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Dear Mantua families,
It was a privilege to host the many families participating in our Thanksgiving luncheon on Wednesday! It was a fantastic event! We want to thank our wonderful cafeteria staff and other staff members who volunteered to set up, greet, serve, and clean up. We estimate that we served almost 400 guests for the luncheon, which was a big task, and we appreciated everyone’s patience and cooperation as we moved people through the building. We have pictures below and also on Instagram!
Mark your calendar now for the upcoming PTA-sponsored drama performance of Annie KIDS! These performances will take place on December 1 and 2. We’ve included times and locations below. Tickets can be purchased at the door. You won’t want to miss this entertaining event!
As a reminder, offices and schools will be closed November 22-24 for the Thanksgiving holiday. School will resume on November 27.
In the spirit of the season, we want to express our humble and heartfelt thanks to all of our students and the community that supports them. We come to Mantua daily because teaching, caring for, and supporting our students brings us joy. None of that would be possible without the tremendous support from our Mantua families. Thank you for entrusting us with your students. Whatever your gathering looks like this coming week, we hope it is a good one!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving week!
Take good care,
Linda Shannon, Principal
Rich Deixler, Assistant Principal
Colleen Vaughan, Assistant Principal
Important Dates
November 20: Final "Movement Monday" of the season! Please Join us!
November 22-24: Thanksgiving Holiday, Schools and Offices closed
December 1-2: Mantua Drama Club performance of Annie KIDS, Friday 7 PM Mantua Elementary Gym, Saturday 2 PM and 6 PM Mantua Elementary Gym
Be sure to bookmark the FCPS school year calendar to keep track of school holidays, breaks, and observances.
Mantua News:
Join Us in the Mantua Gardens TODAY!
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Saturday, November 18, from 1-3 PM. Meet us in the Discovery Garden for our annual project to get the gardens ready for some winter rest. Weeding, edging, and bulb planting are all on the agenda. No gardening experience is necessary, and these events are designed to be a family affair (with parent supervision, of course!). Bring your garden gloves if you have them, and don't forget sunscreen and water if we're having a warm and sunny day.
Keeping our garden spaces looking their best takes work, and we so appreciate those who give of their time to help us keep Mantua beautiful.
We hope you consider joining us for some fun and fresh air.
If you have any questions or want more information, please contact Karin Hudson at garden@mantuapta.org.
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Mantua's Enrichment Program Needs You!
Our after-school enrichment program has been running for over 10 years and averages over 500 student registrations yearly. This program and others like it at Mantua cannot exist without our amazing parent volunteers. The current volunteer for the program is aging out of Mantua, and the PTA is still searching for someone to take over the reins of this wonderful program that serves so many of our student population. Please consider volunteering for this important role in the PTA to save our enrichment program so that future students can benefit! Please email Heather Hill at hillheather96@gmail.com for more information; she would like to have the new coordinator shadow her during the Spring planning, which begins in January, in order to ensure a successful 2024-2025 program launch. Without a new volunteer(s) to lead this program, the PTA will not be able to provide an Enrichment program for the 2024-24 school year.
Lost & Found
Please encourage students to go through the Lost & Found in the next few weeks. Mantua plans to donate all remaining items over the winter break.
Drama Club Fall Production of ANNIE - Save The Date!
Mark your calendars! The Mantua Drama Club is proud to present Annie KIDS! It's a hard-knock life for Annie and the orphans, but Miss Hannigan won't keep her from searching for her parents in this condensed version of the classic musical.
Don't miss this heart-warming tale and nostalgic songs brought to life by our talented cast of Mantua students. Performances will be on December 1st at 7 PM & December 2nd at 2 PM and 6 PM in the Mantua gym. Tickets will be $8 at the door.
Positivity Project (P2)
Next week, our school community will continue to focus on the character strength of Gratitude. Gratitude means you are aware of and thankful for good things that happen.
Gratitude is the quality of feeling and expressing thankfulness and appreciation. It is an affirmation that there is goodness in other people and the world and that we have received that goodness. People with the strength of gratitude have a readiness to show appreciation for kindness and also to return kindness. A leading expert, Robert Emmons, calls gratitude a “relationship-strengthening emotion because it requires us to see how we’ve been supported and affirmed by other people.”
Out of all 24 character strengths, gratitude is the single best predictor of individual well-being. It is correlated with increased energy, empathy, happiness, and optimism. And the great thing about gratitude is that it can be intentionally cultivated. Numerous studies have concluded that gratitude is like a muscle. The more you practice it, the stronger it gets -- and the more you’re able to reap its benefits.
More about why gratitude Matters: People with the strength of Gratitude show appreciation for kindness and return kindness. They recognize consideration, kindness, and generosity in others. Today’s quote about gratitude is from the late French educator Jean Baptiste Massieu: “Gratitude is the memory of the heart.”
To practice and encourage the character strength of gratitude with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2) (English, Spanish), where together you will watch a video, read a quote, and discuss the answers to three questions.
Reminder: Window for Full-time AAP Referrals Closes on December 15, 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 (Level IV) Referral Form to Kathy Van Dyke (kkvandyke@fcps.edu), the Mantua Advanced Academics Resource Teacher (AART), no later than December 15, 2023.
The window for families to submit a referral for full-time AAP services is the first day of school through December 15, annually. Forms for full-time and part-time referrals are available on the AAP Forms Page. No late referrals for Full-Time AAP services will be accepted.
Submitting a referral form for full-time AAP 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 six trained professionals from various schools and roles will review the portfolio materials to determine eligibility for full-time placement. Eligibility decisions are communicated by early April. Parents may request a copy of the portfolio that was submitted after they have been turned in for central selection by emailing Kathy Van Dyke at kkvandyke@fcps.edu.
Referrals for subject-specific and part-time AAP are screened at the local school. If you miss this deadline, your student can still be screened for subject-specific AAP or part-time AAP for the remainder of the year and submit a referral for full-time AAP next fall.
For more information, please visit the Advanced Academic Programs website.
FCPS News
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. Visit FCPS' Health and Safety Guidance webpage for more tips.
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.
- 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. However, a homework packet cannot make up for the interaction and learning that happens in the classroom.
Visit FCPS’ website for more attendance resources.
Special Education Resources for Families
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.
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.
Substitute Hiring
Make a SUBstantial Difference!
FCPS is always looking for kind and caring substitute teachers. Weekly virtual substitute teacher information sessions are held each Wednesday from 2 to 3 p.m.
Substitutes to Receive High-Volume Pay on High-Volume Days
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.
Quick Contacts & Links
Linda Shannon, Principal lcshannon@fcps.edu
Rich Deixler, Assistant Principal radeixler@fcps.edu
Colleen Vaughan, Assistant Principal CAVaughan@fcps.edu
AnnMarie DelValle, Administrative Assistant, adelvalle@fcps.edu
Mergie Kakouris, Student Information Assistant, mbkakouris@fcps.edu
Fadwa Finaish, Office Assistant, ffinaish@fcps.edu
Susan Palomino, Office Assistant slpalomino@fcps.edu
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