A Message from Dr. Di Nicola
Good evening, JLS Mustang Families!
We had yet another beautiful week at JL Simpson MS with so many wonderful events, many of which were led by our Mustangs themselves!
Thank you to our Loudoun County HS Captains from a variety of clubs, organizations, and athletics teams who performed their fall visit on Wednesday, November 3 for our 8th graders! It was pretty awesome seeing our former Mustangs inspiring our rising 9th graders to participate in activities beyond the classroom next year…and hopefully even more so this year as we approach Clubs During The Day and expand our After School Club offerings! Thank you, Kjersti Oliver, one of our assistant principals, for organizing this event with Lacey Kimbrough, the Student Activities and Engagement Coordinator at LCHS, in honor of promoting student interests, engagement, and leadership across our cluster’s secondary schools!
Our 2023 Veterans Day Program held on Friday, November 10 was an incredible success…and a surefire example of how impactful our work can be when students are at the center of the leadership of events. We so appreciate each and every one of our veterans representing our Mustang families who attended our event. Your service to our country is immensely valued and appreciated!
A gigantic THANK YOU to the following groups who made our Veterans Day Program so fabulous:
- Our Select Chorus and Grade 8 Band for their brilliant musical performances
- Grey Moore for his stirring rendition of “Taps”
- Sadie Ure, Michael Manning, and Stone Taliaferro for their interviewing prowess with our honorable veteran guests
- Our Empowered Girls Club for generously scribing all of our thank you notes to our veterans who were in attendance at our event
- Samantha Polk for designing our program cover with her original artwork
- Brandon Filsinger, Lisa Hamilton, Katie Hailey, Stephanie Dewan, Laura Ridings, Monica Allman, Beth Paquette, Holly Hoey-Johnson, Penny Barry, John Harden, Kjersti Oliver, and Jennifer Burns: Thank you for your illustrious teamwork in supporting our student leaders as well as making sure that all of the details that structured our ceremony were in place to produce the fine quality that it was for our veterans!
- All JLS Staff for working together both in the auditorium and in our classrooms to support our students in respectfully enjoying this special event together in honor of the service of our veterans!
We are excited for November 14-17 as it is World Kindness Week...so let's all remember that it is indeed being kind to one another that makes our Mustang Community the wonderful place that it is each and every day!
Have a great week ahead and hope to see you all soon!
Dr. Frank G. "Tripp" Di Nicola, III
Principal
JL Simpson Middle School
This Week at JL Simpson Middle School - November 13-17
Tuesday, November 14 - A Day
- 9:00 AM: Special Education Parent Coffee - Library/Media Center
Wednesday, November 15 - B Day
- 8:00 AM: Monty's Cafe Open - Hot Chocolate for $2.00 - Main Entrance of JLS
- 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM: 8th Grade Honor Roll Celebration - Auditorium/Cafeteria
- After School Clubs: 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM:
- Fellowship of Christian Athletes - Aux Gym
- 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM: PTO Spirit Night @ Noodle & Company
- 7:00 PM - Special Education Parent Coffee - Library/Media Center
Thursday, November 16 - A Day
- 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM: 7th Grade Honor Roll Celebration - Auditorium/Cafeteria
- After School Clubs: 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM
- Book Lovers Club - Library/Media Center
- 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM: PEP Meeting 6 pm - 8 pm - Cafeteria
Friday, November 17 - B Day
- Wear Purple for Epilepsy Awareness
- 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM: 6th Grade Honor Roll Celebration
- All Day: Student Picture Make-Up Day
Bus Passes and Early Dismissal Procedures
- Bus passes are back!
- Early Dismissal Procedures:
First Quarter Honor Roll Celebrations
Wednesday, November 15, 2023 - Grade 8 - Brandon.Filsinger@lcps.org, Dean, Point of Contact
Thursday, November 16, 2023 - Grade 7 - Brent.Washburn@lcps.org, Dean, Point of Contact
Friday, November 17, 2023 - Grade 6 - Katherine.Hailey@lcps.org, Dean, Point of Contact
Invitations were delivered specifically to our First Quarter Honor Roll Mustangs and their families regarding logistics for our event on Saturday, November 11, 2023.
PEP Meeting - Thursday, Nov. 16 - 6pm-8pm
For our non-English speaking parents:
Please join us this Thursday, November 16th from 6:00-8:00 PM in the cafeteria for our next PEP meeting.
- Please take notice of the new start time.
- We will have a Spanish and Farsi interpreter available. If you need an interpreter for another language, please contact Mrs. Chisholm as soon as possible at Leslie.Chisholm@LCPS.org or call 571.252.2840.
- We also ask that you call or email to let us know if you will attend the meeting. This will help us calculate for plenty of food for dinner.
- There will be free childcare for children K-5th grades and free tutoring for students 6-8th grades.
- We hope you can join us for another lively meeting and mark your calendar for next month's meeting December 14th. Hope to see you there!
What is PEP?
The LCPS Parents as Educational Partners (PEP) program is designed to provide continual opportunities to engage families and begin cultivating meaningful relationships with families, ultimately, strengthening crucially important home-school partnerships. PEP represents dedication to the ongoing hard work and heart work of family engagement. PEP is designed to provide resources and service to English Learner families, specifically those who are English language emergent, however, this program aims to uplift, encourage, and empower families. Every family is unique in their perspective, and that perspective is deeply valued in the PEP space. PEP is not a space to enforce assimilation but is a safe space for families to be engaged and learn; and be uplifted in their learning.
For more information contact Leslie Chisholm at Leslie.Chisholm@LCPS.org
JLS Clubs/Organizations for SY 2023-2024: Engaging Our Mustangs Beyond The Classroom!
LCPS Student Athletics and Activities Program Summary
Loudoun County Public Schools' athletic & activities programs dynamically support the academic mission of the school system. Our athletic & activities programs provide opportunities for lifelong lessons in the value of teamwork, empathy, work ethic, resilience, and sacrifice for a goal, all within the values of respect and honor. It is the hope that participation in the student activities within LCPS will promote positive attitudes that will empower students to make meaningful contributions to the world.
Objectives:
To promote an atmosphere that allows students to be challenged to develop physical, mental, emotional, and social growth.
To provide a student with the environment to develop their individual skills and potential.
To teach each individual how to function as a member of a team or group, with personal goals and accomplishments being held in high regard but subservient to that of the team or group.
To teach each individual to strive for excellence, but only within the confines of acceptable sportsmanship and conduct.
To enable a community-wide sense of school spirit that is fostered by participation in student activities at each school.
To develop a life-long appreciation of physical fitness, wellness, and empathy.
National studies and research indicate that:
- Participation in athletics and activities promotes citizenship
- Students involved in activities have higher grade point averages than do non-participants
- Students involved in activities have better attendance records than do non-participants
- Of all students who drop out of school, 96 percent are NOT involved in school activities
- Participation in school activities is one of the most accurate predictors of success after college
What AFTER SCHOOL clubs/organizations are offered at JLS?
- Click here to see our current offerings, including their general dates/times.
- After school club/organization meeting dates, times, and locations will be consistently listed in the THIS WEEK AT JL SIMPSON MIDDLE SCHOOL calendar section at the top of The Mustang Messenger.
- Please encourage your Mustang to e-mail the sponsor of each club/organization with any questions.
What is the CLUBS DURING THE DAY Program at JLS?
Our purpose of the Clubs During The Day Program is to provide an opportunity for students to explore co-curricular and extracurricular interests during the school day as many may not be available to participate after school hours. Each staff member will be aligned with a club/organization as a sponsor, promoting our mission of POSITIVE COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS at the forefront of our program.
Students do not miss any class time when participating in Clubs During The Day as all students and staff are involved together in the program at the same time each week.
Clubs During The Day will meet on Wednesdays for 44 minutes from 2:34 PM -3:18 PM on an adapted bell schedule.
Clubs During The Day will meet from November 29, 2023 - April 4, 2024.
CLUBS DURING THE DAY TIMELINE in ADVISORY:
October 25: Student Preview of Clubs During The Day Program / Students begin submitting club/organization proposals
October 27: Last day to submit club/organization proposals
November 1: Student Club Preview (Advisory) / Students rank their top five (5) club choices
November 3: Last day for students to submit their top five (5) club choices
November 6-8: Students assigned clubs based on their top five (5) club choices - Staff will work with students who have not submitted their top five (5) club choices to find a club of interest for participation
What is OPPORTUNITY TIME?
Opportunity Time occurs on Wednesdays and Thursdays at JLS by appointment via communication among our educators, students, and their families to provide an after school location for our Mustangs to work with a teacher to complete or catch up on current assignments in their classes. This program takes place regularly in Room M6.
We encourage our Mustangs to become involved in JLS' clubs, organizations, and extracurricular/co-curricular activities program!
School Pictures Now Available Online
School pictures are available online!
Families should have received an e-proof via email. Please remember to check your spam folder if you cannot find this e-mail.
If your student missed picture day, there will be a picture make up day on Friday, November 17.
For any questions about your student's school pictures please contact: underclass@vosphoto.com
Merry Mustangs
Merry Mustangs is a program that strives to support the needs of students and their families at Simpson Middle School. We are collecting donations to provide families with retail gift cards. During this Season of Giving, please consider donating to the Merry Mustangs Program.
There are 2 ways you can contribute.
- You can purchase and donate gift cards in any denomination. Ideas for store gift cards include Target, Walmart, Nike, Aeropostale, Old Navy, Marshalls, Ross, and Dicks Sporting Goods. Donations can be dropped off at the Simpson front office Monday-Friday 8:30 am - 3:30 pm. We will be collecting gift cards through December 8th. Please use this link to sign up for gift card donations.
- You can make a monetary donation (any amount) that will be used to purchase various gift cards. Monetary donations can be made here through School Cash Online.
Thomas Jefferson Application Process Now Open for Current 8th Graders
The application process for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology is now open. Current 8th grade students who meet the eligibility criteria below are invited to apply for the 2024-2025 school year. Please feel free to share this information with your eligible students. To apply, students must be:
- in 8th grade
- interested in STEM
- enrolled in Algebra 1 or higher
- enrolled in science honors and one other honors course (English or Social Studies)
- Have a GPA of 3.5 or higher (7th grade & first quarter of 8th grade)
Click here for the TJ Application Details.
Application portal: https://jasonline.fcps.edu/jase-web/jase
Last day to open an application is November 15 at 4:00 PM.
Application deadline is November 17th at 4:00PM.
If you have questions, please contact our 8th grade counselor, sabrina.jeane@lcps.org
Lost and Found
Have You Ordered Your Yearbook Yet?
Be sure to use our school code 13625
How do I join the Simpson Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO)?
Are you trying to figure out how to stay involved during those middle school years?
There are small and big ways that really make an impact on our AMAZING school! Please reach out to Natalie Sutter nsutter@gmail.com or Sara Conner sbc070178@gmail.com if you are interested in helping with our PTO activities in any way. You can also sign up to help by clicking here!
The PTO has many things planned for our staff and students! Check out our Volunteer Signup! A board member will reach out with more details!
- FREE Grade Level Events for each grade
- Monty's Cafe (Coming back for a 3rd year)
- Family Bingo Night w/ Silent Auction and Concessions
- Enhance our social media platforms
- Lots of Appreciation Days / Weeks for Staff
- Joint 5K with other middle schools
Click here for the Official J.L. Simpson MS PTO Webpage.
We look forward to engaging all of our Mustang families in PTO in service and support of all of our children!
Dates to Remember
Be sure to check here often as we will continue to add dates and events as they become available.
November 13 - No School - Holiday - Diwali
November 14 - Special Education Parent Coffee
November 15 - Monty's Cafe Open at 8am at school main entrance / Special Education Parent Coffee
November 15 - Grade 8 Quarter 1 Honor Roll Assembly - 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM - Auditorium/Cafeteria
November 16 - PEP Meeting - 5:30pm - Cafeteria
November 16 - Grade 7 Quarter 1 Honor Roll Assembly - 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM - Auditorium/Cafeteria
November 17 - Grade 6 Quarter 1 Honor Roll Assembly - 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM - Audiitorium/Cafeteria
November 17 - Epilepsy Awareness - Wear purple! / School Portrait Make-Up Day
November 22-24 - No School - Holiday - Thanksgiving Break
November 30 - Bring Your Parent to School Day
December 6 - PTO Bingo (more information coming)
December 11-15 - Book Fair in the Library/Media Center
December 13 - Monty's Cafe Open at 8am at school main entrance
December 14 - PEP Meeting - 5:30pm - Cafeteria
December 21-January 1 - No School - Winter Break
January 15 - No School - Holiday - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 17 - Monty's Cafe Open at 8am at school main entrance
January 19 - End of Second Grading Period
January 22 - No School - Student Holiday
February 9 - No School - Holiday - Lunar New Year
February 15 - PEP Meeting - 5:30pm - Cafeteria
February 19 - No School - Holiday - Presidents' Day
February 21 - Monty's Cafe Open at 8am at school main entrance
March 5 - No School - Student Holiday
March 14 - PEP Meeting - 5:30pm - Cafeteria
March 20 - Monty's Cafe Open at 8am at school main entrance
March 25 - 29 - No School - Spring Break
April 4 - End of Third Grading Period
April 5 - No School - Student Holiday
April 10 - No School - Holiday - Eid al Fitr
April 17 - Monty's Cafe Open at 8am at school main entrance
April 18 - PEP Meeting
May 15 - Monty's Cafe Open at 8am at school main entrance
May 27 - No School - Holiday - Memorial Day
June 5 - Monty's Cafe Open at 8am at school main entrance
June 14 - Last Day of School/End of Fourth Grading Period
Follow Us On Social Media!
Email: Tripp.DiNicola@lcps.org
Website: https://www.lcps.org/jlsms
Location: J. Lupton Simpson Middle School, Evergreen Mills Rd, Leesburg, VA, USA
Phone: 5712522840
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JLSimpsonMS2020/
Twitter: @JLSMS_Official
