FCPS This Week - August 21, 2024
Everything You Can Do Through SIS ParentVUE
Want to get ahead of the back-to-school forms and checklists? Make sure you have a SIS ParentVUE account for your family and log in to find forms and updates.
If you do not have a SIS ParentVUE account, contact your child’s school for an activation code and follow the directions on the SIS ParentVUE Account webpage.
Update Contact Information
Be among the first to know about weather closings, bus delays, and other critical communications from your school and FCPS by providing your cell phone number and email in SIS ParentVUE. To update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, click the “Online Packets” tab in the upper right of the screen, then click the “Online Verification/Update” icon.
Parents/caregivers who do not have a SIS ParentVUE account should print and complete the Emergency Care Information Form needed for updates and submit it to their child’s school.
Complete Permission Forms
Families can now easily grant permission for their children to access a variety of school resources through the Parent Digital Consent system. This online tool can be accessed using your SIS ParentVUE account. Parents can easily opt their child in or out of a variety of resources including online educational tools, school counseling services, and tutoring services. They can also change how student information is managed.
Visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. Watch this video to see how to use the tool.
Submit Absences
Parents can submit daylong absences through SIS ParentVUE. Log in to the platform and click “Report Absence.”
Note: Partial day absences and changes of transportation should still be reported directly to your school’s front office.
🚍 Transportation Patience and Safety
Thank you for your patience as we all get used to new routines this school year. We appreciate our families following kiss-and-ride procedures and being patient while waiting for school buses.
If a bus is delayed, parents/caregivers may access the Bus Delay Notification System or use the Here Comes the Bus mobile app to receive the delayed bus report. Email messages will be sent to announce significant bus delays. Visit the Transportation Services webpage to find out who to contact with specific questions.
To make sure you receive email messages about bus delays, update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE.
Update Your Child’s Immunizations and Records
Please check with your healthcare provider as soon as possible to make sure your child is up-to-date on the immunizations required by the state of Virginia. Starting Monday, September 30, students who have not provided proof of immunization will not be allowed to attend school.
You can check your child’s immunization compliance and submit their immunization record in SIS ParentVUE. Records may also be delivered to your school’s front office.
Find more information on immunizations on the FCPS website.
✨ Our Commitment to Excellence, Equity, and Opportunity for Each and Every Student
As we begin a new school year, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid reminds us of the goals of FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan, which guides us in delivering excellence, equity, and opportunity for each and every one of our students. Watch Dr. Reid’s message.
🔍 Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity
FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.
Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.
Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.
Virtual Mental Health Resources
FCPS high school students can receive virtual mental health therapy at no cost through Hazel Health. Previously, caregivers had to actively opt their students in to be eligible for referrals. Beginning this year, all students have access unless their parent has opted them out.
Please note, caregivers will still need to provide consent with Hazel Health, and their student would need to be referred for services before an initial therapy appointment. Learn more on our teletherapy webpage.
📚 FCPS CARES Recipients Stack Up Good Deeds
FCPS CARES is an opportunity for parents/caregivers, staff, and community members to recognize employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. One of the CARES of the Month recipients for May is the Library Instructional Services Team: Meg Rogers (pictured above), Terry Rihl, Angela Couse, Steven Rogers, Taj Ghafari, Diana Lynn Cruz, and Robyn Troncoso.
The team spent three days at Carson Middle School “weeding and inventorying” the library’s collection of books.
“This is a HERCULEAN task that would have taken us weeks to do on our own,” said Ellen Bickford, head librarian at Carson Middle School. “While they worked, they also taught us a lot about best practices for managing a collection. Our library has had a complete restart, which will allow us to reorganize our books, employ dynamic shelving, and create a more engaging and accessible library for our 1,400 middle school readers.”
Congratulations to this team and the other FCPS CARES of the Month Recipients below:
- Brandon Kosatka, Wilton Woods Center
- Jill Shull, Haycock Elementary School
- Michael Willie, Lorton Center
- Molly Sullivan, Union Mill Elementary School
- Ryan Spivey, Eagle View Elementary School
- Brianna Bingman, Lorton Station Elementary School
Read about all the recipients.
Superintendent Reid Welcomes Everyone Back to School
In her Weekly Reflections this week, Dr. Reid reflects on the last preparations for the opening of the new school year including open houses, town halls, and trainings. Read Weekly Reflections and subscribe now.
Students Design Award-Winning Scam Detection App
Fairfax High School students Advik Atyam, David Nam, Nathan Kim, and Yousif al Atbi developed ScamCops, a website designed with senior citizens in mind. The website’s blog features many easy-to-read tips on how to identify many types of common scams. It also features a 25-question quiz so users can test their knowledge about the latest scams in their area. The site’s crown jewel is an integrated AI chatbot that can help users identify scams from a description the user types in.
The students’ work recently received local recognition. In May, ScamCops won first place in the 2024 Fairfax Area Student Shark Tank Technology Challenge. Read more about their project.
🗓️ Calendar Reminder: Labor Day
Friday, August 30, and Monday, September 2, are Labor Day holidays for all FCPS employees and students.
Virginia legislation requires that schools opening prior to Labor Day must be closed the Friday immediately preceding Labor Day.
We hope everyone takes the long weekend to celebrate a strong start to the school year and enjoy time with family and friends. See the complete school year calendar.
Things to Remember When Visiting Schools
Please know we take the safety and security of our students and staff very seriously. All school visitors must enter schools by way of “Door 1.” Upon ringing a school’s front doorbell, visitors will be asked to identify the reason for their visit before the door is opened. All school visitors will need to check in to the school visitor system in the front office before entering the school.
When outside, visitors are not permitted to visit school buses or playgrounds or to observe students from parking lots or other areas on school campuses.
While you may want to peek in on your child during the day, this can be alarming to our staff. Parents/caregivers are welcome to check in with their child's teacher via email during the first week if they are anxious about how their child is transitioning.