From the Administration
Dear Belvedere Family:
Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful winter break with memorable time with family and friends, even if socially distanced or in a virtual setting. I enjoyed time with my grandson, running and playing and tiring long before he did.
As you may have heard from last night’s school board work session, the plan to return students to in-person instruction has temporarily been paused. Therefore, at this time we will not have any students attending classes in person. Belvedere staff will continue to instruct students virtually. The school board will have another work session on February 2 to discuss this matter. As soon as we have more specific information to share, we will communicate with you.
We thank you for helping your child ease into the school routine after winter break. Helping your child find a quiet space to work, establishing a morning routine that includes breakfast before school starts, and making sure your child is ready to begin morning meeting at 9:20 sets the child up for a successful school day.
As always, we are here to support you and your child. Please feel free to reach out should you have any questions.
Best Regards,
Cecilia Vanderhye, Principal
School Supplies
Before winter break, school staff distributed additional school and art supplies to students. If you were not able to retrieve your child's supplies, you may pick them up at the Belvedere office on Mondays from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
If you are not able to come in on a Monday, please call the office (703-916-6800) to schedule an alternate time.
News 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.
FREE Fairfax Meal Kits--Now with Supper and Snack, plus Fresh Fruits and Vegetables!
We are excited to announce that we will be distributing FREE Fairfax 7-Day Meal Kits at Belvedere on Wednesdays. Starting on Wednesday, January 13, the meal kits will include breakfast, lunch, supper and snack!
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, lunch, supper and snack 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.
The Office of Food and Nutrition Services will also be distributing fresh, local fruits and vegetables at the bulk meal kit sites throughout January and February. Families that pick up no-cost meals from these sites will also be provided a whole, fresh fruit or vegetable sourced from a local farm for each child, along with an activity sheet and recipe for that item. This item will vary each week, and will be available on the following dates:
- Wednesday, January 13
- Tuesday, January 19 (this distribution will be on Tuesday, as Wednesday January 20 is a school holiday)
- Wednesday, January 27
- Wednesday, February 3
- Wednesday, February 10
- Wednesday, February 17
For a full list of bulk sites where these fresh fruits and vegetables will be served, please visit https://www.fcps.edu/return-school/food.
Instructions on how to store the food and prepare it will be provided. Meal kits will be distributed every Wednesday unless otherwise noted.
Don’t miss out! Stop by Belvedere and pick up your no-cost Fairfax Meal Kit on Wednesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.!
Supporting your Child in Math: Webinars
FCPS is presenting webinars for families that will dive deep into how to support their child in mathematics. The webinars will focus on three big ideas:
- Math Takes Time,
- Focus on Understanding, and
- Asking Questions.
These sessions will support parents as they partner with their child, examine what is the critical content of their child’s mathematics, and explore ways to support learning that content. Here are the details of the webinars:
TJHSST Diversity Talk
The PTSA Diversity Committee of the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) is launching a series of Diversity Talks webinars in January! This series is especially for elementary and middle school students in grades 4-8. Join us to hear from people working in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields. What sparked their interest in STEM? What did they study in school? What kinds of jobs do they do? What else would you like to know?
Parents, register at this Zoom link: https://bit.ly/TJDiversityTalk1
Submit questions in advance here: https://bit.ly/tjdiversitytalks
FREE COVID-19 Testing at George Mason Regional Library
Click here for information about a new FREE COVID-19 testing site at George Mason Regional Library.
Individuals who exhibit any symptoms, or who have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, should get tested. Fairfax County has an incredible array of services and supports to help individuals who test positive!
Information about additional COVID-19 testing sites in Fairfax and surrounding jurisdictions is available here.
Resources for Belvedere Families
We have recently received the following information on community resources for Belvedere families:
Belvedere Book Fair!
Belvedere’s Fall Book Fair is 100% online! You can buy books and have them shipped to your house. The Book Fair runs through January 31.
Click on this link to find out how to order. All proceeds will go to support our wonderful library program.
Virtual Author Visit on January 11
Thomas Jefferson Library will be hosting a virtual visit with author and illustrator Zara Gonzalez Hoang on Monday, January 11, at 12:00 PM.
Zara will be reading her new book "A New Kind of Wild," talk about how she made it, and teach students how to draw a coqui.
This activity is intended for students in Preschool through Grade 3. Click here to see a flyer, and click here to register.
Virtually meet bestselling author and illustrator Gale Galligan on Monday evening, January 11, from 7:30-8:30 p.m. Gale is an Asian-American cartoonist and the creator of the New York Times bestselling The Baby-sitters Club graphic novel adaptations of Dawn and the Impossible Three, Kristy's Big Day, Boy Crazy Stacy and Logan Like Mary Anne.
For additional details, including registration information, click here.
Employment Opportunities
New opportunity: Classroom Monitors
FCPS schools and centers will be hiring classroom monitors to provide in-person classroom assistance for students when a staff member remains virtual. If you would like more information about the position, please review the job description and qualifications online and apply if interested. Please feel free to share information about this opportunity with anyone else you think may be interested.
Substitute Teaching
Are you or somebody you know interested in substitute teaching with FCPS? Apply here or attend one of our Friday information sessions to learn more! To sign up for a session, visit our substitute information page here. Say Yes 2 FCPS!
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. A separate form must be filled out for each student. Thank you!
Translated versions of the Student Rights and Responsibilities are now available here.
From the PTA
In Case You Missed It
Upcoming Dates
- Tuesday, 1/5 to Friday, 1/9: Virtual Learning for All Students
- Monday, 1/11: Virtual Author Visit with Zara Gonzalez Hoang (12:00 p.m.); register here
- Monday, 1/18: No Classes (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
- Wednesday, 1/20: No Classes (Inauguration Day)
Keep in Touch
Visit the Belvedere website
Report student absences
Follow Belvedere on Twitter
Follow our PTA on Facebook
Change your email preferences
|
