FCPS

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Calendar Reminders 

Thursday, October 31st, is the end of the 1st quarter with a 2-hr early release.

Friday, November 1st, is a holiday for students and staff.  The school office will be closed.

Monday, November 4th, School Planning Day.  No school for students.

Tuesday, November 5th, Teacher Work Day.  No school for students. 

See the complete school year calendar.

Student Screeners & Surveys

Parents/Caregivers of our 7th graders, please refer to the Cooper email sent to you on October 15th with important details about our upcoming Signs Of Suicide (SOS) screening on Tuesday, November 14th, 2024. 

 

Parents/Caregivers of our 8th graders, please refer to the Cooper email sent to you on October 30th with important details about our upcoming Fairfax County Youth Survey on Tuesday, November 19th, 2024.

 

Parents/Caregivers of our 7th AND 8th graders, please refer to the Cooper email sent to you on October 29th with important details about our upcoming Student Experience Survey in December. 

Veteran’s Day Recognition & Military-Connected Family Appreciation

Friday, November 8th, students will recognize the contributions of our veterans to our community and the role they plan in the defense of our nation. Cooper will hold a Veterans’ Day assembly followed by a military-connected family appreciation coffee in our cafeteria.

If you would like to attend, please RSVP by November 6th to help us prepare for the event and coordinate with our staff.

•  Location: Cooper MS Cafeteria
• Veterans' Day Assembly: 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
• Military-Connected Family Appreciation Coffee: 9:30 AM - 10:20 AM

We look forward to celebrating and connecting with our military families on this special day. Thank you for your service and dedication.

TJHSST Applications

Applications Open October 21 for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology

Middle school students who have an aptitude and passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) are encouraged to apply for admission to the Class of 2029 at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST). 

The application will be available on the TJHSST Admissions Office webpage starting Monday, October 21, at 4 p.m. Applications must be started by 4 p.m. Wednesday, November 13, with a deadline to submit the application by Friday, November 15, at 4 p.m. Visit the TJHSST registration page for more information.

Report Cards

The Gradebook Module in SIS ParentVue and StudentVue will be unavailable Monday, Oct 28, 2024 at 4:00 PM until Tuesday, Nov 12, 2024 at 6:00 AM for teachers to prepare first quarter grades. Paper copies of first quarter report cards will be distributed through Block 8 on Tuesday, November 13, 2024.  Additionally, a PDF will be posted in ParentVue after November 13.

Outstanding Employee Award Nominations

Nominations are now open for the Outstanding Employee Awards! To submit a nomination for a Cooper MS Outstanding Employee in one of the categories below, please complete the nomination through this  Nomination Form. You may nominate one employee at our school or multiple employees (one individual may only nominate one employee per category.)

All that is required for a preliminary nomination is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work in the criteria for that category. The criteria for each of these awards and the eligibility requirements are below and on the FCPS website: https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/employees/recognition-programs/outstanding-employee-awards 

Outstanding Teacher 

Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category

Outstanding New Teacher

Eligibility: Has up to three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category.

Outstanding Leader 

Common positions in this category: Assistant Principals and Director of Student Services (not the building principal)

Outstanding Professional Employee 

Common positions in this category: School-Based Technology Specialist, Technology Support Specialist, Assessment Coach, Instructional Coach, Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor.

Outstanding Operational Employee

Common positions in this category: Administrative and Office Staff, Safety and Security Assistant, Custodial Staff, Food Service Staff, IA, PHA, PHTA, Parent Liaison

The deadline to submit a nomination is at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, November 13, 2023

If you have any questions, please contact Scott Davies (Interim Assistant Principal) at [email protected]. 

SCA Hurricane Helene Fundraisers

The SCA has coordinated multiple ways to support the relief efforts from Hurricane Helene.

• The SCA will be selling snacks after school on Mondays, Wednesday & Thursdays to donate to the Hurricane Helene relief efforts.  They are looking for snack donations for their snack cart.  If you are interesting in donating snacks, please sign up here. 
• Donation to the Asheville Humane Society: your donation will be made through MySchoolBucks, once the fundraiser is closed, we will contribute all funds to the Asheville Humane Society.
• Donation to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina :your donation will be made through MySchoolBucks, once the fundraiser is closed, we will contribute all funds to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.

Please contact our SCA sponsors, Ms. Harris ([email protected]) or Ms. Garrett ([email protected]) with any questions. 

Day of Service for Secondary Students 

When: Saturday, November 16, 2024 at 9-11:30 a.m.

Where: Edison High School

Sign up: Register FCPS Secondary Students 

Attend and earn service learning credit Our Voices, Our Future: Multilingual Learners’ Day of Service is being offered to FCPS secondary students as an opportunity to explore multilingualism as a strength in developing leadership and advocacy skills.  Students will plan for future success through their strengths and interests.  Attendees will be able to network and learn with other FCPS students and staff.  This event will also feature special guest Dr. José Luis Zelaya from the Multilingual Learners’ Summit.  “Language is an opportunity,” says Dr. Zelaya, “believe in the power of education!”  Secondary students should register through the link above and bring their FCPS laptop to the workshop.   

Event will also feature a table fair promoting college and career readiness. 

Language interpretation services will be available. 

To help with planning, please register if you can attend. 

Flyer: English  I  Spanish  I Arabic  I  Chinese  I  Korean  I  Urdu  I  Vietnamese

Debate Team

On Sat, Oct 26th, the Cooper MS Debate team competed in their first “Public Forum” tournament at Woodbridge HS (along with 630 middle school and high school students representing 40 different schools). Cooper fielded 11 teams (22 students), and they all won at least one round of debate on a pretty sophisticated topic – surveillance infrastructure at the Southern border. 

Congratulations to all our debaters! Out of 64 teams competing in Public Forum debate, 

• Zohran Valliani & Bryan Tan came in 3rd with a 4-0 record. 
• First time debaters, Brant Patterson and Kaya Ozakn, came in 10th place with a 3-1 record. Meera Bansal and Chelsea Zeng, Jessica Xi and Sophia Li, and first-time debaters Olivia Herr and Lily Song also earned a strong 3-1 record.

• Special congratulations to Brant Patterson who earned 5th Place in Speaker Awards in his VERY FIRST DEBATE!  He won against over 120 other debaters! 
• Zohran Valliani, Kaya Ozkan, Bryan Tan, Aashna Uppalapati, and Saeeun Jeon, also placed within the top 25 Speakers. 
• Congratulations also to Nia Siguineau Brutus, Yanai Wang, Kai Gu, Annabel Kremin, Kailin Liu, Alina Shah Mohammed, Mihir Jain, Bohan Jin, Aden Annous, Aarav Joseph - they are now skilled Public Forum debaters.

Thank you to our teachers, Pam Konde, Cooper MS Debate Coach, and Rebecca Blake, who helped out with the tournament, as well as the six parent volunteers who served as judges from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm on a Saturday!

School Photos are now available online

Families should have received an E-proof via email.  Please remember to check your spam.

For any questions about your student's school pictures please contact: [email protected]

Request for Photos

Attention Parents! We need photos of your students and their Cooper friends for the yearbook. We are specifically looking for photos from last summer, sports, weekends, holidays, first day of school, and students with their families. Please email any photos you would want to see in the yearbook to [email protected] ASAP. THANK YOU!

Order a Yearbook

Deadline to order a yearbook is November 30, 2024 at the cost of $40.00.  Please enter order #5267 at www.yearbookordercenter.com

977 Balls Hill Road, McLean, VA 22101 |  Main Phone: 703.442.5800
Attendance: 703.442.5858 | Student Services: 703.442.5812 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

School Directory

The directory is now available to all Cooper families via browser or the Membership Toolkit app.   To access via browser, visit https://cooperpto.membershiptoolkit.com/directory.

If you’d rather use the app, you can find it in your app store: Membership Toolkit OR here: https://cooperpto.membershiptoolkit.com.

Thank you to the families who have verified their directory information. Haven’t gotten to it yet? You can still confirm your information and update your preferences about what is visible to others—it’s a great way to connect with your children’s friends and Cooper families.  Need help with login or have other questions, please feel free to email [email protected].

Please Join the PTO!

Your membership is important! Our goal is to provide the most robust support possible for our Cooper classrooms, resources, support staff and teachers. YOUR MEMBERSHIP is how we can work together to create a vibrant school community for your children.

If you haven’t joined yet, please go to our website: https://Cooperpto.org and follow the links to sign up online.

Dues: $25/family ($26 online), plus a suggested $125 donation per student.

Student Fundraising Campaign - Hurricane Helene

• Donation to the Asheville Humane Society: your donation will be made through MySchoolBucks, once the fundraiser is closed, we will contribute all funds to the Asheville Humane Society.
• Donation to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina :your donation will be made through MySchoolBucks, once the fundraiser is closed, we will contribute all funds to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.

Please contact our SCA sponsors, Ms. Harris ([email protected]) or Ms. Garrett ([email protected]) with any questions. 

Spirit Week Student Volunteer Opportunity

Great Falls Elementary School Fall Festival Saturday October 26th

We are looking for middle school volunteers to run some of the game and activity stations. Use this link to sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050F4BA5A729AAFC1-51993256-gfes#/

Community News   The Safe Community Coalition

Ned Johnson, best-selling co-author of The Self-Driven Child will discuss Calm Amid the Chaos: Being the Parent Teens Need in a Competitive, Distracted, Divisive World. 

November 20, 2024

7:00pm - 8:30pm

McLean Community Center

Adults $15/Students $10 pre-sale or $20 at the door. This program is appropriate for parents/caregivers and middle to high school students. Books will be on sale and a book signing will immediately follow the program.  You may register and purchase your tickets here.

The Alden

The Alden will host auditions for their 2025 Youth Production on January 28 and 29, with call backs on January 30. They will cast actors ages 10-16 who live in the MCC tax district.  

Actors must register to audition. For all the details, visit the Alden website: https://mcleancenter.org/events/alden-2025-youth-production-stuart-little/ 

Here’s the link to the audition form.

Calendar at a Glance:

October 31     EARLY RELEASE (END Q1)

November 1   NO SCHOOL

November 4   NO SCHOOL

November 5   NO SCHOOL

November 27-29  Thanksgiving-NO SCHOOL

977 Balls Hill Road, McLean, VA 22101 |  Main Phone: 703.442.5800
Attendance: 703.442.5858 | Student Services: 703.442.5812 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Calendar Reminders 

Thursday, October 31st, is the end of the 1st quarter with a 2-hr early release.

Friday, November 1st, is a holiday for students and staff.  The school office will be closed.

Monday, November 4th, School Planning Day.  No school for students.

Tuesday, November 5th, Teacher Work Day.  No school for students. 

See the complete school year calendar.

Purple Star Designation

We are excited to share that Cooper Middle School has been awarded the Virginia Purple Star Designation! The Virginia Purple Star Designation is awarded to military-friendly schools that have demonstrated a major commitment to students and families connected to our nation’s military. 

7th Grade Screener

Parents/Caregivers of our 7th graders, please refer to the Cooper email sent to you on October 15th with important details about our upcoming Signs Of Suicide (SOS) screening on Tuesday, November 14th, 2024. 

TJHSST Applications

Applications Open October 21 for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology

Middle school students who have an aptitude and passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) are encouraged to apply for admission to the Class of 2029 at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST). 

The application will be available on the TJHSST Admissions Office webpage starting Monday, October 21, at 4 p.m. Applications must be started by 4 p.m. Wednesday, November 13, with a deadline to submit the application by Friday, November 15, at 4 p.m. Visit the TJHSST registration page for more information.

Report Cards

The Gradebook Module in SIS ParentVue and StudentVue will be unavailable Monday, Oct 28, 2024 at 4:00 PM until Tuesday, Nov 12, 2024 at 6:00 AM for teachers to prepare first quarter grades. Paper copies of first quarter report cards will be distributed through Block 8 on Tuesday, November 13, 2024.  Additionally, a PDF will be posted in ParentVue after November 13.

Outstanding Employee Award Nominations

Nominations are now open for the Outstanding Employee Awards! To submit a nomination for a Cooper MS Outstanding Employee in one of the categories below, please complete the nomination through this  Nomination Form. You may nominate one employee at our school or multiple employees (one individual may only nominate one employee per category.)

 

All that is required for a preliminary nomination is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work in the criteria for that category. The criteria for each of these awards and the eligibility requirements are below and on the FCPS website: https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/employees/recognition-programs/outstanding-employee-awards 

Outstanding Teacher 

Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category

Outstanding New Teacher

Eligibility: Has up to three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category.

Outstanding Leader 

Common positions in this category: Assistant Principals and Director of Student Services (not the building principal)

Outstanding Professional Employee 

Common positions in this category: School-Based Technology Specialist, Technology Support Specialist, Assessment Coach, Instructional Coach, Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor.

Outstanding Operational Employee

Common positions in this category: Administrative and Office Staff, Safety and Security Assistant, Custodial Staff, Food Service Staff, IA, PHA, PHTA, Parent Liaison

The deadline to submit a nomination is at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, November 13, 2023

If you have any questions, please contact Scott Davies (Interim Assistant Principal) at [email protected]. 

SCA Hurricane Helene Fundraisers

The SCA has coordinated multiple ways to support the relief efforts from Hurricane Helene.

• The SCA will be selling snacks after school on Mondays, Wednesday & Thursdays to donate to the Hurricane Helene relief efforts.  They are looking for snack donations for their snack cart.  If you are interesting in donating snacks, please sign up here. 
• Donation to the Asheville Humane Society: your donation will be made through MySchoolBucks, once the fundraiser is closed, we will contribute all funds to the Asheville Humane Society.
• Donation to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina :your donation will be made through MySchoolBucks, once the fundraiser is closed, we will contribute all funds to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.

Please contact our SCA sponsors, Ms. Harris ([email protected]) or Ms. Garrett ([email protected]) with any questions. 

Spirit Week: October 28-October 31

Cooper’s SCA program is hosting a Spirit Week from October 28th through October 31st! Throughout that week, we will have different fun themes that the students can enjoy and come to school with! Encourage your students to participate in this fun week in October. Thank you!

American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) 10

Cooper will be offering the AMC 10A this year on Wednesday, November 6th, after school at 2:30 PM. The AMC 10 is a 25-question, 75-minute multiple-choice examination in high school mathematics designed to promote the development and enhancement of problem-solving skills. *This test is for students in 10th grade and below and covers the high school curriculum up to 10th grade. 

The AMC 8, which we will be hosting in January, is targeted for middle school students in grade 8 and below. The AMC 10 is NOT required for the AMC 8, and historically, the majority of our Cooper students interested in the AMC competitions take only the AMC 8. Details will follow in the coming weeks on how to register for the AMC 8.

If your student is interested in taking the AMC 10A, please sign up using this Google Form. There will be a $5.00 administrative fee to take the test. The fee can be paid through MySchool Bucks. The deadline to register and pay the fee for AMC 10 is October 25th. As a reminder, the AMC 8 will be offered in January for those who are interested. 

Please contact Lisa Walsh with any questions.

Community Service Learning 

Our 8th grade volunteers recently supported the pumpkin unloading at St. Thomas Episcopal Church.

Every wonder what St. Thomas Pumpkin Patch does with their leftover pumpkins? They are donated to Rikki’s Refuge, a non-kill large animal sanctuary in Orange, VA and are fed to the animals throughout the winter!  They are looking for more volunteers to support their pumpkin reload.

Saturday, November 2nd 9:45AM – Noon (reloading begins at 10AM). Rain or shine. 

St. Thomas Episcopal Church 8991 Brook Road, McLean, 22102

2.5 hours of Community Service More information and REGISTER at Pumpkin Reload Registration or on the X2-vol site. Or visit our website PUMPKIN PATCH

For more information contact [email protected], call the Parish Administrator on 703-442-0330 or check our Facebook page.

Request for Photos

Attention Parents! We need photos of your students and their Cooper friends for the yearbook. We are specifically looking for photos from last summer, sports, weekends, holidays, first day of school, and students with their families. Please email any photos you would want to see in the yearbook to [email protected] ASAP. THANK YOU!

977 Balls Hill Road, McLean, VA 22101 |  Main Phone: 703.442.5800
Attendance: 703.442.5858 | Student Services: 703.442.5812 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

School Directory

The directory is now available to all Cooper families via browser or the Membership Toolkit app.   To access via browser, visit https://cooperpto.membershiptoolkit.com/directory.

If you’d rather use the app, you can find it in your app store: Membership Toolkit OR here: https://cooperpto.membershiptoolkit.com.

Thank you to the families who have verified their directory information. Haven’t gotten to it yet? You can still confirm your information and update your preferences about what is visible to others—it’s a great way to connect with your children’s friends and Cooper families.  Need help with login or have other questions, please feel free to email [email protected].

Please Join the PTO!

Your membership is important! Our goal is to provide the most robust support possible for our Cooper classrooms, resources, support staff and teachers. YOUR MEMBERSHIP is how we can work together to create a vibrant school community for your children.

If you haven’t joined yet, please go to our website: https://Cooperpto.org and follow the links to sign up online.

Dues: $25/family ($26 online), plus a suggested $125 donation per student.

Spirit Week Cooper SpiritWear

We *think* we’re caught up on our orders, but please let us know if you are still waiting for items. We will have a pop-up shop during the holiday season—that will be at the Cooper Book Fair. In the meantime, you can order online. Go to our website and follow the links: https://cooperpto.org

Student Volunteer Opportunity

Great Falls Elementary School Fall Festival Saturday October 26th

We are looking for middle school volunteers to run some of the game and activity stations. Use this link to sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050F4BA5A729AAFC1-51993256-gfes#/

Community News Calendar at a Glance:

October 31     EARLY RELEASE (END Q1)

November 1   NO SCHOOL

November 4   NO SCHOOL

November 5   NO SCHOOL

November 27-29  Thanksgiving-NO SCHOOL

977 Balls Hill Road, McLean, VA 22101 |  Main Phone: 703.442.5800
Attendance: 703.442.5858 | Student Services: 703.442.5812 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Calendar Reminders 

Thursday, October 31st, is the end of the 1st quarter with a 2-hr early release.

Friday, November 1st, is a holiday for students and staff.  The school office will be closed.

See the complete school year calendar.

7th Grade Screener

Parents/Caregivers of our 7th graders, please refer to the Cooper email sent to you on October 15th with important details about our upcoming Signs Of Suicide (SOS) screening on Tuesday, November 14th, 2024. 

Spirit Week: October 28-October 31

Cooper’s SCA program is hosting a Spirit Week from October 28th through October 31st! Throughout that week, we will have different fun themes that the students can enjoy and come to school with! Encourage your students to participate in this fun week in October. Thank you!

American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) 10

Cooper will be offering the AMC 10A this year on Wednesday, November 6th, after school at 2:30 PM. The AMC 10 is a 25-question, 75-minute multiple-choice examination in high school mathematics designed to promote the development and enhancement of problem-solving skills. *This test is for students in 10th grade and below and covers the high school curriculum up to 10th grade. 

The AMC 8, which we will be hosting in January, is targeted for middle school students in grade 8 and below. The AMC 10 is NOT required for the AMC 8, and historically, the majority of our Cooper students interested in the AMC competitions take only the AMC 8. Details will follow in the coming weeks on how to register for the AMC 8.

If your student is interested in taking the AMC 10A, please sign up using this Google Form. There will be a $5.00 administrative fee to take the test. The fee can be paid through MySchool Bucks. The deadline to register and pay the fee for AMC 10 is October 25th. As a reminder, the AMC 8 will be offered in January for those who are interested. 

Please contact Lisa Walsh with any questions.

Community Service Learning 

Our 8th grade volunteers recently supported the pumpkin unloading at St. Thomas Episcopal Church.

Every wonder what St. Thomas Pumpkin Patch does with their leftover pumpkins? They are donated to Rikki’s Refuge, a non-kill large animal sanctuary in Orange, VA and are fed to the animals throughout the winter!  They are looking for more volunteers to support their pumpkin reload.

Saturday, November 2nd 9:45AM – Noon (reloading begins at 10AM). Rain or shine. 

St. Thomas Episcopal Church 8991 Brook Road, McLean, 22102

2.5 hours of Community Service More information and REGISTER at Pumpkin Reload Registration or on the X2-vol site. Or visit our website PUMPKIN PATCH

For more information contact [email protected], call the Parish Administrator on 703-442-0330 or check our Facebook page.

Request for Photos

Attention Parents! We need photos of your students and their Cooper friends for the yearbook. We are specifically looking for photos from last summer, sports, weekends, holidays, first day of school, and students with their families. Please email any photos you would want to see in the yearbook to [email protected] ASAP. THANK YOU!

Welcome Amy Bailey & Colin White

Please join us in welcoming Amy Bailey as our new Family Liaison!

Amy brings a wealth of experience and language skills to this role. Previously a Community Liaison at the U.S. Consulate in China, she has a deep understanding of international relations and cultural nuances. Her fluency in Korean, Spanish, French, and Mandarin will undoubtedly be a valuable asset in connecting with families from diverse backgrounds.

As Amy continues her studies in community health, she is passionate about improving the well-being of families and fostering a supportive environment. We are confident that her dedication and expertise will make a significant impact on our community.

In addition to these accomplishments, Amy is a member of the PTO Executive Board and a proud parent to: Brigham, 7th grade, Gordon, Kindergarten at Spring Hill, Joseph, 11th grade at Langley,  and Jacob, Graduated!

 

Please join us in welcoming Colin White as our interim Safety & Security Assistant!

 Colin White joins us today as the interim Safety and Security Assistant and will transition to support us with a long-term substitute position later this year.  Colin brings teaching experience to Cooper with a bachelor's degree in middle grades education from the College of Charleston and has a lot of interests and passions including being a woodworker, a musician and a poet! 

977 Balls Hill Road, McLean, VA 22101 |  Main Phone: 703.442.5800
Attendance: 703.442.5858 | Student Services: 703.442.5812 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

School Directory

The Cooper PTO is working with the AtoZ app to prepare your school directory. To complete it, all families must verify and update their information. What this means is that you will be receiving (or may have already received) an email from [email protected] OR [email protected] with instructions and links to update your information. The best way to get the most out of this terrific resource is to have all families verify and update their information.    

Please note:  AtoZ (MembershipToolkit) is the same app that many other schools in our pyramid use.  If you already have a login at a different school – you may use that to login here and then add Cooper to your organization list.  Settings made for last year’s directory at Cooper should have been maintained but should be reconfirmed. 

 If you prefer to bypass the email, you may go to  https://cooperpto.membershiptoolkit.com  to get started.  Apologies to the few families who were on top of things and already logged in – you will have to do it again now that the system has been setup for the new school year.

 Questions: Please feel free to email [email protected].

Please Join the PTO!

Your membership is important! Our goal is to provide the most robust support possible for our Cooper classrooms, resources, support staff and teachers. YOUR MEMBERSHIP is how we can work together to create a vibrant school community for your children.

Let’s make this a banner year for the Cooper PTO—we’re hoping to sign another 100 families. If you haven’t joined yet, please go to our website: https://Cooperpto.org and follow the links to sign up online.

Dues: $25/family ($26 online), plus a suggested $125 donation per student.

Panera Fundraiser: October 16 Dine Out

Wednesday, October 16 is our next dine-out fundraiser for the Cooper PTO—and it’s at Panera. Dinner’s handled, the kids always like it, and it’s a win-win because Cooper gets 25% of the total sales. When you check out, make sure you mention the promo code FUND4U (or enter it into your online order).

When: October 16, 2024 from 4pm – 8pm

Where: Panera | 8365 Leesburg Pike | Vienna, VA

Cooper SpiritWear

We *think* we’re caught up on our orders, but please let us know if you are still waiting for items. We will have a pop-up shop during the holiday season—that will be at the Cooper Book Fair. In the meantime, you can order online. Go to our website and follow the links: https://cooperpto.org

Community News

YOUTH RUGBY HAS STARTED!

4-10: Boys & Girls NON-CONTACT/NO RISK

10-18: Contact Tackle, Boys & Girls

See website for location & times

www.rugbyVA.com

Calendar at a Glance:

October 11       Yom Kippur (Begins sundown)

October 14       NO SCHOOL

October 31       EARLY RELEASE (END Q1)

977 Balls Hill Road, McLean, VA 22101 |  Main Phone: 703.442.5800
Attendance: 703.442.5858 | Student Services: 703.442.5812 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Calendar Reminders 

Monday, October 14th, is a staff development day and there will be no school for students. 

Thursday, October 31st, is the end of the 1st quarter with a 2-hr early release.

Friday, November 1st, is a holiday for students and staff.  The school office will be closed.

See the complete school year calendar.

🗓️ Attendance Tip: Scheduling Family Trips or Events

Good attendance is an important life skill that will help students succeed in school and beyond.

When planning trips or family events, refer to the FCPS calendar and try to use weekends and school holidays. Every day of learning is a day toward success. Keep in mind that absences add up quickly. Students 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 another reason, you must report the absence. 

Watch this video with tips on understanding our school calendar and visit our Attendance webpage for additional information. Attend today, achieve tomorrow!

Picture Day Volunteers Needed 

School Picture Day is Coming!

📅 Date: Thursday October 10th (odd day schedule) & Friday October 11th (even day schedule) during PE class

📸 Pictures Available: Approximately two weeks after photo day

🛒 Pre-order Online: https://vando.imagequix.com/g1001132588#login

📧 Questions About Ordering? Email us at [email protected]

Please sign up to volunteer for a time slot via the SignUp Genius. 

American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) 10

Cooper will be offering the AMC 10A this year on Wednesday, November 6th, after school at 2:30 PM. The AMC 10 is a 25-question, 75-minute multiple-choice examination in high school mathematics designed to promote the development and enhancement of problem-solving skills. *This test is for students in 10th grade and below and covers the high school curriculum up to 10th grade. 

The AMC 8, which we will be hosting in January, is targeted for middle school students in grade 8 and below. The AMC 10 is NOT required for the AMC 8, and historically, the majority of our Cooper students interested in the AMC competitions take only the AMC 8. Details will follow in the coming weeks on how to register for the AMC 8.

If your student is interested in taking the AMC 10A, please sign up using this Google Form. There will be a $5.00 administrative fee to take the test. The fee can be paid through MySchool Bucks. The deadline to register and pay the fee for AMC 10 is October 25th. As a reminder, the AMC 8 will be offered in January for those who are interested. 

Please contact Lisa Walsh with any questions.

Fall Full-Time AAP Referral Window

The fall window for full-time AAP referrals closes on October 15th, 2024. Parents/guardians of students in seventh or eighth grade who meet the below requirements and would like their student considered for full-time advanced academic programs may submit the AAP Full-Time (Level IV) Referral Form to our Advanced Academics Resource Teacher, Sarah Reeser, no later than October 15, 2024.

Requirements for Fall Full-Time AAP Screening:

• Students new to FCPS schools as of January 1, 2024 - October 15, 2024
• A family enrolling in one of FCPS schools for the first time
• A family re-enrolling a child in FCPS schools after being gone last school year (regardless of where they lived)
• A child who was enrolled in FCPS in Kindergarten - 3rd grade left and re-enrolled in FCPS schools in 7th grade.

Forms for full-time AAP referrals are available on the AAP Forms Page. No late referrals for Full-Time AAP services will be accepted. 

For more information, please visit the Advanced Academic Programs website.

Request for Photos

Attention Parents! We need photos of your students and their Cooper friends for the yearbook. We are specifically looking for photos from last summer, sports, weekends, holidays, first day of school, and students with their families. Please email any photos you would want to see in the yearbook to [email protected] ASAP. THANK YOU!

977 Balls Hill Road, McLean, VA 22101 |  Main Phone: 703.442.5800
Attendance: 703.442.5858 | Student Services: 703.442.5812 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

School Directory

The Cooper PTO is working with the AtoZ app to prepare your school directory. To complete it, all families must verify and update their information. What this means is that you will be receiving (or may have already received) an email from [email protected] OR [email protected] with instructions and links to update your information. The best way to get the most out of this terrific resource is to have all families verify and update their information.    

Please note:  AtoZ (MembershipToolkit) is the same app that many other schools in our pyramid use.  If you already have a login at a different school – you may use that to login here and then add Cooper to your organization list.  Settings made for last year’s directory at Cooper should have been maintained but should be reconfirmed. 

 If you prefer to bypass the email, you may go to  https://cooperpto.membershiptoolkit.com  to get started.  Apologies to the few families who were on top of things and already logged in – you will have to do it again now that the system has been setup for the new school year.

 Questions: Please feel free to email [email protected].

Understanding the Adolescent Brain – October 9

Join us for our next general membership meeting on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at 7:00 pm in the cafeteria.

Our topic: trying to figure out how to understand what’s going on inside the minds of our rapidly changing children! Cooper Middle School counselor Michele Saint Germain will hold an interactive, informative session – shining a light on the inner workings of your child’s social, academic, physical and emotional development. She’ll examine the many contradictions that appear in this growth stage and suggest ways to cope with and process our own shifting role as parents.

Please Join the PTO!

Your membership is important! Our goal is to provide the most robust support possible for our Cooper classrooms, resources, support staff and teachers. YOUR MEMBERSHIP is how we can work together to create a vibrant school community for your children.

Let’s make this a banner year for the Cooper PTO—we’re hoping to sign another 100 families. If you haven’t joined yet, please go to our website: https://Cooperpto.org and follow the links to sign up online.

Dues: $25/family ($26 online), plus a suggested $125 donation per student.

Panera Fundraiser: October 16 Dine Out

Wednesday, October 16 is our next dine-out fundraiser for the Cooper PTO—and it’s at Panera. Dinner’s handled, the kids always like it, and it’s a win-win because Cooper gets 25% of the total sales. When you check out, make sure you mention the promo code FUND4U (or enter it into your online order).

When: October 16, 2024 from 4pm – 8pm

Where: Panera | 8365 Leesburg Pike | Vienna, VA

Parent Volunteers Needed

Vision Screening: the annual FCPS vision screening event at Cooper runs this year on October 7 and October 8. We need parent volunteers to guide students in and out of those screening sessions—which are held in the gym. It’s a fun way to see your child for a few brief moments and help the school make things move smoothly.

Please use this SignUp Genius to sign up for as many slots as you are able.

Picture Day: Come help the students get their pictures taken! They get photographed during their PE classes, so you can sign up for a time when you might even get a glimpse of your child. If they have PR on odd days, they’ll be on October 10th, and October 11 for even day PE students.

Use this SignUp Genius to sign up for one or more slots to help make the day run smoothly, and thanks in advance for your help!

Cooper SpiritWear

We *think* we’re caught up on our orders, but please let us know if you are still waiting for items. We will have a pop-up shop during the holiday season—that will be at the Cooper Book Fair. In the meantime, you can order online. Go to our website and follow the links: https://cooperpto.org

Student Volunteer Opportunities

St. Francis Episcopal Church of Great Falls: Friday, October 4, from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm. This is a community-wide event to package meals to support Rise Against Hunger’s Pathways to End Hunger.  Individuals and families are encouraged to join us to assemble more than 15,000 meals.  Volunteers should be at least 12-years old.  Students can earn verified community service hours.

Location:  St. Francis Church, 9220 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls, VA 22066

Sign up to volunteer here -  http://Tinyurl.com/RAHGF2024

Contact Annette Bellino at [email protected] with any questions.

Learn more about Rise Against Hunger here – Rise Against Hunger

Community News

Langley High School Youth Football Night 2024

Cheer on the Langley Varsity Football Team and be part of the fun. Arrive by 6PM to run on the field with the team. There will be free admission to all youth who wear their football jersey. Don’t miss out on the t-shirt giveaway, door prizes, and concessions. All kids must be accompanied by an adult.

 When:  October 4, 2024

                6:00PM – Pre-Game Fun

                6:45PM – Varsity Warm-Ups

                7:00PM – Varsity Game

Langley High School Varsity Boys Volleyball Youth Night

Come check out the Langley Varsity Boys’ Volleyball Team. It will be a fun night of volleyball, prizes, and t-shirt giveaways. Free admission to all youth who wear a jersey. Concessions will be available during the game.

When:    October 8th in the Langley Main Gym

                7:15PM – Varsity Game against Marshall HS

YOUTH RUGBY HAS STARTED!

4-10: Boys & Girls NON-CONTACT/NO RISK

10-18: Contact Tackle, Boys & Girls

See website for location & times

www.rugbyVA.com

Calendar at a Glance:

October 7- 8      Vision testing

October 9         PTO GMM  7pm: CMS Counselor Michele Saint Germain – Understanding the Adolescent Brain

October 10 - 11 Student Picture Day

October 11       Yom Kippur (Begins sundown)

October 14       NO SCHOOL

October 31       EARLY RELEASE (END Q1)

977 Balls Hill Road, McLean, VA 22101 |  Main Phone: 703.442.5800
Attendance: 703.442.5858 | Student Services: 703.442.5812 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Calendar Reminders: Rosh Hashanah/Teacher Workday

Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on Wednesday, October 2. That day is an evening-only observance day and important events will not be held after school. 

Thursday, October 3, is a holiday for all FCPS staff. Schools and offices will be closed for Rosh Hashanah. 

Friday, October 4, is a teacher workday and there will be no school for students. Cooper's main office will be closed.

See the complete school year calendar.

Vision and Hearing Screening Notice

Vision and hearing screening will be held on 10/7 and 10/8 for all 7th graders during their PE class. The purpose of screening is to identify students who need further evaluation due to difficulty seeing the screening chart or hearing the screening tones. If your child wears glasses, please be sure that glasses are at school on screening day. Parents will be notified by letter if screening results indicate that further evaluation is needed. Prompt follow-up with your health care provider is recommended as vision and hearing difficulties can interfere with learning.

If you would like to assist as a volunteer with the screening process, please contact the School Health Aide at 703-442-5810.

🗓️ Attendance Tip: Scheduling Family Trips or Events

Good attendance is an important life skill that will help students succeed in school and beyond.

When planning trips or family events, refer to the FCPS calendar and try to use weekends and school holidays. Every day of learning is a day toward success. Keep in mind that absences add up quickly. Students 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 another reason, you must report the absence. 

Watch this video with tips on understanding our school calendar and visit our Attendance webpage for additional information. Attend today, achieve tomorrow!

7th Grade Parent Volunteers Needed

The annual FCPS vision screening event  at Cooper runs this year on October 7 and October 8. We need parent volunteers to guide students in and out of those screening sessions. It’s a fun way to see your child for a few brief moments and help the school screen large groups of students smoothly.

Please use this SignUp Genius to sign up for as many slots as you are able.

Picture Day Volunteers Needed 

School Picture Day is Coming!

📅 Date: Thursday October 10th (odd day schedule) & Friday October 11th (even day schedule) during PE class

📸 Pictures Available: Approximately two weeks after photo day

🛒 Pre-order Online: https://vando.imagequix.com/g1001132588#login

📧 Questions About Ordering? Email us at [email protected]

Please sign up to volunteer for a time slot via the SignUp Genius. 

American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) 10

Cooper will be offering the AMC 10A this year on Wednesday, November 6th, after school at 2:30 PM. The AMC 10 is a 25-question, 75-minute multiple-choice examination in high school mathematics designed to promote the development and enhancement of problem-solving skills. *This test is for students in 10th grade and below and covers the high school curriculum up to 10th grade. 

The AMC 8, which we will be hosting in January, is targeted for middle school students in grade 8 and below. The AMC 10 is NOT required for the AMC 8, and historically, the majority of our Cooper students interested in the AMC competitions take only the AMC 8. Details will follow in the coming weeks on how to register for the AMC 8.

If your student is interested in taking the AMC 10A, please sign up using this Google Form. There will be a $5.00 administrative fee to take the test. The fee can be paid through MySchool Bucks. The deadline to register and pay the fee for AMC 10 is October 25th. As a reminder, the AMC 8 will be offered in January for those who are interested. 

Please contact Lisa Walsh with any questions.

FCPS 2024 World Language Credit Exam (WLCE)

Earn world language credits by demonstrating your proficiency in languages other than English!

• The exam assesses language proficiency in languages other than English
• Students who take the exam can earn up to three foreign language credits for levels one, two, and/or three in the language of the exam.
• The credits can fulfill the foreign language requirements for the Advanced Studies Diploma.
• The FCPS World Language Credit Exam is an approved assessment for awarding students the Virginia Department of Education's Seal of Biliteracy.
• The exam is offered once each school year for the languages listed on the FCPS World Language Credit Exam website.
• A student may participate in the exam two times per language, once per year, between grades 7 and 12. In other words, students have two chances per language to earn credits by taking the exam.

Registration: To register for the exam, contact your school counselor. Registration is open, and will close at 4:00 p.m. on October 4, 2024. **Late registrations will not be accepted.

Date of Exam: The exam will be held on November 12, 2024.

SEL Screener 

October 9th, Cooper Middle School will administer the SEL Screener during block 4 Advisory. Please review the E-Notify sent on Friday, September 6th, for details.

Fall Full-Time AAP Referral Window

The fall window for full-time AAP referrals closes on October 15th, 2024. Parents/guardians of students in seventh or eighth grade who meet the below requirements and would like their student considered for full-time advanced academic programs may submit the AAP Full-Time (Level IV) Referral Form to our Advanced Academics Resource Teacher, Sarah Reeser, no later than October 15, 2024.

Requirements for Fall Full-Time AAP Screening:

• Students new to FCPS schools as of January 1, 2024 - October 15, 2024
• A family enrolling in one of FCPS schools for the first time
• A family re-enrolling a child in FCPS schools after being gone last school year (regardless of where they lived)
• A child who was enrolled in FCPS in Kindergarten - 3rd grade left and re-enrolled in FCPS schools in 7th grade.

Forms for full-time AAP referrals are available on the AAP Forms Page. No late referrals for Full-Time AAP services will be accepted. 

For more information, please visit the Advanced Academic Programs website.

Request for Photos

Attention Parents! We need photos of your students and their Cooper friends for the yearbook. We are specifically looking for photos from last summer, sports, weekends, holidays, first day of school, and students with their families. Please email any photos you would want to see in the yearbook to [email protected] ASAP. THANK YOU!

977 Balls Hill Road, McLean, VA 22101 |  Main Phone: 703.442.5800
Attendance: 703.442.5858 | Student Services: 703.442.5812 | Web | Twitter