Hello, Scottie families!
We have had another great week of learning at Bonnie Brae! Lots of exciting happenings coming up, including Fall Picture Day on Tuesday (9/19). Additionally, we have our first PTO meeting of the year on Wednesday (9/20), and PTO movie night on September 29. PTO movie night is a family event, and the PTO needs your support! See the PTO section below and consider signing-up, or click here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4DACA72BA7F85-movie#/
Enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend!
Morgan Birge, Principal
Natalie Vershaw, Assistant Principal
Melissa Johnson, Assistant Principal
Family. Relationships. Success.
Next Week's Events
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September 17 - Constitution Day
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September 19 - Fall Picture Day
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September 20 - PTO Meeting, 6 PM (Cafeteria)
Positivity Project
Upcoming Weekly Focus: Being Present and Giving Others My Attention (OPM)
Character Strength Features: When you are with other people, you are present and give them your full attention.
Quote of the Week: “Life is what happens when you put down your
phone."
-KID PRESIDENT
A few amazing highlights that happened this week...
Picture Day Ordering Information
Fall Picture Day is on Tuesday, September 19. Paper order forms will be sent home in Tuesday Folders on Tuesday, September 12th. Online orders are also an option. Paper order forms and online ordering should be completed by Tuesday, September 19th. Families may place online orders up until 24 hours after picture day. After 24 hours, the online ordering access may close.
All students who pre-purchased pictures will receive their picture packages at school.
Students who did not prepay for pictures will receive a "Proof" of their picture from picture day. Proof packages offer families a second opportunity to order pictures. Proof packages are subject to shipping and handling costs of up to $8.50 and will be shipped directly to home.
Yom Kippur
All FCPS schools and offices will be closed on Monday, September 25, for Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism. See the complete school year calendar. Learn more about Yom Kippur on Brittanica.com.
Renovation Update
We have heard from FCPS Office of Design and Construction on a timeline for our renovation. The bid process closes in late October, with the School Board scheduled to select and award the winning bid on November 9. Construction is scheduled to begin in November/December of this year, with a final project anticipated completion date of December 16, 2025 Please see the FCPS Bonnie Brae renovation website for more information on the renovation project.
Advanced Academics Programs (AAP) News
Welcome to a new year of learning and fun! Please read the following updates to learn more about our latest AAP happenings!
The FCPS AAP Fall Newsletter has been linked to our Bonnie Brae AAP site. Please note under the CogAT testing section, the listed date to request a retake has been extended to September 22.
We will be holding a family information meeting on October 4 to provide an overview of AAP services and the full time (level IV) referral process. Session 1 will be held at 8:45am our Bonnie Brae Café. Session 2 will be held virtually at 6:00pm via ZOOM. A link to this session will be sent out the week of the Oct 2. Both meetings will share the same information, please select the best time for your schedule. We look forward to seeing you October 4th!
Please email our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART), Larissa Sheehan (ltsheehan@fcps.edu) with any questions.
National Hispanic Heritage Month
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.
Blue Star Welcome Week
Every year, approximately 600,000 military-connected families relocate. Most of these families move to new duty stations, while some transition out of the military and others transition in. Most of these moves take place over the summer, and Fairfax County Public Schools is committed to ensuring our military families feel welcomed and a sense of belonging to their local community.
Blue Star Welcome Week is an opportunity for our community to welcome our military-connected families and show them our appreciation for their service and sacrifices. Throughout the week, FCPS will help ease their transition through events, messages, actions of welcome, and opportunities to make meaningful connections. Please help us welcome our military families during Blue Star Welcome Week, September 23 - October 1, 2023, and throughout the year! #BlueStarWelcomeWeekFCPS
Caregiver Checklist: Have You Completed These Important Forms?
During the first weeks of the year, caregivers receive many forms to complete. Several of the most important ones are below:
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Digital Resources Consent: Some FCPS-approved digital resources require parent/caregiver consent before they can be used by students. Find the list of resources which require consent on the Digital Resources - Parent Consent page. This page also includes directions on how to provide permission.
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Student Rights and Responsibilities: This document explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses. Parents using SIS ParentVUE will be prompted to sign the document when they log in to that platform. A printable version of the document with a signature sheet is available on the SR&R webpage.
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Opt-Outs: The Opt-Out Booklet is online or available from your child’s school. It contains information on:
- Parents’ rights to inspect and consent or opt out before their child participates in certain surveys.
- Parents’ rights to inspect instructional materials.
- Rules regarding student records and disclosure of student information (including photo/video of students) and the right to opt out.
- Parents’ rights to opt out of the Social Emotional Learning Screener,Social Emotional Learning Screener, physical exams not required by state law, career or social emotional counseling, Library Equity Access Pass Project, and/or Tutor.com.
- The process by which complaints may be filed if parents or students believe their rights have been violated.
Paper forms can be signed and returned to school.
2023-24 Health and Safety Guidance for Schools
Although the COVID-19 hospital transmission levelCOVID-19 hospital transmission level (previously the COVID-19 Community Transmission level) for Fairfax County is currently low, COVID-19 cases have risen in Virginia during the last few weeks, and flu season will soon be upon us. Be sure to review FCPS Health and Safety Guidance for the best ways to prevent the spread of disease and to find out when students should stay home from school.
Tips to Stay Healthy
Flu season is quickly approaching and communicable diseases continue to be present in our schools. Families and staff are encouraged to follow the health practices below to prevent the spread of illnesses and help keep our schools safe:
- Make an appointment to get a flu vaccine as soon as possible. Everyone six months and older should get a flu vaccine (with rare exceptions). Flu vaccines are widely available at doctors’ and pediatricians’ offices, grocery stores, and pharmacies.
- Get vaccinated against COVID-19 if you have not done so already. As of Tuesday, September 12, updated COVID-19 vaccines are approved for use among those aged 6 months or older for the 2023-24 season. Find out where you can get a COVID-19 vaccine or booster in your community by visiting Vaccinate Virginia, or calling 877-VAX-IN-VA or 877-829-4682. Note: Flu vaccines and COVID vaccines can be provided in the same appointment.
- Check with your student’s healthcare provider to make sure they are up to date on their required school entrance immunizations. Immunization records can now be updated in SIS ParentVUE through the Online Verification Update form.
- Check for mild, cold-like symptoms each day, such as fever, runny nose, cough, or shortness of breath. If a child is sick, please keep them home and get them tested for COVID-19 to stop further spread from occurring. Additional guidance on when to keep your child home due to symptoms and illness is available on the FCPS Attendance webpage. FCPS employees are also advised to stay home and get tested when feeling sick.
- Don’t forget to wash hands regularly, avoid touching the face with unwashed hands, cover the mouth when coughing or sneezing, and limit the time children spend in large group settings with contagious individuals whenever possible.
The most up-to-date information regarding COVID-19 school health practices is available on the Health and Safety Guidance webpage.
Thank you for your continued partnership in keeping our schools safe and healthy.
When a Student Should Stay Home From School
Whether students miss school because of illness or any other reason, missing school leads to learning loss.
Help your student succeed by encouraging them to attend as many days as possible, but do make sure your student stays home if they are sick. Visit FCPS’ website for information on when you should keep your child at home.
If your child has a chronic illness, make sure to notify their teacher, so that assistance can be provided if needed. Please contact us as soon as you know your child will be absent.
Read more about how families can help form good attendance habits.
Students Are Learning Every Day
As you plan upcoming trips and other family events, please remember the importance of sending your child to school every day. Review the FCPS School Year Calendar and try to plan any time away during long breaks from school.
Children who show up for school regularly develop fundamental reading and math skills while building a habit of good attendance that will carry them into college and careers. Research shows that children who were chronically absent (missing 18 days or more) in kindergarten and first grade were far less likely to read proficiently at the end of third grade.
Read more about how families can help form good attendance habits.
BBES Parent Course on Schoology: New Update
A new flyer has been uploaded to our Parent Schoology Course.
New this week: Burke Basketball Flyer
In order to access Schoology, you must be signed up for a Parent Vue account and can use those credentials to sign in. Don't have a Parent Vue account? Register today!
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Movie Night
We're so excited for our first Movie Night of the year! We hope everyone can join us!
- When: Friday, September 29th (concessions start at 6:30PM and movie begins at 7PM)
- Where: Bonnie Brae Elementary School
- Movie: The Super Mario Bros.
We'll need all hands on deck and a full roster of awesome volunteers to help make this night a success, so please sign up for a slot to help make the magic happen!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4DACA72BA7F85-movie#/
Please note that this is a family event and students must be accompanied by their parents at all times and may not be dropped off.
PTO Meeting
All parents, caretakers, teachers, and staff are welcome to join us for the first PTO Meeting of the year! We are so excited to meet everyone and will have refreshments to enjoy throughout the meeting.
Come learn about the Bonnie Brae PTO, opportunities to get involved, and the positive changes YOU can make in the lives of our school and students.
- When: Wednesday, September 20th at 6PM
- Where: BBES Cafeteria
Questions can be sent to President@bonniebraePTO.org
PTO Fundraising
Throughout the school year, the Bonnie Brae PTO will conduct a variety of fundraising activities in support of our school community ranging from restaurant nights, “thon” style fundraising campaigns, community partnerships, direct monetary donations, and product-based fundraisers. We know and respect that everyone has different preferences as to how you may prefer to support our school community throughout the year.
To kick off our series of fundraisers, the PTO has partnered with Charleston Wrap for a product-based fundraiser. This is an online only fundraiser where items purchased will be shipped to customers directly. Our school PTO will receive 40 percent on most items purchased and 30 percent on personalized items. A fundraising catalog/flyer will be sent home in your child’s Tuesday folder on September 19th. Please take a moment to review the catalog and register your child for the fundraiser. Thanks in advance for your support of our school community. Go Scotties!
PTO Volunteer Opportunities are OPEN!
Bonnie Brae PTO LOVES our amazing volunteers! Join in the fun, make an impact, and get involved! Volunteering is one of the best ways to get connected with other amazing Scottie families. Your help makes a huge difference in the lives of our students, so sign up today to help make the magic happen!
https://forms.gle/GzbP6WzrWu5hsYtV6
Disclaimer About After-School & Enrichment Opportunities
At times there are external opportunities that students may want to explore. When schools share these opportunities with families and students, please know:
Opportunities offered by organizations other than Fairfax County Public Schools are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Fairfax County School Board, the Superintendent, or a specific school. These opportunities may utilize technology tools that have not been assessed by the Fairfax County Public Schools Department of Information Technology. Students should gain permission from their parent or guardian before engaging in any non-FCPS enrichment opportunity and families should review the Terms of Service, User Agreements, and Privacy Policy for any technology platform that the enrichment opportunity may use before participating.
View the 2023-2024 FCPS School Calendar
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September 25 - Yom Kippur (no school)
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September 29 - PTO Movie Night
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October 4 - AAP Family Information Meetings
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October 9 - Staff Development Day (no school for students)
Stay up to date on all things BBES! Subscribe to our School Calendar.
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