Wolf News October 28

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Oak Hill's cafeteria workers distributing meal kits to families.


Parent Q & A Recording and Return to School Information

We had over 110 families join us for our Parent Q & A session yesterday.  We appreciate the time you took to join us as we shared information on Return to School.  If you missed it, please click this link to view the recording.  

As you make your decision by Friday, we wanted to pass along some resources for you. If you have specific questions that were not answered yesterday, chances are you might find them in one of these! The Return to School Guide was released yesterday. We are also linking Dr. Brabrand’s video and the Sick Student Return to School Notification that we spoke about today.

Please feel free to email Mrs. DeVore at hedevore@fcps.edu or Mr. Credle at cmcredle@fcps.edu this week if you have further questions. We ask that by Friday, October 30th, please call Oak Hill at 703.467.3500 if your circumstances have changed and you would prefer another learning setting (virtual or concurrent). We will do our best to accommodate your request based on staff availability and space.


Calendar Reminders

Calendar Reminder

This Friday, October 30th is an early close.  Synchronous instruction will end at 12:15pm.  There will be no school for students on November 2nd and 3rd for a School Planning Day and Teacher Workday, respectively.  


Parent Teacher Conferences

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As the quarter is coming to an end teachers are preparing for Parent Teacher Conferences.  We encourage you to schedule a conference with your child's teacher. 


Supplies Pickup

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If you missed picking up your child's bag of art supplies, please call the front office to arrange a pick up time.  Supplies can be picked up Monday through Friday between 8:15 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.


Playground and Fields Closed

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The playground and fields are now closed to the public Tuesdays-Fridays between 8:30 and 3:30 because we have students in the building. 


Meal Kit Distribution at Oak Hill

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Every Wednesday Oak Hill is distributing FREE  Fairfax Meal Kits containing seven days of breakfast and lunches.  The kits will be available for pick from 8:00 a.m. - 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.  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.  Our goal is to provide every FCPS student daily access to a healthy breakfast and lunch.


Reminder for Parents/Guardians about SIS ParentVUE

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A SIS (Student Information System) ParentVUE account is where you can access information about your child's attendance, course history, grade book (for middle and high school), progress reports, and report cards. Customized for elementary, middle, and high school students, your SIS ParentVUE Account login credentials can also be used to access FCPS 24-7 Learning: Parent View.

If you have not yet created a PVUE account, please reach out to Katherine Dillard for an activation code. Details on what can be found in PVUE and how to activate a new PVUE account using their activation code can be found by watching this video


“Go Paperless” Progress Report Option

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The “Go Paperless” option is now available to all Elementary School parents to allow them to only receive online progress reports starting the first quarter of the 2020-2021 school year. 

  • Parents and/or guardians will need to log into ParentVUE, then go to “My Account” and select "Go Paperless."
  • All parents and/or guardians who live with the student and share the same address must have a SIS ParentVUE account and must select the paperless option to prevent mailing of the printed progress reports.
  • The “Go Paperless” option will apply to all their associated students, no matter what school level.
  • If the associated parent and/or guardian has already selected “Go Paperless” for their secondary student, the option will now apply to any ES siblings as well.

Clinical Team Tip of the Week

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Communication Blocks and How to Avoid Them

Have you ever tried to help your upset child feel better, only to have them say “you don’t get it,” or “you’re not listening to me”?

Very often well-meaning, loving parents want so much to help their children when they are upset, and the first impulse may be to try to help by placating the child, trying to distract the child from their sad thoughts, or quickly giving advice about how the child may resolve their problem and feel better.  However, children often long for their parent to understand how they feel, and they actually may be able to help themselves if they have a parent who provides a listening ear, a caring attitude, and an empathetic response.   So, what is the best way for a parent to respond?  

First, listen with full attention, maintaining good eye contact and responding with words like “Oh,” and “I see” as the story unfolds.    These responses, coupled with a caring attitude, are invitations to a child to explore their own thoughts and feelings, which could possibly help them to come up with their own ideas for solutions.  

Second, listen for their feelings and acknowledge and label those feelings by making statements such as “It sounds like you’re feeling______________.  Is that right?”  Hearing the words for what they are experiencing can be deeply comforting, and they will be encouraged to share more of their thoughts and feelings with you as they realize that you are trying hard to hear them and “get” what they are feeling. This will result in more open communication and opportunities to discuss possible solutions to this and other problems in the future, which can be very helpful to children AND parents for years to come. 


ESOL Tip of the Week

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How can you help your child succeed in school and in life? 

Read more in supporting your student in becoming a Portrait of a Graduate!  

Portrait of a Graduate emphasizes the development of skills that will allow students to be productive citizens of a global community and to also be successful in the workforce of the future. Teachers give opportunities for students to illustrate their learning in authentic ways.  Students are applying Global and Ethical Citizen language throughout the day. For example, if you want to _____, what’s a goal that you might make? What could be your plan to meet the goal?

At home, instead of asking “What did you do in school today?”, consider asking one of these questions: 

How were you an ethical and global citizen today? 

How were you a good friend to ____ when ____? 

How did you try to understand how _______ was feeling? 

How were you kind to others? What good choices did you make?

What skills does a student need to become a successful Portrait of a Graduate?

Learn more about Portrait of a Graduate using these links:

English: click here                     Chinese: click here

Arabic: click here                       Vietnamese: click here

Urdu: click here                         Spanish:  click here

Korean: click here                      Farsi: click here


Red Ribbon Week

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Oak Hill’s Red Ribbon Week will be Tuesday, October 27th – Friday, October 30th!  During this time we’ll work to promote a healthy and drug-free lifestyle for all members of our community. Please see below for the week’s dress up themes.  

Thursday 10/29- Be a Superhero and Make Healthy Choices: Dress like a superhero
Friday 10/30 - Drug Free From Head to Toe: Crazy hat, hair, or sock day


FCPS Parent Technology Help Desk

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Fairfax County Public Schools has a 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.

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


Important Forms

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There are several optional and required forms parents need to update, fill out and/or sign or review.  All of them can be found on Oak Hill's website.


Family Choice: Week Nine Plan

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The Oak Hill Specialists have another fun week of Family Choice activities planned.  Click here to access them.  Students will access these activities by logging onto Blackboard and finding the Oak Hill Specialists course. From there they will click on the BBCU sessions tab, and find our classroom. 


PTA News

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Join the PTA

Oak Hill Elementary School PTA membership dues support your child by funding essential educational and curriculum needs.  Don't miss out on early access to PTA clubs.  Please be on the lookout for announcements and if you are not a member, please consider supporting our students.  To get information and join our PTA, click here and use the code 8HSEEV.  The pledge membership is $30 per family

Science Olympiad Division B 

VASO offers students the opportunity to improve their understanding in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and to work together in teams to learn new skills.  For more information, please visit this website.  Registration is open now for PTA  members.

Location: Virtual
Grades: 5th and 6th
Competition Date: January 30 or February 6

Odyssey of the Mind  

Odyssey of the Mind is an international creative problem-solving program that engages students in their learning by allowing their knowledge and ideas to come to life in an exciting, productive environment. Participants build self-confidence, develop life skills, create new friendships, and are able to recognize and explore their true potential. This year the regional and state competitions will be held virtually.

Please register your child here. The initial fee will say $0 because we cannot guarantee that your child will be placed on a team until we know how many coaches we have. The registration fee will be collected after your child is placed on a team. The registration deadline is November 1, 2020.


Key Calendar Dates

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October 26-30: Family Choice Time, 3:00-3:30pm

October 27-30: Red Ribbon Week

October 30: Deadline for parents to change student learning environment

November 2: School Planning Day, no school

November 3: Teacher Workday, no school 

November 4: Meal Kit Distribution at Oak Hill, 8:00am-12:30pm


Ways to Stay Informed

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Visit the Oak Hill website and FCPS website for updates.

Follow Oak Hill on Twitter @OakHillES.

Access Oak Hill's News You Choose.