 We love to see our students all smiles during the week!
Dear Bucknell Families,
Happy Friday! We have had an awesome week at Bucknell! Thank you to all of the families, staff, and teachers who celebrated Principal Day with both of us. We’re truly grateful for all of your support and love that we feel each and every day.
Thank you also to families for your hard work and persistent effort in ensuring that students come to school daily. We are committed to finishing the year strong.
Next week is Staff Appreciation Week! Please join us in celebrating our staff by doing the following optional activities.
Monday - Give some words of affirmation by writing a song, poem, or letter
Tuesday - Show love to your teacher by giving them a hug, smile, wave, or high five throughout the day
Wednesday - Spending quality time doing the things they love (being a reader, mathematician, historian and scientist, etc.)
Thursday - Spoil your teacher with their favorite treat
Friday - Find or make a flower to give your teacher
Next week will begin our Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments for Grades 3-6. Please make sure that your child gets a good night’s rest and eats a healthy breakfast.
Enjoy the weekend!
Please click here for the entire newsletter in additional languages.
Sincerely,
Rashida Green, Principal
Gina Toler, Assistant Principal
Follow Bucknell ES on Twitter: @BucknellElem
Estimadas familias de Bucknell,
¡Feliz viernes! ¡Hemos tenido una semana increíble en Bucknell! Gracias a todas las familias, el personal y los maestros que celebraron el Día del Director con los dos. Estamos realmente agradecidos por todo su apoyo y amor que sentimos todos los días.
Gracias también a las familias por su arduo trabajo y esfuerzo persistente para garantizar que los estudiantes vengan a la escuela todos los días. Estamos comprometidos a terminar el año con fuerza.
¡La próxima semana es la Semana de Apreciación del Personal! Únase a nosotros para celebrar a nuestro personal realizando las siguientes actividades opcionales.
Lunes - Dar algunas palabras de afirmación escribiendo una canción, poema o carta
Martes : muestre amor a su maestro dándole un abrazo, una sonrisa, un saludo o chocar los cinco durante todo el día
Miércoles - Pasar tiempo de calidad haciendo las cosas que aman (ser lector, matemático, historiador y científico, etc.)
Jueves - Mima a tu profesor con su golosina favorita
Viernes - Encuentra o haz una flor para regalar a tu profesor
La próxima semana comenzaremos nuestras evaluaciones de Estándares de Aprendizaje (SOL) para los grados 3-6. Asegúrese de que su hijo descanse bien por la noche y coma un desayuno saludable.
¡Disfruta del fin de semana!
Haga clic aquí para ver el boletín completo en idiomas adicionales.
Sinceramente
Rashida Green, Directora
Gina Toler, Subdirectora
Siga a Bucknell ES en Twitter: @BucknellElem
Join us in Celebrating Staff Appreciation Week - May 8-12
Let's celebrate our teachers by showing them love!
Monday - Give some words of affirmation by writing a song, poem, or letter
Tuesday - Show love to your teacher by giving them a hug, smile, wave, or high five throughout the day
Wednesday - Spending quality time doing the things they love (being a reader, mathematician, historian and scientist, etc.)
Thursday - Spoil your teacher with their favorite treat
Friday - Find or make a flower to give your teacher
*All of the above suggestions are optional.
PTA-Sponsored Breakfast Potluck for Staff!
Sign up here to support our hard-working Bucknell staff next week! https://forms.gle/t6J9RSACnBFKwbxu5
Before school on Wednesday, May 10, we are asking Bucknell families to contribute a hot or cold "family favorite" dish to surprise our hard-working Bucknell staff - not just your child(ren)'s teacher(s), but everyone who works at our school, from the administration and office staff to the custodial team and food service staff. Sweet/dessert dishes are welcome too! It does not have to be a typical American "breakfast" food either. The more personal to your own family, the better. Purchased dishes are gratefully received, if you do not have the time to make something at home!
If you are able to contribute a dish to make this a special surprise breakfast for our staff, please bring it to the front office by 8:30am on Wednesday, May 10 in a disposable container, to allow for easy clean-up.
For any questions you may have, please email us: 🙂
Neil Sullivan, PTA President: neil.james.sullivan@gmail.com OR text 571-419-2081
Candace Kramer, PTA Staff Appreciation Lead: candacemkramer@gmail.com
Fun Friday at Bucknell! May 12th at 4pm
Please save the date for Fun Friday at Bucknell! On Firday, May 12th at 4pm, West Potomac High School will be faciliating an opportunity for Bucknell students to learn and practice various athetlic skills with coaches and student athletes from the high school.
The following sports will be represented:
- Field Hockey
- Cheer
- Basketball
Permission slips were in Thursday folders. Please return to Mr. Hargrove, our PE teacher.
Yearbooks are on Sale Now!!
Yearbooks are now on sale and will arrive at Bucknell the first week in June. You can purchase your yearbook in advance! Yearbooks are $15 if you purchase before Friday, June 2nd and $20 if you purchase after Friday, June 2nd. Please bring your money to the main office.
Upcoming PTA Meetings This May
There are two opportunities to engage with us this month through your Bucknell PTA. The first is our quarterly, in-person "Coffee & Conversations" with Principal Green in the Bucknell Library at 9AM on Wednesday, May 17. This is an open forum for families to ask questions and meet other Bucknell families. All families are welcome to attend (including preschool-age children!), and we will provide light breakfast and drinks courtesy of the Bucknell PTA. Do not miss this opportunity if your schedule allows - this is the last of these for the school year!
We are also preparing for our final virtual PTA meeting of the school year, on Monday, May 22 at 6PM. We will be discussing exciting plans for your Bucknell PTA next year, and officially voting-in our new leadership! Everyone is invited to attend (this includes staff) and the best part is you can log-on from the comfort of your own home! We encourage all who can to join us, so we can celebrate all the things achieved this school year.
We hope to see you at either (or both!) of these events. If you have questions or need more information, please reach out (in English or Spanish) to our PTA President, Neil Sullivan: neil.james.sullivan@gmail.com
PTA Event:Join Us for Chalk It Up 2!
On Wednesday, March 24, our "Chalk it Up", our family-friendly sidewalk chalk art event is back for a second year! We will have lots of sidewalk chalk for artists of all ages to decorate the sidewalks of Bucknell, music, good times, and free ICE POPS! We will meet by Door #1 (the main front entrance). As with every and any PTA event, it is free and open to ALL, always. If you are a new family starting at Bucknell next school year, we would love to see you there too! This is a great opportunity to socialize with other school families, neighbors, and staff.
We are also gratefully accepting any donations of sidewalk chalk in the front office, if you are able to contribute or share as we prepare for this fun event.
Questions? Contact Bucknell PTA President Neil Sullivan: neil.james.sullivan@gmail.com or text: 571-419-2081
It's Kindergarten Registration Time!
FCPS recognizes that parents are their children’s first teachers. Resources on the School Readiness and Transition to Kindergarten webpage provide parents with ways to support their children to help ensure a successful transition to kindergarten.
There’s an easy to follow five step process outlined for parents registering their children for kindergarten. Register your child today.
Please reach out to our registrar, Karen Salinas, to make sure your child is registered for Kindergarten! You can call 703-660-2900 or email her at ksalinas@fcps.edu
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Mental Health Care for High Schoolers
- Register Today for FCPS Summer Camps
- Student Bus Passes
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, sign up today.
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 FCPS’ website for attendance resources.
Special Education Workshop Series - Spring 2023
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.
FCPS is in the process of updating the Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) document for the 2023-24 School Year. The SR&R provides clear expectations for student behavior, responses to that behavior, and support that may be needed. If you haven’t already, please provide feedback on the proposed changes by 8 p.m. Friday, April 21. Please check your email for a message from Fairfax County Public Schools, dated Tuesday, April 18, which contains the survey link.
COVID-19 Booster Vaccines
What Is ParentVUE and How Can You 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.
Social Emotional Learning Screener Reports
Twice a year, students in grades 3-12 share their perspectives on how well their school and community help them develop skills they need to succeed through the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener. These skills include achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships with adults and peers, and making responsible decisions. Students also share how successful their school and community are at making them feel valued, included, and supported. These factors are critical to positive academic, social, and emotional success.
Spring 2023 SEL Screener results will be mailed to families in mid-May. The Social Emotional Learning Screener Parent/Guardian Report and Guide has been updated to better reflect how SEL Screener results are used to support school and districtwide planning, in addition to supports for individual students. Visit the FCPS SEL Screener webpage for information in multiple languages, including tips for talking with your student about the report and strategies for strengthening SEL at home.
Get to Know FCPS and the Resources Available to Families
Being connected to your school community helps you stay informed and support your child’s success. Take some time to get familiar with the many resources and tools available to FCPS families, including:
There’s an easy to follow five-step process outlined for parents registering their children for kindergarten. Be sure to register your child ASAP!
Office of the Ombuds: At Your Service!
Do you have questions or concerns about Fairfax County Public Schools? If so, reach out to the Office of the Ombuds, an independent, impartial, informal, and confidential resource for employees, parents/caregivers, students, and the community. Ombuds staff members are eager to listen and assist with navigating the school division. They will also offer options and resources to help resolve challenges.
Contact the Office of the Ombuds at 571-423-4014, at ombuds@fcps.edu, or via the “Submit a Question” button on their webpage. The team looks forward to serving you!
Underage Substance Use Prevention
Final Feedback Opportunity on Draft Strategic Plan
If you haven’t already, please participate in the final opportunity to provide feedback on the draft Strategic Plan goals, measures, and pillars. Take the survey today! Feedback will be reviewed by the School Board at their May 9 retreat. It will also be discussed at the May 25 Board meeting. The survey will close Wednesday, May 17. Visit FCPS’ website to learn about the strategic planning process.
An Update on ESSER Funding, and the Proposal for 2023-2024
In the fall of 2021, FCPS received $188.8 million in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) funding to support the safe operation of schools and address the impacts of COVID-19 on students.
Last week, Sloan Presidio, FCPS’ chief academic officer, presented the proposed ESSER expenditures for the 2023-24 school year, the last year of ESSER funding. This funding is in addition to the FCPS operating budget and is specifically targeting the impacts of COVID-19.
The proposed plan presented at the recent School Board Meeting is intended to maximize the dollars remaining in our funding. At least 20% of the funding must be spent toward unfinished learning. The proposed plan has nearly 80% of ESSER funds allocated to support student learning needs. Read more about the plan.
Revive! Opioid Overdose and Naloxone Education
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.
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
People with ancestral roots in Asia and the islands of the Pacific have been integral to the story of America. In 1992, May was designated Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month to celebrate their heritage and contributions.Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.
Mental Health Awareness Month/Wear Green Day
Jewish American Heritage Month
May is a national month of recognition of the history of Jewish contributions to American culture, acknowledging the diverse achievement of the Jewish community in the U.S. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.
Better Hearing and Speech Month
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Highlight and celebrate your school’s speech language pathologists, audiologists, and teachers for the deaf and hard of hearing.
National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
Started by the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition in 1983, this advocacy month is aimed at encouraging Americans to adopt healthy lifestyles.
National School Nurse Day - May 10th
National School Nurse Day is Wednesday, May 10. It is a day to recognize the many contributions that school nurses make to student health and learning.
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) appreciates the role of School Public Health Nurses (PHNs) for their contribution to the health and welfare of all our students. Professional school nurses support the needs of students through their delivery of healthcare, contributions to local school communities, and promotion of safety, prevention, and wellness throughout the year. They are advocates who bridge healthcare and education by supporting student health and readiness to learn. School nurses are essential to our community and work tirelessly to make a positive impact in the lives of their students.
Please join us in thanking the PHNs for their hard work and dedication to FCPS students.
Memorial Day Holiday - May 29th
As a reminder, all schools and offices will be closed on Monday, May 29, for the Memorial Day holiday. Classes will resume on Tuesday, May 30. See the complete 2022-23 school year calendar.
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May 8-12: Staff Appreciation Week
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May 3: Special Education Support Group at 6pm
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May 9: SOLs - 3rd Grade Reading, 5th Grade Science
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May 10: SOLs - 4th Grade Reading, 6th Grade Reading
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May 12: Fun Friday at Bucknell at 4pm
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May 16: SOLs - 5th Grade Reading
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May 23: SOLs - 3rd Grade Math, 5th Grade Math
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May 24: SOLs - 4th Grade Math, 6th Grade Math
- May 29: Memorial Day - No School
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June 7: Concert of the Arts (Band, Strings, Chorus, and Art)
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June 13: Field Day + 6th Grade v. Staff Kickball Game
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Thursday, June 15th: 6th Grade Promotion Ceremony + Bucky's Big Night Out
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Friday, June 16th: Talent Show
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