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The Principal's Desk!
Greetings Families,
Thanks for attending our question and answer sessions yesterday, recordings and slideshows are linked below. These continue to be challenging times but am I fortunate to serve in such a supportive community and alongside an outstanding staff of professionals. Today is the last day of the first quarter and I am extremely proud of the work our staff has done along with our students and families to make the first quarter a great success.
Follow-up to questions that were asked yesterday:
Will parents be notified if a student in their child’s class will not be wearing a mask?
At this time FCPS will not be notifying parents of students in the classroom who are not wearing masks. Student Health and Safety Guidance Document
What are the metrics that determine if FCPS changes their operating status?
Core Indicators
1.Number of new cases per 100,000 persons within the last 14 days
2.Percentage of RT-PCR tests that are positive during the last 14 days
3.Ability of the school to implement five (5) key mitigation strategies: masks, social distancing, hand/hygiene/respiratory etiquette, cleaning & disinfecting, and contact tracing
Secondary Indicators
1. Percent change in new cases per 100,000 population during the last 7 days compared with the previous 7 days (negative values indicate improving trends)
2.Percentage of hospital inpatient beds in the community that are occupied
3.Percentage of hospital inpatient beds in the community that are occupied by patients with COVID-19
4.Existence of localized community/public setting COVID-19 outbreak
What is the current state of the ventilation/air filtration inside the school building and classrooms? FCPS Ventilation Report
FCPS follows WHO, CDC and Virginia Health Department guidance to reduce the risk for exposure to coronavirus. Schools are designed to ventilate outdoor air throughout the day to reduce the buildup of pollutants and odors. Maintenance staff routinely conduct scheduled preventative maintenance on all mechanical, electrical, HVAC, and plumbing systems, to ensure the systems are clean and working optimally. FCPS also follows guidance provided by industry experts. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, or ASHRAE, has stated that the operation of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems, can reduce airborne exposures of SARS-CoV-2. Ventilation and filtration provided by heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems can reduce the airborne concentration of SARS-CoV-2 and thus the risk of transmission through the air. Custodians and operating engineers conduct building checks to identify areas of concern (ex. - checking exhaust fans in restrooms for proper operation). In areas where an indoor air quality, environmental health specialists conduct assessments, identify deficiencies, and follow-through with corrective actions until resolved. When a significant concern is identified, high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) fan/filtration systems are implemented to enhance air cleaning. FCPS works closely with the Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) to stay informed of the most up-to-date scientific knowledge and data available to help staff and the community better prepare for returning to school.
Additional Information from City of Fairfax - The engineers are servicing HVAC equipment with added emphasis on the state of cleanliness, fresh air intakes being operational and routine replacement of existing filters. Custodians will check for proper roof drainage, especially around HVAC equipment. DRES had all its Air Handling Units (AHU’s, pictures) replaced last summer 2019 and a new chiller installed around 2016. Thus, most of the HVAC at DRES is brand new.
A new resource has been created by FCPS - Family Guide for Return to School
10/29 9:30 AM Q & A Session Recording
10/29 6:00 PM Q & A Session Recording (Spanish)
10/29 7:00 PM Q & A Session Recording
10/29 Parent Meeting Slideshow
10/29 Parent Meeting Slideshow (Spanish)
If you want to change your original choice, please contact Araceli Nunez (anunez@fcps.edu or 703-279-8400) by the 4:00 PM on Monday (11/2).
Feel free to call our main office 703-279-8400 or reach out to me directly at cmsmith@fcps.edu if there is anything we can do to help.
Thanks for your support,
Chris Smith
Daniels Run ES Principal
Parent Technology Help Desk: 1-833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS)
DRES Parent Portal
Watch Mr. L's videos for students
Watch Mr. L's video for parents
FCPS Return To School Resources
Calendar Reminder!
There will be no in-person classes on October 30. Monday, November 2, and Tuesday, November 3, are student holidays. Teachers will not be available for office hours and students are not expected to complete new asynchronous assignments. Regularly-scheduled classes will resume on Wednesday, November 4. See the complete 2020-21 school year calendar.
Tuesday, November 3, Daniels Run ES will serve as a polling location. The main office will be closed that day and resume normal operation hours on Wednesday, November 4th.
Grab and Go!
FCPS will be distributing double breakfast and lunch meals on November 2 to cover both November 2 and 3, which are student holidays. There will be no meal service on November 3.
Let's Meet Our Staff!
Meet Ahnika Emery!
Hi Daniels Run! My name is Ahnika Emery and I am the Strings teacher this year. I grew up in FCPS and started learning to play the violin in 4th grade just like many of my students. This is my 1st year at Daniels Run and my 24th year teaching Strings in FCPS! When I am not playing one of my instruments, I enjoy reading books and spending time in nature. I also enjoy practicing archery and martial arts. It a joy to work with all of the Daniels Run musicians this year!
Meet Dawn Meltzer
My name is Dawn Meltzer and this is my third year teaching in FCPS. For the past two years, I taught General Music at McNair and Terraset Elementary School, and this is my first year teaching band! I teach here at Daniels Run, and at Cunningham Park ES in Vienna. I grew up on Long Island, and moved to Virginia in 2014 to do my undergrad degree at GMU! I graduated in 2018 with my Bachelors of Music in Music Education, and I’m currently working on my Masters of Music (also at Mason). My main instrument is the flute and I’ve wanted to teach band since fourth grade! I am so lucky to have my dream job! When I’m not teaching I enjoy cooking and baking, and playing with my very cute cat, Cassie. A random fact about me is that my parents and I were clowns in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade for 15 years!
Positivity Project!
During the week of November 2 our school community will focus on the character trait of perspective.
Perspective means that you appreciate when people see things in different ways. You have the ability to understand the world from multiple points of view. Perspective is also referred to as wisdom and is distinct from intelligence. People with this strength are sought out for advice because they see the big picture and can make sense of the world’s complexity. This strength of perspective gives individuals the ability to see to the heart of difficult matters and achieve clarity. Most importantly, they are honest and behave in an ethically consistent manner.
Music News!
Daniels Run Karaoke
Bravo to the 75+ performers & audience members who came to Karaoke yesterday!
The next Daniels Run Karaoke Hour will be 4pm, Thursday, December 10. The theme will be pop music! Due to popularity, there will be a lottery to choose the singers. Twenty random students from the Karaoke Singer lottery will be chosen. Everyone will be notified on whether their name was chosen or not on December 1. Join the Karaoke Google Classroom here and enter the Karaoke singer lottery here. Questions? Email Michelle McCarten
A Musical Treat from Fairfax High School
Enjoy this virtual body percussion performance of In the Hall of the Mountain King by the Fairfax & Woodson High School Choirs . Can you spot the one Daniels Run alum in the performance?
Progress Report "Go Paperless” Option Now Available
Please help save trees and postage costs by opting in to receive “Paperless” Report Cards
- 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.
- Please note that you can print the Progress Report from ParentVUE if you want.
Girls Tech Day!
Amazon Web Services Girls’ Tech Day is going virtual this year! We hope that you will join us on a magical and adventurous journey to explore Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Coding, Virtual Reality, Robotics, and more! This complimentary event will inspire and motivate girls and young women, ages 8-24, to develop and pursue their interests in technology.
Girls’ Tech Day includes:
Speaker Sessions – Learn about the experiences of students and women in technology.
Interactive Coding Sessions – Compose a melody, code virtual models to walk a runway, program an online robot, or build avatars using artificial intelligence.
Fun with STEAM – Create magic with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Mathematics), download the Girls’ Tech Day playlist, and much more.
Activities are designed so that everyone can go at their own pace, and join the event as many times as they like between November 14 – 28. Only parents, guardians and teachers may register participants under the age of 18. All activities require an electronic device like a computer or mobile phone with Internet connection.
Registration is now open, and simple. Click here. If you would like to learn more about Girls’ Tech Day, and AWS InCommunities, click on our website here, or contact me at deoldham@amazon.com.
Grading for Elementary Music Instruction
FCPS has made a change to the grading practice for music instruction this year. In order to maximize synchronous instructional time in the full-time online schedule, Daniel Run ES is allowing 4th to take strings and 5th and 6th grade students to take band or strings instead of general music. The 4th, 5th and 6th grade students taking general music will only have a grade for general music on the progress report. The 4th, 5th and 6th grade students taking band or strings will only have grades for band or strings on the progress report. They will NOT have grades for general music.
After School Opportunity!
The Humanitas4All Hum Scouts After School Program is a free online program dedicated to helping elementary and middle school students stay on track with learning during the virtual school term. The goal of this program is to provide homework help, fun activities, positive character development, and support to young students and their families. The HumScout after school sessions are offered for students in grades K to 7th grade and will occur after school via Google Meet. Students will be paired with mentors from Thomas Jefferson and Mclean High School, prepared with fun and educational activities for the classes.
Class Description
- 1 hour long, every weekday after school (~4 or 5 pm)
- Operating on Google Meet
- Approximate Class Schedule:
- 5 min - icebreaker/warm-up game
- 30 min - homework help
- 20 min - academic enrichment exercises/lesson
- 5 min - assign optional homework
If interested, please use the form below to sign up.
Google Form Link: http://tinyurl.com/humscouts
Parental Consent Due Now!!!!
The deadline for parents to submit consent for the use of our listing of digital resources is
Without your consent your student cannot use the applications listed on this site - https://danielsrunes.fcps.edu/adopteddigitalresources
If you would like to have your student use some applications but not all please select the no option after logging in and you will be prompted to list the applications you are comfortable having your student use for the remainder school year.
Advanced Academic Programs (AAP)
Level IV Full-time Services Referral and Screening Information
Our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, Ms. Beth McCrodden, will be holding two parent information sessions on the Level IV AAP screening and identification process.
Tuesday, November 10 from 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM (Evening Session Meeting Link)
Thursday, November 12 from 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (Morning Session Meeting Link)
The focus of the meetings will be the referral and screening process for students in 2nd-6th grade to be identified for AAP Level IV Full-time services.
The window to submit Level IV Referrals is open from September 8 through December 1, 2020.
You can find the most up-to-date screening information and parent presentations on the FCPS Advanced Academic Program site here: AAP Level IV Screening Updates for 2020-21 School Year
Save the Date-Picture Day(s)!
Picture day(s) will take place on February 4th and 5th, 2021. We will send out details as we get closer to that time.
Attendance Matters!
- Just a few missed days here and there, even if they’re excused absences, can add up to too much lost learning time and put your child behind in school. This is as true in kindergarten as it is in high school.
- HOW CAN YOU HELP YOUR CHILD OR TEEN HAVE GOOD ATTENDANCE?
- Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day, make that the expectation.
- Help your child maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.
- Try not to schedule dental and medical appointments during the school day.
- Find out if your child feels engaged by his classes and feels safe from bullies and other threats. Make sure he or she is not missing class because of behavioral issues and school discipline policies. If any of these are problems, work with your school.
- Stay on top of academic progress and seek help from teachers or tutors if necessary. Make sure teachers know how to contact you.
- Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated.
- Encourage meaningful afterschool activities, including sports and clubs.
COMMUNICATE WITH THE SCHOOL
- Know the school’s attendance policy–incentives and penalties
- Talk to teachers if you notice sudden changes in behavior. These could be tied to something going on at school.
- Check on your child’s attendance to be sure absences are not piling up.
- Ask for help from school officials, afterschool programs, other parents or community agencies if you’re having trouble getting your child to school
- Looking ahead to the holiday season, if missing school is unavoidable, talk to your children’s teachers in advance to create a plan for making up missed work. But remember, a homework packet cannot make up for the interaction and learning that goes on in the classroom.
FCPS Cares!
FCPS CARES is an opportunity for staff, parents, students, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others. Every month, a nominated employee from each region and Central Offices will be recognized as an FCPS CARES of the Month recipient. We’ll share their names in Employee News, and they will also have access to a new FCPS CARES banner for their profile photo in Outlook. Watch this video to learn more about FCPS CARES. We also encourage you to acknowledge a staff member who has gone above and beyond
Is Your FCPS Laptop Running Slow or Having Connectivity Issues?
- It is important to RESTART your FCPS laptop daily. If possible, go to an FCPS site once each week or every other week, log in and restart your laptop twice. Doing this at an FCPS location on the FCPS network allows your computer to get valuable and necessary updates. Most high and middle schools have internet reception in the their parking lots which allows you to get these updates without leaving your car. At Crossfield you will need to sit on the bench in front of the school to get internet connection.
- More help for troubleshooting other issues you may experience can be found on FCPS’s website: Tech Support for Families. It may behoove students to bookmark this site, as it will help solve most common problems. Obviously we want our students to have the best experience possible in this virtual environment!
Common Sense School Recognition
Daniels Run ES has been recognized as a Common Sense School for our efforts to educate students, staff, and parents about the benefits of digital citizenship. Throughout the 19-20 School year we worked hard to educate our community on how to use empathy, principles, and respect when using digital resources. Our journey to become a Common Sense recognition school has been revealing indeed. We learned that the Daniels Run Community is very eager to learn how to be responsive and proactive. Students, parents and teachers want to build a trust system that can endure any problem that might come up. When we stopped to think of all the complexities of using digital resources we knew we had a lot to learn and do. Our staff has always been very tech minded so moving toward Common Sense recognition was natural progression for us.
While our achievement has been gratifying we know we have so much more work to do to maintain the skills we have learned during the recognition process. A tip of the hat to the Daniels Run community for a job well done.
Dr. Brabrand’s Acknowledgement - https://youtu.be/RLiBmZ9QsZU
On our website - https://danielsrunes.fcps.edu/announcements/daniels-run-es-common-sense-school
Safe Routes to School-Walking Wednesday!
FCPS Safe Routes to School in collaboration with Fairfax County Park Authority’s Move Your Way and Healthy Strides campaign will be promoting Walking Wednesdays during the 2020-2021 school year to encourage physical activity.
Walking Wednesdays is a county-wide community program designed to promote physical and mental health. FCPS Safe Routes to School in collaboration with Fairfax County Park Authority’s Move Your Way and Healthy Strides campaign encourages students and parents/guardians to take time each Wednesday to walk and connect with friends, neighbors and classmates before the school day and workday begins. Whether your walk takes you around the block, to the bus stop, or to your school, we hope you will find others out walking and can greet one another from a distance.
Walking Wednesdays will kick off on October 7, 2020, which is International Walk to School Day. Coming in November will be Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day on November 18, 2020. More information about Walking Wednesdays can be found at https://www.fcps.edu/resources/safety-and-transportation/transportation-services/safe-routes-school-srts.
Families, neighborhoods or schools can register their participation in International Walk to School Day on October 7, 2020 at http://www.walkbiketoschool.org/registration/
Bus Route Meal Delivery
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) buses are delivering grab and go meals along some bus routes. School buses will stop at designated intersections to deliver these 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: meals for Saturdays and Sundays will be distributed at all sites and on all bus routes each Friday.
PLEASE NOTE: Updates to bus routes are posted each afternoon by 5 pm. Changes will be marked as "new" or "updated". When changes are made, an effective date is posted with the route information.
Arrival times at bus stops may be delayed several minutes due to unexpected issues.
Parent/Student Tech Support Portal
To support families who are working with their children during distance learning, Fairfax County Public Schools is launching 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 a 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.
Office Hours - Appointment Only
The Daniels Run office will be open daily. Office hours are daily from 8:00am- 4:30pm, appointment only. Visitors will need to call the main office line, 703-279-8400 to schedule appointment. Thanks!
PTA NEWS!
Drive-Thru Pumpkin Patch – Friday, October 30th – 6-9 pm
Daniels Run PTA, in partnership with Providence PTA and the City of Fairfax Parks and Rec, will be hosting a Drive-Thru Pumpkin Patch on Friday, October 30th from 6-9 pm on Lions Run at Fairfax High School.
We are seeking donations of carved pumpkins for the event. Bring your carved pumpkins to Lions Run between 1 and 4 on Friday, October 30, and be part of this fun event. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a094cafae2da31-carved. We are also seeking additional volunteers to assist with the event – please consider signing up! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A45ABAE23A75-volunteer
Pumpkins will be lit for a fun drive-thru display available for viewing from 6-9 pm. We will also be collecting food donations for A Place to Stand.
2020-2021 PTA Family Directory Now Available
Looking to connect with other families in your grade?
The Daniels Run Family Directory is now up and running for current PTA members. Visit dres.memberhub.com to login and take a look around, or download the Memberhub App to search the directory too! If you aren’t already a member, you can join today!
Questions, please email dressecretary@gmail.com
Save The Date - Dining for Dollars at Chipotle November 2nd!
Enjoy Takeout at the Main Street Chipotle (9506 Main ST) between 4-8 PM on November 2nd. Be sure to use online ordering code: JWMPYEX as a promo code or tell the cashier that you are supporting Daniels Run! 33% of the proceeds go towards funding DRES PTA programs!
Important Dates
November 2-Teacher Workday/Student Holiday
November 3-Teacher Workday/Student Holiday
November 11-2 Hour Early Release (1:45 dismissal);
November 11-PTA Meeting-7:00pm
November 25-27-Thanksgiving Break
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