McNair Elementary School- First Day of School!

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 08/20/2023 03:30 PM EDT
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First Day of School is Tomorrow!

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Welcome Back Home, Mustangs!

Greetings McNair Families and Students,

Tomorrow is the first day of school!  We are so excited to welcome all of our Mustangs back into the building to kickoff the 2023-2024 school year!  Please see below for a couple of friendly reminders:

  • School Hours: 8:45am-3:30 pm

    • We will open our doors to welcome students with our first bell ringing daily at 8:35 am to signal a ten-minute notice for students to enter the school building and make their way to their classroom. Our students should be in their classroom seats no later than 8:45 am. Our day begins with connecting with each other and building relationships among staff and students for productive learning!  Please partner together with us to have your child/children at school and in class on time. 

  • First Day of School

    • We will be permitting families to walk their child to the classroom on the first day of school.  Many of our staff each morning throughout the entire school year will greet our students at arrival and will be available to assist students to class.

  • Buses & Delays
    • Please be patient and show grace to all of our FCPS employees as we want to ensure a successful first day, week, and year for all of our students and families.  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. Email messages will be sent to announce significant bus delays. Contact the Transportation Office at 703-249-7000 with any additional questions. For any concerns after 5:30 p.m., contact Safety and Security at 571-423-2000.  To make sure you receive email messages about bus delays, update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE.
  • Arrival and Dismissal
    • Please follow staff directions during arrival and dismissal times to ensure we are keeping all of our students safe.
  • First Day Fairfax!
    • We encourage parents, students, and staff members to share their favorite pictures or videos from the first day of school on social media using the hashtag #FirstDayFairfax. Some of the photos taken will be displayed on the FCPS Facebook and Instagram pages. 

We are so EXCITED to kickoff an amazing school year together with our Mustang Family! Together, we are looking forward to your partnership as we continue to support all of our Mustangs to thrive and meet their fullest potential this year and beyond!  See you tomorrow, Mustangs! 

 

Your Partners in Education,

Ms. Watson and Ms. O'Bryant

 

Please contact us with any questions!

Principal: Elizabeth Watson, evwatson@fcps.edu

Assistant Principal: Brandy O'Bryant, bmobryant@fcps.edu

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Bell Schedule For All Programs

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Reminder of School Hours

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Office Hours: 8:00 AM-4:00 PM

School Hours for Students: 8:45 AM-3:30 PM

Doors Open with Welcome Bell: 8:35 AM

Final Bell Rings: 8:45 AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

Absences Add Up - Plan Ahead

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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.

 

 

 

Check-In With Your Child

A great way to have richer conversations with your child is to check-in with him/her by asking some of the questions listed below. This will support you learning a little bit more about your child's day while they are at school.

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  • What made you smile today?
  • Can you tell me about an act of kindness you did or saw?
  • What is something creative you did today?
  • Who did you sit with at lunch today?
  • Tell me something you learned today.
  • What did you eat first at lunch?
  • If you could change one thing about the day, what would it be?
  • What made your teacher(s) smile today?
  • What is your favorite thing to do at recess?
  • What is the best thing that happened today?
  • Did you help anyone today?
  • What was your thorn, and what was your rose today?
  • What are you looking forward to for tomorrow?
  • Teach me something you learned. 
  • What kinds of things did you see people eating for snack?
  • Did you learn any new words today?

 

 

Be Sure To Stay in Touch, McNair!

Please stay in touch with us by...

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Friendly Reminders

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Mark your calendars!

Tomorrow we get to welcome our Mustang community back for the start of a new school year! Please mark the upcoming important dates on your calendar. 

 

August 21 – First Day of School! 

  • Welcome Back Home, Mustangs! 

 

August 24 

  • PreK Orientation and Open House at McNair ES, 9:15-10:30am

 

September 1 & September 4

  • Labor Day Holiday (No School For Students/Staff)

 

September 21

  • Back to School Night at McNair ES, 6:00-7:30pm (Session 1: 6:00-6:45pm & Session 2: 6:45-7:30pm)

 

 

2023-2024 Arrival and Dismissal

Arrival begins at 8:35am. The school day begins at 8:45am.

Dismissal begins at 3:30 pm. 

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We are looking forward to seeing you

tomorrow as we gallop together into the

2023-2024 school year! 

 

 

mustangs thrive