Veterans Day ~ Students Show Support!
A Note from Administration
Dear Parents/Guardians,
We had a wonderful time celebrating and recognizing our veterans or those who are currently serving for the military. The 'clap-out' is a favorite for all and certainly makes all of us somewhat emotional. The students created cards and notes and also handed out flowers! Thanks to all for coming and participating! Enjoy the pictures - they will also be posted on the KG Facebook page.
This next week, we have another celebration ~ National French Week. We have created a fun filled week for the students to enjoy. Below, we have created a daily schedule for you to review and support!
We are still accepting nominations for Outstanding Employees. See the detailed information below. Here is the link to access the nomination details.
We had a short but busy week. Our teachers have been doing an amazing job of connecting with parents and meeting for conferences. We are so appreciative of their hard work and partnership with you all.
Please review the dates and the information below for upcoming activities. Thanks for your support!
Warmly,
Holly McGuigan Sarah Talley Tia Hawkins
Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal
Veterans Day ~ Family Pics ♥
Impact Aid - Parental Consent Needed
We are nearly at the finish line with 780 consent forms completed for the Impact Aid forms. Your homeroom teacher has reached out to you for your form via email or in your child's homework folder. Please complete by November 10th. We need a form for each child. Thanks~!
Parents should have ParentVue in order to activate and document. Complete the following steps:
- Log into ParentVue
- Select Online Packet (Upper Right Corner Tab)
- Select Federal Impact Aid Survey from Dropdown Menu
- The Survey will guide through completion of the form. Note each child who attend FCPS must be completed individually.
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Quarter 1 Progress Reports
Quarter 1 Progress Reports will be available in ParentVue on Wednesday, November 15th at 7 AM.
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Dates, Attendance and Office Reminders
November 13 - 17 - National French Week - See the information below!
November 15 - Author Visit Gale Galligan - Grades 3 - 6
Quarter 1 Progress Reports are available in ParentVue
November 21 - Pie Palooza! Donate a pie for the staff - Complete google form!
November 22, 23 and 24 - Thanksgiving Holiday - No school
November 28 - Picture Make Up Day for New Students or Students who were absent
November 29 - FLE Zoom Information Meeting - 5 p.m.
November 29 - Author Visit - Gordon Korman
FCPS annual calendar is here.
Attendance link is here. Please do use our links at the Kent Gardens website to notify of tardy, early pick up, absence or change in dismissal (temporary transportation change). Office Reminders are here for your review.
Early Check Out: If you must check out your student early, submit online request preferably before 9:30 am. Your notification helps your teachers and office to coordinate, prepare and locate your child. Sign out on the Office Sign out clipboard and wait in the lobby/office. We will call the student upon your arrival. Students will only be released to parents, guardians, and authorized emergency contacts. Please be prepared and have your drivers license or other identification ready. The latest checkout is 2:45pm.
Kent Gardens also posts pictures weekly on Facebook. Many new pictures are uploaded this week! Like our site to see pictures of our daily work and activities!
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Pie Palooza!
Calling all parents! We would love your help! All day on Tuesday, November 21st we will announce staff names to come shop for a holiday pie that you are donating. Homemade and store bought are welcome! Please drop off your pie in the Teacher's lounge by 9:30. Sign up using this link! Thank you!
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Advanced Academic Updates
Here is the link to the recorded AAP Information Session. Note the Fall Screening is for families NEW to FCPS for this school year. Here are some AAP FAQs. Questions - please reach out to Deb Bulford. Here is a link to the AAP Fall Newsletter 2023.
Parents/guardians of students in Grades 2-7 who would like their student to be considered for full-time advanced academic programs may submit the AAP full time referral form to Debra Bulford no later than December 15.
The window to submit an AAP full time referral form is the first day of school through December 15th annually. Forms are available at the AAP Forms Page. No late referrals for full time services can be accepted.
Submitting a referral form for AAP full time services will initiate a process that begins at the local school and is then completed at the central office level. Our school will put together a portfolio that includes multiple data which are considered holistically. At the central office level, a committee of professionals from various schools review materials to determine eligibility for full time placement. Eligibility decisions are communicated in April 2024.
National French Week - November 13 - 17
Lundi - Monday, 11/13 - Read a French Book!
Mardi - Tuesday, 11/14 - Classes will sing French songs!
Mercredi - Wednesday, 11/15 - Wear something French and take a picture in front of the Eiffel Tower!
Jeudi - Thursday, 11/16 - Count the berets hidden in the school!
Vendredi - Friday, 11/17 - Find your French origin on our map!
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In support of our French National Week, Fresh Baguette located at 6707 Old Dominion Drive, McLean will offer a free Traditional or Parisian baguette with another purchase - this week only (McLean location only) The key phrase, "Je voudrais une baguette Parisienne, si vous plait?" Kent Gardens appreciates their support! |
Family Life Education Instructional Program Information
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) provides a comprehensive, sequential Family Life Education (FLE) program for students in grades kindergarten through grade twelve. Instruction is seen as a partnership among parents and guardians, the school, and the community in supporting the learning essential to the development of strong families, positive relationships, and a healthy community.
Parents/guardians may choose to opt their child out of all or part of the Family Life Education program. Students who are opted out are provided with age-appropriate, nonpunitive alternative health instruction, and every effort is made to foster respect for family choices. If you wish to opt your child out of all or part of FLE for this school year, opt out forms will be included in your child’s back-to-school/orientation packets and are available online for Elementary (K-6), Please fill in the opt-out form and return it to your child’s school prior to Family Life Education instruction. Kent Gardens will be instructing the Human Growth and Development lessons for grades 4-6 the week of December 11.
Detailed grade-level program descriptions are available online at Elementary (K-6) . FLE grade level-specific lessons and media that FCPS has streaming rights for are available for parents online in Schoology. Parents/guardians login to Schoology using the same username and password as their Student Information System (SIS) Parent account. Grade level-specific lessons are also available at the City of Fairfax Regional Library (this location does not have media). Grade level-specific lessons and media that is not streamed online are available for review at your child’s school library. Due to copyright permissions, we are unable to stream all media online. Kent Gardens will host a FLE information night on Wednesday, November 29th at 5:00 PM via ZOOM. Program questions may be addressed to Sarah Talley, Assistant Principal, sjtalley@fcps.edu
Author Visit - Gordon Korman - November 29th
Bestselling author Gordon Korman will be visiting grades 3-6 on November 29, 2023. All book orders are due Friday, November 17th. Visit https://gordonkorman.com/ for more information. Pre-order using this link.
Time to Recognize our Amazing Staff at Kent Gardens!
Nominations are now open for the Outstanding Employee Awards! To submit a nomination for a Kent Gardens Outstanding Employee in one of the categories below, please complete the nomination through this Google form link. You may nominate one employee at our school or multiple employees (one individual may only nominate one employee per category.)
All that is required for a preliminary nomination is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work in the criteria for that category. The google form link has more information regarding the criteria for each of these awards and the eligibility requirements are below.
Outstanding Teacher Eligibility: Teachers that have at least three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category.
Outstanding New Teacher Eligibility: New Teachers should be in their first three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category
Outstanding Principal Eligibility: At least three years of experience as a building principal (in any school/school district).
Outstanding Leader Eligibility: At least one year of experience in their current position as a School-Based Administrator scale employee (that is not the building principal). it would include: Assistant Principals
Outstanding Professional Employee Eligibility: At least one year experience in current position that supports school leadership. Common positions in this category: School-Based Technology Specialist, Technology Support Specialist, Instructional Coach, Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor, Resource Teachers that serve in an administrative role in a school.
Outstanding Operational Employee Eligibility: At least one year of experience in current position as Classroom Instructional Support Scale employee. Common positions in this category: Administrative and Office Staff, , Custodial Staff, Food Service Staff, Instructional Assistant, PHA, PHTA, and Parent Liaisons.
The deadline to submit a nomination is Friday, November 17th. If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Talley at sjtalley@fcps.edu
Veterans Day - More Pics!
Order your KG Yearbook Now!
Use the QR code and order today! The code is 21772 accessible at Yearbookorddercenter.com
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Yearbook Cover Contest!
Covers must:
- Include the words “Kent Gardens Elementary Yearbook 2023-2024”
- Fit within the theme of “Puzzles: We all fit together” to be considered. You can interpret this theme however you’d like!
- Use 8.5x11 or 9x12 paper
Due Date: January 4, 2024
There will be a box in the main office to drop off your finished work OR you can also give your work to your art teacher.
Make sure your name and Homeroom teacher are written on the back in pencil.
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November Events at 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:
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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.
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Diwali ~
We wish all who celebrate a wonderful Diwali. Diwali is a festival of lights and one of the major festivals celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs & some Buddhists. The festival represents the symbolic victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. This year's Diwali artwork was created by Chantilly High School student Rijuta D. as part of the FCPS Observance Design Challenge for Students.
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PTA News
Come volunteer this year! Fill out the PTA's volunteer interest form and let us know if you'd like to be matched with an opportunity to give back to this amazing community! Find the form here!
New Spirit Wear For Sale
Show your KG Pride by ordering NEW Spirit Wear for the 2023-24 school year! Order here! , The orders will be delivered directly to your home.
Order Square 1 Art Now!
Order DEADLINE: 11/14/2023 Shop Online square1art.com/shop Need to find your child's art? Use the online Art Search. Do you know you can upload additional art and make an order? Use the online Art Upload Thank you for supporting Kent Gardens Elementary!
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Ways to Get Involved at Kent Gardens
Lost and Found
Make it easier to reunite lost articles with their owners by labeling your child's things. We were able to reunite 6 jackets, one lunch box, and a water bottle with their owners this week because each item was labeled!
KGES Food Bus Food Rescue Program Volunteers Needed on FRIDAYS
Do you have a half-hour to spare on Friday afternoons to deliver food to SHARE of McLean Food Pantry at McLean Baptist Church? Interested in getting involved in this program? Please sign up here and/or email lanavu@gmail.com or beccadw@gmail.com with questions.
Service hours available for middle/high school students! Thank you for your ongoing support. We could not do this amazing program without you.
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