From the Administration
Dear Belvedere Family:
This has been a busy week! On Tuesday, we held the Advanced Academics Program orientation. The gym was filled with students and families who came to learn about Belvedere as they decide on AAP placement for the coming school year. Ms. Lynch, Advanced Academics Resource teacher, Ms. Rogers, PYP coordinator, and the AAP center teachers shared all about what makes our school special.
On Wednesday, Ms. Hoffman, our talented orchestra teacher, led the entire fourth and fifth grade orchestra in a concert. The approximately 130 orchestra students delivered a wonderful performance, first as one orchestra and then as the fifth-grade orchestra. Ms. Hoffman held their attention and conducted the orchestra flawlessly. We are so grateful for all the parent support.
Last night was the kindergarten orientation. How exciting it was to see our next year’s kindergarten students walk through our doors! They are so cute and excited about coming to school. Our wonderful kindergarten team invited families into their classrooms and shared all about the kindergarten program. Ms. Greiner, PTA vice president, spoke to the families about the many ways to join and support the PTA. We also had a group of health department staff ready to support families with access to health care. It was a very successful event.
Next week begins SOL testing. Monday is 5th grade science SOL; Tuesday is 4th grade reading SOL; Wednesday is 3rd grade reading SOL; and Friday is 5th grade reading SOL. If your child is testing, please make sure they get a good night sleep and have breakfast at home or at school.
Thank you for your continued support.
Enjoy the weekend!
Cecilia Vanderhye, Principal, & Kelly Cabezas, Assistant Principal
SOL Testing and Attendance
We wanted to remind you of our upcoming SOL testing schedule. As you know, these tests are an important measure of our students' progress and are required by the state. Please make sure that your child attends school on the day of their test.
We kindly ask that you avoid scheduling any appointments or vacations on these testing days. We understand that unexpected circumstances may arise, but it is essential that your child is present for their test. If your child is absent on the day of their test, they will have to make up the test on a different day.
Please refer to the schedule below for the testing dates for your child's grade level:
May 1: 5th Grade Science
May 2: 4th Grade Reading
May 3: 3rd Grade Reading
May 5: 5th Grade Reading
May 9: 4th Grade Math
May 10: 3rd Grade Math
May 11: 5th Grade Math
Week of May 15: Makeups
Week of May 22 and 30: Retakes
Thank you for your cooperation and continued support in ensuring our students' academic success.
Belvedere Outdoor Club
Outdoor Club is participating in the DC City Nature Challenge on Saturday, April 29, at Kingman Island in Washington, DC. Bus transportation is available from Belvedere and Barcroft View apartments. More information and permission slips were sent home (also available here). Space is limited and participation is first come, first served, as forms are received. Save the date for this year's final Outdoor Club trip on 5/20. Please contact our Environmental Educator, Andrea Auerbach (asauerbach1@fcps.edu) with questions.
2nd Annual Belvedere Field Day
Mark your calendars! Friday June 2nd is our 2nd Annual Belvedere Field Day. Stay tuned for a sign up genius for parent volunteers to help with field day. Field day for 3rd- 5th graders will be in the morning and field day for K-2 will be In the afternoon. If you have any questions please email Abby Novak anovak@fcps.edu or Dan Bowles dbowles@fcps.edu. Thank you, we appreciate your support!
Say “Thank You!” to Your Favorite Teacher
The first full week of May (May 8 to 12) is Teacher Appreciation Week. You can submit a recorded message thanking and celebrating our school’s amazing teachers and staff.
Your video message may be selected to share with our teachers and community on FCPS’ website and social media channels throughout Teacher Appreciation Week. Surprising our teachers and staff with these messages of gratitude and support is part of the fun, so keep your contribution under wraps until May.
More information and a submission form are available online. Please be aware, the submission form requires a Google account. If you do not have a Google account and wish to be part of the celebration, share your messages on social media and tag FCPS on Facebook or Instagram.
From the Counselors
Spring Newsletter
Please check out the latest newsletter from our school counselors!
Parent Workshop in Spanish
There will be a parent workshop in Spanish on May 2nd from 5:30-7:30 pm in the school cafeteria to address effective parental involvement in education for academic success through graduation. Check out the details and register!
Belvedere Career Day
Our 4th and 5th grade students will attend Career Day on Wednesday, May 31 from 940-1140 a.m. Career Day consists of students rotating to four different 20-minute sessions during the morning.
Our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades will have a speaker come in during their classroom school counseling lessons in May.
How can you help? We are seeking parents, family members or neighbors of students from any grade level who are interested in sharing with students about their careers. Those who are interested in participating should be prepared to give a short presentation (15-20 minutes) with time for questions. We hope to gather speakers from a wide variety of careers, to provide students an opportunity to get a closer look at occupations and to learn how the skills they learn every day in school relate to real life.
Download, complete, and return this form if you are interested in presenting!
Reach out to Tracy Ballard: tmballlard@fcps.edu with any questions.
PTA Volunteer Opportunities
Costume Jewelry Donations Needed
The Belvedere PTA will be hosting its annual “Jewelry Shop” in early May. Every Belvedere student will be able to earn a ticket to “shop” for one free piece of costume jewelry for their mother, stepmother, grandmother, or other special person in their life.
We’re collecting donations of gently used:
• necklaces
• bracelets
• pins
• pierced or clip earrings
If you have any costume jewelry you no longer wear, we’d be grateful to have it. The jewelry doesn’t have to be fancy – just something in good condition that might make a student and his or her chosen recipient smile.
We need about 1,000 pieces of jewelry to give the students a wide selection to choose from. We’re also accepting monetary donations to help pay for supplies – tissue paper, gift bags and card tags. Checks can be made payable to “Belvedere PTA” with “jewelry shop” in the memo line.
There’s a donation box in the Belvedere front office or you can contact Ann Sisson at 703-945-0228 or 2esisson@gmail.com to arrange a pick up.
Please submit all donations by May 1st!
Thanks!
Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!
According to a recent study of elementary and middle schools, there is a 5.8% difference between April and June attendance rates. Let's work together to end the school year successfully! Visit our website for attendance resources.
Community Conversation: School Safety and Security
FCPS will host a community conversation to discuss our approach to safety and security, and the work we do every day to keep our schools safe. Join us Monday, May 8, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at South Lakes High School. Registration information will be available soon..
FCPS staff and experts will review our risk assessment processes, the physical measures we already have in place to protect our students and staff, pilot programs to detect vaping, and how we communicate and collaborate with our partners when there is an incident at our schools.
What is ParentVue and How You Can Sign Up
If you do not already have a ParentVUE SIS account, sign up now to monitor and support your child’s academic success! Through ParentVUE, you are able to monitor your student’s attendance, grades, and assignments at any time. You can also access special reports for your student like progress reports and assessments score reports.
Once you have activated a ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same ParentVUE account. SIS ParentVUE can be accessed using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices.
Need help creating a SIS ParentVue account? This video walks you through the steps on how to do so. You can also find out more about SIS ParentVUE on our website.
Update Contact Information in WeCare@School
Within SIS ParentVUE, Fairfax County Public Schools provides weCare@school (weCare), an emergency care information system. weCare helps manage contact and emergency medical information by allowing parents/caregivers to enter and update their children’s data online.
That contact information automatically enrolls parents/caregivers to receive critical updates from the district and their child’s school through the eNotify system. FCPS uses eNotify to communicate emergency, transportation, attendance, weather closing and delay, and essential outreach messages. Messages are sent by email, text, and occasionally by phone. Learn more about updating your emergency care information.
Final Feedback Opportunity - Strategic Plan Survey
FCPS has almost completed the process of drafting a new Strategic Plan, which will guide our school division in the years ahead. Please participate in our brief survey regarding final input on the Strategic Plan’s draft goals, measures, and pillars. The goals are what we want for all students, and the measures are how we will determine our progress in reaching those goals. The pillars are the things that FCPS must do well to reach our goals. Your voice matters! Take the survey.
Thank you for being a part of this important work! Learn more about the Strategic Planning process.
Parent Resource Center Is Now the Family Resource Center
FCPS’ Parent Resource Center has changed its name to the Family Resource Center (FRC), as a way to acknowledge and support the broad diversity of families in our community. The FRC continues to offer a wide range of essential resources and education for caregivers and students including:
Families can find printable resource guides and details about the center’s free lending library on FRC’s homepage. They may also sign up to receive the FRC newsletter for updates on webinars, resources, and other information. If you have questions, please contact the FRC via email at frc@fcps.edu or call 703-204-3941.
Upcoming FRC Webinars
The FRC is hosting the following upcoming webinars. Events are virtual unless stated otherwise:
Click on the titles above for more information or to register for a webinar.
E-IFTA Summer Program Registration is Open
Elementary Institute for the Arts, (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.
- Lake Braddock Secondary School, transportation provided.
- E-IFTA grades 2-5, during the 2022-23 school year.
- 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
- July 5-28, 2023, Register for each week.
- No Tuition for students who qualify for free and reduced lunch.
Download the flyer for all the details and registration information
Join the PAC!
Fairfax County Park Authority Rec-Pac registration is open for summer 2023. Program runs from June 26 - August 3 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. for students in grades 1-6. Read the flier for more details!
Annandale Summer Sports Camps
Looking for fun activities for your child this summer? Annandale High School is offering a variety of summer camps this year for current elementary and middle school students led by our own Annandale coaches. Help spread the word to friends, family and neighbors!
Registration for all camps can be found HERE. See descriptions of the various camps below. More information can be found at AnnandaleAtoms.net.
Campers can bring their lunch or purchase lunch at camp, and they should bring a snack and a water bottle each day. Cash or checks are accepted. Checks should be made out to “Annandale Athletic Boosters”. Payment is due on the first day of camp.
If you have any questions, please email Brandon Sutphin, Director of Student Activities, at basutphin@fcps.edu.
Camp Information
Multi-Sport Camp - Rising 2nd-9th Graders - June 20-23 ($120): Campers will have fun playing a variety of sports including basketball, kickball, volleyball, soccer, and touch football. They will participate in fun contests and win prizes! Campers can bring their lunch or purchase lunch at camp. Hours are 8:30am-3:00pm. Register Here.
Olympics Camp - Rising 2nd-9th Graders - June 26-29 ($120): This exciting camp features team activities including soccer, volleyball, basketball, touch football, and relay races. Campers will also get a chance to compete and earn medals! Campers can bring their lunch or purchase lunch at camp. Hours are 8:30am-3:00pm. Register Here.
For questions about Multi-Sport or Olympics Camps, please reach out to Christopher Bagot, Camp Director and Varsity Coach, at cabagot@fcps.edu.
Basketball - Rising 4th-9th Graders - July 10-14 ($250): Campers will spend each day focused on developing their basketball skills. They will also receive a report card on their basketball abilities, a t-shirt, and a chance to win trophies. Campers can bring their lunch or purchase lunch at camp. Hours are 9:00am to 3:00pm. Register Here.
For questions about Basketball Camp please reach out to Jerome McAvoy, Camp Director and Varsity Coach, at jjmcavoy@fcps.edu.
Girls Field Hockey/Lacrosse - Rising K-9th Grade - July 10-14, July 17-21, & July 24-28 ($120/week): For new athletes and those who have been playing for years, camp will be a fun-filled day of training, group competition, and surprise activities. Campers should bring their lunch each day except Friday when lunch will be provided. Hours are 8:00am-3:00pm. Register Here.
For questions about Girls Field Hockey/Lacrosse Camp please reach out to Janan Gokturk, Camp Director and Assistant Varsity Coach, at jahawthorne@fcps.edu.
Belvedere is on Facebook!
We are thrilled to announce that we have officially launched our Facebook page! This is an exciting step for us as we look to strengthen our connection with families and the wider community.
Our Facebook page will be a hub for all the latest news, events, and activities happening at our school. We will keep you informed about everything from upcoming events to amazing things happening in our classrooms. We'll also be sharing helpful tips and resources to support your child's learning and development.
We're looking forward to engaging with you all on Facebook and keeping you updated on everything that's happening at our school. So be sure to follow our page, and keep an eye out for our upcoming posts. We can't wait to connect with you!
Thank you for your continued support!
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
Medicaid Enrollment Underway
If you have Medicaid/FAMIS/CHIP health insurance, the Medicaid Enrollment Processes began in March. The Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) (Virginia Medicaid) has started to review Medicaid members’ health coverage to determine whether members are eligible for coverage. DMAS will not cancel or reduce coverage for members without asking for updated information, but they need your help to make this a smooth process. Make sure your current mailing address, email, and phone numbers are up-to-date so that important information about your coverage gets to you. Update your contact information today online at commonhelp.virginia.gov, or by calling Cover Virginia at 1-855-242-8282 or your local Department of Social Services .If you need any assistance or have any questions, contact Cover Virginia at 1-855-242-8282 or your local Department of Social Services.
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!
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.
Questions or concerns? Email bespta.va@gmail.com.
Upcoming Dates
- Monday, May 29 - No School (Memorial Day)
- Friday, June 16 - Last Day of School!
Keep in Touch
Visit the Belvedere website
Report student absences
Bus Delay Website
Follow Belvedere on Twitter
Change your email preferences
FCPS Calendar: 2022-2023
|
