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To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.
Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.
ይህንን ዜና መፅሄት በሌሎች ቋንቋዎች ለማንበብ፤ እባክዎን ድረ ገፃችንን ይጎብኙ።
.يرجى زيارة موقعنا الألكتروني لقراءة هذه النشرة الإخبارية بلغات أخرى
اس نیوزلیٹر کو دوسری زبانوں میں پڑھنے کیلئے ، براہ مہربانی ہماری ویب سائیٹ ملاحظہ کیجیئے۔
Dear Franconia District Families,
I hope you and your family are enjoying a wonderful, relaxing summer!
Last night was our Board’s final meeting prior to our four week summer recess. As is tradition, we held our reorganizational meeting. Congratulations to Elaine Tholen and Karl Frisch for being elected as the School Board’s new Chair and Vice Chair.
As I step down from my role as our Board’s Vice Chair, I am reflective, knowing that I have had the privilege of serving as either the Board’s Chair or Vice Chair four times during my twelve years of School Board service. I have thoroughly enjoyed this work and I am honored that my colleagues had placed this trust in me.
As I look back upon this last year, there were of course challenges, but through our collective work our Board has accomplished many milestones that will ensure that our students achieve success and reach their fullest potential.
We have:
- Welcomed and successfully onboarded Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid;
- With the help of our community, developed and adopted our new Strategic Plan. This plan will foster a school environment where every student feels safe, supported, included and empowered. Read here for more information on this plan.
- Created our Educational Equity Policy that will ensure access and opportunity for all students based upon their strengths and needs. Read the news release about the adoption of the Equity Policy
- Continued our work on our Special Education Enhancement Plan working to address and improve outcomes for students with IEPs and 504 plans. For more information on the Special Education Enhancement Plan, click here.
- Increased our safety and student supports. We are ahead of schedule with our security upgrades. We have engaged the community and are partnering with the county working to improve mental health supports and substance abuse prevention. And, we are transforming school food and nutrition initiatives with more exciting news to come next year!
I also wanted to share some volunteer opportunities in the Franconia District including some important school and county programs available to our students and families.
I hope that you continue to recharge this summer and spend time with family and friends.
I'm excited to see students and families at our upcoming open houses and Back To School events this fall!
Until then - enjoy the sunshine!
Tammy
A special thank you to Nithy Pelekasis (pictured above), a rising sophomore at Edison High School, for sharing her talents by singing the National Anthem last evening at our Regular School Board Meeting – watch her performance by clicking here or on the image above.
Volunteer Opportunities in the Franconia District
I have three volunteer opportunities for the 2023-2024 school year. This is a great opportunity to become more involved with education policy.
If you are interested in serving on either of these opportunities below, please email a short statement on why you are interested along with a copy of your resume to Cheryl Austin.
_______________________________________________
Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee (CTEAC)
I am looking for an appointee to serve as the Franconia District Representative on the Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee (CTEAC) for the 2023-2024 School Year.
This committee provides recommendations to the School Board on current job needs and the relevancy of career and technical educations programs.
The committee meets monthly and is a one-year term.
The Family Life Education Curriculum Advisory Committee (FLECAC) provides advice end recommendations to the curriculum coordinator as goals, objectives, media, and special instructional materials are developed.
The committee meets monthly and is a one-year term.
2024-2025 Basal Resources Adoption Committee: Elementary Language Arts
FCPS will be engaging the basal resource adoption process for Elementary Language Arts. The process, governed by FCPS regulation 3004.5, will include both a community review period and a deep review by a committee made up of representatives from a variety of stakeholder groups - teachers, administrators, and community members.
Appointed representatives must be able to meet in person from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on these dates: July 31, August 1, August 3, August 7, August 8, August 9, and August 10, 2023 at Luther Jackson Middle School.
Once these processes are complete, the recommended resources will be brought to the Board for approval, tentatively scheduled for November 2023 for K-3 and April 2024 for 4-6.
Lewis High School Graduates Return To Open 6th Grade Time Capsule
 From Top Left Clockwise: Former Lynbrook ES students opening their time capsules; Josue Delarca sharing the letter he wrote back in sixth grade; a Lewis High School graduating senior hugging Ms. Casual his former sixth grade teacher; time capsule box
A former Lynbrook Elementary School teacher, Wendy Casual, returned to her classroom where six years ago - her students built time capsules to be opened when her students graduated from high school. The time capsule boxes include notes, pictures, projects and letters they wrote to their future selves at the time.
Read the full story here.
Getting A Head Start On A Lifetime of Learning: Pre-K
 PreK is a full-day program that primarily serves income-eligible children who are four years old by September 30. There are limited spaces available in select schools for children who are three years old by September 30.
If your family qualifies for free or reduced school lunch or you are currently receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, you are eligible to apply.
Enrollment is based on need; it is not based on a first-come, first-served basis.
Call the office at 703-208-7900 (English) or 703-208-7901 (Spanish), and a staff member will ask you questions that will screen you for eligibility to apply.
PreK does not have classrooms in every elementary school, so your child may be accepted to a classroom that is not at his or her base school.
FCPS Summer Meal Program
The Office of Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) will be hosting the Summer 2023 Summer Meal Service at schools throughout FCPS.
Meals will be provided to all children without charge and are the same for all children. Meals will be served in the school cafeteria, with a few exceptions noted in the link below. Meals will be provided on a first come, first serve basis, at the sites and times.
FNS will offer no-cost breakfast and lunch to all children 18 years of age and younger. There is no registration involved and everyone is welcome! Meals must be consumed on site.
Below is a list of Franconia District Schools:
 For more information and to check out the sites and times, click here.
Fairfax County School Board Adopts Updates to Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) Document for School Year 2023-24
The Fairfax County School Board approved changes to the Students Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) document. Updates include a revision of dress code expectations, bystander expectations for students witnessing harmful or unsafe behaviors, bullying and substance abuse response.
Read the full article here.
Student Representative Elected to School Board for 2023-24 School Year
 Rida Karim, a sophomore at Woodson High School, has been elected by the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council to serve a one-year term as student representative to the Fairfax County School Board, beginning July 1.
Rida has three main focuses as student representative: ensuring equity in education, empowering students to recognize their self-worth, and making learning enjoyable for students so they can understand the significance of their education. Read more about Rida.
EPA Invites Youth to Serve on Agency’s First-Ever National Environmental Youth Advisory Council
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the formal establishment of the agency’s first-ever National Environmental Youth Advisory Council (NEYAC). The NEYAC will provide independent advice and recommendations to Administrator Michael S. Regan on how to increase EPA’s efforts to address a range of environmental issues as they relate to youth communities. The NEYAC will provide a critical perspective on how the impacts of climate change and other environmental harms affect youth communities. The Administrator announced his intent to launch the youth council last June at the Austrian World Summit.
EPA is soliciting applications for youth to fill 16 vacancies on the NEYAC. Selected applicants will contribute to a balance of perspectives, backgrounds, and experience of the council and will be appointed by the Administrator. As a first-of-its-kind committee, all members of NEYAC will be between the ages of 16 and 29.
As part of the agency’s commitment to centering environmental justice communities, at least 50% of the overall membership of NEYAC will come from, reside primarily in, and/or do most of their work in disadvantaged communities as defined by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) as part of Justice40.
“We can’t tackle the environmental challenges of our time without input from our younger communities, who’ve long been at the forefront of social movements,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “This committee will help ensure that the voices and perspectives of our youth are included and valued in EPA’s decision-making as we continue to advance President Biden’s commitment to ensuring everyone in this country has access to clean air, safe water and healthy land, now and for generations to come.”
Applications to the NEYAC are due by August 22, 2023 at 11:59PM ET. To apply for appointment to the council, the below information is required:
- Contact information
- Resume OR short biography OR qualification essay
- Statement of interest
- Media Project
Visit the EPA NEYAC webpage for more information on the council and to apply.
EPA will be hosting a virtual application webinar where the public can ask EPA staff questions live. The webinar will be on Zoom and will be hosted on Monday, August 7, 2023 @ 12PM – 1PM ET // Register here
2023 Summer Reading Program - Fairfax County Public Library
 The Fairfax County Public Library has launched their Summer Reading Adventure for both children and adults. Here are the details to participate:
- Go to fairfaxcounty.beanstack.org and register for the Summer Reading Adventure appropriate for you or your children.
- Depending on your age, earn ten or fifteen virtual badges by reading or listening to books, reading for 20 or 30 minutes, completing activities or a combination of all three.
- Once you have earned your badges, visit your local library branch and receive prizes.
For more information, visit Youth Summer Reading 2023 and Adult Summer Reading 2023.
Watch our Learn About Summer Reading Adventure: All Together Now video.
The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.
© Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
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