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Principal's Message |
Greetings Tiger Families!
During the opening of school this week the nervousness that characterizes the buildup to new experiences evolved into excitement and our Tigers learned or re-learned our hallways, classrooms, bus stops and cafeteria lines. They reunited with friends they had not seen in months and introduced themselves to new ones. In between figuring out that pesky locker combination and embracing the increased independence of middle school our students thrived in their classrooms – ready to engage in rigorous and authentic learning experiences. I have been impressed and encouraged by the leadership and maturity I have seen from our 8th graders, and the curiosity and spirit I have seen from our 7th graders. The 2026-27 school year promises to be one that is impactful for us all.
Thank you for the privilege of educating your students. Enjoy the first weekend of the school year!
Sincerely,
Matt
Twain’s Weekly Schedule
Monday, August 31: Even Day Schedule
Tuesday, September 1: Odd Day Schedule
Wednesday, September 2: Even Day Schedule
Thursday, September 3: Odd Day Schedule
Friday, September 4: No School, Labor Day Weekend Holiday
To see Twain’s Bell Schedules and the daily schedule for the year, including changes to the typical Anchor, Odd, Even, Odd, Even Weekly Schedule, you can visit the Bell Schedule page on the Twain Website
After School Program
The first day of the After School Program will be Tuesday, September 22. More information to come.
Calendar Reminder: Labor Day (Holiday)
Friday, September 4, and Monday, September 7, are Labor Day holidays for all FCPS students and employees.
Virginia legislation requires that schools opening before Labor Day must be closed the Friday immediately before Labor Day. We hope everyone takes the long weekend to celebrate a strong start to the school year and enjoy time with family and friends. See the complete school year calendar.
Twain Back to School Night
Back to School Night will be on Thursday, September 17th from 6:30 to 8:30 PM
Transportation Related Updates
Twain Middle School Traffic Study Results
Last school year various entities within FCPS did a traffic study of Twain to identify areas to adjust and improve. Amongst those recommendations are the following:
- The school should continue parent communication discouraging drop-offs along Franconia Road and outside designated school drop-off areas.
- The school should Install "No Pick-Up / No Drop-Off" signage along Franconia Road near common unauthorized drop-off locations (you may have noticed these yellow signs strategically located at the front of campus and across the street as we started the school year).
- The school should communicate directly with families utilizing the bus loop for drop-off and reinforce proper use of the designated Kiss-and-Ride area (you should’ve received a Kiss & Ride email from Mr. Fitzgerald on August 21st outlining our procedures and routes).
- Continue monitoring arrival operations following the start of the school year and conduct a follow-up assessment to evaluate traffic patterns and compliance.
We generally operate efficiently during student arrival; however, eliminating the use of dangerous and illegal drop-offs remain our number one area for improvement. Thank you for partnering with us to make sure arrival and dismissal are safe for our students, staff, and families.
 FCPS Transportation Patience
Thank you for your patience with any transportation related delays as the school year got started. If a bus is delayed, parents and caregivers may access the Bus Delay Notification System or use the Here Comes the Bus mobile app to receive the delayed bus report. Email messages will be sent to communicate significant bus delays. Visit the Transportation Services webpage to find out who to contact with specific questions. For emergencies after hours, contact the Office of Safety and Security at 571-423-2000.
Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE to make sure you receive email messages about bus delays. If you are not receiving emails and believe you should be, submit an IT support ticket that includes your student’s name, your email address, and a request to verify that you have access to messages from eNotify. This is the system that provides critical updates including bus stop information, weather closings, and other emergency messaging.
Please be on the lookout for new student ID cards, which we will be distributing to students who ride the bus or use FCPS transportation service in the coming days.
Student Chromebook Expectations
At the end of this week and start of next week our students will receive their FCPS-issued Chromebooks and chargers. At Twain, technology is one of many instructional tools we can use to maximize student learning. Our goal is to have our Tigers use instructional technology in a balanced manner that supports student learning goals.
We do expect our students to be good stewards of FCPS property and treat their device with care and respect. Please note that students who are negligent or purposefully abusive to their technology will be responsible for repair and/or replacement cost. The current replacement cost of a student Chromebook is $601 and the accompanying charger is $29. Please talk to your student about responsible technology care and develop routines that support this goal.
You can utilize these links to learn more about Educational Technology in FCPS as well as FCPS Regulation 6410 – Appropriate Use of Fairfax County Public Schools’ Network and Internet Resources.
Open Gate Weapons Detection System Reminders
This week we initiated our new students into our arrival procedures, which include traveling through the Open Gate Weapons Detection System that became standard at all FCPS middle and high schools last year. I am proud of our 7th grade and new students’ flexibility in navigating a much different start to their school day. Over the weekend, please ask your student about how this program has gone thus far, and emphasize to them the following:
- Students should organize their backpack so that the items they need to remove and hand to a staff member while going through the weapons detection towers are readily accessible (these primarily are laptops, 3-ring binders, and umbrellas as they will set off a nuisance alarm with the system).
- Students should be prepared to place turn off and put away their cell phone and other digital devices while they stand in line and/or enter the building. It is a Virginia, FCPS, and Twain expectation that it is off and away for the entire school day.
- Students should walk through the system while wearing their backpack on their front so they avoid accidentally bumping the towers with a swinging backpack (this sets the system off automatically and then requires a secondary search).
- And of course, to not bring anything to school that is not allowed on campus
Thank you for partnering with us for this FCPS program to add more layers to our safety and security protocols. You can learn more about the system by watching this video and reading the Frequently Asked Questions on FCPS’ website.
Students Receive SR&R Lessons at the Opening of School
This week the administrative team met with all students through their HPE classes to deliver a lesson regarding FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R). Some topics discussed included school attendance, responsible technology use, classroom and hallway behavior, and what to do if they are victim of, or witness to, bullying, harassment, or mistreatment. Students will receive additional lessons through learning seminar over the next two weeks and periodically throughout the school year. We have high expectations for our Tigers and know they can meet them so they can take care of themselves, each other, and our school!
You can learn more about the FCPS SR&R on the county website.
Check out our Edison Neighbors Up Franconia Road on the TODAY Show!
 As part of a weeklong spotlight on remarkable students and teachers across the country, Principal Justin Simmons and Edison High School students appeared on the TODAY Show.
Remember to Complete Permission Forms for School Resources
Families can grant consent for their children to access a variety of school resources through the Parent Digital Consent system. This online tool can be accessed using your SIS ParentVUE account login. Parents can easily opt their child in or out of a variety of resources, including online educational tools, school counseling services, and more.
Visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. Watch this video to see how to use the tool.
Opt In or Out of Student Devices Being Sent Home for Grades 1-6
New this year, families can opt out of having student laptops sent home with their student.
- If you do not want your student to bring their FCPS-issued device home, please toggle the Opt Out button to a check mark and confirm by clicking “Save Selection.”
- If you would like your student to bring their FCPS device home, no toggle action is needed. Confirm by clicking “Save Selection.”
Students whose families opt out will continue to have access to an FCPS-issued device during the school day. Please reach out to your student’s teacher to understand expectations for homework and any learning activities that may require access to technology outside of the school day.
Know the Signs of Opioid Overdose
Next Monday, August 31, is International Overdose Awareness Day. Help prevent overdose fatalities by learning the signs of an overdose and how to respond.
Visit the FCPS opioid awareness page to learn more about what families can do to help their children understand the risks of opioids and other drugs.
Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights
FCPS wants all parents and caregivers to understand its policies regarding surveys, records, curriculum, privacy, and related rights.
On the Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights and Opt-Out Forms webpage, explanations are provided of the rights listed above as well as forms that may be used to exercise opt-out choices.
View the 2026-27 Opt-Out Booklet.
Save The Date: Thomas Jefferson HS Admissions Info Session October 14th
We are excited to welcome Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology admissions staff to Twain for a presentation all about the admissions process! This session will be held on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, from 9:00am-10:00am in our cafeteria. TJ staff will walk step-by-step through the entire application process, concluding with a question-and-answer portion at the end. This event is open to parents/guardians and all eligible 8th grade students. Prior to coming, please familiarize yourself with the TJ admissions website to review applicant eligibility requirements, the 26-27 freshman round calendar, and steps to completing the application when it goes live on Monday, October 5, at 4:00pm. Students not currently enrolled in the appropriate classes cannot be moved after September 10 so please email your child’s counselor as soon as possible if they are planning to apply to TJ and need a course change. If you cannot attend our session, TJ will post the dates/times of other presentations being held across the county on the TJHSST Freshman Application Process page. You may reach out to our TJ Liaison Counselor, Leslie Pilotti, at lmpilotti@fcps.edu or 703-313-3740 with any questions.
Do you have a SIS ParentVUE account?
SIS ParentVUE is an excellent way to keep up with your student's educational journey. In SIS ParentVUE you can find your student's teacher and email addresses, help your student keep track of assignments and grades, submit absences and update medical information, and so much more!
If you've previously activated your account but can't remember how to log in, go to the SIS ParentVUE site. Your username will be the email address you activated the account with, but if you can't remember your password there's a Forgot password link under the login screen. If you never activated your account, please email Mercy Popal, Twain's Family Liaison, at mspopal@fcps.edu for your activation code.
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