April 2022 Newsletter - School Board Updates, Military Child Month, Arab American Heritage Month, Summer Opportunities & more!

Dear Sully District Families,

I hope everyone had a restful and enjoyable Spring Break whether you were traveling or stayed at home. This was much-needed time for my family to disconnect from some of the pressures of the school day and share in each other's company as well.  

March was an eventful month with lots going on. As you will see in this newsletter, Sully District students continue to participate and thrive in the areas of academics, sports, music, theater, innovation and community service. Our rich, high quality FCPS programs lead to heightened student engagement along with successful student outcomes.

Meanwhile, enrollment in Fairfax County continues to grow and as of February, FCPS experienced an increase of over 2,000 students to bring enrollment numbers to 180,615 students, as compared to 178,595 in September of 2021. This is a positive trend as we continue to push forward through some of the most difficult years in public education. I am particularly excited about the launch of the new FCPS free online tutoring program. This service is intended to complement all of the existing efforts underway to help our students overcome any unfinished learning from the past few years of the pandemic. More information on the upcoming service is below in this newsletter.

Last month, much of my time was dedicated again to core pieces of our responsibilities as a School Board, including the annual budget process and the search for a new Superintendent. The Board has reviewed applicants and looks forward to publicly announcing the final candidate in the next few weeks. We have benefited from a strong pool of applicants who have demonstrated qualities and track records aligned with those identified during the community engagement part of the process and outlined in the job posting. The hiring of the next superintendent will be confirmed through a public vote by the School Board. You can read the full Board statement on the next steps of this process here.

The School Board approved revenue and expenditure adjustments as reflected in the FY 2022 Third Quarter Budget Review. I also met with several members of our Sully District Citizen Advisory Committees to thank them for their contributions and to discuss any feedback they might have on the key issues that their committees work on. 

I look forward to approving the Middle School Recess measure at our next Board meeting. I have been working alongside dedicated moms who believe unstructured time is crucial to academic success for years. Their hard work will finally pay off! This was introduced last year as a Forum topic by my School Board colleague Dr. Anderson and myself. Establishing unstructured breaks for middle school students during the crucial tween & teen years is essential for their development, creativity, and social connectedness.

I am also looking forward to introducing as a Forum topic, Trauma-Informed Practices and support for students with anxiety, along with my colleague Ms. Sizemore Heizer. This important topic will help define a systematic trauma informed policy and approach to address the rising issue of anxiety disorders, especially important in the era of COVID. 

Inside this month’s newsletter:

  • Sully District Happenings - Student Successes & Community Outreach
  • Online Tutoring Info - Coming soon!
  • Arab American Heritage Month Resources
  • Substance Abuse Prevention - Keeping our Kids Safe!
  • Information on Summer Programs
  • Get2Green: Earth Week, Student & Teacher Events and Opportunities
  • Parent, Student & Mental Health Resources

April is #ArabAmericanHeritageMonth. Please join me in celebrating the rich history, contributions, and culture of our diverse population of Arab Americans. See more on this below in the newsletter.

MM

It is also National Military Child Month. FCPS is proud to have over 13,500 military-connected youth as part of our student body.  Celebrating this provides a powerful opportunity to raise awareness and build support to help our military- connected students students and families meet the unique challenges they face! For additional info visit FCPS' Resources for Military Families page

I am looking forward to a Student Listening Session at Centreville High School along with my colleague Ms. Sizemore Heizer on April 25th as well as engaging with Sully District PTA/PTO leaders (see details below).

I have upcoming school visits to Union Mill Elementary, Burke School and Poplar Tree Elementary where I can further engage with staff and students.

Finally, THANK YOU for your ongoing support. I value the input I receive from the Sully community and am happy to address questions or concerns via email or phone. You can also sign up directly to talk with me during my April office hours. More information on this is below.

I look forward to having students and staff return after Spring Break as we gear up for the fourth and final quarter of the school year! 

In partnership, 

Stella Pekarsky


Sully District Happenings

So proud of all of students and their amazing efforts! Highlighted below are a few of their recent successes. This section also highlights some of our outreach/engagement opportunities to our PTA members as well as larger Sully District community. 

2022 Peace Awards - Student Changemakers!

Peace Awards 2022

Congratulations to our 2022 Student Peace Award winners!! Teen diarist and writer Anne Frank wrote “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment to improve the world.” So proud of these students for seizing the moment to make our world more just, kinder and happier. Read all about their amazing work here. The Student Peace Awards of Fairfax County was begun in 2006 to encourage everyone to think more about peace as both a means and an end, and to recognize young people who work as peacemakers. #GivePeaceAChance

Congratulations to CHS Powerlifting VA record breaker!

SydClark

Congratulations to amazing Sully District student Sydney Clark from Chantilly High School who qualified for the USA Powerlifting High School Nationals that was held March 23-26, 2022 in Chicago. Sydney finished in 5th place for bench press and 12th overall. She also broke Virginia state records in all 3 lifts with an overall total of 634 lbs, which qualifies her for collegiate nationals in 2023!

Regional Science and Engineering Fair - STEM Innovators!

Regional Science Fair Winners

Congratulations to our Sully District students Seoyoung Jun and Sohini Banerjee from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology for receiving the Grand Prize at the Fairfax County Regional Science and Engineering Fair! Seoyoung's research project Mind Beacon: A Portable Spatial Recognition Device for the Visually Impaired Using 3D Tech & Sohini's project Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Biomarker Identification using Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tech are amazing examples of how our students are using their skills and technology to solve real-world problems and to help others. Sully District students who are 1st Prize winners are: Siddhanth Vinay, Thomas Chia, Noyanika Vattathara, Sara Gupta and Kousalya Potti from Chantilly High School, Justin Pokrant from Westfield High School, Kunal Anuje, Shreeya Suresh and Isaiah Garrett from Oakton High School and Lynn Tao, Sohini Banerjee, Seoyoung Jun, Richa Misra, Pravalika Putalapattu, Suraj Vaddi and Alvan Arulandu from THHSST. 

So proud of all of our 300 students who presented their research projects in a wide variety of science and engineering fields! More info on the excellent STEM projects and participants is here. #Tech4Good 

Student Advocacy to Include More Women's History!

WEAR

So proud of our student Prasidha Padmanabhan from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology! She along with FCPS Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Specialist, Deborah March appeared on the TODAY to talk about their collaboration which resulted in more notable women being included in our history curriculum. She founded WEAR in the summer of 2020 after watching people debate online over repealing the 19th Amendment as if basic women's rights were disputable. When trying to understand how people could still doubt the necessity of women's voices, she realized the education system never properly addressed the contributions of women throughout history. #WomensHistoryMonth, #studentleaders  #HiddenFigureNoMore #untoldstoriesofwomen 

'Set a Goal and Work Like Hell' Student-driven Success!

Afghan Refugee

So proud of Sully District student Eltaf Samim, who graduated FCPS in under a year with college scholarships. Eltaf, an Afghan refugee traversed six countries, completed 7-9th grade multiple times in different nations, and turned in coursework in three languages on the way to get his high school diploma at Mountain View High School this year. Read more about his amazing story here. Congratulations on your amazing achievement!

Chantilly HS Forensics Team Wins VHSL State Title!

Forensics

The Chantilly Forensics Team won the State Title at the State Forensics Tournament! Congratulations on these students who worked so hard to achieve this! For the second year in a row, the 16-member Forensics Team took first place in the VHSL 6A State Forensics Championships on March 25 in Midlothian, Va., beating out 16 schools and 78 students from around the Commonwealth of Virginia. More details here on this talented team achievement!

A third straight state title for Madison Girls Basketball! Go Warhawks!

Madison Warhawks

Amazing feat! The Warhawks are now the first Northern Virginia team in the VHSL’s largest enrollment classification to win three straight state championships. The state crown was the team’s fifth in program history.

Congratulations to all the FCPS student-athletes who participated in the 2021-22 winter sports season. This year, five FCPS teams and 30 individuals won the Virginia High School League (VHSL) championships in their respective sports, and one team and 26 individuals were the state runners-up. (Photo by Deb Kolt/Sun Gazette). See what FCPS teams and individuals won VHSL championships. #OurFutureIsBright

office hours

Constituent Meeting Hours in April!

I have office hours set up to meet with Sully District constituents to discuss any questions or concerns you may have. Please use this Constituent sign-up sheet to register for slots and meeting info will be sent to you. I look forward to talking with you!

PTA Rocks

Attention, Sully District PTA/PTSA/PTO Presidents

I am looking forward to our dialogue at the roundtable discussion scheduled for April 25th @ 7 PM EST. If you did not receive an email invitation, please reach out to my staff aide at skhurana@fcps.edu.

Support Sully District Coat Drive Benefiting Ukrainian Refugees!

Ukraine

Sully District Community! Great opportunity to make a difference by donating much needed items. The United Nations has indicated that more than 3 million residents of Ukraine have had to flee the country thus far. Residents and businesses may drop off donations for refugees at more than 30 locations across Northern Virginia until April 15. The Sully District Governmental Center, address: 4900 Stonecroft Blvd will be one of the drop-off locations. See the full list of donation drop-off locations and additional information.


April is National Arab American Heritage Month

AA

National Arab American Heritage Month (NAAHM) is a time for celebrating the history, contributions, and culture of the diverse population of Arab Americans. For over a century, Arab Americans have been making valuable contributions to every aspect of American society—in medicine, law, business, technology, civic engagement, government, and culture. From cryptography, to the artificial heart, to the iPod, here are a few examples of some of the major advancements by Arab Americans. Please also find included here, list of books for children, tweens, and teens to continue to recognize and celebrate Arab American Heritage Month in April.


Online Tutoring Coming Soon!

tutor

All FCPS students will soon have unlimited access to online tutoring support services through Tutor.com at no cost. ESSER III Unfinished Learning Grant funds will be used to support Tutor.com for the school years 2022-2023 and 2023-2024.

Students can connect online any time, and in most subjects for as long as needed. Tutoring is focused instruction provided to students in a one-on-one format through voice or text chat. Tutors will focus on developing student’s 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 received an email including an online tutoring services notice and opt-out information. A hard copy form will also be sent home with every student. 

For additional information, visit our online tutoring services website.


Keep Your Child Safe from Substance Abuse

Drug-free

FCPS and Fairfax County would like everyone to remember that the Fairfax community continues to be profoundly impacted by the opioid epidemic. Consistent with national and state trends, local data on fatal and nonfatal opioid overdoses in the Fairfax Health District has been trending higher in 2022. 

People of all ages, in all parts of the Fairfax community, continue to be impacted by the opioid epidemic. In addition to opioids, data shows the most used substances amongst youth include nicotine, marijuana, alcohol, and prescription pills outside of a doctor’s recommendation. 

To help keep our children safe, here are some suggested tips for parents.


Laptop Activity Reports & Technology Support

Parents and caregivers can request information about their child's activity on their FCPS laptop. Sign up to receive a weekly Parent Report from Lightspeed, FCPS’s internet content filtering service, which will provide a list of the top sites the child visited that week. For more information or a link to sign up, visit the Lightspeed Parent Report information page

Additional technology support and resources for parents, caregivers and students can be found on the Technology Support for Families website.


Summer Opportunities for Students!

It is not too early to start planning for the summer! Here are some resources to help you find activities to keep your child(ren) engaged and active. Summer is a great time for children to experience different interests and learning opportunities. Many of these programs offer financial assistance so be sure to ask if there is a need.

FCPS offers many summer learning opportunities for students to advance academically, to sharpen their skills, to learn something new, or to participate in fun Fine Arts and Career and Technical Education camps, institutes, and academies. 

FCPS summer programs include: a Credit Recovery Academy that offers credit recovery courses; Online Campus courses; Institute for the Arts; Tech Adventure Camp and CTE Summer Academy; and Summer Learning Opportunities at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.

For more information and registration details for Summer Learning Opportunities, click here.

summer

Registration is now open for the Elementary Institute for the Arts (E-IFTA) and Institute for the Arts (IFTA) for students who are interested in exploring the arts. Elementary Institute for the Arts (for rising 3rd through 6th graders) and Institute for the Arts (for rising 7th through 12th graders) will be held July 5-29 at Lake Braddock Secondary School from 8:30 am-2 pm. 


Get2Green News & Updates

Earth Week 2022

FCPS Get2Green is the environmental stewardship program for Fairfax County Public Schools. The website is an amazing resource to engage in environmental stewardship projects at your school, incorporate sustainability in the classroom, find your school's energy and recycling data, and learn more about green initiatives in FCPS.

Celebrate FCPS Earth Week April 18-22

All students and staff are encouraged to join FCPS Get2Green in celebrating our division-wide Earth Week 2022 from April 18-22.  Earth Week is an engaging  way to foster conversation and learning about environmental topics that are essential in developing students as environmental stewards and ethical and global citizens.

Visit the Get2Green Earth Week webpage for this year’s Earth Week “Bingo” boards, daily themes, driving questions, joke of the day, and fun facts. Engage students with FCPS Earth Week Bingo boards for an opportunity to receive water bottle decals for staff and students.

Earth Week 2022 Themes

Students and Staff wear the color matching each day’s theme to show your Earth Week spirit!

  • Monday, April 18 – Watershed Day (blue)
  • Tuesday, April 19 – Zero Waste Day (purple)
  • Wednesday, April 20 – Climate Change Day (red)
  • Thursday, April 21 – Energy Day (yellow)
  • Friday, April 22 – Earth Day (green)

EPA Administrator Michael Regan Visits Flint Hill ES to Highlight Electric School Buses

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan visited Flint Hill Elementary School on Monday, March 14, to talk with students, school staff, families, and advocates about electric school buses. Fairfax County Public Schools currently has eight electric school buses and is poised to get ten additional electric buses this spring. FCPS is committed to providing carbon neutral student transportation by the year 2035.

Camp Woods and Wildlife Applications Due April 15

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.

Youth Conservation Camp Applications due April 29

Applications are now open for Youth Conservation Camp, held July 10-16 on the Virginia Tech campus. The program brings together 70 students for a week of learning about Virginia's natural resources from hands-on experience with conservation professionals and faculty from Virginia Tech. Students in grades 9-12 are eligible to apply and may receive a partial scholarship from NVSWCD. Learn more about Youth Conservation Camp, including how to obtain an application. Contact NVSWCD with questions.

Students: Apply to be the Next EQAC Student Representative

The Fairfax County Environmental Quality Advisory Council (EQAC) is accepting applications for its student member term running from July 2022 through June 2023. EQAC’s primary function is to make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors for improving environmental protection and enhancement. The student member application is open to all interested high school sophomores and juniors who are in good standing. Interested students should apply by May 4. Learn more and apply to be the next EQAC student member.

NoVA Outside’s Student Environmental Action Showcase is Back Virtually and In-Person

Join NoVA Outside for virtual and in-person SEAS events. Virtual activities are open to all grade levels and will take place the first week of May. The in-person event is open to students in grades 9-12 and will take place on Saturday, May 7 at George Mason University’s Potomac Science Center. Additional details on all of the SEAS events are coming soon. Learn more about SEAS 2022 and pre-register your high school group for the in-person event. Contact showcase@novaoutside.org with your SEAS questions.

CBF Leadership Expeditions for HS Students

Registration for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s 2022 Student Leadership Summer Expeditions is now open! Do you know a motivated high school student who wants to get involved with environmental education, advocacy, or leadership? This program is open to students in grades 9-12 and financial aid is available. The Virginia expedition will take place July 11-15, the watershed-wide expedition will take place July 25-29, and the orientation for both expeditions will take place May 25. Learn more and spread the word about CBF's 2022 Student Leadership Summer Expeditions!

Teacher Scholarships Available for CBF Fostering a Sense of Place through Outdoor Investigations July 18-22

How do our actions in Northern Virginia impact the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay? Educators throughout NOVA are invited to participate in this field based outdoor investigation of water quality and ecology to answer this question and more. Spend the first two days of the course exploring local neighborhoods and waterways. Then travel to Smith Island for three days and two nights to investigate connections to this Chesapeake Bay island community and ecology. Participants will develop the skills and confidence to lead students in Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences while learning outside with peers and colleagues.

Get2Green has scholarship funding to pay for a limited number of teachers to attend. See the flyer for full details and to share with interested colleagues. You must register on Get2Green’s form (not with CBF) by Friday, June 24 to have Get2Green pay for your registration.

                   Connect to Get2Green

Get2Green Website | Email | Facebook | Twitter | Google Plus | YouTube


Mental Health Resources for Students and Parents

This month's theme: Active April

Let's find ways to get moving and stay active and healthy.

Go to Action for Happiness for ideas to help you take action for a happier and kinder world.

Active April

Healthy Minds Podcast

Hear about how we are all handling uncertainty; get new ideas to help your child, friends and families feel better; and learn to help yourself feel stronger and more energized

Student Wellness: Tips and Strategies

Feeling super stressed? Worried about a friend's mental health—or your own? Get tips to help manage your emotions and see what to do if you are in crisis. 

Mental Health and Resiliency

Helping students to manage stress, make better choices, and develop healthy habits.

FCPS Parent Resource Center

Staff is available by phone 703-204-3941 or email prc@fcps.edu to help! Offers free workshops, consultations, a lending library, and more to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs and disabilities.


Upcoming School Board Meetings

New School Board image
  • April 12, 2022 -  Work Session - 10 am
  • April 14, 2022 - Spring Public Hearing - 6 pm
  • April 14, 2022 - Regular Meeting - 7 pm
  • April 26, 2022 - Work Session - 11 am
  • April 28, 2022 - Regular Meeting - 7 pm

Visit the citizen participation webpage to sign up to speak at a regular meeting or public hearing. Visit BoardDocs for more meeting logistics, agendas and handouts.

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


Contacting Me

At this time, with an overflowing inbox, I am prioritizing responses to Sully District constituents. If you are unsure of your county magisterial district, you can look that information up here.

To contact me, it is most helpful if you can please use the official School Board contact form. This form prioritizes emails to me from constituents, and helps me track communication so I can be sure you receive a response.

Use this link to sign up for our Newsletters.


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