Navigating FCH

Who can I contact? What do I do? Where do I go?

Here, we have included some common issues that may arise and how to navigate them within our school. If you are new to our school or new to the United States school system, we hope this will help you get started.

To register your student for school:

  1. Contact the English Learner (EL) Office
  2. Contact the Registrar at Francis C. Hammond Middle School. The ELL Office can assist you with making the appointment with the school.
  3. Provide the school with the necessary paperwork from the ELL office, immunization records, and proof of residency.ELL Office:
    1340 Braddock Place
    Alexandria, VA 22314
    Telephone: 703-619-8022
    Hours: 8:00 a.m – 5:00 p.m.
    Open to public: 8:30 a.m – 4:30 p.m.
    Student registrations/new sign-ins: 8:30 am. – 2:00 p.m.
    (Spanish and Amharic speakers on staff)Francis C. Hammond Middle School Registrar: Rosalind Velez
    Telephone: 703-461-4100For more information on registration, visit www.acps.k12.va.us/enroll/.
    For more information on English Language Learner Services, visit http://www.acps.k12.va.us/curriculum/ell/

If your child will be absent from school:

  1. All parents/guardians want what is best for their children and are encouraged to make sure that their children are present and on time, each school day.
  2. Your child should only miss school for important appointments with a doctor or dentist, serious illness or medical procedure, family emergencies, or religious observances.
  3. If your child must miss a day or any part of the day, send a note with your child when they return explaining the absence.
  4. If you do not send a note, the absence will be “unverified.” Too many unverified absences can result in court involvement due to truancy.
  5. If your child has an appointment, they can come back to school after the appointment or leave school early for an appointment. They do not need to miss the whole day.

If you are concerned about your child’s academic performance or want to find out more about his or her school performance:

  1. Please feel free to contact us any time to ask about your child’s progress or to express concerns about your child. We want to hear from you, and we welcome any opportunity to talk with you or meet with you about your child.
  2. You can use programs like Academic Access and Class Dojo to monitor your child’s grades, attendance, and behavior.
  3. You can contact your child’s School Counselor, Katie Migliorini, with questions or concerns, and she can connect you with their teachers or other helpful resources. She can work with you and your child’s teachers to come up with a plan for your student to improve or to address any concerns you may have.Katie Migliorini
    703-751-0539
    katie.migliorini@acps.k12.va.us
  4. You are also welcome and encouraged to email your child’s teachers. See our staff page for contact information.
  5. Twice a year, we will have scheduled parent/teacher conferences, but you can also set up an appointment to meet with your child’s counselor or teachers at any time throughout the year. We will do our best to set up an appointment that works for the your schedule and the teacher’s schedule.
  6. We will also have parent events at school, and we would love for you to attend! We will always have interpreters in various languages and we will do our best to make events accessible. If you know you will be attending an event and need an interpreter, please let us know in some way so we can ensure that we will accommodate your language needs.

If you are in need of physical resources, such as food, clothing, housing, or supplies, please contact Ms. Migliorini and she will connect you with the Social Worker who can help you find the needed resources.

If your child gets sick or injured during the day at school, you will receive a call from the school nurse, Mrs. Reeves, to come pick up your child if needed. Your child can visit the clinic to take necessary medications or if he or she feels ill. If your child requires a medication or inhaler at school, contact the school and ask to speak with the school nurse, Mrs. Reeves.

If your child receives a discipline referral or suspension, you may receive a call or letter from one of our Deans–Mr. Michael Diggins. The Deans work hard to keep our school safe, and will meet with your child regarding a discipline referral or consequence resulting from any unsafe or inappropriate behaviors.

If you have a concern about a teacher, another student, or the school or program in general, you may contact Tim Brannon, the Director of the International Academy.

Below are some additional resources within Alexandria City Public Schools that may answer some of your questions:

Print Friendly, PDF & Email