FCPS

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Glasgow Parents and Community:

Greetings! Just one more week until Spring Break and just two more weeks remaining in the 3rd quarter! Also, here is the Glasgow PTA recording for the March meeting. This past week it was great visiting with rising 6th grade parents at Sleepy Hollow Elementary and hanging out with our students and parents at Friday's International Night at Glasgow. Please see the images below. 

Last week, we shared information about the Department of Special Services’ virtual meetings regarding proposed updates to the Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) Regulation for the 2023-24 school year. The meeting scheduled for Monday, March 27, 6:30-7:30 p.m. is currently on hold. Please stay tuned for details. Please continue to discuss with your children the importance of following the policies and guidelines with the SR&R. As we get close to Spring Break, we want to ensure our students are aligning their behavior to our Panther Principles. 

This year, the first day of Ramadan was on Wednesday, March 22. Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year, a time for spiritual discipline for Muslims, who believe it was during this month that God revealed the first verses of the Quran to Mohammed. If students would like to use the prayer/reflection room during instructional time, their parents/caregivers must provide a written request for that accommodation.  If you would like to request that accommodation for your student, please submit an email to me at [email protected]. 

Fairfax County Public Schools provides [email protected] (weCare), an emergency care information system, to parents/caregivers who have registered for their own parent account. weCare helps manage emergency medical information by allowing parents to enter and update their children’s medical data online at their convenience. That contact information automatically enrolls parents/caregivers to receive eNotify communications from the district and their child’s school. eNotify is the communications tool for FCPS emergency, transportation, attendance, weather closing and delay, and essential outreach messages. Messages are sent via email, text, and occasionally phone. Learn more about updating your emergency care information.

Humbly,

Victor L. Powell, Principal

Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @VictorLeonPowe1

 

Prayer/Reflection Opportunities

Prayer/reflection opportunities are available for our Glasgow students during the school day.  We also provide group spaces during lunches for students who are fasting. If students would like the opportunity for prayer/reflection during instructional time, or a smaller group/space during their lunch, their parents/caregivers must provide a written request for that accommodation.   If you would like to request that accommodation for your student, please send an email to me at [email protected] specify what time of day you are requesting.  I will respond in writing to your request. 

We are awaiting more specific guidelines from FCPS around prayer/reflection rooms to be communicated.

 

 

Registration Open for Virtual Strategic Planning Community Forums

We invite parents/caregivers, students, employees, and community members to join us for a virtual community forum to discuss the first draft of proposed goals for the new Strategic Plan. Forums are scheduled for Monday, April 10, at noon; Tuesday, April 11, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. (in Spanish); and Monday, April 17, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Click on the date to register for the event. 

Your participation is important to this work and will help ensure a thriving future for each and every FCPS student. Get more information on our Strategic Planning webpage.

 

 

‘Little River Rumble’ Co-ed Soccer Tournament

Hello Glasgow Families! The ‘Little River Rumble’ Co-ed Soccer Tournament versus Holmes Middle School, Poe Middle School and Glasgow Middle School is scheduled for Saturday, April 29th, 2023 from 9:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. The registration link will go active on Monday, March 27th, 2023! It’s first come, first served! The first 33 students that sign up (11 students from each grade 6th, 7th, 8th) will be accepted. Students will be expected to maintain passing grades, no tardies and/or unexcused absences, and no behavioral issues. Parents, please note the following:

                                This is not a parent drop-off activity

• Parent / Student Expectations
• Not a drop off event (Players/Spectators)
• All players must be accompanied by parent/guardian at all times
• All siblings in attendance must be accompanied by parent/guardian at all times
• Students that do not adhere to the Code of Conduct or do not come with a parent risk being removed from the team(s).
• Parent / player expectations document to be signed 

Once the teams have been formed, there will be a permission form sent home for parent signature. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Williams [email protected]

 

The After School Flag Football

Attention students and families! The After School Flag Football will begin at Glasgow Middle School when we return from spring break and go through the end of the school year!  6th and 7th grade flag football will be held every Thursday afternoon during activity time.  8th grade football will be held every Wednesday during BOTH academic and activity time.  8th graders will be joined by the Justice High School coaching staff to begin shaping up for the upcoming summer and fall.  Any 8th grader that is interested in playing freshman football should attend.  Please reach out to Coach Brennan Haggett with any questions [email protected]

 

FBLA(Future Business Leaders of America) Club

Saturday, March 25th, 2023 our FBLA(Future Business Leaders of America) Club will be heading to Richmond to compete in a state competition. FBLA is a program that develops leadership, communication and team skills for our future business leaders. This is also an opportunity for our students to network with other business and education leaders. Wish our students luck!

 

4101 Fairfax Parkway, Alexandria, VA 22312  |  Main Phone: 703.813.8700
Attendance: 703.813.8787 | Web | Twitter | Facebook 

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Glasgow Parents and Community:

Greetings! March madness is upon us and the men and women are having some good games! Every year, March is designated Women's History Month by presidential proclamation. The month is set aside to honor women's contributions in American history. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS. Read more about Women’s History Month in National Geographic Kids. 

Please join us to celebrate our diverse cultural community by participating in the International Heritage Night! 

When: Friday, March 24th 6-8pm

Where: Glasgow Cafeteria

What: We will have Food, Performances, and Art/Objects that showcase various cultures from around the world. This event will not happen without your participation, so please sign up, or even just show up!

Sign-Up link

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e094aaba92eaaf85-international#/

We have a confirmed date of Saturday, April 29th, 2023 for our Little River Rumble Soccer tournament with Holmes and Poe. The time is from 9-2.

Please be aware that prayer time for students at school has been canceled.  Due to daylight savings time, students will now be able to pray at home. You are invited to a Glasgow PTA MEETING Zoom meeting. When: Mar 21, 2023 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Register in advance for this meeting:

https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUrdeysqT0tHdYSj4Gf6tH1lpox31Sibjcl 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Monday, March 13, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid and Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis hosted nearly 400 families, staff, and community members for a conversation on the dangers of fentanyl. During this impactful event, audience members heard testimonials from individuals affected by the opioid epidemic and learned facts from medical experts and law enforcement representatives.  The conversation will continue on Monday, April 24, with our next community meeting on the critical topic of fentanyl danger and opioid awareness. More information is coming soon. Visit our Opioid Awareness webpage for updates as they become available. Visit the Fairfax County Government webpage on opioids for information on how you can take action and how to get help for yourself or loved ones.

 

Humbly,

Victor L. Powell, Principal

Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @VictorLeonPowe1

 

Ramadan

This year, the first day of Ramadan is Wednesday, March 22. Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year, a time for spiritual discipline for Muslims, who believe it was during this month that God revealed the first verses of the Quran to Mohammed. Read more about Ramadan in National Geographic Kids. See the complete 2022-23 School Year Calendar.

 

Prayer/Reflection Opportunities

With Daylight Savings coming to an end, a need for group prayer opportunities at the end of each school day is no longer present.  Opportunities for prayer/reflection at Glasgow will still be available.   As we await more specific guidelines from FCPS around prayer/reflection rooms to be communicated, if students would like the opportunity for prayer/reflection during instructional time, their parents/caregivers must provide a written request for that accommodation.  If you would like to request that accommodation for your student, please send an email to me at [email protected] specify what time of day you are requesting.  I will respond in writing to your request. 

 

 

After School Updates

Hello Glasgow Families! Next week, March 20-24th, 2023, we will host After School. I apologize for any inconvenience that may have been caused. With that being said, Hoop it Up Practices and Soccer will return this week with weather pending. In the event of inclement weather, we’ll make the announcements during lunch and Schoology if any of the outdoor activities will be canceled.

Anime Club returned to the After School program this past week. Anime Club will run on Thursdays, during Activity (2nd Block) Time.

Middle School competitions has been approved in Fairfax County. Our After School programs have been meeting to create competitions between our Middle Schools in various sports and activities. Saturday, April 29th, 2023 Glasgow will host the LITTLE RIVER RUMBLE Soccer tournament versus Poe and Holmes Middle School. More information will follow along with sign ups and permission forms.

We’re also in the planning stages of having a CHESS Tournament with Key Middle and Stone Middle School.  We’ve not set a date yet, but that information will be coming soon as well. If you have any questions, please contact me at [email protected]

 

  No-Cost Mental Health Teletherapy for Students Starting April 10

FCPS has partnered with Hazel Health to begin offering virtual mental health services to high school students via live video sessions. Starting Monday, April 10, parents/caregivers who have been struggling to find a therapist for their child or who notice changes in their child’s behavior will be able to connect them virtually with a licensed therapist. 

Teletherapy services for students are short-term, evidence-based, and culturally-responsive. Teletherapy is available on any device, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Therapists will be locally-licensed clinicians; 50% of whom identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC); and 40% of whom are bilingual. More than 15 languages are available.

Hazel Health’s licensed therapists can help students who are experiencing:

• Mood/behavior changes, lack of motivation, grief/loss.
• Anxiety, worry, fears.
• Bullying, sexual identity challenges, challenging peer and family relationships.
• Academic stress.

The first step for parents is to provide information through an opt-in form. Visit FCPS’ Teletherapy webpage for details.

 

Proposed Updates to Student Rights and Responsibilities

The Department of Special Services will be hosting two virtual meetings for the FCPS community regarding proposed updates to the Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) Regulation. Please join one of the meetings below via Zoom (click the date to register):

• Tuesday, March 21, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
• Monday, March 27, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Participants will have an opportunity to learn about the suggested updates and ask questions via Zoom Chat. Language interpretation will be available in Spanish. A certified deaf interpreter will be available as well. 

Beginning Monday, March 20, families and staff will also be able to provide feedback on proposed updates to the SR&R via a short survey. Please stay tuned for details. Visit FCPS’ website for more information. 

 

  Glasgow Bands Receive Top Marks at District Band Assessment

This past weekend the Glasgow Bands participated in their District Band Assessment, and both the Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble earned ratings of SUPERIOR, which is the highest mark a group can be awarded. Additionally, our students made some Glasgow history as the Wind Ensemble earned a Superior rating, playing grade 4 music for the first time in recorded school history, and for only the 2nd time since 2002, both groups received a “straight superior” meaning, all four judges gave them a rating of Superior. This is a huge accomplishment for our band students, especially considering most of these students started band during the virtual school year.

 

Assessment is the equivalent of an SOL for music students. However, instead of taking a written test, they do what they practice in class and perform a concert of three pieces followed by sightreading! The music must be chosen from a prescribed music list, assigning pieces a grade level from 1 to 6. Grade 1 is music a beginning band would be able to play, and grade 6 is music only the very best high school and college bands could play well. For sightreading, students and directors are provided a brand new piece of music and given seven minutes of practice time (where they are allowed to do anything EXCEPT play their instruments!) and then they have a single chance to perform this new piece. Assessment is judged by experts in the music field and master teachers who assess student performance based on their Tone, Technique, and Musicality among other factors.

 

Please join us in congratulation our Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band students on their incredible accomplishments and success this past weekend at District Assessment!

 

 

Kiss and Ride

We have many families who choose to drop off and pick up students at school.  We ask that you please use the kiss and ride lane and do not double park in our parking lot or the kiss and ride lane to drop off or pick up students.  In order to keep the flow of traffic moving along and to maintain safety, we ask that you pull your cars up and stop at the locations our monitors direct to before allowing your child to exit your vehicle.  We often have a long line of traffic waiting behind you and we want everyone to get through the line quickly and safely.  Please be sure students have all of their belongings ready to exit car doors onto the sidewalk.   If you need to enter the building, please find a spot to park in our lot.  Most importantly, please maintain a safe speed - we have students and staff members who are crossing the street to enter our building. We want to be sure that everyone does their part to keep Glasgow  safe.  Thank you so much for your cooperation.

 

 

HOOP IT UP NIGHT IS BACK!

The 23rd Annual Students vs Staff Basketball game is approaching fast on April 28th, 2023 from 530 – 9 pm.  Tryouts occur February 21 (8th Grade), February 22 (7th Grade), and February 23 (6th Grade) after school.  Practices begin March 6th after school. Student teams will be coached by players of the boys and girls basketball teams from Justice High School.  Don’t miss it!

New Date for INTERNATIONAL NIGHT is March 24th from 5-9PM. Join in on the fun and sign up using this link.  International Night Sign Up

 

 

Student Vue and Parent Vue

All FCPS students have a Student Vue account. All student schedules are active and up to date in SIS Student Vue and SIS Parent Vue. If you do not have a SIS Parent Vue account, we strongly encourage you to sign up for an account. You can find directions on how to do so at this link: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/technology/student-information-system-sis-fcps/sis-parent-account-registration. 

Once you have signed up for an account, you’ll need an activation code - which we will work as quickly as we can to provide to you. You can find a video that provides information on how to use SIS Parent Vue and all that you will be able to access with your account here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLwkkemipws.

 

 

Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!

This year, spring break is April 3-7. We will be eager to welcome your children back in school on Monday, April 10. Their attendance is very important. Every day, our teachers will be teaching, and students will be learning. Studies have shown that just two absences per month can cause students to fall behind. Let’s finish this school year strong. Visit FCPS’ website for attendance resources. 

 

 

SIBSHOPS: An Exciting, In-person Workshop for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs!

The Sibshop workshops are for children in grades 2-6 enrolled in Fairfax County Public Schools who have siblings with special needs to:

• Meet other siblings in a relaxed setting.
• Celebrate the many contributions made by brothers and sisters of children with special needs.
• Share sibling experiences and receive peer support.
• Play games and have fun!

Friday, April 14, 2023, 9 a.m.- noon at Providence Community Center

Presented by FCPS School Social Work Services

Register for SIBSHOPS: An Exciting, In-person Workshop for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs! 

View the individual event page if you would like to share this event with others.

 

Neurodiversity at High School

How can families partner with schools?

• Strategies to set your child up for success
• How to advocate for your child
• Tools for collaborating with your child's school

April 28, 2023, 10 - 11:30 a.m.

Presented by Kristen Haynor, FCPS Neurodiversity Specialist

Register for Neurodiversity at High Schools

View the individual event page if you would like to share this event with others.

 

Collective Bargaining

The Fairfax County School Board approved a collective bargaining resolution at the March 9 regular meeting. The resolution means that FCPS can now bargain collectively with employees over terms and conditions of employment.  This development was made possible after the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation in 2021 that permitted local governments and school boards to allow collective bargaining for their employees. After this legislation, the School Board invited all certified employee associations to form a work group with division leadership to create the collective bargaining resolution to govern collective bargaining in FCPS. The work group worked for over 18 months to draft and reach consensus on a resolution. The draft resolution was presented to the School Board and made available to the public. The Board also held a public hearing and a work session. The resolution adopted by the Board had only limited revisions to the work group’s draft. I am so thankful for the hard work of the work group to reach this consensus resolution and pleased that FCPS can now move to the next stage of the process. Read more about collective bargaining in FCPS and see my remarks.

 

4101 Fairfax Parkway, Alexandria, VA 22312  |  Main Phone: 703.813.8700
Attendance: 703.813.8787 | Web | Twitter | Facebook 

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Glasgow Parents and Community:

Greetings! I hope this reaches each of you well. This weekend has been peaceful with the family and catching up on some reading and exercise that is very much needed! Reminder: Water Bottles–Students are encouraged to use a refillable water bottle at school.  There are water-filling stations in our addition and in the cafeteria.  We ask that all water bottles have sealed lids.  Athletic water bottles with spray tops (water bottles that can be squeezed) should not be brought to school.  

Attention students and families, after school flag football will begin at Glasgow Middle School when we return from spring break and go through the end of the school year!  6th and 7th grade flag football will be held every Thursday afternoon during activity time.  8th grade football will be held every Wednesday during BOTH academic and activity time.  8th graders will be joined by the Justice High School coaching staff to begin shaping up for the upcoming summer and fall.  Any 8th grader that is interested in playing freshman football should attend.  Please reach out to Coach Brennan Haggett with any questions [email protected] 

On March 9, 2023, the curriculum overviews and unit standards from the planning and pacing guides will be posted on the FCPS public web and shared with the School Board. Over 86 web pages are being developed to reflect the scope and sequence of core content areas across K-12. The goal is to provide families a comprehensive overview of what students are learning and when they are learning it.

Information will be updated at the start of each school year to reflect curriculum updates. Grade level and content links to the family-facing pages will be included in the Schoology Curriculum Groups for teacher’s easy access beginning March 9, 2023, through March 17, 2023. To access the grade level and/or course web pages directly, first search for the level within the Academics page, select grade level or content, and click on Year at a Glance. 

Every year, March is designated Women's History Month by presidential proclamation. The month is set aside to honor women's contributions in American history. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS. Read more about Women’s History Month in National Geographic Kids. 

Daylight saving time begins Sunday, March 12, at 2 a.m., Don’t forget to move your clocks ahead one hour! 

Humbly,

Victor L. Powell, Principal

Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @VictorLeonPowe1

  Anime Cub

Calling Anime enthusiasts! Anime is BACK! Beginning Thursday, March 16th, 2023 during Activity (2nd Block). For more information, please contact me [email protected]

 

iCAN Bike Partnership

iCAN Bike, a partnership between iCAN and FCPS which teaches our Students with disabilities to learn how to ride a bike will be meeting this week( March 13-17, 2023) in our gym. All gym activities will be canceled this week. Weather permitting, Basketball and Soccer will be outside. In the event of inclement weather, updates will be made during each lunch period and information will be sent via Schoology. If you have any questions, please contact me [email protected]

 

Kiss and Ride

We have many families who choose to drop off and pick up students at school.  We ask that you please use the kiss and ride lane and do not double park in our parking lot or the kiss and ride lane to drop off or pick up students.  In order to keep the flow of traffic moving along and to maintain safety, we ask that you pull your cars up and stop at the locations our monitors direct to before allowing your child to exit your vehicle.  We often have a long line of traffic waiting behind you and we want everyone to get through the line quickly and safely.  Please be sure students have all of their belongings ready to exit car doors onto the sidewalk.   If you need to enter the building, please find a spot to park in our lot.  Most importantly, please maintain a safe speed - we have students and staff members who are crossing the street to enter our building. We want to be sure that everyone does their part to keep Glasgow  safe.  Thank you so much for your cooperation.

 

Hoop It Up Night

HOOP IT UP NIGHT IS BACK! The 23rd Annual Students vs Staff Basketball game is approaching fast on April 28th, 2023 from 530 – 9 pm.  Tryouts occur February 21 (8th Grade), February 22 (7th Grade), and February 23 (6th Grade) after school.  Practices begin March 6th after school. Student teams will be coached by players of the boys and girls basketball teams from Justice High School.  Don’t miss it! New Date for INTERNATIONAL NIGHT is March 24th from 5-9PM. 

 

Student Vue and Parent Vue

All FCPS students have a Student Vue account. All student schedules are active and up to date in SIS Student Vue and SIS Parent Vue. If you do not have a SIS Parent Vue account, we strongly encourage you to sign up for an account. You can find directions on how to do so at this link: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/technology/student-information-system-sis-fcps/sis-parent-account-registration. 

Once you have signed up for an account, you’ll need an activation code - which we will work as quickly as we can to provide to you. You can find a video that provides information on how to use SIS Parent Vue and all that you will be able to access with your account here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLwkkemipws.

 

Daylight saving time begins Sunday, March 12, at 2 a.m., Don’t forget to move your clocks ahead one hour! 

 

 

 

Join Dr. Ricardy Anderson for a virtual Mason District Roundtable

 

Guest presenters:

• Joash Chung, Manager of Tutoring Services, will provide an introduction to Tutor.com, highlighting the many online tutoring services available to students.
• Leigh Burden, Assistant Superintendent of Financial Services, will provide an overview of the FY 2024 Advertised Budget.

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Register to Attend (Zoom)

Spanish interpretation will be available. Please indicate if another language is needed.

Learn more about Tutor.com

Learn more about the FCPS Budget

 

Opioid Awareness Meeting: The Dangers of Fentanyl in Our Community

 

Substance abuse and related behavioral health problems can have a major impact on students, families, and communities. These impacts have become even more serious because of the increasing prevalence of fentanyl in drugs and other substances. Fentanyl is an incredibly powerful and dangerous opioid. Small amounts of fentanyl can easily lead to life-threatening overdoses. In 2021, fentanyls were identified in 77.14% of adolescent overdose deaths. 

As educators, there is nothing more important to us than the safety and wellbeing of our students, families, and communities. 

Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid invites you to join her for a community meeting on opioid awareness, Monday, March 13, 6:30-8 p.m., at Fairfax High School. During this event, you will hear from individuals and family members affected by the opioid epidemic, medical experts, and law enforcement representatives. 

Learn more and register for the March 13 event.

 

Apply Now! Tutors Needed

 

FCPS is actively recruiting qualified tutors to provide in-person academic support to small groups of students. These new FCPS tutors will be paid an hourly rate of $47.17. The position is flexible, and the number of hours worked and location will be based on the tutor’s availability and qualifications, as well as the needs presented throughout FCPS. Apply now! Contact [email protected] for more information. 

Tutors hired through this program will be strategically placed across the region where there is the most need for in-person tutoring to benefit students. 

Note: Current FCPS staff can only apply to tutor outside of their contracted hours.

 

 

Review Draft Goals for FCPS’ New Strategic Plan

 

Please take a moment to share your perspectives on the draft work-to-date related to the development of FCPS’ new Strategic Plan. Your input is important to this work and will help ensure a thriving future for each and every FCPS student.

FCPS emailed the survey link to all parents and caregivers on Monday, March 6. Please check your email, if you haven't had a chance to take the survey yet. If you are a community member who does not have a student enrolled in FCPS, please use this link to participate. 

The survey is available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Korean, Chinese, Urdu, and Vietnamese. All responses are anonymous and confidential. Information from the survey will be shared with and analyzed by Performance Fact, Inc. (PFI), the company FCPS hired to help create our Strategic Plan. Visit our Strategic Planning webpage for more details.

 

SoCo Summer Strings

Exciting news! SoCo Summer Strings (formally Stallion Summer Strings) is returning this summer! The camp will be hosted at South County Middle School from July 10th-21st from 8:30am-12:30pm, weekdays only. 

Camp is open to all rising 5th-9th grade students with at least one year of experience on the violin, viola, cello, or bass. Students will participate in two large ensemble rehearsals, an instrument-specific technique class, and a sectional each day.

         You can find more information and registration for camp at www.schsorchestra.org/soco-summer-strings. Early registration is from March 1st-June 9th so sign up soon!

 

Medicaid Policy Changes

A change in federal Medicaid policy could impact the health care coverage of millions of students. In order to avoid gaps in coverage, families need to know:

• Families, especially those who have moved residences during the pandemic, should contact their state Medicaid offices to ensure their contact information is up to date.
• Families should watch their mail for letters about Medicaid and the state Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, status. 
• Recipients must submit any renewal forms they receive to maintain coverage, which states could mail at any point between March 2023 and February 2024.
• Families who no longer qualify for Medicaid after the review may qualify for coverage through their state’s health insurance exchange.

Learn more in this EducationWeek article. 

 

Beech Tree's Annual Fun Fair

Volunteers needed to help make Beech Tree's Annual Fun Fair a success! The Fun Fair will take place on Saturday, March 18 from 10 am to 2 pm at Beech Tree ES. Please volunteer to run carnival-style games and invite a friend to help! Sign up information: https://signup.com/go/OmXkWMJ

BT PTA - volunteer flyer.pdf

 

Bike & Roll to School Day!

Bike & Roll to school day is Wednesday, May 3rd.  Walking, biking, and rolling to school encourages a healthy lifestyle that has the potential to aid in the battle against climate change.

Parents_Bike_Safety_Tips.pdf

Kids_Bike_Safety_Tips.pdf

4101 Fairfax Parkway, Alexandria, VA 22312  |  Main Phone: 703.813.8700
Attendance: 703.813.8787 | Web | Twitter | Facebook 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Dear FCPS Community,

Across the country, we are losing students to the dangers of fentanyl every day. This crisis is here, in our schools and communities. It is time to have an honest conversation about it. We can all agree, there is nothing more important than the safety and wellbeing of our students, families, and communities. 

Please join Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid for a community meeting on Opioid awareness, Monday, March 13, 6:30 - 8 p.m. at Fairfax High School. During this event, you will hear from individuals and family members affected by the opioid epidemic, medical experts, and law enforcement representatives. You will also have an opportunity to hear directly from Fairfax County Public Schools and the Fairfax County Police Department about local initiatives to address this issue.

 

Register for the March 13 event.

For more information, please watch this short video and visit our website.

Fairfax County Public Schools

PBIS at Glasgow

Learn more about upcoming PBIS activities at Glasgow in the newsletter linked below.

PBIS Newsletter.pptx

4101 Fairfax Parkway, Alexandria, VA 22312  |  Main Phone: 703.813.8700
Attendance: 703.813.8787 | Web | Twitter | Facebook 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

 

Glasgow Parents and Community:

Greetings! This Saturday I spent time recruiting teachers at the FCPS Teacher Fair at Oakton HS and spent time with the family. Today has been good spending time in worship service and taking the kids to a birthday party. Also, the After School program will not meet Tuesday, March 7th, 2023. The After School program will be hosting iCAN Bike the week of March 13th-March 17th,2023. Soccer and Basketball Clubs will move outside. In the event of inclement weather, those clubs will be canceled. Announcements will be made during lunch and in Schoology. If you're interested in volunteering to assist student riders learn how to ride a bike, please contact Mr. Williams for more information at [email protected]. 

The FCPS Trust Policy supports a continued commitment to foster a caring culture and strives to provide a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space for all students and families in our schools. The policy ensures that FCPS students and families can access FCPS benefits and services without fear that information will be disclosed, directly or indirectly, to federal immigration officials. 

In a continued effort to prioritize access for our diverse communities, FCPS is launching a language translation feature that will be available on every division and school webpage. The feature has been added to the header at the top of the page and will scroll with the user as they navigate the page. Learn more about our new translation feature.

Next week, FCPS will be seeking your feedback on the school division’s progress with developing our new Strategic Plan. Since last fall, thousands of students, staff, families, and community members have contributed to the strategic planning process by participating in focus groups, planning teams, community forums, and surveys. Parents/caregivers and community members will be invited to provide feedback on the work that’s been done thus far by completing a survey. Your input will help us know whether we are headed in the right direction—one that will help ensure a thriving future for every FCPS student.

Please keep an eye out for the survey link starting early next week. Visit our Strategic Planning webpage for more details.

Justice HS Construction Process: The March 7th community meeting will be a hybrid event, allowing participants to choose to attend in person at the Justice High School auditorium or virtually via Zoom (no pre-registration is needed). The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM. Language interpretation will be provided based on the availability of interpretation staff. Please be aware, at this stage in the construction process, no major changes may be made.  Join the community meeting on Zoom. 

Every year, March is designated Women's History Month by presidential proclamation. The month is set aside to honor women's contributions in American history. 

Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS. Read more about Women’s History Month in National Geographic Kids. 

Humbly,

Victor L. Powell, Principal

Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @VictorLeonPowe1

 

 

Kiss and Ride

We have many families who choose to drop off and pick up students at school.  We ask that you please use the kiss and ride lane and do not double park in our parking lot or the kiss and ride lane to drop off or pick up students.  In order to keep the flow of traffic moving along and to maintain safety, we ask that you pull your cars up and stop at the locations our monitors direct to before allowing your child to exit your vehicle.  We often have a long line of traffic waiting behind you and we want everyone to get through the line quickly and safely.  Please be sure students have all of their belongings ready to exit car doors onto the sidewalk.   If you need to enter the building, please find a spot to park in our lot.  Most importantly, please maintain a safe speed - we have students and staff members who are crossing the street to enter our building. We want to be sure that everyone does their part to keep Glasgow  safe.  Thank you so much for your cooperation.

 

Your Views and Opinions Are Important to Us!

On Monday, March 13, Belvedere parents/guardians will be contacted through email with a link to the FCPS Principal Evaluation Parent/Guardian Feedback Form Online. This questionnaire is part of the Performance Evaluation Program and offers parents/guardians an opportunity to provide anonymous input about various topics related to our school. These topics include instructional leadership, school climate, management (human resources and organizational), communication and community relations, culturally responsive and equitable leadership, and professionalism.

The questionnaire will be collected online between March 13 and March 24. When you receive an email from FCPS Surveys, please take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire. Your opinions matter!

 

 

HOOP IT UP NIGHT IS BACK!

The 23rd Annual Students vs Staff Basketball game is approaching fast on April 28th, 2023 from 530 – 9 pm.  Tryouts occur February 21 (8th Grade), February 22 (7th Grade), and February 23 (6th Grade) after school.  Practices begin March 6th after school. Student teams will be coached by players of the boys and girls basketball teams from Justice High School.  Don’t miss it! New Date for INTERNATIONAL NIGHT is March 24th from 5-9PM. 

 

Student Vue and Parent Vue

All FCPS students have a Student Vue account. All student schedules are active and up to date in SIS Student Vue and SIS Parent Vue. If you do not have a SIS Parent Vue account, we strongly encourage you to sign up for an account. You can find directions on how to do so at this link: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/technology/student-information-system-sis-fcps/sis-parent-account-registration. 

Once you have signed up for an account, you’ll need an activation code - which we will work as quickly as we can to provide to you. You can find a video that provides information on how to use SIS Parent Vue and all that you will be able to access with your account here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLwkkemipws.

 

New Resources on Trauma and Disabilities

 

Formed Families Forward is excited to share their new Critical Crossroads video and print resources. The products address the intersection of disability and trauma and offer families, youth, educators, and other community providers high quality practical tools for understanding trauma in children and youth with disabilities. Specific trauma-informed strategies for special education evaluations and for individualized education programs (IEPs) are offered. Videos feature voices of regional families and experts.

Resources are available in Spanish and English. Critical Crossroads was made possible through a grant to FFF by the Potomac Health Foundation.

 

New Interactive Special Education Mediation Toolkit

The Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC) announces the publication of their latest parent-friendly resource, Special Education Mediation Toolkit. This toolkit provides detailed information on everything you need to know about why, when, and how to request a Special Education Mediation.

This toolkit has been reviewed by the Office of Dispute Resolution (ODRAS) and the Office of Facilities and Family Engagement (SEFFE) in the Department of Special Education and Student Services (SESS) at the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and will answer many of your questions about the process. 

You can download your  Special Education Mediation Toolkit or you may request a paper copy by contacting PEATC at [email protected]; telephone at (800) 869-6782.

 

4101 Fairfax Parkway, Alexandria, VA 22312  |  Main Phone: 703.813.8700
Attendance: 703.813.8787 | Web | Twitter | Facebook 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Glasgow Parents and Community:

Greetings! This weekend I was involved in a speaking engagement on Saturday and supporting our students within their performances! We have some very talented students at Glasgow! This past week we had a few students help me with the morning announcements, which I encourage all students to do. Working on public speaking is a good skill to practice. Also, I met with our awesome Cafeteria staff, Building Engineer and  Special Education  Department this past week and you can see a picture of the team below! I appreciate all that they do! 

Justice HS Construction Process: The March 7th community meeting will be a hybrid event, allowing participants to choose to attend in person at the Justice High School auditorium or virtually via Zoom (no pre-registration is needed). The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM. Language interpretation will be provided based on the availability of interpretation staff. Please be aware, at this stage in the construction process, no major changes may be made.  Join the community meeting on Zoom. 

On Monday, March 13, Glasgow Middle School parents/guardians will be contacted through email with a link to the FCPS Principal Evaluation Parent/Guardian Feedback Form Online. This questionnaire is part of the Performance Evaluation Program and offers parents/guardians an opportunity to provide anonymous input about various topics related to our school. These topics include instructional leadership, school climate, management (human resources and organizational), communication and community relations, culturally responsive and equitable leadership, and professionalism.

The questionnaire will be collected online between March 13 and March 24. When you receive an email from FCPS Surveys, please take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire. Your opinions matter!

HOOP IT UP NIGHT IS BACK! The 23rd Annual Students vs Staff Basketball game is approaching fast on April 28th, 2023 from 530 – 9 pm.  Tryouts occur February 21 (8th Grade), February 22 (7th Grade), and February 23 (6th Grade) after school.  Practices begin March 6th after school. Student teams will be coached by players of the boys and girls basketball teams from Justice High School.  Don’t miss it! New Date for INTERNATIONAL NIGHT is March 24th from 5-9PM. 

Also, it was great having a member of our FCPS School Board members, Ms. Abrar Omeish - Member at Large, join one of our after school clubs to speak with them. The students really enjoyed it. 

Humbly,

Victor L. Powell, Principal

Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @VictorLeonPowe1

 

Public Schools Week is an annual celebration that brings together school leaders, educators, parents & community leaders to recognize the importance of our nation’s public schools.

As a reminder, students have an early release on Thursday, March 2. There is no school for students on Friday, March 3, due to a school planning day. See the complete 2022-23 School Year Calendar.

 

  College Partnership Program - recruitment window now open. 

The College Partnership Program (CPP) is an enrichment program that supports students as they explore, apply to and enroll in college. Students attend monthly school-based meetings focused on academic advising, college visits, parent engagement and preparation beyond high school. Students who participate have the opportunity to visit colleges, explore careers, attend SAT prep courses, and attend a three-day summer college experience. CPP is designed to systematically mitigate the impact of barriers to access, opportunity, and attainment and support students who are from populations that are historically underrepresented on college campuses including:

• Students who are the first in family to attend college in the U.S
• Black or African American students
• Hispanic students, of one or more race
• Students with disabilities
• English Learners
• Economically disadvantaged students

Attached please find flier in English and in Spanish with all the necessary information:

College Success-CPP Recruitment Flyer- English.pdf 

College Success-CPP Recruitment Flyer- Spanish.pdf 

The application will close on March 10, 2022. Here is the link to the online application CPP Application 2023-24. Students will have to access the link from their FCPS account. Parents will not have access.  If you would like more information, please contact Mr. Craig Small, [email protected]

 

 

Student Vue and Parent Vue

All FCPS students have a Student Vue account. All student schedules are active and up to date in SIS Student Vue and SIS Parent Vue. If you do not have a SIS Parent Vue account, we strongly encourage you to sign up for an account. You can find directions on how to do so at this link: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/technology/student-information-system-sis-fcps/sis-parent-account-registration. 

Once you have signed up for an account, you’ll need an activation code - which we will work as quickly as we can to provide to you. You can find a video that provides information on how to use SIS Parent Vue and all that you will be able to access with your account here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLwkkemipws.

 

International Night

Please join us celebrate our diverse cultural community by participating in the International Night! We are hoping to have Food, Performances, and Art/Objects that showcase various cultures from around the world. This event will not happen without your participation, so please sign up and join in any way you can! 

International Night Sign-Up Link

 

Pictures For The Yearbook

The Yearbook crew could really use your help.  We are in desperate need of photos for the yearbook.  It is our goal to represent EVERY single student from Glasgow in our book.  We are lacking a great number of people and student populations.  We would absolutely love more candid pictures, of students having fun and being themselves.  Examples of this could be sporting events, competitions, friends playing in the back yard or at a get together.   If you can snag some pictures of your student AND their friends without masks,  that is even better.  Please take some pictures of your students and submit them using this form.  Please be sure to include your email, names of students, and what is happening in the pictures to ensure accuracy.  Thank you so very much for your help.

 If you have any questions, please email our yearbook adviser, [email protected] 

 

 

Kiss and Ride

We have many families who choose to drop off and pick up students at school.  We ask that you please use the kiss and ride lane and do not double park in our parking lot or the kiss and ride lane to drop off or pick up students.  In order to keep the flow of traffic moving along and to maintain safety, we ask that you pull your cars up and stop at the locations our monitors direct to before allowing your child to exit your vehicle.  We often have a long line of traffic waiting behind you and we want everyone to get through the line quickly and safely.  Please be sure students have all of their belongings ready to exit car doors onto the sidewalk.   If you need to enter the building, please find a spot to park in our lot.  Most importantly, please maintain a safe speed - we have students and staff members who are crossing the street to enter our building. We want to be sure that everyone does their part to keep Glasgow  safe.  Thank you so much for your cooperation.

 

 

Parental Notifications and Policy 3290: Sexually Explicit Content

A Virginia law passed in spring 2022 requires schools to create a policy for parental notification of sexually explicit content/materials. In December 2022, the School Board adopted FCPS Policy 3290: Parental Notification Regarding Instructional Materials with Sexually Explicit Content. 

FCPS has had policies in place for many years regarding the review of instructional materials, communication with parents, and options for alternative instructional materials.

An expectation of this new policy is the 30-day parental notification requirement of sexually explicit content in instructional materials assigned or selected by teachers. After reviewing the notification letter, parents or caregivers who prefer to choose alternative instructional materials for their child must submit this form to the appropriate teacher within the 30-day notification window. View Policy 3290 for more information.

 

4101 Fairfax Parkway, Alexandria, VA 22312  |  Main Phone: 703.813.8700
Attendance: 703.813.8787 | Web | Twitter | Facebook 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

 

Glasgow Parents and Community:

Greetings! I hope this message finds each of you well. This Saturday, it was good hanging out on University of Maryland’s campus for a dedication of the new Agora Building. Also, I attended the Terps men's lacrosse game against Syracuse. I am finishing up a book called The Second Mountain and making an attempt to get back on some exercise workout schedule. Not sure if any of you can relate *smile*. 

HOOP IT UP NIGHT IS BACK! The 23rd Annual Students vs Staff Basketball game is approaching fast on April 28th, 2023 from 530 – 9 pm.  Tryouts occur February 21 (8th Grade), February 22 (7th Grade), and February 23 (6th Grade) after school.  Practices begin March 6th after school. Student teams will be coached by players of the boys and girls basketball teams from Justice High School.  Don’t miss it! New Date for INTERNATIONAL NIGHT is March 24th from 5-9PM. 

The Fairfax County School Board approved a calendar for the 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 school years at their February 9 meeting. Learn more about the approved calendar. The first day of the 2023-24 school year will be Monday, August 21, and the last day will be Wednesday, June 12. Developing a school year calendar is a balancing act, involving multiple factors that must be considered. Community input is one of those factors, and we appreciate our community for being involved in the calendar development process. 

Wednesday was School Resource Officer (SRO) Appreciation Day. We are so lucky to have Officer Victor Nardone at Glasgow Middle School. Everyday he’s in our hallways, cafeteria and outside interacting with our students. He’s regularly in the hallways chatting with kids, and he has built some good relationships. If you see Officer Nardone consider introducing yourself and saying hi. Lastly, a reminder that Monday is Presidents’ Day and there is no school that day. Enjoy the long weekend, and we’ll see everyone on Tuesday. Have a great weekend, and as always, reach out to Student Services or Administration if you have any questions.

The After School Program is proud to announce the return of  iCAN Bike. iCAN Bike is a program in partnership with iCAN to work with students with disabilities learn how to ride a two-wheel bike independently. iCAN Bike will take place March 13- 17th, 2023. Students must meet certain criteria in order to participate. If you’re interested in participating, please contact me for more information, please attachments.

Humbly,

Victor L. Powell, Principal

Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @VictorLeonPowe1

 

 

As a reminder, all schools and offices will be closed on Monday, February 20th for the Presidents Day holiday. Learn more about Presidents Day in Britannica.com. Classes will resume on Tuesday, February 21. See the complete 2022-23 school year calendar 

  Food Distribution Event

Glasgow Middle School and Communities in Schools are holding a food distribution event for all families who would benefit from additional food. The food distribution event  will take place during the school day on 2/24/2023 from 8am-2pm, and food will be given out on a first come first serve basis. If you are interested, please contact our CIS coordinator Calvin Anderson Jr ([email protected]) or our Family Liaisons, Ms. Donovan or Ms. Nafisa.

 

Math Counts Club

MathCounts is a national organization that promotes engaging mathematics for middle school age children.  MathCounts is a Glasgow club, a national competition, and a national video challenge.  At Glasgow, MathCounts meets after school every Tuesday during the academic block.  We play strategy-based games, complete mathematical challenges, and practice for competition.  Our club is large and very active!   In early February, 68 schools gathered to compete  in our regional competition at Chantilly High School.    We fielded a team of 4 students to compete in the local competition as well as one individual to compete in individual rounds. Our region is the NOVA Chapter which brings high levels of competition to the event.  Our team scored in the “highly commendable “ range and was made up of Algebra 2 and Geometry students: Liam Cowan, Graham Martin, Joshua Vincent Obiar, Elaina Wi, and Noah Zekarius.  Elaina Wi and Liam Cowan were the school’s highest scores, also scoring in the highly commendable range.  Our individual competitor, Joshua Vincent Obiar also scored in the highly  commendable range.  We are very proud of these competitors and appreciate  the donation of their time on a Saturday to represent Glasgow in such an amazing way! Stay tuned to hear about our Video Challenge submission, Math Middle School Musical.  

 

If you are interested in joining Math Counts at Glasgow, just sign up for it on Tuesdays after school and join Ms. Millsap and Mr. Chen in Room F205 for the fun!  Sixth graders are encouraged to attend.

 

 

Celebrating 2nd Quarter Honor Roll

We are proud of the hard work students have been doing so far this year in all of their classes and we look forward to celebrating students who have earned either All A or A/B Honor Roll. All A and A/B Honor Roll Certificates will be handed out in Panther Time on February 24th.

 

Please congratulate students on all of their hard work!

 

College Partnership Program - recruitment window now open. 

The College Partnership Program (CPP) is an enrichment program that supports students as they explore, apply to and enroll in college. Students attend monthly school-based meetings focused on academic advising, college visits, parent engagement and preparation beyond high school. Students who participate have the opportunity to visit colleges, explore careers, attend SAT prep courses, and attend a three-day summer college experience. CPP is designed to systematically mitigate the impact of barriers to access, opportunity, and attainment and support students who are from populations that are historically underrepresented on college campuses including:

• Students who are the first in family to attend college in the U.S
• Black or African American students
• Hispanic students, of one or more race
• Students with disabilities
• English Learners
• Economically disadvantaged students

Attached please find flier in English and in Spanish with all the necessary information:

College Success-CPP Recruitment Flyer- English.pdf 

College Success-CPP Recruitment Flyer- Spanish.pdf 

The application will close on March 10, 2022. Here is the link to the online application CPP Application 2023-24. Students will have to access the link from their FCPS account. Parents will not have access.  If you would like more information, please contact Mr. Craig Small, [email protected]

 

 

February 15 is School Resource Officer Appreciation Day. Thank you to all our SROs for working hard to keep our schools safe every day!

 

Student Vue and Parent Vue

All FCPS students have a Student Vue account. All student schedules are active and up to date in SIS Student Vue and SIS Parent Vue. If you do not have a SIS Parent Vue account, we strongly encourage you to sign up for an account. You can find directions on how to do so at this link: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/technology/student-information-system-sis-fcps/sis-parent-account-registration. 

Once you have signed up for an account, you’ll need an activation code - which we will work as quickly as we can to provide to you. You can find a video that provides information on how to use SIS Parent Vue and all that you will be able to access with your account here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLwkkemipws.

 

International Night

Hello, Glasgow Community!

Please join us celebrate our diverse cultural community by participating in the International Night! We are hoping to have Food, Performances, and Art/Objects that showcase various cultures from around the world. This event will not happen without your participation, so please sign up and join in any way you can! 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e094aaba92eaaf85-international#/

 

 

Kiss and Ride

We have many families who choose to drop off and pick up students at school.  We ask that you please use the kiss and ride lane and do not double park in our parking lot or the kiss and ride lane to drop off or pick up students.  In order to keep the flow of traffic moving along and to maintain safety, we ask that you pull your cars up and stop at the locations our monitors direct to before allowing your child to exit your vehicle.  We often have a long line of traffic waiting behind you and we want everyone to get through the line quickly and safely.  Please be sure students have all of their belongings ready to exit car doors onto the sidewalk.   If you need to enter the building, please find a spot to park in our lot.  Most importantly, please maintain a safe speed - we have students and staff members who are crossing the street to enter our building. We want to be sure that everyone does their part to keep Glasgow  safe.  Thank you so much for your cooperation.

 

 

Calendar

The School Board approved a calendar for the 2023-2024, 2024-2025, and 2025-2026 school years at the February 9th School Board meeting. The approved calendar is an amended version of the draft BLUE calendar.

I appreciate the time and effort taken by our community to respond to the survey which included the 4 options: Blue, Orange, Green and Purple – each for the next three school years. At its closing, 2,748 individuals responded to some part of the survey from the Mason District. The feedback regarding the Blue calendars resulted in the following:

• 71% (341 of 479 respondents) indicated the calendar did not have sufficient 5-day weeks;
• 83% (1009 of 1216 respondents) indicated a 2-week Winter Break was preferred;
• 56% (1258 of 2247 respondents) indicated the start dates of Aug 21, 2023, Aug 19, 2024 and Aug 18, 2025 met expectations;
• 55% (79 of 143 respondents) indicated the number of instructional days did not meet their expectations. 

Because the calendar presented for the Board’s vote did not align with the feedback from the Mason District families, I did not vote in support of the amended BLUE calendar. However, the calendar did pass with a vote of 7-5.

The Board is scheduled for action on proposed follow-on motions which will be addressed at the Next Regular Business Meeting on February 23, 2023. I will be seconding a motion for the development of a calendar policy to be established prior to any future calendar discussions. Such a policy would serve as a framework by which factors impacting the calendar are identified and prioritized.

 

Dr. Reid presented the FY 2024 Proposed Budget at the regular School Board meeting on January 12, 2023. The Fiscal Year 2024 Proposed Budget for the School Operating Fund totals $3.5 billion. The proposed budget includes an increase of $249.6 million, or 7.6 percent, over last year’s budget.

The Proposed Budget focuses on several key areas:

• Proposed increases in employee compensation:
• 3% Market Scale Adjustment (MSA) - $80.9 million
• Step Increase for eligible employees - $58.2 million; 
• 1% Retention Bonus for eligible employees - $19.9 million; 
• Step Extension for all scales - $4.3 million. 
• Investments that close the achievement gap for all students:
• Equitable Access Literacy Plan - $15 million;
• Achievement Gap Closing Strategies - $6 million;
• Cybersecurity - $3.5 million;
• Early Childhood Expansion - $2 million;
• Employee Background Checks - $1 million; 
• Middle School Athletics - $0.6 million;
• FCPS Lighthouse Schools Pilot - $0.5 million; 
• Safety and Security - $0.4 million

The School Board held Budget Work Sessions on January 17th and January 24th to discuss the Superintendent’s Proposed FY 2024 Budget.

My priorities continue to center around the allocations of staffing and resources based on the needs of our schools. In addition, I remain concerned about the recruitment and retention of teachers in our Title 1 schools and of special education teachers. To that end, I have posed the questions below for further exploration by staff and the Board. 

1. Survey WABE participants to determine if divisions provide additional pay or benefits (compensation) for Title 1 teachers to assist in teacher retention at Title 1 schools. If WABE participants are not providing incentives, research school divisions nationally to identify incentives being offered to stem teacher attrition at hard to staff schools.
2. Survey WABE participants to determine if divisions are providing additional pay or benefits (compensation) for special education teachers due to the critical shortage. If WABE participants are not providing incentives, research school divisions nationally to identify incentives being offered to retain special education teachers.
3. What would be the cost to provide a stipend at interim periods, (i.e. 10 days, 20 days etc.) to IAs serving as classroom substitutes?
4. What would be the cost to provide all Title 1 schools family liaisons 1.0 FTE contracts?

There are many important issues in the Superintendent’s proposal and I urge you to review the documents provided. More information on the FY 2024 Proposed Budget is available online.

Next steps in the budget process:

• February 21 Fairfax County Executive releases FY 2024 Advertised Budget Plan
• February 23 School Board Adopts FY 2024 Advertised Budget
• February 28 Joint Budget Meeting between School Board and County Board of Supervisors

 

History Standards

As previously mentioned, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) recently proposed major changes to History and Social Studies learning standards. After significant public feedback, the VDOE removed the documents from their website. 

On January 5, 2023, Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow delivered a draft revision of the commonwealth’s K-12 history standards to the state Board of Education. The proposed 2023 History and Social Science Standards of Learning incorporate content from earlier drafts and include new content to foster a more complete story about how the past has shaped the Commonwealth, the nation and the world. On February 2, 2023, the VDOE accepted the proposed standards on first review.

Public comment regarding the proposed standards are being accepted through March 21, 2023 via public hearings or the online public comment form. For information about the review process and public hearing details, refer to the VDOE History and Social Science Standards of Learning Revision website.

 

iCAN Bike Program

The After School Program is proud to announce the return of  iCAN Bike. iCAN Bike is a program in partnership with iCAN to work with students with disabilities learn how to ride a two-wheel bike independently. iCAN Bike will take place March 13- 17th, 2023. Students must meet certain criteria in order to participate. If you’re interested in participating, please contact Mr. Williams for more information, please attachments.

iCan Bike ASP Rider Recruitment Guide.pdf

iCan Bike ASP Rider Registration Form-2022-2023.pdf

 

 

 

4101 Fairfax Parkway, Alexandria, VA 22312  |  Main Phone: 703.813.8700
Attendance: 703.813.8787 | Web | Twitter | Facebook 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Glasgow Parents and Community:

Greetings! I hope everyone's weekend has been peaceful. I spent Saturday working at the FCPS Teacher Fair recruiting for our positions and FCPS vacancies. It’s our goal to be fully staffed by June 2023. Also, if you missed the Tutor.com Parent Presentation we help last week, please video the recording for that presentation so you have that information. It is an excellent opportunity for ALL our students! Please take advantage! Valentine's Day on Tuesday, 2/14 (this is always an exciting day in middle school!) School Resource Officer Day is Wednesday, 2/15!  We love our SRO Officer Nardone who goes above and beyond for students every day!!

Three FCPS elementary magnet schools provide programs that enhance learning in science, technology, and performing arts. Parents/caregivers interested in sending their students to an elementary magnet school program are encouraged to attend school-based information nights on Monday, February 13, at Hunters Woods Elementary School; Wednesday, February 15, at Bailey’s Primary School; and Thursday, February 16, at Bailey’s Upper Elementary School. Information nights will provide an opportunity to learn about individual school programs, student eligibility, the lottery process, and available transportation.

FCPS will be accepting applications for its elementary magnet school programs on Wednesday, March 1, through Wednesday, April 12, at 4 p.m. Get more information about parent information nights and the magnet school lottery, or on the schools, their programs, and locations.

Parents are now able to view their students’ individualized education program (IEP) and IEP Progress Report in the Student Information System (SIS) ParentVue web app. To set up your ParentVue account, visit the SIS ParentVue information page. Please use a strong, unique password to protect your child’s information. IEP documents are not delivered via the SIS ParentVue mobile phone app.

Humbly,

Victor L. Powell, Principal

Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @VictorLeonPowe1

Website: http://www.fcps.edu/GlasgowMS/

 

 

Glasgow Course Selection

The course selection process for the 2023-2024 school year is about to begin!  Rising 7th and 8th grade Glasgow students will receive lessons about available course options and how to select courses in SIS starting on January 9th.  Counselors will be meeting with students for academic advising throughout January and February.  7th grade students will be meeting with counselors during the week of January 16th.  6th grade students will be meeting with counselors beginning on February 2nd.  Rising 9th grade students will meet with counselors later in the month of February.  Once students meet with counselors for advising, courses will be available for your preview in SIS ParentVue as well as SIS StudentVue by selecting “Course Request”.  Please be sure you are talking with your child about their course options for next year in preparation for their academic advising meeting.  If changes need to be made after their academic advising meeting, please contact your child’s counselor.  Students have until March 15th to make any requests for changes for the 2023-2024 school year.  March 15th is our deadline to help us prepare for staffing for the upcoming year.

 

Student Vue and Parent Vue

All FCPS students have a Student Vue account. All student schedules are active and up to date in SIS Student Vue and SIS Parent Vue. If you do not have a SIS Parent Vue account, we strongly encourage you to sign up for an account. You can find directions on how to do so at this link: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/technology/student-information-system-sis-fcps/sis-parent-account-registration. 

Once you have signed up for an account, you’ll need an activation code - which we will work as quickly as we can to provide to you. You can find a video that provides information on how to use SIS Parent Vue and all that you will be able to access with your account here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLwkkemipws.

 

Composer Jorge Vargas Visits with the Glasgow Wind Ensemble

This past week the Glasgow Wind Ensemble had the honor of hosting the composer, Jorge Vargas, for a virtual visit to hear our students play his composition Mar Y Cielo as we prepare for our spring performances. In his visit he told our students that they were the first to play Mar Y Cielo for him in a live setting! He offered the students feedback on how to improve our interpretation, and participated in a Q&A session with the students discussing how he began composing, and how his background as a Mexican-American informed his writing. The band will be playing the music of Jorge Vargas and others on Feb. 21st, 7pm at Justice High School for our Pre-Assessment concert for any who want to hear the student’s progress as our advanced band students work towards their VBODA Assessment performances in March!

 

 

Kiss and Ride

We have many families who choose to drop off and pick up students at school.  We ask that you please use the kiss and ride lane and do not double park in our parking lot or the kiss and ride lane to drop off or pick up students.  In order to keep the flow of traffic moving along and to maintain safety, we ask that you pull your cars up and stop at the locations our monitors direct to before allowing your child to exit your vehicle.  We often have a long line of traffic waiting behind you and we want everyone to get through the line quickly and safely.  Please be sure students have all of their belongings ready to exit car doors onto the sidewalk.   If you need to enter the building, please find a spot to park in our lot.  Most importantly, please maintain a safe speed - we have students and staff members who are crossing the street to enter our building. We want to be sure that we are all doing our part to keep everyone safe.  Thank you so much for your cooperation.

 

SERVE IT UP NIGHT AT GLASGOW!!  

Mark your Calendars for a new event at Glasgow – Indoor Volleyball night! Thursday February 16th, 2022, 5:30 to 9:00 PM at the Glasgow Main Gym. Come play or cheer your friends on as they play their hearts out.  There will be concessions served by the PTA and a $5 fee for anyone older than 5 years old.  Let’s bring our community together for some Volleyball!

• Indoor volleyball games featuring 6th Grade/7th Grade/8th Grade Students vs Staff and Community Members (parents and families are welcome to play or support this event)!
• We will need many volunteers the evening of the event, so please email [email protected] if you can help.
• Many thanks to Mr. Powell, Mr. Stuecheli, and Mr. Williams for supporting our inaugural Serve it up community event.
• If interested in joining please contact  Mr. Stuechili or Mr. Williams for more information.

 

All District Band Participants

Please help us celebrate our 20 Glasgow students who participated in the All District X Middle School Band this past weekend! These students first got their music on Thursday night, and by Saturday played a full concert of six pieces! This event is a testament and celebration of their hard work and dedication. Please help me celebrate these students pictured below!

Glasgow Middle School All District Band Members, listed right to left.

Back Row: Miriam Popp, Maeva Felix, Nathan Jackson, Javier Caballero Sotelo, Grady Howard, Anner Rivera, Favi Larrea Vasquez, Garrett Serbus, Amaal Yousif, Rakeb Bessie

Front Row: Kaylee Gomez Iglesias, Lucia Egan, Hiwot Mesfin, Lillian Scherer, Laura Prudius, Odessa Jansen, Anania Ararso, Ian Caballero Sotelo, Michael Traub, Jeremy Ocampo Cruz

 

SIBSHOPS: An Exciting, In-person Workshop for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs!

The Sibshop workshops are for children in grades 2-6 enrolled in Fairfax County Public Schools who have siblings with special needs to:

• Meet other siblings in a relaxed setting.
• Celebrate the many contributions made by brothers and sisters of children with special needs.
• Share sibling experiences and receive peer support.
• Play games and have fun!

Friday, March 3, 2023, 9 a.m.- noon at Providence Community Center

Presented by FCPS School Social Work Services

Register for SIBSHOPS: An Exciting, In-person Workshop for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs!

 

IEP Updates: A Webinar for Families

The Department of Special Services would like to invite families who have children with special needs and are or could receive special education services in Fairfax County Public Schools to participate in a highly informative webinar. 

Highlights for the webinar include:

• New communication protocols
• Strategies for improved family input in the special education process
• Updated policies and procedures 
• Overview of the FCPS Special Education Enhancement Plan
• Resources for Families

March 6, 2023, 6:30-8 p.m. View the individual event page if you would like to share this event with others.

March 7, 2023, 10-11:30 a.m. View the individual event page if you would like to share this event with others.

Register for IEP Updates: A Webinar for Families

 

Neurodiversity at Middle School

How can families partner with schools?

• Strategies to set your child up for success
• How to advocate for your child
• Tools for collaborating with your child's school

March 10, 2023, 10 - 11:30 a.m.

Presented by Kristen Haynor, FCPS Neurodiversity Specialist

Register for Neurdoversity at Middle Schools

View the individual event page if you would like to share this event with others.

4101 Fairfax Parkway, Alexandria, VA 22312  |  Main Phone: 703.813.8700
Attendance: 703.813.8787 | Web | Twitter | Facebook 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

 

Glasgow Parents and Community:

Greetings! This past Friday was movie night in the Powell household. Saturday was a Paw Patrol event at Eagle Bank arena in Fairfax with the kids. Today we are attending church, spending time with the kids and getting ready for the week! I hope everyone has had a peaceful weekend thus far! 

Additionally, February 6th – February 10th is National School Counseling Week.  This week is designed to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by ASCA, highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. I encourage everyone to show our wonderful Glasgow MS counselors your appreciation next week through Words of Affirmation, emails, cards, etc. 

Great news! We have two new Safety and Security Assistants who started on February 1st. John Monaco and Kiona Burrell are coming to us from outside of FCPS. John has over 25 years of experience in Safety and Security from New York. Kiona is coming to us from the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services. Please take a moment when you see them in the hallways to welcome them to Glasgow Middle.

Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.

As a parent, you might be wondering what apps and games are age-appropriate for your child. How can you help your child enjoy technology and media in a safe way? FCPS recommends a four-pronged approach for supporting children. This approach will help your child become a smart, safe and balanced user of technology.  Parents using the four-pronged approach will:

• Establish expectations by developing and enforcing media and device plans.
• Select and use age-appropriate media (games, apps, videos, books, and other media types).
• Use parental controls to set limits.
• Support your child’s technology use by using it with them.

Eating disorders are serious but treatable mental and physical illnesses that can affect people of all genders, ages, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, body shapes, and weights. While no one knows for sure what causes eating disorders, a growing consensus suggests that it is a range of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors. Eating disorders are not fads or phases, and can have serious consequences for health, productivity, and relationships. IIn collaboration with the Fairfax County Health Department, FCPS has developed a web page with detailed information and resources to be provided to parents and guardians of Fairfax County Public Schools. This information may be found at the following link: https://www.fcps.edu/node/37440

Humbly,

Victor L. Powell, Principal

Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @VictorLeonPowe1

Website: http://www.fcps.edu/GlasgowMS/

 

Report Cards

Families will be unable to access SIS to view grades from January 25th – February 6th.  Second quarter report cards are scheduled to be printed on February 1 and mailed out soon after.

 

Glasgow Course Selection

The course selection process for the 2023-2024 school year is about to begin!  Rising 7th and 8th grade Glasgow students will receive lessons about available course options and how to select courses in SIS starting on January 9th.  Counselors will be meeting with students for academic advising throughout January and February.  7th grade students will be meeting with counselors during the week of January 16th.  6th grade students will be meeting with counselors beginning on February 2nd.  Rising 9th grade students will meet with counselors later in the month of February.  Once students meet with counselors for advising, courses will be available for your preview in SIS ParentVue as well as SIS StudentVue by selecting “Course Request”.  Please be sure you are talking with your child about their course options for next year in preparation for their academic advising meeting.  If changes need to be made after their academic advising meeting, please contact your child’s counselor.  Students have until March 15th to make any requests for changes for the 2023-2024 school year.  March 15th is our deadline to help us prepare for staffing for the upcoming year.

 

Second Semester Schedules

The third quarter began on January 30th.  This is the beginning of a new semester as well.  Some students will change electives courses for the second semester.  Students received new schedules on January 30th. Due to scheduling and staffing constraints, we are unable to accommodate change requests for second semester courses.  If there is an error on your child’s schedule or you have questions about their schedule, please reach out to your child’s counselor.  Thank you so much for your support.

 

Student Vue and Parent Vue

All FCPS students have a Student Vue account. All student schedules are active and up to date in SIS Student Vue and SIS Parent Vue. If you do not have a SIS Parent Vue account, we strongly encourage you to sign up for an account. You can find directions on how to do so at this link: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/technology/student-information-system-sis-fcps/sis-parent-account-registration. 

Once you have signed up for an account, you’ll need an activation code - which we will work as quickly as we can to provide to you. You can find a video that provides information on how to use SIS Parent Vue and all that you will be able to access with your account here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLwkkemipws.

 

Kiss and Ride

We have many families who choose to drop off and pick up students at school.  We ask that you please use the kiss and ride lane and do not double park in our parking lot or the kiss and ride lane to drop off or pick up students.  In order to keep the flow of traffic moving along and to maintain safety, we ask that you pull your cars up and stop at the locations our monitors direct to before allowing your child to exit your vehicle.  We often have a long line of traffic waiting behind you and we want everyone to get through the line quickly and safely.  Please be sure students have all of their belongings ready to exit car doors onto the sidewalk.   If you need to enter the building, please find a spot to park in our lot.  Most importantly, please maintain a safe speed - we have students and staff members who are crossing the street to enter our building. We want to be sure that we are all doing our part to keep everyone safe.  Thank you so much for your cooperation.

  Find Free COVID-19 Testing in Your Community

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a COVID-19 Testing Locator website, which allows consumers to search for free testing sites near them. Testing is available at pharmacies, commercial laboratory sites, community sites, and retail locations. Results are typically provided within 24-48 hours.

 

 

Low-Cost Internet for Free and Reduced-Price Eligible Students 

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program to lower internet costs for families with children who have been eligible for free or reduced-price meals within the last 12 months. A qualifying household will receive $30 per month toward internet services and a one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. Families can check their eligibility and register at AffordableConnectivity.gov or by calling 877-384-2575.

 

SERVE IT UP NIGHT AT GLASGOW !! 

Mark your Calendars for a new event at Glasgow – Indoor Volleyball night! Thursday February 16th, 2022, 5:30 to 9:00 PM at the Glasgow Main Gym. Come play or cheer your friends on as they play their hearts out.  There will be concessions served by the PTA and a $5 fee for anyone older than 5 years old.  Let’s bring our community together for some Volleyball!

• Indoor volleyball games featuring 6th Grade/7th Grade/8th Grade Students vs Staff and Community Members (parents and families are welcome to play or support this event)!
• We will need many volunteers the evening of the event, so please email [email protected] if you can help.
• Many thanks to Mr. Powell, Mr. Stuecheli, and Mr. Williams for supporting our inaugural Serve it up community event.
• If interested in joining, please contact Mr. Stuechili or Mr. Williams for more information.

 

VSRS (Virginia Stingrays Recreational Softball) league

The league consists mainly of girls attending the Justice HS pyramid. VSRS is a great way for the girls to participate in athletics, make friends, and learn teamwork. See the attached flyer for more information.

VSRS Flyer - Spring 2023.PNG.pdf

 

  Deadline Extended for Feedback on Draft School Year Calendars

Thank you to the approximately 27,000 families, staff, students, and community members who completed FCPS' Calendar Feedback Form!

The School Board discussed the feedback during their January 31 work session. If you haven't had a chance to share your thoughts about the draft school year calendar options, please participate today. The form will close on Monday, February 6, at noon. The School Board is scheduled to vote on a calendar on Thursday, February 9. 

Learn more about FCPS' calendar development process.

  February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM).

Although we spread awareness 12 months out of the year, we are marking this month by wearing orange next Tuesday, accepting entries for our annual Teen Art Contest, and then celebrating our winners and expressions of art at the Teen Talent Showcase. These are planned with the help of the Teen Advocates program where teens themselves come up with ideas for how they want the events to look and ways to spread awareness about healthy relationships and consent throughout the entire school year.

Please see the information below and in the attached fliers!

• Art Contest: Teens may submit anything from visual art to a musical performance to a Tik Tok dance in response to the theme Awareness + Action = Social Change (related to healthy relationships, dating violence, consent, etc.). Visual art or performances can be submitted either through the QR code in the flier or at a community center or teen center by Friday, February 3.
• Art Contest CFE 2023_v3- FINAL.pdf
• Teen Talent Showcase: On Friday, February 24 at 5pm at the Sully Community Center, the art from the contest will be displayed (or performed) and winners will be announced. There will also be food, arts & crafts, performances, and more!
• Art Contest Showcase 2023_v1.pdf
• Orange Out: Wear orange on Tuesday, February 7 to take a stand against teen dating violence! Pictures can be sent to Debra Miller at [email protected].
• Orange Out Flyer 2023_v2.pdf

 

Share Your Thoughts with Us!

What keeps you optimistic about FCPS? What are your concerns? Answer these and two other questions on our Strategic Plan Feedback Form, and help shape our school division’s future. 

Have Your Say on Our Future! Remaining Strategic Planning Community Forums will take place:

• Thursday, February 2, 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Mason Crest Elementary School.
• Saturday, February 4, 9 to 10:30 a.m., at Spring Hill Elementary School.
• Monday, February 6, 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Edison High School.
• Tuesday, February 7, 6:30 to 8 p.m., at South County High School.

• Wednesday, February 8, 6 to 7:30 p.m., in Spanish, virtual.
• Thursday, February 9, 12 to 1:30 p.m., virtual.
• Saturday, February 11, 9 to 10:30 a.m., virtual.
• Wednesday, February 15, 6:30 to 8 p.m., at West Springfield High School.
• Thursday, February 16, 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Hunters Woods Elementary School.

Click the date above to register for that forum, or check out the full schedule of Community Forums and register for one that is convenient for you. Childcare will be provided at in-person forums. Language interpretation will be provided, as available, at all events. Please register today. 

 

  I'm Determined Youth and Family Summit - June 2023

2023 Youth and Family Summit

The  2023 Youth and Family Summit is a three-day event held in June and sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and the Partnership for People with Disabilities at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Youth with disabilities across the Commonwealth meet to network and discuss issues of importance to youth and young adults with disabilities. Youth and families will learn about three key components of self-determination: Competence, Autonomy, and Relatedness.

Date: June 13-15, 2023, (Tuesday evening - Thursday afternoon)

Location: Festival Conference & Student Center at James Madison University (JMU)

Event type: Face-to-face event

Attendees: We will accept up to 50 youth residing in Virginia

Ages: 14-18 years old

 If you would like to be considered to attend this in-person event, please complete the 2023 I'm Determined Application by February 12, 2023.

 

4101 Fairfax Parkway, Alexandria, VA 22312  |  Main Phone: 703.813.8700
Attendance: 703.813.8787 | Web | Twitter | Facebook 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Glasgow Parents and Community:

Greetings! We are in full swing of the 3rd quarter and 2nd semester in FCPS! This month our ESOL students will be engaged in the WIDA Access assessment that is given each year. We also are reviewing our ESSER budget and seeing what our needs are within the 3rd quarter. Our students will be doing some awesome things in school like a Mock Congress within Civics and Open Campus! Also, please reach out to our awesome school counselors and show them some love for National School Counseling Week February 6-10th! They do so much for our school community and they need to hear that from our parents and community! 

The Muslim Student Association and the Arabic Student Association at Glasgow Middle School are sponsoring the Annual "Syrian Coat Drive" from Jan 30th to March 31st. All proceeds will be managed and disturbed by "Helping Hand for Relief and Development". We accept all kinds of new or slightly used coats and sweaters in a clean condition. The "Syrian Coat Drive" will run from Jan 30th to March 31st. You can drop your donation at the school main office and the school cafeteria stage. 

The After School program will have a change in the Soccer schedule! Beginning Monday, January 30, 2023, the Soccer schedule will be as follows: 6th Grade Soccer will be on Mondays, 7th Grade Soccer will be on Tuesdays, 8th Grade soccer will run on Wednesdays! Please make note of this change. If you have any questions, please contact me at [email protected] 

Do you have an 8th grade female looking to play AAU basketball? If you do, we have a wonderful opportunity for your family. Our former teacher and current Falls Church HS girls coach Ms. McCool [email protected] is offering girls in 8th grade the opportunity to participate and play against some of the premier players in our area. Please see the flyer below for additional information.

Also, as long as the actual temperature is higher than the 40’s or higher, and there is no rain/snow, and the fields are in good condition and not muddy, recess will be outside! Recess is never canceled; it is always outside or inside. Please ensure your students have the appropriate winter gear every day at school (coat, hat, scarf, gloves, etc.).  If you need winter gear for your student, please let us know.

 It’s time to sign up for the Spring session of Capital One Coders. If you’re interested, please click the link and enter  your information. Space is limited, so don’t wait! The first 20 students that signs up and agrees to attending consistently will be accepted. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeam1zr2WEeAEVbGhtdmXfJQL2240Cy7_BlUeq173GfiF9pTw/viewform

Also, you are invited to a Zoom meeting for Tutor.com with Mr. Chung and Mr. Powell.  When: Jan 31, 2023 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Register in advance for this meeting: https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMvcu2oqDojGNcCi8v5KysWHso4bW9_6W4f

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Humbly,

Victor L. Powell, Principal

Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @VictorLeonPowe1

Website: http://www.fcps.edu/GlasgowMS/

  Text-to-Speech Available on FCPS Websites

FCPS is introducing an innovative way to address the diverse needs of the community. A new text-to-speech feature, available on the FCPS website and each school website, will read the words aloud from webpages.  

The feature will help those with accessibility needs, such as visual impairments, dyslexia, or other difficulty reading large amounts of online text. The text-to-speech feature is available for English, Spanish, and Korean. Learn more and try out the new feature.

 

FROM STUDENT SERVICES Glasgow Course Selection

The course selection process for the 2023-2024 school year is about to begin!  Rising 7th and 8th grade Glasgow students will receive lessons about available course options and how to select courses in SIS starting on January 9th.  Counselors will be meeting with students for academic advising throughout January and February.  7th grade students will be meeting with counselors during the week of January 16th.  6th grade students will be meeting with counselors beginning on February 2nd.  Rising 9th grade students will meet with counselors later in the month of February.  Once students meet with counselors for advising, courses will be available for your preview in SIS ParentVue as well as SIS StudentVue by selecting “Course Request”.  Please be sure you are talking with your child about their course options for next year in preparation for their academic advising meeting.  If changes need to be made after their academic advising meeting, please contact your child’s counselor.  Students have until March 15th to make any requests for changes for the 2023-2024 school year.  March 15th is our deadline to help us prepare for staffing for the upcoming year. 

 

Report Cards

Families will be unable to access SIS to view grades from January 15th – February 6th.  Second quarter report cards are scheduled to be printed on February 1 and mailed out soon after.

 

New Team members

We are pleased to share that we have TWO new members of our Student Services team: Rachel Margolis and Amanda Hoff!  Rachel Margolis is a school counselor who will be joining the 7th grade team and serving students with the last names De-K.  Rachel is excited to be joining the Student Services team at Glasgow Middle School.  After many years as a stay-at-home parent, she is returning to FCPS where she was previously a School Counselor at Mount Vernon High School.  She is the mother to three wonderful children who are all in Elementary School. She was born and raised in Connecticut but has been in Virginia for almost 20 years.  In her free time you’ll find her reading, cooking, and exercising. She’s really looking forward to meeting everyone and getting to know the students.  If you need to reach Ms. Margolis, you can contact her  by phone (813-8714) or email ([email protected]).  Amanda Hoff is an intern who is with us from The George Washington University.  She is completing her final semester of her graduate program.  Her previous internship placement was at Stenwood Elementary School.  Ms. Hoff will be supporting all of our counselors and students.  If you need to reach Ms. Hoff, you can contact her by phone (813-8740) or email ([email protected])

 

Provide Feedback on the Draft Calendar Options

 

Your feedback is important! FCPS is seeking community feedback on draft calendar options for the 2023-2024, 2024-2025, and 2025-2026 school years.

Please share your thoughts by completing the calendar feedback form. Feedback will be collected until Tuesday, January 31st at 1:00 p.m.

The draft calendars for the next three years will be presented as "New Business" during the January 26th School Board meeting. Learn more about the development of the calendar.

Please see  the FCPS Draft Calendar Framework presented during the School Board Work Session on January 17th. This chart outlines the differences among the four sets of each calendar option: Blue, Orange, Green and Purple. 

Also, you may review the 2023-2024 School Year Comparison to neighboring school divisions.

 

 

Summer Learning Programs Registration: Opening Soon!

FCPS’ Career and Technical Education (CTE) camps and Institute for the Arts (IFTA/E-IFTA) camps will open for registration on Wednesday, February 1. 

 

Career and Technical Education (CTE) 

Tech Adventure Camp (TAC) is a week-long exploratory camp designed to give current K-6 students an opportunity to explore STEAM, culinary, health, trades, and business and marketing areas. Visit the TAC webpage for more information. 

CTE Summer Academy (CSA) is a week-long enrichment program that allows students in grades 7-11 to dive deeper into CTE program areas, develop skills, and begin career exploration. Visit the CSA website for more information and registration.

 

Institute for the Arts Camps (IFTA)

IFTA is a two- or four-week summer enrichment program for students currently in grades 6-11. Students select from nearly 90 classes in art, dance, health and physical education 9, music, self-directed economics and personal finance, and theater. Visit the IFTA website for more information and registration. 

E-IFTA is a weekly arts camp for students in grades 2-5 who love to sing, dance, act, perform, make, and create. Students take part in four classes every day related to dance, music, theater, and visual art. They work with FCPS fine arts teachers who create classes that are fun and engaging. Visit the E-IFTA website for more information and registration

 

Student Vue and Parent Vue

All FCPS students have a Student Vue account. All student schedules are active and up to date in SIS Student Vue and SIS Parent Vue. If you do not have a SIS Parent Vue account, we strongly encourage you to sign up for an account. You can find directions on how to do so at this link: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/technology/student-information-system-sis-fcps/sis-parent-account-registration. 

Once you have signed up for an account, you’ll need an activation code - which we will work as quickly as we can to provide to you. You can find a video that provides information on how to use SIS Parent Vue and all that you will be able to access with your account here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLwkkemipws.

 

Kiss and Ride

We have many families who choose to drop off and pick up students through the kiss and ride line.  In order to keep the flow of traffic moving along and to maintain safety, we ask that you pull your cars up and stop at the locations our monitors direct to before allowing your child to exit your vehicle.  Please be sure students have all of their belongings ready to exit car doors onto the sidewalk.   We also ask that you refrain from parking in the kiss and ride line or double parking in the lane.  If you need to enter the building, please find a spot to park in our lot.  Most importantly, please maintain a safe speed - we have students and staff members who are crossing the street to enter our building. We want to be sure that we are all doing our part to keep everyone safe.  Thank you so much for your cooperation.

 

 

Strategic Plan: Make Your Students’ Voice Count!

Strategic Planning is in process and will incorporate feedback from school staff, families, students, and community partners and organizations. Please encourage your students to participate in this unique opportunity to share their voices.

FCPS is currently seeking secondary students in grades 7-12 who are interested in participating in a Strategic Plan focus group. This focus group provides an opportunity to share feedback in a small group with other FCPS students and a trained facilitator. FCPS is hosting four virtual focus groups for secondary students in February and March:

• February 9, 3:30-5 p.m. or 5:30-7 p.m.

• March 16, 3:30-5 p.m. or 5:30-7 p.m.

Interested students should check their email for a form to sign up for the focus groups. Students will be asked to provide their student ID, so their parents/caregivers can be identified and contacted to ask for consent to participate.

If you have any questions about the student focus groups or you would like to learn more about this opportunity, please contact [email protected]  

Register Now to Attend a Community Forum! 

Check out the schedule of Community Forums and register for the one that is most convenient for you. Community Forums will provide every resident an opportunity to participate in and influence the direction of FCPS’ Strategic Plan, prior to its completion and formal adoption by the School Board. Learn more about our strategic planning process.

 

How to Talk About Alcohol Safety

Stores have been packed with holiday savings, credit cards have been charged, and food has been consumed. The holidays are often a time for family and friends to come together and create lasting memories with one another. The matching holiday pajamas leave a lasting impression on social media, but what impression does your relationship with alcohol leave on your child. Although difficult, conversations about alcohol safety are necessary. When consuming alcoholic beverages around young people, consider the  message you would like for them to receive. Have you caught yourself saying any of the following: “ I need a drink,” “a drink would help me relax,” or “wine helps me sleep better at night”. These statements could inadvertently cause your child to believe that alcohol is a suitable replacement for healthy coping strategies. 

It’s never too early to have age-appropriate conversations with your child about alcohol. About 10% of children say they have tried alcohol and that number increases to 50% by the time they are 15 (SAMHSA). Early and frequent conversations about alcohol and other drugs tend to be more effective than having “the talk” once. If you choose to not have the conversation with your child as a parent, they will still have the conversion with their peers. Silence communicates as loudly as a verbal conversation, so it’s up to you to decide what message is explicitly shared. 

For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: (571) 423-4270.

Sources & Resources

Why You Should Talk With Your Child About Alcohol and Other Drugs

Talk, They Hear You 

FCPS SAPS Program

 

 

How to Watch School Board Meetings

Meetings can be viewed live on FCPS Cable TV Channel 99 (Verizon Channel 11), the FCPS YouTube Channel, and on the FCPS website. Recordings of School Board meetings and work sessions can be viewed on the FCPS YouTube channel. To watch meetings dubbed in Spanish, you may visit the FCPS en Español YouTube channel.

If you need language interpretation or American Sign Language support for any School Board meeting, please contact the Board clerk.

Find your School Board member and how to contact them on the School Board Members webpage.

 

FY 2024 Proposed Budget Update

The School Board hosted a public hearing on the FY 2024 Proposed Budget yesterday and discussed the budget during a work session today. View the work session presentation in Boarddocs. Learn about FCPS' budget development process.

 

 FCPS’ Parent Resource Center

(PRC) is dedicated to helping adults support the success of all students. The PRC will present the following webinars in February: 

• Thursday, February 9, at 7 p.m., Meet the Author Series: All Cats are on the Autism Spectrum by Kathy Hoopmann

• Friday, February 10, at 10 a.m., Neurodiversity at Elementary Schools

• Wednesday, February 15, at 6:30 p.m., What should I do before my child grows up? 

• Friday, February 17, and Friday, February 24, at 10 a.m., Supporting Mental Health Through Play

Click on the titles above for more information and to register.

 

  Glasgow All District Band Members

This coming weekend 20 of our Glasgow band students will participate in the District 10 All District Band. These students were selected through a rigorous audition process which determined them to be among the top 90 middle school musicians in the district! In addition to these 20 students, we also had 7 students selected as alternates who will be called up in the case that one or more of the original ensemble members are unable to attend. The All District Band event will be held this coming weekend (Feb. 2-4) at Hayfield Secondary School with a culminating concert on the afternoon of Feb. 4th at 2pm which is free and open to the public! Please join us in recognizing the following All District 10 Band students for their incredible work and dedication:

 

Glasgow All District Band Members:

Oboe

Lucia Egan*

Clarinet

Grady Howard

Rakeb Bessie

Maeva Felix

Odessa Jansen

Hiwot Mesfin

Miriam Popp

 

Bass Clarinet

Jeremy Ocampo Cruz

Lillian Scherer

 

Alto Saxophone

Ian Caballero Sotelo

 

Tenor Saxophone

Javier Caballero Sotelo*

 

Trumpet

Nathan Jackson

Anania Ararso

 

Horn

Laura Prudius

 

Trombone

Jannah Blanco Cortez

Garrett Serbus

Favian Larrea Vasquez

 

Euphonium

Michael Traub

 

Tuba

Anner Rivera*

Amaal Yousif

 

Alternates

Lenci Sabines Salome

Kaylee Gomez Iglesias

Georgia Kapelos

Nicholas Kish

Simon Hockley

Emmett Stadtler

Andy Romero Sanchez

 

*Indicates 1st chair in the district on their instrument

 

4101 Fairfax Parkway, Alexandria, VA 22312  |  Main Phone: 703.813.8700
Attendance: 703.813.8787 | Web | Twitter | Facebook 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

l the families this past week at the Rising 6th Grade Transition Night! As we approach the completion of the first half of the school year, we celebrate all the good things that are part of our school day. This is the first year since the pandemic began where we have run school as we used to in pre-pandemic times. As a reminder, Wednesday, January 25, is the last day of the quarter and a two-hour early release day for students. Schools will be closed for students on Thursday, January 26, for a staff development day and Friday, January 27, for a teacher workday. SIS will be unavailable to all FCPS parents and students from Wednesday January 25th at 4pm until Monday February 6th at 6am. See the complete 2022-23 School Year Calendar.

At their January 17 work session, the School Board discussed draft calendars that were created for the 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 school years. Draft calendars were developed using the following criteria as a framework:

• Federal, state, and Virginia Department of Education guidance.
• Superintendent’s priorities.
• School Board input.
• Student absentee data.
• Staff absentee data.
• Surrounding jurisdictions’ calendars.
• Survey results.
• Calendar Feedback Committee input.

You may view the draft calendars and other related documents in Boarddocs. The calendars will be presented as new business during the School Board meeting on Thursday, January 26. The Board is scheduled to vote on the calendars during their meeting on Thursday, February 9. 

Watch a recording of today’s Work Session. Get information on FCPS' calendar development process. 

We have just one short week left in 2nd quarter: a 3-day week next. Students should be checking in with their teachers to see if there is any work that they need to make up or complete.  

Humbly,

Victor L. Powell, Principal

Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @VictorLeonPowe1

Website: http://www.fcps.edu/GlasgowMS/

 

Glasgow Course Selection

The course selection process for the 2023-2024 school year is about to begin!  Rising 7th and 8th grade Glasgow students will receive lessons about available course options and how to select courses in SIS starting on January 9th.  Counselors will be meeting with students for academic advising throughout January and February.  7th grade students will be meeting with counselors during the week of January 16th.  6th grade students will be meeting with counselors beginning on February 2nd.  Rising 9th grade students will meet with counselors later in the month of February.  Once students meet with counselors for advising, courses will be available for your preview in SIS ParentVue as well as SIS StudentVue by selecting “Course Request”.  Please be sure you are talking with your child about their course options for next year in preparation for their academic advising meeting.  If changes need to be made after their academic advising meeting, please contact your child’s counselor.  Students have until March 15th to make any requests for changes for the 2023-2024 school year.  March 15th is our deadline to help us prepare for staffing for the upcoming year. 

 

Second Semester Schedules

The second quarter will end on January 25th.  The third quarter begins on January 30th.  This is the beginning of a new semester as well.  Some students will change electives courses for the second semester.  Students will receive new schedules on January 30th. Due to scheduling and staffing constraints, we are unable to accommodate change requests for second semester courses.  If there is an error on your child’s schedule or you have questions about their schedule, please reach out to your child’s counselor.  Thank you so much for your support.

 

Student Vue and Parent Vue

All FCPS students have a Student Vue account. All student schedules are active and up to date in SIS Student Vue and SIS Parent Vue. If you do not have a SIS Parent Vue account, we strongly encourage you to sign up for an account. You can find directions on how to do so at this link: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/technology/student-information-system-sis-fcps/sis-parent-account-registration. 

Once you have signed up for an account, you’ll need an activation code - which we will work as quickly as we can to provide to you. You can find a video that provides information on how to use SIS Parent Vue and all that you will be able to access with your account here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLwkkemipws.

 

A message from our After School Coordinator

Hello Glasgow Families! Due to the shortened week (January 23-27, 2023), the After School program will not meet. We will resume After School on Monday, January 30, 2023. If your student  has plans to stay after with a teacher, they will need to be picked up when they have completed their work.

We are also excited to announce the return of Basketball in After School. Basketball will take place on Mondays and Wednesdays in the gym during Activity Time (2nd Block). Open Volleyball Club will meet on Thursdays in the gym during Activity Time. This is a slight change in the schedule. If you have any questions, please contact me at [email protected]

 The After School Program is proud to announce the return of  iCAN Bike. iCAN Bike is a program in partnership with iCAN to work with students with disabilities learn how to ride a two-wheel bike independently. iCAN Bike will take place March 13- 17th, 2023.Students must meet certain criteria in order to participate. If you’re interested in participating, please contact me for more information.

 

Woodrow Wilson Library - January Events

Join the fun at Woodrow Wilson Public Library! Check out the various activities for January for readers of ALL ages and the new Great Graphic Novel Book Club every Thursday starting at 3:15 ages 12-19. Location: 6101 Knollwood Dr, Falls Church, VA 22041

Great Graphic novel book club (1).pdf

Woodrow Wilson Events January 2023.pdf

 

Kiss and Ride

We have many families who choose to drop off and pick up students through the kiss and ride line.  In order to keep the flow of traffic moving along and to maintain safety, we ask that you pull your cars up and stop at the locations our monitors direct to before allowing your child to exit your vehicle.  Please be sure students have all of their belongings ready to exit car doors onto the sidewalk.   We also ask that you refrain from parking in the kiss and ride line or double parking in the lane.  If you need to enter the building, please find a spot to park in our lot.  Most importantly, please maintain a safe speed - we have students and staff members who are crossing the street to enter our building. We want to be sure that we are all doing our part to keep everyone safe.  Thank you so much for your cooperation.

 

Congratulation to Anne Quigley - Justice Pyramid Outstanding Secondary Teacher Award Winner for 2022-23SY!!!!

 

Musical Inspiration

A big THANK YOU to the musicians who performed at Wednesday nights Rising 6th Grade Night. They performed beautifully and our future GMS students were so impressed with them. Great job representing our school in such a positive way. Sharing your music with others is the best thing you can do as a musician 😊

Thank you Ms. Pallotto and the admin team for the opportunity and for a successful night. Your support means the world to us!

 

FY24 Proposed Budget

Superintendent Reid presented the proposed FY24 budget at the January 12 regular meeting (see materials here). My priorities for the budget remain addressing student learning needs and providing advanced and innovative education to give our students skills and knowledge to be ready for the careers of the future, addressing the needs of students with the largest gaps, such as English language learners and special education students, and recruiting and retaining excellent teachers and staff, more important than ever in this era of significant teacher shortages.

I am pleased to see a 3% MSA, step increase for eligible employees, a retention bonus for new employees, a step extension for all scales, continuation of extended special education teacher contracts and other efforts to address the needs of our excellent work force. Dr. Reid’s budget also continues the multi-year commitments to investments such as environmental initiatives and advanced academics and identifies funds for the Equitable Access to Literacy Plan, achievement gap closing strategies, middle school athletics and more. The proposed school operating fund budget represents a 7.6% increase over the FY23 Approved Budget and a 7% increased transfer request from Fairfax County compared to FY23. 

We discussed the proposed budget at our January 17 work session which included a very useful presentation on student enrollment and associated increased needs of our students. I look forward to the ongoing conversations and discussion around the budget in work sessions and the public hearing scheduled for January 23.

  School Year 23-24 Calendar

The School Board heard a presentation and had a discussion of proposals for the upcoming school year calendar at the January 17 work session (see materials here). We will have another opportunity to discuss the calendar at the January 31 work session. The School Board is scheduled to vote on the calendar on February 9.

Approving a calendar requires compromise and balancing of many competing priorities. While I know some may be disappointed where we land, we are doing our best to find the right balance between many competing interests. After reviewing the results of the survey, our focus groups, and listening to my constituents, I am interested in approving a calendar that has consistency for student learning, is inclusive of our student and staff community, allows our teachers sufficient planning time, ensures students and staff can have access to summer programs and employment, and is mindful of family child care needs. I would also like to set the calendar for a few years so that our families are able to plan their schedules.

 

COVID-19 Compensatory Education Plan Meetings for Families of Students with Disabilities

Fairfax County Public Schools is committed to implementing a plan for COVID-19 compensatory education as part of its obligation to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to students with disabilities. Please join the remaining informational meeting for parents/guardians and other stakeholders: Wednesday, January 25, 7-9 p.m.

Visit our website to see what language interpretation services will be available at each meeting and to learn more about the COVID-19 Compensatory Education Plan

 

 

District X Honors Orchestra

This past weekend, six musicians from Glasgow MS performed with the District X Honors Orchestra at South County HS. They rehearsed with a guest conductor, Dr. Beth Reed, all day Friday and Saturday morning. They then gave a performance on Saturday at 2pm and it was incredible! Not only were these students well prepared and hardworking, they also represented our schools with maturity, respect, and kindness. Please congratulate these students when you see them!  

 

How to Talk About Alcohol Safety

Stores have been packed with holiday savings, credit cards have been charged, and food has been consumed. The holidays are often a time for family and friends to come together and create lasting memories with one another. The matching holiday pajamas leave a lasting impression on social media, but what impression does your relationship with alcohol leave on your child. Although difficult, conversations about alcohol safety are necessary. When consuming alcoholic beverages around young people, consider the  message you would like for them to receive. Have you caught yourself saying any of the following: “ I need a drink,” “a drink would help me relax,” or “wine helps me sleep better at night”. These statements could inadvertently cause your child to believe that alcohol is a suitable replacement for healthy coping strategies. 

It’s never too early to have age-appropriate conversations with your child about alcohol. About 10% of children say they have tried alcohol and that number increases to 50% by the time they are 15 (SAMHSA). Early and frequent conversations about alcohol and other drugs tend to be more effective than having “the talk” once. If you choose to not have the conversation with your child as a parent, they will still have the conversion with their peers. Silence communicates as loudly as a verbal conversation, so it’s up to you to decide what message is explicitly shared. 

For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: (571) 423-4270.

Sources & Resources

Why You Should Talk With Your Child About Alcohol and Other Drugs

Talk, They Hear You 

FCPS SAPS Program

4101 Fairfax Parkway, Alexandria, VA 22312  |  Main Phone: 703.813.8700
Attendance: 703.813.8787 | Web | Twitter | Facebook 

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Glasgow Parents and Community:

Greetings! I hope everyone's MLK holiday is going well! Tomorrow, I am going to spend some time within a day of service with unhoused families in Northern Virginia. On this day of service this helps to empower individuals in our community, strengthen communities, bridge barriers, address social problems, and move us closer to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s dream and purpose. 

Due to unforeseen circumstances, our Beauty Bar Club will be postponed. I will continue to keep you updated on the status of this club. The Open Volleyball Club started on Thursday, January 12th, 2023. We had a strong turnout of students, they had fun learning the basic rotations, hitting and serving. Open Volleyball Club will run on Thursdays during the Activity Block. If you have any questions about this club, please contact Mr. Williams at [email protected]. Wednesday, January 25th, 2023 will be an early release day for our students. There will be no After School Program or late buses. 

Also, each quarter we analyze and review our school data and instructional practices. We bring in Region support to ensure we are moving toward our school goals. I am excited to report we are making good progress with our School Improvement Goals, especially within:

• The updates on current actions/next steps within Academic and Wellness tiers of support (Professional Development for teachers with less than five years’ experience, collaboration with OSEI to support self-contained math classes
• The review of data down to the teacher level. The group discussed how to leverage some of the gains made in certain classrooms and team-teaching classes. Some next steps your team shared was around varying the assessment types used with students and to build student stamina.
• The intentionally-designed classroom visits that gave a snapshot on progress toward our three instructional values: academic stamina, collaboration, and student independence.

Region 2 Administration noted the calm school environment and how conducive it was for learning.  As a reminder, schools and offices will be closed on Monday, January 16, for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. 

Learn more about Martin Luther King Jr. See the complete 2022-23 school year calendar. We have just two short weeks left in 2nd quarter: a 4-day week next week and a 3-day week the following week. Students should be checking in with their teachers to see if there is any work that they need to make up or complete.  

Also,as long as the actual temperature is higher than the 40’s or higher, and there is no rain/snow, and the fields are in good condition, recess will be outside!  Please ensure your students have the appropriate winter gear every day at school (coat, hat, scarf, gloves, etc.).  If you need winter gear for your student, please let us know.  Also, here is the last PTA Meeting recording for January. 

Humbly,

Victor L. Powell, Principal

Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @VictorLeonPowe1

Website: http://www.fcps.edu/GlasgowMS/

Nonye Oladimeji IB Coordinator

Nonye Oladimeji has been offered and has accepted the position of Educational Specialist, AAP Twice Exceptional with FCPS. Congratulations Nonye on this next step in your FCPS leadership journey!

  Glasgow Course Selection

The course selection process for the 2023-2024 school year is about to begin!  Rising 7th and 8th grade Glasgow students will receive lessons about available course options and how to select courses in SIS starting on January 9th.  Counselors will be meeting with students for academic advising throughout January and February.  7th grade students will be meeting with counselors during the week of January 16th.  6th grade students will be meeting with counselors beginning on February 2nd.  Rising 9th grade students will meet with counselors later in the month of February.  Once students meet with counselors for advising, courses will be available for your preview in SIS ParentVue as well as SIS StudentVue by selecting “Course Request”.  Please be sure you are talking with your child about their course options for next year in preparation for their academic advising meeting.  If changes need to be made after their academic advising meeting, please contact your child’s counselor.  Students have until March 15th to make any requests for changes for the 2023-2024 school year.  March 15th is our deadline to help us prepare for staffing for the upcoming year.

 

Falls Church HS  January 18th Curriculum Night & Academy Open House, 6:30 pm:

We wanted to share with you that the first big event to begin our academic advising season will be our curriculum night on January 18, 2023. We will hold the event in person, hosted by our Principal, Director of Student Services, Academy Administrator, Director of Student Activities and department representatives.

Who: Parents & Caregivers of 8th, 9th, 10th, & 11th graders that will be attending FCHS in the Fall of 2023

When: January 18, 2023 beginning at 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Where: Falls Church High School Auditorium & lobby

What: Curriculum night is a presentation to families regarding course selection information, diploma requirements, Academy opportunities and curriculum information such as AP and honors levels. The Falls Church Academy is included and holds an open house to allow all eligible high school students a chance to learn about the Academy offerings.

Why: Your child will be selecting his/her/their courses for the next school year, this presentation offers lots of information on making the best choices for a successful school year.

 

Second Semester Schedules

The second quarter will end on January 25th.  The third quarter begins on January 30th.  This is the beginning of a new semester as well.  Some students will change electives courses for the second semester.  Students will receive new schedules on January 30th. Due to scheduling and staffing constraints, we are unable to accommodate change requests for second semester courses.  If there is an error on your child’s schedule or you have questions about their schedule, please reach out to your child’s counselor.  Thank you so much for your support.

 

Student Vue and Parent Vue

All FCPS students have a Student Vue account. All student schedules are active and up to date in SIS Student Vue and SIS Parent Vue. If you do not have a SIS Parent Vue account, we strongly encourage you to sign up for an account. You can find directions on how to do so at this link: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/technology/student-information-system-sis-fcps/sis-parent-account-registration. Once you have signed up for an account, you’ll need an activation code - which we will work as quickly as we can to provide to you. You can find a video that provides information on how to use SIS Parent Vue and all that you will be able to access with your account here:

 

Tutoring.com Zoom Meeting

You are invited to a Zoom meeting. 

When: Jan 31, 2023 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) 

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMvcu2oqDojGNcCi8v5KysWHso4bW9_6W4f 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

 

Great Graphic Novel Book Club: 

Join the youth services librarian, Suzanne Steward for a book club (ages 12-19) focusing on Graphic Novels. The club meets at the Woodrow Wilson Public Library, 6101 Knollwood Dr, Falls Church, VA on Thursdays from 3:15pm – 4:15pm. Thanks!

Tara M. Sanz, NBCT

Glasgow MS librarian

 

Glasgow Middle School PTA presents... The International Night

Please sign up to participate in the International Night at Glasgow Middle School! January 19th from 6:00- 8:30 PM.  You can bring food to share, perform on the stage to introduce your culture (song, dance, demonstration, fashion etc.), or send in any art work or items to display. We look forward to celebrating our culturally diverse community together!

Sign-up Link

     

 

Kiss and Ride

We have many families who choose to drop off and pick up students through the kiss and ride line.  In order to keep the flow of traffic moving along and to maintain safety, we ask that you pull your cars up and stop at the locations our monitors direct to before allowing your child to exit your vehicle.  Please be sure students are ready to exit cars with all of their things out of car doors that exit onto the sidewalk.   We also ask that you refrain from parking in the kiss and ride line or double parking in the lane.  If you need to enter the building, please find a spot to park in our lot.  Most importantly, please maintain a safe speed - we have students and staff members who are crossing the street to enter our building. We want to be sure that we are all doing our part to keep everyone safe.  Thank you so much for your cooperation.

 

National Mentoring Month

Imagine a world where young people feel empowered, encouraged, and understood. Mentors can make that world a reality by helping young people find and follow their passions, excel in school, and thrive wherever they are.Learn more about Mentoring Month. 

Research has shown that young people with at least one trusted mentor are less likely to skip school, less likely to use illegal drugs or drink alcohol, and more prepared to enter college or the workforce. Yet one in three children lack a mentor. 

All it takes is one person to serve as a trusted adult to help change a young person’s path in life. Mentors provide attention, support, and enrichment, and help connect their mentees to resources that may help them on their journey in life. 

FCPS’ MentorWorks program matches mentors with students in schools near where they live or work. They meet for at least 30 minutes a week. Learn more about how to become a mentor for an FCPS student. Please contact Martha Macdonald, mentoring specialist, for additional information at [email protected]  

 

Youth Substance Use Presentations

FCPS is dedicated to providing parents and community members with the most accurate and up-to-date information on youth substance use, prevention, addiction, interventions and available supports. Please join us and our partners from the Fairfax County Police Department and Community Services Board as we discuss these topics as well as the ongoing opioid crisis. Attendees will walk away with an understanding of:

• Alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, and opioid.

• List what you can do as a caregiver.

• How to identify and connect with community resources.

Monday, March 6, 2023 6-8pm

@Justice HS Library

Click here to view the flyer with additional details.

 

 

COVID-19 Compensatory Education Plan Meetings for Families of Students with Disabilities

Fairfax County Public Schools is committed to implementing a plan for COVID-19 compensatory education as part of its obligation to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to students with disabilities. Please join us at an informational meeting for parents/guardians and other stakeholders:

• Tuesday, January 17, 7-9 p.m.

• Wednesday, January 25, 7-9 p.m.

Visit our website to see what language interpretation services will be available at each meeting and to learn more about the COVID-19 Compensatory Education Plan.

 

 

FCPS Academy Videos/Open Houses

Our video team is working on completing videos for each of the academies. Since their Open Houses are quickly approaching, we wanted to share these so that middle and high schools might promote programs to their students. 

• Open House Schedule and more info
• Falls Church Academy Video
• Open house: In-person January 18, 6:30 to 8 p.m.; Virtual January 26 
• West Potomac Academy Open House January 18, 6 to 8 p.m. 
• Chantilly Academy video 
• Open house: January 19, 6: 30 to 8 p.m. 
• Marshall Academy Open House January 25, 1:30 to 3 p.m. 
• Edison Academy video
• Open house: February 4, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 
• Fairfax Academy video 
• Open House: February 7, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

 

 

FY 2023 Midyear Budget Review

The School Board approved revenue and expenditure changes reflected in the FY 2023 Midyear Budget Review.

Watch the full meeting on the FCPS YouTube channel.

 

 

Upcoming School Board Meetings

Work Session - Tuesday, January 17 at 11 a.m. at Gatehouse Administration Center.

4101 Fairfax Parkway, Alexandria, VA 22312  |  Main Phone: 703.813.8700
Attendance: 703.813.8787 | Web | Twitter | Facebook 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

 

Glasgow Parents and Community:

Greetings! We are on week two of returning from Winter Break! We treated that first week back like it was the first week of school all over again for our students, to review expectations and school-wide information. There will be an upcoming International Night on January 19th, 2023. More information to come! 

January PTA Meeting. You are invited to a Zoom webinar. When: Jan 9, 2023 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Topic: Glasgow PTA Meeting - Jan 2023. Register in advance for this webinar: https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_OOA8-C-xRXOziGm_v-ojtw

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Three Kings Day (January 6), also known as the Epiphany, is a Christian celebration that commemorates the Biblical story of the three kings who followed the star of Bethlehem to bring gifts to the Christ child. This marks the official 12th day of Christmas. Learn more at National Geographic Kids. We’re excited to announce the start of our Volleyball Club! We will start our first session on Thursday, January 12th, 2023! Volleyball Club will allow students to learn basic skills, fitness and nutrition tips relating to volleyball. We begin each session with a dynamic warm up followed by drills to help you pass, set and hit the ball. After drills, we play volleyball games to help develop our skills as well as learn game strategies and rules. If you’re interested in participating, please sign up during your lunch period on Thursday. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Williams at [email protected]

As I mentioned last week, we have a lot happening this month. Be sure to check the calendar. Also, with the end of the quarter approaching, continue to check in with your student to ensure they are caught up in all their classes, and if they need extra support they can see specific teachers during the (Panther Time) Learning Seminar, or after school. Please reach out to your student’s teacher if you have any questions. Students are encouraged to access SIS StudentVue to monitor their quarter progress and to work with their teachers if they have outstanding assignments or assessments to complete. The first day of the 3rd Quarter is Monday, January 30. At that time, students will begin their second semester electives or continue with their year long electives.

FCPS high school academies will hold open houses for interested students beginning in mid-January. A high school academy is a center within a high school that offers advanced technical and specialized courses that can prepare students for postsecondary education and/or career fields. Students enrolling in Academy elective courses will be provided with opportunities to participate in a variety of career experiences including shadowing, mentoring, and/or internships with local businesses. Learn more and find the calendar of Academy Open Houses. 

Humbly,

Victor L. Powell, Principal

Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @VictorLeonPowe1

Website: http://www.fcps.edu/GlasgowMS/

 

Glasgow Course Selection

The course selection process for the 2023-2024 school year is about to begin!  Rising 7th and 8th grade Glasgow students will receive lessons about available course options and how to select courses in SIS starting on January 9th.  Counselors will be meeting with students for academic advising throughout January and February.  7th grade students will be meeting with counselors during the week of January 16th.  6th grade students will be meeting with counselors beginning on February 2nd.  Rising 9th grade students will meet with counselors later in the month of February.  Once students meet with counselors for advising, courses will be available for your preview in SIS ParentVue as well as SIS StudentVue by selecting “Course Request”.  Please be sure you are talking with your child about their course options for next year in preparation for their academic advising meeting.  If changes need to be made after their academic advising meeting, please contact your child’s counselor.  Students have until March 15th to make any requests for changes for the 2023-2024 school year.  March 15th is our deadline to help us prepare for staffing for the upcoming year.

 

Rising 6th grade Curriculum Night

Glasgow will be holding its first IN PERSON middle school transition/curriculum night event for families of rising 6th graders who will attend Glasgow on Wednesday January 18th from 6pm - 8:30pm (Snow date January 25th).  Families with students who will be in 6th grade at Glasgow next year are invited to attend..  Students are welcome to come with their families to this event.   

 

English Classes for Parents and Caregivers

Hello Glasgow Families! Are you interested in learning and/or improving your reading, writing and comprehension skills? Glasgow After School is proud to announce  another Family Learning opportunity. On Tuesday, January 10th, 2023 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. we will have class registration. If you’re interested, please see the image below for more information.

 

Rising 9th grade Curriculum Night Information

Justice HS   January 11th Rising 9th Grade Curriculum Night, 6:30-8pm (Optional: Electives Fair starting at 5:20pm)

For all rising 9th graders who will be attending Justice High School in SY23-24, Justice will be hosting a curriculum night for parents and students to hear about the courses in the core content areas: English, Math, Science, and Social Studies. There will be an electives fair before the presentations for parents/students to learn more about the different electives available for rising 9th graders. 

• 5:30-6:20pm – Electives Fair – Little Theatre
• World Languages, CTE, AVID, Perf Arts, Visual Arts, etc.
• 6:30-8pm – Curriculum Night - Auditorium
• Welcome in the Auditorium
• Rotations for the content areas will be in the Auditorium, Student Commons, Cafeteria, and Library
• A chance to meet your student’s School Counselor 

Rising 9th Grade Open House at Annandale HS - 1/11, 6 pm

On January 11 from 6-8pm Annandale High School will host an Open House for our rising 9th grade students and families to learn more about what high school at Annandale is all about! We will offer short optional sessions on our various Annandale programs, and teachers will be in their classrooms throughout the evening to share all about our core and elective courses for 9th graders. The goal is for students and parents to leave this event excited about all the opportunities our students will have as an Annandale Atom! Breakout Sessions on the following topics will be offered throughout the evening: Welcome to Annandale, Course Request 101; IB/MYP Program; Activities and Athletics; English for Speakers of Other Languages Program; Special Education Office and Math Course Placement. If you have any questions, please contact Erik Healey

Falls Church HS  January 18th Curriculum Night & Academy Open House, 6:30 pm:

We wanted to share with you that the first big event to begin our academic advising season will be our curriculum night on January 18, 2023. We will hold the event in person, hosted by our Principal, Director of Student Services, Academy Administrator, Director of Student Activities and department representatives.

Who: Parents & Caregivers of 8th, 9th, 10th, & 11th graders that will be attending FCHS in the Fall of 2023

When: January 18, 2023 beginning at 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Where: Falls Church High School Auditorium & lobby

What: Curriculum night is a presentation to families regarding course selection information, diploma requirements, Academy opportunities and curriculum information such as AP and honors levels. The Falls Church Academy is included and holds an open house to allow all eligible high school students a chance to learn about the Academy offerings.

Why: Your child will be selecting his/her/their courses for the next school year, this presentation offers lots of information on making the best choices for a successful school year.

  Winner IBMA Teacher Excellence Award

Angela is a middle school Geometry teacher at Glasgow Middle School.  Angela engages students in conceptual learning using inquiry.  For example, at the beginning of a recent logic unit, Angela introduced the unit by having students explain their understanding of the statement of inquiry and to develop their own questions.  Example of the factual questions she posed were:   "What does truth mean our world?"  "What does truth mean in the court room?"  "What does truth mean in the study of mathematics?"   As a result of these factual questions which were open-ended, students came up with their own questions.   Examples of the questions from students were: "Must truth be based on people's believe or facts?"  Can truth be based on people's narrative or opinion?  "For it to be the truth in mathematics, must it be supported by facts?"  Ms. Williams had students connect their understanding of the concept of logic in mathematics to how lawyers use evidence to make logical decisions.  Students were very engaged throughout the unit and had a better understanding of theorems and postulates in Geometry.  Students engaged in critical thinking and connected their learning to real life.  At the end of the unit, students reflected on the process and noted that the questions she posed at the beginning of the unit led them to see the role of logic in their own lives.  Students also connected their learning to truth in advertising and how truth can be manipulated by advertisers to sell their product.  

 

 

Social & Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener Results 

• Most Fairfax County Public Schools students complete the SEL screener. This survey offers valuable information about students' SEL skills, relationships, school environment, and well-being.
• SEL Parent and Guardian letters were mailed via USPS around January 1st containing your child’s results.
• Please visit this website for a brief overview of what the screener is, how schools use the data, how to understand the scores, as well as tips for discussing the results with your child.

  Family Math Week

ST Math is hosting family math week from January 9, 2023, until January 13, 2023. During the week of January 9, 2023, students will be encouraged to log onto the FCPS Family Math website to engage in math activities including stories that include mathematical concepts and a variety of different math games from around the world. All activities are available in English and Spanish. 

To learn more about ST Family Math Nights check out this video and flier to help us reach our goal of logging on for one million minutes collectively as an FCPS community. 

More information will be available soon through Schoology for students to access in order to participate with their families during math week.

 

 

SOL Schedule

Please email our school testing coordinator, Sarah N’Guessan at [email protected] if you have any questions about the SOL testing schedule. Make-up days are for any students who were absent on the testing day and retake days are for students who score between a 375-399 on their first attempt and have parent permission to retake.

 

 

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS!

On January 3rd-5th and 9th-10th our 8th Grade Civics classes will attend Finance Park near Irving Middle School. Finance Park is a simulation where students learn about making informed decisions to ensure lifelong success by having the opportunity to: 

• -Align the realities of life – and personal choices – with financial stability
• -Connect education and career decisions with income expectations
• -Experience first-hand what it takes to make it

You can read more about this amazing program here. 

We need approximately 25 volunteers each day our school attends to run the full program. We are reaching out to the entire GMS community and asking for help! (you do not need to have an 8th grade student to volunteer!) If you can spare a day to support this amazing opportunity for our 8th graders, please contact Carmen Andersen at [email protected].

 

GMS Parent Academy 

Glasgow MS families are invited to attend our Parent Academy session on Academic Excellence Tuesday, January 17, 2023, at 6 PM (English/Arabic) and 7 PM (Spanish)! During the session, you will learn more about the programs offered at Glasgow and course selection. You will also learn more about our upcoming Parent Academy sessions. Our session will be led by Nonye Oladimeji, IBMYP & Advance Academic Specialist, Kelly Greenshields, AVID teacher, and Jenn Pallotto, Director of Student Services. Select your preferred language to sign up for the session. English, Arabic, or Spanish. You will receive a session link on the day of the event. We hope to see you on January 17th.

 

Dual Language Immersion Program Registration

Registration for the countywide lottery for Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs will open on Monday, January 23. Current pre-k students may apply for the kindergarten immersion program, and current kindergarten students may apply for the first grade immersion programs for the 2023-24 school year. 

Programs are available in French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish. Visit the DLI registration page for more information on where the programs are offered. 

Parents who are interested in the DLI programs in FCPS are encouraged to attend an informational meeting at their school site. Meetings will begin on January 11. Details regarding access to virtual meetings will be available on the Dual Language Immersion registration page by the meeting date. Get more information on DLI programs and registration.

 

Neurodiversity: What Do You Mean We are All Neurodiverse?

All human beings are neurodiverse. There is infinite variation of thinking and experiencing the world due to our identities, experiences, and brain wiring that is a valuable form of human diversity (Büdy, 2021; Singer, 2019). This webinar examines the brilliance and advantages of neurodiversity and the different ways brains may function as it relates to neurodivergence or neurotypicality.

• What is the relationship between neurodiversity and student relationships and engagement? 
• How can we use asset-based language?
• How can we reflect on individual mindsets towards inclusion for all students?

Presented by Kristen Haynor, FCPS Neurodiversity Specialist.

January 12, 2023 at 6:30 p.m:  View the individual event page if you would like to share this event with others.

January 13, 2023 at 10 a.m:  View the individual event page if you would like to share this event with others.

Register online for Neurodiversity: What Do You Mean We are All Neurodiverse?

 

Resources for Families of Students with Disabilities

SEPTA, the Fairfax County Special Education Parent Teacher Association, was created to empower and connect families, students, and educators to ensure students with disabilities develop their full potential as individuals and community members. Learn more or become a member on the SEPTA website. 

The Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities (ACSD) is a state mandated Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC). Parents/guardians, students, teachers, administrators, staff, and others interested in special education at FCPS are welcome and encouraged to share their thoughts, ideas, and/or public comment related to the unmet needs of students with disabilities.

FCPS’ Office of Special Education Procedural Support provides guidance to staff, families, and students in areas related to the implementation of and compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended. 

Families of students in special education programs can find more resources in the Special Education Handbook for Parents. (Translations are available from the Parent Resource Center (PRC).) 

The PRC offers free webinars, consultations, a lending library, and resources to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities. Their YouTube channel includes videos of workshops and webinars for families and educators to support student success. Sign up for their newsletter to receive information on upcoming webinars and other resources. Please contact the PRC with any questions at [email protected] or call 703-204-2941.

Kathy Murphy, the assistant ombuds for special education, provides information and support to parents/caregivers and students regarding special education and Section 504 services. Staff in the Office of the Ombuds believe that by being transparent and connecting families with available supports and services, children with special needs can equitably access public education.

Contact the ombuds by submitting a question, calling 571-423-4014, or emailing [email protected] 

4101 Fairfax Parkway, Alexandria, VA 22312  |  Main Phone: 703.813.8700
Attendance: 703.813.8787 | Web | Twitter | Facebook 

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Glasgow Parents and Community:

Greetings on this New Year! We are officially in 2023! As we begin this year, we are treating these first few weeks back as if it is the beginning of the year. We will be doing a Reset with our school expectations and offering activities for families that we offered at the beginning of the year. We have had so many students and families join us throughout the first semester. We want to ensure all our families and students have the necessary information to finish out the 2023 strong academically and behaviorally. We are excited to have students start back on January 3rd, 2023. See the complete 2022-23 school year calendar.

A Multilingual Family Podcast is produced by the offices of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Family and School Partnerships, and Professional Learning and Equity. It covers important information for parents in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Korean. 

Family Panel. Would you like to share your voice, your cultural background, and your school expectations with us?  The Equity Team is organizing a Family Panel and an interactive CT event  for January 26th from 9 -11 AM at Glasgow Middle School. We want to flip the dashboard and amplify your (parents’ and guardians’) voices at Glasgow. The goal is to listen to your perspectives around educational experiences, cultural backgrounds, and school expectations. 

This two hour event will have two parts.  The first hour will be a Family Panel, in which parents/guardians on the panel will be invited to volunteer to share with teachers and staff their educational experiences, cultural backgrounds, and school expectations.  The discussion will be facilitated by a moderator.  We are looking for six parents/guardians to volunteer for this panel.  

For the second hour, we plan to have an additional fourteen parents/guardians volunteers to work alongside Teacher Teams to develop next steps to ensure that we are creating learning environments that are equitable and respectful of our students’ diverse cultures.

To make this happen, we need you.  Please complete THIS Google Form if you would like to participate in the Family Panel,  work alongside a team of teachers of a specific content area, or suggest topics or questions for the parent panel.

If you have any questions about this event or want to volunteer, you can also contact Lauren Herr at [email protected]. It was also great to dress up like the students before break and we also had a great Sip and Paint Community event for students and families before the break! Please see the pictures below. 

Humbly,

Victor L. Powell, Principal

Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @VictorLeonPowe1

Website: http://www.fcps.edu/GlasgowMS/

 

Rising 9th grade Curriculum Night Information

Justice HS   January 11th Rising 9th Grade Curriculum Night, 6:30-8pm (Optional: Electives Fair starting at 5:20pm)

For all rising 9th graders who will be attending Justice High School in SY23-24, Justice will be hosting a curriculum night for parents and students to hear about the courses in the core content areas: English, Math, Science, and Social Studies. There will be an electives fair before the presentations for parents/students to learn more about the different electives available for rising 9th graders. 

• 5:30-6:20pm – Electives Fair – Little Theatre
• World Languages, CTE, AVID, Perf Arts, Visual Arts, etc.
• 6:30-8pm – Curriculum Night - Auditorium
• Welcome in the Auditorium
• Rotations for the content areas will be in the Auditorium, Student Commons, Cafeteria, and Library
• A chance to meet your student’s School Counselor 

Annandale HS   January 11 - Rising 9th Grade Open House, 6pm: On January 11 from 6-8pm Annandale High School will host an Open House for our rising 9th grade students and families to learn more about what high school at Annandale is all about! We will offer short optional sessions on our various Annandale programs, and teachers will be in their classrooms throughout the evening to share all about our core and elective courses for 9th graders. The goal is for students and parents to leave this event excited about all the opportunities our students will have as an Annandale Atom! Breakout Sessions on the following topics will be offered throughout the evening: Welcome to Annandale, Course Request 101; IB/MYP Program; Activities and Athletics; English for Speakers of Other Languages Program; Special Education Office and Math Course Placement. If you have any questions, please contact Erik Healey

Falls Church HS  January 18th Curriculum Night & Academy Open House, 6:30 pm: We wanted to share with you that the first big event to begin our academic advising season will be our curriculum night on January 18, 2023. We will hold the event in person, hosted by our Principal, Director of Student Services, Academy Administrator, Director of Student Activities and department representatives.

Who: Parents & Caregivers of 8th, 9th, 10th, & 11th graders that will be attending FCHS in the Fall of 2023

When: January 18, 2023 beginning at 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Where: Falls Church High School Auditorium & lobby

What: Curriculum night is a presentation to families regarding course selection information, diploma requirements, Academy opportunities and curriculum information such as AP and honors levels. The Falls Church Academy is included and holds an open house to allow all eligible high school students a chance to learn about the Academy offerings.

Why: Your child will be selecting his/her/their courses for the next school year, this presentation offers lots of information on making the best choices for a successful school year.

 

Free, On-Demand, Online Tutoring

FCPS students who’ve used Tutor.com have provided positive feedback:

“This was an awesome tutor! She explained why I needed to do specific steps, and she gave me practice problems! Best tutor I have had!” –IB Chemistry Student

Unless they’ve been opted out, students can access Tutor.com through Schoology. Every session is personalized to meet students’ needs from remedial to advanced levels. Sessions focus on conceptual learning and critical thinking—not quick answers. Learn more on FCPS’ Tutor.com webpage.

 

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS!

On January 3rd-5th and 9th-10th our 8th Grade Civics classes will attend Finance Park near Irving Middle School. Finance Park is a simulation where students learn about making informed decisions to ensure lifelong success by having the opportunity to: 

• -Align the realities of life – and personal choices – with financial stability
• -Connect education and career decisions with income expectations
• -Experience first-hand what it takes to make it

You can read more about this amazing program here. 

We need approximately 25 volunteers each day our school attends to run the full program. We are reaching out to the entire GMS community and asking for help! (you do not need to have an 8th grade student to volunteer!) If you can spare a day to support this amazing opportunity for our 8th graders, please contact Carmen Andersen at [email protected].

 

After-School Updates

Hello Glasgow Families. I hope you’ve had a wonderful relaxing Winter Break and was able to spend time with family and loved ones. The After School Program will resume on Wednesday, January 4th, 2023! We are proud to announce three new clubs: Digital Art Club with Ms. Schikel, Beauty Bar and Chess Club with Ms. Smith.

Digital Art Club will run on Wednesdays in room B-109 during 2nd Block(3:45-4:45). Students will explore various Digital Art & Animation apps. We will review basic digital drawing programs available on the students’ school issued laptops. If you’re interested in the various forms of Digital Art, please sign up during your lunch.

Beauty Bar will start on Thursday, January 12th, 2023 during 2nd Block with Ms. Smith (3:45-4:45). Students will learn the basics of make up application, blending and shading colors to match skin tones, nail polish application all while developing communication skills, team building, information sharing.

Chess Club is on tap to begin the week of January 9th, 2023. Chess Club will allow students with an interest to play one another, learn new techniques and strategies in a learning environment. Chess Club also invites students with an interest in learning how to play. All skill levels are welcome. More information will follow. 

If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact Mr. Williams at [email protected]

 

GMS Parent Academy 

Glasgow MS families are invited to attend our Parent Academy session on Academic Excellence Tuesday, January 17, 2023, at 6 PM (English/Arabic) and 7 PM (Spanish)! During the session, you will learn more about the programs offered at Glasgow and course selection. You will also learn more about our upcoming Parent Academy sessions. Our session will be led by Nonye Oladimeji, IBMYP & Advance Academic Specialist, Kelly Greenshields, AVID teacher, and Jenn Pallotto, Director of Student Services. Select your preferred language to sign up for the session. English, Arabic, or Spanish. You will receive a session link on the day of the event. We hope to see you on January 17th.

 

Student Vue and Parent Vue

All FCPS students have a Student Vue account. All student schedules are active and up to date in SIS Student Vue and SIS Parent Vue. If you do not have a SIS Parent Vue account, we strongly encourage you to sign up for an account. You can find directions on how to do so at this link: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/technology/student-information-system-sis-fcps/sis-parent-account-registration. Once you have signed up for an account, you’ll need an activation code - which we will work as quickly as we can to provide to you. You can find a video that provides information on how to use SIS Parent Vue and all that you will be able to access with your account here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLwkkemipws.

 

COVID Diagnostic Testing in January

Mark your calendars! COVID diagnostic testing will be available for FCPS teachers, staff, and students at five locations across the county January 3-5 from 5 to 8 p.m. This testing is for those who are either experiencing COVID symptoms or have been exposed to someone diagnosed with COVID. Appointments are not required, but registration must be completed before testing. Visit the COVID Testing webpage for more information.

 

Adult Panel Discussion - Preparing Families for Difficult Conversations about Alcohol & Drugs

The FCPS Student Safety and Wellness Office, along with each pyramid’s Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist (SAPS), will be presenting an in-person, adult-only panel discussion designed for parents/caregivers of students in 5th grade through high school. Receive basic information about alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, and opioids; learn what caregivers can do; and identify and connect with community resources. 

• Annandale Pyramid - March 6, 2023, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
• Edison Pyramid - March 14, 2023, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
• Falls Church Pyramid - January 24, 2023, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
• Justice Pyramid - March 6, 2023, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
• Woodson Pyramid - January 17, 2023, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

 

Strategic Planning Community Forums

Beginning in late January 2023, FCPS will host a series of community forums in each of the magisterial districts as part of the Strategic Plan development. The meeting in the Mason District is scheduled for Thursday, February 2, 2023 from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. at the Mason Crest Elementary School cafeteria.

Interested parties may attend any or all of the forums. The full schedule, including several virtual options, is available on FCPS' Strategic Planning webpage.

  Music Department Updates

I wanted to reach out and say thank you SO MUCH for having the opportunity to perform at the Lincolnia Senior Center. Our students performed for them on December 2nd and not only played pieces from our upcoming concert, but also some carols to sing along to. After the performance, the students went around and introduced themselves to the attendees, asking them about their life experience and advice. It was amazing to see! Nonye and Hina were such wonderful supports and really made this field trip impactful. I can honestly say this was one of the most musically fulfilling experiences I have had as a music educator. Thank you for continuing to support our music department. We appreciate you all so much!

 Alexandra Blaine

  Outdoor Learning Spaces Coming Soon!

FCPS received $6.05 million from a Virginia state construction grant which is earmarked for outdoor learning spaces. Outdoor classrooms will be constructed at all middle and high schools not currently slated for renovation. Outdoor learning spaces will be included for schools undergoing renovations. A limited number of elementary schools across the division will also receive outdoor learning spaces. 

The FCPS Get2Green team will provide professional development and connect with community partners to support schools in designing, planting, and using these spaces. Construction will begin in summer 2023 and be completed within two years.

 

Virtual Math Week - January 9-13

Come together as a community for students in K-8 for 5 nights the week of January 9, 2023, with delightful math games and stories - all on your own time and from the comfort of your own home. All content will be available for free directly to all families in English and Spanish. 

Through rich story-based mathematics experiences, math week offers families an opportunity to experience math, literacy, history, and geography in a positive way. The games and stories feature several countries including Lesotho, Madagascar, Ghana, and China. 

All content will be available completely free on the Math Week website starting January 9, 2023. To access the games, families will be able to simply click on the day of the week and find their child's grade and language. For families that want to reduce screen time, there will be physical print options for access to the content and games as well.

4101 Fairfax Parkway, Alexandria, VA 22312  |  Main Phone: 703.813.8700
Attendance: 703.813.8787 | Web | Twitter | Facebook 

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Glasgow Parents and Community:

Greetings on this week before Winter Break! Our students have make-up days for the Winter VGA testing this week on Tuesday and Wednesday, for those students who missed the testing dates from the previous weeks. You are also invited to a Zoom webinar. When: Dec 13, 2022 08:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Topic: Virtual Parent Coffee - Tutor.Com. Register in advance for this webinar:

https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_G5XlN3hOSJyEQs02NF6Q2Q

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Family Panel. Would you like to share your voice, your cultural background, and your school expectations with us?  The Equity Team is organizing a Family Panel and an interactive CT event  for January 26th from 9 -11 AM at Glasgow Middle School. We want to flip the dashboard and amplify your (parents’ and guardians’) voices at Glasgow. The goal is to listen to your perspectives around educational experiences, cultural backgrounds, and school expectations. 

This two hour event will have two parts.  The first hour will be a Family Panel, in which parents/guardians on the panel will be invited to volunteer to share with teachers and staff their educational experiences, cultural backgrounds, and school expectations.  The discussion will be facilitated by a moderator.  We are looking for six parents/guardians to volunteer for this panel.  

For the second hour, we plan to have an additional fourteen parents/guardians volunteers to work alongside Teacher Teams to develop next steps to ensure that we are creating learning environments that are equitable and respectful of our students’ diverse cultures.

   

To make this happen, we need you.  Please complete THIS Google Form if you would like to participate in the Family Panel,  work alongside a team of teachers of a specific content area, or suggest topics or questions for the parent panel.

If you have any questions about this event or want to volunteer, you can also contact Lauren Herr at [email protected].

Parent Partnership Video #1

Parent Partnership Video #2

Parent Partnership Video #3

Humbly,

Victor L. Powell, Principal

Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @VictorLeonPowe1

Website: http://www.fcps.edu/GlasgowMS/

  CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS!

On January 3rd-5th and 9th-10th our 8th Grade Civics classes will attend Finance Park near Irving Middle School. Finance Park is a simulation where students learn about making informed decisions to ensure lifelong success by having the opportunity to: 

• Align the realities of life – and personal choices – with financial stability
• Connect education and career decisions with income expectations
• Experience first-hand what it takes to make it

You can read more about this amazing program here. 

We need approximately 25 volunteers each day our school attends to run the full program. We are reaching out to the entire GMS community and asking for help! (you do not need to have an 8th grade student to volunteer!) If you can spare a day to support this amazing opportunity for our 8th graders, please contact Carmen Andersen at [email protected].

 

After-School Program Reminder

Glasgow Families! As a reminder, the After School program will not convene the week of December 12th-16th, 2022! We will resume the After School program on Wednesday, January 4th, 2023! If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Williams [email protected].

 

GMS Parent Academy 

Glasgow MS families are invited to attend our Parent Academy session on Academic Excellence Tuesday, January 17, 2023, at 6 PM (English/Arabic) and 7 PM (Spanish)! During the session, you will learn more about the programs offered at Glasgow and course selection. You will also learn more about our upcoming Parent Academy sessions. Our session will be led by Nonye Oladimeji, IBMYP & Advance Academic Specialist, Kelly Greenshields, AVID teacher, and Jenn Pallotto, Director of Student Services. Select your preferred language to sign up for the session. English, Arabic, or Spanish. You will receive a session link on the day of the event. We hope to see you on January 17th.

 

Student Vue and Parent Vue

All FCPS students have a Student Vue account. All student schedules are active and up to date in SIS Student Vue and SIS Parent Vue. If you do not have a SIS Parent Vue account, we strongly encourage you to sign up for an account. You can find directions on how to do so at this link: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/technology/student-information-system-sis-fcps/sis-parent-account-registration. Once you have signed up for an account, you’ll need an activation code - which we will work as quickly as we can to provide to you. You can find a video that provides information on how to use SIS Parent Vue and all that you will be able to access with your account here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLwkkemipws.

 

Parent Partnership Video #1

Parent Partnership Video #2

Parent Partnership Video #3

  Reviewing The Glasgow MS Parent Survey Data

When we return in January 2023, we will be doing a “Reset” with our students and staff. Reviewing our expectations and any changes based on parent and teacher feedback. We are treating this like the first week of school all over again. We have had many new students and staff join our school since August and they did not get all those opportunities that happen at the beginning of school. 

Our team has reviewed and responded to feedback from families around systems and practices at our school. We very much appreciate the feedback and opportunities for growth! It was great to hear feedback from parents and what is working well, such as: 

• “Working with the staff and teachers to learn new things each day”
• “Great teachers and the new cell phone policy is great”
• “My child seems engaged and challenged by his classes”
• “Diverse program options and support from my child’s teachers”

Here are a few items that the Glasgow MS Administration has focused our attention on within the 2nd quarter. We have ensured that all administrators and staff are in the hallways during transitions to ensure student traffic is moving to class smoothly. We have also alerted and communicated more with families of students who are tardy to class through our daily e-notifies and our random tardy sweeps to ensure school tardies are decreasing; which that have throughout this quarter. We will continue to follow the FCPS Students Rights and Responsibilities for responding to any student behavior that is inappropriate for school. Anytime we see behavior that is intentionally aggressive behavior designed to inflict harm, repetitive behavior planned into the future and Interpersonal relationship marked by an imbalance of power; we will address those behaviors in partnership with Student Service and School Administration. 

Our team has reviewed the differences in the recess numbers between our FIT & Panther Time days and have put in additional structures to spread those classes out within the grade level recess periods. We also have given teachers more specific zones because of the large numbers we have in our building, to accommodate for better supervision. We are also working with Region 2 leadership to fund additional Safety and Security positions at our school, to align with our size and need. This would assist with hallway, bathroom and modular supervision; which is needed. 

 

Mental Health, Coping & Addiction

One in four Americans suffers from a mental illness. Almost 3 in 5 people with mental illness will receive no treatment or medication. In 2019, an estimated 47.6 million adults (19% of the country) had a mental illness, but only 43% received any kind of mental health care (Johns Hopkins). There are many reasons why a person may turn to drugs or alcohol initially, including using these mind-altering substances as a coping mechanism for stress, difficult emotions, physical ailments, and other issues. Drugs and alcohol can provide a temporary respite from reality and everyday life. They can enhance pleasure and decrease inhibitions and anxiety.  Drug use can be an unhealthy coping mechanism. Coping mechanisms are habits formed over time that serve to help a person manage situations or stress levels. Not all coping mechanisms are maladaptive or destructive; however, addiction is both.

Before using drugs as a coping strategy, here are some recommendations for a healthier mindset. The goal is to identify the “void” or issue and work towards healing. In the meantime, experts recommend diet and exercise as great places to start. See your Primary Care Physician and a therapist if needed. Quality sleep is also a major factor in a healthy mind. Surround yourself with good people and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: (571) 423-4270.

Resources:

Substance Use Disorder info

FCPS Social Work

4101 Fairfax Parkway, Alexandria, VA 22312  |  Main Phone: 703.813.8700
Attendance: 703.813.8787 | Web | Twitter | Facebook