Little Run News: 3/1/24

Dear Little Run Family,

As we head into March, we send you warm wishes and excitement for all that's ahead.

We are thrilled to remind everyone that the George Mason softball team kicks off their weekend with their home opener tomorrow, March 2, at noon against Stony Brook. We encourage everyone to come out and support these dedicated student-athletes as they take the field. It's a fantastic opportunity to cheer on our adopt-a-school partners and experience the spirit of teamwork and community. (Please visit the Mason website for any weather updates.)

Beyond the field, our commitment to learning lives within our students and extends to our educators. We're proud to share that many of our teachers and staff have recently participated in various professional development opportunities on and off-site. This dedication to continuous learning ensures our teachers have the latest best practices and tools to provide our students with the richest educational experience possible. Our teachers and staff remain lifelong learners as they facilitate our students' daily learning journeys. 

As we move through March, remember it's Women's History Month. This dedicated time provides a chance to acknowledge the incredible contributions of women throughout history and their ongoing impact on our world. We encourage everyone to explore, celebrate, and learn more about these inspiring figures.

Please remember that throughout the year, as we celebrate and recognize various cultural holidays and observances, we encourage you to reach out directly to us and your child's teacher regarding accommodations, including but not limited to those around lunch, prayer/meditation and silent reflection spaces and times, and instruction.

We hope you have a wonderful weekend, and we are thrilled to see all of the great reading materials our students and families select next week as we really dive into our Book Fair.

Wishing you all a wonderful and enriching March, as this is such an exciting time of the year!

Sincerely,

Christie Yarn, Principal

Lesley Hassen, Assistant Principal

Every year, March is designated Women’s History Month by presidential proclamation. The month is set aside to honor women’s contributions in 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.

Read Across America Day was established by the National Education Association (NEA) in 1998 to help get kids excited about reading. Learn more about Equitable Access to Literacy in this video.

The Fairfax Board of Elections has requested that schools be closed on Tuesday, March 5, to accommodate the administration of the 2024 presidential primary election.

Therefore, March 5 will be a school holiday for students and a virtual School Planning Day. As outlined in Regulation 4421, School Planning Days are directed by school-based Administrators in order to devote time to school improvement efforts, including collaboration around data, common assessments, responsive instruction, etc. 

Central offices and school offices will remain open. SACC will remain open, as on other professional work days.

We currently have a dining room assistant position open at this time. We are looking for someone friendly, energetic, and assertive in maintaining expectations of cafeteria behavior and who loves working with children. Click HERE to learn more about the position and apply online.

Please contact Lesley Hassen if you or anyone else is interested. We would be happy to share more about what this position looks like at Little Run.

The majority of FCPS funding is requested from the Fairfax County government, which generates its revenue from real estate and personal property taxes. The Commonwealth of Virginia provides the next largest source of revenue to FCPS through state aid and sales tax. The rest of the funding comes from a variety of sources, including federal aid and tuition for non-county residents. (The numbers above represent the FY 2025 proposed school operating fund in millions.)

FCPS does not have the authority to impose taxes and may only charge fees where the Commonwealth of Virginia has granted specific authority. Learn more about FCPS’ FY 2025 Advertised Budget.

Parents/caregivers will receive the FCPS’ Family Engagement Survey Sunday, March 3, from independent research firm K12 Insight. Please participate — your feedback is critical in helping to inform and improve practices to best support our students.

Taking this survey will also help strengthen the partnership between your family and our school. When that partnership is strong, students can experience a range of benefits including improved school readiness, higher student achievement, better social skills and behavior, and an increased likelihood of graduating high school.

The survey will take about 10-15 minutes to complete and will be available in 10 languages. Please visit the Family Engagement Survey webpage for more information. Your voice matters!

We need your help in projecting our total enrollment for next school year. Please fill out the Student Intention form for next school year (2024-2025). Hard copies of the form can be made available and picked up in the Little Run main office.

If you have any questions, please call 703-503-3500 or email Nadia Ruffner.

Join our community and turn FCPS purple on Purple Up! Day, Wednesday, April 17. Wear purple in recognition of FCPS’ 14,000 enrolled military-connected students. 

Purple Up! T-shirts are available for purchase through Friday, March 8.

We encourage everyone to join our wonderful PTA this year! Please click HERE to check out our PTA's website and to learn more about how your family can get involved.

Did you know that March is Music In Our Schools Month? Little Run PTA, in partnership with Arts4LearningVA, is excited to present local musician Curtis Blues for the Cultural Arts school assembly on March 13 at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. in the gym. It may seem as American as apple pie, but the banjo has its roots in Mali, Africa while the guitar comes from Spain and many percussion rhythms can be traced to Cuba and South America. In this interactive program, Curtis Blues plays musical instruments from around the world, demonstrating how American popular music springs from many different cultures and countries. Students will learn how different cultures approached building instruments from their unique environments and how their choices still influence the music we listen to today.

Click the image or use the links below to follow us on Social Media.

Like, follow, and share to see what's happening at Little Run!

Facebook

Instagram

X (Twitter)

• Now - March 7 Book Fair Week 
• Now - March 15 Spring SEL Screener
• March 2 George Mason Softball Game v. Stony Brook at noon (Strick Out Cancer Weekend and Canned Food Drive)
• March 4 Book Fair: Student Preview Day
• March 5 Student Holiday - No School
• March 6 and 7 Book Fair: Student Purchase Days
• March 6 Book Fair: Family Night from 6-8 p.m.
• March 8 SCA Spirit Day - Book Character Day
• March 10 Daylight Savings Begins (Spring Forward)
• March 13 PTA Sponsored Cultural Arts Assembly at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.
• March 15 Yearbook Orders are Due
• March 17 George Mason Softball Game v. Dayton at noon
• March 20 STEM Night from 6-8 p.m.
• April 20 The World at Little Run from 1-3 p.m.
• April 29 Full-Time AAP Orientation from 5-6 p.m. in the library
• May 18 Little Run 60th Anniversary Celebration from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.