Weekly Words
April 12, 2024
Dear Island Creek Families,
What a wonderful 4-day week with our Crocs! Island Creek students and staff thoroughly enjoyed viewing Monday’s solar eclipse with our viewers….it was amazing! Thank you to the community’s support with the Croc Rock-N-Run, the PTA, and FRES Construction, as we have 5 beautiful picnic tables near the garden area on the playground. We truly appreciate the support from the entire Island Creek community.
Wednesday is Purple Up! and we encourage all staff to wear purple as a visible gesture of support for our military-connected youth and their families.
Thank you for entrusting your amazing children with us every day, as we have the best families, students, and staff!
Sincerely,
Jen Fallert, Principal
jrfallert@fcps.edu
Purple Up! on April 17 to Support Military Families
April is the Month of the Military Child
April is the Month of the Military Child, a time to recognize children from military families for their contributions and sacrifices. We recognize that children serve too!
Island Creek Elementary is proud to have over 150 military-connected youth as part of our student body. We appreciate the varied life experiences they bring to our school community and recognize their strength and resilience. Throughout the month of April, we will feature our military-connected students on the Morning News show as they recite the “Pledge of Allegiance.” On Wednesday, April 17th we will celebrate Purple Up! Day, a special day for our community to come together and wear purple as a visible gesture of support for our military-connected youth and their families. We encourage all students and staff members to wear purple that day as a symbol of the combined colors of all branches of the military.
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Book Fair starts today!
 We need volunteers for the Book Fair. Please click here to sign up to help at the Island Creek Book Fair
Monday’s viewing of the Solar Eclipse!
Family input needed for new Assistant Principal selection
We are excited to share that Island Creek has been allocated an additional Assistant Principal position for the upcoming school year.
A big part of the process of identifying our new assistant principal is input from the staff and community. This input will be used throughout the process to screen resumes, create questions and ultimately find the best fit and match for Island Creek. Please submit your input using this link based on the areas identified below no later than Tuesday, April 16.
- Types of Leadership Experience
- Instructional Leadership Experience
- Characteristics of an Assistant Principal
- School Issues to Support
- Other
Thank you for your continued support and commitment to Island Creek.
Order a Field Day T-Shirt!
Screening for School-Base AAP Services
Screening for school-based AAP services (Levels II & III) is done schoolwide in the spring to determine services for the next school year. Parents or guardians may initiate the screening for school-based (level II and III) services by submitting the AAP School-Based Services (Level II-III) Referral Form to the Advanced Academics Resource Teacher (AART) at Island Creek ES prior to spring screening, no later than Monday, April 15, 2024. Please see the AAP Spring Newsletter and the AAP website for more information about AAP Programs and levels of service. Multiple criteria are used to screen students for all levels of AAP services. Parents or guardians who submit a referral will be notified by Island Creek of their student’s eligibility status by Friday, June 7, 2023. If you have any questions or to submit the referral form, please contact the AART, Amy Ivey, at amivey@fcps.edu.
Reading Newsletter for April
Reading Newsletter for April
Mental Health in Childhood
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with children’s physical and mental health. Mental health disorders such as ADHD and anxiety are the most commonly diagnosed in children, which often occurs together. Anxiety is feelings of worry, apprehension or dread that something bad is going to happen. Children diagnosed with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors, or be overly active. Early diagnosis and appropriate services for children and their families can make a difference in the lives of children with mental health disorders.
Anxiety related triggers are lonely and frightening emotional responses related to situations, persons, places or objects. Today’s sources of stress for our students include: increased coursework and graduation requirements, extracurricular activities, household responsibilities, and social media. Social media has been a great way to increase connection and communication, but for our young people it contributes to shorter attention spans and information overload. Signs of anxiety include appearing worried, irritable or nervous, restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, along with physical symptoms such as sleeping problems, headaches, and stomach aches. It is understandable for a parent to be worried because figuring out what to do is hard. Here are five simple ways to respond to teens with anxiety:
- Recognize warning signs.
- Guide your child to take a few deep breaths to slow things down.
- Make sure your child understands you are available if they need to talk.
- Acknowledge your child’s feelings and avoid downplaying situations or issues.
- Help them come up with ways to deal with the situation next time.
For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: 571.423.4270.
Sources & Resources
The Anxiety Toolkit for Teens
Talk, They Hear You
Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences
Save the Dates: Spring SOL Testing for Grades 3-6
Superintendent Reid and Fort Belvoir Garrison Commander Honor FCPS Military-Connected Students
To celebrate the Month of the Military Child, Superintendent Reid visited Fort Belvoir Elementary School and she, along with Colonel Joseph Messina, Garrison Commander at Fort Belvoir, recorded a video message to honor FCPS military-connected families. In this 3.5-minute video, they recognize and celebrate the resilience and sacrifices of our military-connected students. Read more about the Month of the Military Child and hear from some of our FCPS military-connected families.
Island Creek PTA News
Register today!
Join us for an electrifying night of discovery and fun at the ICES PTA STEAM Night, sponsored by Ivy Math!
Explore a world of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) with activities and demonstrations suitable for all ages.
- Experience the hair-raising excitement of the Van de Graaff electrostatic generator, courtesy of Vertex Labs Academy
- Dive into creativity with KidCreate Studio
- Get hands-on with the Instrument Petting Zoo by Music & Arts
- Magnus Academy will challenge your skills with chess puzzles and games
- Baroody Camps brings you Lego Robotics and Slime Time stations
- Code Ninja Burke offers a coding adventure with micro:bit
- Unleash your inner pilot and fly drones with Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation
- Explore gravity and air resistance by designing a helicopter with the Kingstowne Library
- Don't miss the popcorn station, where you'll learn how this favorite snack is made!
Get your photo taken at the Fiestabooth and enjoy complimentary adult tickets (registration required) while kids' tickets include an event passport and take-home projects for just $10. Pizza will also be available for $12.
Date & Time: Friday, April 19, from 6-8:30 p.m.
Location: Island Creek Elementary School
Register early to secure your spot and help us prepare for a night of STEAM-tastic adventures!
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Croc Run Funds Update
ICES PTA dropped off the check for FCPS to install the new digital sign outside Island Creek! The new digital sign will replace the old brick one. We’ll inform you as we hear more about its official installation date.
Thank you to the community for supporting the Croc Rock-n-Run! Thanks to your generosity, the PTA was able to donate picnic tables for outdoor learning and an Avalon Self Cleaning Bottleless Water Cooler Dispenser for the teachers’ lounge.
Thank you to FRES Construction for assembling and placing the picnic tables and installing the water dispenser!
A Note from Our Sponsor
IvyMath is providing all Island Creek parents a free online math tutoring session which includes a diagnostic assessment and in-depth parent teacher conference to discuss your child’s math strengths and weaknesses and how they compare to grade level.
IvyMath will also create a custom learning plan that maps out the exact areas your child should be focusing on in math for the rest of the year. You'll have the opportunity to ask questions, and understand what your child needs to feel confident and stay on track in math this year.
The IvyMath tutoring session, parent conference, and learning plan are free for all Island Creek parents. For a limited time, those who sign up for this assessment will also receive 50% off their first month! Popular times fill up, so please register quickly!
Signup now at: IvyMath.com/Boost
 Click to view the 2023-2024 FCPS School Calendar
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Friday, April 12-Friday, April 19: Book Fair at Island Creek
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Wednesday, April 17: Purple Up! Day
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Friday, May 3: Orthodox Good Friday (School closed for students; Teacher Workday)
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Monday, May 27: Memorial Day Holiday (School closed for students and staff)
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Wednesday, June 12: Sixth Grade Promotion Ceremony (9:00, Gymnasium); Last day of the 2023-2024 School Year (2-hour early dismissal)
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