GFES Newsletter--November 3

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 11/03/2023 10:44 AM EDT

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

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Dear Great Falls ES Families,

I hope this finds you having a wonderful first week of November!  It is hard to believe that the end of the first quarter is this Friday.  What a fantastic start to the school year for our students and staff.

Today, Friday, November 3, is a 2-hour early release (1:35 p.m.) for students. In addition, November 6 and 7 are also student holidays.

On Monday and Tuesday next week, our staff will be busy completing conferences and progress reports to communicate student progress for the first quarter.  A few announcements and reminders:

  • Progress Reports will be available in SIS on November 15 @ 6 am
  • Achievement marks are reported on a 4-point scale and do not equate to letter grades.  A grade of “4” indicates a high level of achievement; it communicates that a student has a strong understanding of all the concepts and skills taught for that standard during the quarter and can demonstrate understanding independently and with very few errors. When determining grades for students, teachers consider the most current assessment data as evidence of learning. Earlier assessments may no longer be relevant if students have demonstrated further progress. This is illustrated in the visual below.
Standards-based learning progression. 1-developing proficiency; 2--approaching standards; 3 (Target)--meets standards; 4-exceeds grade level standards
  • A mark of “nt” may be used for a specific quarter in which a concept or skill is not taught or “na” when a standard is “not assessed” in a summative manner. However, it is expected that all skills will be taught and assessed for most students during the course of the year unless otherwise noted on the teacher alignments or the grade-level information for parents. Exceptions are students who enter the school later in the year or students who have extended absences throughout the school year.

As always, thank you for your support of all things Great Falls ES and have a fantastic weekend.

Sincerely,
Sara Harper

Upcoming Dates

November 3- End of First Quarter (2 Hour early release @ 1:35)
November 4 - Let Me Run 5K - GFES Track
November 6 & 7 - Teacher Workdays (No School for students)
November 13-17 - Scholastic Book Fair
November 15 - Next PTA General Meeting
November 17 - SCA Flannel Spirit Day
November 18 - Girls on the Run 5K at Dulles Town Center
November 21 - Corey The Dribbler visit Great Falls ES
November 22-24 - Thanksgiving Holiday

Click here to view last week’s PTA Updates and learn more about the PTA events listed!
Click here to view the 2023-2024 school year calendar.
Flannel Friday

Calendar Update for March 5

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.

Cartoon of a Graduate

POG–More than just a fun game from the 90s

POG, or Portrait of a Graduate, has been around in FCPS for a decade! Now we’re taking it to the next step and asking students to continually reflect on their growth through a culminating Presentation of Learning (POL).

This year, our Great Falls ES students in kindergarten, second grade, third grade, fifth grade, and sixth grade will have the opportunity to look at their work throughout the year and speak to the ways in which they’ve grown as a communicator. Learn more about what we’re doing to support student growth--and how you can help--on our new PoGPoL Page on our school website!
FCPS Honors

Outstanding Staff Members

Is there someone at GFES who has had a positive impact on your family? Consider nominating them for the annual FCPS Outstanding Staff Member awards.

Whether it's someone who brightens your child's lunchtime every day, a staff member who helped your family get settled in a new school system, or a teacher who inspired a love of learning, we want to hear from you! Submissions close today so get your nominations in!

Newsletter for Military-Connected Families

Did you know that the Office of Family and School Partnerships publishes a monthly newsletter for military-connected families? Subscribe today.

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:

Click the links above to register for the events. For more information, visit the Family Resource Center webpage.

The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Saves Lives

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.

Provide Input on FCPS’ Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R)

Please join FCPS’ Chief Equity Office for a virtual meeting regarding the Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) Regulation. The event will be held on Thursday, November 9, from 6-7:30 p.m. You may register at this link.

Your feedback will help ensure that FCPS policies align with the school division’s mission and values. It will also help identify any specific considerations that need to be addressed for the 2024-25 school year. 

Language interpretation will be available in Spanish, Korean, and Arabic. A Certified Deaf Interpreter will be available as well. Get information on the SR&R. 

Community Review of Elementary English Language Arts Basal Instructional Resources

Fairfax County Public Schools will adopt new Elementary School Language Arts Basal Instructional Resources for the 2024-2025 school year. A review committee composed of community members, administrators, and teachers met in August to review the state-approved Cycle I materials. The committee will re-convene in January to review the state-approved Cycle II instructional materials under consideration. Public review of the recommended materials is part of the process for selecting new resources. Please share the information included in this communication with school staff and community by November 13, 2023.

Elementary English Language Arts basal instructional resources may be accessed in person and online from November 15, 2023, until noon on December 15, 2023. Digital materials for public review and comment will be available on the Elementary Language Arts Basal Resource Review website. Those reviewing instructional materials may complete an electronic comment sheet that will be available on the website during the review period.

Hard copies of instructional materials will be available for review at:

Pimmit Hills Center, Room 207 7510 Lisle Avenue Falls Church, VA 22043 

Materials may be reviewed at Pimmit Hills Center Monday - Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Visitors should enter through door #4 and check in at the main office or with the building coordinator on duty.

All community feedback will be shared with the review committee and with School Board members before the vote at the School Board regular meeting.