 Dear Families,
This past Tuesday our PTA held their first monthly meeting of the school year. We had a great turnout including a lot of new faces. Our PTA is the heartbeat of our school community. We are so grateful for all their support and hard work to contribute to the growth of our school, bring grade level enrichment to our classrooms, to provide after-school fun and educational programs for our students and all kinds of fun family activities throughout the school year. I encourage all to join the PTA and see if you can find some time to volunteer.
GREAT NEWS! This fall, our outdoor classroom is getting a major overhaul. A huge thank you to our PTA for their significant donation to this upgrade. We couldn’t have done it without you. The picture above provides you the vision of what it will look like when complete. We are excited to get started and please pardon our dust as construction will commence within the next two weeks.
Don’t forget to check out below the Positivity Trait for next week.
The weather looks wonderful for this weekend, so we hope you find time to get outside and enjoy!
Sincerely,
Gail Porter, Principal and Amanda Dorr, Assistant Principal
POSITIVITY TRAIT OF THE WEEK (September 23, 2019): TEAMWORK
What Does TEAMWORK Mean? You work well as a member as a group or team. You are loyal and sacrifice your individual desires for the greater good. Team work is the ability and willingness to place overall group success as a higher priority than an individual achievement.
Why does it Matter? Our ability to work effectively within group structures is tied directly to the group’s ability to succeed. In schools and workplaces across the world, commitment to teamwork and to the “greater good” helps further learning and achievement for all group members. Maintaining the idea that “Other People Matter” is essential to any successful team environment.
TEAMWORK Quote of the Week: : “I am a member of a team, and I rely on a team. I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion.” -MIA HAMM
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ADVANCED ACADEMIC PROGRAMS (AAP) ELEMENTARY CONTINUUM OF SERVICES
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) 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 Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs). Teachers, administrators, and Advanced Academic Resource Teachers (AARTs) 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 at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-school-academics-k-6/advanced-academics.
Elementary Parent Information Meeting
A parent information meeting will be held at Floris Elementary on October 3 at 6PM in the Cafeteria. The AART will provide information about levels of service and examples at Floris ES, as well as explain and answer questions about the screening processes for part-time school-based and full-time Level IV services.
Ability Testing
In the fall, the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) is administered to all FCPS first grade students and the CogAT- Custom Form is administered to all FCPS second grade students. During the fall testing cycle, the NNAT and/or Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) may be administered to students in Grades 3-6 who do not have an ability test score.
Parents or guardians may exercise a one-time retest option during the fall testing cycle. Please contact Amy Albanese, AART no later than September 15, to request a one-time retest for either the NNAT or CogAT.
Please do not wait for test scores before submitting a referral for your student in Grades 2-7 as there will be no referrals for Level IV screening accepted past the January 9, 2020 deadline. If you are waiting for test scores and would like your student screened for Level IV, please submit the referral by the published deadline (even if you have not received the test scores for your student).
The following is sent from & reflects the views of the Floris PTA
PTA News and Upcoming Events
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Before/After School Enrichment Programs Start Tuesday, September 24th!
At this time all registered students have been added to the roster and Enrichment Matter (EM) has sent it to our front office. On the day of the assigned class, students will report to the cafeteria, where our EM coordinator will take attendance and see each child attends the correct class. Classes end at either 5p or 5:15p, please check your registration confirmation for exact times. Student can be picked up at the cafeteria door (off the blacktop) after they have been signed out by the approved adult(s). Please remind your student on the day of class that they are altering their normal end of day routine in the morning and night before.
Do you remember starting school when you were in Kindergarten?
The vastness of the school. The hugeness of the classroom. The structure. And let’s not for get - THE RULES, so many rules. It feels so overwhelming for the youngest of our community. That feeling also happens for us, their parents. We feel scared, excited and overwhelmed by this new chapter. The PTA would like to help. We invite our kindergarten families to come join us for a KINDERGARTEN PIZZA PARTY on 9/24/19 @ 5:30pm. Come meet families, classmates, other teachers, and start to network. Kindergarten is just the beginning, let’s start with a great support system! This event is for Kindergarten families only.
Are you a Friend of Floris?
Friends of Floris is a single, straight-donation fundraiser, operated solely by the PTA. Donation starting at $80 per student or $150 for families with 2 or more. Benefits include two free memberships to the PTA and a front row seat to the exciting activities that happen all year long. Any donation of $250 and above includes those items, and I’ll add a FREE 2019-2020 yearbook. The class with the highest contributions wins a pizza party! DONATE TODAY!
Do you have Box Tops?
The Box Top Store is BACK! September 19th is the first store for the school year!!!
Bring your box tops to school on Thursday, Sept. 19th and shop the Box Tops Store in the cafeteria during lunch time. The store will have all types of goodies for you to “purchase” with box tops. We will have toys, stickers, pens, pencils and more! We have something for you, even if you have just one box top. Find a list of participating products on the box top website.
The store will return every Third Thursday DURING lunch periods. Students must bring the box tops with them to lunch and based off the amount they possess they can make a “purchase.” NO CURRENCY IS NEEDED.
Movie Night – Friday, October 4th 6:00 p.m.
We will have our first of two yearly movie nights, on 10/4/19. Two movies (TBD) will be shown on movie night, in the cafeteria and the library. Doors will open at 5:40pm. Show time is 6:00pm. Bring the whole family along with your pillows and blankets! Wear your pajamas! Enjoy pizza, popcorn and other confections. The cost is $6/person (4 for $20). Both movies will be raffled off at the end of the night! Raffle tickets $1. Parents, please remember, this is a family event - you must accompany your child. This is NOT a drop off event.
Spirit Wear Store is now OPEN
Don’t delay, order your Eagles wear today! Check out our online spirit wear store open now until October 6th at midnight (MDT)! No late orders will be accepted. Show your Floris Pride. Check out the Store.
Helping Hands – Thursday, October 3rd 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Looking for ways to help your teacher? Please join us on October 3rd from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Green Workroom. Any time you can spare is always appreciated! Read more about it on our website. Sign up now!
PTA Membership Meeting – Wednesday, October 16th 6 p.m.
You are invited to attend our first PTA meeting of the school year on Wednesday, October 16th, at 6 p.m. in the Cafeteria. Most meetings will be held on the third Wednesday of the month. Check out the full schedule on our website. PTA leadership and Floris administrative leadership will be present to answer your questions. Learn more about how we organize student enrichment programs, foster a strong community, and support our Floris teachers and staff. And learn how you can get involved in making a difference! Now is a great time to Join PTA!
Volunteers Needed – PTA Committees & Chair Positions
Are you looking for a way to get more involved in Floris PTA? Do you love Floris ES and want to learn more about how you can support your child's education? WE WANT YOU! We are currently recruiting volunteers for our to Chair/Organizer Positions: Science Fair, Walk in My Shoes, Spirit Events, Bingo Night, Movie Night, Girls on the Run, Box Tops, Spirit Wear. There are so many great ways to get involved! Which one will you choose? Please email the Nominating Committee to learn more!
Harris Teeter – Together in Education
(You have to register your card every school year!!)
Harris Teeter's Together in Education program gives schools a chance to earn funds when you link your VIC card and shop Harris Teeter brands. Harris Teeter has donated over $27.4 million to Together in Education schools since 1998! When you shop Harris Teeter brands, a percentage of your purchase is donated to your school. There are NO LIMITS to how much a school can earn. Link your card now online or in the store by mentioning Floris Elementary School PTA or code 5921. Thank you!
Giant – A+ School Rewards
Giant’s A+ School Rewards is an easy way to earn money for Floris! Link your Giant Card by logging in or registering online. Once you are logged into your account, you may select Floris Elementary as your school. This money does not come through the PTA, but goes directly to the school.
Amazon Smile – Earn Money for Floris PTA While You Shop
This is the easiest way to raise money to support our kids! Click the link. Shop on Amazon. Done! Bookmark it and use it for all of your Amazon purchases.
Volunteer – Your Gift to the Floris Community
There are so many opportunities here at Floris to get involved and to support your kids. Learn more about what is happening right now. Sign up for future opportunities.
Message from our PTA President
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