Dear Great Falls Families,
We are excited to see you in just a few days! This newsletter contains a LOT of information for you to read and process as we start the 2022-2023 school year. Please take some time to read through everything and mark your calendars!
Stay Connected:
One of the best things you can do to stay involved in all of the wonderful activities we offer is to stay connected. We have many ways for you to do this:
✅ Sign up to receive our Great Falls ES newsletters
✅ Join the PTA to support our school and receive PTA newsletters
✅ Follow us on Facebook
✅ Follow the Great Falls PTA on Facebook
✅ Follow us on Twitter
Important Dates:
⭐New Family Playdate⭐
Wednesday, August 17th at 9:30 am on the GFES playground
⭐GFES Open House⭐
Please bring your family to meet their teacher(s) on Thursday, August 18 in person at Great Falls Elementary!
12:00 - 12:45: Families with last names A – L
1:00 - 1:45: Families with last names M – Z
⭐First Day of School⭐
August 22, 2022
⭐In-Person Back to School Night⭐
Tuesday, August 30 from 6-7:30pm (grades k, 1, 2, 3)
Wednesday, August 31 from 6-7:30pm (grades 4, 5 & 6)
** This year, BTSN will be held in person. PowerPoint slide decks will be available for families and parents who are unable to attend. More specific info to follow soon **
School Supply Lists:
Grade-level student school supply lists for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year may be found on our GFES school website.
Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications:
For the past two years, the federal government has provided no-cost meals to all public school students without the need to complete the annual Free and Reduced-Price Meal application. The extension of the no-cost meals benefit to all students is expected to expire at the end of this school year, meaning families must submit an application and be approved to be eligible for free and reduced-price meals for the 2022-23 school year. Learn more about the Free and Reduced-Price Meal program online.
Meal Options and Meal Accounts:
This year, at Great Falls ES, students will be able to access breakfast and lunch options; food this year will be distributed at a fee (breakfast - $1.25 & lunch - $3.25 for students). Details (prices, menus, free and reduced meals information) can be found by clicking here.
In order to allow students to purchase food on the first day of school, please add money to their lunch account. There are a few ways to do this:
- Add money online at MySchoolBucks.com (preferred)
- Add money to account via cash or check in the Great Falls ES cafeteria during Open House
- Send check with child the first day of school to be deposited through our school cafeteria (please include student name on memo line of check)
Great Falls ES Parent Handbook:
I would like to bring attention to our most updated parent handbook. This handbook has details and outlines specifics regarding our permanent routines, procedures, and instructional programming. Each family will receive a paper copy of this handbook for reference at home with your child’s first take home folder. Please take a look and keep handy in the event that you have questions, etc.
New Student Registration for the 2022-2023 School Year:
At Great Falls ES, we are happy to report that we are fully staffed for the 2022-2023 school year. However, we still need your help to ensure we remain as up to date as possible with our staffing needs. If you have a child who will be attending Great Falls ES next school year, PLEASE register them ASAP.
We are still accepting new student registrations, K-6! Students must be 5 years old by September 30th, 2022 to register for kindergarten. If you would like to register your child, please start the process online by going to our website. After you have completed and submitted the necessary forms, please stop by the Great Falls Elementary School office between 9am and 2pm, Monday through Friday to provide final documentation.
If you have new neighbors moving in this summer, remind them to register as soon as possible as well.
New to Great Falls ES?
We are excited to welcome many new students and families next year. If you are new to Great Falls ES this year, or if you were new last year but remained virtual, please consider joining our school family with any or all of the following options:
- Questions? You can reach out to our wonderful parent liaison, Sue Kim, to support!
- Be sure to stop by our new family table at Open House to obtain a self-guided orientation scavenger hunt where your students will meet our specialists and resource teachers in each of their respective classrooms.
- Attend our PTA's new family playdate on Aug 17th at 9:30 on the school playground.
- Review our Parent Handbook.
- Mark your calendar to attend Back-to-School Night August 30 or 31 from 6-7pm
- Join the PTA
ParentVUE Account - Access to Student Record
We strongly encourage every parent to open a ParentVue account. The SIS ParentVUE Account is the FCPS secure solution for accessing information about your child's attendance, report cards, class schedules, standardized testing results, health, and school information, such as bus transportation.
If you do not have a ParentVue account, please email Abeer El Gharib for a ParentVue activiation letter with login credentials to get started.
Student Information System - SIS Parent Account Overview
Class Assignments
Look for an email from Great Falls ES by August 16th, providing notification of your child's teacher for this school year. In the event you do not receive an email, class homeroom placements can also be found by logging into SIS ParentVue.
Bus Route Information
Through your SIS ParentVue account, you can see your child’s transportation assignments and intent on the “Student Info” tab. Transportation assignments will become available on August 09, 2022, and changes may be made up to August 17, 2022.
Paperless Opt-Outs Available
As a part of our ongoing efforts to streamline paper processes, parents can now select a number of opt-outs electronically via ParentVUE. Once you have signed into your ParentVUE account, simply select the “Student Info” tab and click on “Edit Information.” You will find opt-outs listed there. If you need to set up your ParentVUE account, you can create one online via the FCPS ParentVUE Registration page.
Changes to Medication Administration Management
This school year, FCPS is changing our medication protocols to help ensure the safety of our medication administration management in Fairfax County Public Schools. These changes include:
- Any time you drop off or pick up a medication in the health room, a Medication Delivery/Pick Up Form will be completed and signed by both the parent/guardian and the School Health Aide or FCPS staff member. This form will document that all required authorizations are complete, and the number of pills or amount of medication accepted/returned. A copy of the form will be given to the parent/guardian and school administrator.
- Medications received will be verified to ensure the description of the medication on the container/packaging matches the medication in the container.
-
All medications must be in the original pharmacy container. Over the counter (OTC) medications must be in an unopened original container. It will no longer be acceptable for parents/guardians to bring in refills from home and place them into the container currently in the health room.
- Only a 30-day supply of medications should be brought to school. No more than 100 tablets or pills of OTC medication should be brought to school.
- All requirements outlined in FCPS Regulation 2102, First Aid, Emergency Treatment and Administration of Medication for Students, continue to apply.
In order to provide the most streamlined and convenient process to implement these changes, you can bring any medication and/or forms to the clinic anytime between 9am-2pm on 8/17, 8/18, 8/19.
Further questions?
Feel free to contact, Rebecca Postol, RN
Fairfax County Health Department, School Public Health Nurse
Email: rmpostol@fcps.edu
Phone: 571-595-6411
Immunizations
All students are required to be immunized against certain communicable diseases to attend school in the state of Virginia. It is important for all students to receive the required immunizations.
Please speak with your family health care provider about whether or not your children are up to date on their vaccines before the new school year begins. Submit updated immunization records to your school as soon as possible.
More information on immunization requirements and the necessary documentation is available online.
|
