 Celebrating character traits at our Positivity Project pep rally!
Dear Families,
Mother Nature has been good to us in January. During the winter season, viruses, such as the flu, can cause common respiratory illnesses. Public Health Nurse, Hope Luong, and the Fairfax County Health Department recommends the following practices for within the school and for families to practice at home:
- Enhanced cleaning of high touch areas such as doorknobs.
- Reinforcing good hand hygiene with 20 seconds of lathering before rinsing.
- Cough and sneeze etiquette, which means coughing/sneezing into a tissue or into the elbow.
- Staying home when ill. Be sure your child is 24 hours symptom free, without the help of medication, before returning to school.
- It is not too late to get the flu vaccine.
As you saw in an FCPS communication earlier this week regarding the coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection, FCPS, in conjunction with the Fairfax County Health Department, continue to monitor the situation in China and any impact it may have locally. The Health Department has prepared a handout to assist you in understanding the virus. FCPS will notify us should there be a change in the current status.
Exciting news from one of our local businesses. The Stone’s Cove Kit Bar has a program called “do good things Sundays”. On Sundays, when dining, you can choose a philanthropy, from their list, in which to donate 10% of your check. They have chosen Floris Elementary as one of the philanthropies. If you’re looking for a local place for lunch or dinner on a Sunday, check out the Stone’s Cove Kit Bar and donate to Floris ES.
As we look ahead into the month of February, there are a few dates to keep in mind. With the second quarter/first semester ending last week, student progress reports will come home on Tuesday, February 4th. This is an opportunity for teachers to share areas of strength as well as areas for growth in your child’s learning. A couple of ideas to help with meaningful reflection on your child’s progress report:
- celebrate your child’s successes by giving genuine positive feedback on their development
- support their growth by asking what kinds of goals your child might set for himself or herself for the upcoming semester.
On Wednesday, February 5th, we will celebrate our choirs as they join with the Westfield Pyramid for their annual concert. The concert will begin at 7PM at Westfield High School.
We are excited for our annual Science Fair that will take place Thursday, Feb 27th from 6:30 - 8:00 PM. Even if your child did not sign up to participate, come and check out the many exciting experiments that will be on display!
Have an enjoyable weekend!
Sincerely,
Gail Porter, Principal and Amanda Dorr, Assistant Principal
Herndon Youth Soccer Scholarships Available!
We have several scholarships available for students who are interested in playing soccer with Herndon Youth Soccer league in the spring. Scholarships are based on financial need. Please reach out to our school counselors, Diane Ramia (dnramia@fcps.edu ) or Sarah de Kramer (shdekramer@fcps.edu ) for more information. Registration ends Feb. 22.
Principal Selection Meeting
As you have heard our Principal, Gail Porter, is retiring. Our Region Leaders will be holding an important meeting regarding the selection process for faculty, staff, parents, and community members on Tuesday, February 11, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. in the Floris Elementary School cafeteria. We certainly hope you can join us.
POSITIVITY CHARACTER TRAIT OF THE WEEK (February 3 – February 7): FORGIVENESS
What Does FORGIVENESS Mean? Forgiveness is the ability to move past being injured and allow yourself to reconcile with the person who hurt you. Forgiveness can often be seen as a selfless act, but it also carries many benefits for those who practice it. Those who demonstrate forgiveness have the ability to move forward after someone has hurt them. Forgiveness is often rooted in the idea that all people are valuable and worthy of a second chance. Why does it Matter? For individuals, forgiveness has benefits that range from increased health to developing positive relationships to coming to an understanding that no one is without fault. Remaining bitter and angry increases your stress levels, and forgiveness helps an individual release that resentment, and repair or strengthen his/her relationships.
Quote of the Week: “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” -MAHATMA GANDHI
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The following is sent from & reflects the views of the Floris PTA
PTA News and Upcoming Events
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Science Fair
Registration for this year’s Science Fair is open! All Floris students are welcome to participate in groups of 2 or more. Each team must have a parent coach to register. Registration closes on February 20th. Only one registration per team. Visit https://florispta.org to register your team now!
Girls on the Run
Registration for Girls on the Run is now open! Visit www.gotrnova.org to register for the spring 2020 season. Program fees: Standard program- 175, Coach daughter / Coach Family Discount- $110, Military Discount- $150, Sibling Discount- $150 for second child. Fees for qualifying families with financial need: $22 (Free Lunch) or $75 (Disc. Lunch). Practice location is on the blacktop on Monday and Wednesdays from 7:45am to 9:00am. Registration ends February 25th.
Are you a Friend of Floris?
Friends of Floris is a single, straight-donation fundraiser, operated solely by the PTA. Donation starting at $80 per student or $150 for families with 2 or more. Benefits include two free memberships to the PTA and a front row seat to the exciting activities that happen all year long. Any donation of $250 and above includes those items, and I’ll add a FREE 2019-2020 yearbook. The class with the highest contributions wins a pizza party! DONATE TODAY!
Helping Hands – Thursday, February 13, 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Looking for ways to help your teacher? Please join us in the Green Workroom. Any time you can spare is always appreciated! Read more about it on our website. Sign up now!
PTA Membership Meeting – Wednesday, February 19th at 6 p.m.
You are invited to attend the monthly PTA meetings on the third Wednesday of the month, in the Cafeteria. Check out the full schedule on our website. PTA leadership and Floris administrative leadership will be present to answer your questions. Learn more about how we organize student enrichment programs, foster a strong community, and support our Floris teachers and staff. And learn how you can get involved in making a difference! Now is a great time to Join PTA!
Our Next Box Top Store is Thursday, February 27rd during ALL Lunchtimes!
Come shop the Box Tops Store in the cafeteria during lunch time. Floris PTA will have all types of goodies for you to “purchase” with box tops. We will have toys, stickers, pens, pencils and more! We have something for you, even if you have just one box top. Find a list of participating products on the box top website.
The store will return every Third Thursday DURING lunch periods (except December- there will no store during this month). Students must bring the box tops with them to lunch and based off the amount they possess they can make a “purchase.” NO CURRENCY IS NEEDED
Volunteers Needed – PTA Committees & Chair Positions
We are currently recruiting volunteers for our to Chair/Organizer Positions: PTA President, Bingo Night, Movie Night, Spirit Wear, and Spirit Events.
Harris Teeter – Together in Education
Harris Teeter's Together in Education program gives schools a chance to earn funds when you link your VIC card and shop Harris Teeter brands. Harris Teeter has donated over $27.4 million to Together in Education schools since 1998! When you shop Harris Teeter brands, a percentage of your purchase is donated to your school. There are NO LIMITS to how much a school can earn. Link your card now online or in the store by mentioning Floris Elementary School PTA or code 5921. Thank you! Please Note: you have to re-Link our eVIC card at the beginning of every school year.
Giant – A+ School Rewards
Giant’s A+ School Rewards is an easy way to earn money for Floris! Link your Giant Card by logging in or registering online. Once you are logged into your account, you may select Floris Elementary as your school. This money does not come through the PTA, but goes directly to the school.
Amazon Smile – Earn Money for Floris PTA While You Shop
This is the easiest way to raise money to support our kids! Click the link. Shop on Amazon. Done! Bookmark it and use it for all of your Amazon purchases. At this time, Smile Credit IS ONLY calculated when using an internets browsers NOT the app!
Volunteer – Your Gift to the Floris Community
There are so many opportunities here at Floris to get involved and to support your kids. Learn more about what is happening right now. Sign up for future opportunities.
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