Weekly Words
December 8, 2023
Dear Island Creek Families,
What another wonderful week at Island Creek! The Island Creek Staff are amazing and Ms. Baxter and I love seeing our Croc students engaged in learning while strengthening their Portrait of a Graduate skills (Communicator, Collaborator, Creative and Critical Thinking, Goal-directed and Resilient, and Ethical and Global Citizen). Did you know the classroom and special education teachers collaborate twice weekly using the Collaborative Team Cycle (shown below) to ensure high levels of equitable access and learning for every student? Every grade level has a 30-minute intervention period, Croc Time, when teachers work with students across the entire grade level based on areas of need. Students who are not in a Croc Time intervention group, spend 15 minutes working on Lexia Phonics and 15 minutes reading books from their book boxes.
Next week is Spirit Week with the finale of Pajama Day on Friday! Thanks to the Croc Rock-N-Run fundraising success, students will enjoy a Laser Show from the PTA on Wednesday!
Have a wonderful weekend and I hope you are able to enjoy time snuggled with a good book!
All the best,
Jen Fallert
Principal
Every Child, Every Day
Next week is Spirit Week!
We love our Crocs!
We only have 10 school days until Winter Break!! Tomorrow’s challenge is to wear something cozy.
 
Thank you to the Island Creek Community!
A heartfelt thank you to the Island Creek Community for your generosity with our 2nd Annual Share the Warmth clothing drive! The receiving school held a shopping night on Wednesday evening and their families were thrilled to have so many clothing options!
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Happy Retirement, Mr. Jorge Escobar!
It is bittersweet news that Mr. Jorge Escobar, Special Education Instructional Assistant, will retire from FCPS on December 31. Mr. Jorge Escobar started his educational career in California and has been a beloved educator at Island Creek for 17 years. Mr. Escobar shared that he will miss, “having fun with the students and helping to make their day better.” Congratulations, Mr. Escobar, and thank you for your support of our amazing Island Creek community!
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Welcome to Island Creek, Ms. Yousra Elbarir!
We are excited to welcome Ms. Yousra Elbarir to the Island Creek Staff! Ms. Elbarir is our new Preschool Autism Class Teacher! Ms. Elbarir has been an educator with FCPS for 15 years. She has a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and has taught across multiple grade levels. She is married with four children. We are thrilled to welcome Ms. Elbarir to our preschool special education team!
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School Innovation and Improvement Plan (SIIP)
To support our students’ reading growth, Island Creek teachers are:
- collaborating to plan scaffolds and supports with whole-group instruction
- explicitly instructing students daily with foundation literacy skills, including phonological awareness, oral language development, and phonics
- planning for extensive discourse utilizing talk moves to deepen student learning
- engaging in data dialogues to form needs-based instructional strategy groups
- receiving extensive training with the Science of Reading
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Responsive Classroom: Success with Signals
Clear is Kind, and because of this Island Creek has adopted a new method for gaining student attention, the Chime. The chime is a clear and consistent auditory signal for teachers and staff that is used to gain the attention of all students. We have consistently taught and modeled appropriate ways to respond to the chime. With the use of this friendly and respectful signal, we have seen improvement in our students’ ability to stop, look, and listen to staff. Our continued use of the chime will ensure that all students are given a concise message to stop what they are doing and direct their attention to the teachers.
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Island Creek is seeking Classroom Monitors!
Island Creek is seeking candidates to serve as student monitors for the remainder of this school year. If interested please follow the application guidance below. Please share this opportunity with others who may be interested! We are interviewing until all positions are filled.
RESPONSIBILITIES - Provide supervision of students throughout the school day including but not limited to the classroom, hallways, lunch, recess, specials and arrival/dismissal.
QUALIFICATIONS - Any combination of education and experience equivalent to graduation from high school. Must be comfortable supervising students in large and small groups.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS - Pay: $16.85/hour (no benefits) Hours: 8:10-3:40, 7-hour paid day with a 30-minute unpaid lunch
TO APPLY:
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.
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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 Amy Ivey (amivey@fcps.edu) 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 that 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.
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.
Toy Collection sponsored by the Fairfax County Police Motor Squad
Island Creek Winter Break Reading Challenge!
Save the Date: Art & Literacy Night
FCPS Needs School Bus Drivers
School Bus Drivers earn $24.55/hour plus excellent benefits.
$2,000 signing bonus!
For more information call 571-423-3023
National Museum of the United States Army
An interesting visit for families or scheduled as a school field trip. Using a real world scenario, visitors and students will gain new skills in Geography, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (G-STEM) through high-tech, simulated Army training. Scheduled groups will move to the Learning Lab to work collaboratively and utilize their new skills to help the Army respond to a humanitarian crisis, Operation Safe Passage, facilitated by Museum educators. This experience must be scheduled in advance.
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Audience: K-12 Students and families
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Location: National Museum of the United States Army, 1775 Liberty Dr, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060
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Visit: More information on visiting the museum.
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Field Trips: Contact Daniel Brickl, Educational Specialist: daniel.J.Brickl.civ@mail.mil
FCPS ACE classes: Winter Break STEM Learning Kits
Looking for fun and engaging STEM activities to engage learners? The FCPS ACE STEM kits include hands-on materials and curriculum with step-by-step instructions for children to build six exciting projects and complete 15 challenges and activities. Intended for third through fifth-grade students, the STEM Explorer Pack features activities across science, technology, engineering, and math that also incorporate reading, art, and more. All activities are completely hands-on and will have your learners engaged for hours as they create, explore, invent, and, most importantly, have fun. Instruction booklets come in both English and Spanish.
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Audience: Grade 3-5 students
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Cost: $99.00 plus shipping (local pick-up option available)
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Registration and Ordering Information: Must create an ACE account: ACE STEM Kits 4 Kids
To register by phone: call 703-658-1201
📖 Cozy Up With Books Over Break With the Fairfax County Public Library Winter Reading Adventure
Fairfax County Public Library’s (FCPL) winter reading adventure has begun and will continue through Wednesday, January 31, 2024. Visit your local FCPL library branch or visit their website to register and get a sneak peek at the prizes being offered.
Check out their Winter Reading Events webpage to learn about laser tag, movie nights, crafting sessions, book discussions, and an event with Newberry Award winner Amina Luqman Dawson.
January Webinars/Workshops at the FCPS Family Resource Center
- Meet the Author Series: Raising a Kid Who Can
Why are kids today struggling? And based on all that modern science has to offer, what are the most important things I can do in raising my kid? Learn from a child psychiatrist, a parent psychologist, and a child therapist, who have reinvented the parenting book. Organized in a novel “guidebook” style that’s illustrated, skimmable, and fun to read, it’s easy to find immediately useful strategies that you can apply to your specific kid. Usable at any stage in your child’s life, this book helps parents get right to the information they need, when they need it. It’s time to parent smarter, not harder!
Join authors Catherine McCarthy, M.D.; Heather Tedesco, PhD. & Jennifer Weaver, LCSW as they discuss their book and take your questions.
Friday, January 5, 2024, 10-11:30 a.m.
Register for Meet the Author Series: Raising a Kid Who Can
- The Transition from Elementary to Middle School and from Middle School to High School for Twice Exceptional (2e) students
Transitioning into middle and high school can be challenging for many children and their families, especially for twice-exceptional students.
Join Dr. Nonye Oladimeji, FCPS Educational Specialist for AAP twice exceptional (2e) children, as she shares ideas for families and schools on how to ease the transition for students.
Friday, January 12, 2024, 10-11:30 a.m.
Register for The Transition from Elementary to Middle School and from Middle School to High School for Twice Exceptional (2e) students
SIBSHOPS: An Exciting, In-person Workshop for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs!
The Sibshop workshops are for children in grades 2-6 enrolled in Fairfax County Public Schools who have siblings with special needs. Children will be able to meet other siblings in a relaxed setting, celebrate the many contributions made by brothers and sisters of children with special needs, share sibling experiences and receive peer support, and play games and have fun!
Saturday, January 20, 2024, 9 a.m.- noon at Providence Community Center
Presented by FCPS School Social Work Services
Register for: SIBSHOPS: An Exciting, In-person Workshop for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs!
 Click to view the 2023-2024 FCPS School Calendar
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Monday, December 11: Favorite Team Day!
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Tuesday, December 12: Twin/Triplet/Quadruplet/etc. Day!
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Wednesday, December 13: Teacher-Student Swap Day! (students dress like us a teacher)
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Thursday, December 14: Festive Wear Day!
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Friday, December 15: Pajama Day!; Deadline for Full-time AAP Referrals
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December 18-January 1: Winter Break (no school for students)
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Tuesday, January 2: Welcome Back to School, Island Creek Crocs!
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Thursday, January 4: Island Creek Winter Break Reading Challenge forms due to classroom teachers
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Monday, January 15: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday (school holiday)
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Wednesday, January 24: Art and Literacy Night (4:30-6:00)
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Thursday, January 25: last day of 2nd Quarter, 2-hour early release for students (1:20)
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Friday, January 26: Teacher Work Day (no school for students)
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