Panther Press - Important End-of-Year-Information

It is the last week of the 2019-2020 school year and unlike any we have ever had before. I look forward to celebrating our 6th grade students this Thursday for their Graduation.

To the class of 2020:  You have left an incredible mark on all of us!  Your integrity and positive character qualities will take you far in life!  One of my favorite quotes is by Abraham Lincoln, “Whatever you are...be a good one.”  We are cheering you on from afar!  We can’t wait to see how you change the world!

Sarah C. Aiello

Events this Week

6th Grade Ceremony & Wave-Out

The Sixth Grade end of year celebration will be held virtually this year.  The celebration is scheduled for Thursday, June 11th starting at 9:30 a.m. A Blackboard Collaborate link to access the event will be sent to families on Tuesday. A power point slide show with students’ pictures will be shared during the virtual graduation, and the link for the power point will be shared with all families after the ceremony. This will allow you and your child to  access the power point at any time and to have as a keep sake of the event. All promotion certificates as well as any additional awards will be mailed home next week.

There will also be an opportunity for students to see their teachers (from a distance) on the afternoon of the 11th. Parents are helping coordinate a “Wave Out” on Thursday the 11th from 1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Families may drive through the kiss and ride drive. The teachers will be standing on the sidewalks and will be able to wave from a distance. Please be sure to remain in your cars and follow any directions to help with the flow of traffic.

Kindergarten Orientation

New Kindergarten Families, Please join us for a Kindergarten Welcome on June 9th at 4:30pm. We look forward to having you ‘virtually’ meet our Kindergarten Team and learn more about Kindergarten at Spring Hill. Please use the following link to join:

 

https://us.bbcollab.com/guest/667171fad45948b28a7cdf7cab97493d

 

Lost and Found Pickup

All Lost & Found items will be placed along the bus loop Tuesday, Wednesday, & Friday between 1-5pm for pickup.

 

Student Medication Pick-Up

Please email Sarah Aiello to schedule a time to collect your child’s medication for Monday, June 15th.

 

Summer Learning

FCPS school buildings will remain closed through the end of July. However, we will continue to provide recommended distance learning opportunities for students throughout the summer.  In addition, most of the online resources that students used during the school year will continue to be available over the summer.  Additional information about new and continuing resources is available below.

iReady Digital Lessons

Your students will have access to skill practice through the iReady digital lessons through the FCPS public Universal Screener website. Students will need to enter their FCPS login credentials to access these resources. These digital activities will be available until Friday, July 31st.

FCPS Summer Practice Books and Office Hours (Continuity of Learning K-12)

Students currently in grades K-6 will receive both a Mathematics and a Language Arts Essentials Summer Practice Book in the mail by the end of June. Digital versions of the books will also be posted on the Continuity of Learning Blackboard page. These books will provide recommended practice activities for students to review essential content from the 2019-2020 school year; they are not intended to preview content from next year’s grade level but rather reinforce essential learning from this past year. 

As students access these activities from June 29 to July 31, they will have the opportunity to attend one virtual office hour each week with one of our own outstanding staff members.  Additional information about each grade level's office hour schedule will be provided soon.

Spring Hill Summer Reading Site

Mrs. DeVylder and Ms. Ciullo, our Spring Hill Librarians, have compiled the following website full of summer reading resources for the children: Spring Hill Summer Reading.  This site is also available from the SHES Student Links website and the SHES Library Website.  Students will need to sign into their G Suite (fcpsschools.net) accounts in order to access this site.

Summer Arts Enrichment Program

Fairfax County Public Schools will offer a free online arts enrichment program for current K-12 students for five weeks from July 6 to August 7. A variety of classes will be offered in art, music, theater, and dance. Students may participate in as many classes as they wish, continuing to take their favorite art classes or trying something new. Registration is not required. More information is available online

SHES Panther Portal for Distance Learning

Blackboard 24-7 will continue to be available all summer (with the exception of some dates, including June 12-16, when it will be down for updates and maintenance).  Students can view the optional activities and resources that were posted there over the past few months.

Existing SHES and FCPS Resources

Other SHES and FCPS resources including SplashMath, MyOn, Tumblebooks, etc. will continue to be available over the summer.  Links to these resources (and many other valuable, educational sites) are located on our Student Links page on the SHES website.  Login information for these resources are posted as an announcement in the Panther Portal Blackboard 24-7 site.  Students' G-Suite accounts will also remain active over the summer and can be used to access sites like Khan Academy, Newsela, etc.

SHES Laptops

Families that are currently borrowing an FCPS device should have received an e-mail last week in regards to keeping or returning these devices.  In short, students who will be returning to FCPS in the fall are welcome to keep the laptops over the summer for educational use.  Families who are leaving FCPS (or who no longer need their device) should plan to return them to the school on Wednesday, June 17 between 8:00am and 12:00pm.

 

Advanced Academics Programs (AAP)

From the AAP Office:

Parents and Guardians planning to appeal the Level IV eligibility decision for the most recent screening cycle must scan and send the following signed form and the new data to AAPappeals@fcps.edu  no later than July 15, 2020. Be sure to send all information together in one single email. The decision of the appeals committee is final. We hope to mail appeals decisions by the end of July, but that date may change depending on the uncertainty of school closures. https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/AAPAppealForm.pdf

Families new to the FCPS Boundaries are eligible to apply for immediate screening over the summer.  Click the following link for more information: https://www.fcps.edu/registration/advanced-academics-identification-and-placement/students-new-fcps

 

Advanced Math

Advanced Math (Grades 3-6)

Students currently in grades 2-5 (rising 3rd-6th graders) will be screened for Advanced Math in the fall.  Details will be provided at a later date, including the option for parents to refer their child(ren) for screening.  No action is required at this time.  There is no spring screening for Advanced Math as there was last year.  Students currently enrolled in an Advanced Math course will continue in the program automatically in the fall. 

7th Grade Algebra 1 Honors Placement - Iowa Algebra Aptitude Test

Earlier this year, Students in 6th Grade Advanced Math took the Iowa Algebra Aptitude Test (IAAT). This was the first step in the screening process for placement in Algebra 1 Honors for the following academic year. Students' IAAT scores were sent home in early March 2020.

Historically, for students to be placed in Algebra 1 Honors in grade 7, all of the following criteria had to be met:

 Successful completion of Advanced Mathematics Grade 6;
 An IAAT score at or above the 91st percentile; and
 A pass advanced score (500 or above) on the Grade 7 Mathematics Standards of Learning (SOL) test

Due to COVID-19 and the suspension of Spring 2020 SOL testing, the IAAT score will be used as a single data point in determining Algebra 1 Honors placement in grade 7 for the 2020-21 school year only.

The IAAT is an aptitude test that measures a child’s readiness for abstract thinking. The Mathematics SOL test measures a student’s mastery of prealgebra content. In the absence of the SOL test score, carefully consider your child’s readiness for this high school algebra course and
their mastery of prealgebra content.

During the summer, middle school staff will only use the IAAT to make a mathematics course placement based on your child’s IAAT score. Middle schools will decide on one of the following:

 If your child met the criteria (an IAAT score at or above the 91st percentile), he or she will be placed in Algebra 1 Honors.
 If your child did not meet the criteria (an IAAT score below the 91st percentile), he or she will continue their advanced mathematics coursework and be placed in Mathematics 7 Honors.

*** If your child qualified for Algebra 1 Honors but you would prefer a Mathematics 7 Honors placement, please notify your child’s middle school during the summer to let them know your preference so a change in course placement can be made.

All students who qualify for Algebra I Honors are expected to complete an Algebra I Honors Preparation Module. You will receive details from your Middle School.