Welcome Letter to Parents

August 2018

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Welcome to the start of a new school year! Included with this letter is important Back-to-School information to prepare for the first day of school, Tuesday, August 28th. Summer information has been posted on our website, but please review this letter as a summary of everything you need to know. 

School Calendar Important Dates

• August 13th ,14 & 15 (Monday): FCPSOn laptop distribution for 7th and 8th graders. See below for details
• August 23 (Thursday): Student schedules will be visible in ParentVue. See information below about obtaining a ParentVue account.
• August 24 (Friday): 7th grade Orientation from 8:00am - 11:00am.  
• August 24 (Friday): Rams Rally for 7th and 8th graders from 2:00pm - 6:00pm.   
• August 28th (Tuesday): First Day of School 
• September 5th:  7th Grade Back to School Night 6:00pm – 8:25pm.
• September 12th:  8th Grade Back to School Night  6:00pm – 8:25pm.

In preparation for the opening of school, we ask parents to update and print the mandatory opening of school forms detailed in this letter. A summary of required forms may be accessed on our website and in the information below.

FCPSOn at Rocky Run

FCPSOn at Rocky Run extends student learning and ensures that students have equal opportunity to develop Portrait of a Graduate attributes by providing them with opportunities to control the time, place, path, and pace of their learning through meaningful learning experiences. With this, every student will need a laptop to access instructional material/content frequently. You will be provided an FCPSOn issued device or you can provide your own. The FCPSOn device permission form should be read and reviewed to understand the acceptable and responsible use of the FCPS laptop. This form does not need to be turned in if you are using a school laptop. The FCPSOn form also states the financial responsibility of the families should something happen to the FCPS device. By accepting to use the FCPS laptop during the school year, you automatically agree to the terms should there be damage to the device not covered by FCPS.

If using your own personal device in place of a FCPS issued device, please complete and return the FCPSOn permission form to indicate that you are using your own device. Your personal device must have a keyboard and be compatible with Google Apps for Education and Microsoft Office. Smartphones are not an acceptable substitute.  

Laptop Pickup

All students will be required to submit their completed mandatory opening of school forms before picking up their FCPS computer.

All students, 7th and 8th graders, can pick up their FCPSOn issued laptop in the school cafeteria on these dates and times: 

• Aug 13 from 4pm - 6pm
• Aug 14 from 8am - noon
• Aug 15 from noon - 4pm

A parent/guardian must accompany their child and turn in completed mandatory forms in order to obtain their child’s computer.  Students may pick up their computer at any time during each of these posted windows.  Please plan to spend 20 to 30 minutes at school preparing your laptop.  It may take more or less time depending on the number of students arriving at that time. Students must be present to pick up their own laptop.

Note: If you are unable to come to school on the distribution dates students may pick up their laptop during the first week of school. Forms are still required to pick up laptop. 

News You Choose: 

To keep parents informed, we email a weekly RRMS News You Choose with pertinent information including calendar items. We also use Keep-In-Touch for some of our communication to send messages as needed. We want to ensure that you are kept informed with everything happening at Rocky Run.  You may register for RRMS News You Choose here.

Opening of School Forms

PLEASE COMPLETE AND SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING FORMS prior to picking up FCPSOn computer:

Mandatory Registration Forms for the 2018-2019 School-Year (4 forms):

1. Emergency Care Form – Parents must review emergency care information on file and update the form on line.  To access the form, parents need a Parent Vue account and can update the Emergency Care Form via weCare by clicking HERE.  For more information about obtaining a ParentVue account, please click here to access support on FCPS website. If you update and submit Emergency Care through weCare, please print a copy to bring to Rams Rally (2 pages).
2. Health Information Form – Click here to access form, print, complete and bring to school.
3. RRMS Classroom Software Permission Form -  Click here to access form, print and fill out. Complete ONLY if child is under 13 years old.
4. Military Connected Students Form - Click here to access. Required for all families.

Other Child-Specific Forms: if applicable to your child

These forms are not required for laptop pick up.  However, we will collect them for any parents who wish to submit these forms.

• After School Activities Registration – If your child plans to participate in the After-School program, they must submit the After School Program Registration Form.
• Free and Reduced Lunch Form (will be available in August on this page)
• Health Room Parent letter 2018-19
• Clinic Guidelines for Medication 2018-19
• Scoliosis Fact Sheet

Clinic Health forms (if applicable to your child)

• Medication Authorization Form
• Student Use of Inhalers Form
• Student Use of Epi-Pen Form  

Parent Information regarding Student Opt-Out Rights and Choices (if applicable to your child)

• Opt-Out Information
• FLE Opt-Out

Important Back to School Information

7th Grade Orientation (students only)

Orientation for all 7th graders is scheduled for Friday, August 24th from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  Bus schedules for the orientation are below.  Students will board the bus at their neighborhood elementary school and return to that same location according to the times below.  Please note the bus schedule for Orientation is an abbreviated schedule and will not be the same as the schedule for the school year.  During orientation, students will briefly rotate through each class, meeting their teams and teachers.  Students should bring their schedules with them to Orientation, but do not need any other school materials.  Students who are not able to access their schedule via ParentVue will receive a copy of the schedule at orientation.

7th Grade Orientation Bus Schedule

We are unable to provide buses for schools with fewer than 10 students attending, and invite parents to carpool to drop their children at Rocky Run for this event.

Rams Rally

During Rams Rally, we welcome rising 7th grade and returning 8th grade students to visit Rocky Run.  Rams Rally is an open house format providing opportunities for students to visit the building before school opens, organize their lockers, walk their schedules and catch up with friends.  This is not a structured orientation, and teachers will not be in their classrooms. Schedules will be available online in SIS StudentVue and ParentVue by August 23. Rams Rally will also include:

• Schedules available for pick up
• FCPSON computer pick up will be available 
• PTA membership information and spirit wear
• Medication drop off at clinic
• PE uniform information and sizing.  Uniform purchase through MySchoolBucks
• There will be an opportunity to put money on MySchoolbucks for lunch and PE uniforms
• Sign up for the After School activities
• Food available for purchase

Please note that parking at Rocky Run MS is extremely limited.  Walking to school and carpooling are strongly recommended when possible.

Below is a suggested schedule for Rams Rally attendance by feeder elementary school.  Students must be accompanied by an adult to attend Rams Rally. We recognize that following this schedule may not be possible for everyone and students are welcome to attend as they are able.  We encourage those who can adhere to this schedule to do so in order to limit crowds and to promote a positive experience for all. 

Rams Rally Schedule:

Regular Bus Schedules

Prior to the start of school, FCPS transportation will contact each parent via Keep in Touch to inform you of your child’s bus number, and where to meet the bus.  Please remember the first few weeks of school can be very hectic as morning routines are re-established, so students should allow adequate time to catch the bus.  Bus drivers will often need to get their routes down and make necessary adjustments to schedules to arrive at school on time, so students are encouraged to arrive at their bus stop least 15 minutes before their scheduled arrival time.  By arriving early, it will help alleviate the stress of students missing the bus.

School Supplies

A list of suggested school supplies can be found on our website. Additional school supplies will be requested through students’ teams during the first few days of school.

Student Fees Online

Online payment for student fees and school store items will be available through the MySchoolBucks School Store. This online payment service provides a quick and easy way for school-related purchases. You will be able to pay a variety of school fees using credit/debit cards or electronic checks. Please visit www.MySchoolBucks.com to establish an account.

Medication:

If you have medication to drop off at the school for your child’s use, please plan to do so with the appropriate forms, cited above in Other Child Specific Forms. Medication and associated forms may be brought to the clinic during Rams Rally, August 24 from 2 – 6:00.