Daniels Run Down-Family Edition, October 18, 2019

Greetings Families,

As you read this, my son and I are enjoying the sights and sounds of Seattle, WA.  My brother has lived there for 15 years and I decided to take a few days and take my son out for a visit.  Our educational experiences take place inside and outside of a traditional school building. However, you do not need to travel 3,000 miles for learning opportunities.  I encourage you and your family to take advantage of the great learning opportunities we have within the City of Fairfax, as well as the greater Washington DC area.  Please mark your calendar for some important events:

  • Saturday, October 26th - VolunteerFest at DRES 9:30-12:30  
  • Monday, October 28th - Our October Principal Coffee will be in the Science lab from 9-10 AM and we will discuss our  environmental program.

Have a great weekend,

Chris Smith

DRES Principal


Front Bus Loop

For the safety of our students and families cars should not be entering the bus loop in the front of the school between 8:30 and 9:05. If you are dropping your child off by car, please use the Kiss and Ride drop off.

Thank you for your cooperation.


Thank you!

A great big dragon thank you to Ms. Piller and Mrs. Forbes (formerly Ms. Levine) for a fabulous field day. We all appreciate the planning and preparing that went into such a successful day.
Thank you also to all our incredible volunteers. The day would not have been possible without your help and support. We are very grateful.


City of Fairfax Schools Update

As a school in the City of Fairfax, we are able to have the benefits of a small community while also taking advantage of the opportunities provided within the larger Fairfax County. We encourage our City of Fairfax Schools families to connect with the City. To learn more about our unique relationship, please visit the City of Fairfax website. You can also follow the City Schools on Facebook (City of Fairfax Schools) and Twitter (@FairfaxSchools or Dr. Pajardo, the Superintendent @DrPhyllPajardo).


FCPS Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities (ACSD)

The FCPS Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities (ACSD) is holding a Meet and Greet for families, staff, and community members to learn about our committee's role in advising the school board and superintendent about needs for special education in FCPS. The Meet and Greet will be held on Tuesday, October 22 from 7-9 pm at Luther Jackson MS in Falls Church. Staff from the FCPS Office of Special Services will be present to introduce themselves as well. All families, staff, and community members are welcome. 


October is Dyslexia Awareness Month

To enhance understanding of Dyslexia, FCPS is offering free services to parents and families on phonological awareness.  This open house will be held on Thursday, October 24 from 10-11am.  Registrants will be able to browse exhibit tables and learn about next steps for FCPS students with dyslexia.  For more information and to register click here.   


Portrait of a Graduate Spotlight

What is Portrait of a Graduate? 

At Daniels Run Elementary, we believe in developing skills that will empower our students to be productive citizens of a global community and successful in the workforce of the future. 

You might be wondering, ok? How do you do that? 

Our focus is to develop five specific attributes within our all our students: communicating, collaborating, creative and critical thinking, becoming global and ethical citizens, as well as goal directed and resilient individuals. Within each of these attributes there are five to six specific skills teachers and students focus on throughout their day. 

What does this look like in my child’s classroom?

Teaching Portrait of a Graduate skills can look many different ways at Daniels Run. It can range from playing a collaborative game to persuading City of Fairfax government about a concern they may have to older students teaching younger students the importance of our carbon footprint!

In these Portrait of a Graduate spotlights we will highlight each attribute along with the skills students are focusing on this year. We will also be sharing many examples of how your children are growing as Communicators, Collaborators, Creative and Critical Thinkers, Global and Ethical Citizens, and Goal Directed and Resilient Individuals.

 


Impact Aid Forms

Beginning on October 21, FCPS will be asking all families to fill out a Student-Parent Survey for Federal Impact Aid. Returning this form is important because information from this survey results in an anticipated $3 million dollars in grant funds each year from the U.S. Department of Education. These funds are used to support all Fairfax County public schools and centers. For each school-aged child in your household, please complete, sign, date, and return the survey to your child's school. If sections 1 and 2 of the survey do not apply to you, just check the box in Section 3.  All forms must be signed, dated, and returned by October 30. All results are CONFIDENTIAL. 

Video link - https://youtu.be/uPqC3BLf3Ow


Description of Kindness Rocks Project

October is Bully Prevention month and the best way to counter unkind behavior is to encourage our kids to do acts of kindness.  On October 4th, the student in the Daniels Run Mentoring Program painted rocks with affirming messages like, “Be You…never give up” and “Never Alone.”  These rocks will be hidden around the back playground, field and blacktop areas for other students to find.  Once the students receive the message, the note on the back of the rock encourages them to re-hide the rock to spread the kindness around.   We hope these positive messages will reach those students who need to hear them.  So talk to your student(s) about things they can say to others to show kindness this month (and always!).


Hurricane Dorian Relief Update!

Dear Region 5 Communities,

Thank you for coming together to support the Bahamas after Dorian’s deadly destruction over a month ago. We were able to raise $8,650 to help support the area. All donations from the GoFundMe page are now being delivered to the UNICEF organization.

 Thank you again for your kindness, generosity, and care!

 Bob D’Amato & Melissa Miller

 


Attendance Matters

On Time and On Target!

There are many reasons why students miss school when they don't have to be struggling in the classroom, having conflict with other students or adults, or dealing with challenges at home. When students miss school for any reason, it becomes harder for them to succeed in school.As a team, you will need to identify why your students are absent from school and help them to overcome these challenges. Start here to find resources that can help you set your students up for long-term success by making sure they are in school every day.


Positivity Project

This week's Positivity Project character trait has been Integrity. We certainly are witnesses to our students acting with integrity each and every day. Please take a few moments to review the trait and your child's understanding of it.

Integrity

Digital Citizenship

During the week of October 21 - 25 Daniels Run ES and the rest of the country will be celebrating Digital Citizenship week.  It is an opportunity to celebrate and focus on all those traits that make us great digital citizens.  During the week at our school parents should expect that their students will be exposed in the following ways:

 

  • Our News Show – An Instructional Video for each day of the week 
  • During Lunch – Looping videos from the Common Sense catalog of video on Youtube

Please join us at home by having great conversations around digital citizenship or using some of these great ideas with your families.

 


New This Year: FCPS Teacher Work Day/Student Holiday Camps

Need something fun, engaging, and academic for your child (grades 3-8) to do during teacher workdays? FCPS Adult and Community Education (ACE) has the solution, with a full-day, affordable camp. Introduce your child to a foreign language and related cultural culinary activities taught by enthusiastic and experienced instructors. Each day is a new adventure!

Camp dates: October 14, November 4-5, and December 23. Camps start at 9 a.m. with before-care starting at 7:30 a.m., and after-care from 3:30-6 p.m. Sign up for all four days and receive a discount. To apply this bundle discount, call the ACE registration office at 703-658-1201.

Camp offerings and prices may be viewed on the ACE website by clicking on K-12 Classes and Camps. Registration may be completed online, by phone at 703-658-1201, by mail, or in person.


Fairfax Pyramid Chorus Concert

You are invited to attend the concert at 7pm Thursday, October 24 at Fairfax High School.  The Elementary Honor choir, middle school choirs, and high school choirs will be performing, including 12 of our Daniels Run 5th & 6th graders! This concert is free and open to the entire Daniels Run community.  Questions?  Please contact Mrs. Cuthbertson or Miss McCarten, Music Teachers at (703) 279-8400. 

 


Volunteer for Thanksgiving Luncheon!

 

Please help us in make this a special Thanksgiving Luncheon for our Daniels Run families by volunteering for a shift to serve food. Your help will allow the lines to move more quickly and smoothly. Besides, your child will love to see you volunteering! You can serve before, after, or during your child's lunch time. Thank you! Please note the change in lunch times:

Please sign up using this link or contact the Family Resource Center:   Thanksgiving Luncheon Volunteer Sign Up

3rd Grade                            10:40-11:25

4th Grade                            10:50-11:35

5th Grade & PAC                 11:35-12:20

6th Grade                            11:45-12:35

Kindergarten                        12:25-1:10

1st Grade                             12:35-1:20

2nd Grade & Autism              1:10-1:55


PTA News

Read-a-thon Updates!

The First week of Read-a-thon has finished! We are making progress towards our goal every day! Next week we are looking forward to a week of fun events! Kicking off the week will be our Family Literacy Night from 4-8pm at the City of Fairfax Regional Library, be sure to stop by and complete the scavenger hunt.

Haven’t registered your child for the Read-a-thon yet? Please visit www.getmovinfundhub.com and use the School ID 5D668BD113A7D to get registered and help us reach our school goal of $25,000.00! If you prefer not to do online registration, we will gladly accept cash and checks during the Read-a-thon as well.  We are excited to see students engaging with books and reading all across the building this week and all year long.  

Dining for Dollars and Barnes and Noble Book Fair!

In conjunction with our Read-a-thon week, we will be Dining for Dollars all day on Wednesday October 23rd at Choolaah 2911 District Ave, Fairfax in Mosaic. On the same block will be our all day Book Fair at Barnes and Noble Mosaic 2921 District Ave, Fairfax.  Stop by for lunch and some holiday book shopping or dinner and book shopping with your student!  

Barnes & Noble Book Fair

Our all day book fair will be on Wednesday, October 23rd at Barnes & Noble Mosaic, 2911 District Ave, Fairfax.  Please mention you are with Daniels Run Elementary School at checkout.  

For those who are unable to attend we will also be hosting an online book Fair with B&N from Monday, October 21st through Friday, October 25th.  It’s easy- just shop as normal and at the payment screen during checkout click  'Check this box if it is a Bookfair Order’ and use the code 12559134 to support Daniels Run Book Fair!

 


Important Dates:

October 28: Principal/Parent Coffee 9:30 in the Library

November 1: Field Day-Rain Date

November 4: Student Holiday

November 5: Student Holiday

November 11: Thanksgiving Luncheon

November 27, 28, & 29: Thanksgiving Break

December 23-January 3, 2020: Winter Break

Full 2019-20 FCPS School Calendar