfast/lunch menus, and school contacts all in one place with no login required. Plus, get quick access to ParentVUE, Schoology, and the bus app.Download the FCPS mobile app in the Apple App Store or Google Play, and make sure to subscribe to our school in the app settings.

 

Sign Up for SIS ParentVUE

Access your student’s attendance records, grades, and assignments at any time with SIS ParentVUE. Contact our registrar at [email/phone number] if you need an activation code. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE. Also, download the new ParentVUE mobile app so you can access your child’s records easily from anywhere! 

 

Update Your Contact Information

Be sure you receive important information! Update your phone number(s) and/or email address(es) by clicking “My Account” and reviewing the “Online Verification/Update.” On that form, you can also update immunization records, health information, and emergency contacts. 

 

☑️ Update Immunizations and Records

Immunizations are required for all students to attend school in Virginia. This is an important part of protecting them from certain diseases and keeping them healthy. 

When your child is immunized, remember to request a copy of their immunization record and bring that to our front office or submit the record via SIS ParentVUE as soon as possible. Find more information on FCPS’ website.

 

☑️ Learn About School Meals

Families need to provide their children with money to purchase meals at school or send them with a packed lunch. Alternatively, families may apply to receive free and reduced-price meal benefits, pending approval.

Explore School Meals in the New Menu Platform

Experience an easier way to view your child’s school menus using MealViewer:

  • View what is being served each day.
  • View the nutritional information for each meal.
  • See if any specific allergens are being served.
  • Get notified when your student’s favorite meal is being served.

Printable menus are always available on the Food and Nutrition Services webpage.

 

☑️ Bookmark the School Year Calendar

Be sure to bookmark the FCPS school year calendar to keep track of school holidays, breaks, and observances:

  • Days marked blue with an “H” are student holidays. Schools are closed on these days.
  • Days marked orange with an “O” are religious and cultural observance days (or evenings, if only half marked). There is school on these days, but certain events that cannot be made up may not be scheduled on these days.
  • Days marked as TW, SD, and SP and in pink are holidays for students but working days for teachers and staff.

Please note that some holidays and observances, such as Eid al Fitr, may shift, and the calendar may be adjusted.

 

Understanding Student Rights and Responsibilities Updates: New Universal Grade Matrices for Families

Families are encouraged to review the updated FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) document, which explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses in order to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment.

Updates for the 2026-27 school year include new Universal Grade Matrices (UGMs). UGMs are charts that show behavior expectations and school responses by grade level (K-3, 4-8, and 9-12). These at-a-glance resources (in Appendix D of the SR&R) are designed to make it easier for parents and caregivers to understand how schools respond to different types of behavior concerns.

Visit the SR&R webpage for more information and to review additional updates to the SR&R for the 2026-27 school year.

 

New Requirement for Student Device Use During the School Day

Starting this school year, students must use FCPS-issued devices for school-related digital activities during the instructional day. This is in accordance with a new School Board requirement, approved on July 16, which states that students may not use personal electronic communication or computing devices, including personal laptops, tablets, smartwatches, smartphones, and similar devices. 

Students may only use their personal device if it is required as part of a necessary accommodation in the students’ Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan. A principal or the principal’s designee may approve a limited, course-specific exception for students enrolled in a specialized class when the curriculum requires a technology tool or software that isn’t available on a standard FCPS-issued device. 

 

Families can help support this requirement by reminding students to bring their FCPS-issued device each day and use it for all school-related digital activities unless an approved exception applies.

 


PTA News

Franklin Sherman PTA logo

 After School Enrichment Preview

We're excited to announce our Fall Before & After School Enrichment lineup at FSES! Registration details will be shared soon.

Tuesday - Spark: Lemonade Stand (Grades K–2)
Wednesday - Chess (All Grades)
Thursday - Spark: Stock Market 101 (Grades 3–6)
Thursday - Art with Miss Pam (Grades 1-4)
Friday - Basketball (All Grades)


More may be on the way! We're also working to add a STEAM class, so stay tuned! Registration information, pricing, and sign-up details are coming soon. We can't wait to kick off another fun season of learning before the school day begins!

 

2026-2027 Volunteer Opportunities

Opportunities big and small are available to help support students, connect families, and shape our school community. As Elvis put it, “A little less conversation, a little more action, please!” We'd love to have your talents help our school community. Click here.

 

Sign Up for the PTA Newsletter

Know someone who doesn't receive our weekly newsletter?

Send them to our SIGN UP FOR THE FSESPTA NEWSLETTER link here!

Our weekly newsletter is filled with important school info.

 


Image of Longfellow Lancers logo.

News from Longfellow MS

Jump Start: Save the Date

Help your student prepare for the upcoming school year with our Jump Start Program. This optional, non-academic program is specifically designed to support a smooth transition. Students will have the chance to meet school staff, connect with new peers, explore the school layout, and learn about key policies before the first day of school. Along with informational sessions, participants will enjoy fun community-building activities.

Registration Link: Click here to register

Program Schedule

We are offering two identical sessions to choose from:

  • Session A: August 11th from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
  • Session B: August 12th from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Important Details

  • Location: Longfellow Middle School
  • Registration: Opens on April 30th
  • Cost: $30.00 per student
  • Transportation: Please note that transportation is not provided for this event. Parents and guardians are responsible for the drop-off and pick-up of their students.

 


Reminders


FCPS Cares logo

FCPS CARES

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team at Franklin Sherman? Share an FCPS CARES! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu. Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration party from HR. Celebrate our wonderful staff today!

 


Franklin Sherman Flash Archive and Translation Available On Our Website