• Art
  • Business
  • English
  • ESOL
  • Family and Consumer Science
  • Mathematics
  • Music
  • Physical Education
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Technology Education
  • World Languages

galleryArt Department

FCPS Fine Arts
Visual Art Program of Studies

Name Phone
Michelle Ciancarelli 703.912.4582
Pamela Gandee-Orr 703.912.4583

gallery1 gallery2  

Irving Visual Art Course Offerings


Art Foundations
Explore a variety of art materials, develop art techniques, and use creative thinking skills to express ideas and viewpoints about personal experiences and the world.  Produce meaningful and unique drawings, paintings, prints, sculptures, ceramics and crafts in a studio setting. Study artists and their works to gain understanding of the artistic process and learn about art produced at different times and in diverse cultures. Make interdisciplinary connections based on the Virginia Standards of Learning for all disciplines.

Art Extensions
Use new materials and techniques, and refine your artmaking skills. Students begin to develop a personal style and attain a high level of quality and craftsmanship in drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics and crafts. Interpret and express feelings and ideas in innovative ways and make interdisciplinary connections based on the Virginia Standards of Learning for all disciplines. Study great artists from different times and diverse cultures and learn to critique personal artworks and the works of others to inform personal artmaking.

Art Extensions – Full Year
Art Extensions – Full Year offers an opportunity for eighth grade students with interest and above average performance in art to refine their artistic skills and techniques. Students interpret and express personal feelings, experiences, and observations in advanced level art projects. They work with a variety of media and tools including technological applications in drawing, painting, printmaking, and sculpture and they evaluate and critique their own and other students’ artwork. Students study art history and culture and analyze the works of great artists while making interdisciplinary connections based on the Virginia Standards of Learning for all disciplines.

3D Art Exploration
Work in the third-dimension by creating sculptures, ceramic objects, models and installations that express ideas about personal experiences and observations of the world. Learn to use a variety of art media, non-traditional materials, tools and equipment to compose, construct, and form functional and decorative artworks. Build knowledge, refine skills, improve techniques, and craftsmanship to meet challenges and solve problems in unique ways. Investigate three-dimensional artworks produced by artists in different times and places to inform the artmaking process.

Computers in Art
Use the computer as a tool for creating original artwork. Work with a variety of software applications including Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator or other available software to explore subjects, ideas and themes related to living in the world. Make interdisciplinary connections based on the Virginia Standards of Learning for all disciplines and develop knowledge regarding ethical issues concerning computer generated imagery. Prior computer experience is not required.

Business Department

Name Phone
Michael Kiernan 703.912.4639
Carl Uccellini 703.912.4544
Career and Technical Education FCPS

Digital Input Technologies

Digital Input Technologies is an elective course open to students in 8th Grade. This course introduces new and emerging input devices (e.g., speech- and handwriting-recognition software, headset/microphone, personal digital assistant [PDA], scanner, digital camera, digital video camera, keyboard, and mouse) to prepare students for using tools that are becoming standard in the workplace and in everyday life.

Computer Solutions

Computer Solutions is an elective course open to students in grades 7-8.  This course introduces students to the world of business using the computer as a problem-solving tool. Emphasis is placed on using basic touch keyboarding skills to complete a variety of projects incorporating word processing, database, presentation, and spreadsheet software. Basic Internet safety and computer maintenance issues are important components of this course.

 

Language Arts Department

Kerry Bean 7th Grade English 703.912.4635
Samantha Fischer 8th Grade English  703.912.4601
Peggy Harmon 8th Grade English 703.912.4614
Jenny Hay 8th Grade English  703.912.4604
Emily Kirby 7th Grade English 703.912.4629
Kelly Steining 7th Grade English 703.912.4636
Amy Toothaker 8th Grade English 703.912.4621

 

The FCPS Program of Studies (POS) for Language Arts defines the instructional program that must be implemented in the middle school language arts classroom.   The POS describes curriculum content, and identifies the essential knowledge and skills taught, through specific standards, benchmarks, and indicators.

Language Arts study for Grades 7 and 8 consists of five strands:

  • Oral Strand: Students experience a variety of speaking, listening, and viewing situations.

  • Vocabulary Strand: Students expand and enhance vocabulary through language and literature.

  • Reading Strand: Students read and apply strategies to understand/analyze a variety of literature.

  • Writing Strand: Students write in a variety of forms using the six traits of writing.

  • Research Strand: Students access and select information from various sources for research

Assessment:
Please see the information sheets below for the criteria used when assessing student reading and writing.

-- Reading and Thinking Strategies
-- Six Traits (page one)
-- Six Traits (page two)
-- Six Traits Informational Rubric (page one)
-- Six Traits Informational Rubric (page two)
-- Six Traits Writing Rubric (page one)
-- Six Traits Writing Rubric (page two)

Books:
Students will be issued one of the following literature textbooks:

Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes  
Bronze: Grade 7, Silver: Grade 8
(Prentice Hall, 2000)

Students will be issued one of the following language study textbooks:

Elements of Writing  
First Course: Grade 7, Second Course: Grade 8
(Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1998)

The Writer's Craft  
(McDougal, Littell, 1998)

Write Source 2000
(Great Source Education, 1999)

These links to publishers may be helpful in providing further information about the textbooks:

Great Source Education

Holt, Rinehart, and Winston

McDougal Littell

Prentice Hall

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

Name Grade Level Phone
Janet Michaelsen 7th & 8th Grade 703.912.4589
Melissa Steinhilber 7th & 8th Grade 703.912.4588

FCPS Middle School ESOL

FCPS English Proficiency Levels:

  • ELP Level 1:  Entering - Beginning English language learners (ELLs) with little or no knowledge of English language for the content areas  
  • ELP Level 2:  Beginning -  ELLs with some general language related to the content areas  
  • ELP Level 3:  Developing – ELLs with general and some specific language related to the academic content areas  
  • ELP Level 4:  Expanding – ELLs with specific and some technical language of the academic content  areas
  • ELP Level 5:  Bridging – ELLs with specialized or technical language of the content areas. No longer receive ESOL services, but may use accommodations in class and on assessments.
  • ELP Level 6:  Reaching – Grade level command of the specialized and technical language in the content areas. No ESOL services or accommodations

 

Family and Consumer Sciences Department

Name Grade Level Phone
Christie Barnes 8th Grade 703.912.4573
Sara Salas 7th Grade 703.912.4574

Family and Consumer Sciences is an elective program for middle school and high school students. The program empowers students to become contributing family members, productive problem solvers, responsible citizens, quality workers, and continuing learners. The curriculum concentrates on the development of process skills in higher order thinking, communication, management, and leadership. These skills are needed to solve complex problems and challenges of daily living today and in the future. Instruction in family and consumer sciences programs and courses incorporates and reinforces the Virginia Standards of Learning.

Mathematics

Name Title Phone
Shetha Abusbitan 7th Grade 703.912.4687
Artemis Anagnos 7th Grade 703.912.4639
Noemi Arellano 7th Grade 703.912.4641
Angela Florio 8th Grade 703.912.4615
Aly Gitlin 8th Grade 703.912.4607
Courtney Gorrell* 8th Grade 703.912.4603
Sara Hofman* 7th Grade 703.912.4643
Drew Archbald 7th Grade 703.912.4637
Sam Rhodes 8th Grade 703.912.4619

FCPS Program of Studies

Music Department

Name Subject Phone
Sharon Jeanes* Band 703.912.4565
Jaime Holscher Band 703.912.4565
Ryan Holland Chorus 703.912.4564
Angelica Kalasz Orchestra 703.912.4564

*Denotes Department Chair

In Fairfax County Public Schools over 40,000 students are enrolled in the music elective programs of band, chorus, general music, orchestra and guitar. Our vocal and instrumental ensembles are seen and heard worldwide as well as throughout the Unites States. Locally our ensembles perform at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, George Mason Center for the Performing Arts, and the White House.

Performing groups have been selected to appear at the American Choral Directors Association Conference, the Mid-west Clinic, the Music Educators National Conference, the National Concert Band Festival, the Virginia Music Educators Association Conference, and numerous other events.

FCPS provides general music education for all students Kindergarten through sixth grade, orchestra instruction beginning in fourth grade, and band and chorus instruction beginning in fifth grade in every elementary school. In grades seven through twelve a wide variety of music course offerings is available to meet students' interests and ability levels.

Washington Irving's Band website
Disclaimer: This is an external link to pages that are outside of FCPS. We do not control the contents of these sites. The currency of data, comprehensiveness, and relevancy of the information of pages outside of these pages is entirely the responsibility of the webcurators of the external sites.

Health and Physical Education Department

Name Grade Level Phone
Ariel Austin 8th Grade 703.912.4554
Adam Brown 8th Grade 703.912.4553
Gayle Doane 7th Grade 703.912.4579
Mike Oblinger 7th Grade 703.912.4580
Stephany Rivera 8th Grade 703.912.4554
Erin Lumpkins 7th Grade 703.912.4579

Students receive an average of 47-90 minutes blocks of physical education three to five times each week as determined by the class scheduling configuration established at the local school. Health education is taught approximately 9 weeks within the physical education course.

PE UNIFORM ORDER FORM

Sports Resources

Fitness

Exercise

Health MS

Nutrition

Science Department

 FCPS Middle School Science
Name Grade Level Phone
Leslie Bumgarner 8th Grade 703.912.4610
Jay Dailer* 8th Grade 703.912.4575
Sigrid Johnson* 7th Grade 703.912.4623
Elise Joseph 8th Grade 703.912.4609
Maggi Kohne 7th Grade 703.912.4624
Cara LaFlamme 7th Grade 703.912.4634
Pat Long 8th Grade 703.912.4620
Laura Przydzial 7th Grade 703.912.4644
Sharon Surette 8th Grade 703.912.4611

Science Program of Studies
POS in Adobe (7th) (8th)
Promotion Benchmarks in Adobe (7th) (8th)
Virginia Standards of Learning
Course Materials
Parent Resources

Social Studies

 FCPS Middle School Social Studies
Name Grade Level Phone
Becca Isoldi 8th Grade Civics 703.912.4605
Andrew Croce 8th Grade Civics 703.912.4617
Joyce Gardella 8th Grade Civics 703.912.4606
Sarah Titus 8th Grade Civics 703.912.4526
Tim Shirt 8th Grade Civics 703.912.4552
Carrie Guild 7th Grade History 703.912.4630
Julie Green 7th Grade History 703.912.4640
Brittany Kidd 7th Grade History 703.912.4633
Emily Geary 7th Grade History 703.912.4628
Chelsea Drgon 7th Grade History 703.912.4632

 

TSA

Technology Education
Name Grade Level Phone
Matt Bechtel 7th Grade 703.912.4542
Carl Uccellini 8th Grade 703.912.4658
Technology
and Engineering FCPS

 

Watch This Launch!!!

This year Irving students in Mr. Bechtel’s Technology Exploration 7 classes were provided the opportunity to observe a controlled launch of a solid-fuel rocket with a video camera attached to the nosecone. The miniature video camera onboard was able to capture the entire rocket’s launch and played back once returning to the classroom. What better way to introduce students to the study of aerospace and STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) than to involve them in meaningful, hands-on learning experiences such as this video rocket launch.

Mission Statement:

The mission of Washington Irving Middle School Technology Education Program is to provide a safe and productive learning environment where students are subjected to problem solving design challenges which require application of knowledge and skills in the diverse disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Activities and lessons should develop a student’s critical thinking and decision making abilities through the use of human and material resources, processes, and technological systems. Students will be prepared for lifelong learning in a technological society because they will be exposed to activity oriented laboratory experiences that reinforce abstract concepts with concrete experiences.

Vision Statement:

The vision of Washington Irving Middle School Technology Education program is that upon leaving the 7th and 8th grade classrooms, students will recognize multiple relationships technology has with all systems in the designed world and how it helps fulfill our basic and even advanced human wants and needs. Students will leave our program with a better understanding of what technology is, how it works, how it is created and how it shapes our society.

 

World Languages

 FCPS World Languages

Name Title Phone
Kristie Dorrance Spanish Teacher 703.912.4625
Fatima Balinang Spanish & IFL Teacher 703.912.4627
Yuki Melvin Japanese Teacher 703.912.4626
Claudia Naworol German Teacher 703.912.4626
Karima Tan French Teacher