Letter from the Principal – Mrs. Calvert

Dear Madison High School PTSA Families,
 

It’s hard to believe the first marking period is already ending. The hallways are busy, our fall activities are in full swing, and the cooler weather is finally here. Time certainly flies when we are focused on learning! I am continually impressed by the hard work and spirit of our Warhawk students and staff.
 
Thank you for your partnership and all you do to support our school. I want to share a few important updates on school boundaries, grading, and a new data feature in my MAD Memos correspondence.
 
️ Boundary Review Committee Update

As you may be aware, the county is currently conducting a comprehensive boundary review to address enrollment and capacity issues across all schools, something that is 40 years overdue. The final decision on boundary changes rests solely with our school board members, based on the Superintendent’s recommendations, which will come directly from the Boundary Review Committee. 
 
The Boundary Review Committee is currently analyzing various data points. The Madison community is encouraged to stay informed and provide input during this critical time. Scenario 4 significantly impacts our community, and we have shared our concerns and potential solutions with Dr. Reid, who will present them to the Committee for consideration. Ms. Meren has also offered her support as an advocate for our constituent group. The School Board is expected to make final boundary decisions early next year.
 
How to Follow: You can find all meeting schedules, presentations, and draft proposals on the county’s official boundary review website. 
 
How to Submit Feedback: The committee is accepting public comment. We strongly encourage you to share your perspective. You can submit your feedback directly to the committee via at this link.
 
 Updates to Grading: Introducing Work Habits

To provide a more holistic view of student performance, FCPS is introducing a new “Work Habits” category on our report cards this year.  This category will be reported separately from the student’s academic letter grade (A-F). The goal is to provide clear, consistent feedback on the essential skills that support learning and long-term success, both in and out of the classroom.  The key work habits we will be assessing are time management, organization, assignment completion, and overall effort. Here are examples in each category: 
 

 
 The MAD Data Corner

Welcome to the new MAD Data Corner! We believe in transparency and using data to guide our school improvement efforts. In each newsletter, we’ll share a quick snapshot of our progress in a variety of areas.  If there is data you would like to see in this report, please reach out to me directly at emcalvert@fcps.edu. 
 
Attendance: A strong start to high school is a key indicator of future success. That’s why we closely monitor our chronic absenteeism rate (defined as missing 10% or more of school days). We are currently hovering around 6.5%! While we are seeing great daily attendance from the majority of students, we have important work to do to support those students who are missing critical instruction time. Thank you for prioritizing your students’ attendance every single day!
 
PSAT Scores: Here is the data from the last three administrations of the PSAT. Our overall scores have stayed consistent throughout. 
 

 
Thank you for your continued partnership. Your support through the PTSA is invaluable and makes a tangible difference for our students and staff.
 
Go Warhawks!

Sincerely,