Dates to Mark on your Calendar!
September 23rd - First PTA Meeting - more information to follow from PTA
September 28th - Advanced Academic Information Sessions~ 8 a.m. Zoom and 6 p.m. in person (See the info. below)
Monday, October 7 - Students NEW to FCPS (since January 2021), fall Level IV referrals are due for those seeking placement.
October 11th - Student Holiday
October 29th - End of First Quarter - 2 Hour Early Release
November 1st - Student Holiday
November 2nd - Student Holiday
School Calendar: 2021-22
A Note from Administration
Dear KG Families,
We continue to work to support bringing all students back together and build community. We are working on showing our #kgpride and also supporting with positivity project. Noting that it is a challenge as we continue to support social distancing in the classroom and at lunch etc. Safety strategies around COVID-19 remain a priority in conjunction with making our school a safe and happy place.
Health Info: Please do note that if your child is experiencing any cold-like symptoms, a new cough - not due to another health condition, fever, fatigue (more than usual), nasal congestion or runny nose, headache, new sore throat, new muscle pain, new loss of taste, abdominal pain, etc., please do keep your child at home. If you child is sent home from the clinic, they must have a health provider complete the Return to School form. See additional information below regarding health updates.
Technology Updates: Note that students should plan on using their laptops daily. Please send your child's laptop in with them and charge it in the evening. We do not have enough loaner laptops to support the usage during the school day. Please also note that students should come with their headphones.
VGA: Next week, we will begin administering the Virginia Growth Assessments. This assessment is new to students in grades 3-8. The state legislature introduced this requirement to measure student growth and progress in the content areas of math and reading. The VGA will address content from the previous school year. The purpose is to identify the learning gaps and to provide schools a starting point to measure growth and offer learning recovery. There is no 'passing' or 'failing' outcome for the VGA. It will be given in-person at school and is an online, computer-adaptive test that is about half as long as the spring SOL test. Once again, the student results will be used to help school staff plan for instruction and support. Below, we have detailed the dates. Please note that the assessments will take place in the morning and there is no preparation needed nor should we create any anxiety regarding the assessments.
Thanks again for your support! We truly enjoy seeing your children and love their enthusiasm for school!
Warmly,
Holly McGuigan Tia Hawkins Sarah Talley
Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal
hsmcguigan@fcps.edu tnhawkins@fcps.edu sjtalley@fcps.edu
Upcoming Testing Notifications
Virginia Growth Assessments (VGA) ~ Sept. 21st – Oct. 1st
Required reading and mathematics assessment for all students in grades 3-8 to address new General Assembly legislation. Fall 2021 growth tests will assess students on the curriculum they received during SY2020-21. Specific testing dates will be remitted by grade level teams.
- Sixth Grade Reading 9/21 and Math 9/28
- Fifth Grade Reading 9/22 and Math 9/29
- Fourth Grade Reading 9/23 and Math 9/30
- Third Grade Reading 9/24 and Math 10/1
Laptops ~ To/From School
Student Devices @ KGES, Grades 3-6
Please make sure your student is prepared to use their FCPS issued devices each day by taking the following steps:
- Devices are fully charged each night
- Devices and power cords are brought to school each and every day
- Students will likely use their device each day in their classes and we do not have enough loaners for all students.
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Fifth and Sixth Grade Chorus Sign Up!
Chorus sign up is finally here! Mrs. Paik and Mrs. Ogren are truly excited! Please fill out the google form or click on the QR code. Students in the fifth and sixth grade may sign up. It will be from 8:30 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. We will communicate the specific day. You may drop your child off early or they can come in as their transportation arrives. We will start Chorus the first week of October.
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Attendance Updates
Attendance Links
If your child will be absent or late, please do use this link to notify the school. If your child has an early dismissal, please do notify the school utilizing this link.
Health Updates
Daily Symptom Check
Parents are asked to screen their children every morning before sending them to school. If you have any questions about whether your child is able to come to school based on symptoms or exposure, please call the office. Please review this link as you make decisions for school attendance. https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/HealthScreeningQuestionnaire.pdf Please do not send your child to school if they have been identified as a close contact to COVID case. Please do notify administration if your child is pausing at home due to an exposure. A negative COVID test does not clear your child to return to school.
Sick Child at School ~ Guidance for Return to School
If your child is sent home from school with COVID like symptoms, parents must have a physician complete the Return to School form with appropriate documentation. Please do not return to school without the form completed by a care provider and appropriate documentation.
Guidance for Families ~ Pause, Contact Tracing and Quarantine
Guidance for families regarding pause, quarantine, contact tracing and close contacts and the meaning and impact of each of these, please see the following resource: Pause, Contact Tracing, Quarantining
Classrooms and Social Distancing
Students and teachers/adults wear masks 100% of the time. We are continuing to adjust the spacing in the classrooms to ensure social distancing. We will continue to make adjustments as we go forward.
COVID Notifications
If there is a new COVID case within the school, we will send out a community notofication on Friday or the last day of school for the week.
Advanced Academic Program Parent Information Nights
AAP Information Session - September 28th - You only need one session:
8:00 a.m. Virtual Session - Zoom link to follow and the link is available in Kent Gardens Schoology.
6:00 p.m. In Person Session - Cafeteria
For students NEW to FCPS (since January 2021), fall referrals are due on October 7th. More information here. Questions, email Deb Bulford drbulford@fcps.edu
Schoology ~ How Do I Access?
We are excited for Schoology, FCPS' new learning management system. Schoology is a learning space that enhances communication, collaboration, and personalized learning for students, teachers, and families.
How do I create an account?
- First, register for a SIS/ParentVUE account.
How do I log in?
- Login to Schoology at lms.fcps.edu. Use your ParentVUE account log in and password
Have the students started using Schoology yet?
We are not quite there yet, but will be soon! When it is fully active, your teachers will let you know. However, you can start viewing information on the “All Parents: Kent Gardens Elementary School” course.
1. When you log in you will see the following image. |
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- Once you click in it, you will see that KGES has started to populate some information and will look like the image to the left. More information will be coming, as well as a parent technology night, in the next few weeks. Please contact Eva Townsend, if you have any specific questions.
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Work Opportunities! Hourly, Monitor and Substitutes
Kent Gardens is seeking individuals to serve as classroom monitors!
Enjoy working with students? FCPS is seeking individuals to serve as student monitors . Student monitors provide supervision support in the classroom, lunchroom, and outside. If you would like more information about the position, please review the job description and apply online.. Please feel free to share information about this opportunity with anyone else you think may be interested. Please do email Rederica Whitfield, rcwhitfield@fcps.edu if you want to work at KG!
Kent Gardens is seeking individuals to serve as substitute teachers!
Are you or somebody you know interested in substitute teaching with FCPS? Apply here or attend one of the FCPS Friday information sessions to learn more! To sign up for a session visit our substitute information page here. Say Yes to FCPS! Please email Iveliz Charles, icharles@fcps.edu if you want to sub at KG!
Positivity Project - Teamwork
Teamwork is the ability and willingness to place overall group success as a higher priority than individual achievement. Citizenship is a willingness to work towards the common good as opposed to one’s own self-interest. Those who demonstrate strengths in teamwork and citizenship often work to help all group members find success. These individuals are willing to commit time and resources in order to further group goals and help toward the greater good.
“Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”
-HENRY FORD
Questions you might enjoy talking about with your child:
- How are citizenship and teamwork similar?
- Think about a time that you were part of a successful team. How did that feel. Compare to an unsuccessful team and how did that feel?
- What actions can you take to be a positive team member?
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Back to School Anxiety - Panel Discussion September 21
The return to school is often accompanied by a myriad of emotions…excitement, nervousness, anxiety, you name it! And certainly, this year is no exception.
Recognizing that we all may be a little more anxious than usual, the Safe Community Coalition (SCC) is proud to offer an online panel discussion with local mental health professionals Jennifer Weaver, Mimi Weisberg, and Robyne Davis on Tuesday, September 21 at 7 p.m. The panel will discuss Back to School Anxiety and offer concrete ways you can help get the school year off to a great start. The link to the FREE webinar can be found on the SCC website http://mcleanscc.org/
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Parent Resource Center Webinars for FCPS Families and Staff
5 Ways to Stop Anxiety, Power Struggles, & Behavior Issues: A Webinar for Families
September 23, 2021 6:30-8 p.m. and September 24, 2021 10-11:30 a.m.
Register for 5 Ways to Stop Anxiety, Power Struggles, & Behavior Issues: A Webinar for Families
Join the PTA and Support KG - One & Done!
Donate today at this link Donate to One & Done Here We are also excited to bring back our class competition. Stay tuned for more information! Let's work together to achieve a great year filled with learning new things, working together, and having a lot of fun! #KGPride #StrongerTogether
Please also consider joining the PTA today! The PTA welcomes all parents, teachers and community members to join in the activities and provide suggestions for future actions. Your voice is important so make it count! General membership meetings are held monthly. Visit our website to obtain more information and become a member today. PTA Membership - Click Here
Want to volunteer? Kent Gardens will have some volunteer opportunities that welcomes all parents - working parents, stay-at-home parents, and everyone in between. Regardless of your availability, we will offer opportunities for you to get involved and help make a difference at our school. We are stronger when we work together - please sign up today here at this link! Volunteer Form - Click Here
#KG Pride Spirit Wear You can purchase items from our online store - Spirit Wear Online Store - Click Here
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