For a translated version of this newsletter, please click HERE. Next click on the language con in the upper left corner to choose your preferred language.
Para obtener una versión traducida de este mensaje, haga clic AQUÍ. Luego, haga clic en el icono IDIOMA en la esquina superior izquierda para elegir su idioma preferido.
The Principal's Desk!
Greetings Families,
We have reached the end of the second quarter and are halfway through the school year. I continue to be amazed and inspired by the work of our staff, students and families to make the best of a very challenging learning environment on a daily basis. I remain optimistic that we will open the doors of our building soon to students. A reminder that students do not have school on Monday (1/25) due to a teacher workday.
Please contact me directly at cmsmith@fcps.edu or call the main office (703-279-8400) if there is anything our school team can do to support your student and family.
Thanks for your support,
Chris Smith
Daniels Run ES Principal
Celebrate a DRES Staff Member - FCPS Cares.
Stop the Spread: Protect Yourself and Slow the Spread of COVID-19
Your actions keep all of us healthy, and we need to keep it up and continue working together to help slow the spread of COVID-19. There are some simple steps you can take to protect yourself and your family. Testing, contact tracing, and staying home and away from others when sick or after contact with someone who is sick, are also critical to help “box in” COVID-19 and prevent it from spreading further in our community.
Lets Meet Our Staff (part 2)
This week we continue to meet members of our Special Education team.
Maggie Carmichael
Hello Daniels Run Dragon Families! My name is Maggie Carmichael and I am one of the Special Education teachers. This is my 3rd year at Daniels Run. I have worked with first graders, fifth graders, sixth graders, and fourth graders during that time and love being able to work with such a wonderful community of students and families. Prior to coming to Daniels Run, I worked at another FCPS school for 8 years. Many years ago, I also worked as an ESOL teacher in Alexandria City Public Schools.
I grew up on Long Island, New York and came to the DC area for college. I received my undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and my Masters Degree for Catholic University. When I’m not teaching, I coach cheerleading for SYA Extreme in Centreville. I have a son who is studying for his Doctorate in Physical Therapy and a daughter who is a senior at Centreville High School. My family and I live in Clifton and in our free time we love to take hikes on local trails and the Virginia mountains. We also love to cheer on the Nationals and the Capitals.
Nancy Slocum
Hi DRES Families!
This is my 6th year of being at Daniels Run and my 16th year of being a special education teacher with FCPS. I started my career as an accountant and then I stayed home to raise my three amazing children: Jessica, Richie, and Danny. They were all educated through FCPS and are now part of the working world! I grew up in Maryland and moved to Virginia after I graduated college.
Last June, I was very lucky to get a puppy who I named Teton. He is a schnoodle (part schnauzer and part poodle). He’s named after my favorite national park, the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. I love to visit the national parks, sew, and read in my free time.
Thanks for all you do to make the Daniels Run community so special!
Kid's Heart Challenge
“Hey Daniels Run Families,
Did you know, February is healthy heart month? During the month of February, Mrs. Forbes and Ms. Piller, in collaboration with the American Heart Association (AHA), will be leading Daniels Run in the Kids Heart Challenge. The Kids Heart Challenge encourages students to do 1 of 3 actions each and every day; Move more, drink more water, and display acts of kindness. These actions align with the Health & PE curriculum and with aspects of the Positivity Project here at DRES! In addition, we have an opportunity to raise money for the AHA (which is optional) and the PE program at DRES. If interested in fundraising, students will have the opportunity to win individual prizes and schoolwide rewards. Students will learn more during PE the week of 1/25-1/29. For more information and to sign up, click the link here (Kids Heart Challenge Info)!”
Outstanding DRES Employees!
We are so fortunate to have a truly outstanding staff at DRES. On Monday, our Outstanding Employee award winners were recognized with their certificate and balloons to celebrate them and all they do for the students and families at DRES. Congratulations to all of them!
Pictured from top left going clockwise:
Outstanding Operational Employee: Araceli Nunez
Outstanding Leader: Michael Parker
Outstanding New Teacher: Cheryl Mazmanian
Outstanding Teacher: Wendy Forstall
Outstanding Professional Employee: Lawrence Veasely
Outstanding New Principal: Chris Smith
Attendance Matters!
- This is the time of year when winter weather and children’s illnesses can take a toll on school attendance. But it’s important to get your children to school every day possible.
- If you are unsure whether to send your children to school, consult your doctor or this website for guidance: https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/policies-regulations-and-notices/attendance-policies/attendance-when-should-i-send-my. Our school nurse is also a terrific resource for chronic health conditions.
- Do what you can to keep your children healthy. Dress them warmly for the cold weather and make sure they’ve got hats and gloves. Encourage them to wash their hands regularly, and send them to school with a bottle of hand sanitizer.
- Help your child learn to persevere. Today, he learns to overcome a snowdrift. In the future, he will have the grit to triumph over even greater obstacles to his dreams.
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
Calendar Reminder: January 25th Teacher Workday
As a reminder, Monday, January 25, is a teacher work day and a holiday for students. Students will be released two hours early on Friday, January 22, the last day of the second quarter.
See the complete 2021-21 school year calendar.
Meal Distribution for the Week of January 19-26
Fairfax County Public Schools is committed to providing all students access to meals January 19-26 where there is a school holiday and one student holiday/teacher workday. The following plan is in place.
Meals will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.
It is important to follow safety guidelines when picking up meals. Please wear a mask, stand a minimum of six feet apart from others, and wash your hands before you arrive and when you return home.
Go to the Return to School/Food page for more information or call the Office of Food and Nutrition Services at 703-813-4800.
FCPS Announces Open Enrollment for Dual Language Immersion Programs
Fairfax County Public Schools’ online registration for the county-wide lottery for Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs will open on Monday, January 25. Current prekindergarten students may apply for the kindergarten immersion program and current kindergarten students may apply for the first grade immersion programs for the 2021-22 school year.
The kindergarten DLI programs are available in Korean and Spanish. Korean is available at Powell and Spanish is available at Bailey’s Elementary, Fort Hunt, Lake Anne, Laurel Ridge, London Towne, and Rose Hill Elementary Schools. First grade DLI programs are available at 12 elementary schools and are offered in French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish.
Information Meetings Ongoing
Parents who are interested in the DLI programs in FCPS are encouraged to attend an informational meeting. All meetings are held virtually. Information regarding virtual meeting access will be made available on the Dual Language Immersion registration site by the day of the meeting.
Get more information on Dual Language Immersion programs.
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.
- 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!
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.
Register for Upcoming Free Webinars from the FCPS Parent Resource Center
The FCPS Parent Resource Center (PRC) is offering four free parent webinars in February. They are:
- Teen Depression: A Webinar for Families, on Friday, February 5, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
- From Chaos to Calm: Strategies for Families to Create Calm and Confidence in the Midst of Chaos and Uncertainty - A Webinar for Families, on Friday, February 12, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
- Strategies to Support Social Emotional Learning at Home: A Webinar for Families, on Wednesday, February 17, 6:30 to 8 p.m., or Friday, February 19, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
- Is it Over Yet? How to Help your Child Cope with the Pandemic and the Eventual Return to Normalcy: A Webinar for Families, on Friday, February 26, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
More information on each session and how to register is available online.
Note: Previous webinars have been recorded and can be viewed on the PRC YouTube channel.
PTA NEWS!
PTA Save the Dates!
February 4th - Dine for Dollars at Papa John’s
February 4th and 5th - Picture Day & Love Our Dragons gift for students
February 9th - PTA Meeting
February 9th - Parent Book Club - Atomic Habits
Important Dates
January 25-Teacher Workday, No School for Students
February 2 - FCPS School Board Meeting
February 4 & 5-Picture Day
February 9-PTA Meeting
February 15-President's Day-No School
|
