The Mustang Messenger

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Good evening, JLS Mustang Families!

This past week at JL Simpson MS proved to be an outstanding one with sunny skies and warm temperatures, accompanied by great celebrations and student performances all around!

Mary Poppins, Jr. Flies High At JLS!

Mary Poppins, Jr. took center stage on May 3, May 4, and May 5 before large enthusiastic crowds, all of which clearly enjoyed the talented musical artists that shined brilliantly both as cast and crew members to make the spectacle a "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" success! We are so proud of all of our student performers for their incredible dedication in making Mary Poppins, Jr. one of the finest musicals to ever be featured at JL Simpson MS! We are very indebted to our JLS Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) for sponsoring our program and donating so many countless hours of support for our musical artists over the past few months...you are the best! We must accordingly celebrate the fabulous Holly Hoey-Johnson as our show's musical director and Linda Cirba as our vocal director for their exemplary leadership of our Mustang performers, empowering them to showcase their wonderful skills in making Mary Poppins, Jr. a production that shall forever remain in our hearts and memories!

Substitute Appreciation Day - Wednesday, May 1, 2024 / School Lunch Heroes Celebration - Friday, May 3, 2024

Our students and staff celebrated the great Ms. Castro, Mr. Thompson, Ms. Steinbach, Ms. Demena, Ms. Saeed, and Ms. Henehan as our site-based substitutes and Tammy Longerbeam (Cafeteria Manager), Jagjit Awasthi, Erin Hutching, and Benita Smith as our awesome cafeteria leadership team this past week, providing them with special lunches and surprise gifts. We are very indebted to these fantastic Mustang professionals who are such vital components in making the daily experience at Simpson the best it can be!

Loudoun Education Association Honors Kimberly Poole as the LCPS Teacher of the Year!

Mrs. Poole was celebrated yet again as our LCPS Teacher of the Year, but this time before all of the nominees for the honor, a record fifty-eight of them! Mrs. Poole gave a beautiful speech about her own inspirations in education emerging from the teachers who worked with her own children as they were growing up, the colleagues with whom she works daily, and all of the educators in LCPS who wake up each morning to head to their schools with a smile and open heart to do the best for our students. Once more, she inspired all in attendance and displayed for us all why she has long deserved this great honor!

Interims for Quarter 4 are here!

The interims of Quarter 4 arrive this week as we begin the final targeting of the finish line for June 14, 2024 as the last day of the school year. Please encourage your Mustangs to review all of their current assignments to ensure that they are up to date, communicating with our educators should they have any need for support or enrichment in any way. We are here as always to assist our Mustangs in shining through to outstanding success academically and otherwise!

End-of-Course English: Reading SOL Assessment at All Grade Levels on Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Please empower your Mustang to do their very best work on their forthcoming English: Reading SOL Assessment on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 by reviewing the tips for their grade level seen below this introductory message in this week's newsletter edition. Our educators will be providing some supportive reminders tomorrow morning and on Tuesday in a brief advisory. We will be truly building the enthusiasm for doing the best on these highly important assessments for our students and our entire JL Simpson Middle School community by surprising our Mustangs with a grand event on Tuesday morning just prior to tackling the test. LET'S GO MUSTANGS! YOU WILL ROCK THIS!

JLS Staff Appreciation Week - Monday, May 6 - Friday, May 10, 2024

Finally, this coming week we will be celebrating our entire Mustang Professional Staff with an array of surprises from our students, school leadership team, community organizations, and our wonderful PTO. I have worked at six different schools in Loudoun County Public Schools and four others prior to my arrival in this division in 2002. While I have adored each experience at each of these remarkable schools, I do not believe I have seen a staff that is tied together as a family more than this outstandingly caring team of educators and professionals. We are very lucky to have this great instructional and support staff at JL Simpson MS...and they deserve all of the celebration that they shall see this week and forever!

As always, please remember that we will all continue to exemplify the HONORABLE, ENGAGED, RESPECTFUL, and DETERMINED attributes that accompany our entire Mustang HERD in seeing optimum performance levels as we finish 2023-2024 strong! We appreciate your support in this process...and thank you for all of your quality efforts in being the fantastic families that nurture the greatness of our Mustang superstars!

Have a wonderful week ahead and hope to see you soon!

Dr. Frank G. "Tripp" Di Nicola, III

Principal

JL Simpson Middle School

Happening All Month - Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Happening All Week - Teacher Appreciation Week

Monday, May 6 - B Day - Quarter 4 Interim

• After School Clubs/Events: 3:30 PM - 4:40 PM
• Jazz Band Rehearsal - Ms. Paquette - Band Room

Tuesday, May 7 - A Day

• All Grades - Engligh Reading Standards of Learning (SOL) Assessment (See bell schedule below)
• 8:30 AM -8:40 PM: Breakfast for students in Advisory
• After School Activities: 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM
• Grade 6 Choir Rehearsal - Ms. Hoey-Johnson - Auditorium
• 6:30PM - Crosstown Volleyball Tournament - Simpson Vs. Smarts Mill @Tusccarora High School

Wednesday, May 8 - B Day - School Nurse Day

• Reading SOL MAKEUP
• 11:52 AM - 1:15 PM: Grade 8 Band Rehearsal - Ms. Paquette - Auditorium
  
• After School Clubs/Events: 3:30 PM - 4:40 PM
• Opportunity Time - M6
• Fellowship of Christian Athletes - AUX Gym - Ms. O'Hara
• Weight Lifting Club - Mr. Dunbar
• 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Grade 8 NJHS Induction Ceremony

Thursday, May 9- A Day

• Library Helpers meet during lunch
• After School Clubs/Events: 3:30 PM - 4:40 PM
• Opportunity Time - M6
• Student Council Association Meeting - Ms. Suttie / Ms. Herrin - C8
• Select Choir Rehearsal - Ms. Hoey Johnson - M4

Friday, May 10 - B Day

Click here --> JLSMS Grade Level Academic Weekly Update - May 6-10, 2024

HOW CAN I ACCESS THE JLS GRADE-LEVEL ACADEMIC WEEKLY UPDATE NEWSLETTER in MULTIPLE LANGUAGES?

To Translate A Document to a Preferred Language Other Than English:

1. Click on the grade-level newsletter you wish to review.

2. In the top menu, click Tools and then Translate document.

3. Enter a name for the translated document and select a language.

4. Click Translate.

A translated copy of your document will open in a new window. You can also see this copy in your Google Drive.

We have the greatest staff in the world right here at Simpson! Join us in offering gratitude for all they do each and every day!

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 6th - May 10th!

Say "thank you" to a teacher with classroom books! Some of our teachers have created wish lists on the Simpson Bookworm Central online bookstore. You can choose to have the book sent to you or change the shipping address to have it sent directly to the school. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Simpson Library. Just go to https://www.bookwormcentral.com/JLuptonSImpsonMiddle and click Wishlists/Registry.

As you know, fentanyl is hurting our community.

The Office of Student Mental Health Services

would like to invite you to attend a unique event at Heritage High School on Wednesday, May 8 at 7 p.m. A nationally respected team of experts from the nonprofit Song for Charlie will share a short educational film, The New Drug Talk. In less than 30 minutes, this film covers the basics of the fentanyl crisis, how it’s affecting young people and the steps we all can take to help keep our communities safe. The film also includes vital information about naloxone, the life-saving, opioid overdose-reversing medication, as well as other resources.

An expert panel discussion will follow the presentation. Members of the panel will share their stories of losing a loved one to fentanyl and give a fact-based presentation about the dangers of fentanyl in the illicit drug supply, including its presence in fake pills that are being sold on social media and in our communities.

We hope you will attend this important information session to learn about the new drug landscape and help keep your loved ones safe. We also encourage you to have regular and open conversations with your children about the dangers of illicit drugs. Counterfeit pills disguised as Xanax, Percocet, oxycodone and others may now contain illicit and dangerous substances like fentanyl. We must take extra precautions against this hidden threat. Emphasize to your children that they should only take pills prescribed to them by a healthcare professional and filled at a pharmacy.

The film will have Spanish subtitles, and we will provide audio headsets for Spanish interpretation. The expert panel will include Spanish/bilingual speakers.

See the flyers below for more information!

May 5 is the deadline to sign up for the Simpson End of Year Grade-Level Trips!

Please click the appropriate link below to access the SPECIAL EDITION MUSTANG MESSENGER focused on our End of Year Grade-Level Field Trip for your Mustang!

Each special edition cotains all the trip information, the 2 step sign up process with a payment link and permission form link, as well as a chaperone interest form.

• Grade 6 Field Trip to Kings Dominion
• Grade 7 Field Trip to Hershey Park
• Grade 8 Field Trip to Busch Gardens

Event Logistics: The Crosstown Volleyball Tournament will be held at Tuscarora High School on Tuesday, May 7, starting at 6:30 p.m. Fans and players will be able to enter the Tuscarora High School Main Gym at 6:00 p.m. We anticipate that the event will be finished by 9:00 p.m.

Concessions: The Smart’s Mill PTO will be selling concessions at the event.

Tickets: Tickets for adults will be $5 and tickets for students will be $2. Students and teachers playing in the tournament will get in for free!

Rock Your Simpson Spirit Wear: Fans are encouraged to wear navy blue or Simpson spirit wear! Go Mustangs!

SOL season is upon us!

Simpson wants to add some color, fun and encouragement for our Mustangs to the front sidewalks the evening of May 6th.

We are looking for parents and/or older siblings that could swing by and add some encouraging words, phrases and pictures to the sidewalk by the front doors. Stop by and help any time between 5pm and 7pm on Monday, May 6th, 2024!

Chalk will be provided and on the brick garden to the left of the front doors.

The current PTO board is coming to the end of their long tenure and we are looking for new parents and teachers to step into vacant board positions.

We have one returning board member that is willing to spend next year passing along everything the board does. Without a minimum of a President, Secretary and Treasurer the PTO will have to dissolve.

There are many programs and ways that the PTO assists the school that will not continue without a board.

More information about the duties of each position can be found here.

Simpson PTO Executive Board Duties

Please email jlsimpsonPTO@gmail.com if you have any questions or are interested in serving.

From Ms. Samantha Ashley, JLS English Educator and Equity Lead:

This month of May we are celebrating both Asian American Heritage Month and Jewish Heritage Month at JLS! We are incorporating content learning experiences both during classtime and advisory and building special trivia announcements into our Good morning, Mustangs! features.

The showcase outside of House A was decorated by Jaedee Truong, Lyla Roppel, and Aykut Telek in honor of Asian American Heritage Month. These talented Mustangs spent four weeks brainstorming, planning, curating, and meticulously creating the beautiful details everyone will see as they walk by.

Through this process, Ms. Ashley watched them aim for quality in every detail. By hand, they drew and colored various Asian flags. They folded paper cranes, butterflies, and more. They selected artwork from different Asian countries to showcase diverse Asian artists.

We are so grateful to all three of these Mustang leaders for celebrating this wonderful occasion in honor of our family and community!

Families of Mustangs who are nominated by JLS Staff to receive department awards will receive an invitation to attend our End of Year Grade-Level Awards Events this coming June.

All students at each grade level will attend their event to celebrate their peers and their own promotion to the next grade level with special announcements to recognize our Mustangs as a collectively successful team! #mustangfamilyforever!

Middle school students who have taken a high school course while in sixth, seventh, or eighth grade may elect to have the course expunged (grade and credit omitted) from the student’s high school records. The high school credit courses available to middle school students include the following, Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra II/Trig, Robotics and World Languages.

If you wish to expunge the grade for a high school course taken in middle school, the expungement form must be completed through Permission Click. Expungement requests should be submitted to the school counseling department no later than the end of the first quarter of the 2024-2025 school year.

Please click here for additional information and Permission Click link.

In accordance with updated respiratory virus guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, LCPS has updated its guidance specifically relating to COVID-19 but also applying to the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Per this updated guidance, students or staff who have symptoms of, test positive for or have been diagnosed with a respiratory virus may return to school when they are fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication AND their symptoms have improved or resolved. The COVID-19 isolation period of five days is no longer required.

Please refer to the chart on this attendance webpage if your child is experiencing symptoms or illnesses and you are unsure if they should go to school.

Thank you for helping to keep our students and staff healthy.

____

Additional Resources:

Newsletter Graphic: Resp Virus Guidelines graphic.png

Flyer (for printing and posting): Resp Virus Guidelines 040424.pdf

Our Simpson Mustangs Softball Schedule:

May 6 vs. Riverbend/Seneca Ridge Middle Schools

at Claude Moore - 7:45 PM

May 10 vs. Blue Ridge Middle School

at Freedom Park - 6:30 PM

May 13 vs. Brambleton Middle School

at Philip A. Bolen Memorial Regional Park -- 7:30 PM

Our Simpson Mustangs Baseball Schedule:

May 6 @ Smarts Mill MS Mavericks
at Philip A. Bolen Memorial Regional Park -- 6:30 PM

May 9 @ Trailside MS Timberwolves
at Moorefield Station Community Park -- 6:30 PM

May 16 @ Harper Park MS Hurricanes
at Philip A. Bolen Memorial Regional Park -- 6:30 PM

May 20 vs. Farmwell Station MS Falcons
at Philip A. Bolen Memorial Regional Park -- 6:30 PM

May 23 @ Blue Ridge MS ULLL
at Franklin Park Field #4 -- 6:30 PM

May 30 vs. Willard MS Wildcats
at Edgar Tillett Memorial Park -- 6:30 PM

Is your Mustang looking for Loudoun County HS / Heritage HS National Honor Society or University Instructor tutoring before school, after school, or maybe even during resource block?

Click here and work with your Mustang to complete this Google Form to request a tutor and we will be in touch super soon!

Please read all instructions in the Google Form carefully to learn about the expectations for our tutoring support program...and reach out to JLS-Tutoring@lcps.org with any questions!

Transportation is available to the Stampede. Buses will depart from and return to Catoctin Elementary and Frederick Douglass Elementary. Complete the transportation form if you would like for your student to ride the bus from one of these locations.

ATTENTION: Current Simpson Mustangs! - A LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU AND YOUR RESUME!

Are you interested in helping the rising 6th graders learn more about Simpson and feel more comfortable as they enter middle school?

Do you enjoy creating games and activities?

We would love for you to help us create content for Stampede 2024 and attend the Stampede as a mentor to our rising 6th graders.

You will need to be available to work on planning for the event after school on 4 Thursdays in April and May, and you will be required to attend the event on June 26-27.

Please fill out this form if you are interested in volunteering.

We hope to see you there, supporting our new Mustangs for 2024-2025!

HRTD is excited to launch SHINE! Spotlighting Heroes in Education, a new recognition program that aims to tell the stories of the incredible work happening throughout the division. We encourage schools to promote SHINE both inside their buildings between peers as well as with their school communities through newsletters, websites and social media as all parents, students, staff and community members are welcome to submit a nomination. Each month, Loudoun Education Foundation will choose one submission to provide additional acknowledgement and a special gift.

How it works:

1. We are seeking submissions for LCPS staff members at schools, central office and support locations who:

1. Have gone above and beyond in a situation

2. Have inspired others or have a heartwarming story

3. Are doing something unique or creative that is leading to results

4. In general, ANY great news!

2. Complete the submission form (It’s short and easy!)

3. The Employee Recognition office notifies the nominee as well as their supervisor of the submission

4. The story may be placed on the Employee Recognition webpage.

Our goal is to place a spotlight on the hundreds of positive interactions taking place in LCPS each day...and especially at JLS! We look forward to seeing your celebrations of our JLS Mustang Professionals throughout 2023-2024!

Make Up/Retake School Pictures are now viewable online. 😀

Please visit: vosphoto.com/uc

Use your student ID when prompted for the online code.

For questions regarding school pictures please email: underclass@vosphoto.com

The LCPS PROPEL and Level Up Program is designed to address equity through enrichment for high-achieving students underrepresented in STEM.

The program goals are:

• Developing high-level reasoning skills in students.
• Providing students with opportunities to enhance behaviors associated with high achievement and demonstration of the 5C’s
  • Collaboration
  • Communication
  • Contribution
  • Creation
  • Critical Thinking
• Assisting students with planning and preparing for academically rigorous coursework in middle and high school and for entry into competitive academic programs.
• Providing opportunities for parents to share as educational partners.

Click here to see the PROPEL and Level Up newsletter in English

Click here to see the PROPEL and Level Up newsletter in Spanish

Virtual Loudoun Online

• Term 3 registration opens Monday, April 22 at 6am: https://www.lcps.org/domain/21526.

• Term 3 is the summer term. P.E. classes fill up fast.

• Rising 8th and 9th grade students have the opportunity to participate in virtual learning as detailed on the VLO Middle School Information webpage.

Be ready, check out the information below before registering.

• Video: “Online Learning: Is Virtual Loudoun for Me?”: Student Experience

• VLO Terms: Program Calendar

• Middle School Information

• Payment

• Registration

• FAQs, "How many virtual classes can I take?"**

• Indicators for Successful Virtual Learners

• Technology FAQs

• Technology Prerequisites

• Device Requirements

  
  

Loudoun County Public Schools is offering new resources for all staff and parents/guardians to use to support students through www.parental guidance.org. You can learn more about this initiative by clicking here.

These resources include easily accessible video-based courses on difficult parenting topics, individualized parent coaching for any LCPS parent/guardian, on their schedule in their home, and weekly interactive webinars to let parents know the mental health needs of our students are a critical concern of Loudoun County Public Schools. Your unified mental health team members are ready to assist parents in accessing the support. You can watch this video about the services available.

Slide deck with additional information: Coaching CCHC LCPS 2024.pptx

Discover your Leadership Potential!

Sessions: July 16th -18th in Claude Moore Recreation & Community Center Park in Sterling, VA and July 24th-26th at Morven Park.

Rising 7th and 8th graders are invited to apply for the 2024 Summer Youth Leadership Retreat using the form here.

For the short answer portion of the application, students should answer all questions to the best of their ability. Parents/Guardians, we ask that you allow your child to fill out this section independently. It is recommended that you write your answers in a separate word document, then paste them into the form to avoid losing any work on this page.

Application closes on May 6th, 2024.

The SNAP in Schools initiative from the Virginia Department of Social Service, which is based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), helps develop partnerships to bridge the gap of food insecurity among school-aged children. The objectives of SNAP in Schools are to reduce food insecurity in school-aged children, to increase the number of students directly certified for free school meals through SNAP, and to increase the number of students eligible without application for the summer EBT program.

Please advise families who could benefit from this program to access the CommonHelp portal link to submit online SNAP applications.

Please also share the flyer below with your families:

• English

• Spanish

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!

Be sure to check here often as we will continue to add dates and events as they become available.

May 2024: ALL MONTH: Ongoing celebrations at JLS this month!

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

May 6-10 - Teacher Appreciation Week 2024

May 6 - Interims

May 7 - Reading SOL / Crosstown Volleyball Game Simpson VS Smarts Mill

May 8 - School Nurse Appreciation Day / Reading SOL Make Up / Grade 8 NJHS Induction Ceremony 6:00 PM

May 10 - Hershey Park Music Department Field Trip

May 13 - Civics 8 SOL

May 14 - Civics 8 SOL Makeup / PTO Meeting / Grade 7 NJHS Induction Ceremony 6:00 PM

May 15 - Monty's Cafe Open at 8 AM at school main entrance

May 16 - Science SOL

May 17 - Science SOL Makeup

May 21 - JLS Choir Concert @LCHS

May 22 - Math SOL / 6th Grade Orchestra Concert / Simpson Spring Art Exhibit May 22 - June 6

May 23 - Math SOL Makeup

May 27 - No School - Holiday - Memorial Day

May 28 - Retake Reading SOL / 7th and 8th Grade Orchestra Concert

May 29 - Science SOL Retake

May 30 - Civics 8 SOL Retake / PEP Meeting

May 31 - Math SOL Retake

June 3 - 7th & 8th Grades Jazz Band Concerts

June 5 - Monty's Cafe Open at 8 AM at school main entrance / Guitar Concert

June 6 - Grade 7 Class Trip to Hershey Park / 6th Grade Gold and Blue Band Concert

June 10 - STEAM Day

June 11 - Grade 8 Class Trip to Busch Gardens / Grade 6 Mustang Awards Ceremony

June 12 - Grade 8 Mustang Awards Ceremony

June 13 - Grade 6 Class Trip to Kings Dominion / Grade 7 Mustang Awards Ceremony

June 14 - Last Day of School/End of Fourth Grading Period

June 26 & 27 - Rising 6th Grade Stampede Into Simpson

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

Instagram: @jlsimpsonms_official_ jl
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JLSimpsonMS2020/
X: @JLSMS_Official