From the Administration
Dear Belvedere Family:
It is a joy to see your child at school each day! Thank you for working with us to ensure your child is ready for learning, supported both at school and at home. We are so glad to partner with you for our students’ well-being.
I am pleased to let you know that buses and Kiss and Ride are working much better than last week. Our buses have been arriving and leaving in a timelier manner. Additionally, Kiss and Ride is moving along at a faster pace. Thank you for your patience during this early part of the school year.
Just a reminder that during arrival, students should not be dropped off before 8:55 in the morning. Prior to that time, we do not have supervision. Also, during arrival, please do not park around the cafeteria loading dock. This causes traffic issues and places students and staff in danger with cars moving in and out. Please help us keep students safe following our schedule.
Some of you have shared your desire to provide air purifiers for us to use in classrooms. We have consulted with facilities and learned the following:
- The use of air purifiers in every FCPS classroom is not necessary to support fresh air ventilation. Air purifiers are generally recommended for spaces that need additional air cleaning or that recirculate indoor air. Our schools are designed to ventilate fresh outside air in every classroom with each air exchange. HVAC systems are built for full building occupancy and, when installed, exceed the ASHRAE minimum guidance of 15 cubic feet per minute (cfm) per person.
- When needed, FCPS uses the Blueair Classic 605 Air Purifier, a Consumers Report top-rated purification system that is designed to kill particles as small as coronavirus (.06 microns) and the Enviroklenz UV-C Air Purifier, effectively combining advanced chemistry technology, germicidal UV-C, and HEPA filtration to capture and destroy airborne particulates, bacteria, viruses, and other allergy triggers.
- If an appliance is going to be used in a classroom, it must first be approved by the principal and be inspected by Facilities Management to assure that it is UL listed to meet fire code requirements and to ensure that the proper electrical circuitry exists to safely operate the appliance.
- Principals may allow parents to donate a portable air purifier and HEPA filters, but FCPS would not be responsible for any maintenance, repairs or replacement for donated portable air purifiers and HEPA filters. Therefore, donated equipment must include replacement filters.
If you would like to donate an air purifier, please contact the school.
Best Regards,
Cecilia Vanderhye, Principal and Kelly Cabezas, Assistant Principal
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.
Parent Center Resources
Our Family Liaison, Ashley Hidalgo, has created this padlet where you can view information from FCPS and outside organizations to help support our families, including information on personal finances, tutoring services for students in grades K-7, FCPS webinars, and more!
Ms. Hidalgo will continue to add resources to this padlet as she receives them. We will highlight noteworthy items in this space as well.
FCPS Multilingual Family Podcasts
Listen and subscribe to a FCPS Multilingual Family Podcast to hear timely, important information related to school news. The podcasts are produced in conjunction with the Office for ESOL Services and the Office of Professional Learning and Family Engagement. The goal of every podcast is to help families access key resources and understand how to best support their children’s education.
Listen and Subscribe here:
First Day Forms to Return
If you have not already done so, please complete, sign, and return to school the following forms:
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 elastic-waist shorts and pants, especially sizes 5-6, 7-8, and 10-12 (gently-used is fine);
- boys 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!
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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