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Monday, August 24, 2026: First Day of School!l
Wednesday, September 2, 2026: Irving MS Back-to-School Night 6-8 pm
Wednesday, September 16, 2026: PTA Meeting 6:30-8:30pm
The Irving MS staff is excited to welcome students on Monday, August 24th!
Good afternoon, Irving Community,
What an exciting week at Irving! We were thrilled to welcome our staff back for a meaningful week of learning, collaboration, and preparation for our students’ return. I am incredibly grateful for the energy and care they have poured into getting ready for a wonderful school year. We are truly all in!
Thank you as well to the many students and families who joined us for Horseman Huddle! It was certainly hot and busy, and we truly appreciated your patience, flexibility, and resilience. Thank you for modeling those important qualities for our students and helping us begin the year with a strong sense of community.
Monday morning will be here before we know it! Please pack your patience and anticipate increased traffic on Old Keene Mill Road as students throughout the community return to school. Our goal is to welcome students into the building as quickly and safely as possible.
There is only one entrance for Kiss & Ride. When entering, please follow the arrows, cones, and directions from staff members. For everyone’s safety, students should only exit vehicles in the designated drop-off area. To help keep the line moving, please have students ready to exit quickly with their backpacks and belongings inside the vehicle rather than in the trunk.
Students will enter through the OpenGate weapons detection system, with a team of staff members to guide and support them throughout the process. Before entering, students should remove the following items from their backpacks: binders, umbrellas, eyeglass cases with metal hinges, eyelash curlers. Some heavy metal water bottles may also need to be removed. Having these items out and ready will help students move through the system as quickly and smoothly as possible.
Students may not access cell phones, smartwatches, wireless headphones or earbuds, smart glasses, or other personal electronic devices during the school day, from 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. All devices must remain turned off and stored away throughout the entire school day. Parents and guardians who need to reach their student during school hours should call the Irving MS Main Office at 703-912-4500.
Thank you for your support and partnership in making our first day a great one! We look forward to welcoming our Horsemen on Monday!
With appreciation,
Emily Cincinnati
Principal
Student Rights & Responsibilities (SR&R) Updates
New Universal Grade Matrices for FamiliesFamilies are encouraged to review the updated FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) document, which explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses in order to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment.
Updates for the 2026-27 school year include new Universal Grade Matrices (UGMs). UGMs are charts that show behavior expectations and school responses by grade level (K-3, 4-8, and 9-12). These at-a-glance resources (in Appendix D of the SR&R) are designed to make it easier for parents and caregivers to understand how schools respond to different types of behavior concerns.
Visit the SR&R webpage for more information and to review additional updates to the SR&R for the 2026-27 school year.
Student Device Use During the School Day
New Requirement for Student Device Use During the School DayStarting this school year, students must use FCPS-issued devices for school-related digital activities during the instructional day. This is in accordance with a new School Board requirement, approved on July 16, which states that students may not use personal electronic communication or computing devices, including personal laptops, tablets, smartwatches, smartphones, and similar devices.
Students may only use their personal device if it is required as part of a necessary accommodation in the students’ Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan. A principal or the principal’s designee may approve a limited, course-specific exception for students enrolled in a specialized class when the curriculum requires a technology tool or software that isn’t available on a standard FCPS-issued device.
Families can help support this requirement by reminding students to bring their FCPS-issued device each day and use it for all school-related digital activities unless an approved exception applies.
Digital Resource Consent
We want your child to get the most out of their school experience! To open up a world of exciting activities and valuable opportunities, we need your collaboration. Please take a moment at the beginning of the school year to review and provide your consent through our easy-to-use Parent Digital Consent system.
Access the Parent Digital Consent Portal to provide consent. For more information and instructions on how to use the Parent Digital Consent portal, please visit the FCPS Parent Digital Consent website.
School Meals
Help Your Child Navigate the Lunch Line
Check out some tips to help your child get through the lunch line quickly and have more time to eat:
- Teach your child their student ID number to receive meals at school.
- Sign up for and add money to MySchoolBucks to purchase meals at school.
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Apply for free and reduced-price meals. Students who were approved for free and reduced-price meals last year are eligible for the first 30 days of school this year (or until a new application is processed). Families should submit a new application as soon as possible, so eligible students continue to receive meals at no cost.
If your child has any food allergies, learn how to submit accommodations for dietary restrictions and allergens.
Access menus for breakfast, lunch, and other school meals, as well as allergen and nutrition information.
Academic Screening and Growth Tests, Grades 3-8
The Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) and Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) require schools to provide reading and mathematics screening tests for all students in grades 3-8. These assessments also fulfill a requirement for reading and mathematics growth assessments within the Virginia Assessment Program (VAP). Test results help families and teachers know how to support each student’s learning and development.
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Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Math - required for all students who are scheduled to take the spring Standards of Learning (SOL)
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iReady Reading - required for all students who are scheduled to take the spring SOL
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Virginia Language and Literacy Screening System (VALLSS) - required for certain students based on other reading performance data
If your student is identified to participate in VALLSS, you will receive additional communication from us with details about this assessment. Families may also choose to opt-in to VALLSS participation by contacting their student’s teacher.
Teachers assess grade 3-8 students with MAP Math, iReady Reading, and VALLSS in fall, winter, and spring. The Academic Screening, Growth, and Diagnostic Tests webpage (https://www.fcps.edu/academic-screening-growth-and-diagnostic-tests) provides more information on these tests.
iReady and MAP tests are generally delivered during the classroom instructional block. VALLSS may be delivered within classroom instruction or at another time, such as an intervention or advisory period. The division schedule for iReady, MAP, and VALLSS tests can be found on the Grade Level Tests webpage (https://www.fcps.edu/academics/student-tests-assessments/grade-level-tests). Teachers set specific testing schedules for students in their class.
Based on academic screening results, some students may require a reading plan or math intervention plan. Some students may require additional diagnostic tests to help teachers determine specific areas for support. If you have questions about academic screening, growth, or diagnostic tests, please contact your student’s teacher or our School Test Coordinator (Leigh Arscott, lbarscott@fcps.edu)
For a translation of this notice, please visit the webpage at https://www.fcps.edu/node/50122.
Study Help and Support in Schoology
Study Help and Support Available to Students in Schoology
A new Schoology Study and Support Hub is available for students in Schoology. This space was developed by the FCPS Educational Technology Team with input from students. It is designed to provide essential study tools and academic support resources directly to our learners.
Students can log in to Schoology and read their Schoology announcements or watch this video on the support hub for more information.
The PTA would like to give a big thank you to our wonderful community for their support with the Back to School Breakfast. The teachers had a wonderful start to their first day back thanks to your generosity!
We are always stronger together, so please join us if you have not already done so. If you join by September 1st, four names will be entered in a drawing to secure a reserved parking spot for Back to School Night. Please join us at the link below : https://irvingms.givebacks.com/shop/items/76046
If you missed Open House , you can order spirit wear at the following link:
https://irvingmspta2026.itemorder.com/shop/home/
Irving Middle School Fundraiser!
We will partner with South Block SPRINGFIELD for the Irving Middle School Fundraiser. You can support the fundraiser from Monday, August 24th- Sunday, August 30th, by using the code IRVING on the South Block App. In the App, click "more" Promo Code: IRVING, Start Your Order: Add items to check out and select the fundraiser from the Pink Box of Available Offers in checkout. This code will remain in the Available Offers for the duration of the fundraiser!
Mark your calendar: Wednesday, September 16th will be the first PTA meeting. Meetings are held in the library and will be held from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM.
Thank you,
WIMS PTA
FCPS NewsIn case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Get Ready for Day One With the FCPS App!
- Learn About School Meals
- Managing Technology at Home
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
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