Message from Ms. Shannon
Dear Mantua families,
Mantua will be a flurry of activity over the next few weeks as we prepare for winter break and celebrate the holiday season with our community! In the coming days, Mantua students will participate in classroom parties, a winter sing-along, and maybe even a surprise event involving our administrators! December is an exciting month at Mantua; we love incorporating winter fun into learning.
Our 6th-grade classes are expanding their knowledge of art and art history as they explore the National Gallery of Art this week and next and our 5th graders will learn all about space travel on their trip to the Udvar-Hazy Space Museum next week. Keep up with Mantua’s many activities by following us on Instagram!
As the temperatures continue to drop, we want to gently remind families to ensure their students are dressed appropriately for recess time. Send your student with a coat, hat, and gloves. Be sure that their name is clearly marked on the tag. Has your child lost a much-needed winter jacket or gloves? We encourage you to look at our Lost & Found for missing items. Our space is overflowing with clothing, water bottles, lunchboxes, and more! Items not claimed by winter break will be donated.
We wish a happy Chanukah to all those who celebrate the Jewish holiday of the rededication of the holy Temple. This 8-day Festival of Lights begins on December 7. Find out more about Chanukah here.
We hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Take good care,
Linda Shannon, Principal
Rich Deixler, Assistant Principal
Colleen Vaughan, Assistant Principal
Students had fun learning during Rocky Time in Kindergarten!
 Mr. Hall shared with 6th graders how investigative journalists get ideas and share their stories.
Important Dates
December 7-15: Chanukah
December 8: Bodhi Day
December 15: AAP Referral Deadline
December 18-January 1: Winter Break, Schools Closed
December 25: Christmas
January 1: New Year’s Day
January 2: School resumes
Spirit Week - December 11-15
Driver Safety Message
As we get further along into the year, we are noticing increased instances of unsafe driving and behavior in the school parking lot during drop-off and pick-up times. The well-being of our students is our top priority, and we need your cooperation to ensure their safety. Here are a few crucial points to keep in mind when using the school parking lot:
- Follow Staff Directions: Our staff in yellow vests are there to maintain safety. Please follow their directions and drive safely and slowly around them.
- Driving Direction: Please adhere to the designated direction of traffic. Do not drive down the left side of the road to bypass the Kiss & Ride line.
- Speed Limits: Please adhere to the posted speed limits within the school premises. Excessive speed poses a significant risk to pedestrians, especially our young students.
- No Cell Phones While Driving: Refrain from using your cell phones while driving in the parking lot. Distractions can lead to accidents and jeopardize the safety of everyone present.
- Keep the Flow of Traffic: Please continue through to the end of the parking lot and do not stop at the entrance to the school.
- Patience and Courtesy: Exercise patience and courtesy when navigating the parking lot. Kindly yield to pedestrians, and avoid aggressive driving behavior.
We understand that the mornings and afternoons can be busy, but it is crucial that we prioritize the safety of our students. By working together and following these guidelines, we can create a safer environment for everyone.
Lost & Found
Please encourage students to go through the Lost & Found in the next few weeks, it is overflowing with jackets, water bottles, lunch boxes and more! The Lost & Found is located just outside the cafeteria. Items left over winter break will be donated.
Cold Weather Safety
Cold weather temperatures in Virginia do not often pose a severe threat to schools. FCPS encourages schools to provide students with daily outside recess. Our students enjoy playing outside, but we want to make sure that they are safe and warm. Therefore, FCPS has created a Cold Weather Safety document that advises schools when to cancel outdoor recess/activities. As the weather turns colder, we want to remind you of some important safety tips for recess.
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Dress your child in layers so they can adjust to the changing temperatures.
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Make sure they have a hat, gloves, and scarf.
Please contact your child's teacher or the main office if you have any questions.
Positivity Project (P2)
This week our school community will focus on the Other People Mindset of Supporting Others When They Struggle. This means when other people are struggling, we do our best to help them out.
Supporting other people when they struggle is a critical piece of being human. There are many different approaches to helping people who are struggling. These can include: listening while they describe an event and their feelings about it, taking action to help people in need, or simply just being there and sitting together in silence. Everyone faces tough days and needs support, and this support leads to a chain of prosocial behavior that makes us feel good about ourselves and our group.
To practice and encourage the character strength of perspective 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.
PTA After-School Enrichment Volunteer Needed
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.
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.
Attention Rising 7th Graders Attending Frost MS
Social and Emotional Learning Screener Results Coming Soon
One of the ways FCPS supports the mental wellness of all students is through the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener. In October, students in grades 3-12 took this screener, which gives information about their skills such as achieving goals, handling emotions, building relationships with adults and peers, and making good choices.
The screener also helps students evaluate their school community’s efforts to make them feel valued, included, and supported. Screener data is used to create learning, experiences, and environments for students to succeed.
In early December, families will be able to view student SEL Screener results in SIS ParentVUE. For families who do not have an active ParentVUE account, results will be sent by mail.
For more information about the screener please visit the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage. For help understanding your child’s results or ideas to support them at home, review the Family Guide or contact your child’s school.
Chanukah
Chanukah, an 8-day Festival of Lights, is a Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple and the miracle of a small quantity of oil that lit the Temple’s menorah for 8 days. This year, Chanukah begins at sundown on Thursday, December 7. That day will be a half-O day, and major events cannot be scheduled that evening. Learn more about Chanukah in National Geographic Kids. See the complete school year calendar.
Bodhi Day
Bodhi Day, Friday, December 8, is the Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni), experienced enlightenment, also known as bodhi in Sanskrit and Pali. The school calendar recognizes many religious and cultural observances (O days) during the school year, including Bodhi Day. There is school on these days, however, the School Board has directed that tests, quizzes, field trips, graduation, homecoming, or FCPS-scheduled athletic events will not be held on these observance days. Learn more about Bodhi Day in this video from the Miami Children’s Museum. See the complete school year calendar.
Preparing for Winter Weather
Winter weather will be here before you know it! Watch this video to see how weather-related closing decisions are made.
FCPS’ website is generally the first place where we will post an emergency weather closing. Other communication channels will be used as quickly as possible, including email, text, social media, and news stations. Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated.
Be sure to plan for the winter season. Make sure your contact information is up-to-date in SIS ParentVUE, bookmark the FCPS website, and plan for childcare if appropriate.
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.
World Languages Offerings in Elementary Schools Survey
Fairfax County Public Schools is considering expansion of our Dual Language Immersion programs to include new languages and school sites, as well as an expansion of new languages for our Foreign Language in the Elementary Schools program.
Parents/caregivers, please share your thoughts about expanding World Languages elementary program offerings. An FCPS survey is available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Urdu, and Vietnamese. It should take less than 10 minutes to complete, and all responses are anonymous. The survey is optional and will close on Friday, December 8
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.
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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