IN THIS ISSUE

1. Principal’s Message
2. Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) School Health Services Internal Survey
3. Group and Candid Picture Day - April 17th
4. Information about Take Your Child to Work Day Guidance
5. April is The Month of Military Child 
6. Woodson Fine Arts Department Art Shows
7. Woodson Mattress Sale
8. Woodson HS Theatre Production of 1776
9. Get2Green Week
10. Middle School Start Times Community Forums
11. Register Today For The FCPS Family Summit
12. Advanced Academics Program Newsletter
13. 2024-2025 Registration
14. Important Upcoming Dates

Students and staff enjoyed the solar eclipse! It was so nice to experience this rare event as a school!

1.Principal’s Message  

Dear Families,

This week we got a chance to observe the solar eclipse as a school. It was a great experience of gathering outside all at once to look up at the sky with our eclipse glasses and view the total eclipse as an entire school community! Thanks to everyone who made that possible! In addition, the GMU MEGLteam (Mason Experimental Geometry Lab) hosted a hands-on math experience with first and second grade students. We are excited about this partnership and all of the possibilities moving forward. 

We have some updates from the Language Arts world. We want you to be aware of a literacy instruction resource to support your child. We have transformed our literacy instruction to be evidence-based and aligned with reading science, children in grades K-3 are engaging in direct, explicit, systematic phonics instruction. You may see “UFLI At-Home” sheets coming home with your students and these are meant to reinforce and support your child’s learning at home.  UFLI stands for the University of Florida Literacy Institute which has created materials approved by the Virginia Department of Education to support our literacy instruction. In order to understand how to use the sheet, we have videos that can support you. 

We have instructions on how to do UFLI At-Home with your child. These videos teach parents how to use the UFLI At-Home sheet for each lesson. You can find these videos in Spanish, English, Vietnamese, Chinese, French, and Arabic. Thank you Nicole, Jingwen, and Maha for recording these videos for our parents! Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Shelia Sobeski

Principal

2.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.

3.Group and Candid Picture Day - April 17th

Our photographers will be on site April 17th to take photos of our student club/groups (band, string, chorus, Get2Green, patrols, Positivity Project, etc) and candid photos in the classrooms.  They will also take a panoramic picture of the sixth graders.  

Sixth graders worked on their art project: “What would you like to see in the community?”

4.Information about Take Your Child to Work Day April 25

We have received a few questions regarding if absences for Take Your Child to Work Day (April 25, 2024) will be excused.  It is an instructional day at Fairfax Villa.  You will be responsible for making sure your child makes up any missed assignments.  We know it can be a valuable learning experience to observe what different careers and jobs entail.  If you do decide to have your child participate in Take Your Child to Work Day we ask that you have your child compose a summary of what they observed and learned that day using any combination of pictures, drawings and writing and submit to share with the class and/or Mrs. Larsen & Mrs. Sobeski by May 6th.  Be sure to report the absence using our regular procedures and indicate it will be for Take Your Child to Work Day.  The absence will be marked as an excused absence.  If you have any questions, please contact our Interim Assistant Principal, Carol Larsen (calarsen@fcps.edu).

5.April is The Month of Military Child

On April 17th we will wear purple in honor of our military connected families. Please wear red for every Friday left in the month of April to remember everyone deployed.

Sixth graders worked on their art project: “What would you like to see in the community?”

6.Woodson Fine Arts Department Shows

The Pyramid Art Show, which includes work from our elementary, middle, and high school students, opens on Tuesday, April 16. We will have a reception from 6-8pm in Cav Hall. Come on by to see what our K-11 artists have created this year!

On Thursday, April 18 from 6-8pm we will be celebrating our senior students at the Senior Art Show - our seniors’ culminating shows! Our upper-level senior artists have curated collections of their finest works and are looking forward to sharing this work with their families, friends, and community. We are so proud of our students and excited for them to have this special opportunity to share their work.  In between enjoying the artwork at both shows, visitors can bring home small, student-made artworks that will be for sale and bid on our famous hand-painted furniture.  Our students have worked so hard to hone their art-making skills and create these works. They (and we!) would be so honored to welcome you to one (or both!) of these events.

7.Mattress Sale Benefitting Woodson Football

On April 20, 2024 from 10am to 4pm you can come by the main gym at Woodson HS to order and try out over 40 beds on display!

Click Image for more info!

8.Woodson HS Theatre Production of 1776: America's Award Winning Musical

1776 is a political drama based on events leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  It follows the efforts of John Adams as he persuades delegates from other states to vote for American Independence.  The show is based on the book by Peter Stone. This is recommended for grades 5 and up. Click this link to purchase tickets  Show dates: April 26th-27th and May 3rd-4th

9.🌏Get2Green Week

Earth Week Resources for Schools: Get2Green is hosting FCPS Earth Week from Monday, April 22, to Friday, April 26. Check the Get2Green Earth Week webpage for Earth Week spirit days and other activities for students of all ages. 

Fairfax County Park Authority's Earth Day Festival will be held Saturday, April 20, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Sully Historic Site. The festival will include earth and nature-focused programs, scavenger hunts, and other activities.

10.⏰ Middle School Start Times Community Forums

Fairfax County Public Schools is exploring options for adjusting middle school start times and invites the public to be part of the process. All forums will deliver the same presentation and provide the same feedback opportunities. Please attend the event that works best for your schedule: 

• Monday, April 29, 6-8 p.m., at Glasgow Middle School. 
• Monday, May 6, 6-8 p.m., at Whitman Middle School.
• Monday, May 20, 6-8 p.m., at Hughes Middle School.
• 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.  

11.Register Today For The FCPS Family Summit

Registration is open for the FCPS Family Summit, which 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 social-emotional resources, along with a specially curated online component to provide support 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 theme — Safe, Supported, and Included — aligns with Goal 2 of FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan. 

12.Advanced Academics Program Newsletter

Please click here to view the FCPS Spring Advanced Academics Program Newsletter.  In it you will find information about screening for Advanced Academics Service levels 2-4.

 Arabic | Chinese | English | Korean | Spanish | Urdu | Vietnamese

13.Kindergarten and New Student Registration

If you have an unregistered child who will attend Fairfax Villa Elementary next school year, please complete the online intake form to plan accurate class sizes/staffing for next year. 📢Please spread the word to your neighbors who will have children attending Fairfax Villa ES.📢 If you have any questions, please contact Silvia Dossmann at smdossmann@fcps.edu.

14.Important Upcoming Dates

4/12: PTA Bingo Night

4/16: Grade 5 IRW Test

4/17: 3rd Quarter Progress Reports Go Home

5/1:  First & Second Grade Performance 7pm

5/3: Teacher Workday

5/3: Kindergarten Orientation 2pm

5/7: Grade 5 Reading SOL Test

5/8: Grades 3 & 6 Reading SOL Test

5/8: 4th Quarter Interims Go Home To Select Students

5/9: Grade 4 Reading SOL Test

5/14: Grade 5 Math SOL Test

5/15: Grades 3 & 6 Math SOL Tests

5/16: Grade 4 Math SOL Test

5/21: Grade 5 Science SOL Test

5/23: Strings Evening Performance at 7pm 

5/27:  Student Holiday

5/29: Springs Band Concert at 7pm

6/6: Grade 6 Showcase at 7pm

6/7:  Field Day

6/11:  6th Grade Luncheon

6/12:  6th Grade Promotion Ceremony (10:30-11:30am) 

6/12: End of Year Progress Reports Go Home

6/12: Last Day of School - 2hr Early Release

Frequently Visited Links and Important Fairfax Villa Contacts

Fairfax Villa Contacts Page 

2023-2024 School Year 

Sign up for News You Choose 

Join the Fairfax Villa PTA

Report Your Child’s Absence 

Visit the Fairfax Villa Website

Substitute Teaching Opportunities

Monitor your student's academics with a SIS Pare+nt Account

Recognize an FCPS Employee at FCPS Cares

Mental Health Resources and Emergency Services Information

Parent Handbook

Fairfax Villa Contacts Page 

2023-2024 School Year 

Sign up for News You Choose 

Join the Fairfax Villa PTA

Report Your Child’s Absence 

Visit the Fairfax Villa Website

Substitute Teaching Opportunities

Monitor your student's academics with a SIS Pare+nt Account

Recognize an FCPS Employee at FCPS Cares

Mental Health Resources and Emergency Services Information

Parent Handbook

10900 Santa Clara Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030  |  Main Office: 703-267-2800
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