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The Dunne Dispatch (Report Card Edition) - 02/27/2025

 

In the Community

Providing an update on the state of our schools during the 38th Annual Mount Vernon District Town Meeting on 02/08/2025.

• Co-Hosted Mount Vernon District Virtual Budget Town Meetings. The School Board voted to approve the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Advertised Budget on February 20.  Learn more about the proposed FCPS FY 2026 Proposed Budget and timeline. I recently joined Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck, the Mount Vernon Council of Citizens' Associations, and the South County Federation to co-host two Virtual Budget Town Meetings on February 19 and 25. Budget Office staff from both the County and FCPS provided in-depth presentations on the budget and the proposed budget priorities for FY 2026. The recordings for the February 19 and February 25 town meetings are available online. 

On the Board

• Mount Vernon District Middle School Start Times Survey - Respond by February 28. The School Board is considering potential changes to start times for Elementary Schools (ES), Middle Schools (MS), and High Schools (HS). I would like to solicit your views because these changes could impact your childcare arrangements, extracurricular activities (to include athletic activities), traffic patterns, and work schedules. 
  • Read my February 14, 2025 newsletter to learn more about this work. 
  • Please click here to participate in the survey to inform my decision on which option to support as your School Board Member. This survey includes the principal options identified by FCPS and its outside consultant, Prismatic. Please respond by February 28, 2025.
  • Click here to view the materials from last week’s School Board Work Session on this topic (Agenda Item 2.02 - Middle School Start Time).

Working for You

• Save Date: Mount Vernon District Virtual Town Hall with School Board Member Mateo Dunne, March 19, 7 - 8 PM. Please join me on March 19 for a virtual town hall for school board updates and to address any issues or priorities you would like to bring to my attention. 
  • Click here to register online and to submit your questions in advance. If time permits, we will address questions submitted via chat during the town hall.
  • Note: Language interpretation services are available upon request. Requests must be received by no later than Monday, March 17, 5 PM eastern to allow time to schedule an interpreter for this event.

Celebrate Mount Vernon District Students, Staff, and Schools

• Congratulations to South County HS's Girls Basketball for winning the 2025 Patriot District Championship on February 21. The Lady Stallions made history by becoming the program's first-ever district championship in school history! #StallionStrong 
• Congratulations to Edison HS student Quentin Veliz who won a Silver Key by the 2025 DC Metro Region Scholastic Writing Awards for his personal essay and memoir, "The American's Dream." Quentin's work was reviewed by a panel of professional novelists, editors, and other literary experts, and ultimately selected from a pool of 2,619 submissions. Way to go, Quentin! 

• Happy 70th Anniversary to Gunston ES! Gunston celebrated its 70th birthday on February 14th and was opened in February 1955. Learn more about Gunston online and 10 Reasons Why Gunston Soars! 

• Congratulations to our Region Award-Winning staff members working at Mount Vernon District schools or schools where Mount Vernon District students attend: 
  • Region 4 Outstanding New Principal: South County MS Principal Justin Simmons
  • Region 6 Outstanding Elementary Teacher: Gunston ES Librarian Nicole Oberdick 
  • Region 6 Outstanding New Principal: Island Creek ES Principal Jen Fallert 
  • Region 6 Outstanding Secondary Teacher: Lewis HS Biology Teacher Kate Kallfa 
  • Region 6 Outstanding Professional Employee: Key Center School-Based Technology Specialist Beth Curtise

FCPS News and Announcements

• FCPS Jobs Available. Whether you are just starting your career or are an experienced professional, FCPS offers a wide range of rewarding careers and the support to help you grow with us. Visit our careers website for more information about current job openings, job fairs, and recruitment events. See the schedule and online registration for upcoming recruitment events below: 
  • February 27: Ed Expo Career Fair at Siena College, 4 - 6 PM.
  • March 4: School Bus Driver, Transportation Attendant, and Transportation Van Driver Job Fair, 10 AM - 2 PM. Lorton Center
  • March 5: School Bus Driver, Transportation Attendant, and Transportation Van Driver Job Fair, 4:30 - 7:30 PM. Stonecroft Transportation Center
  • March 12: School Bus Driver, Transportation Attendant, and Transportation Van Driver Job Fair, 10 AM - 2 PM. Forte Support Center
  • March 13: Food and Nutrition Services Job Fair, 11 AM - 2 PM. 6840 Industrial Rd Springfield, VA 22151
  • March 13: FCPS Special Education Virtual Information Session, 6 - 7:15 PM. Virtual
  • March 19: School Bus Driver, Transportation Attendant, and Transportation Van Driver Job Fair, 4:30 - 7:30 PM. Lorton Center
  • March 28: School Bus Driver, Transportation Attendant, and Transportation Van Driver Job Fair, 10 AM - 2 PM. Stonecroft Transportation Center

Community Announcements

School Fundraisers

• Mount Vernon HS Mulch Sale Fundraiser: Orders due by March 10. Mount Vernon HS's PTSA invites you to participate in its 2025 Mulch Sale Fundraiser. Proceeds will benefit the graduation celebration for the Class of 2025. Orders much be received by 12 PM on March 10. Delivery will take place on March 15. Order online or email [email protected]. 

• Hayfield SS Craft Fair & Silent Auction, April 5, 10 AM - 4 PM. Don't miss Hayfield SS's Craft Fair and Silent Auction on Saturday, April 5, 10 AM - 4 PM. Free admission! There will be over 100 craft vendors as well as food trucks and baked goods for sale. Bid on an incredible range of items during the silent auction. For more information, follow @HayfieldCraftFair on social media channels!

• Edison HS Mulch Sale. Are you tired of buying mulch from big box stores? Get your mulch delivered and support Edison HS's All Night Graduation Party at the same time! See the sale website for more information and to access online or mail-in order forms. Pick up or delivery takes place on Saturday April 5, 2025. Order now! Only $6 per bag! Questions? Email Laura at [email protected]. 

Community Youth Sports

• Registration Now Open for Springfield Challenger Little League Baseball for Athletes with Special Needs. Springfield Challenger Baseball, Little League Baseball for kids, teens and adults with special needs, will open its 32nd season starting April 6th.  They are looking for and have plenty of opportunities for new players. The 2025 Spring Season takes place April 6- June 15. Beginning in 1993 with only nine players, they have grown to become one of the largest Challenger programs in the world, fielding over one hundred players annually in three age appropriate divisions. The program is geared to all ages, Little Challengers (ages 4-12), Majors (ages 13-18), and a young adult league (ages 19 and up). All games are on Sunday afternoons at West Springfield Little League Byron Avenue fields, games are non-competitive and adapt to each player’s individual needs. For more information, contact either Eddie Garretson ([email protected], 703-304-2330) or Logan Bruno ([email protected], 571-331-1167).

• Woodlawn Little League 2025 Spring Baseball & Softball Registration

The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.

© Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia

E-mail: Mateo Dunne  |  Phone: 571-423-1086

Staff Aide: Nelda Brown, 571-423-1049

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The Dunne Dispatch (Middle School Start Times) - 02/14/2025

Friends and Neighbors:

The School Board is considering potential changes to start times for Elementary Schools (ES), Middle Schools (MS), and High Schools (HS). I would like to solicit your views because these changes could impact your childcare arrangements, extracurricular activities (to include athletic activities), traffic patterns, and work schedules. Please participate in the survey below to inform my decision on which option to support as your School Board Member.

As background, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that Middle Schools (MS) and High Schools (HS) start no earlier than 8:30 AM:

“The [AAP] recognizes insufficient sleep in adolescents as an important public health issue that significantly affects the health and safety, as well as the academic success, of our nation’s middle and high school students. Although a number of factors, including biological changes in sleep associated with puberty, lifestyle choices, and academic demands, negatively affect middle and high school students’ ability to obtain sufficient sleep, the evidence strongly implicates earlier school start times (i.e., before 8:30 AM) as a key modifiable contributor to insufficient sleep, as well as circadian rhythm disruption, in this population. Furthermore, a substantial body of research has now demonstrated that delaying school start times is an effective countermeasure to chronic sleep loss and has a wide range of potential benefits to students with regard to physical and mental health, safety, and academic achievement. The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly supports the efforts of school districts to optimize sleep in students and urges high schools and middle schools to aim for start times that allow students the opportunity to achieve optimal levels of sleep (8.5–9.5 hours) and to improve physical (e.g., reduced obesity risk) and mental (e.g., lower rates of depression) health, safety (e.g., drowsy driving crashes), academic performance, and quality of life.”

FCPS MS start times have advanced over time from 8:45 AM in 1961 to 7:30 AM in 2025. FCPS HS start times exhibited a similar trend (from 8:15 AM in 1961 to 7:20 AM in 2012), but the School Board changed HS start times to 8:10 AM in 2016. FCPS has studied potential changes to MS start times for many years, but now the School Board is considering what the start times should be and when the new start times should be implemented.

Please click here to participate in the survey, which includes the principal options identified by FCPS and its outside consultant, Prismatic. Please respond by February 28, 2025. 

Please note these options are largely cost-neutral.* If you would like to review the most recent analysis by FCPS/Prismatic, please click here to view the materials for Agenda Item 2.02 - Middle School Start Time.

 

Very Respectfully,

Mateo Dunne, Mount Vernon District Representative

* Two options are cost-neutral, one option might add up to $1.1 million to the transportation budget, and one option might add up to $2.1 million to the transportation budget.

The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.

© Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia

E-mail: Mateo Dunne  |  Phone: 571-423-1086

Staff Aide: Nelda Brown, 571-423-1049

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The Fairfax County School Board welcomes public comment on the FY 2026 Proposed Budget at a Public Hearing. This public hearing is scheduled to take place at the Luther Jackson Middle School Auditorium at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 4, 2025.

The Speaker's List opened at 6:00 a.m. on Friday, January 24, 2025 and is now open through 6:00 p.m. on Monday, February 3, 2025. The Fairfax County School Board Office will notify speakers (via email) the morning of February 4, 2025.

• Register to Speak at the Budget Public Hearing (in-person or live via Zoom)
• FY 2026 Proposed Budget
• Information on Speaking at School Board Meetings
• Watch School Board meetings and public hearings.

Any questions, written statements, and copies of testimony may be submitted to [email protected].

 

FY 2026 Proposed Budget Timeline

• Division Superintendent Dr. Michelle C. Reid presented the FY 2026 Proposed Budget to the School Board at the January 23, 2025 regular meeting.
• The School Board will hold work sessions on the proposed budget on February 4, 2025 and February 18, 2025.
• The School Board will hold a public hearing on February 4, 2025.
• The School Board will take action to approve the Advertised Budget at the February 20, 2025 regular meeting.

Upcoming Regular School Board Meeting

The next regular board meeting will be held Thursday, February 6, 2025, at Luther Jackson Middle School, at 7:00 p.m.

The Fairfax County School Board

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Dunne Dispatch (School Boundaries, Part 4) - 01/23/2025

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

FCPS is holding a series of community meetings to solicit public input before any changes are proposed to school boundaries. The Superintendent held several community meetings before the holidays, including a community meeting at Mount Vernon HS. Now the Superintendent is holding virtual community meetings, which are open to the public. At each meeting, the Superintendent will present on the rationale and process for revising school boundaries. Her presentation will be followed by small-group breakout sessions wherein a moderator will facilitate a conversation with prompted questions to ensure every voice is heard. The information collected and views expressed during the meetings will inform the development of potential scenarios for amending school boundaries.

Space is limited to the first 400 people to sign up for each virtual meeting. I encourage you to sign up sooner than later. Click on the meeting date(s) below to register:

• Saturday, January 25, 2025, 9:30-11 a.m.
• Monday, January 27, 2025, 6:30-8 p.m.
• Tuesday, January 28, 2025, 6:30-8 p.m.
• Monday, February 10, 2025, 6:30-8 p.m.

Visit FCPS’ Comprehensive Boundary Review webpage to learn more.

 

Very Respectfully,

Mateo Dunne, Mount Vernon District Representative

The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.

© Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia

E-mail: Mateo Dunne  |  Phone: 571-423-1086

Staff Aide: Nelda Brown, 571-423-1049

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

The Fairfax County School Board welcomes public comment on the proposed FY 2026 Capital Improvement Program at a Public Hearing. This public hearing is scheduled to take place at the Luther Jackson Middle School Auditorium at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.

The Speaker's List opened at 6:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 26, 2024 and is now open through 6:00 p.m. on Monday, January 13, 2025. The Fairfax County School Board Office will notify speakers (via email) the morning of January 14, 2025.

• Register to Speak at the CIP Public Hearing (in-person or live via Zoom)
• Proposed FY 2026 Capital Improvement Program
• Information on Speaking at School Board Meetings
• Watch School Board meetings and public hearings.

Any questions, written statements, and copies of testimony may be submitted to [email protected].

Upcoming Regular School Board Meeting

The next regular board meeting will be held Thursday, January 23, 2025, at Luther Jackson Middle School, at 7 p.m.

The Fairfax County School Board

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The Dunne Dispatch (Winter Weather Edition) - 01/09/2025

Friends and Neighbors:

I am writing to request your assistance. I am extremely concerned by VDOT’s failure to ensure our secondary (neighborhood) roads and sidewalks are cleared of snow and ice. To ensure the safety of our students and staff as FCPS reopens for the first time after the holidays:

1. Could you please report to VDOT any secondary (neighborhood) roads that should be plowed (or have ice removed)? You can submit a report online at https://my.vdot.virginia.gov/
2. Could you please contact my Staff Aide Nelda Brown at [email protected] to identify any secondary (neighborhood) roads that should be plowed (or have ice removed)? We will communicate these reports to the Superintendent, who has a direct line to VDOT to prioritize these roads for plowing and treatment.

Thank you in advance for your help to ensure the safety of our students and staff!

Very respectfully,

Mateo Dunne, Mount Vernon District Representative

The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.

© Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia

E-mail: Mateo Dunne  |  Phone: 571-423-1086

Staff Aide: Nelda Brown, 571-423-1049

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The Dunne Dispatch (Calendar Edition) - 12/13/2024

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Once a month the Dunne Dispatch provides a calendar of events. My goal is to connect the schools with the community, and vice versa. Even if you do not have children attending FCPS, I encourage you to attend public events at our schools.

Inside this issue: 

• Pyramid Events and Activities
  • Mount Vernon 
  • West Potomac
  • South County
  • Hayfield
  • Edison
  • Lewis
• FCPS Events and Activities
• Community Events and Activities

If you have any school or related community events you would like me to include in my next calendar newsletter, please email [email protected] and copy [email protected].

 

Very respectfully,

Mateo Dunne, Mount Vernon District Representative

Pyramid Events and Activities

Mount Vernon Pyramid

• Kick-Off the Winter Holiday Season with Mount Vernon HS, December 14. Mount Vernon HS Class of 2027 invites you to a Cozy Community Breakfast, 9-12 p.m. Come celebrate holiday traditions from around the world! Individual tickets are $6. A Family Pack is $20. Join the Class 2027 for cultural games, music, dance, photo opportunities, gift wrapping, and prizes! The Mount Vernon HS PTSA will host its Holiday Market, 9-2 p.m. There will be many gift options from local vendors, sweet treats, and holiday cheer. Questions? Email [email protected] or follow on Instagram: @ptsaholidayfest.  

• Mount Vernon HS Hosts Curriculum Night, January 9, 6 p.m. Mount Vernon HS invites its students and families to come learn about class options, advanced academics, diploma options, and much more. Participants will learn more about the International Baccalaureate program and Advanced Placement courses. Save the date now and stay tuned for more information!

• Whitman MS Science Study Sessions, December December 16-20. Students who did not perform well on the Unit 1 Science assessment will have the opportunity to retest. The retests will take place during advisory sessions the week of December 10-13 and December 16-20. Students will receive passes for a study session, which will include review and reteaching. On the day of the retest, students will receive a pass to retake the test. Notifications will be given to students in class.

• Save the Date for Upcoming Events at Fort Belvoir Primary and Upper Schools. Mark your calendars for these upcoming activities for the Fort Belvoir ES community.
  • December 13: Food Market
  • December 17: Volunteer Orientation, 10-11 a.m.
  • January 14: New Families Welcome, 10-11 a.m.
  • January 15: Blue Star Starbucks Meet Up, 10-11 a.m.
  • January 24: Food Market

• Fort Belvoir ES PTO Presents Santa Sacks. Order a Santa Sack for your favorite Fort Belvoir ES student or staff members. Orders are due by December 13 and can be picked up on December 16.

Riverside ES Hosts Winter Wonderland Party, December 21, 12-2 p.m. Join the Riverside ES community for a winter-themed party filled with snacks, games, fun, and more! Staff and families will celebrate the hard work of Riverside students and will also announce its semi-annual $100/100 winner. This event will take place at Mathnasium of Mount Vernon (7696h Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22306). Friends and family are welcome to join. RSVP online.

West Potomac Pyramid

• Contributions Needed for West Potomac HS Teacher and Staff Holiday Party. West Potomac HS PTSA is hosting a Winter Wonderland Party to celebrate the school’s hard-working teachers and staff. Families and community members are asked to contribute gift cards, drinks, and monetary donations to make this event possible. Questions? Email [email protected] for more information.
• Santa Claus is Coming to West Potomac HS, December 14, 8:30 – 11 a.m. Attend this holiday meet and greet to support the Class of 2026! Santa Claus himself will make a special appearance. Enjoy other fun activities, such as ornament making, holiday crafts, hot cocoa treats, and more! Tickets are $35/family and include a family picture with Santa, craft making, and a continental breakfast. Sign up online.

• Two Opportunities to Support West Potomac Athletics this Holiday Season.

• Rising 9th Family Night / Curriculum Night / Electives Open House, January 7, 6-8:30 p.m. Please join us on Tuesday, January 7 for Rising 9thGrade Family Night, Curriculum Night, and Electives Open House! With academic advising right around the corner, this is a great opportunity to come and learn about the wide variety of courses that West Potomac HS offers. We look forward to sharing some curriculum option changes at the 9th and 10th grade level. West Potomac HS looks forward to seeing you on Tuesday, January 7 at 6pm!

• PTSA Five Guys Restaurant Night, December 17, 4-8 p.m. It’s the holidays. Let somebody else cook dinner! PTSA Five Guys Restaurant Night on December 17th from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Both the Quander Road and Hybla Valley locations are participating. Five Guys will donate 20% of your purchase to West Potomac HS’s PTSA.

• Bucknell ES Winter Concert, December 17, 6 p.m. Join us for our annual Winter Concert featuring the talented band, strings, and chorus students of Bucknell ES! This joyful performance will take place on Tuesday, December 17th at 6:00 PM in the school gym. Come celebrate the season and enjoy an evening of beautiful music performed by our amazing young musicians.

• Hollin Meadows ES Plastic Bag Collection for Get to Green Recycling. Help Hollin Meadows ES earn a free bench from Trex Decking by contributing to their plastic bag recycling drive. Let’s help them reach their goal to collect 1000 pounds! Before Thanksgiving, they had collected 114 pounds of clean plastic bags.  There are collection containers in the front lobby of the school. Drop off your clean: grocery bags, bread bags, cereal bags, shrink wrap, bubble wrap, and plastic mailers.

• Fort Hunt ES Holiday Market, December 14, 9-11 a.m. Come shop to support the Fort Hunt Foxes and friends! Join Fort Hunt ES for its first annual Holiday Market. Enjoy food, drinks, shopping, music, and activities for the kids. Visit the Fort Hunt PTA online for more information.

South County Pyramid

• Support the South County HS Used Shoe Drive Fundraiser. The South County Cross Country team is excited to announce our shoe drive fundraiser! They are collecting gently used shoes to support micro-businesses in developing countries and raise funds for our team. Every pair of shoes makes a difference! Their goal is to collect 2,500 pairs. Please join in making a positive impact on our community and the world!

• South County MS Curriculum Night, January 16, 6-7:30 p.m. Don’t miss this opportunity for rising 7th and 8th grade South County MS families to learn about the courses available to students during the 2025-2026 school year. Meet core and elective teachers, counselors, and administration. Attend an information session to learn about math and core pathway options. Students are encouraged to attend as well!

Hayfield Pyramid

• Last Day of Gunston ES Book Fair, December 16. The excitement of the Gunston Book Fair is underway!  Come one, come all to shop for your favorite books. The fair ends December 16. Check online for more information.

• Celebrate the Holiday Season with Lorton Station ES, December 13 and December 19. Lorton Station ES students are cordially invited to the school’s Winter Formal on December 13, 5-7 p.m. Ring in the New Year in your most fancy clothing. Tickets are $5 and adults must stay and accompany students. Don’t miss Lorton Station ES’s Winter Sing Along, December 19. Come sing along to your favorite winter and seasonal songs with your student. Check the flyer or contact the school main office for specific performance times for each grade.

• 2024 Fairfax Motor Squad’s Santa’s Ride Toy Collection at Island Creek! During December, Island Creek ES’s Preschool, Kindergarten, First Grade, and Second Grade students will welcome Santa's Ride presented by the Fairfax County Police Department Motor Squad! The purpose of this event is to collect new toys, books, and games for children who are sick in local area hospitals. Collected items will be donated to INOVA Children's Hospital Child Life Unit. A Toy Collection Box is outside Island Creek’s main office. There is also a QR code to donate through the 501(c)(3) charity Making Everything Good. View the INOVA Child Life “wish list” online. Diaper donations are also needed this year.

Edison Pyramid

• Contribute Gift Cards for Edison HS Faculty by December 16. Edison HS is collecting gift cards to raffle at the Annual Faculty Holiday Party on Tuesday, December 17th.  Parents, families, and students are invited to send donated gift cards to the main office addressed to Gina D'Angelo by Monday, December 16. Questions? Email [email protected] for more information.
• Support Edison HS’s Partnership with Food for Neighbors. Edison High School is pairing up with Food For Neighbors to assist families in need.  Please take a moment to read how you can help!  Every little bit can help a family. 
• Edison HS Class of 2024 IB Celebration, January 8, 4:30 p.m. Attention Edison HS Class of 2024 IB Diploma Candidates! Edison HS is thrilled to invite you to a special reception to celebrate your achievements and present your IB Diplomas. Celebrate your hard work, connect with your classmates, and pick up your diploma. Light refreshments will be provided. If you are unable to attend, please email [email protected] to arrange to pick up your diploma or certificate. 📅 Date: January 8 🕠 Time: 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM 📍 Location: Edison HS Cafeteria – Gym Side (please use door 14 to enter)

• Edison HS International Baccalaureate (IB) Information Night, January 15, 6-7 p.m. Join Edison’s IB Coordinators on January 15, 2025, from 6– 7 p.m. in the Auditorium. They will provide an overview of the IB Program at Edison as well as answer some of the most frequently asked questions, such as: How do you become an IB student? What is the IB MYP Personal Project? What is the FCPS/IB MYP Certificate? What are the benefits of taking IB DP courses? What is the IB Diploma? What is the difference between the IB Diploma and the IB Diploma Certificate?

• Twain MS Book Fair Ends December 13. The Scholastic Book Fair is underway at Twain MS until December 13. Students can experience the limitless possibilities of reading! Every purchase benefits the school.
• Twain MS Winter Formal, December 13. Twain MS’s Student Council Advisory will host the school’s annual Winter Formal dance on Friday, December 13, 6:30-8:30, with doors opening at 6 p.m. Come early to take pictures and eat before the dance starts. 

• Don’t Miss Mount Eagle ES’s Winter Sing-a-Long, December 20, 2 p.m. Mount Eagle ES’s Winter concert is Friday, December 20 at 2:00pm. Get into the holiday spirit with the school’s staff and students. Contact the school office or your child’s teacher for more information.  

Lewis Pyramid

• Take the Plunge with Key Center School, January 25. The Key Center community is invited to join GOING FOR THE COLD to benefit Virginia Special Olympics and Key Center School.  The Key Center team will participate in the Mosaic Polar Plunge on January 25th, 2025.  Key Center School will receive 50% of the funds raised by the Key Center Team.  Key Center staff, families, and community partners are invited to join the Key Center Rockets Polar Plunge Team! Got cold feet? You can still support the team. Learn more online about how you can sponsor one of our team members.

FCPS Events and Activities

• Last Boundary Review Community Meeting at Madison HS, December 18, 6:30 – 8 p.m. There is one more opportunity to participate in a community meeting regarding FCPS' division-wide boundary review. While your students may not attend school in the region below, you are still welcome to attend and participate. Please click on a date to register: Wednesday, December 18, 6:30-8 p.m., Madison High School Cafeteria, Region 1. In addition, the Office of Communications (OC) has created a new newsletter for regular updates on the Boundary Review process. You can sign up to receive information updates here.
• Window for Full-Time AAP Referrals Closes on December 15, 2024. Parents and guardians of students in Grades 2-7 who would like their student to be considered for Full-Time advanced academic programs may submit the AAP Full-Time Referral Form to your school’s Advanced Academics Resource Teacher (AART) no later than December 15, 2024. Forms for Full-Time and part-time referrals are available on the AAP Forms Page. No late referrals for Full-Time AAP services will be accepted.  If you miss this deadline, your student can still be screened for Subject-Specific AAP or Part-Time AAP for the remainder of the year and submit a referral for Full-Time AAP next fall. For more information, please visit the Advanced Academic Programs website.
• Thomas Jefferson Investigative Science Outreach to Host Science Fair for 5th-8th graders, April 5, 2025. The TJ Investigative Science Outreach, a student-led organization at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology will host its 12th annual invitational science fair on April 5, 2025. Students in 5th-8th grades are invited to participate. Admission to the science fair is free. Participants will complete a research project of their choice and present at the fair in-person on April 5th, 2025. There will be multiple sessions to help participants prepare and learn important skills in STEM like brainstorming, collecting data, presenting, writing an experiment summary, using statistics, and creating an experimental diagram. For more information, visit tjsciencefair.wordpress.com or email [email protected].
• Free and Reduced-Price Meals Application. Families must submit an application and be approved to be eligible for free and reduced-price meals for the 2024-25 school year. Students approved for Free and Reduced-Price Meals may qualify for additional benefits such as waived or reduced fees for instruments, uniforms, field trips, FCPS class fees, and Parktakes classes. Schools also benefit from funding opportunities based on Free and Reduced-Price Meal application numbers. You may access the following website for more information and an online application. Learn more about the Free and Reduced-Price Meal program online. This is a confidential process. Contact your school principal for more information.

Community Events and Activities

• Hybla Valley Community Center Food Distributions, December 14

• Join Your Local Library’s Winter Reading Challenge. Now – January 31. Fairfax County Public Library’s winter reading adventure has begun and will continue through Friday, January 31, 2025. Visit your local FCPL branch or their Winter Reading Adventure website to register and get a sneak peek at the prizes being offered. Check out their Winter Reading Events webpage to learn about laser tag, movie nights, crafting sessions, Noon-Year Eve celebrations, and book discussions. Looking for ways to help support your child’s reading and writing at home? Visit the FCPS Literacy Resource page for tips and information about the Virginia Language and Literacy Screening System.

 

• Woodlawn Little League 2025 Spring Registration Now Open

• NOVA Virtual Sessions Coming in 2025! Join a Virtual Discover NOVA webinar to explore program options, gain an understanding of our student support resources, and learn how to enroll in classes.  All sessions begin at 6:30pm and run for approximately one hour. Concurrent Spanish-speaking sessions will be available on February 20th and April 22nd.  See the NOVA Virtual Sessions Flyerfor all dates and to register.

• 2025 Gap Year Fair for Students and their Families, January 28, 6 – 8:30 p.m. FCPS’ School Counseling Services and Go Overseasare co-hosting the annual FCPS Gap Year Fair on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at George C. Marshall High School from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.  This event is for high school students and parents who are interested in learning more about the growing array of gap year opportunities.  The evening will begin with a presentation in the auditorium from 6:00 to 6:45 p.m.  Immediately following, the program fair will be held in the cafeteria from 6:45 to 8:30 p.m., with representatives from over 30 programs offering gap year opportunities.  Students and their families are encouraged to meet the representatives and learn about the variety of experiences available.  Students are encouraged to pre-register for this event.  For more information, visit: USA Gap Year Fairs or FCPS Gap Year Fair. 

The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.

© Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia

E-mail: Mateo Dunne  |  Phone: 571-423-1086

Staff Aide: Nelda Brown, 571-423-1049