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MEETING TONIGHT!
Wed, 5/12, 5:00pm
Fun, friendship, her big future, Girl Scouts has you covered!
Rising kindergarten families, from Franconia ES, you're invited!
Make new friends with your soon-to-be classmates, learn about Girl Scouts and what they do, and spend some time outdoors together!
Parents will learn about Girl Scouts and how new kindergarten troops get started.
Learn about rising K troops forming in your school!
For more information about Girl Scouts in grades 1-12, contact Nicole Cruz at ncruz@gscnc.org or 703-372-4342 [English/Espanol].
PTA RESTAURANT NIGHT
Wednesday, May 12, 4:00-9:30pm
La Fiamma
Support our school and give back to our community by enjoying dinner at Franconia’s newest family-owned Italian kitchen, formerly Paradiso, enjoy dinner with your family - both indoor/outdoor seating and take-out available. Visit their menu here https://lafiammaitalian.com.
All visitors who show the flyer will have 10% of their meal cost donated back to FES. Share it with your friends and don’t forget to to SHOW YOUR FLYER!
Click here for the flyer.
For any questions, please contact the PTA President, Cassidy Roach, at cassidyroach@gmail.com.
Student Council Association
Spirit Days!!
Thursday, 5/20
This will be the last Students Council Spirit Day this year. We ask that you show your Penguin Pride by wearing your Franconia gear.
A big THANK YOU to all who participated on our spirit days this year.
GO PENGUINS!!
***Please register by 6/11
Kindergarten 2021-2022
Do you have a child will be 5 years of age by September 30, 2021, and do you plan on sending them to kindergarten for the 2021-2022 school year?
If your child is ready for kindergarten, please fill out the form at this link so you are put on our list of incoming kindergarten families for 2021-2022:
Also, share this info with your neighbors who have a child that meets the above criteria.
All the forms needed for registration can be found here:
Franconia Elementary School office - 703-822-2200
LIBRARY NEWS
From Mrs. Vandersande, School Librarian
LIBRARY BOOKS - all books are due back to the LIBRARY by May 28. Please encourage your child/children to check their desks at school and under their bed at home to find all of them. Mrs. Vandersande can print out updated lists of checked out books for your child to return.
ONLINE BOOK FAIR - June 1-14 - look for more information soon!
ANNOUNCEMENT
COVID VACCINATIONS
Text GETVAX (438829) in English or VACUNA (822862) in Spanish. Then type in your zip code - you will immediately receive addresses of nearby available vaccination locations.
All Students to Be Virtual on June 8 Due to Democratic Primary Election
Tuesday, June 8, is the Democratic Primary Election. Because the Fairfax County Electoral Board and City of Fairfax Electoral Board will be using 165 school facilities as polling locations, June 8 will be a virtual synchronous learning day (no in-person classes) for students.
Get more information about the primary elections.
FCPS CARES
Recognize FCPS Employees
FCPS Cares is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care.
The end of the school year is a great time to acknowledge someone who has worked with your child or family during this unpredictable year.
Learn how you can acknowledge an FCPS employee for their great work.
The Franconia Student Council Association is calling all Penguins!
Collection dates are April 28 - May 26
We need your help! We will be collecting pet supplies to benefit the animals helped by HART. This organization helps abandoned and stray animals by getting the medical care they need, and finding them a loving home.
Please consider donating items from the list provided. For every item donated, your class will receive one point. Every class that reaches 25 points will win a class party! All classes that earn 25 points will also be entered into a drawing. Each student in the winning class will be able to pick a book from the Scholastic catalog ($7 maximum value). Donations should be dropped in the bins at Franconia.
- Dawn Antibacterial Dish soap
- Greenies Dog Dental Treats
- Nature’s Recipe Easy to Digest Wet Dog Food
- Advantage II Flea Treatment & Prevention for Cats (all sizes)
- K9 Advantix II Flea & Tick Preventative for Dogs (all sizes)
Student Intention
School Year 2021-2022
Where will your child attend school next year?
Please complete the form at this link: https://forms.gle/GdNAPcVKS48fJ1mP7.
Ms. Octaviano's 2nd Grade Class
"Back on Earth Day, we discussed how cleaning up our neighborhood is a way we can make the earth healthier. The kids had the idea to pick up trash outside, and today, I brought gloves and bags so that we could do it. Of course it was not required, but everyone jumped at the chance to clean up the recess field. Here they are, hard at work 😊 Such great kids, all of them!"
Franconia Garden Update
Last Saturday, a group of volunteers, adults and students alike, cleaned up the school garden area to prep it for planting.
School STEAM teacher, Mrs. Reyes, oversaw the efforts with the help of a mini assistant (her daughter, Sunnie).
Character Trait of the Month
April’s Character Trait was responsibility - to do what is expected in behavior and actions.
Take a look at how students practiced responsibility:
https://youtu.be/G1E7dVILkTg
May’s Character Trait is resilience - when things are hard, you don't give up and quit.
For any questions, please contact the School Counselors, Mrs. Guillion (vguillion@fcps.edu) or Mrs. Coleman (kdcoleman@fcps.edu).
May Guidance Lesson Topics:
Coming soon...
BEHIND THE MASK
1ST GRADE
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Latisha Bolden
This is my 14th year of teaching and my 4th year at Franconia. I am also a product of Fairfax County Public schools!
I am thrilled to be an educator in my community and I love to spend time with my husband and 5 kids! I also love attending my church and trying new things. Chocolate and coffee are my favorites!
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Katheryn Kennedy-Labat
Katheryn Kennedy-Labat teaches awesome, resilient, joyful first graders at Franconia (for over 20 years but who’s counting!). She is passionate about teaching, reading, and family. She and her husband were both born and raised in California where the sun shines 364 days a year! Both of her children attended Franconia ES where they had amazing teachers (shout out Ms. Hicks) and made lifelong friends.
Literacy and equity are a huge part of Mrs. Kennedy-Labat’s professional and personal life. She will go anywhere to listen to a favorite author (looking at you, Jason Reynolds) or to learn the latest instructional tips to help children grow as learners. Columbia’s Teachers College workshops have been a great source of professional growth.
In her free time, Mrs. Kennedy-Labat enjoys traveling (pre-pandemic), exploring new restaurants (pre-pandemic) and READING (always). She considers the Franconia Family to be the BEST!
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela
Information Sessions
PEATC (Parent Education Advocacy Training Center) has some exciting virtual training opportunities for our military families who have students with disabilities coming up over the next several weeks. Below is the information about each.
Training Events:
In collaboration with VDOE, PEATC is offering training events for both professionals and parents again this year. As much as we would like to see everyone, VDOE is requiring that these events be virtual. It will be recorded presentations that are self-paced, but we are offering one live session for each event. Please see the attached flyers for details, or you can register using the links below:
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On the Front Lines ( for professionals including EFM and SLOs, Purple Star School POCs, MFLCs and ombudsmen, formerly EFM/SLO training) – two opportunities to participate:
- July 8-15, 2021; Live event on July 13th at 12:00 p.m. Registration: https://efmpslojuly2021.eventbrite.com
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In the Trenches (for service members, parents, families, and caregivers only, formerly Squared Away) – two opportunities to participate:
- July 17-25, 2021; Live event on July 22nd at 7:00 p.m., Registration: https://inthetrenchesjuly2021.eventbrite.com
Sometimes military networks don’t like our registration links or will block Eventbrite links, so you may need to try registering from a home network and/or computer. If you have any trouble accessing these links or registering, please call our office at (703) 923-0010 and speak with our administrative assistant, Andersen Guske. He will be able to take all the necessary information to complete the registration for you.
Contact Info:
Amanda Raymond
Military Outreach and Family Support Specialist
Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC)
(800) 869-6782
www.PEATC.org
FCPS Parent Resource Center
FREE Webinar Classes
COVID-19 Vaccines and the Vaccination Process in Fairfax County: A Webinar for Families
Join the Fairfax County Health Department and the Fairfax County Public Schools or FCPS Parent Resource Center for important updates about COVID-19 and the vaccines that have been developed to help prevent disease.
Topics will include:
- COVID-19 impacts (health, economic, education)
- The vaccine
- Community immunity: What is it and How do we get there?
- Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines— how they work and their effectiveness
- Safety of vaccines
- Vaccination process: Eligibility and How to register
- Tuesday May 18: Session in Arabic – Register here
- Sessions are subject to change or cancellation based on the number of registrations
Tuesdays 6:30-7:30 p.m.
SIBSHOPS: An Exciting, Virtual Workshop for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs
The Sibshop workshops are for children in grades 2-6 enrolled in Fairfax County Public Schools who have siblings with special needs to:
- Meet other siblings in a relaxed, virtual setting.
- Celebrate the many contributions made by brothers and sisters of children with special needs.
- Share sibling experiences and receive peer support.
- Play games and have fun!
Presented by FCPS School Social Work Services
Saturday, May 15, 2021
Two time-slots are available: 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. Sessions run 1-1.5 hours
Register for SibShops
How to Talk to Your Children About Body Safety
There are a lot of important conversations that we need to have with our kids, and how we treat our body and allow others to treat it, is one of them. It can be challenging to figure out where to begin and what is age-appropriate. This webinar is about how to talk to our kids about body safety and a program that you can utilize to support your effort.
Join us to learn more about the following:
- Program Overview: Body Safety Education Program for children
- Parent/Caregiver Body Safety Tips
- What to Look Out For, Potential Signs of Abuse
- What Can I do as a Safe Adult?
- Resources for Families
Friday May 21, 2021 10 - 11:30 a.m.
Presented by Francesca Watson, Body Safety Program Coordinator, Fairfax County Department of Family Services.
Register for How to Talk to Your Children About Body Safety
Parent to Parent: Surviving and Thriving During a Second COVID-19 Summer
Are you searching for peer support, advice, encouragement, and resources? This webinar will offer families opportunities to learn from each other as they grow in their parenting skills. Parents build their own sense of competence and power by building relationships and connecting with other parents who share common experiences, successes, and challenges.
Discussion Highlights:
- Parent to parent connection
- Self-care for kids
- Navigating decisions and establishing stability in uncertainty (or maybe “sanity” is a better word than stability!)
- Making plans and creating family fun in the unknown
Join Mary Elizabeth Fleming and Natalie Bailey, Fairfax County Department of Family Services Parenting Education Programs and FCPS Parent Resource Center Staff for this important webinar.
Thursday May 27, 2021 10 - 11:30 a.m. and 6:30- 8 p.m.
Register for Parent to Parent: Surviving and Thriving During a Second COVID-19 Summer
Penguin Points
Click on a link for information
Franconia Elementary School website
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