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Important Upcoming Events   Thursday & Friday March 12 &13 - Spring Pictures! Friday, March 20 - Eid-al-Fitr - School Closed Friday, March 27 - End of 3rd Quarter - 2 hour early release March 30 - April 3 - Spring Break - School Closed Monday, April 6 - Teacher Workday - Student Holiday Friday, April 10 - School Planning Day - Student Holiday

Carson Middle School’s SOL Testing dates are as follows:

March 10th - Integrated Reading and Writing (8th-graders only)

May 5th - Reading SOL

May 13th - Math SOL

May 19th - Science 8 SOL (8th-graders only)

We are approaching the halfway mark of the third quarter. This is a great time for parents and guardians to review grades and current progress with your student.

Students, this is also an important opportunity to touch base with your teachers to see what supports may be needed so you can finish the quarter strong.

Parents and guardians, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a teacher or counselor. We are here to support your student’s success.

Student Fasting Meal Kits

From February 18 to March 19, 2026, a Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) waiver allows students fasting during the school day to request take-home meal kits. These kits include a complete school breakfast and lunch to be eaten after the school day ends.

Important Meal Kit Information: 

• Kits are charged based on a student’s meal status (Free, Reduced, or Paid).
• Students may claim one breakfast and one lunch kit per day.
• Students who eat a meal at school during the day are not eligible for a take-home kit on the same day.
• Kits are distributed at the end of the school day. Students must pick up their own kits; adults are not permitted to collect them.

Parents or guardians must submit a weekly request form via the FCPS FNS website by the deadlines:

• February 11, 2026 for week of February 18, 2026
• February 16, 2026 for the week of February 23, 2026
• February 23, 2026 for the week of March 2, 2026
• March 2, 2026 for the week of March 9, 2026
• March 9, 2026 for the week of March 16, 2026

Forms must be submitted on time to receive meal kits for the following week.

Spring Pictures

Rachel Carson Middle School

Spring Picture Day Date(s): March 12 - 13, 2026

Wellness Week Spirit Week 2026 – March 23–27

Join us for Wellness Week Spirit Week 2026! Each day, students are invited to participate in a fun dress-up theme while learning simple coping skills that support positive mental health and well-being.

Monday, March 23 – Music Monday
Wear your favorite band or musician shirt.
Coping Skill Focus: Listening to music can help boost mood and reduce stress.

Tuesday, March 24 – Tropical Tuesday
Wear island print or Hawaiian shirts.
Coping Skill Focus: Spending time in the sun helps your body absorb vitamin D, which supports overall wellness.

Wednesday, March 25 – Wild Wednesday
Wear animal print from head to toe.
Coping Skill Focus: Spending time with animals can provide comfort and reduce feelings of stress or worry.

Thursday, March 26 – Team Carson Thursday
Wear Carson gear or workout gear.
Coping Skill Focus: Surrounding yourself with supportive peers and adults brings out the best in you.

Friday, March 27 – Fun Friday: Get Plenty of Sleep & Laughter!
Wear pajamas.
Coping Skill Focus: Laughter helps relax muscles, reduce stress hormones, and improve mood. Getting enough rest can lower cortisol levels and restore balance to the body.

We look forward to a fun and meaningful week focused on wellness!

K&K Student Accident Insurance

Attend today, achieve tomorrow!

Did you know?

• Regular school attendance in elementary school improves the chances that your child will read on grade level.
• Chronic absenteeism (missing 18 or more school days per year) is a primary cause of lower academic achievement even when the absences are "excused" or understandable.
• Students who attend 90% or more of the school year are more likely to graduate from high school on time.
• Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with peer conflicts or facing some other potentially serious difficulty, and help is available. 

Attendance Policies

In Virginia, all students aged five (5) through eighteen (18) are required to attend school regularly. FCPS must record student attendance every day school is in session.

Every year, absences increase in the weeks before and after spring break. Make sure your child is in school every day, right up until vacation starts. Our teachers will be teaching, and our students will be learning. Visit our website for more attendance resources.

Early Dismissal Procedure Please do NOT request early dismissals online or by phone.  To request an early dismissal please send a note, or complete and print an Early Dismissal Request Form for your child. Your child should bring the note or form to the main office upon arrival to school in order to receive an early dismissal pass for that day. If you forget to send a note, students should still come to the front office to get an early dismissal pass. This will minimize class interruptions when the teacher knows in advance a student will check out early. All early dismissals must be before 2pm. Click HERE for more Carson Middle Attendance details.

Private School or Program Application Process

Rachel Carson Middle School requires important documents to effectively accommodate your requests in a timely manner. Please provide all documents below two weeks in advance of the private school application deadline.

If your student is planning on applying to any private schools for the 2026-2027 school year, please complete the "Private School Request Form" and the "Parent Consent Form: SS-SE79" and submit them to the Student Service’s Office or to your child’s counselor.  Counselors will be emailing all records to the requested schools via an admissions email OR the school's portal. 

Please visit our website at RCMS Private School Requests for more information regarding required forms and teacher recommendations.

Please contact your child’s school counselor or our Student Services Assistant Andrea Tawil  (ajtawil@fcps.edu) with questions.

Link to Purchase: Yearbook Sales - MySchoolbucks

ParentVUE Course Requests Now Available Families can now view their student’s course requests for the 2026–2027 school year in ParentVUE SIS through the mobile app or website. Parents and guardians are encouraged to log in and review the courses their student has selected. This page displays all courses your student has requested for the upcoming school year. Please note that these are course requests, not finalized schedules. Student schedules will be available in August 2026. Counselors may contact families if any course changes, corrections, or intervention options need to be discussed.

RCMS Course Selection Events 2026-27 School Year

It is time to think about the 26-27 school year and January marks the start of our course selection season! 

Please visit our  Academic Advising & Course Selection website for detailed information regarding important dates, deadlines, course descriptions, and additional resources.  

Both 7th and 8th graders will enter their course selections for the 2026-2027 school year into SIS during the school day.  In addition, school counselors will meet individually with all students in January or February to answer questions and provide guidance regarding course selection.  Parents and guardians will be able to view the courses their student selected through Student or ParentVue. Families who do not currently have a ParentVue SIS are encouraged to request one here as soon as possible, as parents will be asked to verify course selections in March.  

School-life balance is an important consideration as students work toward both academic and personal success. Families are always welcome to contact their student’s school counselor, teacher, or case manager with any questions or concerns.  

We look forward to partnering with you to help your child select courses for a successful upcoming school year.

Supporting Your Child’s Mental Health

Children go through a lot of changes, and it can be hard to tell if their behavior is developmentally appropriate or if they could benefit from mental health support. It’s important to talk to your child and pay attention to their actions, especially these warning signs:

• Increased irritability, hyperactivity, energy, and/or aggressive behavior.
• Excessive sadness, hopelessness, or worries.
• Loss of appetite, or significant weight gain or loss.
• Lack of sleep or too much sleep.
• A decline in grades, school avoidance, or attendance concerns.
• Alcohol or drug use.
• Withdrawal from activities and/or friends and family. 
• Thoughts of harming themselves or others.

If you notice any of these warning signs or feel your child may be experiencing a mental health challenge, help is available. Please contact your child's school counselor to discuss your concerns and identify resources. Find additional ways to support your child’s wellness. 

If you or someone you care about is experiencing a mental health crisis such as thoughts of harming themselves or others, please take action right away. Call 988, go to the nearest emergency room, or contact the Sharon Bulova Center for Community Health Emergency Services at 703-573-5679.