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Students in Science 8 doing a weather prediction project and pictures of the Eco club preparing to make spring amazing at Franklin!

Franklin Community,

Looking ahead to next week, our 8th graders will be taking the Integrated Reading and Writing (IRW) Assessment next Tuesday. The IRW is a state assessment that measures students’ ability to read complex texts, analyze information, and produce clear, well-supported written responses. The assessment requires students to read multiple sources on a given topic and write an extended response that demonstrates comprehension, critical thinking, and effective writing skills. While this is an important academic benchmark, it is also an opportunity for students to showcase the literacy skills they have been building throughout middle school.

While 8th graders are taking the IRW, our 7th graders will complete a practice version of the assessment in their classes. This practice experience helps familiarize students with the structure and expectations of the assessment so they feel confident and prepared when it becomes part of their testing program next year. We appreciate your support in ensuring students are well-rested and ready to do their best.

I also want to take a moment to recap last week’s exciting Franklin vs. Rocky Run basketball event. What a night! Our girls team secured a thrilling victory with a three-point shot in the final two seconds of the game to claim the win. It was an unforgettable finish that had the crowd on its feet. The boys team mounted an impressive comeback, battling back to make it a close contest before coming up just two points short. As for the staff team, we are proud to report that everyone had fun and, most importantly, nobody got seriously hurt, which is truly a victory whenever 30+ year-olds lace up the basketball shoes!

Congratulations to all of our players for their hard work and competitive spirit, and thank you to our fans for demonstrating outstanding sportsmanship and positive energy throughout the evening. This was the largest crowd we have had at the game in many years, and we are excited to continue building on this incredible school spirit.

A special thank you goes to Ms. Magwire and our pep band for making the evening even more memorable. Having a pep band at the event for the first time added tremendous energy and school pride to the atmosphere. We are grateful for the time and effort that went into preparing for the performance and helping make the night such a success.

Looking ahead to the spring season, we held our Track interest meeting today and were thrilled to see so many students in attendance. There is clearly a great deal of excitement about the upcoming season. However, we are still in need of a Track Coach to make the season possible. Coaching track is a wonderful opportunity to connect with students, build relationships, and help young athletes develop resiliency, confidence, and a strong work ethic. If you or someone you know may be interested in this stipend position, please reach out to Mr. Tippins at wctippins@fcps.edu for more information. We would love to get this position filled so we can provide this opportunity for our students.

Thank you, as always, for your continued partnership and support. It has been an exciting stretch at Franklin and before we know if March will be over and we will be headed on Spring Break!

Tom DeRusso
Principal
Franklin Middle School

Weekly CARE Card Raffle Winners

~Important Dates~ 

March 8 - Daylight Saving Time (spring forward)

March 10 - Integrated Reading & Writing SOL (8th grade only)

March 11 - PTA Meeting - 7:00pm (virtual)

March 20 - Eid al-Fitr - School & Office Closed

March 27 - End of 3rd Quarter - 2 hour early release

March 30-April 3 - Spring Break 

April 6 - Teacher Workday - School Closed

April 10 - Teacher Workday - School Closed

National School Social Work Week March 2-8 is National School Social Work Week. Social workers in FCPS help to prevent social, emotional, and behavioral factors from affecting a student's ability to perform at their best. Their primary goal is to remove barriers that prevent a student from fulfilling their academic potential. Franklin MS is lucky to have Ms. Brunais as our Social Worker.  We are thankful for all she does to help Franklin students and the community! Thank you, Ms. Brunais!

~Action Items~

Stress Less Week

During the week of March 23-27, Franklin Middle School students and staff will be celebrating Stress Less, Laugh More Week. This week is an annual event that aims to create a healthy and supportive school environment for students by ensuring we all play a role in normalizing conversations around mental health. Students and staff will learn ways to cope with stress and participate in activities that promote an inclusive and fun school community. We will have several games and activities that require small treats or prizes! If you would like to donate, please click here and drop off items to the main office by Thursday, March 19^th. Thank you and we appreciate your support! 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0B49A8AC2DA7FB6-55470855-stress

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team? Share an FCPS CARES! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu. Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration from HR. Encourage your community to show our staff that their hard work is appreciated!