Weekly update for April 5, 2024
Dear CES friends and families:
It has been a great first week of the fourth quarter of school! Please see below for important announcements and reminders. Don't forget to mark your calendars for the middle of next week, as we will not have school on Wednesday, April 10th.
Speaking of calendar reminders, spring pictures for students will be on Monday, April 15th. Please keep an eye out for the flyer coming home in Tuesday folders. Later that week, we will have "Purple Up!" day in honor of our military families. See below for more details.
Finally, make sure to save the date for Thursday, April 25th. We will be hosting our annual Family Heritage Night at Columbia ES that evening. More details to come!
I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Take care,
Mike Astudillo
Proud Principal
Columbia Elementary School
PTA News & Notes
Brief Meeting & PTA Connect Program
Please join us April 18th for a brief PTA meeting followed by the “PTA Connect: Be Internet Awesome” program from 7 – 8 PM via Zoom. A link will be sent as we get closer.
Spirit Wear
We are collecting Columbia spirit wear during April. If you would like to donate old shirts and sweatshirts, you can drop them in the red box located in the front office.
Additionally, we are excited to launch the spring spirit wear sale from April 15-28. There are items for the whole family in both youth and adult sizes. All purchases must be done online at the Columbia Elementary Spring 2024 website. All purchased items will be delivered to classrooms at the end of May.
PTA Board Elections & Membership
Are you interested in joining the PTA board? Maybe not ready for the board but would like to join the PTA and help put on fun events for our kids? Dues are $10, and you can sign up HERE at any time.
If you are interested in a leadership position, please reach out to columbiapta@gmail.com. Elections will be held at the May membership meeting.
Upcoming Events
- April 11th Choral Concert
- April 15th After school programs start & spirit wear sale begins
- April 18th PTA Connect: Be Internet Awesome
- April 24th Family Night Out at Chipotle (code JKL98DG)
- April 25th Family Heritage Night
- April 30th Band and Strings Concert
Outstanding Special Education Teacher Award
We are honored to share that Ms. Emma Kremer has been nominated for a 2023-2024 Fairfax County Special Education PTA Award recognizing outstanding achievement in supporting students with disabilities and learning differences in Fairfax County Public Schools!
Ms. Kremer has been nominated for the following award category: Outstanding Special Education Teacher - Elementary (Mark Stewart Memorial Award). The nominees will attend a wonderful ceremony in May where the winner for the school division will be announced. Congratulations, Ms. Kremer!
Important message from the CES Library
The library will be sending out overdue notices this week. Kindergarten through second grade will receive paper notices, while third through fifth grade will find their notices in their school email accounts.
As the school year wraps up, it would be a huge help if you could help your child find and return any books that are past due. If you're having trouble finding a book or have any questions, feel free to reach out to Ms. Papas at mopapas@fcps.edu
Solar eclipse reminders
A solar eclipse is happening on April 8, 2024. It's a rare and exciting astronomical phenomenon, and one that requires important safety reminders. Although we are not having a school-wide viewing event during our instructional day, here are tips for you and your family should you choose to view the eclipse. Looking directly at the sun, even during an eclipse, can permanently damage your eyes.
Here's what you need to know:
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Don't look at the sun without approved eyewear. This applies to students and staff, and we encourage you to reinforce this at home.
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Regular sunglasses are not good enough. The NASA website has more information about eye safety.
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Eclipse timing: The eclipse starts around 2:04 p.m., peaks at 3:20 p.m. (which coincides with dismissal for some students), and ends around 4:32 p.m. Please remind your child to be especially vigilant about eye safety during dismissal. If you have concerns about your child walking or riding the bus home, please arrange for alternative transportation.
For more details, visit the FCPS Solar Eclipse webpage.
April is Month of the Military Child and Wednesday April 17th is Purple Up Day! Please remind your students to wear purple to show support for the awesome military children in our Cougar community!
Art to Remember - Thank you!
Thank you for supporting our Art to Remember fundraiser! Orders shipped to school will be sent home with your student next week. Orders send to home should be arriving soon. If you missed the deadline, don’t worry--you can still place an order through April 26th online at:
https://arttoremember.com/school/z2phtl
Questions, reach out to our art teacher, Mrs. McKenna mbmckenna@fcps.edu
Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) School Health Services Internal Survey
The Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) employs school health aides and public health nurses who provide school health services to the students in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). To determine the quality of these services, a survey has been developed by the FCHD to be shared with all parents or guardians of FCPS students. Parents/guardians will be asked for feedback on the level of satisfaction with School Health services provided to the school community. The survey will be distributed electronically via FCPS This Week. The survey window is April 15 - April 26, 2024. Survey link: www.redcap.link/FCHDSchoolHealthSurvey.
Survey results will provide a basis for quality improvement of School Health services. The data-driven process is in alignment with the FCPS Strategic planning process, and the survey results will contribute positively to the FCPS Strategic Plan that reflects a shared consensus among stakeholders.
⭐Save the Date⭐
Student Holiday
April 10
Chorus Concert
April 11
Picture Day
April 15
After school programs start
April 15
Spirit wear sale begins
April 15
PTA Connect: Be Internet Awesome
April 18
Family Night Out at Chipotle (code JKL98DG)
April 24
Family Heritage Night
April 25
Band and Strings Concert
April 30
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