UPCOMING EVENTS
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Thursday, 3/2 - 2 Hour Early Release from School
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Friday, 3/3 - School Planning Day-No School for Students
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Friday, 3/3 - FES Read- A-Thon Ends
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Wednesday, 3/6 - PEP Meeting, 6pm in the FES Library
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Thursday, 3/16 - FES International Day Festival 6:00pm-8:00pm
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Friday, 3/24 - Deadline to order Yearbooks
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Wednesday, 4/19 - Kindergarten Orientation 5:30pm-6:30pm
March Calendar Reminders
See the complete 2022-23 school year calendar.
Read-A-Thon Updates
February 1 - March 3, 2023
ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT
Click here to register your Penguin with a Read-a-Thon account, access their reading dashboard and share their fundraising page.
We are SO PROUD of our Penguin Readers
- 254,484 Minutes Read
- Mrs. Blum's 4th Grade is LEADING in MINUTES read (34,438 minutes), but Mr. Bensinger's class is right on her heels!
- Mr. Pina's class is LEADING in DONATIONS ($1,780)
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We Need Your Help
We are so excited about our increasing reading that it's easy to forget Read-A-Thon is also the PTA's main fundraiser for the year! Your donations help us keep our events free and fun, and help fund the school's library and Mindfulness Lab.
Choose just one action item to help.
If every student raises just $30 we will reach our goal!
- Share your child's fundraising page on social media (there's an easy link on the student dashboard).
- Email or Text your child's fundraising link to grandparents, aunts and uncles (the dashboard makes this easy as well!).
- Share THIS LINK with local business who may be interested in donating to the Read-A-Thon and receive advertising options to the whole school.
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The PTA would like to thank the following business donors:
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Parents as Educational Partners
(PEP) Meeting March 8th at 6pm
Please join us for our seventh Parents as Educational Partners (PEP) meeting-Wednesday, March 8th at 6 p.m. in Franconia's Library. We will learn about upcoming events at Franconia Elementary including our International Festival and SOL Assessments.
WHAT: PEP is a parent-teacher organization for parents of students from Kindergarten to Sixth Grade of any language or cultural background.
WHY: The mission of PEP is to increase the academic achievement of students by developing and maintaining strong school-home partnerships tied to improved student achievement.
HOW: During our meetings, we will create a safe, informed space through which we can empower families to seek information to best support their children's educational journeys.
WHEN: We plan to meet the second Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. Our next session will take place Wednesday, March 8th .
WHERE: We will meet in the library at Franconia Elementary School.
Your PEP teachers are specifically prepared to provide you with accurate information about Franconia Elementary. Some of the topics that we may cover during our meetings include:
- School Personnel and the School Day
- School Procedures
- Parent-Teacher Conferences
- Report Cards and Curriculum
- Special Education and Advanced Academics
- Study skills/Homework
- School Health Procedures
- Other school-specific topics that are of interest and benefit to the group
Questions? Please email FranconiaPEP@fcps.edu.
Congratulations to our own Ms. Chicarella!
Please Join us in congratulating Ms. Ashley Chicarella on winning Edison Pyramid's Outstanding New Teacher Award! Ms. Chicarella is a Special Education Teacher, supporting 4th and 5th Grade students, here at Franconia. We wish her luck as she advances to the Region 3 level, and are so proud she is a Penguin!
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Author Visit March 6th
Order and bring your book to be signed
Kevin Sherry is the author and illustrator of picture books and graphic novels. Students who purchase and bring his books to the author visit on March 6 will have the opportunity to have them signed by the author!
Order through any bookseller.
Book purchase is not required for participation in author visit, which was paid for by the PTA.
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Sign up for the next Pokémon Club
Are you in to Pokémon? Do you want to get together with other Franconia Penguins to play Pokémon games and/or trade Pokémon cards? If you answered "YES" to these questions, then keep reading! On Friday, March 10th, from 3:30-4:15, Franconia will host a Pokémon after school club meeting. Students are invited to stay after school to enjoy all things Pokémon with their fellow students and some Franconia teachers. Use the link below to sign up. Students who sign up will be given a permission slip that must be completed by a guardian and turned in by Friday, March 10th. SIGNING UP HERE DOES NOT GUARANTEE YOU CAN STAY FOR THE CLUB. SIGNING UP HERE HOLDS YOUR SPOT. ONLY AFTER THE PERMISSION SLIP IS COMPLETED AND RETURNED WILL YOU BE CONFIRMED TO STAY AND ENJOY THE POKEMON FUN! If you have any questions, please contact Renee Octaviano at rloctaviano@fcps.edu.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4AA4A928A6FB6-pokmon2
Musical Circuits Club!
Franconia ES (sponsored by the PTA)
Mr Nawrot will be offering a 5-week club on Tuesdays, 3:35-4:35.
CLASS DATES: 4/11, 4/18, 4/25, 5/2, 5/9
The club will take place at school, is open to students Grades 4-6, at a total cost of $60/student.
Register HERE by March 17th
Contact Matt at vp@franconiaespta.org with questions.
Students grades 4 through 6 will explore the history and science behind electronic music through the creation of their own instrument. Each member will construct a breadboard theremin, the original electric instrument, utilizing Microkits. Additionally, students will explore conductivity with a synthesizer and even try to jam out with an electric guitar. Best of all, the inventor of Microkits, Mr David Levi, will be our guest one of the days to assist with our build. Parents are encouraged to read the Microkit theremin instruction manual with their child prior to signing up to see if they are comfortable with the build. Please note that students will need to bring in found conductive materials and that the club fees reflect the cost of purchasing the Microkits.
Franconia’s World Showcase Day
(Formerly International Day)
When: Thursday, March 16th
Time: 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
We would love for our parents and community to be a part of this memorable event.
If you are interested, please return the form to your child’s teacher OR visit this link: https://forms.gle/KXY2QgHobd2nSPCB6
Yearbooks are Now on Sale
Don’t miss out on the chance to get your child a yearbook. 2022-23 Yearbooks are $18.00 and the deadline to order is March 24th. No yearbook orders will be taken after that date. So, make plans to order yours today!
Yearbooks are only sold/purchased online. Start your purchase by going to: yearbookordercenter.com, typing in 21927 or searching for Franconia Elementary, Alexandria VA, will take you to our ordering site.
Counselor's Corner
Character Trait for the Month
March's Character Trait:
Patience- to wait calmly without complaining.
February's Character Trait was empathy- A feeling or understanding of what someone else is feeling. Check out this video with our student highlights for empathy: https://youtu.be/ogUzIeQyb6s
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Message to 6th Grade Parents/Guardians:
In the month of March, sixth-grade students will receive two lessons on the topic of sexual harassment. These lessons seek to provide students with the necessary information, resources, and strategies to help prevent occurrences of sexual harassment as well as outline the steps to take if they feel they or their peers are targets of these behaviors. In addition, the lessons share how schools support targeted students so that they can continue to focus on learning in an environment that feels comfortable and secure. Parents/guardians may request to view these two lessons prior to deciding whether to opt their child(ren) out of the lessons. Please reach out to the school counselor for instructions on where to preview the lessons.
Parents/guardians may choose to opt their child out of the two sixth-grade lessons on the topic of sexual harassment. Letters and opt-out forms will be given to your child in the upcoming week. It will provide more information on how to opt your sixth-grade child out of the lessons about sexual harassment. If you do not receive the letter or opt-out form or have any additional questions, please contact Veronica Guillion, School Counselor at 703-822-2200.
Register Now for Kindergarten
We look forward to welcoming our newest Penguins to Franconia ES for the 2023-2024 school year. Registration packets are available in the Franconia ES Main Office or you may download the forms using the link below.
The registration requirements are as follows:
For incoming Kindergarten students – please visit https://www.fcps.edu/registration/kindergarten-registration
It is important that you have filled out all of the paperwork, and bring with you the following:
- Photo ID
- Original Birth Certificate
- Proof of Residency (Deed or Lease to your home)
- Virginia Physical and Immunization Record (due prior to school starting in August)
When you are ready, and have gathered most of your documentation, please call to make a registration appointment. All registrations are done by appointment only.
For further information, the Fairfax County Public Schools website is www.fcps.edu and the Franconia Elementary website is https://franconiaes.fcps.edu/
To keep in touch with Franconia ES Community, please consider signing up for News You Choose – our e-newsletter Subscribe to Franconia's Wednesday Word here
Please contact Patrick Pacak, our Registrar, at pmpacak@fcps.edu or 703-822-2203 with any questions.
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A Note From Our K Team
Do you have a child who will be 5 years of age by September 30, 2023, and do you plan on sending them to kindergarten at Franconia for the 2023-2024 school year?
We are in the process of preparing for our kindergarten registration and orientation. If your child is ready for kindergarten, call the school at 703-822-2200 so we may add you to our list of rising kindergarten students.
Please consider joining us at the school with your future kindergartener for our Kindergarten Orientation on Wednesday, April 19, from 5:30-6:30pm. During this presentation, we will provide information about the kindergarten program at Franconia Elementary, while the future kindergarteners get to explore the classroom, participate in fun kindergarten activities, and take a ride on a school bus around the neighborhood.
❤ Kindergarten Team
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The Code of Virginia requires all students to be immunized against certain communicable diseases prior to entrance into Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS).
All students entering 7th grade will be required to receive one dose of each of the following immunizations prior to the beginning of school: Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis booster (Tdap), Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.
● To meet the Meningococcal (MenACWY) requirement, the vaccination must be administered at age 10 or older.
● As a parent/guardian, you may decide that your child not receive the HPV vaccination. The school does not require documentation if a parent/guardian elects for their student not to receive the HPV vaccination.
ACTION REQUESTED: Please provide one of the following immunization documents to the Student Information Assistant (SIA) or Registrar at your child’s school as soon as possible:
- An immunization record showing that the child has received at least one dose of each of the required immunizations listed above.
- A note on a healthcare provider’s letterhead stating the date the vaccine(s) was given.
- A healthcare provider’s written statement of a permanent or temporary medical exemption.
4. A notarized Religious Exemption Form, which is available online at: https://bit.ly/VDOEReligiousExemptionForm
Immunizations are available from your child’s healthcare provider, the Fairfax County Health Department, or other community resources.
Questions? Please contact our Registrar, Patrick Pacak, at pmpacak@fcps.edu or 703-822-2203
Help Needed in the Library
Do you have a spare moment in the day to lend Mrs. Vandersande a hand?
The library needs volunteers to help scan in returns and shelve books any time during the school day.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040e4caead2faaf49-library1#/
Find Free COVID-19 Testing in Your Community
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a COVID-19 Testing Locator website, which can help families find no-cost COVID-19 testing sites. Testing is available at pharmacies and other locations and is provided at no cost to individuals with or without health insurance. Results are typically provided within 24-48 hours.
FCPS Inclement Weather Policy
When bad weather or other emergency situations occur, it may be necessary for FCPS to cancel, delay, or close schools early.
The safety of our students and staff is our number one priority any time a decision must be made regarding school closures and delays during a weather situation. We review information from emergency management and state highway administrators about road conditions, and school personnel also go out and inspect the conditions of roads, sidewalks, and FCPS parking lots and bus lanes.
FCPS tries to make decisions in the evening, taking into account that parents need time to make proper arrangements. But when there is a lot of uncertainty, we wait to get the latest morning forecast. In that case, the superintendent makes the decision of whether to delay or close schools by approximately 4:30 a.m.
FCPS provides information about closings and delays in many ways including:
- Posted to www.fcps.edu.
- Posted to the FCPS Twitter and Facebook pages.
- Email and text messages sent to parents (using the parent contact information listed in weCare@school).
- Email sent to employees (using the employee's FCPS email address).
- Email sent to News You Choose subscribers of Delayed Openings and School Closings.
- Posted on FCPS cable Channel 21 (Cox Communications, Reston Comcast, and Verizon (channel 11) cable customers only).
- Area radio and television stations.
Please remember to notify the school office of any of the following changes that come up for your child.
Notification should be made by 9:00am on the day of the change.
- Absence
- Late arrival
- Planned early pick-up or mid-day appointment (pick-up and return)
- If your child needs to be picked up unexpectedly, please call the office (703-822-2200) in advance of your arrival
- This allows the office to contact your child’s teacher to prepare your child for their departure
- For early pick-ups after 3:00pm, please park on Kathmoor as the school buses start to arrive for dismissal at that time and the front parking lot will be off limits
- Changes in dismissal mode (https://franconiaes.fcps.edu/about/change-dismissal-form)
Below are the 3 options by which to notify the school office (choose one option):
Please do this IN ADDITION to contacting your child's teacher. There could be times when the teacher is absent and, by also contacting the office, the information will be properly noted.
To email your child’s teacher, click HERE.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
FCPS CARES
Recognize FCPS Employees
FCPS Cares is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care.
The start of the school year is a great time to acknowledge someone who has helped to make your child's return to school amazing.
Learn how you can acknowledge an FCPS employee for their great work.
FCPS Parent Resource Center
Dunn Loring Center for Parent Services
2334 Gallows Road, Entrance 1, Room 105
Dunn Loring, VA
The FCPS Parent Resource Center (PRC) offers a welcoming and engaging environment for families, educators, and community members.
PARENT RESOURCE CENTER CONTACT INFO:
Email: prc@fcps.edu
Phone: 703-204-3941
Web: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/family-engagement/parent-resource-center
Twitter: @prc_fcps
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fcpsprc
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FCPSParentResourceCenter
FREE CONSULTATIONS:
- The PRC offers free, confidential in-person, videoconference, and phone consultations for families and FCPS staff.
- Appointments are highly encouraged.
- They can brainstorm strategies and possible solutions to help you address your concerns by drawing upon resources and support from FCPS, as well as community, state, and national centers.
TUTOR LIST:
- The PRC maintains a list of current FCPS employees who hold a valid and current teaching license in VA and want to tutor after their contracted school day.
- Contact the PRC at 703-204-3941 or prc@fcps.edu for more information.
FREE LENDING LIBRARY:
- Come explore the library for families and staff, 8:00am-4:00pm
- The library contains over 10,000 books, eBooks, DVDs, and CDs on topics related to parenting and educating all children, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities.
- Check out up to 6 items and keep them for 3 weeks. Renewals are easy - just call or email us.
- Find library resources to support your child with help from the Parent Resource Center staff.
- Call us and we can have library materials ready for you to pick up.
- Return library materials to us 24/7 in our book return or use the FCPS inter-office mail. Contact us for details.
FREE WEBINARS:
- Register here - https://bit.ly/3hSRIZW
- Watch recorded webinars - https://bit.ly3rpPl3Q
- To turn videos into preferred languages, open a video - choose any video on YouTube and follow these directions to have closed-captioning in your preferred language:
- Click the CC button - make sure it is underlined in red.
- Click the settings button - it looks like a gear.
- Click subtitles.
- Click auto-translate.
- Choose a language.
Penguin Points
Click on a link for information
Franconia Elementary School website
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