GBW News - Thursday, November 11, 2021 - Veterans Day / 2-Hr Early Release


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Highlights This Week

  1. Principal's Message 
  2. Veterans Day
  3. GBW Book Fair Coming Soon
  4. Handicapped Parking/Kiss & Ride Safety
  5. PTA News
  6. Important Dates

1. Principal's Message

Flags

Today is Veterans Day  

As a reminder, today is a two-hour early release for students for the Veterans Day holiday. Veterans Day provides a great reason to pause, reflect, and recognize the extraordinary sacrifices our Veterans and their families have made on our behalf, and we thank them for their service. 

Today, our GBW dismissal will start at 1:55 p.m. Classes will resume on Friday, November 12. See the complete 2021-22 school year calendar.

News 7

Meteorologist Alex Liggitt from 7 News - Assembly with StormTrak Weather Vehicle

Our 4th & 5th graders had a special treat on Wednesday, November 10th as Alex Liggitt from 7 News brought his StormTrak Weather Vehicle out to GBW to showcase all of the cool weather gadgets!  Alex Liggitt talked a lot about weather forecasting and how it connected to our science standards.  Students were enthralled with his vivid description of his action packed job and were also impressed by his StormTrak Weather Vehicle!  Thanks Alex!

Outstanding Employee Award Nominations – Due Tuesday, Nov. 23

Attention all members of the GBW Community!  Do you know a GBW staff member that displays exceptional leadership and exceeds his/her responsibilities?  Does your child have a teacher or staff member who highly motivates students, understands individual needs, and instills a love for learning?  Can you identify an outstanding staff member that fosters cooperative relationships in the community?  If so, please take the time to nominate a GBW staff member in the categories below.   

Outstanding Employee Nomination Form (Due 11/23): http://bit.ly/GBWAwards2021

Outstanding Employee Categories shown on Form:

  • Leader (Assistant Principal)
  • New Teacher -in their first 3 years as teacher (Classroom, Sped, Librarian, ESOL, Reading, Music, Art, PE, Spanish, AART)
  • Operational Employee (Office Staff, Safety and Security Assistant, Custodial Staff, Food Service Staff, IA, PHA, PHTA, & Parent Liaisons)
  • New Principal (in their first 3 years as Principal)
  • Professional (Psychologist, Counselor, Social Worker, SBTS, TSSpec, Speech, Resource Teacher)
  • Teacher (Classroom, Sped, Librarian, ESOL, Reading, Music, Art, PE, Spanish, AART)

If you have questions, please contact John Gullickson (Awards Liaison) jmgullickson@fcps.edu or Alyssa Jasso (Social Committee Chair) acjasso@fcps.edu.  Thank you in advance for taking the time to recognize a few of our outstanding staff members! 


2. Veterans Day

veterans day

Good afternoon families,

My name is Katie Musitani and I am one of the ESOL teachers here at Greenbriar West Elementary.  This year I had the honor of working with some local businesses to say a big “Thank You” to our Active Duty and Veteran families here at GBW.   As an Army mom, I know the struggles and joys our families go through.  Veterans Day is a day to celebrate the sacrifices our Veterans and their families have made to protect us and our freedoms. I had the pleasure of speaking with John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting and he has sent you a wonderful message of “Thanks” for everything you do.  Please enjoy the mini concert by clicking on the link below. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A3wXEyWtEZih0yxiEToWg1g1IqeFXjmm/view?usp=sharing

 

Veterans Day - CHS

Veterans and Active Military Personnel

Join us at Chantilly High School on November 11, 7:00 p.m. for a night of performances and a reception.  

Click here for details and to sign up. 


3. GBW Book Fair Starts Tomorrow!

Book Fair

Please visit the GBW Book Fair Homepage (The links to the Online Fair and Virtual Book Fair will work starting Friday, November 12th): 

https://www.scholastic.com/bf/greenbriarwestlibrary

Students will preview the fair and create wish lists tomorrow, Monday, and Tuesday morning!

This year we will not be having a family night. Students can begin shopping at a convenient time for their class between Tuesday, November 16th - Friday, November 19th.  If you would like your child to purchase items at the Book Fair, please review your student’s wish list and the virtual fair.  Decide on a budget with your child (do not forget to account for sales tax).  You can send cash or check, but the easiest and safest way for kids to shop is with eWallet.

Please click here to set up eWallet

About Book Fair eWallet

Give your child a safe, cashless way to shop the Book Fair. This digital payment option can be used at the in-school Book Fair or online at the Virtual Book Fair, where you'll discover an expanded selection of over 5,000 products. 

How It Works

  • Create an account for each child
  • Add funds...
  • ...or invite family and friends to contribute
  • Shop the Book Fair
  • Spend unused funds online or fund an eWallet for your next Fair!

After the Fair, remaining eWallet funds are not returned to a credit card but instead, become a gift card balance that can be used online with Scholastic or to fund an eWallet for a future Book Fair. Be sure to sign in with the same email used to create the eWallet.

If you have any questions, contact Sharon Wilhelm at sawilhelm@fcps.edu.


4. Handicapped Parking/ Kiss & Ride Safety Reminders

Dear Parents, we recently advocated for our students with physical needs to have special handicapped parking spaces added to our parking lot near the K&R lanes, and thankfully the county has added a wonderful parking area for cars that need handicapped access.  Some of our families that park in these spaces have students that require wheel chairs and a lot of adult supervision to safely transition from their cars to our building.  Recently we have struggled to safely transition our students with physical needs into our building because other parents are parking in our handicapped parking spaces rather than waiting through our K&R lines. 

Parents, please respect these parking spaces and only park in these spaces if you need a handicapped parking space as identified by the Virginia DMV.  This will help our families who need these spaces so they can more safely transition our students with physical disabilities into the building.


PTA News

5. PTA News


Duct Tape Mr. Blount!

Students at GBW will have the opportunity to duct tape Mr. Blount in the main hallway this Friday, Nov. 12, from 11a.m.-12p.m.! 

Many thanks to families who joined the PTA. 

If you haven’t already, here's the link to register: https://gbwpta.ptboard.com/formvw?store=1784&form=8.


Thanksgiving Hospitality Event

As we reflect on 2021 lets not forget the impact that our wonderful GBW teachers and specialists have had on each of our families this year. On Monday, November 22nd we will be providing a sweet pie dessert for our teachers in time for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. If you are able to donate a pie or pies please sign up here : https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090a4eaea628a6fa7-thanksgiving

Please note: If you wish to drop off on Monday, 11/22, doing so before 8:40 and after 9:20 is best due to arrival of buses and Kiss & Ride.   


Mod Pizza Spirit Night - To Be Rescheduled

Mod Pizza Logo

Thanks to everyone who ordered from Moe’s last month.  We raised $112 for the GBW PTA. 

MOD Pizza Night, which was scheduled for November 18, is being rescheduled to a future date. Stay tuned for the new date! 


Share Spirit Day and Color Run Pictures for the Yearbook

If you have pictures of GBW students from recent spirit days, please send those to:  GBWPandaYearbook@yahoo.com.  

Be sure to include the student’s name, grade, and teacher.


50th Anniversary- Volunteers Needed

Parents, please reach out to Laura Koscho at greenbriarwestpta@gmail.com if you are able to help us plan our birthday activities this year.


6. Important Dates Coming Up

Calendar

Today, November 11
Veterans Day
2 Hour Student Early Release

Wednesday-Friday, November 24-26
Thanksgiving Holiday

Thursday, January 20
Virtual PTA Meeting, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, February 17
Virtual PTA Meeting, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 24
Virtual PTA Meeting, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 21
Virtual PTA Meeting, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, May 19
Virtual PTA Meeting, 7:30 p.m.