In an annual planning process, FCPS uses input from the community to help develop the school year calendar for the following year. The Calendar Survey will be sent to parents/caregivers, employees, and students in grades 7-12 next week.
Our framework for creating the calendar is available online to ensure transparency, as we work to build a calendar that is inclusive and equitable.
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Three Rivers Wreath & Plant Company ships directly anywhere in the United States. What a great way for families from outside of the area to support your child's schools!
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Students in grades K-6 participate in Family Life Education (FLE) instruction through their classroom teacher. Students in Kindergarten through grade three receive instruction in an emotional and social health unit.
Students in grades 4-6 receive instruction in a human growth and development unit and an emotional and social health unit. For more information about the FCPS Family Life Education program, please see the detailed grade-level program descriptions at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-family-life-education-fle.
In addition, grade level-specific curriculum lessons are available for review in multiple locations.
- Online in Schoology - includes lessons and media titles that FCPS has streaming rights for. Any additional media or book titles that are not streamed are available at your child’s school library. (Parents/guardians login to Schoology using the same username and password as their Student Information System (SIS) Parent account)
- Your child’s school. Please contact the school to schedule a time to review lessons and/or media.
- City of Fairfax Regional Library – lessons only. Media is not available.
You are also invited to attend an information session to preview the Family Life Education media and lessons and to talk with school staff about the program. The meeting will be held on 12/1 from 4:00-4:30 in the Pine Spring Library. All program materials and media for all grade levels will be available for your review at this time.
Parents/guardians who do not wish to have their child participate in FLE instruction may choose to opt their child out of any or all of the lessons. If you would like to opt your child out of one or more lessons, please fill out the form provided to you in your child’s orientation packet at the beginning of the school year or you may access the opt out forms online at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-family-life-education-fle. If you have already indicated your desire to opt your child out of FLE lessons by using the form provided earlier in the school year, you do not need to complete another form. Should you opt your child out and then later decide you want your child included in FLE instruction, you must notify Ms. Ganci, Assistant Principal, in writing before instruction begins.
An alternative non-FLE health instructional program is provided for children who do not take part in FLE instruction, and every effort is made to foster understanding and respect for family choices and to avoid peer pressure for or against participation in the program.
Instruction of the units occurs at various times during the school year. Your child’s teacher will be in touch about the specific grade level dates. We look forward to working as your partner in providing information that will help your child make healthy choices related to the exciting changes and new challenges he/she will be facing in the next few years.
The Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) will be given to students in grades 2-6 on November 15. Students who currently need an ability test score on record will be assessed. Scores from this test are used as one of the multiple measures reviewed as part of the screening process for Advanced Academic Program (AAP) services. Last week, NNAT Parent Notification Letters were sent to families whose students will be participating. Results will be provided to families by mid-December.
Virginia Growth Assessments (VGA) were introduced in fall 2021 by the Virginia General Assembly as a way to measure "through-year" growth in reading and mathematics. Beginning in 2022-23, VGA is given twice per year, in fall and winter. Students also continue to take the Standards of Learning (SOL) tests in spring.
Student results on VGA tests are used to help teachers identify how to support student learning of state standards during the year. Content for the VGA score report letter is provided below.
Under the Standards of Accreditation (SOA), performance on VGA tests and SOL tests is also used to measure the level of growth that students achieve during the school year. Content for the 2021-22 SOA growth letter is provided below. Information about the growth model for 2022-23 and beyond will be provided when announced by the Virginia Department of Education.
Below you will find the dates for the Winter VGA. Please refrain from scheduling appointments on these dates.
 Click on the image to sign-up
 This month our Bobcats will be working on showing gratitude. Our SCA has created a "Touchdown for Gratitude" board that will help us show gratitude to some of the people in the Pine Spring community that make our school such a special place. We encourage you to talk with your child about gratitude and ways you show gratitude in your home.
We will also celebrate with the SCA Spirit Week that our students created for the week of November 14th-18th.
The strategic planning process is a community-wide effort. There will be many opportunities to share feedback or participate in a community meeting. We want our community to stay informed and be involved. You can help!
If you are an active member of a community organization or group who people look to for information, please consider signing up to be a key communicator during the strategic planning process. FCPS key communicators should have an interest in sharing information about the school division and encouraging involvement. Key communicators will:
- Receive regular updates including news, information, future events, and engagement opportunities.
- Share the information they receive with their group in a timely manner.
- Encourage group participation in engagement and feedback opportunities where appropriate and possible.
If you or someone from your organization would like to serve as an FCPS key communicator during the strategic planning process, please submit this form by Monday, November 28.
National Family Engagement Month is a time when we are reminded that families are children's first and most important teachers, advocates, and nurturers. More than 35 years of research shows that the most effective way to increase student achievement is for families to be actively involved in the education of their child. Strong parental and family support is vital to the well-being and success of students. FCPS has many resources for families designed to increase engagement and partnerships with families while fostering academic success and social-emotional growth.
The national standards for family-school partnerships include welcoming all families, communicating effectively, supporting student success, speaking up for every child, sharing power, and collaborating with the community.
Visit the links below for workshops and classes for families, and digital and printable resources for early childhood, mental health, military families, special education, multilingual supports, and wellness topics.
Nominations are now open for the 2022-2023 Outstanding Employee Awards! To submit a nomination for an outstanding Pine Spring employee, please complete the nomination through this Google form, you will have until Friday, November 18th.
Teachers and families are strongly encouraged to nominate one or more employees (one employee per category) to highlight the outstanding work that happens every day here at Pine Spring. All that is required for a nomination is a paragraph or two about how the employee demonstrates exceptionalism in two or more criteria for their category, which are listed below.
Outstanding Teacher
-Instills in students a desire to learn and achieve
-Understands the individual needs of students, encourages their talents, and fosters their self-esteem
-Demonstrates a thorough knowledge of subject matter and the ability to share it effectively with students
-Fosters cooperative relationships and engages with their colleagues and the community
-Demonstrates outstanding leadership
-Fosters an environment where diversity in all of its forms is valued and appreciated and demonstrates keeping equity at the center of their work
-Contributes to one or more of the following Ignite Goals, in the FCPS Strategic Plan (Student Success, Caring Culture, Premier Workforce, Resource Stewardship)
Outstanding New Teacher
-Exhibits superior instructional skills
-Interacts exceptionally well with students
-Demonstrates excellent ability to communicate and engage with faculty, staff, parents, and the community
-Fosters an environment where diversity in all of its forms is valued and appreciated and demonstrates keeping equity at the center of their work
-Contributes to one or more of the following Ignite Goals, in the FCPS Strategic Plan (Student Success, Caring Culture, Premier Workforce, Resource Stewardship)
Outstanding Principal
-Manage effectively
-Demonstrate and encourage creativity and innovation
-Foster cooperation between the school and the community
-Maintain a continuing dialogue with students and parents as well as faculty and staff
-Keep abreast of developments in the field of education
-Encourage team spirit
-Demonstrate leadership and exemplify commitment
-Continue to play an active role in the classroom
-Foster an environment where diversity in all of its forms is valued and appreciated and demonstrates keeping equity at the center of their work
-Contribute to one or more of the following Ignite Goals, in the FCPS Strategic Plan (Student Success, Caring Culture, Premier Workforce, Resource Stewardship)
Outstanding Leader
(Common positions in this category: Assistant Principals)
-Provides a unique and exceptional contribution to FCPS through their work
-Demonstrates commitment and leadership in their field
-Fosters cooperative relationships with colleagues and/or the community
-Fosters an environment where diversity in all of its forms is valued and appreciated and demonstrates keeping equity at the center of their work
-Contributes to one or more of the following Ignite Goals, in the FCPS Strategic Plan (Student Success, Caring Culture, Premier Workforce, Resource Stewardship)
Outstanding Professional Employee
(Common positions in this category: School-Based Technology Specialist, Technology Support Specialist, Assessment Coach, Career Center Specialist, Instructional Coach, Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor, Safety and Security Specialist, Resource Teachers that serve in an administrative role in a school)
-Provides a unique and exceptional contribution to FCPS through their work
-Demonstrates commitment and leadership in their field
-Fosters cooperative relationships with colleagues and/or the community
-Fosters an environment where diversity in all of its forms is valued and appreciated and demonstrates keeping equity at the center of their work
-Contributes to one or more of the following Ignite Goals, in the FCPS Strategic Plan (Student Success, Caring Culture, Premier Workforce, Resource Stewardship)
Outstanding Operational Employee
(Common positions in this category: Administrative and Office Staff, Safety and Security Assistant, Custodial Staff, Food Service Staff, IA, PHA, PHTA, All Parent Liaisons)
-Provides a unique and exceptional contribution to FCPS through their work
-Demonstrates commitment and leadership in their field
-Fosters cooperative relationships with colleagues and/or the community
-Fosters an environment where diversity in all of its forms is valued and appreciated and demonstrates keeping equity at the center of their work
-Contributes to one or more of the following Ignite Goals, in the FCPS Strategic Plan (Student Success, Caring Culture, Premier Workforce, Resource Stewardship)
The deadline to submit a nomination is Friday, November 18, 2022.
If you have any questions, please contact your Awards Liaison Bridget Lovas @ belovas@fcps.edu
November 14- Pajama Day SCA Spirit Day
November 15- Falling Leaves SCA Spirit Day
November 16- Wacky Wednesday SCA Spirit Day
November 17- Pumpkin Day SCA Spirit Day
November 18- Jersey Day SCA Spirit Day
November 22- Turkey Drop off for Custodian and Cafeteria Team
November 23-25: No School- Thanksgiving Holiday
See the complete 2022-23 school year calendar
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