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Math/Steam Night Is Coming!
We look forward to seeing everyone at this fun event. We have the Mad Scientist coming as well as Robotics and other fun experiences! Volunteers may sign up here.
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A Note From Administration
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We had a fabulous time with Doug Kammerer this week. The students learned about his passion for weather and were very engaged. Our third and fourth graders attended the session and we thank the PTA for organizing!
Check our the Save the Dates below - we have a great deal scheduled in the next few months. We look forward to your participation. We will have Super Bowl Spirit Week and will have Math/STEAM Spirit Week next week.
Take a moment and send a kind note or love to our fabulous counselors. There is never a day that we can do it all without their support! February 5 - 9 is Counselor Appreciation Week.
Also, please discuss with your students that they should not be on the playground without supervision at dismissal. Lastly, if your child is sick please keep them home.
We are looking forward to a wonderful week. Note that grades will be uploaded over the weekend and accessible on Monday, February 5th.
Note our school starts at 8:50 a.m. Many students are arriving late and not able to fully participate in the morning work. This time is essential for a calm start of the day. If you child has had a fever, please have them stay home for 24 hours to fully recuperate.
Note that students should be supervised after school. They should not be on the playground at dismissal - we have had numerous incidents whereby students are unsupervised.
Thanks for all of your continued support!
Warmly,
Holly McGuigan Tia Hawkins Sarah Talley
Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal
Super Bowl Spirit Week!
With all of the hype - we had to have a super bowl spirit week! See the info below to support! Have FUN! #kgpride
Dates, Attendance and Office Reminders
February 5 - 9 School Counseling Week - Celebrate our counselors!
February 8 - PTA Book Fair Planning Meeting 9 a.m. Cafeteria
February 6 - Fourth Grade Strings Concert - 6 p.m.
February 6 - Taco Night at District Taco - Mention KG! 4 - 8 p.m.
February 12 - 16 Math/STEAM Spirit Week
February 15 - Math/STEAM Night 5 - 6:30 p.m. Google form for volunteer students!
February 19 - President's Day - No School
February 22 - Bus Driver Appreciation
February 22 - Yearbook Club Pictures and New Students
February 23 - PTA Meeting
March 5 - School Closed - Virginia Presidential Primary
March 11 - 15 - Spring Book Fair
March 13 - Literacy Night - Google form for volunteer students!
SAVE THE DATES:
International Night/Heritage Cultural Night - March 16
Kindergarten Orientation - April 2
Fun Run is Back!! - April 6
Sixth Grade Farewell - June 10
Sixth Grade Celebration - June 11
FCPS annual calendar is here. Attendance link is here. Please do use our links at the Kent Gardens website to notify of tardy, early pick up, absence or change in dismissal (temporary transportation change). Office Reminders are here for your review.
Early Check Out: If you must check out your student early, submit online request preferably before 9:30 am. Your notification helps your teachers and office to coordinate, prepare and locate your child. Sign out on the Office Sign out clipboard and wait in the lobby/office. We will call the student upon your arrival. Students will only be released to parents, guardians, and authorized emergency contacts. Please be prepared and have your drivers license or other identification ready. The latest checkout is 2:45pm.
Kent Gardens also posts pictures weekly on Facebook. Many new pictures are uploaded this week! Like our site to see pictures of our daily work and activities!
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Counselor Week
We have two fabulous counselors that are essential for supporting our students! Let's celebrate both Ms. Altman and Ms. Fernandez (former name MacDonald). Send some love their way this week! ♥
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Stuart Gibbs Coming to Kent Gardens
Kent Gardens will be hosting author Stuart Gibbs on March 4th for grades 3-6. Additionally, he will be signing copies of his new graphic novel, Evil Spy School, which is being released on March 5th, the day after his visit! Kent Gardens has partnered with Child’s Play, and our students will be the first readers to view his new book at a 20% discount! All orders must be received by February 16th.
If you would like to pre-order a copy of Evil Spy School, please use the provided order form.
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Our school Equity team at work! #kgpride #strongertogether #WeAllBelong |
Practice Lockdown Notification
Keeping students and staff safe is a priority for all of us. We have a crisis management and emergency preparedness plan for our school that is reviewed and updated regularly. Our plan includes procedures on how to respond to incidents such as fires and tornadoes. Students and staff regularly practice these drills every school year. We also practice lockdown drills two times a year. FCPS lockdown drills do not include any type of active shooter scenario training, they are instruction and classroom based.
Additional information on our lockdown drill program to include parent tips and FAQs can be found on the Emergency Planning and Crisis Response web page. After reviewing this content, you should discuss the value of these safety drills with your child. Keeping our school safe and secure for all students and staff involves the participation of the entire school community, and we thank you for your help to keep our school safe.
Yearbook Entries
Thanks to all who participated we had so many entries this year. We tried to capture most of them below - we have a third grader whose entry will be on the front and each grade level will have one selected for the back. All of the entries will be displayed in the hallways. Thanks again!
Order your KG Yearbook Now!
Use the QR code and order today! The code is 21772 accessible at Yearbookorddercenter.com
We had an amazing number of entries - stay tuned for the yearbook finalists!! Thanks to ALL who participated - we appreciate your participation and hard work! #kgpride
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Dual Language Immersion Registration
All rising kindergarten and first grade students who live in Fairfax County may enter a lottery to participate in Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs. In DLI programs, students are learning elementary content in two languages with students spending half of the day learning in either language. English Language Arts and Social Studies are taught in English. Math, Science, Health, and Target Language Arts are taught in another language. FCPS offers DLI programs in French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish. Online lottery application begins on January 22nd at 9 a.m. A SIS account is required to complete the application. If a student is not currently enrolled in FCPS, registration at the base school is required. FCPS does not provide transportation for students who live outside the attendance area of the DLI school. A one-time fee of $100 must be paid upon acceptance of an out-of-boundary placement (see Notice 5922).
If you missed the immersion meeting, you can access at this link. There is also a virtual meeting on February 1st. For more information including program sites and information sessions, please visit this link.
SEL Screener in Grades 3-6
The Spring Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener will be administered to students in grades 3-6 between the dates of February 26th and March 15th. Students use the SEL Screener twice a year to share their perspectives on how well their school and community help them develop skills they need to succeed. The screener works by asking questions or presenting statements that students can think about and respond to. More information is available about the SEL Screener by accessing this link. If you have any questions, please connect with either of our counselors, Katie Altman or Elizabeth Fernandez (MacDonald).
Kent Gardens Boundary Update ~ Google Form
This resource is ONLY for families for those affected by the boundary change. Note the link below to check if you are affected. Families NOT affected do not need to respond. To prepare for the 2024-25 school year and provide a smooth transition to the new elementary school boundaries in the McLean area, Fairfax County Public Schools requests impacted families to complete a brief information form by February 29, 2024.
Complete the McLean Area Elementary Boundary Adjustment Information Form. The form asks the current school your child attends, the school your child will be attending next school year (2024-25), and your transportation needs. Additional information will be collected regarding AAP, special education, and immersion program participation.
All affected families should complete the form, even if you are choosing to attend your newly assigned school. Please understand that families who do NOT respond to the form by the February 29 deadline will NOT be able to access school bus transportation to or from school for school year 2024-25.
The following resources are available to assist you:
PTA News
Come volunteer this year! Fill out the PTA's volunteer interest form and let us know if you'd like to be matched with an opportunity to give back to this amazing community! Find the form here!
Ways to Get Involved at Kent Gardens
Girls on the Run needs volunteers!
The KGES Girls on the Run program is seeking coaches and practice partners for its spring season. Practices will take place either M/W or Tu/Th between 3:45-5 p.m. Coaches complete program training in February to prepare for the spring season, which runs from March-May. We also need parent practice partners, who help at practices but do not have to complete the February training. The kids of any parent volunteers are guaranteed a spot in the program. The KGES program is very popular but we had a coaching shortage last fall and had to limit the number of participants. We need more volunteers to run the program this spring! Contact Danielle Newman for more info at kges.gotr@gmail.com.
KGES Food Bus Food Rescue Program Volunteers Needed on FRIDAYS
Do you have a half-hour to spare on Friday afternoons to deliver food to SHARE of McLean Food Pantry at McLean Baptist Church? Interested in getting involved in this program? Please sign up here and/or email lanavu@gmail.com or beccadw@gmail.com with questions.
Service hours available for middle/high school students!
Thank you for your ongoing support. We could not do this amazing program without you.
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Teacher Love Days on Wednesdays
Sign-up to provide treats for our KG staff on Wednesday! Are you a blue-ribbon award winning baker? No. That's okay. Our teachers appreciate ALL treats that we deliver to the teacher's lounge every Wednesday. You can create little bags of candy, stop by your favorite bakery, or whip up great-grandma's kugel or simply bring some coffee to share. The only limit is your imagination. Sign-up to provide treats here!
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Chess Club Open for Spring Enrollment
Any Kent Gardens student in 2nd through 6th grade may join the Chess Club. All are welcome: Girls! Boys! New and experienced players!
Chess Club meets on Wednesdays from 3:45pm to 5:15pm in the cafeteria at Kent Gardens Elementary.
The Spring session will start on Wednesday, February 7th, and end May 29th. Registration deadline is Friday, February 2nd, or until we hit max capacity of 100 students, whichever comes first.
Our Chess Club instructor is Mr. David Mehler, from the U.S. Chess Center. He organizes games and provides small group instruction. He has taught Chess since 1972, and has been teaching Chess Club to our students since 1990. He is one of the first nationally certified Professional Chess Coaches in the USA (the highest level)!
Sign up for Chess Club at: https://kentgardenspta.com/product/chess-club/
 Visit District Taco (1334 Chain Bridge Rd, Mclean, VA 22101) on 2/6 from 4pm to 8pm, mention Kent Gardens and a portion of your purchase will benefit our school! Taco 'bout how your Taco Tuesday can REALLY make a difference for our school community!
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