News & Announcements
March 15, 2019
Hello McNair Families,
Thank you to our wonderful sixth grade students who helped with Pi Night. It was a wonderful and successful night, because all of the support and help we received from our teachers and students. We couldn’t have done it without you! Below are the names of our wonderful sixth grade students.
Angela S., Tanmayee M., Ayisha A., Anabella H., Akshara R., Alina R., Rohan M., Isabelle B., Kianka O., Kayden S., Zoe C., Ilakkiya V., Eric W., Niranjana E., Mona P., Melissa A., Annanya B., Srishiti R., Shivali V., Akshara S., Banu K., Veidta U., Advait K., Riti L., Joshika A., Sahasra K., Mahika B., Shreya S., Jeev Suhas J., Adarsh B., Shaivya V., Sid R., Hamsika R., Amna M., Aishetha N., Emerson R., Simrit M., Devlyn M.
A special thank you for Ms. Ferraro and Ms. Hosseini for making this night a special one for all of our students and their families!
Announcement for 4th, 5th and 6th Grade Families
We know that everyone is excited to put their baking skills to use after our assembly yesterday courtesy of King Arthur Flour. We hope that everyone will bake 2 loaves of bread. One for your family to enjoy, and one to be donated to our partner, Link Food Pantry, in Herndon. Please bring your bread for donation in on Monday morning, March 18th. We will have a collection station in the lobby. If you have already baked bread, or would like to bake before the weekend, bread can be frozen and brought in on Monday.
We can’t wait to see and then donate all the beautiful loaves of bread our students bake for others!
Resources for Parents and Students- Momo Challenge
It has come to our attention that a “game” called the Momo Challenge has begun appearing on social media, primarily through WhatsApp. Although believed to be a viral hoax, the game targets primarily elementary aged children, and engages the “players” in a series of increasingly dangerous tasks, including self-harming acts. A message to alert parents (below) has been created for your reference and/or use in upcoming newsletters or other communication you will have with parents.
In Fairfax County schools, county agencies and families are working together to create an environment where children and youth can safely learn, work, and play. Similar to our message containing information about the 13 Reasons Why NETFLIX program and the Blue Whale Challenge, we are sending this communication to alert you to a recent rise in new games and social media challenges that encourage young people to participate in harmful behavior.
One example of this is a potentially harmful game called the “Momo Challenge" that has reportedly been posted on different social media platforms to include WhatsApp and assigns players a series of progressively more intense tasks, to include self-harm. It is important to note that the Momo Challenge is a hoax that has received a significant amount of media attention.
This hoax has been seen across the United States in recent months, targeting primarily elementary aged children. Vigilant parents and guardians in Fairfax County have also reported seeing information about the Momo Challenge or similar games on their children's phones and have alerted school authorities.
Please talk to your child about this type of internet hoax, and check his or her phone or other device for signs of an app or communications with anyone telling them to do specific tasks. This provides an excellent opportunity to remind your child of best practices for internet safety and digital citizenship:
- Remind your child information shared on social media is not always true and how quickly misinformation can create a panic online.
- Children should never engage in conversations with strangers online.
- Be aware of the sites and apps your children are using and know their usernames and passwords.
- Turn off suggested autoplay on videos to stop children from viewing content they have not selected, and you have not approved.
- If appropriate, tell your children that Momo is not real and will not hurt them.
- Encourage open dialogue with them around any concerns.
FCPS has additional resources available on this website: https://www.fcps.edu/node/32086. If you have concerns about your child, please contact your school counselor. Please be aware that a number of mental health resources are available, including Fairfax County Public School resources: School Counseling Services at 571-423- 4420, School Psychology Services at 571-423-4250, and School Social Work Services at 571-423-4300 and Fairfax County resources: Crisis Link Hotline at 703-527-4077, Merrifield Emergency Services 703-573-5679 (available 24/7) or Entry and Referral during business hours at 703-383-8500. The Fairfax County Police Department non-emergency number is 703-691-2131.
More information about the Momo Challenge and other internet challenges or hoaxes is available at these links:
Jump Hope for Heart
Our awesome PE team will be starting their jump rope unit soon. As a part of this unit, we participate in a school fundraiser, Jump Rope for Heart, in which all proceeds raised will be donated to the American Heart Association.
Please take time to read the fundraiser packets that will be sent home this week.
Mustangs win big at Virginia State Chess Championship
Third year in a row, McNair Chess Team has beat the competition at Virginia State Scholastic Championship Tournaments and came home with a truckload of trophies and medals. Forty players from grades 2-6 participated 6 sections in the 2 day tournament held at Charlottesville, VA last weekend. Here is the list of Mustangs who crushed the opponents on the board:
Section: K-3 U600
Top 20 Individual Standings
1st place: Jithin K.
3rd place: Shreya D.
5th place: Siddharth M.
6th place: Blessie S.
7th place: Vibhava B.
15th place: Dhivij B.
19th place: Kristo K.
Team Standing
1st place: McNair Elementary
Section: K-3 Championship
Top 20 Individual Standings
12th place: Adhiraiyan A.
20th place: Saatvik G.
Team Standing
2nd place: McNair Elementary
Section: K-5 U1000
Top 20 Individual Standings
1st place: Sharveen B.
9th place: Abhiraj T.
18th place: Aditya P.
19th place: Hrishi B.
Team Standing
1st place: McNair Elementary
Section: K-5 Championship
Top 20 Individual Standings
14th place: Christina L.
15th place: Sunmay P.
Team Standing
1st place: McNair Elementary
Section: K-5 Blitz
Top 10 Individual Standings
7th place: Christina L.
Team Standing
1st place: McNair Elementary
Section: K-8 U1200
Top 20 Individual Standings
2nd place: Prithul B.
4th place: Yuvraj K.
9th place: Nishanth K.
10th place: Ashrith A.
Team Standing
1st place: McNair Elementary
Section: K-8 Championship
Top 20 Individual Standings
7th place: Arnav G.
Team Standing
3rd place: McNair Elementary
Section: K-12/College Blitz
Top 10 Individual Standings
4th place: Arnav G.
Team Standing
2nd place: McNair Elementary
McNair PTA thanks Ms.Chin and Coach Paul for all their hard work coaching the team and bringing out the best in our Mustangs! Thanks to all the teachers, administrators and staff at McNair for their unwavering support to Chess! And, thanks to all the parents for their commitment and encouragement to the kids.
Please attend the PTA meeting on March 27th at 6:30pm to celebrate the chess team’s success and congratulate our chess players on their splendid performance.
STEAM Summer Camp (new!)
McNair PTA is excited to host a new STEAM summer camp run by our STEAM Lab Teacher, Mrs. Cosgrove. Campers will learn programming with scratch, work with Ozobots, design and build a variety of roller coasters and much more! For more information and registration, please visit McNair PTA website.
Afterschool Clubs - Spring Season (new clubs!)
Registrations for After School clubs (Spring season) is open and clubs are filling up fast. Registration closes on Sunday, March 24th. For more information, please visit After School Clubs section on McNair PTA website.
Regards,
Vijay Arthanari
President, McNair PTA
Upcoming Events...
March 21st and March 22nd- Aladdin Musical at 7:00 p.m.
March 26th- Westfield Pyramid Digital Citizenship Parent Night at 6:15 p.m. at Wes
March 27th- PTA Meeting at 6:30 p.m.
Educationally Yours,
Mrs. Goddin
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