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RAVEN REPORT
I want to highlight our staff coming together on Wednesday to celebrate all the ways that we are a school that learns. We heard about the impact small instructional shifts have had on our staff and changed their instructional practices. Both Ms. Kinsey and Ms. Minor shared with our staff how a small change in their instruction has had a big impact on student learning. This is the work of a school that learns!
As we gear up for Spring Break, I ask that you remind your students of the importance of attendance and following expected school behaviors. And please make sure you stop by Chic-Fil-A tomorrow to support our PTSA!
Follow us on Social Media: To see the latest from Poe MS follow us on Instagram at @poeravensfcps!
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Important Dates |
3/24: Chic-Fil-A Spirit Day
3/25: Additional Curriculum Night (families impacted by boundary changes) 5:30-7:00 (more information below)
3/27: Early Release Day Q3
3/30-4/3: Spring Break
4/6: Teacher Workday (no school for students)
4/8: Parent Advisory Meeting (5:00-6:00 Library)
4/10: School Planning Day (no school for students)
4/14: Annandale Pyramid Art Show (Annandale High School 6:00pm)
4/17: Parent Coffee (9:30-10:30 Raven’s Nest)
4/17: Heritage Night (6:00-7:30 Cafeteria)
4/18: Community Clean Up Day (8:00am-12pm Poe MS)
4/21: Special Election Day (no school for students)
4/23, 4/24, 4/25: Raven Theater- Spring Musical
4/29, 4/30: Band Concert (7:00-8:00pm)
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Raving Ravens |
I’d like to celebrate the work of our wonderful Orchestra students on their assessment last weekend. Both Sinfonia and String Ensemble received overall grade 'Excellent' on their performance and 'Superior' on the sight reading. The sight-reading judge complimented to String Ensemble how respectful they are when they enter the room!
HLM Reflections:
As we begin to finish up our high leverage moves, I’d like to take some time to share the impact these moves have had on individuals and their instruction. Here is an example that I’d like to highlight:
“ How has your teaching changed so far as a result of the environmental scan observations & feedback?”
Math Reflection:
“I feel more accountable for collecting data and using it to inform my small groups. While I did this before, it was not as formal, but now using the data sheet I created, I am able to collect the data easily and form groups quickly. I also like to have the data on hand because it can be difficult to keep track of where students are with each standard within each unit. Overall, this has been really helpful. I also love when admin and coaches come to our class and can see how awesome our kiddos are (even though they already know), I think students enjoy having visitors as well. It’s good all around.”
FRED Cards: Here’s what people are saying about our amazing staff. Below are some of the highlights from the recent FRED Cards that were submitted. The person’s name is who is being highlighted followed by what was said about them by a colleague. I will continue to highlight them in each Raven Report so keep them coming!
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Phil Harsh: “Thank you for partnering with me in preparing for the fast and furious SOL season. I appreciate all the after hours you put into Poe and your perspective.”
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Tina Rogers: “Dear master of field trip planning, congratulations on your retirement! MWEE was a success for the 7th graders, all thanks to you. Thank you x1000 for all the time, energy, and heart you put into making it happen.”
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Leslie Carl: “A huge thank you for everything you did to help organize the 7th grade science field trip. I am so grateful for your patience, guidance, and support every step of the way. Your positivity always put me at ease. I truly appreciate you going above and beyond to make this happen for the students.”
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Activities |
Turnpike Classic Basketball Event: We are excited to share an upcoming opportunity for our students to participate in the Turnpike Classic Basketball Event between Poe Middle School and Holmes Middle School.
The event will take place on Friday, May 1, 2026, at Holmes Middle School (6525 Montrose St., Alexandria, VA 22312) and will feature a boys basketball game and a girls basketball game between student teams from each school.
Students currently in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade at Poe Middle School will have the opportunity to try out for the Poe team that will compete in this event.
Prepare for Summer Learning and Fun for Students; Registration is open or will be available soon for summer camps and learning opportunities offered by Fairfax County Public Schools for all students.
Career and Technical Education and Institute for the Arts Camps: Career and Technical Education camps and Institute for the Arts camps will be held in July at Robinson Secondary School from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bus transportation will be available from select FCPS middle and high schools. Tuition assistance is available to FCPS families eligible for free or reduced meals.
CTE Summer Academy (CSA) is a week-long enrichment program that allows students in grades 6-11 to dive deeper into CTE program areas, develop skills, and begin career exploration. Watch this video about CTE camps. Registration is open for these programs through Friday, June 5.
Institute for the Arts (IFTA) is a two-week camp for students currently in grades 6-11. Students select from nearly 60 classes in art, dance, music, and theater. Rising freshmen have the option to take Health and PE 9 through IFTA as well!
Production Camp is a four-week summer theatre intensive for students in grades 6-11. Students in performance or technical theatre tracks rehearse, design, and build a musical in a collaborative atmosphere. The show is presented to the public at the end of camp.
New this year: Students in the above camps can also register for aftercare, which is available from 2 to 5 p.m.
VIP Camp is Almost Here!: We’re excited to announce that VIP Camp will be returning for another year for any rising 6th, 7th, and 8th graders (attending Glasgow MS, Holmes MS, Jackson MS, Kilmer MS Poe MS, or Thoreau MS) and will be held at Glasgow Middle School (4101 Fairfax Pkwy, Lincolnia, VA 22312)!
Registration Opens: March 17, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. (link will go live then)
Be sure to mark your calendars — spots may fill quickly!
For any questions, please contact Mr. Harsh (pgharsh@fcps.edu)
Heritage Night:
Forest Hollow 5K & Fun Run:This family-friendly community event is helping raise funds to improve the Forest Hollow pool parking lot, a space where many neighborhood kids gather for swim team practices, summer programs, and community events. The event is designed to be fun and welcoming for all ages, and we expect many local families to attend.
Hillbrook Community Cleanup: Join us on April 18 from 9am-12pm to clean up our community. To celebrate Earth Day we will be cleaning and refreshing our important community spaces and help keep these spaces safe, welcoming, and enjoyable for everyone.
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Important Information |
Additional Curriculum Night: We are hosting an additional Curriculum Night on 3/25 from 5:30-7:00 for families who were impacted by last minute changes either to boundaries or to AAP programming and who did not attend our Curriculum Night in January. We will be sharing a brief presentation about Poe MS and then an opportunity to walk around the school and ask questions to the admin team.
Weekly March Madness Attendance Competition Update:
- Congratulations to the PATRIOTS team for winning this week’s March Madness Attendance Competition with the lowest percentage of absences for the week (6.18%)
- Congratulations to the HORNETS team continuing to be the team in lead in the 3rd week of our March Madness Attendance Competition with the overall lowest percent of absences for the competition (6.20%)…BUT the Patriots are on their heels with 6.83%!
- All Patriots advisories will be called to the cafeteria at the beginning of Advisory tomorrow (Monday 3/23) to pick up their prize.
- Since Hornets missed their prize from last week, we will come around and deliver those prizes to Hornets advisories tomorrow, who will be completing their SEL Screener.
- Even if your team isn’t in the running for the overall prize, they can still win the last weekly competition prize for next week!
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2026 Special Education Family Conference: Rescheduled: The 2026 Special Education Family Conference has been rescheduled to April 18, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Marshall High School.
A new conference registration form is now available. Participants are asked to register again using the updated form, as previous registrations have expired.
Updated conference details are now available on the Special Education Family Conference webpage.
SOL Saturday Bootcamps: Your child is invited to attend our Saturday SOL Review days beginning in April. The purpose is to help prepare our students for their upcoming SOL test in all content areas. Transportation will be provided along with breakfast. Please complete this form by selecting the dates your child will attend and whether you will need transportation.
Google form with Spanish/English
We Want Your Feedback! Principal Evaluation Parent/Guardian Questionnaire: On Monday, April 6, parents and guardians of Poe MS will receive an email with a link to the FCPS Principal Evaluation Parent/Guardian Feedback Form. This questionnaire is part of the Performance Evaluation Program and provides an opportunity to share anonymous feedback about our school’s leadership and environment.
 The questionnaire will be open April 6 - April 19 and will be collected online. When you receive the email from noreply@fcps.edu, please take a few minutes to complete it. Your input is valuable and helps shape the future of our school. Thank you for your time and feedback!
Parent Acknowledgment of Course Requests for Next School Year: As the academic advising and course selection period draws to a close, we want to ensure all families feel confident about their child's educational path. A new feature in SIS ParentVUE allows parents and guardians to easily review and acknowledge their student's course requests for the 2026-27 school year. Please contact Brig Carrie for support or assistance. To access this feature:
- Log in to your ParentVUE
- Navigate to the Course Request
- Review your student’s course request list for next school year.
- To complete the acknowledgment, click Student Info in the left menu.
- Click Edit Information.
- In the Course Request Acknowledgmentfield, update the acknowledgment field to Yes.
- Click Save Changes.
Families have until Friday, March 27, to review and acknowledge course requests via this new feature.
Visit the FCPS SIS ParentVUE account overview webpage for more instructions and screenshots of this process.
Community Conversations: Share Your Thoughts With Dr. Reid: As a listening leader, connecting with community members across our school division is critical to FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid. Her Community Conversations are opportunities for you to share your thoughts and ask questions. Events will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on:
Click on a date to register to attend that event. Registration is not required, but helps with planning, especially for child care and interpretation services. Events are open to all. Visit the superintendent’s engagement page for the most up-to-date information.
2026 Awards Recognizing Special Education Supporters: Nominations are open for the 2026 Fairfax County Special Education PTA (SEPTA) Awards, which recognize educators, staff, volunteers, and community members who go above and beyond to support students receiving special education services. The annual program celebrates individuals across Fairfax County Public Schools who demonstrate exceptional commitment to inclusion, support, and student success.
Honorees may include teachers, instructional assistants, administrators, therapists, volunteers, and other community members who have made a meaningful difference in the lives of students and families. Nominations are open through Friday, March 27, and can be submitted online.
Award recipients will be recognized at the SEPTA Awards Ceremony on Saturday, May 2, where families, educators, and community members will gather to celebrate those helping build more inclusive and supportive school communities. Registration details for the ceremony will be announced at a later date.
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Updates from Tech Office |
Chromebook Cases: This is a reminder that students are required to always keep the plastic protective case on their school-issued Chromebook. If a student removes the case and there is damage to the Chromebook (whether by accident or on purpose) the student will not be issued a replacement computer until fees are paid. Currently, the cost for a replacement screen is $84. The cost of a replacement computer case is $34. The cost to repair a keyboard is $37. The cost for a replacement laptop is now $601.
We will be conducting a school-wide computer check on Monday, March 23rd during Period 6. If you see that your child’s Chromebook case has been removed, please encourage them to see Mr. Perella so he can properly reinstall the case.
News from the PTSA
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Chic-Fil-A Spirit Day: We have another Chick-fil-A spirit day on Tuesday, March 24! Order Chick-fil-A any time throughout the day and use the word "ravens" at checkout to have a portion of the sale donated back to our school.
Bonus Raffle: Save your receipts and bring to our April General Membership Meeting to be entered into a raffle to win a Poe Middle School tote bag!
Membership
Please join us! It will take you 3 minutes to get a membership if you scan the QR code below. We have 25 members currently, and around 900 students in the school. Funds from memberships are essential for us to fund programs that expand opportunities for students, purchase spirit wear, and support the community-building activities that the school puts in place for our kids.
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