Olde Creek Weekly Update
Important Upcoming Dates
September 2: No School
September 5: No School-Labor Day
September 7: PTA Meeting-6:30PM-Virtual
September 8: Back to School Night - (Hybrid event: in-person/virtual) 6:00PM
September 22: Fall AAP Parent Information Session-6:00PM
September 23: Woodson HS Football Feeder Night
September 26: Student Holiday in observance of Rosh Hashanah (Staff Professional Workday)
September 30: SR&R Parent/Guardian Signature Due
October 1: Laps for Learning
Friday, Sept, 2, and Monday, Sept. 5, are Labor Day holidays for all FCPS employees and students. We hope everyone takes the long weekend to celebrate a strong start to the school year and enjoy time with family and friends.
See the complete 2022-23 school year calendar.
New This Week
1. Welcome New OC Team Members
2. Reminder: SR&R Update to Cell Phone & Smart Watch Usage
3. Back to School Night - September 8
4. Woodson Feeder Night Football Game
5. Laps for Learning - October 1
6. Safety Drills During the School Year
7. Meet School Resource Officer Brian Sehrer
8. Anonymous Tip Line Puts Safety First
9. Volunteer Opportunity - Cafeteria Support
10. September 11 Commemoration
11. Action Item: SR&R Parent/Guardian Signature
12. School Board Back to School Night Videos
Reminders
13. Bears in the Spotlight
14. Bears Care Outreach
15. Action Item: Digital Resources Permission
16. Paperless Opt-outs Available
17. Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights
18. Welcome Walk Feedback
19. Family Life Education
20. Contacts
21. Be Informed, Stay Involved!
1. Welcome New OC Team Members!
Sarah Connolly - Special Education
Hi everyone! My name is Sarah Connolly and I am beginning my teaching career as one of the Enhanced Autism teachers at Olde Creek. I attended Penn State for my undergraduate and graduate degrees, and just graduated in May with my Master's in Special Education. I grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania called New London, and I also grew up in Hockessin, Delaware. I have one small dog named Teekie who I rescued four years ago. I am so excited to meet you all soon!
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Haley Kroll - Art Therapy
My name is Haley Kroll and I am so excited to be joining the Olde Creek team as an Art therapy teacher! I grew up in Long Island, New York but have done my fair share of traveling when it came to undergrad, and graduate school. I interned for Fairfax County schools for the last two years during my time in graduate school. I loved the mission and community that I was apart of over my time as an intern - and am so thrilled to continue to be a part of it. I am a big dog lover and enjoy reading, crafting, and traveling. I am looking forward to forming new connections as well as creating and exploring in the art space.
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2. Reminder: SR&R Update to Cell Phone & Smart Watch Usage
Please partner with us and review the information below on cell phones and Smart watches. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Melissa Miller (mhmiller@fcps.edu).
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. Smart watches that serve a dual purpose may be worn, but the phone features (texting, Internet viewing, and calls) are to be off when phone use is prohibited. Students are prohibited from using phones, tablets, and other mobile devices in restrooms and locker rooms, unless there is a medical necessity or emergency. Teachers may allow usage of cell phones for instructional activities when appropriate. Cell phones may be used on campus before and after school only.
If a parent or guardian believes their child requires access to a personally owned device(s) as an accommodation, they should contact their 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.
Families may also review the parental controls available for all iPhone and Android users. More information about the SR&R is available online.
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3. Back to School Night - September 8
Please join us for Back to School Night on Thursday, September 8. This evening, our teachers will be presenting sessions, you can meet our specialists, and hear important FCPS information on what to expect this school year. You are able to join classroom sessions in-person or virtually. We look forward to seeing you!
6:00-6:15PM - Meet our specialists in the cafeteria
6:15-6:20PM - Parents head to classrooms
6:20-6:30PM - Welcome Videos
6:30-7:00PM - Session 1
7:00-7:10PM - Welcome Videos Repeat
7:10-7:40PM - Session 2
4. Woodson HS Football Feeder Night - September 23
All of our Bears are invited to wear their Olde Creek gear and meet us in the end zone no later than 6:30PM. This is a fun family event! Members of our school chorus will be performing the National Anthem at 6:55PM.
WOODSON HIGH SCHOOL
“FEEDER NIGHT” FOOTBALL GAME
September 23, 2022 7:00PM
WOODSON CAVALIERS
vs.
Lewis Lancers
All students from the Woodson pyramid are admitted into the game with the presentation of the flyer (which will go home in Friday folders September 16th) and when accompanied by a paying adult.
All feeder school students will be recognized before the game at 6:40PM. Please meet at the scoreboard @ 6:30PM.
Call the Activities Hotline for updates (703) 503-4683
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5. Laps for Learning
For more information visit: http://www.oldecreekpta.org/laps-for-learning/
6. Safety Drills During the School Year
Keeping students and staff safe is a priority for all of us. Each school has an emergency preparedness plan to respond to incidents such as fires and tornadoes. Schools are required by state law to practice emergency drills, including lockdown drills, each year. Schools are required to notify parents and guardians at least 24 hours before a school conducts a lockdown drill. However, schools are not required to give the specific date and time of the drill in advance.
The first lockdown drill of the school year must take place within the first 20 days of school. Kindergarten students are exempt from practicing the first lockdown drill.
Your child may come home and talk about their experience during the drill. We encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Here are some helpful tips for families to use to support their students before and after school lockdown drills.
Working together, we create a safe, secure environment for students to learn and grow in our schools.
7. Meet School Resource Officer Brian Sehrer
Please join me in welcoming SRO Brian Sehrer to our Olde Creek Community. He is assigned to Frost Middle School and will support Olde Creek and our other pyramid elementary schools in school related safety resources as needed. He plans to visit our site regularly and will be a great resource to us as we continue to make Olde Creek Elementary the safest place to learn and work. Officer Sehrer has been with the Fairfax County Police Department for 15 years and has been the SRO at Frost Middle for 3 years. Welcome Officer Sehrer!
8. Anonymous Tip Line Puts Safety First
If you or your child have concerns or information relating to feeling unsafe in any way at school, the FCPS Office of Safety and Security has a safety tip line that you can access anonymously online, by text (888-777; Keyword TIP FCPS), or by phone (571-423-2020).
If your tip is an emergency and immediate assistance is necessary, please dial 911.
Students, staff, and community members should report school safety issues such as threats, unsafe or dangerous situations, illegal drug activity, theft, gang activity, the existence of weapons, vandalism, and concerns about student wellness. Tip line users may identify themselves or remain anonymous.Concerns that do not impact the safety of our schools—concerns or information about programs, regulations, or policies—can be sent to the FCPS ombudsman online, at 571-423-4014, or ombudsman@fcps.edu.
9. Volunteer Opportunity - Cafeteria Support
Olde Creek is looking for parent volunteers to help support our cafeteria during lunch between 10:30AM-1:30PM from September 1 - September 23. Volunteers are needed either for the full daily lunch block or any availability that you may have.
Volunteers need to have a lot of patience and great rapport with children, be flexible, and work in the cafeteria with a fair amount of noise/talking in the background. Volunteers will work to help monitor student behavior, provide assistance to students, and facilitate having each class clean up their tables on the given schedule.
If you are interested in volunteering, please reach out to Sandy McCulloch at 703-426-3100 or slmcculloch@fcps.edu.
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10. September 11 Commemoration
Remembering 9/11 Through FCPS Service Learning and Volunteer Fairfax
Volunteer Fairfax will be facilitating VolunteerFest 2022, a countywide day of service, on September 17. This is a great opportunity for students and families who want to engage with local nonprofits and volunteer. The event will officially kick-off on September 11, Patriot’s Day, with Volunteer Fairfax sharing donation needs and upcoming volunteer opportunities. More information about VolunteerFest 2022 can be found at Volunteer Fairfax’s website. Additional 9/11 Day of Service information can be found at 911Day.org.
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11. Action Required: Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) Parent/Guardian Signature
We are extremely happy to have your child in our school with us this year!
FCPS’ updated Student Rights & Responsibility booklet is now available online and in the ParentVue section of the Student Information System (SIS). The SR&R booklet explains expectations for student behavior, and adult responses to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment.
Each year, we ask parents to review, sign, and return the SR&R to their child’s school. In ParentVue, you may now download and digitally sign the SR&R. Every parent/guardian with a ParentVUE account will see the SR&R upon login to ParentVUE until the SR&R acknowledgement has been completed.
Once you log on, you will see the following message:
 Your name in the digital signature box must match the parent/guardian’s first and last name in SIS exactly before the signature will be accepted.
Please take a moment to log into ParentVue in your child’s SIS account to access the SR&R. Signatures are due by September 30, 2022.
Please contact us if you are having difficulty accessing the booklet.
12. School Board Back to School Night Videos
Please see below for the welcome videos from our at-large School Board members prior to attending our Back to School Night next week.
Rachna Sizemore Heizer - Chair, Member-at-Large
Karen Keys-Gamarra, Member-at-Large
13. Bears in the Spotlight
We are excited to continue our News Show segment titled Bears in the Spotlight this year! If your student is interested in sharing what they did over the summer and/or their skills and talents outside of school, please complete this Google form! We can’t wait to feature our OC Bears on the News Show!
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14. Bears Care Outreach
The Bears Care food pantry provides weekend food provisions to our families in need. Please use this sign up for much needed items that can either be dropped off at the school or sent directly through places like Amazon, Costco, or Walmart, etc. Go through Amazon Smile to donate a percentage to Olde Creek! (Email Lisa at lisamarm@gmail.com for any questions.) Snacks are also greatly appreciated at this time.
New! You can donate through the OC PTA PayPal account. The funds will be used to purchase items and gift cards based on the greatest needs of our families. Access the OC PTA PayPal account here: https://paypal.me/OldeCreekPTA.
Bears Care is also looking for someone to help run the pantry and a Frost/Woodson student to help pack bags on Thursdays after school. (Please contact Lisa at lisamarm@gmail.com.)
Thank you, as always, for your kindness and generosity!
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15. Digital Resources Permission
At Olde Creek we use many digital resources in our classrooms. Some of these resources require permission for use. Our website (https://oldecreekes.fcps.edu/adopteddigitalresources) has the list of resources that require permission this year. Please review this list and then complete the digital resources permission form (https://isweb.fcps.edu/iscontacts/techpermform.cfm?secure=). Thanks for your assistance!
16. 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. 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.
17. 2022-23 Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights
Fairfax County Public Schools wants all parents to understand its policies regarding surveys, records, curriculum, privacy, and related rights.
Please look for an email that you should have received August 18 in which FCPS shared the Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights and Opt-Out Forms (Annual Notice), FCPS provides explanations of the rights listed above as well as forms that may be used to exercise opt-out choices. Two versions of the Annual Notice are available—a grades K-8 version and a grades 9-12 version. If you have children at different grade levels, please read each applicable version of the Annual Notice because the notices and opt-out rights vary depending on the student’s grade level.
Get more information and view the 2022-23 Opt-Out Booklets.
18. Welcome Walk Feedback
We had an amazing time visiting our students during our annual welcome walk! We would love to get your feedback on this event as we plan for upcoming events. Please submit your feedback through this Welcome Walk Feedback Form. Thank you to everyone who has already shared feedback!
19. Family Life Education Instructional Program Information
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) provides a comprehensive, sequential Family Life Education (FLE) program for students in grades kindergarten through grade twelve. Instruction is seen as a partnership among parents and guardians, the school, and the community in supporting the learning essential to the development of strong families, positive relationships, and a healthy community.
Parents/guardians may choose to opt their child out of all or part of the Family Life Education program. Students who are opted out are provided with age-appropriate, nonpunitive alternative health instruction, and every effort is made to foster respect for family choices. If you wish to opt your child out of all or part of FLE for this school year, opt out forms will be included in your child’s back-to-school/orientation packets and are available online for Elementary (K-6), Middle School (7-8), and High School (9-12). Please fill in the opt-out form for each child and return it to your child’s school prior to Family Life Education instruction.
Detailed grade-level program descriptions are available online at Elementary (K-6) , Middle School (7-8) , and High School (9-12). FLE grade level-specific lessons and media that FCPS has streaming rights for are available for parents online in Schoology. Parents/guardians login to Schoology using the same username and password as their Student Information System (SIS) Parent account. Grade level-specific lessons are also available at the City of Fairfax Regional Library (this location does not have media). Grade level-specific lessons and media that are not streamed online are available for review at your child’s school library. Due to copyright permissions, we are unable to stream all media online.
Program questions may be addressed at your child’s school or by contacting Instructional Services at 571-423-4550 or fle@fcps.edu.
20. Contacts
Olde Creek Attendance Phone Line: 703-426-3192
Olde Creek Attendance mailbox: OldeCreekElem.Attendance@fcps.edu
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
Melissa Miller, Principal, mhmiller@fcps.edu
Alison Butler, Assistant Principal, ajbutler@fcps.edu
Megan Jeter, Acting Assistant Principal, jmjeter@fcps.edu
Sylvia Alverson, Administrative Assistant, sjalverson@fcps.edu
Ann Platenkamp, Administrative Assistant, amplatenkamp@fcps.edu
Lizardo Santos, Student Information Assistant, LISantos@fcps.edu
Sandy McCulloch, Office Assistant, slmcculloch@fcps.edu
21. Be Informed, Stay Involved!
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