Important Upcoming Dates
9/30: PTA Glow Party 6:30pm-8:30pm
10/3: AAP Parent Information Meeting
10/5: Yom Kippur- Student / Staff Holiday
10/10: Indigenous Peoples’ Day - Student Holiday / Staff Workday
10/14: Deadline for SEL Opt Out
10/14:Fall For the Book Interactive Workshop
10/17 - 11/4: Social Emotional Learning Screener Window
10/21: PTA Fall Fest / Bingo Night
10/24: Diwali: Student / Staff Holiday
10/28: End of Quarter One: 2 Hour Student Early Release
10/31: Teacher Workday / Student Holiday
11/3: Fall Picture Retake Day
11/3: 2nd Quarter Begins
11/8: Election Day (Student and Staff Holiday)
11/9: Progress Reports Go Home With Students
11/11: Veterans’ Day (Student Holiday)
11/23-11/25: Thanksgiving Holidays
IN THIS ISSUE
- UPDATED:Lexia At Home-15 Minutes a Night
- NEW: Fall For the Book Interactive Workshop
- The Science of Reading
- Fall AAP Newsletter
- AAP Parent Information Meeting
- Testing Information: Social Emotional Screener and SEL Opt Out Information
- Monday and Friday Fairfax Villa Clothing
- Student Rights & Responsibilities
- Paperless Opt Outs
- Fairfax Villa Contacts
- Be Informed; Stay Involved!
- Attendance Matters
- PTA News
- Girl Scouts
- Cub Scouts
1.Lexia Login At Home
If your child wants to practice their reading skills with Lexia at home, they can go to https://clever.com/in/fairfax/student/portal
to log into Clever using their FCPS google accounts. They then click on the Lexia icon to get started. It is strongly recommended that our K-6 graders spend 15-30 minutes each night learning with this Lexia program. Please be aware that they will also be using this program during the school day in one of their language arts blocks.
Another way to get to Lexia is through their Schoology account. After they go to https://lms.fcps.edu/ and log into Schoology, they click on the waffle in the upper right corner, click on Clever, and then they will see their Lexia.
If your child does not have a school issued laptop to use at home, he/she may access Schoology via the FCPS website. Schoology is the first option available in the dark blue toolbar.
Ms. Rainey’s preschoolers are working on their line drawing!
2.Fall For the Book Interactive Workshop
Fall for the Book 2022 is thrilled to invite the students of Fairfax Villa Elementary School to a special event!
Come to the Burke Centre Library on Friday, October 14 at 4:30 PM for Project Superhero: From Awesome Aliens to Flying Cats!, an interactive workshop with John Gallagher, author of the graphic novel series, Max Meow.
Kids will use their imaginations to create stories, practice a few drawing skills, and even create their own superhero (or villain)! This event is geared towards children ages 6-12 but all are welcome.
Based at George Mason University, Fall for the Book is an independent non-profit literary arts organization that promotes reading by sponsoring a variety of year-round events and activities, the flagship of which is the Fall for the Book festival held each October.
3.The Science of Reading
What is the Science of Reading? Maybe you’ve heard the term or about Equitable Access to Literacy. What does this mean for your child’s instruction? These slides below from FCPS can help support your understanding about our transformation in reading and writing instruction and access to effective literacy practices that are aligned with what we now know about how the brain learns. When we know better,we do better! As always, please reach out to your child’s teacher if you have questions about this shift in our instruction.
To access the slides, please log into your parent Schoology account and look at our Fairfax Villa parent course for the Science of Reading folder. https://lms.fcps.edu/course/6049662884/materials
4.Fall AAP Newsletter
Read the fall newsletter for our Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) news on our Fairfax Villa website here.
5.AAP Parent Information Meeting
Cat Wilkins, Fairfax Villa’s Advanced Academics Resource Teacher (AART), will be sharing an overview of the Advanced Academics Program in a virtual parent meeting on Monday, October 3, at 7 p.m. The presentation will include information on the continuum of Advanced Academic services, curriculum, testing, and general screening information. There will be a separate meeting later this fall to address specifics about the level IV screening process.
The zoom link for the meeting is: https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/j/96208145902?pwd=R3FRS3hPdEx4a1Y5enh5bll4eHpvQT09
Our chorus (and Blast) did a great job singing at the Woodson HS Feeder Game!
6.Testing Information: Social Emotional Screener and SEL Opt Out Information
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) commits to supporting all students’ mental wellness and social and emotional learning (SEL). The School Board has approved a screener to review students’ skills and experiences in these areas. FCPS staff will use the screener to identify strengths and needs for students in grades K-12. The screener provides information regarding students’ experiences and how staff can support their needs.
SEL skills include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. The screener will review these skills, as well as students’ relationships, feelings of belonging, feelings about their school environment, and mood. These factors are critical to positive academic, social, and emotional success.
All students in grades 3-12 will participate in the screener twice a year, in the fall and spring.. Students in grades 3-12 will reflect and report on their own skills and experiences. Screener data will only be accessible to teachers, administrators, and staff with legitimate educational interests. Results will be maintained in secure files and databases accessible only to these individuals. Screener results will be used with other data to inform practices for SEL skill development and mental wellness. Screener data will also help staff plan interventions for students with identified needs. Parents and guardians will receive an individualized report regarding their student’s screener results following each assessment window in SIS ParentVUE. School staff will be available to discuss results with families on planned support.
Schools will set specific dates for testing in each class. If you do not want your student to take part in the SEL screener, please return the opt-out form below to the school or complete the opt-out via your SIS ParentVUE account.
More information, including a short video about the SEL screener in FCPS and the screener questions, can be found on the SEL Screener webpage (https://www.fcps.edu/node/43892). Please contact your student's school counselor or the school's test coordinator with questions.
Fairfax County Social Emotional Learning Screener
OPT OUT REQUEST FORM
If you wish to opt your child out of participating in the SEL Screener, please complete this form and return it to your child’s teacher by October 14. PLEASE NOTE: You do not need to return this form unless you do not want your child to participate in the SEL screener this year.
CHILD’S NAME__________________________________TEACHER____________________ Parent/Guardian Signature____________________________________ Date_____________
(Parents may write out the form above and send it to the child’s teacher no later than Friday, October. 14)
7.Monday & Friday Fairfax Villa Clothing
Students and staff will be wearing the same clothing to kick off and end each week during the 2022-23 school year!
- On Mondays, we will be wearing our Positivity shirts to highlight our character strengths and virtues that we will be learning throughout the school year. The Boosterthon team distributed these green shirts during the fun run for the past 2 years. The shirts highlight our Villa dragon and Positivity logos on the front of the shirts.
- On Fridays, we will be showing off our favorite Fairfax Villa spirit wear. If your son or daughter has outgrown their Fairfax Villa spirit wear clothing, our PTA has some new ones.
8.Student Rights & Responsibilities
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.
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 TODAY September 30, 2022.
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
FCPS Transportation Phone Line: 703-446-2000
Candace Davis, Transportation Supervisor, 703-446-2050, CEDavis@fcps.edu
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 bedtime 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 stomach ache 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.PTA Message
villapta.org
The following message is sent on behalf of the Fairfax Villa ES School PTA. Its content reflects the views of the PTA.
2022 / 2023 School Year Clubs
The following clubs will be brought to you by Fairfax Villa Elementary School’s PTA. Official registration documents will be given to students to bring home if they attend at least 1 of the 1st two meetings. Parents and care providers are encouraged to ATTEND THE FIRST COUPLE OF MEETINGS. You can ask questions and receive paperwork at that time, or during the 5:15pm pick up time of the 1st two meetings.
Garden Club Enrollment opportunities will be available throughout the school year, so don’t worry if your student is already over-committed! Science Olympiad will close enrollment by the end of September.
 Email: villapta@gmail.com
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14.Girl Scouts
Fairfax Villa Parents and Caretakers: Do you know any Rising Kindergarteners or girls new to the Villa who want to join Girl Scouts for the new school year? Troops are forming and updating membership now! Please contact Julie Hetzler ( juliehetlzer723@gmail.com ) to get current and new students into newly formed Girl Scout troops.
15.Cub Scouts
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