Important Upcoming Dates
8/22: School Starts for 2022-2023 School Year
8/27: Instrument Petting Zoo
9/2: Labor Day Break: Student / Staff Holiday
9/5: Labor Day Break: Student / Staff Holiday
9/6 - 9/14: Fairfax Villa Boosterthon Program
9/18: Asha-Jyothi and Fairfax Villa Partnership For 5K and 1K Events
9/26: Rosh Hashanah - Student Holiday
10/5: Yom Kippur- Student / Staff Holiday
10/10: Indigenous Peoples’ Day - Student Holiday/ Staff Workday
10/24: Diwali: Student / Staff Holiday
10/28: End of Quarter One: 2 Hour Student Early Release
10/31: Teacher Workday / Student Holiday
IN THIS ISSUE
- First Day Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
- Kiss and Ride Information and Registration
- Required Annual Parent Permission Now Available
- Updated FCPS Phone Policy for Students
- NEW: Instrument Petting Zoo
- Asha-Jyothi and Fairfax Villa Partnership For 5K and 1K Events
- Technology Updates and Information For Families
- Be Wise, Immunize! Required Vaccines for 2022-23 School Year
- Paperless Opt Outs
- Fairfax Villa Contacts
- Be Informed; Stay Involved!
- Attendance Matters
- PTA News
1.First Day Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
On the first day of school only, families who would like to are allowed to walk their children to the classroom doors where they will be greeted by the teachers. There will be staff in the foyer who will be able to help you if you do not know which classroom to go to.
Please be considerate of the teachers’ time and plan for a quick goodbye to your child in the hallway outside of the classroom. We ask that families do not linger in the building or walk around the school. So that our teachers and students may start their exciting first day back in our building, all visitors, including parents, will need to be out of the building by 9:15.
Instead of going directly to the kindergarten rooms on the first day, kindergarten students and family members will go straight to the cafeteria to meet the teachers there. (If your kindergartner rides a bus, a staff member will meet them on the bus and take them to the cafeteria.) The kindergarten parents may then walk with their children from the cafeteria to the kindergarten hallway and say a quick goodbye in the hallway. For the first week of school, please have your kindergartner wear the name tag given to them at the Friday Open House.
In the afternoon on the first day and every day, bus students will be exiting our school to the buses at the front door, the Kiss and Ride students will exit at Door 8, and all walkers will exit at Door 2. At dismissal, kindergarten walkers must be met at 4PM by a guardian at Door 2. Kindergarteners will not be released unattend. Please be sure that all children know how they go home from school.
After our first day on Monday, August 22, families will not be able to enter the building unless they are going to the office for school business.
2.Kiss and Ride Information and Registration
Parents may once again use the Kiss & Ride line this school year as a transportation option for students. Full instructions and rules about the Kiss & Ride transportation can be found here.
To register for Kiss & Ride, please complete this form.
A number will be assigned to your car to expedite the drop-off/pick-up process. You do not need this number immediately to go through the line! After registering, you will be given the number at pick-up time during the first week of school.
3.Required Annual Parent Permission Now Available!
As of August 10, parents can give the required yearly approval for their students to access the (pre-approved by FCPS) applications that the teachers may be using this year. It is very important that parents give this permission BEFORE school starts so that the student is able to access and use the resources with the rest of their class. Here is where you will find that information as of August 10.
Please be sure to complete this for each of your children as soon as you can. Thank you!
Welcome, Mr. Lee’s New 2nd Graders!
4.Updated FCPS Phone Policy For Students
Students in K-6 must keep phones silenced and in backpacks for the duration of the school day unless there is a medical need or emergency, or teachers have allowed the usage of cell phones for instructional activities where they are the most appropriate tool.
Parents should talk to their child(ren) before the start of the school year about these expectations for this upcoming school year. Families may also review the parental controls available for all iPhone and Android users. More information about the SR&R is available online.
5.Instrument Petting Zoo
All 4th, 5th and 6th graders are invited to attend a FREE “Instrument Petting Zoo” at Woodson High School on Saturday, August 27th@10am-12pm. At this event, students will get the chance to try out different instruments, meet music teachers, sign up for band or strings in person, and get instrument rental info. Parents and families are all welcome and encouraged to come with their child to explore the many instruments that are available for them to learn this school year.
6.Asha-Jyothi and Fairfax Villa Partnership For 5K and 1K Events
7.Technology Updates and Information For Families
As we prepare for the new school year, we want to share the following technology information for parents and guardians. Please contact Ms. Schmidt if you have any questions.
- If your child still has a Fairfax Villa laptop issued from last year, please bring it to the office before the start of school so that we will be able to give your child a new laptop when they are here the first week.
- Preschoolers and kindergartners will receive new iPads in the first few weeks of school. Students in grades 1 and 2 will receive laptops that will stay at school. Students in grades 3-6 will receive laptops that will be taken home each day and returned to school the next day.
Make sure that you have your ParentVue/Parent SIS account set up so that you can get important information on your students. This is how many testing scores, including SOLs, are given to parents. If you have never set up your account, please email Ms. Schmidt to request the information you will need to set up yours. If you have already created one but need help logging in, go here.
Ms. Marsh and Ms. Wilkins welcome their new 4th graders!
8.Be Wise, Immunize! Required Vaccines for 2022-23 School Year
Vaccinations are required for public school entry and help keep students protected from serious diseases. Many children missed their well check-ups and their recommended childhood vaccinations over recent years because of disruptions from COVID-19. It is critical to catch up now to keep children healthy and ready for school. Check with your students’ health care providers now to make sure they are up to date on their vaccines.
Appointments are required for most vaccination clinics. Don’t wait until the last minute when you might not be able to find an appointment. Visit the Fairfax County Health Department website for a schedule of clinics or schedule with your family’s health care provider.
Remember to request documentation of your child’s immunizations to provide to their school. More information on immunization requirements and the necessary documentation is available online.
9.Paperless Opt Outs
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. Parents that do not yet have a ParentVUE account will still be able to use paper forms for notification. If you need to set up your ParentVUE account, you can create one online via the FCPS ParentVUE Registration Page.
10.Fairfax Villa Contacts
Fairfax Villa Main Phone Line: 703-267-2800
Fairfax Villa Attendance Phone Line: 703-267-2828
Fairfax Villa Attendance Link: https://fairfaxvillaes.fcps.edu/attendance-form
Technology Support for Families/Parent Help Desk: 1-833-921-3277
Parent Information Phone Lines/Support for parents who do not speak English as their first language: Parent Information Phone Lines
Parent and Student technology support: IT Support Portal
Dave Gerstner, Principal, drgerstner@fcps.edu
Shelia Sobeski, Assistant Principal, sdsobeski@fcps.edu
Karen Wells, Administrative Assistant, kewells@fcps.edu
Julie Scoville, Office Staff, jgscoville@fcps.edu
Silvia Dossmann, Student Information Assistant, smdossmann@fcps.edu
Barbara Schmidt, School Based Technology Specialist, bdschmidt@fcps.edu
11.Be Informed;Stay Involved!
12. Attendance Matters
DID YOU KNOW?
- Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
- Missing 10 percent (or about 2 days per month) can make it harder to learn to read.
- Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day every few weeks.
- Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
- Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
- Set a regular bed time and morning routine.
- Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
- Find out what day school starts and make sure your child has the required shots.
- Introduce your child to her teachers and classmates before school starts to help her transition.
- Don’t let your child stay home unless she is truly sick. Keep in mind complaints of a stomachache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home.
- If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make her feel comfortable and excited about learning.
- Develop back-up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.
- Avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school is in session..
13.
https://villapta.org/
The following message is sent on behalf of the Fairfax Villa ES School PTA. Its content reflects the views of the PTA.
FVES PTA Vice President Board Position Open for 2022/2023 School Year
Please email villapta@gmail.com to start a conversation. We will leave this position open until filled and happily onboard candidates any time. Many hands make lighter work!
FVES Merch Always Available, Now w/ More Inventory!
10% of sales goes back to the PTA to fund the activities for your child. The store now has “Class of Tees” you can customize, baby & toddler sizes, shorts, hats, tie-dye and more! Stock up on spirit wear today!
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