FCPS This Week - November 13, 2024

Students at Laurel Ridge Elementary School participate in a Veterans Day ceremony.

🎖️ 38 Schools Recognized for Supporting Military-Connected Families

Thirty-eight Fairfax County public schools have been recognized by the Virginia Department of Education and the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children as 2024 Purple Star Schools. View the full list of new Purple Star Schools. 

Nearly half of Fairfax County public schools (96) are currently designated as Purple Star Schools. Earlier this fall, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid announced a goal for FCPS to achieve Purple Star Division status by 2026-27, with 100% of our schools designated as Purple Star Schools. 

✨ A positive school climate is part of FCPS 2023-30 Strategic Plan Goal 2: Safe, Supported, Included, and Empowered. 

$1.5 Million Grant to Support STEAM Education at Fort Belvoir Schools

FCPS has been awarded a $1.5 million grant from the Department of Defense Education Activity through the Military-Connected Local Educational Agencies for Academic and Support Programs. The funding will support the implementation of PROPEL STEAM (Promoting Rigorous Opportunities, Programs, and Education in STEAM Learning), a program designed to elevate mathematics and science education at Fort Belvoir Primary and Fort Belvoir Upper elementary schools.

🗳️ Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey

All families should complete a Federal Impact Aid Survey as soon as possible. The form is available in ParentVUE under Online Packets (in the upper right corner after logging in). 

Please complete the form for each school-aged child in your household. Information from this survey resulted in more than $4 million in funding last year from the U.S. Department of Education. The funds support all Fairfax County public schools and centers. Visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page to learn more.

Register for ParentVUE

Learn how to activate your ParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey and have access to other helpful information about your child.

Lewis Students Champion Disability Rights

Lewis High School students are advocating for disability rights and justice, following in the footsteps of Congressman and Civil Rights Leader John R. Lewis, who their school is named to honor. 

The students are a part of the school’s John R. Lewis Leadership Program, an innovative initiative designed to inspire students to become future leaders. Congressman Lewis’ life and legacy inspired the program, which aims to incorporate his principles into the school’s core curriculum.

In September, Lewis Leadership Program students organized an event for the National Caravan for Disability Freedom and Justice. Read more about their project. 

✨ FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan Goal 2: Safe, Supported, Included, and Empowered, guides our work so that every student feels like they belong at school and that their voice is heard. 

IEP Palooza and Community Resource Fair

Parents/caregivers, school staff, and students over the age of 14 are invited to attend an interactive event celebrating the individualized education program (IEP) process. The IEP Palooza and Community Resource Fair will take place on Saturday, November 16, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., at Jackson Middle School. 

The Fairfax County Special Education Parent Teacher Association (SEPTA) is sponsoring the event. Activities include simulated IEP meetings, break-out sessions on the various parts of an IEP, and a resource fair to learn more about community supports. Please register in advance. 

📖 Lexia Parent Night: Helping Children Learn to Read

Lexia is a computer-based program that supplements classroom instruction to help students develop literacy skills. It also provides teachers with data to identify students who need additional support and the ability to know which specific concepts and skills to prioritize.

Attend a virtual information night to learn about Lexia and discover strategies to support your child’s literacy. Events will be held on Tuesday, November 19, and Thursday, December 5. 

✨ Integrating Lexia into the literacy curriculum aligns with the Virginia Literacy Act, FCPS’ Equitable Access to Literacy, and FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan Goal 3, which aims to have all students reading on grade level by the end of third grade. 

Visit the Family Academy Catalog for more classes, workshops, and webinars. 

💡 Partnering to Help Students Spark Discovery

As parents and educators, we share the goal of helping children thrive in school, at home, and in life. This includes exploring new ideas, celebrating their strengths, and encouraging them to persevere when things get tough. Working together, we can support students’ sense of learning and discovery.

It’s National School Psychology Week. Read the latest Healthy Minds blog for ideas of how to help your child learn and discover. 

Creating a Safe and Nurturing Environment

This week, we celebrate the important work school psychologists do to help all students thrive. 

Read about Cara Fratta, school psychologist at Kilmer Center School, who was named School Psychologist of the Year by the Virginia Academy of School Psychologists.  

💲 Presentations About Financial Aid for College 

College Access Fairfax invites families with current high school seniors to attend virtual presentations on financial aid options. Parents/caregivers and students are encouraged to participate together. 

FAFSA Line-by-Line

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is expected to open in December. Learn what questions are asked, line-by-line, and what information you will need to complete the form on Saturday, November 16, at 10 a.m. 

Scholarships 101

Receive an overview of what scholarships are, where to find them, and how to apply for them in a webinar on Saturday, December 7, at 10 a.m.

Click the dates to access the presentations. Learn more about financial aid on the Educate Fairfax website. Email questions to [email protected] or [email protected]. 

👨🏽‍🏫 Join Our Team of Teachers! 

FCPS is hosting in-person job fairs on Saturday, November 23, and Saturday, December 14, at Sandburg Middle School from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. 

There will be networking and interviewing opportunities with representatives from FCPS schools. Employment offers for the current school year may be presented during the fair. 

Registration is required. Register to attend the November 23 job fair no later than Thursday, November 21. Register to attend the December 14 job fair no later than Thursday, December 12.

Contact Human Resources through their web portal or call 571-423-3000.

Multilingual Learners Day of Service

Our Voices, Our Future: A Multilingual Learners’ Day of Service is being offered to FCPS secondary students as an opportunity to explore multilingualism as a strength in developing leadership and advocacy skills. The event will be held on Saturday, November 16, 9-11:30 a.m., at Edison High School. José Luis Zelaya, who spoke at last year's Multilingual Learner Summit, will be a special guest.

High school students are invited to network with their peers and staff, and learn how their interests and strengths can lead to future success and community impact. College and career readiness resources will be available. Students should register in advance and bring their FCPS laptops to the workshop. Service-learning credit will be awarded to all attending students.   

Learn more about the event and watch videos from previous multilingual learner events. 

Providing a Safe and Welcoming Space For Everyone

FCPS is proud of its caring culture and strives to provide a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space for all students and families. Our Trust Policy solidifies our commitment. It aligns with Fairfax County’s Public Trust and Confidentiality Policy to ensure that FCPS students and families can access FCPS benefits and services without fear that information will be disclosed, directly or indirectly, to federal immigration officials. 

Please visit our Trust Policy webpage to learn more about the policy and regulation in multiple languages.

If you feel someone has violated the Trust Policy, please email [email protected]. If you are a staff member who receives feedback or reports about these issues, please encourage staff, students, and families to contact the ombudsman at [email protected] or email [email protected]. 

📍 Boundary Review Community Meetings

Community meetings on the FCPS Boundary Review will take place in each of the division's six regions. You are encouraged to attend the meeting in your region but may attend another if the date is more convenient. Please register in advance by clicking on the date. Language interpretation will be available. 

• Monday, November 18, 6:30-8 p.m., Glasgow Middle School Cafeteria, Region 2. 
• Monday, December 2, 6:30-8 p.m., Westfield High School Cafeteria, Region 5. 
• Tuesday, December 3, 6:30-8 p.m., Lake Braddock Secondary School Cafeteria, Region 4. 
• Monday, December 9, 6:30-8 p.m., Mount Vernon High School Cafeteria, Region 3. 
• Thursday, December 12, 6:45-8:15 p.m., Annandale High School Cafeteria, Region 6. 
• Wednesday, December 18, 6:30-8 p.m., Madison High School Cafeteria, Region 1.

Click on the regions above to see what schools are located in that region. Visit the Comprehensive School Boundary Review web page for more information. 

🎭 Celebrating Shakespeare in the Park

In her latest Weekly Reflections, Dr. Reid highlighted a fun Shakespeare event that was coordinated by students at Fairfax High School. Read more about Shakespeare in the Park and other school updates in Weekly Reflections. Subscribe today. 

🗓️ Calendar Reminders

⏰ Limited Early Release Mondays

Elementary schools in the following pyramids will release students early on Monday, November 18: Edison, Hayfield, Lewis, Mount Vernon, South County, West Potomac, Annandale, Falls Church, Justice, Lake Braddock, West Springfield, and Woodson. 

View the Upcoming Events section on your school’s homepage to look for early release dates that will impact your child.

🗓️ Thanksgiving

Schools and offices will be closed Wednesday, November 27, through Friday, November 29. Classes will resume on Monday, December 2. See the complete school year calendar.

Missing School During the Holidays

Looking ahead to the holiday season, if missing school is unavoidable, please speak with your child’s teachers in advance to create a plan for making up missed work. But remember, a homework packet cannot make up for the interaction and learning that happens in the classroom. Visit our website for attendance resources.

School Board Meeting Thursday, November 14, at 7 p.m.

The School Board will hold its next regular business meeting on Thursday, November 14, at 7 p.m. Topics on the agenda include:

• Consideration of Extension to the Division Superintendent Contract
• Comprehensive Facilities Condition Assessment
• Secondary Course Offerings

View the complete agenda. Find out how to watch and participate in School Board meetings.

♻️ Fairfax Recycles Day and Touch-a-Truck Event

Fairfax County Solid Waste Sustainability Team is hosting a Drop-Off and Touch-a-Truck event on Saturday, November 16, at the Gerry Hyland Government Center parking lot from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring your hard-to-recycle items, check out some cool trucks, and enjoy a warm beverage and donut. 

All Fairfax County residents are invited to attend and learn more about recycling and efforts to achieve Zero Waste by 2040. Visit the event website for a list of acceptable materials to drop off.