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11/22-24 Thanksgiving Holiday
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)
12/04-07 ATES Annual Book Fair
12/07 Book Fair Family Night (4:30-7:00pm, Library)
12/13 Gr. 5 field trip to Adventure Theatre
  During the teacher workdays, the SPED and ESOL teams met for their quarterly meeting. Teachers had an opportunity to learn strategies about how to scaffold writing and check in on how students have made progress based on established goals.
On November 13th, eight of our 4th and 5th grade students had such a great time participating in FCPS’ 1st Food Nutrition Show. Students had the opportunity to taste test a variety of food options from 30+ vendor tables. After sampling food, students provided their thoughts about the food they tasted. Their input will help determine new cafeteria breakfast and lunch options for all FCPS students! From the time we left ATES and returned, our students showed #ATESCougarPRIDE. All students were responsible, safe, and respectful to the chaperones, bus driver, vendors and other students. We are very proud of each and every one of them.
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We are so grateful for the parent volunteers who came in last week to help with the Thanksgiving center pieces that will be used to decorate the cafeteria this Thursday. This Thursday, we will be celebrating our Thanksgiving Luncheon with our students and their families. A huge thank you to the Family Engagement Committee for organizing this event. |
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During our Learning Walk last week, look at these two ways 2nd grade students had an opportunity to respond! We are so proud of them and their teachers! |
A huge thank you to the Literacy Team for facilitating the Literacy QRPD last week. Teachers learned about building background knowledge and vocabulary for language comprehension. Here we have two of our ESOL teachers, Ms. Tran and Ms. Cannock sharing some strategies. |
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When: Tuesday, November 28th
Time: 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Where: Annandale Terrace ES Gym
* Pizza and salad will be served at 5:30pm in the cafeteria!
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, please be sure to return paper forms as soon as possible. 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).
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FAMILY NIGHT: During the Book Fair family night, we will have special guests read stories to students. Story times will occur every 20 minutes. Make sure to come! Your teacher may be one of the special guest readers! In addition, hot chocolate and cookies will be served!
*You can shop as a family using cash, check, credit, debit, ApplePay and GooglePay.
VOLUNTEERS:
To make the Book Fair a success we need parent volunteers! Please sign up in the Parent Center, email the Librarian, Mr. Landis at jnlandis@fcps.edu or call 703-658-5600
You may also contact Mr. Landis if you wish to donate money to help students who cannot afford a book.
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This is event is sponsored by Annandale Terrace Elementary School PTA.
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 for Goal 2 of 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!
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. However, a homework packet cannot make up for the interaction and learning that happens in the classroom.
Cases of RSV, the flu, and other viruses often rise this time of year. It is important for students to wash their hands regularly and cover their coughs and sneezes. Please monitor your child’s health daily and keep them at home if they are sick. Visit FCPS' Health and Safety Guidance webpage for more tips.
Fairfax County Public Schools has the following resources available to 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.
Additionally, 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.
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.
You may access the resources in person and online from Wednesday, November 15, 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. Those reviewing instructional materials may complete an electronic comment sheet that will be available 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 there 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 School Board.
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.
Annandale High School will be sponsoring a 3-day Winter Olympics Camp at Poe Middle School for students in 2nd through 8th grade during Winter Break. Camp will be held Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 8:30am-3:00pm. Cost is $100. Payment will be accepted during drop off on the first day. https://bit.ly/Olympics23Poe
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.
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.
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