FCPS

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Good Afternoon!

Thank you to all of our 8th grade families who visited the school this week to pick up student locker items. Even though it was from a distance, our staff really enjoyed being able to see you and to say hello! If you were unable to attend this week, please see the information below for some additional opportunities. 

As you scroll down on this email, you will find some updates about our 7th grade locker item pick-up that will take place on Tuesday and Thursday, the yearbook delivery schedule, and a finalized schedule for our End of Year events. 

As we begin to wrap up the academic year, I want to thank our families, teachers and community members for the support and dedication to the continuity of learning for our students. Without your collaboration and support, we could not have pulled off thousands of synchronous learning sessions over the last month. 

Happy Memorial Day to all our families with a special thank you to the families who have served our country. Best wishes to all of you for a relaxing and enjoyable weekend. 

Sincerely, 

Dustin Wright

Principal

 

Student Locker Item Pick-up: Tuesday and Thursday for 7th Graders

Our curbside locker item pick-up will occur on the following days next week for our 7th graders. If you are an 8th grade student that was unable to visit our school this week, you are welcome to stop by during either session below.  Please be sure to let a Franklin MS staff know that you are an 8th grader when you arrive. 

Tuesday, May 26 from 9:00 AM -  1:00 PM - 7th grade (Last Name A-L)

Thursday, May 28 from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM - 7th grade (Last Name M-Z)

All student items contained in hallway lockers and gym lockers will be bagged and labeled for curbside pickup in the bus lane. Below is an outline of the pickup process:

1. Students and families should arrive between 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM on their designated pickup day.
2. Drivers should enter the school campus through the Kiss ‘n Ride parking lot. 
3. Please provide a Franklin staff member with your student’s last name which will be radioed ahead to a staff member in the bus loop.
4. All of the bags will be alphabetized by last name on our curb and Franklin staff members will assist in locating the bag and loading it in the car.
5. Families will only be able to pick up the belongings of their own student.

In our ongoing effort to promote healthy practices and to promote social distancing, vehicle occupants are encouraged to remain inside their cars.  

Students who are unable to pick up their bagged items on the dates above  should email their grade-level administrator to make other arrangements. 

7th grade administrator: Rob Gibbs – ragibbs@fcps.edu

8th grade administrator: Forrest Reid – fyreid@fcps.edu

The student locker item pick-up is completely optional and if there is nothing in your locker(s) of personal value, there are no additional actions you need to take at this time. We will store any unclaimed bags until the end of the school year and at that time, the contents will be discarded or donated.  

Please feel free to contact us with any questions or if there is anything else we can do to help.

 

End of the Year Event Schedule

We have finalized a schedule of  virtual versions of some of our traditional end of the year events at Franklin.

Virtual 8th Grade NJHS Ceremony - Tuesday, June 2 at 3:00 PM

Current 8th Grade NJHS members should be on the lookout for a message from Ms. Taylor and Ms. Bridenbaugh with more details about this ceremony.  This virtual event will be recorded and made available to families. 

Virtual Student Awards Ceremony - Wednesday, June 10 at 3:00 PM

All are welcome to this ceremony,which will include recognition of our End of the Year Award recipients as well as our 3rd Quarter All-A Honor Roll. Students who will be receiving an individual award will be notified in advance. This virtual event will be recorded and made available to families. 

End of the Year Item Drop-Off and Pick-Up - June 11 & 12

We will be setting up a process where students and families can pick-up any end of the year materials (spring photos, certificates, etc) and drop-off any resources or materials (textbooks, library books, calculators, music uniforms, etc.) that need to be returned to Franklin. There will be a separate process at another date for laptops and we hope to share that information with you soon. 

 

FMS 2019-2020 Yearbook - Order Deadline Extended and Delivery Update

Although the end of this school year has looked a little different, there are some traditions that will remain in place, and one of those is the Franklin MS Yearbook. If you are interested in ordering one, you can do so here. You can continue to place your orders through the end of May while supplies last. We recently received a communication from the yearbook publisher that due to COVID-19 printing plant closures, there will be a significant delay in the delivery date for the Franklin yearbooks. The current estimated delivery date is July 11. We acknowledge that this is disappointing and we apologize for the inconvenience. A digital version of the yearbook will be available to every individual who purchased one prior to the delivery date. Our school will be committed to ensuring that every student who ordered a yearbook will receive it once they are delivered to Franklin.

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

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Franklin Families and Students, 

Good afternoon. I hope that all of you have a chance to enjoy the beautiful, sunny weather today. It is hard to believe that this time next week will be the start of Memorial Day Weekend.

We continue to be proud of the hard work being demonstrated by our students and staff as they collaborate and learn together in our digital learning environment. I visited several History classes where there were excellent discussions about the Cuban Missile Crisis taking place and I received a great refresher lesson on mean, median, mode, and scatter plots in some of the 7th grade math classes I dropped in on. Keep up the great work!

Below my email signature, you will find some important information about yearbook orders that are due next week, a few tentative dates for some of our end of the year events, and student locker item pick-up info.

Best wishes for a relaxing and enjoyable weekend. Thank you for all that you do to support our Franklin students. 

Sincerely,

Dustin Wright

Principal

 

FMS 2019-2020 Yearbook - Orders Due Next Week

Although the end of this school year has looked a little different, there are some traditions that will remain in place, and one of those is the Franklin MS Yearbook. If you are interested in ordering one, you can do so here. All orders need to be placed by May 22nd and there are a limited number of yearbooks available. The timing and delivery of the yearbooks are not finalized at this time, but we will share additional details in the coming weeks. 

 

Tentative End of the Year Event Dates

We are working hard to finalize virtual versions of some of our traditional end of the year events at Franklin. Below is a tentative schedule. We will finalize this schedule by the end of next week. 

Virtual 8th Grade NJHS Ceremony - Tuesday, June 2 at 3:00 PM

More details will be sent about this in the coming weeks. We will also be sharing information about the application process for aspiring 7th grade NJHS members. This virtual event will be recorded and made available to families. 

Virtual Student Awards Ceremony - Wednesday, June 10 at 3:00 PM

This virtual will be recorded and made available to families. 

End of the Year Item Drop-Off and Pick-Up - June 11 & 12

We will be setting up a process where students and families can pick-up any end of the year materials (yearbooks, certificates, etc) and drop-off any resources or materials (textbooks, library books, calculators, music uniforms, etc.) that need to be returned to Franklin. There will be a separate process at another date for laptops and we hope to share that information with you soon. 

 

Student Locker Item Pick-up: Monday and Tuesday for 8th Graders

We recently received guidance from FCPS regarding the protocols they have put in place for the pick-up of student belongings that are still at school in lockers. Throughout this process, our top priority is the safety of our students, families, and staff members.  In this email, you will find details about the process Franklin MS will implement for a curbside pick-up of student belongings. Additionally, if there is any student medication in our Health Room, you will be contacted separately. Finally, we will schedule a separate event in June for students to drop off school-owned materials (laptops, library books, etc.) and to pick-up any End of the Year materials.

Our curbside locker item pick-up will occur on the following days. Eighth grade students may pick-up their locker items on May 18 or 19 based on student last name and seventh grade students will follow a similar procedure on May 26 or May 28. 

Monday, May 18 from 9:00 AM -  1:00 PM - 8th grade (Last Name A-L)

Tuesday, May 19 from 9:00 AM -  1:00 PM - 8th grade (Last Name M-Z)

Tuesday, May 26 from 9:00 AM -  1:00 PM - 7th grade (Last Name A-L)

Thursday, May 28 from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM - 7th grade (Last Name M-Z)

All student items contained in hallway lockers and gym lockers will be bagged and labeled for curbside pickup in the bus lane. Below is an outline of the pickup process:

1. Students and families should arrive between 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM on their designated pickup day.
2. Drivers should enter the school campus through the Kiss ‘n Ride parking lot. 
3. Please provide a Franklin staff member with your student’s last name which will be radioed ahead to a staff member in the bus loop.
4. All of the bags will be alphabetized by last name on our curb and Franklin staff members will assist in locating the bag and loading it in the car.
5. Families will only be able to pick up the belongings of their own student.

In our ongoing effort to promote healthy practices and to promote social distancing, vehicle occupants are encouraged to remain inside their cars.  

Students who are unable to pick up their bagged items on the dates above  should email their grade-level administrator to make other arrangements. 

7th grade administrator: Rob Gibbs – ragibbs@fcps.edu

8th grade administrator: Forrest Reid – fyreid@fcps.edu

The student locker item pick-up is completely optional and if there is nothing in your locker(s) of personal value, there are no additional actions you need to take at this time. We will store any unclaimed bags until the end of the school year and at that time, the contents will be discarded or donated.  

Please feel free to contact us with any questions or if there is anything else we can do to help.

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

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Dear Franklin Parents and Students,

Good afternoon!

We recently received guidance from FCPS regarding the protocols they have put in place for the pick-up of student belongings that are still at school in lockers. Throughout this process, our top priority is the safety of our students, families, and staff members.  In this email, you will find details about the process Franklin MS will implement for a curbside pick-up of student belongings. Additionally, if there is any student medication in our Health Room, you will be contacted separately. Finally, we will schedule a separate event in June for students to drop off school-owned materials (laptops, library books, etc.) and to pick-up any End of the Year materials.

Our curbside locker item pick-up will occur on the following days. Eighth grade students may pick-up their locker items on May 18 or 19 based on student last name and seventh grade students will follow a similar procedure on May 26 or May 28. 

Monday, May 18 from 9:00 AM -  1:00 PM - 8th grade (Last Name A-L)

Tuesday, May 19 from 9:00 AM -  1:00 PM - 8th grade (Last Name M-Z)

Tuesday, May 26 from 9:00 AM -  1:00 PM - 7th grade (Last Name A-L)

Thursday, May 28 from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM - 7th grade (Last Name M-Z)

 

All student items contained in hallway lockers and gym lockers will be bagged and labeled for curbside pickup in the bus lane. Below is an outline of the pickup process:

1. Students and families should arrive between 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM on their designated pickup day.
2. Drivers should enter the school campus through the Kiss ‘n Ride parking lot. 
3. Please provide a Franklin staff member with your student’s last name which will be radioed ahead to a staff member in the bus loop.
4. All of the bags will be alphabetized by last name on our curb and Franklin staff members will assist in locating the bag and loading it in the car.
5. Families will only be able to pick up the belongings of their own student.

In our ongoing effort to promote healthy practices and to promote social distancing, vehicle occupants are encouraged to remain inside their cars.  

Students who are unable to pick up their bagged items on the dates above  should email their grade-level administrator to make other arrangements. 

7th grade administrator: Rob Gibbs – ragibbs@fcps.edu

8th grade administrator: Forrest Reid – fyreid@fcps.edu

The student locker item pick-up is completely optional and if there is nothing in your locker(s) of personal value, there are no additional actions you need to take at this time. We will store any unclaimed bags until the end of the school year and at that time, the contents will be discarded or donated.  

Please feel free to contact us with any questions or if there is anything else we can do to help. 

Sincerely, 

Dustin Wright

Principal

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

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Franklin Families and Students, 

Good afternoon! I hope that you have had a wonderful week. 

On behalf of our entire staff, I would like to thank all of you for your generosity, kindness, and sincerity during Teacher Appreciation Week. Our staff has been touched by the caring gestures, the heart-warming notes and messages, and the many other displays of appreciation that they received. A special thank you goes out to our amazing PTA for all of their hard work and dedication that made our teachers feel valued this week. We are all very grateful!

We were so excited to continue to see our students in their virtual classrooms this week! We had another successful week of distance learning and it was a lot of fun to join several sessions to see our students engaging in lessons, connecting with one another, and accessing instruction virtually.  

Below my email signature you will find a few updates about Yearbooks, End of the Year Procedures, and Virtual After-School activities.

In closing, I would like to wish all of our Franklin Moms a very happy and healthy Mother’s Day! Best wishes for a relaxing and enjoyable weekend. 

Sincerely, 

Dustin Wright

Principal

 

FMS 2019-2020 Yearbook

Although the end of this school year has looked a little different, there are some traditions that will remain in place, and one of those is the Franklin MS Yearbook. If you are interested in ordering one, you can do so here. All orders need to be placed by May 22nd and there are a limited number of yearbooks available. The timing and delivery of the yearbooks are not finalized at this time, but we will share additional details in the coming weeks. 

 

Student Item Pick-Up Procedures

We are currently in the process of finalizing the plans for our students to pick-up their personal items that are still at school. During the next few weeks, school staff will be emptying all contents of lockers into bags labeled with student names.  During a designated pick-up day, we will distribute the bags with locker contents.  Unfortunately, per the health department, we cannot allow students into the school to retrieve their own belongings. The Student Item Pick-Up Schedule will be shared with the community next week.

 

Virtual After-School Information

FCPS Middle School After-School has put together a number of virtual after-school activities to engage middle school students in the arts, music, STEM, physical fitness, cooking, games, puzzles, literature, and more – things students can do at home.

Franklin students can access these virtual after-school activities by joining the “Franklin MS After-School @ Home” Google Classroom. The classroom code is: zaua4on

There are a variety of activities  students can choose from in the "Classwork" tab. We hope you enjoy this site, and feel free to access any and all of it to help you pass the time actively during this time of social distancing. If you or your students have ideas for other activities, please contact our After-School Program Specialist, Mrs. Molle (cemolle@fcps.edu).

Be safe! Be active! Enjoy and have fun!

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

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Dear Franklin Families and Students,

Good Afternoon! 

We are excited that so many our distance learning “live” sessions have resumed successfully this week. Our students and staff enjoyed being able to re-connect and interact as a classroom community. I was able to visit several of the sessions and I enjoyed seeing our teachers and students in action. We are grateful for the hard work, commitment, and dedication from all of our Franklin staff members, students, and families this week.

Below my email signature, you will find a few updates about student technology support, grade timelines, paperless report cards, and yearbooks.

Next week is Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week at Franklin. We hope you will take a few minutes to recognize our outstanding staff. Here is a list of suggestions for next week that might spark your imagination and help us to celebrate in a creative way this year. Even the smallest gesture will have a big impact!

Always feel free to contact me at any time with questions, feedback, or concerns. I can be reached at dpwright@fcps.edu.

Thank you for everything you are doing to support your student. Best wishes for an enjoyable weekend. 

Sincerely, 

Dustin Wright 

Principal

 

Does Your Student Need Tech Support With Their FCPSOn Laptop?

We are here to help! Parents and guardians are welcome to use this form to provide our Technology Specialist (TSSPEC) with the information he needs to assess the problem and resolve the issue your student is experiencing. After completing the form, you should expect to be contacted by our TSSPEC or an administrator to make arrangements for either remote support or to schedule a Tuesday appointment for replacement. Through the end of the school year, replacement laptops and chargers will be issued every Tuesday from 12-2 pm by appointment only. This form can also be found under “Announcements” on Franklin’s main webpage.

 

FMS 2019-2020 Yearbook

Although the end of this school year has looked a little different, there are some traditions that will remain in place, and one of those is the Franklin MS Yearbook. If you are interested in ordering one, you can do so here. All orders need to be placed by May 22nd and there are a limited number of yearbooks available. The timing and delivery of the yearbooks are not finalized at this time, but we will share additional details in the coming weeks. 

 

Updated Third Quarter Grading Timeline

The third quarter ends today, Friday, May 1, 2020. As you know, the timeline has been extended to this week so our students could work with their teachers to make up third quarter missing/incomplete assignments and complete reassessments by today, May 1, 2020. 

Please note the following items:

• ParentVUE/StudentVUE access will be turned off to allow for teachers to enter grades from Friday, May 1 at 4 PM through Saturday, May 9 at 6 AM. Grades will be available in ParentVUE/StudentVUE on Saturday, May 9 at 6 AM.
• Report card mailings to all parents/guardians who have not opted into electronic delivery. The FCPS central office anticipates the printed report cards will be provided to the postal service by May 23. Actual delivery to homes will be dependent on the postal service.

Please feel free to contact your child’s subject teacher and/or counselor for any questions regarding third quarter grades.

 

Go Paperless! Report Card Option Available 

Parents/Guardians can take advantage of the paperless option by logging into ParentVUE, then going to “My Account” and selecting "Go Paperless!". This is the only way to keep a paper report card from being generated for students at the secondary level. All parents who share the same address as the student must have a SIS ParentVUE account and must select the paperless option. This option must be selected prior to May 12th to prevent the 3rd quarter report card from being mailed.

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

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Dear Franklin Families,

Good Evening!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the All About Distance Learning Parent Session this afternoon. It was great to have an opportunity to interact with so many of you. If you are interested in reviewing the information that was discussed, a recording of the session is available here.

During the session this afternoon, I mentioned that I would share additional details about grading for the remainder of the year. Those details can be found below my email signature.

Finally, next week is Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week. Even though we are not coming to Franklin each day, it doesn’t mean we can’t come together as a community to show our appreciation for the dedicated staff at FMS. Please take a look at some of the ideas available here. More details are on the way later this week!  

Always free to reach out to me at any time with questions, concerns, or feedback. I can be reached at dpwright@fcps.edu.

Have a wonderful week!

Sincerely,

Dustin Wright

Principal

 

 

Grading Information   Third Quarter

Third quarter has been extended to Friday, May 1st. Teachers may continue to work with students to close out the third quarter and accept assignments through that date.

• Access in ParentVUE and StudentVUE to view the report card module will now be closed from Friday, May 1 at 4:00 p.m. until Saturday, May 9 at 6:00 a.m. 

  Fourth Quarter

Fourth Quarter Timeline:  While third quarter work is being accepted until May 1st, fourth quarter work has been assigned to students.  Any new work will be entered into fourth quarter gradebooks beginning Monday, May 4th. 

Providing Feedback to Students/Parents and Monitoring Progress: Teachers should provide feedback such as comments on quality of work and guidance for improvement. 

• Assignment “marks” will be entered into the gradebook and will be: Proficient, Attempted, Not Attempted
• This data will be considered to positively influence the final course grade 
• Students and families will be able to see “marks” in SIS, though weekly emails will not be sent since there will not be a quarter 4 grade 

  Calculating Final Grades

Final Exams: There will be no final exam and/or culminating activity included as part of the final course grade calculation this year.

Year-Long Courses - Calculating Final Grade 

• Teachers have the discretion of raising a student's final grade by one grade distribution (B to B+), based on demonstrated proficiency of quarter 4 learning. 
• A student’s final grade will be the highest of the following:
• Average of Qtrs 1, 2, & 3
• Average of Qtrs 1, 2, & 3 w/1 grade distribution increase consideration
• 1st Semester Grade
• 1st Semester Grade w/1 grade distribution increase consideration

 

Current Semester Courses - Calculating Final Grade

• Schools/teachers have the discretion of raising a student's final grade by two grade distributions (B to A-), based on demonstrated proficiency of Qtr 4 learning.  
• A student’s final grade will be the highest of the following:
• Quarter 3 Average
• Quarter 3 Average (w/up to a two grade distribution increase consideration)

 

Report Cards

Report Cards/Progress Reports: Report Cards/Progress Reports will be mailed centrally for both third and fourth quarters.

Parents/Guardians may opt into “Go Paperless” for report cards by following the below instructions:

• Parents/Guardians can take advantage of the paperless option, by logging into ParentVUE, then going to “My Account” and selecting "Go Paperless!". This is the only way to keep a paper report card from being generated for students at the secondary level. All parents who share the same address as the student must have a SIS ParentVUE account and must select the paperless option. This option must be selected prior to May 12th to prevent the 3rd quarter report card from being mailed. 

 

Last Day of School

The last day of school for all students is Friday, June 12.  

 

Summer Courses

Additional summer offerings and support through FCPS summer learning programming are being discussed and will be shared as soon as available pending developments with the state-wide closure of schools.

 

 

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

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Dear Franklin Families,

We will be hosting an All About Distance Learning Parent Session at 1:00 today through Blackboard Collaborate Ultra.  Please use this link to join our conversation.

During the session, we will share updates from Franklin MS, highlight some of the many excellent examples of distance learning successes our teachers and students have experienced over the last several weeks, and answer your questions. If you are unable to attend, a recording of the session will be shared with the community this evening.

We hope you can join us!

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

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

Franklin Families and Students,

I hope that all is well and that you have had a good week. I had a wonderful end to my week as I spent the afternoon interacting with our students in a Blackboard Collaborate Ultra session. It was awesome! They asked great questions and I really enjoyed the opportunity to connect with them. I am excited to continue these student chats in the weeks to come.

On Monday at 1:00, I will have a similar opportunity to connect with our families in an All About Distance Learning session. More details are available below and I hope to see you there!

Throughout this week the Franklin MS staff was engaged in training and preparing to re-launch synchronous, or live class sessions, while also maintaining asynchronous learning access for all students. We will continue to follow the Franklin MS Distance Learning Schedule (found below) and our staff will be ready with synchronous sessions for Office Hours on Tuesday, April 28 and the Odd Period day on Wednesday, April 29. Some teachers have been trying new options for synchronous sessions with students this week. I will continue to encourage all teachers to continue to employ the practices that work best for them and their students.

On Wednesdays and Fridays, synchronous sessions will be available for the four core subjects, World Languages, and our Academic Support classes. Your child should be on the lookout for student-specific links to Blackboard Collaborate Ultra (BbCU) that will tighten the security of synchronous learning. These links will be sent directly to each child’s @fcpsschools.net email address. More information is available below.

We would like to publicly acknowledge our teachers and staff members for their flexibility, commitment and dedication to creating the best possible distance learning experiences for your children. At the start of next week, I will share information with you about our Teacher Appreciation Week that will take place from May 4-8. It will look a little different this year and we will need your help to celebrate our amazing Franklin staff.

Best wishes for a relaxing and enjoyable weekend. Thank you for everything you are doing to support your student.

Sincerely,

Dustin Wright

Principal

dpwright@fcps.edu

 

Parent Session On Monday at 1:00

We will be hosting an All About Distance Learning Parent Session on April 27 at 1:00 PM through Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. On the morning of the event, I will share a link for families to use to engage with me as well as other FMS staff members.  I plan to highlight a few of the many excellent examples of distance learning successes our teachers and students have experienced over the last several weeks.  We look forward to connecting with you! If you are unable to attend, we will share a recording of the session with the community.

 

What Should Students Do Between Today and April 28?

• Look for daily updates from your teachers via Google Classroom, email, Blackboard 24-7.
• Check your fcpsschools.net Google emails frequently over the next few days for messages with secure Blackboard Collaborate Ultra class links that you will use for the synchronous sessions next week.  You will receive a separate email from Blackboard Collaborate for each one of your classes.
• Do NOT share links with others.
• Review this set of directions about how to find the Blackboard Collaborate links for each of your classes.
• “Star” the emails you receive, bookmark the links, or use this fillable virtual schedule to keep track of your links for each class. Copy and paste them into this form and keep it in a safe spot because you will be using it often.
• Complete the assignments and activities that your teacher has provided for you this week. 
• Be ready to learn each day!
• Reach out to your teachers, school counselor, or an administrator with questions.

What Can Families Do?

• Encourage your child to stay engaged, complete assigned work, and access all resources posted by teachers
• Remind your student to check their fcpsschools.net Google emails frequently over the next few days for messages containing secure Blackboard Collaborate Ultra class links that they will use for the synchronous sessions next week.  They will receive a separate email from Blackboard Collaborate for each one of their classes and it is important that they do NOT share links with others.
• Support your child in reaching out to Franklin MS staff with questions and ideas.

Schedule for Next Week

Monday: Students complete independent or collaborative work and learning packets.

Tuesday: Students attend office hours with teachers, complete independent or collaborative work, and learning packets.

Wednesday: Bell Schedule by Period

1st Period

9:15-10:00

3rd Period

10:30-11:15

Lunch Break

 

5th Period

12:15-1:00

7th Period

1:30-2:15

 

Thursday: Students attend office hours with teachers, complete independent or collaborative work, and learning packets.

Friday: Bell Schedule by Period

2nd Period

9:15-10:00

4th Period

10:30-11:15

Lunch Break

 

6th Period

12:15-1:00

 

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

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Good Morning!

I wanted to provide all of you with two quick updates this morning. I know that there has been a lot of information shared with you during the past two weeks, so I want to make sure my messages to all of you are informative, but concise.

Do not hesitate to reach out to me or your child’s teachers if there is anything we can do to help. Thank you for everything you are doing to support your student.

Sincerely,

Dustin Wright

Principal

dpwright@fcps.edu

 

Updated Third Quarter Grading Timeline

Due to last week’s pause in teacher-led “live” instruction, the third quarter has been extended until Friday, May 1, 2020. Students will work with their teachers to make up third quarter missing/incomplete assignments and complete reassessments by May 1, 2020. Grades will be available in ParentVUE/StudentVUE on Saturday, May 9. Report card mailings to all parents/guardians who have not opted into electronic delivery will begin on May 12, 2020. 

 

Does Your Student Need Tech Support With Their FCPSOn Laptop?

We are here to help! Parents and guardians are welcome to use this form to provide our Technology Specialist (TSSPEC) with the information he needs to assess the problem and resolve the issue your student is experiencing. After completing the form, you should expect to be contacted by our TSSPEC or an administrator to make arrangements for either remote support or to schedule a Tuesday appointment for replacement. Through the end of the school year, replacement laptops and chargers will be issued every Tuesday from 12-2 pm by appointment only. This form can also be found under “Announcements” on Franklin’s main webpage.

 

 

 

 

 

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

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Franklin Families and Students,

Thank you for your patience with us as FCPS continues to refine our Distance Learning practices.  I want to assure you that the Franklin MS staff is committed to providing a secure, engaging, and positive learning environment for all of our students.  I am very proud of the ways our teachers have continued to connect with students, support curriculum access, and provide learning opportunities despite the challenges we have faced.

Throughout this week the Franklin MS staff will be engaged in training and preparing to re-launch synchronous, or live class sessions, while also maintaining asynchronous learning access for all students.   During this transition period, we will continue to provide our students with asynchronous assignments, activities, and learning opportunities for each class. Additionally, our teachers will be communicating with their students about opportunities for office hours and other supports.

Beginning next week, we will implement the Franklin MS Distance Learning Schedule (found below) and our staff will be ready with synchronous sessions for Office Hours on Tuesday, April 28 and  the Odd Period day on Wednesday, April 29. On Wednesdays and Fridays, synchronous sessions will be available for the four core subjects, World Languages, and our Academic Support classes.

In the coming days, some teachers may try out new options for synchronous sessions with students prior to next week.  I am encouraging all teachers to continue to employ the practices that work best for them and their students.  Teachers will be contacting all students with additional information about how best to access office hours, class sessions and learning resources.

What should students do between today and April 29?

• Look for daily updates from your teachers via Google Classroom, email, Blackboard 24-7.
• Check your fcpsschools.net Google emails frequently over the next few days for messages with secure Blackboard Collaborate Ultra class links that you will use for the synchronous sessions next week.  You will receive a separate email from Blackboard Collaborate for each one of your classes. Do NOT share links with others.
• Review this set of directions about how to find the Blackboard Collaborate links for each of your classes.
• Use this fillable virtual schedule to keep track of your links for each class. Copy and paste them into this form and keep it in a safe spot because you will be using it often.
• Complete the assignments and activities that your teacher has provided for you this week. 
• Be ready to learn each day!
• Reach out to your teachers, school counselor, or an administrator with questions.

What can families do?

• Encourage your child to stay engaged, complete assigned work, and access all resources posted by teachers
• Remind your student to check their fcpsschools.net Google emails frequently over the next few days for messages containing secure Blackboard Collaborate Ultra class links that they will use for the synchronous sessions next week.  They will receive a separate email from Blackboard Collaborate for each one of their classes and it is important that they do NOT share links with others.
• Support your child in reaching out to Franklin MS staff with questions and ideas.

 

On Friday, I will be hosting two sessions where I can connect with our students. 7th grade students can Chat with Dr. Wright at 1:30 and 8th grade students can join us at 2:15. This is a slight change from the originally posted schedule.  Links will be posted in your student’s grade-level Google Classroom page on Friday.

Additionally, I will be hosting an All About Distance Learning Parent Session on April 27 at 1:00 PM through Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. On the morning of the event, I will share a link for families to use to engage with me as well as other FMS staff members.  I plan to highlight a few of the many excellent examples of distance learning successes our teachers and students have experienced over the last several weeks.  We look forward to talking with you.

The entire Franklin staff greatly appreciates your ongoing support and understanding. We look forward to continuing to partner with you to support the success of every one of our students. 

Sincerely,

Dustin Wright

Principal

 

 

Monday: Students complete independent or collaborative work and learning packets.

Tuesday: Students attend office hours with teachers, complete independent or collaborative work, and learning packets.

Wednesday: Bell Schedule by Period

1st Period

9:15-10:00

3rd Period

10:30-11:15

Lunch Break

 

5th Period

12:15-1:00

7th Period

1:30-2:15

 

Thursday: Students attend office hours with teachers, complete independent or collaborative work, and learning packets.

Friday: Bell Schedule by Period

2nd Period

9:15-10:00

4th Period

10:30-11:15

Lunch Break

 

6th Period

12:15-1:00

 

 

 

 

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

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Franklin Students and Families....

Good afternoon! Thank you for all of your support, patience, and flexibility this week.

We wanted to finish the week by sending you a visual message from our staff. We miss you and we are looking forward to a great upcoming week of learning together.

Have a relaxing and enjoyable weekend. 

Dustin Wright

Principal

 

Save the Date Student Chat with Dr. Wright - April 24

Because the online student chat with Dr. Wright had to be postponed today because of the system maintenance on Blackboard, we will host another event on Friday, April 24 at 1:30. A link will be sent on the morning of the event. 

 

All About Distance Learning Online Parent Session - April 27

We will host another online parent session on Monday, April 27 at 1:00. A link  will be sent on the morning of the event. We will use this time together to discuss updates, listen to your feedback, and answer questions about Distance Learning.  If you are unable to attend, this session will be recorded and posted online. 

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

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Dear Franklin Students and Families,

Good Afternoon!

I wanted to take the opportunity to reach out to all of you and to keep you informed. All of us received the message last night from the Superintendent regarding the delays in the Distance Learning plan that are occurring. I know that these technology issues, delays, and cancellations have been disappointing for you and your children. We were also disappointed to not have the ability to connect with our students yesterday. However, we teach our kids to be resilient, and it is good for us as educators to set an example.

As a school, we are controlling the pieces we can control. During the day today and tomorrow, all of our teachers will be reaching out to their students to provide opportunities that promote a continuity of learning. At this point, we are planning to return to our normal Distance Learning schedule on Monday. Feel free to reach out to any of our teachers directly if you have questions or need additional support.  

We are a strong community and we will persevere through these recent challenges to foster our connections with each other. Thank you for the many kind words of support you have offered. 

Feel free to contact me at dpwright@fcps.edu with any questions or concerns.

I hope that you have a good finish to your week. Stay safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Dustin Wright

Principal

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

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Franklin Families and Students:

FCPS is currently experiencing significant connectivity issues with the Blackboard 24-7 platform. Because of this, students are unable to login to their classroom page to access the links for the synchronous learning sessions with their teachers.

Due to the technology issues outside of our control, all synchronous learning sessions today are cancelled.

Our team is hard at work setting up new digital learning environments for our students to access. Instructional materials that can be utilized today include the learning packets and materials posted on any of our other digital platforms, including Google Classroom. Additionally, we will be providing information in the future about make-up opportunities for the instruction that was missed today. 

We will communicate more information later today. Thank you so much for your understanding.

Sincerely, 

Dustin Wright

Principal

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

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

Franklin Families and Students,

Good Morning!

As you are aware, there has been a 2-hour delay in our schedule today that was determined by the division. During this delay, the Franklin staff will be trained on a new feature provided in Blackboard to all teachers in the division. This new feature will provide a better learning environment for teachers and students in every class.

The Blackboard Collaborate links that your child received prior to today are no longer valid, and students should delete that email. Students will now be able to access their teachers’ Blackboard Collaborate Ultra sessions directly from their class page in Blackboard 24-7.They will need to login to Blackboard 24-7 to access the session link. This new feature will also make keeping track of each teachers’  Blackboard Collaborate Ultra sessions easier for students. A helpful video to assist students in finding the link for their class session can be found here.

For today, Wednesday, April 15, due to the two-hour delay, teachers will hold shortened synchronous (live) classes and the adjusted schedule for the class times can be found below. Students will go to their Blackboard 24/7 Learning account to at these times to access the link for each class. If there are any technical issues this morning that prevent a class from meeting, the teacher will contact the students via email. As reminder, synchronous sessions will only occur for the four core classes, World Languages, and our academic support classes.

We will return to the regular schedule tomorrow that was previously published with Office Hours on Thursday and our Even Period classes on Friday.

We truly appreciate your understanding and flexibility as we continue to navigate this new type of learning and the platforms by which we provide instruction. We are working diligently to ensure we provide the best experience possible for all of our amazing students.

Sincerely,

Dustin Wright

Principal

 

Schedule for Distance Learning – Wednesday, April 15

1st Period:  11:15-11:35

3rd Period: 12:30 – 12:50

5th Period: 1:10 – 1:30

7th Period: 1:50 – 2:15

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

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

Good Afternoon!

Thank you to so many families for joining me this afternoon for the All About Distance Learning Parent Session.  Below are the links to the slides and the recorded Blackboard Collaborate Ultra session. Additionally, there is a link to a Virtual Student schedule that your student can use this week as we get started with distance learning.

Feel free to contact me at dpwright@fcps.edu with any questions or concerns.

Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Dustin Wright

Principal

 

Parent Session Resources

All About Distance Learning Parent Session - Recording_1

Presentation Slides

Fillable Virtual Student Schedule

 

Chats for Students with Dr. Wright:

An opportunity for students to connect and chat, ask questions and share ideas.

Friday, April 17 at 1:30 PM

Information and the BB Collaborate Link will be shared in the grade level Google Classrooms and by email to students and families the morning of the sessions.

 

FAQs for Families:

https://www.fcps.edu/news/coronavirus-update

 

 

 

 

 

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

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Dear Franklin Students and Families,

Good morning! I hope that all of you had a relaxing and enjoyable Spring Break. We have lots of learning planned and we can’t wait for you to see our faces and for us to see you this week!  

 

Distance Learning Meeting for Parents Today at 1:00

This is a quick reminder that we will be offering an All About Distance Learning video-conference for parents on today at 1:00 PM. The link for the video-conference can be found here. If you are unable to attend the session, it will be recorded and shared with all of you.  Please share your questions regarding Distance Learning here.  This form is designed for general questions to be answered during the meeting. If you have a question specific to your student or family please email me directly: dpwright@fcps.edu

 

Parent Session Video-Conference Link

https://us.bbcollab.com/guest/d89df03bd1dd46f6b2286b7ecd26e2e9

 

Parent Session Dial-In Option: Call in using your phone. Attendees using this PIN appear as anonymous callers in the session.

Dial-In Number: +1-571-392-7650

PIN: 471 820 8786

 

For your convenience, I have included some information below that was sent out before Spring Break. We are all excited to begin this new learning experience together with you and to “get back to school.”  I look forward to hearing about your first week back. If you have any questions, concerns, or just want to say hello, please email me at dpwright@fcps.edu.

Sincerely,

Dustin Wright

Principal

  What is Distance Learning?

During the remainder of the school year, each of us will be engaged in distance learning. Distance learning is a learning experience in which teachers and students are separated by place. They communicate synchronously (through live face-to-face classes using virtual meeting technology), as well as asynchronously (through print or electronic media). 

Face-to-face virtual meetings will be held primarily on a tool called Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. Classes will be recorded and posted to your teacher’s Blackboard site for your reference. All class materials will be posted in FCPS 24/7 Learning(Blackboard) for distance learning. This may be a bit different than the regular school year. Teachers can still use Google Docs/Google Classroom to communicate with students and collect work, but it will not be the primary communication tool for parents. 

  Learning Packets

Each week students will be mailed a distance learning packet (the first packet should be at your house later this week),will have access to materials in FCPS 24/7 Learning (Blackboard) and will be expected to participate in synchronous online classes on Wednesday and Friday to review concepts, review the packet, and learn and practice new concepts as instructed by your classroom teachers. Your classroom teachers will be in contact with you with their schedule and expectations this week. 

 

FMS Schedule for Distance Learning

Below is the Distance Learning schedule that Franklin MS will implement. It includes a schedule for Wednesdays and Fridays when each class period will meet in an online synchronous session. Currently at the middle school level, synchronous sessions will occur once a week in student’s Math, English, Science, History, ESOL, Academic Support electives, and HS credit World Language classes. Electives and PE classes will provide activities for students to complete in the asynchronous (non face-to-face) environment. Our elective and PE teachers will be reaching out to their students with additional details. Students are expected to attend the live class times on Wednesday and Friday and  are expected to complete teacher-directed learning activities on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. 

In addition, your teachers will have office hours on Tuesday and Thursday. These office hours will be communicated with you by each teacher soon. Office hours are a time when you can sign on to Blackboard Collaborate or email with your teachers to consult with them regarding your assignments, questions, and concerns.

 

FMS School Schedule (begins April 13, 2020). 

Classes begin April 15, 2020.

Monday: Students complete independent or collaborative work and learning packets.

Tuesday: Students complete independent or collaborative work and learning packets.

Wednesday: Bell Schedule by Period

1st Period

9:15-10:00

3rd Period

10:30-11:15

Lunch Break

 

5th Period

12:15-1:00

7th Period

1:30-2:15

 

Thursday: Students complete independent or collaborative work and learning packets.

Friday: Bell Schedule by Period

2nd Period

9:15-10:00

4th Period

10:30-11:15

Lunch Break

 

6th Period

12:15-1:00

 

Expectations for Distance Learning

Your student’s Math, English, Science, History, ESOL, Academic Support electives, and HS credit World Language class will have 45-minute synchronous, face-to-face online sessions every Wednesday or Friday. Outside of the scheduled class times for 45 minutes/week, students will be expected to work independently on assignments, activities, and coursework. The work assigned may be independent or collaborative and it may include watching pre-recorded video lessons, reading for a purpose, participating in an online discussion, and completing assignments posted on Blackboard or Google Classroom. 

 

Distance Learning Attendance

All students are expected to participate in the virtual face to face classes. Teachers and our counselors will follow up with families of those students who do not attend class each week. Attendance is important for students to maintain a continuity of learning, to acquire new content from the 4th quarter, to develop ongoing connections between teachers and peers, and to establish a sense of normalcy and routine during a stressful time. Please feel free to reach out to a member of the FMS staff at any time if you have any questions or concerns about your student’s ability to engage with this distance learning model. 

 

Grading 

The third quarter has been extended to April 24.  New assignments for the 3rd Quarter closed on March 13.  No student work that was due after March 13 will be graded and work assigned prior to March 13 will still be accepted up until April 24 in order to be applied in the calculation of students’ third quarter grades. Students will have the opportunity to turn in missing work and for reassessment to demonstrate mastery.  Additionally, it is the intention of FCPS to use maximum flexibility in assessing and evaluating student learning for the remainder of the school year. To that end, middle school students will be assigned a “no mark” for the fourth quarter, with assignments submitted being allowed to positively influence the student’s overall grade for the year based on mastery of learning concepts, in accordance with FCPS grading policy. Only final grades will be shown on transcripts; a “no mark” will not show on a student’s final transcript.  I will continue to communicate grading updates to students and families as we receive them.

 

Student Supports for ESOL and Special Education

The FMS staff is working hard to prepare distance learning materials to ensure that all students have access to educational materials and activities, including our English learners and students with Individualized Education Programs and 504 Plans. Numerous supports, modifications, and services may be effectively provided online and our team will be contacting students and families with additional details and resources. 

 

Counselors and Student Services

As we transition to this Distance Learning model of instruction, we are also focused on supporting the social and emotional needs of our students. Our Student Services team will be collaborating with our teachers during this transition.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to your student’s counselor if you need any assistance. 

 

What To Do Between Now and April 13

Before we get started the week of April 13th, there are a few things you will need:

• Your computer
• Access to the internet
• A place where you can listen and learn
• If you have a headset or earphones, that would be helpful

If you need help with your computer or internet access, please contact Mr. Gibbs (ragibbs@fcps.edu) as soon as possible.

This is also a good time to familiarize yourself with Blackboard and to have your student show you the Google Classrooms that they have been working with this year.  Before the end of this week, all of your student’s teachers should be sending a message or doing a class activity to which each student needs to respond. If your student hasn’t heard from their teachers, please feel free to contact them. 

 

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

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Dear Franklin Students and Families,

I hope this letter finds you well.  All of you have been in my thoughts daily and I wish we could be together in person. The entire FMS staff is looking forward to resuming instruction through distance learning the after Spring Break. We have lots of learning planned and we can’t wait for you to see our faces and for us to see you! 

  Distance Learning Meeting for Parents

I will be offering an All About Distance Learning video-conference for parents on Monday, April 13 at 1 PM. The link for the video-conference can be found here and we will send out a reminder email on the morning of the event. The session will be recorded and posted for future review.  Please share your questions regarding Distance Learning here.  This form is designed for general questions to be answered during the meeting. If you have a question specific to your student or family please email me directly: dpwright@fcps.edu

  Communication With Students

I shared a message with all students on Google Classroom this afternoon encouraging them to look out for contact from each of their teachers this week as we prepare for Distance Learning to begin the week of April 13. Teachers will be testing a variety of platforms (Blackboard 24-7, Google Classroom, email, SIS) to reach students and families.  Please encourage students to check this week AND respond.  Thank you! 

Hello Falcons!

Our Franklin MS staff misses you all so much. We are busy getting ready to kickoff Distance Learning after Spring Break and can't wait to see you. Your teachers will be contacting you this week. Please look for emails, posts in class Google Classroom, messages through SIS or Blackboard. What do you need to do? Respond back and let your teachers know you received the message! I will be letting your parents know to check for messages too. Feel free to email me with any questions. I love hearing from you and I can be reached at dpwright@fcps.edu.

  What is Distance Learning?

During the remainder of the school year, each of us will be engaged in distance learning. Distance learning is a learning experience in which teachers and students are separated by place. They communicate synchronously (through live face-to-face classes using virtual meeting technology), as well as asynchronously (through print or electronic media). 

Face-to-face virtual meetings will be held primarily on a tool called Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. Classes will be recorded and posted to your teacher’s Blackboard site for your reference. All class materials will be posted in FCPS 24/7 Learning(Blackboard) for distance learning. This may be a bit different than the regular school year. Teachers can still use Google Docs/Google Classroom to communicate with students and collect work, but it will not be the primary communication tool for parents. 

  Learning Packets

Each week students will be mailed a distance learning packet (the first packet should be at your house later this week),will have access to materials in FCPS 24/7 Learning (Blackboard) and will be expected to participate in synchronous online classes on Wednesday and Friday to review concepts, review the packet, and learn and practice new concepts as instructed by your classroom teachers. Your classroom teachers will be in contact with you with their schedule and expectations this week. 

 

FMS Schedule for Distance Learning

Below is the Distance Learning schedule that Franklin MS will implement. It includes a schedule for Wednesdays and Fridays when each class period will meet in an online synchronous session. Currently at the middle school level, synchronous sessions will occur once a week in student’s Math, English, Science, History, ESOL, Academic Support electives, and HS credit World Language classes. Electives and PE classes will provide activities for students to complete in the asynchronous (non face-to-face) environment. Our elective and PE teachers will be reaching out to their students with additional details. Students are expected to attend the live class times on Wednesday and Friday and  are expected to complete teacher-directed learning activities on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. 

In addition, your teachers will have office hours on Tuesday and Thursday. These office hours will be communicated with you by each teacher soon. Office hours are a time when you can sign on to Blackboard Collaborate or email with your teachers to consult with them regarding your assignments, questions, and concerns.

 

FMS School Schedule (begins April 13, 2020). 

Classes begin April 15, 2020.

Monday: Students complete independent or collaborative work and learning packets.

Tuesday: Students complete independent or collaborative work and learning packets.

Wednesday: Bell Schedule by Period

1st Period

9:15-10:00

3rd Period

10:30-11:15

Lunch Break

 

5th Period

12:15-1:00

7th Period

1:30-2:15

 

Thursday: Students complete independent or collaborative work and learning packets.

Friday: Bell Schedule by Period

2nd Period

9:15-10:00

4th Period

10:30-11:15

Lunch Break

 

6th Period

12:15-1:00

 

Expectations for Distance Learning

Your student’s Math, English, Science, History, ESOL, Academic Support electives, and HS credit World Language class will have 45-minute synchronous, face-to-face online sessions every Wednesday or Friday. Outside of the scheduled class times for 45 minutes/week, students will be expected to work independently on assignments, activities, and coursework. The work assigned may be independent or collaborative and it may include watching pre-recorded video lessons, reading for a purpose, participating in an online discussion, and completing assignments posted on Blackboard or Google Classroom. 

 

Distance Learning Attendance

All students are expected to participate in the virtual face to face classes. Teachers and our counselors will follow up with families of those students who do not attend class each week. Attendance is important for students to maintain a continuity of learning, to acquire new content from the 4th quarter, to develop ongoing connections between teachers and peers, and to establish a sense of normalcy and routine during a stressful time. Please feel free to reach out to a member of the FMS staff at any time if you have any questions or concerns about your student’s ability to engage with this distance learning model. 

 

Grading 

The third quarter has been extended to April 24.  New assignments for the 3rd Quarter closed on March 13.  No student work that was due after March 13 will be graded and work assigned prior to March 13 will still be accepted up until April 24 in order to be applied in the calculation of students’ third quarter grades. Students will have the opportunity to turn in missing work and for reassessment to demonstrate mastery.  Additionally, it is the intention of FCPS to use maximum flexibility in assessing and evaluating student learning for the remainder of the school year. To that end, middle school students will be assigned a “no mark” for the fourth quarter, with assignments submitted being allowed to positively influence the student’s overall grade for the year based on mastery of learning concepts, in accordance with FCPS grading policy. Only final grades will be shown on transcripts; a “no mark” will not show on a student’s final transcript.  I will continue to communicate grading updates to students and families as we receive them.

 

Student Supports for ESOL and Special Education

The FMS staff is working hard to prepare distance learning materials to ensure that all students have access to educational materials and activities, including our English learners and students with Individualized Education Programs and 504 Plans. Numerous supports, modifications, and services may be effectively provided online and our team will be contacting students and families with additional details and resources. 

 

Counselors and Student Services

As we transition to this Distance Learning model of instruction, we are also focused on supporting the social and emotional needs of our students. Our Student Services team will be collaborating with our teachers during this transition.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to your student’s counselor if you need any assistance. 

 

What To Do Between Now and April 13

Before we get started the week of April 13th, there are a few things you will need:

• Your computer
• Access to the internet
• A place where you can listen and learn
• If you have a headset or earphones, that would be helpful

If you need help with your computer or internet access, please contact Mr. Gibbs (ragibbs@fcps.edu) as soon as possible.

This is also a good time to familiarize yourself with Blackboard and to have your student show you the Google Classrooms that they have been working with this year.  Before the end of this week, all of your student’s teachers should be sending a message or doing a class activity to which each student needs to respond. If your student hasn’t heard from their teachers, please feel free to contact them. 

We are all excited to begin this new learning experience together with you and to “get back to school.”  I look forward to hearing about your first week back. If you have any questions, concerns, or just want to say hello, please email me at dpwright@fcps.edu.

Student, family and staff health and well-being are our priority.  Please take care!

Sincerely,

Dustin Wright

Principal

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

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

Dear Franklin Families,  

Good afternoon! We hope that you have had an enjoyable week full of health, wellness, safety, and time with loved ones and friends. Our staff has been thinking about all of you and we miss you! Thank you for your continued support and understanding. The entire Franklin staff is truly grateful for the care and compassion we have seen demonstrated during a time when there are so many changes occurring around us. We are strong and resilient, and I am confident that together we will accomplish great things during the remainder of the school year. I am incredibly proud to be a part of such an amazing school community!

The Franklin MS staff is looking forward to collaborating online next week to plan for the kick-off of Distance Learning for all students on April 14, 2020.   We will be engaged in online professional development sessions and collaborating as a full faculty and in departments.  I look forward to sharing a schedule for learning with all families and students at the end of next week!

We will all be adjusting to new schedules and new formats for teaching and learning and ask for your patience and support as we collaborate to support all of our students.

If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, always feel free to contact me at  dpwright@fcps.edu.

Have a wonderful weekend. 

Sincerely,

Dustin Wright

Principal

 

Resources for You and Your Family

Here are a few quick links to resources from FCPS:

• All students can access breakfast and lunch at NO COST - Information on Emergency Breakfast and Lunch
• Talking to your children about COVID-19 - Translations in Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Amharic, Vietnamese and French available here.
• Mental Health Resources and Emergency Services Information
• 7 Ways to Ease Anxiety Around the Coronavirus
• If you are in crisis, text NEEDHELP to 85511, call 1-800-273-TALK, or dial 911. 

 

FCPS 24-7 Learning (Blackboard)

All FCPS parents have access to their child's FCPS 24-7 Learning (Blackboard) account. Teachers will use this tool to share content with students and families during this time of distance learning.

If a teacher primarily uses their FCPS Google Classroom to share material, they will note it in FCPS 24-7 Learning to be sure parents are aware of content being shared. Parents do not have access to FCPS Google accounts, but may login with their child to view the content. 

Your FCPS 24-7 Learning (Blackboard) login is the same as your SIS ParentVue login.

FCPS 24-7 Learning Resources

SIS ParentVUE Resources

FCPS Communication Tools

 

Library Resources

All FCPS students have access to district-purchased ebooks and audiobooks through Destiny Discover and MackinVIA. Students can read ebooks and listen to audiobooks on the MackinVIA website or download the MackinVIA app to any device, using the blue Fairfax County button, NOT the Follett sign in.

Explore the Destiny Discover library catalog to find FCPS-purchased ebooks and audiobooks. Students also have access using the desktop icon on their school-issued laptop. For more information on how to use and access ebooks and audiobooks, you can use the tutorial found on the Library Google Site (accessed with a student's fcpsschools account).

Finally, for even more titles, the Fairfax County Public Library offers a wide selection of ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines. If you do not have a library card, sign up for one on their website and gain instant access to these digital resources and more!

 

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

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

Dear Franklin Families,               

Good afternoon! Our staff has been thinking about all of you and we miss you! We encourage you to continue to implement safe social distancing practices and we hope that your family and loved ones have stayed healthy during this challenging time.

Following the announcement from Governor Northam yesterday that all schools will be closed for the remainder of the year, we wanted to provide you with an update regarding student technology. Because our school is an FCPSOn participant, we are fortunate that all of our students have been issued laptops. We know that some of those laptops may not be working correctly and we wanted to offer an opportunity to provide some support.

Technology Support:

If your student laptop is not working or if there is a problem with your charger, please complete this form and we will notify you of a time to visit Franklin MS later this week.  During this tech support session, there will be sanitizing stations and numerous safety procedures in place to promote social distancing. Students or parents will not be able to access the building or lockers during this time. While students should be accompanied by parents when they attend this session, we ask that parents please remain in their cars.

Essential Items:

Student access to personal lockers is not permitted at this time.  However, we know that some of you may have a personal item such as eyeglasses, medication and musical instruments that you may now need at home.  If you believe you have an essential personal item at Franklin that you will need in the near future, please complete this form and a Franklin staff member will contact you to arrange a time to pick up these items. 

Students should complete these forms using their fcpsschools.net Google accounts.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me at dpwright@fcps.edu  if you have any questions.

Sincerely, 

Dustin Wright

Principal

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

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Dear Franklin Families,

I hope that everyone is staying healthy and safe during this unprecedented time. I recognize that we are all currently facing many challenges today, and it appears we will be facing this situation for many more weeks ahead of us. We must follow the protocols and guidelines provided by the CDC and the government by social distancing from each other and monitoring vulnerable citizens and family members. I realize there is much anxiety and fear, but please know that we need to stay calm, care for one another, and stick together. It is important that we model these attributes for each other and for the children and young adults in our households and communities.

Let’s try and make this time as beneficial as possible. Over the last several days, my family has started to adjust to our new normal. We are trying to settle into some routines and have found that the things we thought would work great a few days ago, need to be adjusted. We are all recalibrating, and it is ok that it is challenging and difficult. We have spent our time learning together, being outside together, enjoying an appropriate amount of screen time together, and much more. Our new favorite board game is Ticket to Ride, our house was invaded by a Leprechaun on Tuesday, and my youngest daughter learned to ride a bike without training wheels yesterday. As one of the adults in our family, I am balancing all of that with trying to answer some of the tough questions our children are asking about what is going on and doing a lot of wondering on my own about what lies ahead in the weeks and month in front of us.

At Franklin MS, we continue to follow the expectations around learning and school operations that have been communicated by FCPS. Our staff has been virtually reaching out to students to provide optional activities that can be enjoyed during our time away from school. I have been conducting virtual meetings with our awesome staff members so we can connect with one another and have a dialogue about how we can support each other and the Franklin community. Finally, I am extremely grateful to our Superintendent and the entire FCPS Leadership Team who have been working tirelessly to lead our division through this challenging time and to develop answers to the many questions that we all have.

Over the next several weeks, please utilize the resources that are below and other online resources to keep structure and balance in your child’s life and for your family. These are just a few resources and I will continue to share more. If you aren’t already, please be sure to follow us on Twitter (@FCPSFranklinMS). Beginning next Monday, I will be posting daily messages, challenges, activities, and resources for our students and families. Additionally, feel free to contact me via email at dpwright@fcps.edu at any time.

I recently came across the following thought that has an unknown author:

Sometimes we are tested, not to show our weaknesses, but to discover our strengths.

Every one of us that is reading this message has experienced a lot of change in the last few weeks, and there is probably more to come, and that is ok. But, it will also be an opportunity for all of us to discover our strengths. Our strengths as individuals, as families, as a school, as communities, and as a society.  I encourage all of us to discover our strengths and to use them to model a sense of calm, to care for one another, and to work together. By doing this, I am confident we will find the way forward.

Thank you for all that you do to support our students and the Franklin community.

Sincerely,

Dustin Wright

Principal

 

FCPS Continuity of Learning

Our division has developed a plan for continuity of learning while school is closed. Our goal is for students to read, write, communicate, and engage in continued learning experiences during this period. The first two weeks of school closure (Monday, March 16, to Friday, March 27) will not include any teacher-directed instruction. Students can participate in optional, self-directed learning activities posted on FCPS 24-7 Blackboard. Student work will be neither required nor graded. These activities will be across the content areas so each child can choose activities that suit their interests

Middle School Continuity of Learning Resources

 

Food Resources

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency continues to evolve, we understand that individuals and families in our communities may have food assistance needs.  To make it easier for you to find food resources, the county has developed a searchable map that includes all food distribution sites, including Fairfax County Public Schools, community meal distribution sites, food pantries and other related services.  You can enter your address, select how many miles from your address you want to search and select from the food distribution and assistance sites to find the name, address, hours (if available) and driving directions.  

Additionally, many nonprofit and faith-based organizations provide supplemental food and other services to our students and families. Their needs are ongoing.  Here is a link to resources in every part of Fairfax County that need the support of our generous community

 

Mental Health and Community Resources

Concern over the new virus can make children and families anxious.  While there is uncertainty about the spread of the disease in the US, acknowledging the level of concern in any family member is appropriate.  The resources found here will help you help children cope with anxiety by providing accurate prevention information and facts without causing undue alarm. This link also includes several resources that have been created by leading mental health experts on how to have age-appropriate, fact-based and reassuring conversations with you children about the outbreak and the steps they can take to stay healthy.

 

FCPS Parent Resource Center

The Parent Resource Center (PRC) of Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) offers a welcoming and engaging environment for parents, educators, and community members. We provide access to information and resources to support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs and disabilities.

 

 

3300 Lees Corner Road Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-904-5100
Attendance: 703-904-5151 | Web | Twitter | Facebook