Weekly Words 

December 9, 2022 

We are Better Together 

Dear Island Creek Community,

Thank you for your support with our Book Fair as it was a huge success and wonderful to see children excited with their new books! Our librarian Maura Keaney and librarian assistant Massiel Valenzuela are especially grateful for the countless hours our volunteers contributed to the Book Fair. Thank you to the PTA for providing hot chocolate last Saturday for over 200 children! 

During the month of November, Island Creek students learned about and focused on the character trait of Empathy and we had 70 students who were Croc Stars! We are so proud of our Crocs for exhibiting the monthly character traits! For the month of December, we are focusing on Kindness. 

Students and staff enjoyed wearing their Festive shirts/sweaters/sweatshirts today and are looking forward to next week’s Spirit Week (especially Pajama Day on Friday).

Your Proud Administrators,

                      Jen Fallert                                         Karen Baxter  
                   JRFallert@fcps.edu                      KPBaxter@fcps.edu
                       Principal                                        Assistant Principal

Outstanding Employee Award Winners  We are excited to share with you that the following employees have been recognized as the Outstanding Employee award winners for Island Creek Elementary for the 2022-2023 school year! Outstanding Operational Employee:  Ms. Lemmonds (Cafeteria Manager) Outstanding New Teacher: Ms. Edwards (Kindergarten Teacher) Outstanding Teacher: Ms. Barber (PE Teacher) Outstanding New Principal: Ms. Fallert The nominees will now be considered for additional recognition at the pyramid, region, and district levels.  Thank you to the families and staff who shared their nominations to recognize our outstanding employees!

6^th Grade All County Choral Festival

Congratulations to the following Island Creek singers who have been selected for the 6^th Grade All County Choral Festival!

Natalie Buzesan

Samantha Haas

Cameron Mehrtash

Ayetu Mideska

Island Creek Staff love Crocs (students and stuffed animals)!!

Wordle Wall for Inclusive Schools Week!

2^nd Grade Authors share their “All About Books”

5^th Grade Scientists learn about Plate Tectonics

Croc Artists at Work

2^nd Grade learning about the Powhatan lifestyle at Huntley Meadows

Young Crocs in Motion: Celebrating their 5K!

Thank you to the students who participated, the parents/guardians for bringing their child(ren) to school early on Thursday mornings, and the amazing and dedicated coaches:  

Ms. Barber, Ms. Carrubba, Ms. Hopler, Ms. Kubicek, and Mr. McCann!

Next Week:  Island Creek SCA Winter Spirit Week!

Kiss and Ride Reminder

If you access Kiss and Ride, please make sure the number tag is visible as it helps expedite the kiss and ride line. Also please avoid walking up to door 2 to pick-up your student(s) as it makes it difficult for staff members to monitor with whom students are dismissing. 

Island Creek Celebrates Diversity! We want to empower our Island Creek students to have a strong voice, share their experiences, and learn from, and celebrate, each other! We would love to hear from our Crocs about the various traditions, holidays, observances, and cultural experiences families celebrate or recognize. During the month of December, we would like our students to learn about the following observances: Bodhi Day Chanukah Christmas Kwanzaa Additional December observances or celebrations that your child would like to share If your child is interested in recording a 1-2 minute segment for our Morning News Show please use this link: https://flip.com/2ec3a9bc as we would love to learn from them! Should you need additional information with recording, please contact Ms. Keaney, Librarian (mkeaney@fcps.edu). Alternatively, if your child would prefer to make a poster to display in the hallways at Island Creek, please have them bring their poster to Ms. Fallert, Principal (jrfallert@fcps.edu).

Free Tutoring with Tutor.com 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.

Looking for Gift Ideas: Try one of these strategy games!

Dominos: Practice subtilizing, counting, and combining

Clumsy Thief in the Candy Shop: Practice sums to 20

Clumsy Thief: Practice sums to 100

Clumsy Thief Junior: Practice sums to 10

Tiny Polka Dot: Practice subtilizing with dot images and frames

Sorry!: Practice counting, decomposing numbers, and learning 1-1 correspondence

Trouble: Practice counting, decomposing numbers, and learning 1-1 correspondence

SET and SET Junior: Practice finding similar attributes

Chutes and Ladders: Practice counting and number recognition

Hi Ho! Cherry O: Practice counting, addition and subtraction

Zingo 1-2-3: Practice counting and addition

Prime Climb: Practice multiplication, division, factorization and reasoning

Multiplication by Heart: Practice multiplication

Proof: Practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division

Reminder:  Window for AAP Full-Time (level IV) Referrals Ends December 15, 2022

Parents/guardians of students in Grades 2-6 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  Amy Ivey (amivey@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 Amy Ivey at amivey@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 Island Creek ES.

Winter Weather Procedures

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.

Keep Your Child Warm During Outdoor Activities

We 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 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.

Multicultural and Language Resources for Families 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.  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.  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.

Mental Health, Coping & Addiction

One in four Americans suffers from a mental illness. Almost 3 in 5 people with mental illness will receive no treatment or medication. In 2019, an estimated 47.6 million adults (19% of the country) had a mental illness, but only 43% received any kind of mental health care (Johns Hopkins). There are many reasons why a person may turn to drugs or alcohol initially, including using these mind-altering substances as a coping mechanism for stress, difficult emotions, physical ailments, and other issues. Drugs and alcohol can provide a temporary respite from reality and everyday life. They can enhance pleasure and decrease inhibitions and anxiety.  Drug use can be an unhealthy coping mechanism. Coping mechanisms are habits formed over time that serve to help a person manage situations or stress levels. Not all coping mechanisms are maladaptive or destructive; however, addiction is both.

Before using drugs as a coping strategy, here are some recommendations for a healthier mindset. The goal is to identify the “void” or issue and work towards healing. In the meantime, experts recommend diet and exercise as great places to start. See your Primary Care Physician and a therapist if needed. Quality sleep is also a major factor in a healthy mind. Surround yourself with good people and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: (571) 423-4270.

Resources:

Substance Use Disorder info

FCPS Social Work

COVID Diagnostic Testing in January

Mark your calendars! COVID diagnostic testing will be available for FCPS teachers, staff, and students at five locations across the county January 3-5 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.

Twitter: @islandcreekes FACEBOOK: Island Creek Elementary School Jen Fallert, Principal (Twitter): @FallertJen   FACEBOOK (PTA): Island Creek Elementary PTA ICES Website: https://islandcreekes.fcps.edu/

As Island Creek Elementary celebrates Island Creek staff with 12 Days of Cheer, we want to offer you an opportunity to help spread holiday cheer! We've put together a list of our faculty and staff's "favorites" things: https://tinyurl.com/PTA22FavoriteThings  This way, you can consider providing them personalized gifts based on preferences. Remember your student's special’ teachers! Wednesday, December 14: Croc Bite Spirit Night at Panda Express Available at Panda Express locations nationwide. Share with friends and family on social media! Online orders: www.pandaexpress.com.  Apply code 912017 in the Fundraiser Code box during online checkout at www.pandaexpress.com or via App. Tuesday, January 10: PTA General Membership Meeting Join us for the General PTA Meeting (in-person), on Tuesday, January 10, from 7 - 8 p.m. The meeting will be held in the cafeteria. Friday, February 24: Family Bingo Night Registration is open for Family Bingo on February 24! Tickets are $10. We highly recommend pre-ordering pizza along with your ticket purchase. We will have prizes for each of the ten games! Registration for the event is available here: https://ices.memberhub.com/store If you want to donate a prize for the event, please sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/PTA23BingoPrizes

Click to view the 2022-2023 FCPS School Calendar

• Monday, December 12: Fancy Dress-Up Day
• Tuesday, December 13: Twin Day
• Wednesday, December 14:  Mismatch Day
• Thursday, December 15: Favorite Team Day; Referrals for Level IV AAP (Full-time) due
• Friday, December 16: Pajama Day
• December 19- January 2 (No School; Office Closed):Winter Break
• Monday, January 16 (No School; Office Closed): Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday
• Wednesday, January 25 (1:20 PM dismissal) - Second Quarter ends, 2-hour Early Dismissal
• Thursday, January 26 (No School) - Teacher Workday, Student Holiday
• Friday, January 27 (No School) - Teacher Workday, Student Holiday
• Monday, February 20 (No School; Office Closed) -Presidents’ Day

7855 Morning View Lane, Alexandria, VA 22315 | Phone: 571-642-6300

Attendance: 571-642-6363 or Submit Absence Online

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