Greetings McNair Students and Families,
Our Mustangs have had a fantastic week filled with learning, exploration, and growing together as a school community. The energy and enthusiasm in our classrooms has been truly inspiring.
Mark Your Calendars!
We have scheduled many exciting events coming up in the next few weeks, and we highly encourage your participation. Please be sure to mark your calendars for the following:
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PTA Meeting: Wednesday, April 24th at McNair Upper ES
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McNair's Beautification Day: Saturday, April 27th 9:00-11:00am
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Kindergarten Orientation-Welcome Class of 2037! Friday, May 3rd
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McNair's Book Fair Family Night: Wednesday, May 8th
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Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week: May 6th-May 10th
You can find more information about each event, including times and locations, below in our school newsletter. We look forward to seeing you there!
The Joy of Learning
As we embark on this exciting journey together, we want to remind everyone to take a moment and appreciate the preciousness of these times. The days our children spend learning and growing at McNair are truly some of their very best. Let's savor the abundantly joyful moments that lie ahead, both inside and outside of the classroom.
Thank you for your continued support of our Mustangs. We are so grateful to have you as part of the McNair community. Enjoy the beautiful weather today! We look forward to seeing you tomorrow, Mustangs!
All the best,
Mrs. Watson and Mrs. O'Bryant
Please contact us with any questions!
Principal: Elizabeth Watson, evwatson@fcps.edu
Assistant Principal: Brandy O'Bryant, bmobryant@fcps.edu
🙋Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!
Attending school regularly helps students feel better about school — and themselves. See our tips on how to encourage positive school attendance in elementary school: Visit FCPS’ Attendance web page for tips and strategies.
We have an abundance of special activities to look forward to during our last quarter of school. Please be sure to have your students in school every day through June 12th.
🖍️ It’s Kindergarten Registration Time!
Attending kindergarten provides children with an opportunity to learn and practice the essential social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. Our school typically conducts kindergarten registration events, including kindergarten orientation on May 3rd at 9:30am. Eligible children can also be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps us plan, so that we have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school.
Prepare for 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.
McNair Elementary School invites you and your child to work with us to celebrate Earth Day by beautifying the outside of our school. You and your child will have the opportunity to participate in activities to make our school beautiful and learn about caring for the earth. Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 27th from 9-11am. We hope to see you there! All children must be accompanied by an adult.
**Please note, if you are willing to make any donations including but not limited to soil, plants, gardening tools, etc., please contact Connie Lehman at cslehman@fcps.edu. We appreciate your support!**
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Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week will be celebrated during the week of May 6th-May 10th! The PTA has planned a fun week where all staff will be showered with tokens of appreciation as a heartfelt thanks for the great work they all do to support our Mustangs. There will be opportunities throughout the week for parents/guardians to donate either food or drinks as well as volunteer their time.
If you are able to help out, please take a moment to sign-up by clicking on the following link: Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week Donation Sign-Up
Here are a few things to consider:
- McNair ES has around 125 staff members
- McNair Upper ES has around 90 staff members
- If you are donating baked goods on May 7th or May 10th, we ask that you include an ingredients list.
Thank you for your ongoing support!
The McNair PTA Board
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McNair Elementary is super excited to have a wonderful new summer reading program this year! It is important that students read at least six books over the summer, in order to maintain the learning they have done this year. LIFT gives students an opportunity to shop for six new books in May that will be packaged for the summer months and delivered to students during the last week of school. The cost of the program is $40 per child. We invite you to join us and participate in this fun reading initiative! A flyer with more details will be sent home in this week's Thursday folder. Please be on the lookout!
Questions? Please email our wonderful Reading Specialist, Kelly Carper at kacarper@fcps.edu.
April AAP Community Newsletter
Click to view Ms. Burg's & Ms. Mallory's April AAP Community Newsletter!
Screening for Subject Specific (Level II) and Part-Time (Level III) Services
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is committed to challenging all students through talent development and differentiated instruction to meet the needs of advanced learners.
In the spring, schools review data on all students to determine services for the start of the next school year. Parents or guardians can initiate the screening process by submitting the AAP School-Based Services (Level II-III) Referral Form to the Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART) or Assistant Principal by April 15, annually. Read the AAP Spring Newsletter (linked below) for additional information including links to the referral document.
Arabic | Chinese | English | Korean | Spanish | Urdu | Vietnamese
Additional Information
In addition, check out the video created by Mrs. Burg, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, as she shares with you a few of the tools she hopes to use with your students in Thinking Lab! Please be sure to sign the Digital Resource Parent Consent so that your Mustang has access to these wonderful resources.
If you have any questions about Advanced Academics Programming at McNair, please email Ms. Burg at kmburg@fcps.edu.
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McNair is collecting gently used Eclipse glasses!
McNair Elementary and McNair Upper are collecting gently used eclipse safety glasses. All glasses will be donated to Eclipse Glasses USA, a retailer of eclipse glasses that is sending gently used eclipse glasses to schools in Chile and Argentina, so that more students there can safely view the October 2024 Annular Eclipse!
Students may drop off eclipse glasses in the front office of McNair Elementary or McNair Upper through the end of April.
Questions? Please contact Mallory Janofsky, AART at McNair Upper at mljanofsky@fcps.edu
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The Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC) sponsors the Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award to honor the legacy of Dr. Bussey, a founding member of the MSAOC and a longtime advocate for students and families. Read more about Dr. Bussey.
This award recognizes staff or community members who have demonstrated significant and impactful efforts to improve the educational experiences and outcomes of students from groups who are marginalized or underserved.
Any FCPS employee, student, or community member can nominate an individual or group for the award. All nomination materials must be submitted by Wednesday, May 1. The winner will be recognized at the FCPS Equity Symposium on Tuesday, June 18.
Full details and the nomination information form are available on the Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award webpage.
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.
 Family Summit Designed to Enhance Safety, Security, and Inclusion.
The FCPS Family Summit will take place on Saturday, April 20, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m., at Marshall High School. The conference will cover topics that are helpful for all families such as raising resilient, independent children; forming meaningful connections with children; addressing big emotions; and the dangers of opioids and fentanyl. Participants may also join online sessions, which will provide supports for students with disabilities and their families.
Visit the Family Summit webpage to learn about the guest speakers and to register for the event. The theme — Safe, Supported, and Included — aligns with Goal 2 of FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan.
The Fairfax County Health Department and FCPS School Health Services invite parents/caregivers to participate in a survey on the level of satisfaction with support provided to your school community by School Health Services. The survey takes about five minutes to complete and is open until Friday, April 26. Your feedback can help to improve school health services.
Through Schoology®, all FCPS students have 24/7 access to no-cost, year-round, on-demand, 1-to-1 tutoring services through Tutor.com.
A new Teacher-Referred Tutoring program feature provides targeted support and extends student learning. Teachers can now refer students for tutoring, with their specific needs already identified. Students can get extra support — on their own schedule — and reinforce their in-class learning.
Caregivers can guide students to access expert tutoring, homework help, and writing support by clicking on the Tutor.com icon in their Schoology portal—anytime, anywhere.
Plus, look for teachers’ tutoring session referrals on the Tutor.com homepage.
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Have you made summer plans for your child yet? Are you looking for a summer 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.
Are you interested in Volunteering at McNair?
We would greatly appreciate your support! Please do not hesitate to reach out to us! If you are interested, please contact the Main Office at 703-793-4800. You may also email our Administrative Assistant, Julia Smoot at jcsmoot@fcps.edu.
Please see below for opportunities to make donations to support McNair Elementary School! We greatly appreciate any contributions!
Please help us keep our staff lounges and teacher planning spaces stocked with individually wrapped healthy snack foods, beverages, and a few sweet treats for our awesome staff as a way to keep them energized as they educate and support our Mustangs!
Please sign-up for any of the items listed below and drop off any donations to the main office. The main office is open daily, Monday-Friday from 8:00am-4:00pm. Thank you for your partnership and supporting our AMAZING McNair Staff! Please click here to make a donation.
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Get Involved with the PTA!
The PTA supports our schools through help from our community. One way we do that is through the help of our wonderful volunteers! Whether you're available for an hour a year or an hour a week to pitch in - we have opportunities that meet everyone's busy schedule!
Support PTA: Become a Member or Volunteer
Please contact Miranda Butzlaff, our PTA President at president@mcnairespta.org if you want to know more information about our PTA and opportunities to get involved within our school community!
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.
 We are now in the middle of the annual budget process, which includes opportunities for you to give feedback:
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Tuesday, April 16, through Thursday, April 18: The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors conducts public hearings on the county budget. Sign up to speak.
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Tuesday, May 7: The County Board of Supervisors adopts its budget, tax rates, and transfer amount to FCPS.
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Tuesday, May 14: The School Board holds a public hearing on the FCPS budget.
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Thursday, May 23: The School Board adopts FCPS’ approved budget.
Learn more about the FCPS FY 2025 Advertised Budget and see the full Budget Development Calendar.
 April is Autism Acceptance Month. One in 44 children is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder in the United States, according to the CDC. Our schools and staff play a vital role in creating and ensuring inclusive environments that accommodate and affirm autistic students.
 April is the Month of the Military Child! Every year we take the opportunity to recognize military-connected youth for their service and contribution to our community. Fairfax County Public Schools is proud to have over 14,000 military-connected youth as a part of our student body. We appreciate the varied life experiences they bring to our school community, and recognize their strength and resilience. Learn more about Month of the Military Child and FCPS’ resources for military families.
Purple Up! Day
To show our support for all our military-connected families, we are inviting all Fairfax County students, families, school employees, and community members to “Purple Up!” on April 17 for military children. Why purple? Purple symbolizes all branches of the military as a combination of Army green, Marine Corps red, and Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force and Space Force blue.
FCPS is proud to celebrate National Arab American Heritage Month in April. This special month provides an opportunity to recognize the history and valuable contributions of Arab Americans. Arab Americans have ancestry in one of the world’s 22 Arab nations, which are located from northern Africa through western Asia. The people of these nations are ethnically, politically, and religiously diverse but share a common cultural and linguistic heritage. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.
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Muslim American Heritage Month is a time for celebrating the history, contributions, culture, and an enhanced understanding of the diverse population of Muslim Americans. View the Fairfax County School Board resolution honoring Muslim American Heritage Month.
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In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- School Health Services Satisfaction Survey
- Webinars and Events for Families
- FCPS Is One of the Best Communities for Music Education
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
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Mark your calendars!
As we navigate through our school year together, please mark the upcoming important dates on your calendar.
April 12: Due date to complete the McNair Vision & Mission Form (Thank you!)
April 17: FCPS Purple Up! Day (Mustangs, let's show our appreciation for our military connected students and families!)
April 18: Westfield Pyramid Art Show, 4:30-6:30pm at Westfield High School
April 20: The FCPS Family Summit 8:30am -1:00pm at Marshall High School.
April 22: Earth Day
April 22-26: FCPS Earth Week (Show your spirit, Mustangs!)
April 24: PTA Meeting at McNair Upper ES
April 24: Administrative Professionals Day
April 27: Beautification Day at 9:00am at McNair ES (We hope you can join!)
May 3: Kindergarten Orientation at 9:30am at McNair ES
May 6-10: Teacher Appreciation Week! (Please email our PTA to Volunteer!)
May 8: McNair's Book Fair Family Night & Storytime with Principal Watson 4:30-6:00pm
May 27: Memorial Day, Holiday (FCPS Schools Closed)
June 12: Last Day of School for Students (2 hours Early Dismissal)
2023-2024 Arrival and Dismissal
Arrival begins at 8:35am. The school day begins at 8:45am.
Dismissal begins at 3:30 pm.
Thank you for your partnership and galloping together with us this school year!
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