Principal's Corner

Greetings Families,

Some highlights from the past week:

• Our 1st grade students did an excellent job performing at the Love in Many Languages concert
• Our 2nd grade students recorded their severe weather news segment using our newsroom
• Some of our 5th and 6th grade boys are participating in a book club and are currently reading “Allies” by Alan Gratz
• 13 of our 5th grade students are spending their lunch time once a week with our School Based Technology Specialist (SBTS), Lawrence Veasley, participating in the Technology and Architecture Club
• Thanks to the parents and community members who attended our joint Parent Coffee and PTA meeting on Monday
• Our 6^th grade students completed their investigative journalism unit in Language Arts which included creating awesome newspapers
• Thanks to all the students and staff who made our International Day assembly a great success

I hope you are able to join us tonight for our annual International Food and Music Festival this evening.

Have a great weekend,

Chris Smith

DRES Principal

Calendar Reminder: Schools Closed on March 3

As a reminder, schools will be closed for students on Tuesday, March 3, for the presidential primary election, which will be a school planning day for staff members. Classes will resume on Wednesday, March 4. See the complete 2019-20 school calendar  

Positivity Project

Enthusiasm

This week we learned about enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is the ability to bring life and excitement to different situations. Those who demonstrate zest and enthusiasm bring energy and a level of intensity to individual and group work.  People with enthusiasm and zest are happy, but this strength goes beyond happiness or pleasure, it is associated with self-realization and autonomy. Enthusiasm is a strength that has strong connotations with both physical and mental vitality and well-being.

FCPS' Safety Tip Line Helps Keep Schools Safe

A confidential and anonymous tip line is available to students, staff, parents, and other community members, as part of FCPS' continuing effort to maintain safe schools. Please report school safety issues, such as threats, unsafe or dangerous situations, illegal drug activity, theft, gang activity, existence of weapons, vandalism, and concerns about student wellness. Call 571-423-2020, text TIP FCPS to 888-777, or submit your tip online. Visit the Safety Tip Line webpage for more information. 

Note: If your tip is an emergency and immediate assistance is necessary, please dial 911.

School Health Services Survey

The Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) employs school health aides and public health nurses who provide school health services to the students in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). To determine the quality of these services, a survey has been developed by the FCHD to be shared with all parents or guardians. You may access the survey at the link below.

School Health Services Survey – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K9VWCJ6

Kindergarten Orientation

Daniels Run Kindergarten Orientation is just around the corner! Join us for Orientation on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. at Daniels Rus Elementary for rising kindergartners and parents/guardians.  Families will meet the Kindergarten teachers, DRES staff, and other Kindergarten families.  You will learn about our Kindergarten day, take a tour of our school, get your questions answered, and have the opportunity to register your student for the upcoming school year.

We look forward to seeing you!

Children who will reach the age of five on or before September 30, 2020, are eligible to attend kindergarten.

If you have a rising kindergarten student, please contact the Daniels Run office at:  703-279-8400 to make a registration appointment. 

Our enrollment office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday-Friday.  You can also email our registrar, Ms. Araceli Nunez anunez@fcps.edu for further information.

Rising 7th Grade Families!

As the warm weather approaches and we start getting outside more, Lanier Middle School is inviting rising 7^th grade families to attend Principal’s Coffee (or tea!) on:

March 19^th and April 16^th from 8-9:00AM in the school’s library.  Please visit the SignUpGenius link to RSVP. 

Important Immunization Requirement: Do You Have a Student Entering Seventh Grade Next Year?

If yes, he or she may need a booster dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis). Seventh grade students cannot begin school in August without documentation of the Tdap booster. Parents or guardians should ask their private healthcare provider, or the health department, to review their child’s immunization record if they are unsure if their child has received the Tdap booster. 

Students who have received a Tdap booster at age seven or older do not need another dose. Documentation must be provided to the school student information assistant (SIA) or registrar as soon as possible.

Learn more about the Tdap booster.

Summer Camp Registration with Fairfax City Rec March 4th from 9am to Noon

Drop by the Family Resource Center (Room 217) to learn about Summer opportunities for your child.  Karen Lussier from Fairfax City will be available to register your children for Fairfax City summer programs.  She will verify eligibility for scholarships if you bring one of the following:  W2, tax return, paystubs, or other proof of income.  If you need a specific appointment time, contact the FRC at 703-279-8441 or email rebrown@fcps.edu.

Tip Sheet for Elementary Parents: Raise a Responsible Student Who Takes School Seriously

One of your child’s biggest responsibilities is being a good student. Doing well in school is a key to a satisfying life! It’s hard to imagine paying bills without knowing math, for example, or voting in an election without understanding history.

To be effective students, kids must take the job seriously—and that requires family support. To encourage your child to be a responsible student:

• Make learning a priority. Explore the world together. Visit the library, try new foods and take nature walks. Play board games that build thinking, math and reading skills. Show your child that learning is fun.
• Teach perseverance. Kids need encouragement to keep trying when homework and other tasks are tough. When your child is tempted to give up, provide guidance and a positive outlook: “Let’s review the instructions again. I know you can do this!” Compliment effort and progress.
• Enforce routines. Children need help creating and sticking with routines that lead to success, such as going to bed, waking up, reading and studying at the same times each day.
• Wonder together. Instead of providing answers, let your child take charge of finding them sometimes. If he or she asks you, “Who was the second president?” show him or her how to look up the answer. Use his or her questions as opportunities to learn about other things, too. “I wonder who the second vice president was. Let’s go online and see if we can find out.”

Copyright 2020, the Parent Institute. Get more tip sheets for parents and other family engagement resources

Digital Citizenship - Violence in the Media

If you think there's a lot of violence in your kids' movies, games, and TV shows, you're right. Some studies show that media violence can be a risk factor for aggressive behavior and other negative outcomes. Parents should exercise caution to minimize exposure to violent content. Our advice can help you select age-appropriate content, wean kids off violent video games, and better understand the research on media violence.

Click here to learn more

On Time and On Target! Attendance Matters!

There’s not much we can do about the winter weather, but there are two key steps every parent can take to help avoid absences this year:

Make back-up plans for bad weather and keep your children healthy.

Absences, even if they are excused, can add up to academic trouble. This is as true in kindergarten as it is in high school.

Children who miss too much school in kindergarten are less likely to read well by third grade. By middle school, absenteeism can predict who will graduate from high school.

A study of weather-related absences in Massachusetts found that each missed day affected a student’s test scores and grades. This was especially true on snowy days when school stayed open but some students missed class.

Please remember, Monday, February 17th is a school holiday. We are eager to welcome your children back in school on Tuesday, February 18th.

Career Fair

Mark your calendars for Friday, March 27^th!  Daniels Run will hold a school-wide career fair so students can talk to professionals from a wide range of careers and be exposed to the breadth of options they can consider from 16 different career clusters.   Grades 3-6 will participate between 9am and 10:30am and Grades K-2 will participate between 10:35 and 12:15pm.  Inclement Weather date:  Friday, April 3^rd.    More information will be provided closer to the event date.

Do you know someone who might like to talk to kids about their careers?  Some of the fields that we are looking for volunteers to present are:

• Lawyer and/or Paralegal
• Aerospace Engineer or Astronomer
• Other Engineering Field (Electrical, Mechanical, etc)
• Scientists (Chemist, Physicist or other)
• General Contractor or a specific trade—plumber, electrician, HVAC
• Doctor/Pediatrician
• Nursing or Other Medical Field position (i.e. Radiology Tech, Lab Tech)
• Landscape Designer or Nursery Manager
• Accountant/Budget Analyst, Loan Officer or other Finance position
• Realtor or Other Sales/Marketing position
• Military as a career
• Pilot, Air traffic Controller or other Air transportation Career

Contact  Brooke Nichols (bcnichols@fcps.edu) or Louise Robinson (lbrobinson@fcps.edu)  with questions or to express interest in volunteering.

Summer Institute for the Arts

Do you have a child interested in the Arts? Don’t miss out on registering for Fairfax County’s Elementary Institute for the Arts starting February 3rd! Students explore Art, Dance, Music, and Theatre through this weekly program that runs from July 6-31^st.  For more information visit the E-IFTA website at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/summer-learning-programs/camps-and-institutes-elementary-institute-arts-e-ifta 

The City of Fairfax's Commission for Women needs your help!

This year, the Commission has initiated an award to celebrate women making a difference for City of Fairfax residents.  Awardees will be acknowledged at the City Council meeting on March 24^th. The award is a part of the City’s Women’s History Month festivities.

Here’s how you can help. Please submit nominations for the Women of Influence Award.  The deadline for submission is February 28^th.

To be eligible for the award, a nominee:

• The nominee must be a resident of the City of Fairfax.
• The work for which the nominee (or group) is being nominated must benefit residents of the City of Fairfax.
• Elected officials or candidates for office are not eligible.
• You may nominate a group of women (defined as two or more women) for an award.

You may nominate only one person/group per form; complete a separate form to submit a nomination for an additional person or group. Completed applications can be submitted electronically or mailed to Ms. Lesley Abashian, Lesley.Abashian@fairfaxva.gov.

PTA News

Parent Happy Hour

Save the date for our 2nd Parent Happy Hour, March 15th5-7pm at Zandra’s Taqueria.  This is a great way to meet other Dragon parents. This event is Parents Only. :) Questions?  Contact Eileen Davidovich at dresecretary@gmail.com

FCPS candidate search 

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has initiated a search for a permanent Director, Food and Nutrition Services. To assist us with this important process, we have retained the services of Hazard, Young, Attea &Associates (HYA), a consulting firm that specializes in the selection of superintendents and other key central office administrators.

Parents and community members are invited to meet with HYA during two upcoming meetings to identify the characteristics the school division seeks in the new director. The meetings will be held on the following dates: 

Tuesday, March 10 at 4:00 p.m. in the Gatehouse Administration Center - Café, 8115 Gatehouse Road, Falls Church, VA.

Thursday, March 12 at 7:00 p.m. Gatehouse Administration Center - Room 1600, 8115 Gatehouse Road, Falls Church, VA. 

Questions? Please contact Ann Monday,  annmonday@hyasearch.com

PTA meeting 

Save the date! The next PTA meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 10 at 6:30pm followed by a viewing of Resilience. 

A movement is underway locally and nationally to recognize and treat the toxic stress that children are under.  These experiences wreak havoc on developing minds and impact learning, cognition and physical and mental health.  The documentary Resilience allows us to come together as a community to learn about the biology of stress and the science of hope - how we can mitigate the impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).  The one hour film will be followed by a facilitated discussion by FCPS staff and community advocates.

PTA Nominating Committee

The PTA is looking for three individuals to serve on a Nominating Committee to create a slate of officers for the 20-21 school year. For additional information and/or to submit your name please email drepresident@gmail.com. 

Important Dates:

March 3-Schools Closed-Presidential Primary

March 4-Fairfax City Summer Program registration

March 10-PTA Meeting

March 12-Reading Under the Stars

March 18-Dining for Dollars-Noodles & Company

March 20 & 21-Harlem Globetrotters @ GMU

April 6-13-Spring Break

Full 2019-20 FCPS School Calendar

3705 Old Lee Hwy, Fairfax, VA 22030  | Main Office: 703-279-8400
Attendance: 703-279-8484 | Web | Twitter | Facebook