Learning, Growing, and Thriving with the Power of Positivity at Carson!

Our Teachers and Staff are Dedicated

During the 2023-2024 school year, English teacher, Ms. Olivia Adams, was selected as a finalist for Region 1 Outstanding New Teacher, and Assistant Principal, Mr. Chris Powell, was selected as a finalist for Outstanding School Based Leader.  They were  celebrated in last year's FCPS Honors Awards.  During the fall of the 2024-2025 school year, Assistant Principal, Ms. Kelly Cosgrove was selected as an FCPS Excellence award winner in the area of Equity and Cultural Responsiveness. Ms. Adams, Mr. Powell, and Ms. Cosgrove all model the importance of building relationships with all stakeholders and are leaders within our school.

Student Programs Foster Intellectual Growth

Carson offers student programs that foster intellectual growth, creativity, and global awareness. In our Engineering Program, students have participated in "Engineering with Empathy" project which encourages students to understand that empathy is an important component of design as they were tasked with designing devices that would help those in need. Our Model UN Program develops skills in diplomacy and international relations. Our students represent delegates of their respective countries to the United Nations and simulate the UN committees.  Model UN builds character and develops speaking and writing skills, confidence, responsibility, organization, and teamwork. Our many Fine Arts, Performing Arts and Music Programs  provide an outlet for creative expression, allowing students to expand their artistic skills.  Our students have the opportunity to perform at the school, county and state level.  

STEM Student Programs Emphasize Teamwork and Problem-Solving 

Carson’s Science Olympiad Team and Technology Student Association challenge students in STEM fields, promoting innovation, teamwork, and technical expertise. Carson's Science Olympiad team has placed in the top 5 at both the state and national level competitions for the past 3 years. In 2022 Rachel Carson was named the Middle School Division Rookie of the Year. 

Students Grow and Learn through Carson's Vision and Mission.

Carson Middle School is proud to live by our school mission and core values.  To learn more, visit our About page. 

Vision: Carson is an inclusive and respectful community of lifelong learners. 

Mission: The mission of Carson is to:

• Model respect and empathy as we embrace diversity
• Provide all students with engaging, authentic opportunities
• Teach 21^st century skills
• Foster resilience 
• Inspire a sense of wonder

Earned Redesignation as a School to Watch

Carson was redesignated as a Virginia "School to Watch" for 2023, underscoring the school’s commitment to academic, social, and emotional excellence.  Carson first earned this recognition in 2004 and continues to earn redesignation by providing students

with programs that are academically excellent, developmentally appropriate, socially equitable and organized to sustain continuous improvement. 

Parent Engagement Strengthens our School Community

Carson believes in working in partnership with our parents and families and values opportunities to engage our parents in schoolwide activities. During the 2024-2025 school year our librarians Ms. Bickford and Ms. Donovan hosted the first of many Parent -Teen Book clubs. This event helped to support reading initiatives and strengthen parent/teen relationships.  Two of our teachers, Ms. James and Mr. Barrueco hosted a  Multilingual  Learner family engagement session, inviting parents into school to discuss resources and make connections.  Our Student Services Department hosts frequent parent coffees and parent workshops providing resources and support on topics that are important and relevant to our parents.  

Caring for the Environment like our Namesake, Rachel Carson

Carson’s Going Green Club has been a vibrant part of Rachel Carson Middle School since the school’s opening in 1998. Empowering students to take the lead with environmental stewardship and sustainability missions, the club has led many school-wide initiatives to include school-wide recycling, food scrap collection, and food donation to those in need. In addition, they have planted both rain and pollinator gardens and worked to remove invasive species from the Carson campus while adding native trees and plants. The school’s namesake, Rachel Carson, would be proud of the Going Green Club; her spirit is certainly alive in the school.

A Robust After School Program

When the bell rings at 2:15, the hallways of Rachel Carson Middle School come alive with energy as students dive into a wide range of after-school activities. These include academic clubs like Model UN, CyberPatriot, Debate, MathCounts, and TedEd Talks, as well as recreational options such as Magic the Gathering, Dungeons and Dragons, Friendship Bracelets, Rubiks Cubers, Rocketry and Cooking Club. RCMS also offers a variety of intramural sports, including basketball, ping pong, futsal, volleyball, and pickleball. After-school programs provide a safe, supportive space for students to complete homework, get help from teachers, and enjoy themselves, all while being supervised by our enthusiastic and dedicated staff. With new activities rotating each quarter, these programs are open to all RCMS students and are completely free of charge. The after-school programs at RCMS are designed to promote relationship-building, support academic growth, encourage physical health and recreation, and enhance social skills.

Reducing Stress and Building Confidence in Students

Here at Carson we are fortunate to have a regular visitor to our classes who is a beloved part of the Carson Community; Tucker the Therapy Dog.  Tucker visits every other week for about an hour and provides comfort and support for students and staff alike.  He also loves having students read to him and his trainer, which builds confidence within some of our readers. 

Commitment to Innovation

Carson is committed to creating a sustainable, innovative, and high-quality learning environment. Our teachers lead the way in applying for and receiving grants for various projects that will better the school.  During the 2024-2025 school year, our Family and Consumer Science teacher was awarded the King Arthur Grant which provides her classes and students in the cooking club with free flour, dough scrapers, recipe booklets and packaging materials.  Our Advanced Academic Resource teacher, Ms. Guild, was awarded a grant from Educate Fairfax that will allow for a group of our students in the Young Scholars program to visit James Madison University in the spring of 2025.  On this trip students will explore college life, learn about admissions and financial aid, and gain insights into campus resources, diversity, and career opportunities to inspire their long-term goals.   In previous years we have had several projects funded by grants and contests.  A few notable projects include the installation of 11 solar panels to supplement the school's electricity with pollution-free power, the purchase and installation of water bottle re-filler water fountains to encourage and make it easier for students to use reusable water bottles, and the planting of thousands of native perennial plants in the courtyard, rain garden and monarch way stations to support native wildlife.  We are so proud of our teachers working to find resources that meet the needs of our students and school.