Greetings McNair Students and Families,
We trust this message finds you well and warm amidst our snowy week. As we look outside and see a winter wonderland, we hope that you all had a restful and enjoyable snow day where you were able to take some time to appreciate the beauty of the scenery and enjoy the serenity that comes with freshly fallen snow. While we’re sure some of you are still busy shoveling and clearing off cars, we hope you find moments to relax and make the most of this time. Safety is our top priority, so please take extra precautions if you need to drive or walk anywhere. In addition, we send a big THANK YOU to our wonderful custodial team for all of their hard work with snow removal this week!
At McNair, our students had another fantastic week of learning together, and our dedicated teachers have been actively engaged in our Team Data Dialogue Days. During these days, our grade level teams collaborate and analyze midyear reading, writing, spelling, and math data. Together we measure student growth and identify specific tailored supports and enrichment opportunities for each and every child by name and by need.
Furthermore, please ensure to mark your calendars! Thursday, January 25, is the last day of the second quarter and a two-hour early release for students. Schools are closed for students on Friday, January 26, for a teacher work day. In addition, we hope that you will join us at the end of this month for our Family Coffee Talk as well as our Family Literacy Night! You can find more information about both of these events below in this newsletter.
As we move into the weekend, we encourage you to enjoy some well-deserved relaxation and family time. Stay safe, stay warm, and create wonderful memories in the winter wonderland. If you have any questions or if there's anything you'd like to discuss, please feel free to reach out. Thank you for your continued partnership in your child's education.
Wishing you a delightful weekend! We look forward to seeing you Monday, Mustangs!
All the best,
Mrs. Watson and Mrs. O'Bryant
Please contact us with any questions!
Principal: Elizabeth Watson, evwatson@fcps.edu
Assistant Principal: Brandy O'Bryant, bmobryant@fcps.edu
🙋♂️ Encouraging School Attendance In Elementary School
Regular attendance in elementary school is a strong predictor of grade-level performance. Attending school regularly helps students feel better about school—and themselves. Start building this habit in preschool so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important.
The attendance video below is available in the following languages: English and Spanish.
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Thursday, January 25, is the last day of the second quarter and a two-hour early release for students. Also, schools are closed for students on Friday, January 26, for a teacher work day. See the complete school year calendar.
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Ms. Watson, Principal of McNair ES and Ms.Goddin, Principal of McNair Upper ES,cordially invite you to join us for our next Family Coffee Talk on Wednesday, January 31st at 9:00 AM at McNair Upper ES.
This month's topic is about "The Importance of Attending School, School Attendance Best Practices, and SEL Resources for Students & Families." These topics will be presented by our wonderful school counselors, Ms. Ford, Ms. Coe, Ms. Bradner, and Ms. Johnson. Special guests will be Ms. Neverdon, Social Worker, and Mr. Khanh Tran, Truancy Officer for the Westfield Pyramid.
We hope you are able to join us!
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SNOW Better Time To Read!
Please join us for our Family Literacy Night, “SNOW Better Time To Read!” on Wednesday, January 31st from 4:30pm-6pm at McNair Elementary School. Students can wear pajamas or comfy clothing to school on the 31st and to the event.
Children, along with their parents or guardians, are invited to participate in activities featuring both reading and writing, with a focus on Science of Reading techniques and strategies. There will be a room where teachers are reading aloud to students, modeling the new read aloud structure that parents can use at home as they read to their child, as well as interactive activity stations and ideas for reinforcing reading, writing and phonics learning at home. In addition, please be sure to RSVP to this event here at this link. This will support our school team with knowing how many participants plan on attending so we can adequately prepare with supplies for the event. We hope that you will join us!
*All children must be accompanied by an adult to participate in this event.*
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Please join us in welcoming our new Enhanced Autism Classroom (EAC) Teacher, Ms. Viazovikova! We are so excited to have her join our school team! See below for a special message.
"Hello McNair community! I am so happy to be a part of the amazing McNair team as an EAC teacher. I hold a Master's Degree in Education and I have been an educator for more than 15 years. I am currently a student at Florida Institute of Technology studying Applied Behavior Analysis. I have a passion for helping all children to reach their potential and I am looking forward to be a teacher for our wonderful kids."
-Aigul Viazovikova, Enhanced Autism Classroom (EAC) Teacher
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What Families Can Do to Fight Drug Misuse
FCPS is committed to raising awareness about the opioid epidemic with our educators, parents/caregivers, and students. Together, we can help ensure our students thrive.
What can families do?
- Show you disapprove of underage drinking and other drug misuse. More than 80% of young people ages 10-18 say their parents are the leading influence on their decision whether to drink.
- Show you care about your child’s health, wellness, and success.
- Show you are a good source of information about alcohol and other drugs. Find helpful resources on the FCPS Opioid Awareness webpage.
- Pay attention to your child and discourage risky behaviors.
- Build your child’s skills and strategies for avoiding drinking and drug use. Talk with your child about what they would do if faced with a decision about alcohol and drugs, such as texting a code word to a family member or practicing how they will say, “No thanks.”
Visit FCPS’ website for more information.
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 the most current information. Meetings will begin on Tuesday, January 16.
A 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.
Click to view Ms. Burg's & Ms. Mallory's AAP January Newsletter.
In addition, check out the video created by Mrs. Burg, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, as she shares with you a few of the tools she hopes to use with your students in Thinking Lab! Please be sure to sign the Digital Resource Parent Consent so that your Mustang has access to these wonderful resources.
If you have any questions about Advanced Academics Programming at McNair, please email Ms. Burg at kmburg@fcps.edu.
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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):
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.
In the event there is a 2-Hour Delay, our school's arrival time at McNair Elementary School is 10:35am-10:45am.
Please see below for opportunities to make donations to support McNair Elementary School! We greatly appreciate any contributions!
Please help us keep our staff lounges and teacher planning spaces stocked with individually wrapped healthy snack foods, beverages, and a few sweet treats for our awesome staff as a way to keep them energized as they educate and support our Mustangs!
Please sign-up for any of the items listed below and drop off any donations to the main office. The main office is open daily, Monday-Friday from 8:00am-4:00pm. Thank you for your partnership and supporting our AMAZING McNair Staff! Please click here to make a donation.
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We are eager to begin some exciting learning opportunities with your students here at school and we need you help before we can start! We need you to complete the digital resource consent form to use FCPS approved online tools. All the tools and applications have been vetted and are approved for students to use. Check out the video created by Mrs. Burg, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, as she shares with you a few of the tools she hopes to use with your students in Thinking Lab!
Get Involved with the PTA!
The PTA supports our schools through help from our community. One way we do that is through the help of our wonderful volunteers! Whether you're available for an hour a year or an hour a week to pitch in - we have opportunities that meet everyone's busy schedule!
Support PTA: Become a Member or Volunteer
Please contact Miranda Butzlaff, our PTA President at president@mcnairespta.org if you want to know more information about our PTA and opportunities to get involved within our school community!
In the Orthodox church, Epiphany is celebrated on January 19 and commemorates the baptism of Jesus rather than the arrival of the Magi. It is believed that Christ's baptism by John the Forerunner (John the Baptist) in the River Jordan began Christ's ministry on earth and revealed the Holy Trinity of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit to mankind.
The school calendar recognizes many religious and cultural observances (O days) during the school year. 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.
See the complete school year calendar.
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- FCPS Receives $16 Million to Buy More Electric Buses
- Science Fair Judges Needed
- How Families Can Help Fight Opioid Misuse
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
👍❤️ Follow Our School on Social Media!
Want to see more photos and videos of what’s going on at McNair Elementary School? Follow us on social media!
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Mark your calendars!
As we navigate through our school year together, please mark the upcoming important dates on your calendar.
January 25: Quarter 2 Ends: (2 Hour Early Release For Students)
January 26: Teacher Workday (No School For Students)
January 31: Family Coffee Talk: Social Emotional Learning & Attendance Matters 9:00-10:00am at McNair Upper ES
January 31: "Snow Better Time to Read" Family Literacy Night 4:30-6:00pm at McNair Elementary School (Please RSVP!)
February 21: PTA Meeting 6:30-8:00pm at McNair Upper ES
2023-2024 Arrival and Dismissal
Arrival begins at 8:35am. The school day begins at 8:45am.
Dismissal begins at 3:30 pm.
Thank you for your partnership and galloping together with us this school year!
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