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11/06 Student Holiday-Teacher Workday
11/07 Parent Teacher Conferences - No school
11/13 Family Food Market (3:45pm, Cafeteria)
11/15 Reports Sent Home
11/16 Thanksgiving Luncheon
11/17 Turkey Trot Day (Rain Date: 11/21)
11/28 Family Science Night (6:00-7:30pm, ATES Gym)
11/30 Gr. 4 field trip to Jamestown / Williamsburg
12/04 Family Food Market (3:45pm, Cafeteria)
12/13 Gr. 5 field trip to Adventure Theatre
On Saturday, October 21, 2023, ATES Ms. Pettie, Ms. Scher, Ms. Ireland, and Ms. Carr-Hogan represented Annandale Terrace Elementary School at the Eileen Garnett Civic Space Grand Opening. A table was set up to share information about ATES, offer STEM lab experiences to students, and coloring. We were excited to participate and be part of this event.
It is field trip season! Our 3rd grade students visited Hidden Pond Nature Center and 2nd grade visited Ellanor C Lawrence Park. All our field trips are aligned with our science units of studies and the standards of learning. Our students love field trips
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Students in Kindergarten and First Grade had the opportunity to participate in a dental screening hosted by the Fairfax County Health Department Public Health Dentists. As part of this group, we had students from the Falls Church High School Dentistry Academy participate under the supervision of a certified Dentist. All students did great and learned about how to keep their teeth nice and cleaned. |
On Friday, October 27, 2023, we took a moment to celebrate all our Instructional Assistants for their continuous support and hard work. Their dedication to our students and teachers is admirable! We love them all! |
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Trees, Trees, Trees! Urban Forester Fairfax County visited our school last week and helped us plant 8 beautiful trees donated by Merrifield Nursery. Our 4th and 5th grade students participated in the planting of the trees. Four trees were planted in our courtyard and four trees were planted in the backyard. They are absolutely beautiful! We are so luck and thankful to this partnership. A special shout out goes out to Ms. Ireland and Ms. Carr-Hogan for spearheading all of the meetings to make this happen for ATES!
Last Wednesday, School Board member, Dr. Ricardy Anderson stopped by to visit one of our music classes. She was very impressed with how engaged our Enhanced Autism students were in the lesson. Music is definitely one of their favorite classes!
4th Grade was in for a treat last week. They had a mystery reader come in dressed up as book character – a hotdog with spaghetti on top. She read the book Spaghetti in a Hotdog Bun: Having the Courage to be You written by Maria Dismondy.
 Please sign up volunteer form if you are interested.
FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available online in SIS ParentVUE. If you have not already filled out the form online, we provided paper forms on Wednesday, November 1. Please be sure to return paper forms by Friday, November 17. The electronic form will continue to be available in SIS ParentVUE until January 2024.
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.
Please watch this video and visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page for more information.
Need to Register for ParentVUE?
Learn how to activate your SISParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey.
Technical support for using ParentVUE or completing the survey online is available by submitting a Parent Support Request ticket. Select SISParent in the Application dropdown menu and enter Federal Impact Aid Survey under Issue Description. Or, call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS).
Nominate amazing ATES staff members!
FCPS has a special awards program to honor outstanding staff members. This can include classroom teachers, ESOL teachers, SPED teachers, Specialists (PE, Music, Art, etc…), Instructional Assistants and Instructional Leaders for each school. It’s a perfect way to celebrate any of our staff members to be recognized for all the amazing work they do each day. If you would like to nominate anyone from ATES, please fill out this form no later than November 17, 2023.
If you have any questions, send them to Essel Linton, Awards Liaison at elinton@fcps.edu
The nomination forms may be accessed through https://forms.gle/5QbK3pfgZAn3SXTXA
 For the school year 2023-24, ATES is hosting a free event for our students and families courtesy of The Children’s Science Center www.thechildrenssciencecenter.org. The Mobile Science Lab will bring fun experiments and activities designed to excite our students about science! It is completely free because we are a Title 1 school, however 30 volunteers are needed to run the activities. Please consider volunteering your time and/or pass this on to someone who’d like to volunteer. Children’s Science Center brings all the materials, displays and activities. Volunteers just set up, read their volunteer packet (you receive this a week in advance), run the activity table, and go home when finished.
Volunteer Requirements: Adults (teachers, spouses, friends, community members, etc.) or high school students in grades 11 and 12 (Community service hours given for high school students).
When: Tuesday, November 28th
Place: Gym @ Annandale Terrace Elementary School
Time: 5:15-7:45 p.m. (This time includes set up/clean up. The actual family program is from 6:00-7:30 p.m.) RSVP by Friday, November 10th by completing this Volunteer Sign-up Form. For any questions, please email Cindy Rogers via cindy.rogers@fcps.edu.
If you would like your student to be screened for Full Time AAP services please fill out the referral found here, on the AAP website, and send it to Mrs. Carr-Hogan (mccarrhogan@fcps.edu) by December 15, 2023.
More information about the Full Time AAP referral screening process can be found on the FCPS AAP website and here in the recording from the Parent Coffee (held on 11/3/23).
If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Carr-Hogan via email or Talking Points.
The 2023 School Bond Referendum will be on the ballot Tuesday, November 7. Remember to vote!
November 7 will also be a teacher workday and a holiday for students. For more information on voting, visit the Virginia Department of Elections website.
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.
The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) reminds parents and caregivers that it’s important to talk to your children about safety topics including:
- What parents should know about their children’s plans.
- Having a meeting spot in case of getting separated.
- Establishing safe areas.
- What to do if you are followed.
Visit the FCPD website for more details on how to discuss safety topics.
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.
The Fairfax County Youth Survey provides insights into the behaviors and attitudes that affect the health and well-being of Fairfax County youth.
Most Fairfax County students reported they feel safe at their school. Overall, the percentage of students who reported risky behaviors continued to decrease in many areas including substance use, sexual activity, and aggressive and delinquent behavior.
Mental health indicators including feelings of sadness/hopelessness, suicidal ideations, and suicide attempts also improved noticeably compared to 2021. Students who reported the recommended amount of physical activity increased compared to the prior year as well.
Read more about the report’s findings, and find the full report on the county’s website.
Results from the Fairfax County Youth Survey highlight the importance of students having three or more “protective factors.” Protective factors are individual, family-based, school-based, and community-based assets (such as participating in extracurricular activities, having parents available for help, or having teachers recognize good work) that support healthy habits and positive choices. Learn more about promoting positive outcomes.
Survey data shows that students with at least three protective factors have a lower likelihood of reporting mental health challenges and engaging in a variety of risky behaviors, including substance and opioid abuse. These findings led to the development of the Three to Succeed program, which is being implemented divisionwide to educate FCPS students, families, and staff on the importance of protective factors and increasing the number of high school students with three or more of them.
One of the ways FCPS supports the mental wellness of all students is the SEL Screener.
The screener is offered to all students in grades 3-12 in October and again in February or March. It addresses skills like achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships with adults and peers, and making responsible decisions.
The SEL Screener also helps students evaluate their school community’s efforts to make them feel valued, included, and supported. Screener data is used to create the learning, experiences, and environments students need to be successful. Key updates to the screener this year include:
- Different versions for students in grades 3-5 and 6-12.
- Fewer topics with more questions to provide schools and families with more data to support planning.
- Additional questions aligned with FCPS’ commitment to educational equity.
SEL Screener results are sent to families via postal mail. Families who wish to opt their child out should complete the opt-out form in the Annual Notice packet or in SIS ParentVUE.
For more information, please visit the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage or contact your child’s school.
Please note that the SEL Screener differs from the anonymous Fairfax County Youth Survey.
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:
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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.
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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.
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Moving on to Life in the Community Resource Fair, Thursday, November 9, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at Annandale High School (Cafeteria).
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Coping Strategies for Anxiety, Depression, and Stress: Part Two (virtual), Friday, November 10, 10-11:30 a.m.
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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.
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.
Every U.S. household can place an order to receive four more free COVID-19 rapid tests delivered directly to their home.
Review health and safety guidance for schools to stay up to date on the best ways to prevent the spread of disease, and for information on when students should stay home from school.
Immunizations are required for public school entry and help keep students protected from serious diseases. While COVID-19 vaccinations are not required, many other immunizations are. Check with your students’ healthcare providers now to make sure they are up to date on their immunizations. Immunization records can now be updated online in SIS ParentVUE through the Online Verification Update form. To access that form, click Online Packets in the top right of the screen after logging in to SIS ParentVUE. Caregivers can obtain an activation key letter to activate their SIS ParentVUE account by contacting the main office 703-658-5600.
 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.
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.
It’s hourly paid position. Please see the job description /qualification and apply via Food Services Worker | Fairfax County Public Schools (brassring.com) if you are interested. For any questions regarding this position, please email Ingrid.Badia@fcps.edu.
Some FCPS-approved digital resources require parent consent before they can be used by students. Find the list of resources which require consent on the Parent Consent webpage. This page also includes directions for providing permission.
Each digital resource used in FCPS has had an instructional and technical review. Information about the educational technology tools approved for use within FCPS can be found in the online Digital Ecosystem Library.
Parents can find more information about FCPS-approved digital resources on the Digital Resources in FCPS webpage.
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