March News: Upcoming Board Meetings, School Board Updates, Student Opportunities, Springfield recognitions, and More

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 03/24/2022 03:40 PM EDT

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Hello, Springfield District!

March has really flown by! In our house, it has ushered in the onset of spring sports, band and chorus assessments, and college visits, all of which have kept us hopping! The brief breaks of lovely weather have allowed for some wonderful time outside together. March madness has us cheering on teams from places we’ve never even been (neither of our teams made it into the tournament this year). Our brackets have totally been busted, but we are still having fun watching!

This month has given me the opportunity to visit many of our awesome schools and centers. I got to spend the morning at Greenbriar East ES and even got to read one of my favorite Elephant and Piggy books to some really cool 2nd graders. White Oaks ES was next and I got to help with kiss and ride and welcome everyone to school. It was awesome to get so many high fives! I think every Tuesday morning should start that way. Next up, I had an opportunity to hang out at Burke school and help with a lesson on Malala for Women’s Month. We all talked about women we honor and value in our lives and the students had terrific ideas for ways to show their appreciation. I also got to do a dance break with some friends in kindergarten and 2nd grade. They had some serious moves. This month, I also got to spend a morning at the Davis Center and hang out with our students who are working on some really cool career opportunities. We got to talk about how you figure out what you’d like to do for your career and they really gave me good feedback on what I might be good at ;). I’m so excited to get to go visit them at their job sites soon. I’m really looking forward to getting to celebrate Greenbrier West’s 50th anniversary this weekend and can’t wait to see everyone!

No matter where I was this month, over and over again I saw students who were happy to be in the classroom and amazing staff just working like dogs to give them all their very best. As we head into the home stretch of this school year, I just want to say again how incredible our staff is. All of the behind-the-scenes, after-hours, and weekend work they are doing to show up and give our kids the very best experience possible comes at a cost. I know they are beyond exhausted and I know they sacrifice personally to be just who our kids need them to be. As always, our family is beyond grateful for all they give to make FCPS the incredible place it is.

I’m very much looking forward to Spring Break and getting an opportunity to attend the National School Board Association conference where I can’t wait to learn more about what other systems are doing to enhance both their student’s and staff’s experience in the school building and beyond. More to come on that!

As always, I am so thankful to represent you on this Board.

Laura Jane

This newsletter includes information on the following issues:

Upcoming School Board Meetings
School Board Work
FCPS and Community News

FCPS News
Community News

Springfield District Scene
Family Resources

Resources for Parents
Resources for Students

Health and Safety News
What’s in a Name?
Quick Links

Upcoming School Board Meetings

March 24 at 7 p.m. - Regular Meeting: FY22 Third Quarter Budget Review, etc.
April 12 at 10 a.m. - Forum: Trauma-informed School Practices
April 12 at 11 a.m. - Work Session: FY23 Budget and Trust Policy
April 14 at 6 p.m. - Spring Public Hearing
April 14 at 7 p.m. - Regular Meeting: Recognizing Lake Braddock's Varsity Gymnastics Team and Robinson's Wrestling Team, Presentations on Student Rights & Responsibilities (SR&R) and the Special Education Annual Plan, etc.
April 26 at 11 a.m. - Work Session: SR&R
April 28 at 7 p.m. - Regular Meeting: Trust Policy, Special Education Annual Plan, etc.

Please note, times and topics are subject to change.

The work sessions and regular meetings will be broadcast live on Channel 99 (Verizon channel 11) and the FCPS website. Both will be recorded for future viewing and posted to the FCPS School Board YouTube page.

Visit the Community Participation webpage to sign up to speak at a regular meeting. Visit BoardDocs for more meeting logistics, agendas, and handouts.

FCPS and Community News

Online Tutoring for Students — Coming Soon!

Click the video above to learn more.

School Board Work

Goal 1 and 2 Reports

The primary reason for strategic plan reporting is a public accounting of FCPS’ performance on its strategic aims, including successes and challenges. Additionally, Strategic Plan reporting is central to the FCPS Strategic Decision-Making Cycle for Resource Allocation (SDMC), which aligns the Division’s performance on Desired Outcomes to strategic work and funding decisions. Thus, Strategic Plan reporting ensures accountability of FCPS to the School Board and taxpayers of the Division’s use of funds, strategic efforts, and associated outcomes. All of these purposes necessitate annual reporting to allow for changes to be made to ensure continued progress toward strategic goals.

During the School Board work session on March 8, staff presented highlights of this year’s work connected with the division’s Strategic Plan Goal 1: Student Success. Achievements include:

Narrowing gaps in access and opportunity, especially by

Providing students with access to technology.
Increasing participation in elementary school advanced academic programs.
Reducing opportunity and access gaps for traditionally underrepresented groups.
Improving equitable participation among student groups in Algebra I by 8th grade.

Pass rates for reading and mathematics were higher than the state average.
All student groups met or exceeded the goal for Virginia on-time graduation rates.
Prekindergarten experiences continued to have a positive effect on kindergarten skills.

Visit BoardDocs for the complete presentation or watch a recording of the work session on our YouTube channel. Presentations on all of the Strategic Plan goal areas will take place over the next few weeks.

All FCPS students will soon have unlimited access to online tutoring support services through Tutor.com at no cost. Funds to support Tutor.com for school year 2022-23 and 2023-24 will come from an ESSER III Unfinished Learning Grant.

Students can connect online any time, and in most subjects for as long as they need. Tutoring is focused instruction provided to students in a one-on-one format through voice or text chat. Tutors will focus on developing students’ strengths and capabilities in reading, mathematics, or other specified subjects. Tutoring services may be accessed before, during, or after school hours and/or on weekends through a link in Schoology.

All tutors must pass a rigorous application process including an extensive background check. No personal information is shared between a student and tutor. All sessions are recorded and transcripts are available for review by teachers and parents/guardians.

Students will automatically have access to the Tutor.com tutoring service unless a parent/guardian submits an opt-out request. All FCPS families will soon receive an email including an online tutoring services notice and opt-out information. Additionally, a hard copy form will be sent home with every student.

For additional information, visit our online tutoring services website.

ESSER III School Plans Are Available Online

FCPS schools are receiving a portion of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) III funding to support unfinished learning and student wellness. Each school has submitted a plan, which has been reviewed and approved by the region and ESSER leadership teams. View the approved Fall 2021 school plans on FCPS’ website.

Please keep in mind that schools are currently revising their plans. Updated information will be available once the revision and approval processes are complete. Learn more about ESSER III.

Family Engagement Survey Now Open

FCPS’ Family Engagement Survey was emailed to all parents and caregivers on Sunday, March 13. If you haven’t taken the survey, please participate today! The deadline to participate is Sunday, April 3. Your feedback is critical in helping to inform and improve FCPS’ practices to best support our students. Survey topics include:

Welcoming environment
Communication
Student success
Advocacy
Family and school partnerships
Collaboration with the community to see if FCPS is meeting its goals at the school, region, and division levels

The survey is available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Amharic, Farsi, Urdu, Pashto, and Vietnamese. Take the survey now by clicking on the QR code below. Visit FCPS’ website for more information.

Registration Open for 2022 Special Education Conference

Join us for the 2022 Special Education Conference, Bringing our Inclusive Community Together: Affirming, Assessing, Advancing, held virtually on Saturday, March 26. Welcoming ceremonies, guest speakers, FCPS presentations, and an exhibit hall are included. Registration for this free conference is now available online.

Speakers include

Dr. Lisa Cullins, A Conversation About Compassion Fatigue.
Marlo Keller, Exceptional Family Member Program Pathways: Navigating the Halls of a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) School Move.
Ann Dolin, Less Policing, More Parenting: How to Improve Your Child’s Executive Functioning Skills Without All the Arguments.
Dr. Lisa Bateman, Reducing the Stigma Around Mental Health Challenges and How to Support Children in Asking for Help.

Visit the Special Education Conference webpage for more information and to register.

FCPS to Join Northern Virginia School Divisions to Host Inclusive History Panel Discussion

Fairfax County Public Schools, in coordination with Alexandria City, Arlington, Falls Church City, and Loudoun school divisions, will participate in a virtual discussion on Inclusive History on Monday, March 28, at 7:30 p.m.

An inclusive history benefits all students by providing opportunities to appreciate the complexity of the past while encouraging them to think critically about possibilities for the future. Please join the panel discussion with students and teachers from FCPS and other local school divisions. Register today.

Meal Kit Distribution Change for Spring Break

In preparation for spring break (April 4-8), the following plan is in place for meal kit distribution:

March 30: Additional meals (four days of breakfast and lunch, along with 14 days of afternoon snack and supper meals) will be served in one meal kit.
April 6: Meal-kit distribution is canceled.
April 13: Regular meal kit distribution resumes.

More information and locations of the meal kit sites is available online.

Picture of students eating lunch in cafeteria

Supply Chain Update – Food and Nutrition Services (FNS)

FNS continues to serve on average more than 150,000 meals per day, which is an increase of 40,000 meals compared to pre-Covid participation data while managing ongoing and significant food and supply chain challenges. School Year 21-22 menus offer entrees, fruits, and vegetables that have historically been the most popular among students. Additionally, all menus meet or exceed USDA guidelines, including nutrient standards.

Shortages seriously impact the operation, as off-contract suppliers do not have K-12 products readily available, especially in the quantities needed for a school division as large as FCPS. FNS orders food and supplies weeks to months in advance and quantities are planned based on participation and overall storage capacity. At times, manufacturers stop producing items without providing advance notice. Also, certain products are only available in allocated, limited amounts. Below are several examples of persistent supply chain issues.

No advance notice with a temporary halt of several orders for truckloads of chicken tenders (approximately 120,000 servings per truckload) and three breakfast entrees (approximately 50,000 servings of each of these three items). No substitutions were provided by the manufacturers or distributors in these cases.
Several months ago, the supplier of lunch trays informed FNS that tray production would be discontinued until further notice and no substitutions were provided. FNS has used as many as 120,000 trays per day this school year.
Foods like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cereal, and cream cheese—all popular items—are allocated to FCPS in limited quantities this school year.

FNS has and continues to spend considerable time and effort dedicated to sourcing replacement items from various suppliers. When food items are shorted or minimally allocated, FNS must routinely search for supplements from other sources and evaluate the following: cost, student preference, the availability of labor, receiving time, case counts, expiration dates, preparation instructions, and recipes, allergens, and more. Once a substitution is identified, menus are adjusted to comply with USDA requirements. One of FNS' main distributors delivers to our division three times per week. Since the beginning of this school year, FNS has experienced 1,966 shortages or 27,477 cases of food from this one distributor.

FNS continues to meet with its main distributor weekly to remain proactive on product availability. FNS has searched for new vendors and potential contracts to ride, as well as bringing in as much supplemental, backup inventory that the schools, the Food Service Warehouse, and Central Office have the capacity to store.

Summary of Quarterly Employee Separations (2017-present)

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the current job market, creating shortages in several industries across the nation with record-high resignations. Economists have dubbed this phenomenon the “Great Resignation.” In August, 4.3 million U.S. workers — almost three percent of the entire American workforce – voluntarily left their positions. In September this number increased to 4.4 million, the highest monthly number since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking “quits” in 2020. This trend is especially prevalent in frontline and customer-facing positions. Several reasons provided by employers play a part in employees resigning from their positions as a result of COVID-19, including health concerns, exploration of positions with remote work options and flexible scheduling, increase in volume and complexity of work, and reflection on personal priorities.

Overall separations appear to be trending downward; however, when comparing the first and second quarters of this year with previous years, we observe an atypical pattern (increase). This likely is attributable to COVID-surges related to the Delta and Omicron variants. Please see Quarterly Separation Report 2017-2021 in the March 4 Brabrand Briefing for additional information.

FPAC Semi-Annual Report for the 2021-22 School Year

The Facilities Planning Advisory Council (FPAC) reports on its activities to the School Board semi-annually. The Semi-Annual Report is being distributed through the March 11 Brabrand Briefing as it is the interim report provided as part of the two issued reports from FPAC. This mid-year report focuses on the activities and progress of FPAC in responding to its annual charge from the School Board.

2021-22 Council Charge

Continue to work with staff and build on our work to continue to develop the long-range vision for FCPS school facilities.
Provide further support to facilitate the implementation of the accepted FPAC major maintenance and asset management recommendations.
Further develop recommendations on facility resiliency, to include accessibility, sustainability, and design justice.
Advise and assist with the development and implementation of updated boundary policies and processes, and identify any immediate capacity needs at specific schools.
Assess and evaluate how facility design and construction can become more functional within the classroom walls, incorporate greater use of outdoor space, and enhance ventilation.
Review and update FPAC’s charter and conduct a self-evaluation of work and process.

Virtual Program Ends this Year

We believe two things–our schools are safe for all students and our students are more successful learning in person. Community health experts advise that exemptions to in-person instruction should return to pre-pandemic criteria now that school-age children are eligible for vaccination. Therefore, we will discontinue the Virtual Program after this school year.

Homebound instruction will continue to be available for students with significant health risks that prevent them from attending school in-person as outlined in FCPS Regulation 2140. Families with concerns about returning to in-person instruction this fall should contact the Virtual Program administrators or your base school to discuss potential accommodations for your student.

Teacher Grants in Action

Greenbriar East Elementary School

All grade levels in the building can use the robots. Coding and sequencing with other students builds on communication skills, and best of all, kids see results right away!

Key Middle School

Grant funds provided middle school ESOL students with multicultural books that they can take home. Reading at home helps both parents and students improve their literacy. What a great connection with schools and families!

To learn more about all of our grants to teachers, click to visit the Educate Fairfax website.

Office of Auditor General - Audit Buzz, March 2022 Issue

In this issue of Audit Buzz, OAG summarizes the status of current engagements and highlights both ethical intelligence and The Green Book, also known as Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government, in the Knowledge Hive.

The next Audit Committee meeting is scheduled for April 20, 2022, at 4:00 PM. Please refer to BoardDocs for meeting information once it becomes available.

Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline:

(571) 423-1333 (anonymous voicemail)

InternalAudit@fcps.edu (email is not anonymous)

Ten Teachers Achieve or Renew National Board Certification

Ten Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) teachers achieved or renewed certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) in 2021.

Currently, FCPS is ranked first in the state of Virginia with more than 300 active National Board-certified teachers, placing Fairfax County in the top 30 school districts nationwide. Seventy-five percent of National Board-certified teachers work directly with students while others have moved into leadership roles throughout the division. Over the course of the program in FCPS, more than 500 teachers have achieved this prestigious certification.

Two teachers are newly certified by NBPTS: Courtney L. Buchanan (Providence Elementary School) and Laura Osborne (Rose Hill Elementary School)

The following board-certified teachers have renewed their board certification for an additional ten years: Cosette Loach (Frost Middle School), William E. McCabe (Lake Braddock Secondary School), Kristin McClure (Centre Ridge Elementary School), Daniel J. Miller (Fairfax High School), Jamie Mucciolo (Kings Park Elementary School), Coreen K. Pinkerton (Shrevewood Elementary School), Mary Beth Reidy (Mount Eagle Elementary School), and Amy Ruth Wheeler (Sandburg Middle School).

INOVA Community Health Assessment Survey

What are the most important health issues for our community? What would most improve your quality of life and the lives of those in your community? Inova is conducting a short, anonymous survey to identify the most pressing health-related needs in your community. Your input will help inform our ongoing efforts to deliver accessible, quality, patient-centered care throughout the region.

Take the survey which is available in nine languages. The survey only takes 3-4 minutes to complete and includes questions designed to gather community feedback on local health issues, improving quality of life, and understanding the strengths of the community.

Student Artwork Wanted for Schoology Design Challenge

Schoology log in webpage with blank picture stating, "Your Design Here!"

Click the image above to learn more!

لعربية (Arabic) ⁄ 中文 (Chinese) ⁄ English ⁄ فارسی (Farsi) ⁄ 한국어 (Korean) ⁄

Español (Spanish) ⁄ Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)

Help FCPS fill in the big blue space that students, staff, and families see when they log into Schoology. We are looking for talented FCPS students in any grade to participate and have their artwork considered for display.

Students can work individually or as a group designing any form of artwork that represents “How Schoology helps me learn.” Submissions are due by 11:59 p.m. on May 20.

Details for this challenge and information on how students can submit their work (parent permission required) are available online.

Military Night at West Springfield HS

FCPS students and families are welcome to attend Military Night, sponsored by West Springfield HS, Robinson SS, South County HS, Lewis HS, West Potomac HS, Mount Vernon HS, and Edison HS. Representatives attending are as follows:

United States Service Academies
Senior Military Colleges
ROTC Programs
Congressional Office Representatives
Enlistment Recruiters

Military Night will take place on Tuesday, March 29 from 6:00-8:00 pm at West Springfield High School. Registration is not required.

NOVA Virtual Information Sessions for FCPS Students and Families

On March 24 and April 20th - NOVA is hosting information sessions specifically for FCPS seniors and their families to learn about opportunities, services, and resources at NOVA. Students interested in or considering NOVA are encouraged to attend. For questions, contact: hsoutreach@nvcc.edu. Click for the flyer and to register.

JumpStart2NOVA Summer Program

Qualified seniors graduating this spring who are considering coming to NOVA after high school may take one 3-credit course and NOVA’s 1-credit College Success Skills course, SDV 100, at no tuition! Since these classes are all online, students will need access to a computer and the Internet.

The application is now open and will close at 5:00 PM on April 29, 2022. All students will be required to upload a high school transcript and any qualifying test scores if they do not have a 3.0 GPA. Courses begin May 31 and end August 8, 2022.

To learn more about JumpStart2NOVA, including course offerings, materials, and details on how to apply, please visit http://www.nvcc.edu/jumpstart/

ACE CORE Opportunity and Scholarship

FCPS Adult and Community Education (ACE) is offering CORE - an introductory class and a great way for students with little or no experience to get started in the trades. Students earn 80 apprentice hours that will count towards any specific trade apprenticeship (electrical, HVAC, plumbing, carpentry). View the course schedule. The ACE Education Foundation is offering $500 scholarships for this course to students who qualify. View the ACE scholarship application.

Fairfax Public Access (FPA) Cable Channel Summer Programs

FPA offers students interested in television and radio production a great outlet to learn, experience, and create. Our summer camp programs include four options. A two-week television studio production, a two-week television field (documentary-style) production, a one-week radio production, and a one-week video editing (post-production) camp. With each camp's focus on the equipment and crew roles, once properly trained, participants can earn production experience throughout the year by volunteering on the various public access shows created at FPA or even creating a show of their own.

The TV 101 Studio Camp (Camp A or Camp B dates available): Our studio TV camp includes instruction in pre-production and production areas, including all the key equipment and crew roles such as scriptwriting, studio lighting, studio cameras, set design, audio, floor directing, on-air talent, graphics, and technical Directing. Learn the “how to’s” of creating studio television programs and what is needed to put together a half-hour show. Successful completion of the camp allows students to receive certification approval on both the use of our studio A and B equipment and as possible future TV producers.

The TV 101 Field Camp: Our field TV camp includes hands-on training using FPA’s JVC professional-grade HD digital cameras and all associated equipment. Students will learn to conceptualize a field program by completing a storyboard, planning their shoots, and recording footage with FPA’s digital video cameras and accessories.

FPA WRLD Teen Radio Production Camp: Since its inception, radio has had a significant impact on the culture of the world. Thru the various genres such as music, news reporting, storytelling, and on-air discussions, the impact of RADIO continues to evolve along with the ever-changing digital technologies. In the present day, the impact of radio-style productions even extends to shows that are podcast and streamed online.

TV 101 Post-Production Video Editing Camp (Adobe Premiere): If you are interested in learning how to tweak and edit videos and better understand the role of a professional video editor this camp is for you. Participants in this camp will learn the functions of the widely used Adobe Premiere video editing software and the essential techniques to become proficient at editing videos.

Please visit https://www.fcac.org/summer-camp-registration-forms for cost, dates, and registration.

Fairfax County Park Authority Camp Counselor Hiring

The Fairfax County Park Authority is hiring camp counselors and camp directors to lead campers in our summer ROCS variety camp and several park-based nature camps. Camps operate from mid-June until mid-August. Camp counselors, as well as camp directors, are responsible for overseeing several camps and campers at one location. Pay is competitive. Learn more and apply at this website.

NWF EcoCareers Virtual Conference

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) EcoCareers Conference prepares students and young professionals for wildlife and sustainability careers by providing information on the latest EcoCareer trends from leading analysts and employers, clarifying career-enhancing credentials and academic offerings, and formulating a better understanding of the competencies employers seek in the green sector. The conference will take place virtually on April 6 and 7 from 11 am to 5 pm ET each day. Learn more about the NWF Eco-Careers Conference and register

Camp Woods and Wildlife

Do you know a student who loves to learn outdoors? Applications are now open for the Virginia Department of Forestry’s Camp Woods and Wildlife, to be held June 20-25 at Holiday Lake 4-H Center near Appomattox. This residential, field-based camp is ideal for students interested in forestry, wildlife, or other natural resources. All students selected to attend receive a substantial scholarship that covers most of the camp’s cost. The camp is open to anyone aged 13 to 16 (as of June 20) who has not attended before. Learn more about Camp Woods and Wildlife and apply by April 15.

Value in Prevention Camp

FCPS and Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services is teaming up to offer your very important teenager summer fun and leisure during the Value in Prevention (V.I.P.) Camp. A wide variety of activities and programs will foster healthy positive recreation interests for your teen. To be eligible, participants must be current or rising middle school students residing in Fairfax County. Camps will take place from June 29-July 28 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at various middle schools across the county including Stone Middle School (Feeder Middle Schools: Franklin, Katherine Johnson, Liberty, Rocky Run, and Stone) and South County Middle School (Feeder Middle Schools: Frost, Irving, Lake Braddock Secondary, Robinson Secondary, and South County).

Registration will begin in early April and more information may be found on the Fairfax County Value in Prevention Camp website.

Audubon Society of NOVA Youth Education Mini-Grant

The Audubon Society of Northern Virginia’s (ASNV) mini-grant program supports teachers, schools, and non-profit organizations in educating youth about birds and the environment. ASNV is awarding three mini-grants of up to $500 each. All projects must include an educational component. Applications are due by Friday, April 1. Learn more and apply for the ASNV Youth Education Mini-Grant.

Academy Day 2022

Senator Mark Warner invites high school and middle school students, their parents or guardians, and school counselors to Academy Day 2022. Attendees will have the opportunity to join breakout sessions with representatives from the United States service academies for presentations and an interactive question and answer period.

On the main stage, you will hear from representatives from the Virginia congressional delegation about the application procedures for congressional nominations to the academies as well as speakers from the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board, the University of Virginia ROTC programs, the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, the Virginia Military Institute, and the Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership at Mary Baldwin University. There will also be time to speak in more detail with any of these representatives at their virtual resource tables.

Save the Date: Saturday, April 23, 2022

Time: 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Location: Virtual

Invitation to follow. To ensure you receive it and the registration link for the event, please email academy_noms@warner.senate.gov. For more information on the Academy Nomination Process, please visit www.warner.senate.gov.

March 21-27 is Drug and Alcohol Facts Week

Quick Facts

Opioids are the number one cause of unnatural death in Fairfax County. Young adults ages 25-34 are the most common demographic seen in the emergency room for fatal opioid overdoes.
Nationwide there were over 100,000 overdose deaths from April 2020-April 2021.
Using opioids after a period of abstinence, mixing drugs, IV use, and serious medical problems all contribute to an increased risk of opioid overdose.
90% of substance users began using prior to 21-years-old.
Alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine are usually the most common substances used by adolescents.
Fairfax County police stations, pharmacies, and medical facilities provide permanent drug disposal drop boxes for residents to safely dispose of their unused/expired medication. DO NOT flush your medications.

Reframing our Thinking

Changing our state of consciousness is part of the human experience (kids spinning in circles to induce dizziness, meditation, runner’s high, and more) but using substances has more negative than positive side effects. Alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine use prevention strategies are also opioid overdose prevention strategies since opioid users likely used one of these three substances first. Every opioid overdose does not lead to death, but it increases the chances of an eventual overdose fatality. Although most opioid users began with alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine, these three drugs are not “gateway drugs”. The term “gateway drug” implies all alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine users will eventually use other drugs, but that is not the case for most, so the time to act is now. Treat your medication as a loaded gun; lock it up and properly dispose of any medications you are no longer using.

Resources and Sources:

For further information and support contact Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist, Tiffany Jones at TJJones1@fcps.edu.

Celebrate Arts Education in our Schools Month graphic

Art in our Schools Month

March is designated as Art in Our Schools Month. Art in Our Schools Month engages fine and performing arts educators, students, and communities from around the country in promoting the efforts of high-quality art education programs in our schools. Our fine and performing arts programs enrich the learning of our students and enhance our educational community. Thank you to our art educators who provide students with education, experiences, and opportunities in visual arts, music, theater, and dance.

Women's History Month

Since 1995, presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.” These proclamations celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States and recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields.

Check these dedicated websites that commemorate and encourage the study, observance, and celebration of the vital role of women in American history.

Women’s Futures Month

Visit the Smithsonian’s take on Women’s History Month – from March 5 to 27, the Arts + Industries Building’s FUTURES exhibition, the National Museum of Natural History, the National Air and Space Museum, and Smithsonian Gardens are partnering to host the Smithsonian debut of #IfThenSheCan – The Exhibit, the largest collection of statues of women ever assembled together, to be installed on and around the National Mall. The 120 life-size 3D-printed statues are of a diverse coalition of contemporary women STEM innovators and role models leading a variety of fields, from protecting wildlife, discovering galaxies, building YouTube’s platform, to trying to cure cancer. Read more about the exhibit and these women in STEM.

Picture of Smithsonian's #IfThenSheCan - The Exhibit

Springfield District Scene

I’m amazed by Willow Springs third-grader, Kingsley Thach, who created an app to help students, parents, and teachers to connect! He is now a finalist in the Silicon Valley Challenge, a national coding competition! The Student Parent Scheduler App launched in January and may be downloaded from the Google Play Store. It enables parents to track their child’s school assignments and activities.

Be sure to read about Kingsley in this InsideNoVa article.

Congratulations to Willow Springs’ Ani Nishanian for being selected as this year’s video winner of the ISRI (Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries)/JASON Learning Video and Poster Contest. Her winning video was designed to inform young people about the growing problem of climate change, the importance of recycling, and actions citizens can take in their own communities. Ani’s work was selected out of over 100 submissions from across the United States and Canada.

Way to go to Irving Middle School’s Dr. Sue Frenck (7th grade English Teacher and Peer Tutoring Sponsor) and the Peer Tutoring students who presented at the Secondary School Writing Centers Association conference on Friday, March 11. Irving was the only middle school to have students present at the conference.

Congratulations Rocky Run Middle School and School-Based Technology Specialist, Pam Galietta, for being recognized with the Best of the Web award as the FCPS Best Middle School Website for 2021-22! The annual Best of the Web Awards celebrate schools that create excellent websites to inform and engage readers. The winners remind us of the substantial talent that exists among the community of FCPS school web curators.

Wow! The website accolades continue with Chantilly Academy’s Career Experience Specialist and website administrator, Bonnie Wannett, for winning the Best of the Web award for the FCPS Best Center or Academy Website for 2021-22! Way go to!

Chantilly High School Drama’s cast and crew of the VHSL One Act, “A Moment,” secured 2nd-place at States! Great job!

The CHS Science Bowl Team was recently awarded $500 for their 2nd place win at the 2022 Virginia State High School Science Bowl.

At the DECA State Leadership Conference, Fairfax High School DECA earned the highest recognition with the Blue Chip award for FHS DECA chapters’ program of work and annual report. Fairfax DECA was also recognized as a Diamond chapter for its membership that includes over 200 students, 20 professional members, and 20 alumni members. Congratulations!

Way to go Amir Green of Fairfax High School! Amir placed 2nd in the Boys 55 Meter Dash at the VHSL Indoor Track state championship!

Congratulations to all four Lake Braddock Secondary School concert bands for earning Superior Ratings at the Virginia State Concert Assessment this past weekend. Because the Marching Band earned a Superior at the marching assessment in the fall and the Symphonic Band earned a Superior at this assessment, the band program has earned its 39th consecutive Virginia Honor Band designation. Lake Braddock is the only school in the state to earn this honor every year since it was established.

The LBSS Boys 200 Yard Freestyle Relay Team were the VHSL Swim & Dive state championship runners-up! Great job!

Congrats to Lake Braddock’s Caleb Sharman and Caley Nee for their 2nd and 7th place finishes respectively in the Washington-Arlington Catholic Forensics League Student Congress Debate Metropolitan Championships! Caleb will now compete to represent Lake Braddock at the National Catholic Forensic League’s Grand Nation Championship Tournament in May while Caley will be an alternate.

Shout out to Mount Vernon High School’s Symphonic Winds, for earning a rating of Superior at the Virginia State Concert & Sight Reading State Assessment.

With this achievement and the previous Superior rating for the Marching Majors this past fall, the MVHS Band program has earned the status of a Virginia State Honor Band for the 11th time! This is their 3rd consecutive year of achieving this distinction (The last time the program had 3 years consecutively was 1983-85).

Congratulations to Robinson’s Sammy Gerard for winning the 152 lb. weight class at the VHSL state championship!

Way to go Robinson Secondary School’s Girls 500 Yard Freestyle Relay Team who were the runners-up at the VHSL Swim & Dive state championship!

Congratulations to South County’s Girls Indoor Track for their 2nd place finish in the VHSL state championship! This includes the Girls 4x400 Meter Relay Team who placed 2nd in the state!

SCHS Indoor Track wins continued at the Nike Indoor Track Nationals. I’m thrilled to announce Victoria Higgins claimed the status of All-American athlete in the Girls 400 Meter Run Championship (sixth-place), Girls 4x200 Meter Relay Championship (second-place), and Girls 4x400 Meter Relay Championship (first-place). Way to go!

I am so proud of the work Jean Claude Shaffer and the South County High School Elder Outreach Club are doing! They were featured on Fox5 as part of the channel’s Pay it Forward coverage. Great job reaching out to and connecting with the elders in your community!

Outstanding effort to the TJ Swim & Dive Team! They were the runners up at the VHSL state championship! This includes 2nd place finishes by the Boys 200 Yard Medley Relay and the Boys 400 Yard Freestyle Relay Teams.

Congratulations to the TJHSST Ocean Bowl Team, who won the NOSB Chesapeake Bay Bowl and is headed to the NOSB National Finals for the third time in four years!

The TJ Model UN Team won Best Large Delegation at the Virginia Invitational Model UN Conference this past month. Fantastic!

The winning continues at TJ with one of their Ethics Bowl teams placed second at the Clemson University 2022 High School Ethics Case Competition. Way to go!

Congratulations to West Springfield High School’s John O’Donnell for taking 2nd in the Boys 1000 Meter Run at the VHSL Indoor Track state championship!

A shout-out also goes to WSHS’ Boys 4x800 Meter Relay Team for winning the VHSL Indoor Track state championship!

West Springfield’s Girls Indoor Track Team has much to be proud of with their 4x800 Meter Relay Team 2nd-place finish!

Kudos to the Woodson High School Boys & Girls Swim & Dive Team for placing 6th in the VHSL 6A state championship! This includes the Woodson Boys 200 Yard Freestyle Relay Team who were the state champions!

Student Peace Award Recipients

Students from 23 Fairfax County public schools have been named recipients of the 2022 Student Peace Awards of Fairfax County, designed to recognize young people who work as peacemakers. Recipients were recognized at a reception on March 13.

The Student Peace Awards began in 2006 to encourage people to think more about peace as both a means and an end, and to recognize young people who work as peacemakers. Every year, the high schools in Fairfax County are asked to select one junior or senior, or a group of students, whose work has promoted peace.

Congratulations to Fairfax High School’s Alin Freitag, Lake Braddock Secondary School’s Bethel Tessera, and Quander Road School’s Owen Fuchs-Dubuque! I am so proud of you!

Read the full list of recipients and learn more about our Springfield District awardees.

FCPS Students Win Awards at Virginia DECA Conference, Earn a Trip to DECA International Conference

A total of 56 students from 6 Springfield District Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) high schools were recognized as competitive event winners at the Virginia DECA State Leadership Conference held in Virginia Beach March 2-6. These students earned the right to compete at the DECA International Career Development Conference on April 23-26.

DECA is a career and technical student organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs to be college and career ready. In the Commonwealth of Virginia, DECA members are enrolled in a marketing education class at their high schools. More information about Virginia DECA is available online.

Congratulations to the following students:

Fairfax High School: Tait Eriksson, Mollie Johnson, Riya Menon, Shyla Menon, Ella Modes, Arveen Nazemian, Nikash Pant, Suhanee Singh, Aditya Suresh, Matthew Tzong, Ben Vicencio, Devon Warner, and Rugiatu Wurie

Lake Braddock Secondary School: Kimberly Barthel, Melanie Dang, Emma Eismeier, Tayler Hutson, Madison Judd, Rachel Pritz, Sarah Pritz, Sydney Prokopovich, Annelisa Rebello, Syon Subramanium, MaKenna Super, and Gianna Troncoso

Oakton High School: Ziad Bushnaq, Tejas Charaipotra, Lilah Elhady, Teresa Huang, Osakiodeme Ikhinmwin, Isha Jain, Cindy Li, Karin Liu, Savit Nair, and Mawada Swilam

Robinson Secondary School: Shaan Agarwal

South County High School: Kylie Arnott, Rachel Brockway, Avery Clanton, Lillian Gilmore, Saiesha Gohil, Kaleb Hughes, Matt Jones, Grace Lathrop, Connor Matier, John Claude Shaffer, Caleb Shirey, and Jason Stewart

West Springfield High School: Aubin Barcheck, Carter Baumann, Ian Cavasoz, Lauren Dalrymple, Bennett Lind, Kaitlyn Mersiowski, Riley Sturtevant, and Edon Zike

Family Resources

Register for Free Webinars from the Parent Resource Center

The FCPS Parent Resource Center (PRC) is offering free parent webinars. They are:

Supporting Early Learners: Growing the Caregiver’s Toolbox: A Webinar for PreK-2 Families

4/22/22: Supporting Healthy Habits & Routines in Early Learners
5/20/22: Growing through Tough Moments in Early Learners

There are so many ways children learn and develop throughout early childhood. Relationships, habits, and even challenges can become rich opportunities to teach and foster lifelong learning and skills for our children. Learn more about how self-regulation, executive functioning, and routines can help your children learn and develop.

Laura Thieman, LCSW, MPH, RPT- FCPS Social Worker Supervisor, Region 3
Amy Sheldon, MEd, MSW, LCSW - FCPS Preschool Mental Health Clinician, Early Childhood Assessment Team
Lori Kraden, FCPS Educational Specialist, Behavior Intervention Services

Fridays 10-11:30 a.m.

Flash Forward: Postsecondary Education and Employment Options for Students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and their Families

Join FCPS Career and Transition Services for a free in-person workshop. Flash Forward will provide students with IEPs and their families an introduction to options after high school. Representatives from postsecondary and adult education, employment, community programs, and services will be available.

Schedule

6:30 – 7:30 Information Tables

7:30 – 7:45 Overview of Postsecondary Options

7:45 – 8:30 Breakout Sessions

When: Tuesday, April 26, 2022 - 6:30 - 8:30 pm

Where: W.T. Woodson High School (Cafeteria A & B)

9525 Main Street, Fairfax VA 22031

Register for Flash Forward: Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and their Families.

FCPS Multilingual Family Podcasts

Listen and subscribe to an FCPS multilingual family podcast to hear timely, important information related to school news. The podcasts are produced in conjunction with the Office for English as a Second Language (ESOL) Services and the Office of Professional Learning and Family Engagement.

Parents’ Voices and School Partnerships are Important!

Family-School partnerships lead to student success and are an essential part of building a caring culture. FCPS values family perspective or “voice.” Family perspective is critical in developing authentic school-family relationships. These partnerships inform and improve school practices to best support students. In this episode, hear more about the importance of family engagement. Dr. Renee LaHuffman-Jackson, FCPS Coordinator for Family-School Partnerships, is the guest in this episode. Families are also encouraged to participate in the annual FCPS 2021-2022 Family Engagement Survey. Results of the 2018-19 Family Engagement Survey are available. Read about the School Board's FCPS Family Engagement Policy.

Reminder: Kindergarten Registration has started for the 2022-23 school year. Contact your neighborhood school for more details.

Listen and Subscribe

Making the Transition to High School

When teenagers move from middle school to high school, a world of opportunities opens up. High school offers new courses, new friends, new activities, and new responsibilities. In this podcast, hear about these new opportunities in your teenager’s life and how parents can be supportive in the transition. The FCPS College and Planning Website offers some helpful information for parents and students.

Listen and subscribe

Assisting Children in Developing a Healthy Self-Esteem

Self-esteem and self-concept gradually develop over time, beginning at a very young age. As children grow and develop, they begin to examine their abilities, become more independent, and assimilate information and feedback from others. Self-esteem can be defined as the evaluation of self, and it includes feelings of overall happiness and satisfaction, as well as how important one feels. Support from others is deemed important in children's development of healthy self-esteem.

The Healthy Minds Blog has some tips and strategies that parents and teachers can implement to build self-esteem and prevent a low self-concept in children.

Executive Function for Boosting Teen Productivity Parent Workshop

Get It Done! Executive Function Hacks for Boosting Your Teen’s Productivity

With disruptions caused by the ongoing pandemic, getting high schoolers focused on schoolwork has never been more challenging. Many feel overwhelmed, and others are just feeling unmotivated. It’s leaving many parents hoping their kids are getting enough done and learning enough to ensure their continued academic success. Join Educational Connections Founder and President Ann Dolin, M.Ed. to discover how you can boost your teenager’s productivity, alleviate stress, and keep them on track in this challenging season. You will learn helpful executive function hacks, including

✓ Strategies to help your student prevent procrastination from undermining their success

✓ How to ensure your teen gets their homework done and turned in on time (without feeling like a nag)

✓ Ways to help your teen focus and eliminate digital distractions

✓ Strategies to reduce academic stress and test anxiety

✓ Site maps, Google calendars, and other tools for staying organized and tracking assignments

✓ How to ensure your high schooler is gaining the independence they will need for college

Register for this workshop with Educational Connections, and get the refresh you need to help your high school student finish this challenging school year strong. If you can't make it, still register, and they will send you the replay video.

Covid Learning Gaps and Screen Time Overload: Strategies to Get Kids Back on Track

Kids are now well into their third school year filled with Covid disruptions. They’re building resiliency to deal with the constant changes, but many students are also struggling with issues like Covid learning gaps and a greater dependency on electronics. As parents, you want to help! But how? It’s all uncharted territory for families. As the virus continues to evolve, so do the impacts of the pandemic on students. With no clear roadmap to follow, Educational Connections Founder and President Ann Dolin, M.Ed. is here to help! At this virtual parent event, you will learn:

✓ The lasting impacts of the prolonged period of virtual learning on elementary schoolers

✓ How to help close some of the most common learning gaps K-5 students are struggling with

✓ Sneaky strategies to incorporate learning at home and build your child's executive function skills, even if there's little to no homework (and over the summer)

✓ Ways to get your child interested in offline activities

✓ When to leave things up to your child, step in to support, or recruit outside help

Please register in advance in order to receive the webinar link. If you can't make it, no worries! Still register and you will receive a link to watch the replay video to watch at your convenience.

Date: Wednesday, March 30 at 7 pm

Tip Sheets for Parents

Help Your Teen Stay Awake While Studying

Research shows that most teens don't get enough sleep. So when they sit down to do schoolwork, many teens nod off.

Small changes in routine can make a big difference in your teen's ability to concentrate. Try these tips to help them stay focused.

Ease Your Child's Transition Into Adolescence

As children grow into adolescents, their craving for independence grows, too. This can lead to conflict with the adults around them.

You probably can't avoid having some stress and conflict with your child. But there are things you can do now to make the transition into the teen years smoother.

Scholarship Opportunities

Fairfax County Council PTA Scholarship

The Fairfax County Council PTA (FCCPTA) is awarding five $1,000 scholarships to graduating FCPS high school students planning to attend an accredited vocational school or college for the 2022-23 academic year. This year’s FCCPTA scholarship will be based on academic achievements (20%), involvement with extracurricular activities (30%), and responses to the essay question (50%).

More information, and the application, are found in this flyer: Fairfax County Council PTA Scholarship PDF

For questions contact president@fairfaxptsa.org, and to apply, email your application to scholarship@fccpta.org.

Organization of Chinese Americans(OCA)-Asian Pacific American Scholarship

OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates Gold Mountain Scholarship will award $2,000 to fifteen first-gen, Asian American or Pacific Islander (AAPI) high school students who are graduating this year and will be starting college in the fall. Applicants do not need to be U.S. citizens. DACA students or undocumented students must have a Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to be eligible for this scholarship. Visit the OCA National Center website for more information on eligibility and to apply. The deadline to apply is Friday, April 1, 2022, at 11:59 pm PT.

Generation Hope Scholarship

Generation Hope's application is currently open through April 1, 2022. Generation Hope provides scholarships of $1,200/year along with one-on-one mentoring, mental health support, case management, free tutoring, and more to young parents (both moms and dads) who are going to college in the DC metro area. The application and more information about eligibility requirements can be found on the Generation Hope website through April 1. They are holding a special event for young fathers on March 24th.

Scholarship Guidance

Below you will find a list of scholarship programs from Scholarship Guidance’s weekly scholarship newsletter. These scholarships are awarded during the 2021-2022 school year and all students are eligible.

Scholarship Deadlines between March 31-June 30, 2022:

1) Folds of Honor Scholarship - $5,000 – 100 Awards (Deadline: March 31, 2022)