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In this Friday Message you will find:
- Principals' Message
- Annual Giving Tree Virtual Reminder
- Soaring Eagles
- Positivity Project
- Staff Spotlight
- Links for FCPS How to Videos
- December Floris Kids' Clubs
- PTA Spirit Week
- Upcoming Dates
Dear Floris Families,
Thank you to the Floris PTA for their thoughtful Gift of Appreciation that was sent electronically to all Floris Staff. We also appreciate the PTA planning a Winter Wonderland Spirit Week for next week (the final week before Winter Break). Details were shared in the PTA newsletter and the graphic and link are listed below.
Plans and tentative dates for the return to in-person learning was discussed at last night's School Board Meeting. More details from FCPS and Floris will be coming soon.
We anticipate a schedule change as we shift to in-person instruction in January due to social distancing constraints on the FCPS buses. The revised bell schedule for Floris is 10:05am-4:50pm. Both in-person and virtual classes will follow the same bell schedule. We will share more specific information as it is available.
Just a reminder, FCPS shares daily metrics at the Return to School COVID-19 Health Metrics page.
We continue to be appreciative and grateful for the support and flexibility of our staff, students and families.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Holly Walker and Amanda Dorr
hjwalker@fcps.edu
acdorr@fcps.edu
Floris’ Annual Giving Tree Reminder
Although this school year is certainly different, one tradition is still the same...Floris' Annual Giving Tree! As a school community, we will once again be providing support for the holiday season to provide gifts and food. We recognize the hardships many of our families are facing.
If your family is able to help, please sign up for a gift card slot on the sign up genius below.
Gift cards should be:
- Mailed to Floris Elementary School, Attention: Sarah de Kramer, 2708 Centreville Road Herndon, 20171 (please mail early enough for receipt by December 14).
- Dropped in the supervised box outside Floris ES at Door 1 on December 14 between 10:00am-3:00pm.
Thank you for your continued generosity.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0D49A4AB2A1-floris
Soaring Eagles
Please continue to share your love, gratitude and kindness with our staff on Soaring Eagles, the new online tradition at Floris. Please take a moment to say thank you and/or show appreciation for our staff and the hours of hard work happening day and night!
Please click HERE to share your Floris Soaring Eagles!
#EaglesSoaringHigherTogether
#PositivityinAction
Positivity Project
Kindness
What does Kindness mean? You are generous to others and you are never too busy to help-out. You enjoy doing good deeds for other people. Kindness has been a foundation of moral and spiritual life across cultures and religions throughout history. This character strength is grounded in the belief of a common humanity in which others are worthy of care, attention, affection, and compassion.
Why does it matter? For individuals, kindness is correlated with desirable developmental outcomes. It is related to other-oriented emotions, like empathy (the ability to experience the emotional state of another person) and sympathy (the tender emotion of concern for another’s difficulty).
Quote of the Week: “Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” -MARK TWAIN
You may also visit P2 for Families and use the password P2 to access activities and tools for you to use at home with your children.
This week's spotlight...
We started the year sharing about our new to Floris Staff and are now sharing some fun details about more Floris Staff members.
ALYSSA STOFFER
A member of the 1st grade teaching team, Alyssa Stoffer has taught for four years; this is her second year at Floris. Although a degree in Music Therapy and certification in Youth and Family Ministry took her on a completely different career path originally, Ms. Stoffer shares, “I felt like I was a teacher naturally. All roads led me to get my Master’s degree in Education and finally arrive in a traditional classroom.” She loves seeing the light-bulb moment when a student who has struggled to read has a successful breakthrough. “Those moments of success, whether small or big, really brighten my day,” she says.
Ms. Stoffer’s family recently relocated to Virginia after her husband’s retirement from the Army. She has three wonderful children (Colin-11, Faith- 9, and Dillon- 7), two cats and a dog, so her house is filled with energy and love.
You may not know that Ms. Stoffer has a passion for singing. She has performed with different choirs in a number of impressive venues, including New York City’s Carnegie Hall, St. Marco’s Square in Venice, American Cathedral in Paris, and New Jersey’s Performing Arts Center.
Madison Potter
Madison Potter began her teaching career three years ago and has spent all of that time at Floris. This year, she is a member of the 5th grade team. Ms. Potter’s mother is an educator too, so teaching is in her genes.
Aside from her mom’s example, Ms. Potter vividly remembers her own kindergarten teacher. Those two role models “have the biggest hearts for their kiddos and inspire me every day,” Ms. Potter says, adding that her favorite part of teaching is the bond created with her students – she loves being their cheerleader and wants them to know she is always in their corner, loving them not just on good days but on challenging days too.
Married for just over a year, Ms. Potter and her husband recently adopted two sweet kittens and are loving being pet parents. She practices yoga daily to keep herself centered and enjoys traveling and exploring new places like different beaches and quaint small towns. This 5th grade teacher practices what she preaches, grabbing the opportunity to read whenever she has a few quiet minutes. She just finished The Guest List by Lucky Foley for a book club group and is currently reading Matched, young adult fiction by Ally Condie.
How-To Videos for Parents and Students as they Return to School
Mask-Wearing
Riding the Bus
Return to School Daily Procedures
ParentVue
 Here is the link to sign up for the movie.
https://forms.gle/ekyb1X9f5oLUaDT29
December 12: PTA Holiday of Hope Night
December 14-19: PTA Spirit Week (details are above)
December 21- January 1- No School- Winter Break- Floris Main Office is Closed
January 13: PTA Meeting, 6:30pm, PTA Zoom Link
January 14: Parent Coffee, 10:30-11:30am, presentation by Shannon Daly, Floris Reading Specialist
January 18: No School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
January 20: No School, Inauguration Day Holiday
January 22: End of 2nd Quarter, Two Hour Early Release and Virtual/Synchronous learning day for all students
January 25: No School, Teacher Workday
Find the 2020-2021 School Year Calendar Here
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