January 2nd Welcome Back
Happy New Year Union Mill Families! We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and 2023 is off to a great start. We are looking forward to welcoming students back tomorrow morning with our doors opening at 8:35 am. As a friendly reminder, please be sure your child returns their FCPS issued laptop tomorrow, January 3rd.
Students in grades 1 and 2 should return the black sleeves and charger to their teacher when they return.
Moving forward, devices and chargers will be sent home when concerns for significant inclement weather are in the forecast for students in grades K-6.
Although the weather the last few days has not felt much like winter, in this newsletter are some reminders and procedures when inclement weather occurs.
Sincerely,
Ashleigh, Jennie and Scott
The UMES Admin Team
#UMESBetterTogether
Upcoming Dates
Tuesday, January 3rd - Students return from Winter Break
Monday, January 16th - Martin Luther King Day (no school)
Thursday, January 19th - Family Fitness
Preparing for Winter Weather
 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.
Preparing for Winter Weather - Internet at Home
As we prepare for the possibilities of inclement weather, we want to make sure all of our families are prepared with internet at home. There are a few options available to support families who may be in need.
Affordable Connectivity Program
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a federal program that helps low-income households offset the monthly cost of a new or existing internet service and connected devices like a laptop or tablet.
The ACP may provide families with up to $30/month discount for broadband service and a one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet purchased through a participating provider. Information about the program is available in multiple languages. To apply, visit www.affordableconnectivity.gov or call 1-877-384-2575 to request an application.
Discount Internet Providers
If you could use additional support with internet at home beyond the options listed above, please reach out to the school. Our school counselors (Ms. Schmidt or Ms. Kourajian), administrative team (Mr. Hawk, Ms. Skerker, or Ms. Long), and/or tech team (Ms. Clinch or Mr. Irvine) would be happy to support you.
#UMESBetterTogether
Office Hours
Monday - Friday - 8:00 am - 4:15 pm
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