Sangster's Getting Ready for the First Day of School!

Back to School

 

Sangster News You Choose

 


Message from the Principal

 

Dear Sangster Families,

Five days until the first day of school! We are looking forward to the school year with a strong virtual start. There may be a few bumps along the way. Thank you for your patience and partnership. We are planning for a successful school year together and our teachers are eager to begin working with you and your children!

Take good care and  enjoy the holiday weekend. See you soon.

Sincerely,

Lisa M. Reddel

Principal

 


Family Resources

This handout streamlines access to important family information and resources to better support your child’s needs. Click on this link:

https://sangsteres.fcps.edu/announcements/family-resource-handbook


Meet the Specialists

Our super team of Sangster specialists can’t wait to work with your children this school year!  Click on this link to learn more about the specialists that will be teaching your child(ren): Meet the Sangster Specialists Flipgrid   Your homeroom teacher will provide you the names of each specialist your child(ren) will be working with throughout the school year.


Forms to Complete On-Line

Please fill out these forms electronically. Forms can be accessed through WeCare, scanned and emailed to Marian Hoelscher, student registrar at mthoelscher@fcps.edu.  Some of the forms are explained in greater detail below.

Emergency Care Form 

Health Information Form 

Homeless Student Referral Form 

Identification of Military Families 

FLE Opt Out 

Parent consent for digital tools  


Parental Consent for Select Digital Resources –

Please complete asap

At Sangster Elementary School, our teachers will use a variety of digital resources to support student learning and promote communication and collaboration with students and families. Some of the digital resources your child may use this year will require your consent before they can be used. You can find our school’s list of the resources that require parental consent here: https://sangsteres.fcps.edu/adopteddigitalresources .

Included on this page is also a link to a form where the enrolling parent or guardian will need to indicate whether or not their student is permitted to use the list of digital resources this year. This page also provides more information about how FCPS carefully reviews digital resources for approval and why we must request your consent before using certain tools. We encourage you to complete the parental consent for digital resources form as soon as possible.  Please reach out to your child’s teacher or Debbie Tannenbaum, our School Based Technology Specialist (SBTS), at dltannenbaum@fcps.edu  if you have questions or concerns about the digital resources we’ve chosen to use this year.


Health Information and Emergency Care Forms – Please complete asap

As the school year begins virtually, it is important that Emergency Care Forms and Health Forms for your student are updated as soon as possible. These forms are critical in the early identification of students who may need healthcare support in the educational environment. Along with the development of Healthcare Plans (HCP) and Action Plans, the Public Health Nurses (PHN) utilize the information contained in the health form to develop teaching strategies for FCPS staff in order to meet the requirements of Regulation 2104 Health Services-School Health Related Needs.

Both of these forms are required for all students for SY 20-21 and are available for electronic submission by parents via their FCPS 24/7 (Blackboard) accounts within the WeCare@School (WeCare) module.


Online Registration for Band and Strings (Grades 4-6) – Due by September 15, 2020

Music education is important for every student. At Sangster all 4th, 5th and 6th graders are required to choose either a general or instrumental music class for the school year, even during virtual learning.

  • 4th Graders may choose either General Music or Strings.
  • 5th and 6th Graders may choose either General Music, Strings, or Band

For more information or to register your child for band or strings by September 15, please click on the following links. Otherwise, they will be placed in general music.

4th Grade Strings: 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdXWQ0bjoOokf0nT34d9_HvOuPrst7THqkBNt4P6c-fWaPP5g/viewform?usp=sf_link

5th / 6th Grade Band or Strings:   

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe4Dtnht9eo-DU86NK4vNMjtss9xZu_Q9OVCzb8hlMdazc9xA/viewform?usp=sf_link


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Positivity Project

This year, Sangster will continue implementing the Positivity Project(P2). P2 is dedicated to empowering America’s youth to build strong relationships and to understand, appreciate, and exemplify the character strengths in us all. Every 1-2 weeks, students learn about a new character strength.

It is easier than ever for Sangster families to access P2 resources this year! The site P2 For Families is available for connecting P2 to your home and you can learn more about the site here. Many of the slides are password protected and the password is P2 (case-sensitive).


BTS

 

Virtual Back to School Night (BTSN) –

September 15, 2020

Sangster’s BTSN is scheduled for Tuesday, September 15 from 6:00 – 7:45 p.m. 

The schedule for BTSN is as follows:

  • 6:00 – 6:45 P.M.   Live Session I
  • 6:55 – 7:40 P.M.   Live Session II (repeat of Session I)

The link you use to sign-in for BTSN is your child’s individual Blackboard Collaborate Ultra (BBCU) classroom link. Because it is a secure individual link, multiple people in multiple locations cannot sign-in. Only one sign-in from one location. If parents are watching from two different locations, only one will be able to sign in. Not to worry! All sessions will be recorded and made available for those unable to attend. 

The purpose of BTSN is to learn more about the year-long curriculum, grade level expectations, how the teacher will support your child, answer your questions, and much more.  The parent and school partnership we have at Sangster is key to the success of our students and has been a critical element of our school culture.  We are looking forward to the virtual evening with you.


Maps of School and COVID Activity

Virginia Department of Education has created an interactive map that illustrates how the state’s 132 school divisions are reopening in August and September. The map is updated as VDOE learns of decisions by local school boards to revisit reopening plans approved earlier in the summer.


Parent Technology Help Desk

To support families who are working with their children during distance learning, Fairfax County Public Schools has launched a new Parent Technology Help Desk. The number is 1-833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS). It will be answered by staff 7 a.m.to 11 p.m., seven days a week. If the help desk is unable to solve the issue on the phone with the parent or guardian, they will enter a ticket on the parent’s behalf and the request for help will be transferred to the appropriate FCPS team. 

Parents or guardians who need help in a language other than English should let help desk staff know, and an interpreter will join them on the line. (FCPS also has existing parent information phone lines, available in eight different languages, that can assist with general questions about FCPS.)

FCPS has also set up an online portal to allow older students and parents and guardians to request technology help directly. 

Get more information about the new Parent Technology Help Desk


Attendance

In Virginia, public school students aged 5-18 are required to attend school regularly. Attendance will be taken for all students Monday – Friday. Every Sangster homeroom classroom will have a live morning meeting where attendance will be taken for the day at 9:10 a.m. Morning Meeting is an engaging way to start each day, build a strong sense of community, and set children up for success socially and academically. Please be sure your child is present for attendance. More information about FCPS attendance can be found here:  https://www.fcps.edu/attendance.


Recorded Lessons

Teachers will be recording whole group instructional lessons this fall. Recordings will be posted within Google Classroom to be accessed by students who would like additional review. Videos can also be viewed multiple times to help students retain new information, as needed.

Small group and individual instruction will not be recorded. More information coming from your child’s teacher at Back to School Night. 


Homework

This school year while we are in distance learning, homework will not be assigned Tuesday-Friday at Sangster. Students may have work that needs to be completed during the school day on Tuesday - Friday and on Mondays. Below is a FCPS guideline for independent work on Mondays.

  • PreK-2: 150 minutes (2.5 hours) to be completed on Mondays.
  • Grades 3-6: 180 minutes (3 hours) to be completed on Mondays.

If you have questions throughout the year, please do not hesitate to contact the teacher or encourage your child to talk with the teacher.  We are encouraging reading every night.


How to Stay In-Touch at Sangster

Please stay in touch throughout the year through these official FCPS and Sangster sites:

Sangster sends a weekly News You Choose with the latest school updates. 


FCPS Return to School Information

These webpages continue to be updated as the situation for the 2020-21 school year evolves. The FAQ page includes a date by each question to identify the latest updates.   


FCPS Parent Resource Center and Support

Friday, September 11: FCPS Parent Resource Center Free Webinar: Survive and Thrive with Virtual Learning: Practical Strategies to Make At-Home Learning Work for You (10:00-11:30 a.m. - Register Here)

Friday, September 18: FCPS Parent Resource Center Free Webinar: 10 Ways to Stop Power Struggles & Start Motivating Your Kids (10:00-11:30a.m. OR 6:30-8:30 p.m. - Register Here)

Thursday, September 24: FCPS Parent Resource Center Free Webinar: Encouraging Positive Behaviors at Home Series - Setting the Stage for Good Behavior: Routines, Procedures, & Expectations (10:00 - 11:30 a.m. OR 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. - Register Here)


Food Distribution

FCPS will continue to provide “grab-and-go” meals during the upcoming school year. Our goal is to provide every FCPS student daily access to a healthy breakfast and lunch during this pandemic. Visit our Food Resources for Families page for more information.


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PTA

 

News from the PTA

http://sangster.digitalpto.com/

 

 

PTA Meeting

September 10 at 7:00 p.m. through ZOOM.  A ZOOM link will be sent next Thursday morning, prior to the meeting. The meeting will be streamed live on a private Sangster parent FaceBook page to accommodate overflow, if needed. This Sangster Facebook page is not an official FCPS site.

 

PTA New Family Welcome Website

The brand-new Sangster PTA New Family Welcome Website is now online! We hope that the information included is helpful to new families as you begin your journey as Sangster Falcons. 

 

PTA Fundraiser

FALCON MISSION FOR THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!

Make the FIRST DAY of school AMAZING for your family!  Every $1 donated to this Sangster PTA fundraiser earns you a chance for a FALCON MISSION on your lawn September 8th!  Enter more than once,  each $1 earns you an entry!  Donations accepted through September 7 at 9am.  Winner will be drawn the evening of the 7th.

Questions:   SangsterFalcons@gmail.com.    Click here to purchase your chances:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeRuwg0hNecUeCa1VUB2RgkqAk_E1KYkYt-Ucym_8M6WaD37g/viewform

You can also schedule a Falcon Mission for $20 on ANOTHER DAY by clicking here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfolEqoI95Jba-rya2bPQTRuy05HPmNlUFwP7p3xBB3RHJdVQ/viewform?utm_name=

 

PTA Fall Club Information

Sangster PTA will offer 6 student clubs this fall.  Links to all clubs are available here :  https://sangster.digitalpto.com/student-activities/

 

PTA Falcon Family Friends and Virtual Coffees Coming Soon

Our new PTA family programs will begin after Back to School Night (BTSN) on September 15th. Falcon Family Friends is a group of veteran Sangster families that volunteered to help answer your Sangster/Burke/Springfield/Fairfax Station community questions. New families interested in this PTA program, please get more info here. The PTA will be hosting small-group virtual coffee meet-ups for new families that will occur after BTSN is over and school is in full swing. Interested?  Click here.  If you have any questions about new family resources, please reach out to us at SangsterWelcome@gmail.com.  

 


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