Photos of the Week
This week’s photos feature students learning about Egypt, science, and media; celebrating National Mentoring Month; and developing inventions to clean pollution.
Calendar
Reminder: Schools to Close Two Hours Early on February 3; February 6 Is a
Student Holiday
All
FCPS Schools will close two hours early
on Friday, February 3, the last day of the second quarter. Schools will be closed for students on February 6
for a teacher workday. Classes will resume on Tuesday, February 7.
This
school year, students will be released two hours early on the last day of each
quarter, the day before Thanksgiving break, the Friday before Memorial Day, and
the last day of school in June.
See the 2016-17 school year calendar.
Sign
up to Speak at the January 30 Public Hearing for the FY 2018 Proposed Budget
Interim
Superintendent Steve Lockard presented the school system’s Proposed Fiscal Year
(FY) 2018 Budget of $2.8 billion to the Fairfax County School Board on January
12. The FY 2018 (2017-18 school year) Proposed Budget focuses on two key
priorities from the FCPS Strategic Plan Ignite: employee compensation and classroom resources. This budget proposal supports more than 188,000 students, nearly 200 schools and centers, and staffing of approximately 28,000 employees–9 out of 10 of whom are based in schools.
The
proposed budget is the starting point of the budget process, which ends in May
with the School Board’s adoption of the Approved Budget. The School Board will hold
a public hearing on the Proposed Budget on January 30, with additional hearings on January 31 and February 1 if needed. Want to share your
thoughts on the budget with the School Board? Sign up to speak at the public
hearing
Gap
Year Fair for Students and Parents Set for February 7 at Marshall High
School
FCPS School Counseling Services and
Dynamy are co-hosting the annual Gap Year Fair on Tuesday, February 7, at Marshall
High School from 7 to 9 p.m. 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 7 to 7:45 p.m. by Holly Bull, president,
Center for Interim Programs, followed by a program fair in the cafeteria from
7:45 to 9 p.m., with representatives from over 40 programs offering gap year
opportunities. Students and their parents are encouraged to meet the
representatives and learn about the variety of experiences available.
It is highly recommended that students
pre-register for this event.
Get more information about the FCPS Gap
Year Fair.
If you have any questions, contact Sabrina
Boyd at shboyd@fcps.edu.
Registration Opens February 1 for Select 2017 FCPS Summer Programs;
Discounts Available Through April 17
Registration opens
February 1 for the following Fairfax County Public Schools summer
enrichment institutes, camps, and classes: Institute for the Arts (IFTA),
Elementary Institute for the Arts (E-IFTA), STEM Camp, Tech Adventure Camp, and
Lake Braddock Secondary School Extended Day Adult and Community Education (ACE)
enrichment and secondary classes. Discounted tuition is available for Tech
Adventure Camp, STEM Camp, E-IFTA, and IFTA through April 17. Transportation
from select schools outside of the Lake Braddock pyramid is included in the
tuition for all four camps.
ACE Extended Day Enrichment Classes will
also be held Lake Braddock Secondary School and will begin after IFTA, E-IFTA,
Tech Adventure Camp, and STEM Camp end. Programs
include Foreign Language Experience Program (FLEX), Culinary Adventure Camp,
Language Immersion Camp, Creative Writing, Computer Graphics, Chess, and Learning
Across the USA ESOL Camp. ACE Secondary
Classes are held at various locations and include Thomas Jefferson High School
for Science and Technology (TJHSST) admissions test prep, SAT test prep, study
skills, and Driver Education.
Students should register for programs based on the grade they are in
during the 2016-17 school year. Get
more information on 2017 summer camps and institutes.
Learn about additional
summer learning programs.
Cool Schools: Hayfield Secondary Student 2 Student
Program Eases Transition for New Students
Encouraging 100 percent acceptance
is a hallmark of the student-led Student 2 Student (S2S) program that brings
military-connected and civilian Hayfield Secondary students together. S2S
welcomes incoming students to Hayfield by greeting them on their very first
morning, giving them a tour of the school, making sure they have someone to eat
with during lunch, inviting them to monthly new student mixers, and then
checking back in with them to make sure they are getting connected to the
Hayfield community.
#OurFCPS:
Together It’s Possible
Our teachers foster life-long learning and support students'
success in school and beyond. By working
together—parents, employees, students, and community members—we can
shape a thriving future for our students and everyone who works and lives
in Fairfax County.
It’s
not my FCPS, it’s not your FCPS, it’s #OurFCPS. Learn more.
FCPS
Instructional Job Fair Set for Saturday, February 11
FCPS
is searching for educators with a strong academic background and a passion for
making a difference. To meet increased hiring needs we are hosting an
invitation only job fair during which we will be interviewing in all
instructional areas. The fair will be held on Saturday, February 11.
Learn how to be considered for an invitation.
FCPS has a number of critical
needs fields for the 2017-18 school year. Get information on current
openings and learn more about FCPS careers.
Video:
Global STEM Challenges Program at Edison High School
 Building a living wall to grow crops indoors using an
aquaponics system and designing microscopes to find pathogens are not typical
classroom activities. And the Global STEM Challenges Program, part of a smaller
learning community at Edison High School, isn’t your typical high school class.
The Global STEM Challenges Program is a
three-year program that integrates math, science, technology, and engineering
in a unique, collaborative learning environment that prepares students for the
future outside of the classroom. Watch the video.
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Nominations Open for
the Fairfax County A. Heath Onthank Award
Nominations are now open for the A. Heath Onthank Award for Merit.
The purpose of the Onthank Award is to give recognition for advancing and
improving public service in the Fairfax County Government and Fairfax County
Public Schools.
Any person or group is eligible to submit a
nomination for the highest honor the county awards to its employees. Eligibility for the Onthank Award is open to Merit system
employees of the county government, and contracted
unified salary scale and food service employees of Fairfax County Public
Schools. Teachers and instructional assistants are not eligible for this award.
The deadline to submit a nomination is
March 17.
Get more information and submit a
nomination.
January Is National Mentoring Month; Community Members
Wanted as Student Mentors
January is National Mentoring Month. Fairfax County Public
Schools’ MentorWorks program is committed to connecting caring, responsible adults
with students. Mentors provide support, serve as positive role models, and
encourage students to develop their strengths to reach their full potential.
MentorWorks seeks members of the community who want to
mentor a student. Student-based mentoring programs are present in a
majority of our schools. Mentors and mentees meet once a week, during the
school day at mentee’s school site. Training and ongoing assistance are
provided by MentorWorks and the school’s mentoring program coordinator.
Becoming a mentor is a wonderful opportunity to support an
FCPS student and simultaneously have a rewarding, enjoyable personal
experience.
For more information, go to the MentorWorks website
or contact Kelsey Lowman at kllowman@fcps.edu, or at 571-423-4280.
Tips for Parents:
Help Your Child Study Spelling Words
Even computers with spelling checkers don’t catch every
spelling mistake. That’s why children still need to learn spelling words. Teach
your child a way to study spelling words that really works. Have your child:
- Pronounce the word slowly. While saying the
word, he or she should look at each part of the word.
- Spell the word out loud.
- Spell the word to himself. Encourage him or
her to try to “see” the letters in his or her mind as he or she spells the
word.
- Write the word on a piece of paper.
- Repeat if necessary.
A day or so before the spelling test, give your child a
practice test. Or, say the words into a recorder, leaving pauses for your child
to write. Then he or she can quiz himself.
Get more tips for parents and other family engagement
resources.
Quick
Links:
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