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Dear South County Community,
What a great first week! Students now have their Chromebooks. Please note that you will have to pay a fee if a device is lost or damaged. Teachers will also share info about elective class fees soon.
Back to School Night
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Date: Wednesday, September 2
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Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM (Doors open at 5:15 PM)
Kiss-N-Ride Safety If you drop off your student, do not make a U-turn when exiting the parking lot. We had an accident this week because of a U-turn. Please turn right, drive down to the circle, and come back up Laurel Crest Drive.
Opengate Security Rules Please go over these safety rules with your student:
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Backpacks: Hold your backpack close to your chest.
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Wait Your Turn: Wait at the cones until the person ahead of you walks through.
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Do Not Touch: Do not touch the detector machines.
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Water Bottles: You can carry your water bottle through the detector. It will not set off the alarm.
- Take These Out of Backpacks First:
- Laptops and iPads
- Large 3-ring binders
- Scissors
- Eyelash curlers
- Umbrellas
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Lunch Boxes: Take out any metal items or thermoses before going through.
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Musical Instruments: Walk past the first detectors and go through the main office to the secondary screening line.
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Packing Up: After walking through, use the extra tables to put your items back in your bag before going to the cafeteria, gym, or library.
Please let us know if you have any questions. See you on Monday!
Kathy Quigley, Interim Principal
Upcoming Dates
Wednesday, September 2 - Back-to-School Night, 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Friday, September 4 - No School, Labor Day Holiday
Monday, September 7 - No School Labor Day Holiday
Monday, September 21 - No School, Religious Holiday
Student ID Cards for South County Middle School Bus Riders
We will begin distributing student ID cards to all our students who ride the school bus or use FCPS transportation services by Wednesday, September 2 and Thursday, September 3.
The student ID cards will be distributed during last periods on Wednesday and Thursday. Students will be able to start using their ID card on the bus that afternoon. If your student rides the bus and did not receive an ID card please have them stop by the main office on Tuesday, September 8.
ID cards should be worn or attached to your child’s backpack and brought to the bus each day. Ask your child to put their student ID card away until the end of the day.
Students who have student ID cards should begin tapping as they board and exit the bus. Only students who use FCPS transportation services will be provided with a student ID card at this time.
We ask for your patience! Bus drivers are checking in students and may need some extra time at each bus stop while they do this. The transportation team is working hard to minimize any potential delays.
Everything You Need to Do in SIS ParentVUE
Are you working your way through back-to-school forms and checklists? Make sure you have a SIS ParentVUE account for your family and log in to find important forms and updates.
- Be among the first to know about weather closings, bus delays, and other critical communications from your school and FCPS by providing your cell phone number and email in ParentVUE. To update your contact information in ParentVUE, click the “Online Packets” tab in the upper right of the screen, then click the “Online Verification/Update” icon.
- Submit daylong absences by clicking “Report Absence.”
If you do not have a ParentVUE account, contact your child’s school for an activation code and follow the directions on the SIS ParentVUE Account webpage.
Parents and guardians of middle and high school students with a registered SIS ParentVUE account can receive Weekly Progress Reports covering all their enrolled students in a single email. To enable this feature, log into your ParentVUE account, verify or update your primary email address under the "My Account" tab, and select your report preferences. Please visit the link for more information.
Remember to Complete Permission Forms for School Resources
Families can now easily grant consent for their children to access a variety of school resources through the Parent Digital Consent system. This online tool can be accessed using your SIS ParentVUE account login. Parents can easily opt their child in or out of a variety of resources, including online educational tools, school counseling services, and more.
Visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. Watch this video to see how to use the tool.
SEL Screener Notification
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) believes in supporting social and emotional learning (SEL) for all students. In FCPS, students use a tool called the SEL Screener to think about their own SEL skills and experiences at school. South County Middle School students in grades 7 and 8 will be participating in the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener in the Fall and Spring.
After each screening, results are available in the Documents tab of SIS ParentVUE and mailed to families without a ParentVUE account. For more information about the SEL Screener, including information on opting out, please see the attached Parent Notification. You can also learn more on the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage.
PTSO = Parents + Teachers + Students + Organization = Community 💙
Dear South County Middle School Teachers and Families,
Middle school is a big step – and with only two short years before high school, we want to make every moment count! The South County Middle School PTSO is here to support our students as they grow, thrive, and soar through fun events, fundraisers, and activities that build a strong community.
What does the PTSO do?
🎉 Creates events that bring families, teachers, and students together
💡 Raises funds for school programs, activities, and celebrations
🍎 Supports teachers and staff so they can focus on our children’s success
🐴 Builds a stronger community where every child feels connected and valued
💡 Did you know? For just $5 teacher membership, $10 individual adult membership, or $25 family membership, you can make a big impact on your child’s middle school experience. A little truly goes a long way in helping us fund events, programs, and opportunities for our Mustangs.
Our upcoming school year is already planned out and your membership helps make each event a success!
Membership is a one-time fee with no obligation to volunteer (though we’d love your help if you choose!). Every sign-up strengthens our school community and directly supports our students.
Get started today: 📝
🌐 Sign Up for PTSO Membership and browse the site
📲 Join the South County MS Family Group
👍 Follow our PTSO Public Facebook Page
👍 Follow our PTSO Instagram Page
📣 Stay Connected with South County Middle School on Instagram
🎟️ Bonus! The first 50 sign-ups will be entered to WIN a VIP ALL ACCESS PASS for their student – a $30 value that includes entry to all of our school wide events this year (Excludes 8th Grade dance).
Winner will be announced Monday September 14, 2026
Meet Your 2026–2027 PTSO Board:
Samantha Roberts – President
Shannon Slayer – 8th Grade VP
Christina Cole –7th Grade VP
Ryan Ickes – Secretary
Felicia West – Treasurer
Thank you for supporting your students and helping us make South County Middle School a place where every child feels connected, celebrated, and proud to be a Mustang! With gratitude and Mustang Pride, South County Middle School PTSO
New Online Spirit Wear Shop
Our South County Back-to-School Sale is happening now! Save up to 35% OFF sitewide on brand-new spirit wear, fresh fall styles, and personalized gear for the whole family. Shop today and show your school pride before the sale ends on September 7th!
SHOP HERE
Help Us Create! 🎨
We’re collecting empty shoe boxes and cereal boxes for upcoming art projects at school! These everyday items will be transformed into creative works by our students. If you have clean, sturdy boxes at home, please send them in with your child. Thank you for helping us turn recyclables into art!
Share Your Photos with The Journey! 📸
Help us capture the memories that make this school year special! The Journey yearbook staff would love to feature photos from our students and families throughout the year.
We’re especially looking for first-day-of-school photos, favorite summer memories, and candid moments from throughout the school year. Have a great photo of your student that you’d love to see in the yearbook? We’d love to have it!
Families can easily share photos with us using our photo submission link:
Upload Photos to Jostens
Thank you for helping The Journey tell the story of our school year—one photo at a time!
Order Your Yearbook! 📖
Don’t miss out on the early bird special pricing for this year’s yearbook! Order now and save by visiting Jostens.
Looking for a special way to celebrate your student? Consider purchasing a yearbook ad to honor your student and recognize their accomplishments, friendships, and memories from the school year.
Order your yearbook or explore ad options today so you don’t miss this opportunity to be part of The Journey!
Transportation Patience and Safety
Thank you for your patience as we all get used to new routines this school year. We appreciate our families following Kiss and Ride procedures and being patient while waiting for your child’s bus.
If your child’s bus is delayed, you may access the Bus Delay Notification System or use the Here Comes the Bus mobile app to receive the delayed bus report. Email messages will be sent to announce significant bus delays. Please contact the Transportation Office at 703-446-2150 with any additional questions. For concerns after 5:30 p.m., contact the FCPS Office of Safety and Security at 571-423-2000.
Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE to make sure you receive email messages about bus delays.
FCPS Mobile App
Have Children in Multiple FCPS Schools? 🏫
The FCPS mobile app lets you follow updates from all your children's schools in one place! Simply open the app, tap the teal pull-down menu, then tap the gear icon and select every school you want to follow. See this video of how to follow your school.
Find out about more features of the app. Download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and Gold is the Awareness Color.
The Annual SCHS Gold Outs in support of the Emma Jordon Kidz Fighting Cancer Foundation and childhood cancer awareness are scheduled for the following dates:
- September 2nd - 8th Annual Girls Volleyball vs Alexandria City (Freshmen/ JV @ 5pm; Varsity @ 6:30pm
- September 3rd - 12th Annual Football, Cheer, Dance, Band, Choir vs Hayfield 7pm
- September 14th - 8th Annual Field Hockey vs Edison 7:30pm
- September 15th - 3rd Annual Boys Volleyball vs Fairfax 6:30pm
Updated Varsity Football Game Policies
Beginning this season, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) will implement security screenings using existing weapons screening systems (Open Gate) and a standardized bag policy at all varsity football games to help ensure a safe and efficient experience for students, families, staff, and community members. We appreciate your cooperation by reviewing the prohibited and approved items below before arriving, and please remember that middle school students and younger must be accompanied by a responsible adult who remains with them throughout the event.
Prohibited Items
- Backpacks
- Purses
- Fanny packs
- Tote bags
- Outside food and beverages, including water bottles
- Sporting equipment (balls, bats, sticks, etc.)
- Any item prohibited by FCPS policy or determined by event staff to present a safety concern
Approved Bags
- Clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bags no larger than 12" x 6" x 12"
- Small clutch bag no larger than 4.5" x 6.5"
- Medical and diaper bags (permitted but subject to inspection)
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