Upcoming Town Halls and School Board Meetings + Parent Resource Center Information

Hello Fairfax County students, families, and staff,

I hope you are well! This is a brief reminder of some upcoming town halls and school board meetings this week, especially since Superintendent Brabrand and his team will be presenting a Return to School Update to the School Board during our work session today. Elaine Tholen and I will be hosting a town hall Wednesday night to provide an update after the work session.

I know many of you may be interested in the Return to School Updates being presented today at the School Board Work Session.  You can watch the work session live here or later on the FCPS YouTube channel here.  Links to all the materials we will be discussing during the work session are as follows:

Reopening of Schools Work Session

Response to FCPS Technology Advisory Council

Updated FCPS Reopening Schools Plan

Please see below for more information and links to the FCPS work session and related documents, as well as town halls this week. I’ve also included information on the FCPS Parent Resource Center and its upcoming seminars. I hope this will be useful in getting ready for the new school year.

I hope you and your loved ones are well. Please stay safe.

Warm Regards

Rachna


Upcoming Town Halls

August 19th, 6-7 p.m. - held by FCPS and Dr. Brabrand

Dr. Brabrand and FCPS staff will be holding weekly town halls starting this Wednesday, August 12th through Wednesday, September 2nd.  More information here.  The events will be livestreamed on the FCPS website and available on FCPS Cable TV Channel 99. Please email questions to ReturntoSchool@fcps.edu before the Town Halls, or call 1-800-231-6359 during the events to ask questions “on the air.” Recordings will be posted on the FCPS website.

August 19th 8-9 p.m. - Return to School Town Hall with me and Elaine Tholen, School Board Member for the Dranesville District

Held via Zoom and Facebook Live.  If you can't get into the Zoom meeting, you can follow along on Facebook Live.  We will answer questions posed on the chat/comments on both platforms.

Zoom Meeting (Limit 100)  Link to Zoom Meeting Here

Meeting ID: 817 3579 8548 Passcode: 707870 or +1 301 715 8592

Facebook Live Link: Link to Facebook Live Session Here

September 1st 7:30-8:30 p.m. - Return to School Town Hall

Link will be emailed later


SB

Upcoming School Board Meetings

Tuesday, August 18th Electronic Work Session 1-7 p.m.

Return to School

Thursday, August 27th Special Electronic Meeting 3-5 p.m.

FY21 Budget Update

Regular Meeting - September 3rd, 7:30 p.m. (Location TBD)

All Day Work Session  - September 14th, 11 a.m. (Location TBD)

Regular Meeting - September 17th, 7 p.m. (Location TBD)

The School Board welcomes comments from Fairfax County residents and believes that strong community engagement and outreach are important components of a successful school system.

An individual may register to speak at a meeting beginning at 6 a.m. three business days prior to the meeting. A maximum of 10 speaker slots are available, first come, first served. The speakers list closes at 4:30 p.m. on the last business day prior to the meeting date.  Sign up to speak here.


How to Watch Meetings/Find Meeting Handouts

Family
  • Livestream: Meetings are livestreamed here - https://www.fcps.edu/tv/ch99.
  • Recordings of Meetings: Meetings will be recorded and available to view on the FCPS YouTube page here
  • Agenda/Handouts: For school board meeting agenda, handouts and more click here
    • To find handouts for the meetings:
    • Click on the meeting date.
    • Scroll down until you see the phrase “View the Agenda”
    • Click on “View the Agenda”
    • One the left-hand side, you will see the agenda details
    • Any agenda items with accompanying documents have a “paper” icon next to the item name
    • Click on any topic you find interesting (i.e. AAP report).
    • Scroll down to see all attachments – these are usually presentations and accompanying reports or other data.
    • You can also search by topic documents
  • Public Testimony: For information on how to submit testimony at a public meeting, click here

In the meantime, here are links you may find useful:

Return to School Information

Sample Schedules

FAQs for Families

Parent Information Lines (support for families in 8 languages)


PRC

Parent Resource Center 

The FCPS Parent Resource Center provides access to information and resources to support the success of all students.  They host a variety of free seminars and have a wealth of free resources, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities.  In addition, they are available via phone or email for consults.  Check them out!

Webinars for Families and Educators 2020-2021

prc@fcps.edu   703-204-3941

  • Registration
    Register online at: https://www.fcps.edu/node/28019
    Registration will be open approximately one month before the workshop date.
    Registrants will be provided a link by email on the morning of the webinar
  • Information
    Webinars are from 10:00 -11:30 am or 6:30 – 8:00 unless otherwise noted.
    All Webinars will be recorded and can be accessed at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpvmcIWFX4DXwEQgBCSKIdg
  • Tutor Lists and Free  Resource Guides
    Contact us via phone or email to get the list of available tutors.  Additionally, we have free resources on topics such as: Executive Functioning, Parenting & Basic Needs, Adults with Disabilities, Mind in the Making, Mental Health, Fairfax County Government Resources, Military Connected Resources, Kindergarten Readiness, Adapted Sports and Recreation, and many more.

September

  • Survive and Thrive with Virtual Learning: Practical Strategies to Make At-Home Learning Work for You (9/1/20) PM
  • Survive and Thrive with Virtual Learning: Practical Strategies to Make At-Home Learning Work for You (9/11/20) AM
  • 10 Ways to Stop Power Struggles & Start Motivating Your Kids (9/18/20) AM/PM
  • Setting the Stage for Behavior: Routines, Procedures, & Expectations (9/24/20) 10 AM & 3 PM

October

  • How to Get Your Child/Adolescent to Open Up to You (10/2/20) AM
  • Alcohol, Drugs, and Vaping: What Every Parent Needs to Know (10/16/20) AM
  • Challenging Behaviors: Prevention Strategies and Teaching Self-Control (10/22/20) AM/PM
  • Launching Your Adolescent into Adulthood (10/30/20) AM

November

  • Digital Citizenship Series: (11/6/20) AM
  • Digital Citizenship Series: (11/13/20) AM
  • Challenging Behaviors: ABCs of Behavior and How to Respond (11/19/20) AM/PM

December

  • Positive Discipline (12/4/20) AM
  • Coping Strategies for Anxious Kids (12/11/20) AM
  • All Behavior Happens for a Reason: Behavior as Communication (12/17/20) AM/PM

 

Survive and Thrive with Virtual Learning: Practical Strategies to Make At-Home Learning Work for You

Are you worried about managing your child’s virtual schooling this year? Do you hate becoming the “school police” when your child won’t focus? Do you have to balance your child’s schooling with your own remote workload? We hear you, and we’re here to help. 

You’ll learn how to avoid parent-child conflict around academics with practical tips for:

  • Establishing routines and expectations that really work
  • Creating ideal spaces for virtual learning
  • Keeping kids focused while learning online
  • Minimizing distractions from video games and other screens
  • Getting your own work done at the same time (Yes, it’s possible!)

Don’t tackle this unusual year without a plan. Instead, join us and feel more prepared and confident for the year ahead, with a toolbox full of practical strategies that actually work. We can’t wait to see you there!

Presented by Ann Dolin, M.Ed., educational consultant and award-winning author.  Ann is the President and Director of Educational Connections, Inc.

Tuesday, September 1, 2020, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Friday September 11, 2020, 10-11:30 a.m.

Register for Survive and Thrive with Virtual Learning: Practical Strategies to Make At-Home Learning Work for You

 

10 Ways to Stop Power Struggles & Start Motivating Your Kids

Do you need help calming your explosive household? Tired of yelling at, negotiating with and bribing your child? Do you want your child to take responsibility for their schoolwork, chores and attitude? How can you prevent kids who need consistency from falling behind with distance learning models? How are teachers/parents going to keep kids on task without shutting down?

It’s time to stop the yelling, arguing and power struggles with toddlers and teens.

Celebrate Calm Founder, Kirk Martin, will show you how to create stress-free mornings, school, dinner and bedtime. We promise you will laugh and leave with a dozen practical strategies that really work.

Webinar Highlights:

  • Stop Defiance, Disrespect, & Meltdowns
  • Get Your Kids to Listen the First Time
  • Create Stress-Free Mornings, Homework, & Bedtime
  • Get Kids Off Screens Without a Fight
  • Motivate Strong-Willed Kids without Crushing Their Spirits
  • Prevent kids who need consistency from falling behind with distance learning models.

Friday September 18, 2020, 10 - 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Register for 10 Ways to Stop Power Struggles & Start Motivating Your Kids

 

Encouraging Positive Behaviors at Home Series

  • 9/24/20: Setting the Stage for Good Behavior: Routines, Procedures, & Expectations
    • Overview on establishing and maintaining routines, procedures, and expectations.
    • Strategies to teach and reinforce routines, procedures, & expectations
  • 10/22/20: Challenging Behaviors Part 1: Prevention Strategies and Teaching Self-Control
  • 11/19/20: Challenging Behaviors Part 2: ABCs of Behavior & How to Respond
  • 12/17/20:All Behavior Happens for a Reason: Behavior as Communication
  • 01/21/21: Strategies for Increasing Replacement Behaviors
  • 02/18/21: Regaining Control and Teaching your Children to Follow Directions
  • 03/18/21: Effectively Communicating with Your Child
  • 04/22/21: Minimizing Prompts and Maximizing Your Child’s Independence

Thursday September 24, 2020, 10 - 11:30 a.m. and 3 - 4:30 p.m.

Register for Setting the Stage for Good Behavior: Routines, Procedures, & Expectations


FAQs

FCPS FAQs for Families

With the start of the school year just three weeks away, be sure to check the FCPS Family FAQ page for updated information here.

 


The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.

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