Message from Ms. Shannon
Dear Mantua Families,
We have been spending time reinforcing safe, kind, and responsible attitudes. Today we got to see this positivity in action! As we frequently do, we welcomed a new student this morning, and her classmates were already showing her such kindness and inclusion while playing at recess. One of her new buddies said, “She’s new, and I LOVE new students!!” This is an excellent representation of “The Mantua Way”; we love that our students are taking this to heart.
This will be a short week for students. Wednesday, January 25th, will be a two-hour early release for students, with school dismissal being at 2:00 PM that day. Thursday, January 26th, and Friday, January 27th, are teacher workdays, and there will be no school for students on those days.
If you have a rising 7th grader, you will want to take note of the upcoming orientation nights with Frost and Luther Jackson Middle Schools. A great deal of information is shared at these events, and we don’t want you to miss the opportunity to connect with staff from our middle schools.
We hope you have an enjoyable rest of your week!
Take good care,
Linda Shannon, Principal
Amy Alley, Assistant Principal
Rich Deixler, Assistant Principal
Laura Totoro, Acting Assistant Principal
Important Dates
January 24: 4th-grade Strings concert 6:30 PM, Mantua gym
January 25: Two-Hour Early Release for Students; End of Quarter 2
January 26 & 27: Staff Development/Teacher Workdays (Student Holidays)
January 26: Rising 7th Grade Parent/Student Orientation with Frost Middle School (virtual) 6:30-8:30 PM
January 31: Rising 7th Grade Curriculum night at Luther Jackson Middle School 6 PM (in person)
February 15: Woodson Pyramid Virtual Parent Substance Use Education Night 7:00 PM
February 20: President’s Day (student holiday) Schools and offices are closed
See the complete 2022-23 school year calendar
Mantua News
PUP Reminders
Absence Reporting
We want to thank our caregivers for your diligence and patience as we have transitioned to PUP this year. This is a friendly reminder that if you are reporting your student’s absence, it is essential that you list the reason for that absence under the “Note” section. This helps our attendance staff track absences more accurately.
The reporting absence feature is not intuitive from your view. We have contacted the company with this concern but for now, please note that absence reporting is found under “Change” on the bottom toolbar. First select the date. Next, select your child’s name. Next, select "Plan" and then "Absence". You will have the ability to make a note that should include the reason for the absence. It is important that you select "Absence" so that we do not show the student as leaving by their dismissal plan on this day. Finally, select “Submit” on the bottom toolbar.
Single Day Changes, Seasonal Schedules, and Afterschool Activities:
Daily changes or a temporary dismissal change, such as an afterschool activity for an 8-week period, should be selected through the same “Change” option pictured above. First, select the first date of the scheduled activity. Next, click on your child's name. Next, input the activity and the room location in the "More Info" box. Next, select “Dates” and click on any additional dates of the activity if it is a recurring event. Finally, select “Submit” on the bottom toolbar. Do not make these types of changes by clicking the “Default” button on the bottom toolbar, as pictured below. This is important because of how dismissal information is shared with staff. “Default Plans” are yearlong plans and based on permanent plans and schedules. Default plans should not be changed based on seasonal schedules.
6th Grade Transition Information
Message from Frost Middle School
We are eager to begin our upcoming transition activities with our future Frost Falcons! Please mark your calendars for our Rising 7th Grade Orientation on January 26th and the Frost Family Festival on February 9th. More information is included below on each of these events and a full list of our upcoming activities can be found in the attached document.
The Rising 7th Grade Orientation is for current 6th-grade students who will be attending Frost in the 23-24 school year and their parents. This will take place virtually on January 26th at 6:30 PM. During this event, you will hear from the administration and school counselors, who will provide an overview of Frost Middle School, course selection opportunities, and the selection process. The link for this event will be sent in January. A recording of the event will be available for those who cannot attend on our Frost Student Services website here.
Please submit any questions you may have about transitioning to 7th Grade at Frost Middle School. We will do our best to incorporate as many answers to your questions during the orientation. Please use this link to submit questions.
We will also be having the Frost Family Festival (in-person) on February 9th, beginning at 5:30 PM. This is a great opportunity to get a school tour and visit elective classes to help confirm desired course selections. More information to come!
Message from Luther Jackson Middle School
Please join us for the Rising 7th grade Curriculum Night on January 31st. We will host early sessions at 6 PM and the general session at 7 PM. This will be an in-person event with information posted online. We will present curriculum information, as well as general information on school logistics, special education information, and electives will be showcased.
Inclement Weather Information
Don’t let this great weather fool you–tis the season for sleet and snow! 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 an 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.
Yearbook Group Photos
Parents are responsible for taking group/team photos for the following activities and email them to kjeaston@fcps.edu: Kids Care Club, The Running Club, Mantua Basketball, Boy and Girl Scouts, Academic Clubs, and the Drama Club. All photos for these groups need to be received by Mrs. Easton, the yearbook producer, by March 1, 2023. In the email, include in the subject line the name of the activity, the grade level, and the team's name (e.g. Mantua Girls Basketball, grades 3 and 4, Team Blue). Photos should be in landscape mode, high resolution.
FCPS & Pyramid News
Woodson Chorus Presents Dessert on Broadway
Substance Use Presentation
FCPS is dedicated to providing parents and community members with the most accurate and up-to-date information on youth substance use, prevention, addiction, interventions and available supports. Please join us and our partners from the Fairfax County Police Department and Community Services Board as we discuss these topics as well as the ongoing opioid crisis. Attendees will walk away with an understanding of:
- Alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, and opioid.
- List what you can do as a caregiver.
- How to identify and connect with community resources.
Woodson Pyramid Virtual Parent Substance Use Education Night - February 15
Please see the linked flyer to RSVP and for more information.
Elementary Magnet School Lottery
The Magnet Program registration window will be open from Wednesday, March 1, through Wednesday, April 12, 2023. No late applications are accepted.
To learn more about the programs and the registration process, go to the following site:
https://www.fcps.edu/registration/elementary-magnet-school-lottery
Stay Connected!
Check out our new account on Instagram @Mantuaelementaryschool. We will add pictures of the exciting things happening at here. Be sure to follow us on Twitter: @MantuaES, @MantuaPrincipal, and @MantuaLibrary for updates and good news throughout the school year.
Contacts
Linda Shannon, Principal lcshannon@fcps.edu
Amy Alley, Assistant Principal, avalley@fcps.edu
Rich Deixler, Assistant Principal, radeixler@fcps.edu
Laura Totoro, Acting Assistant Principal, lmtotoro@fcps.edu
Ann Marie Delvalle, Administrative Assistant, adelvalle@fcps.edu
Mergie Kakouris, Student Information Assistant, mbkakouris@fcps.edu
Fadwa Finaish, Office Assistant, ffinaish@fcps.edu
Susan Palomino, Office Assistant slpalomino@fcps.edu
Technology Support for Families/Parent Help Desk: 1-833-921-3277
Parent Information Phone Lines/Support for parents who do not speak English as their first language: Parent Information Phone Lines
Parent and Student technology support: IT Support Portal
Our Mental Health Team is available if your child needs support.
Richard Hang, Counselor, rhang@fcps.edu
Susan Song, Counselor sssong@fcps.edu
Austin Swift, School Psychologist, atswift@fcps.edu
David Glasser, Psychologist, dmglasser@fcps.edu
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