Letter from the Principal – Mrs. Calvert

Dear Students, Parents, and Guardians,

As we close out October and first quarter and welcome the cooler air of November, I want to commend our students for their hard work and dedication during these past months. Each day I am inspired by their dedication, creativity, and grit.  They give me hope for the future as they will be the problem solvers of the future.  

Here are a few reminders for your consideration this month. 

  • End of 1st Quarter – November 3, 2023

As a reminder, all courses at Madison use the rolling gradebook.  This means that quarter marks are NOT averaged at the end of the year to determine final course grades.  Rather, quarter grades are only snapshots of how students are performing in a course at this point in time.  Student grades reflect progress towards mastery.  Each skill will be assessed multiple times throughout the year.  The end of course grade will be calculated by averaging all assessments across all four quarters.  For more information on Madison’s grading framework, click here.  

The end of the marking period is an excellent opportunity for both students and parents to assess progress and set goals for the upcoming quarter. Please encourage your student to take advantage of practice opportunities created by teachers, our Peer Tutoring Center during Warhawk Time in the Library or Warhawk Time teacher assistance for any additional support they may need.  If you have any questions about how your child is performing in a particular course, I encourage you to contact your child’s teacher.

  • MAD Wings Senior Career Fair – November 10, 2023

The Senior WINGS Experience is the culmination of the JMHS MAD WINGS program. More information can be found on the Madison website. This year, we would like to partner with more local business and community service organizations to offer a variety of opportunities to our students. We are seeking additional organizations to sponsor one or more seniors for their WINGS Experience. As parents, we know you have many contacts in the local community with businesses and organizations. We are asking you to: 
·         share businesses or community organizations that you think would be positive hosts for seniors through this form (we will reach out to them for you with our marketing materials);
·         consider giving students an opportunity to career shadow at your business, or a community service organization in which you are engaged and let us know by completing this form;
If you have any questions, please feel free to email [email protected]

  • Pyramid Parent Night with Author and long-time Educator Rick Wormeli – November 14, 2023

Join us November 14th at 7 pm in the auditorium at Madison High School for an engaging conversation with Rick Wormeli.  Mr. Wormeli is an advocate for practical and compelling educational change and is deeply committed to ensuring that the educational process reflects needed transitions in instructional practice to prepare our students for the world after high school.  He understands our skills-based mastery learning framework, grading practices and MAD Wings program.  Mr. Wormeli brings a wealth of experience and research based expertise to our conversations.  For more information on Mr. Wormeli, please visit his website.
 
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I want to express my thanks to the PTSA for its continuous support. Your commitment to our school enhances the educational experience of our students and strengthens our sense of community. Your generosity with our staff and greater community does not go unnoticed.  What you do to support Madison matters!  

Have a wonderful November and Thanksgiving break!

Sincerely,

Liz Calvert, Principal
Madison High School
2500 James Madison Drive
Vienna, Virginia  22181
Phone:  703-319-2311
Email:  [email protected]
Website:  https://madisonhs.fcps.edu/