The Liberty Ledger

Weekly newsletter providing families with the important updates and report of events happening at Liberty Middle School.

Important Dates:

• Thursday, October 2- School Closed ( Holiday)
• Thursday, October 9- MWEE (Onsite 7th Grade Field Trip)
• Friday, October 10- MWEE (Onsite 7th Grade Field Trip)
• Monday, October 13- School Closed (Staff Development Day)
• Wednesday, October 15- PTA Chipotle Night 
• Thursday, October 16- MWEE (Onsite 7th Grade Field Trip)
• Thursday, October 17- MWEE (Onsite 7th Grade Field Trip)
• Monday, October 20- School Closed (Holiday)
• Thursday, October 23- NJHS Induction Ceremony
• Friday, October 24- PTA Trunk or Treat
• Friday, October 31- End of Quarter Early Release at 12:15 p.m.

Early Release Bell Schedule:

Our first early release will be Friday, October 31- End of Quarter at 12:15 PM. See student bell schedule below.

MWEE (Meaningful Watershed): We need chaperones to help with our MWEE (Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience). This year, Liberty Middle School 7th graders will be attending a watershed field experience on-site. The following dates are :  Thursday, October 9 Friday, October 10 Thursday, October 16 Thursday, October 17 If you would like to volunteer, please email Julie White at Jawhite2@fcps.edu to schedule your date(s). You must be a Parent/Guardian or Grandparent of student attending MWEE. Thank you!

Materials Review Committee:

We are seeking parent volunteers to serve on our Materials Review Committee. Committee members will read or watch the texts that teachers submit for approval to ensure that it is age appropriate for students. We will also meet monthly to discuss the texts prior to completing the required forms.

Please reach out to Maggie Wickham at mpwickham@fcps.edu if interested in serving on the committee this year.

World Language Credit By Exam (WLCBE):

• In response to the rich linguistic and cultural diversity of our community, students in grades 7-12 are offered the opportunity to take the World Languages Credit By Exam (WLCBE). The WLCBE assesses language proficiency in languages other than English and recognizes the strengths that our students bring as effective communicators in multiple languages.
• Students who wish to take the exam should be able to proficiently understand and communicate in the testing language, and will be asked to listen, read, speak, and either write/type or, for American Sign Language, sign/interpret. For more information on how to prepare for the exam and scoring criteria you may visit our website: World Languages Credit By Exam
• Students interested in taking the WLCBE should complete the pre-registration form: Liberty MS-FCPS WLCBE Fall 2025 Pre-Registration Interest Form
• Registration closes: Friday, October 17th. 
• WLCBE Test Date: Thursday, November 13^th.
• Questions can be directed to student’s counselor or school testing coordinator
• Last Name A-F - Quesuan Wigfall
• Last Name G-Moo - Shirley Alvarez-Leon
• Last Name Mop-Z - Raychal Hart
• STC - Amber Wickstrom

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Information Session:

Date: Tuesday, October 7

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Location: Liberty Middle School - Lecture Hall

7th and 8th grade families interested in learning about the admission process for Thomas Jefferson High School are invited to attend a presentation on Tuesday, October 7^th at 6:30 pm.  

Along with outlining the application process for families of current 8th grade students who may apply for their freshman year, the student’s STEM interest and high school programs at Thomas Jefferson will also be session topics. Current 8th grade students must have a minimum 3.5 GPA at the end of 7th grade and be currently enrolled in Algebra 1 Honors, Honors Science, and either English Honors and/or Civics Honors. To learn more about the process, to view Freshman Round important dates, and to view a video from TJHSST, visit www.fcps.edu/tjadmissions.

The application window runs between Monday, October 20^th to Wednesday, November 12^th.

If you have any questions, please contact Liberty MS school counselor, Shirley Alvarez-Leon, salvarezleon@fcps.edu. 

Liberty Yearbook:

Don't miss out on capturing all the great memories from this school year! Now's the perfect time to order your yearbook and lock in the best price.

Yearbook prices will increase throughout the year, so the sooner you order, the more you'll save. Here are the deadlines and pricing:

Payments can be made online in MySchoolBucks:
https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/login/postlogin.action

• September 16, 2025 – January 9, 2026: $26

• January 10, 2026 – April 10, 2026: $30

• April 11, 2026 – June 30, 2026: $38

Fall Full-Time AAP Screening:

Parents and teachers interested in referring students for the fall full-time AAP screening must submit a full-time AAP referral form to the school’s Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART) by October 15, 2025. Fall 2025 screening is only available to students newly enrolled in FCPS after January 1, 2025, who were not screened in Spring 2025.

For information pertaining to the screening process, testing and identification timeline or identification and placement, please contact Laura Ballou at liballou@fcps.edu.

Red Bag Event: Our school is partnering with Food For Neighbors to help feed our local students who deal with food insecurity outside of school hours. Even in an area as wealthy as Northern Virginia, one in four kids are struggling with hunger. Food For Neighbors is a local organization addressing this problem by collecting food from our community via the Red Bag Program and donating directly to our local schools. The food is then distributed to the students every week through our food pantry. We hope you will consider participating in the Red Bag food collection program. You can make a difference in a local student’s life by simply adding a few extra items to your shopping cart every two months. Here’s how it works: 1. Request a reusable Red Bag here and Food For Neighbors will drop it off at your house. 2. Fill the Red Bag with food items that are listed on a tag on that bag. 3. Put the Red Bag outside your front door in the morning on the next bag collection day. Collection dates are also listed on the bag tag. And don’t worry, FFN will send reminders. Your Red Bag will be picked up from your house, the food sorted at a local school and delivered directly to our school food pantry.  For more information on the Red Bag program click here.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Student Services or our Family Liaison.

After-School Program:

AFTER-SCHOOL REGISTRATION

*FCPS MS Interscholastic Sports*

CRITICAL & NEW this year - Any student that wishes to play on a team that will play another school, must complete the following...

• MS Sports Registration Link for Fall 2025 - Filled in by the family for each student.(siblings completed separately for everything)
• PPE- NEW Forms  (FCPS Middle School Sports Athletic Participation/Parental Consent/Evaluation Form) Families need to turn in at least pages 1,2,3.  This includes the physical form your child's doctor needs to complete.  
• ANY physical done on or after July 1st, 2025, must be on the NEW forms. Old forms dated after July 1st, 2025, will not be accepted
• Emergency Care Form-  A new form filled in for every student is required for every season

Hard copies of all forms can be picked up in the main office or outside the After-School Office (D122).  A parent meeting will be set up for our families before the first games/meets.  

Students have a variety of interests, and our After-School Program tries to match our activities to meet these. We would appreciate student input as we hire staff, contract with outside vendors and schedule our activities. Please speak with your student and use the form below to note activities your student would like to participate in After-School. No promises, but it will help us plan for the school year.

October Library Calendar:

Student Panel "Thriving at CVHS" Oct 14 PTSA

October 14 - PTSA Meeting, “Thriving at CVHS” Student Panel: 

The Centreville High School PTSA invites you to their next meeting on Tuesday, October 14 at 7:00 PM in the Centreville High School Library for a special student panel, "Thriving at Centreville High." Hear directly from current juniors and seniors as they share their unique journeys and tips for making high school both successful and enjoyable. As a future Wildcat, this panel is a great opportunity to gain insight, ask questions, and feel inspired. All students and families are welcome!

Student Services Team

Shirley Alvarez-Leon, Liberty Counselor (Last names G-Moo)

Valerie Peters, Director of Student Services 

Quesuan Wigfall, Liberty Counselor (Last names A-F)

Raychal Hart, Lead Liberty Counselor (Last Names Mop-Z)

Free and Reduced Meals Updates

FRM eligibility carryover from SY 24-25 is valid for the first thirty (30) days of school, or until a new application is processed. Households will be required to submit a new application by October 1, 2025.

Families can apply online for the 2025–2026 school year on the FNS webpage for a quicker response, though paper applications are also available from schools or can be printed from the website.

If you want your children to participate in FCPS fee-based programs on a free or reduced fee basis and receive information about other benefits for your children parents must also fill out the FCPS Consent to Share Students’ Meals Eligibility Status Information for Benefits for Other Programs.

Questions or Concerns?

If you have any questions regarding resources like food and family assistance, please contact Sarah Hughes, School Social Worker at shughes@fcps.edu or visit our Social Worker Page. 

Helpful Resources

• Get more information about food distribution