|
To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.
Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.
ይህንን ዜና መፅሄት በሌሎች ቋንቋዎች ለማንበብ፤ እባክዎን ድረ ገፃችንን ይጎብኙ።
.يرجى زيارة موقعنا الألكتروني لقراءة هذه النشرة الإخبارية بلغات أخرى
اس نیوزلیٹر کو دوسری زبانوں میں پڑھنے کیلئے ، براہ مہربانی ہماری ویب سائیٹ ملاحظہ کیجیئے۔
Dear Franconia District Families,
In a world that challenges us each and every day, it is important that we take the time to restore ourselves and heal. The Thanksgiving holiday affords us such an opportunity.
Over this holiday break, I hope you are able to find the time to reflect upon those things you are grateful for and create happy moments with your family and friends.
Wishing you a peaceful and joy-filled Thanksgiving!
Best,
Tammy
Purple Star Schools Support Military-Connected Families
 Rose Hill Elementary School Principal Rachal Edwards (pictured right) and Kate Pennington, Family Liaison (pictured left), receiving Rose Hill's Purple Star Award.
Eighteen Fairfax County public schools have been recognized by the Virginia Department of Education and the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children as 2023 Purple Star Schools.
Congratulations to Lynbrook Elementary School and Rose Hill Elementary in the Franconia District who were recognized for the 2023 Purple Star for the first time.
The Purple Star designation is awarded to military-friendly schools that have demonstrated their commitment to meeting the needs of military-connected students and their families. See the full list of schools.
|
Thank You Voters! 2023 School Bond Referendum Passed
 Thank you to the Fairfax citizens who supported the 2023 Bond Referendum. Roughly 67% of those voting in the 2023 election supported the $435 million bond referendum, continuing a long history of school bond approvals in Fairfax County.
Stay engaged as we build our future. Keep up-to-date on construction and capital improvements across FCPS by visiting our Capital Improvement Project webpage.
Fairfax Area Student “Shark Tank” Technology Competition
The Fairfax Area 50+ Technology Committee is issuing a challenge to high school students in Fairfax County, Fairfax City, and the City of Falls Church to develop an innovative device or app that will have a positive impact on the lives of older adults and adults with disabilities. Initial project proposals are due by Friday, December 15. Cash prizes will be awarded.
Learn more about the “Shark Tank” Technology Challenge.
2022-23 Winners Created an App for Individuals With Dementia
Last year’s Shark Tank winners, Sampriti Muthuswamy, Ira Gramopadhye, and Karen Zhou, from Oakton High School, and Asmita Kodityala from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, created a web application to help individuals affected by dementia connect with their loved ones.
Capture Your Memory creates a logging database tailored specifically to those with degenerative neurological impairments, allowing them to increase connections with the most important people and memories in their lives through media such as photos, video, and audio. Watch the team present their solution.
National Family Engagement Month
This month reminds us that families are children's first and most important teachers, advocates, and nurturers. Strong family support is vital to student well-being and success.
FCPS has many resources designed to increase engagement and partnerships with families while fostering academic success and social-emotional growth.
Additionally, every school has a family liaison who welcomes and orients families and helps them understand the school's culture, policies, procedures, and practices. They can help connect families to resources in the community. Family liaisons might also assist a family in transitioning to a new school and encourage family-school partnerships to help ensure their student's success and healthy development.
If you have questions or would like more information, ask your school office to connect you with your family liaison or visit FCPS’ website for a list of region representatives.
Students Choose the Future of FCPS Food
 Last week, FCPS hosted the Future of FCPS Student Food Show. The Office of Food and Nutrition Services invited more than 200 students from 24 elementary, middle, and high schools to sample and provide feedback on various breakfast and lunch recipes. Watch students' reactions and read more about the event.
Special Education Resources for Families
Fairfax County Public Schools has the following resources available to help assist families of students with special needs:
- The Office of Special Education Procedural Support helps staff, families, and students with the implementation of and compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended.
- Kathy Murphy, the assistant ombuds for special education, provides information and support to caregivers and students regarding special education and Section 504 services. Contact the Ombuds Office by submitting a question, calling 571-423-4014, or emailing ombuds@fcps.edu.
The Virginia Department of Education has updated the Virginia Family's Guide to Special Education. This state guide was developed to help those involved in special education including families, teachers, school administrators, advocates, and students.
Community Review of Elementary English Language Arts Basal Instructional Resources
FCPS will adopt new Elementary School Language Arts Basal Instructional Resources for the 2024-25 school year. Public review of the recommended materials is part of the process for selecting new resources. The resources may be accessed in person and online until Friday, December 15, at noon.
Digital materials for public review and comment will be available on the Elementary Language Arts Basal Resource Review webpage. If you review instructional materials, please complete an electronic comment sheet which will be on the webpage during the review period.
Visit FCPS' website for instructions on how to view hard copies of the instructional materials at Pimmit Hills Center. The Elementary Language Arts team will be on site to answer questions Friday, December 1, 4-8 p.m., and Saturday, December 2, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
All community feedback will be shared with the review committee and the School Board.
Congratulations to the 2023 Teacher Grant Recipients!
Educate Fairfax and FCPS are proud to announce that 57 grants will impact more than 16,000 K-12 students across the county.
These grants will fund innovative classroom initiatives that focus on developing career-connected experiences for students. Funded projects should enable students to reinforce and deepen their classroom learning, explore future career fields, and demonstrate their acquired Portrait of a Graduate (POG) skills.
Now in its fifth year, our partnership with Educate Fairfax and the Teacher Grant Program has funded 255 grants to educators and impacted more than 80,000 FCPS students!
Congratulations to these schools that serve Franconia District students:
Edison Academy
Career Exploration Beyond The Walls of School
Provide students with an opportunity to visit and explore job locations while receiving hands on training opportunities.
Hayfield Secondary School
Hayfield Secondary School Instructional Technology Partnership with Ft. Belvoir
VA Star students refurbish computers for local Wounded Warriors
Lewis High School
Lewis HS PACE Mobile Store
The mobile store provides students aged 18-22 with severe disabilities exposure to a variety of educational applications, vocational skills, and social interactions with staff and peers in the school setting.
Lewis High School
Lancer Media Road Kit
Lancer Media is building a live broadcast kit in order to stream Lewis High School events to our entire school community.
Mount Eagle Elementary School
Preparing To Take On The World Through Literacy
This grant will allow us to buy class sets of books, so that kids can engage deeply in learning and literacy!
Mount Vernon High School
Sparking Collegiate Curiosity in Mount Vernon Students
Students will experience and explore different types of colleges to help increase access and awareness about college. We will visit a selective private institution, a public primarily white institution, and a historically black college.
West Potomac Academy
West Potomac Academy Career Exploration Field Trips
Students will visit job sites and colleges to explore career fields and associated majors.
West Potomac Academy
Academy Ambassador Training
Student ambassadors will receive public speaking training and work on communication, teamwork, problem solving, and work ethic.
West Springfield High School
Cooking for Life
Cooking for life to enhance independent living skills and job skills for students with intellectual disabilities.
West Springfield High School
Original Creations
Students in the low incidence program at West Springfield High school to use their creativity to learn new job and life skills while also creating a more inclusive school community.
West Springfield High School
Business Tours for Networking and Professional Connections
Students gain real world exposure to a wide range of employment opportunities in our community, with interested employers in high demand career fields.
Learn more about teacher grants and see complete.
Student Attendance and Engagement
 During the Academic Matters segment of the November 9 School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid discussed student attendance and engagement. Attendance and absenteeism rates are one measure of Goal 2 for our 2023-30 Strategic Plan.
Chronic absenteeism — which is defined as a student missing 10% or more of school for any reason — is a concern across Virginia school districts. Although FCPS continues to outperform the state average in attendance rates, we are tracking chronic absenteeism closely.
Data shows that:
- Missing just 10% of school — just two days a month — negatively affects a student’s academic performance.
- Only 17% of students who were chronically absent in both kindergarten and first grade were reading proficiently in third grade, compared to 64% of those with good attendance.
- Students who fail to read at grade level by the end of third grade are four times more likely than students who achieve proficiency to drop out of high school.
- By sixth grade, chronic absenteeism becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.
Attendance is critical for academic success.
Missing School Over the Holidays
Looking ahead to the holiday season, if missing school is unavoidable, please speak with your child’s teachers in advance to create a plan for making up missed work. But remember, a homework packet cannot make up for the interaction and learning that happens in the classroom.
Visit our website for more attendance resources.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Opening in December
The FAFSA is needed to determine a student's eligibility for financial aid. Families of current seniors should be thinking about completing financial aid applications in order for students to be eligible to receive financial help to cover the costs of post-secondary education. With the late opening of the FAFSA, there are some things families can do now (English only).
A funding opportunity is available for students who are unable to complete the FAFSA — the Virginia Alternative State Aid (VASA) program. Find out which aid option is right for your family on the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia website.
Grand News About GrandInvolve
Long time Ignite Partner GrandInvolve is moving from being a 501c3 not-for-profit, to a program led by Fairfax County’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS).
The change is happening as longtime GrandInvolve Executive Director Dorothy Keenan retires. In 2014 Ms. Keenan founded GrandInvolve, an all-volunteer non-profit focusing on intergenerational volunteering in Fairfax County Title I Elementary Schools, increasing the number of older adults who volunteer in classrooms to help improve educational outcomes.
The FCPS partnership office is working with Fairfax County’s NCS now to draft a suitable Memorandum of Understanding. More information will be posted here.
I wanted to take a moment to personally thank Ms. Keenan who I have had the pleasure to work with many times over the past 12 years. I am so grateful to her and all of the volunteers at GrandInvolve.
|
Upcoming School Events & Performances
John R. Lewis High School
John R Lewis High School will be hosting their annual Tiny Tots Concert next week.
Tuesday, November 28 at 10am* and 7pm
Wednesday, November 29 at 10am*
Featuring your favorite characters and music. *Reservations are required for the morning performances. Click on the image above for the flyer, or email: lancerbandtinytots@gmail.com for more information.
Admission is $2 per person.
|
Edison Academy
The Culinary Arts at Edison Academy is hosting a Gingerbread House Workshop. Bring friends and family to create your own unique gingerbread house for the holiday season. The workshop includes all the ingredients to decorate your gingerbread house. Hot cocoa and cookies will be available afterwards.
Price is $45 and a minimum of 4 canned goods per house (the canned goods will be donated to the Koinonia Foundation food pantry).
Register or learn more about this event here.
Saturday, December 9, 2023
Session 1: 9 - 10:30am
Session 2: 10:30am - Noon
Recommended age: 5 years and up - participants under 13 must have an adult chaperone.
|
Thomas Edison High School
Edison Theater Company presents The Diary of Anne Frank.
Wednesday, November 29 at 7pm
Thursday, November 30 at 7pm
Friday, December 1 at 7pm
Saturday, December 2 at 2pm
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students.
For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
|
West Potomac High School
West Potomac Academy Dance and ArtSpireVa collaborate to present their joint performance of The Nutcracker, the traditional holiday story with a modern twist.
Thursday November 30 at 5:30pm
Friday December 1 at 6:30pm
Saturday December 2 at 2:30pm and 6:30pm
For more information or to purchase tickets go to www.Artspireva.com
|
 |
|
West Potomac Music Department Holiday Concert & Bazar
Thursday, December 14 from 5:30pm to 9pm
Vendors include; Oakley Forge Collective, Fun Yarn Art, Julie Stirling-Avon representative, Alternative’s Boutique and more to come.
For more information, click here.
|
Hayfield Secondary School
High School Band Winter Concert
Tuesday, December 5 at 7pm (High School)
Wednesday, December 13 at 7pm (Middle School)
Hayfield Orchestra Winter Concert
Wednesday, December 6 at 6pm (Middle School)
Wednesday, December 6 at 7:30 pm (High School)
|
Mount Vernon High School
MVHS Class of 2026 presents Winter Wonderland Breakfast
Saturday, December 9 from 9am to Noon
Gift wrapping available ($10 per family), raffle tickets (3 for $5), and a free photo with Anna, Elsa Olaf and Santa.
$8 for Adults and $5 for Children
For more information, click here.
Enter through Door 4.
|
West Springfield High School
 |
|
West Springfield Choral Department presents Breakfast with Santa
Saturday, December 9 from 10am to Noon
Enjoy holiday songs, photo with Santa, make ornaments, and much more.
Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Children under 2 are free.
Visit here for complete details.
Enter through Door 5.
|
The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.
© Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
|
