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Dear Lancer Families,
It is hard to believe that we have reached the final week of the first quarter! We are proud of the hard work, growth, and accomplishments of our students over the past several weeks and appreciate the continued partnership of our families. As we wrap up the quarter, we encourage students to finish strong by completing any outstanding assignments, checking in with teachers, and reflecting on their progress and goals for the next quarter. As a reminder, this Friday is a two-hour early release, so please make sure you have a plan in place for your student to arrive home two hours earlier than usual.
This week is our first spirit week of the year. Today was wear pajamas to school day. Tuesday is having students dress like teachers and teachers dress like students. Wednesday is wear pink day. Thursday is twin day (dress like a friend to be twins). And Friday is character day where you can dress like your favorite character. For Friday, please no masks/face coverings and no w
There will be no school for students on Monday, November 2, and Tuesday, November 3. We hope everyone enjoys the extended weekend and has an opportunity to rest and recharge. We look forward to welcoming our Lancers back on Wednesday, November 4, for a strong start to the second quarter! Thank you, as always, for your continued support and partnership in making Longfellow such a wonderful place to learn and grow. I hope you and your family have a wonderful week and get outside to enjoy this amazing fall weather.
Chris Butzer
Principal, Longfellow MS
District Chorus
Congratulations to those students who performed a successful audition for District 12 Middle School Honors Choir on Saturday, October 24th. Our students worked very hard to prepare, with the result being an unprecedented 48 delegates plus 2 alternates selected for the honors choir. They will work with accomplished guest conductors and perform a program of 5-6 pieces in February. Congratulations!
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UPCOMING EVENTS
October
29 Orchestra Fall Concert @ McLean HS 7 p.m.
30 End of Quarter-2 Hour Early Release
November
2 & 3 Student Holiday-Teacher Workday
5 Fall Band Concert @ McLean HS 7 p.m.
7 Cross Country Championship @ Liberty MS
9 Fall Choral Concert 7 p.m.
10 School Picture Make-ups during lunches
10 PTA Meeting and Parent Info Session 5:30 p.m. Lecture Hall
12 Parent Student Book Club 6 pm
19-21 Fall Play Performance
25-27 Holidays-Thanksgiving Break
30 Winter Orchestra Concert @ McLean HS 7 p.m.
DETAILS ON UPCOMING EVENTS
End of Book Fair
Friday, October 23th was the last day for the In-school Book Fair. However, if you are looking for more books or if your student forgot to use their eWallet, you can still order on our Book Fair website until November 1 and our school will receive 25% of the profits!
We are so grateful to our parent volunteers for the time and support in making this endeavor a successful one for Longfellow MS. Thank you once again for supporting the Longfellow Library program.
Parent-Student Book Club!
Longfellow is happy to announce the return of the Parent - Student Book Club!
Parents and students have a choice of 2 historical fiction novels and will meet in the FACs Room on November 12th at 6pm to discuss books and enjoy appetizers. If you are interested in joining the Parent - Student Book Club, please fill out the linked form by today, October 26.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey
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 on Wednesday, November 4th.
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.
Register for ParentVUE
Learn how to activate your SISParentVUE account so you can easily submit your survey and have access to other helpful information about your child.
Help Your Student Stay Focused and Engaged Without Digital Distractions
Please remind your student that personal electronic communication or computing devices should be off and personally stored (i.e., in backpacks) for the duration of the school day: bell to bell.
This includes personal laptops, tablets, smartwatches, smartphones, and similar devices. Students can only use FCPS-issued devices for school-related digital activities during the instructional day. There are exceptions for students with disabilities and those enrolled in specific courses.
If you need to reach your student during the school day, please call the school’s front office. Learn more about the FCPS cellphone policy and device policy.
Schools Build Belonging so Students Can Thrive
What does belonging look like in our school? At Longfellow, we are creating inclusive, supportive environments where every student feels known, valued, and connected — the second goal of the Strategic Plan. From mentoring to cross-grade collaboration, when students feel safe and supported, they can truly thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. See how Goal 2 is being put into practice at FCPS.
We all Belong
Each one of us is unique. And every student matters and belongs in school. If a student is having a difficult time attending class, please tell a trusted adult at school. There are solutions.
If you or your family need any kind of support, please reach out to our front office. We are here for you! Visit the FCPS Attendance webpage for tips and strategies.
🏫 After-School Corner
🏆 Celebrating Our Lancers — Cross Country, Debate & Model UN!
🏃 Cross Country: Another big shoutout to our boys’ and girls’ Cross Country teams, who both finished 1st place overall at last week's meet at Stone Middle School! Way to go, Lancers!
🌎 Model UN: Congratulations to Leah Yu, who earned an Honorable Mention, and Alessandra Vasquez Lemus, who received a Verbal Commendation at the team's first conference of the year at McLean High School.
🎤 Policy Debate: Congratulations to Avery Wu, who earned 1st Place Top Speaker in the Novice Policy Debate division at the Yorktown High School tournament on October 17! We also recognize Abigail Falcon and Alexandra Neelbauer, who placed 6th in the Novice Policy Debate division at the Georgetown Day Invitational, a national tournament, earlier this month.
We are proud of all our students and coaches for their hard work, dedication, and accomplishments!
💡 VIP Camp Reunion & Lights On After-School Celebration
Tuesday, October 27 | 6:00–8:00 p.m.
📍 LOCATION: RACHEL CARSON MIDDLE SCHOOL
🚗 IMPORTANT: Transportation will NOT be provided. Families are responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from Rachel Carson Middle School.
Join us for our VIP Camp Reunion and Lights On After-School Celebration! Families are invited to enjoy cookie decorating, STEAM activities, improv with our theatre crew, basketball, futsal, information about middle school sports, and more!
Come out, reconnect, and celebrate our after-school programs!
📅 Important After-School Schedule Reminders
This is the final week of Quarter 1 after-school activities! Thank you to all our students, families, sponsors, and coaches for a wonderful first quarter!
Please remember that there is no After-School Program on early release days. Our upcoming dates with no after-school activities are:
-Friday, October 30 — No After-School Program
-Monday, November 2 — No After-School Program
-Tuesday, November 3 — No After-School Program
📚 Quarter 2 begins Wednesday, November 4! We look forward to welcoming students back for another exciting quarter of clubs, activities, and opportunities!
🏐 Coming in Quarter 2 — Rec Volleyball!
We're excited to introduce Girls' and Boys' Recreational Volleyball beginning the week of November 9!
-Girls' Volleyball: Mondays, 2:30–3:30 p.m.
-Boys' Volleyball: Wednesdays, 3:30–4:30 p.m.
We look forward to another great quarter of after-school activities!
LONGFELLOW PTA
Save the Date — Next PTA Meeting & Parent Education Session
November 10 | 5:30 p.m. | Longfellow Lecture Hall
Join us for our next PTA meeting, where we hope to establish a Nominating Committee to help recruit next year's PTA leadership.
The meeting will be followed by a parent education session from 6–6:45 p.m. on Stress, Anxiety, Executive Functioning and Organization.
We hope to see you there!
PTA Reflections — November 15 Deadline!
A reminder that the deadline for this year's National PTA Reflections program is November 15!
Students are invited to submit original artwork inspired by this year's theme, “What My Culture Means to Me.” Submissions are welcome across a variety of artistic categories, including visual arts, literature, photography, music, dance and film.
Visit pta.org/reflections for program details and submission guidelines, or email reflections.ptalms@gmail.com with questions.
Submit your artwork through Longfellow's Reflections page
McLean & Langley Crew Turkey Trot 5K
Support McLean and Langley Crew at their annual Thanksgiving weekend Turkey Trot! The two programs split the event proceeds equally. Register before November 1 for discounted pricing. Register for the Turkey Trot 5K Runners and walkers are welcome. Arrive at 8 a.m. to enjoy the coffee truck and bake sale. Saturday, November 28 | 9 a.m. | Langley High School
PARENT INFORMATION
✨DO YOU KNOW AN AMAZING EMPLOYEE? ✨
We are now accepting nominations to recognize our outstanding employees at Longfellow for the 2026 - 2027 school year! If you have worked with an outstanding employee at Longfellow, FCPS wants your help recognizing them. Lancer colleagues and families are invited to nominate:
🏆 NOMINATIONS FOR...
- Outstanding Teacher
- Outstanding New Teacher
- Outstanding Principal or New Principal
- Outstanding Professional Staff Leader
- Outstanding Educational Services Employee
- Outstanding Operational Services Employee
🗓️DEADLINE: The deadline to submit a nomination is Tuesday, November 10, 2026.
📝SUBMISSIONS: Submissions can be made by completing the form linked here.
🤺Thank you for supporting our outstanding Lancer Staff!
The Importance of the Flu Vaccination
The annual flu vaccine is the most effective way to protect your child from getting sick and to prevent the spread of illness within our classrooms. Staying up-to-date with your child's flu vaccination helps:
- Reduce School Absences: Keeping students healthy means more time spent learning and engaging with peers.
- Protect the Community: Vaccination helps shield vulnerable family members and neighbors from seasonal illness.
- Support Overall Wellness: Routine flu shots are a key component of a proactive student health plan.
Upcoming Flu Shot Events
FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will be providing flu shots for all FCPS students, ages 18 and under, with no out-of-pocket costs. Multiple events will be taking place at designated FCPS locations. Additional dates will be made available throughout the school year. Parents or guardians may view upcoming events and schedule an appointment for their student. Participation is voluntary.
Twice Exceptional Students
Fairfax County Public Schools is committed to challenging all students through talent development and differentiated instruction. Twice-Exceptional (2e) learners are students who are gifted and have learning challenges or disabilities.
Families can learn more about 2e learners, how to support them, and how to partner with schools on the 2e webpage, which also includes a link to the Special Education Handbook. For more information, please contact our Advanced Academics Resource Teacher, Elaina Bafaro.
Mosaic Youth Playwriting Contest
The contest champions young voices, giving students in grades 6–12 across the DC metro area the opportunity to develop their writing with professional theater directors and see their work brought to life. We’ll select three high school winners, each receiving a $200 cash prize, mentorship, and the opportunity to have their play performed by professional actors at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library on Sunday, March 14, 2027.
Students can write about anything that sparks their imagination. For those looking for inspiration, Mosaic’s upcoming production of 7th Street Echo explores community, place and memory, identity, and the artistry of Washington, DC.
What stories would a neighborhood block tell if it could speak? How do we preserve a community’s memory in the face of change? What does it mean to be a Washingtonian?
Submissions are due January 15, 2027, at 11:59 PM. You can find eligibility requirements, submission guidelines, and the full contest rules on our website.
Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest
VFW Post 8241 invites Longfellow students in grades 6-8 to enter Patriot’s Pen: a 300-400 word essay on “What a Veteran Taught Me About America.” Entries are due October 31, 2026. Email the completed official entry form and essay to vfw8241@gmail.com; no audio is required. Official rules/forms:
https://www.vfw.org/community/youth-and-education/youth-scholarships.
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:
- Monday, October 26, at 6:30 p.m., at Beech Tree Elementary School
- Thursday, October 29, at 6:30 p.m., at North Springfield Elementary School
- Tuesday, December 1, at 6:30 p.m., at Powell Elementary School (note date change)
Annual Special Education Family Conference: Breakout Session Information Available
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 Conferencewebpage 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
- Adult Volunteers: Sign up through Volunteer FCPS using the Volunteer Registration Form by Wednesday, October 28. FCPS staff volunteers will receive MyPDE credit.
- Student Volunteers: Complete the Student Volunteer Interest Form by Wednesday, October 28. Students who volunteer will receive volunteer hours.
- 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.
Email questions to SpecialEdFamilyConf@fcps.edu.
MAMTS: Team Battle 2026
Join us on November 14 (Sat) for a team-based, puzzle / gameshow style math tournament featuring a variety of fun and engaging challenges! Put your mathematical literacy skills to test through pattern recognition, number sense, deductive reasoning, and problem solving.
This is a new and unique type of math tournament - an exciting experience for all math enthusiasts and number lovers!
Date & Time
November 14, 2026 (Sat) @ 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Location
Watson Mountain Middle School
41480 Steeplechase Lp Dr, Leesburg, VA 20175
Divisions
Division E (Grades 5 and below)
Division M (Grades 8 and below)
Components
6 rounds (3 Main Rounds / 1 Prize Round / 2 Playoff Rounds)
100+ trophies/medals
Pizza lunch and snacks
Scholarship ($1000) and prizes
Contacts
Tournament Info: www.mamts.org/tournaments/team-
Registration: www.mamts.org/register
Inquiries / Assistance: info@mamts.org
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