Luther Jackson March 28, 2025
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Our Table of Contents:- Upcoming Events :
- Community Conversations with Dr. Reid:
- Admin Team Information:
- Counselors:
- Checking Students Out From School:
- Attendance Matters:
- Spring in to Spring with Perfect Attendance. Celebration- April 25th:
- Influenza Update:
- SOL Testing Schedule:
- From Student Services:
- Coming Soon- Theatre Arts Spring Musical:
- FCPS Teachers Awarded Wolf Trap Grants for Performing Arts:
- Academy Day-April 26, 2025:
- PTA Corner:
- SoCo Summer Strings Camp:
- Summer Programs for LJMS Students
- Good things to know:
- How to Report Incidents of Discrimination & Harassment:
- From our Clinic:
- From Tech Support:
- Digital Resource Consent Needed
- ChromeBook Update:
March 28, 2025- End of Third Quarter
March 31, 2025- Student & Teacher Holiday (Eid al Fitr)
April 1, 2025- Student Holiday
April 14-18, 2025 Holidays (Spring Break)
Community Conversations with Dr. Reid:Employee Conversations
- Tuesday, April 29 | 5:30–6:30 p.m. | Providence Elementary School
- Thursday, May 1 | 5:30–6:30 p.m. | Burke School
- Wednesday, May 7 | 5:00–6:00 p.m. | Weyanoke Elementary School
Community Conversations
- Tuesday, April 1 | 6:30–7:30 p.m. | Lorton Station Elementary School
- Monday, April 7 | 6:30–7:30 p.m. | Greenbriar West Elementary School
- Monday, April 21 | 6:30–7:30 p.m. | Mount Eagle Elementary School
- Wednesday, April 23 | 6:30–7:30 p.m. | Mason Crest Elementary School
Interpreter services will be provided for all events.
Feel free to submit questions anytime on the Superintendent’s webpage or by emailing [email protected].
Admin Team Information: Counselors:Counselors are assigned by alphabet and your first point of contact for any question or concerns you might have.
Checking Students Out From School:Families, remember that when coming to the school to pick up your student, an official photo ID must be presented to the Main Office staff. Please understand that this is for security purposes. Driver’s licenses, passports, and military IDs are appropriate examples of official IDs.
Attendance Matters:Regular school attendance is crucial for student success, and we are committed to ensuring all students have the opportunity to learn and thrive. Missing just 10% of school — just two days a month — negatively affects a student’s academic performance. When students reach six (6) or more days absent from school they will be invited to attend our Attendance Recovery Program. These are after-school sessions to make up for missed instructional time. This will help them stay on track with their coursework and avoid falling behind. Student may also choose for other After-School Academic offerings, such as staying with a teacher, to make up for missed instructional time.
Benefits of Attending After-School Sessions:
- Catch up on missed classwork and assignments
- Receive personalized assistance from teachers
- Improve academic performance and understanding
To encourage strong attendance during the spring season, Jackson is excited to announce a special event, "Spring into Spring with Perfect Attendance”, scheduled for April 25th during the last block of the day. This event is exclusively for students who maintain perfect attendance (this meaning coming to school each day!) from March 24th to April 25th. This initiative aims to combat the typical increase in absences in the spring, which can significantly impact our school's overall chronic absenteeism rate. Please support your student by ensuring they are at school each day! Attendance Matters!
Our SRO:Dear LJ Parents and Guardians, Limiting hallway wandering during school hours is a simple step that makes a big difference in keeping our middle school safe. When students make it to class on time and stay in classrooms or supervised areas, it’s easier for staff to know who’s where—reducing the chance of unnoticed incidents like bullying, accidents, or strangers slipping in. By encouraging kids to move purposefully between classes, we create a safer, more secure environment where everyone’s accounted for.
For my position as a School Resource Officer, this isn't about the rules—it’s about safety. Fewer students roaming means fewer opportunities for trouble, from minor scuffles to bigger safety risks. We’ve seen that schools with clear hallway expectations report fewer incidents and have faster resolutions to any problems that occur. Partnering with us to reinforce this habit at home—like reminding your student to head straight to class—helps keep our school a safe, focused place for everyone.
Take care,
SRO E.J. Green (342395)
Fairfax County Police Department
Influenza Update: SOL Testing Schedule:April showers bring May flowers and SOLs!
Dear Parents and Guardians:
If you haven't completed the form to allow your child to take the SOLs, please take a moment to provide your consent by filling out the Parent Retakes Permission for SOL Retakes form here.
Also during the testing window, we kindly ask that you avoid scheduling doctor's appointments or family trips that may cause your student to miss school. The weeks leading up to the tests are crucial, as teachers will be reviewing key concepts to help prepare students for success.
The SOL test dates are as follows:
- Thursday, May 1, 2025 - Reading SOL
- Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - Science SOL
- Tuesday, May 13, 2025 - Math SOL
End of Quarter 3
As we approach the end of Quarter 3, we want to ensure you are aware of important grading timelines:
Quarter 3 Ends: Friday, March 28
ParentVUE Gradebook Access:
- Closes: Friday, March 28 at 4:00 PM
- Reopens: Monday, April 7 at 6:00 PM
During this time, teachers will be finalizing grades. Please encourage your student to check in with their teachers about any missing assignments or reassessments before the quarter ends.
Thank you for your partnership in supporting student success!
Report cards will be distributed to students through their Advisory mid-April.
Algebra 1 Changes for 2025-26 School Year
As we plan for the upcoming school year, we are reviewing students' math progress to ensure they are placed in courses that best support their growth. Some students may be recommended for Algebra in 8th grade, which can provide valuable opportunities for advanced coursework in high school.
If your student’s schedule will be updated, they will be informed, and you will receive communication from Ms. Butzer. If you have any questions, please contact Chris Butzer at [email protected] or your student’s counselor at (703)204-8100.
Coming Soon- Theatre Arts Spring Musical:LJMS Drama proudly presents our spring musical, Mean Girls, Jr. Come out and support our amazing cast & crew who have been working since January on the show. Tickets are $6 pre-sale and $8 at the door. Buy them on our LJMS Website or by using the QR code on the poster! Thursday May 1st 7:00 pm, Friday May 2nd 7:00 pm & Saturday May 3rd 2:30 pm & 7:00 pm.
FCPS Teachers Awarded Wolf Trap Grants for Performing Arts:Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts has awarded grants to 14 teachers at public high schools and middle schools in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., to fund music, dance, and theater projects in their classrooms.
Three teachers at FCPS schools are among the grant recipients. The grants are part of Wolf Trap’s Grants for Performing Arts Teachers, an annual program that issues financial awards to support area public school teachers who are working to bring new and exciting performing arts experiences to their students.
All grantees and their students are invited to participate in a celebratory day of learning at Wolf Trap; participating high school students will perform at The Barns at Wolf Trap on Monday, April 28.
Grants awarded to teachers in FCPS include Stacey M. Jones, Luther Jackson Middle School, (pictured above) for the project “Reviving Ghanian Traditions Through the Blues Workshops” Students in Luther Jackson Middle School's advanced theater arts class will work with Kennedy Center Teaching Artist and Focus 5 Consultant Imani Gonzalez, to learn about Ghanian traditions, connecting the African culture to the African American tradition of the Blues. Studying the blues genre will allow students to explore and tell their own stories. Students will write monologues to connect with the long tradition of defiant storytelling in the face of adversity. Bringing this type of cultural integration into the classroom will strengthen students' sense of identity while promoting acceptance of other cultures through a better understanding of how we are all connected.
Academy Day-April 26, 2025:Senator Mark Warner will be hosting his annual Academy Day on Saturday, April 26th at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg. This event is for any middle or high school student, their parents/guardians, and school counselors in VA interested in the service academies. Event details are below.
PTA Corner:Want to join the PTA board for the 2025-26 school year? If interested, please send a note to [email protected] and/or [email protected] by April 15th
PTA Meeting, Tuesday, April 22nd: Our next PTA meeting will be online on Tuesday, April 22nd, at 7 pm. Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/FKnO_yu2T9aZvILkrMJmCg
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Audit Committee: We are actively seeking volunteers to conduct an internal audit of PTA financial accounts. Any member is welcome to review the PTA finances, and you don't need prior audit experience. If interested, please email [email protected].
Proposed cuts to After-school programs: A proposed budget reduction for FY2026 could eliminate funding for the Middle School After-School (MSAS) program in all 27 Fairfax County middle schools, including LJMS.
Intramural Sports, Performing Arts rehearsals, after-school tutoring and homework help, teacher office hours, and many enrichment activities like College Career & Exploration, Science Olympiad, TSA, Math Counts, NJHS, and Model UN could all go away.
Please contact your Fairfax County Supervisors immediately to express your support for the Middle School After-School Program. You can find contact information for your representatives on the Fairfax County website: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/myneighborhood/
School boundary review: One of our PTA members serves on the Superintendent's Boundary Review Advisory Committee. If you want to connect with them to share any inputs or concerns, please send a note to [email protected].
PTA website: Visit our website to become a PTA member, donate online, or to buy spirit wear at https://jacksonmspta.org/
SoCo Summer Strings Camp:Exciting news! SoCo Summer Strings is returning this summer! The camp will be hosted at South County Middle School from July 7-18, 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM (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 register for camp at www.schsorchestra.org/soco-summer-strings. Register early to save money and reserve your student’s spot!
If you love to dance and are interested in trying out for the Oakton High School Dance team for the 2025-26 school year or the year after, the Dance Team is holding a Mini-Clinic Saturday, March 22 from 9am-12 at Oakton HS, as well as a Tryouts Prep Clinic May 19, 21, 27, and 29 from 4-6pm at Oakton HS. Both clinics are open to students in grades 7-11! The clinics will teach a variety of skills and choreography that will be helpful in preparing for tryouts for next year or the year after.
If you are interested in participating in the Dance Team Mini-Clinic, get more information and register using the March 2025 Prep Clinic link.
If you are interested in participating in the 4-Day Tryouts Prep Clinic, get more information and register using the Tryouts Prep Clinic link.
If you have questions, please reach out to Coach Rowley at [email protected].
Oakton HS Dance Team Interest Meeting
If you are interested in trying out for the Oakton High School Dance Team for the 2025-26 season, there will be informational meetings Tuesday, April 22 at 3:15pm in the Oakton High School library and 6pm (virtual meeting). Please sign up here if you plan to attend the meeting and to get the link if you wish to attend the virtual meeting. If you are interested in information but cannot attend the meeting, fill out the form to be sent information. Coach Rowley will share information about what a year on dance team is like, as well as share tryout information and talk about the tryout process.
Oakton HS Dance Team 2025-26 Tryouts
If you love to dance and want to be involved in your school, come try out for the Oakton High School Dance Team! Tryouts will be held June 9, 10, and 11 for the 2025-26 team selection. Not sure if you have all of the skills for dance team?? Fill out the form and come to tryouts anyway! You will have the opportunity to learn skills there, and dancers are often selected based on potential ability to pick up the needed skills! Sign up to get more information about tryouts with this Tryout Interest Form link. Filling out this link will also get you information about various Dance Team events occurring in the Spring to prepare for tryouts. Contact Coach Rowley at [email protected] with questions.
Summer Programs for LJMS StudentsSee below for information about two different summer program opportunities available for rising 7th and 8th graders here at Luther Jackson:
How to Survive Middle School, July 30-31 VIP Camp Poe, July 1-31 Registration is on hold right now...At this time, we are not currently accepting registrations for the VIP Summer Camps as this program may not be available or may be restructured. The current Fairfax County budget proposal includes eliminating funding for the middle school after-school program specialists who design and run the VIP summer camps.
• Fairfax County has opportunities for community members to submit feedback on the budget proposal. You can find them at this link: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news/take-survey-submit-feedback-fy26-budget-proposal
• Town Hall Budget Meeting Calendar is here: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/budget/fy-2026-budget-town-hall-meetings
When students need to miss school, it is important for parents/guardians to communicate those absences with the school. This can be done by calling the attendance phone line at 703-204-8282.
Whether students miss school because of illness or any other reason, missing school leads to learning loss.
Help your child succeed by encouraging them to attend as many days as possible, but do make sure your child stays home if they are sick. Visit FCPS’ website for information on when to keep your child at home.
If your child has a chronic illness, make sure to notify their teacher so that support can be provided if needed. Also, keep an open line of communication with your school's public health staff.
Read about how families can help form good attendance habits. Attend today, achieve tomorrow!
📋 Permission Forms
Families can easily grant permission for their children to access a variety of school resources through the Parent Digital Consent system. Parents can opt their child in or out of resources including online educational tools, school counseling services, and tutoring services. They can also change how student information is managed. Visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. See how to use the tool.
How to Report Incidents of Discrimination & Harassment:The "Discrimination and Harassment: Let's Talk" platform is an essential tool that allows anyone within our school community to report incidents of discrimination, harassment, or other concerning behaviors confidentially. More information about the platform, including how to access and use it, can be found at https://www.fcps.edu/submit-discrimination-and-harassment-report.
From our Clinic: From Tech Support:Parents can complete the Lightspeed Parent Report Request. This request provides parents with Weekly Parent Reports delivered by Lightspeed directly to an authorized parent email over the weekend. These reports summarize the websites visited by the student while using an FCPS device.
At the bottom of the weekly report, parents can register for the Parent Relay Portal, which provides detailed browsing information. The sign-up is embedded within the Lightspeed report and does not require any further submission to IT or IT intervention. The extended access also gives parents the ability to pause internet access on their child’s FCPS laptop during non-school hours, such as dinner or bedtime. However, parents cannot pause the internet during the school day.
Digital Resource Consent Needed Families,We Need Your Consent for Select Digital Resources
At Jackson Middle School, our teachers will use a variety of digital resources to support student learning and promote communication and collaboration with students and families. Some of the digital resources your child may use this year will require your consent before they can be used. Please find the link to the digital form, where you can give your consent, here: https://digitalconsent.fcps.edu/ispb/r/is01/pdcp/login?session=17253181329964. You can find further direction here: a list of the resources that require parental consent here: https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/technology/digital-resources/consent.
Need technical support? Call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS). This will be answered by staff members from 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
ChromeBook Update:If a student returns a Chromebook damaged, they will receive a warning, and if there is a second instance of the same damage, they will have to pay for the repair cost. If a student returns a Chromebook damaged and the case is removed, they will have to pay for the repair cost in the first instance. Repair costs are listed below.
HP Fortis Parts
Cost
Chromebook replacement
$481
Charger
$25
System Board
$315
Screen
$90
Keyboard and palm rest
$48
Touchpad
$21
Heatsink
$30
Daughterboard
$22
Base enclosure
$20
Bezel
$18
Speaker
$16
3020 Gallows Road, Falls Church, Virginia, 22042 | Main Office: 703-204-8100
Attendance: 703.204.8282 | Web | Twitter | Instagram