FHES Weekly Update: 10/11/2020

Principals' Message

Happy Sunday, Freedom Hill Families!

On Monday, 10/12 FCPS is observing Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a Student Holiday.  You and your children may enjoy some of these book recommendations from the American Indians in Children’s Literature (AICL) - click to learn more! With Monday being a Student Holiday, there will be no Morning Meeting or intervention/enrichment groups. 

At this point in the year, teachers have established routines and positive learning communities. We will now be teaching more content and engaging students in more academic rigor. We very much appreciate your support from home and offer these suggestions below. They may be of help to your family:

Tip #1: Encourage independence when possible. In order for your child’s teacher to know what he/she knows and needs, we need to know that he/she is attempting the work independently unless instructed otherwise. 

Tip #2: Allow children to make mistakes. This is an important piece of the learning process and how we grow and improve. 

 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! We hope to see the students online this week and parents at our monthly PTA meeting on Friday. Please see below for more information on our art fundraiser and fall spirit wear sale. 

 

Nicholas Zapadka, Principal

Eric Kopacz, Assistant Principal 


Upcoming Dates for Your Calendar

For the master schedule, this week is an "B" week.

  • October 12 - Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Student Holiday)

  • October 14 - Curbside Library Pickup, 2-6PM
  • October 16 - PTA Meeting, 12 PM
  • October 20 - Family Dinner Out, Noodles & Co. 
  • October 26 - 31 - Harvest Spirit Week
  • October 30 - 2-hour Early Release (Classes end at 1:15 PM)
  • November 2 - Student Holiday / Conferences
  • November 3 -  Student Holiday / Election Day

Positivity Project - Being Present and Giving Attention

p2

 

 

This week, we are working on ONE of the FIVE overarching components of the Positivity Project. Being present and giving others my attention is an important component of building strong relationships.

“The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand. We listen to reply.”  

                                              ~Stephen Covey


Caring for Your Computer

Please be mindful that FCPS laptops cannot be left on 24 hours a day. Our computers need rest, just like our students. Make sure to turn the laptop off at night. This will allow the battery to fully recharge and prevent the hard drive from overheating.

Our FCPS laptops will run updates throughout the week and on the weekends. To ensure that your laptop will not auto-run an update in the middle of class, please restart your laptop in the morning.

care

FCPS Grab and Go Meals

All FCPS students (regardless of age) are eligible for free grab and go breakfast and lunch, as well as other county children, under the age of 18. Adults picking up meals for children should let staff know how many children meals they need. Adults may pay $2 for the meals as well.

The service will be available Monday - Friday only.  

New for this fall:  breakfast and lunch meals for Saturdays will be distributed at all sites and bus routes each Friday.

Please click here for the routes and times for the FH community. 


Family Resources

 Parent Technology Help Desk  833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS) 

Parent and Student Technology Support Portal 

Freedom Hill Digital Tools Webpage  

FCPS Parent Resource Center 

FCPS Return to School


Free and Reduced-Price Meals

If you submitted an application for Free or Reduced-Price Meals last school year for your child(ren), please remember to submit a new application for this school year. The current eligibility status will expire on October 20, 2020.

Apply for free and reduced-price meals by visiting www.MySchoolApps.com. Eligibility may also provide your child(ren) other important benefits. Be sure your child(ren) are approved for the 20-21 school year. 

The online application is available in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, Tagalog, French, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Korean. Paper applications are available to complete and submit in English upon request at FCPS food distribution sites. 


Updates from the PTA

Great job to all those who participated in Walk to School week. We loved seeing all the photos of everyone out and about! Updates below.

ART FUNDRAISER

The Freedom Hill PTA is excited to partner with Square 1 Art to celebrate creativity and raise funds for the school! The Square 1 Art art project provides you the opportunity to purchase keepsakes and gifts featuring your child's art! Purchase gifts for everyone on your holiday shopping list!

The Art Fundraiser is 3 easy steps:

  1. Create Art
  2. Photograph & Upload your art to Square 1 Art
  3. Shop for keepsakes!

Art upload deadline is 10/30, parent order deadline is 11/18, and deliveries should be received the week of 12/7.

More information, including directions and project lesson plans are located on the Art Fundraiser page of the PTA website.   Have a question? Need a template or supplies? Reach out to Art Fundraiser coordinators Amber Halaka and Jennifer Liu.  

Please note: This is voluntary and does not take the place of anything Mr. A is teaching and assigning in class.  

ENRICHMENT BEGINS THIS WEEK Enrichment classes begin for those who signed up this week. Missed out? Never fear. They are 4 week classes so the next registration should open shortly.

PTA MEETING FRIDAY
We have our next PTA Meeting this coming Friday, October 16th at 12pm noon. Save the date and let us know if there are specific topics you'd like to talk about! Here's the link or call in at 646-558-8656 with Mtg ID 927 0918 0046. We have put together a tentative school calendar together here. Obviously we'll be adjusting this as we go through out the year and things change so always look for the latest version.PTA MTG FRIDAY OCT. 16th at 12pm 

GEAR UP FOR HARVEST WEEK (10/26-10/31)

We have a spirited week of activities planned for the week of October 26th. Ready to paint, carve or decorate a pumpkin? Grab a pumpkin at your local store or farm before 10/26. Limited pumpkins will be available for FHES families for those who need one (limit one per child) - courtesy of Trader Joe's. More details to come! Questions? Email our amazing co-chairs, Ms. Bliss and Mr. A.

JOIN THE FHES PTA TODAY!

PTA dues are due at the end of this month to VA and National PTA. Our Freedom Hill Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) is a volunteer-driven organization that facilitates exciting programs, activities, and traditions that are not otherwise funded by FCPS. We're helping this year with: *Materials for students to use during virtual learning *Reading materials and digital resources *Staff development *Grade level wish list items from teacher teams and staff and more

Please fill out your PTA form here for families or for teachers and join today! Join before this Friday, October 16th and enter a drawing to win a free yearbook! You can join on Pay4SchoolStuff by check via mail/school drop off. Q's? Contact Kerrey Olden.

FALL SPIRITWEAR SALE 

Our online spiritwear store is now open until November 6th! There are a bunch of new FHES items that we are offering this time fun looks (pj's, dry fit, etc.) - in child and adult sizes. Flier is here. Orders will be shipped to Michelle Zahalsky's house for pick-up approx. 3-4 weeks after the store close date (so by the first week of December). If you want it shipped to your house, you must select the extra USPS shipping. Thank you to Michelle Zahalsky for organizing this!                                                    

srit