Franklin MS Update- 10/03/2025

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

The Blue Star Welcome week reception was a hit. Students got to have therapy dogs come and visit on Wednesday. Also students in robotics making an amazing creation.

Franklin Community,

This week brought a change to our usual routine with a day off on Thursday. We hope students and families were able to take advantage of the break to rest, recharge, and enjoy some extra time together. As we head into the weeks ahead, we’re excited to build on that energy and continue all the great learning and activities happening at Franklin.

We were proud to host our Blue Star Welcome Breakfast as part of Blue Star Welcome Week. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with our military-connected families, hear their stories, and celebrate the important role they play in our school community. Events like this remind us how much we can support one another and strengthen our sense of belonging. A special thank you goes out to our Student Services department for organizing and hosting this meaningful event.

On Wednesday we welcomed our therapy dogs to Franklin, as we do on the first Wednesday of each month. Many students participated and enjoyed spending time with the dogs, which always brings smiles and a sense of calm to our building. Research shows that therapy animals can have a positive impact on mental health by reducing stress, easing anxiety, and boosting overall well-being. We are grateful to Mr. Tippins for organizing these visits and look forward to welcoming our furry friends back next month!

We also celebrated students who have been consistently on time to class with our Low Tardy Party! Over 700 students earned a ticket to enjoy a freeze pop at recess as a reward for having two or fewer tardies so far this year. This celebration was a fun way to recognize students who are making punctuality a priority and showing they are ready to learn each day. A big thank you goes to Ms. Lombardi for organizing the event and helping us celebrate this positive achievement!

Next week brings a rare treat—a full five-day week! We know that’s not something we see very often, so let’s make the most of it. I’m hoping we can make it through! Wishing all of our students and families a relaxing and enjoyable weekend, and we look forward to another great week at Franklin!

Tom DeRusso
Principal
Franklin Middle School

Weekly CARE Card Raffle Winners

~Important Dates~

October 13: Teacher Workday - School Closed

October 16 & 17: Fall Pictures

October 20: Diwali - School & Office Closed

October 31 - Quarter 1 Ends - 2 hour Early Release

~Action Items~

Picture Day is Coming

Thursday, October 16 and Friday, October 17

You can place your order on mylifetouch.com using your Picture Day ID: EVT3HH3B3. Order before midnight on Picture Day to get FREE shipping! Your child can also bring their completed flyer with cash or check on Picture Day. Orders after Picture Day must be placed online only on mylifetouch.com

Vision and Hearing Volunteers

Vision and hearing screening will be held on October 10th and 14th for all 7th graders and students who are new to FCPS. 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 their 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 Donna Long, School Health Aide at 703-904-5110 or Sign Up Here!

☑️Register To Volunteer

All parents must register before volunteering for a school event. At Franklin Middle School, our volunteers are a vital part of our school community. We deeply value the time and care they give to our students.

Recent updates to our volunteer process focus on one primary goal: keeping students safe.

These updates — such as checks against the sex offender registry and, in some cases, criminal background checks — are safety measures that will help us maintain a secure and supportive learning environment for every student in our care.

We encourage all our parents and community members interested in supporting our students by volunteering at school to visit Volunteer FCPS, click “Learn More,” and then “Sign Up.” After you create a profile, you will view an orientation video and complete a volunteer application.

Volunteer FCPS ensures a safe, consistent, and welcoming environment at all of our schools. All volunteers must be registered in Volunteer FCPS. This includes individuals who volunteer to chaperone on field trips, work at book fairs, and help out regularly in classrooms, libraries, or cafeterias. Volunteers who work unsupervised with students will also be required to undergo a background check.

We understand these changes may seem disruptive, especially for long-time volunteers. Our intent is to ensure that our students feel safe and supported with each and every person they encounter at school.

As a reminder, all volunteers — and visitors to a school — are required to sign in by scanning their ID at our visitor kiosk. Visit the Volunteer FCPS Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more.