From the Administration
Dear Belvedere Family:
Thank you to those of you who attended the PTA meeting this past Wednesday. We are so grateful to all of you for supporting out school. One of the many ways in which you support us is by paying for buses for two fieldtrips per grade level. These trips are thoughtfully planned and enrich our curriculum tremendously. Thank you!
Yesterday afternoon, some Belvedere staff members participated in the play date at Barcroft view apartments. The play date was a huge success. The students were so excited to see those of you who were able to participate. A special Thank You goes out to Margaret Summers, fifth grade teacher, for organizing this event.
As you know, Kiss and Ride time in the afternoon can be challenging. We have many parents picking up students and the line is long. We also have neighbors who struggle with the traffic that, at times, blocks their driveways and makes driving along Whispering Lane challenging. If you use Kiss and Ride, please be mindful of our neighbors and do not block their driveways. Thank you for helping us make arrival and dismissal safe for all.
Cecilia Vanderhye, Principal
Kelly Cabezas, Assistant Principal
From the Administration
Dear Belvedere Family:
Thank you to those of you who attended the PTA meeting this past Wednesday. We are so grateful to all of you for supporting out school. One of the many ways in which you support us is by paying for buses for two fieldtrips per grade level. These trips are thoughtfully planned and enrich our curriculum tremendously. Thank you!
Yesterday afternoon, some Belvedere staff members participated in the play date at Barcroft view apartments. The play date was a huge success. The students were so excited to see those of you who were able to participate. A special Thank You goes out to Margaret Summers, fifth grade teacher, for organizing this event.
As you know, Kiss and Ride time in the afternoon can be challenging. We have many parents picking up students and the line is long. We also have neighbors who struggle with the traffic that, at times, blocks their driveways and makes driving along Whispering Lane challenging. If you use Kiss and Ride, please be mindful of our neighbors and do not block their driveways. Thank you for helping us make arrival and dismissal safe for all.
Cecilia Vanderhye, Principal
Kelly Cabezas, Assistant Principal
Your Views and Opinions Are Important to Us!
On Monday, March 13, Belvedere parents/guardians will be contacted through email with a link to the FCPS Principal Evaluation Parent/Guardian Feedback Form Online. This questionnaire is part of the Performance Evaluation Program and offers parents/guardians an opportunity to provide anonymous input about various topics related to our school. These topics include instructional leadership, school climate, management (human resources and organizational), communication and community relations, culturally responsive and equitable leadership, and professionalism.
The questionnaire will be collected online between March 13 and March 24. When you receive an email from FCPS Surveys, please take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire. Your opinions matter!
Author Visit and Family STEM Night - March 16
Join us on Thursday, March 16th in the Gym at 6:30 for an evening author visit and family STEM night with Erin Teagan! Preorder books by March 2nd
Check out all the details
Spring Picture Day - March 6
Belvedere’s Picture day is Monday, March 6th ! The office is looking for 2-3 parent volunteers to help organize students in the gym for picture day from 9:15am-3pm. Please email Ms. M in the front office, ksmoreira@fcps.edu, if you are interested!”
Here is a link to order pictures online. Paper copies were sent home to families earlier this week.
Community Meeting - Justice High School Addition
There will be a community meeting on Tuesday, March 7 from 6:30-7:30 pm in the Justice High School Auditorium for families to learn more about what to expect as the addition project enters the construction phase. There will also be an option to join the meeting virtually via Zoom. Read all the details!
Parent Internet Activity Reports
Our School Counselors and Technology Specialist hosted a wonderful parent coffee this week to discuss online safety. We encourage you to monitor your child's online activities and have discussions with them about their digital footprints. We suggest using the applications Bark or Qustodio to monitor activity on personal devices, such as phones and/or tablets.
Additionally, FCPS parents who are interested in knowing more about their child’s Internet browsing activity on an FCPS device can sign up to receive a weekly Parent Report from Lightspeed, our internet content filtering service. The report provides a list of the top sites the child visited that week.
Additionally, if parents wish to get more detailed information, the weekly Parent Report offers parents the ability to self-sign-up to the free Internet Use Parent Portal. Parents who sign up for the Internet Use Parent Portal can log-in any time to see a little more detail about their child’s internet browsing. The portal also offers the parent added ability to “pause” access to the internet during non-school hours on the FCPS device.
Interested parents can submit a request directly from the Technology Support for Families page for weekly Parent Reports. FCPS will validate the enrolling parent’s email in SIS, and once processed, the parent will receive a weekly report over each weekend from our internet content filtering service, Lightspeed. Feel free to include this information in any newsletters or informational outreach to FCPS parents.
Early Childhood and PreK Registration
Fairfax County Public Schools offers programs for the youngest learners through several programs.
Community liaisons are available to assist families with the registration process and answer any questions. For more information, visit the Early Childhood Registration webpage.
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.
Strategic Planning
Next week, FCPS will be seeking your feedback on the school division’s progress with developing our new Strategic Plan. Since last fall, thousands of students, staff, families, and community members have contributed to the strategic planning process by participating in focus groups, planning teams, community forums, and surveys. Parents/caregivers and community members will be invited to provide feedback on the work that’s been done thus far by completing a survey. Your input will help us know whether we are headed in the right direction—one that will help ensure a thriving future for every FCPS student.
Please keep an eye out for the survey link starting early next week. Visit our Strategic Planning webpage for more details.
Providing a Safe and Welcoming Space
The FCPS Trust Policy supports a continued commitment to foster a caring culture and strives to provide a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space for all students and families in our schools. The policy ensures that FCPS students and families can access FCPS benefits and services without fear that information will be disclosed, directly or indirectly, to federal immigration officials.
Summer Learning Opportunities
Tech Adventure Camps Summer 2023
This weekly summer program gives students the opportunity to explore exciting paths in Career and Technical Education, including STEAM, culinary, health, trades, and computer science.
Open to students in grades K-6 during the 2022-23 school year. Students currently in grades 7-11 may participate in CTE Summer Academy. Space is limited and registration is on a first-come basis until seats are filled.
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Host School: Lake Braddock Secondary
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Tuition: $275 per week
- Students eligible for free and reduced lunch: No tuition.*
*To be eligible, students must apply on Free and Reduced Meals website. You must allow your benefits to be shared or submit the Consent to Share Information Form.
Elementary Institute for the Arts (E-IFTA): Camps and Institutes
A summer exploration of the arts for elementary school students currently in grades 2-5.
E-IFTA is a weekly arts camp for elementary-aged students who love to sing, dance, act, perform, make, and create. Students take part in four classes every day related to dance, music, theatre, and visual art. They work with FCPS fine arts teachers who create classes that are fun and engaging.
Registrations open February 1st
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Program Cost: $265 a week (week one is a reduced week $159).
- Students eligible for free and reduced lunch: No tuition.*
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Program Dates: July 5-28, 2023
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Program Times: 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
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Host School: Lake Braddock Secondary
*To be eligible, students must apply on Free and Reduced Meals website. You must allow your benefits to be shared or submit the Consent to Share Information Form.
For more information contact: EIFTA@fcps.edu
Youth Substance Use Presentations
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:
Monday, March 6, 2023 6-8pm
@Justice HS Library
Click here to view the flyer with additional details.
From the Belvedere School Counseling Team
Rising 6th Grade Course Selections
Course selections are DUE in the google form in Schoology by March 15, 2023. Counselors are able to make changes until the deadline. Please reach out to Paige Simpson or Tracy Ballard with questions or concerns about academic advising!
National School Social Work Week
March 5-10 is National School Social Work Week. Social workers in FCPS help to prevent social, emotional, and behavioral factors from affecting a student's ability to perform at their best. Their primary goal is to remove barriers that prevent a student from fulfilling their academic potential. Social workers are assigned to every school and center in the school system. Most social workers serve one to two sites. Learn more about the role of social workers in FCPS.
Equity in Education Month
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)—in conjunction with the Virginia School Boards Association—observes March as Equity in Education Month, a division-wide opportunity to deepen our commitment to creating a climate and curriculum where all students receive the resources they need to reach their fullest potential.
PTA Volunteer Opportunities
Want to help? We have many ways
Silent Auction this April!
Please join us in making this year's silent auction the best yet! We are looking for people to help us get donations, set up the website, and even help organize an in person portion. If you can help with anything, even have some suggestions for some auction items- LET US KNOW! Join us in bringing in some funds to help our incredible school and hopefully have some fun too. I am hoping to have a "party" during the last hours of the auction for all volunteers so we can enjoy our hard work together. If interested in joining Maddie and Theresa please email at theresacanopa@gmail.com or snowbird_105@yahoo.com
Family Center Needs
The Family Center is running low on boys and girls pants, especially big sizes (8, 10 , 12) . We would appreciate any new or gently used donations.
Dads @ Belvedere
Dads at Belvedere (formerly Watch D.O.G.S.) is a program to help our school be positively impacted by the committed involvement of fathers and father-figures in their student’s life. Our goal is to have you spend at least one day this year at the school to be a positive male role-model. Dads this is your chance to get involved in a fun atmosphere at school!
Dads will volunteer at the school for one full day. School will provide the schedule to include activities such as: recess, lunch, specials, classroom time, etc.
Our kids love seeing the grown-ups in their life at school! Additionally, Dads are demonstrating through their presence that education is important.
Sign up for a day on our calendar using the Signup Genius below:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090449A4A722A64-dads
Buses and Delays
If a student’s bus is delayed, parents may access the Bus Delay Notification System or use the Here Comes the Bus mobile app to receive the delayed bus report. Use code 28982 when registering for Here Comes the Bus.
PTA News
Join the PTA!
To purchase a membership or make a direct donation, please go to belvederepta.memberhub.com/store and choose your membership type (Staff $5 or Parent $10) and/or select Direct Donation to make a one-time or recurring donation. Thank you again for supporting the Belvedere PTA!
Questions or concerns? Email bespta.va@gmail.com.
Support the Belvedere PTA
Our PTA supports Belvedere in myriad ways: organizing school events, enrichment and outreach activities; providing funding for field trips, library books, and technology in the classroom; and building a school community outside the classroom.
There are several ways to support the PTA:
Upcoming Dates
- Monday, March 6: Spring Picture Day
- Monday-Friday, April 3-7: Spring Break
- Thursday, April 13- Early Release
- Friday, April 14 - Student Holiday (Teacher Workday)
- Friday, April 21 - No School (Eid al Fitr)
Keep in Touch
Daily Health Screening Questionnaire
Health and Safety Guidance Webpage
Visit the Belvedere website
Report student absences
Bus Delay Website
Follow Belvedere on Twitter
Follow our PTA on Facebook
Change your email preferences
FCPS Calendar: 2022-2023
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