 Before winter break, our McNair kindergarten students had a great time learning about holidays around the world!
Virtual Learning at McNair Elementary School
It was a great week back, McNair Elementary! As we prepare to observe the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on Monday, January 17, we are also watching for the potential of winter weather early in the week. We used all of our traditional snow days during last week’s snowstorm. Any future inclement weather days will include virtual learning whenever possible.
Our McNair Elementary Staff have spent the week preparing our little Mustangs to access and use Schoology and Zoom in anticipation of an inclement weather event. Today, our little Mustangs traveled home with laptops, chargers, and lots of resources to support instruction and access Schoology and Zoom at home.
What’s important to know as a parent?
- All Virtual Learning Days will operate on a 2-hour delay schedule with all elementary schools in FCPS following the same bell schedule. School hours will be 10:30 a.m. – 3:15 p.m. Students may long onto Schoology and Zoom between 10:15 – 10:30 a.m. School starts promptly at 10:30 a.m. and teachers will take attendance.
- Students will log off the computers for lunch and recess only. Your teacher will provide you with your specific schedule. See school schedule below.
- Make sure your child’s device is powered up! Plug the computer in and charge it ahead of Tuesday.
- Review the Student Technology Readiness Checklist with your child and complete all the at-home readiness steps.
- For McNair Resources & Supports, click here.
During weather events, FCPS must consider power outages, technical connection issues, and whether students have access to devices that they may not have taken home the night before. FCPS will announce a virtual learning day in the weather closure announcement on our website and social media channels and through email communications and local media.
Thank you for your help in making sure an inclement weather virtual learning day is a successful one for your child. Enjoy the weekend and we look forward to engaging with our students on Tuesday.
It’s Cold Outside, McNair!
McNair families, there is no doubt that winter is here! Winter Break ended with a bang and it looks like more snowy weather is on the way!
With the ever-changing and unpredictable weather, it is not hard to believe that our little Mustangs are having difficulty with their clothing and outerwear choices. Surprisingly, with temperatures below freezing, students are coming to school in shorts, t-shirts, no socks and sweatshirts in lieu of winter weather gear. We know it is hard to predict what kind of weather we will have, but we need your help in talking with your child at home about what he/she should and should not wear to school. It is a good idea to layer up. It is a lot easier to remove an article of clothing when warm than to not have the necessary clothing item when it gets cold. If your family is in need of assistance with clothing or outerwear for the cold weather, contact our school counselors, Donna Ford at DMFord@fcps.edu or Kristin Coe at kicoe@fcps.edu .
Students participate in all classroom activities, including recess. Classes still go outside for recess, even during cold spells; therefore, it is important that students are dressed appropriately (jackets, gloves, hats). We do not have additional personnel available to monitor students inside during recess, so all students go outside.
During a National Weather Service (NWS) issued Wind Chill Advisory, outdoor activity will be limited to no more than fifteen (15) minutes. During a NWS Wind Chill Warning, students will not participate in outdoor activities including general and physical education classes, recess, and scheduled non-emergency fire drills. This does not include students walking to and from school or students waiting at bus stops.
We know that inclement weather can happen at any time. Please make sure you tune in to FCPS communications platforms to get the most up-to-date information regarding closures, delays, or Virtual Learning Days. Go to: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/safety-and-transportation/weather-cancellation-procedures for more information.
Please note that school office staff and teachers follow the same schedule as students. When schools are closed, they do not report. When there is a delay, their arrival is delayed as well.
Changes in COVID Testing at School
Thank you so much to our McNair families who are participating in COVID testing at school on Mondays. Since Monday, January 18 and Monday, January 24 are student holidays, McNair COVID testing is canceled. However, community Diagnostic Testing is still available. Please click here for more information.
It’s important to remember that due to the recent COVID surge and volume of tests being processed in labs nationwide, test results have been delayed and it may take a little longer for parents to see the results.
If you would like to sign your child up for COVID testing at McNair Elementary, please go to: https://fcpstestingsite.com.
FCPS Dual Language Immersion Program Registration Information
Each year, rising FCPS kindergarteners and first graders have the chance to participate in Immersion programs available in French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish offered at: Bailey’s, Fort Hunt, Fox Mill, Great Falls, Kent Gardens, Lake Anne, Laurel Ridge, London Towne, Orange Hunt, Powell, Ravensworth, and Rose Hill elementary schools through a county-wide lottery process. Online registration for Grade 1 is from January 24 – February 16, 2022 and January 24 – March 3, 2022 for Kindergarten applicants.
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.
If you want to learn more about this opportunity, please go to: https://www.fcps.edu/registration/dual-language-immersion-programs-registration
Mark Your Calendar
January 17
No School – Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
January 19
January PTA Meeting at 6:30 p.m. Join at https://meet.google.com/teo-zsio-yvc
January 20
End of 2nd Quarter; 2 Hour Early Release – Students Dismissed at 1:30 p.m.
January 21
No School – Student Holiday
January 24
No School – Student Holiday
February 1
Progress Reports Go Home
PTA Corner
IN-PERSON CLUBS ARE BACK!
Registration for IN-PERSON Winter Enrichment will be from 1/10/22 to 1/18/22.
Visit https://www.enrichmentmatters.com/mcnair to register!
PTA General Meeting is January 19, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. Link: https://meet.google.com/teo-zsio-yvc
Sign up for the Special Session: NASA Perseverance Mars Rover Mission
The Future Brighter is proud 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. OPEN TO ALL FCPS students.
Date: 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)
Visit https://www.thefuturebrighter.org/news-events for additional information.
NASA Dr. Swati Mohan STEM Session Flyer.pdf
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