Belvedere News and Announcements - September 23, 2022

From the Administration

Dear Belvedere Family:

Shanah tovah to our Jewish community celebrating Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year! Meaning “head of the year,” Rosh Hashanah is one of Judaism’s holiest days and marks the beginning of the Days of Awe, a 10-day period of introspection that ends with Yom Kippur.

Thank you to all the parents, students, staff, and others who volunteered last Saturday to make our outdoor workday a success. In just over 3 hours, we weeded nearly 20 garden beds, watered, planted, collected seeds, moved woodchips to the trail, repositioned logs, and trimmed overgrowth, among other tasks. The gardens and trail look fantastic!

The Primary Years Program is one of four IB programs in the continuum from two-year old students to high school aged students.  School that implement the IB, like Belvedere, are environments where the IB standards and practices come alive in the unique local school context. Our school mission is aligned with the IB mission and reads as follows:

At Belvedere, our mission is to create a community of globally-minded, life-long learners who are prepared to face the challenges of a 21st century world.

Our staff works collaboratively to engage students in challenging, real-world learning opportunities. Through these opportunities, students become innovative thinkers and problem solvers who value diversity. They use their knowledge to take responsible action and in doing so, help to create a better, more peaceful world.  We work together to maintain an open environment that welcomes students to be themselves. 

One of the ways we are mission focused is by teaching about and engaging students with the IB Learner Profile. This is a set of ten attributes that help students be internationally-minded people.  Our belief is that students who embody these attributes will be prepared for the challenges ahead and will make decisions that contribute to a better world. Click here to view a short video about the IB Learner Profile.

As you talk to your child about their life at school and what they enjoy, ask them about these attributes. You may want to talk about what these attributes look like at home, at the store, outside with friends, and in other settings you may find yourselves. 

As always, we value your partnership and are excited about the year of learning ahead.

Cecilia Vanderhye, Principal and Kelly Cabezas, Assistant Principal


Rosh Hashanah (Student Holiday/Professional Work Day)

Monday, Sept. 26, is a student holiday/professional work day for teachers. It is also Rosh Hashanah, the second day of the two-day celebration of the Jewish New Year. See the complete 2022-23 school year calendar.


Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) Overview Night!

Please join Mrs. Lynch, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, to learn about the different Advanced Academic Programs, or AAP, in Fairfax County Public Schools. Fairfax County Public Schools offers different levels of service of Advanced Academic Programs for students K-12 that build upon students' individual strengths and skills and maximizes academic potential for all learners. Information will also be provided about our Young Scholars’ Program.

The session will be held virtually on Wednesday, September 28, 2022 at 6:00 and Spanish interpretation will be provided. Please plan to attend so that you can learn about the Advanced Academics Programs’ levels of service, including Young Scholars, that FCPS has to offer.

Here is the information to join the Zoom session:

https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/j/98895612043?pwd=aHJVMmdKUmNxbkxlNzhlT1BTaUx4dz09

Meeting ID: 988 9561 2043

Passcode: 649317

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Lynch at pmlynch@fcps.edu.

For an overview of the continuum of AAP services, click here. The overview is also available in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Urdu, and Vietnamese.


Attendance Awareness Month

When Should My Child Stay Home?

Whether students miss school because of illness or any other reason, missing school leads to learning loss. 

Help your student succeed by encouraging them to miss as few days as possible. However, do make sure your student stays home if they are sick. So when should your child stay home? Visit our site for helpful ideas regarding absences and how to work with your child and your school. 

If your child has a chronic illness, make sure to notify us so that assistance can be provided if needed. Keep an open line of communication with your school public health nurse, and call the school as soon as you know your child will be absent and tell school staff why and for how long. Attend today, Achieve Tomorrow!


Musicpalooza - Sound Impact

MUSICPALOOZA is happening this Saturday at 10 am! Sound Impact will be performing a free concert with an instrument petting zoo and pizza at the end. This is a FREE COMMUNITY EVENT.  

Please open this flyer to read more details. 

Saturday, September 24 at 10-12 pm

Patrick Henry Recreation Center

4653 Taney Ave, Alexandria, VA 

No ticket or registration required


Belvedere Outdoor Club

Don’t miss this year’s first Outdoor Club trip on Saturday, October 1, at Lake Accotink Park! Outdoor Club meets on Saturday mornings several times per year to explore local parks with students and their families. Bus transportation is available from Belvedere and Barcroft View apartments. More information and permission slips were sent home in today’s Friday folders (also available here). Space is limited and participation is first come, first served, as forms are received. 

Outdoor Club trips are scheduled for 10/1, 11/5, 1/21, 3/18, 4/29, and 5/20. Please contact our Environmental Educator, Andrea Auerbach (asauerbach1@fcps.edu) with questions.


Free and Reduced-Price Meal Applications

The extension of the no-cost meals benefit to all students expired at the end of the 2021-22 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. Download this flyer for more information!

The application for the Free and Reduced-Price Meal program is now available online.


Parental Permission to Use Digital Resources

Some of the digital resources your child may use this year require parental consent for student use.  Parents must visit the Digital Resources at Belvedere site for information and to provide consent for use. Your child will not have access to certain resources and tools until your consent is provided.


SR&R Signature Sheet Due September 30

FCPS’ updated Student Rights & Responsibility booklet is 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/caregiver with a ParentVUE account will see the SR&R upon login to ParentVUE until the SR&R acknowledgement has been completed.
Your name in the digital signature box must match the parent/caregiver’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.

Visit the SIS Parentvue Account Overview page for help logging in to your account.


FLE Parent Preview

All parents and guardians now have access to all Family Life Education lessons and resources.  You can preview the lessons and resources in our Belvedere All Parents/Guardians course in Schoology. 


Buses and Delays

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.  Use code 28982 when registering for Here Comes the Bus. 


PTA News

Join the PTA!

The QR Code in last week's PTA Membership / Direct Donation Flyer is no longer working.  Please do not use the QR code.  In order to purchase a membership or make a direct donation, please go to belvederepta.memberhub.com/store and choose your membership type (Staff $5 or Parent $10) and/or select Direct Donation to make a one-time or recurring donation. Thank you again for supporting the Belvedere PTA!  

Questions or concerns? Email bespta.va@gmail.com.

Support the Belvedere PTA

Our PTA supports Belvedere in myriad ways: organizing school events, enrichment and outreach activities; providing funding for field trips, library books, and technology in the classroom; and building a school community outside the classroom.  

There are several ways to support the PTA:


Upcoming Dates

  • Monday, September 26: No School (Teacher Work Day)
  • Saturday, October 1: Outdoor Club
  • Wednesday, October 5: No School (Yom Kippur)
  • Monday, October 10: No School (Staff Dev.)
  • Monday, October 24: No School (Diwali)
  • Friday, October 28: Early Release (End of Quarter)
  • Monday, October 31: No School (Teacher Workday)

Keep in Touch

Daily Health Screening Questionnaire

Health and Safety Guidance Webpage

Visit the Belvedere website

Report student absences

Bus Delay Website

Follow Belvedere on Twitter

Follow our PTA on Facebook

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FCPS Calendar: 2022-2023