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Greetings McNair Students and Families,
Fall has certainly arrived as the air is getting crisp and the leaves are slowly changing colors. It has been wonderful starting to fill our building with families attending parent/teacher conferences. As we continue to share, we value partnering with you and look forward to staying connected throughout the school year. Together, we will continue to ensure your child feels a sense of belonging and thrives both socially and academically.
We hope all families will also partner with us and join the PTA. Our next PTA meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 18th at 6:30pm in the McNair Upper Elementary School Cafeteria. Please mark your calendars with important information shared below in this newsletter! We cannot wait to see our Mustangs participate in our McNair Spirit next week as we celebrate Digital Citizenship Week!
Furthermore, we are continuing to keep our McNair community in our thoughts as we are deeply saddened by the recent tragic events in the Middle East. We know that we have families, staff, and students throughout FCPS who are experiencing grief and loss. Please know that we are here for you. Our Wellness Team stands ready to support our families. Please contact us and let us know how we can support you.
Warmest Regards,
Mrs. Watson and Mrs. O'Bryant
Please contact us with any questions!
Principal: Elizabeth Watson, evwatson@fcps.edu
Assistant Principal: Brandy O'Bryant, bmobryant@fcps.edu
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.
A special thank you to all of our families that were able to join us last night at our McNair Hispanic Heritage Month celebration! In addition, we would like to send a BIG kudos to our McNair Parent Liaison, Selene Vargas, for organizing such a magnificent event.
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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.
We are hoping to collect 40 large or medium-sized pumpkins so that each of our homeroom classes and specialists at McNair ES can have one for a project we will be completing during the month of November.
If you are able to donate a pumpkin, please fill out the very brief Google Form below. Pumpkins can be dropped off at the main office no later than Wednesday, November 1st.
Thankful & Grateful Activity
If you have questions, please email Ms. Watson, Principal, at evwatson@fcps.edu. Thank you in advance for your help!
**Please note, McNair Upper ES will also be asking for donations as well. We appreciate all of your support for both school campuses! Please email Principal Goddin for any questions about pumpkin donations at Mcnair Upper ES at MMGoddin@fcps.edu.**
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We are eager to begin some exciting learning opportunities with your students here at school and we need you help before we can start! We need you to complete the digital resource consent form to use FCPS approved online tools. All the tools and applications have been vetted and are approved for students to use. Check out the video created by Mrs. Burg, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, as she shares with you a few of the tools she hopes to use with your students in Thinking Lab!
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FCPS uses specific terminology to specify the actions school staff and students should take to ensure safety in a variety of situations. It is important for staff, families, and students to understand what the different terms mean and how they impact school operations.
Watch this video to learn more about the definitions of the security terms: lockdown; secure the building; and stay put, stay tuned. If students, staff, or community members have a safety concern at school (that is not an immediate emergency), they should submit a tip to the FCPS Safety Tipline. In an emergency, please call 9-1-1.
There will be an annular eclipse on Saturday, October 14. Virginia is not in the direct path of the moon’s shadow, so we will only be able to see a partial eclipse in this region. FCPS has gathered resources for students and families to learn more about the eclipse, and how to view it safely.
Save the date for a more dramatic event! On Monday, April 8, 2024, a total eclipse will be viewable from North America.
FCPS uses the Student-Parent Survey for Federal Impact Aid to identify federally connected students and to support our request for Impact Aid resources, which become part of FCPS' general operating budget. FCPS anticipates receiving approximately $3,000,000 in Impact Aid funds.
McNair Elementary School will be participating in this annual survey. Families are encouraged to complete the survey through ParentVue beginning October 16 through October 31, 2023. Information on parent access to the online survey is available at https://www.fcps.edu/node/49068.
Families, we need your help!
Please help us keep our staff lounges and teacher planning spaces stocked with individually wrapped healthy snack foods, beverages, and a few sweet treats for our awesome staff as a way to keep them energized as they educate and support our Mustangs!
Please sign-up for any of the items listed below and drop off any donations to the main office. The main office is open daily, Monday-Friday from 8:00am-4:00pm.
Thank you for your partnership and supporting our AMAZING McNair Staff!
Please click here to make a donation.
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We are so excited to celebrate Digital Citizenship Week October 16-20 at McNair Elementary School! Stay tuned for more information about special activities that will be happening during the week as we celebrate our wonderful digital citizens at McNair! We encourage our families to review with their children our FCPS Student Rights & Responsibilities videos around technology use at school and social media.
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Join Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid for Our Schools, Our Future: A Community Conversation. Share your thoughts about FCPS and bring your questions to:
Pre-registration for a Community Conversation is not required but will help us plan. Childcare and interpretation services will be provided for all events based on staff availability.
Events are open to all. Find out about other opportunities to connect with Dr. Reid. Your voice matters!
This information session will be hosted by Kaitlin Burg (McNair ES Advanced Academic Resource Teacher) and Mallory Janofsky (McNair Upper ES Advanced Academic Resource Teacher). We will provide detailed information about the Full Time/Level IV Screening Process, including how to make a referral and which documents families can submit. The deadline for families to submit the referral and supporting documents is December 15 and 11:59 p.m. Spanish translation will be available at this event.
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Tuesday, November 14 – 6:00-7:00PM in the cafeteria at McNair Elementary School (PreK-2 building)
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Friday, November 17th –9:00-10:00AM in the cafeteria at McNair Elementary School (PreK-2 building)
Click to view Ms. Burg's & Ms. Mallory's October AAP Community Newsletter
In addition, check out the video created by Mrs. Burg, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, as she shares with you a few of the tools she hopes to use with your students in Thinking Lab! Please be sure to sign the Digital Resource Parent Consent so that your Mustang has access to these wonderful resources.
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Once upon a time, McNair Elementary and McNair Upper Elementary Schools brought storybook characters to life!
We are excited to celebrate Storybook Character Day on October 31st! We invite all students to dress up and join in on the FUN! Students are encouraged to use their creativity to dress in a school appropriate, storybook character costume. Student costumes can be bought or homemade. Costumes may be elaborate or simple. Make sure to bring a book with you! Please no masks or toy weapons.
If your student needs supplies to make a costume, please contact our school counselors Ms. Ford (dmford@fcps.edu) or Ms. Coe (kicoe@fcps.edu).
Storybook Character Parade
We invite parents/guardians to attend our Storybook Character Parade on October 31st. Both McNair Upper ES students and McNair ES students will be participating in the parade. The parade will begin promptly at 9:15am on the field between both school buildings. On the map below, you will see where families can sign into the parade and receive a visitor badge to enter the field area. This is for safety and security purposes so we encourage families to arrive early so that they do not miss the parade!
If it rains on October 31st, the parade will take place inside each building's gymnasiums. (The two schools would host their own parade in their building as opposed to joining together.)
*Our afternoon preschool students will participate in an afternoon parade inside of the building starting at 12:10pm. For our preschool parents/guardians, we invite you to sign in at the office. The parade route for the afternoon will be inside of the building.*
Parade Route Map
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If you would like to know more about the grade level assessments that your student will be participating in this school year, please review the following link: https://www.fcps.edu/student-assessment/grade-level-tests. You are welcome to email our Assistant Principal and School Testing Coordinator, Brandy O'Bryant, with any questions that you may have around grade level assessments at bmobryant@fcps.edu.
FCPS funds Lexia for all elementary and middle schools to use as part of their literacy instruction. Lexia is a computer-based program that supplements classroom instruction to help students develop literacy skills. It also provides teachers with the data to identify students who need additional support, and the ability to know which specific concepts and skills to prioritize. Attend an information night to learn more about Lexia and how FCPS is integrating it into the classroom. Parents/caregivers will also get tips for supporting their students at home.
Information nights will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on:
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Wednesday, October 18, at Thoreau Middle School (Cafeteria).
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Thursday, October 19, at Edison High School (Auditorium).
Register to attend or submit a question in advance.
Integrating Lexia into the literacy curriculum aligns with the Virginia Literacy Act, FCPS’ Equitable Access to Literacy, and Strategic Plan Goal 3, which aims to have all students reading on level by the end of third grade.
FCPS' Food and Nutrition Services team will be rolling out improvements to the menu that better reflect the diversity of our student body and focus on fresh, healthy food. Learn about FCPS’ new menu options.
Family FUN Global Diversity Awareness Project
One way at McNair Elementary School that we are celebrating Global Diversity Awareness Month is that our students had the opportunity to design a doll with their family to reflect and learn more about their culture and heritage. It has been such a great experience for our students to share their paper dolls with our school community including information about their heritage, special customs, different foods that their family indulges in, and special greetings that are unique to their culture. We would like to provide a special thank you to our ESOL Team for leading this work!
Each year, the Fairfax County School Board and FCPS staff members work with the community to develop an updated five-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for school building and renovation projects. To develop the CIP, the school system assesses changes in expected enrollments, academic programs, and facility conditions to determine priorities for new construction, renovations, and other capital facility projects. The School Board then evaluates the affordability of these school needs against other countywide requirements to determine the bond proposal.
The School Board is committed to protecting the community’s investment in schools and other buildings, which have a combined present value approaching $6.5 billion. Not only do these facilities wear out over time, but they also become outdated, both technologically and instructionally. FCPS renovates its schools to ensure that students countywide have effective and efficient learning environments.
The 2023 Bond Referendum will be on the ballot in November. Vote on Tuesday, November 7. Learn more about registering to vote.
📖 Students Reading by the Third Grade
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.
Power Packs are Ziploc bags of food sent home every Friday with students who do not get enough food on the weekends without their school-provided meals. Your child can receive a pack if they qualify for free or reduced meals through the school.
If you need this program, please fill out this form: Power Pack Form OR click on the QR Code.
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Please fill out a separate form for each child at McNair Elementary. Your information is confidential. Once we receive your form, we will email you with more information. You may also contact our School Counselors or Parent Liaison with any questions you may have.
Kristin Coe KICoe@fcps.edu
Donna Ford DMFord@fcps.edu
Selene Vargas (se habla español) SRVargas@fcps.edu
McNair PTA Needs Your Help!
Do you have fresh ideas? Looking to get more involved? Enjoy meeting new people?Then Get involved with the PTA today!
We have the following open Board positions:
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Secretary: Attend monthly meetings and keep meeting notes, occasionally send out email reminders about upcoming PTA meetings, etc.
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Committee Chair Positions: We have several open committee chair positions. Each chair is in charge of planning one specific event. They are able to select which event they would like to chair and will work with the assistance from the rest of the board. Open Committee Chair positions include: Movie Night, Fun Run, Staff Appreciation Events, PTA Engagement, and more!
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Technology Chair: Attend monthly meetings and help set up the slideshow/virtual meeting for those attending online, assist with the PTA website as needed, etc.
If you are interested in helping or want more information, please email Miranda at president@mcnairespta.org.
Before and After School Clubs!
Late Registration is still open until October 11th.
Please visit the links below to register your child for the club(s) of their choice:
Yoga Club - Mondays (Grade 2 only)
Card Club - Tuesdays (Grades 3-6) *Before School*
Ukulele Club - Tuesdays (Grades 3-6)
Fiber Arts Weaving & Stitching Club - Tuesdays (Grades 3-6)
Beginners Chess Club - Wednesdays (Grades 1-6)
Intermediate/Advanced Chess Club - Wednesdays (Grades 1-6)
Japanese Language Club - Wednesdays (Grades 3-6)
Guitar Club - Wednesdays (Grades 3-6)
Girls Multisport Club - Wednesdays (Grades 3-6)
Young Minds of Money Club - Thursdays (Grades 4-6)
Healthy Eating & Cooking Club - Thursdays (Grades 3-6)
MUES Running Club - Thursdays (Grades 3-6)
Upcoming Fundraisers!
Harris Teeter - Fundraiser
Option 1: Please use the annual sign up form for the TIE program from Harris Teeter using the following link: https://tinyurl.com/mcnairharristeeter
Note: You need to re-register every year for this program.
Option 2: You can also sign up in-person at the counter using our school code: 5090
Shoe and Clothing Drive on Now!
The McNair PTA is raising funds to support our school and all you have to do is clean out your closets! We are collecting gently used shoes, clothes, and soft goods. There are collection tables at each school -- simply drop off your donation of shoes, clothes, purses, backpacks, blankets, sheets, towels, and more!
DROP OFF DATES: Tuesday September 5th to Tuesday October 31st
Upcoming Competitions!
We have a lot of upcoming competitions at McNair!
Fill out interest forms below for more information!
Virginia Science Olympiad Division A (Grades 3-5)
Virginia Science Olympiad Division B (Grade 6)- We are in need of a head coach to lead this competition.
First Lego League (All Grades)
American Computer Science League (All Grades)
Odyssey of the Mind (All Grades)
Get Involved with the PTA!
The PTA supports our schools through help 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 meet everyone's busy schedule!
For those who joined before October 1st, they got a discount on the membership price and they were entered to win a raffle of Amazon gift cards, spirit wear, and more!
Support PTA: Become a Member or Volunteer
Please contact president@mcnairespta.org if you want to know more information about our PTA and opportunities to get involved within our school community!
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- New School Lunch Menu Options
- Know FCPS’ Security Terms
- National Bullying Prevention Month
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, sign up today.
👍❤️ Follow Our School on Social Media!
Want to see more photos and videos of what’s going on at McNair Elementary School? Follow us on social media!
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Mark your calendars!
As we navigate through our school year together, please mark the upcoming important dates on your calendar.
October 13: Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at McNair ES in the Cafeteria from 6:00-7:30pm.
October 14: STEAMOLOGY STEM Fest 11:30-3:00pm at South County HS
October 18: PTA Meeting 6:30pm at McNair Upper Elementary School
October 31: Storybook Character Parade at 9:15am on the Field (Afternoon Preschool parade will take place at 12:10pm inside of the building.)
November 3: Quarter 1 Ends (2 hours Early Release For Students)
November 6 & 7: School Planning and Teacher Workdays (No School For Students)
November 10: McNair Honors Our Veteran's (More information coming soon!)
November 14 – Full Time Advanced Academics Screening Information Parent Meeting 6:00-7:00pm in the cafeteria at McNair Elementary School (PreK-2 building)
November 13-17: Fall Book Fair at McNair ES
- November 16: Family Night at the Fall Book Fair
- November 17: Daytime Family Shopping at the Fall Book Fair
November 17th –Full time Advanced Academics Screening Information Parent Meeting 9:00-10:00AM in the cafeteria at McNair Elementary School (PreK-2 building)
November 17: Thanksgiving Luncheon at McNair ES (Parents/Guardians invited. More information to come next month!)
November 22, 23, 24: Thanksgiving Holiday (No School For Staff/Students)
2023-2024 Arrival and Dismissal
Arrival begins at 8:35am. The school day begins at 8:45am.
Dismissal begins at 3:30 pm.
Thank you for your partnership and galloping together with us this school year!
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