Churchill Chatter - Issue 6, October 2, 2019
In This Week's Issue
- Mr. Hutzel's letter to the community
- 2019-2020 SCA Officers Inducted
- Getting to Know Churchill: Mikaela Antonio, Special Education Lead Teacher
- FLE Parent Preview Night October 22 and AAP Information Night October 28
- CRS Calendar of Upcoming Events
- CRS PTA News - join the PTA and enter the PTA Reflections Art Contest
Message from Mr. Hutzel
Dear Churchill Road Community,
After 35 years working in the field of education, 20 of which have been at Churchill Road Elementary School, I have made the decision to retire with my official retirement date being January 1, 2020. Douglas Tyson, the Region 1 Assistant Superintendent, will be in communication with our community about the next-steps in the principal identification process. It is my hope that a new principal will be identified by Winter Break, as that time provides an ideal opportunity for the new principal to transition into the leadership of our school.
As you may imagine, I have spent a great deal of time pondering my decision to retire. Although I thoroughly enjoy my job as principal of Churchill Road, a combination of personal and professional factors make this the best time for me to leave. In the near future, I’ll be tackling a variety of projects around my house, and assisting my aging parents. I plan to continue to be involved with my hobbies of photography, bonsai, bicycling, reading, and traveling, as well. I intend to volunteer at some worthwhile venues in our area, and it’s not improbable that I’ll return to the field of education in some capacity.
There have been many changes, challenges, and accomplishments during my tenure, and I have always enjoyed my time at Churchill Road Elementary School. Over the years, I have been so impressed with the accomplishments of our children and the outstanding support of their parents. I have been truly amazed at the professionalism, enterprise, and commitment of our teachers! I am proud that I am leaving a school that has embraced many cutting-edge educational initiatives. Our amazing campus, one-to-one technology, and vibrant student programming are some examples of these endeavors. I am confident that with the guidance of our excellent teachers and the support of our parents, our school will continue to prosper and flourish!
Being an educator has been important to me and my time at Churchill Road has been the fulfillment of a life’s dream. I’m looking forward to the next chapter of my life, but my memories of the families and staff at Churchill Road Elementary School will always hold a special place in my heart.
Sincerely,
Don Hutzel
2019-2020 SCA Officers Inducted
On Friday, September 27, Churchill Road Elementary School held the induction ceremony for its newly elected Student Council Association (SCA) officers for 2019-2020: President – Katie M.; Vice President – Aiden Y.; Secretary – Finn M.; Historian – Julie D.; Treasurer – JonDavid B.; and Sergeant at Arms – Christopher Q. Mr. Hutzel, CRS Principal, and Marya M,. Langley High School Student Government Association, addressed the Churchill Road student body. Congratulations to all our new officers! Thank you to SCA sponsor Jordan Craig-Kuhn for organizing this ceremony, as well as the first spirit day of the school year (below).
Getting to Know Churchill: Mikaela Antonio,
Special Education Lead Teacher
Meet Mikaela Antonio, Churchill Road’s Special Education Lead Teacher. In her new role, Ms. Antonio is excited to work closely with families as they go through the special education process. Ms. Antonio came to Churchill Road after receiving her B.A. in Multidisciplinary Studies in Special Education from Marymount University. Now in her seventh year at Churchill, she enjoys working with students and seeing how much they progress from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. She particularly loves co-teaching with Ms. Rook (it’s their 4th year together) and finds Virginia history fascinating! Currently working toward her M.Ed in Education Leadership from George Mason University, Ms. Antonio is also called on to serve as school administrator when Mr. Hutzel and Ms. Niccolls are off-campus.
Ms. Antonio’s love for teaching and all things Churchill is infectious. Over the years she has participated in multiple curriculum committees, been a teacher mentor, student mentor, Rise Against Hunger volunteer, SCA sponsor (along with Mr. CK) and even choreographed last year’s wildly popular end-of-year music video with Ms. Diorio.
Ms. Antonio was born in Washington, D.C., then lived in Burtonsville, Maryland for 20+ years where she played varsity softball in high school. A Maryland girl at heart, she loves crabs, Old Bay, the Baltimore Orioles AND fondly remembers Maryland Studies -- to this day able to name the state flower, state sport, and sing a little bit of the state song. Ms. Antonio was the first in her family to be born in the United States and has family all over the world, including the Philippines, Ireland, Canada and within the U.S., California, Georgia, Florida, Chicago, Ohio and North Carolina.
Ms. Antonio loves living in the Washington area, with all that the four seasons offer, as well as the accessibility to different activities, like museums, sporting events, and great restaurants. She also loves that it’s not too far away from her hometown.
When not at Churchill she can be found spending time with friends, family, and her two dogs -- Jax and Harley. She’s slowly learning how to cook thanks to HelloFresh and hopes to utilize these new-found culinary skills during the holidays when she spends time with her extended family and friends.
Ms. Antonio recently got engaged; on top of teaching duties, new lead teacher duties, and graduate school, she has the exciting task of planning a wedding! She really does love to keep busy! She and her fiancé like to dress up for Halloween or when going to comic book conventions. One of their favorite costumes was dressing up as Guardians of the Galaxy with some friends at ‘Awesome Con’. Ms. Antonio went all out last year, dressing as a holiday tree! Who knows what this year will bring? Ms. Antonio attributes her fiancé’s adventurous streak as pushing her to her limits, forcing her to challenge (but not totally overcome) her fear of heights by going on the glass observation deck on Willis Tower, CN tower, and even bungee jumping.
We look forward to all the expertise and enthusiasm Ms. Antonio brings to her new role, as well as the energy and creativity she exudes at Churchill Road. We can’t wait to this year’s end of year music video.
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Walk and Bike to School Day
ESOL teacher Mrs. Williams greets walkers and bike riders on National Walk and Bike to School Day, passing out special bracelets for the participants.
Mother Nature cooperated with Walk and Bike to School Day for a great student turnout. Thanks to all the families who participated and to PE teachers Ms. Gift and Mr. Varhol, and all the CRS staff members who helped with this fun and healthy event.
Cheer Winners of the Week
Congratulations to our Churchill Cheer winners for the week of September 30. Cheers are given to students who follow the four R’s. This week’s winners are: Karis Jeon (K); Finn Armour (Grade 1); Audrey Stover (Grade 2); Pranav Mathapati (Grade 3); and Kaylee Newgen (Grade 4). Our winners for Art are: Gaheon Lee (K-2) and Angelina Pagan (3-4). Remember, at CRS we follow the four R’s. We respect ourselves, we respect others, we respect property, we respect the Earth, and we are responsible.
McLean Project for the Arts
13th Annual MPAartfest
Sunday, October 6
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
McLean Central Park
Art. Music. Food. Fun! Come and see Churchill Road student artwork. For more information:
www.McLeanProjectForTheArts.org
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New to FCPS Level IV Referral Information
(New to FCPS 3rd-6th grade students only)
If you are interested in having your child in grades 3-6 screened for full-time Level IV services and are new to FCPS, a referral must be submitted by October 10, 2019. Contact Esther Lee, Churchill Road Advanced Academic Resource teacher (AART) at eclee1@fcps.edu with questions.
Additional information on FCPS’ continuum of Advanced Academics services is available on the FCPS website: https://www.fcps.edu/registration/advanced-academics-identification-and-placement.
Advanced Academic Program Details and
Parent Information Meeting
A parent information meeting will be held at Churchill Road E.S. on Tuesday, October 22, 2019 from 7:00-8:00 PM in the Exploratory Arts Room. Esther Lee, Churchill Road’s Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, will provide information about levels of service and examples at Churchill Road E.S., as well as explain and answer questions about the screening process for full-time Level IV services. The meeting is open to all K-6 parents.
More information on FCPS's Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) elementary continuum of services is available on the Churchill Road website: https://churchillroades.fcps.edu/academics/advanced-academic-programs .
Please direct any questions to Esther Lee, Churchill Road's Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, at eclee1@fcps.edu.
FLE Information Night on October 28
You are invited to attend an evening opportunity to preview the Family Life Education media and lessons. Ms. Niccolls, CRS Assistant Principal, and teachers from various grade levels, will be available to answer questions about the lessons. The meeting will be held on Monday, October 28 at 7:00 PM in the Churchill Road library. All program materials and media for all grade levels will be available for your review at this time.
More information about the FCPS Family Life Education program, including detailed grade-level program descriptions, is available at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-family-life-education-fle.
To preview Family Life Education (FLE) materials, each parent will have to have access to SIS and FCPS 24-7 Learning (Blackboard).
Once you gain access to your Parent FCPS 24-7 Learning (Blackboard) account, click on the “Curriculum” tab at the top of the page. All FLE Lessons are arranged by grade-level.
Program questions may be addressed to Ms. Niccolls, jniccolls@fcps.edu, CRS Assistant Principal.
CRS Calendar of Upcoming Events
Wednesday, October 2 - Friday, October 4
Cognitive Abilities Testing (CogAT) for Grade 2, Classrooms, 8:45-10:00 a.m.
Wednesday, October 2
Martha's Table Sandwich Making, GR 1,3,5, Cafeteria, 3:30-4:15
Monday, October 14
Student Holiday
Tuesday, October 22
AAP Parent Information Night, Exploratory Arts Room, 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 24
Make-ups for Fall Picture Day
Monday, October 28
FLE Preview Night, CRS Library, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 31
Spooky Halloween Concert and Parade (K-2), Track, 9:00 a.m.
Join the PTA!
Have you joined the PTA yet? Help support Churchill Road and your child’s educational experience! Plus CRS PTA membership provides access to priority registration for After School Activities; discounts on family activities and the CRS Yearbook; Go Home Notes to schedule early pickups, play dates and transportation changes; and much more! Learn more at http://www.churchillroadpta.org/membership.
Enter our Arts Contest
All CRS students are invited to participate in the Reflections art contest! Reflections is the National PTA program that encourages students to reflect on a specific theme and create original artwork for fun and recognition. Students can submit entries in one or more of the following categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, and Visual Arts. Details and rules are on our website at http://www.churchillroadpta.org/reflections. The deadline for submissions is Friday, October 18.
Links to PTA News
Link to the CRS PTA homepage:
http://www.churchillroadpta.org/
Link to the PTA Week-at-a-Glance:
https://churchillroadpta.membershiptoolkit.com/newsletters
As outlined by FCPS Regulation 1367.2, school principals shall offer options to nonprofit organizations that want to make their materials available to students and parents. At Churchill Road, non-profit organizations will be permitted to send home flyers in the take home folder 4 times during the year. The dates for the 2019-2020 school year are the weeks of September 16, December 2, March 2 and May 4. These fliers must be related to the school’s educational mission and be age-appropriate. Community organizations must submit their materials in advance to the school’s principal and must include the disclaimer “These materials are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Fairfax County School Board, the Superintendent, or this School.” Once approved, the organization will be required to make the copies necessary for distribution. Any questions can be directed to Kim Moran, Churchill Road's Public Relations Liaison.
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