Principal's Corner
Greetings Families,
I want to thank all the family members who attended and made our Thanksgiving Lunch and celebration of Veteran’s Day this past Monday a huge success. I also want to thank all the veterans in our community for their sacrifices and service to our country. Veterans Day holds a special place for me as my father is a veteran of the Vietnam War and my grandfather was a prisoner of war during World War II.
One new feature of our newsletters this year is profiling our student’s and staff’s work with Portrait of a Graduate (POG) and Project Based Learning (PBL). POG prioritizes the development of skills that will empower students to be productive citizens of a global community and successful in the workforce of the future. Project Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects. I hope you enjoy reading about the rigorous and relevant work that our students and staff are doing!
I look forward to seeing many of you this evening at our Family Movie Night featuring Toy Story 4!
Have a great weekend,
Chris Smith
DRES Principal
Welcome Yanneth!
We would like to introduce our new Spanish parent liaison, Yanneth McCoy, originally from Colombia, South America and has been living in the United States for 15 years, Yanneth and her husband have two daughters, a 13 year old and a 12 year old. She speaks two languages Spanish and English. She taught Spanish as a Second Language for six years to children ages 1 to 10 years old through a Spanish immersion program. She is currently also a parent liaison part time at Lees Corner Elementary School. She loves to work with the community and help others to understand how the education system works. She will start with us on Monday, November 18th.
Advanced Academic Programs (AAP)
Level IV Full-time Services Referral and Screening Information
Our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, Ms. Beth McCrodden, will be holding two parent information sessions on the AAP screening and identification process. Morning Session: Tuesday, December 3 from 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM in Room 311.
Evening Session: Wednesday, December 4 from 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM in the Daniels Run Library.
The focus of the meetings will be the referral and screening process for students in 2nd-6th grade to be identified for AAP Level IV Full-time services.
The deadline to refer students in 2nd – 6th grade for AAP Level IV services is January 9, 2020. Please note that no exceptions will be made to the referral deadline! Due to the tight time frame, do not wait for test information to submit a referral if you believe that your student should be screened for full-time services.
Level IV Referral Forms and optional materials must be submitted to Daniels Run no later than Thursday, January 9, 2020. For more information please contact our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, Ms. Beth McCrodden, at bamccrodden@fcps.edu or visit FCPS’s website on Advanced Academics Identification and Placement.
Positivity Project
Knowing That My Words & Actions Affect Others
Students learned about the OPM2 element of “Knowing that my words and actions affect others.” This means that everything we do, say, text, tweet, snap, or post can positively or negatively impact other people. Our words and actions impact our relationships with other people. They have the power to lift others up or tear them down. When a group is comprised of individuals who are thoughtful about their words and actions; individuals who show respect and consideration for the people around them – we’re likely to have a happier and healthier culture.
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!
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 skills 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.
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.
Project Based Learning (PBL) Spotlight-3rd Grade
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 spent 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!
On Time and On Target! Attendance Matters!
Digital Citizenship
Setting Screen-Time Limits
Computers and cell phones allow our children access to all sorts of great information and entertainment. Most of the time we instinctively know when to put the technology down and enjoy life in a personal and direct way. But sometimes we need help putting the tech down. The ideas found here might help you guide your child to make good decisions about screen time. It may even help you too!
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.
Inclement Weather and Emergency Closing Plans; Make Arrangements Now in Case of an Unforeseen Schedule Change
Cold and wintry weather will soon be here! Due to inclement weather or other emergency situations, it may be necessary to close schools for the entire day, to open schools late, or to close early.
Parents are urged to make arrangements now for the care of their children when schedule changes are made (and to provide for the rare situation when it is necessary to close an individual school because of a power failure or other circumstances). Children should know where to go if a parent will not be home.
FCPS has several schedules set up to deal with inclement weather; these are put into effect when conditions threaten the safety of students and staff members:
- Keep schools closed.
- Open two hours late.
- Close two hours early.
When Fairfax County Public Schools has a schedule change (closing or delay) due to inclement weather or other emergencies, the information is communicated in several ways as soon as the decision is made.
Note: The official @FCPSnews Twitter account (with blue checkmark) is generally the first and fastest mode of communication during emergency weather closings. Other communication channels will be updated as quickly as possible including email, text, website, other social media, and news stations.
Please be aware, due to the large volume of emails sent, there will likely be a lag between the time a FCPS Twitter alert is posted and receipt of an email in your inbox.
PTA News
November PTA meeting and AAP presentation
Join us on Monday, November 18 at 7pm for a quick monthly meeting followed by a presentation about Fairfax County’s AAP program. This is a great opportunity for parents to gather general information about the Advanced Academics Program. An informational meeting on the identification process will be held at a later date.
Book Fair
The Book Fair is open until 7pm tonight,Friday, Nov. 15! Stop by to shop after school/SACC and before Movie Night starts.
Many thanks to all the Book Fair volunteers who came out to make Book Fair possible this week!
Dining for Dollars November Fundraiser
WHAT: A Great Tasting Fundraising Event!
WHEN: November 8, 2019- November 22, 2019
WHERE: Any Glory Days Grill Location
Ask your server for the itemized copy of your guest check receipt (not the charge card receipt), and send it to the officemarked ATTN: PTA GLORY DAYS!
Questions? Beth – drevicepresident@gmail.com
Directory
Our directory is up and running! Join the PTA now to access the directory!
https://www.danielsrunpta.org/grow-with-us
Important Dates:
November 25: Principal's Coffee 9am in the Cafeteria
November 27, 28, & 29: Thanksgiving Break
December 11: Winter Chorus Concerts
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM (PreK - 2nd Grade)
10:15 AM - 10:45 AM (3-6 Grade & AUT)
7:00 PM - Evening Concert
December 23-January 3, 2020: Winter Break
Full 2019-20 FCPS School Calendar
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