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Dear Thoreau Families,
The PTA Apex fundraiser is the talk of our school this week, and students are loving the lunchtime games, raffles, and prizes! We are focusing on student involvement rather than the amount raised, making this an inclusive experience for everyone. For example, one of this week's prizes recognized students who shared their pledge page the most. A special thank you to all the families who have already participated and supported our school!
The culminating event, Color Wars, takes place next week: 7th graders participate on October 7th, and 8th graders on October 8th. The PTA is seeking parent volunteers to help run the game. It's a wonderful way to see our middle schoolers in action! If you are able to help, please consider signing up via this link.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Teresa Khuluki
Principal
We have noticed an uptick in students arriving late to school through Door 1, primarily among families using Kiss-&-Ride. Please remember that all students are either bus riders or walkers and are expected to be in their first class when the 7:30 a.m. bell rings. If you choose to use Kiss-&-Ride, please plan to leave home earlier to ensure your student arrives on time.
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Bring Pouches Daily: Please remind your student to bring their Yondr pouch to school every day.
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Keep Pouches Locked: All Yondr pouches must remain locked at all times—even when empty—to protect the pin. We have recently seen an uptick in pouches with bent pins.
A new Schoology Study and Support Hub is available for students in Schoology. This space was developed by the FCPS Educational Technology Team with input from students. It is designed to provide essential study tools and academic support resources directly to our learners.
Students can log in to Schoology and read their Schoology announcements or watch this video on the support hub for more information.
Friday, October 9, 2026 10 - 11:30 AM
We want to know what's going on in our children's lives -- about school, their friends, their successes, and their struggles. But what should you do when your kids won't tell you what's going on in their lives? What if you ask questions and all they do is shrug and mumble "It was fine" or "I don't know"? In this workshop, you'll learn specific strategies for getting your children to open and come to you when they need support.
Register here
Thoreau Middle School 50 Book Challenge, a new library reading initiative inspiring lifelong readers. Students are challenged to read 50 books over two years with no yearly quotas, and all books count. Current 8th graders begin with a modified goal of 25 books. Students will receive ongoing recognition and celebrations for participation benchmarks. The graphic notes that 35% of middle school students read for fun almost every day in 1984, compared with 14% in 2023, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The challenge is inspired by Madison High School’s 100 Book Challenge.
📚Fairfax County Public Library:
Knitting for Charity | Annual Drive
Caring makes us a well-knit community!
Calling all experienced knitters (and crocheters)! Give to those in need. Small gestures can change lives in ways we can’t imagine, and we feel good when we contribute to the well-being and happiness of another person.
How can you help? This winter season, keep adults warm and cozy by knitting a hat.
This drive will run from September 21 through October 30. Knitted hats will be donated to various community nonprofit organizations.
Pick up a limited supply of yarn while supplies last. On September 21, pick up a bag of yarn, while supplies last, from any of the branch locations listed below:
Regional: Centreville, Chantilly, City of Fairfax, Kingstowne, Pohick, Reston Regional, Tysons-Pimmit, and Sherwood.
Community: Herndon Fortnightly, and Kings Park.
This event is cosponsored by the Fairfax Library Foundation.
“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”
Coretta Scott King
Send your child's photos for Yearbook
Jostens Yearbook Photo Share: Your iconic moments belong in the yearbook! Students and families can share photos for possible inclusion in the yearbook at photos.jostens.com/morepics. The graphic also includes QR codes for submitting photos and ordering a yearbook.
After-School Program Updates | October 5–8
After-school programming continues next week, Monday through Thursday!
📅What’s Happening Next Week?
Please review the weekly schedule below for clubs, activities, athletics, and academic support being offered next week. Check the schedule each week, as club meeting days and program offerings may vary from week to week.
📌A Few Reminders
- Stay Up to Date on Schoology - Students and families should continue to check the After School Program Schoology Course for the most current after-school information, including: club descriptions, weekly schedules, and updates.
- Students must have an After-School Registration Form on file before participating and must sign in each day they stay after school.
- Students should also HAVE A PLAN before staying: know what activity you are attending, make sure your family knows you are staying, and know how you are getting home.
- Interested in something we don't currently offer? Let Mr. P know!
🆕New Clubs This Week:
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🌎Culture Club - Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration - Monday, October 5th
The Culture Club will celebrate Hispanic culture through food and dance! Thoreau staff will teach salsa dancing!
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💻Technology Student Association (TSA) – Monday, Session 2
Interested in technology, engineering, design, and problem-solving? TSA gives students the opportunity to explore STEM through hands-on projects, creative challenges, and team competitions.
🤝Support Club – Wednesday, Session 1
A space for 7th- and 8th-grade students to come together, support one another, and learn strategies for navigating middle school and life at Thoreau. Service hour opportunities may be available.
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Has your student misplaced their FCPS Bus ID card? Before requesting a replacement, please have your student thoroughly check their backpack and belongings, home, the Thoreau Main Office, and with their bus driver.
We ask families to allow at least one week to locate a missing Bus ID before requesting a replacement.
If the ID has not been located after one week, please visit the Thoreau Middle School website for information on how to report a missing Bus ID and complete the replacement request form.
Thank you for helping us ensure students have an opportunity to locate their original Bus ID before requesting a replacement!
Periodically, we go through the lost and found to search each item for a name. If they have names, we email the student and parent to pick up the item. We then donate any unclaimed lost and found items, such as clothes, lunch boxes, water bottles, etc., that don't have names. Please make sure your student checks the lost and found in the cafeteria and gyms regularly for any lost items. Thank you.
FCPS will mark the beginning of Eid al-Fitr with an evening-only observance day on Monday, March 8. There will be school on this day, but major school-sponsored events and activities (such as auditions or tryouts) will not take place.
Tuesday, March 9, will be a holiday for students and staff.
Wednesday, March 10, will be an observance day. There will be school on this day, but certain activities that cannot be made up (major tests, field trips, or mandatory events) will not take place.
A new school year calendar has been published, which includes this change. Please note that holidays and observances on the calendar may shift due to anticipated lunar sightings.
As part of the Fairfax County School Board’s Annual School-Based Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Assessment, the FCPS Office of Safety and Security and Safe Routes to School program are inviting parents and caregivers to share their experiences traveling to and from school.
The Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Survey asks about walking and biking routes, traffic near schools, kiss and ride experiences, accessibility, and other safety concerns.
Your feedback will help FCPS identify common issues. Your responses will be kept confidential and shared with school administrators and the Office of Safety and Security. The five-minute survey is open through Thursday, October 15.
Be sure to identify the school related to your feedback and include specific locations where you have observed a safety issue. If you have students at different schools in FCPS, please complete a different survey for each school.
If you have any questions about the survey, please contact SafeRoutestoSchool@fcps.edu.
Join us for a series of Community Conversations that will be held across the school division. Share your thoughts with Dr. Reid and ask her questions. Click on the date to register for any of the following events:
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Monday, September 28, at 6:30 p.m., at Riverside Elementary School
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Monday, October 19, at 6:30 p.m., at Spring Hill Elementary School
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Monday, October 26, at 6:30 p.m., at Beech Tree Elementary School
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Thursday, October 29, at 6:30 p.m., at North Springfield Elementary School
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Friday, November 13, at 6:30 p.m., at Powell Elementary School
Registration is not required, but it helps with planning.
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