The Mustang Messenger

• Para ver el boletín en español haga clic en el cuadrado negro ubicado en el lado derecho donde dice Traducir boletín.
• Cuando llegue aquí, haga clic en la flecha hacia abajo y elija el idioma Español.

Good evening, JLS Mustang Families!

The second quarter of the 2024-2025 season is off to a dynamite start at JL Simpson Middle School as our Mustangs are already tackling new opportunities for learning and leading joyful, interesting, and engaging activities in our classrooms, clubs and organizations, and celebrations that illuminate the phenomenal spirit of our entire community!

First of all, Loudoun County Public Schools announced on Friday, November 8, 2024 that JL Simpson Middle School was the division-wide winner of the Superintendent's OneLCPS Spirit Award as part of the first ever OneLCPS Celebration Day, an event encompassing all one hundred schools that provided each educational site an opportunity to demonstrate its greatest level of school spirit across the entire community. In my thirty year career as an educator, I must admit that I have never seen such outstanding spirit that we regularly illustrate at JLS, especially on this very special day when our BLUE and YELLOW school colors were rampantly visible among so many of our Mustangs, our professional team, and even many family members!

Check out Dr. Spence's words...and be sure to watch the entire video posted at the link provided below:

"A big thank you to our schools, staff, students and community for a successful first-ever One LCPS Celebration Day! We created this day to honor our entire school community for all they do to make LCPS such a special place. My team and I had the privilege of visiting nearly 70 schools – thank you for having us out and showing your commitment to making LCPS shine. Check out all the photo contest winners below."

- Dr. Aaron Spence, Superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools

Click here to watch the OneLCPS Celebration Day award winners video! <--- Watch all the way to the end to see our honor announced!

I had the privilege of attending the American Middle Level Education (AMLE) Conference in Nashville, Tennesee from November 6 to November 9 with Ms. McIntosh, Ms. Bolyard, Ms. Poole, Ms. Lloyd, Ms. Maloney, Ms. Burns, Ms. Seekford, and Ms. Herrin. We presented two interactive sessions (Effective Strategies for Building an Engaging Culture of Success and Empowering Student Innovators Through Exploration) to middle school educators and leaders from all over the world, both of which featured the voices of so many of our Mustangs...and which were incredibly well received by all participants. We also were able to take part in many sessions presented by educators around the globe that provided us with confidence about our ongoing collaborative work to bring the best to our Mustangs, as well as new ideas that sparked conceptualization of new initiatives that we can introduce at JLS to focus on the continuous improvement that makes us the most awesome we can be, never resting on our laurels!

The AMLE Conference also allowed us the very humbling opportunity to officially accept the School of Distinction Award as one of only seventeen middle schools globally honored with this achievement. There is no doubt that we hold very close to our hearts every member of our JLS community as we proudly display this tremendous prize for all to see in our main office vestibule in the coming days. After all, so many members of our Mustang school community have earned it for so many years and shall continue to do so well into the future!

This coming week shines rather brilliantly with events that engage our Mustangs and our entire community...

• Monday, November 11 kicks off our annual Veterans Day Celebration that incorporates so many of our family members and staff as veterans themselves, accompanied by their stories about their service as they participate in interviews led by our Mustangs. Remember to do your best to have your Mustang wear RED, WHITE, and BLUE in honor of Veterans Day tomorrow!
• Hot chocolate will be brimming to the top of our cups on Tuesday, November 12 as our illustrious PTO members bring the November Monty's Café edition to the main entrance of JLS. Mustangs can enjoy their hot chocolate in the cafeteria before heading to class by 8:30 AM!
• Sources of Strength student leaders will participate in a training session on Tuesday, November 12 led by LCPS facilitators so that they can shine in their roles as peer mentors for their fellow Mustangs all year long and beyond!
• Our Student Equity Ambassadors will take part in their second county-wide meeting with fellow classmates and division leaders in LCPS to talk about ways that we can continue to open doors to student and staff opportunities at JLS!
• Our clubs and organizations hold sessions on Wednesday and Thursday yet again, adding Video Game Club and the opportunity to audition for Beetlejuice, Jr., our spring musical event!
• Our Bring Your Parent To School Day (Fall Edition) arrives on Thursday, November 14 as we welcome many of our family members to our classrooms to see our Mustang Professionals centering our students at the core of our instructional practice!
• Make-up school photos close out the week on Friday, November 15...so be sure to have your Mustang participate in order for Victor O'Neill Studies to ensure that we have 100% of our entire student body and professional staff team in our yearbook to celebrate them for years to come!

As always, thank YOU for your constant support and relentless care for your Mustangs and their peers as they aim to bring their HONORABLE, ENGAGED, RESPECTFUL, and DETERMINED selves to Simpson every day...and we look forward to seeing you at events in the realm of honor roll celebrations, fine arts spectacles, and intramural sports championships that highlight just a few opportunities for you to engage at JLS in the near future!

Enjoy your Sunday night and the week ahead...off to do a run with Ollie in honor of his second birthday!

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

Principal

JL Simpson Middle School

Monday, November 11 - B-Day FLEX DAY: ADVISORY

• Patriotic Spirit Day - Wear Red, White, and Blue!
• Annual Veterans Day Celebration - 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM - Click here for the bell schedule.

Tuesday, November 12 - A-Day - FLEX DAY: A1

• Monty’s Cafe - Open from 8:00 AM - 8:25 AM - Main Entrance Hallway - All hot chocolate and donuts must be enjoyed in the cafeteria only!
• Sources of Strength Peer Leader Training - 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Wednesday, November 13 - B-Day: FLEX DAY: B1

• Student Equity Ambassadors Virtual Meeting - 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM - Art 1

• After School Activities

• 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM - Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) - Aux. Gym - Ms. O'Hara

• 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM - Level Up - Room B16 - Ms. Keefer

• 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM - Weightlifting Club - Gym - Mr. Dunbar

• 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM - Empowered Girls - B12 - Ms. Herrin

• 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM - Latin Students Association (LSA) - Cafeteria - Ms. Lopez

• 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM - 7th Grade Band Rehearsal - Auditorium - Mr. Pazanowski

• 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM - Select Choir Rehersals - M4 - Ms. Hoey-Johnson

Thursday, November 14 - A-Day: FLEX DAY: A3

• Bring Your Parent To School Day - Fall Edition

• After School Activities
• 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM - Harry Potter Club - Room A9 - Ms. Wence
• 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM - Intramural Volleyball - Gym - Mr. Carpenter
• 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM - Video Game Club - Room C10 - Mr. Peyton
• 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM - Level Up - Room B16 - Ms. Keefer
• 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM - Beetlejuice Jr. Auditions - M4 - Ms. Hoey-Johnson

Friday, November 15 - B-Day: FLEX DAY: B3

• Make-Up School Photo Day

Saturday, November 16

• All County Orchestra Auditions at JLS - 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Click the above image to find out our breakfast and lunch menu items for this week and month!

Click here --> JLSMS Grade Level Academic Weekly Update - November 11 - November 15, 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.

First Quarter grades are now available in ParentVue and StudentVue.

To view student grades, log into ParentVue and follow the link for Grade Book.

Please email your students' teachers directly with questions or concerns. As always, thank you for your continued partnership to ensure the success of each and every student!

The Annual JLS Veterans Day Celebration will take place on Monday, November 11, starting at 9:00 AM. in the auditorium.

We will be running on an adjusted bell schedule for Monday.The adjusted bell schedule can be found here:

Click here for the Veterans Day Celebration Bell Schedule - Monday, November 11, 2024.

• Students will be dismissed from the welcome areas and will report directly to their ADVISORY class. Students should be in their advisory class by 8:30 AM.
• 6th and 7th Grade students will remain in Advisory until the bell dismisses to Block 1-2. We will be live-streaming the Veterans Day Celebration to all classrooms.
• 8th Grade students will report to the auditorium with their advisory classes. Here are the expectations for all of our Grade 8 attendees:
• Please walk into the auditorium appropriately and sit with your class and teacher.
• Please give honor & respect to our special guests and your peers.
• Please remain silent while music is playing, people are talking, and when we are observing a moment of silence.
• Please remain seated until the end of our event and you are released to return to advisory with your teacher.

In honor of our Veterans Day Celebration, Monday, November 11 will be PATRIOTIC SPIRIT DAY! Wear your best RED, WHITE and BLUE as we celebrate our veterans!

Are you on active duty in the uniformed services or working on federally-owned property located in VA? Please complete the Federal Impact Aid survey via ParentVUE.

We need to hear from our families!

It’s that time of year again when we ask families to fill out the Impact Aid Survey. The Federal Impact Aid Program is designed to assist school divisions that enroll federally-connected students. The funds from this program directly impact the LCPS general operating budget.

On Monday, November 4, a communication from the division was emailed out asking all families to fill out the Impact Aid survey in ParentVUE. The Impact Aid Survey must be completed for all active LCPS students. Note: If both parents reside at the same address, then only one parent will need to complete the Impact Aid Survey. That parent will complete it for both parents.

ParentVUE Questions

If there are any questions, please contact ParentVUE support staff at the school of any of your students or email us with your name, your student name, your contact information and the questions you have at ParentVUE Support.

Impact Aid Questions

If you have questions or need more information regarding this Federal Impact Aid survey, please contact our Accounting staff at ImpactAid@lcps.org or 571-252-1220.

Please complete the survey by Friday, November 22.

Our PTO-sponsored Monty's Cafe returns on Tuesday, November 12th!

Students can purchase a hot chocolate or a donut for $2.00 each. We will have food options available for all of our Mustangs!

The cafe will be open from 8:00 AM and 8:25 AM, located near the front entrance of the school.

All proceeds support grade-level events at JLS...Can't wait to see everyone there!

Merry Mustangs is a program that strives to support the needs of students and their families at Simpson Middle School. We are collecting donations to provide families with retail gift cards for the holiday season. During this Season of Giving, please consider donating to the Merry Mustangs Program.

There are 2 ways you can contribute:

• You can purchase and donate gift cards in any denomination. Ideas for store gift cards include Target, Walmart, Kohls, Marshalls, and Ross. Donations can be dropped off at the Simpson front office Monday-Friday 8:30 am - 3:30 pm. We will be collecting gift cards through Monday, December 9th. Please use this link to sign up for gift card donations.

• You can make a monetary donation (any amount) that will be used to purchase various gift cards. Monetary donations can be made here through School Cash Online.

JL Simpson is proud to announce our Spring Musical - BEETLEJUICE, JR.!

Auditions will take place on Thursday, November 14 and Wednesday, November 20 from 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM.

Additional information about the character roles, and the link to sign up for auditions can be found in the grade level Schoology pages.

For questions about the spring musical, please contact Holly Hoey-Johnson at:

Holly.Hoey@lcps.org

We invite parents and guardians in our Mustang community to join their student(s) in their classroom(s) for a few hours on Thursday, November 14 (A-Day) for Bring Your Parent to School Day!

Please check your student's A-Day schedule to determine the class and block you would like to attend, and use this link to RSVP.

Parents attending our event, please have your state issued ID with you and check into the front office upon arrival.

We hope to see you in the hallways and classrooms learning with our Mustangs!

The Division of English Learners, Family and Community Engagement (EL FACE) Office cordially invites our Mustang multilingual community to:

EMPOWERED: A Resource Fair and Learning Conference for Families of English Learners

Saturday, November 16th

10:00 am - 1:30 pm

LCPS Administration Building,

21000 Education Ct. Ashburn, VA 20148

EL Families are invited to a day where fun and learning come together! Meet community organizations and attend learning sessions about how to support your student’s learning.

See flyers below for details:

Multilingual Flyer

Spanish

Arabic

Dari/Farsi

Come out and enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner (or all three!) at Wendy's!

All proceeds from our Wendy's Spirit Night will support our spring musical production of

Beetlejuice, Jr.!

Be sure to mention Simpson when placing your order!

Every month, eight students from each grade level are awarded the Simpson HERD Award. Students who exemplify the HERD characteristics: Honorable, Engaged, Respectful, and Determined (HERD) are chosen to receive these teacher nominated awards. Students receive a small gift and a yard sign displaying the HERD characteristic they demonstrated.

CONGRATULATIONS to our October HERD Award Recipients!

Here is a short video clip with all of our HERD award recipients for October!

The LCHS Captains Marching Band Are Silver Medalists, and we are so proud of our Simpson Mustangs who are a part of the LCHS Marching Band!

With a score of 96.8, the LCHS Marching Band earned second place at Nationals this past Saturday at MetLife Stadium. In addition to placing 2nd in their group, County had the fourth highest point total out of the 58 bands that competed.

Congratulations, and keep marching on!

Tien D.

Greta S.

Ryan B.

Gabrielle S.

Kaitlyn P.

Brooklyn S.

We are proud to announce that several art pieces created by JLS Art Students were chosen to be on exhibit at the LCPS Administration Building in Ashburn.

You can view the artwork on display using this link.

CONGRATULATIONS to our incredibly gifted visual artists!

We have been busy planning some amazing after school opportunities for our Mustangs!

Here are our current JLS Clubs/Organizations set for after school on Wednesdays and/or Thursdays.

Please remember that after school activity participation requires permission from parents/guardians!

Please use the link below to complete the PERMISSION CLICK document.

NOTE: Any student participating in an after school club/organization activity must have their parents complete the PERMISSION CLICK document linked here. 😀

Activity buses are available every Wednesday and Thursday for students needing transportation home from an after school activity. You can view the activity bus route stops using this link.

JLS Intramural Volleyball starts this Thursday, November 14th after school from 3:30pm - 4:45pm. Parent pick-up will start right at 4:45pm and the activity bus usually departs around 5pm.

If your JLS student was not at the team creation meeting on October the 21st, and wishes to be placed on a team, please have them see Mr. Carpenter during school hours. You can email me their intent to play in order to expedite the team selection process.

The upcoming dates for Intramural Volleyball are as follows:

Game Play - November 14 – 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM - JLS Gym

Game Play - November 21 – 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM - JLS Gym

Game Play - December 5 – 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM - JLS Gym

Game Play - December 12 – 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM - JLS Gym

Game Play - January 9 – 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM - JLS Gym

Game Play - January 16 – 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM - JLS Gym

LCPS Tournament - January 25 - 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM - Heritage HS

After school activities run generally from 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM with our LCPS Transportation team citing that our two activity buses will arrive by 5:00 - 5:05 PM.

We acknowledge that on a few occasions recently that our activity buses have arrived later than the above time frame. Please know that JLS School Leadership is working closely with members of LCPS Transportation to improve activity bus arrival time to support our students themselves arriving home in a timely fashion.

Parents/families who are waiting to pick up their Mustangs from after-school activities are encouraged to park in our large staff/guest parking lot adjacent to our school in lieu of lining up in a car line format.

We also are working very closely with LCPS Transportation to improve the arrival of a few of our AM buses to Simpson so that our students are comfortably in their classrooms by the 8:30 AM tardy bell.

If you have any questions/concerns with your Mustang's LCPS transportation to JLS, please feel free to contact the LCPS Transportation team by using the LET'S TALK! option seen at the right of the page at this website. (See image below...)

The application window for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology (TJHSST) is now open. Current 8th grade students who meet the eligibility criteria below are invited to apply for the 2025-2026 school year.

To apply, students must be:

• in 8th grade
• interested in STEM
• enrolled in Algebra 1 or higher
• enrolled in the highest level of 8th Grade Science and the highest level of English or Civics
• Have an unweighted GPA of 3.5 or higher (7th grade & first quarter of 8th grade) in all core academic courses (math, science, civics, english, and world languages if applicable)

Calendar for Applicants:

Monday, October 21: Application Window Open at 4:00 pm

Wednesday, November 13: Last Day to Begin Application by 4:00 PM

Friday, November 15: Application Submission Deadline by 4:00 PM

Please contact the 8th Grade Counselor with questions:

Mica.Thomasson@lcps.org

We are a week away from our first virtual session, the Brainstorming Workshop.

We know there are some students who want to participate but are struggling with finding a topic, this workshop is for them. The Brainstorming Workshop will be give students brainstorming activities, strategies and tools to help develop an idea into a project.

The first session will take place on Thursday, November 14th at 7pm. Students do not need to be registered for the competition to attend. Please send the attached flyer to you students, parents and teachers.

To register for this workshop, Interested students can simply email their name, grade and school name to: StepUp@LoudounYouth.Org to receive the Zoom link for the workshop.

If you have any questions about SULYC or Loudoun Youth, Inc., please reach out to me at swolfson@loudounyouth.org

The Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition presents middle and high school students an opportunity to identify an issue in their communities and implement a solution as they contribute to the world around them. The goal is to encourage, support, and reward the youth of Loudoun County for making positive changes in their own lives and the lives of others.

In the past few years, we have seen projects delve deep based on things already being done in school as part of Project Based Learning and Personalized Learning methods. These provide the perfect place for students to make their project work public by explaining, displaying and presenting it to people beyond the classroom. As in the past, students will create a five (5)-minute team video due on March 5, 2025, and then the top 20 teams will present live to judges at the LCPS Admin. building on March 26, 2025. The Finals and Awards Ceremony will be on April 3, 2025, where the top teams will be invited to present for cash prizes.

Use this link to check out top projects from previous years:

https://youtu.be/7_JjCB6vJqA

Use this link for additional information and registration. Registration Closes January 15, 2025.

https://www.loudounyouth.org/programs/step-up/

The Backpack Buddies Foundation of Loudoun would like to give notice to the Simpson Mustang community of our annual Fundraising event, Friendsgiving (https://www.bbfloudoun.org/friendsgiving).

We work with LCPS leadership and Parent Liaisons to provide weekend and school break food for those in need. Through the generosity of individuals, local groups and corporate sponsorships, we obtain and distribute funding to our partners that purchases meals, snacks and milk for the children who would otherwise go hungry at home. We work with local partners to establish new programs where they have yet to begin, and raise awareness about this important issue that affects many neighbors right here in our community. Friendsgiving is our annual fundraising event and if interested and able, there are tickets available to attend the event AND sponsorship opportunities for small and large businesses alike.

Thank you for the continuing support and look forward to seeing some Mustang parents and staff at the event! Contact: https://www.bbfloudoun.org/contact

Mark Your Calendar for the Curriculum and Extracurricular Fair Nights for our Rising 6th, 7th and 8th grade families!

Join us to learn about the academic programs, extracurricular opportunities, and student leadership initiatives available at JLS!

Rising 7th and 8th Grade Families - Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Rising 6th Grade Families - Wednesday, February 12, 2025 - 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

We are busy preparing for our future Mustangs!

If you have a current 5th grade student headed to Simpson next August, be sure to mark your calendar for the JLS Instrument Test Drive!

6th graders for the 2025-2026 school year are invited to come to Simpson on either Tuesday, January 21 or Wednesday, February 5, 2025 to try out Band and String instruments! You will have have the opportunity to meet Mr. Paz (Band teacher) and Ms. Kanakry (Strings teacher), and talk with current Band and String members to help you in making a decision on your musical instrument for 6th grade.

We can't wait to see our future Mustangs!

Student Success Talks with Dr. Spence will begin in November and run through May. Each election district will host one event from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on its scheduled day. Families and staff are encouraged to attend the Talk in their district.

Student Success Talks are family engagement meetings that are all about open communication, sharing useful tips, and giving families practical advice to help their kids succeed. Each session will cover important topics related to students' academic, social, and emotional well-being. The goal is to create a space where families, staff, and the Superintendent can share ideas and resources together.

The Student Success Talk will take place at JL Simpson Middle School on Thursday, April 3, 2025.

6th GRADE FAMILIES,

Prior to starting 7th grade, all students are required to receive two immunizations: Tdap and MenACWY. Over the next 10 months, if your child has a doctor's visit and receives these immunizations, please email a copy to Nurse Pettit at Rene.Pettit@LCPS.org so that she can update your child's school records.

Use this link to view the Virginia Department of Health School and Day Care Minimum Immunization Requirements.

We will be implementing the LCPS-sponsored Second Step® Middle School program during our resource blocks this season.

From the LCPS Department of Student Services:

We want your child to be successful in school, and that means supporting and encouraging their

whole development. While excelling in academic classes is important, students also need skills for

learning challenges, making good decisions, handling strong emotions, and getting along with others.

Second Step® Middle School is a research-based social-emotional learning

program designed to improve students’ social-emotional skills, such as emotion management,

impulse control, problem solving, and empathy. Second Step skills and concepts are designed to

help students both in and out of school. These include:

Mindsets and Goals: Students learn how to develop a growth mindset and apply research-

based goal-setting strategies to their social and academic lives.

Developing a Positive Sense of Self: Students learn to identify their guiding principles,

work toward becoming the person they want to be, and learn strategies for building

confidence.

Thoughts, Emotions, and Decisions: Students learn how to recognize strong emotions

and unhelpful thoughts, and apply strategies to manage their emotions and reduce stress.

Managing Relationships and Social Conflict: Students learn strategies for developing

and maintaining healthy relationships, perspective-taking, and dealing with conflict.

If you have any questions about Second Step® Middle School, please don’t hesitate to contact

Sarah.McIntosh@lcps.org or Mica.Thomasson@lcps.org for more information. Thank you for your support as we work to build a safe and supportive school community!

JLS is proud to share that we have received SHINE -Spotlighting Heroes in Education submissions highlighting SEVEN very special teachers!

Chris Focer (History 6): "Mr. Focer makes learning fun. He encourages his students to work harder and he makes all of his students happy, and makes them laugh."

Derrick Jackson (History 6): "Mr. Jackson is very fun to be around and makes class very fun for his students."

Kimberly Lee (EL): "She encouraged me with her kindness and soft-heartedness. Her kind nature insires me. She makes people feel happier."

Anne Olden:(English 6): "She is the best reading teacher to have. She always hes helped people when they need it."

Mark Peyton (English 6): "I used to hate English so much, but now I love it. He has made my school year better. He always helps me and makes me smile."

Kimberly Poole - Received 6! (ICA): "Mrs. Poole goes above and beyond to make sure every project is fun and challenging." "She is always energized for us." "Mrs. Poole goes above and beyond to make sure everyone feels special."

Robert Thompson (English 6): "I never thought English would be my favorite. Now, I am excited to go to his class every day. Mr. Thompson knows how to make the class fun and interesting."

CONGRATULATIONS, Thank you for SHINING for our Mustangs! Simpson is lucky to have you!

If you have a staff member you would like to nominate for SHINE, please complete the submission form (It’s short and easy!).

Simpson REPRESENTING! Our Intramural Flag Football superstars made it to the quarterfinals of the tournament...and we are SUPER PROUD of them!

As mentioned in last week's Mustang Messenger, in order to improve student and staff safety, we are asking students who are morning car riders to no longer enter the building at the side door marked B2.

Students will continue to be dropped off at the B2 door, but will walk on the sidewalk toward the front of the school and enter through the main entrance as the only entryway into JLS for all visitors/guests and morning arrivals. This allows our safety and security team to ensure that all students, guests, and family members proceed to the correct locations of our building without worry of multiple entry points to our facility creating possible security concerns.

Here are some additional updates and reminders for you regarding our AM/PM carline:

• DROP MUSTANGS OFF ONLY AT THE B2 DOOR and CROSSWALK in the MORNING: All family members dropping off Mustangs in the car line are expected to proceed to the B2 Parent Drop Off location before opening their doors to drop off their Mustangs. Dropping students off in other areas of the car line reduces the efficiency and speed of the car line, potential safety hazards for students, and even causing a back-up to occur at times on Evergreen Mill Road.
• PLEASE STAY IN THE CAR LINE AFTER DROPPING OFF YOUR MUSTANG: Once you drop off your Mustang at the B2 Door, please continue stay in line and do not pass other cars on the left. This can be a tremendous safety issue if a student or staff member should happen to be in the crosswalk in front of the B2 door.
• USE THE SMALL LOOP WHEN DR. D OPENS IT UP!: Dr. Di Nicola will open the small car loop close to the front entrance of the building around 8:20-8:25 AM to allow our Mustangs to make it to their classes on time as the tardy bell rings at 8:30 AM.
• PICK UP YOUR MUSTANGS in the CAR LINE AFTER SCHOOL: Please proceed through the car line in a safe, linear manner, picking up your Mustang at the B2 door, the same location where drop-off occurs in the morning. All safety expectations listed above for morning arrival are still in place in the afternoon at pick-up time!
• PLEASE DO NOT PICK UP STUDENTS ON TOLBERT ROAD or EVERGREEN MILL ROAD: We have one car line for picking up our Mustangs after school...and these two locations are public roads where safety hazards can occur should our students be moving to these areas where many cars and buses are in motion.

Thank you for your partnership to ensure the safety of our students and our JLS community by proceeding through our CAR LINE in the AM and PM in an HONORABLE, ENGAGED, RESPECTFUL, and DETERMINED (HERD) manner! You're the best!

All bus pass requests should be addressed to your grade level secretary. You can request a bus pass for your student via email, a written note with parent/guardian signature, or a phone call to your grade level secretary. Requests should be received no later than NOON on the day the pass is needed.

Whenever students have a change in 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.

6th Grade Administrative Professional - Molly.Steinbach@lcps.org

7th Grade Administrative Professional - Stephanie.DeWan@lcps.org

8th Grade Administrative Professional - Laura.Ridings@lcps.org

Our activity buses are rolling! Students who participate in after-school activities have the option to ride an activity bus home. Use this link below to view the route sheets for the activity buses, including the bus stop locations and approximate drop-off times.

NOTE: Any student participating in an after school club/organization activity must have their parents complete the PERMISSION CLICK document linked here. 😀

Students are expected to use their time effectively during our five-minute class change to ensure they are in class before the bell. School administration will implement student behavior administrative and accountability measures to address excessive tardies to class.

1st and 2nd Tardies to Any Class: Teacher and Student Conversation + General E-mail to Families Through ParentVue Communications

3rd Tardy to Any Class: Teacher and Student Conversation / Reflection Opportunity to Focus on Improving Timeliness to Class + Phone Call to Parent/Guardian

4th+ Tardy to Any Class: Teacher Referral to Dean + Phone Call Home to Parent/Guardian with Student Behavior and Accountability Measures Continuum:

• Lunch / After School Detention w/Teacher / Dean
  

• Loss of School Privileges (i.e. Recess, Intramural Sports, Clubs/Activities, etc.)

• Friday School
  
• Conferencing With LCPS Attendance Officer + Family + Student Support Advisor + School Leadership / Unified Mental Health Team

Please talk with your Mustang about the importance of arriving to class on time to BE PRESENT and POWERFUL in their learning!

Remember that we are here to support all of our Mustangs if they need help to strategize ways to arrive to class in a timely manner so that they can maximize their performance in each and every one of their classes! THANK YOU for your wonderful support!

Please contact your student's grade-level counselor if you have scheduling questions.

School Counseling Team Contact Information

6th Grade: Sabrina.Jeane@lcps.org

7th Grade: Alison.Hyman@lcps.org

8th Grade: Last Name A-Q: Mica.Thomasson@lcps.org

8th Grade: Last Name R-Z: Juan.Barrios@lcps.org

Please contact your student's grade-level dean if you have questions or concerns.

School Dean's Contact Information

6th Grade: Brandon.Filsinger@lcps.org

7th Grade: Katherine.Hailey@lcps.org

8th Grade: Brent.Washburn@lcps.org

Where can I find LCPS level information on general information and expectations for students and their families?

LCPS has updated this information for this year with the release of the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook for Families and Student Code of Conduct.

As Simpson will be aligning completely with this useful guide, please take time to review it with your Simpson Mustang prior to the start of the new school year and save it for future reference.

Click here to access the SY 2024-2025 Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook for Families and Student Code of Conduct.

Please take some time to carefully read LCPS Policy 8650: Student Technology Acceptable/Responsible Use Policy and the new LCPS Policy 8655: Student Personal Device Use and address content directly with your Mustang as we will be doing the same among other school-wide expectations for 2024-2025.

Please note the following in terms of Student Personal Device Use:

Middle school students must keep their devices silent and not visible, stored in their locker during the school day. Personal devices may be used before or after the school day.

The above includes any and all devices, including cell phones, earbuds, wireless headphones, iPads, etc. :)

NOTE: Students may have wired earbuds/headphones for classes in which their teachers permit them to use these devices. The devices may only be connected to the Chromebook.

We also request that all families refrain from texting or calling our Mustangs' personal devices during the school day to help support this new LCPS policy and our engagement of its content at JLS.

WHAT IF WE NEED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH OUR MUSTANGS?

• Please contact us at 571-252-2840 if you need to speak to your Mustang. We can always find them for you!
• We will allow any of our Mustangs to call home to their families as needed using our school lines...never a problem!
• Teach your Mustangs to use their e-mail accounts regularly alongside our own school expectations for academic engagement and communication with their teachers. You are more than welcome to touch base with them in that manner!

• LCPS middle and high school students receive information about the dangers of opioids and other illicit drugs through health and physical education classes. Student Assistance Specialists who have mental health and substance abuse expertise provide these targeted presentations and partner with their respective schools to plan additional opportunities, including assemblies, student-led campaigns, and classroom lessons.

• More information can be found on this site - Student Assistance Services / Fentanyl and Opioid Awareness

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!

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!