Save The Date - PTO Paint Night!
ART Night Official information:
December 15th – 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Painter Registration
https://givebutter.com/c/bO4yy1
Volunteers: William Halley PTO 22-23 Sign Up Genius https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F49ACA72AA3FAC61-william1
Resident Artist: Mrs. Vicky Willis (Halley’s Art Teacher)
Advanced Academic
Level IV Referral Deadline
Parent referrals to be considered for the Level IV (full-time) advanced academics for the 2023-2024 school year for current students in grades 2-6 are due no later than December 15. Referrals will not be accepted after the deadline.
Referral forms must be submitted as an attachment via email and must be sent to the following contact: halley_aap_referrals@fcps.edu
You will receive an email replay confirming receipt of your referral. If you do not receive the confirmation email within a few school-business days, please reach out to Mrs. Keefer at cjkeefer@fcps.edu
Information about the referral process may be found on the FCPS AAP website (https://www.fcps.edu/node/37056). The referral form can be found via this link: https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/AAPLevelIVReferralForm_1.pdf
How Can You Help Your Child Have Good Attendance
Just a few missed days here and there, even if they’re excused absences, can add up to too much lost learning time and put your child behind in school. This is as true in kindergarten as it is in high school.
- Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day, make that the expectation.
- Help your child maintain routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.
- Find out if your child feels engaged by his classes and feels safe at school. Make sure he or she is not missing class because of behavioral issues and school discipline policies. If any of these are problems, work with your school.
- Stay on top of academic progress and seek help from teachers or tutors if necessary. Make sure teachers know how to contact you.
- Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated.
- Encourage meaningful afterschool activities, including sports and clubs.
Looking ahead to the holiday season, if missing school is unavoidable, talk to your children’s teachers in advance to create a plan for making up missed work. But remember, a homework packet cannot make up for the interaction and learning that goes on in the classroom. Visit our website for more attendance resources.
FCPS News
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- FCPS Calendar Survey
- How to be involved in the Strategic Plan
- Post-Thanksgiving COVID Testing
- Recommended Changes to Family Life Education Curriculum
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, sign up today.
Academics Matters
During the Academic Matters portion of Monday’s School Board meeting, Superintendent Reid discussed the innovative assessment practices happening in FCPS as part of our School Division of Innovation designation from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).
This recognition means that VDOE has approved a plan to improve student learning, educational performance, and college, career, and citizenship readiness skills. It positions FCPS as a state leader in innovative practices with the opportunity to impact statewide policy decisions. Watch Dr. Reid’s presentation.
FREE! Tutor.com in FCPS
Did you know? Students who’ve used Tutor.com have provided positive feedback. Unless they’ve been opted out, students can access Tutor.com through Schoology. Every session is personalized to meet the needs of the student from remedial to advanced levels. Sessions focus on conceptual learning and critical thinking—not quick answers. Learn more at FCPS’ Tutor.com webpage.
Learn how students can log in and access a tutor by watching a video:
Tutor.com in FCPS: How it Works in English
Tutor.com in FCPS: How it Works in Spanish
Alcohol & The Holidays
The holidays usually involve family time, games, movies, food, and possibly drinks. Alcohol consumption has increased during the pandemic and when ABC stores were deemed essential it didn’t help lower those rates (ABC News, September 29, 2020). Many people are still trying to figure out how to navigate our “new normal” and are still reeling from the consequences of so much isolation and loss. Increased alcohol consumption is one of those consequences to our communities. If you choose to drink, I invite you to drink responsibly this holiday season and talk with your child about the dangers of underage alcohol and substance use.
Questions to consider when drinking with your family:
- What message am I sending if I drink in excess around my underage child?
- Have I had conversations about responsible drinking with them?
- Are the conversations I have about alcohol realistic?
- Do my conversations with others reinforce alcohol use as a coping skill during stressful times?
- What messages am I sending my underage child if I allow them to drink with me or another adult in the house?
Information to consider:
“One-third of Fairfax County students (33.7%) reported drinking alcohol at least once in their lifetime, ranging from 18.8% of eighth-grade students to half of twelfth-grade students (49.4%). One in seven students (15.2%) reported drinking alcohol in the past month, ranging from 4.5% of eighth-grade students to 27.7% of twelfth-grade students.” (FCPS Youth Survey 2020)
“Female students reported higher rates of alcohol use in their lifetime (36.1% compared to 31.2% of male students), in the past month (17.1% and 13.1%, respectively), and binge drinking in the past two weeks (7.3% and 6.5%, respectively)” (FCPS Youth Survey 2020).
Resources:
Holiday Stress
Helpful Info to Quit Vaping
FCPS video on Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs
Substance Abuse Prevention (Spanish)
For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: (571) 423-4270 and be sure to follow us on Twitter at @FCPSSAPS.
For further Information & support:
Elizabeth Knudson, MA, NCC, LPC
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
eaknudson@fcps.edu
YOUR PARTNERS IN EDUCATION
We are honored to work with you this year and will work every day to ensure a safe and positive learning environment for your child. We can't do it alone. Please contact us if there is anything we can do to further support your child's learning and experience at Halley. We are here to listen and partner with you to help your child have a successful school year!
Your Halley Administrative Team,
Mrs. Peerman, Principal
Mrs. Johnson-Tyler, Assistant Principal
Mrs. Zamora, Assistant Principal
Mark Your Calendar
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December 19 - January 02- Winter Break (No School)
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January 16- Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday (No School)
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January 25- End of Second Quarter- 2-hour early release
 ART Night Official information:
Painter registration: (https://givebutter.com/c/bO4yy1)
Volunteers: William Halley PTO 22-23 Sign Up Genius https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F49ACA72AA3FAC61-william1)
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