From the Administration
Dear Belvedere Family:
Belvedere will be hosting "Trunk-or-Treat" tomorrow from 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. in the school’s side parking lot. Parking will be limited, so you may need to park in the neighborhood. We hope to see you there!
As an IB-Primary Years Program school, our teachers work together to develop four (Pre-K and K) or six (grades 1-5) units of inquiry. These units focus on a central idea that connects learning across subject areas. While planning and teaching the units, teachers also consider the IB Approaches to Learning skills that will most help students.
The IB Approaches to Learning support students’ lifelong learning skills in and out of a school. These skills help learners develop:
- Thinking skills
- Communication skills
- Research skills
- Self-management skills
- Social skills
When you visit the IB-PYP page on our website, you can read about all of the PYP elements and learn about each grade level’s units of inquiry.
Best regards,
Cecilia Vanderhye, Principal and Kelly Cabezas, Assistant Principal
Trunk-or-Treat and Storybook Character Day
Belvedere will be hosting a Trunk-or-Treat event on Thursday, October 28 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Teachers will have their cars parked and decorated in the side parking lot, ready to receive trick or treaters. All families are welcome to bring their children to enjoy trick or treating! Please note that parking will be limited, so we encourage you to walk or park in the neighborhood surrounding the school. If you would like to donate candy or other items for this event, you can drop them in the bin outside the front entrance through Monday, October 25.
Students are welcome to wear a storybook character costume to school on Friday, October 29. However, due to COVID-19, Belvedere will not be holding our traditional Storybook Character parade this year.
Early Release on October 29 and November 11; Student Holidays on November 1 and 2
Please remember that Friday, October 29 and Thursday, November 11 are 2-hour early release days, so students will be dismissed at 2:05.
Monday, November 1 and Tuesday, November 2 are student holidays.
Free Clothing Distribution on Tuesday, November 2
We have received a donation of new clothing items for boys and girls, as well as a large supply of cloth masks. We will be distributing them from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 2 in the Belvedere cafeteria.
We will also have staff available to assist with applying for Free and Reduced lunch.
Belvedere Outdoor Club
We are excited to announce the return of the Belvedere Outdoor Club! The Outdoor Club meets on Saturday mornings several times per year to explore our area parks. Bus transportation is provided from Belvedere and from Barcroft View apartments.
Our first trip will be on Saturday, November 6, to Huntley Meadows Park. More information and interest forms will be sent home in Wednesday folders today (you can also see that information here). Please contact our Environmental Educator, Andrea Auerbach (asauerbach@fcps.edu) with any questions.
Belvedere Spirit Wear!
The PTA is running a Belvedere Spirit Wear sale through November 30! Click here to see a list of items for sale. Click here to order!
Please Return Impact Aid Forms
The Student-Parent Surveys for Federal Impact Aid were sent home last week in students' backpacks. If you have not already done so, please complete and return your forms to your child's teacher.
Thank you for your cooperation!
Seeking Volunteers for Food Pick-Up
Belvedere has been approved to received unsold bakery products from Panera that can be picked up once a week. However, we need a volunteer to handle the pick up and packaging of the products.
Pick up would be at 9:00 p.m. (closing time) one night per week the Panera at 5578 Vincent Gate Terrace, Alexandria, Virginia. Panera requires groups to commit to picking up the donations on a weekly and on-going basis and for the products to be used within 36 hours. Please email Mrs. Ballard at tmballard@fcps.edu if you would like to volunteer for this ongoing program, or if you have any questions.
Attention Kiss & Ride and Walker Families
Walkers
If your child is a walker and you do not live within walking distance of the school, please remember to be conscious of our neighbors' driveways. Please do not block access to a neighbor's driveway. Please also consider other parking options. There are two paths that lead to the rear of the Belvedere grounds--one located on Bent Branch Road, and one on Foxwood Nook.
Kiss & Ride
As you pull up in the Kiss & Ride line during dismissal in the afternoons, please do not block the driveways of our neighbors on Whispering Lane and the service road between Whispering Lane and the Belvedere parking lot. If you do find yourself blocking a driveway that a car is trying to enter, please temporarily exit your space in line to allow them to pass.
This can be a source of great frustration for the people living in the homes near our school, and we have received recent complaints on the matter. Thank you for your consideration!
Training Series for Students in Grades 5-8
Youth in grades 5 through 8 are invited to participate in four virtual sessions of CATCH My Breath. Participants will learn healthy habits and build skills. This evidence-based program covers topics such as:
- Resisting their own curiosity
- Peer and advertising pressure to experiment with e-cigarettes
- Understanding that e-cigarettes are addictive, unhealthy, and not as popular as they think; and
- Influencing friends and peers not to use e-cigarettes.
Participants who attend regularly earn gift cards! Session dates are October 27, November 3, 10 and 17, 2021, from 5:45 to 6:30 p.m.
This program is open to all interested participants. Register at FormedFamiliesForward.org or https://catchfall21.eventbrite.com. Call 703-539-2904 for more information.
November PTA Meeting
Join us at our next PTA meeting!
The next PTA meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 9 at 6:30pm (English) and 7:30 pm (Spanish). The meeting will be live-streamed on Facebook Live.
We want to hear from you! If you have a question or topic you’d like us to address at the meeting, please submit it here.
We hope to see you there!
Support the Belvedere PTA
Our PTA supports Belvedere in myriad ways: organizing school events, enrichment and outreach activities; providing funding for field trips, library books, and technology in the classroom; and building a school community outside the classroom.
There are several ways to support the PTA:
Justice HS Youth Night
Justice High School will be hosting its annual “Youth Night” for Justice Pyramid schools during the Varsity Football Game on Friday October 29 at 7:00 p.m.
Please check this flyer for more details.
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.
Also, if you are in need of school supplies for your child, please contact Ms. Hidalgo by email or phone (703-916-6824).
Community Review of Elementary English Language Arts Basal Instructional Resources
Fairfax County Public Schools will adopt new Elementary School Language Arts Basal Instructional Resources for school years 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. A review committee composed of community members, administrators, and teachers will meet in November and December to review the instructional materials under consideration and community feedback. Public review of the recommended materials is part of the process for selecting new resources.
Elementary English Language Arts basal instructional resources may be accessed in person and online October 26 through November 26, 2021. Digital materials for public review and comment will be available here. People reviewing the material online may complete this electronic comment sheet. In addition, hard copies of instructional resources will be available in the lobby of Willow Oaks Administrative Center. Willow Oaks is open each business day from 7:30 am to 3:00 pm and extended hours will be provided until 7:45 pm on October 26 and November 3, 2021. All community feedback will be shared with School Board members before the vote at the School Board regular meeting.
Community Review of K–8 Science Basal Instructional Resources
Fairfax County Public Schools will adopt new K–8 Science Basal Instructional Resources for the 2022-2023 school year. A review committee composed of community members, administrators, and teachers will meet in November and December to review the instructional materials under consideration and community feedback. Public review of the recommended materials is part of the process for selecting new resources.
K–8 basal instructional resources may be accessed online until November 14, 2021. Digital materials for public review and comment will be available here. People reviewing the material online may complete this electronic comment sheet. All community feedback will be shared with School Board members before the vote at the School Board regular meeting.
Upcoming Dates
- Thursday, 10/28: Trunk-or-Treat (Belvedere Parking Lot, 5:30-6:30 p.m.)
- Friday, 10/29: 2-hour Early Release (End of First Quarter)
- Monday, 11/1 and Tuesday, 11/2: Student Holidays
- Tuesday, 11/2: Free Clothing Distribution (Belvedere Cafeteria, 1:00-3:00 p.m.)
- Saturday, 11/6: Belvedere Outdoor Club Outing (Huntley Meadows Park)
- Tuesday, 11/9: PTA Meeting (6:30 English / 7:30 Spanish)
Keep in Touch
Daily Health Screening Questionnaire
Health and Safety Guidance Webpage
Visit the Belvedere website
Report student absences
Follow Belvedere on Twitter
Follow our PTA on Facebook
Change your email preferences
FCPS Calendar: 2021-2022
|
