 Our playgrounds have been covered with snow recently. Although it is beautiful to look at, we always put student safety first. When conditions are too cold or icy for outside recess, students are given their recess time in an indoor setting.
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Dates to Remember
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Friday, January 18 - Schools released three hours early for school planning day. Students dismissed at 1:05.
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Monday, January 21 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday - School Closed.
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Friday, January 25 - Student Holiday - Staff Development Day
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Monday, January 28 - Twain Middle School Transition night (rescheduled from January 14 due to weather)
See our website for all of our upcoming events.
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Calendar Reminder: Students Dismissed Three Hours Early on January 18; Schools Closed for Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday on January 21, Teacher Workday on January 25
As a reminder, students will be dismissed three hours early on Friday, January 18, for a School Planning Day. Also, schools will be closed on Monday, January 21, for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, and for a Teacher Workday on Friday, January 25. See the complete 2018-19 school year calendar.
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DATE CHANGE: Twain Middle School Transition Information Night
Rising 7th (current 6th grade) parents are invited to the Twain Middle School Transition Information Night on Monday, January 28, 2019. The IB program information overview begins at 5:00 p.m. and the rising 7th and 8th grade orientation begins at 6:00 p.m. At 7:00, the Advanced Academic and AVID programs will give an overview of their programs.
The event, in the Twain cafeteria, will include representatives from the following departments: Electives, English, ESOL, Health & PE,Mathematics, Student Services, Science, Social Studies, Special Education and World Languages
VDOE Student School Climate Survey Cancellation
Before the winter break, we notified you that students in grades 4-6 would be taking a statewide Student School Climate Survey mandated by the Virginia Department of Education. This survey was scheduled to be conducted from Monday, January 14, 2019 to Friday, February 8, 2019. Based on feedback from principals and school administrators, Dr. Brabrand, in collaboration and consultation with State Superintendent, has granted an exemption of the VDOE Student School Climate Survey for this year. Therefore, the VDOE Student School Climate survey will not be administered. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 703–329–2100.
Student Software Access
Dreambox and MyOn are two online learning programs we use often at Cameron. Both of these platforms are also available to use from home and are free of charge for student use.
Dreambox focuses on math and number skills. Students can login from home. From the Cameron Elementary website main page, click on "Resources" and then choose the link to "Student Links (Websites)". The login is the same at home and at school, and the website helps teachers track student progress. In Dreambox, the math skills are tailored to the progress of each student.
MyOn is a reading program that allows students to read and listen to books online. Like Dreambox, it is available from the "Student Links (Websites)" page of the Cameron website. Login works the same at home and at school, and students can catch up on reading, get ahead, or read additional texts using this tool.
Parents are encouraged to know their child's FCPS login information and encourage students to access learning tools from home as well as school. Students in grades 1-6 frequently log in at school and should know their login names and passwords.
SACC Open at 8 a.m. When Schools Are Delayed for Inclement Weather
On days when FCPS announces a two-hour delayed opening, School Age Child Care (SACC) centers will open at 8 a.m. for children enrolled in the Before-School session. The one-hour delayed opening of SACC is to provide additional time for road conditions to improve and be adequately assessed, and parking lots and sidewalks to be cleared as needed.
Note: The SACC program is run by Fairfax County Government, NOT FCPS.
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New Option for Reporting Student Absences
Submitting a student absence has never been easier thanks to our new online attendance form. Parents/guardians now have the ability to submit absences online.
The previous way of submitting absences via telephone at 703-329-2129 will continue to be available.
Box Tops Challenge
Box Tops for Education is running a contest through the month of January to win 30,000 Bonus Box Tops, as well as 3,000 pens. To enter, you must have a Box Tops login - you can sign up for free on the same website where you enter the contest. You can enter one time per day until January 31. If someone from Cameron wins, the school gets $3,000! The website to enter is boxtops4education.com.
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International Night
To celebrate our international Cameron families, we will be hosting International Night on Thursday, February 28, 2019 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Families are invited to participate in this celebration by:
- Dressing in your country's native costumes
- Preparing your country's native foods
- Sharing native crafts and customs
More information to follow soon!
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School Year 2019-2020 Immersion Program Information
Each year, rising kindergarteners and first graders have the chance to participate in Immersion programs available in French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish offered at: Bailey’s, Fort Hunt, Fox Mill, Great Falls, Kent Gardens, Lake Anne, Laurel Ridge, London Towne, Orange Hunt, Powell, Ravensworth, and Rose Hill elementary schools through a county-wide lottery process. Online registration for this lottery process opens on January 28, 2019. Registration is open to all rising kindergarteners and first graders living in Fairfax County. A SIS account is required to complete the application. If a student is not currently enrolled in FCPS, registration at the base school for the upcoming school year will be required. Please be aware that FCPS does not provide transportation for students who reside outside the attendance area of the immersion schools and a one-time fee of $100 must be paid upon acceptance of an out-of-boundary placement (see Notice 5922).
In the Immersion Program, children spend half of the day in the target language learning math, science, and health. Target language arts skills are integrated in the content area skills. The other half of the day is spent learning in English focusing on English language arts and social studies. The instructional program follows the Fairfax County Public Schools Program of Studies at each grade level. Math, science, and health were chosen because they use manipulatives and concrete, hands-on activities, both of which help with the natural second language acquisition process. Students are able to connect the skills learned across both languages.
Program Sites and Informational Meetings
The schools listed below offer county-wide Immersion Program enrollment in 2019-2020. Parents are encouraged to attend one of the informational meetings. Please see the dates for all meetings below
 Enrollment criteria and procedures are available at: https://www.fcps.edu/registration/world-languageimmersion-programs-registration.
Elementary Magnet Schools Information Nights to Be Held February 5, 6, 7; Applications Accepted March 5-April 4
Fairfax County Public Schools will be accepting applications for its elementary magnet school programs beginning Tuesday, March 5. Bailey’s Primary School for the Arts and Sciences will accept lottery applications for students who will be in grades K-2 during the 2019-20 school year; Bailey’s Upper School for the Arts and Sciences will accept applications for students in grades 3 and 4. Hunters Woods Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences will accept lottery applications for students who will enter grades K-6 during the 2019-20 school year. Selection for available magnet school spaces is based on a lottery. Registration for the elementary magnet school lottery closes on Thursday, April 4.
Parents are strongly encouraged to attend school-based information nights on Tuesday, February 5, for Bailey’s Primary; Wednesday, February 6, for Bailey’s Upper; and Thursday, February 7, for Hunters Woods. These information nights will provide the opportunity to learn about individual school programs, student eligibility, the lottery process, and available transportation.
Get additional details about parent information nights and the magnet school lottery
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PTA Updates
If you would like to know more about the PTA, please contact our PTA president, Adrienne Barge at cameronesptapres@gmail.com or check out their Facebook page (@CameronESPTA)!
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Staff Spotlight: Marie Sinchak
Marie Sinchak is in her fourth year as a teacher, but her first at Cameron. She teaches third grade as a Special Education Resource teacher. Ms. Sinchak grew up in Upstate New York (“NOT the city!”) and moved to Northern Virginia three years ago. She lives with her rescue dog, Siren, and in her spare time enjoys riding horses, painting, and exploring the DC area.
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