Thoreau Middle School's annual report summarizes the 2013-2014 school year. It highlights academic achievements including high pass rates on SOL tests and the math department earning first place in a regional math competition. It also discusses various extracurricular activities with high participation rates and achievements in areas such as the arts, athletics, and clubs. The report provides an overview of the school's culture and commitment to student success.

1. Annual Report 2014
MIDDLE SCHOOL
THOREAU
Home of the Golden Eagles

2. 2
Thoreau Middle School
M IDDLE SCHOOL
THOREAU
Principal’s Message 3
3 Year Enrollment Trend 4
3 Year Demographic Trend 5
Absenteeism 6
2013-2014 SOL Summary Results 7
Afterschool Activities Participation 8
Department Highlights & Achievements 9-21
Traditions and Culture 22
Table of Contents

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Annual Report 2014
MI D D L E SCHOOL
THOREAU
Dear Parents, Students, and Community,
At Thoreau Middle School, we are committed
to cultivating and attaining student success through
the philosophy that failure is not an option. We
have a strong shared vision that every student is
capable of high achievement, and we provide all
of our students with a variety of opportunities to
thrive academically. Through the collaboration of
the entire staff, a safe, nurturing, and conducive
atmosphere is created to foster mastery and to
promote an appreciation for learning.
Thoreau is a results-driven community where teachers are skilled in
Best Practices and generate and administer self-created formative and
summative assessments which are used to analyze data for student
support and enrichment. Thoreau staff members also proudly forge
an essential partnership with parents to maintain open and on-going
communication to help meet all of our students’ individual needs. Overall,
Thoreau has a strong dedication to making sure that all students have
the skills needed to ensure life-long learning and enduring achievement
throughout their academic career and lives.
At Thoreau Middle School, we pride ourselves on
delivering the highest level of instruction to all
students and helping them reach their full potential.
Through the pages of this report, you will get a
glimpse into our school culture and see examples
of how the students of Thoreau achieved during the
2013-14 school year.
Sincerely,
Gregory S. Hood
Principal
Message from the Principal

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Thoreau Middle School
M IDDLE SCHOOL
THOREAU
3 Year Enrollment Trend
Number of Students
2013-2014
860
800
840
780
820
760
740
2012-20132011-2012
789
843
855
Academic Services
Special
Education
Services
English
Language
Services
400
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
450
350
General
Education
430
50
124
414
69
113
426
64
109
2011-2012
2012-2013
2013-2014

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Annual Report 2014
MI D D L E SCHOOL
THOREAU
3 Year Demographic Trend
Ethnicity
Asian
Hispanic
Black
White
Other
80
82
113
87
99
105
10
553
59
9
584
69
12
557
68
2011-2012
2012-2013
2013-2014
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Gender
382
418
425
474
381
407
490
470
450
430
410
390
370
2013-20142011-2012 2012-2013
Males
Females

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Thoreau Middle School
M IDDLE SCHOOL
THOREAU
Absenteeism
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
Monthly Percentage
2.83%
3.13%
6.02%
4.63%
4.24% 4.21%
4.64%
5.60%
5.15%
8.78%
10%
9%
8%
7%
6%
5%
4%
3%
2%
1%
0%

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Annual Report 2014
MI D D L E SCHOOL
THOREAU
2013-2014 SOL Summary Results
Combined 7th
and 8th
Grade Student Passing Percentage
This data is based on preliminary SOL data as the final results from the Virginia
Department of Education were not available at the time of printing the annual report.
100%
80%
90%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Math English Social
Studies
Science
91 90
95 94

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Thoreau Middle School
M IDDLE SCHOOL
THOREAU
Afterschool Activities Participation
Percentage of Students Attending an Afterschool Club At Least Once
Number of Clubs
2013-2014
2012-2013
2011-2012
2010-2011
2009-2010
80% 82% 84% 86% 88% 90% 92% 94% 96% 98% 100%
96%
97%
96%
97%
99%
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
2009-2010
47
43
38
43
45
2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014

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Annual Report 2014
MI D D L E SCHOOL
THOREAU
Department Highlights & Achievements
MIDDLE SCHOOL
THOREAU

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Thoreau Middle School
M IDDLE SCHOOL
THOREAU
> Thoreau earned first place for non-GT schools in the Northern Virginia
Math League Contest. Thoreau’s scores were submitted to the county
and judged against all other middle schools. Missy Galus accepted the
award on behalf of the school at a ceremony in May.
From November to February, students practiced Algebra I and
Geometry to compete in the county-wide Math Counts competition.
The Math department conducted a cruise themed
SOL review. Each week, activities and review
materials were themed to help students “cruise
through” the SOL tests.
Teachers integrated technology into math lessons
by using QR codes and flipped lesson videos.
Students earned math bucks by answering
challenge questions and completing extension projects.
The Thoreau math department was committed to the idea of most 8th
graders completing Algebra I and/or Geometry before high school.
Students had an SOL pass rate for Geometry of 100% and an Algebra I
pass rate of 94%.
Math

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Annual Report 2014
MI D D L E SCHOOL
THOREAU
7th Grade Science took their annual trip to Scott’s Run Nature Preserve
in April. Students spent the day learning to perform water quality tests,
identifying organisms living in their local watershed, and training to
become environmental stewards.
7th grade students worked on Experimental
Design projects. Students chose their own
experiments and presented their experiment’s
findings in a digital format.
Students participated in the Science Olympiad
Competition with two groups of students
earning a top 3 ranking.
The Green Eagles environmental club organized a school-wide clean
up on Earth Day and celebrated Earth Week by coordinating daily
themes to raise conservation awareness. Students learned about
conservation of water, electricity, and paper.
The Green Eagles worked on Project Clean Air and re-planted over 50
spider plants for teachers to put in their classrooms to clean the air.
The Green Eagles started a food recycling program in the cafeteria for
students to donate their unopened food to the local food bank.
The Science Department bred snails, guppies, and duckweed to cut
down costs for the next ecosystem unit.
Science

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Thoreau Middle School
M IDDLE SCHOOL
THOREAU
The brand new Thoreau Writing Center provided 15 trained tutors
to help students with their personal and academic writing.
16 students published works in the
Thoreau newspaper, The Walden.
2 students competed in the Optimist
Oratorical Contest and placed 3rd in Vienna.
The Thoreau Literary Arts Magazine,
Cabin in the Woods, included writing
from over 25 students.
Students wrote persuasive letters to prominent individuals at
companies and received replies from the White House, USDA, and
Apple. Students who wrote their letters regarding FCPS policies had
an opportunity to meet with school officials to discuss their passions
and concerns.
Students wrote petitions for healthier food options in the cafeteria.
Teachers introduced a concentrated study on Greek and Latin roots.
Students participated in a read-in on June 16.
Students participated in a scary story contest in October.
Teachers attended the Language Learning Conference at George
Mason University and learned from renowned author Penny Kittle.
English

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Annual Report 2014
MI D D L E SCHOOL
THOREAU
The History Department created a 1920’s
speakeasy in the cabins to showcase student
projects using art work, music, literature, poetry,
biographies, model cars, and airplanes. Parents,
faculty, and staff were invited to partake in the
event. Mr. Richard Kirkland, a WWII Korean War
Veteran and a Thoreau student’s grandfather,
came to speak about his experiences. Students
were lucky to have him come for a second year in a row!
Students participated in a WWII Extension Project and created
exceptional research projects to show off their hard work during the
WWII History Day at the end of the school year. Parents, faculty, and
staff were invited to hear the presentations and walk through the
“gallery” of projects. During Time to Soar, students were presented
with awards for undertaking the extension project.
The history department reconfigured the curriculum to allow for more
time to teach later units and projects to deepen student understanding
of the material. Teachers flipped portions of the Westward Expansion
and Cold War Units to allow for student-centered activities in-class.
7th grade students were successfully split up into three large groups to
differentiate the 1920’s Unit.
Social Studies

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Thoreau Middle School
M IDDLE SCHOOL
THOREAU
World Languages
World Language students showcased their understanding and knowledge
in a variety of ways:
Used iPads to record spoken responses
Creating life-size portraits based on
descriptions in the target language
Scripted and produced fashion shows
Solved a Thoreau “robbery” mystery
Wrote and illustrated travel brochures
Wrote and edited detailed descriptions about
their family, friends, school, and personal life
in the target language
Performed skits in the target language
Asked and answered PALS-based interview questions in target languages
Created artistic projects to learn new vocabulary
Invited parents into the classroom for crepe-making and a recipe-fest

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Annual Report 2014
MI D D L E SCHOOL
THOREAU
Fine Arts
Selected student work was published in the holiday issue of Vienna
Connections Newspaper.
Student work was displayed at the highly competitive Scholastic
Regional Art Show at Northern Virginia Community College. Students
received the highest awards of two Gold Keys, three Silver Keys, and
two Certificate of Merits. Gold Key winners were judged in New York
City for the National Scholastic show. Both Gold Key and Silver winners
were published in FCPS Poster for the Regional Scholastic winners.
Over 50 students’ work was on display at the Madison Pyramid Art
Show in March.
Over 150 selected students’ art was on display at the Navy Federal
Union Art Show. Awards were chosen by the Navy Federal employees.
4 large canvases were painted by students for the Merrifield Mosaic
Community Center.

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Thoreau Middle School
M IDDLE SCHOOL
THOREAU
Health and Physical Education
7th
and 8th
grade PE students collected donations and ran laps to raise
money to purchase an iPad mobile lab for the school.
Thoreau completed the second year of the FCPS Living Fit in Fairfax
Grant. Teachers and students completed multiple assessments and
collected data on health related areas such as sleep, nutrition, and
activity levels.
Using an Electronic Fitness Tracking System, Thoreau students reached
98% pass rate for the Virginia Wellness Testing.
Thoreau reached the highest level in Health and Fitness among the
school community, staff, and students to earn the Golden Binder Award.
The school community focused on eating healthy and staying active.
During the opening stages of the school’s renovation, the PE department
maintained a flexible schedule while space was limited. Teachers used
creative solutions keep students engaged in physical activity.

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Annual Report 2014
MI D D L E SCHOOL
THOREAU
Performing Arts
WEXL, the daily morning news show, reinvented its look with a new
introduction and updated graphics.
50 Students attended the New York City field trip in April to see
Broadway shows and attend a workshop with a professional actor
from Cinderella.
Introduction to Theatre classes, about 100 students, attended the
puppetry show Handspring Puppets present “A Midsummer’s Night
Dream” at the Kennedy Center in March. Students were able to meet
actors and see how the puppets were made.
Advanced Theatre Arts performed “Death to the Drama Club,” a
comedy about a school drama club that rises up to save it’s struggling
program from budget cuts. The performance had over 200 attendees.
At Mayfest Playfest, Thoreau received a Gold Award for their
performance of the original play “Final Flush.”
After School Theatre produced Seussical the Musical and it was a huge
success, with over 200 tickets sold each night.

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Thoreau Middle School
M IDDLE SCHOOL
THOREAU
A team of eighth grade students from Thoreau
Middle won first place in the statewide School
of the Future competition and advanced to the
southeast regional competition of the Council
of Educational Facility Planners International
(CEFPI) in Pine Mountain, Georgia. Students
participated in the competition by using a
planning process from conception to completion,
including problem solving, collaboration, and
gaining experience in tactile, hands-on work
while developing an eye for beauty and design.
Students finished in the top ten in the Northern Regional TSA fair in
Go-Green Manufacturing and Digital Photography.
Technology Student Association (TSA)

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Annual Report 2014
MI D D L E SCHOOL
THOREAU
The Thoreau Middle Symphonic Band premiered “Dream, Imagine,
Live,” created by composer Larry Clark specifically for the band. Clark’s
work as a composer has taken him around the world, but family ties
drew his talents back to Vienna, as his nephew is a member of the
Thoreau band.
Band, chorus, and orchestra were named best overall at the Music
in the Parks Competition held in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Each of the
ensembles received superior and excellent ratings and first place
trophies, beating several high school ensembles in the competition.
For a community service project, the Family and Consumer
Sciences Department donated 40 “Love Lines” (machine sewn
fleece IV line covers) to the Pediatrics Departments of John Hopkins
and Fairfax Hospital.
Band, Orchestra, and Chorus
Family and Consumer Sciences

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Thoreau Middle School
M IDDLE SCHOOL
THOREAU
The department organized and hosted Hispanic Family Night to
celebrate and help our families feel included in the school community.
Student services actively engaged Hispanic students in the planning and
facilitation of Hispanic Family Night.
Tracey Albert published her first article “Promoting Educational
Resilience Among African American Students at Risk of School Failure:
The Role of School Counselors” in the Journal of School Counseling.
Sarah Elkalban, a pre-licensed therapist at The Women’s Center,
ran teen workshops focusing on ways of alleviating stress and building
self-compassion and was a member of the “40/40 Initiative,” which
focuses on partnering with FCPS to build awareness around mental
health and wellbeing.
Joan Lee co-presented workshops on supporting students with mental
health concerns and AAP.
Student Services

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Annual Report 2014
MI D D L E SCHOOL
THOREAU
Student Council Administration (SCA)
The song “Grease Lightning” captured first prize at the annual lip sync
competition, which was a another star-studded and exhilarating event.
The SCA sponsored its annual Pink-Out Day to promote breast cancer
awareness and support.
Students participated in 2 spirit weeks to show their spirit and
relax before SOL testing. The 7th graders won the trophy at the spirit
week competition.
The annual student and teacher basketball tournament featured exciting
games and impressive skills.
The SCA hosted a month-long canned food drive and donated more
then 600 pounds of food to the local food bank Food For Others.

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Thoreau Middle School
M IDDLE SCHOOL
THOREAU
Students took a “Make the Cut” field trip to Marshall High
School’s Academy where students in the cosmetology
school cut and styled their hair. The project encourages
students to grow, cut, and donate healthy hair to create
real-hair wigs for women who have lost their hair due to
cancer treatment.
The annual canned food drive and food donation program
during lunch supported Food for Others, the largest
distributor of free food directly to those in need in Northern
Virginia. The goods collected provided vital assistance
needed by our unemployed and low-income neighbors.
On Tuesday, May 6th, students and staff participated
in a day of giving—focusing on giving to the school,
community, and those in need. The day began with
the first Thoreau Runathon; students ran laps around
a track while raising funds, via pledges, for iPads for
the school. Students and staff ran a total number of
6,649 laps, which equals 1,660 miles.
The National Wildlife Federation recognized Thoreau’s
Courtyard Habitat as part of their certified network of
mini-refuges. The Federation recognizes the habitat’s
owner’s conscientious planning, landscaping, and
sustainable gardening.
Thoreau students and staff participated in the
International Walk to School Day, which galvanizes
visibility for walking and bicycling to school.
8th grade civics classes participated in the Junior Achievement
Finance Park experience. The four-week classroom curriculum
culminated with a day at Junior Achievement Finance Park, where
students immersed themselves in a reality-based decision-making
process addressing aspects of individual and family budgeting.
Traditions and Culture
Friday, May 30 —
Reading 7
Tuesday, June 3 —
Algebra I
Wednesday, June 4 —
Math 7 and Math 8
Thursday, June 5—
Civics
Friday, June 6—
History 7
Tuesday, June 10—
Science 8
Parents please assist your
children in doing well on these
tests by making sure students
get a good night’s sleep prior
to the testing day and by
eating a good breakfast on the
day of each test. Please avoid
scheduling appointments on
days your student will be
tested.
Seventh-grade students will
take SOL tests in Math,
English, and History. Eighth-
grade students will take SOL
tests in Math, English, Civics
and Economics, and Science.
Students enrolled in Algebra
and Geometry will take the
appropriate end-of-course
test. Seventh-grade students
enrolled in honors math will
take the eighth grade math
test in lieu of the seventh
grade math test.
The SOL testing schedule will
be as follows:
Wednesday, May 28 —
Geometry
Thursday,May 29 —
Reading 8
Volume 1 Issue 16
to inform parents of important information about school life at Thoreau Middle Sch
2013-2014 Standards of Learning Online Testing Schedule
Make the Cut!
We had 19 students and 1
teacher donate their hair on
Friday, May 16th. Students
took a field trip to Marshall
High School’s Academy where
students in the cosmetology
school cut and styled their hair.
Each student donated at least 8
inches of hair to the Pantene
Beautiful Lengths program, a ma-
jority of students donated more
than 8 inches, with one student
donating 16 inc
returned to Thor
their new styles
pet entrance ch
istration and cla
was an extreme
collaboration be
reau’s SCA and
my!

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Annual Report 2014
MI D D L E SCHOOL
THOREAU
Mentor Program. Students met weekly with
Navy Federal volunteers, who provide guidance,
tutelage, and moral support. School counselors
carefully matched employees to students to
optimize the mentor-mentee relationship—helping
to ensure successful and rewarding outcomes.
Project Neighbors Program. School counselors
provided Navy Federal with information about Thoreau
families in need. Divisions throughout the credit
union “adopted” a family for the holiday season and
received the names and ages of family members and their
“wish lists.” Employees purchased and wrapped much-
needed items. The gifts, along with food baskets, were
delivered to the families by Navy Federal employees.
Recognition Program. Navy Federal recognized Thoreau students who
receive all “A”s on their report cards by hosting a pizza party and handing
out certificates of academic achievement.
Donations to the School. Navy Federal provided Thoreau with support
services such as printing assignment books, the Student-Parent Handbook,
the literary arts magazine, and the programs and posters for musical and
drama productions.
Pen Pal Program. Thoreau’s English Speakers of Other Languages students
are paired with Navy Federal volunteers who serve as pen pals. Through
correspondence, pen pals kept in touch with each other, which provided
students with opportunities to develop their writing and language skills.
Annual Art Exhibit. Navy Federal honored Thoreau’s
young aspiring artists by displaying their work during
a month-long art exhibit. Employees voted for their
favorite works of art and ribbons are awarded.
Employees, visitors, faculty, students, and parents
enjoyed and appreciated the students’ artistic talents.
Navy Federal Credit Union
Thank you to our generous business partners for their continued support.

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Principal’s Message
Thoreau Middle School
M IDDLE SCHOOL
THOREAU
Reprinting courtesy of Navy Federal Credit Union