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December 6, 2019
Dear Willow Springs,
This week we celebrated an important initiative that we are very proud of, Inclusive Schools. The staff at Willow Springs Elementary School is very proud of our inclusive school practices, and we believe that our Responsive Classroom practices provide us with the foundation for creating a caring and positive learning environment. Our teachers actively provide students with opportunities to learn about one another's interests and to develop meaningful relationships.
If your family is looking for some Friday evening fun, we welcome you to join us in the Willow Springs cafeteria tonight for Family Game Night. Our PTA does so much for us throughout the year, and we are so thankful for their continued engagement and support. The fun begins tonight at 5:30 p.m., and there's still time to pre-order pizza!
We also look forward to seeing you at our Book Fair at Barnes and Noble this Saturday, December 7. With so many teacher readers and incredible musical performances planned, it will indeed be a memorable and community-building event! Thank you so much to the PTA for organizing one of our most anticipated events of the year! We look forward to craft stations, face painting, photos with Willow, our school mascot, and even a great performance from our Fox Ropers!
See you there!
Dylan Taylor, Principal
Lesley Hassen, Assistant Principal
Rashida Green, Assistant Principal
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It's Game Night!
Tonight, December 6th
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Over 130 games and puzzles - from Monopoly to darts - to a massive four-session Twister game!
Please join us tonight, Friday, December 6th, from 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. for our first ever game night. Come learn a new game or bring your favorite game to share with your friends. Over 100 games will be available to try so there will be something for everyone. Admission is free, but there will be games, puzzles, and concessions available to purchase.
Pizza preorders can be made at: https://squareup.com/store/willow-springs-pta/item/pizza-1
If you would like to volunteer, or have a 6th grader or above that would like to lend a hand, please feel free to sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040c4aa8ac2aa13-willow
 Join us for the Willow Springs Annual PTA Book Fair on Saturday, December 7th, from 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Barnes and Noble Fairfax. Come start your holiday shopping while raising funds for our wonderful school! Bring the kids to buy some new books, listen to their favorite teachers read a book, get their face painted, make a book mark, listen to our Strings Ensemble and Band Students perform, and be entertained by our Jump Rope Team. Stay tuned for teacher reader times and performance schedules.
The Future is Inclusive
 Support Inclusive Schools
This year during Inclusive Schools Week, the Special Education team is providing the staff with materials and resources to use to engage in specific conversations about common disabilities. These materials include read-aloud books as well as activities that simulate how a disability may impact an individual. Our staff remains committed to promoting and supporting inclusive practices.
Gordon C. James Visits Willow Springs
 Author, Gordon C. James, fascinated our K-2 students at Willow Springs for a special presentation and a small workshop with Mrs. Mott’s 5th grade class. He is a 2018 Caldecott Honor Award winner for Crown: Ode to the Fresh Cut.
WUSA9 Meteorologist, Melissa Nord, Explains Weather Phenomena to WSES Students
 Broadcast Meteorologist, Melissa Nord, stopped by to visit our 2nd and 6th grade students! She explained various weather topics such as layers in the atmosphere, clouds, and how the different types of precipitation form. She gave our students some insight on forecasting and how TV technology works when she’s on the news. Melissa Nord also talked about the technology that she uses, such as computer modeling and Augmented Reality simulations. Her hands-on demonstrations definitely kept our audience engaged!
Support Our Musicians
 Thursday, December 12, 7:00 p.m.
5th & 6th Grade Strings Concert
Lanier Middle School
  Thank you to Ms. Christine Li for hosting our parents in Family Tech Talks! Christine Li, 5th-grade teacher, has gone above and beyond to ensure that parents are knowledgeable about classroom technology used in our classrooms. She facilitates before and after school sessions around various topics for parents in all grades, K-6. Look for more sessions in the upcoming new year!
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Parent Resource Corner
STEM Lessons in the Kitchen
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This year Willow Springs Elementary introduced a new STEAM lab for all students. STEAM incorporates Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics to help students learn, explore, and problem solve in new ways. At home, you can help your child further explore and learn STEAM skills by having them help out in the kitchen. Some examples of ways your child can help out in the kitchen while also learning STEAM (sometimes referred to as STEM) skills include:
- Calculate the cost for a meal
- Take accurate measurements
- Test converting techniques
- Experiment with stages of matter
- Practice math equations
- Test chemical reactions
- Have fun with Fractions
Read STEM Lessons in the Kitchen, an article by National Education Association, for more information and ideas on how you can incorporate STEAM in the kitchen with your child. More information and resources are also available on the FCPS Parent Resource Center homepage.
Have Carpentry Skills?
 Our STEAM teacher, Ms. Fisher-Maltese, is looking for a parent volunteer who has carpenter skills who might be interested in helping her and our 4th and 5th-grade ENCORE students build a bird blind and a weather station for the school's outdoor classroom. Please email her at cfishermalte@fcps.edu if you can help. This nature observation station will benefit students at all grade levels in the life sciences for years to come!
STEAM LAB DONATIONS
The STEAM lab is also in need of a few recyclable household items. The following items would be appreciated for an upcoming 3rd-grade project:
- 1-liter plastic bottles
- Gauze (at least 4 in. x 4 in.)
- Nylon stockings
Looking Ahead
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December 6 – WSES Family Game Night 5:00 p.m. (Order Pizza)
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December 7 – Barnes and Noble Book Fair, 1:00 p.m. 12193 Fair Lakes Promenade Drive Fairfax
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December 12 – 5th & 6th Grade Strings Concert; 7:00 p.m. Lanier Middle School
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December 17 – Winter Chorus / Advanced Band Concert; 7:00 p.m. WSES Cafeteria
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December 18 – PTA Meeting, 7 p.m., WSES Library
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December 23 - January 3, 2020 – Winter Break
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January 20 – Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday - Student Holiday
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January 24 – End of Second Quarter
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January 27 – Teacher Workday - Student Holiday
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January 27 – Professional Development Day - Student Holiday
Notable dates include Winter break, December 23, 2019-January -3, 2020; Spring Break, April 6-10, 2020; and the last day of school, June 12, 2020.
Visit the Willow Springs Elementary PTA website.
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