Good evening Parents and Community Partners,
It has been a great week here at Fort Valley Middle School! I do want to apologize that this edition of our weekly update is going out a little later than usual, but it is jam packed with important information, so please make sure you read all the way to the end.
⏳ 27 Days Until Milestones
We are officially 27 instructional days away from theGeorgia Milestones Assessment System. These next few weeks are extremely important as we continue preparing students for testing.
Here are a few additional strategies you can use at home to help your child prepare:
Ask “Why?” and “How?” Questions
When your child completes homework or practice questions, ask them to explain why an answer is correct or how they figured it out. This builds deeper understanding.
Practice Writing Responses
Have your child write short responses to questions about what they read. Even a few sentences explaining their thinking can strengthen writing skills needed for Milestones.
Review Vocabulary
Many test questions rely on understanding academic vocabulary. Ask your child about new words they are learning in class and practice using them in conversation.
Trojan Test Tips are sent out every Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. to help families support student success as we prepare for the Georgia Milestones Assessment System. Each edition includes free practice resources, simple strategies you can use at home, and quick activities that strengthen reading, math, and critical thinking skills. We encourage families to review the tips together and have students spend a little time each evening practicing. Consistent preparation builds confidence and helps students walk into testing ready to succeed.
A little practice each night makes a big difference over time.
🚌 Field Trip Success
Each of our grade levels has had a field trip recently, and boy have we had some fun and learned some great information! I am proud to report that our students represented Fort Valley Middle School extremely well. Because of these successes, we look forward to planning even more opportunities in the upcoming year. If you are interested in being a field trip chaperone, please call the school for more information. We are looking to hit the road more and more, and we would love to have parents join us.
⚽ Trojan Soccer This Saturday
Come out and support our FVMS soccer team this Saturday!
📅 Saturday, March 7
🕚 11:15 AM
📍 Ed DeFore Sports Stadium – Macon, GA
Our Trojans will take on Howard Middle School, and we would love to see our school community in the stands cheering them on.
Let’s show our Trojan prideand support our student-athletes. We hope to see you there! 🖤💛⚽
🍀 Pathways to Success: Academic Night
We invite all families to join us for our Pathways to Success Academic Night on March 17, 2026, from 5:00–6:30 PM in the FVMS Gymnasium.
This evening is designed to help families better understand how to support their child’s academic growth as we prepare for the Georgia Milestones Assessment System and beyond.
Families will have the opportunity to:
Learn practical strategies to support learning at home
Engage in critical thinking activities with their child
Connect with teachers and staff
Explore resources that help students grow academically
There will also be games, fun, and gifts throughout the evening—so you definitely don’t want to miss it!
We hope you will join us for a night focused on collaboration, learning, and communityas we continue working together to support student success.
🎉 March Behavior Celebration Update
Our new behavior celebration cycle has officially begun.
To qualify for our March Behavior Celebration, students must meet the following requirements:
No ISS (In-School Suspension)
No OSS (Out-of-School Suspension)
No bus suspensions
No more than 2 minor classroom behavior strikes
No more than 5 unexcused absences during this period
Eligibility for this celebration began on February 23.
Our plan is to take students off campus to a movie for this celebration. However, this will heavily depend on what movies are playing at that time. If there are no appropriate or high-interest options available, we will update you with an alternate celebration plan.
Please continue reinforcing positive behavior expectations at home so our students can enjoy this opportunity.
✍️ WriteScore Success
If you have been hearing cheers from the 6th and 7th grade halls of FVMS, it is because our WriteScore assessment results came back this week and we have been CELEBRATING SUCCESS!!!!
Our students performed very well, and we will be sharing that information with families in the coming days. Our 8th grade students completed a full essay, so their results will take a little longer to receive. However, we are extremely proud of the progress our 6th and 7th grade students have made.
Please take a moment to talk with your student about their scoresand celebrate their progress.
🎓 Parents of 8th Grade Students
Permission forms for our high school visits were sent home last week.
Please complete the forms and have your child return them to the school so they can participate.
8th graders will tour the high school on Tuesday, March 10.
💉 Important Information for Rising 7th Grade Students
All 6th grade students must have an updated immunization record prior to returning to school for the 2026–2027 school year.
Students will not receive their schedule on the first day of school if they have an expired immunization record on file.
If you have any questions, please contact our Med Tech, Nurse Smith, at the school.
📱 Thank You, Parents
Parents, I put out a call, and you answered in a BIG way!!!!!
Thank you so much for following up with your students regarding group messaging and outside social media influences making their way into the school building.
This week was the first week we had no drama or issues that required investigation, and that is a direct result of your involvement.
What does that mean for your child?
It means I was able to complete 10 teacher observations this week. When I am in classrooms, I am able to more effectively monitor and support the instruction your child is receiving. That is extremely important as we approach testing.
As we move toward the end of the year, please continue to check those phones and talk with your child about being responsible with what they say and post online. I truly appreciate your partnership in this area.
💙 Our Thoughts and Prayers Are With Byron Middle School
Our Trojan hearts go out to the Byron Middle School family and to the family of the student who tragically lost her life. Our deepest condolences to the entire Byron community. As a parent, losing a child is something no family should ever have to endure.
Parents, hug your child a little tighter tonight and remind them that there is nothing your family cannot overcome together. If you feel your child is struggling emotionally or mentally, please reach out to Mrs. Richardson, our school counselor. We have in-school, virtual, and outside counseling resources available for students who may need support.
Remember, we are One Team, One Dream working together for our students.
Have a great weekend, Trojans.
Warm Regards,
Kizzy S. Johnson
Principal
Fort Valley Middle School
"Where Learning is REQUIRED!"