 Green Team harvesting at Frying Pan Farm Park!
Dear Families,
This fall, our Floris Green Team has been very busy with their fall harvest. On Wednesday, 28 members of the green team and 3 staff sponsors harvested vegetables from our garden plot at Frying Pan Farm Park. The students had a blast and were so very excited to pick all the produce…eggplant, kale, peppers, cherry tomatoes, squash and beans. The students also got to share some of the harvest with the chickens who loved the special morning treat. The produce from this harvest, was sold to visitors for a donation to the park, and the rest went to the food bank. The food bank was very grateful to be able to offer fresh veggies!
The Green Team, led by our counselor Sarah de Kramer, continues to provide Floris students the opportunity to learn about our eco-system through hands-on experiences. Depending on the time of year, they meet either at Floris or at Frying Pan Farm Park for cultivating, planting, and harvesting our gardens. In addition to maintaining our gardens at Frying Pan Farm Park, they have also transformed our outdoor classroom into a “Schoolyard Habitat” and are now recognized by the National Wildlife Federation. We are so thankful to Ms. de Kramer, all our parent volunteers and our partners at Frying Pan Farm Park for providing our students these wonderful opportunities.
On Wednesday our 4th, 5th and 6th graders were dazzled by New York Times Best Selling Author Stuart Gibbs. Miss Dowling, our librarian, used profits from our Spring Book Fair to host Mr. Gibbs and have him share with our upper grades about his writing process. As the author of 5 series, he told us where he finds his inspiration for each of his books including:
- The Philadelphia Zoo where he studied biology in college,
- NASA where one of his best friends, Garrett Reisman, is an astronaut,
- His obsession with James Bond, and
- His desire for girls to be more involved in STEAM.
His message was clear: being a writer is more about the ability to generate an idea that excites you. Students were engaged and left the presentation hopeful about the year ahead and what ideas they will develop!
REMINDER: Monday, October 14th, is a student holiday. We hope everyone enjoys the long weekend and we’ll see everyone back on Tuesday, October 15th.
Sincerely,
Gail Porter, Principal and Amanda Dorr, Assistant Principal
POSITIVITY TRAIT OF THE WEEK (October 14, 2019): INTEGRITY
What Does INTEGRITY Mean? You are honest and speak the truth. You present yourself genuinely and sincerely. INTEGRITY is doing the right thing when nobody is watching. People with INTEGRITY practice what they preach and maintain a consistent pattern of behavior aligned with their values.
Why does it Matter? INTEGRITY is vital to individual growth. It is correlated with a multitude of psychological well-being measures. Harmony in your feelings, thoughts, and actions makes you better able to personally grow and achieve goals.
INTEGRITY Quote of the Week: “Whoever is careless about the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.” – Albert Einstein
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News from Westfield High School
Westfield High School is hosting a screening of the film, Angst. The intent is for this movie to raise awareness around anxiety and start a dialogue amongst families and community members. We will have community agencies available before and after the movie screening to offer information and resources to attendees. After the film, we will have a panel discussion from about 7:30-8:00pm. Please see details below and feel free to share with Westfield Pyramid families:
What: Angst movie screening https://angstmovie.com/
When: Thursday, November 21st at 6:30pm. Doors open at 6pm
Where: Westfield High School auditorium (4700 Stonecroft Blvd Chantilly 20151)
 New York Times Best Selling Author Stuart Gibbs speaks to our 4th, 5th, & 6th graders!
The following is sent from & reflects the views of the Floris PTA
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Are you a 6th Grader? Do you love Math?
Then MathCounts is for you! This free program is a national enrichment, coaching and competition program promoting mathematics achievement through grassroots involvement in every U.S. state and territory. MathCounts runs from Oct 2019 to Jan 2020: Coaching and workout sessions on every Wednesday 5:30pm - 6:30pm the first club meet will be Oct 16,2019 at Reston library and in the Floris Library thereafter. Register by October 16th HERE!
Our Next Box Top Store is October 17th during ALL Lunchtimes!
Bring your box tops to school on Thursday, Oct. 17th and shop the Box Tops Store in the cafeteria during lunch time. Floris PTA 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.
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!
Helping Hands – Thursday, November 14th 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Looking for ways to help your teacher? Please join us 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, Oct 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
We are looking for an energetic, organized parent to Chair our upcoming Spirit Ball! The ball is scheduled for November 8th. Are you that someone we are looking for? If so, contact florispta.pres@gmail.com. We are also currently recruiting volunteers for our Chair/Organizer Positions: Walk in My Shoes, Reflections, Spirit Events, Bingo Night, Movie Night, Spirit Wear.
Harris Teeter – Together in Education
(You must 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.
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