Belvedere News and Announcements

From the Administration

Dear Belvedere Family,

Thank you to all who attended the PTA meeting last night.  Our guidance counselors, Ms. Mastroianni and Ms. Ballard, together with the Procedural Support Liaison, Ms. Schneider, shared the different ways we support students, and they also talked about strategies parents can use at home to help students find success in virtual school.

Tonight is our Back to School Night! Teachers in the same grade level will be presenting together, and presentations will also have Spanish interpreters present. Our teachers have put together information to share about our school, the classrooms and the curriculum.  If, after hearing the presentation, you have specific questions regarding your child, please consider reaching out to the teacher to ask to schedule a conference. We look forward to seeing you tonight.

Thank you for continuing to partner with us to ensure your child has a successful year. It truly takes all of us to make sure our students connect to class, remain engaged, and complete their work.  If your child is struggling for whatever reason, please reach out to your child’s teacher or to our counselors. We are here to support you and your child.

Best Regards,

Cecilia Vanderhye, Principal


Back to School Night

Belvedere's virtual Back to School Night will be held tonight, Wednesday, October 14, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.  There will be two sessions for each grade level and each session will be interpreted into Spanish. You will be receiving a separate invitation to Back to School Night with the detailed times and Blackboard Collaborate link to the grade level specific session.


FREE Fairfax Meal Kits

We are excited to announce that we will begin distributing FREE Fairfax Meal Kits--containing seven days breakfast and lunches--at Belvedere on Wednesdays, beginning October 21.

The kits will be available for pick up from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., or until they run out. Meal kits will be available to ALL FCPS students and children 18 years of age and under at no cost. Each meal kit will contain breakfast and lunch for one person for a week. Parents and caregivers may pick up one meal kit for each child. Adults may purchase meal kits for $28.

Instructions on how to store the food and prepare it will be provided.  Initially, meal kits will be distributed every Wednesday.

Don’t miss out! Stop by Belvedere and pick up your no-cost Fairfax Meal Kit on October 21st!


Student Rights & Responsibilities: Parent/Guardian Acknowledgement

Parents and guardians, please review the Student Rights and Responsibilities and related resources at www.fcps.edu/srr.  After reviewing the information, please help us by filling out the SR&R Parent Acknowledgement Form.  The form must be filled out one time per student.  Thank you!

NEW:  Translated versions of the Student Rights and Responsibilities are now available here.


Newsletter from our Specialists

Want to learn what's happening in your child's Specials classes?  Click here to read this month's Specialists' Newsletter for all the details about Art, Music, Health & Physical Education, Spanish and Library lessons.


Home Internet Access Assistance

FCPS is working to ensure that all FCPS students have internet access at home. FCPS is transitioning to a new program in partnership with Cox Communications, in which the school system will pay for internet service for qualifying families for the school year. Cox’s Connect2Compete program provides low-cost internet to families that meet these qualifications: 

  • Have at least one child that attends an FCPS school.
  • Participate in, or qualify for, one of these government subsidy programs: the National School Lunch Program, SNAP, TANF, or Public Housing.
  • Have not had Cox standard internet services in the home within the last 90 days.

If your family needs internet service at home so that your student can participate in virtual learning, please contact the Belvedere office to begin the application process. If you qualify for the program, the school will contact you to let you know how to complete the steps to receive your internet service.


AAP Services Presentations

Please mark your calendars for presentations by our Advanced Academic Resources Teacher, Ms. Lynch, on the Advanced Academic Program (AAP):

  • Thursday, October 22:  Presentation on the AAP Level IV screening process (in English with Spanish interpretation, beginning at 6:00 p.m.)
  • Friday, October 23:  Presentation on the AAP Level IV screening process (in English with Spanish interpretation, beginning at 2:00 p.m.)

Links for these sessions will be included in a future issue of News You Choose.


Important Information about Grab and Go Meals

Fairfax County Public Schools will be offering healthy breakfasts and lunches throughout Fairfax County during the school year.  To find out more about this service and find locations click here

There are currently two bus routes delivering food within the Belvedere boundary:  COAH-21001 and COJS-24003.  Details on those bus routes can be found here.  Please note that this information has recently been updated!

These buses stop at Belvedere at 6:30 a.m., and at Barcroft View Terrace (at the bus stop on the Columbia Pike Service Road) at 7:10 a.m. every day Monday to Friday.


Free and Reduced Lunch

Belvedere is a Title I school and our Title I status is determined based on the percentage of students who qualify for free and reduced price meals.  If you think you might qualify for free and reduced meals, please click here to apply.  If you need help with the application, please contact the Belvedere office at 703-916-6800 and we will help you with the application.  If you would like a paper application, they can be picked up at all food distribution sites. 


Our Title I Family Engagement Policy and Compact

As a Title I school, Belvedere has collaborated with families to develop a Family Engagement Policy and Compact describing the school’s approach to involve families in students’ learning.  This includes a compact expressing the partnerships among staff, caregivers, and students to reach high academic goals for every student.  To read the full Family Engagement Policy and Compact, click here.


From the School Counseling Team

Please click here to read the October newsletter from our School Counselors! Learn about our lesson plans for Anti-Bullying Month, our new student group, and a School Counseling Google site for students.


Library Books by Bus!

Belvedere will be delivering library books by bus on Fridays, beginning this year! Click on this link to find out how your child can participate.  Please note that the deadline to place holds will be Tuesdays at noon for book deliveries that Friday, so the deadline for this Friday's deliveries has passed.


PTA Student Directory

The PTA is putting together a Student Directory!  Opting in to the Directory will allow you and your student to connect with other Belvedere families!  The Directory is completely free and will be sent to all students who opt in.  To opt in, please send the following information to latoya.louis.va@gmail.com by October 26, 2020:

Student's Grade

Student's Teacher

Student's Name

Student's Nickname (optional)

Parent(s) Name(s)

Parent(s) Email(s)

Parent(s) Phone(s)


More from the PTA

Storybook Character Day

On Friday, October 30, students should dress as their favorite book
character and wear it on BBCU!  Please click here for more details.

Spooky Decoration Challenge

The PTA is sponsoring a Spooky Decoration Challenge!  Click here for more details.

In Case You Missed It:


FCPS Tech Help Desk

To support families who are working with their children during virtual learning, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has launched a new Parent Technology Help Desk, effective Monday, August 24. The help desk can be reached at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS) and will be answered by staff members between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., seven days a week.

Parents or guardians who need help in a language other than English can inform the help desk staff when they call, and an interpreter will join them live on the call.

If help desk staff members are unable to solve the issue, they will request help from the appropriate FCPS team.

For a list of Tech help resources, please visit the Belvedere website here.


Upcoming Dates

  • Wednesday, 10/14: Back to School Night (6:00 to 8:00 p.m.)
  • Wednesday, 10/21: Distribution of Meal Kits (8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)
  • Thursday, 10/22: Presentation on the AAP Level IV screening process (in English with Spanish interpretation, beginning at 6:00 p.m.)
  • Friday, 10/23: Presentation on the AAP Level IV screening process (in English with Spanish interpretation, beginning at 2:00 p.m.)
  • Wednesday, 10/28: Distribution of Meal Kits (8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)
  • Friday, 10/30: Storybook Character Day
  • Monday, 11/2 and Tuesday, 11/3:  No Classes (School Planning and Teacher Work Days)

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