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RAVEN REPORT
While this week was short, like always it was filled with activity. Our focus on literacy during Raven Time this semester has allowed for so many of our students to be engaged in reading in a variety of ways. Many students who require an intervention are receiving it during this time. At Poe, over 50% of our students met the requirements for a reading plan as outlined by the state of VA. And in order for us to be able to meet their needs, all Poe staff must support literacy instruction. Whether it’s supporting students in programming, engaging in a book club, or reading in small groups- we appreciate all your staff and families do to help our students become better readers!
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of seeing our cross country compete in the last meet of the year. It was a great way to end the season and see all of our middle schools come together to celebrate middle school sports. This week is our first full week in a while and to make it a little more fun, SGA is hosting our fall spirit week this week (more details below). Wish you all a great week and thank you for all you do- Go Ravens!
Follow us on Social Media: To see the latest from Poe MS follow us on Instagram at @poeravensfcps!
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Important Dates |
11/21: Parent Coffee- Raven’s Nest 9:30
POE FALL SPIRIT WEEK
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Raving Ravens |
FRED Cards: Here’s what people are saying about our amazing staff. Below are some of the highlights from the recent FRED Cards that were submitted. The person’s name is who is being highlighted followed by what was said about them by a colleague. I will continue to highlight them in each Raven Report so keep them coming!
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Denise Hook: “I admire you for all that you do for your students. I've heard kids say your class is their favorite, because of you! You're amazing and I'm thankful you are at Poe. You're an amazing special Ed teacher.”
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Mel Laudermilk “Thank you for putting up with all my visits this week. Your willingness to support our community and teachers does not go unnoticed. You are truly appreciated!”
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Joetta Sack: “You are so dedicated to your students and meeting their needs! I appreciate your willingness and dedication to problem-solving, collaboration and learning new things. I could not do this work without you!”
Opportunities
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Thank a Teacher Art Contest: Together with The Supply Room, the Virginia Lottery is excited to announce that the 9th annual Thank a Teacher Art Contest is officially open for entries! This contest celebrates the creativity of Virginia’s K–12 public school students and the incredible educators who inspire them. We invite you to encourage your students to participate and showcase their artistic talents! This contest is open to all K-12 students and the entry period is from October 20- February 2, 2026. Winners will receive a $200 gift card, their art classrooms will receive $2000 in supplies, and the winning art will be featured throughout Virginia. Click here to apply!
Winter Olympics Camp: Thanks for your past support of Annandale Camps. Annandale High School's Booster club is hosting two Winter Olympics Camps held at Poe Middle School December 22 and 23rd and Annandale High School December 29 and 30th. Your child(ren) will have an incredible time with our wonderful coaches for a very affordable price of $80 each camp. Camps run each day from 8:30am to 3:00pm. If you are going to be in town, make some time for yourself and make sure your kids are having fun and getting some exercise. Attached is the flyer and here is link to sign up https://bit.ly/Winter25Camp.
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Important Information |
Poe Spirit Week- This week is Poe Spirit Week. Here is the theme for each day:
November Is National Family Engagement Month: Family Engagement Month is a time to remember that parents and caregivers are children’s first and most important teachers, advocates, and nurturers. The FCPS Family Academy supports the continued success and well-being of each and every student within the FCPS community. The Academy offers a variety of positive and engaging learning opportunities and meaningful connections to transform the FCPS experience into a welcoming environment for all families.
FCPS Family Café Series: Support Your Child’s Growth and Learning: The FCPS Family Academy announces the launch of a monthly series called the FCPS Family Café. These fun and helpful sessions are designed to keep families informed and involved in their child’s education. At Family Café, parents are key partners in helping children succeed. Click on a topic below to register to attend.
Family Academy Offers Opportunities to Support Parents and Guardians: The FCPS Family Academy offers resources and in-person and virtual classes, workshops, webinars, and programs for families. The following webinars and workshops will take place in November:
- ABA Family Training: Prioritizing Skills to Teach at Home
- Co-Parenting: Two Parents, Two Homes (in Spanish)
- Supporting Your Military-Connected Student in Secondary School
- Moving on to Life in the Community
Other Family Resource Center webinars will cover topics such as communication with twice exceptional children, family engagement in the special education process, restorative justice practices in schools and at home, and improving routines.
Visit the Family Academy Catalog to learn more about these and other resources.
Volunteer Registration Update: Due to the overwhelming response from our community, FCPS is temporarily pausing fingerprint requirements for most Level 3 volunteers. If you are scheduled for an upcoming fingerprinting appointment, please cancel your appointment unless you are a mentor, host parent, or non-parent volunteer having frequent, direct, and unsupervised contact with students, which will still require fingerprinting. FCPS will be charged if individuals miss a fingerprinting appointment without canceling in advance.Those who have already been fingerprinted will be processed to be eligible for all Level 3 opportunities.
Field trip chaperone opportunities will now be classified as Level 2 (not requiring a background check): To ensure continuous safety, all new volunteers are required to sign a Volunteer Certification Statement. This statement is a legal attestation confirming you have no history of violent felonies, physical/sexual crimes against children, or crimes of moral turpitude.
Want to volunteer? Visit Volunteer FCPS to find and sign up for volunteer opportunities. Contact Volunteers@fcps.edu with any questions.
Tutoring Resources for Families: Some families may be looking for additional resources to help support their child’s academic success. The FCPS Family Resource Center (FRC) maintains a list of FCPS employees who hold a valid Virginia teaching credential and who are available to hire as tutors. This list is a resource offered by the FRC, but families are responsible for contacting and working directly with the tutors. This list is not approved by FCPS and is only meant to be a resource to families.
FCPS also partners with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra resources for learning. Every student can take advantage of Varsity Tutors' services, at no cost, including weekly live online classes, on-demand 24/7 chat tutoring, essay editing, and study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests.
Apply Anytime for Free and Reduced-Price Meals: Families are encouraged to apply for free and reduced-price meals at any time during the school year.
If your income changes — for example, due to a furlough, layoff, or job loss — you may become newly eligible. Once approved, your benefits stay active for the rest of the school year and for the first 30 days of the next school year. Students who qualify for free and reduced-price meals or attend a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school receive free breakfast and lunch every school day. It’s a great way to make your food budget go further and save time from packing meals. Learn more about FCPS Food and Nutrition.
Impact of Federal Shutdown on Local Community: Fairfax County is home to around 80,000 federal employees and thousands of federal contractors. Its Federal Workforce Resource Hub is intended to help navigate current and future issues for residents, government employees, active military/veterans, contractors, nonprofits, and businesses who may be affected by actions, changes, or disruptions to federal services or employment. Find more community resources for families. Community Resources for Families in Need: Through partnerships with community-based organizations and other Fairfax County agencies, Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) provides information, referrals, and advocacy to help individuals connect with services, including: basic needs (food, shelter, clothing), financial assistance, health care services, and referrals to services and resources.
Visit the CSP website or call 703-222-0880 for assistance.
How to Access or Donate Food to Those in Need: View the Emergency Food Access Providers webpage to see where to access food or donate to your local food bank.
Every Day Is a Stepping Stone to Success: Attendance is an important life skill that will help your child later in life. It’s a good habit to build now that will help them graduate on time and help them with time management. Parents and families can play a big role in helping kick-start good attendance habits. Please take a look at the FCPS Calendar. Try to schedule any trips or family events on weekends and school holidays. Keep in mind that absences add up quickly. Students who are absent 10% of the school year (or just two days per month) are considered “chronically absent.” When possible, schedule appointments for your child outside of school hours. If your child needs to miss school because of an illness or appointment, you must report the absence to our school. Visit our Attendance webpage for more information.
Services for Hearing-Impaired and Visually-Impaired Students: Students with sensory disabilities require special services and support to access instruction that is typically presented auditorily (by means of hearing) and visually. FCPS provides educational services to students who are deaf, hearing-impaired, or visually impaired. They are supported in various settings, including at their school site or through itinerant specialists who travel to different schools to work with students, rather than being based in a single school. Learn more about Services for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and Services for Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired.
The Virginia Department of Education also provides information about Additional Resources for Serving Students with Sensory Disabilities.
Inspire Immunization Events for All FCPS Students: Inspire Health Alliance, in partnership with FCPS, will be providing school-required immunizations and optional flu shots for all FCPS students.
- Immunizations will be provided at no out-of-pocket cost to students or families.
- Registering families will be required to provide insurance information, if applicable, but students without insurance may still participate.
Current event dates are listed below. Additional dates will be made available throughout the school year, 4-5 weeks prior to the event, on the public webpage.
Willow Oaks Administrative Office, 8270 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive, Fairfax, VA:
- Tuesday, November 18; 3-6:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, November 19; 3-6:30 p.m.
- Thursday, November 20; 3-6:30 p.m.
For more information, or to help families schedule an appointment for their student, please visit our FCPS and Inspire Health Alliance Student Immunization Events | Fairfax County Public Schools webpage.
Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey: FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets, which is in the upper right corner of the screen after logging in. Please complete it as soon as possible. We will provide paper forms to families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE starting Wednesday, November 12.
Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is important. This year, FCPS expects to receive approximately $4 million in Impact Aid funding. These funds are used to support all Fairfax County public schools and centers.
For more information, visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.
Register for ParentVUE: Learn how to activate your SISParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey and have access to other helpful information about your child.
Technical support for using ParentVUE or submitting the survey online is available by submitting a Parent Support Request ticket. Select SISParent in the Application dropdown menu and type “Federal Impact Aid Survey” in the Issue Description section. You may also call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS).
News from the PTSA
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Reflections Art Competition:
The PTSA is excited to bring the National PTA Reflections Art Competition to Poe! Each year, students across the country create works of original art in response to a student-created theme. This year's theme is "I Belong."
Students can create pieces across many categories: dance choreography, visual arts, film production, music composition, photography, and literature. Entries must be accompanied by an entry form, attached below. Entries are due by Friday, December 5.
Winning submissions in each category will be entered into the statewide Virginia PTA competition.
Each entry must be accompanied by an entry form, attached below. Submission instructions are on the Call for Entries document, also attached below.
Contact the PTSA at poeptsa18@gmail.com with questions.
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