Fairfax Villa Weekly Message 8/18/2023

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 08/18/2023 02:23 PM EDT
8

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

لقراءة هذه النشرة الإخبارية بلغات أخرى ، يرجى زيارة موقعنا على الإنترنت. انقر هنا!

이 뉴스레터를 다른 언어로 읽으려면 저희 웹사이트를 방문하십시오. 여기를 클릭하세요!

Để đọc bản tin này bằng các ngôn ngữ khác, vui lòng truy cập trang web của chúng tôi.

Important Upcoming Dates  

8/21: First Day of School 2023-24

9/5: Boosterthon Kickoff

9/13: Boosterthon Fun Run

9/19: PTA Meeting #2 (Waples Mobile Home Park)

9/22: Woodson Feeder Night Football Game 

10/12: Zoom PTA Meeting #3

10/20: PTA Fall Festival

11/9: Zoom PTA Meeting #4

11/17: PTA Glow Party

1/18: Zoom PTA Meeting #5

2/9: PTA Heritage Night

4/4: Zoom PTA Meeting #6

4/12: PTA Bingo Night

IN THIS ISSUE

  1. First Day Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
  2. Kiss and Ride Information and Registration
  3. School Supply List
  4. SEL Screener Notification and Opt Out Form
  5. Kindergarten and New Student Registration
  6. ParentVue Accounts
  7. Updated FCPS Phone Policy For Students
  8. Technology Updates and Information For Families
  9. Preparing for and Paying for Meals at School
  10. ASHA-JYOTHI 5K Run
  11. Attendance Matters
  12. Important Fairfax Villa Contacts
  13. Be Informed; Stay Involved!

1.First Day Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

On the first day of school only, families are allowed to walk their children to the classroom doors where they will be greeted by the teachers. Please be considerate of the teachers’ time and plan for a quick goodbye to your child in the hallway outside of the classroom. So that our teachers and students may start their exciting first day back in our building, all visitors, including parents, will need to be out of the building by 9:15 am.

Instead of going directly to the kindergarten rooms on the first day, kindergarten students and family members will go straight to the cafeteria to meet the teachers there. (If your kindergartner rides a bus, a staff member will meet them on the bus and take them to the cafeteria.) The kindergarten parents may then walk with their children from the cafeteria to the kindergarten hallway and say a quick goodbye in the hallway. For the first day of school, please have your kindergartner wear the name tag given to them at the Thursday Open House.  If your family did not attend the open house, your child will be given a name tag on Monday morning in the cafeteria. 

In the afternoon on the first day and for the rest of the school year, bus students will be exiting our school to the buses at door 1, the Kiss and Ride students will exit at door 8, and all walkers will exit at door 2. At dismissal, kindergarten walkers must be met at 4PM by a guardian at door 2. Kindergarteners will not be released unattended. Please be sure that all children know how they go home from school.

After our first day on Monday, August 21, families will not be able to enter the school building unless they are going to the office for school business.

2.Kiss and Ride Information and Registration

Parents may once again use the Kiss & Ride line this school year as a transportation option for students. Full instructions and rules about the Kiss & Ride transportation can be found here: Kiss and Ride Procedures 

To register for Kiss & Ride, please complete this form.

A number will be assigned to your car to expedite the drop-off/pick-up process. You do not need this number immediately to go through the line! After registering, you will be given the number at pick-up time during the first week of school.

3.School Supply Lists

You can find a complete list of the needed school supplies for this school year on our website!  

4.SEL Screener Notification and Opt Out Form

Regulation 1910 requires schools to communicate to parents/guardians that students will participate in screening and diagnostic assessments. If you would like to opt out or preview questions, please visit SEL Screener OPT OUT FORM. 

5.Kindergarten and New Student Registration

3

Calling All New Dragons!

Virginia law requires that all children who will be 5 years old on or before September 30, 2023, must be enrolled in kindergarten for the 2023-2024 school year.  If you do not wish your child to attend school until the following year, you must notify the school in writing. 

If you have a child who will attend Fairfax Villa Elementary next year, and you have not already registered them, please contact Silvia Dossmann to allow accurate numbers for staffing and classes next year!

Register your child by:

Please spread the word to your neighbors who will have children attending Fairfax Villa ES.

6.ParentVue Accounts

All parents of registered students should have a ParentSIS account set up as this is where you can access test scores (including SOLs, iReady, etc.), your child’s attendance, emergency care data, and progress reports among other important information.

If you have never set up your account, please submit a SIS ParentVUE Request to receive an activation letter. If you have already created an account but need login assistance, please click here and follow the steps. In order to complete online Digital Consent, parents need to have this account created.

7.Updated FCPS Phone Policy For Students

Students in K-6 must keep phones silenced and in backpacks for the duration of the school day unless there is a medical need or emergency, or teachers have allowed the usage of cell phones for instructional activities where they are the most appropriate tool. 

Parents should talk to their child(ren) before the start of the school year about these expectations for this upcoming school year. Families may also review the parental controls available for all iPhone and Android users. More information about the SR&R is available online.

8.Technology Updates and Digital Consent Families

  • If your child still has a Fairfax Villa laptop issued from last year, please bring it to the office before the start of school so that we will be able to give your child a new laptop when they are here the first week. If your child has lost their laptop, please contact Ms. Hachwi and Ms. Payne immediately. If your child has lost their power cord, please pay for it by sending in the exact amount of cash ($23) or  a check for $23 made out to Fairfax Villa ES to your child’s teacher.
  • Preschoolers and kindergartners will receive new iPads in the first few weeks of school. Students in grades 1 and 2 will receive laptops that will stay at school. Students in grades 3-6 will receive laptops, cases, and chargers that will be taken home each day. Please ensure all students return to school the next day with fully charged laptops.
  • The Digital Resources- Parent consent page on the public website has information for families.  The link to the Parent Digital Consent System is live and is due by September 29, 2023 in order for students to access digital materials.
  • Need help? Here’s who to contact:
    • Parents needs help with completing the form: See the digital consent parent directions on the public web, or call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS).

9.Preparing for and Paying for Meals at School

Parents/caregivers need to provide their students with money to purchase meals at school, send them with a packed lunch, or apply (and be approved) for free and reduced-price meals benefits. School breakfast for students costs $1.75. Lunch is $3.25 for elementary students and $3.50 for middle, secondary, and high school students.

Paying With MySchoolBucks

The best way to purchase meals (and keep food lines moving!) is to use MySchoolBucks. Set up your student’s MySchoolBucks account today. Our front office staff can help with any questions. 

MySchoolBucks accounts can be set up to add money to the account automatically, as needed. Families with multiple children can use the same MySchoolBucks account. Visit FCPS’ Food and Nutrition webpage for more information. 

10.Support ASHA-JYOTHI 5K Run and Help (Your School) Students in Need

We are pleased to share that we are partnering with a non-profit named Asha-Jyothi  (https://www.asha-jyothi.org/ ) to support their 15th Annual 5K Run/Walk on Sunday September 17th at Fairfax Corner at 8AM. All proceeds that we raise will go towards (explain how you plan to use money to help underprivileged students at your school). Asha-Jyothi has generously agreed to donate back 100% of the registration money back to each participating schools AND:

  • An additional $500 for 25+ registrations
  • An additional $1000 for 50+ registrations
  • An additional $2000 for 100+ registrations

To sign up, participating staff, students and/or their families visit the webpage: https://asha-jyothi.redpodium.com/2023fairfax5k.  Simply enter the code “AJ4schools” and select your school from the drop down menu. A discounted price of $10 for the 5K will be given to all participants.

1

11.Attendance Matters

45

https://www.fcps.edu/attendance

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Students who attend 90% or more of the school year are more likely to graduate from high school on time.
  • Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
  • Missing 10 percent (or about 2 days per month) can make it harder to learn to read.
  • Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
  • Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day every few weeks.
  • Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.
  • Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with peer conflicts or facing some other potentially serious difficulty, and help is available. 

WHAT YOU CAN DO

  • Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
  • Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
  • Find out what day school starts and make sure your child has the required shots.
  • Introduce your child to her teachers and classmates before school starts to help her transition.
  • Don’t let your child stay home unless she is truly sick. Keep in mind complaints of a stomach ache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home.
  • If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make her feel comfortable and excited about learning.
  • Develop back-up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.
  • Avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school is in session.

12.Important Fairfax Villa Contacts

13.Be Informed; Stay Involved!