WAKEFIELD FOREST ES Weekly Message

playground

Lots of smiling faces on the first day of school!

Back to School Night is Wednesday, September 18
We are looking forward to seeing you at Back to School Night on Wednesday, September 18.  The schedule is as follows:

6:30 – 7:00 pm: Special Education Open House in Library
  Level II/III Advanced Academics Overview in the STEAM Lab (T-119)
  ESOL Overview in the Art Room (503)
  PTA Reception in the Cafeteria
7:05 – 7:50 pm: Session I in Classrooms
8:00 – 8:30 pm: Session II in Classrooms

Session 1 is 15 minutes longer to account for principal, PTA president, and School Board member video messages.  Session II is a repeat of Session I, without the videos, in order to allow parents with more than one student at WFES to attend sessions with multiple teachers.

Additional parking is available in back of St. Matthew’s Church on Virginia Ave.
Please remember that Back to School Night is not designed for student attendance.

Here Comes the Bus Mobile App
As a result of the Transportation Services' strategic plan, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has decided to pilot the Here Comes the Bus® mobile app at all FCPS locations.  Know when your bus is approaching your stop!  Here Comes the Bus® app is a school bus tracking app that can simplify morning and afternoon routines for parents and students by giving them real-time bus location and text or email notification alerts, helping them get to the bus stop on time. Here Comes the Bus® utilizes our GPS data and an easy to use customizable map that works on one or multiple devices, such as a tablet or smartphone.

For more information, please go to the following:
https://www.fcps.edu/resources/safety-and-transportation/transportation-services/here-comes-bus-mobile-app

You will need a Student Information System (SIS) Parent Account in order to use the app.  Please contact the WFES office at 703-503-2300 if you do not have an SIS Parent Account.  If you are having technical difficulties with the app once you are signed in, please contact the Facilities and Transportation (FTS) Customer Service Team at 571-423-2400; unfortunately, individual schools don’t have the capability to help you with the app.

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 were included in your child’s back-to-school 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 teacher or to the office 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 directed to your child’s teacher or by contacting Instructional Services at 571-423-4550 or by contacting Elizabeth Payne, Health and Physical Education Coordinator at etpayne@fcps.edu.

Two Weeks at a Glance

Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 4
2:50 – 3:20 pm: Patrol Officers Meeting

Wednesday, September 11
2:50 – 3:20 pm: SCA Officers Meeting

Friday, September 13
2:20 – 3:20 pm: Grades 5 and 6 Electives Assembly