From the Administration
Dear Belvedere Family:
We are back at school and so excited to see your children every day! Thank you for your support, kindness, and patience as we get the school year started. We feel so fortunate to partner with you to support our students.
Students are excited to be at school and, despite the masks, it feels like we are back to normal. Thinking, creating, problem-solving, and so much learning is taking place in each classroom. We are so proud of the work of our teachers, and we thank you for supporting them.
As you know, dismissal has had its challenges with late buses and a very long Kiss and Ride line. We are working as fast and efficiently as we can to solve issues and smooth dismissal. We thank you for your continued patience and ask that you please help us by attending to the following:
- Kiss and Ride has over 200 vehicles at dismissal, which is more than double what we have had in the past. We are tweaking things to make the line go faster by taping numbers to the students’ backpack, calling students to kiss and ride in groups of 12, and grouping students more strategically in the cafeteria while they wait.
- If you are picking up your child through Kiss and Ride, please stay in the line and be patient. Parking your car along the street or in our school parking lot and walking to the front of the school only makes dismissal more difficult.
- If you decide to change the way in which your child goes home, you MUST call the office to let us know. If you change without notifying us, it is difficult for us to find the child quickly and it requires extra work for staff members on dismissal duty. If possible, please communicate any transportation changes to the front office by 3:00 p.m., so that we have time to be sure that the student and teacher are aware of the change.
- If your child is a walker, they will be dismissed through door #8, at the back of the cafeteria. Please do not come to the front of the school to pick up a child who is walking home.
- All staff working through dismissal have the children’s best interest in mind. Thank you for being kind and patient when you interact with staff.
Again, thank you for your support and patience. We are here to serve you.
Best Regards,
Cecilia Vanderhye, Principal and Kelly Cabezas, Assistant Principal
First Day Forms to Return
At either the Open House or on their first day of school, all students received a packet of informational materials from FCPS and Belvedere. Included in those packets were several items that parents should complete, sign, and return to school:
If you have not already done so, please complete, sign and return these items to school in your child's backpack. Thank you!
Consent for Digital Resources
At Belvedere, our teachers will use a variety of digital resources to support student learning and promote communication and collaboration with students and families. Some of the digital resources your child may use this year will require your consent before they can be used. You can find our school’s list of the resources that require parental consent here. Additionally, you can find more information about approved digital resources in FCPS here.
Each student's enrolling parent or guardian should complete this form to indicate whether or not their student is allowed to use the list of digital resources this year. This page also provides more information about how FCPS carefully reviews digital resources for approval, and why we must request your consent before using certain tools.
We encourage you to complete the parental consent for digital resources form as soon as possible, as your child will not be able to use the digital resources until we have received your permission. Please reach out to your child’s teacher if you have questions or concerns about the digital resources we’ve chosen to use this year.
Clothing Needed for Parent Center
The Parent Center is in need of children's clothing, in particular:
- boys and girls elastic-waist shorts and pants, especially sizes 5-6, 7-8, and 10-12 (gently-used is fine);
- boys and girls underwear in sizes 5-6, 7-8 and 10-12 (must be new); and
- gently-used boys shoes.
The Parent Center maintains a small supply of clothing for students who might need a change of clothing during the day (due to bathroom accidents, cafeteria spills, etc.), and our supply of these items is critically low. Thank you for your donations!
Calendar Reminder: Schools Closed September 3 to September 6 for Labor Day Break
Virginia legislation requires that schools opening prior to Labor Day must be closed the Friday immediately preceding Labor Day.
As a result, Friday, September 3, is a holiday for students and staff members in addition to the Labor Day holiday, Monday, September 6. See the complete 2021-22 school year calendar.
No Outside Use of Playground During School Hours
Please note that outside personnel are prohibited from using Belvedere grounds, including the playground, during school hours.
Water Bottles
Due to COVID-19, school water fountains are not available. We encourage parents to send an empty reusable water bottle in their child’s backpack, which can be filled at classroom sinks.
Screen for Illness Every Day, Stay Home When Sick
One of the most important prevention strategies guidelines is screening students daily for any signs of illness prior to leaving home for school. Any student who is ill or has COVID-like symptoms should remain at home. The daily health screening questionnaire and all translated versions can be found on our Health and Safety Guidance webpage.
This document provides the details of the policies and protocols related to COVID-19, and it is continually updated to align with public health guidance as it evolves during the school year. Daily completion of the health screening is done on an honor basis and does not need to be sent to the school.
Read more about checking for symptoms and how to prepare to return to school after illness.
From the PTA
In Case You Missed It
Upcoming Dates
- Friday, 9/3 and Monday, 9/6: School Closed (Labor Day Break)
- Wednesday, 9/8: PTA Virtual Meeting (6:30-7:30 p.m.)
- Thursday, 9/9: Virtual Back-to-School Night (times TBA)
Keep in Touch
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FCPS Calendar: 2021-2022
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