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Dear Bush Hill Families,
This past Saturday, Ms. Welsh and I were able to attend the Odyessy of the Mind tournament that was held at Discovery Elementary School and WIlliamsburg Middle School in Arlington. We were so excited to support the EIGHT teams that represented Bush Hill! Odessey of the Mind teaches students how to develop and use their natural creativity to become problem solvers. Each team works for months to prepare a solution to a long-term problem. During the competition, they share their solution to the long-term problem and also work as a team to solve a "spontaneous" problem. This was the first time since I became principal that Bush Hill has participated in Odyessy of the Mind - and I hope that it is something that continues for many years to come! Parent Maria Mlynar brought the idea of forming Odyessy of the Mind teams to me and the Bush Hill PTA earlier this school year and worked very hard to coordiante both student and coaching volunteers. We are so grateful to Maria, all of our coaches, and our very talented students for sharing their time and creativity with us!
The 2023-24 Bush Hill Odyessy Teams are:
- 1st grade team coached by Melissa Laird and Curtis Zufelt: Sadie Laird, Hadley Wilson, Trevor Reardon, Kaysen Cerha, and Conor Zufelt
- 2nd grade team coached by Julie Miles: Ashley Corker, Max Bryson, Zachary Kranz, Ruby Robbins, and Layla Boraey
- 3rd/4th grade team coached by Erin Nelson and Jennifer Garlington: Chloe Fleshman, Audrey Garlington, Issac Nelson, Leo Nelson, Isabella Sanders, Isaac Suarez, and Amelia Zufelt
- 4th grade team coached by Maria Mlynar: Madeline Smith, Ella Ruf, Claire Toth, Ruth Burris, Matilda Duffy, Tobbias Laird, and Beau Spiro
- 4th/5th grade team coached by Sarah Blake: Annette Blake, Siddaarth Saxena, Hamza Boraey, Virginia Morgan, Anabelle Van Pool, Charlotte Gardinier, and Bradley Blake
- 4th and 5th grade team coached by Anne Bynes and Susan Nightingale: Lillie Nightingale, Emma Davis, Violet Robbins, Bethania Solomon, and Jacob Fritz
- 5th and 6th grade team coached by Jen and Eric Steiner: Ashton Garlington, London Steiner, Lucy Shuman, David Steiner, Everett Garlington
- 5th and 6th grade team coached by Stephanie See and Heidi Hess: Finn Gilkes, Mark See, Ryan Boriso, Elisa del Mundo, Ellie Shanks, and Aaron Ruf
We also want to congratulated our 5th and 6th grade team coached by Stephanie See and Heidi Hess. Students Finn, Mark, Ryan, Elisa, Ellie, and Aaron will be headed to the Odyessy of the Mind State Tournament which will be held at Tuscarora High School in Leesburg, Virginia on Saturday, April 6th. We are so excited for you!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Duffy, Principal
Spring Pictures Event Date: March 15, 2024
Please contact Lisa Dial @ 703-924-5600 if you are able to help volunteer with picture day.
Award-winning children’s author Ada Ari visited our school last week for an interactive reading and cultural program. Students and Staff really enjoyed her presentation. Autographed copies of her book are still available for purchase.
https://www.ada-ari.com/african-folktales
Ada Ari will autograph all books purchased. Please enter the following in the “add a note” section:
1) Child’s name
2) Child’s teacher
3) Name for dedication
 Congratulations to the 8 Bush Hill Odyssey of the Mind teams that participated in the Nova East Regional Odyssey of the Mind tournament this past weekend! One team placed 3rd and another is moving on to the state tournament!! Way to go Panthers and coaches- we are so proud of your hard work and all that you have accomplished!
Spring Enrichment Classes: ENROLL NOW!
Spring enrichment enrollment begins today! Sign up by scanning the QR Code attached to the flyer or SIGN UP HERE!
Please note that enrollment is based on a first-come first-served basis, as some programs have limited enrollment. Please be aware that these programs need parent volunteers to help take attendance both before and after classes. They cannot run unless we have your support!
STEM exCEL:
Introduction to Game Design: Tuesdays, 7:50-8:50am, April 9-May 28, $145, Grades 1-6
Electronics with Minecraft Redstone: Fridays, 7:50-8:50am, April 12-May 31, $135, Grades 1-6
Kidcreate Art:
Pokemon & Minecraft: Thursdays, 4:10-5:10pm, April 11-May 30, $176, Grades K-2
Harry Potter: Thursdays, 4:10-5:10pm, April 11-May 30, $176, Grades 3-6
Your Best Chess:
Chess: Tuesdays, 4:05-5:05pm, April 9-May 28, $135, Grades K-6
Chess: Wednesdays, 7:50-8:50am, April 17-June 5, $135, Grades K-6
iCook:
Cooking class, Spicing Things Up
Mondays, 4-5pm, April 8-June 3, $181, Grades K-3
Wednesdays, 4-5pm, April 17-June 5, $181, Grades 4-6
Web Programming with Javascript:
Wednesdays, 4-5pm, April 17-June 5, $10, Grades 4-6
FIRST Lego Challenge League:
Thursdays, 4-5:30pm, April 11-May 30, $105, Grades 3-5
20 seats available. We would like students to commit to be part of the competition in the fall. Tuition will cover the cost of competition and classes for this spring and the classes leading to competition in the fall.
Let Me Run:
Boys Running Club: Mondays and Wednesdays 4-5:15pm, April 8-May 29, $125, Grades 3-6
Staff Appreciation Week
Planning for Staff Appreciation Week is underway! If you are interested in being a part of the planning committee, please email us ASAP at ptabushhillelementary@gmail.com.
Community Night 4/11 at 6:00pm
Community Night is a great opportunity for us to come together and learn about the diverse cultures and backgrounds of our Bush Hill Community! Join us for an evening of food, dance, music, and fun! If you would like to participate by sharing something at this event, please fill out THIS FORM before this Friday, March 15th.
Dropoff and Pickup Assistance
The PTA is looking to assist our school by increasing adult presence during morning dropoff and afternoon pickup from the campus. We will potentially model our efforts after the national program Watch DOGS (Dads of Great Students), but adapted for our community.
Anyone interested in and available for this effort, please email ptabushhillelementary@gmail.com.
PTA Meeting Next Thursday 3/21
The next General Body PTA Meeting will be held virtually on Thursday, March 21st at 7:00pm. A link will be sent via Givebacks.
Become a PTA Member Today!
It's easy! Click here: Join_PTA
- Why join? Membership helps support our students and staff! The PTA helps plan fun activities for our school community (for staff and students), plans fundraisers, and supports the purchase of new materials and items for school improvements.
Ideas, thoughts, questions; want to volunteer or assist? Email us at ptabushhillelementary@gmail.com
Solar Eclipse Festival
On April 8th our community will experience a 90% Solar Eclipse. We will experience this as a schoolwide event from 2:40-3:40. We would greatly appreciate your participation and donations to help create a memorable experience for our Panthers. In accordance with FCPS safety guidelines, the use of solar glasses will not be permitted. We will have students create Pinhole Projectors in STEAM as an alternative safe viewing. Please use the sign up genius and have students deliver them to Mrs. Blackburn in the STEAM Room. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084CA5A92AA5FAC16-48382927-solar
We need:
Shoeboxes or similar size box
Oreos
Allergy/Cultural alternative cookies
Solar Telescopes
Solar Binoculars
Volunteers
Community Night is now on Thursday, April 11. We are looking for families who would like to represent a place of importance to you by hosting a table, preparing a dish to sample, or providing an experience, please fill out this form. Thank you!
 Make sure your child is in school every day, right up until vacation starts. Our teachers will be teaching, and our students will be learning. But it’s harder to teach and it’s harder to learn when too many students are absent.
Family Engagement Survey Now Open!
We encourage all parents/caregivers to participate in FCPS’ Family Engagement Survey. Our survey partner, K12 Insight, emailed a link to families on Sunday, March 3. Your feedback is critical in helping to inform and improve FCPS practices to best support our students.
Taking this survey will also help strengthen the partnership between your family and your child's school. When that partnership is strong, students can experience a range of benefits including improved school readiness, higher student achievement, and better social skills and behavior.
The survey is available in 10 languages. Parents/caregivers may stop by a school to fill out a paper survey or for support with completing the survey online. Please check your email for the survey invitation or access the survey link on the Family Engagement Survey webpage.
New Regulation on Meditation and Reflection Spaces
FCPS has developed a regulation to ensure all students and staff have reasonable accommodation and access to meditation and silent reflection spaces within the school division. Regulation 1502 provides guidance for schools on how to manage requests for silent reflection during instructional and non-instructional time, and for students to leave school for religious activities.
These spaces are designated areas within a school or on school premises for individuals to engage in prayer, meditation, or silent reflection, inclusive of their religious or non-religious beliefs. Parents/caregivers must provide written permission for students requesting to miss instructional time on a regular basis. Families are encouraged to contact their student’s school regarding accommodations. Visit FCPS' Guidelines for Religious Activities webpage for more information.
🎤 Help Minimize the Impact of Fentanyl and Other Drugs
A community conversation addressing the opioid crisis within Northern Virginia and Fairfax County public schools will be held Monday, March 18, 6:30-8 p.m., in the auditorium at Lake Braddock Secondary School. Please enter through Door #14.
All attendees will receive free REVIVE! Narcan training and learn about support services available within FCPS and Fairfax County.
The material discussed is suitable for students in grades 6 to 12. Language interpretation services are available as well as American Sign Language accommodation. Childcare and transportation will also be provided, as needed. Learn more about the event and register online.
🥁 Browse Summer Camps and Learning Programs
Have you made summer plans for your child yet? Are you looking for a camp for your child with special needs?
The Family Resource Center has compiled information on summer camps including local options, camps for students with special needs (sorted by need), and camps for students experiencing grief or who have parents in the military.
FCPS Summer Camp Offerings
Registration is now open for many summer camps and learning opportunities offered by FCPS for all students.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) camps and Institute for the Arts (IFTA) camps will be held in July at Lake Braddock Secondary School from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free bus transportation will be available from select FCPS middle and high schools. Visit these sites for more information:
Find session dates and registration links and deadlines on the FCPS summer programs webpage.
☀️ Safely View the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8
A total solar eclipse will occur on Monday, April 8, and will be viewable, depending on weather, in Fairfax County. The eclipse will begin in our area around 2:04 p.m. and end around 4:32 p.m., with the maximum eclipse occurring around 3:20 p.m.
Because the timing overlaps with some school dismissals, it is crucial that students understand the importance of safe viewing practices. We encourage families to review these Solar Eclipse Resources, especially the eye safety information. We hope everyone takes the opportunity to learn more about this extraordinary natural phenomenon while prioritizing safe solar viewing.
National Women’s History Month
Every year, March is designated as Women’s History Month by presidential proclamation. The month is set aside to honor women’s contributions to American history. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS. Read more about Women’s History Month in National Geographic Kids.
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