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This week we had a Blue Star Welcome Event in the library, inviting military connected families to get introduced to the school and how to navigate it. Also this week, today was custodian appreciation day!

Franklin Community,

I want to begin this week by sharing an important staffing update. Ms. Danna Hailfinger, our Director of Student Services, will be leaving Franklin to begin a new opportunity at Holmes Middle School. Ms. Hailfinger has been an important part of our Franklin community and has provided tremendous support to our students, families, and staff. Her last day at Franklin will be Friday, October 9.

While we are certainly sad to see Ms. Hailfinger leave, we are excited for her as she begins this next chapter. We will be celebrating Ms. Hailfinger throughout next week and making sure she knows how much we appreciate everything she has done for Franklin. We wish her nothing but the best in her new adventure at Holmes!

I also want to assure our community that we will get to work immediately on the process of identifying our next Director of Student Services. This is an incredibly important leadership position at Franklin, and we will work to find someone who can continue providing strong leadership and support for our students, families, and Student Services team. We will keep our community updated as we move through that process.

Today is also Custodian Appreciation Day, and I want to take a moment to recognize our outstanding custodial team. There are so many things that happen behind the scenes every day to keep a school of approximately 800 students running, and our custodians are at the center of much of that work. They keep our classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, restrooms, and shared spaces clean and safe, respond when something unexpected happens, and regularly go above and beyond to support our students and staff. We are incredibly grateful for everything they do to take care of our building and our Franklin community. Please join me in thanking our custodians for their hard work and dedication!

We also want to thank our military-connected families who joined us on Tuesday for our Blue Star Welcome Week Breakfast. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to connect with our families, hear their stories, and recognize the important role they play in our Franklin community. We are incredibly grateful for the service and sacrifices made by our military families, and we appreciate everyone who took the time to join us for this special event. A big thank you also goes to our Student Services team for helping organize such a meaningful morning! 

Next week is going to be an exciting one at Franklin as we celebrate Spirit Week! We encourage all students and staff to participate and show their Franklin Pride throughout the week:

• Monday, October 5, Pink-Out: Wear pink to show support for breast cancer awareness.
• Tuesday, October 6, Rhyme Without Reason: Pair up with a group and dress like words that rhyme!
• Wednesday, October 7, Adam Sandler Day: Wear extra casual clothes like basketball shorts and a baggy T-shirt.
• Thursday, October 8, Goodbye, Ms. Hailfinger: Wear women's sports clothing and/or a crossbody bag as we celebrate Ms. Hailfinger!
• Friday, October 9, Team Day and Pep Rally: Show your enthusiasm by wearing your team colors as we finish the week with our school-wide Pep Rally!

Friday's Pep Rally will be a great way to cap off the week and send Ms. Hailfinger out with plenty of Franklin spirit! Students will come together for a school-wide celebration designed to build excitement, energy, and school and team pride. Teams will compete in fun games and challenges, and everyone will have a role by cheering on their classmates and teachers. We are looking forward to a fun afternoon and a great opportunity to celebrate what makes Franklin such a special community.

I also want to put in another important reminder about our AAP Expansion Community Meeting on Monday at 6:00pm. I strongly encourage families to attend. This is an important conversation about the future of programming at Franklin, and we want our families to have the opportunity to learn more, ask questions, and understand what AAP expansion could mean for our school community. Community engagement and feedback are an important part of this process, so please make every effort to join us on Monday if you are able.

Lastly, we have another opportunity next week to show some Falcon spirit beyond Franklin! On Wednesday, October 7, at Oakton High School, the defending Flag Football County Champions will be back in the Cougar Den for their home competition and Senior Night. We would love to see Franklin families come out to support our former Falcons and the Oakton community.

The action begins at 6:00pm with Oakton vs. Westfield, followed by Oakton vs. Meridian at 8:00pm. Come out, cheer on the athletes, celebrate the seniors, and bring some Franklin spirit with you!

It is going to be a busy and exciting week ahead. Please join me in wishing Ms. Hailfinger the very best as she begins her next adventure, and we look forward to celebrating her throughout next week.

Tom DeRusso
Principal
Franklin Middle School

Weekly CARE Card Raffle Winners

Custodian Appreciation Day! Thank you to Franklin's custodial team - Ms. Delgado, Ms. Delcid, Mr. Castillio Salmeron, Ms. Del Cid, Mr. Genebroso, and Mr. Santos Cruz We appreciate the work you do each and every day to keep Franklin clean and beautiful for staff and students.

~Important Dates~ 

October 3 - Cross Country Meet at Carson MS

October 5 - PTA Meeting - 5:30-6:00pm - Library

October 5 - AAP Community Meeting - 6:00pm - Gym

October 5 - TJHSST Applications Open - 4:00pm

October 12 - Teacher Workday

October 19 & 20 - School Picture Day

November 3 - Spirit Night @ Big Buns - 4pm-9pm

~Action Items~

Spirit Week

10/5 Monday- Pink Out for Breast Cancer

10/6 Tuesday- Rhyme without Reason

10/7 Wednesday- Adam Sandler Day

10/8 Thursday- Goodbye to Ms. Hailfinger - women’s sports, crossbody bag, dress like Ms. Hailfinger

10/9 Friday- Team Day- wear your team colors

Franklin Middle School

Let's Bring the Spirit All Week!

Picture Day is Coming!

October 19 and October 20

• School pictures will be taken during PE classes
• Pre-order today using the QR Code or go to mylifetouch.com
• Create an account or login with the Picture Day ID: EVT4QV8W4
• Orders will be sent home a few weeks after picture day

Safe Routes to School Parent and Caregiver Survey

As part of the Fairfax County School Board’s Annual School-Based Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Assessment, the FCPS Office of Safety and Security and Safe Routes to School program are inviting parents and caregivers to share their experiences traveling to and from school.

The Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Survey asks about walking and biking routes, traffic near schools, kiss and ride experiences, accessibility, and other safety concerns. 

Your feedback will help FCPS identify common issues. Your responses will be kept confidential and shared with school administrators and the Office of Safety and Security. The five-minute survey is open through Thursday, October 15. 

Be sure to identify the school related to your feedback and include specific locations where you have observed a safety issue. If you have students at different schools in FCPS, please complete a different survey for each school. 

If you have any questions about the survey, please contact SafeRoutestoSchool@fcps.edu.  

~Need to Know~

Calendar Change: Eid al-Fitr

FCPS will mark the beginning of Eid al-Fitr with an evening-only observance day on Monday, March 8. There will be school on this day, but major school-sponsored events and activities (such as auditions or tryouts) will not take place. 

Tuesday, March 9, will be a holiday for students and staff. 

Wednesday, March 10, will be an observance day. There will be school on this day, but certain activities that cannot be made up (major tests, field trips, or mandatory events) will not take place on this day. 

A new school year calendar has been published, which includes this change. Please note that holidays and observances on the calendar may shift due to anticipated lunar sightings. 

FCPS Seeks Community Input on Middle School AAP Centers

FCPS is exploring a plan to offer Full-Time Advanced Academic Program (AAP) services at every middle school. Under the proposal, students who qualify could attend their neighborhood middle school and take advanced classes with other AAP students. The School Board has approved community engagement at Franklin, Hayfield, Holmes, Key, and Whitman middle schools, where programs could open for the 2027-28 school year. The proposal is still under consideration, and the School Board is expected to make a decision in December.

Each community meeting offers in-person and virtual participation. Upcoming meetings are scheduled for:

• Franklin Middle: Monday, October 5, at 6 p.m.
• Holmes Middle: Thursday, October 15, at 6 p.m.
• Whitman Middle: Thursday, October 22, at 6 p.m.

Current middle school students will remain at their assigned AAP centers through middle school. Learn more and find meeting sign-up forms on the Middle School AAP Centers page.

Medication Drop Off

If you have medication to drop off for your student, please contact our PHN, Erica Meacham at emeacham@fcps.edu to schedule an appointment.

Medication Drop Off

If you have medication to drop off for your student, please contact our PHN, Eri

~Student Services~

Fall Full-Time AAP Referral Window for Students New to FCPS Closes on October 15

The fall referral window is only for students in Grades 3-8 who are new to FCPS since January 1, 2026. Parents and guardians who would like their student to be considered for Full-Time Advanced Academic Program (AAP) services must submit the Full-Time AAP Referral Form to Dr. Janet Schiavone, Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, at jpschiavone@fcps.edu by October 15, 2026. Late referrals will not be accepted. For more information on the referral process and forms, please visit https://www.fcps.edu/academics/advanced-academic-programs-aap/forms-advanced-academic-program-aap

For students who are not new to FCPS and have been enrolled, the spring Full-Time AAP identification window is open to students in Grades 2-7. Families interested in referring their student for consideration during the spring window must submit a referral by December 15, 2026.

Once a referral is received, our school will compile information related to the student. Then, a committee of trained professionals from across the county will review materials to determine eligibility for Full-Time AAP services.

TJHSST - Applications open

October 5, 4:00pm

Eighth graders who have an aptitude and passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) are encouraged to apply for admission to the Class of 2031 at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST).

The application will be available Monday, October 5, at 4 p.m. Applications must be started by 4 p.m. Wednesday, October 28, with a submission deadline of 4 p.m. Friday, October 30. Visit the TJHSST registration page for more information, including a schedule of upcoming information sessions at middle schools. 

Franklin MS will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 through October 15. This special month recognizes and celebrates the rich cultures, histories, traditions, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities.

Join us as we celebrate the diversity and heritage that enrich our Franklin community!

~After-School Program~

FRANKLIN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM 

Franklin Middle School offers free after-school activities every Monday through Friday all school year long.Whether your student wants to join sports, get help with homework, create, and compete in STEM clubs, play video games, or attend special events—there is something for everyone! 

• Bus Transportation: Available 4 days a week.
• Schedule & more info on the Franklin After-School Website
• Late Runs - Posted in the After-School and Parent Schoology Course

• Parents can access the schedule via the Parent Schoology and the Franklin After-School website.

Even if your student isn't sure they want to participate right away, we strongly encourage every family to complete the registration form now.