Little Run News: 10/6/23

Indigenous Peoples' Day honors the histories, cultures, and contributions of Native peoples, past and present. This year, Monday, October 9, is a student holiday and staff development day. Learn more about Indigenous Peoples’ Day from the National Museum of the American Indian. See the complete school year calendar.

Little Run Elementary is pleased to announce that we will have community peers in our preschool program. The early childhood special education staff members have been investigating the possible opportunities for our students to participate in integration activities with typically developing peers. This will involve teaching preschoolers with delays and without delays in the same classroom. It can provide young children with a more stimulating environment, teach skills for coping with different situations, and provide the opportunity to learn appropriate social skills.

Our program will invite a limited number of community preschoolers (1-2 per class), who are age 3 ½ -5 years, to participate in our daily preschool activities. The children from the community will have the opportunity to make new friends and share experiences with current early childhood special education students. Our students will, in turn, benefit from being with community peers who can model appropriate language, motor, and social skills.

All children learn through their play. Intellectual growth occurs in a social context, influenced strongly by the quality of social interactions. The goal of this program is to encourage active learning and promote social interaction and acceptance through shared experiences between the community children and our preschoolers with special needs.

Please reach out to us directly by completing this form if you are interested in your preschool-age child participating in this program. Interested families will be able to attend an information session and playdate, and we hope to make selections some time in October. You can also reach out for further explanation of our program. We welcome your thoughts or suggestions, as we are all partners in this effort.

Please join us on Wednesday, October 11 at 1:30 p.m. for an Open House and playdate opportunity. We look forward to seeing families there!

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. To help develop a common understanding of Bullying, below is the FCPS definition. 

Bullying in Students Rights and Responsibilities is defined as: “Any aggressive and unwanted behavior that is intended to harm, intimidate, or humiliate the victim; involves a real or perceived power imbalance between the aggressor or aggressors and victim; and is repeated over time or causes severe emotional trauma. “Bullying” includes cyberbullying. “Bullying” does not include ordinary teasing, horseplay, argument, or peer conflict.”

For more information on how FCPS handles a bullying situation please visit the FCPS Bullying Prevention and Intervention webpage. Our goal is to ensure all students feel safe and welcome at school. If you have questions and/or concerns about something that is going on at school, please contact the front office so that they can support you and most importantly your student. 

LGBTQIA+ History Month is recognized in October nationwide. We acknowledge and celebrate that LGBTQIA+ students, staff, and families are an integral component of our nation. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.

In Virginia during October, Disability History and Awareness activities provide an opportunity to create greater public awareness for individuals with disabilities, with the goal of full inclusion in our community.

This week is a Spiral Review Week, where students and staff will review the character strengths learned thus far and the other people's mindset. Below is a reminder of the what and the why of the implementation of the Positivity Project at Little Run ES.

“I can sum up positive psychology in just three words — other people matter. Period. Anything that builds relationships between and among people is going to make you happy.” -Dr. Chris Peterson

What is The Positivity Project?

The Positivity Project (P2) is an organization whose mission is to empower students to build positive relationships and become their best selves (NOTE: Watch the P2 founding story video here). Positive psychology’s 24 character strengths serve as its foundation. Ranging from bravery and perseverance to integrity and gratitude, the character strengths are classified and described in the 800-page book Character Strengths and Virtues. These strengths aren’t about ignoring the negative. Instead, they help us overcome life’s inevitable adversities. 

To achieve its mission, P2 partners with Pre-K–12 schools and equips educators with the resources, training, and strategy to teach their students about character strengths and positive relationships. P2 is a school-wide endeavor grounded in the consistency of daily classroom instruction. P2 Partner Schools dedicate one week to each strength and students learn through daily 15-minute classroom lessons that are different for every grade level. These lessons help students understand character through definitions, examples, discussions, and exercises. P2’s model is holistic, incorporating students, educators, and parents through regular interaction with character strengths vocabulary and concepts. 

What are the benefits of implementing The Positivity Project?

By consistently teaching students about the character strengths that people possess, they see themselves and other people based on the content of their character. This ability enhances their self-awareness and self-confidence, understanding and appreciation of others, and interpersonal relationships – which, in the long-term, will positively influence students across their lifespans. In the near team, it leads to more positive interactions and positive relationships within classrooms and schools — ultimately leading to a more positive school culture that supports teachers' ability to teach and students' ability to learn.

P2 evolves throughout a student’s entire school career. As students grow and understand character through instruction and experience, the strengths gain more meaning. They become a part of a student’s vocabulary and how they see themselves and the people around them — to include characters in books and movies. 

P2 empowers students by acknowledging that the 24 character strengths are already part of who they are as people. It helps them realize that each and every one of them can tap into these strengths — and not just as students, but for the rest of their lives. 

How can you help?

Family involvement is an integral part of student success, and we would love for you to take an active role in your student’s character strength education. P2 for Families (password: P2) provides an easy, accessible way to reiterate the character strengths vocabulary and have meaningful discussions about the importance of relationships at home. Additionally, you can follow P2 on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube to stay up to date on all things P2.

During the Academic Matters and strategic plan update segments of Thursday’s School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid presented on the divisionwide target to have students reading by third grade. 

FCPS has continued to improve its approach to reading over the last several years through our Equitable Access to Literacy (EAL) plan. Reading by third grade is also one of the measures of Goal 3: Academic Growth and Excellence in our 2023-30 strategic plan. 

By focusing on foundational skills for our young readers and literacy intervention for upper grades, FCPS has made significant progress towards narrowing the achievement gaps in this critical skill. Visit the Strategic Plan webpage for more information.

We hope to see all our families on Wednesday, October 11, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. for Career Night! Various presenters will be set up throughout the cafeteria to share all about their careers. Students will collect stickers from our presenters and can turn their paper in for a prize at the end of the evening. A table will be available for coloring for students who want to take a break throughout the event. We look forward to seeing everyone on Wednesday!

Please mark your calendars, and don't forget to sign up for our Little Run Roadrunner Games on Saturday, October 28! This event is a fantastic chance to come together as a community and help raise money for our school. Registration is open now! Don't forget, the Roadrunner Games t-shirt deadline is today, October 6. Click HERE to learn more and register.

We encourage everyone to join our wonderful PTA this year! Please click HERE to check out our PTA's website and to learn more about how your family can get involved.

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• October 9 Staff Development Day (No School)
• October 10 AAP Parent Overview Session 5 p.m.
• October 11 Little Run Family Coffee from 9-10 a.m. in the cafeteria
• October 11 Career Night 5:30-7:30p.m.
• October 16-20 Digital Citizenship Week
• October 28 Roadrunner Games 9 a.m.-12 p.m.