 Dear Luther Jackson Families,
We are aware of a recent TikTok trend that challenges students to physically damage their school-issued Chromebooks. This “Chromebook Challenge” encourages students to purposefully cause their devices to short out or catch fire by jamming metal/lead into the charging or USB port or stabbing the battery. Students might think that this behavior is a harmless joke or prank, but it’s dangerous and we are asking for your help in preventing it here in FCPS.
Please speak to your students about the consequences of this TikTok challenge, which include:
Please also note that families may be responsible for the repair or replacement costs for student-issued devices that are deliberately damaged.
I appreciate your partnership in keeping our students and school safe, and I’m looking forward to a strong finish to the school year here at Luther Jackson. Please reach out to me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Raven N. Jones
May 23, 2025 Heritage Night- 6 pm- 8pm
May 26, 2025 Holiday (Memorial Day)
June 11, 2025 Last of School (Early Release)
Counselors are assigned by alphabet and your first point of contact for any question or concerns you might have.
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.
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
Dear Wonderful Parents of Luther Jackson Middle School,
Join us for an exciting Heritage Night on Friday, May 23rd, from 6-8 PM! Let's celebrate the amazing cultures and traditions of our students from the United States and around the globe. We need your help to make this night unforgettable!
Here’s how you can contribute:
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Share a dish: Bring a traditional food item to share with about 20 people in the cafeteria.
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Dress in cultural attire: Showcase the beauty of your heritage during a fun walk around the school.
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Perform: Share your talent through a song, dance, or craft demonstration!
Help us create a vibrant celebration of our diverse cultures!
¡Acompáñenos a una emotiva Noche de Tradiciones Culturales, el viernes 23 de mayo, de 6 a 8 p. m.! Celebremos las maravillosas culturas y tradiciones de nuestros estudiantes en Estados Unidos y todo el mundo. ¡Necesitamos su ayuda para que esta noche sea inolvidable!
Puede contribuir de la siguiente manera:
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Comparta un plato: Traiga un alimento tradicional para compartir con unas 20 personas en la cafetería.
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Vístase con atuendos culturales: Demuestre la belleza de su herencia cultural durante un divertido paseo por la escuela.
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Actúe: ¡Comparta su talento con una canción, un baile o una demostración de manualidades
(Para donaciones de alimentos, comuníquese con la Sra. Aderton a asaderton@fcps.edu. Para consultas generales, comuníquese con el Sr. Phil Kim a pkim@fcps.edu y/o Ricardo Bethencourt (Director de Enlace Familiar) at 571-544-2453. Para obtener más información sobre la presentación, comuníquese con la Sra. Stacey Jones a smjones3@fcps.edu.)
¡Ayúdenos a crear una vibrante celebración de nuestras diversas culturas!
Dear Parent or Guardian:
The school health room is reminding parents and guardians that all medication stored in the health room must be picked up no later than the student dismissal time on the last day of school- (June 11th). Medication left in the health room after that time will be destroyed. It is school policy that medications must be picked up by the parent or guardian. Medication cannot be sent home with your student.
Lina Ezzeddine
School Health Aide
Phone: 703-204-8100 Luther Jackson Middle School
Health Department Employee Assigned to Jackson Middle School
SOL Make-ups/Retakes
We are pleased to share that our schoolwide SOL testing has been completed. Congratulations to all of our students for their dedication and hard work throughout the testing season!
Some students still need to complete make-up exams, and those families will be contacted directly prior to testing. Students who are eligible for a retake will also be invited to participate in remediation sessions and given another opportunity to demonstrate their progress.
We encourage you to check in with your student next week regarding their SOL status. Thank you for your continued partnership and support!
Summer Programs
As you begin to make plans for the summer, we encourage you to explore the many learning opportunities available through Fairfax County Public Schools. From academic enrichment to credit recovery and fun exploratory programs, there are options for every student.
To learn more and find a program that fits your child’s needs, visit: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/summer-learning
Planning for Next Year’s Classes
We are in the process of planning student schedules for the upcoming school year. As part of this process, some students are being identified for additional support through intervention classes in areas such as language development, math, or literacy. These courses are designed to help students strengthen foundational skills and achieve academic success.
Student placement in intervention classes is based on several factors, including current grade level, academic progress, SOL scores, and literacy data. Families of students who are recommended for intervention supports will receive more information during the summer. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Mr. Zubieta.
Student Bus Passes Offer Free Transportation All Year
All Fairfax County middle and high school students can get a Student Bus Pass SmarTrip card to ride the Fairfax Connector and Fairfax CUE buses for free! With the pass, fares are free from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, all year. Learn more about the Student Pass. Complete the application and return it to our Student Services Office.
Heritage Night Friday, May 23, 2025, 6 pm to 8 pm: Join us for an evening of food, fun, and culture from around the world as we foster cultural understanding and spotlight the rich diversity at Luther Jackson and our surrounding community.
Want to contribute? Here’s how you can help:
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Share a taste of your culture - Show off your cooking skills by bringing a favorite dish representing your home country to share with our LJMS families. Please make enough for 25-35 people, and be sure to include the name of your dish and ingredients when bringing your delicious contribution to Heritage Night! Contact: Ann Aderton (asaderton@fcps.edu)
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Share your talent - Got a traditional song, dance, or performance you’d like to share? Sign up for our talent showcase! Contact: Stacey Jones (smjones@fcps.edu)
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Represent your culture’s traditional fashions/style - Do you own traditional costumes or cultural apparel? Be part of our “Parade of Nations” fashion show and strut your style on stage. Open to all LJMS students and their family members. Contact: Stacey Jones (smjones@fcps.edu)
PTA Meeting Friday, May 23, 2025, 5 pm to 6 pm: In-person in the Multi-purpose Room. Join us for the last PTA meeting of this school year, as we elect officers for the next school year. If you want to add something to the meeting agenda, please send a note to president@jacksonmspta.org.
PTA Board for 2025-26 school year: Thank you to the Nominating Committee members, Olga, Molly, and Ricardo, for nominating the following LJMS PTA officers for the 2025-26 school year:
- President: Karen Lee
- Vice President: Olga Rozell
- Treasurer: Alison Paddock
- Secretary: Molly Huh
The above officers will be voted on at our May 2025 PTA meeting.
Food Pantry Distribution Coordinator: We need a volunteer to help with the food
pantry distributions every other Wednesday from 4-5:30 pm next school year. Students
prepare the food bags, so the coordinator just needs to arrive early to ensure the bags
are set out and assist students in distributing the food to families when they arrive.
Ability to speak Spanish is a plus, but not required. If you are interested in helping,
contact Megan Dho at megandho@gmail.com.
Grocery Bag Donation Drive for Food Pantry: The food pantry has run out of the
brown paper grocery bags we use to deliver food to families. If you have any spare
bags, please bring them into the office. We need at least 160 bags to get us through
the rest of the year.
PTA website: Visit our website to become a PTA member, donate online, or buy spirit wear at https://jacksonmspta.org/
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!
See 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!
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