|
To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.
Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.
이 소식지를 다른 언어로 읽으려면, 우리 웹사이트를 방문하시기 바랍니다.
.يرجى زيارة موقعنا الألكتروني لقراءة هذه النشرة الإخبارية بلغات أخرى
HAPPY NEW YEAR! We hope that all of you had a wonderful and restful break. Students returned this week with smiles and waves as they entered Great Falls ES to return to their routines. We are so happy to welcome them back!
⌚SmartWatches
Some students returned from break with lovely watches and phones. Please remember to review the SRR guidelines with students. In elementary schools, phones must be silenced and in backpacks for the duration of the school day. Watches that serve a dual purpose (e.g., smartwatch) may be worn; however, phone features (e.g., texting, Internet, calls, etc.) are to be off when phone use is prohibited. If your child is not feeling well, please remind them to let an adult know and proceed to the clinic. For safety and security, students should not contact parents directly via phones or watches and request that parents pick them up from school. The office or clinic will reach out to parents via our office phones with such information. Please reach out to the administrative team if you have any questions.
🚗Kiss and Ride Reminders
As the weather gets increasingly colder, we are noticing an uptick in families using our kiss and ride line. This causes an unsafe back up on Walker Road. We appreciate your help with this by utilizing the following tips:
-
Snuggle up close to the car in front of you: If every car moved just 2 or 3 inches closer to the car in front of them, we could fit almost 2 additional cars in the line.
-
Stay off your phone and stay alert: Many of our staff members are out directing traffic to provide us with a more efficient process. Please remain off your phone and alert to staff requests. In addition, it will help immensely with student safety.
- Please be sure to double up and use BOTH kiss and ride lines to avoid a back up on Walker Rd.
As always, thank you for your support!
Sara Harper
Calendar Updates:
January 10 - Art Enrichment Session 3 Orientation
January 12 - Bingo Night (2 sessions: 6 pm and 7:45 pm)
January 15 - Holiday: Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday
January 19 - SCA Spirit Day
January 25 - End of second quarter - EARLY RELEASE at 1:35
January 26 - Student Holiday - Teacher Work Day
January 30 - Japanese Immersion Information Night (for kinder families only)
February 3 - Rise Against Hunger Event @ Colvin Run ES
February 19 - Presidents' Day - No School
Click here to view the 2023-2024 school year calendar.
Click here to read our last GFES PTA updates.
SCA Spirit Day
PTA BINGO NIGHT TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Join the PTA on Friday, January 12th in the Cafeteria for what promises to be a night of fun, prizes, and lots of winners!! There will be snacks and drinks available for purchase - cash only please!
Session 1: 6-7pm; doors open at 5:30pm
Session 2: 7:45-8:45pm; doors open at 7:15pm
- Tickets are $10, and EVERY person entering the cafeteria will need a ticket.
- Capacity is limited, so this event will sell out.
- Buy your tickets ASAP! To purchase tickets CLICK HERE
- For more details, visit the PTA website for event flyer here.
Rise Against Hunger Update
We will be starting our annual Rise Against Hunger Service Learning project on Monday, January 8 and will be collecting donations in school and online through January 31. All students are encouraged to earn some extra money at home by doing chores, saving, or setting aside a portion of any allowance to donate to our Rise Against Hunger initiative.
Our school goal is to collect $2,500, which is approximately $5 per child; however, we welcome any donation amount. Regardless of how much your child donates, we encourage all children to earn and donate some amount of money towards helping us reach our goal of supporting an organization working to end world hunger.
As a Langley pyramid, the goal is to raise $35,000 to purchase 75,000 meals, which will be given to families in need around the world. If it is $.50, $2.00, or $20.00, we want our students to know that they are never too young to make a difference, and we appreciate your support in sending this message as well.
We will be tracking the percentage of participation. We hope 100% of our students will participate by donating any amount of money they can. Every $.46 purchases a meal that feeds 5-6 people.
Families may also donate online. NOTE: If you donate online, please have your child inform us of that so we can count their participation.
🐶Exciting News - Heeling House visit!
We are excited to have the Heeling House therapy dogs back again during the month of January. The Heeling House mission is to improve the lives of children through the use of Animal Assisted Interactions.
If you do not want your student(s) to participate, fill out the form linked here as soon as possible. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email our ESL teacher, Melissa Grant.
|
❄ Snow Days
For the current school year, FCPS will be returning to its previous procedure for snow days — there will be no virtual learning days when school is closed due to bad weather. During snow days, students may still access Tutor.com, complete any supplemental learning opportunities recommended by their teachers, and view educational programming (available virtually and on public access television channels): Elementary school instruction: Red Apple 21. Eleven snow days are built into the existing FCPS calendar. Eliminating virtual learning days will allow us to maximize students’ in-person learning and provide equitable access to instruction and student services
🔢 Help FCPS Reach 1 Million Minutes of Math
FCPS Family Math Week starts on Monday, January 8! Join us online for games and stories. FCPS is working toward a total of 1 million minutes logged by families. Participation is free, with activities from ST Math geared toward students in grades K-6 and their families.
Math Week offers families an opportunity to experience math, literacy, history, and geography in a fun and positive way. All content will be available for families in English and Spanish beginning Monday, January 8. Visit the Math Week website for games, stories, and other activities.
|
🗺️ Dual Language Immersion Program Registration
Registration for the countywide lottery for Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs will open on Monday, January 22. Current pre-K students may apply for the kindergarten immersion program, and current kindergarten students may apply for the first grade immersion programs for the 2024-25 school year. Programs are available in French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish.
Parents/caregivers who are interested may want to attend an informational meeting. Meetings are held at the school site. Check the FCPS events calendar for updated information. Meetings will begin on Tuesday, January 16.
One virtual meeting hosted by the World Languages Office will include general program information. Access to this virtual meeting will be made available on the FCPS events calendar and the Dual Language Immersion registration site on the day of the meeting.
Get more information on the immersion program webpage and registration page.
|
Conversation to Raise Awareness of Fentanyl and Other Drugs
In this video, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid interviews the Fosters, a family who tragically lost their son Cayden to a half pill of fentanyl mistaken for Percocet. This heart-wrenching yet eye-opening video of their experience is essential to raise awareness among parents/caregivers and students about the dangers of fake painkillers.
Please join Dr. Reid on Wednesday, January 10, at 6:30 p.m., at Edison High School for a community conversation about opioid awareness. You may register to attend. However, registration is not required; it is simply for space considerations.
The evening’s program is appropriate for parents/caregivers and students in grades 6-12. All attendees will receive free REVIVE! Narcan training during the event and learn about support services currently available within FCPS and Fairfax County.
FCPS’ website also has resources to help you to start the conversation and additional support for families struggling with substance misuse.
|
