Mustang Message - November 27, 2022

We are a community of learners thriving in a diverse world!

We are a family.

We are capable.

We are caring.

We all belong!

 

Math around the classroom

Students move around the classroom to collaborate and solve math problems.

We are grateful!

Many thanks to from Ken Savittiere from the K12 Athletics Foundation who donated over $1,000 to our PE department.  He came by on Tuesday to see the gymnastics set up which his donation helped support!  

 

Covid Diagnostic Testing

COVID diagnostic testing will be available for FCPS teachers, staff, and students at five locations across the county November 28-30 from 5 to 8 p.m. This testing is for those who are either experiencing COVID symptoms or have been exposed to someone diagnosed with COVID. Appointments are not required, but registration must be completed before testing. Visit the COVID Testing webpage for more information

 

School Counseling Spotlight

Our School Counselors, Mrs. Kramer and Ms. Cate have been teaching students about friendship, conflict resolution, and bullying prevention. Bullying is defined as an ongoing and intentional behavior to harm someone else, either verbally, physically, socially or online. Not all behaviors are bullying, rather some behaviors may need some conflict resolution skills. As a parent or guardian, if your child tells you about bullying or a concern at school there are ways for you to support them. We teach students to be an upstander by standing up for themselves and their peers respectfully and being a friend to someone being victimized, and seeking a trusted adult for help. If there is an issue that your child needs help with at school, please contact their teacher or counselor, and encourage your child to tell an adult at school. At home, you can have conversations with your child about what they should do if someone is bothering them and about what qualities they look for in a friend. If you are interested in learning more about this topic, we will be holding a Parent Coffee & Conversation on Friday, December 9th at 9:30am.

Superintendent Community Conversations

Please join us for a Superintendent Community Conversation at Annandale High School on Tuesday, November 29th, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Learn more about Dr. Michelle Reid, FCPS superintendent, and help her get to know our school community. Language interpretation will be provided, as available, as well as child care and light refreshments. Please register to attend.

 

Annual Techstravaganza

Techstravaganza

TJ Techstravaganza, is a free STEM activity fair that provides fun, hands-on labs and demonstrations for K-8 students.

We will be holding the 19th annual Techstravaganza on May 13, 2023 from 10 AM to 4 PM at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, VA.

Admission is free, food will be for sale. To register, please use this link:: https://tinyurl.com/techstrav2023tix.

This year, we are providing free transportation to elementary and middle schools in the area to make the event more accessible to students. If you are interested in attending and/or getting transportation to the event, please email (twistcoordinators@gmail.com) as soon as possible. More information about the event can be found on our website at tjtechstrav.org.

TJ Techstravaganza Organizers.

 

The Many Faces of BMP

BMP Faces

Portrait of a Graduate

Portrait of a Graduate (POG) acknowledges that in our changing world, education needs to fulfill our mission of supporting student success in school and in life. POG prioritizes skills that empower students to be productive citizens of a global community and successful in the future workforce. 

One POG attribute is communicator.  Students who are strong in this attribute:

  • Apply reading skills to acquire knowledge and broaden perspectives.
  • Actively listen strategies to advance understanding.
  • Speak in a purposeful manner to inform, influence, motivate, or entertain.
  • Incorporate writing skills for various purposes and audiences. 
  • Use technological skills and digital tools to explore and exchange ideas.

To support your child as a communicator, you can ask:

  • How were you a communicator today?
  • What were some ways you shared your ideas today?
  • When did you respectfully listen to the ideas of others?

Learn more at https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/portrait-graduate

 

ESSR

Bren Mar Park ESSER Updates

ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds have been allocated to FCPS and BMP to to address the impact that COVID-19 has had, and continues to have, on schools across the United States.  Each week we will highlight one way ESSER funds support the children our school community.

English Language Arts Strategy 1 - Students will engage in daily, systematic, explicit instruction in foundational skills (print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics, word recognition, and fluency) during the core language arts block.

Students in grades K - 5 engage in 20 minutes of word study, focusing students on reading and spelling instruction that is not memorization.  It focuses on alphabetic, patterns, and orthography. ESSER funds allowed the school to purchase materials for hands on word study learning and intervention.

 

Advanced Academics Information

If you are interested in having your 2nd through 5th grader screened for Full-Time (Level IV) services, please submit all documents no later than the deadline, December 15, 2022. The Level IV Referral Form is required and is linked below. The Parent/Guardian Questionnaire is optional, however it is highly recommended that you submit this as well. You may also submit up to two digital pages of work samples. Please email all documents to our AART, Cathy Trope, at cjtrope@fcps.edu  on or before December 15, 2022. Please reach out to Mrs. Trope with any questions.

Level IV Referral Form

Parent/Guardian Questionnaire

If you missed the AAP Parent information night on September 27, the slides from the presentation can be found on the BMP website

 

Important Upcoming Dates/Events

November 29             Superintendent Community Conversation, 6:30 p.m.

December 1               Family Market, 4:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

December 9               BMP Coffee and Conversation, 9:30 a.m.

December 19 - January 2              No School:  Winter Break

January 16                 No School:  Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday

                                   PTA Sponsored:  Day of Service, 10:00 - 12:00

January 19                 Celebrating Cultural Stories Family Night, 6:30 p.m.         

February 17               Family Dance Night, 6:30 p.m.