A Message from Dr. Di Nicola
Last week continued our refreshing return to the 2023-2024 school year as our students engaged in fun classroom activities promoting positive COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS in addition to diving into their content studies with our terrific staff. Upon visiting classroooms last week, so many of our students were creating original works, learning how to capture the essentials of musical performance, taking part in healthy physical athletic activities, and responding to questions posed by our educators and their peers to help them grow and learn both conversationally and in written formats.
To this day, it is mesmerizing for me as an educator to watch students' expressions as they discover something new or gain confidence in an area of learning where they may have been unsure previously. There is truly no greater reward in this profession than this kind of opportunity to see students shine, hence why our leadership team prefers to spend time out and about in the school house with our students and educators to watch the magic happen. :)
We are excited to let you know that Simpson will soon be expanding opportunities for student clubs/organizations as our activity buses become available to us in the next few weeks! This includes generating events for collaboration among our Mustangs with their older peers at Loudoun County HS involved in organizations to promote vertical articulation of our many of our extracurricular programs as well as to enhance leadership qualities among our students that can be carried well into the future beyond the middle school experience.
We hope that you are all enjoying this long sunny weekend with your family and friends! We will see our Mustangs again on Tuesday, September 5 (A Day)!
Early Dismissals, Bus Passes
Bus passes (for transportation on a bus other than the student assigned bus) will not be permitted for the first two weeks of school as our students and bus drivers adjust to their new routine. Be sure to watch out for bus pass start date and procedures in an upcoming newsletter.
Whenever students are changing their normal dismissal transportation (ie. bus rider to walker or bus rider to car rider), please be sure to notify your house secretary the morning of the change via email or a written note.
ADDITIONAL DISMISSAL REMINDERS:
- Before coming outside to meet their buses at the end of the day, students should check the digital TV displays in house or main entrance locations to determine if their bus has arrived. If their bus number does not appear on the digital TV display, then they should proceed to the auditorium until their bus number is called by staff to indicate its arrival.
- Students are required stay on the sidewalk for safety reasons when walking around the bus loop to locate their buses.
- If students are walking home, they must use crosswalks appropriately and may not walk along Evergreen Mills Road for safety reasons.
- Our Mustangs who live in Evergreen Meadows should walk along the fence / pathways to return home instead of through the parking lot where student pick-up is occurring by our families for safety purposes.
- Student pick-up by families should occur in the designated car line through our parking lot in lieu of locations on roads that are adjacent to Simpson MS.
6th Grade Secretary - Stephanie.DeWan@lcps.org
7th Grade Secretary - Laura.Ridings@lcps.org
8th Grade Secretary - Monica.Allman@lcps.org
Mustang Cinch Sacks are Here!
Starting on Tuesday, September 5, only cinch sacks may be brought to classrooms to transport Chromebooks / school supplies. Students are expected to place their names on their cinch sacks to identify them as their own property.
Students may also use their own cinch sack if they would like something different from our Simpson version. The concept is that the cinch sack is smaller in size and not a larger backpack in its composition.
Students are able to bring their larger backpacks to school, but they are to remain in their lockers and used to transport items from home to school and back as needed. The smaller cinch sacks are meant to carry items to and from class as needed in order to maximize the space available in our small classrooms and hallways and support student organization of essential items needed for each class session.
Students are welcome to visit their lockers before school, between classes, and after school for necessary items, as well as any other occasion on which they receive permission from staff to do so.
We will certainly be supportive and flexibile of the reality that students may forget items in their lockers and may need to return to them to access those necessary supplies. Our staff will be assisting students in any organizational practices to guide them in bringing the essentials needed for classes on a regular basis as well as in managing time effectively so that they may arrive comfortably to class with all needed materials.
Students Rights and Responsibilities Presentations
Topics from the LCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities for Families and Student Code of Conduct will include:
HONORABLE + ENGAGED + RESPECTFUL + DETERMINED = HERD
- General Student Responsibilities
- Getting Involved in a Positive Way at JLS!
- Acceptable Use Policy for School-Based and Personal Technology
- Freedom of Expression in Schools
- Profane or Obscene Language and Racial Slurs/Hate Speech
- Bullying / Harassment
- Weapons / Alcohol, Drugs, Tobacco/E-Cigarettes
- Attendance and Tardies
- Lunch / Recess Procedures
- E-Hall Pass
- Academic Honesty
- End of Day Dismissal Protocols
- Grade-Level Field Trips for SY 2023-2024
- Questions for Us? How can we help?
Virginia Growth Assessment
Students in grades 6-8 will take the Virginia Department of Education’s Growth Assessments in reading and math this fall and again during the winter. Test windows for fall will be Math on September 11 and Reading on September 20. The online growth assessments are adaptive assessments that aid teachers with identifying learning strands that require additional instruction. Students will take these tests in addition to the spring Standards of Learning (SOL) tests.
Encourage your students to get a good night's sleep and a healthy breakfast prior to testing and to arrive at school with their Chromebooks fully charged the day of testing.
Questions can be directed to our 6th Grade Dean, Ms. Hailey. katherine.hailey@lcps.org
Writing Prompts for 8th Graders Interested in Academies of Loudoun
The Admissions & Outreach Office at the Academies of Loudoun will be releasing the writing prompts again this year for 8th graders. The released prompts will be shared with all 8th grade students through their science classes. A guided lesson has been constructed for 8th grade science teachers to introduce the nature of a STEM related critical thinking writing task.
8th grade science teachers will introduce the guided lesson anytime between now and October 18, 2023. This date coincides with the application due date. This timeframe will allow Academies of Loudoun applicants an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the admissions writing assessment before their scheduled test sessions on October 28, November 4, and November 11, 2023.
Need Chromebook Assistance? DES Can Help!
All students should bring their Chromebook (fully charged) and charger to school each day.
The office is located down the main hallway (SIMPSON STREET) just past Room M3 on the right. If Mustangs need any help locating the site, any staff member can assist.
Cell Phones / Earbuds / Personal Digital / Mobile Devices
While cell phones/personal digital mobile devices are allowed at school, students will not be allowed to use these items in classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, recess, bathroom/locker rooms, or other areas of the building during school hours (8:10 a.m. – 3:18 p.m.)
Maintaining the integrity of the learning environment is the top priority, so students must:
- Have their cell phones turned off during the school day; Cell phone use shall cause no distraction or disruption.
- Keep their cell phones out of sight during instructional time (inside and outside of classrooms).
- Certain infractions will result in students immediately losing the privilege to carry a cell phone on campus. This response will be decided by school administrators. Infractions include, but are not limited to:
(b) Refusing to give the device to a school official who requests it
(c) Making threats against the school community
In-Class Interventions/School Leadership Responses:
1st Offense: Teacher to Student Warning
2nd Offense: Teacher to Student Warning - Teacher contacts parent/guardian.
3rd Offense: Student takes phone to dean for storage in envelope - Student must pick up at end of the day - Dean contacts parent/guardian.
4th Offense: Student takes phone to dean for storage in envelope - Parent/guardian must pick up. - Dean contacts parent/guardian.
5th Offense+: Student-Parent/Guardian-Counselor-Dean/AP Meeting / Additional Interventions/Disposition(s) to Support Positive Improvement of Student Behavior
What is a Family Liason?
A Family Liaison is a LCPS staff member (not a volunteer) who works to bridge the gap between home and school by helping parents get the information and support they need to ensure their child’s academic and social success. As a parent, you have a private link, connection, and bridge to your child’s school. We are fortunate to have an outstanding Family Liaison at Simpson Middle School, Ms. Leslie Chisholm. She can be reached at leslie.chisholm@lcps.org.
Your Family Liaison can connect you to important information
· Contacting Teachers and Counselors
· School Expectations
· Directing families to the appropriate staff member when questions arise
Your Family Liaison can connect you to available resources/help
Financial assistance for school fees (based on need)
· School Supplies or fees
· Medical Assistance/Glasses
· After School Programs
. Resources in the community
Your Family Liaison can help you make a comfortable connection with the school
· Get Help from Interpreters
· Volunteering
Your Family Liaison works with our Simpson MS United Mental Health Team to connect you with support in crisis situations (emotional, physical, and academic)
· Housing
· Accidents
· Illness
· Bullying
· Substance and Physical Abuse
· Food stability
If you would like assistance from Ms. Chisholm at any time, feel free to connect via e-mail or see your counselor/dean and we can support your meeting with her.
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!
Our most immediate need right now is for a 6th Grade Event lead and someone that would like to help with our welcome back staff breakfast. Please reach out to Natalie Sutter nsutter@gmail.com or Sara Conner sbc070178@gmail.com if you are interested in helping. 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!
Upcoming Dates to Remember
Be sure to check here often as we will continue to add dates and events as they become available.
September 1-4 - No School - Holiday
September 5-8 - SSR Meetings & Substitute Appreciation Week
September 6 & 7 - Select Chorus Auditions
September 11 & 19 - Math VGA Testing
September 18 & 19 - All County Chorus Auditions
September 19 - Special Education Parent Coffee @9am
September 20 - Special Education Parent Coffee @7pm
September 20 - Reading VGA Testing
September 21 - PTO Meeting 7pm
September 23 - JR Regional Orchestra Auditions
September 25 - No School - Holiday
October 2 & 3 - School Picture Days (taken during Health and PE classes)
October 9 - No School - Holiday
October 18 - Unity Day
October 31 - All District Chorus Auditions
November 6 - No School - Election Day
November 13 - No School - Holiday
November 22-24 - No School - Holiday
December 21-January 1 - No School -Winter Break
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
