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12/12 Family Food Market (3:45-5:00pm, ATES Cafeteria)
12/15 PTA Sponsored Toy Distribution (5:00pm, ATES Cafeteria)
12/16 Parent Coffee (9:00-10:00am, Cafeteria)
Topic: Understanding IEPs / 504s
PTA Meeting (10:00-10:30am, Cafeteria)
12/16 Gr. 5 Attending Winter Concert at Poe MS
12/19-01/02/23 Winter Break (No School)
01/09 Family Food Market (3:45-5:00pm, ATES Cafeteria)
01/13 Parent Coffee (9:00 am, Cafeteria)
Topic: MCCP Affordable Health
01/16 Martin Luther Kings' Birthday (Student Holiday, No School)
01/25 End of 2nd Quarter
2-Hr Early Student Release - Dismissal time 1:20 pm
01/26-27 Teacher Workday (Student Holiday, No School)
ATES is partnering with the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) again to offer the monthly distributions of nutritious groceries to members of the ATES community, free of charge for the school year 2022-2023.
When: December 12th at 3:45 PM-5:00PM
Where: Family Markets will be held inside the cafeteria
What: The CAFB will be providing canned food/ dry goods and produce. Bring your bag, please!
Action required: Please complete December’s survey provided in the link below prior to your visit to the school for the food distribution as this is a monthly requirement by CAFB.
https://forms.gle/DNj2Q2pLQ3oC6WY69
Parents/guardians of students in Grades 2-7 who would like their student to be considered for full-time advanced academic programs (level IV AAP services) may submit the AAP Level IV Referral Form to Michelle Carr-Hogan, mccarrhogan@fcps.edu no later than December 15.
The window to submit an AAP Level IV Referral Form is the first day of school through December 15, annually. Forms for full-time and part-time referrals are available on the AAP Forms Page. No late referrals for Level IV services can be accepted.
Submitting a referral form for AAP Level IV will initiate a process that begins at the local school and is then completed at the central office level. Our school will put together a portfolio that includes multiple data which are considered holistically. At the central office level, a committee of professionals from various schools review materials to determine eligibility for level IV placement. Eligibility decisions are communicated by early April. Parents may request a copy of the portfolio that was submitted after they have been turned in for central selection by emailing Michelle Carr-Hogan, mccarrhogan@fcps.edu.
Referrals for AAP Levels II-III (part-time services) are screened at the local school.
For more information, there are parent presentations available on the FCPS AAP website (under “Presentations”) that contain information similar to our fall parent information meetings at Annandale Terrace Elementary School.
Thanks to everyone who provided input in October on ESSER III funding–federal funding which was allocated to FCPS to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students and student learning. Community feedback indicated that there is a general unawareness of the impact of ESSER funding and a perceived lack of communication around how the funds are being used.
To help address this, Superintendent Reid and Sloan Presidio, chief academic officer, will host a Community Conversation on ESSER on Tuesday, December 13, at 6:30 p.m., at the Gatehouse Administration Building in the Café. Please stay tuned for more details. Visit BoardDocs for a detailed update on ESSER.
 Winter weather will be here before you know it! Watch this video to see how weather-related closing decisions are made.
FCPS’ inclement weather procedures will remain the same as last year. The first five inclement weather days will be traditional “snow days” with no school activities. After those five days, we will use the flexibility provided by the Virginia General Assembly to have unscheduled virtual learning days, whenever possible, to maintain the continuity of learning. Virtual learning on these days will be synchronous/live instruction, following the inclement weather virtual learning day schedule (includes a two-hour delay).
FCPS’ website is generally the first mode of communication during emergency weather closings. Other communication channels will be used as quickly as possible including email, text, social media, and news stations. Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated.
Be sure to plan ahead for the winter season. Make sure your contact information is up-to-date in weCare@school, bookmark the FCPS website, plan for childcare, if appropriate, and know what items your child may need to take home before a weather event.
Your school’s principal will monitor the weather for low temperatures, wind chill advisories and warnings, and weather advisories which may prevent children from being outside. Make sure your child is dressed appropriately with a warm coat and other cold-weather clothing, so they can comfortably enjoy their time outdoors. See the National Weather Service’s tips on staying safe during cold weather.
If you need assistance supplying your child with cold-weather clothing, please call ATES office or Fairfax County's Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) at 703-222-0880. The multilingual staff can assist with any challenges you are facing, including food, shelter, employment, financial assistance, and healthcare.
FCPS’ Office of Family and School Partnerships would like to remind families of some of the many resources available to them:
- Bilingual community liaisons support student registrars by providing families with information about school and community services offered in Fairfax County. Liaisons are available to help families speaking Spanish, Korean, and Arabic. Once registered at a school, families can contact their family liaison for assistance.
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Early literacy programs are available to Fairfax County residents for parents of children up to 5 years old. These programs help prepare children for school and build confidence in parents as their child’s first teacher. They also help parents become active partners in their child’s education. Programs are available in African-Heritage, Arabic, Spanish, and Korean.
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Parent Information Phone Lines are available in eight languages for parents who speak languages other than English.
- A Multilingual Family Podcast is produced by the offices of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Family and School Partnerships, and Professional Learning and Equity. It covers important information for parents in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Korean.
- ESOL services are available in Fairfax County not only for students, but also for adults and families. Information on Spring classes will be posted in March 2023.
Visit the Family Engagement webpage for more resources.
Social-Emotional Milestones in Early Childhood
Friday, January 20th
10:00am to 11:30am
For More Information and Registration: https://www.fcps.edu/event/social-emotional-milestones-early-childhood
Supporting [Early Childhood] Mental Health Through Play, PART 1
Creating a Supportive Learning Environment for Young Children
Friday, February 17
10:00am to 11:30am
For More Information and Registration: https://www.fcps.edu/event/supporting-mental-health-through-play-part-1
Session #1
- The power of unstructured play in creating opportunities to build executive functioning skills
- Differences in play experiences over the past 30-40 years
- Benefits and Ways of incorporating unstructured play into a child’s day
Supporting [Early Childhood] Mental Health Through Play, PART 2
Creating a Supportive Learning Environment for Young Children
Friday, February 24
10:00am to 11:30am
For More Information and Registration: https://www.fcps.edu/event/supporting-mental-health-through-play-part-2
Session #2
- Angie Voss’ “power sensations” (movement & touch)
- Reflecting on our own temperaments including sensory preferences, in order to provide a “goodness of fit” for our child or student
- Creating an environment where all young children can thrive
*Please note – all sessions will be recorded, but you MUST register and request the recorded option if you cannot attend live
**For those able to attend the live events, an interpreter may be provided upon request with early registration
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.
Although the community level of COVID-19 in Fairfax County is currently low, cases of RSV, the flu, and other viruses are on the rise.
It continues to be important to wash your hands regularly, cover coughs and sneezes, monitor your health daily, and stay home if you are sick. For more tips, visit our Return to School website.
The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others. Please consider submitting your story by going to the link below or click here so we can acknowledge the good work of FCPS employees at ATES!
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On behalf of FCPS, the intention of sharing the following article is to bring awareness to the community regarding drug additives.
In our continuing efforts to educate the community, we have been tracking a new trend in the region known as Xylazine or Tranq. Tranq, a non-opioid tranquilizer, is often mixed with other drugs giving the user a fentanyl-like high for an extended period of time. Considering the rise in opioid-related overdoses, it is important to know about various additives such as fentanyl and tranq that can be mixed in, unbeknownst to the user. Xylazine is an animal tranquilizer which is not approved by the FDA for human consumption; it affects the central nervous system by suppressing breathing and slowing down vital functions in the body. Tranq has recently been detected in several fatal overdoses related to cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl in unsuspecting users. Narcan/Naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal medication, will not reverse the overdose in a person who has taken Tranq thus resulting in potential death. Continued use has resulted in lesions, ulcers, and other health related issues resulting in loss of limbs from untreated abscesses.
While alarming, education is key to keep our communities safe. Here is some recent data showing the trend in our region. Xylazine was present in 19% of drug overdoses in Maryland in 2020 alone; with trends increasing in Pennsylvania by 26% and in Connecticut by 10%. In areas of higher populations Xylazine has been present in 1 of every 5 deaths that have been reported. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Xylazine was present in 64.3 % of deaths when it was detected. 38 states including the District of Columbia have seen a rise in “Tranq” in and around their communities.
For more information please, contact myself or the Student Safety & Wellness Office at (571) 423-4270. Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @FCPSSAPS.
Sources & Resources:
NIH: Xylazine
DEA: Xylazine
CDC: Xylazine
Overdoses in Philadelphia
FCPS Webinar: Everything You Need To Know About Opioids
For further Information & support:
Charlisa Becklund ,MSW
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
cebecklund@fcps.edu
Charlisa Becklund ,
MSW Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
Annandale High School Room 220
Phone: 703 642-4136 cebecklund@fcps.edu
Mental Health Resources 24/7 Emergency Numbers · CrisisLink Regional Hotline -703-527-4077 · Crisis Text – Text NEEDHELP to 85511 · Dominion Hospital Emergency – 703-536-2000 · Inova Emergency – 703-289-7560 · Mobile Crisis Unit – 1-844-627-4747 · National Suicide Prevention Lifeline -1-800-273-TALK; 1-800-SUICIDE · Merrifield Center Emergency 703-573-5679 · Life Threatening – 911
AOD VIRTUAL RESOURCES for PARENTS:
- Assistance from a Distance: Accessing CSB Services
- CSB virtual support group for family members and concerned others of individuals with substance use issues who are receiving CSB services, Mondays from 6:30-7:30
- Children’s Regional Crisis Response (CR2) – this is the crisis response program for which parents can call whenever their child is actively in crisis at home. A case worker will talk with the youth and family by phone and then determine next steps (i.e. hospital, virtual assistance, in-person assistance) on the spot.
- Parent Support Line: 703-324-7720 or BuildingStrongerFamilies@fairfaxcounty.gov. From Fairfax County Department of Family Services. A great resource for parents and caregivers of children. Staff can help with parenting advice, support, and tips to help navigate emotional and relational parenting issues. Language support is available. The support line is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
FCPS has recently adopted TalkingPoints, a two-way messaging app that allows parents and caregivers to communicate with teachers and schools.For more information, visit the FCPS TalkingPoints webpage.
The app translates messages, so teachers can input messages in English and parents can respond in their preferred language. TalkingPoints supports 125 languages, making it easier and faster for our FCPS families to connect with their schools. If you need to update your preferred correspondence language, contact Jose Vega @703-658-5602 in our front office.
In partnership with Food For Others, we are happy to offer food for the families every Friday again for this school year. Please fill out the form if you wish to participate.
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 Please note that the Loving Solutions series are taught in Spanish language only. If interested, please register via: https://forms.gle/AxT1GeyxmdaS8G897 .
 Register on-line at https://www.lordoflifeva.org/esl
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