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A Message From Principal Clarke

Dear Beech Tree Families, We would like to take a moment to express our gratitude for the wonderful Valentine's Day celebration that took place at our school. The students and staff members came together to spread love and kindness by exchanging cards and tokens of appreciation. Our school counselor was particularly touched by the outpouring of affection and received many extra hugs from grateful students. It was heartening to see so many people coming together to share their feelings of appreciation and gratitude. As a friendly reminder, please note that our school will be closed on Monday, February 19th, in observance of the President's Day holiday. We will resume classes on Tuesday, February 20th, and we look forward to continuing our journey of learning and growth with all of our students and staff members. Thank you for your continued support and partnership. With appreciation, Principal Clarke

Beech Days Lunch Visitation Schedule

Ms. Keier and Ms. Ileqmane students learned about Mardi Gras and what a Second Line is – a parade with jazz music, dancing and celebrating that people join in as they go through the streets. Second Lines often pop up in predominantly African American neighborhoods in New Orleans and originated from West African circle or ring dances. They were brought to New Orleans by enslaved Africans. I connected this with Black History month by learning about famous jazz musicians like Trombone Shorty, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Louis Armstrong and Jazzy Ash. We celebrated with our own parade with masks, beads and jazz music!

As a reminder, all schools and offices will be closed on Monday, February 19, 2024 for the Presidents Day holiday. Learn more about Presidents Day in Britannica.com. Classes will resume on Tuesday, February 20.

Important Dates:

• Thursday, February 22nd PTA Talent Show 6:30pm

See the complete school year calendar.

*To ensure the safety and well-being of our students, we kindly request that parents or guardians accompany their children to school events*

Recognize Teachers For The Great Work They Are Doing!

The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for families, 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 Beech Tree Elementary School. We love our staff members; let's tell them how we feel!

🧸 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.

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. 

Fiscal Year 2025 Proposed Budget Focused on Educational Excellence and Competitive Compensation 

At the last School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid proposed a budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 that focuses on excellence and providing students an equitable education in an inclusive and respectful environment, where access, opportunity, and achievement are available to all. 

The budget also prioritizes competitive compensation to attract and retain a world-class workforce. 

The FY 2025 Proposed Budget totals $3.8 billion, an increase of $301.8 million, or 8.6%, over the FY 2024 Approved Budget. Nearly 86% of the budget is focused on instruction. Key highlights include:

• Supporting students academically by maintaining existing class size formulas and providing necessary support to all students. 
• Retaining and attracting world-class educators with a 6% market scale adjustment.
• Strengthening student well-being outside of the classroom with expanded athletics offerings, additional athletic trainers, and enhanced stipends for fine and performing arts.
• Continuing initiatives including expansion of inclusive preschool, adoption of green initiatives, and funding assistant director of student activities positions previously funded with ESSER III.

Special education daily contract extensions, funding for the safety and security screening program, and late buses to support academics and activities at middle schools are several of the priorities to be addressed at the end of FY 2024. 

The School Board is scheduled to adopt the Advertised Budget on Thursday, February 22. Read more about the proposed budget. Keep up with FCPS’ budget development process. 

👩‍🏫 Help Students Achieve Their Dreams. Teach for FCPS!

Save the date! Attend FCPS’ instructional job fair on Saturday, February 24, 9 a.m.-noon, at Lake Braddock Secondary School. Network and take advantage of interview opportunities with representatives from various FCPS schools. Employment offers may be extended during the fair. Register today. 

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.

🎤 Our Schools, Our Future: Community Conversations Continue

Join Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid for Our Schools, Our Future – A Community Conversation. Your voice matters! Share your thoughts about FCPS and bring your questions to a conversation on:

• Tuesday, April 16, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Graham Road Elementary School.
• Tuesday, April 30, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at South County Middle School.
• Thursday, May 2, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Terraset Elementary School.
• Wednesday, May 8, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Hybla Valley Elementary School.
• Thursday, May 16, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Poe Middle School.
• Tuesday, May 21, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Katherine Johnson Middle School.

Pre-registration for a Community Conversation is not required but will help FCPS plan. Childcare and interpretation services will be provided for all events based on staff availability. Events are open to all. Learn about other opportunities to connect with Dr. Reid.

Fairfax County Science and Engineering Fair Open House

Members of the general public are invited to attend the science fair open house at Robinson Secondary School on Sunday, March 17, 1-3 p.m.

Eating Disorders Parent Information, Gr. 5-12

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.

Crisis Resources

If you or someone you care about is in crisis, please call 911 or access one of the mental health resources below:

• Reach out to a trusted adult (parent, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.)
• Try these tips for supporting a friend or family member
• Text NEEDHELP to 85511 for the Crisis Link Hotline at or call them at 703-527-4077
• Chat online with a specialist at CrisisChat.org or ImAlive.org
• Call an emergency mental health center at 703 573-5679 (Merrifield Center), 703-536-2000 (Dominion Hospital), or 703-289-7560 (INOVA emergency services)
• CR2 – 844-627-4747
• Go to the nearest emergency room at your local hospital
• Call 911

💻 Upcoming Webinars and Events for Families

The Family Resource Center offers free webinars for adults to support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities. The following events are currently scheduled for February:

• How to Handle Disappointing Grades: Ways to Uncover the Reasons Behind Your Child’s School Performance and How to Help
  Join educator, author, and Educational Connections founder Ann Dolin for new strategies to tackle these sticky situations while preserving your relationship with your child. 
  February 23, 10-11:30 a.m. 
   
• Functional Behavior Assessment/Behavior Intervention Plan (FBA/BIP) Essentials for Families
  Does your child have concerning behaviors at school? Did you know that there is a process to identify and support them? Learn about the FBA and BIP process and how it is used in FCPS to support any student who experiences behavioral challenges. This webinar is presented by staff from the Office of Special Education Instruction, Office of Intervention and Prevention Services, and Office of Special Education Procedural Support. 
  February 29, 6:30-7:30 p.m. or March 1, 10-11 a.m.

For more information and to register for the webinars, click on the linked titles above.

Justice High School

3301 Peace Valley Ln
Falls Church, VA 22044 

Beech Tree School Information

Hours:  9:15 a.m.-4:00 p.m. (doors open at 9:05 a.m. for arrival)

Attendance Line:  703-531-2626

Attendance Email: BeechTreeElem.Attendance@fcps.edu

School Registrar: Sandra Merino (703) 531-2620

FCPS News

FCPS NewsIn case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• Summer Camp and Learning Opportunities
• Science, Technology, and Arts Magnet Schools
• Check Schoology for Teacher-Referred Tutoring

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, please sign up today.  

3401 Beechtree Lane, Falls Church, VA 22042  | Main Phone: 703.531.2600
Attendance: 703.531.2626 | Web | Twitter