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To read our newsletter in other languages, please view it on the Bull Run Elementary website.
Para leer nuestro boletín en otros idiomas, véalo en el sitio web de Bull Run Elementary.
다른 언어로 된 뉴스레터를 읽으려면 Bull Run Elementary 웹사이트에서 확인하세요.
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Please Mark Your Calendars!
February 19: Holiday | Washington’s Birthday and Presidents’ Day
February 26 - March 1: Read Across America Spirit Week (see below)
February 29: PTA "VIP Leap Year Dance" Event, 6:00-8:00 PM
March 5: Student Holiday | School Planning Day for Staff | Presidential Primary
March 11: Religious and Cultural Observance | First Full Day of Ramadan (begins sundown 3/10 and continues with daily fast and nightly prayer until 4/9)
March 12: PTA Meeting: MS Mathematics - Grades 5/6, 7:00-8:30 PM, BRES Library
March 20: Orthodox Ash Wednesday
March 22: End of Third Quarter
*The full FCPS 2023-2024 calendar can be accessed here.
February 19: Presidents Day (Holiday)
All schools and offices will be closed on Monday, February 19, for the Presidents Day holiday. Presidents Day, officially recognized in the United States, is celebrated on the third Monday in February each year. It is a time to honor and remember the birthdays and achievements of the country's most distinguished leaders, and to reflect on the president's role in shaping the nation's history and development. Learn more about Presidents Day in Britannica.com.
Classes will resume on Tuesday, February 20. See the complete school year calendar.
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Calendar Update for March 5 Presidential Primary
The Fairfax Board of Elections has requested schools to close on Tuesday, March 5, to accommodate the administration of the 2024 presidential primary election.
As a result, March 5 will be a school holiday for students. Central offices and school offices will remain open.
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Follow BRES on Social Media
Did you know Bull Run Elementary is on social media? Follow us to see photos and videos from our classrooms/events and connect with other families.
FACEBOOK: FCPS Bull Run Elementary School
INSTAGRAM: bullrunelem
FACEBOOK (PTA): BullRunESPTA
BRES Website: https://bullrunes.fcps.edu/
PTA Website: https://bullrun.memberhub.com/
🐉 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.
Thank you to Sook Smith, Parent Liaison, and our families who celebrate the Lunar New Year for sharing their traditions and cuisine with our BRES Staff.
Read Across America SPIRIT Week (Feb. 26- Mar. 1)
We are thrilled to begin our upcoming celebration of Read Across America Week. Read Across America at Bull Run Elementary will take place from Monday, February 26 – Friday, March 1 and will feature a variety of exciting choices of texts, designed to inspire a lifelong love of reading and an openness to new perspectives around the world. Whether you’re already a bookworm, or just looking to explore new literary adventures, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.
Here’s what we have highlighted for the week:
Monday 2/26: Read a Silly book and wear a Silly outfit!
Tuesday 2/27: Read a book about a famous or important American and dress up like them. It can be a musician, inventor, artist, anyone!
Wednesday 2/28: Read about an influential athlete and wear something to represent your favorite sport or team (essentially Jersey Day)
Thursday 2/29: Read a book about a culture different from your own. Wear something to represent your family’s culture or hometown.
Friday 3/1: Our Book Exchange!! We have already started seeing some gently used books come in. Our hope is that every student gets to go home with a new-to-them book this day.
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 Bull Run Elementary.
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2024-25 Kindergarten and New Student Registration
Kindergarten Registration for the 2024-2025 school year is open! FCPS is conducting its annual Survey of Preschool Children. The survey was sent home to all families and can also be found here. If you have a child eligible for Kindergarten this August (rising Kindergarten students need to be 5 years old before September 30, 2024), please complete the form and return it to our office by March 22. If you have no need for the form, please check with your neighbors who may have children eligible for kindergarten and share this form with them.
Information pertaining to registration, including eligibility and forms is outlined on our student registration page Enroll.
Registrations are done by appointment and walk-in. Appointments are open now and continue throughout the summer. Questions? Please contact our registrar, Maria Betancourth, 703-227-1400, mcbetancourt@fcps.edu.
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Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener
The Spring Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener will be administered to students in grades 3-6 during the weeks of February 26th to 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, Courtney McAfee (4th & 6th grade) Rachael Younkins (3rd & 5th grade), at cdmcafee@fcps.edu or rmyounkins@fcps.edu.
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BRES Spirit Days every Friday - Wear Your BULLS Gear or Blue and White/Gray!
Bull Run Elementary encourages every students to wear our school colors, blue & white, every Friday! This is a simple way we can show our community spirit and love for all things BRES! Spirit wear is encouraged and welcome or wear your blue and white. Make a plan with friends and see how many of you can participate! Staff often wear their blue and white or Spirit Wear on Fridays! |
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Smart Watches & Cell Phones Reminder
We have seen an increase in teachers reporting cell phone use and smartwatches used for texting or playing games during the school day. Please remind your student to keep their phones on silent and in their backpack, and to turn off the texting feature on smartwatches during the school day.
Below please see the Students Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) for more information.
Students in grades K-6: Phones must be silenced and in backpacks for the duration of the school day. Smart watches that serve a dual purpose may be worn, but the phone features (texting, Internet viewing, and calls) are to be off when phone use is prohibited. Students are prohibited from using phones, tablets, and other mobile devices in restrooms and locker rooms, unless there is a medical necessity or emergency. Teachers may allow usage of cell phones for instructional activities when appropriate. Cell phones may be used on campus before and after school only.
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From A to Z, Attendance is Key!
Let's empower our young learners with the gift of consistent school attendance. Together, we can unlock their full potential! See how you can encourage good attendance in elementary school: https://bit.ly/3TP2gdB
Attendance Updates_02.07.24 PTA Meeting.pdf
Help Your Child Stay Engaged
#AttendTodayAchieveTomorrow #AttendanceMattersVA #chargerSTRONG
Kindness changes everything.
DedicatED: For Parents and Teachers Nurturing Kindness: Try Our Simple Recipe
Excerpted from The Family Dinner Project
The ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, or consider the impact of your actions on another person, or attempt to lighten the load for someone who is having a hard day by offering a smile or an ear, are all ways we demonstrate kindness. They are also all qualities that can be learned and reinforced at home—even at the dinner table. Here’s how:
Be a role model for empathy.
The dinner table can be an ideal incubator for modeling empathy. A simple way to do this is to ensure that everyone who wants to gets a turn to talk, and then everyone else listens so the speaker feels that his or her words and experience matter. This means that eye contact is made with the person who is speaking, only one person speaks at a time, and you occasionally register that you understand how your child or spouse is feeling.
Emphasize the positive.
When children share stories at the table about their days, you might point out and praise acts of kindness shown toward siblings, friends, pets, and others. By highlighting these acts, you are positively reinforcing your child in making good choices! You can also ask them to point out nice things others have done for them recently, and of course share your own stories of kindness—both given and received— from the day.
Perform a kindness mission.
Surprise a friend, or a neighbor or even a charity by doing something thoughtful. You can brainstorm ideas at dinner, or you can use the kid-friendly suggestions we offer in The Family Breakfast Project to give your kids a kindness mission for the day and then have them report back at dinner. Another variation of this idea might be to put all family member’s names in a jar and have each person choose someone they will do something nice for that day.
For more information on how to foster kindness with kids, check out this article about using a kindness jar!
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.
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🎤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.
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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:
- Determine eligibility.
- Identify your local school.
- Gather documents.
- Fill out forms.
- 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.
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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.
FCPS Parent Resource Section: February 2024
Behavior Solution Series for Elementary and Secondary Families
Join staff from the FCPS Behavior Intervention Services Department to help families encourage positive communication and behavior at home.
Elementary Webinars
3/15 Taming Tantrums and More
- Parents, ever had a moment when things feel like a big puzzle and you just need the right pieces? We will share strategies to help when your child’s behavior feels like a rollercoaster. Learn how to turn meltdowns into moments that make you go 'ta-da!'
Secondary Webinars
4/19 Proactive Strategies for Effective Communication
- We will equip you with strategies for navigating the teen years. Uncover the secrets to fostering open communication, building trust, and transforming challenges into opportunities for growth.
5/31 Taming the Teenaged Brain
- Navigate the rollercoaster of teenage emotions with our training on behavior strategies, tailored to support you at home during those challenging adolescent years. We will provide practical insights and proven techniques to foster understanding and communication with your teenager.
Register for all or part of the Behavior Solution Series for Families
How to Handle Disappointing Grades: Ways to Uncover the Reasons Behind Your Child’s School Performance and How to Help
Disappointing grades are not always a fair indication of how hard your child is trying, how much they’re learning, or what their potential for success is later on in life (especially for those with ADHD and other learning differences).
On the surface, disappointing grades represent a failure at school. But there’s usually a lot more to it and many emotions for parents and students at stake!
Webinar Highlights:
- What to do if your child comes home with bad grades (and how to prevent over-reacting)
- How to talk to your child about their school performance, including some easy conversation starters
- Ways to investigate why it’s happening and the two most common reasons for poor grades
- What to do about it moving forward, including strategies to help your child study more effectively and stay organized
- Whether you should set consequences for your child’s bad grades (or reward them for good grades)
Join Ann Dolin, educator, author, and Educational Connections Founder for new strategies to tackle these sticky situations while preserving your relationship with your child.
February 23, 2024, 10-11:30 a.m. Register for How to Handle Disappointing Grades: Ways to Uncover the Reasons Behind Your Child’s School Performance and How to Help
SIBSHOPS: An Exciting, In-person Workshop for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs!
The Sibshop workshops are for children in grades 2-6 enrolled in Fairfax County Public Schools who have siblings with special needs to:
- Meet other siblings in a relaxed setting.
- Celebrate the many contributions made by brothers and sisters of children with special needs.
- Share sibling experiences and receive peer support.
- Play games and have fun!
March 2, 2024, 9 a.m.- noon at Providence Community Center
Presented by FCPS School Social Work Services
View the individual event page if you would like to Add to Your Calendar.
Register for: SIBSHOPS: An Exciting, In-person Workshop for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs!
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Military-Connected Families Newsletter 📰
Did you know that the Office of Family and School Partnerships publishes a monthly newsletter for military-connected families? Subscribe today
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Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity
FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.
Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.
Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.
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FCPS News
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Fiscal Year 2025 Proposed Budget
- Register for Superintendent Community Conversations
- Kindergarten Registration
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
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Recognizing BRES staff who go above and beyond
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 Bull Run Elementary. We love our staff members; let's tell them how we feel!
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Your Partners In Education
We are in this together!! We are thankful to have the opportunity to work with your family this year and will work every day to ensure a safe and positive learning environment for your child. Please contact us when there is a question or concern. Thank you for your support and being part of our team!
Your Partner Principals,
Jason Pensler (Principal)
Jenna Campbell (Assistant Principal: K,2,4,6)
James Marotta (Assistant Principal: K,1,3,5)
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