|
English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو
 Military-connected students were recognized in honor of Month of the Military Child and Purple Up Day; Students were competitive during the Pickleball Tournament
Franklin Community,
It certainly felt like summer arrived in a hurry this week. With the recent heat wave and rising temperatures, it has been quite a shift from the cooler weather we experienced not long ago! As we adjust, we appreciate your support in helping students come to school prepared for the warmer conditions and stay hydrated throughout the day.
This past Wednesday, we were proud to celebrate Purple Up Day in recognition of our military-connected students. We hosted a breakfast and presented certificates to honor their resilience, flexibility, and the unique experiences they bring to our school community. Purple Up Day is part of the Month of the Military Child, and the color purple represents all branches of the military. As an aspiring Purple Star School, we are committed to supporting and recognizing our military families, and this was a meaningful opportunity to do just that. We are grateful to our Student Services team and our Parent Liaison, Ms. McFadden, who helped make the morning so special for our students.
As we look ahead to next week, we also want to take a moment to recognize Mr. Tippins in honor of After School Professional Appreciation Week. Mr. Tippins does an incredible job leading our after school program and supporting so many aspects of our school community. Much of his work happens behind the scenes, but its impact is felt every day. From organizing activities and managing logistics to building relationships with students and staff, he consistently goes above and beyond to ensure things run smoothly. We are fortunate to have him as part of our team, and we thank him for all that he does for Franklin.
Next week, we will also be celebrating FCPS Earth Week, with Earth Day taking place on Wednesday. Students are encouraged to show their school spirit by participating in our themed days:
- Monday, April 20 – Zero Waste Day: wear white • Tuesday, April 21 – no school • Wednesday, April 22 – Earth Day: wear green • Thursday, April 23 – Climate Change Day: wear red • Friday, April 24 – Watershed Day: wear blue
As a reminder, there will be no school for students on Tuesday due to the election. To help balance our instructional schedule, Monday will be an All-Period Day, with students attending each of their classes for approximately 45 minutes.
Have a great weekend. Go Falcons!
Tom DeRusso
Principal
Franklin Middle School
Weekly CARE Card Raffle Winners
~Important Dates~
April 20-23: Earth Week Spirit Days
April 21: Special Election - School Closed
April 21: Dining for Dollars - Piero's Corner Ristorante
April 30-May 3: Spring Musical
April 30 - 7:00pm
May 1 - 7:00pm
May 2 - 2:00pm & 7:00pm
May 3 - 2:00pm
May 5: Reading SOL
May 12: Science 8 SOL
May 18: NJHS Induction and Pinning Ceremony - 3:00pm
May 19: Math SOL
Greater Northern Virginia Science and Engineering Fair - 1st Place Finish
Mukhundha “MP” Peddinti won first prize at the Greater Northern Virginia Science and Engineering (NVSE) Fair for Elementary and Middle School hosted by George Mason University this past weekend for his design for Composting Robot. His CompostRobo 2.0 project automates home composting with a mobile, smart bin that collects, crushes, and manages waste, mounted on Arduino Rover, reducing labor. In addition to winning the science fair, he won a special award for the “most innovative design” and Thermo Fisher Jr. Innovation award which means he is eligible to move on to applying for the national competition.
~Action Items~
We Want Your Feedback! Principal Evaluation Parent/Guardian Questionnaire
On Monday, April 6, parents and guardians of Franklin Middle School will receive an email with a link to the FCPS Principal Evaluation Parent/Guardian Feedback Form. This questionnaire is part of the Performance Evaluation Program and provides an opportunity to share anonymous feedback about our school’s leadership and environment.
Topics covered in the survey include:
✅ Instructional leadership
✅ School climate
✅ Management (human resources and organizational)
✅ Communication and community relations
✅ Culturally responsive and equitable leadership
✅ Professionalism
The questionnaire will be open April 6 - April 19 and will be collected online. When you receive the email from noreply@fcps.edu, please take a few minutes to complete it. Your input is valuable and helps shape the future of our school. Thank you for your time and feedback!
FCPS Earth Week Spirit Days
Monday, 4/20: Zero Waste Day - wear WHITE
Wednesday, 4/22: Earth Day - wear GREEN
Thursday, 4/23: Climate Change Day - wear RED
Friday, 4/24: Watershed Day - wear BLUE
Dining For Dollars - April 21 - 5:00pm-8:00pm
National Junior Honor Society
 |
|
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!
|
~Student Services~
Let’s Talk About The Anxious Generation – Book Discussion
Join us via Zoom on Wednesday, May 6 at 5:30 pm, for a virtual Book Discussion of The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, a #1 New York Times bestseller exploring how today’s world is impacting our children’s mental health.
This will be a judgment-free conversation about our kids’ screen time, smartphones, social media, and other topics that affect our kids’ lives.
You don’t need to have read the book to participate in the discussion.
The conversation will be led by two parents and will be a chance to connect, share perspectives, and learn from one another in a supportive space.
If you have any questions about the book discussion, contact Janet McFadden at 703 904-5193 or jamcfadden@fcps.edu. We hope you’ll join us!
Register Here
|
Required Immunizations for Rising 7th Graders
As required by the Code of VA, parents or legal guardians need to provide proof of immunizations for their child to attend at a Virginia public school.
In addition, all students entering 7th grade are required to receive one dose of each of the following immunizations:
- Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis booster (Tdap) given at age 7 or older;
- Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) given at age 10 or older;
- A complete series of 2 doses of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.
- After reviewing educational materials approved by the Board of Health, the parent or guardian, at the parents or guardians sole discretion, may elect for the child not to receive the HPV vaccine.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to plan ahead by scheduling an appointment with your child’s healthcare provider now to avoid the rush this summer. Immunization appointments are available. Inspire Health Alliance will be providing immunizations for currently enrolled FCPS students at no out-of-pocket cost. Visit the Inspire Immunization Events Student Registration webpage to schedule an appointment.
Please review the Virginia Department of Health Information Packet (PDF) for more information on rising 7th grade immunization requirements.
Additional Immunization Resources are also available.
~AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM~
Students should be picked up from the After-School Program no later than 5:00PM. Parents should communicate with your student on their pickup time. Late Buses run Monday-Thursday with a departure time of 4:45pm. On Fridays there are no late buses but parents may pick up their students by 4:35pm on Fridays.
-
For more info on the After-School Program visit the website or schoology.
MS Sports - Spring Track
The first meet of the season will be on Saturday April 25 at Herndon High School. An email will go out to all track parents Sunday with more information about the meet at Herndon HS. Please be on the lookout for the email.
Track Schedule
- Monday - April 20 (Practice)
- Wednesday - April 22 (Practice)
- Saturday - April 25 (Meet at Herndon HS)
Any questions please reach out to Chris Tippins at WCTippins@fcps.edu.You can also visit the Franklin MS Sports page or at the FCPS MS Sports site for more information.
Western Fairfax VIP Application - Now Open!!
Western Fairfax VIP Camp will be held at Liberty Middle School from July 1-July 30 for rising 7th & 8th grade students. The application link can be found in the link below. The application link is now open.
Click here for more information on VIP Camp
Chantilly Girls Flag Football Interest Meeting
Dates and Times:
Location:
Contact Information:
COMMANDERS CAMPS
Coming to Franklin MS!!
Commanders Camps are coming to Chantilly this summer! Get ready for high-energy flag football, skill-building, and team-first fun crafted for rising 2nd through 7th graders of every experience level!
Franklin Middle School will be hosting 3 Commanders Flag Football Camps run by Flag Star Football this summer. For more information visit www.commanderscamps.com or scan the QR Code below.
Camp Runs 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Franklin Middle School
3300 Lees Corner Road
Chantilly, VA 20151
Register today at www.commanderscamps.com or the QR code provided on the flyer for registration.
Special Offer: Save $75 for FCPS families with code: FCPSFIRSTYEAR.
Chantilly Athletics Physical Night
Dates and Times:
-
Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
-
Appointments: 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM.
Cost and Registration:
https://www.chantillyathletics.com/news/f0512881-1c93-444e-9113-dae0a7627b10
Teen Explorer Camp Presented by:
Fairfax County Park Authority
Event Details:
-
Location: E C Lawrence Park.
-
Age Range: 12 through 14 years.
-
Activities: Field trips, games, and nature activities!
Dates and Registration:
Accessibility and Accommodations: Fairfax County is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in all county programs, services and activities. Reasonable accommodations will be provided upon request. For details, call 703-324-8563, TTY 711.
 ~Franklin Middle School PTA~
PTA Updates & Reminders
The PTA has several upcoming events and opportunities to support our school community:
-
Dining Day at Piero’s Corner – Tuesday from 5 - 8 PM: Join us for a delicious way to give back! A portion of proceeds will support our school. The kids don't have school, so you shouldn't need to cook! Dine in or take out -- Mention Franklin Middle School -- NO ONLINE ORDERS.
-
End of Year Parties -- June 16 -- We are looking for volunteers to assist in planning 7th and 8th grade parties on June 16 before the end of the year! If interested, reach out to Tracy Berman-Kagan at berman.kagan@gmail.com
Thank you for your continued support of our school community!
Support Franklin's PTA
We're One-Third of the Way to Our Goal!
Welcome back to all our families to another busy school year! We're grateful to everyone who has already joined the PTA this year! So far, we're only about one-third of the way to meeting our membership goal. Your membership dollars go directly back into supporting our students, teachers, and classrooms by covering a variety of costs from classroom resources and teacher appreciation to student enrichment opportunities and more.
While we anticipated membership numbers might dip compared to last year, we're hopeful that families who are able can help close the gap. In addition to the standard $25 membership, please consider subscribing to the $50, $75, or $100 levels. Every extra contribution makes a big difference and helps reduce the need for heavier fundraisers later in the school year. | 
