|
August 29, 2021
 We were so excited to welcome our Willow Family home.
Dear WSES Families,
What a wonderful first week we have had! It has been amazing to have our children back at Willow Springs. We have loved hearing the joy back in our classrooms and seeing all of our students' smiling eyes as they reconnect and engage in learning while building relationships. We are thrilled to have our Willow Family together again!
We are consistently revising our schedules and lunch locations to make sure that we are making your children as safe as possible.
If your child is experiencing any COVID-related symptoms, please keep them home and update PickUp Patrol. If you or any household member is not feeling well and awaiting results from a test, please do not send your child to school. We need to minimize any potential contacts as we provide a safe, nurturing, and fun environment for your children.
Due to the shortage of bus drivers and increased numbers of kiss and ride families, we ask that everyone remain patient with our arrival and dismissal process for the first few weeks of school. Our staff is working hard to ensure all students get home safely and on time.
We are currently experiencing double to triple the amount of traffic coming through the line. There are a couple of things that could help the situation. If you have a younger child in a car seat, please work with them to buckle and unbuckle themselves. Parents should remain in the car during drop-off and pick-up to allow a quick and smooth process. Secondly, if your child can walk or ride a bike to school, that would be an excellent option. The process is improving daily, but it is taking longer than we have ever experienced with the number of cars.
Your support over the past 18 months has been incredible. Please know your children are important to every staff member, and we will work together as a team to do all we can to help them grow academically and socially. If you have a concern or want to share information to support your child, please reach out to your child's teacher.
We look forward to another great week at Willow Springs!
Sincerely,
Dylan Taylor, Principal
Lesley Hassen, Assistant Principal
Ipsa Stringer, Assistant Principal
Required: Beginning of the Year Forms
There are many tasks and forms for parents/guardians to complete at the beginning of the year. We have organized the forms into those required and those that are optional. Please click here to access this important information.
Please let us know if you have questions by calling 703-679-6000. Our wonderful front office staff will be happy to assist you with completing these beginning of year tasks if needed.
|
Update Your Child's Default Plan in PickUp Patrol
Willow Springs uses PickUp Patrol for parents to report absences, late arrivals, and early pick-ups.
WSES values PickUp Patrol as it ensures a safe dismissal for all in-person learners based on the child's default plan. Please use the link here.
Numbers after WC are the bus#, 05 in this example: Bus Route WC05AMAOB.
To update your child's default plan to "virtual", "bus rider", "kiss and ride", or "walker," simply log in and select a dismissal option. Then hit submit and that’s it! Your child's teacher and the main office will be notified. Updating your child's default plan is a one-time action. Use PickUp Patrol regularly to report a plan change, absence, late arrival, or early pick-up.
Please contact our main office if you do not have an active account and require a new welcome activation email.
|
Dismissal Reminders
- Please remind your child how they are getting home each day.
- Please update you child's PickUp Patrol.
-
Kiss and Ride Families - Please remain in your car. Staff members will use the card visible on your dashboard to call children outside.
- If you do not have a Kiss and Ride card, please contact the main office at (703) 679-6000.
-
Walkers - All walkers will be dismissed through the gym. Please meet your child on the blacktop.
-
Bus Families – As the county has communicated, bus transportation may be delayed. Please stay at the bus stop and wait for your students.
Cafeteria Hostess Needed
Please consider working in our cafeteria this year. We are short a cafeteria hostess so the extra hands would be helpful. No training required, we will give you a bucket with condiments, etc. to pass out as kids raise their hands for help. Monday-Friday, 10:30 - 1:30 p.m. If you're interested, please send your resume to Amanda McCabe at anmccabe@fcps.edu.
Hope to see you in the cafeteria!
|
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.
|
2021-2022 WSES Supply List
Click here to find a list of our entire K-6 school supplies.
Please contact your child's homeroom teacher if you have any questions.
|
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
-
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
Lunch and Cafeteria Use
FCPS is committed to ensuring the health and safety of our staff and students throughout the entire school day, including lunchtime, when students will not be able to wear masks while eating.
We know that the situation at lunchtime will look different when comparing schools, but we are committed to making sure the structure of lunchtime works at every school.
- Students will be required to wear masks in the cafeteria when not actively eating and drinking.
- They will need to wear their masks while going through the serving line.
- Students will put their mask back on when they finish their meal.
- Cafeteria spaces will be regularly and thoroughly cleaned with a sanitizing solution.
- It is recommended that students wash their hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer before and after eating.
- FCPS Food Nutrition Services works closely with the Fairfax County Health Department to ensure proper food safety and sanitation.
All students will be offered no cost breakfast and lunch for the entire school year.
WSES and FCPS Health Updates
Willow Springs is Returning Strong
As we 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:
-
Wear a mask.
-
Get vaccinated.
-
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: All staff are to wear masks when indoors.
Visitors: All visitors, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear masks in buildings.
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.
School Board Back to School Videos
Karl Frisch
Rachna Sizemore Heizer
Elaine Tholen
Abrar Omeish
Ricardy Anderson
Tamara Derenak Kaufax
Karen Keys-Gamarra
Megan McLaughlin
Karen Corbett Sanders
Laura Jane Cohen
Melanie Meren
Looking Ahead at WSES |
|
 |
-
Friday, September 3 - Monday, September 6 - Student Holiday (Labor Day Break)
-
September 7 Rosh Hashanah Observance
-
September 8 PTA Meeting, 7:00 p.m. in the library (virtual link coming soon)
-
September 16 Yom Kippur Observance
-
September 10 PTA Outdoor Movie Night
-
September 20 Fair Lakes on the Border Restaurant Night
-
October 11 No School - Staff Professional Development Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day
2021-22 Standard School Year Calendar
Visit the Willow Springs Elementary PTA website.
|
