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Dear Mantua families,
Mantua was a hub of excitement this past week! Our Kindergarten classes celebrated the 100th day of school with “100th day” trail mix, building with 100 cups, and making “I’m 100 days smarter” celebratory hats! Our first graders made 100th-day posters and used the number 100 in their math projects. The year is flying by, and we are grateful for the many successes this year has brought us already. Last week, many of our classrooms and students celebrated the Lunar New Year. This holiday marks the first new moon of the lunisolar calendar, which is traditionally used in many East Asian countries and is one of the year's most important holidays. The Lunar New Year is about ushering in luck and prosperity with family, and we were fortunate to celebrate with many of our families!
We also hosted several local news stations as they interviewed Paul Malc, a Mantua 6th-grade teacher! Mr. Malc shared about his former career as a statistician for the Green Bay Packers and how he can incorporate his background in statistics into his math lessons. He gave a short lesson to his students about Sunday’s Superbowl game and some plays to look for, based on statistical probability. This is one example of the many ways our Mantua teachers use their diverse backgrounds, interests, and passions to bring a depth of knowledge to the classroom daily!
Registration has opened for FCPS summer camps and other learning opportunities! Below is more information and a link to the registration. These are excellent opportunities for your student to experience learning all summer long!
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, our P2 focus for this week is Love. Love means you value close relationships with others and being close to people. We’ve included some of the information we’ll review with your student below.
This is a friendly reminder that all schools and offices will be closed for the Presidents Day holiday on Monday, February 19. Learn more about Presidents Day at Britannica.com. Classes will resume on Tuesday, February 20. Enjoy the long weekend!
Have a great rest of your week!
Take good care,
Linda Shannon, Principal
Rich Deixler, Assistant Principal
Colleen Vaughan, Assistant Principal
Important Dates
February 14: Ash Wednesday
February 17: Stringapalooza event for 4th-6th grade strings students (optional)
February 19: President’s Day Holiday, schools and offices closed
March 5: Staff planning workday, student holiday
March 6: Heritage Night 6-7:30 PM
March 11: First full day of Ramadan
March 22: end of the quarter
March 25-29: Spring break week, schools and offices closed
Mantua News
FCPS Cares
It is always possible to thank a staff member! 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 at Mantua Elementary. Thank you to the families who completed FCPS CARES for our staff each week. Receiving your recognition means the world to us!
Be the Change
Join Mrs. Aberle, the Chorus Director at Mantua, in the PTA sponsored benefit concert to raise awareness to human trafficking and support victims. By signing up to be a featured artist, you will contribute to the success of the event.
SAVE THE DATE MANTUA! May 14, 2024 BE THE CHANGE in Fairfax! 4th - 12th Grade students, FCPS staff, and community members are forming a community chorus to present a benefit concert to stand against human trafficking in Fairfax!
5 rehearsals 4:20 - 5:30 (March 5, 19, April 2, 16, May 7) for students will be held after school with Mrs. Aberle. Student registration is mandatory. (attendance to at least 3 rehearsals is recommended for students) 2 rehearsals for staff and community members: April 16 and May 7 4:30 - 5:30
If you are a performing artist or are in an ensemble that would like to perform at the concert, please contact me and/or use the QR code to register. acaberle@fcps.edu or aberle.anita@gmail.com
Positivity Project (P2)
This week, our school community will be focusing on the character strength of Love. Love means you value close relationships with others and being close to people.
The character strength of love represents the way we think, feel, and behave towards the people with whom we have close relationships. When one person loves another person, that person comforts and makes the other feel safe, sacrifices on the other’s behalf, supports the other during struggles, and places the others' needs ahead of their own. If you love a person, that person makes you feel safe and secure. You can be yourself with that person. You miss that person when they are not around.
On a group level, love is vital for the well-being of society. The world is endlessly interconnected. We are all dependent upon each other for survival and happiness. Love produces positive feelings, which help negate loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Without love, we cannot form strong relationships with our families, friends, or communities. A world without love is a dangerous world.
To practice and encourage the character strength of love with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2), where together you will watch a video, read a quote, and talk about the answers to three questions.
Heritage Night at Mantua
Join us in celebrating the rich and unique heritage that makes our Mantua family so strong! Heritage Night will be held on Wednesday, March 6, from 6-7:30 PM in the gym and surrounding areas. Come enjoy a special dish, make a craft, listen to music, and see pictures of the many different countries that make up our Mantua student body. We need many participants to make this evening a success. Please consider hosting a table or just joining in on the fun! Details and a sign-up sheet were distributed in Tuesday folders.
Seeking Student Monitors for Mantua
Hourly 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Monday-Friday, $16.36 per Hour
Description
Provides supervision of students throughout the school day, including but not limited to the classroom, hallways, lunch, recess, specials, and at arrival/dismissal; helps maintain order and discipline and assists in managing the behavior of students; operates technology; performs administrative and non-instructional duties; ensures all layered prevention/safety protocols and procedures are implemented and followed; works with individual and small groups of students.
Qualifications
Any combination of education and experience is equivalent to graduation from high school. Must be comfortable managing student behaviors in large and small groups, ensuring all layered prevention/safety protocols and procedures are implemented and followed, and have general familiarity/skills with basic office technology in support of teachers, students, and the classroom.
Please pass this information along to anyone you may know. Interested applicants should contact Mr. Rich Deixler at radeixler@fcps.edu.
Rising 7th Grade Transition Planning
 
Frost Family Festival
Please join us for the Frost Family Festival on February 22nd from 5:30 PM to 7:15 PM. This open house format allows parents/guardians and students to receive building tours and visit elective classrooms.
Special Education Services Meeting at Frost Middle School
We have an informational meeting opportunity for those families who will be promoted to Frost Middle School next year. The staff at Frost will present an overview of special education services at the middle school at an information session on February 26. It will take place in the lecture hall from 6-7 PM. Consider this opportunity to learn more about these student services offered at Frost and the chance to ask questions and meet the special education staff. If you have questions about this event, please contact Ellen Reed, Assistant Principal for Frost, at evreed@fcps.edu.
FCPS News
Sign Up for FCPS Summer Camps
Registration is now open for several summer camps and learning opportunities offered by Fairfax County Public Schools for all students.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) camps and Institute for the Arts camps will be held in July at Lake Braddock Secondary School from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bus transportation will be available from select FCPS middle and high schools.
Tech Adventure Camp is available for current grade K-5 students to explore STEAM, culinary, health, trades, and business and marketing areas. E-IFTA is a weekly arts camp for elementary students who love to sing, dance, act, perform, make, and create. Visit the E-IFTA webpage to register.
Learn About Science, Technology, and Arts Magnet Schools
Three FCPS elementary magnet schools provide programs that enhance learning in science, technology, and performing arts.
If you are interested in sending your student to an elementary magnet school program, consider attending a school-based information night at Hunters Woods Elementary School, Bailey’s Primary Elementary School, or Bailey’s Upper Elementary School.
Information nights will provide an opportunity to learn about individual school programs, student eligibility, the lottery process, and transportation.
Registration for the 2024-25 elementary magnet lottery is open Tuesday, March 5, through Friday, April 12. Get more information about the schools, their programs, and locations.
Superintendent to Present FY 2025 Proposed Budget
Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid will present the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Proposed Budget at the School Board meeting on Thursday, February 8, at 7:30 p.m. Dr. Reid’s presentation, as well as other budget documents, will be available after she presents to the board.
View the meeting on FCPS Cable TV Channel 99 (Verizon Channel 11), the FCPS YouTube Channel, or the FCPS website. To watch School Board meetings dubbed in Spanish, please visit the FCPS en Español YouTube channel.
If you would like language interpretation or American Sign Language support for any School Board meeting, please contact the board clerk. Find your School Board member and how to contact them on the School Board Members webpage.
Here Comes the Bus
Want to know if your child's bus is on schedule or where the bus is? Here Comes the Bus® is an easy-to-use website and app that enables parents to see the location of their child’s school bus — almost in real-time — on a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer.
Parents can track multiple buses if their children don’t all ride the same bus; know exactly when children arrive at school or the bus stop; and receive customized text and/or email notifications about bus locations, schedule changes, or delays.
To get started, download the app from the Apple iOS or Android app store. Check out the Here Comes the Bus and Frequently Asked Questions webpages for more information.
Already using the Here Comes the Bus app? Send your feedback to HCTB@fcps.edu.
Note: eNotify text messaging will continue to be used for reporting bus delays and bus incidents.
Cultural Observances & Recognitions
Lunar New Year
The Lunar New Year is a holiday that marks the first new moon of the lunisolar calendar, which is the calendar traditionally used in many east Asian countries including China, Vietnam, Singapore, and South Korea. In these and other Asian countries, it is one of the most important holidays of the year. The Lunar New Year is all about ushering in luck and prosperity with family. Read more about Lunar New Year and its animal symbols in National Geographic Kids.
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It marks the beginning of Lent, a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving leading up to Easter. Many Christians attend special Ash Wednesday church services, at which churchgoers receive ash on their foreheads. Ash Wednesday derives its name from this practice. Read more about Ash Wednesday in Britannica.com.
Support FCPS Relay for Life
Relay for Life – FCPS is an event that brings our community together to fight against cancer.
Relay for Life is a powerful initiative that unites schools, students, and communities in the shared goal of raising funds for cancer research, patient support, and advocacy. It's an opportunity for our schools to make a lasting impact and show solidarity in the face of this challenging disease.
Your generosity would not only contribute to the success of Relay for Life but also showcase the unity and compassion that define Fairfax County Public Schools.
Thank you for considering this request, and we look forward to the possibility of joining forces to make Relay for Life - FCPS a memorable and impactful event.
To sign up to participate, volunteer, etc., please go to our website at: https://relayforlife.org/fcps
It will be held on May 18, 2024 at Woodson HS beginning at 2pm.
Webinars for Families
Behavior Solution Series for Elementary and Secondary Families – Join FCPS Behavior Intervention Services staff for help encouraging positive communication and behavior at home.
- Webinars for Elementary-Age students:
- Proactive Strategies for Effective Communication, Friday, February 16, 10 a.m.
- Taming Tantrums and More, Friday, March 15, 10 a.m.
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 the FCPS website for more information.
Quick Contacts & Links
Linda Shannon, Principal lcshannon@fcps.edu
Rich Deixler, Assistant Principal radeixler@fcps.edu
Colleen Vaughan, Assistant Principal CAVaughan@fcps.edu
Ann Marie Del Valle, Administrative Assistant, adelvalle@fcps.edu
Mergie Kakouris, Student Information Assistant, mbkakouris@fcps.edu
Fadwa Finaish, Office Assistant, ffinaish@fcps.edu
Susan Palomino, Finance Office Assistant slpalomino@fcps.edu
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