|
To read our newsletter in other languages, please view it on the Bull Run Elementary website.
Para leer nuestro boletín en otros idiomas, véalo en el sitio web de Bull Run Elementary.
다른 언어로 된 뉴스레터를 읽으려면 Bull Run Elementary 웹사이트에서 확인하세요.
|
|
 |
Dear Bull Run Bulls Families,
The horrifying images of violence in the Middle East continue to play out on the news, on our social media feeds, and deeply in our hearts and minds. Our community is hurting.
Our deepest strength in Fairfax County Public Schools is our diversity. We bring together the beauty of cultures and traditions that span the globe. When there is violence in other parts of the world, it is felt deeply in our school. Our students have family members who have died and who are missing because of violent acts that are causing pain and suffering to innocent Israelis and Palestinians.
Our schools must be safe spaces for every student. This starts by collectively committing to denounce all acts of antisemitism, islamophobia, and hatred in any form. Let me be clear. We will not tolerate such acts here in FCPS. Instead, we must hold on to shared values of empathy, compassion, and respect for all people.
We recognize that students must be empowered to share their thoughts and feelings about what is happening in our nation and the world, and how it impacts their lives. Our administration continues to provide students safe space to share feelings, to dialogue, and provide resources from our mental health professionals.
We will continue to ensure that Bull Run Elementary is a place of belonging where every student’s identity matters as much as their safety. We are prepared to respond in support of any who need it.
Sincerely,
Jason Pensler, Principal
Jenna Campbell, Assistant Principal
James Marotta, Assistant Principal
Upcoming Events
October 24: Understanding the Full-Time AAP Screening Process Parent Information Meeting (grades 2-6), 6:00-7:00 pm, BRES Library
October 27: Field Day
- Morning: 4th-6th grade
- Afternoon: 1st-3rd grade
October 27: BRES "Trunk or Treat" Event
October 31: Storybook Character Day - Dress Up Like a Character from a Book!
November 1 and 2: Religious and Cultural Observance | All Saints Day / Día de los Muertos
November 3: Coffee Friday with Mr. Pensler, Mrs. Campbell, and Mr. Marotta @ 9:45-10:45 am in the Cafeteria
November 3: End of First Quarter: 2-hour Early Release (students dismissed at 2:00 pm)
November 5: Daylight Savings Time (Fall Back 1 Hour)
November 6: Student Holiday (School Planning Day for Staff)
November 7: Student Holiday (Teacher Work Day for Staff) | Election Day
|
*The full FCPS 2023-2024 calendar can be accessed here.
Follow BRES on Social Media
Did you know Bull Run Elementary is on social media? Follow us to see photos and videos from our classrooms/events and connect with other families.
FACEBOOK: FCPS Bull Run Elementary School
INSTAGRAM: bullrunelem
FACEBOOK (PTA): BullRunESPTA
BRES Website: https://bullrunes.fcps.edu/
PTA Website: https://bullrun.memberhub.com/
New School Lunch Menu Options
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.
https://fcps.nutrislice.com/menu/bull-run-elementary/es-lunch/2023-08-20
Field Day Volunteer sign up
Please come and join us as the students of Bull Run participate in our Field Day games and activities. Relive your glory days of elementary school PE as we give our students the same fun and exciting opportunities. Come for the morning (grades 4-6), afternoon (grades 1-3) or stay for the entire day! Sign up using the following link:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0F44ACAD2CA0F94-45092994-bull
- Grade 4-6 volunteers report at 9:15 am for directions/briefing, Field Day will start at 9:30.
- Grade 1-3 volunteers report at 12:45 pm for directions/briefing, Field Day will start at 1:00.
- Kindergarten Field Day will take place in the spring of 2024.
Any questions or concerns, please email Mr. Buchanan (phbuchanan@fcps.edu) or Mr. Costanza (cpcostanza@fcps.edu)”
|
Understanding the Full-Time AAP Screening Process Parent Information Meeting (grades 2-6)
Tuesday, October 24 @ 6:00 pm
Bull Run Elementary invites all families to join Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, Mrs. Will, at our Understanding the Full-Time AAP Screening Process Parent Information Meeting (grades 2-6). Families will learn more about the screening process for Full-Time (Level IV/AAP Center) services. You may view the slide deck HERE.
We will gather together on Tuesday, October 24at 6:00 p.m. in the Bull Run Elementary library. See you there!
*Here is a link to the slide deck used during last week's meeting Introduction to AAP and Continuum of Services (grades K-6):
AAP Overview of Available Elementary Services English Spanish Blended_October 17 2023
|
Calendar Update for March 5 Presidential Primary
 |
|
The Fairfax Board of Elections has requested that schools be closed on Tuesday, March 5, to accommodate the administration of the 2024 presidential primary election.
March 5 will be a school holiday for students and a virtual School Planning Day. Central offices and school offices will remain open. SACC will remain open, as it does on other professional work days.
|
 |
Attendance Tip
Good attendance is an important life skill that will help students succeed in school and beyond.
When scheduling trips or family events, try to use weekends and school holidays, and refer to the FCPS Calendar when planning. Every day of learning is a day toward success. Keep in mind that absences add up quickly. Students who are absent 10% of the school year (or just two days per month) are considered chronically absent.
When possible, schedule appointments for your child outside of school hours. If your child needs to miss school because of an illness or another reason, you must report the absence to the main office. Attend today, achieve tomorrow!
|
Federal Impact Aid Survey: Now Online
FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. To make it easier, the form is now available online in SIS ParentVUE.
Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is important because information from this survey results in an additional $3 million in grants each year from the U.S. Department of Education. These funds are used to support all Fairfax County public schools and centers.
Once logged in to SIS ParentVUE, click “Online Packets” in the top right corner. Then, select “Federal Impact Aid Survey.” Get more information.
Need to Register for ParentVUE?
Learn how to activate your SISParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey. Find out how to get technical support for ParentVUE.
|
Bull Run Elementary Spirit Days every Friday - Wear Blue and White or Gray!
Bull Run Elementary encourages every students to wear our school colors, blue & white, every Friday! This is a simple way we can show our community spirit and love for all things BRES! Spirit wear is encouraged and welcome or wear your blue and white. Make a plan with friends and see how many of you can participate! Staff often wear their blue and white or Spirit Wear on Fridays!
|
|
 |
Military Families Newsletters
Did you know that the Office of Family and School Partnerships publishes a monthly newsletter for military-connected families? Subscribe today.
🎤 Our Schools, Our Future: Community Conversations
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!
|
Dyslexia Open House
FCPS will host a Dyslexia Open House on Thursday, October 26, 4-6 p.m., at 8270 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive, Fairfax, Virginia. This event is open to families and staff members who would like to learn more about dyslexia and how FCPS supports students with dyslexia.
For the first hour, participants will have the opportunity to visit tables set up with information from a variety of FCPS offices including the Office of the Ombuds, Office of School Psychology, and the Office of Special Education Instruction. During the second hour, speakers will address the importance of dyslexia awareness and how you can support your student with dyslexia. Please register in advance.
Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Information was recently posted to the Healthy Minds Blog on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and other resources for suicide prevention.
The Healthy Minds Blog shares information related to youth mental health and wellness. Articles include tips and strategies for increasing wellness and resiliency, as well as fostering success at home, at school, and in the community.
The Healthy Minds Blog is a collaborative project between Fairfax County Public Schools and the Prevention Unit of the Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services. Subscribe to Healthy Minds and receive a quarterly digest of articles.
🏗️ Updates to School Facilities
Trends of development and housing turnover are inconsistent across the county and continue to present a facilities capacity challenge. Spaces in schools may be outdated from when buildings were originally built.
Projects funded by the 2023 Bond Referendum may be updated to meet the current needs of students or may increase space to help relieve overcrowding and provide spaces for small-group and specialized instruction.
Additionally, all updates to school facilities are made with energy efficiency in mind. FCPS has 220 buildings and 26.5 million square feet of building space. These buildings cost tens of millions of dollars to power each year. As the footprint of FCPS continues to grow, conserving energy for cost savings and greenhouse gas emissions reductions is of the utmost importance.
The 2023 Bond Referendum will be on the ballot in November. Vote on Tuesday, November 7. Learn more about registering to vote.
|
💲Substitutes to Receive High-Volume Pay on High-Volume Days
The School Board has approved a list of 18 days for substitutes to receive high-volume pay. All teacher substitutes will receive their hourly pay plus an additional $80 for each high-volume day they work. See the list of high-volume days and more information.
A bonus program for substitutes who accept more than the 10 required days has also been approved. Substitutes working 50 days within a school year, will earn a $200 bonus. Substitutes working 100 days within a school year, will earn a $300 bonus. Substitutes working 150 days within a school year, will earn a $400 bonus. Get more information on this sub bonus program.
Make a SUBstantial Difference!
FCPS is always looking for kind and caring substitute teachers. Weekly virtual substitute teacher information sessions are held each Wednesday from 2 to 3 p.m. Register for an upcoming session on Wednesday, September 27, and Wednesday, October 4.
|
How to Access Free Resources from Tutor.com
All FCPS students continue to have unlimited access to live, 24/7, one-on-one online tutoring services through Tutor.com at no cost to families. Student participation is optional and parents/caregivers can opt their student(s) out of accessing the services. Get more information on the Tutor.com Online Tutoring Services webpage.
Students can access Tutor.com via a link in Schoology. Additional information about how to log in and access a tutor is provided to families via the following: Elementary - How It Works and Middle & High - How It Works. Questions not answered in the posted resources may be sent to onlinetutoring@fcps.edu.
|
 |
Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity
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.
|
November Events Hosted by the Family Resource Center
The Family Resource Center (FRC) offers free webinars, confidential consultations, a lending library, and resources to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities. The FRC is hosting the following events in November:
-
Sibshops: An Exciting, In-Person Workshop for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs, Monday, November 6, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., at Providence Community Center.
-
SibTeen: An Exciting, In-Person Workshop for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs, Monday, November 6, 1-4 p.m., at Providence Community Center.
-
Moving on to Life in the Community Resource Fair, Thursday, November 9, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at Annandale High School (Cafeteria).
-
Coping Strategies for Anxiety, Depression, and Stress: Part Two (virtual), Friday, November 10, 10-11:30 a.m.
-
Funcionamiento Ejecutivo - Ayudando a tus hijos con la organización, la regulación emocional , y la flexibilidad (presentado en español), Friday, November 17, 10-11:30 a.m.
Click the links above to register for the events. For more information, visit the Family Resource Center webpage.
Get to Know FCPS and the Resources Available to Families
Being connected to your school community helps you stay informed and support your child’s success. Take some time to get familiar with the many resources and tools available to FCPS families, including:
There’s an easy to follow five-step process outlined for parents registering their children for kindergarten. Be sure to register your child ASAP!
|
FCPS This Week
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Federal Impact Aid Survey
- Calendar Update for March 5 Presidential Primary
- Newsletter for Military Families
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, sign up today.
|
Recognizing BRES staff who go above and beyond
The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for families, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story, so we can all acknowledge the good work of FCPS employees at Bull Run Elementary. We love our staff members; let's tell them how we feel!
|
|
 |
|
