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09/13 Back to School Night / Family Life Education Preview Night
(5:30-7:00pm, ATES)
09/20 Fall Picture Day (8:45am, Gym)
09/25 Student Holiday-Yum Kippur Holiday
09/27 Interim Progress Reports are sent home
10/09 Student Holiday-Teacher Workday
ATES Families,
I hope you are having a wonderful beginning of the school year. Back to School Night will be on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, from 5:30PM – 7:00PM. Each grade level, including PreK/Head Start, will present two sessions to accommodate families with more than one elementary aged child. Below are the locations where each grade level will meet:
Links to the presentations will be shared via ATES Updates after Back to School Night for families who are unable to attend.
Our wonderful PTA will be available in the front lobby during BTSN. You can sign up to become a member and buy spirit wear. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Annandale Terrace Elementary School PTA.
For your convenience, the clinic will be open for families that need to drop off medications or talk to our health aide.
If you have any questions, please contact the main office.
Sincerely,
Ingrid Badia
Principal
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Students can now secure their bikes on our new bike rack! |
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Our Amazing 4th grade team learning how to implement the GLAD strategies in their science lessons.
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Our Amazing 5th grade team also worked with central office ESOL supports in implementing GLAD strategies in their science lessons. |
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is committed to challenging all students through talent development efforts and differentiated instruction to meet the needs of advanced learners.
FCPS offers a continuum of advanced academic services for all students in Grades K-12. The continuum of services approach recognizes unique student needs and focuses on matching services, not labeling students. Through the continuum, students have:
- Multiple entry points for deeper learning opportunities in specific areas of need as they develop.
- A cluster group of students with similar academic needs to continue growing in their learning.
Please read the details of the programs via visiting: AAP-SeptemberNewsletterES.pdf
Access your student’s attendance records, grades, and assignments at any time with SIS ParentVUE. Caregivers should receive an activation code when they register their child.
Once you have activated a ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same ParentVUE account. Access SIS ParentVUE by using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices.
Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video walks through the steps. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE.
FCPS is committed to supporting the mental wellness of all students. The Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener helps our students share their perspectives on how their schools and communities support them and help them develop the skills they need to succeed.
The screener is offered to all students in grades 3 through 12 in the fall and spring. It addresses skills like achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships with adults and peers, and making responsible decisions. Students also share how successful their school and community are at making them feel valued, included, and supported. Screener data is used to plan programming for the division, schools, and individual students.
Key updates to the screener this year include:
- Different versions for students in grades 3-5 and 6-12.
- Fewer topics with more questions to provide schools and families with more data to support planning.
- Additional questions aligned with FCPS’ commitment to educational equity.
Results are mailed home to families after each screening. Families who wish to opt their child out may do so by completing the opt-out form in the Annual Notice packet or SIS ParentVue.
For more information, please visit the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage or contact us at 703-658-5600.
Please note that the SEL Screener differs from the anonymous Fairfax County Youth Survey. For more information about the Youth Survey, see the Fairfax County Youth Survey site.
Any parent or guardian who objects to his or her child’s participation in any or all of the following activities should complete and return the appropriate form(s) to their child’s school.
• Release of information about the student for the school yearbook and other school-related publications.
• Release of directory information about the student to persons and organizations outside FCPS.
• Use of the student’s image, voice, or name in film, video, website, social media or broadcast events.
• Student participation in the school counseling program.
• Release of information to outside organizations.
• Student participation in the Library Equity Access Pass Project, online tutoring services and the SEL Screener.
Please see the opt-out forms via: 2023-24_k-8_opt-outbooklet.pdf
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. Watch this video with tips from Fairfax Pyramid principals and visit FCPS’ Attendance webpage for tips and strategies.
The Parents/Guardians of Students in Grades 4-5 may pay Instrument Rental Fees using My School Bucks beginning August 24th.
My School Bucks (MSB) is a FCPS system for payments of student fees and activities. It is easy, secure, and there are no fees for parents.
Follow these simple steps:
- Go to www.MySchoolBucks.com, or the My School Bucks link on the Annandale Terrace webpage.
- Add a child by school & student ID or birthdate. You will receive a confirmation email.
- You may now pay the Instrumental Rental fee using a credit or debit card, or e-check.
- A confirmation email will be sent to your child’s teacher to let them know you’ve paid.
*Note: Families are also able to submit $20 and the contract to the Strings/Band teachers. Payment can be made by cash or check (payable to “Annandale Terrace Elementary School”. Please note that students will not be able to take the instrument home until the instrument rental fee has been paid. If there is a financial concern, please contact Ms. Blacksten (Band) at lsblacksten@fcps.edu or Mr. Johnson (Strings) at ahjohnson@fcps.edu.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, eating breakfast at school is associated with better attendance rates, fewer missed school days, and better test scores. Students who qualify for free and reduced-price meals receive breakfast and lunch at school at no cost.
As of October 31, 2022, approximately 34% of students in FCPS qualify for free and reduced-price meals. Families in FCPS that are earning less than 185% of the poverty level can receive meals for their students at no cost.
Families should complete the application before the start of each school year. Approved applications may also qualify students for additional benefits. View the criteria and apply on the Free and Reduced-Price Meals webpage. Families should reach out to their schools with questions or for assistance.
Some schools participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). All students enrolled at these schools will be offered breakfast and lunch each day at no charge. Households with students attending these schools will not be required to submit a meal application form for their students to receive meals at no charge. Each household with students attending these schools will receive communication about the CEP, including contact information for any questions. Check the list of schools participating in the CEP.
Families and students from other schools who would like to apply for free and reduced-price meals may view eligibility guidelines on FCPS website.
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.
Each digital 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.
Thank you for your patience as we all get used to new routines this school year. We appreciate our families following kiss and ride procedures and being patient as they wait for their children’s buses.
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 703-446-2050 with any additional questions. For any concerns after hours (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.
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.
Dear Parent/Guardian:
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) offers a comprehensive Family Life Education (FLE) program. FLE instruction begins in kindergarten and continues through grade 12. FLE includes topics in human growth and development and social and emotional health. FLE instruction helps students gain knowledge and skills needed to make healthy, responsible, and life-enhancing decisions related to relationships and their physical, emotional, and social health. Parents and guardians are partners in their child’s learning. FLE instruction supports the development of strong families, positive relationships, and a healthy community.
Parents and guardians can review FLE materials. Parents/guardians can access FLE lessons in Schoology using their SIS username and password. Due to copyright permissions, we are unable to stream all media titles online. Lessons and media are available for review at your child’s school. Lessons only are also available at the City of Fairfax Regional Library (this location does not have media).
To foster respect for family choices, parents/guardians may choose to opt their child out of all or part of the Family Life Education program. A student who is opted out will receive alternative health instruction. To opt your child out of all or part of the FLE program for this school year, please complete the opt-out form. Return the completed form to your child’s school before FLE instruction begins. The opt-out form accompanies this letter or is available online. You do not need to return the form to the school if you wish for your child to take part in FLE instruction.
FLE program descriptions and opt-out forms are available on the FCPS website.
For information about when FLE instruction will take place, please contact your child’s teacher or school. For questions about the FLE program, please contact Instructional Services at 571-423-4550 or email fle@fcps.edu.
Sincerely,
FCPS Instructional Services Department
Health, Family Life, and Physical Education
Parents/caregivers who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese may call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS. View the list of phone numbers.
FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.
Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.
Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.
To sign up for ATES weekly updates or to access your subscriber preferences, please enter your contact information below.
https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/VAEDUFCPS/subscriber/new?qsp=VAEDUFCPS_1
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Safety and Emergency Information
- Updated Student Rights and Responsibilities - Signature Needed
- Parental Permission for Digital Resources
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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