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August 6, 2021
Dear WSES Families,
We hope everyone is enjoying summer and finding time to fit in any final adventures as we look to the new 2021-2022 school year. Soon, our teachers and staff will be back in the building, planning and preparing to bring back our entire Willow Springs family. We have a fantastic team of teachers and staff who are ready and excited to welcome your children back for an amazing school year.
We recognize the challenges that families faced last year, and we know how important it is to continue the strong partnership between school and home to ensure a successful transition into a new school year.
As we prepare our learning spaces for our children, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. Below you will find information about upcoming events, health guidelines, and much more.
We are ready to reconnect as we return five days strong. We are confident that this will be a wonderful year for our children, families, and staff.
See you soon!
Dylan Taylor, Principal
Lesley Hassen, Assistant Principal
Ipsa Stringer, Assistant Principal
Willow Welcome and Teacher Assignments
Please join us for our 21-22 Willow Welcome. Teacher assignments will be communicated to families on Wednesday, August 18th, at 4:00 p.m. This communication will be sent via email from the child’s homeroom teacher.
Kindergarten Popsicles on the Playground
Look at What's New in Kindergarten
This school year Willow Springs will be implementing the Kindergarten Purposeful Placement Program (KP3). Instead of placing our kindergartners into a classroom before the school year beginning, the teachers will use the first week of school as an opportunity to get to know the students, and together with the instructional team, they will make the best placement decisions for our children.
This model provides the Kindergarten team the opportunity to get to know each child, their strengths, their needs, and how they engage with other students. To create the new classes, our Kindergarten teachers will consider every child. They will carefully select students, creating a balance of personalities and learning styles that will ensure a dynamic learning community in each classroom for the duration of the school year.
WSES 2021-2022 Bell Schedule
WSES will return to our regular bell schedule for the 21-22 school year:
- WSES doors will open at 9:00 a.m.
- The school day starts at 9:15 a.m.
- The school day ends at 4:00 p.m.
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SY21-22 Bus Ridership Intent Survey
If your child is eligible to ride a bus, please make sure to check your email from the Transportation Office (sent Friday, July 30) and complete the Ridership Intent Survey at your earliest convenience.
Because of a serious shortage of school bus drivers, it is important that FCPS Office of Transportation Services plans the most efficient possible routes for the coming school year.
Eligible riders needing transportation may review student route assignment by accessing ParentVue any time after August 10th, or by contacting your transportation office.
If you have any questions please email eaflaherty@fcps.edu.
Please submit a ticket in the Parent/Student IT Support Portal if you need assistance activating your account.
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WSES Summer 2021 Reading Challenge
It's not too late to participate in the WSES Summer Reading Challenge! Click here to access our challenge form. Our challenge will also be available on our website over the summer.
You can also check out our video on how the program works. Summer Reading Challenge Video
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Schoology
We are excited to share that students, families, and teachers throughout FCPS and in our school community will use Schoology (pronounced /SKOO-luh-jee/) as our learning management system beginning this school year.
- Schoology has a connected web conferencing tool, Zoom
- Schoology works with Google Drive
- You need a SIS/ParentVUE account to login to Schoology
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Click here to learn more about Schoology
- Parent accounts will be available in mid-August
- Information about how to login to parent accounts will be shared with you closer to the start of the school year
- Students will have a Schoology account by August 18, 2021
- Students will not see any classes until the grading period starts
Students use their FCPS student ID and password to login to Schoology. Look for the FCPS logo to make sure you are on the correct login page.
English I Amharic I Arabic I Chinese I Farsi I Korean I Spanish I Urdu I Vietnamese
SOL Information
We wanted to provide an update about when and how parents will be able to access the results from any SOL or VRSPT tests that the students took in May of the last school year.
- SOL Scores – Preliminary SOL scores are posted in the “Test History” section of Parent SIS accounts. In order to view the scaled score, you may need to click in the box with the SOL scores and use the scroll bar to view the right-most columns. Full, official score report letters will be added to Parent SIS accounts later in the summer. Parents can log into their Parent SIS accounts at https://sisparent.fcps.edu/.
- VRSPT - Results for non-SOL tests within the Virginia Assessment Program will be centrally mailed to families by the start of the 2021-22 school year. This includes the new Virginia Remote Student Progress Test (VRSPT) for grades 3-8.
Free Meals
When we return strong this fall, FCPS’ Food and Nutrition Services staff will be ready to serve healthy meals to students and staff. This year, all students receive FREE breakfast and lunch!
Breakfast will be “grab & go” at kiosks so students are prepared to begin their day of learning.
Five days of hot lunches will be back for that mid-day refuel.
2021-22 Kindergarten and New Student Registration
We're SO excited to welcome our newest Foxes to Willow Springs Elementary School! Are you looking to register a new student with us? Begin the new student registration process!
Registration is now open for rising kindergarteners five years old on or before September 30, 2021, and students in all other grades.
To join us, visit the Willow Springs Website to see the forms and documents necessary for registration. Liz Flaherty, our school registrar, will contact you with the registration process after completing the new student registration form.
Student registrations directly impact teacher staffing, so the sooner registrations occur, the better able we are to staff accordingly. Please call 703-679-6071 or email Liz Flaherty with any questions.
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WSES and FCPS Health Updates
Willow Springs is Returning Strong
Willow Springs and FCPS are returning strong for a strong school year this fall. Students will engage in in-person learning five days a week in safe and supportive schools.
As we prepare to welcome students back to the classroom, COVID-19 case numbers are increasing in Fairfax County, driven by the highly contagious Delta variant and slowing vaccination rates. The key to maintaining a healthy environment for learning is a robust vaccination rate and layered prevention strategies, including universal masking in FCPS school buildings.
There are three things we can all do to start strong this fall:
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Wear a mask.
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Get vaccinated.
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Stay connected.
FCPS Resources:
Return to School Webpage
Return to School- Safety Webpage
The Student Health and Safety Document is continually updated and provides detailed information on school policies and protocols related to COVID-19 such as adherence to layered prevention strategies. These guidance documents will continue to be updated to align with public health guidance.
VDOE Resource:
The Virginia Department of Health, along with the Virginia Department of Education launched the Healthy Back to School COVID-19 Website as a resource for schools and families.
Mask Guidance at WSES and in FCPS
Masks are an essential tool in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and protecting those unable to be vaccinated. To ensure a safe start to the school year, masks will be required for everyone, regardless of vaccination status, inside FCPS school buildings.
Wearing a mask protects us all:
- Children under 12 and the immunocompromised are not able to be vaccinated at this time.
- By wearing a mask, we all help create a safe environment for those who are unable to be vaccinated.
- When recommended social distancing is a challenge, universal masking is an approved substitute - meaning more students can engage in learning in classrooms and other spaces within the school building.
- Reducing the spread of COVID-19 also reduces student absences and missed extracurricular activities and athletic events.
Buses: The CDC federal order requiring masks be worn on public transportation remains in effect, and applies to buses and school transportation operated by Virginia public schools.
Outdoors: Masks are not required when outside, including athletic activities.
Mealtimes: Masks may be removed while eating but should be reapplied as soon as you are finished with your meal.
Band: Band members will use covers/special masks inside the school.
Students with Disabilities: A small group of students with disabilities and staff who work with them will have access to clear masks (e.g. center-based students with hearing impairments, teachers of deaf/hard-of-hearing, speech-language pathologists, and some students receiving speech services as needed).
Student Exemptions: Students can request an exemption from this requirement through the process outlined in Regulation 2109.
Staff: Vaccinated staff is not required to wear masks if they are not in the presence of students. Unvaccinated staff will wear masks at all times.
Visitors: All visitors, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear masks in buildings.
Student Exemption For Close Contact Definition
The CDC issued a revised definition of close contact to include an exemption for K-12 students.
- A close contact is defined as someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.
- In the K-12 classroom setting, the close contact definition excludes students who were within 3-6 feet of an infected student where:
- Both students were engaged in the consistent and correct use of well-fitting masks; and
- Other K-12 school prevention strategies (such as universal and correct mask use, physical distancing, increased ventilation) were in place in the school setting.
When students are wearing masks and layered prevention strategies are in place, students are not considered close contacts. Therefore, students will not miss in-person instruction or activities for quarantine after exposure.
Individuals who meet the K-12 definition of close contact will still need to quarantine.
Stay Connected
Being connected to Willow Springs and FCPS is important every year, and even more so now as we navigate our return to school. The best way to stay informed is to sign up for newsletters through News You Choose.
WSES and FCPS have a variety of topics you can choose from, including:
- School Newsletters- featuring everything you need to know about your child’s school
- FCPS This Week- a weekly newsletter featuring news and happenings from across the division, published Wednesday mornings
- School Board Meeting Update- a recap of important news coming out of school board meetings, published the Friday morning after the meeting
- FCPS Employee News- weekly updates just for staff, published Tuesday mornings
Want to learn the latest about PTA up to the minute? The Willow Springs PTA Facebook is an excellent resource for learning about the Willow Springs community and hearing about other fun (mainly free) kid-centric ideas for activities around town. Recent posts include:
- Updates for PTA and school events.
- Postings on free cultural art activities at George Mason.
Visit our WSES PTA website and access important information on memberships, upcoming events and activities, and volunteer opportunities. Also, for the latest and greatest, up to date information find us on Facebook. Be sure to “like” the Willow Springs Elementary PTA page and follow us.
Looking Ahead at WSES |
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Wednesday, August 18 - Kindergarten Popsicles on the Playground from 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
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Friday, August 20 - Willow Welcome
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Monday, August 23 - First Day of School 2021-2022
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Thursday, August 26 - Student Picture Day
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Friday, September 3 - Monday, September 6 - Student Holiday (Labor Day Break)
2021-22 Standard School Year Calendar
Visit the Willow Springs Elementary PTA website.
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