FCPS This Week - August 9, 2023

Congratulations to our summer graduates! Welcome to the FCPS alumni community.

📅 Start Strong: First Day of School 

The first day of the 2023-24 school year is Monday, August 21. Parents/caregivers, students, and staff members are invited to share their favorite pictures or videos from the first day of school on social media using the hashtag #FirstDayFairfax. We will share some of the photos on the FCPS Facebook and Instagram pages. 

Bookmark the School Year Calendar

Be sure to bookmark the FCPS school year calendar to keep track of school holidays, breaks, and observances:

• Days marked with a blue “H” are student holidays. 
• Days marked with an orange “O” are religious and cultural observance days (or evenings if only half marked). 
• Days marked in pink are holidays for students, but working days for teachers and staff.

The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, and the start of each month coincides with the birth of a new moon. The date of Eid al-Fitr is regionally decided, which can lead to unexpected date changes. Eid al-Fitr is currently slated to begin at sunset on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, and last through sundown Wednesday, April 10, 2024. Tuesday is designated a half-O day, and Wednesday is a holiday, with all schools and offices being closed. If the day for Eid changes after the school year begins, the calendar may be adjusted.

 🥗 Preparing for and Paying for Meals at School

Parents/caregivers need to provide their students with money to purchase meals at school, send them with a packed lunch, or apply (and be approved) for free and reduced-price meals benefits. School breakfast for students costs $1.75. Lunch is $3.25 for elementary students and $3.50 for middle, secondary, and high school students. 

The application for free and reduced-priced meals is now available for the 2023-24 school year. Students who were approved for free and reduced-price lunch last year are eligible for the first 30 days of school this year (or until a new application is processed). Families should re-apply as soon as possible for the 2023-24 school year, so eligible students continue to receive meals at no cost. 

Paying With MySchoolBucks

The best way to purchase meals and additional food items is to use MySchoolBucks. Set up your student’s MySchoolBucks account today, if you haven’t already. Your school’s front office staff can help with any questions. 

MySchoolBucks accounts can be set up to add money to the account automatically as needed. Families with multiple children can use the same MySchoolBucks account. Visit the Food and Nutrition webpage for more information.

Be ready on the first day of school by setting up your child’s MySchoolBucks account, looking over the menus, and helping your child learn their PIN. Food and Nutrition Services staff will email you your child’s PIN. 

Salad Bars at All Schools

Starting the first day of school, every school will have a salad bar available with fresh vegetable and fruit choices. 

Free Resources for Families

Did you know that caregivers can access free webinars, confidential consultations, a lending library, and resources to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities? 

Learn more about the Family Resource Center (FRC).

Workshops for Families

The FRC is already scheduling a helpful series of webinars for the 2023-24 school year. Save the date for the following discussions in September. Click on the title to register for each event. 

• New School Year, New Strategies: How to Plan, Persist, and Achieve Academic Success This Year, on Friday, September 8, 10-11:30 a.m.
• Meet the Author Series: The Self-Driven Child by Dr. William Stixrud, Friday, September 15, 10-11:15 a.m.
• Characteristics and Needs of Twice-Exceptional (2e) Learners, on Tuesday, September 19, 10-11:30 a.m.
• Who's the Boss? 5 Ways for Families to Help Kids with Big Emotions, Friday September 29, 10-11:30 a.m.

See the full list of workshops. Be the first to learn about new workshops by signing up for the FRC newsletter. 

💻 Chromebooks for Secondary and High School Students

FCPS is changing its high school and secondary student devices to Chromebooks. This device will continue to enable students to use web-based tools like Schoology, Google, and online textbooks. Students will receive a device within the first weeks of school.

If students and/or families would prefer to bring their own device (BYOD), they need to make sure it meets FCPS minimum requirements. Students who use their own device will not receive an FCPS device. Our school tech teams will make sure that students have access to an FCPS device for important tests, such as SOLs. FCPS strives to be financially and environmentally responsible. Students who do not use their FCPS device regularly will be asked to return it.

🏆 Celebrating Our Spring Sports Champions

Congratulations to all the FCPS student-athletes, including McLean Softball (pictured above), who participated in the 2023 spring sports season. This year seven teams and 16 individuals won the Virginia High School League (VHSL) Class 6 championship in their respective sports. Four teams and 15 individuals were the state runners-up. Read about our top teams and athletes.

🎧 Connect with County Leaders Podcast

On the August episode of the Connect with County Leaders podcast, Dr. Reid was interviewed by Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill. They discussed partnerships already underway between the school division and county government, and the importance of providing safe spaces for students and teachers to collectively build a brighter future for our large and diverse community.

Read more or listen to the episode.

Virtual Therapy Services for High School Students

Teletherapy services continue to be available for all FCPS high school students at no cost. Sessions can be scheduled Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Caregivers must first opt in their students to access Hazel Health. Learn more on the FCPS teletherapy webpage.

News About the 2023-30 Strategic Plan 

This is an exciting time for FCPS. We are continuing the work of implementing our new strategic plan. Next week, teachers will learn how their work is critical to achieving excellent student outcomes.

Families may learn more about the strategic plan at back to school nights, open houses, and other events. Stay tuned for more information on how our new strategic plan is coming to life. In the meantime, please visit our Strategic Plan webpage.

In-Person Tutors Needed

FCPS’ Department of School Improvement and Support (DSIS) has identified schools with the most need for targeted in-person tutoring for students. The district is recruiting qualified tutors who will be matched to schools based on this need. 

Are You Interested in Tutoring? 

FCPS needs qualified tutors to provide in-person academic support to small groups of students. These tutors will be paid hourly at a rate of $48.58. The position is flexible, and the amount you work and where you work will be based on your availability, qualifications, and the needs presented throughout FCPS. However, tutors must work at least three days a week for a total of 12 hours a week on a consistent basis.

Apply now! Email [email protected] for more information. 

Tutor.com Is Still Available Free for All FCPS Students

Online tutoring through Tutor.com is still available to ALL FCPS students as a resource for both support and enrichment. Last school year, more than 12,000 students participated in approximately 70,000 tutoring sessions. Tutor.com will remain available to all FCPS students at no cost this school year.

🏆 Community Member Receives First Ever Equity Award

At the annual Equity Symposium this summer, the School Board’s Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC) awarded George Becerra (left in photo) the first FCPS Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award.

The award recognizes staff, students, or community members who have demonstrated significant and impactful efforts to improve the educational experiences and outcomes of students from groups who are marginalized or underserved. 

Read more about Becerra and the Equity Award.