Sleepy Hollow News

Calendar Reminder: 2019-20 School Year to Start on Monday, August 26

It’s hot and the calendar just turned to August, but as a reminder the first day of school for the 2019-20 school year will be Monday, August 26, 2019; the last day will be Friday, June 12, 2020. See the 2019-20 school year calendar. 

Fairfax County Public Library’s Summer Reading Adventure Continues

Many studies have found that reading for pleasure is beneficial for kids in many ways including keeping up their reading skills over the summer and helping them succeed in school.

Fairfax County Public Library helps make reading fun by providing tools, access, and incentives during its Summer Reading Adventure. Held in cooperation with Fairfax County Public Schools, the Summer Reading Adventure runs now through August 31 and invites all children and teens—birth through high school—to read for fun over the summer. This year’s theme is “It’s Showtime at Your Library!”

To participate, register online or visit a branch.

Family Life Education Instructional Program Information

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) provides a comprehensive, sequential Family Life Education (FLE) program for students in grades kindergarten through grade twelve. Instruction is seen as a partnership among parents and guardians, the school, and the community in supporting the learning essential to the development of strong families, positive relationships, and a healthy community.

Parents/guardians may choose to opt their child out of all or part of the Family Life Education program. Students who are opted out are provided with age-appropriate, nonpunitive alternative health instruction, and every effort is made to foster respect for family choices. If you wish to opt your child out of all or part of FLE for this school year, opt out forms will be included in your child’s back-to-school/orientation packets and are available online for Elementary (K-6) https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-school-academics-k-6/elementary-family-life-education ,

Middle School (7-8) https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle-school-academics-7-8/family-life-education-fle,

and High School (9-12) https://www.fcps.edu/academics/high-school-academics-9-12/family-life-education-fle.

Please fill in the opt-out form and return it to your child’s school prior to Family Life Education instruction.

Detailed grade-level program descriptions are available online at Elementary (K-6) , Middle School (7-8) , and High School (9-12). FLE grade level-specific lessons and media that FCPS has streaming rights for are available for parents online in FCPS 24-7 (Blackboard) Parent View https://fcps.blackboard.com/. Account information is available at your local school or online at http://www.fcps.edu/is/instructionaltechnology/247help/parents.shtml. Grade level-specific lessons are also available at the Fairfax County Regional Library in the City of Fairfax (this location does not have media). Grade level-specific lessons and media that is not streamed online are available for review at your child’s school library. Due to copyright permissions, we are unable to stream all media online.

Program questions may be addressed at your child’s school or by contacting Instructional Services at 571-423-4550 or by contacting Elizabeth Payne, Health and Physical Education Coordinator at etpayne@fcps.edu.

Register Now for September Workshops

9/6/19 Power Struggles: Knowing When to Walk Away 

Attend this important workshop, presented by Michele Tureaud and Lori Kraden, FCPS Behavior Intervention Teachers, to understand characteristics of power struggles.

Highlights will include:  •    Recognizing power struggles •    Identifying why power struggles occur •    Strategies for parents

Friday, September 6, 2019 10 a.m.-noon

Register for Power Struggles: Knowing When to Walk Away

9/20/19 Getting Past Procrastination: How to Get Your Kids Organized, Focused, and Motivated...Without Being the Bad Guy 

Like any parent, you want your child to succeed. The problem is, otherwise smart and capable kids frequently find themselves stuck in a tumultuous, never-ending struggle with procrastination, motivation, and organization.

Join us for this workshop to learn how to:

• Discover the hidden emotional causes of procrastination
• Put good behavior on autopilot using the power of habit
• Use “The Organizational Arsenal”: Tools and strategies to keep even the most scattered kids on track
• Use examples of scripts to spark motivation, address problems, and communicate with your child without being labeled the “Bad Guy.”

Presented by Ann Dolin, M.Ed., educational consultant and award-winning author.  Ann is the President and Director of Educational Connections, Inc.

Friday, September 20 2019 10 a.m.-noon

Register for Getting Past Procrastination: How to Get Your Kids Organized, Focused, and Motivated...Without Being the Bad Guy

9/27/19 Voices from the IEP Table: Perspectives on Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families 

This workshop explores the individual perspectives of IEP meeting participants who work with students who are culturally and linguistically diverse.

Join us for this workshop to learn how to:

Join us for this workshop to learn:

• Best practices for working with students with diverse backgrounds
• Practical suggestions for improving the experiences of teams serving the students with diverse backgrounds. Including:
• Home-school communication
• IEP Meetings
• Cross-cultural interactions

Presented by Karrin Lukacs, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Shenandoah University and Sherry Steeley, PhD., Associate Professor at Georgetown University

Friday, September 27, 2019 10 a.m.-noon

Register for Voices from the IEP Table: Perspectives on Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families