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Dear Thoreau Families,
I am writing to you today from Burke Lake Park Marina, where I have had the wonderful pleasure of joining our 7th graders on their Meaningful Watershed Environmental Experience field trip. I have enjoyed great conversations with many of our parent chaperones, and I am so grateful to everyone who has supported this effort. Taking over 700 students on a field trip is a major undertaking over multiple days, and we truly could not do it without the support and partnership of our amazing families!
Military Connected Family Breakfast: Wednesday, November 11th
We warmly invite our Military Connected Families to join us for breakfast on Wednesday, November 11th. During this time, we look forward to honoring both our Veterans and our Active Duty/Reserve family members for their meaningful contributions across our community. Please fill out this form to let us know if you and your Thoreau student will be able to join us.
As a reminder, we have a 2-hour early release on Friday, October 30 for the end of the 1st quarter.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend and get to enjoy the beautiful fall sunshine!
Teresa Khuluki
Principal
Thoreau is celebrating Spirit Week from Monday, October 26, through Friday, October 30! Students are encouraged to participate in our daily themes, have fun, and show their school spirit!
🎀 Monday, 10/26 – Pajama Day: Roll out of bed and come to school in your favorite school-appropriate pajamas!
😂 Tuesday, 10/27 – Meme Day: Dress as your favorite meme or viral video!
💗 Wednesday, 10/28 – Pink Out: Wear PINK in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month!
🐾 Thursday, 10/29 – Animal Day: Show off your favorite animal-inspired outfit!
🎃 Friday, 10/30 – Costume Day: Dress up in your favorite school-appropriate costume!
🎟️ Earn RISE Cards for Participating!
We can't wait to see everyone's creativity and Eagle spirit throughout the week! 💙🦅
We’re excited to share that our new Savvas math materials are now available for students! Our Math department has been hard at work sorting and labelling our resources to prepare them for distribution by the end of next week. Savvas serves as the primary instructional resource supporting our district’s math curriculum, providing students with the content, examples, practice, and resources they will use throughout their mathematics courses this year. Please note, we are still expecting a shipment of textbooks and workbooks soon, and will have them distributed as soon as they arrive!
All students have access to physical Savvas instructional materials for use at school, as well as online access to digital versions of their Savvas materials. This allows students to access much of the same instructional content and resources from home when needed.
Algebra and Geometry students also use reusable hardback textbooks. These textbooks will generally remain at home for use during practice at home. Because these hardback textbooks are reusable instructional materials, any textbook issued becomes the responsibility of the student and family. In the event that a textbook is lost or damaged beyond normal wear, the family will be responsible for the replacement cost.
Thank you for partnering with us in caring for these resources so they can continue to serve our students for years to come! If your student received a workbook, they are permitted to write in it; however, if your student is in a course that provides a hardback textbook, students may not write in it, and the textbook must be returned to their teacher at the end of the school year. Please reach out to Gabi Ritchey, Math Administrator, at gbritchey@fcps.edu or Katie Bitner, Math Department Chair, at kbitner@fcps.edu if you have any questions or need support.
Students in Ms. Oehm's class are putting science into action! Over the next two weeks, students will use their coasters to explore exciting concepts like motion, speed, velocity, acceleration, force, friction, and Newton's laws of motion. This hands-on learning experience will help students see how science works in the real world while having fun along the way!
FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets, which is in the upper right corner of the screen after logging in. Please complete it as soon as possible. Schools will provide paper forms to families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE starting Wednesday, October 28.
Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is how we ensure we receive all the resources available to us from the federal government. For more information, please visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.
If you have worked with an outstanding employee at Thoreau Middle School, FCPS wants your help recognizing them. Eagle families are invited to nominate staff members for recognition!
🏆 NOMINATIONS FOR...
- Outstanding Teacher
- Outstanding Principal
- Outstanding Professional Staff Leader
- Outstanding Educational Services Employee
- Outstanding Operational Services Employee
🗓️DEADLINE: The deadline to submit a nomination is Friday, November 13, 2026.
SUBMISSIONS: Submissions can be made by completing this form
🦅Thank you for supporting our outstanding Eagle Staff!
Eighth graders who have an aptitude and passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) are encouraged to apply for admission to the Class of 2031 at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST).
The application is now available. Applications must be started by 4 p.m. Wednesday, October 28, with a submission deadline of 4 p.m. Friday, October 30. Visit the TJHSST registration page for more information, including a schedule of upcoming information sessions at middle schools.
After-school programming continues next week, Monday through Friday!
Please review the weekly schedule 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 club descriptions, weekly schedules, and program 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 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!
💛Support Thoreau After-School & Athletics!
We're continuing to grow our after-school programs and provide students with opportunities to stay active, explore new interests, and connect with one another!
Families and community members interested in supporting our programs can contribute through our Amazon Wishlists. These include snacks, athletic equipment, and other supplies that help support our students throughout the school year.
Donations are completely optional, and every contribution helps us continue providing free, engaging after-school opportunities for our students.
Thank you for supporting our Thoreau community!
🏘️Happening in the Community
🎭TheatreMania 2026
TheatreMania is open to middle school students of all experience levels and will take place Saturday, November 7 at Kilmer Middle School. Students will participate in four hands-on workshops led by theatre professionals and may explore acting, dance, vocal performance, improv, technical theatre, design, directing, and more. Cost is $25 per student, and registration is due October 24. Register here.
💡Lights On Afterschool Celebration
Join FCPS for a Lights On Afterschool Celebration on Thursday, October 29 from 5:30–7:30 p.m. at Glasgow Middle School.
Thoreau is partnering with Glasgow, Poe, Holmes, Kilmer, and Jackson middle schools for an evening celebrating after-school programs, community partnerships, and opportunities for students and families. The event will also feature VIP Camp and Teens in Action reunions, along with activities and resources for families.
Planning to attend? RSVP here! Please submit one RSVP form per family.
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Please note that the entire Madison High School Community Trunk or Treat & Fun House event, originally scheduled for Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m., has been CANCELLED.
This includes both the Trunk or Treat and Fun House activities hosted by the Madison High School Student Government Association (SGA).
We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.
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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 on this day.
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.
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:
Registration is not required, but it helps with planning.
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!
Join us for the annual Special Education Family Conference, Stronger Together: Connecting Families and Schools, taking place on Saturday, November 14, at Hayfield Secondary School.
More than 20 engaging breakout sessions have been designed to support, inform, and inspire our community. Visit the Special Education Family Conference webpage to explore the lineup of presenters, titles, and session descriptions. Complete the Special Education Family Conference Registration Form to secure your spot and let us know about any childcare, language interpretation, or accommodation needs.
Get Involved Today! Volunteer and Student Participation Opportunities
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Adult Volunteers: Sign up through Volunteer FCPS using the Volunteer Registration Form by Wednesday, October 28. FCPS staff volunteers will receive MyPDE credit.
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Student Volunteers: Complete the Student Volunteer Interest Form by Wednesday, October 28. Students who volunteer will receive volunteer hours.
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Student Showcase Opportunities: Students can complete the Student Participation Form to lead a performance or share information about a club or research project. Students serving in these roles will receive service hours. Sign up by Friday, October 30.
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.
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