Hello
Great Falls Families!
We are very proud of the work our students have put into starting
this school year. For these first few weeks of school, our students
have been working hard to:
- settle into
their classroom routines;
- learn how to
be communities of readers, writers, and mathematicians;
- work
together to build strong, positive classroom communities; and
- explore good
character and what it means to be a student at GFES.
You can see the results of their hard work in these wonderful
banners in our front hallway, which were created this year in art class. .
Below is a description from Miss Giroux, our awesome art teacher, about the
meaning and lesson behind the art.
"The
first week of school we read 'We’re All Wonders' by R.J. Palacio. We discussed
how sometimes people who look or act differently may feel left out or
misunderstood by their peers but deep down, they are people too who often have
the same interests and do the same things as everyone else. Our individuality
is what makes our world interesting to live in and it is important to be kind
and open-minded towards all types of people. Students came up with the idea
that if everyone in the world was the same, there wouldn’t be any creativity,
imagination or innovation…it would be boring! Everyone made a puzzle piece to
connect to our giant puzzle showing how all of our unique talents, interests
and experiences are what makes our community diverse and WONDERful."
We share this note in the hopes you will ask your child(ren) to
describe their puzzle piece, and have them reflect about how their piece adds
to the beauty and WONDER of our whole GFES puzzle.
Take care,
Sara Harper, Principal
Chris Litz, Assistant Principal
9/19 Three Hour Early Dismissal: 12:35 p.m.
Please note this is not a 2 hour early dismissal as in years past!
10/1 Change of Transportation Program Begins
10/8 Student Holiday
10/10 Advanced Academic Information Meeting, 9:00 a.m., Café
10/10 PTA General Meeting, 10:00 a.m., Café
10/11 Grade 6 Field Trip, Innerquest at Camp Crowell
10/13 Student Picture Day
10/19 PTA Fall Festival, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
10/22 Book Fair Week
10/24 Book Fair Evening Hours: 4:00-7:00 p.m.
10/25 Grade 4 Colonial Day with Camp Flintlock
10/31 Grade 6 Field Trip, Smithsonian Art Museum
 Volunteers are the heart of our school. There are many opportunities for parents to share their time and talents with our students and staff. Volunteering is also a great way to learn the names of your child's classmates!
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Student Picture Day (October 13th)
Volunteers are needed to assist the photographers:
- Must be available for minimum three hour shift
- Grooming assistance of the child such as: combing hair, straightening collars, cleaning faces, etc.
- Runner/escort to and from the classroom
- Assist in keeping children in a single file line and talking to a minimum
- Assist in recording package information
As a thank you for your service, you will receive a complimentary photography package of your child (one per family.) Contact Katherine Dillard in the main office if interested (703-757-2101). We look forward to a “Picture Perfect” day with you!
Change of Transportation (COT) Program
Volunteers sort and match notes sent by parents for their children to go home with another student.
- Morning duty required, scheduling done on a monthly basis.
- Training will be provided.
- COT program is scheduled to start October 1; however, volunteers are needed before this program can begin.
- No experience necessary, training will be provided.
- Volunteers are needed before this program may begin.
- Please contact COT Chairperson, Maria Morgan
Clinic
Clinic volunteers are needed to help Mrs. Wallace with day to day operations. There are a variety of ways you can help!
- Administrative assistance in September organizing, alphabetizing and filing student forms.
- Help coordinate the Hearing and Vision screenings of kindergarten and 3rd grade students, and any students new to FCPS.
- Volunteers needed to substitute in the clinic when we are unable to get a Health Department substitute. No prior medical experience is necessary; training will be provided.
- Accidents happen! We would appreciate the donation of new or slightly used child sized elastic banded pants, and or shirts.
- Please contact Office Assistant, Katherine Dillard, 703-757-2100 to volunteer.
Library
Mrs. Botha checks out books to over 500 students per week! There are many different ways to show your support for our school library community.
- Checking in and checking out books to students
- Shelving returned books
- Choose the schedule that works for you; weekly or bi-weekly shifts available
- Orientation and training provided
- Please contact school librarian, Elza Botha, 703-757-2126.
Registration is now open for the fifth annual FCPS Mental Health and Wellness Conference that, for the first time, will also include an Our Minds Matter Teen Summit for middle and high school students, sponsored by the Josh Anderson Foundation. Please click here for more details and information.
Assessment Announcements
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CogAT Testing
The CogAT is a group-administered test that measures general intellectual ability. In Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), the CogAT is used in grades 2-7 as a part of the screening process for Advanced Academic Program (AAP) services. Information from the assessment also may be considered when making instructional decisions for student differentiation needs, such as access to advanced mathematics coursework in the elementary school.
Great Falls Elementary School will be administering the CogAT to all second grade students and select grade three through six students without an ability test score on file.
Parents of students in grades two through six may request a one-time retake of either the CogAT of NNAT 2 Ability Test. Please email Chris Litz if you would like to exercise this one-time retake for your child.
Universal Screener
The FCPS School Board adopted a universal screener assessment for use with all elementary school students in kindergarten through grade 6. The universal screener assessment includes a reading test and a mathematics test. Students in kindergarten will receive screening for reading only. Students in grades 1-6 will receive screening for both mathematics and reading.
The purpose of this assessment is to identify students who may have gaps in the foundations of literacy and mathematics skills. Based on universal screener results, some students may require an additional assessment to further diagnose the specific learning areas that may need support. The universal screener reading test, together with any necessary follow-up diagnostic assessments, also fulfills state testing expectations for primary students.
The universal screener and any necessary follow-up assessments will be given at the beginning of the school year. Depending on grade level and previous screener performance, students may receive screening again in the winter and/or in the spring. Schools set the specific dates for testing in each class. For the expected dates when your child will test, please contact your child’s teacher.
Additional information, including a short video, about the universal screener in FCPS universal screener webpage. If you have further questions about this assessment, please contact Chris Litz.
Fairfax County Public Schools offers a continuum of advanced academic services for all students in Grades K-8. Learning experiences are designed to develop higher-level thinking through enrichment, acceleration, and extension of the Program of Studies. Teachers, administrators, and Advanced Academic Resource Teachers work together to provide the following levels of services. A video showing each level of service in action, as well as information about middle and high school services are available.
Below are links to follow with more detailed information about leveled services.
1) More info about AAP leveled services GFES
2) GFES Advanced Academic Frequently Asked Questions
3) Identification and Placement for AAP services
In addition to these links, Mrs. Hotaling will be holding an Advanced Academic information session on October 10, 2018 in our GFES Library. Come join us for the session and stay immediately afterward for our first PTA meeting of the school year!
Please join the PTA and help us Race the Roadrunner!
Thanks to the many families and teachers who have already signed up to be a part of our GFES PTA community! Our GFES staff have a goal of 100% join rate and participation by all teachers and staff. Our hope is that we can get 100% participation from the community as well.
Membership is only $20 per family and comes with many benefits! While you're joining the PTA as a general member, please consider making a donation to the Roadrunner Giving Campaign. The suggested giving amount is $250; however, ANY and ALL amounts are appreciated! We are working hard to race the roadrunner to the very tip top of the fundraising scale. We appreciate your support!
Join and learn more on the PTA website.
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Registration is Open!
Get in on the after school program action!
Fall session: Sept 24 - Nov 20
Registration deadline: Sept 17, 5:00pm
To register click here.
For schedule and information about registration click here.
Girls On The Run (GOTR)
Open to Grades 3-6
Fall session: Sept 25 - Dec 4
Registration Deadline: Sept 18
To register - www.gotrnova.org
To learn more about the program, click here
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PTA News
Please click the link to see the most detailed PTA newsletter:
Monthly Newsletter - Sept 2018.pdf
Highlights include:
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