Olde Creek Weekly Update
 The Woodson Math Honor Society hosted a Math Enrichment session at Olde Creek this week for 2nd and 3rd graders!
Important Upcoming Dates
February 24: Woodson’s International Night - 5:00-9:00PM
February 28: PTA Family Dinner Night - Hamrock’s
March 1: Principals’ Walking Club - 8:00AM
March 2: Read Across America Day, 2 Hour Early Release - 1:15PM
March 3: Student Holiday - Staff Professional Workday
March 7: Spring Pictures - Class & Individual
March 8: Jump Rope Performance (Grades 1-3) - 4:00PM Gym
March 8: PTA Meeting - 6:30PM (Virtual)
March 9: Jump Rope Performance (Grades 4-6) - 4:00 Gym
March 10: PTA Bingo Night - 6:30-8:00PM
March 12: Daylight Saving Begins (Spring Forward)
March 17: Salad Bar returns
April 3-7: Spring Break
New This Week
1. Calendar Reminder
2. Principal's Walking Club
3. Read Across America
4. Olde Creek Opportunities
5. School Social Workers
6. Our Salad Bar is Returning!
7. Kindergarten Registration
8. Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!
9. FCPS News
10. PTA News & Updates
Reminders
11. February Content Connection
12. Olde Creek Cultural Shares in Counseling
13. SCA and Girl Scout Pop Tab Collection
14. Bears in the Spotlight
15. OC Staff Shout-outs
16. Yearbooks Now on Sale
17. Our PTA Needs You in 2023-24!
18. Tutor.com
19. Woodson’s International Night
20. Reading Fitness Quest
21. Contacts
22. Be Informed, Stay Involved!
 Congratulations to Kelsey Christian, who was named Region 5 Outstanding Professional Employee of the Year!
 |
|
1. Calendar Reminder
Reminder: students have an early release on Thursday, March 2. Our students will be dismissed at 1:15PM. There is no school for students on Friday, March 3, for a school planning day. See the complete 2022-23 school year calendar.
|
2. Principal's Walking Club - March 1
Calling all Walkers! Your next chance to participate in the Principal's Walking Club will be next week! No need to sign up ahead of time, just come join us Wednesday, March 1st at 8:00AM for the next Principal’s Walking Club. We will be outside on the blacktop if the weather is nice and warm and in the gym if we have a rainy, windy, or cold morning. Come walk with us and earn a charm for your necklace! We hope to see you there!
3. Read Across America
Olde Creek will celebrate Read Across America throughout the month of March!
4. Olde Creek Opportunities
Olde Creek is looking for energetic family members, friends, grandparents, or adult siblings, who may be looking for an opportunity to join our Olde Creek Elementary staff. Olde Creek is a positive work environment, and we are ready to fill the following opportunities with members of our community. Applicants must be 18 or older.
Site-Based Substitutes
Hourly 8:00AM - 3:30PM, Monday-Friday, $24.86 per Hour
Are you or somebody you know interested in working as a substitute with FCPS? FCPS is seeking individuals to serve as substitute teachers, instructional assistants, public health training assistants, and public health attendants! We are looking for a site-based substitute to work at Olde Creek five days a week. You will find information about the application process here. Interested applicants should contact Mrs. Miller, mhmiller@fcps.edu or at 703-426-3100. Please also send your resume directly to Mrs. Miller, principal, mhmiller@fcps.edu. To sign up for an information session, please visit our substitute information page here. Please feel free to share information about this opportunity with anyone else you think may be interested.
Student Monitors
Hourly 8:00AM - 3:30PM, Monday-Friday, $16.36 per Hour
Description
Provides supervision of students throughout the school day, including but not limited to the classroom, hallways, lunch, recess, specials, and at arrival/dismissal; helps maintain order and discipline and assists in managing the behavior of students; operates technology; performs administrative and non-instructional duties; ensures all layered prevention/safety protocols and procedures are implemented and followed; works with individual and small groups of students.
Qualifications
Any combination of education and experience is equivalent to graduation from high school. Must be comfortable managing student behaviors in large and small groups, ensuring all layered prevention/safety protocols and procedures are implemented and followed, and have general familiarity/skills with basic office technology in support of teachers, students, and the classroom.
Please pass this information along to anyone you may know. Interested applicants should contact Mrs. Butler, ajbutler@fcps.edu or at 703-426-3100.
5. School Social Workers
Hello Olde Creek families! Two school social workers support students and families at Olde Creek. We are Kim Close-Jensen (ksclosejense@fcps.edu) and Maggie Seneca (maseneca1@fcps.edu). We are part of the clinical team that includes the school counselor and school psychologist. We all work together to meet the social and emotional needs of the students at Olde Creek. For us, this often includes meeting with students individually or in groups. Sometimes students need help with peer interactions, anxiety, grief and loss, or managing their feelings. We can help students learn and practice strategies that can address their needs. As social workers, we want to support the whole child which may include collaborating with families and other community partners. Our goal is not to solve problems, but to empower students and families to be problem solvers. We love the students and families at Olde Creek and love being part of this learning community!
6. Our Salad Bar is Returning!
Have you heard? The salad bar is returning! Beginning March 17, we will have our salad bar back. This will be an adjustment for our students, and we are looking for a few parent volunteers to help the first couple of days. We will be sending out a sign up link soon.
7. Kindergarten Registration
Kindergarten Registration: It’s as Easy as 1-2-3…There’s an easy five-step process outlined for parents looking to register their child for kindergarten:
- Determine eligibility.
- Identify your local school.
- Gather documents.
- Fill out forms.
- Schedule an appointment.
After the appointment at the school (the student and one caregiver must be present), the student will be ready for orientation, Bridge to Kindergarten, or any other introductory events each school may host. Read more about the registration process.
8. Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!
Every year, absences increase in the weeks before and after spring break. Please make sure your child is in school every day until vacation starts. Our teachers will be teaching, and our students will be learning. Visit our website for more attendance resources.
9. FCPS News
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- FCPS Building and Renovation Plans
- Upcoming Webinars for Parents/Caregivers
- Dual Language Immersion Program Registration
- Academy Open Houses
- Resources for Families of Students with Disabilities
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, sign up today.
10. PTA News & Updates
The next PTA meeting is scheduled for March 8th from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. The link to join the meeting will be emailed out in the morning of March 8th.
Interested in joining the PTA Board? Please consider the role First Vice President (currently titled President-Elect) or Treasurer.
Family Dinner Nights
Our next Family Dinner Night will be February 28th at Hamrock's from 4:00PM to 8:00PM in Fairfax City. Proceeds benefit the Olde Creek PTA.
The following Family Dinner Night will be March 21st at &Pizza in Fair City Mall from 4:00PM to 8:00PM. Proceeds benefit the Olde Creek PTA.
BINGO Night: March 10th
We are very excited to announce that we have a volunteer to lead BINGO Night! BINGO Night will be March 10th from 6:30PM to 8:00PM in the Olde Creek Cafeteria.
This is NOT a drop-off event. An adult must be present. Cash will be accepted at the event, but pre-paying for BINGO cards and concessions is preferred.
Volunteers Needed! Please sign-up to help: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0C4BA5AE23AAFC1-olde
The BINGO cards will be reusable. You may purchase additional cards, but each participating child will only need one card.
Buy BINGO Cards and Concessions
For more information, please see the flyer that was sent home in Friday folders today!
Family Heritage Night: April 28th
Plans are in the works for Family Heritage Night, but we need volunteers to help organize the event. Family Heritage Night is scheduled for April 28th. Please email board@oldecreekpta.com if you would be willing to join the committee.
11. February Content Connection
Click here to view the Content Connection - Issue 2. This highlights the great things that are happening in Language Arts, Math & Innovation at Olde Creek and ways you can help at home!
12. Olde Creek Cultural Shares in Counseling
We are celebrating our wonderfully diverse cultures during the month of March. I would like to invite you and/or your child to share your culture during our 30-minute grade level classroom lesson during the week of March 13th. Presentations can be virtual or in person. Some ideas to share include:
- Special celebrations/customs/dress
- Cultural history (age appropriate)
- Music/dance/arts/games
- Pictures/artifacts
- Maps/flags
We thank you in advance for supporting diversity at Olde Creek Elementary and look forward to learning about your wonderful culture. If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact me by email at Jeanna Squif: jmsquif@fpcs.edu. I would be happy to coordinate a time for you to share. Thank you for your support!
13. Olde Creek SCA and Girl Scout Pop Tab Collection
For more information, see the linked flyer!
14. Bears in the Spotlight
We continue to highlight the incredible things our Bears are doing outside of school on our News Show segment titled Bears in the Spotlight! If your student is interested in sharing their skills and talents, please complete this Google form. Examples can include pictures or videos from their games, playing instruments, cooking, singing, etc. We can’t wait to feature our OC Bears on the News Show!
15. OC Staff Shout-outs
Our Olde Creek staff is outstanding and we are grateful for all they do every day! We want to celebrate the extraordinary efforts of our teachers and staff during the 2022-23 school year. If your family would like to give a shout out to an OC staff member, please complete this survey. We recognize our staff in our weekly staff messages, on the morning news, and at staff meetings. Our students have also been sharing great stories and experiences to highlight the exceptional work of our staff.
FCPS CARES
The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for families, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story, so we can all acknowledge the good work of FCPS employees at Olde Creek. We love our staff members; let's tell them how we feel!
16. Olde Creek Yearbooks Now on Sale!
It’s time to order your copy of the 2022-23 Olde Creek Yearbook. Order early and reserve your copy for $16 at this website: www.strawbridge.net.
School Code: YB26259
For more information, view the yearbook flyer here.
17. Our PTA Needs You in 2023-24!
As the end of another school year approaches, students are not the only ones moving on. Parents that have been key leaders are also moving onto other places and responsibilities. The OCES PTA plans and funds events like the Halloween Howl, Laps for Learning and the Sock Hop, to name a few. Our PTA buys books, playground equipment, classroom supplies, helps pay for field trips and more!
See this flyer for more information about how to get involed during the 2023-2024 school year!
18. Tutor.com: Extra Help for Students at No Cost to Families
With Tutor.com through Schoology, FCPS students are able to get learning help at any time, even from bilingual tutors! Students in FCPS meet with tutors thousands of times each week to practice reading, prepare for an upcoming math test, write computer programs, study for the SAT, or to get feedback on scholarship essays–all at no cost to their families! If you haven’t already, we encourage you to take just a few minutes to connect with a tutor with your child. More info about Tutor.com in FCPS is available here.
19. Woodson 2023 International Night
20. Reading Fitness Quest
If your family needs an incentive to stay active and practice reading don’t forget about Olde Creek’s Reading Fitness Quest! Your child can earn 1 point each day (school day or not!) that they read for 20 minutes AND log any type of physical activity for 20 minutes. Both reading and exercise should be done in a single day for a point. The reading and exercising must be done before school, after school (this includes SACC, jump rope club, etc.), on weekends and holidays. The reading needs to be beyond regular daily homework assignments. It can be fiction or non-fiction. The exercise should be heart healthy. Examples of heart healthy exercises are jump rope, jogging, swimming, biking, soccer, and basketball. You or another adult should sign and date a box for each day your child reads and exercises for 20 minutes.
Yellow papers went home in Friday Folders to get your child started with the first 50 days of Reading Fitness Quest. When your child completes the first 50 days, return the paper to Mrs. Chapman or Ms. Alonso for the next paper. Prizes are awarded as students finish each level of Reading Fitness Quest.
They are as follows:
50 points (one sheet) you will earn a white ribbon
100 points (two sheets) you will earn a red ribbon
150 points (three sheets) you will earn a blue ribbon
200 points (four sheets) you will earn a trophy
We will discuss Reading Fitness Quest further in PE classes this week and please reach out to Mrs. Chapman (emchapman@fcps.edu) or Ms. Alonso (amalonso@fcps.edu) with any questions. Reading Fitness Quest will run through May 17, 2023 with that being the last day to turn in any completed sheets! Have fun!
|
21. Contacts
Olde Creek Attendance Phone Line: 703-426-3192
Olde Creek Attendance mailbox: OldeCreekElem.Attendance@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
Melissa Miller, Principal, mhmiller@fcps.edu
Alison Butler, Assistant Principal, ajbutler@fcps.edu
Stephanie Kaminsky, Assistant Principal, sjkaminsky@fcps.edu
Sylvia Alverson, Administrative Assistant, sjalverson@fcps.edu
Ann Platenkamp, Administrative Assistant, amplatenkamp@fcps.edu
Lizardo Santos, Student Information Assistant, LISantos@fcps.edu
Sandy McCulloch, Office Assistant, slmcculloch@fcps.edu
Maria Ruiz, Family Liaison, miriuiz@fcps.edu
22. Be Informed, Stay Involved!
|
