CWES Weekly Happenings

From the Principal's Desk

Dear Families,

What a busy week we've just had, and what a busy week ahead! 

Last Friday we learned about our incoming Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Michelle Reid. Get to know her in this introductory video. We also celebrated our sixth graders with a fun-filled team-building day! We kicked off the day with a pep rally and then students had a variety of activities from which to choose. The day ended with a staff/student volleyball game! At the end of this message are some photos of the event. 

Looking ahead, Happy Earth Week! Check out these Earth-friendly spirit days and don a color each day this week to support our planet. See below for more information. 

  • 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)

Tomorrow night (Tuesday, April 19, 2022, 6-8 pm) you have the opportunity to attend an IN-PERSON Woodson Pyramid Art Show. Canterbury Woods will have art displayed alongside artworks from other schools in the Woodson Pyramid. Students whose work will be in the show were notified last week. Anyone is welcome. Enter through Door #3 of Woodson HS.

We are so excited to celebrate the diversity of our families at CWES with International Day this Wednesday, April 20 from 5:00 – 6:30 P.M.  This fun-filled family event is an opportunity for everyone to learn about all the wonderful countries and cultures represented within our school community. 

Have a great week!

Warm regards,

Diane Leipzig, Dr. L


Earth Week Celebrations

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)

Share how you’re spending time outside on Twitter – tweet @FCPSGet2Green and use #FCPSEarthWeek to tag your posts!

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PTA Meeting Recording

In case you missed it, here is the recording of last week's PTA meeting.

The meeting included:

  • Digital Citizenship presentation by Dr. Leipzig! See here for the "one stop shopping" link referenced in the session.
  • PTA Budget:
    • Updates and amendments to the budget
    • Revised budget vote
  • Open PTA positions for next year: Committees and Vice President/President-Elect
  • Ways to help with the Fun Fair on May 7th
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Parent Input for 22-23 Class Placements

Each year, we solicit your input as we prepare for the placement process of developing balanced classes for the following school year. We do not save your responses from one year to the next, and we recognize that students' needs and their peer relationships evolve from one year to the next. If your child will be enrolled in CWES next year, please take a moment to fill out this Google form to provide us with information that will set your child up for success. Please submit one entry for each of your rising Cougars!

Responses will be accepted through Friday, May 20, 2022.

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Tutor.com Now Available

All students now have unlimited access to online tutoring support services through Tutor.com at no cost.

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 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 automatically have access to the Tutor.com tutoring service unless a parent/guardian submitted an opt-out request

For additional information, visit our online tutoring services website. As always, please contact us if you have any questions.

Check out this video about the service: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byN81NObfzI 

tutorcom

DHH Connections Picnic this Sunday

What: A celebration to end a WONDERFUL school year!

Who: ALL DHH students, families, and teachers (parents DO need to stay with their young children

When: Sunday April 24, 2022

Time: 12pm-3pm

Where:  Burke Lake Park, 7315 Ox Rd. Fairfax Station, VA 22039 (Shelter A)

Additional Information: We will provide pizza, water, juice boxes, and snacks.

*Have old hearing aids to get rid of?? We would love to collect your old hearing aids to use as a training tool with classroom teachers. Rather than using your child’s new hearing aids.

RSVP: DHHConnections@gmail.com


Display My Art for Sale Through April 29

Display My Art has re-opened FREE shipping for Mother's Day and Father's Day gift giving through April 29th. Order your unique keepsakes today with our Display My Art Fundraiser.

There are 2 ways to order:

1. If your child received a custom Display My Art brochure click HERE enter your order number and state to start shopping (discount pricing is already applied). Lost your order number? Call 800-394-2090 for assistance Monday-Friday 9-5 EST

2. Click on the link below and turn your child’s artwork, a family photo, your favorite saying or a school/business logo into a custom keepsake or gift. Best of all, Canterbury Woods Elementary will earn a profit from each item ordered. https://displaymyart.myshopify.com/CWESPTA25

Be sure to enter Canterbury Woods Elementary’s Discount Code upon checkout for 25% OFF your entire order: CWESPTA25

Please feel free to share our school link and discount code with EVERYONE. As long as our link/code is used, Canterbury Woods Elementary will earn profit from each order!

Order's placed after 4/29/22 will be charged shipping. Shipping is not refunded for previously placed orders.

Your child's order number is on their brochure.

Lost your order number? Call 732-361-8511 x1 for assistance Monday-Friday 9-5 EST

Display

SOL Schedule

Next week 4th grade will kick off testing on Thursday!

Save the dates!  CWES will be administering the Virginia Standards of Learning Tests this Spring. Please try to avoid scheduling appointments on your student’s testing days. 

  • 3rd Grade:  Reading on Wednesday, May 4th and Math on Wednesday, May 11th
  • 4th Grade:  Reading on Thursday, April 28th and Math on Tuesday, May 17th
  • 5th Grade:  Reading on Tuesday, May 3rd, Science on Thursday, May 12th, and Math on Wednesday, May 18th
  • 6th Grade:  Reading on Thursday, May 5th and Math on Thursday, May 19th

Charlotte Brochu is Region 5's Outstanding New Teacher!

We couldn't be more proud of first-year teacher Charlotte Brochu for being selected as Region 5's Outstanding New Teacher! Ms. Brochu is a Deaf and Hard of Hearing teacher for kindergartners and first graders, but her positive attitude, teamwork and student advocacy has had a schoolwide impact! Ms. Brochu is a finalist for the FCPS Outstanding New Teacher Award, announced this June.

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Ms. Brochu was so surprised!

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From Left to Right: Diane Leipzig, Rebecca Baenig (Region 5 RAS), Charlotte Brochu, Terri Edmunds-Heard (Region 5 EP), Scott Reeder & Mindy Milliron


Register for May Workshops at PRC

The Parent Resource Center has several good workshops to choose from coming up in May.

May 6, 2022 10 - 11:30 a.m.

Join Dr. Ramaris E. German, a clinical psychologist in the Neuroscience and Novel Therapeutics Unit of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), to learn strategies to support children during tough times.

Register for Worry and Anxiety in Children and Adolescents: Using Evidence-based Strategies to Help Kids and Caregivers Cope During Tough Times

 

May 13, 2022, 10-11:30 a.m.

Join Karen Coad, LCSW,  local Clinical Social Worker and Therapist, for this important webinar as we discuss some of the reasons why children fight, and the skills that children need to cooperate and get along well with others.

Register for Managing Fighting and Aggression: A webinar for Families

 

May 14, 2022, 9 a.m-noon, in-person, Providence Community Center

The Sibshop workshops are for children in grades 2-6 enrolled in Fairfax County Public Schools who have siblings with special needs

Register for SIBSHOPS: An Exciting, In-person, and Virtual Workshop for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs!



Spring Events: Save the Dates

This year we are excited to offer in-person spring concerts for our band, strings and choral programs. We are also excited to return to Woodson High School for sixth grade promotion. Mark your calendars for the following dates:

CHORUS

  • OUTDOOR DAYTIME CONCERT FOR STUDENTS, THURSDAY JUNE 2: Fifth and sixth grade choral students will perform a capella for fellow CWES students at 11:00 AM.
  • OUTDOOR EVENING CONCERT FOR FAMILIES, THURSDAY JUNE 2: Fifth and sixth grade choral students will perform a capella for families at 6:30 PM. 

STRINGS

  • LIVE SPRING EVENING CONCERT, THURSDAY MAY 26: Fourth grade performs at 5:30 PM; Fifth/Sixth Grade performs at 6:30 PM. Up to 2 family members for each strings student are welcome to attend these in-person events.
  • VIRTUAL SPRING DAYTIME CONCERT, FRIDAY MAY 27: Fifth/Sixth grade performance will be live-streamed at 10:30 AM; Fourth grade performance will be livestreamed at 11:45 AM. CWES classrooms and CWES family members alike can tune in to enjoy during the school day.

BAND

  • LIVE SPRING EVENING CONCERT, THURSDAY MAY 26: Fifth and Sixth Grade Band performs at 7:30 PM. Up to 2 family members for each band student are welcome to attend these in-person events.
  • VIRTUAL SPRING DAYTIME CONCERT, FRIDAY MAY 27: Fifth/Sixth grade band performance will be live-streamed at 9:45 AM. CWES classrooms and CWES family members alike can tune in to enjoy during the school day.

SIXTH GRADE PROMOTION

  • THURSDAY JUNE 9 at 2:30 PM in Woodson High School auditorium.

Special of the Month: Strings

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Stringapalooza at Woodson High School

Congratulations to the 39 CWES strings students who participated in Stringapalooza on Saturday, February 26th at Woodson HS!  Over 260 Woodson Pyramid students had fun learning new music.

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Strings students strengthen their bow hold positions.

Fourth Grade strings students learn to shape the right-hand fingers into the correct position to hold the bow.  A quality bow hold position ensures a good sound when using the bow.  In this photo students are practicing maintaining the position while carefully passing a cup to another student.

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Strings students keeping the beat.

Maintaining a steady beat is a shared responsibility in the orchestra.  Students try conducting to experience leading the string orchestra with a steady beat.

Strings students are excited and busy preparing music to perform this spring! 


Mark Your Calendars

April 18 - April 22: FCPS Celebrates Earth Week!

Tuesday, April 19 6-8 PM: Woodson Pyramid Art Show, Woodson HS Cafeteria

Wednesday, April 20, 5:00-6:30: International Day

Thursday, April 28: SOL testing begins

April 25 - April 29: Scholastic Book Fair. NOTE: Students will have to pay tax on books this year. Budget accordingly.

May 2 - May 6: Teacher Appreciation Week

Saturday May 7, 11-2: CWES Fun Fair, an outdoor carnival event open to the whole community 

Thursday, May 26: In-person Nighttime Concerts for Band and Strings

Friday, May 27: Virtual Daytime Concerts for Band and Strings

Monday, May 30: Memorial Day Holiday. No school.

Thursday, June 2: Outdoor A Capella Chorus Concert

Thursday, June 9, 2:30 PM: Sixth Grade Promotion at Woodson High School

Friday, June 10: Last day of school

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Sixth Grade Kindness Pep Rally!

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One rotation: Painting Positivity Rocks

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Staff vs. Student volleyball game!