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Greetings McNair Families and Students,
Our second week back learning and growing together was a success! The building continued to be alive with readers selecting books to enjoy, writers learning routines, and mathematicians sharing multiple ways to share their thinking as they were exploring math stations. Students have also been creating their portfolio folders in Art class, practicing gross locomotor skills in PE, and so much more! Our classroom communities are strong and we look forward to all that is to come in our third week of school.
September is a busy month for our school community! Please ensure to mark your calendars as we have several events coming up this month for our families. To just name a few events, we have our first PTA Meeting, Back To School Night, and a Parent Coffee with Principal Watson and Principal Goddin. Our first PTA meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 20th. We hope you will join us to learn about the engaging events and plans our PTA has outlined for the year. Information about the importance of early childhood literacy and student attendance will also be shared.
As we progress through the weekend, we have been continuing to keep all of those impacted by the hurricane in Florida and other southern coastal states in our thoughts. Please reach out to us if we can be of any support to you or your family. Our Student Wellness Team also stands ready to support our Mustang community.
We hope all of our families take the long weekend to celebrate a strong start to the school year and enjoy time with family and friends. See you on Tuesday, September 5th Mustangs!
All the best,
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
Friday, September 1, and Monday, September 4, are Labor Day holidays for all FCPS employees and students. Virginia legislation requires that schools opening prior to Labor Day must be closed the Friday immediately preceding Labor Day. We hope everyone takes the long weekend to celebrate a strong start to the school year and enjoy time with family and friends. See the complete school year calendar.
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Back to School Night
This year’s annual Back to School Night will be held on the evening of Thursday, September 21st. We will offer two sessions.
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Session #1: 6:00-6:45 pm
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Session #2: 6:45-7:30 pm
At Back to School Night, classroom teachers will share information with families about grade level curriculum your child will be learning about this school year and specific grade level events such as field trips your child may attend this upcoming school year. You will also hear about the classroom practices and expectations your child’s teacher will employ this school year to support them.
This is a great opportunity to begin establishing your partnership with your child’s classroom teacher(s) to support their success this school year. It is important that families plan to attend one of our session offerings.
The beginning of the school year is the best time to develop strong attendance habits! Students who attend school regularly are more likely to perform well in reading and math, develop strong social and emotional skills, and graduate from high school on time. Help prepare your child for future success. Visit FCPS’ Attendance web page for tips and strategies.
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.
Safety Drills During the School Year
Keeping students and staff safe is a priority for FCPS. Each school has an emergency preparedness plan to respond to incidents such as fires and tornadoes. Schools are required by state law to practice emergency drills, including lockdown drills, each year. Schools are also required to notify parents and guardians at least 24 hours before a school conducts a lockdown drill. However, schools are not required to give the specific date and time of the drill in advance.
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Lockdown Drills
The first lockdown drill of the school year must take place within the first 20 days of school. Preschool and kindergarten students are exempt from practicing the first lockdown drill. (We plan to hold our first lockdown drill at McNair Elementary School the week of September 10th.)
Your child may come home and talk about their experience during the drill. We encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Please review these frequently asked questions to support your students before and after school lockdown drills.
Fire Drills
We will hold fire drills twice within the first 20 days of school. We will then have one per month thereafter. Only our first fire drill may be announced ahead of time. All subsequent drills must be unannounced ahead of time to students and staff. Our first Fire Drill for this school took place this past Wednesday, August 30th. (This information was communicated in last week's newsletter.)
Bus Evacuation Drills
Bus evacuation drills are required to be completed at least twice a year. One during the first 30 instructional days of the first semester and the other during the first 30 instructional days of the second semester.
Tornado Drills
Tornado drills are required to be completed once a year during the month of March (second semester).
FCPS’ Student Rights and Responsibilities document (SR&R) explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment. In late June, the School Board approved changes to the SR&R for the 2023-24 school year. Updates include a revision of dress code expectations, bystander expectations for students witnessing harmful or unsafe behaviors, bullying, and substance abuse responses. Read Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid’s letter to families regarding the SR&R.
Parents/caregivers should talk to their child(ren) about expectations for this school year. Also, please log in to SIS ParentVUE and sign to acknowledge your review of the SR&R, or sign and return the signature sheet to your child’s school by Friday, September 29.
Parental Permission to Use Digital Resources
Some FCPS-approved digital resources require parent consent before they can be used by students. Find the list of resources which require consent on the Parent Consent webpage. This page also includes directions for providing permission.
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Each resource used in FCPS has had an instructional and technical review. Information about the educational technology tools approved for use within FCPS can be found in the online Digital Ecosystem Library.
Parents can find more information about FCPS-approved digital resources on the Digital Resources in FCPS webpage.
Save the Date For Our Shoes & Clothing Drive!
The McNair PTA will be raising funds to support our school. All you have to do to help is clean out your closets! We are collecting gently used shoes, clothes, and soft goods. Simply drop off your donation of shoes, clothes, purses, backpacks, blankets, sheets, towels, and more to McNair Elementary or McNair Upper Elementary. You are welcome to send them with your child to school to drop off!
Drop Off Dates: Tuesday, September 5th through Tuesday, October 31st.
Get Involved with the PTA!
The PTA supports our schools through support from our community. One way we do that is through the help of our wonderful volunteers! Whether you're available for an hour a year or an hour a week to pitch in, we have opportunities that meets everyone's busy schedule!
We have the following PTA Board Positions that interested candidates can apply for:
- Treasurer
- Technology Chair
- Secretary
- Committee Chair Positions
- In addition, we also have a volunteer WhatsApp group where we post opportunities to get involved.
Please contact president@mcnairespta.org if you want to know more about the roles, responsibilities, and benefits of volunteering or serving on the PTA Board and our school community.
From September 15 to October 15, FCPS recognizes and celebrates the histories and cultures of the members of our community who trace their heritage to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS. Learn more about National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Fairfax Fiesta: Fairfax County's inaugural Hispanic Heritage Celebration, the Fairfax Fiesta, is taking place on Saturday, Sept. 23, from noon to 5 p.m., at the PARC at Tysons (8508 Leesburg Pike). The free event, presented by the Fairfax County Government and Celebrate Fairfax!, aims to provide an extraordinary experience for all ages and backgrounds. Learn more about Fairfax Fiesta.
✨2023-30 Strategic Plan- Goal 2: Safe, Supported, Included, and Empowered
The 2023-30 strategic plan sets five main goals to create positive change in FCPS. These goals show where we should focus our attention and will help us align our efforts. Our equity commitment and a set of measures in each goal will measure our success.
Goal 2 states that every student will be part of a school community that cares for their health, well-being, and opinions. We will listen to students and use their input to guide our decisions. We will respect their individuality, identity, and experiences. We will make sure they feel safe and supported at school.
Visit the Strategic Plan webpage to learn more about how we will measure the success of goal 2.
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Social-Emotional Learning Screener Updates
- Labor Day Holiday
- Mental Wellness for High Schoolers
- High School Rankings
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, sign up today.
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Mark your calendars!
As we navigate through our school year together, please mark the upcoming important dates on your calendar.
September 1 & September 4
September 15
September 20
- PTA Meeting at the McNair ES Cafeteria, 6:30-7:30pm (All McNair ES and McNair Upper ES families are welcome!)
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
September 27
- Yom Kippur Holiday, Schools Closed For Students/Staff
September 29
- Parent Coffee with the McNair ES and McNair Upper ES Principals (Locations and Times TBD in the Community)
2023-2024 Arrival and Dismissal
Arrival begins at 8:35am. The school day begins at 8:45am.
Dismissal begins at 3:30 pm.
We are looking forward to galloping together into another great week! Have a wonderful weekend, Mustangs!
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