Dear Dranesville Families—
What a start to the year 2022 we have had. The Omicron surge, snow days, and the debate over masks in our schools have all made it difficult for all of us.
I want our children to be safely unmasked as soon as possible. Our board asked health professionals for guidance on when to not require masks weeks ago and will continue to work with local health care professionals to determine how best to adapt our COVID protocols. Due to high community transmission and our taxed health care systems, now is not the time to remove this critical component of layered health and safety mitigation strategies. This school year FCPS has not moved any school to all virtual. We need to protect and serve all of our students, including our most vulnerable, to continue in-person instruction. I have heard from many of you, and there are widely varying opinions and ideas across Dranesville. Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think. I take all of it into consideration. Although you may not agree with continued masking, I hope that you believe that our students are the center of what we do. We must all work together as partners to offer the best education for our students.
We have very important work to do in the coming weeks and months—hiring a new superintendent; passing a budget that meets our needs for next year; monitoring our ESSER fund use to maximize our student’s academic and socio-emotional progress; and approving our CIP to ensure our facilities are designed and constructed for the best education possible. More details on all this work can be found in this newsletter. Please participate as your time allows to make sure I know your views on these important topics.
Dranesville, we are in this together and only together can we do the best for our children, staff, and community.
Elaine
 Connecting students with industry professionals through panel discussions, career planning support, and much more!
Join us for our upcoming regional career exploration event and participate in live virtual sessions held every night Monday, February 14 through Thursday, February 17th, 2022. This event was developed in conjunction with six neighboring school divisions in the Northern Virginia region.
High school students will learn about a wide variety of potential career paths and post-secondary options that will prepare them for the next chapter of their educational journey. This event will offer students a connection to more than 100 local industry professionals from in-demand career fields across the Northern Virginia region. Employers and industry experts will be represented from highly sought-after career clusters. This event will include synchronous (live) and asynchronous (recorded) sessions.
High school students will be able to participate in the following ways:
- Connect to more than 100 local industry professionals from in-demand career fields across the region.
- Learn about work-based learning (WBL) opportunities.
- Attend industry panel discussions.
- Attend information sessions and career planning support sessions.
- Learn about postsecondary education, training, and apprenticeship opportunities.
Details and registration information are available online. Students can email workbasedlearning@fcps.edu with questions.
COVID Information and Updates
The Health and Safety Guidance Document on our website is your source for the most up-to-date information.
Check your student's health daily
Please make sure you health screen your child before sending them to school everyday. If your child does not feel well or presents with any COVID-like symptoms, please keep them at home and seek medical advice. We appreciate your support in keeping our FCPS community healthy!
Free COVID tests
Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order four free at-home COVID-19 tests, completely free. Visit covidtests.gov to order your free at-home tests and find free testing locations in your area. Here is the phone number to order kits: 800-232-0233 or TTY 888-720-7489.
COVID-19 Community Testing Center at the Fairfax County Government Center
A Virginia Department of Health Community Testing Center (CTC) is open to provide free Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing by appointment for COVID-19. The site, set up in a large tent, will be in parking lot B of the Fairfax County Government Center located on the southwest corner of the Government Center complex. The CTC will operate Saturdays through Wednesdays from 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. by appointment only. Appointments typically become available 24 hours in advance. If you do not see openings, check back frequently as appointments are added regularly. Please dress for the weather as there may be waiting time outside. Anyone needing assistance with scheduling a test may contact the COVID-19 Call Center at 703-324-7404. To learn more about COVID-19 testing, visit the VDH COVID-19 Testing webpage to make an appointment and find other local testing sites.
Vaccination
COVID-19 vaccination continues to be the best protection against severe illness and our best tool to end the pandemic. Vaccination is available for adults and kids five and up. If you need a vaccination or booster, the Fairfax County Health Department vaccine website is a great source of information about clinics and other vaccination opportunities. Pfizer booster shots are available for everyone 12 -17. For more information on boosters and vaccination, please visit this Fairfax County Health Department site.
Vaccinated Students with School-related Exposures Can Be Exempt from Quarantine
Students who are up-to-date with their COVID vaccination (boosted or within 5 months of their 2nd Pfizer vaccination) may be quarantine-exempt from a school-related COVID-19 exposure. Parents or guardians will receive the vaccination survey link in the FCPS Pause Letter provided by the school when the student is identified as a close contact. This survey is only available to school-related cases.
Medical Questions About COVID-19
If you have questions about COVID-19, please contact your child’s physician or the Fairfax County Health Department at 703-267-3511 (9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends). You may email ffxcovid@fairfaxcounty.gov (monitored 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays).
Masks
We are working towards a day when we can begin to roll back our COVID safety measures, including universal masking. But for right now, we must continue to protect and serve all our students, including our most vulnerable. More than anything else, these mitigation measures allow them to safely remain in our schools.
In accordance with state law, our regulation requiring universal masking remains in place until further notice. Students will be required to comply with the requirements of Regulation 2109.2. Face masks are included in the student dress code and failure to comply remains an SR&R violation. Intentional removal of or refusal to wear a face covering during the times face coverings are required by all students will be treated as a violation of Regulation 2613. In addition, per federal guidelines, students must continue to wear masks at all times on school buses or other FCPS transportation.
FCPS filed a legal challenge reaffirming local authority to make decisions regarding student safety and learning. This action allows a swift resolution, so we can return our focus to providing safe, in-person education to all children of Fairfax County. It is imperative that decisions about education and school safety are made locally in order to champion the best interests of our students and community. Read the complete statement on our legal action.
On Monday, we held a virtual town hall to discuss our mask requirement and how we are keeping schools safe for in-person learning. Watch a recording of the town hall.
Visit our website for more about how face masks are essential for safe in-person learning.
Volunteer Opportunities
This committee advocates for minority student achievement by identifying, reviewing, and assessing issues affecting minority student academic achievement within the policies, curriculum, practices, and procedures of FCPS. Learn more about the MSAOC here. The committee’s responsibilities also include:
- making appropriate recommendations to the School Board
- reviewing strategies and proposing solutions for closing the achievement gap
- evaluating progress towards goals set by the School Board for closing the achievement gap
- ensuring outreach to parents and guardians about resources available through FCPS.
If you are interested in serving, please forward your qualifications and a paragraph on your interest by February 4, to wmbiliter@fcps.edu. Please consider volunteering to be the Dranesville representative to MSAOC!
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Celebrate National Mentoring Month by Becoming a Mentor
January is National Mentoring Month, and we are seeking 2,000 adult mentors at all school levels. Mentors volunteer to serve as role models and guides. They typically meet with their mentee once a week for 30 minutes during the school day (this is flexible).
FCPS provides training and guidance, a background check, and once you choose a location, the school-based coordinator will match you with a student who shares your interests. You can be placed at a school that works with your schedule. Get more information about mentoring in FCPS.
Mentoring can have a tremendous impact on a young person’s life. Mentoring.org found that young people who were at risk for falling off track but had a mentor were:
- 55 percent more likely to enroll in college.
- 78 percent more likely to volunteer regularly.
- 81 percent more likely to participate in sports or extracurricular activities.
- 130 percent more likely to hold leadership positions.
If you have any questions, contact Martha Macdonald at mmacdonald@fcps.edu.
Kindergarten Registration for SY2022-23
Do you have a child at home who will be five by September 30th? Please start your registration now. If you have any neighbors with little ones, please send this information to them as well. Visit your local school website to learn how to arrange a registration appointment and learn when their Kindergarten Orientation is scheduled. Please go to our website to learn how to register your rising Kindergartener.
Technical Support for students and parents
FCPS has created this Technology Support Page with videos, guides and frequently asked questions.
Still need help?
- Call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS). This will be answered by staff members between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please specify if you need an interpreter when you call.
- Parents and Students may submit a request online and you will be contacted via email with directions to resolve your issue.
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SEPTA Focus Groups: Family-School Partnerships
Session tonight!
Fairfax County Special Education PTA (SEPTA) is hosting virtual focus groups to discuss National PTA's Standards for Family-School Partnerships. Share your experiences and your perspectives on family-school partnerships.
- How do you want to engage with your child’s school?
- What are the most important parts of a parent-educator relationship?
Your feedback will be used to make family-school partnerships more inclusive and impactful in FCPS. National PTA will also use your feedback to inform a set of National Standards for family-school partnerships nationwide. Sessions last 1 hour and 15 minutes, are interactive, discussion-based, and open to all FCPS families. You do not need to be a PTA member to participate. A small stipend will be given to the first 20 registrants per session who then attend and complete a brief survey.
Register by clicking on these links:
En Español: Friday, February 4 at 7pm
FCPS Special Education Conference on March 26
FCPS’s 17th Annual Special Education Conference will be held virtually on Saturday, March 26, with a combination of synchronous (live) and asynchronous (recorded) sessions. Registration for this free conference will begin in March.
More information on the Special Education Conference is available online.
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Multilingual Family Podcast: FCPS Parent Resource Center Offers Resources and Supports
Happy New Year! Listen and subscribe to an FCPS multilingual family podcast to hear timely, important information related to school news. In this episode, hear how the Parent Resource Center (PRC) provides resources and support for all families and school staff in FCPS and the surrounding communities. Meet Mary Beth Harrison-Cunningham and Amal Elsayed. The Parent Resource Center provides free library resources, confidential consultations, and informational webinars.
Reach the Parent Resource Center by calling 703-204-3941, by emailing at prc@fcps.edu or visiting the PRC website.
Listen and subscribe:
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Parent Resource Center Upcoming Webinars
Everything You Need to Know About Marijuana in 1 hour: A Webinar for Families
“Everyone’s doing it” is what most teenagers will say about marijuana, but truly only about 20% of teens have used marijuana in the last 30 days. During our session, we’ll talk about a myriad of topics relating to marijuana to include: THC vs CBD, legalization vs decriminalization, the various ways marijuana can be consumed, and more.
Friday, January 28, 2022, 10-11 a.m.
Register online for Everything You Need to Know About Marijuana in 1 hour: A Webinar for Families
Future Planning for Elementary and Middle School Students with Disabilities
Join Career and Transition Services (CTS) to learn about planning for life in and after high school. A series of webinars offered in February 2022: 2/2, 2/9, 2/16, and 2/23 from 6:30pm - 8:30pm.
It’s never too early or too late to start preparing for your future. We want to help you start planning for a successful transition from school to life as a young adult. Ensuring postsecondary success of our students with disabilities is dependent on what is known as transition planning. Please join CTS and other support service personnel for a month of webinars focused on planning for the future.
Each week, webinar sessions will cover a range of topics: CTS programming and services for students with disabilities, short and long-term postsecondary supports, employment and postsecondary education considerations, Supported Decision Making, and student self-determination as an evidence-based predictor of post-school success.
This event also includes two evenings of student/parent panels where members describe their firsthand experiences as they navigated Fairfax County Public Schools and planning for their child’s future.
See session topics and specific dates and register online here!
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Did you know?
A group of porcupines is called a prickle. The National Zoo welcomed a new family member earlier this month.
Become a Substitute Teacher and Save the Day!
Want to make a difference in the life of a child? Fairfax County Public Schools is looking for enthusiastic, engaged, and dedicated substitute teachers. Starting pay is $17.79 per hour for short-term subs; $23.91 per hour for long-term subs. Substitutes help our students thrive when their teacher must be out of the classroom and are essential members of every school’s team. More information about the application process and requirements is available online.
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Substitute Teaching and Substitute Instructional Assistants Information Session
Today, January 26 1-2pm
Substitute Teacher and Substitute Instructional Assistant Information Sessions are for external candidates looking to learn more about becoming a substitute teacher or instructional assistant. Register for this session.
School Board Updates
Superintendent Search
The next step in FCPS’ nationwide search for a new superintendent will take place January 31. The School Board will be holding a work session to discuss the superintendent search on Monday, January 31, at 6 p.m. The meeting can be viewed on FCPS Cable TV Channel 99 (Verizon Channel 11), the FCPS YouTube Channel, and on the FCPS website.
Superintendent Search Town Hall meetings were held earlier this month. If you want to watch one of the Superintendent Search Town Hall meetings held for the community, they are available online.
FCPS is conducting a nationwide search for a new superintendent to lead the school district when Superintendent Brabrand's contract expires at the end of the 2021-22 school year. Learn more about the superintendent search on our website
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FY23 Budget
Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott S. Brabrand has proposed a budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-23 inspired by the division’s tradition of academic excellence through public education. After two years of disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, FCPS is committed to moving forward into a bright future that places an emphasis on student achievement and recognition of world-class educators and operational support staff.
Drawing on a history of academic success that has seen Fairfax County students from all backgrounds succeed at the highest levels, this budget maintains an investment in teacher pay increases, broadening opportunity and access for all students, and shoring up critical education gaps that widened during the pandemic. In total, 86% of the $3.3 billion Proposed School Operating Budget for FY23 is allocated to instruction.
More information on the FY23 Proposed Budget is available online.
Capital Improvement Program Update
The School Board held a Work Session on January 11 to discuss the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The FCPS CIP is a planning and fiscal management tool used to coordinate the location, timing, and funding of capital projects over five years. The CIP is updated annually to reflect changing conditions within our schools and communities while building upon the previously approved program of capital expenditures. You can view the materials presented at that Work Session as well as a recording of the Work Session. There will be a Public Hearing on January 27 at 6pm, and it is scheduled for an action item on February 10.
Lightspeed Parent Report Request
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 our website.
Student and School News
Cooper Middle School Band Wins John Philip Sousa Foundation Award
 A visit to a Cooper Band class last year.
Congratulations Mr. Baker and all the Cooper band students! The Cooper Middle School Band program is the winner of the 2021 Sudler Cup, an international recognition of outstanding musical excellence. The prize is awarded by the John Philip Sousa Foundation.
The Sudler Cup is widely known as the most prestigious award a middle school band program can receive. Only 60 schools have received this award since its inception in 1985.
Learn more about Cooper Middle School’s band program award.
Haycock ES Team WordMasters Challenge
Their 4th grade team, coached by Ms. Stephanie Duffield placed eighth in the nation! Their 5th grade team, coached by Ms. Paige Saba, also achieved outstanding results. The WordMasters Challenge™ is an exercise in critical thinking that first encourages students to become familiar with a set of interesting new words (considerably harder than grade level), and then challenges them to use those words to complete analogies expressing various kinds of logical relationships.
McLean High School- Hidden in Plain Sight - March 1, 2022
Hidden in Plain Sight is a community awareness program to educate parents through a hands-on learning experience that covers current trends and signs of risky business. The program will outline alcohol use, marijuana, prescription drugs, over the counter drugs, illicit drugs, mental disorders, sexual behavior, and other risky business.
This program is open to adult audiences only. The program is designed to educate parents on recent trends and to assist their child in finding the proper help if a risky behavior is detected. The program is presented by the Fairfax County Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit. The presentation will be held at McLean High School in the cafeteria starting at 7:00pm and ending at 8:30pm on March 1, 2022. Masks will be required to be worn while in the building.
High School Athletics
In-person attendance at FCPS high school sporting events is currently limited to coaches, athletes, and the parents of both the home and visiting teams until January 28 (subject to change).
Watch FCPS High School Sports Online While Attendance Is Limited
You can watch FCPS high school sporting events online. This service is free for the rest of this school year. Here’s how:
- Go to www.NFHSnetwork.com.
- Search for (school name) and go to its page.
- Subscribe and follow.
Summer Camps- Registration
2022 FCPS Summer Learning Information
Fairfax County Public Schools summer learning opportunities include a Credit Recovery Academy that offers credit recovery courses, intervention classes, and test remediation classes; programs and institutes at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology that provide credit accrual and enrichment opportunities; and Online Campus courses and classes. Career and Technical Education will offer Self-Directed Economics and Personal Finance. Elementary and secondary Fine Arts and Career and Technical Education enrichment camps, institutes and academies will also be offered.
Details about 2022 enrichment camps and institutes, Online Campus, and Self-Directed Economics and Personal Finance are now available on the Summer Learning webpage. Information about other programs will be posted as it becomes available.
Fairfax County Parks 2022 Summer Registration Open
Last year more than 95% of Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) in-person camps filled up and had wait lists. With lower camp sizes still in place, plan now to guarantee a spot in your child’s favorite spring break or summer camp. Find camps for all your children in one place this summer! Please visit the FCPA Camps website to register or find a camp job.
2022 CTS Summer Enrichment Tech Adventure Camp
This weekly exploratory enrichment program aimed to give students currently in grades 2-6 the opportunity to explore the exciting program areas within Career and Technical Education. Registration is open from January 31 to June 10, 2022. Visit bit.ly/FCPS_TAC for more information!
For questions, please contact Beth Mehr at bgmehr@fcps.edu
High School Academy Open Houses
Marshall and West Potomac Academy Presentations today!
A high school academy is a center within an existing high school that offers students the opportunity to explore career interests. By taking advanced technical and specialized courses students gain practical skills and education to help them succeed. High school students interested in taking classes at FCPS Academies can sign up to participate in an upcoming open house to learn more about each school.
The open house dates are:
Here is the Academy experience of a 2021 McLean HS graduate who participated in the Edison Academy. Meeka Williams, a Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVACR) student, traveled from McLean High School to pursue her technical studies at Edison Academy. She attained work experience in the HVAC field while in high school. She planned to pursue further education and training through an apprenticeship in HVAC once she graduated last June.
- On 6/3/21, Meeka Williams won the state championships in the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACR) contest with Virginia SkillsUSA.
- Meeka was a recipient of the Student of the Year Award at Edison Academy for 2021 as well as a recipient of an Edison Academy Administrator’s Award.
Community Updates
Supervisor Foust's newsletter
Supervisor Foust's informative newsletter is available here to read past newsletters and sign up for his newsletter for the latest in Dranesville and Fairfax County news.
 Learn more at the the Fairfax County Office for Children.
Regional Survey on Fair Housing
Fairfax County, in partnership with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, is one of eight local jurisdictions participating in a Regional Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. The group has launched a Regional Fair Housing Survey to gather information from residents pertaining to their experience in finding a place to live. All responses should be submitted by January 31, 2022.
For more information visit the Fairfax County Housing and Community Development website.
Dog licenses Due February 1
Did you get a pandemic pooch this past year? Then you should know that every dog four months or older must be licensed with Fairfax County. Get your annual dog license or renew it by Tuesday, February 1. The fee is $10 per dog, except for service dogs which are given licenses for free.
McLean Community Center News
MCC Website Redesign Survey
The McLean Community Center has engaged Kompleks Creative, a website development firm, to improve the functionality and design of the MCC website, www.mcleancenter.org. The firm would like to gauge the current user experience of our patrons and has developed this survey to get a better idea of what our patrons encounter when using our website. Please help us as we work to improve our website by taking a few minutes to fill out the survey.
Click here for the Families Survey
Click here for the Age 50+ Survey
McLean Community Center election 2022-2023 Governing Board
The MCC is seeking district residents to run for seats on its 11-member volunteer board for June 2022-May 2023. Three adult positions and two youth positions are open this year. The board sets goals and aligns strategies for MCC programs and facilities, including the Robert Ames Alden Theatre (“The Alden”) and The Old Firehouse Center (OFC).
To run for a seat on the volunteer board, a candidate must reside in the Center’s tax district (Small District 1A-Dranesville).To have your name placed on election ballots, candidates are required to obtain the signatures of 10 tax district residents in their respective categories (either adult or youth). Candidate petition packets are available for pick-up at the MCC.
Youth candidates must be 15-17 years of age as of McLean Day. One youth member will be elected from the McLean High School boundary area and one will be elected from the Langley High School boundary area. Youth candidates are not required to attend either school, but they must reside in the boundary areas served by those schools respectively, as defined by Fairfax County Public Schools.
For more information on the MCC Governing Board Elections, call the Center at 703-790-0123, TTY: 711, or logon to the Governing Board Candidates’ webpage: https://tinyurl.com/mclean-center-election.
"Traveling While Black" Virtual Reality Experience
The McLean Community Center (MCC) will have the virtual reality (VR) experience “Traveling While Black,” which features a film by Academy Award-winning director Roger Ross Williams, in its main lobby now through Saturday, February 12, 2022. In “Traveling While Black VR,” the immersion of 360° footage draws viewers into living history lessons told around a booth in Ben’s Chili Bowl. The Washington, D.C., restaurant has been a mainstay of the African American community since 1958, bearing witness to significant Civil Rights milestones that are woven into the film in powerful snippets of footage.
FCPS Cares
Are you so happy with your student’s school or teachers you want to let someone else know? FCPS Cares is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. Please visit the following link to recognize staff members who have done impactful things: FCPS Cares
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Upcoming School Board Meetings
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January 27 at 6pm - CIP Public Hearing
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January 27 at 7pm - Regular Meeting: Calendar, PreK-2 Devices
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January 31 at 6pm - Work Session: Superintendent Search
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February 8 at 11am - Work Session FY23 Budget
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February 10 at 7pm - Regular Meeting: CIP
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February 22 at 11am - Work Session: ESSER Update, Community Schools
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February 24 at 6pm- ESSER Public Hearing (Speaker list opens 2/10)
How to watch meetings and sign up to speak
The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.
© 2022 Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
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