Principals' Note
Hello Families,
As the year comes to a close, Ms. Snyder and me extend our heartfelt wishes to the students and families of Cameron. May the holiday season bring you joy, and may the upcoming year be filled with success, good health, and new opportunities. Happy holidays and a wonderful New Year!
Best,
Mr. Johnson & Ms. Snyder
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 Cameron's Winter Concert was on Thursday! Students in band, strings, chorus, and drama club performed for the entire school and families. We are so proud of the students who performed for their dedication to practicing!
  The newly redesigned teachers lounge officially opened on Monday with a cookie swap! Teachers exchanged cookies, and enjoyed some refreshments from the PTA. Thank you to all community members who donated items for the decoration of the lounge! Teachers are enjoying this cozy space.
Earlier this school year, Cameron began using Flocabulary as a resource for all students. Flocabulary is a learning program for all grades that uses hip-hop music to teach vocabulary knowledge and acquisition. Flocabulary has videos that teach a wide variety of topics including science and math concepts, grade-level specific vocabulary, comprehension, and social-emotional skills. So far, 325 students at Cameron have participated in Flocabulary in some way!
Watch this video that breaks down how to use Flocabulary - it's specific to teachers in the classroom, but gives you a good look at the kinds of activities students will be doing while engaged in a lesson.
When students have their laptops at home, working through lessons on Flocabulary would be a great way to continue practicing and reinforcing concepts taught at school. Students sign in to Flocabulary with their FCPS Google account, and proceed to their teacher's class and assignments. This is a great collaborative family activity because vocabulary knowledge only improves when it's used with others!
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⛄Student and Family Winter Resources
Fairfax County Public Schools has compiled a list of resources for students and families in case they need assistance while schools are closed for winter break. Please visit our winter resources webpage for links to academic support; mental health support; and food, clothing, housing, and other county resources.
School’s Closed, Learning Can Continue!
FCPS encourages students to take advantage of fun learning opportunities during winter break and snow days. Consider these winter activities to blend education and play for your students during winter break or weather-related school closures.
Promoting Mental Wellness During Winter BreakAlthough mental health indicators have improved over the past year, Fairfax County Youth Survey (FCYS) data suggest that more than 25% of students in 8th to 12th grade feel sad or hopeless every day for two weeks or more in a row. The holidays can be a time to reduce stress, but they can also contribute to it. Here are some tips for making winter break a positive time for the young people in your life.
SIS ParentVUE and StudentVUE Down Time
ParentVUE and StudentVUE will experience downtime from Friday, December 15, at 5 p.m. through Wednesday, December 20, at 6 a.m.
Grade Book progress reports will not be emailed to parents/guardians during winter break. Emails will resume on Tuesday, January 2, 2024.
😷 Free COVID-19 Rapid Tests
Residential households are eligible to receive free at-home COVID-19 test kits. If an order has not been placed for your address since the program reopened on September 25, you may place two orders now.
🔢 Virtual Math Week: Save the Date
Get ready for Virtual Math Week from Monday, January 8, through Friday, January 12. Save the date for a week filled with stories, games, and math activities, in English and Spanish, for families with students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
This is a free experience designed to make math fun for the whole family. Learn more about FCPS Math Week.
 Time is running out for holiday ordering! The FCPS ACE STEM kits are the perfect gifts for young learners, aged 7-12. All students can benefit from these dynamic kits that feature science, technology, engineering, and math activities that also incorporate reading, art, and more! These kits keep children learning and having fun, especially during school breaks, weekends and holidays.
Don’t wait, purchase the ACE STEM kit today for delivery before the holidays!
Order HERE
For every kit purchased, ACE will donate $5 to the ACE Scholarship Fund, helping Fairfax County young people learn a trade and build a better future.
Questions? Contact Ashley Uhl at elementaryenrichment@fcps.edu.
The Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Adult and Community Education program (ACE) is the leading provider of flexible, affordable, outcome-oriented classes to promote learning at any stage in life. We offer more than 3,000 courses in a wide range of subjects that empower students of all ages and backgrounds to explore options for after high school graduation, gain valuable technical training, advance their careers with relevant skills, or enhance their lives with a range of personal interest classes. Our students and their success are what drive FCPS ACE. With more than 60 years of history and a deep connection to the local community, FCPS ACE is for you. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Recommended Children’s Books on Autism
In this Literacy Today feature, South Carolina literacy specialist Marie Havran (Furman University) suggests the following books on autism (lists of books on dyslexia and Tourette syndrome will be included in future Memos; books on ADHD were in last week’s issue):
Primary grades:
- A Friend for Henry by Jenn Bailey, illustrated by Mika Song
- All My Stripes: A Story for Children with Autism by Shaina Rudolph and Danielle Royer, illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin
- Masterpiece by Alexandra Hoffman, illustrated by Beatriz Mello
- My Brother Charlie by Holly Robinson Peete, illustrated by Shane Evans
- Noah Chases the Wind by Michelle Worthington, illustrated by Joseph Cowman
- The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia Finley Mosca, illustrated by Daniel Rieley
Middle grades:
- A Boy Called Bat by Elana Arnold, illustrated by Charles Santoso
- A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll
- Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin
- How to Look for a Lost Dog by Ann Martin
- Mockingbird by Kathryn Erksine
- Rules by Cynthia Lord
“Children’s and YA Literature: Centering Neurodiversity” by Marie Havran in Literacy Today, October/November/December 2023; Havran can be reached at marie.havran@furman.edu.
Dec 18 - Jan 1 Winter Break
As a reminder, winter break will be held Monday, December 18, to Monday, January 1. To help make sure you and your children have a restful break, we have asked that no homework be assigned during this time. Teachers may assign long-range assignments in the weeks ahead of the break, allowing students to practice time management skills, but no assignments will be due immediately following the break. We look forward to welcoming students back in the new year.Classes resume on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. See the complete school year calendar.
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Dec 25 Christmas
🎄 A very Merry Christmas to those in our community who celebrate! Christmas is an annual holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the person who stands at the heart of the Christian tradition. It is celebrated in many unique ways across the U.S. and the world, most commonly by the joyous giving of gifts. Learn more about Christmas.
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Important Dates
Dec 18-Jan 1 - No School, Winter Break
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