Timber Wolf Times

Dear Trailside Families,

Please note the following update from our school nurse:

If a parent has any concerns that their student has been exposed and/or has covid, please keep them out of school until they have tested them. For every student who has been in school and tests positive we average 20 additional students deemed as close contacts. We are all most contagious 2 days prior and for 3 days after testing positive.

And please have all parents notify me if their student has tested positive or has been exposed at Maureen.Newton @lcps.org

MAP Assessment:

During the month of January we are doing both math and reading MAP assessments. This past week we administered the reading assessment to all students who were present. This coming Thursday, we will administer the math MAP assessment. We will have 2 make-up sessions for students who are absent. This mid-year MAP assessment is crucial in our monitoring of student learning and growth. With the loss of learning since March 2019, we rely heavily on the MAP data to determine student present levels and to plan out for instruction. If your child is out of school due to illness for a lengthy period of time, we will work with you to have your student take the assessments remotely from home. Please contact Jesse.Encapera@lcps.org if you will need to make arrangements.

All my best,

Bridget M. Beichler

7th Grade Updates 1/9/2022

6th grade CLT update link.

1/10/2022 Newsletter Updates Counseling

Compass & SEL Learning

Over the next several weeks, your child will be discussing bullying as part of Second Step® Middle School. Bullying is at its peak in middle school, and research indicates that taking proactive steps to address bullying will help reduce occurrences of it in our school. Second Step Middle School is designed to support your child in developing the knowledge and skills to help stop bullying.

Students will learn how to recognize bullying in various contexts, how to use strategies to stand up safely to bullying, and how to seek help if they or someone they know is being bullied. Here are some key definitions your child will be learning:

• Bullying: intentional physical, verbal, or social aggression. It’s often repeated over time and occurs when there’s a real or perceived power imbalance.

• Bystander: anyone who’s aware that bullying is happening

• Cyberbullying: the use of technology to harass, threaten, or intimidate another person

• Physical bullying: hurting someone’s body or possessions

• Relational bullying: hurting someone’s reputation or relationships, such as by excluding them

• Upstander: someone who stands up for a person being bullied

• Verbal bullying: saying or writing mean things about someone

We encourage students to report any instances of bullying they witness or experience to you and to trusted adults at our school. Please contact your students' grade level dean or counselor if you need support in reporting or dealing with bullying. Thank you for your support as we work together to build a bullying-free community.

6th Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child discussed different types of bullying, and increased their awareness that bullying can look and feel different in each situation.

• Ask your child if they have experienced bullying or negative jokes recently. Encourage them to tell you how it made them feel and let them know you’re there to support them.

7th Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child learned how to recognize harassment and tell how it’s different from bullying.

• Talk to your child about an example of harassment you heard about, or—if you’re comfortable—something you experienced. Ask your child how this is different from bullying.

8th Grade

In this week’s lesson your child examined common beliefs about bullying and harassment. They will begin to gain a perspective on how their opinions compare to those of others.

• Ask your child what they think enables bullying and harassment. Encourage a conversation about why bullying and harassment still happens.

Important Upcoming Dates

• January 3rd - CAMPUS Application Opens For Any Interested Students (See Below For Morning Information)

• January 18th - Rising 7th Grade Course Selection Presentations (Through Resource/Spectrum)

• January 21st - Rising 8th Grade Course Selection Presentations (Through Resource/Spectrum)

• January 28th - NJROTC Application Due (See Below for more information)

• February 3rd & 7th - One Love Presentations for All 7th Graders (Through PE)

• February 3rd & 4th - Rising 9th Grade Course Selection Presentations (Through Resource/Spectrum)

• Feb 8th - Rising 7th & 8th Parent Night & Course selection window opens

• Feb 8th & 9th - Sexual Harassment Presentations for All 8th Graders (Through PE)

• Feb 10th - Rising 6th Grade Parent Night

• February 8th-15th - Career Lessons for All 7th Graders in FACS 2nd Semester

7th Grade Counseling Updates

One Love Presentations

All 7th graders will participate in the One Love Foundation Couplets Program, February 3rd & Feb 7th through Health/PE class. Over the 2 days, members from the Unified Mental Health Team will provide relationship health education to students to help them understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships, as well as early warning signs of abuse.

The purpose of this program is to provide a forum through which students can come together to consider a very poignant example of relationship abuse as a case study and work together to generate ideas for having healthier relationships, creating a more respectful society, and improving safety for all.

The program involves a workshop which 8 animated cartoon videos and guided discussion presented by a trained LCPS facilitator. This workshop provides young people with the tools to recognize the warning signs of relationship abuse, to understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationship behaviors, and to learn ways to safely intervene to help a friend.

According to the One Love Foundation, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in this country experience an abusive relationship during their lifetime. This program aims to raise awareness among students about the warning sign of relationship abuse as well as to educate, empower, and activate young people in a movement for change.

For more information about the program visit https://www.joinonelove.org/act/couplets/.

If you would like to opt your student out of the presentations, please fill out the One Love Opt Out Form.

8th Grade Counseling Updates

Campus Presentation & Info

All 8th grade students participated in a virtual presentation by Mr. Chris Clarke the CAMPUS program that will be at Stone Bridge High School. To view the presentation, please watch the Campus Presentation w/Mr. Clarke. If your student is interested in applying or talking to Mrs. Perinis more about the program, please have them fill out the 8th Grade CAMPUS Interest Form.

NJROTC Application Information

The NJROTC (Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps) Admissions Application for the 2022 – 2023 school year is now available. The mission of the NJROTC program is to instill in students the ideals of Leadership, Character, Honor, and Service as the foundation for success in life. The program's focus on order, precision, self-discipline, respect for authority, ethical behavior, patriotism, service, and citizenship is designed to prepare students for success in life, regardless of their future plans.

The application is open only to current Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) eighth-graders. The application is completed through an online application portal and will be available through Friday, January 28, 2022.

Interested students may visit https://webinter.lcps.org/njrotc beginning Monday, November 29, 2021, to complete the online application. More information about this program may be found here. In addition to the online application, students must also submit:

• Two (2) letters of recommendation

• A student-created response (i.e., presentation, essay, drawing, video, etc.)

The NJROTC program is located at Loudoun County High School, 415 Dry Mill Road SW, Leesburg. This is the only military science program in Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS). Students accepted into the program will become a student of Loudoun County High School. This means accepted students will attend Loudoun County High School every day for the next four years. LCPS will provide transportation for students accepted to the NJROTC program. Please contact Lhe.Smith@lcps.org for more information.

Building Leaders for Advancing Science & Teachnology (BLAST)

Building Leaders for Advancing Science and Technology offers an exciting way for rising 9th and 10th grade students to spend three days of summer! Participating students get to stay in a college dorm and see what campus life is like on-site at one of our three partner universities: Old Dominion University, Virginia Tech, or the University of Virginia. No previous experience in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) is needed, and this program is FREE for participants. BLAST is designed to help students find their place in STEM.

Each day of BLAST is jam-packed with STEM-related activities and demonstrations led by faculty of the university. Students come away from BLAST with a greater sense of curiosity, deeper insight about the variety of careers that exist in STEM fields, and enhanced readiness for advanced programs in science, technology, engineering, and math.

For more information visit the BLAST Website to watch videos from past BLAST sessions, as well as access the online application.

With the increasing percentage of COVID positive cases, the 7th and 8th grade dances will be rescheduled for the Spring.

TMS Musical

========

TMS is so excited to announce that there will be a Musical this year on Friday, May 21 and Saturday, May 22. The actual musical is TBA. To find out more information, parents and students are encouraged to attend an upcoming Virtual Interest and Information session to see how parents and students can be involved as cast, crew and volunteers. A Google Meet Code will be provided closer to the video call.

** Parent Interest Virtual Meeting -- Wednesday, January 19th at 7pm

** Student Interest Virtual Meeting -- Monday, January 24th at 4:30pm

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”
― Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture

Email: bridget.beichler@lcps.org
Website: https://www.lcps.org/Trailside
Location: 20325 Claiborne Parkway, Ashburn, VA, USA
Phone: 571 252 2280
Twitter: @TrailsideMiddleSchool

Late Bell: 8:35 AM (students are tardy if arriving after the bell and will need to report to the main office for a tardy pass)

Dismissal: 3:23 PM