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For Bus Driver Appreciation Week, each driver received a goodie bag to make their day brighter as we welcomed them on Monday morning.
Important Upcoming Dates
10/29: 2 Hour Early Release/End of Quarter 1
10/29: SRR Parent Signature Sheet Due Tomorrow
11/1: Teacher Workday; Student Holiday
11/2: Teacher Workday; Student Holiday
11/5: Impact Aid Survey Due For Each Student
11/9: Progress Reports Go Home
11/10: Fall Picture Day Retakes
11/11: Veterans’ Day: 2 Hour Early Release for Students
11/16: 4th Grade Ukulele Concert
11/18: 5th Grade Ukulele Concert
IN THIS ISSUE
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Calendar Reminder
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REMINDER: Storybook Character Spirit Day
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NEW: Educate Fairfax and Fairfax Villa
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NEW: Welcoming Our New Staff Members
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Impact Aid Forms
- UPDATE:AAP Level IV Screening Information
- Community Review of Elementary English Language Arts Basal Instructional Resources
- REMINDER:Monday & Friday Fairfax Villa Clothing
- FCPS Daily Health Screening Reminder
- FCPS COVID-19 Updates
- Substitutes Needed
- Upcoming School Board Referendum
- SR&R Sheets Due Tomorrow Oct.29
- PTA News
1.Calendar Reminder
As a reminder, Friday, October 29, is the last day of the first quarter, and a two-hour early release for students. Also, schools are closed for students on Monday, November 1, and Tuesday, November 2, for teacher work days. See the complete 2021-22 school year calendar.
2.Storybook Character Spirit Day
Tomorrow, Fairfax Villa students and staff are going to have a Storybook Character Spirit Day. To highlight our joy for reading, we are asking students to celebrate their favorite book by dressing as their favorite book character. Character clothes should be school appropriate with no “full face” masks and should not obscure students’ vision, movement (including shoes for PE and recess), or ability to take care of personal needs. Toy weapons are not permitted. The only handheld props should be your books. We look forward to seeing what wonderful book characters our students and staff will choose!
3.Educate Fairfax and Fairfax Villa
At the regular meeting on October 21, 2021, Educate Fairfax staff and members were recognized by the School Board for ten years of service to the county's public schools. The board commended them on the new name and brand and for raising nearly $6,000,000 to support FCPS over the past few years.
At Fairfax Villa Elementary School, all 535 students can take advantage of the Educate Fairfax grant to supplement the book room with diverse books to help students with their reading and comprehension. Over 120 book sets were purchased that reflect the diversity of the student body. As the reading specialist said, "Books serve as both mirrors and windows for children. Our students need to read books with characters with whom they can relate and who reflect positively on their self-image and give them access to understanding others who might be different."
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THANK YOU Educate Fairfax for the teacher grant to diversify and update our bookroom! We’re excited to read these cool new books that help all students see themselves and others in books! |
4.Welcoming Our New Staff Members
We are excited to announce that we have hired two classroom monitors to work with our students and support the great work our teachers are doing. Recently, Ms. Shana Bullock and Ms. Adriana Jabaly have joined our staff. Although you may already know them since they live in our Villa neighborhood, please join us in welcoming them to our Fairfax Villa staff.
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Ms. Bullock is a graduate of Virginia Tech with a degree in Wildlife Biology who started her career writing Ecosystem Management Plans for Army bases in the US. Her interest in that field led her and her husband to spend two months volunteering with The Nature Conservancy on Palmyra Atoll - an uninhabited island in the south Pacific. Staying at home and caring for her three children (a son at WVU, a daughter at Robinson SS, and a 1st grader at the Villa) allowed her to continue to work as a preschool teacher and for the Town of Vienna’s Parks Department. With her family, Ms. Bullock loves to travel, camp, scuba dive, ski, kayak, and garden. We are very happy to have Ms. Bullock join us, not only as a parent, but now as a staff member. |
Ms. Jabaly has also joined our staff as a classroom monitor and is currently filling in with many positions. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she now lives here in Fairfax with her two children - both whom are students at the Villa. Ms. Jabaly enjoys spending time with her children. They all enjoy watching movies on the weekend as well as playing basketball and soccer. The Jabalys have been a part of the Villa family for many years and we are happy to have Ms. Jabaly join us on our staff. |
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5.Impact Aid Forms
FCPS uses the Student-Parent Survey for Federal Impact Aid to identify federally connected students and to support our request for Impact Aid resources. On October 19th, the survey was distributed to all FCPS families. Please return all your forms by November 5th.
For each school-aged child in your household, please complete, sign, date, and return the survey by November 5. If sections 1 and 2 of the survey do not apply to you, just check the boxes in Section 3. FCPS staff will process the information with the utmost confidentiality. To ensure complete accuracy, please use the pre-filled survey form that was sent home with your child.
For questions regarding the Student-Parent Survey for Federal Impact Aid, please call 703-329-7750 or email ImpactAid@fcps.edu. Additional information about Impact Aid programs and grants is available on the U.S. Department of Education's website at DoED Impact Aid Programs.
6.AAP Level IV Screening Information
The deadline for submitting a Level IV Referral Form and all optional materials is December 15, 2021. Mrs. Wilkins shared detailed information about the screening process at a parent meeting on 10/26. A recording of the meeting and the accompanying presentation (in both English and Spanish) is posted on the “All Parents” Schoology course. All forms are available on the AAP website. If parents/guardians have any questions that were not answered in the presentation, please contact Mrs. Wilkins at cmwilkins@fcps.edu.
For more general information about the Advanced Academics Program, please visit the AAP website and/or see the recording of the parent presentation that was held on 9/28. The recording and a copy of the presentation in both English and Spanish, as well as translations of the AAP Newsletter, are also available on the “All Parents” Schoology course.
7.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 at the following link https://www.fcps.edu/node/36853. People reviewing the material online may complete an electronic comment sheet https://forms.gle/VKxcfabLedjYAZpS8. 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.
8.Monday & Friday Fairfax Villa Clothing
To celebrate being back in person, students and staff will be wearing the same clothing to kickoff and end each week during the 2021-22 school year!
- On Mondays, we will be wearing our Positivity shirts to highlight our character strengths and virtues that we will be learning throughout the school year. The Boosterthon team distributed these green shirts during the fun run. The shirts highlight our Villa dragon and Positivity logos on the front of the shirts.
- On Fridays, we will be showing off our favorite Fairfax Villa spirit wear. If your son or daughter has outgrown their Fairfax Villa spirit wear clothing, our PTA has some new ones.
9.Daily Health Screening Reminder
On a daily basis, please consider if any of the following are true for your child, and if so, please keep them home:
- Feeling feverish and/or having chills –documented temperature of 100.4°F or higher?
- Has there been any use of fever reducing medication within the last 24 hours?
- A new cough that is not due to another health condition?
- Nasal congestion or runny nose?
- New shortness of breath or difficulty breathing that is not due to another health condition?
- New chills that are not due to another health condition?
- A new sore throat that is not due to another health condition?
- New muscle aches that are not due to another health condition, or that may have been caused by a specific activity (such as physical exercise)?
- Fatigue (more tired than usual)?
- Headache?
- A new loss of taste or smell?
- Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting?
- New onset of poor appetite or poor feeding?
- Have you had a positive test for the virus that causes COVID-19 disease within the past 10 days?
- Were you currently tested for COVID-19 because you were sick and are still waiting for the lab results?
- In the past 14 days, have you had close contact (within about 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19?
As a reminder, if your child comes to school with any of these symptoms, they will be isolated in the CARE room and you will be contacted to bring them home. They will need to see a doctor to verify a negative COVID test or alternate diagnosis before they can return to school. (NOTE: If you decide to keep your child home due to any of these symptoms there is no Return to School form requirement.)
Students who must remain absent for multiple days for COVID-related reasons will be provided asynchronous activities. Please communicate with us if your child tests positive for COVID and is isolating, or if your child is quarantining by order of the Fairfax County Health Department.
10.FCPS COVID-19 Updates
In support of our commitment to safety, Fairfax Villa will begin optional COVID-19 screening testing students the week of November 8.
Routine testing is a highly recommended strategy to reduce COVID-19 transmission and keep our schools safe. Following recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 10% of students who are not fully vaccinated and have parent/guardian consent will be randomly selected for weekly testing.
Parent/guardian consent is required for students to be part of the testing pool. We will share more information about how to submit your child(ren)’s vaccination status and opt in to testing soon.
Test results will be kept confidential. Parents/guardians will be able to review results through the secure vendor portal. Parents/guardians may select an option to share their child’s test results with FCPS. Sharing results with FCPS is optional.
More information about COVID-19 testing in FCPS can be found on the FCPS website. As always, please contact Mr. Gerstner if you have any questions or concerns.
In last week’s work session, Dr. Brabrand shared that FCPS is working with area health care organizations to plan a collaborative effort to support COVID-19 vaccination for 5-11 year-olds as soon as the vaccine is authorized. We will continue to share information as that evolves. In the meantime, you may use the COVID-19 Vaccination for 5-11 Year-olds Talking Points to help answer questions.
11.Substitutes Needed
FCPS is looking for kind and caring substitute teachers to ensure our students continue to thrive when teachers need to be out of the building. Substitute teaching is a great opportunity for stay-at-home parents who would like a flexible work schedule. Subs save the day- apply today!
12.Upcoming School Board Referendum
Early Voting Now Open and the School Bond Referendum is on the November 2 Ballot!
A school bond referendum will be on the general election ballot on Tuesday, November 2. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Residents of Fairfax County may vote if they are 18 years or older on Election Day and have registered to vote 22 days prior to the election (on or before October 12, at 5 p.m.).
Early voting is now open and available through October 30. See the Fairfax County early voting website for hours and locations.
A new or renovated school is 40-50% more energy efficient—supporting the School Board’s phased goal for carbon-neutral energy use by 2040.
The building and renovation of schools is not financed through the school system’s operating funds but through bonds. Bonds sales must be approved by voters since they are a future obligation for taxpayers. As long as debt service costs do not increase significantly as a percentage of combined general fund disbursements, the county's bonded debt is not likely to be a contributing factor to an increase in local taxes.
Learn more about the 2021 Bond Referendum.
13.Student Rights & Responsibilities Parent/Guardian Signature
The Student Rights and Responsibilities document (SR&R) explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable and supportive school environment. More information about the SR&R is available online.
Parents can print the form, sign and return to school with their child or electronically sign the agreement from the ParentVue account.
The SR&R Parent/Guardian signature sheet is due tomorrow, October 29.
14.PTA Message
https://villapta.org/
The following message is sent on behalf of the Fairfax Villa ES School PTA. Its content reflects the views of the PTA.
Good news! The Reflections Art Contest deadline for submitting artwork has been extended to Monday, November 8, 2021. If your artist hasn’t been able to complete a finished project, now there’s time!
Please email villapta@gmail.com for more information.
The Original Works to have your student’s artwork turned into gifts has been received by them and is being converted into electronic format as we speak. The October deadline was to have the PTA collect and submit artwork for our members. If you have turned something in already, once the online ordering opens, you can upload additional and or replacement artwork online yourself, or submit it to PTA, if you need help. If you did not submit anything yet, there’s still time! We will allow new orders to be turned in by the close of business, Friday, November 5th, 2021. You’ll soon find your personalized Original Works letter in Tuesday’s folders.
Please turn all artwork in to the PTA front office box, and / or contact PTA directly at villapta@gmail.com to make arrangements.
The PTA would like to announce our new partnership with 1st Place Spirit Wear! We’d like to say a special thank you to Wild Haggis Sports for supporting us these past few years. I know Simon personally, and he has a great business made complicated by supply chain issues. 1st Place Spirit Wear uses what might be the new way of merch making – a printing process that’s on demand and requires no minimum orders. You browse the several pages of Villa merch options. You purchase 1 – 100 pieces of merch. They guarantee it arrives at your door within 10 business days. They are currently creating some FVES items with our specific branding and should be up any day now. In the meantime, they’ve got a lot of cool Fairfax Villa items in the store already. Simply go to https://1stplacespiritwear.com/ and type in our school’s name. 10% of all proceeds come to FVES PTA!
The next FVES PTA Membership and Community Meeting is Wednesday, November 17th from 7pm to 8:30pm. It’s entirely online via zoom. Please visit villapta.org for more information!
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