Upcoming Events
Jan 13th - Course Selection Presentation for Rising 7th Graders, 8:45 – 9:45 am - Cafeteria
Jan 17th – Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday – School Holiday
Jan 18th – Performing Arts Open House, 6:00 – 7:30 pm, LBSS, for rising 7th – 11th graders & parents
Jan 19th – Orthodox Epiphany (Religious/Cultural Observance)
Jan 19th – LBSS Curriculum Night, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, Last Names A-K, 6:30-7:30 pm, Last Names L-Z, 7:30-8:30 pm
Jan 19th – Immersion Informational Meeting, 7:00 – 8:30 pm – Virtual Meeting
Jan 20th – End of Quarter – 2 Hour Early Release
Jan 21st – Teacher Workday – Student Holiday
Jan 24th – Staff Development Day – Student Holiday
Jan 25th – PTA Spirit Day – BGR, 4:00 – 9:00 pm
FCPS 2021-22 School Year Calendar
New Guidance for Returning to School After Quarantine, Pause, or Isolation
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance for isolation and quarantine in late December, with multiple updates in January. This guidance reduces isolation and quarantine to five days. The VDH states that school districts may choose to continue more stringent isolation and quarantine requirements or may implement the new CDC guidance.
FCPS will adopt the new guidance with one exception:
- FCPS will adopt CDC’s recommendation for a five-day period of quarantine for students and staff.
- FCPS will adopt CDC’s recommendation for a five-day period of isolation for staff.
- FCPS will NOT adopt CDC’s recommendation for isolation for students as we are unable to implement the required physical distancing protocols during meals. FCPS students with COVID-19 will need to continue to complete a ten-day isolation period.
Return Guidance for Students with COVID-19 Students who are COVID-19 positive are able to return to school when ALL of the following criteria are met:
- Student completes at least 10 days of isolation from symptom onset for symptomatic students or 10 days since testing positive (day test administered) for COVID-19 for asymptomatic students; AND
- Student is fever free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication; AND
- Student’s symptoms have improved; AND
- Student submits the FCPS Isolation Letter with the return date to their attending school
Return Guidance for Students who are Close Contacts to School Related Exposures Asymptomatic students who are close contacts and required to quarantine are able to return to school when all the criteria for one of the two options below is met:
- Option 1:
- Student completes five days of quarantine; AND
- Student is asymptomatic; AND
- Student is able to wear a face mask at school- Day 6 thru 10; AND
- Student submits FCPS Pause Letter with the return date to their attending school
- Option 2:
- Student completes ten days of quarantine; AND
- Student submits FCPS Pause Letter with the return date to their attending school
-
Students with mask exemptions will need to utilize Option 2 to return from quarantine.
Some students and staff may be exempt from quarantine if they meet the CDC criteria, are able to wear a face mask, and are asymptomatic:
- Students must complete the FCHD vaccination survey, and receive a clearance email from the FCHD prior to resuming in-person learning and activities.
- Staff must complete the Fully Vaccinated Exemption Form
Return Guidance for Students who are Close Contacts to Community Related Exposures NEW! FCPS will no longer require Return to School documentation for a student deemed a close contact in the community, outside of the school environment. FCPS recommends that families adhere to the Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) quarantine guidance, as appropriate. If families have questions regarding COVID-19, they are encouraged to consult their physician or the Fairfax County Health Department.
Updated Health and Safety Guidance Documents The best source of the most up-to-date information, including how students return to school after quarantine or isolation, is available on the Health and Safety Guidance Document on the FCPS website.
FCPS staff should refer to resources on the Employee Hub for updated guidelines to return to work.
Vaccination Records
Parents are encouraged to update their child's school vaccination record. If your child has had recent vaccinations, please reach out to Teresa Dunbar, student information assistant, with a copy of your child's vaccination card. Electronic copies are not acceptable. You will need to submit a physical copy of the record for your child. Her email is tldunbar1@fcps.edu or you can call her at 703-426-3600.
New Technical Tools for Parents
FCPS has new tools to help parents and guardians know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided by Lightspeed, our internet content filtering service, at no cost to families. You may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited. If you want more detailed information, sign up for the Internet Use Parent portal and log-in anytime to see more detail about your child’s browsing and “pause” access to the internet during non-school hours. Find out more and sign up for these services on the FCPS website.
School Year 2022-2023 Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Program Information
Each year, rising kindergarteners and first graders have the opportunity to participate in DLI programs available in French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish offered at Bailey’s ES, Fort Hunt ES, Fox Mill ES, Great Falls ES, Kent Gardens ES, Lake Anne ES, Laurel Ridge ES, London Towne ES, Orange Hunt ES, Powell ES, Ravensworth ES, and Rose Hill ES through a county-wide lottery process. Online registration for this lottery process opens on January 24, 2022. Registration is open to all rising kindergarteners and first graders living in Fairfax County. A SIS account is required to complete the application. If a student is not currently enrolled in FCPS, registration at the base school for the upcoming school year will be required. Please be aware that FCPS does not provide transportation for students who reside outside the attendance area of the DLI schools and a one-time fee of $100 must be paid upon acceptance of an out-of-boundary placement (see Notice 5922). In the DLI Program, children spend half of the day learning content (math, science, health, and language arts of the partner language) in a partner language. The other half of the day is spent learning in English focusing on English language arts and social studies. The instructional program follows the Fairfax County Public Schools Program of Studies at each grade level. Students are able to connect the skills learned across both languages through the extensive use of manipulative and concrete hands-on activities. Program Sites and Informational Meetings The schools listed below offer county-wide DLI Program enrollment for SY 2022-2023. Parents are encouraged to attend one of the informational meetings. Please see the dates for all meetings below.
All meetings are held in accordance with FCPS health guidance. Information regarding virtual meeting access (if needed) will be made available on the Dual Language Immersion registration site by the day of the meeting at:
https://www.fcps.edu/registration/dual-language-immersion-programs-registration .
Enrollment criteria and procedures are available at:
https://www.fcps.edu/registration/dual-language-immersion-programs-registration .
  
NASA Dr. Swati Mohan STEM Session
Remember the NASA Perseverance Mars Rover mission back in February 2021? "Touchdown confirmed" was announced by Dr. Swati Mohan. I was able to reach out to Dr. Mohan and, after months of waiting for her availability, I am very excited to announce that Dr. Swati Mohan, the lead mission control of the NASA Perseverance Mars Rover mission is going to present a special session for FCPS students. Since it is such a special event, I would like this to be made available for all students Gr 3-6, not just our STEM club students. This session will be a great motivation for many of our young minds. Please see the attached flyer. The session is scheduled for Jan 28, 2022, 4:15 - 5:15 pm.
Signup link: https://forms.gle/cQDKhsabBhtSQd317
Meet link: Not available yet, will be sent to signed up students and also posted on the website (closer to the date): https://www.thefuturebrighter.org/news-events
Harrish Ganesh Founder The Future Brighter www.thefuturebrighter.org
FCPS Cares
FCPS CARES is an opportunity for staff, parents, students, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others. Every month, a nominated employee from each region and Central Offices will be recognized as an FCPS CARES of the Month recipient. We’ll share their names in Employee News, and they will also have access to a new FCPS CARES banner for their profile photo in Outlook. Watch this video to learn more about FCPS CARES. We also encourage you to acknowledge a staff member who has gone above and beyond! We love our Ravensworth staff members, let's tell them how we feel!
Positivity Project
You expect the best from the future and work to achieve it. You are cheerful, positive, encouraging and goal setting. You believe you will succeed. You have a positive future. Optimists are inspiring to others.
Parents can learn more about P2 https://posproject.org/p2-for-families/. Enjoy discussing this week's Character Strength with your children at home!
2022 CTE Summer Camp Information
The Career and Technical Education (CTE) office is once again planning an engaging summer enrichment program for students. For current 2nd – 6th graders we have Tech Adventure Camp. See below for information.
  
PTA News
PTA Meeting – Virtual
Virtual PTA Meeting – January 10th, 7:00 pm
Ravensworth Girl Scouts – Opening for K-2 Girls
Ravensworth is now home to three Girl Scout Troops (55054, 55095, and 55119). Two of these troops have openings for girls in Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grades. For more information, please contact Michele Randall at mrandall@gscnc.org or call at 703-372-4352.
PTA Yearbook
Want to capture those memories? Childhood doesn't last forever! Celebrate this year at Ravensworth Elementary School by ordering your 2021-2022 Ravensworth Yearbook. On sale for only $18 until January 31st, 2022. (After that they go up to $20). You can order by clicking on the following link: https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/Order/LookupJob?jobNumber=4882622
Get Your Spirit Wear Today!
Check out the PTA MemberHub website at https://ravensworth.new.memberhub.store to purchase Spirit Wear items and/or join the PTA; youth and adult sizes are available for the items. Contact Dori Sophia at spiritwear@ravensworthpta.org if you have any questions. Show your Raven pride!
Join the PTA or Renew Your Membership
Now is the time to join the PTA or renew your membership! Your annual membership fees directly support the programs at the school. You can join the PTA here https://ravensworth.memberhub.store/store?category=Memberships ($10 individual and $20 family).
Follow Ravensworth on Social Media
Are you connected to Ravensworth Elementary School and the Ravensworth PTA on Social Media? The PTA’s Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/ravensworthelementarypta and the school’s accounts are https://www.facebook.com/RavensworthElementary and https://twitter.com/RavensworthES
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