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To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.
Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.
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School Hours: 9:15 am - 4:00 pm, Monday - Friday
School building opens for students at 9:00 am
Office: 703-988-8900
Attendance: 703-988-8989
February 9, 2024
Our newsletters will now be sent every week on Fridays.
IN THIS ISSUE
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VRES Kindness Week
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The Positivity Project at Virginia Run Elementary
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Social and Emotional Learning Screener
- Family Life Education Preview Meeting
- PTA Meeting
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Parent Volunteers Needed for Food Pantry Delivery
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Kindergarten and New Student Registration
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Yearbook Photos
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February Technology Advice
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School Lunch Menu Options
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Lost & Found
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Recognize Our VRES Staff Who Go Above and Beyond
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Stone vs. Liberty Basketball Event
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Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!
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Virginia Run Children’s Consignment Sale
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Important Upcoming Dates
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Frequently Visited Links and Important Virginia Run Contacts
1. VRES Kindness Week
VRES is showing off our big hearts. Help us with these acts of kindness February 12 - 16.
Monday, 2/12 - Kind Acts Monday - Complete your Kindness BINGO card throughout the week. Wear rainbow colors today.
Tuesday, 2/13 - Treat Yourself Tuesday - Be kind to yourself today. Take a mindful breath. Wear your comfy clothes today.
Wednesday, 2/14 - Get moving Wednesday - Get moving and play with someone new on the playground. Wear your athletic gear today.
Thursday, 2/15 - Thankful Thursday - Tip your hat to someone you are thankful for. Wear a hat today
Friday, 2/16 - We choose kindness - Write a positive note or share a message of kindness with someone. Wear your Westfield Pyramid Kindness T-shirt/sweatshirt.
Kindness Week Flyer English and Spanish
Westfield High School mentors visit Virginia Run!
2. Weekly character strength for Feb 12-16: Love
3. Social and Emotional Learning Screener
Hello families,
The Spring Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener will be administered to students in grades 3-6 during the window of Feb 26th - 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:
https://www.fcps.edu/student-tests-and-assessments/student-assessment-details/social-emotional-screener
If you have any questions, please reach out to our SEL Screener Lead, Jenna DeKeuster at jldekeuster@fcps.edu.
In Language Arts, Mrs Freeman’s class discusses the components of review writing, determining what makes a review most useful for the reader.
4. Family Life Education Preview Meeting
Students in grades K-6 participate in Family Life Education (FLE) instruction through their classroom teacher. Students in kindergarten through grade three receive instruction in an emotional and social health unit. For more information about the FCPS Family Life Education program, please see the detailed grade-level program descriptions at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-family-life-education-fle.
In addition, grade level-specific curriculum lessons are available for review in multiple locations.
- Online in Schoology - includes lessons and media titles that FCPS has streaming rights for. Any additional media or book titles that are not streamed are available at your child’s school library.
- Parents/guardians login to Schoology using the same username and password as their Student Information System (SIS) Parent account. See directions below on how to access the information. For help setting up a Schoology account, please contact the main office at 703-988-8900.
- City of Fairfax Regional Library – lessons only. Media is not available.
Alternatively, you are invited to attend an evening opportunity to preview the Family Life Education media and lessons and to talk with school staff about the program. The meeting will be held on Thursday, February 29, 5:30 - 6:30 pm in the Library. All program materials and media for all grade levels will be available for your review at this time.
Parents/guardians who do not wish to have their child participate in FLE instruction may choose to opt their child out of any or all of the lessons. If you would like to opt your child out of one or more lessons, please fill out the opt out forms online at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-family-life-education-fle. If you have already indicated your desire to opt your child out of FLE lessons by using the form provided earlier in the school year, you do not need to complete another form. Should you opt your child out and then later decide you want your child included in FLE instruction, you must notify your child’s school principal in writing before instruction begins.
An alternative non-FLE health instructional program is provided for students who do not take part in FLE instruction, and every effort is made to foster understanding and respect for family choices and to avoid peer pressure for or against participation in the program.
Instruction occurs at various times during the school year. Please contact your child’s teacher for specific dates of FLE instruction. We look forward to working as your partner in providing information that will help your child make healthy choices related to the exciting changes and new challenges he/she will be facing in the next few years.
5. PTA Meeting
The next PTA general membership meeting will be on Tuesday, February 13 at 7:00 pm in the VRES Library. This is a great opportunity to meet our new Principal, Dave Gerstner! For those who cannot attend in person here is the link. https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NzhiYjI3OGYtNTIxMy00ZDFmLWE4NDctM2I5NDVkY2E2ZmRk%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2265c79b90-e2d0-4207-867b-013347260f93%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%229dc70e27-fe46-4093-88f2-a549b974c660%22%7d
6. Parent Volunteers Needed for Food Pantry Delivery
The VRES Student Council and PTA have partnered up to collect and deliver the leftover unopened school lunch items (milk, yogurt, cheese sticks, bananas, chips, etc.) to our local food pantry at Western Fairfax Christian Ministries. Our students are already doing their part by filling the cafeteria fridge each week. But to make this program a success, we need a parent volunteer, one per week, to pick up and deliver the food to WFCM. Learn more and sign-up for a shift (or more!) at VRES Food Pantry Delivery 2023-2024. Each shift takes about one hour, and clear instructions will be emailed to you once you sign up. Thank you for helping VRES keep good food out of landfills and to serve our community in this way again!
Kindergarten celebrated the 100th day of school with their 'One Hundred Hats' and treated the whole school to a joyful parade!
7. Kindergarten and New Student Registration
Calling All New Vikings!
Virginia law requires that all children who will be 5 years old on or before September 30, 2024, must be enrolled in kindergarten for the 2024-2025 school year. If you do not wish your child to attend school until the following year, you must notify the school in writing.
If you have a child who will attend Virginia Run Elementary next year, please contact Betty Bancroft to register. This will allow accurate numbers for staffing and classes next year!
Register your child by:
For more information on registration requirements please visit https://www.fcps.edu/registration/kindergarten-registration
General kindergarten information can be found at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-school-academics-k-6/kindergarten
Please spread the word to your neighbors who will have children attending Virginia Run ES.
8. Yearbook Photos Needed
Please continue to send photos for the yearbook of VRES events, field trips, and classroom activities (presentations, PJ day, etc) for the yearbook! Photos will be collected through late March and can be emailed to Kelly Long at kalong928@yahoo.com.
9. February Technology Advice
This month, parents can learn more about ChatGPT, which is an artificial intelligence (AI) tool. Please consider reading the article to find out how this tool works and how to talk with your kids about it. Guide to ChatGPT The Spanish version can be found here.
Please also consider filling out this Google form and let us know how we can continue to support you at home with your child’s technology needs.
10. School Lunch Menu Options
FCPS' Food and Nutrition Services team has been rolling out improvements to the menu that better reflect the diversity of our student body and focus on fresh, healthy food. Learn about FCPS’ new menu options.
See what is for breakfast and lunch at Virginia Run ES.
11. Lost & Found
Our lost and found is growing! Please remind your student to check the lost and found in the cafeteria for any lost items!
12. Recognize Our VRES Staff Who Go Above and Beyond
The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story, so we can all acknowledge the good work of FCPS employees, specifically at Virginia Run!
submit your story
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13. Stone vs. Liberty Basketball Event
14. Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!
Children who show up for school regularly develop fundamental reading and math skills while building a habit of good attendance that will carry them into college and careers. Research shows that children who were chronically absent in kindergarten and 1st grade were far less likely to read proficiently at the end of 3rd grade.
15. Virginia Run Children's Consignment Sale
Saturday, March 9th, 8:00 am – 1:30 pm
(½ price on selected items 12:30-1:30 pm)
Virginia Run Community Center, 15355 Wetherburn Court
Our Spring Children’s Consignment Sale will feature clothing, swimsuits, shoes, sandals, etc. in sizes infant to 16 in excellent condition.
We also have gently used maternity clothes, toys, baby equipment, bikes, books, puzzles, games, sports equipment, and riding toys.
All are priced well below retail or resale shops!
A portion of proceeds support needs within our community including the VRES PTA.
These materials are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Fairfax County School Board, the Superintendent, or this school.
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16. Important Upcoming Events
2/10: Lunar New Year
2/14: Valentine's Day
2/19: Student Holiday: Presidents Day
2/22: School Bus Driver Appreciation Day
2/23: Spirit Day - Crocs and Fun Socks
2/29: FLE Parent Info Night, 5:30 pm-6:30 pm
3/5: Student Holiday
3/11: FCPS Religious & Cultural Observance-First day of Ramadan
3/21: Spring Picture Day
3/25-3/29: Spring Break
4/1: Teacher Workday - Student Holiday
4/2: Staff Development Day - Student Holiday
4/5: VRES vs Cub Run Volleyball Game, 6:00 pm-8:00 pm
4/9: FCPS Religious & Cultural Observance-Eid al Fitr at sundown
4/10: Student Holiday
4/22: FCPS Religious & Cultural Observance-First evening of Passover at Sundown
4/23: FCPS Religious & Cultural Observance-Second evening of Passover
4/24: FCPS Religious & Cultural Observance-Theravada New Year
4/26: Viking Dash, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm; Packet Pick-up, 4:30 - 5:45 pm
5/3: Teacher Workday
5/8: Spring Chorus Concert, 7:00 pm-8:00 pm
5/9: Science Quest, 6:00 pm-7:30 pm
5/27: Student Holiday
6/4: Band Concert, 7:00 pm-8:00 pm
6/6: Strings Concert, 7:00 pm-8:30 pm
6/11: 6th Grade Celebration
6/12: 6th Grade Promotion, 9:40 am
6/12: Last Day of School - 2hr Early Release
17. Frequently Visited Links and Important Virginia Run Contacts
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