Dear Sully District Families,
What a wonderful start to the school year! As we head into the Labor Day holiday, I am inspired by the connections we have already made with our students and families, and I can't wait to deepen these connections as the year continues. THANK YOU to all our teachers and staff for their incredible efforts to welcome students back into the classrooms. Seeing my own children's excitement to meet their teachers was heartwarming and got me excited about the year to come.
Inside this month’s newsletter:
- Back to School Resources
- New Sully District Community Center - Grand opening Sept 17th!
- Citizen Advisory Committees - ACE Vacancy
- Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month!
- Get2Green - Environmental stewardship news and updates
- Parent & Student Mental Health Resources
 I had an amazing #FirstDayFairfax school visit to LondonTowne Elementary with Superintendent Reid. It was so good to see so many smiling faces among our students and staff! I also attended the first game of Westfield HS football as well as many back to school nights across the county. As a reminder, these dates may also be viewed on the following Region Back to School Night webpages: Region 1 Events, Region 2 Events, Region 3 Events, Region 4 Events, Region 5 Events.
My colleagues and I had a great start to the School Year 2022-23 with a School Board Work session to discuss the FCPS Strategic Plan. Its four goals— Student Success, Caring Culture, Premier Workforce, and Resource Stewardship—are built upon the foundation of the FCPS Portrait of a Graduate, which outlines what our community believes is important for our graduates to know and be able to do when they leave FCPS. This is a living document that outlines what we plan to accomplish as a school division, how we plan to achieve our outcomes, and what success looks like for students, families, employees, and the community. I believe it is time to restart the process of re-engaging with our families, students, staff, and the community in a new strategic plan. It is imperative that we collaborate on the education future of our children post pandemic, so please stay tuned for more information as the Board restarts this process.
September 15th-Oct 15th is also #NationalHispanicHeritageMonth. Please join me in celebrating the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the American Latino community. More information and resources are included in the newsletter below.
I am looking forward to meeting our families and students at Back to School nights and during school visits. If you see me around, please introduce yourself!
I always appreciate hearing from you so please do not hesitate to reach out to me for any help you may need. Please see my September Office hours in the newsletter below if you would like to schedule time to meet with me. I look forward to our shared partnership to create policies and regulations that provide our students with safe places to learn that are reflective of the values of our diverse Fairfax County community.
I hope you enjoy a lovely, restful Labor day holiday!
In partnership,
Stella Pekarsky
Sully District Happenings
Congrats to our Chantilly HS Inventors!
 Congratulations to our amazing Sully District students Akanksha Tibrewala & Kaavya Karthikeyan from Chantilly High School for winning 1st place at the 7TH ANNUAL FAIRFAX AREA STUDENT "SHARK TANK" TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGE. These two students are now using their Student Shark Tank winnings toward seeking a patent for an automatic walker to help Parkinson's patients. Love their innovative spirit and so proud of them for using their skills to solve real-world problems and to help others! #StudentsDoingGood #InnovationChallenge
See Fairfax Area Student “Shark Tank” Technology Challenge for details on all the student winners.
Celebrate Sully Community Center Grand Opening - Sept 17th. You're Invited!!
 Members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services, the Fairfax County Park Authority and local community leaders will celebrate the opening of the new Sully Community Center during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 17 at noon.
The ceremony will be followed by the Sully Community Center Grand Opening Celebration from 1-4 p.m., which features family activities, performances, food and more. Tours of the new facility will also be offered. Get event details.
ACE Advisory Committee Vacancy (2022-23 School Year) - Please Apply!
We have a vacancy on our Adult and Community Education Advisory Committee (ACE) for the upcoming school year and I invite Sully District constituents to apply. See details below.
The committee represents the community and brings to the School Board’s attention resource and programmatic issues associated with adult education. This year the committee assessed how the Community Education, Adult ESOL, and Adult HS Completion programs can be better positioned to serve the lifelong learning needs of Fairfax County given the new learning environment necessitated by COVID-19. More information on the meetings, representatives and its past work can be found here.
If you are interested in serving on this committee, please forward your qualifications and a paragraph on your interest to skhurana@fcps.edu as soon as possible. Please consider being the Sully District representative!
5K Run/Walk with non-profit Asha-Jyothi is Sunday, September 18!
Many Sully District schools will be participating in the Asha-Jyothi 5k at Fairfax Corner on September 18. To sign up, participating staff, students and/or their families visit the webpage: https://asha-jyothi.redpodium.com/2022fairfax5k. Simply enter the code “aj4schools” and select your school from the drop down menu. Schools get 100% of the money if you use the school coupon code! Asha-Jyothi, a volunteer-based global nonprofit organization based in Chantilly is dedicated to supporting the community through health care and education initiatives and has given over $250,000 to Fairfax County Public Schools.
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Constituent Meeting Hours in September!
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!
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Community Conversations with the Superintendent
As a reminder, Dr. Reid will be hosting Superintendent Community Conversations (in-person) across the division this fall to get to know our communities. These evening events are being scheduled at high schools in each of our 24 pyramids.
Interpretation services, child care, and light refreshments will be provided.
Schools will share registration information with families and employees in advance of each event.
See the list of events that have been scheduled.
Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month Sept 15 to Oct 15!
 Hispanic Heritage Month takes place September 15 to October 15 every year as a time to recognize and celebrate the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the American Latino community. Beginning in 1968, Hispanic Heritage Month was originally observed as “Hispanic Heritage Week” under President Lyndon Johnson, but it was later extended to a month during President Ronald Reagan’s term in 1988.
Since then, the month has been celebrated nationwide through festivals, art shows, conferences, community gatherings, and much more. In this guide, you will find student engagement lessons, activities, videos to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage month. Additional information and resources can be found here.
COVID-19 Health and Safety Updates
 Before the start of school, FCPS sent an update on COVID-19 layered prevention strategies that will continue to be in place this school year. While we had hoped that the pandemic would be behind us, it seems that COVID will be something we must manage as a community for the foreseeable future. FCPS will continue to follow the guidance of national, state, and local health experts when determining the layered prevention strategies that are needed to keep our schools safe and open for learning.
To stay up to date, please continue to review our Health and Safety Guidance on our website.
2022-23 Cell Phone Usage and Student Rights & Responsibilities Update
The Student Rights and Responsibilities document (SR&R) explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment.
Read the Letter from the Superintendent on the 2022-23 Student Rights and Responsibilities: A Guide for Families.
Key changes to the document for the 2022-23 school year include:
- Adding rights to protect citizenship and immigration status from unauthorized sharing.
- Changes to FCPS’ Acceptable Use Policy Regulation for Technology.
- A new section on cell phones.
Cell Phone Usage Update
The new section on cell phones prohibits cell phone use in classrooms. We recognize that this new policy will be a shift for many students and families this year, but research shows that managing phone use during class time will support students’ attention and ability to fully engage in their learning.
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Students in grades K-6 (including 6th grade students at Poe MS, Holmes MS, and Glasgow MS): Phones must be silenced and in backpacks for the duration of the school day. Cell phones may be used on campus before and after school only.
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Students in grades 7-8: Phones must be silenced and put away for the duration of the school day. Cell phones may be used on campus only before the first bell and after the last bell. Note: Secondary schools (i.e., Robinson Secondary, Lake Braddock Secondary, and Hayfield Secondary) have ability to permit cell phone usage during passing periods because the three schools support students in grades 7-12 who frequently use the same halls for class change.
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Students in grades 9-12: Phones must be silenced and put away during all instructional periods. Cell phones may be used on campus before the first bell, after the last bell, during passing periods, and lunches.
FCPS understands that students may need to access a cell phone or other personally owned device as an accommodation to access the curriculum, make progress toward their individualized goals, or address medical or other needs. If a parent or guardian believes their child requires access to a personally owned device(s) as an accommodation, they should contact child’s school team—i.e., 504 Committee, Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team, English Language Committee, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Team—to schedule a meeting to have their request considered.
Parents should talk to their child(ren) about these expectations for this school year. Visit the SR&R web page to learn more and to log on to your SIS ParentVue account and sign to acknowledge review of this document OR print, sign, and return this form to your child’s school by September 30, 2022.
Here Comes the Bus
 Please be aware that all of us are getting used to new routines at the start of the school year. Thank you for your patience as those routines are established. If a student’s bus is delayed, parents may access the Bus Delay Notification System or use the Here Comes the Bus mobile app to receive the delayed bus report. e-Notify (School Messenger) email messages will also be sent to announce significant bus delays. For additional support, find the Transportation Services contact specific to your school. For any concerns after 5:30 p.m., contact Safety and Security at 571-423-2000.
Get2Green News & Updates
 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.
Get2Green Fall 2022 Cohort for Teaching in Nature’s Classroom, Sept. 2-Dec. 19, 2022
Are you interested in learning useful and inspirational best practices for outdoor and garden-based education? Teaching in Nature’s Classroom is an interactive, reflective course run by author Nathan Larson, and developed as a companion to his book Teaching in Nature’s Classroom: Principles of Garden-Based Education. Would you like to collaborate with FCPS staff on the learning presented in the Teaching in Nature’s Classroom course and on environmental stewardship efforts? Join the Get2Green Cohort for an opportunity for you to meet with fellow FCPS teachers and Get2Green staff to discuss your learning and plans for your school.
Learn more about this opportunity, share the flyer (must be on FCPS Google account to view), and get the links to register for the course and to join the Get2Green sponsored cohort.
Please contact Donna Volkmann with any questions.
For HS Students: Youth Conservation Leadership Institute
The Youth Conservation Leadership Institute (YCLI) is a program for 9th-12th grade students that focuses on volunteer service and environmental stewardship. Students are supported by a Soil and Water Conservation District partner and an environmental leader in their field serving as a mentor. Past students in our area have studied stream health, led youth environmental education programs, established bluebird monitoring programs, and much more! Contact Ashley Palmer with any questions. Learn more about YCLI and apply by September 30.
Arcadia’s School Garden Q&A Series is Back for the 2022-23 School Year!
The new school year is here, and that means Arcadia’s School Garden Q&A sessions are back! Arcadia will be offering their free "Learn, Grow, Go!" virtual garden Q&A sessions one Wednesday of each month from 4:30-5:30 pm during the school year. Juan Pablo Echeverria, Arcadia's Outreach and Education Manager, along with guest speakers will be providing timely school garden tips each month with time for you to ask questions.
Join the first session on Wednesday, September 7th from 4:30-5:30 pm, which will focus on getting your gardens in shape for the fall. See the flyer for dates and registration information and to share with colleagues.
Shenandoah National Park Teacher Workshop
Shenandoah National Park is offering opportunities for teachers and students to experience the park this fall. One opportunity is a Fall Teacher Workshop for 2nd-5th grade teachers on September 30. Plus, explore Shenandoah National Park’s Education resources and learn more about professional development, curriculum materials, classroom programs, field trips, and distance learning.
VDOT Quick Start Mini Grants
VDOT’s Quick Start mini grants are available to schools and PTA's to help fund a range of activities that encourage safe walking and bicycling to school. The next application deadline is Thursday, September 29. Grants are up to $1,000. Learn more and apply for a Quick Start mini-grant.
NVSWCD Conservation Poster Contest
Calling all student artists! The 2022 Conservation Poster Contest theme is "Healthy Soil, Healthy Life." This contest is open to any K-12 student and participating scouts can earn a badge. There is also a new digital poster contest this year for students in grades 7-12. The application deadline is Friday, September 30. Learn more about the 2022 Conservation Poster Contest and contact Ashley Palmer with questions.
Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom Grant
Agriculture in the Classroom provides educators an opportunity to receive grant funding for a variety of creative projects to increase student understanding of the source of food and fiber inside or outside the traditional classroom. Educators are encouraged to apply for grants of up to $500 for projects that may occur at school or during home learning time. Grant projects may address topics such as learning gardens and/or STEM integrations, or provide unique agriculture experiences for students. The deadline to apply is Friday, October 14, 2022. Learn more and apply for a Virginia Ag in the Classroom grant.
KidsGardening Budding Botanist Grant
The Budding Botanist grant helps students learn about plants, explore their world, and inspires them to take care of the life they discover in their local ecosystems. In 2023, twenty schools across the country will be awarded $1,000 each in grant funding. The application window opens September 6, and grant applications are due Friday, October 14, 2022. Learn more about the Budding Botanist Grant. If you’re planning to apply, also check out the KidsGardening grant writing resources.
Wild Ones Seeds for Education Grant
The Wild Ones Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Grant Program provides up to $500 in funding for native gardens and habitats tied to hands-on learning. These funds are designated for native plants and seeds for outdoor learning areas that directly engage students PreK-12 in planning, planting, and caring for native gardens. Learn more and apply for the Seeds for Education Grant by Saturday, October 15, 2022.
Educational Songs About Trees
Engage your students with songs from a list of songs about trees compiled by Project Learning Tree. Music is an important part of our cultural experiences, and it can also be a great learning tool! Not only can music help with language development and memory recall, it can also help increase test scores in English and Math.
Connect to Get2Green
Get2Green Website | Email | Facebook | Twitter | Google Plus | YouTube
Mental Health Resources for Students and Parents
This month's theme: Self-Care September
See below for daily actions to remind you that taking care of yourself is essential. Self-care helps you to stay happy, healthy and resilient during difficult times!
Go to Action for Happiness for ideas to help you take action for a happier and kinder world.
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.
Register for Free Webinars from the Parent Resource Center
The FCPS Parent Resource Center (PRC) is offering free parent webinars:
"I Can't Focus!" When ADHD Impacts Your Child's Math and Writing Performance: A Webinar for Families
Math and writing are often difficult subjects for students with ADHD because both require extensive working memory. But with the right study hacks and strategies, almost anyone can master writing and math! Unfortunately, most students don't learn these important skills at school.
This academic year is just getting started, and effective strategies can make a difference between success and frustration. In this webinar, educator, author, and Educational Connections Founder Ann Dolin, M.Ed., will share with parents:
- Research-based math study skills and strategies to use at home and in class
- How to help your child get organized and get their thoughts down on paper
- Tech tools to help students get started on assignments (and finish them!)
- How virtual classes during the pandemic deepened math and writing learning gaps for many students with ADHD and what you can do to help your child get back on track this year
Choose from 2 sessions:
September 8, 2022, 6:30 - 8 p.m. and September 9, 2022, 10-11:30 a.m.
Register for "I Can't Focus!" When ADHD Impacts Your Child's Math and Writing Performance: A Webinar for Families
Parent Information Line Available in Eight Languages
Parents who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese can call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS and to receive support if they are having difficulty communicating with their children's schools due to a language barrier.
Tutoring Services Update
FCPS students continue to have unlimited access to live, 24/7, 1-to-1, online tutoring services through Tutor.com at no cost to families during the 22-23 school year. Student participation is optional and parents/guardians can opt their student(s) out of accessing the services. Detailed information and FAQs are available on the Tutor.com Online Tutoring Services website.
Students will continue to access Tutor.com via a link in Schoology. Information about how to log in and access a tutor is provided in the following instructional videos:
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Upcoming School Board Meetings
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September 1 at 7:00 p.m. - FY22 Year End Budget Review, School Board Liaison and Committee Assignments, Advisory Committee Appointments, Family Life Education Curriculum Advisory Committee Appointments, etc.
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September 13 at 11am – Work Session (Family Engagement Survey Results, ERFC Annual Report)
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September 15 at 7 pm - Regular Meeting: Opening of Schools Report
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September 20 at 10 am - Work Session: Strategic Plan/Governance
Please note, times and topics are subject to change.
Visit the community participation webpage to sign up to speak at a regular meeting. Visit BoardDocs for more meeting logistics, agendas, and handouts.
Interested in School Board action items? Sign up to get an update on School Board votes the morning after the School Board meeting.
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 channel.
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For Spanish speakers, watch recorded School Board meetings or to watch live during the Regular Meetings on YouTube, you may visit the FCPS en Espanol YouTube channel or scan the QR code. |
Contacting Me
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. If you are unsure of your county magisterial district, you can look that information up here.
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.
© Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
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