Daniels Run Down-Family Edition, November 8, 2019

Greetings Families,

We started the 2nd quarter this week and kicked it off with a “Mega Morning Meeting” to celebrate the Positivity Project (P2). Thank you to Mrs. Oris, Mrs., Reidenbaugh, Mrs. Shank, Ms. Dilldine, Ms. Auza, Mrs. Forbes (Levine), and Mrs. Nichols for leading our “P2 team”.  

Today is the deadline to nominate DRES staff members for one of the FCPS awards listed below.   It only takes a few minutes!

Also a reminder that students should dress in layers and wear hats and gloves as the weather turns colder. We will continue to go outside for recess on a daily basis.

Have a great weekend,

Chris Smith

DRES Principal


Employee Awards

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


Office Hours

Our front office is open from 8:00am to 4:00pm. If you are visiting the school for any reason during that time, we ask that you sign in. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.


Positivity Project

Our students learned about bravery. Bravery refers to voluntary (not coerced) action in the face of a dangerous circumstance. This strength involves judgment; the brave person must have an understanding of the risks and consequences involved in acting. According to Socrates and Plato, forethought separates acts of valor from acts of rashness. This means that bravery isn’t simply fearlessness, but instead the overcoming of fear. Bravery can take many forms. Physical bravery involves overcoming fear of bodily injury or death. Moral bravery occurs when an individual does what he/she believes is right in the face of social and/or financial consequences. Mental bravery occurs when people overcome their everyday fears and anxieties.


Bravery

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 meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on 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!

No Sale Yard Sale – We’re Ready for Your Donations

Starting Monday, The Family Resource Center will be accepting donations of fall/winter clothes, toys, games, books, and small household appliances for our No Sale Yard Sale.  Items for both children and adults are welcome.  Please bring your donation to the Family Resource Center (Room 217).  The “Sale” will be held on Friday, Nov. 15 from 4-7pm and Saturday, Nov. 16 from 9am-1pm in the cafeteria.  All are welcome!  Community members take what they need in exchange for a monetary donation.  All proceeds support the Daniels Run Food 4 Thought program.  For questions, contact Richelle Brown at 703.279.8441 or email rebrown@fcps.edu.


Portrait of a Graduate Spotlight

What is Portrait of a Graduate? 

Daniels Run is committed to developing students who are future ready members of their community. Consider all the skills it takes to be a professional and a citizen every day! Portrait of a Graduate is our way to teaching students skill that are foundations throughout life. Students will not focus on all 5 attributes at once; they will focus on one or two (depending on your child’s classroom) so that they can dive deep into the skills. 

How can you support Portrait of a Graduate skills outside of school?

Share examples of how you were a (collaborator, communicator, creative and critical thinker, ethical and global citizen, or goal-directed and resilient individual) during your day or within your job. Provide specific examples and explain how using these skills helped you.

For example, I was a collaborator at work today when I _____. This was helpful because ___________.

Instead of asking “What did you do in school today?”, consider asking one of the following questions: 

  • What connections did you make to what you read or heard today?
  • When did you create a new solution to solve a problem?
  • What went really well today?
  • What’s one thing you can improve on for tomorrow?In our next POG spotlight we will be focusing on the Portrait of a Graduate attribute Collaborator! We will explain what it is to be a collaborator in our classrooms, our school, our community, and our world.    
  • Students in 3rd grade have been working on answering this question: How can you, as an ecologist, persuade City of Fairfax officials to protect a native plant or animal in Daniels Run Park? Students have spend the past few weeks researching native species to Daniels Run, exploring persuasive strategies, and developing plans to present their information to their audience. As Goal-Directed and Resilient individuals, students are explicitly working towards seeking help and feedback. On Wednesday, 3rd grade hosted family members, Dr. Phyllis Pajardo, City of Fairfax Schools Superintendent and Mr. Diego Wilson, Interim Assistant to the Superintendent, and FCPS Leaders in a feedback seminar! Students shared their plans for their presentations and asked for feedback to make their presentations even better. Students gained valuable information on how to present information, tips on how to be persuasive, and speak clearly so others can understand them. They will continue to work on their presentations as they revise and refine their ideas! Check out these pictures to see our students in action!
  • PBL Spotlight: 3rd Grade
  • Sharing your examples from your experiences help our students make connections to the skills they are working on in school! We hope that you can talk regularly to your child about how they are developing their Portrait of a Graduate skills. 

 


On Time and On Target! Attendance Matters!

Attendance

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

 

BookFair Next Week

Scholastic Book Fair is Coming to Daniels Run next week! Students will come to the Fair during the school day to browse and shop. The Book Fair will be open to Adults only on Monday, Nov. 11, so parents are invited to shop the Book Fair before or after having Thanksgiving lunch with your child

Also, don’t forget that the Book Fair will be open for family shopping during the PTA’s annual Movie Night, Friday, Nov. 15, showing Toy Story 4.

Sign up to help out at the Book Fair at https://dres.memberhub.com/HSR42770I20116. If you haven’t already, please create an account to access the signup. This is the same service that is providing ouronline directory, so creating an account now will allow you to access the directory when it goes live!

Click https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bookfairs/cptoolkit/homepage.do?method=homepage&url=danielsrun to shop online or set up a student’se-wallet.

 

GloryDays Dining for Dollars Fundraiser

WHAT:    A Great Tasting Fundraising Event!

WHEN: November 8, 2019- November 22, 2019

WHERE: Any Glory Days Grill Location

   

When you dine at any Glory Days Grill during your designated time frame, they will contribute 10% of the total food and beverages purchased to the Daniel Run Elementary School PTA fundraiser.Bring your friends and family, and tell your neighbors! 

Simply ask your server for the itemized copy of your guest check receipt (not the charge card receipt), and send it to the office marked ATTN: PTA GLORY DAYS!

Questions? Beth – drevicepresident@gmail.com

 

 


Important Dates:

November 11: Thanksgiving Luncheon

November 15: Wacky Hair Day

November 25: Principal's Coffee 9am in the Cafeteria

November 27, 28, & 29: Thanksgiving Break

December 23-January 3, 2020: Winter Break

Full 2019-20 FCPS School Calendar