 |
|
To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.
Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.
Để đọc bản tin này bằng ngôn ngữ khác, xin quý vị truy cập vào trang mạng của chúng tôi.
|
A Message From Your Principals
Westlawn Families:
A little later than usual, so with delay here is our Westlawn Family Message! Within this message you will find information about upcoming Westlawn events, as well as information that impacts the entire district.
A reminder that Community Conversations with Principals are held virtually each Wednesday morning at 11:00 AM. Join Principal Hill, Tech Specialist Ms. Dushok, and Family Liaison Ms. Reyes to stay up-to-speed with the busy world at Westlawn ES! Check out the recording from this week's CCwP located here.
The Westlawn team is committed to providing a learning experience that nurtures your child’s natural abilities, advocates for growth and excellence, and empowers your child to reach their full potential.
Stay up-to-date with school events by accessing our Westlawn All Families Schoology Calendar. Access an overview of the entire school year, including holidays and cultural observance days, by clicking here.
And be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
At Westlawn, we soar together.
At Westlawn, we soar together.
Individually Unique … Together Extraordinary
Somos Westlawn.
Your Proud Principals,
Christoph Hill, Anaya Bryson, and Stephanie Carpenter
Upcoming Dates:
February 22: FCHS Open House (7:00 - 8:30 PM)
February 26/27: 6th Grade Field Trip to National Gallery of Art
February 29: Wolf Trap STEAM Parent Workshop (PreK/Kinder only) (Westlawn Cafe 5:00 - 6:00 PM)
March 1: Westlawn Staff and Family Volleyball Game (FCHS Gym @ 5:30 PM)
March 4: Coffee Connections (9:00 AM in the Westlawn Cafe, hosted by the Wellness Team)
March 4 - 8: Read Across America Week (different themes each day!)
March 5: Primary Elections (Student Holiday)
March 12: 3rd and 4th Grade Link Up Field Trip - GMU Campus
March 16: Westlawn Day (Westlawn Cafe and Gym from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM)
March 20: Laps for Learning Event (Westlawn Field during school hours)
March 21: Drama Troupe Performance (5:00 - 6:30 PM)
April 9: Kindergarten Orientation (Westlawn Cafe @ 9AM)
April 17: Falls Church Pyramid Art Show (FCHS Main Gym and Lobby from 5:00 - 7:00 PM)
April 19: Westlawn Art Night (Westlawn Blacktop from 5:30 - 7:00 PM)
Wolf Trap Institute Presents The Three Problem Solving Pigs
We invite our preschool and kindergarten families to join Wolf Trap Master Teachers on February 29 at 5:00 PM for an interactive family experience in the Westlawn Cafe.
Workshop Description:
In this STEM-oriented retelling of the classic tale of The Three Pigs, parents and children are introduced to a simple six-step process to aid the pigs in overcoming the threat of the Big Bad Wolf. When foiled, the wolf learns of these six problem-solving steps and uses them to solve his hunger problem in a way that benefits the pigs and the wolf.
What to expect:
An engaging opportunity for families to sing, move, and learn together!
FCHS Open House - Explore New Spaces
Exciting news! We're excited to announce the completion of several new/renovated spaces in our building. The cafeteria, library, science/math wing, culinary arts, automotive tech, and STEM lab are now finished and eagerly awaiting the enjoyment of our students and staff!
Join us in commemorating this significant milestone with a community open house, inviting you to explore our recently unveiled spaces. Although there's still a lot of work ahead, we're thrilled to share the progress achieved with our community!
When: February 22nd 7-8:30pm
Note: Tours start from School Cafeteria (park and enter at doors: 1, 2, 3 and 4)
Westlawn Volleyball Game
Come cheer on the Westlawn 6th graders as they take on the staff in our annual volleyball game. And this year we’re on the big stage! Come to the FCHS gym on Friday, March 1 @ 5:30 PM for the event. Entrance is free, and all proceeds from concessions go directly to the Westlawn PTA. For additional details please email Ms. Maxwell at gamaxwell@fcps.edu.
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
 |
|
Westlawn Spirit Days
We will continue to celebrate Not-So-Secret Staff and Student Spirit Days each Wednesday in the new year. This Wednesday is Plaid Day. Dress your children in their finest plaid attire!
|
🥁 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.
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.
🎤 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.
🧸 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.
👩🏫 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.
Community Conversations with Principals
Join Mr. Hill, Ms. Carpenter, and Dr. Bryson for Weekly Community Conversations this school year. Weekly sessions will be held virtually on Wednesday mornings at 11:00AM. You can access these sessions using this link. Slide decks and recordings will be posted to the website as quickly as possible after the close of the week’s conversation. Families can access all materials here: https://westlawnes.fcps.edu/get-involved
 |
|
Do you want to celebrate a Westlawn staff member who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way, or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone. |
Collecting a Student for Early Dismissal
Families are reminded that they should call the main office at 703-241-5100 to arrange to get a student for early dismissal. We do not monitor our TalkingPoints account all day, and we may not receive messages about early dismissals in a timely manner. We ask that families picking up children early do so before 3:00 PM to avoid conflicts with the schoolwide dismissal process.
Portrait of a Graduate at Westlawn
Children at Westlawn engage daily in Portrait of a Graduate skills: Communication, Collaboration, Goal-Setting, Resilience, Critical and Creative Thinking, and Global Citizenship. Check out our First Friday Photos to see these skills in action!
How to Register for Pre-K or Early Head Start
Fairfax County offers pre-K for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements and Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. To register, parents or caregivers should:
- Complete the application form.
- Make a copy of the child’s birth certificate and a residency document (lease, dead, or mortgage).
If your child is selected for one of the programs, the following will need to be completed:
- A school physical.
- Dental exam.
- FCPS school registration forms.
Bus Delay Information
If a bus is delayed or more information is needed, parents and guardians can access the FCPS Bus Delay Website or contact the Area Transportation Office.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to sign up to receive Here Comes the Bus notifications.
Parents and guardians can be notified by text, phone call and/or email when a bus is delayed 30 minutes or more by indicting these options through their SIS ParentVUE account.
Child Find Screenings
Child Find is the process of identifying children with potential special education needs as well as educating the community about child development and the importance of early intervention. Child Find screenings and services are provided by the FCPS Early Childhood Identification and Services program for children ages 20 months through 5 years who live in Fairfax County or Fairfax city. Learn more on the Child Find website.
FCPS Early Childhood and PreK Programs
Fairfax County Public Schools offers programs for the youngest learners:
Community liaisons are available to assist families with the registration process and answer any questions. For more information, visit the Early Childhood Registration webpage.
What Is ParentVUE and How Can You Sign Up?
If you do not already have a ParentVUE SIS account, sign up now to monitor and support your child’s academic success! Through ParentVUE, you are able to monitor your student’s attendance, grades, and assignments at any time. You can also access special reports for your student like progress reports and assessments score reports.
Once you have activated a ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same ParentVUE account. SIS ParentVUE can be accessed using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices.
Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video walks you through the steps on how to do so. You can also find out more about SIS ParentVUE on our website.
Update Your Emergency Care Information Through weCare@school
Fairfax County Public Schools provides weCare@school (weCare), an emergency care information system, to parents/caregivers who have registered for their own parent account. weCare helps manage emergency medical information by allowing parents to enter and update their children’s medical data online at their convenience. That contact information automatically enrolls parents/caregivers to receive eNotify communications from the district and their child’s school. eNotify is the communications tool for FCPS emergency, transportation, attendance, weather closing and delay, and essential outreach messages. Messages are sent via email, text, and occasionally phone. Click to edit this placeholder text.
🔍 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.
Family Resources
FCPS’ Office of Family and School Partnerships would like to remind families of some of the many resources available to them:
- Bilingual community liaisons support student registrars by providing families with information about school and community services offered in Fairfax County. Liaisons are available to help families speaking Spanish, Korean, and Arabic. Once registered at a school, families can contact their family liaison for assistance.
-
Early literacy programs are available to Fairfax County residents for parents of children up to 5 years old. These programs help prepare children for school and build confidence in parents as their child’s first teacher. They also help parents become active partners in their child’s education. Programs are available in African-Heritage, Arabic, Spanish, and Korean.
-
Parent Information Phone Lines are available in eight languages for parents who speak languages other than English.
- A Multilingual Family Podcast is produced by the offices of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Family and School Partnerships, and Professional Learning and Equity. It covers important information for parents in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Korean.
- ESOL services are available in Fairfax County not only for students, but also for adults and families. Information on Spring classes will be posted in March 2023.
Visit the Family Engagement webpage for more resources.
Parent Advocacy Handbook
The Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC) has created a Parent Advocacy Handbook to provide information and support to families as they navigate the FCPS system for their children. It is designed to be particularly useful for families who may be less familiar with such a large school division and/or with schooling in the U.S.
Contact Hilda Reyes, Westlawn Family Liaison, with additional questions.
Westlawn on Social Media
Westlawn is active on social media, we encourage families to access our Facebook and Instagram accounts for a glimpse into daily school life.
Falls Church High School Athletics
FCHS offers a variety of athletic opportunities for students - and it’s never too early to get your children interested in different sports! Visit the FCPS Athletics webpage for team information, calendars, and more.
Westlawn 2023-2024 PTA Board
We are excited to announce our PTA Cabinet!
Simone Rose, President
Deirdre Ladd, Vice President
Christine Lusk and Dave Jones, Treasurers
Jordan Kislear, Secretary
|
