|
English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو
1. Important Dates
November 21-23 - Fall Theater Production
November 24-25 - No After-School Program (all students depart at 2:15 PM)
November 26-28 - Thanksgiving Holiday - School & Office Closed
December 5 - Fall Picture Retakes
December 22 - January 4 - Winter Break
2. A Note from the Principal
Dear Rocky Run Families-
There are numerous events to look forward to over the next few weeks. First and foremost, I am eagerly anticipating the opening weekend performances of "Lion King" by our very own Theatre at the Rock. I sneak into rehearsals periodically, and trust me, this show will be amazing! Performances are November 21 at 7 pm, November 22 at 2 pm and 7 pm, and November 23 at 2 pm. General admission tickets are available using THIS LINK or at the door.
Turkey Day is also rapidly approaching and I could not be more thankful to be part of the Rocky Run community. In keeping with the theme of gratitude and thankfulness that is inherent to the month of November, I want to take this opportunity to recognize and celebrate our amazing staff at RRMS! The Ram staff continuously shows resilience, compassion, grace, and innovation. I am truly lucky to work with such a dedicated group of educators.
I am grateful for each and every student in the Ram community. Our students continue to amaze me in and out of the classroom as engaged, global-minded collaborators. I am also thankful for the continued support of the community. The partnership built on trust and communication enables the students and staff and to focus on academic inquiry. Over the Thanksgiving break, I encourage students and staff to remember to take a break from work, and spend time with family, friends and loved ones!
Thank you for your continued support and please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Peter Kownacki
Principal
Rocky Run Middle School
@pakownacki
3. Action Items for Families
School Photos Available Now!
School Photos are now online!
Families should have received an E-proof via email.
Please remember to check your spam.
For any questions about your student's school pictures please contact: underclass@vosphoto.com
NJHS Toy Drive
From December 1st through 5th, Rocky Run’s National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) will be collecting new, unwrapped toys for Northern Virginia Family Services. Students can bring their donations to their Rock Time classes, where they will be counted to see which Rock Time classes collect the most toys. Toy donations can also be dropped off in the main office. On Saturday, December 6th, NJHS will be sponsoring a Winter Wonderland event with activities for younger children and drive-up toy donations. We thank you in advance for your support!
Lost and Found- Please Claim Your Items!
The Lost and Found (located in the cafeteria) is overflowing with lost hoodies, jackets, water bottles, and lunch boxes. Please remind your student to check the lost and found for any items that they have left at school. (They may not even know it is missing.) Any items that are not picked-up before November 25, the day before Thanksgiving Break will be donated.
4. Student Celebrations
Rams on a Roll
Each month, teams identify two students who have gone above and beyond exemplifying our RAISE traits- Respectful, Accountable, Inclusive, Safe, and Engaged. These students have been Raising the Ram both in and out of the classroom- way to go!
7th Grade Rams on a Roll:
Phil Niehoff, Zayna Gilani, Shurahbil Uddin, Hannah Reeder, and Jack Fielding
8th Grade Rams on a Roll:
Mark Grimsley, Jenna Hill, Elise Hamilton, Hajar Yousufi, and Jeremiah Guandalini - Martinez
RAISE the Ram Card Winners
At Rocky Run, students can earn RAISE the Ram cards for exhibiting our RAISE attributes: Rams are Respectful, Accountable, Inclusive, Safe, and Engaged. At the end of each week, we randomly select one winner from each team.
Congratulations to this week's RAISE the Ram card winners:
Meteors: Noah Burt-Lyn (Engaged)
Platinum: Amir Zeroual (Engaged)
Emerald: Basana Noori (Respectful and Engaged)
Kryptonite: Marelin Guzaro Raymundo (Engaged)
Sapphire: Hajar Yousufi (Respectful and Accountable)
Great job Raising The Ram this week!
5. Student Services Updates
Impact Aid Survey
If you have not yet submitted your Impact Aid Survey, you can still complete it online through SIS ParentVUE or you can complete the paper copy that was sent home on Thursday, November 20. Please return the surveys as soon as possible. Your information will be kept strictly confidential.
Please complete one form for each child in your household. Remember that only the enrolling parent can fill out the Impact Aid Survey form.
The Federal Impact Aid program provides money to districts that enroll federally connected students. Help FCPS secure funding from the Impact Aid Program by helping us identify:
- Military families.
- Federally connected families.
- Families living on a military base.
Your support will ensure that we receive the resources for which we are eligible.
If you wish to complete the Impact Aid Survey Online:
Step 1: CLICK HERE to be taken to SIS ParentVUE. If you don’t have a SIS ParentVUE account, contact your child’s school for an activation letter.
Step 2: After you’ve logged into your ParentVue Account, look for the ‘Online Packets’ link at the top of the page. Click ‘Online Packets’.
Step 3: Next, click the ‘Federal Impact Aid Survey’ button on the bottom of the page. This will take you to the Impact Aid Survey for you to complete.
If you have multiple children in Fairfax County Public Schools, please fill out a form for each child. You will know you have completed all of the forms when you get to the final page, and see a green check
Rising 9th Graders (Current 8th) Mark Your Calendars - HS Curriculum Nights
Academic advising season is coming up soon. We will share more detailed information later this month. In the meantime, please review the curriculum night dates and times for our feeder high schools and add them to your personal calendar. For additional information, please visit the Rocky Run Academic Advising website.
- Chantilly HS - Wednesday 1/7/26, 6-8 PM (snow date: 1/14/26)
- Centreville HS - Thursday 1/8/26, 6:30-8 PM (snow date: 1/15/26)
- Westfield HS - Tuesday 1/13/26, 6-8 PM (snow date: 1/20/26)
*Check HS websites for most updated info and sign up to receive the HS News You Choose
6. Instructional Updates
8th Grade Rams Visit Chantilly Academy
This week, a group of 8th grade students visited Chantilly's Academy to check out all the amazing offerings! Students visited a wide range of classes- automotive repair, veterinary science, carpentry, and more! It was an amazing chance for our students to see all the great programs they can access in high school. Keep an eye out for information on their open house in January!
 Students hard at work visiting the automotive program.
 A student visits with a guinea pig in Veterinary Science
Library Happenings
This week has been super busy in the library! First, students in Ms. Valade’s Art Foundations classes visited earlier this week to use the library’s collection of drawing books to add new ideas to their sketchbooks. Students experimented with different designs and patterns. Some students even checked out drawing books to take home with them!
Also this week, most of the seventh grade English classes visited the library to participate in a browsing activity called Book Pass to explore books from different genres. All students successfully checked out a book for their second quarter independent reading project! The last seventh graders will visit next Monday. The most common genres students checked out were science fiction, mystery, and adventure. This weekend, be sure to ask your seventh grader what they checked out from the library!
7. After School Program Information
After-School Schedule for the week of 11/24
- Reminder: There are no after-school activities or late buses on Monday, 11/24, and Tuesday, 11/25 - all students should depart at the 2:15 dismissal.
After-School Schedule for the week of 12/1
Current after-school club offerings
- Several new clubs are starting soon: ChitChat and Checkmates (board games), Creativity Club, Encouragement Express, Friendship Bracelets, Futsal, Smash Bros. Details are viewable by clicking the "current after-school club offerings" link above.
- More clubs will be added throughout the year so check back frequently.
Review the late bus routes that are posted on the After-School Schoology Course
For now, here are some steps to complete:
- Review this general After-School Information.
- ALL families must complete the After-School Consent Form (via the Parent Digital Consent System). Students cannot stay after until this is submitted. Almost all of our Rocky Run students will stay after at some point this year, so please make sure the form is completed ASAP so your student has the flexibility to participate.
- If your student is interested in Spring Track and Field they will need to submit an Athletic Physical Packet. A portion of this must be completed by a health care professional so do not delay working on this! More details on interest meetings, practice dates, game dates, etc. will be provided in advance of a sign-up or tryout.
Questions? Contact Shannon Campbell, After-School Program Specialist, at SLCampbell@fcps.edu.
Calling All RRMS Talent!
Musicians, dancers, comedians, artists, and anyone with a special skill — the stage is yours! Audition for Rocky Run’s Got Talent and show what you’ve got!
-
Interest Meeting: December 1
-
Auditions: December 8
-
Rehearsals: December 9 and 10
-
Showcase: December 11, 2025 @ 7:00 PM
- Co-sponsored by RRMS Theater Dept. & PTA
Sign up to audition: https://tinyurl.com/h7y8ec75 Prefer behind-the-scenes? Volunteer here: https://tinyurl.com/352aduz2
8. Community Corner
Winter Break Camp
Fairfax County's Department of Neighborhood and Community Services is offering the Teens in Action Camps for Winter and Spring Breaks. Click here for more information.
Chantilly High School Holiday Spectacular
Chantilly High School will hold its annual Holiday Spectacular performances on Thursday, December 11th and Friday, December 12th at 7:00pm. For more information, scan the QR code in the flyer below!
 Chantilly High School Tiny Tots Concert
Have little ones who love music? Bring them to the Chantilly Tiny Tots concert on Thursday, December 11th! There will be three shows, at 9:30am, 11:00am, and 12:45pm. Scan the QR code in the flyer for more information!
Shark Tank Technology Challenge – Applications Now Being Accepted
Fairfax County’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services is now accepting entries in the Fairfax Area High School Student Shark Tank Technology Challenge. Initial proposals are due Dec. 19, 2025. Open to all students in Fairfax County, Fairfax City and the City of Falls Church, the 2025-26 challenge invites youth to develop an innovative device or app that will have a positive impact in the lives of older adults, adults with disabilities, caregivers or wounded warriors. The winning students will be recognized with cash awards provided by sponsor IntegrityOne Partners. Winners will also be recognized by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors at a spring 2026 reception. Please visit the Shark Tank Technology Challenge website for more details, including a detailed application packet. For additional assistance, email NCSTechChallenge@fairfaxcounty.gov.
Business for the Youth Workshop
Business For the Youth (BFTY) is a student-led organization to help empower leadership and entrepreneurial skills to the youth. BFTY believes that teaching and engaging the youth in business through service will not only prepare them for the real world but also make them leaders in their communities. Through our global events, fundraising, volunteerism, and chapter, BFTY advocates for youth business engagement through service.
We are hosting a workshop on November 22 and we will be focusing on fundamentals of business, taking inspiration from the popular show Shark Tank! For our workshop, we will bring fun with education, allowing students to participate in hands-on activities and simulations to teach business fundamentals. In this workshop we’ll teach students how to:
- Create a successful product or service that will help the community
- Learn the process of developing a successful product or service
- Collaboration and leadership skills amongst groups
- Pitch their product or service to an audience with confidence
- Understanding how real-world markets works
Click here to access the sign-up form, which also includes links with more information.
This is not a Rocky Run sponsored event.
|
