Sangster News You Choose
Two Weeks At a Glance
November 19: TONIGHT
- Dr. Brabrand Return to School Town Hall, 6:00-7:00 pm
- PTA Meeting, 7:00 pm, Meeting ID: 921 5995 4157, Passcode: M0jEHX
November 23:
- Student Materials Curbside Pickup-1st & 2nd Grade and Grade 4-6 Strings Students books, Bus loop, 3:30-5:00 pm
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L-Z Library Book Curbside Pickup, Kiss & Ride lane, 4:00-5:00 pm
- Irving MS AAP Level IV Information Night, 7:00 pm
November 25-27: Student Thanksgiving Holiday/Schools Closed
November 30: A-K Library Book Curbside Pickup, Kiss & Ride lane, 4-5 pm
December 1: Spring Deadline-AAP Referral Process for 2021-22 School Year
A Message from Ms. Jankovich
Dear Sangster Families,
If I could create a mantra for myself it would be “All dates are subject to change.” I find myself adding/repeating this phrase to every email I send, every phone call I have, and every virtual staff meeting I conduct. Over the last week I have heard from many of you just how frustrating it is to not have a definite plan moving forward. By nature, many of us are planners - we have multiple calendars going at any one given time and like to check things off that we have accomplished. The sudden shift in the return-to-learn for Group 5, our Kindergarten and select special education students, due to changing health metrics was just another hill to climb in this roller coaster of a school year. When the news came on Monday, as Ms. Redford, the office staff, and I sat surrounded by organized boxes of PPE, spray paint cans from our weekend project of creating socially distanced dots all over the school grounds, and the most spotless main hallway in all of FCPS (Kudos to Ms. Jane and all of our custodians), I got emotional. I thought of the teachers and staff who had been working so hard to prepare for Group 5, many of them working 60 – 70 hours a week. I thought of you, the parents, having to receive yet another change to your child’s schedule. But most of all, I thought of the Kindergarten students who had planned to return on Tuesday, with their new backpacks waiting by the door. Please know, Ms. Redford and I know how hard this is on our students, staff, and parents. So, while it’s not the right time to bring back Group 5, I have full confidence that FCPS is making decisions based on data and with the health and safety of all stakeholders in mind. As I have said, we will be ready to open our doors and welcome our students when the time is right.
Each week I communicate out the most up-to-date information I have from the county in regards to the Return-to-Learn plans for Groups 5, 6, and 7. While I want you to have all of the current dates and information so you can plan accordingly, I also realize how frustrating it is when the dates change. I have decided that I will continue to share-out information as it becomes available to the community, but want to caution you, all dates are subject to change based on health metrics and other factors.
As of today, November 19, 2020:
Group 5 (Kinder/Select Special Ed Students)
- Will not be returning for in-person learning before November 30, 2020. Health metrics will be reviewed next week, and a potential start date may be identified. No confirmed start date at this time.
Group 6 (1st/2nd Grade Students) All dates subject to change
- First day of in-person learning for last names:
- A – K is Tuesday, December 8
- L – Z is Thursday, December 10
- Asynchronous Days for 1st/2nd graders: Monday, November 30, Thursday, December 3, Friday, December 4, Monday, December 7
- The 1st/2nd grade Parent Information Night set for Monday, November 30th has been postponed!
Group 7 (3rd – 6th Grade Students) All dates subject to change
- First day of in-person learning for last names:
- A – K is Tuesday, January 12th, 2021
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L – Z is Thursday, January 14th, 2021.
- Asynchronous Days for 3rd – 6th graders: Monday, January 4, Thursday, January 7, Friday, January 8, Monday, January 11.
Asynchronous Days for 3rd – 6th graders: Monday, January 4, Thursday, January 7, Friday, January 8, Monday, January 11.
Please join Dr. Brabrand for the most updated information during a virtual Return to School Town Hall from 6:00PM – 7:00PM TONIGHT, Thursday, November 18. Watch the event on your device or on the FCPS website. You can submit your questions in advance to returntoschool@fcps.edu or call in during the Town Hall at 1-800-231-6359. The November Sangster PTA Meeting will be directly after, beginning at 7:00PM.
As we have all come to expect, nothing during this national pandemic is easy or guaranteed. We have an opportunity with the upcoming holiday season to ground ourselves in all that’s right with the world – our families, friends, and faith. I have learned from every single email and phone call I have received from you. Please continue to reach out with questions or comments and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Sincerely,
Allison Jankovich
REMINDER: Student Materials Curbside Pickup Grades 1-2 and Grades 4-6 Strings Students
Monday, November 23 - 3:30-5:00 pm, Bus Loop
On Monday, November 23rd from 3:30PM – 5:00 pm. Sangster ES will have a contactless, curbside pickup of materials for students in 1st and 2nd Grade only. This is a rain or shine event. You may only pick up materials belonging to your child/children. All staff and parents must wear a mask.
In addition to ALL 1st and 2nd grade students, students in grades 4 – 6 who did not receive a Strings workbook last year should also come to this pickup of student materials. Ms. Harmon will be present to hand those workbooks to you. Please have your child’s name, Ms. Harmon’s name, and STRINGS printed on a sign that is visible to staff when you pull up into the bus loop.
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LIBRARY BOOKS Curbside Pickup
All Grades (L-Z)
Monday, Nov. 23
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4:00-5:00 pm, Kiss & Ride lane
Attention readers!! Sangster library is now offering regular curbside pickup every other Monday by student last name.
Holds must be placed in the Destiny Discover online catalog in advance. Complete details and schedules should have been sent by your child's classroom teacher this week. You can also find the information HERE through your student's fcpsschools.net account. Please reach out to our librarian with any questions: Mrs. Oberdick, neoberdick@fcps.edu.
AAP Level IV Info Night For Irving Middle School Monday, November 23, 7:00 pm
Find out more about AAP course offerings at Irving MS. This session is open to families of Level IV AAP qualified students and those who plan to apply for qualification this school year. The FCPS AAP website also provides information about the various levels and the process to apply. Please use the following link to join the program virtually: https://us.bbcollab.com/guest/51b12745183949a883ed84cbccc78e0b.
A recording of the session will be included on the Irving MS website here following the program. If you have any questions about this program, please contact Irving’s Director of Student Services, Meg Gollinger (magollinger@fcps.edu).
Advanced Academic Program (AAP) Information
On Thursday, November 5th, we held an AAP Screening and Referral Meeting. If you were unable to attend the meeting, you can access the recording here: https://us.bbcollab.com/recording/8bde75d127844eb39b102d8be67b01bd
Level IV Referrals Due by December 1, 2020: The referral window for those seeking placement in the 2020-21 school year is from September 8-December 1, 2020. Parents are reminded to submit a referral in that window if they want to be sure that their student is screened for Level IV services. We are still waiting on notification of the second grade pool. Parents should not wait for the announcement of the second grade pool if they want to be sure their student is screened for Level IV AAP in the coming cycle.
For more information about the FCPS AAP Program and to access forms visit: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/academic-overview/advanced-academic-programs
Download the AAP Level IV Referral Form here
Download the Parent Guardian Questionnaire here (optional but encouraged)
Please email referral form to the Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, Linda Biberaj (lbiberaj@fcps.edu) and the Assistant Principal, Jennifer Redford (jaredford@fcps.edu) no later than December 1, 2020.
Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R)
Due ASAP: Link is for Sangster Students ONLY
Parents and guardians, please review the Student Rights and Responsibilities and related resources at www.fcps.edu/srr. After reviewing the information, fill out the SR&R Parent Acknowledgement Form using the link below.
This form must be filled out once for each SANGSTER ES student.
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Links are school-specific. The link below is for ONLY Sangster ES students. If you have a student in another FCPS school you must complete the link provided by that school.
Sangster ES Link: FCPS SR&R Parent Acknowledgement Form
Grab and Go Meals
Delivery Time Change
Sangster 10:55-11:05 am
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FCPS Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) offers grab and go meals to all FCPS students Monday-Friday; Saturday meals are included with Friday meal distribution.
Changes to food distribution locations/times are posted every Friday on the FCPS website: https://www.fcps.edu/return-school/food
New: Fairfax Meal Kits Offered at Select Locations
Dinner and snacks are now offered at select locations. FCPS wants to provide every FCPS student daily access to free nutritious meals. Fairfax Meal Kits are offered at several sites, containing seven (7) days of breakfast and lunch items packed in bulk. Adults may purchase kits for $28.00.
There are many pickup locations near Sangster: Irving MS, Burke ES, and Keene Mill ES:
Keene Mill ES 6310 Bardu Ave, West Springfield, Wed., 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
Attendance Reporting Changes
FCPS has established new attendance reporting guidelines. Please report your student's absence by using one of the following methods below. If the absence is an illness, please report specific illness symptoms.
Positivity Project
Week of November 15
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This week’s character strength is Gratitude. Gratitude is the quality of feeling and expressing thankfulness and appreciation. It is an affirmation that there is goodness in other people and the world, and that we have received that goodness. People with the strength of gratitude have a readiness to show appreciation for kindness and also to return kindness.
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).
Next Week’s Character Strength: Gratitude Week 2
News from the PTA
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Sangster ES PTA launches the Sangster PTA News You Choose
The new Sangster PTA News You Choose announcement is sent out every Tuesday with information about PTA events and programs.
For more information on PTA activities, please see the “Weekly Email Update” heading on our PTA website: Sangster PTA website
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