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Important Dates:
Sept 4: Holiday - No School
Sept 7: Holiday - No School
Sept. 9: Back to School Night (6:00pm - 8:00pm)
August:
- National Wellness Month
- Black Business Month
Let's all be kind to one another.
Campbell's Corner
Greetings, Key Families! I want to open this week’s News You Choose by celebrating the outstanding first week of school we have had here at Key MS. Our entire staff has been so impressed by our students. They are an enthusiastic, positive, and good-natured group, and it has been a pleasure getting to know them this week. We know that we are in store for a wonderful school year!
By now, hopefully most students feel more confident navigating the building and have a better understanding of our school expectations and procedures. If questions remain, we have plenty of staff available to help. You can also always reach out to your student’s counselor or administrator if you need any assistance. Enjoy this weekend – I’m sure everyone is tired after such a full week! We are excited to see everyone back and ready for another great week ahead.
AAP Center Expansion:
We received exciting news this week regarding the proposed expansion of Advanced Academic Program (AAP) centers to every FCPS middle school. The School Board approved a timeline for community engagement, public hearings, and professional learning connected to the expansion. Key MS is currently included in Phase 2 of the proposal, which would begin with 7th grade implementation during the 2027-28 school year.
As part of this process, there will be a community meeting on September 29 at 6:00pm to provide families with additional information and an opportunity to ask questions about what the proposed expansion could mean for Key MS. The School Board is expected to reconvene in December to vote on final approval of Phase 2 implementation for the 2027-28 school year. We know this is an important topic for many families in our community, and we will continue to share information and updates as they become available.
Drew Campbell
Principal | Key Middle School
703-313-3900
Follow me on Twitter!
Student ID Cards
Student ID Cards for Key MS Bus Riders
We distributed student ID cards to all our students who ride the school bus or use FCPS transportation services.
Students received their ID cards during their 8th period class on Thursday, August 28, 2026.
ID cards should be worn or attached to your child’s backpack and brought to the bus each day.
Students who have student ID cards should begin tapping as they board and exit the bus. Only students who use FCPS transportation services will be provided with a student ID card at this time.
We ask for your patience! Bus drivers are checking in students and may need some extra time at each bus stop while they do this. The transportation team is working hard to minimize any potential delays.
Learn more about the bus navigation and student ID cards.
Save the Date!
Key MS Back to School Night
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Please join us for Back-to-School Night on Wednesday, September 9, 2026! The evening’s events include a chance to walk through your child’s schedule and meet their teachers, learn about Key MS resources, and more!
We look forward to seeing you there as we kick off the 2026-2027 school year!
Transportation Patience and Safety
Transportation Patience and Safety
Thank you for your patience as we all get used to new routines this school year. We appreciate our families following Kiss and Ride procedures and being patient while waiting for your child’s bus.
If your child’s bus is delayed, you 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 announce significant bus delays. Please contact the Transportation Office at [phone number] with any additional questions. For concerns after 5:30 p.m., contact the FCPS 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.
Paciencia y Seguridad en el TransporteMuchas gracias por su paciencia mientras todos nos acostumbramos a las nuevas rutinas de este año escolar. Apreciamos que nuestras familias sigan los procedimientos de Kiss and Ride, y que sean pacientes cuando esperan a los autobuses de sus hijos. Si el autobús de su hijo está retrasado, los padres pueden acceder el sistema de notificaciones de retrasos de autobuses o usar la aplicación móvil Here Comes the Bus para recibir el reporte de retraso de autobuses. Para reportar retrasos considerables de autobuses se enviará un correo electrónico. Contáctese con la Oficina de Transporte llamando al [phone number] si tienen preguntas adicionales. Para cualquier preocupación después de horas (después de las 5:30 p.m.), comuníquese con la Oficina de Seguridad llamando al 571-423-2000.
Para asegurarse de que recibirán mensajes de correo electrónico cuando haya un retraso de autobuses, actualicen su información de contacto en SIS ParentVUE.
교통 관련 안전 및 양해 사항
새 학기 새로운 루틴에 적응할 수 있도록 기다려 주셔서 감사합니다. Kiss and Ride와 더불어 자녀의 버스를 대기하면서 기다려주신 가족 여러분께 감사드립니다.
학생의 버스가 지연되는 경우 학부모는 버스 지연 알림 시스템에 연결하시거나 Here Comes the Bus 모바일 앱을 사용하여 버스 지연 보고를 받으실 수 있습니다. 심각한 버스 지연을 알리는 이메일 메시지가 전송됩니다. 추가 질문이 있는 경우 교통 사무소에 [phone number] 로 문의하세요. 근무 시간 이후(오후 5시 30분 이후) 우려 사항이 있는 경우 안전 및 보안팀(571-423-2000)으로 문의하세요.
버스 지연에 대한 이메일 메시지를 받으려면 학생 정보 시스템 ParentVUE에서 연락처 정보를 업데이트하세요.
General Recommended School Supplies
- Key MS will provide all students with
- 3-ring binder
- Pencil pouch
- Pencil
- Highlighter
- Dividers
- Laptop
- Charging cable
- All students should have a supply of the following:
- No 2 pencils
- Erasers
- Blue and/or black pens
- Highlighters
- College ruled loose leaf paper
- Textbook covers (paper grocery bags are fine)
- Here are some additional, optional items. They are nice to have and are frequently used in classes, but are not daily requirements.
- Folders
- Glue sticks
- Scissors
- Markers and/or colored pencils
- Ruler
- Stapler
- Sticky tabs
- Post it notes
- Headphones (wired, non-bluetooth)
- Graphing or scientific calculator
Lightspeed Updates
You Can Manage Student Web Access at Home
At Key MS, we acknowledge that parents are our students' first and most important teachers. Parents now have greater control over their child’s FCPS-issued device outside of school hours through Lightspeed Parent Portal.
In addition to monitoring weekly internet activity, parents can now also customize web access at home on FCPS devices through Lightspeed using Schedules and Web Rules.
With Schedules, you can set tailored times to automatically pause or restrict internet access. This makes it easier to enforce rules around homework time, family dinners, weekends, or bedtime.
In Web Rules, you can create Custom Block Lists to block specific, individual websites they do not want your child accessing at home. This allows parents greater control over what is happening online, under their own roof.
These new custom controls take effect at home, outside of school hours, and when the device is off the FCPS network. They will not override standard district filtering policies during the instructional day.
Customize Your Lightspeed Settings
All parents should be receiving weekly Lightspeed Online Student Activity Report emails. To set up these new features, click the “Log in or Register” button at the bottom of your weekly Lightspeed Online Student Activity Report email.
Visit the FCPS Lightspeed Parent Portal Guide for more information. If you have additional questions, submit a Parent Technology Support Ticket.
Parents are encouraged to discuss internet boundaries with their children so that they can understand the reasoning behind any limits and the differences between access at home and at school. Get tips on talking to your children about technology safety.
¿Sabía que puede administrar el acceso a internet de su estudiante en casa?En Key MS sabemos que las familias tienen un papel fundamental en acompañar a sus estudiantes en el uso de la tecnología. Por eso, ahora los padres pueden tener mayor control sobre el acceso a internet desde los dispositivos de FCPS cuando sus hijos lo usan en casa, a través del Portal para padres de Lightspeed.
Además de recibir información sobre la actividad semanal en internet, ahora puede establecer límites de acuerdo con las necesidades y rutinas de su familia utilizando las funciones Schedules (Horarios) y Web Rules (Reglas web).
Con Schedules (Horarios), puede elegir en qué momentos desea pausar o restringir automáticamente el acceso a internet. Por ejemplo, puede establecer límites durante la hora de hacer tarea, las comidas en familia, los fines de semana o antes de dormir.
Con Web Rules (Reglas web), puede bloquear sitios web específicos que no desea que su estudiante visite mientras usa su dispositivo de FCPS en casa. Así, usted puede decidir qué tipo de acceso es apropiado para su familia fuera del horario escolar.
Estas opciones funcionan únicamente fuera del horario escolar y cuando el dispositivo no está conectado a la red de FCPS. Durante la jornada escolar, continuarán aplicándose las reglas y filtros de internet establecidos por FCPS.
Personalice la configuración de Lightspeed
Las familias deberían estar recibiendo cada semana por correo electrónico el Informe de Actividad en Línea del Estudiante en Lightspeed. Para configurar estas nuevas funciones, haga clic en el botón “Log in or Register” (Iniciar sesión o registrarse) que aparece al final de su informe semanal.
Visite la Guía del Portal para padres de Lightspeed de FCPS para obtener más información. Si tiene preguntas adicionales, envíe una solicitud de soporte tecnológico para padres.
También recomendamos hablar con sus hijos sobre los límites que establezca para el uso de internet. Ayudarlos a entender por qué existen estas reglas les permitirá comprender mejor las diferencias entre el acceso a internet en casa y en la escuela. Encuentre consejos para hablar con sus hijos sobre el uso seguro de la tecnología.
Schoology
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