thoreau matters
TRANSCRIPT
May 3, 2018 Volume 5 Issue 17
Thoreau Matters is published every two weeks by the Thoreau Administration and the PTA
to inform the community of important information about school life at Thoreau Middle School.
THOREAU MATTERS
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
HIGH SCHOOL NEWS 2
THOREAU VARIETY SHOW 2
VOLUNTEER VIVA VIENNA 2
3RD QTR HONOR ROLL 3
EXCELLENCE IN ACTION 3
SPRING SOL CALENDAR 3
THOREAU PICTURES 4
NEWS & NOTEWORTHY 5
PTA UPDATE 5
MESSAGE FROM MR. AZIMI
IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES Monday, May 7th - Friday, May 11th - Staff Appreciation Week
Tuesday, May 14th - Thursday, May 24th - Spring SOL Testing
Monday, May 28th - Memorial Day Holiday
Dear Thoreau Community:
Staff Appreciation Week is next week and this is my opportunity to publicly state my gratitude for the dedication and
commitment of the 100+ Thoreau faculty and staff. This is my 3rd year as the principal of Thoreau and it has given me
tremendous personal satisfaction to work alongside and lead a group of educators who have our students’ best
interests at heart. I truly am proud of these exemplary professionals.
As I wrote in the last issue of Thoreau Matters, I invite students and parents to celebrate our teachers and staff by
writing emails/letters to express appreciation. It costs nothing, yet those kinds of messages carry so much weight for
educators and I know they save them forever. The Thoreau staff directory can be found here and please feel free to
cc: me at [email protected]. Please help me in honoring our teachers and staff next week!
Sincerely,
Yusef Azimi
The Little Mermaid Jr.
Volume 5 Issue 17
Madison will once again hold its annual Bridges program for rising 9th grade students. This summer program is designed
to help bridge the connection between middle and high school through a camp-type program very similar to Thoreau’s
annual Excellence in Action summer program for rising 7th grade students. Details can be found here.
Madison HS will offer face-to-face courses this summer in Geometry Honors, Health & PE 9 and Health & PE 10.
Registration is open to Madison, Marshall, McLean, and Oakton High School students. Click here for more information.
Madison HS Summer Acceleration Academy
Page 2
All incoming freshman to Madison and Marshall High Schools who
intend to participate in athletics, must turn in a completed physical
form before they can participate in off season workouts or try out for
a team. All fall teams will have summer workouts so it is important to
get this paperwork completed. These links contain flyers with details
about the sports physical nights at each school.
Madison High School, Monday, May 21.
Please see this link for details.
Marshall High School, Tuesday, June 12.
Please see this link for details.
Thoreau Variety Show
High School Sports Physical Nights
Madison HS Bridges Program
The International Thespian Honor Society is
hosting the Thoreau Variety Show on
Thursday, May 31st at 6:00 PM. A variety
show is a night of entertainment made up of
different performances, including singing,
dancing, magic, acrobatics, juggling, and
more! Students can do everything from
playing the clarinet to yo-yoing to performing
a dance routine. Solo and group
performances are welcome. Acts should be
between one and three minutes long.
Auditions will take place after-school on
Monday, May 7th. Sign-ups are happening
by this Friday, May 4th, outside of the
cafeteria.
Viva Vienna Volunteer Opportunity
The Rotary Club of Vienna, in support of Viva Vienna, is looking for
middle and high school volunteers who would like to be a part of
this exciting event while earning community service hours. Viva
Vienna is in need of volunteers who can man the large food court
on Sunday, May 27th and Monday, May 28th. The volunteers will
help keep the food court clean and will hand out brochures and
maps during the event. Please see this link if you are
interested in volunteering and gaining service hours. The link also
provides all details including the requirement of emergency
contact information for each volunteer.
Page 3
Spring SOL Testing Calendar
Volume 5 Issue 17
Excellence in Action Summer Camp
This week-long program is designed by our own staff members to provide students with the essential background
knowledge and skills that will help them have a successful transition to middle school. For more information and to
register, please see details here. Two sessions will be offered, running 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM.
Session 1: Monday, July 16th - Friday, July 20th Session 2: Monday, July 30th - Friday, August 3rd
Thoreau 7th and 8th graders will be taking the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) tests from Tuesday, May 15th through
Thursday, May 24th with make-up testing and expedited retakes continuing into the month of June. These tests are
required of all Virginia students in grades 3-12. SOL tests measure the extent to which students have learned the content
and skills specified in the Virginia Standards of Learning. Thoreau students will be tested according to the schedule below.
Please assist your child in doing well on these tests by making sure he/she is well-rested and eats a good breakfast on
his/her testing days. Also, please avoid scheduling appointments on days your child will be tested.
If you have any questions or concerns about the date your child will be testing, please contact Sunnie Chung, Thoreau
testing coordinator, at [email protected]
June 2018 May 2018
3rd Quarter Honor Roll
We congratulate our students for their scholarship and
inclusion on the 3rd quarter All-A and A/B honor rolls. To
access our list of these students, please visit your
Blackboard account and click on Thoreau Activities for
2017 - 2018.
7th graders at Burke Lake Park
on a science field trip
Page 4
Volume 5 Issue 17
iCanShine Bike Program throughout
the month of April
Rising 7th Grade Activities Fair last
Wednesday and Thursday
Volume 5 Issue 17
PTA NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Thoreau Matters is
published every two weeks
by Thoreau Administration
and the PTA to inform the
community of important
information about school life
at Thoreau Middle School.
Main Office: 703-846-8000
Attendance: 703-846-8080
Thoreau Website:
thoreaums.fcps.edu
PTA Website:
www.ThoreauPTA.org
Page 5
We are looking for PTA Board Members for the 2018-19 school year. Open positions include: President, Treasurer,
Secretary, 7th Grade Dinner Chair (or co-chairs), Garden, School Supplies Coordinator, and Membership. Please contact
current PTA president Beth Eachus at [email protected] for more information.
Staff Appreciation Week will be celebrated the week of Monday, May 7th - Friday, May 11th at Thoreau. Volunteers and
donations are needed! Please sign up here.. Thoreau staff appreciates YOU!
The 8th Grade Party will be held on Friday, June 1st and volunteers are needed. Please sign-up if you can help.
Thank you to all who volunteered to support our Thoreau Auction. We are hosting an online auction this
year and are in need of donations. If you are interested or have an idea for a donation, please contact
Beth Eachus at [email protected].
Volunteers are needed for the Thoreau School Store. Please see the updated schedule through the end of the school
year. The school store provides a service to the students and raises funds for the school so your help is greatly
appreciated. Huge thanks to school store chairs Tana Keeffe and Negin Dehn for all of their
efforts!
Sincerely,
Beth Eachus, PTA President
NEWS AND NOTEWORTHY
Thoreau/Navy Federal Art Show: Congratulations to approximately 250 of Thoreau’s
art, technology education and creative writing students who were chosen to participate
in the 2018 Thoreau Middle School Art Show sponsored by Navy Federal Credit Union.
A collaboration between these three areas of study produced some amazing work.
NFCU is hosting a reception for these students and their families to honor their
achievements. Please contact Thoreau art teacher Lori Eshbaugh for more information.
Thoreau Yearbooks Available for Purchase: To purchase a yearbook, send a check for
$39.00 with your child’s first name, last name, and grade on the memo line. The check
should be made out to Thoreau Middle School, and be placed in an envelope with
Ms. BenZion/Yearbook on it. The envelope can be left in the main office.
Where Are You Going This Fall? If you will not be attending Thoreau (rising 8th graders)
or a Fairfax County high school (rising 9th graders) this fall, please let Thoreau Student
Services know now. Please click here and fill out this form. Student Services will make
sure all transcripts are forwarded to your child’s new school so his/her file is com-
plete. If you have any questions, please contact Thoreau registrar Denise Schwandt at
703-846-8003 or [email protected].