From the Administration
Dear Belvedere Family:
Ramadan Mubarak! The most important holidays for our Muslim families and students are happening now. Yesterday was the first day of Ramadan, the month-long period of fasting and prayer that commemorates the revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad. Ramadan culminates in Eid al-Fitr, a three-day celebration. At school, we have arranged an alternative space for students who are fasting to spend their lunch time. Students from very different countries, including Yemen, Afghanistan, and Indonesia, come together and discover how their cultural and religious traditions are the same. What a fabulous lesson for our students: as people, we are so alike and have so much in common, no matter what part of the world we come from.
Thank you to all who attended the PTA meeting last night. The PTA is in the process of putting together a new board for the coming school year and needs your help. If you are interested in being part of the PTA board, please contact the PTA (bespta.va@gmail.com).
With so much news about the pandemic all over the media, students hear bits and pieces of information, often putting these together into thoughts that may not be fully accurate or that may be alarming without a complete understanding of the situation. We highly encourage you to check in with your child about what she or he is thinking and what might be something of concern. Being able to speak about their thoughts and feelings can help children feel at ease and supported. Here is a resource that might be of help. If you feel your child needs the support of a counselor at school, please reach out to your child’s teacher or to our school counselors, Ms. Leyla Mastroianni and Ms. Tracy Ballard.
Best Regards,
Cecilia Vanderhye, Principal and Kelly Cabezas, Assistant Principal
Virtual Meeting on Boundary Study
FCPS is considering adjusting the attendance boundary for some schools in the Justice High School pyramid to relieve facility crowding. There are some elementary schools with capacity that can accommodate additional students.
The next step in the process is to hold a virtual boundary study meeting.
FCPS staff have developed possible boundary adjustment options based on the community input collected during the meetings held in March. The options will be presented at the boundary study meetings. After the presentation, community members will work in virtual breakout rooms to share feedback on the options. The feedback will be collected and shared with the School Board and the Superintendent.
Please join us at the virtual boundary study meeting:
Wednesday, April 21 from 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Please register here and indicate if you need an interpreter.
Any change to the elementary school boundary will not change the middle school or high school boundary. Read more about the boundary adjustment process here.
School Pictures are Coming!
We are excited to announce that we will be taking school pictures this year! Here is the schedule:
- Monday, April 26: Pre-K through Grade 3 Virtual (Online-Only) Students
- Wednesday, May 5 and Thursday, May 6, 8:00-9:00 a.m.: Grade 4 & 5 Virtual (Online-Only) Students
- Wednesday, May 5 and Thursday, May 6, during the school day: All Hybrid (In-Person) Students
Early next week, we will communicate additional details about School Pictures, including sign-up procedures for Virtual Students, ordering instructions, and more.
SOL Testing for Grades 3-5
Last week, we distributed the schedule for the Standards of Learning (SOL) Testing for students in grades 3-5. Please note that there are separate schedules for Virtual (Online-Only) and Hybrid (In-Person) students.
Register for Kindergarten Now!
Registration for the 2021-2022 school year is underway. If you have a child who will be 5 years old on September 30, 2021, they will be eligible for Kindergarten this fall! Please contact the Belvedere office (703-916-6800) for additional information on registering your incoming Kindergarten student.
We will be holding a Virtual Orientation for incoming Kindergarten families on Thursday, April 29, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. More details to follow!
Specialists' April Newsletter
Click here to learn about what our specialists have planned for your students in Art, Music, Health & Phys Ed, Spanish & Library during the month of April!
Book Fair!
The Bookworm Central Book Fair is open now through the last day of school. It’s a great way to support the library, a local business, and keep your student reading! Belvedere’s Book Fair site is here. You can also see more specific directions here.
AAP Spring Newsletter
Please click here to read the Spring AAP Newsletter, which describes the Level I, II and III AAP service offered at the elementary level, and contains instructions for parents to initiate screening for Level II and III services by Monday, April 19.
2021-2022 School Year Calendar
FCPS has released its calendar for next school year, which is available here.
Click here for a printable version.
Seeking PTA Board Members for 2021-22
Now more than ever, the PTA is crucial in supporting our school and community! In this year like no other, fresh ideas and funding are critical.
Joining the PTA Board will afford you the opportunity to be at the front line in helping to create and implement new activities and initiatives for these changing times. Serving as a PTA Board member at this unique time in our history will also give you the opportunity to help create unforgettable experiences that will affect our students and staff for years to come!
The PTA Board currently has openings for all positions (President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer) for 2021-22. A desire to serve is all that is required! No experience? No problem! Comprehensive training is available over the summer.
Come join us and help shape the narrative and support our diverse community. Email latoya.louis.va@gmail.com with a short statement indicating your desire to serve today!
Backpack Friday Pickup
If you participate in the Backpack Friday program, and your child will be coming to school in-person, we will send your child home with food.
If you participate in the Backpack Friday program, and your child will be attending online-only, you will be able to pick up your food during regular office hours on Fridays from 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. If you would like to be added or removed from the Backpack Friday list, please call the school office at 703-916-6800.
From the Library
If your child is coming to school in-person, we will be delivering library books to their classroom. If your child is attending school virtually, we will continue to offer our Friday curbside library book pick-up. For information about how to request books for pick-up, please follow these directions. We received new guidance from the Virginia Department of Health about isolating library books. We had been asked to isolate books for 7 days before allowing another student to check them out. That has been updated to 24 hours. We will start following this new guidance immediately.
Please reach out to our librarian, Marcie Atkins, (mfatkins@fcps.edu) with any questions.
Meal Kit Sites Moving to Monday Distribution Starting April 19
Many FCPS Grab and Go food distribution sites have switched this month from daily food pickup to weekly Fairfax Meal Kit distribution. Fairfax Meal Kits contain seven days of breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, and supper items packed in bulk.
On Monday, April 19, all meal kit sites are permanently moving to a Monday distribution day. Hours remain 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or until supplies are exhausted. Grab and Go locations and bus routes remain the same. Go to the food distribution webpage for more information.
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!
PTA Direct Donation Campaign
As of now, our generous Belvedere community has raised nearly $1,000 for our school! The PTA supports Belvedere's students and staff in many great ways. For example this year, PTA funds will go towards school technology, teacher training, software licenses, school spirit, and so much more.
Instead of asking our students and staff to sell various fundraising products, we ask all members of our community to contribute to the important work of supporting our school by making Direct Donations. Our fundraising goal this year is $8,000 to help our school! Please consider donating whatever you can today. You may mail payments by check to "Belvedere Elementary School PTA, 6540 Columbia Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041" or through PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/belvederePTA
From the PTA
In Case You Missed It
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.
Upcoming Dates
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FCPS Calendar: 2020-2021 (Current Year)
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