Hello, Scottie families!
What an incredible week we had! We had a a ton of fun at the Boosterthon Fun Run on Monday, and last night's Bonnies vs. Scotties basketball game was a blast! Thank you to our Scottie staff and the PTO for their efforts to support and help organize these great community events!
We are looking forward to our kindergarten orientation on Tuesday, April 2 at 2 PM, where we will welcome our newest Scotties to Bonnie Brae! The following week on April 11 we host our This is Us! cultural celebration. We are looking for families to share about their culture and traditions with our Bonnie Brae community. See below for more information or view our This Is Us! webpage and our This Is Us! flyer to learn more about this event and to register to share about your family's culture, heritage, and traditions.
We hope that next week you all are able to enjoy a happy and rejuvenating Spring Break. The Bonnie Brae office will be closed over break and will reopen on Monday, April 1. A reminder that there is no school for students until Wednesday, April 3 due to the scheduled teacher workday (April 1) and school planning day (April 2).
Enjoy the break and this time with your family and friends.
Morgan Birge, Principal
Natalie Vershaw, Assistant Principal
Melissa Johnson, Assistant Principal
Family. Relationships. Success.
Next Two Week's Events
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March 25-March 29 - Spring Break (school and office closed)
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April 1 - Teacher Workday (no school for students)
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April 2 - Kindergarten Orientation, 2-3:30 pm (doors open at 1:45 pm)
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April 2 - Staff Development Day (no school for students)
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April 3 - Fourth Quarter Begins
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April 3 - Spring After-School Programs Begin
Positivity Project
Upcoming Weekly Focus: Humor
Character Strengths: You like to laugh and bring smiles to other
people.
Quote of the Week: “Humor is one of the best ingredients of survival.”
-AUNG SAN SUU KYI
Positivity Project for Families
Families can find resources to help continue the discussion of character strengths at home by visiting the Positivity Project for Families webpage.
A few amazing highlights that happened this week...
Spring Break
March 25-29 is spring break. Schools and the Bonnie Brae office will be closed. We wish our students and teachers a happy and restful Spring Break! See the complete school year calendar.
Autism Acceptance T-Shirts!
Did you know that World Autism Month takes place in April? All parents, students, and staff who are interested in purchasing a Bonnie Brae Autism Acceptance shirt, please click on this link to place your order by Saturday, March 23. Shirts are $15 and will be shipped to school, with distribution to staff and students after shirts arrive. We encourage any and all who order a shirt to wear it during the month of April to support autism acceptance!
Kindergarten Orientation and Registration
Save the date! Have a rising kindergarten student? Kindergarten Orientation takes place at Bonnie Brae on Tuesday, April 2, from 2-3:30 PM! Kindergarten Orientation is for parents and kindergarten students. Visit our Kindergarten Orientation page on our BBES website to learn more about this exciting event and to register for our Kindergarten Orientation.
View our Kindergarten Orientation flyer for more details.
Sign up for our Bonnie Brae Kindergarten Orientation!
Prepare for kindergarten registration by gathering documents and completing forms. We are happy to support families with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For more information in other languages, visit FCPS’ Kindergarten Registration webpage. Online registration for the 2024-2025 school year opens on Tuesday, April 2nd.
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 dismissal, 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.
This Is Us! - A Celebration of Our Community of Families
You are invited to join us for our, "This Is Us! - A Celebration of Our Community of Families" at Bonnie Brae on Thursday, April 11th, 5:30 pm-7 pm. We will learn about the cultures and traditions that make up our Bonnie Brae community as we experience performances, demonstrations, food, and a share fair.
We are looking for families to share about their culture and traditions with our Bonnie Brae community. View our This Is Us! webpage and view our This Is Us! flyer to learn more about this event and to register to share about your family's culture, heritage, and traditions.
Spring Picture Day-Individual and Class Photos
Spring Picture Day is Tuesday, April 16th. Students will have an individual and class photo taken. Order online here or visit our Spring Picture Day webpage. Paper copies of the order form will be sent home after Spring Break.
We are in need of 2-3 parent volunteers to assist during Spring Picture Day. Please complete this Google Form if you are available to help us on Tuesday, April 16th.
Order Your 2023-2024 Bonnie Brae Yearbook!
Bonnie Brae yearbooks sales are on sale! Yearbooks ordered by April 15, 2024 are $23. Families can order a yearbook via our Yearbook page on our Bonnie Brae website (credit card only). If families wish to purchase a yearbook via check (made at to Bonnie Brae Elementary) or money order, please see our Barksdale Yearbook flyer. Yearbook Order flyers will be sent home in Tuesday Folders on February 6th. All yearbook orders are due by April 15, 2024.
***We will have a limited number of yearbooks for sale on-site in June at a cost of $25 per yearbook. ***
Yearbooks are expected to arrive late-May/early June.
New Regulation on Meditation and Silent Reflection Spaces
FCPS has developed Regulation 1502 to ensure all students and staff have reasonable accommodation and access to meditation and silent reflection spaces within the school division. The regulation 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 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 Santanisha Change, schang@fcps.edu, regarding accommodations. View Regulation 1502. Visit FCPS' Guidelines for Religious Activities webpage for more information.
Lexia Parent Night: How We Help Your Child Learn to Read
FCPS funds the use of Lexia for all elementary and middle schools as part of their literacy instruction. Lexia is a computer-based program that supplements classroom instruction to help students develop literacy skills. It also provides teachers with data to identify students who need additional support and the ability to know which specific concepts and skills to prioritize.
Attend a virtual information night on Tuesday, April 9, to learn more about Lexia and how FCPS is integrating it into the classroom to support student growth. Participants will also get tips for supporting their students at home. Integrating Lexia into the literacy curriculum aligns with the Virginia Literacy Act, FCPS’ Equitable Access to Literacy, and FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan Goal 3, which aims to have all students reading on level by the end of third grade.
Summer Camp for Middle Schoolers
All rising middle schoolers are invited to attend a summer of fun and leisure with VIP Camp. VIP Camp — which takes place Monday, July 1, to Thursday, August 1 — is designed to encourage teens to develop healthy and positive recreation interests and features a wide variety of leisure activities and programs.
Registration is open. VIP Camp costs $100 to attend. Reach out to your school's after-school specialist for scholarship availability due to financial hardship. This camp is sponsored by Fairfax County Public Schools and Fairfax County’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services.
Updated COVID Recommendations
In accordance with the updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) respiratory virus guidance, FCPS and the Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) have updated school COVID-19 recommendations.
The COVID-19 isolation period of five days is no longer recommended.
New respiratory virus guidance applies to respiratory viral illnesses, including COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Students who have symptoms of, test positive for, or have been diagnosed with a respiratory virus may return to school when the student is fever-free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication; AND the student’s symptoms have improved or resolved.
Students should follow additional precautions as outlined per the CDC upon resumption of normal activities.
Should I Send My Child to School?
Please refer to the chart on this attendance webpage if your child is experiencing symptoms or illnesses, and you are unsure if they should go to school.
Thank you for helping keep our students and staff healthy.
New Athletic Opportunities for Students
The FCPS advertised budget for next school year expands high school athletics with boys volleyball and girls wrestling, giving students more ways to nurture their passion and enhance their well-being. FCPS is now in the middle of the annual budget process, which includes opportunities for you to give feedback. See the Budget Calendar for details. Learn more about the FCPS FY 2025 Advertised Budget.
Community Forums on Middle School Start Times
Fairfax County Public Schools is exploring options for adjusting middle school start times and invites the public to be part of the process. Prismatic Services, Inc., an educational consulting firm, will lead the forums. All forums will deliver the same presentation and provide the same feedback opportunities. Please attend the event that works best for your schedule:
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Monday, April 29, 6-8 p.m., at Glasgow Middle School.
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Monday, May 6, 6-8 p.m., at Whitman Middle School.
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Monday, May 20, 6-8 p.m., at Hughes Middle School.
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Wednesday, May 22, 6-8 p.m., at Frost Middle School.
Registration is not required but does help with planning. Click one of the dates above to register. Language interpretation and childcare will be provided. Learn more about the project exploring middle school start times.
Safe, Supported, and Included — the FCPS Family Summit 2024
The FCPS Family Summit will take place on Saturday, April 20, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Marshall High School. The conference will cover topics that are helpful for all families, such as social-emotional resources, along with a specially curated online component to provide supports for students with disabilities and their families.
Some of the topics include raising resilient, independent children; forming meaningful connections with children; addressing big emotions; and the dangers of opioids and fentanyl. The conference is being planned by several FCPS offices in collaboration with the Fairfax Alliance of Black School Educators, Black Women’s Educational Alliance - DC Chapter, Hispanic Educators Association, and Asian Educators Association.
This year’s theme is Safe, Supported, and Included, which aligns with Goal 2 of the FCPS Strategic Plan. More details will be available after spring break.
Stay up to date on all things BBES! Subscribe to our School Calendar.
View the 2023-2024 FCPS School Calendar
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April 10 - Eid al Fitr (no school for students or staff)
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April 11 - This Is Us!-A Celebration of Our Community of Families, 5:30-7 pm (BBES Cafeteria and Gym)
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April 16 - Spring Picture Day (individual and class)
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April 17 - Purple Up! Day
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April 17 - PTO Meeting (In-Person), 6-7 pm
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April 20 - Game Night at iCode, 6-9 pm
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April 22-26 - Chick-fil-A Spirit Week @ Burke Center Parkway location
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April 26 - BBES Spirit Day-Decades Day
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April 26 - Parent Coffee (BBES Cafeteria), 8:40-9:15 am
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May 2 - Grade 5 SOL Reading Test
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May 3 - Teacher Workday (no school for students)
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