February 22, 2024 Newsletter


February 22, 2024

From the Principal’s Pen

Dear Laurel Hill Families,

We would like to thank our PTA team, parent volunteers, and staff for a successful kindness week. Our students sincerely enjoyed demonstrating their kindness via the heart displays and hand delivering flowers to their teachers, friends, and school community. Our PTA profited just over $700, and we could not have done this without all of you!

Next week, we recognize Public Schools Week, which is an annual celebration that brings together school leaders, educators, parents & community leaders to recognize the importance of our nation’s public schools. Laurel Hill Elementary School welcomes every child, regardless of ability, race, religion, wealth, language, country of origin or needs. Our diversity is our strength. We are public school proud. Let's celebrate each other by taking a moment next week to say THANK YOU to our dedicated teachers and staff who serve our students with compassion and pride every day! 

Remember, this Friday, February 23, we will celebrate our school's various cultures as we come together for International Night. Please join us from 6pm-8pm to experience diversity and unity. More information can be found on the flyer below. We look forward to sharing this night with you!

Sincerely,

Janice Dalton, Principal

Addison Smith, Assistant Principal

Thmeaka Traylor, Assistant Principal

kindness weekCalendar reminder graphic

Save the Date:

February is Black History Month

Feb. 22: School Bus Driver Appreciation Day

Feb. 23: International night 6-8 pm

Feb. 27-Mar. 3: Public Schools Week

Mar. 4 - May 19: Girls on the Run -- REGISTER NOW

Mar. 5: Presidential Primary/Student Holiday

Mar. 10: Daylight Savings


LHES News:

Girls on the Run (GOTR)

Girls on the Run is opened for registration now until February 27. Our GOTR team will be coached by Ms.Fioravanti, Mrs. Ackerman, and Dr. Traylor, along with practice partners, Ms. Dalton, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Rhodes, Ms. Reznikoff, and Mrs. Givens. Practices will be on Mondays & Wednesdays from 4:15p-5:15p. You may use the flyer above to register your 3rd-6th grade student, or click the link here. Financial assistance is available also. Use this link to see the options. Please email the coaches should you need more information. We are looking forward to this fitness fun! 

PTA Before and After School Programs

PTA is offering several before and after school programs for our students. There is something for everyone, from Magnus Chess Academy to Run Fit Kidz or even LifeChamp Martial Arts; you can find the right extra-curricular activity for your child. See the flyers below for more information on how to get started.

Year Book Sale

Yearbook ordering is still open and will close on 4/7/2024.  ONLINE PRE-ORDER ONLY for $20, plus the option of a protective plastic cover for $1. We do not anticipate having extras at the end of the year, so we encourage families to pre-order before the deadline. Yearbooks will be delivered to students during the last week of school. Below is the link to PRE-ORDER the yearbook. Yearbook link

International Night: Let's make this an evening to remember!

Gather your family and friends to join us in celebrating the beautiful diversity of our school. Sign up for one (or more!) of the activities shown on the flyer towards the bottom of the page. 

National Student Poetry Contest

This contest offers a fantastic platform for our students to showcase their creative talents through poetry. All the information regarding the contest, including participation details, submission guidelines, deadlines, and additional resources, can be found on the contest website: www.libraryofpoetry.com.

Should you and your children decide to participate, we encourage you to explore this enriching experience together. Thank you for your ongoing support and encouragement in nurturing our students' passions and talents. Please contact Salima Hassouni, our librarian, at shassouni@fcps.edu should you have questions or need clarity.

🧸 Kindergarten Registration: It’s as Easy as 1-2-3…

There’s an easy five-step process for parents wanting to register their child for kindergarten:

  1. Determine eligibility. 
  2. Identify your local school. 
  3. Gather documents. 
  4. Fill out forms. 
  5. Schedule an appointment by calling or emailing Sarah Orlick at 703-551-5300 or SCOrlick@fcps.edu.

After the appointment at the school (the student and one caregiver must be present), the student will be ready for orientation, Bridge to Kindergarten, or any other introductory events each school may host. Read more about the registration process.

💻 Try Online Registration

Parents may register their children online for kindergarten through 12th grade. Learn how to begin the online registration process

When registering, parents will create (or log in to an existing) SIS ParentVUE account. Please note that passwords should be more than 12 characters long. If you have an existing account and your password is shorter, please update it when you log in.


international

PTA Membership

Visit the PTA website.

 

Amazon Wishlist

Open Amazon wish lists here!


FCPS News:

Eating Disorder Parent Information

In 2013, Virginia passed a law requiring every school system to provide information to parents annually about eating disorders with parents/guardians of students in the fifth through twelfth grades. 

According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA 2023),

Eating disorders are serious but treatable mental and physical illnesses that can affect people of all genders, ages, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, body shapes, and weights. In the United States, 28.8 million Americans will suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives.

There is no single cause of an eating disorder. Rather, it is a complex combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors that converge and set off an individual’s predisposed genetic vulnerability.

In collaboration with the Fairfax County Health Department, FCPS has developed a web page with detailed information and resources about eating disorders.  To find out more, please visit the FCPS Eating Disorders website.

In addition to the information on the FCPS website, the National Eating Disorders Association has a toll free, confidential Helpline, 1-800-931-2237.

Real Food for Kids Culinary Challenge 

The Real Food for Kids Culinary Challenge will be held on Saturday, March 2, at 10:45 a.m., at Hayfield Secondary School. The event features a public tasting of student dishes and demonstrations from two local celebrated chefs. 

The student challenge at the heart of this event is to create healthy, delicious, and culturally diverse school menu items that meet USDA guidelines. Entries will be judged by a panel including celebrity chefs, school food professionals, and local food producers. The public is invited to vote for their favorite dish. 

Chefs Najmieh Batmanglij and Chris Morgan of Joon will offer a demonstration at 11:15 a.m. Public tasting of student dishes will get underway at noon. 

Student-created dishes from this annual event have been featured on school menus throughout the Greater Washington Region. It is free to attend, but registration is required.

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