Belvedere News and Announcements

From the Administration

Dear Belvedere Family:

The PTA held a very successful plant sale this past weekend. Parents and staff who purchased plants drove to school on Saturday to pick up their plants.  Thank you to all who volunteered their time and energy to make this happen.

We are so excited that it is finally warm outside! It has been a long cool spring. We are eagerly awaiting the cicadas to emerge after their 17-year cycle. Ms. Atkins is putting together an outdoor story walk about insects and Ms. Evers and Ms. Auerbach have shared a lot of valuable cicada information with teachers. Here is a resource that can help you talk to your child about cicadas.

Enjoy a wonderful weekend!

Best Regards,

Cecilia Vanderhye, Principal and Kelly Cabezas, Assistant Principal


School Pictures are Here!

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

If your student is attending school Virtually (Online-Only), click here to sign up for a time to bring your child to Belvedere.  Any Pre-K through Grade 3 students who missed the picture day on Monday, April 26 can sign up for a slot on May 5 or 6.

To order school pictures for your child, go to http://www.prepayorders.com, and enter Flyer Code: be7434.  You can view the Provine flyer here.


SOL Testing for Grades 3-5

Our Standards of Learning (SOL) Testing has begun.  To review the schedule for SOL testing, click here.  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.

Virtual Orientation for Incoming Kindergarten Students

We will be holding a Virtual Orientation for incoming Kindergarten families on Thursday, April 29, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.  For a link to the event, please email our registrar, Bessi Moreno, at bymoreno@fcps.edu.


PreK and Early Head Start for SY 2021-22

FCPS PreK and Early Head Start is now accepting applications for School Year 2021-22!  Please watch this video to see if your 3 or 4 year old may qualify for PreK.


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.


Rec-PAC is Back!

Rec-PAC is a structured recreation program operated by the Fairfax County Park Authority for elementary school children.  Six one-week sessions will be offered this summer, from June 28 to August 5.  Rec-PAC locations near Belvedere include Parklawn, Bailey's Primary, and Bren Mar Park Elementary Schools

Participants enjoy activities such as fitness, indoor and outdoor games, team sports, nature, crafts, special events, talent shows, and play sessions.  Fees are designed to be affordable, and scholarships are available.

For more information, click here.


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

  • Monday, 4/26 to Thursday, 5/20: Standards of Learning (SOL) Testing
  • Thursday, 4/29:  Kindergarten Virtual Orientation (6:00-7:00 p.m.)
  • Wednesday, 5/5 and Thursday, 5/6, 8:00-9:00 a.m.: Picture Days for Grade 4 & 5 Virtual (Online-Only) Students
  • Wednesday, 5/5 and Thursday, 5/6, during the school day: Picture Days for All Hybrid (In-Person) Students

Keep in Touch

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FCPS Calendar: 2020-2021 (Current Year)

FCPS Calendar: 2021-2022 (Next Year)