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Dear Freedom Hill Community,
Learning about a school closure through June has made this a very difficult week. In the coming days, weeks, and months we will all have to adjust to a new normal. If there is one thing I know about the Freedom Hill Elementary School community, it is that we band together when needed and we take care of each other. The building may be closed, but we are still in the business of taking care of children. Our dedication to your children and their education will not change. The delivery may change and the methods may change, but the dedication of the teachers and staff remains solid and will endure. FCPS and state leadership are working diligently to determine the best course of action as we enter a new phase in education. As plans develop and evolve, you will be informed of the next steps, which will happen by the end of the week. Teachers return to (virtual) work on Monday to begin planning for distance learning approaches. These will begin on 4/14 after the designated Spring Break.
For today, please tell your children we miss them terribly and we are still here for them. We know this is also incredibly hard on parents and families, and we are here for you too. I know we will lift each other up with grace and understanding and the Freedom Hill community will continue to shine through adversity.
I want to present a few opportunities that staff and community have created to help our community retain our connections. We will be completing a faculty car parade tomorrow (3/26) and our first Virtual Spirit Week next week. We are also asking for community help in compiling great pictures for our 2019-20 yearbook. Please see the details below.
Be safe and be well! We are thinking of you all,
Dr. Z.
- March 26 - Teacher Car Parade, 2:30 PM
- March 30 - April 3 - Virtual Spirit Week
- March 30 - April 3 - Teacher PD for Distance Learning
- April 14 - Distance Learning Begins (details forthcoming)
From Ms.Trzcinski, organizer:
Good afternoon, Freedom Hill!
This time has been a challenge for both our families and for our staff so what better way to raise our spirits than with a Staff Car Parade! We will be traveling throughout the community on Thursday, March 26, starting around 2:30PM. We will start by heading down Lord Fairfax Rd. towards Wolftrap Rd. then up Woodward Rd. towards Old Courthouse Rd. We will be heading past Marshall HS and then head back towards the school to reach the neighborhoods closer to the school.
Please remember to practice social distancing and keep six feet between your family and the others in your neighborhood. Due to the number of cars (we have a bunch of staff joining us!) we will not be able to stop so also please make sure to stay on the sidewalks and out of the streets. Make sure to wave SUPER BIG and shout nice and loud as we pass by. Narrow cul-de-sacs can be challenging for large number of vehicles, so we recommend short walks to the end of the street. Please be safe!
Keep an eye on Twitter as we will be updating our location throughout the parade! Check Hashtag #FHHighlights
From the PTA:
Many of your still want to connect. We've come up with a Virtual Spirit Week for next week! Take a photo of your kids doing the following and share on the Freedom Hill ES Community group or post on Twitter with the hashtag #FHHighlights and tag @FreedomHillPTA and @FreedomHillES.
Details here!
Monday - Be Creative Day - Show us your artwork, paintings, legos, etc. you've created!
Tuesday - Pet/Stuffed Animal Day - Show us you with your real or stuffed cuddly friend!
Wednesday - Share a photo of you being active, outside, dancing inside, whatever!
Thursday - Snap a pic with your favorite book or whatever you are reading!
Friday - Wear red or FHES gear and share!
From Ms. Bliss:
Dear Parents,
We are working on putting together our pictures for the yearbook and need your help! It is important that we capture this year and preserve this time in our yearbook for the 2019-2020 school year.
Please do not email pictures to staff or classroom teachers. See below for submission options.
What kinds of pictures are we looking for?
- Students being creative - art, building forts, baking, etc.
- Students being academically active - working at their desk, reading, etc.
- Students being active - playing basketball, exploring nature, etc.
- Family photos - family selfie on the couch, out for a walk, etc.
How do we submit photos?
- Upload photos directly to https://freedomhilles.shutterfly.com/
- Please put them in the appropriate grade level
- Contact Ms. Bliss at LMBLISS@fcps.edu with questions
- Email directly to Ms. Bliss - LMBLISS@fcps.edu
- Use "Actual Size" - do not reduce size
- Share your photos on the Freedom Hill ES Community Facebook page
- Upload your photos to your Google Drive and share with Ms. Bliss at lisambliss@gmail.com
Any questions? Email Lisa Bliss at LMBLISS@fcps.edu
The guidance to date provided by the Virginia Department of Education is that since school divisions cannot ensure equity in access, student instructional assignments should not be required or graded during the closure, at least through March 27. FCPS has provided families with centralized resources to support continuity of learning. These activities can be accessed through the FCPS 24-7 and are available on the FCPS Website. When anyone logs on to FCPS 24-7 they will see a Continuity of Learning module that has links to resources for elementary students as well as resources for middle and high school students.
Freedom Hill also has online activities students can continue to practice with available on the Learning Tools page. Finally, our FCPS cable television channels are now broadcasting learning activities. New instructional videos are currently being recorded and will be added to the programming lineup shortly. Channel 21 includes elementary school programming, Channel 25 includes middle school programming, and Channel 99 includes high school programming.
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