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Dear Fort
Belvoir Primary Parents and Community,
My name is Margo Dias-Pareja, and it is with sincere
enthusiasm that I introduce myself to you as your next Principal at Fort
Belvoir Primary. I feel extremely fortunate to have been selected to become a
member of this wonderful school community.
I was drawn to Fort Belvoir Primary for a number of reasons. I, myself, grew up in a military family as my
father served in the United States Air Force.
I understand the challenges of growing up as a military child,
specifically, the frequent moves and deployments. However, I also understand how an upbringing
in a military family benefits children by building resilience, flexibility,
adaptability and a deep sense of pride in our country.
I have been a school administrator for twelve years and a
principal for nine years in Fairfax County Public Schools at Centre Ridge Elementary. My experience has provided me a comprehensive
understanding of elementary curriculum and instruction, as well as how to
provide equitable learning experiences for all students, including Students
with Disabilities, English Learners and Students with Advanced Academic
needs. I am also deeply committed to
ensuring that all students grow socially and emotionally, and I feel this is as
vital to students as academic progress.
Therefore, in my previous school, I
have worked collaboratively with school staff to create a tiered approach to
support the social-emotional well-being of students in order to create a safe
and orderly school environment. I have
had the opportunity to promote interdisciplinary learning, including the
creation of a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics)
Lab, as well as the extensive implementation of Project Based Learning (PBL).
It is my belief that inquiry-based learning promotes rigor and helps all
students acquire Portrait of a Graduate skills such as critical and creative
thinking, communication, collaboration, and resiliency. By working closely with
teachers, students, and families, I look forward to supporting innovation at
Fort Belvoir Primary, as well as continuing to grow a warm, safe, nurturing, and
inclusive learning environment.
I want to thank Jamie Meier for his outstanding leadership
and dedication to the Fort Belvoir Primary community during this past school
year and appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the school and community from him over
the last couple of weeks. I am also incredibly
grateful to be working with Jen Fallert and Christie Yarn, our Assistant
Principals. Together, and with our partners at Fort Belvoir Upper, we will
maximize Fort Belvoir Primary’s instructional program, ensuring the success of
every Fort Belvoir Primary student. Over the past few weeks, I have had the opportunity to meet with staff members and
parents, as well as visit classrooms to meet
students in order to begin building the foundation for lasting relationships
within our school community. I
look forward to continuing to build relationships with the school community.
My time is dedicated to working diligently this summer to ensure a
smooth transition and opening to the 2018-2019 school year. Several
opportunities for us to become better acquainted are planned to include:
Open
Library: Fridays July 13, 20, 27 and
August 3 and 10 from 9-12. All students
are welcome to come to the libraries at primary and upper for open check out
and guest readers. I will be in
attendance on July 13 and August 3 and 10.
Popsicles
on the Playground: Saturday, July 28th from 10-11 am, and Sunday,
July 29th from 7-8 pm. Come to the Fort
Belvoir Campus for a playdate with friends on our playgrounds, and to meet both
me and Margo Dias-Pareja, Principal of Fort Belvoir Primary. We look forward to meeting you and sharing a
cool treat!
Parent
Survey: Your thoughts and feedback about Fort Belvoir Primary Elementary School
are important to me. Please click the
link to share your comments with me on a short survey below. I will be using this input to identify themes
as we continue to develop our plans for 2018-2019 and beyond.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SRHHYFS
Open House
Event: We are in the planning stages
for our Open House event to kick off the 2018-19 school year. More information will be forthcoming soon.
I look
forward to meeting each of you and appreciate
the welcome I have received to date!
Warmly,
Margo Dias-Pareja
Principal
Fort Belvoir Primary Elementary School
mrpareja@fcps.edu
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