Rocky Run MS Updates 9/25

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 09/25/2026 02:30 PM EDT

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1. Important Dates

October 1 - TJHSST Admission Info Session, 2:30 PM, RRMS Gym

October 9 - No After-School Activities - all students depart at 2:15 PM

October 12 - Student Holiday

October 15 - PTA Meeting, 7 PM, Library

October 26 and 27 - Fall Pictures (during students' PE classes)

October 30 - End of 1st Quarter, 2 Hour Early Release, No After-School Program, Career Day

2. A Note from the Principal

Dear Rocky Run Families,

We had a busy week at Rocky Run Middle School even though the rain kept us mostly inside for recess. I spent the majority of my week in history and civics classes learning about the impact of westward expansion and political party platforms.

Happy Chuseok to our Korean community, who celebrated this week on September 25. Chuseok, also known as the Korean Thanksgiving, is a day to express gratitude to the ancestors for a bountiful harvest.

Looking ahead to the end of October, Rocky Run will host our third annual Career Day on the last day of the quarter, October 30. The day will be filled with opportunities for all students to provide service to the school and the community. We are still looking for community volunteers to participate in the event. if you'd like to learn more, fill out this google form.

Thank you for your continued support and please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Peter Kownacki
Principal
Rocky Run Middle School

3. Action Items for Families

Career Day Volunteers Needed!

Rocky Run's Career Day will take place on Friday October 30, 2026. We need your help to make it a success! Please volunteer to speak with our students on Career Day!

Use this form to sign-up to share your career or job with Rocky Run students: https://forms.gle/22umhSzdmnHtcdxe9

The event will run from about 8:00am-12:00pm, but volunteers do not need to commit for the entire time frame. Presentations will be to small groups and in a career fair setting. At this time please let us know if you are willing and available to present and save the date on your calendar!

Please reach out to Halissa Jacobson at hdjacobson@fcps.edu or Anna Slevin agslevin@fcps.edu if you have questions or would like more information. Thank you!

RRMS PTA Updates

Dear Rocky Run Families,

Our staff works hard every day to support, teach, and care for our students, and the PTA would like to show our appreciation with a Staff Lounge Stock-Up Drive! We invite families to donate snacks, drinks, and other treats that can help keep our teachers and staff energized throughout the school day. Items can be sent in with your student or dropped off at the school by October 2^nd and marked PTA.

If you would like to participate, Sign up here!

Thank you for helping us recognize and support our amazing school staff. Every donation, big or small, is greatly appreciated and helps brighten our staff's day.

With gratitude,

Rocky Run PTA

4. Student Celebrations

RAISE the Ram Card Winners

At Rocky Run, students can earn RAISE the Ram cards for exhibiting our RAISE attributes: Rams are Respectful, Accountable, Inclusive, Safe, and Engaged. At the end of each week, we randomly select one winner from each team.

Congratulations to this week's RAISE the Ram card winners:

Meteors: Samuel Park (Engaged)

Platinum: Zane Waraga (Engaged)

Emerald: Muhammad Yousaf (Respectful and Engaged)

Kryptonite: Maryam Elnaggar (Respectful and Accountable)

Tiger's Eye:James Haney (Respectful and Engaged)

Sapphire: Jack Henry (Engaged)

Great job Raising The Ram this week!

Raise the Ram card winners for September 25

5. Student Services Updates

Social-Emotional Learning Screener

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. Rocky Run Middle School students in grades 7 and 8 will be participating in the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener in the Fall and Spring. Rocky Run’s Fall 2026 administration date is October 14, 2026, during our advisory period.

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, please visit the FCPS Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage. If you would like your student to opt out of taking the SEL Screener, please log into the FCPS Digital Consent System. If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s counselor:

Lorraine Marshall, ljmarshall@fcps.edu (Student Last Names A-G)

Esther Bae, eybae@fcps.edu (Student Last Names H-N)

Halissa Jacobson, hdjacobson@fcps.edu (Student Last Names O-Z)

World Language Credit By Exam

Students who are proficient in a language other than English can assess language proficiency and earn up to 3 high school world language high school credits by taking the World Language Credit by Exam assessment. To learn more about the exam and how earned credits work, please visit the FCPS World Languages Credit by Exam website.

If you and your student would like to register for the exam, please fill out this Google Form and your child’s counselor will submit the registration. Expect to receive a registration confirmation email within 1-2 school days of submitting the form. Parents / students must complete the google form by 8 AM Friday October 16, no late registrations will be accepted.

Please make sure you and your child visit the Avant website to make sure you and your student know what to expect from this test, including sample tests and keyboard, computer, and headphone requirements.

Please contact your child’s school counselor if you have any questions:

Lorraine Marshall (Last Names A-G) – ljmarshall@fcps.edu

Esther Bae (Last Names H-N) – eybae@fcps.edu

Halissa Jacobson (Last Names O-Z) – hdjacobson@fcps.edu

TJHSST Admissions Information Session

Representatives from the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology will be coming to Rocky Run Middle School to present information about the 2026-27 admissions process on Thursday, October 1^st at 2:30pm. Parents/guardians and students of current 8^th graders who meet the course requirements (see eligibility requirements) are highly encouraged to attend. In addition, families of current 7^th graders who are curious about the process may attend as well. Please fill out the google form to notify us of your attendance by 9/25 so that we may plan our space accordingly.

Information is posted on the TJ Admissions website and families are advised to view this prior to attending the presentation meeting. In addition, don’t forget to click on the Freshman Application Process link to find admissions calendars and other pertinent information regarding this year’s freshman round.

If you have questions specific to the admissions process, please reach out to the TJ Admissions Office. Or if you have questions about an individual student’s courses, please contact your child’s counselor.

6. Instructional Updates

Library Happenings

This week, all 8^th grade students visited the library for a review of procedures and their first checkout of the school year. Many 8^th grade students still have books from summer checkout that are overdue. Please check in with your 8^th grader to make a plan for returning their summer checkout books. Contact Mrs. Grover (ragrover@fcps.edu) if you have any questions.

Fall Full-Time AAP Referral Window for Students New to FCPS Closes on October 15

The fall referral window is only for students in Grades 3-8 who are new to FCPS since January 1, 2026. Parents and guardians who would like their student to be considered for Full-Time Advanced Academic Program (AAP) services must submit the Full-Time AAP Referral Form to Anna Slevin, Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, at agslevin@fcps.edu by October 15, 2026. Late referrals will not be accepted.

7. After School Program Information

After-School Schedule: Week of 9/28

Preliminary Club List & Details - this is updated frequently so check back often as new clubs will be added!

Next Steps:

If you haven't yet completed the After-School Registration Form, you must do so before your student stays after. Take 30 seconds and complete it today so your student doesn't miss any opportunities! Less than 200 to go!
Once your student sees a club that they are interested in, they should plan on attending. Most clubs are open enrollment, but some have a selection process and once those rosters are selected, the club is closed. Students will get details at the interest meetings.

Program details can be found here. Review this weekend so you and your student are familiar with how the program runs, how pick-ups work, etc.
Late bus routes are posted on the After-School Schoology Course (all students and parents are enrolled).
If you are interested in a club and it's not on the schedule for next week, check the preliminary club list as it may be starting at a later date. Not all clubs start in September so be sure that your student has a plan of what they are attending if they plan on staying. Rams Room is always available in the cafeteria to get some homework done, get organized, play board games with friends quietly.
The student club proposal form will be shared on Schoology on 9/18. Students must be logged into their fcpsschools account to access that form.

MS Sports - Cross Country in the Fall - Roster Cutoff Deadlines is Approaching (October 5)

In addition to the After-School Program, all middle schools in Fairfax County have interscholastic sports activities. Currently we have Cross Country in the Fall, Volleyball in the Winter, our annual Basketball game against Franklin MS (date/season TBD), and Track & Field in the Spring. These require an additional registration and a sports physical.

Next Steps:

Review the Cross Country Parent Interest Meeting Slides from 9/9
Submit the 3 required forms:
- After-School Registration Form
- Submit the completed sports physical packet on Final Forms
- Complete Cross Country Registration on Final Forms
Final Forms Resources - check for the email which was sent on 9/2 to all parent emails that are in ParentVue:
The Cross Country roster will officially close on 10/5 and no additional students can be added at that time.

For more information on FCPS Middle School Sports, go to the Student Athlete page of the FCPS website. or contact Shannon Campbell, our After-School Program Specialist, at SLCampbell@fcps.edu, or Nick Reed, our Athletic Coordinator, at NFReed1@fcps.edu.

8. FCPS Updates

Superintendent Community Conversations

Join Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid for a Community Conversation. Students, families, staff, and community members are invited to ask questions, share concerns, and discuss what matters most to them. Everyone is welcome! Click on the date to register for any of the following events:

Registration is not required, but it helps with planning.

Annual Special Education Family Conference: Registration Open, Call for Volunteers

Join us for the annual Special Education Family Conference: Connected Communities, Thriving Students on Saturday, November 14, at Hayfield Secondary School.

Families, educators, and community members are invited to this no-cost, in-person event to connect, learn, and explore available special education services, supports, and resources. Lunch will be provided for all participants.

How to Get Involved

Attend: Register as a family member or educator using the Registration Form.
Students Showcase Opportunities: Students can complete the Student Participation Form to lead a performance or share information about a club or research project.
Volunteer: Adult volunteers can sign up in Volunteer FCPS to support the event.

Visit the Special Education Family Conference webpage for more information. Email SpecialEdFamilyConf@fcps.edu with any questions.

Set Screen Time Limits and Monitor Online Activity With Lightspeed

The free Lightspeed Parent Portal makes it easy for you to see and manage how your child uses their FCPS-issued device outside of school hours. New Lightspeed Parent Portal features for this school year include:

Schedules: Pause or restrict internet access during specific times, such as during homework time, family dinners, weekends, or bedtime.
Web Rules: Block specific websites you don’t want your child accessing at home.

Be sure to check your email (subject line: “Filter Portal Weekly Report”) each Sunday for the Lightspeed Student Online Activity Report, a weekly summary of the websites your child has visited. Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.

9. Community Corner

Educational Games Expo

Students test learning games and tools while meeting the developers to learn how and why they created them. Teachers and school leaders discover new programs and meet the developers and organizations. Families attend Really Engaging Learning Sessions. Click here for more information about this FREE event on Saturday, October 10, at the George Mason University FUSE Center in Arlington.

Looking for Adventure & Fun? Join Scouts!

Scout Troop 1530 welcomes youths who are interested in outdoor adventures, camping, leadership, community service, and building friendships. Scouts have opportunities to learn new skills, take on challenges, serve their community, and grow in confidence and independence. Whether you're new to Scouting or looking for a troop to join, we'd love to meet you! Learn more about Troop 1530, upcoming activities, and how to get involved at this site: https://www.bsatroop1530.org/

4400 Stringfellow Rd, Chantilly, VA 20151 | Main Office: 703-802-7700
Attendance: 703-802-7782 or rockyrunmiddle.attendance@fcps.edu
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