November Around the Towne...We Are So Grateful!
 Thanksgiving Around the Towne
We were so excited to welcome families back to our Family Thanksgiving Lunch tradition and are incredibly grateful to our LTES community. We are humbled by the commitment and unwavering care from staff, families, and community members who support our Lions. We appreciate each and every one of you and look forward to our continued partnership.
Check out these snapshots from the day! Thanksgiving Luncheon
 LTES Participates in FCPS First Annual Food Show
This month a select group of students in grades 4-6 were invited to attend the first-ever FCPS Student Food Show at the Westfield Marriott. During this show, students tested out potential recipes for future school lunch menus. Students attending:
- Learned about healthy plate combinations
- Tried out new recipes that may be offered soon in FCPS cafeterias
- Provided feedback on the new recipes
We are proud of our Lions for sharing their voices and being part of the conversation to bring more culturally diverse (and tasty!) meal options to our lunchtime! Check out FCPS Student Food Show for more photos.
 Dental Clinic Visit
Several students from LTES had the opportunity to visit Northern Virginia Community College Dental Clinic. While there, students learned about dental hygiene, had the opportunity to have a dental cleaning from dental students and learned about working in the dental field as a potential career option.
 Girls on the Run | Fall 2023
Our Girls on the Run team, led by Coach Fleming Hernandez and Coach Habermeyer completed a 5K run the weekend before Thanksgiving at Dulles Towne Center. We are so proud of our grades 3-6 girls who participated in this club and race and are so grateful to all the buddy runners and cheerleaders that provided the encouragement during the run and practices throughout the Fall of this school year. Click here to view more pictures of this event.
Lost and Found Reminders
LTES Student Leaders working on keeping our Lost and Found area organized and neat!
The weather has gotten colder and our Lost and Found is filling up. Please help us ensure items find their rightful owners by labeling all items (coats, lunchboxes, water bottles, etc.) and encourage your Little Lion to check the Lost and Found if they are missing items.
During our WLTS Morning News Show, students are routinely reminded to check the Lost and Found for missing items. All items not claimed after three weeks are donated to a local charity.
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 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. Last school year, 30% of LTES students that were chronically absent were in PreK and Kindergarten, our current Kindergarten and First Grade students.
- 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!
Attendance Considerations
Staying Healthy This Cold & Flu Season
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. When in doubt, see the chart below, check in with your medical professional, or review the FCPS Health and Safety guidelines. It is recommended students stay home, if they have one of the following:
- Severe/uncontrolled cough
- Diarrhea
- Fever (100.4 or higher)
- Rash with a fever
- Strep throat
- Vomiting
- A communicable disease such as COVID-19, Chicken Pox, Measles & Rubella, Mumps, or Pertussis (Whopping Cough)
If your child has a chronic illness, as long as their symptoms are controlled, they may attend school. Please contact our public health nurse, Taylor Paul at tpaul@fcps.edu to develop a plan to support your child at school. If your child doesn't want to attend school, please contact a member of our mental health team or an administrator for additional support. Our mental health team:
- Emily Habermeyer, counselor | eahabermeyer@fcps.edu
- Alex Hunter, counselor | alhunter@fcps.edu
- Alyssa Teitsma, counselor | anteitsma@fcps.edu
- Mercedes Tikoyan, school social worker | mttikoyan@fcps.edu
- Muna Yusuf, school psychologist | myusuf@fcps.edu
Visit FCPS' Health and Safety Guidance webpage for more tips.
 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 and create a plan for making up missed work upon your return. Classroom teachers will ensure missed content is reviewed in class and will keep any missed work for when your child returns to school. Homework packets will not be provided as they do not replace the learning and interaction that happens in the classroom.
If your family travels, students are encouraged to read daily, keep a travel journal, and utilize MyOn, LEXIA, and ST Math to maintain their skills.
Visit FCPS’ website for more attendance resources.
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.
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.
From the Westfield Pyramid Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist | Alcohol & The Holidays
Holidays may involve family time, games, movies, food, and possibly drinks. Although loneliness is a cause for alcohol or drug consumption, being around others does not necessarily mean a decrease in unhealthy habits. Alcohol consumption increased during the pandemic and has not decreased after we have returned to a semblance of normalcy. Many people are still trying to figure out how to navigate our “new normal”. We encourage the consideration of a few things as we move towards the end of the year, have time off, and look forward to social interactions.
Questions to consider when drinking with your family:
- What message am I sending if I drink in excess around my underage child?
- Have I had conversations about responsible drinking with my child(ren)?
- Are the conversations I have about alcohol consumption realistic?
- Are the conversations I have with others reinforcing alcohol use as a coping skill during stressful times?
- What messages am I sending my underage child(ren) if I allow them to drink with me or another adult in the house?
Information to consider:
“One-third of Fairfax County students (33.7%) reported drinking alcohol at least once in their lifetime, ranging from 18.8% of eighth-grade students to half of twelfth-grade students (49.4%). One in seven students (15.2%) reported drinking alcohol in the past month, ranging from 4.5% of eighth-grade students to 27.7% of twelfth-grade students.” (FCPS Youth Survey 2020)
“Female students reported higher rates of alcohol use in their lifetime (36.1% compared to 31.2% of male students), in the past month (17.1% and 13.1%, respectively), and binge drinking in the past two weeks (7.3% and 6.5%, respectively)” (FCPS Youth Survey 2020).
Resources:
Holiday Stress
Helpful Info to Quit Vaping
FCPS video on Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs
Substance Abuse Prevention (Spanish)
Important Dates
November 29
LTES Picture Make Up Day | Click here & enter our school code, FM427038 to order
December 5
Second Grade Showcase @ 6:30 p.m.
December 8
PTA Winter Wonderland Shop and Gift Wrapping Fundraiser | 3-8:00 p.m.
December 12
Interims Go Home
PTA Meeting @ 6:30 p.m., Library or Virtual | To access our virtual session, here are the steps:
- lms.fcps.edu
- Parent/Guardian Login
- Groups > 245-London Towne PTA
- If New, Join Group > Code: TGZJ-VJT4-KM57N
- Zoom > Join
December 18- January 1
Winter Break | LTES Office Closed
Stay up to date on LTES activities by subscribing to our calendar.
See the complete FCPS 2023-2024 school year calendar.
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