Daniels Run Down-Family Edition, November 1, 2019

Greetings Families,

This past week we celebrated Red Ribbon Week, Halloween, and a Nats World Series.  Our Kindergarten and 1st grade students dressed up as what they want to be when they grow up and their favorite book character during the Career Day and Storybook Parade.  

A reminder that Monday (11/4) and Tuesday (11/5) are student holidays while our staff will be engaging in professional learning, holding conferences, and planning for the 2nd quarter.  I am proud of the effort and work that our staff and students have demonstrated on a daily basis during the first quarter.  

Please take a moment to nominate one of our staff members for one of the FCPS awards listed below. 

Have a great weekend,

Chris Smith

DRES Principal


Employee Awards!

Click on each header to vote!

Nominations are open for the Outstanding Employee Awards. To submit a nomination for a Daniels Run Outstanding Employee in one of the categories below, please complete the nomination through the buttons listed below. You may nominate an employee in one or more categories. All that is required for a preliminary nomination is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work in the criteria for that category. If the person you nominated is selected as a "school winner" they will move to the next round of nominees. If this occurs, you will be asked to complete the nominator form and at least one of the two letters of support to be submitted to our Pyramid Lead.

Outstanding Teacher

Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category

Outstanding New Teacher

Eligibility: Within their first three years of being a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category

Outstanding New Principal

Eligibility: Within their first three years of being a building principal (in any school/school district)

Outstanding Leader

Eligibility: At least one year of experience in their current position as a Schedule-C or School-Based Administrator scale employee (that is not the building principal):

Common positions in this category: Assistant and Associate Principals, Director of Student Activities, Director of Student Services

Outstanding Professional Employee

Eligibility: At least one year experience in current position as a Schedule-B employee or other non-instructional employee in a school that supports school leadership

Common positions in this category: School-Based Technology Specialist, Technology Support Specialist, Assessment Coach, Career Center Specialist, Instructional Coach, Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor, Safety and Security Specialist, Resource Teachers that serve in an administrative role in a school

Outstanding Operational Employee

Eligibility: At least one year of experience in current position as Schedule-A or Classroom Instructional Support Scale employee

Common positions in this category: Administrative and Office Staff, Safety and Security Assistant, Custodial Staff, Food Service Staff, IA, PHA, PHTA, All Parent Liaisons (regardless of how they are paid)

Note: The deadline to submit a nomination is NOVEMBER 8 2019

 


November 4 and 5 Student Holidays

As a reminder, schools will be closed for students on Monday, November 4, for a school planning day and Tuesday, November 5, for a teacher work day. Friday, November 1, is the last day of the first quarter. Classes will resume on Wednesday, November 6. See the complete 2019-20 school calendar


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.


Health Room Volunteers!

Health Room

FCPS Participating in Equity Town Hall Events on December 3

FCPS will be participating in two hall meetings to discuss the division’s new equity initiatives. The meetings will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 29, at Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation in Reston, and Tuesday, December 3, at Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church. Superintendent Scott Brabrand and Chief Equity Officer Francisco Duran are scheduled to appear. The content for both meetings will be the same, and both events are open to all FCPS parents and guardians, staff members, and high school students.

RSVPs are requested and can be completed online: October 29 | December 3


No Sale Yard Sale!

The Family Resource Center will accept donations for the No Sale Yard Sale beginning Monday, November 11. The sale will be held in the DRES cafeteria November 15-16.   If you have questions, please contact the Family Resource Center at 703.279.8441 or email rebrown@fcps.edu.


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.

 


Attendance Matters

On Time and On Target!

  • Just a few missed days here and there, even if they’re excused absences, can add up to too much lost learning time and put your child behind in school.  This is as true in kindergarten as it is in high school.
  • HOW CAN YOU HELP YOUR CHILD OR TEEN HAVE GOOD ATTENDANCE?
  • Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day, make that the expectation.
  • Help your child maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.
  • Try not to schedule dental and medical appointments during the school day.
  • Don’t let your child stay home unless truly sick. Complaints of headaches or stomach aches may be signs of anxiety.
  • Find out if your child feels engaged by his classes and feels safe from bullies and other threats. Make sure he or she is not missing class because of behavioral issues and school discipline policies. If any of these are problems, work with your school.
  • Stay on top of academic progress and seek help from teachers or tutors if necessary. Make sure teachers know how to contact you.
  • Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated.
  • Encourage meaningful afterschool activities, including sports and clubs.

Positivity Project!

Our students learned about creativity. Creative people can look at the world in original ways. They are open to new experiences, and have an imaginative and independent thought process. They generate lots of different ideas and can pursue them with energy and enthusiasm. Creativity is a process that takes courage. Anytime you share your original ideas with the world, you risk being criticized or even ostracized.

 

Creativity

Digital Citizenship

Parents' Ultimate Guide to Parental Controls

Do you need parental controls? What are the options? Do they really work? Here's everything you need to know about the wide array of parental control solutions, from OS settings to monitoring apps to network hardware.

Check Here

 

 


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.


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

Now Playing: Toy Story 4!

Save the date for our annual Family Movie Night!  This is a FREE event! Friday, November 15th 6pm. Pizza will NOT be available this year, so pack a yummy dinner to share with your family.  The PTA will provide some popcorn and water for the students.Questions? Email Eileen Davidovich at DREsecretary@gmail.com

 

Read-a-thonWrap Up!

The PTA would like to extend a big thank you to everyone who helped us make the Read-a-thon a success this year! We raised $13,700.00 for our school’s literacy programs!

We’d like to thank all of the community leaders who visited us last week and read to classes, as well as our guest authors Sue Fliess and Kristin Levine! We are so thankful to the City of Fairfax Regional Library for hosting our Literacy Night last week as well! Look out for the announcement of Read-a-thon winners next week on the WDRE News and in our weekly Run Down!


Important Dates:

November 4: Student Holiday

November 5: Student Holiday

November 11: Thanksgiving Luncheon

November 15: Wacky Hair Day

November 27, 28, & 29: Thanksgiving Break

December 23-January 3, 2020: Winter Break

Full 2019-20 FCPS School Calendar