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Dear Freedom Hill Community,
We hope the summer is well for you and your family! It is hard to believe that we are only 12 days away from a new school year. Whether you are a returning family or joining our community for the first time, we are delighted to have you with us! This year we continue our mission of knowing your child(ren) by name and by need, and by finding success through a cultural of belonging and of educational excellence. The new FCPS Strategic Plan will also be guiding our learning.
At the center of all successful schools is an engaged, informed community. To this end we will be continuing to provide families with important updates each weekend through our newsletter. We urge you to continue reading our updates so that you have an awareness of all of our school events, announcements, and the stories of the great work of our students.
We've had many families reach out this summer asking "how can I help in this coming school year?" As you likely know, the nation is currently faced with a significant teacher and school staff shortage. While we are nearly fully staffed at Freedom Hill, we are looking for interested individuals to serve in a variety of essential support capacities. Here are a few opportunities - we ask your help in spreading these to any interested individuals:
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Student monitors - we are searching for one additional individual who will provide support to students throughout the school day at lunch, at recess, and around the school. This is a 7.0 hour per day role, and more information is provided below.
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Daily substitutes - having a pool of consistent, engaged substitutes ensures that our students continue their learning when their teacher is not able to be at school. In order to ensure that our students are safe and supported each day, we would like to develop a list of 5 Freedom Hill community members who are interested in substituting consistently. If interested, please apply on the FCPS website and send an email to Ms. Cadena-Gonce and Dr. Zapadka.
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PTA Support - we encourage all families to join our fabulous PTA! Each weekend, we will advertise additional volunteerism opportunities. Please see the bottom of the newsletter.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. Thank you for entrusting us with your child's education. We are looking forward to seeing you next Friday at Open House!
In partnership,
Nicholas Zapadka, Principal
Eric Kopacz, Asst. Principal
 Our office staff is thrilled to serve you again this year! Pictured from left to right:
- Ms. Cadena-Gonce - Office Assistant
- Mrs. Harris - Admin. Assistant / Office Manager
- Dr. Zapadka - Principal
- Mr. Kopacz - Assistant Principal
- Ms. Sujo - Student Information Assistant / Registrar
- Mrs. Kelly - School-Based Technology Specialist
2023-24 FCPS School Calendar
FCPS Lunch Menu
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August 12 - Rising Kindergarten Playdate, 10:00-11:00
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August 18 - Open House for Students, 9:00-11:15 (see schedule)
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August 21 - First Day of School - Student Arrival 9:05-9:20
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August 29 - Back to School Night for Families, 6:00
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September 8 - PTA Back to School Picnic, 5:30
Each year we welcome families into the building the day before school for you to have an opportunity to meet your child’s teacher, to drop off school supplies, and to see their classroom. To alleviate parking and interior crowding, we will offer several sessions on Friday:
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9:00 - 9:45 - Adapted Programs: PAC, EAC, ID, IDS, and Preschool Class-based
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10:00 - 10:30 - Student Last Names A-L
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10:45 - 11:15 - Student Last Names M-Z
Some other details:
- You will meet your child's teacher and visit the classroom to explore the safe and welcoming environment that our incredible teachers have created.
- Open House is a great time to drop off any medications in the school clinic, and pick up a Kiss 'N Ride number in the office if you will be picking up your student at the end of the school day.
- The PTA will be selling FH spirit wear, and several community groups will be sharing more information on their programs.
- If you cannot attend the Open House, staff members will be available on the first day of school to assist students in locating their classrooms.
Class/teacher placements have been finalized and will be communicated through SIS ParentVUE by August 17th. If you do not have a SIS ParentVue account, we recommend signing up for one now. The instructions can be found HERE and if you need your activation code, please reach out to Ms. Sujo in the front office.
Additionally, transportation information will be provided by the FCPS Office of Transportation prior to the start of the school year. The office has not communicated an exact date yet but they will communicate prior to the first day via email, or via SIS ParentVue. If you have questions about your child's transportation, please reach out to FCPS Office of Transportation Area 2 at 703-446-2050.
School supply lists for the 2023-24 school year can be found on our website. Families who ordered Sprout supply kits will have them delivered directly to their student's classroom upon arrival. |
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This year we are expanding our social media footprint! Freedom Hill has amazing things happening and we are always looking forward to connecting with our families in new and creative ways. Please be sure to follow us on the following social media pages to stay up to date with the latest information. We are currently using these to introduce our new staff!
As we plan for the 2023-2024 school year, we are seeking to hire monitors to supervise students at various periods during their school day. The hiring of monitors will promote additional valuable planning time for our teachers on a consistent basis and is required per new county regulations. These are hourly paid positions and required at all schools. We look forward to welcoming Freedom Hill community members to express interest via email to our Principal. The monitor position is paid at an hourly rate of $16.85 per hour. There is flexibility within the time and days of the week. Thank you for considering joining our team!
Families must submit an application and be approved to be eligible for free and reduced-price meals for the 2023-24 school year.
Watch your email and our website for more information. Learn more about the Free and Reduced-Price Meal program online. If you have questions or need assistance with the Free and Reduced-Price Meals application, please contact the main office at 703-506-7800.
HELP NEEDED!
Happy August...it's almost Back to School time! Mark your calendars for the Back to School Picnic on September 8th. This is our first school wide PTA event to kick off the year! We need volunteers to help run and organize the event and work during the event. Sign up HERE if you would like to volunteer. We have additional PTA positions available - reach out to Kerrey Olden or Rachel Shabica to find out how you can help this year!
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KINDERGARTEN PLAYDATE AUG. 12th
For our rising kindergarteners, join us for our final kindergarten playdate on Saturday, August 12th from 10-11! Come socialize at the playground to meet other families!
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"TEARS & CHEERS" BREAKFAST AUG. 21ST
Kindergarten families, join us for breakfast on the first day of school! Whether you're planning to shed a happy or sad tear, we'd love to kick off the school year with you. Drop off your child(ren) in the kindergarten hallway staircase, then head over to the cafeteria to meet other kindergarten families. You can find additional information about the event HERE.
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EARN $$$ FOR OUR SCHOOL!
Ready to earn money for our school for items you already buy? Download the Box Tops for Education app and scan your digital or paper receipts to start earning today! The app automatically identifies participating products on your receipt, and you'll earn points for every product you buy. Check out the list of participating products on the app, as well as the current bonus offers. Walmart, BJs, CostCo, Dollar General, Giant (Food Lion), Harris Teeter, Safeway, Sam's Club, and Target are all offering HUGE bonus offers over the next several weeks. Know someone that needs to sign up? Under your Account, follow the prompt to Invite Friends and earn additional bonus points.
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