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In This Issue
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.
Quote for Library Walls
Students, staff, and caregivers, we are seeking suggestions for quotes to be painted on the library walls. Do you have a favorite quote about reading, books, inquiry or research, or learning? Or perhaps one with positive inspiration? We would love your suggestions! Please complete the favorite quote form by today, Monday, April 15. We will need the exact words, the author, and the source where you verified the quote.
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.
Nominations Open for the Bussey Memorial Equity Award
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.
 Give Your Feedback on the Budget
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.
 Register Today for the FCPS Family Summit
Safe, Supported, and Included
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.
Immigrant Family Reunification Class
A class will be held online in Spanish for immigrant families looking to reunite during challenging transitions. Saturday classes will be available April 13, 20, or 27, from 9-11:30 a.m. Register online. For more information, please contact Fanny Salazar at fmsalazarlas@fcps.edu or Sussy Tomer at setomer@fcps.edu.
Postsecondary Education and Employment Options
FCPS’ Career and Transition Services will host Flash Forward, to provide students with disabilities seeking a standard or advanced diploma and their families an introduction to options available after high school.
Flash Forward will be held Thursday, April 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Annandale High School, in the cafeteria. Register online. Representatives from adult education, employment, and community programs (college, military, apprenticeship, trade school, gap year, and employment) will be on site to share information about their services.
School Health Services Satisfaction Survey
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.
Morning Attendance Notifications Delayed During Spring Assessments
Morning attendance calls, texts, and e-mail notifications will not be suspended this spring during the AP, IB, and SOL testing windows for middle and high schools.
The purpose of this change is to ensure student safety and timely notification of families regarding student absences. Schools need to follow standard attendance procedures and record student attendance throughout the testing windows. Morning attendance notifications will be delayed by one hour during the AP, IB, and SOL testing windows for middle and high schools to allow additional time to take attendance. Evening attendance notification will continue as normally scheduled.
Elementary schools are not impacted by the delay of morning attendance notifications during testing windows.
The dates during which morning attendance notifications will be delayed are as follows:
- High School and Middle School: Morning notifications will be delayed by one hour from April 22 through May 24, 2024.
- Elementary School: No change to morning notifications.
Celebration of Acceptance
NCS is hosting a mental health awareness and inclusion event tailored for teenagers aged 13-19. Join us on Friday, May 3rd from 12 to 3pm at James Lee Community Center! Tap here to find out more!
Theatre Dining for Dollars
Come and join the Herndon Middle School Theatre Boosters on Tuesday, April 16, for our monthly meeting and a Dining for Dollars event at Izzi in Herndon.
Our meeting kicks off at 7:30pm, and during the hours of 5:30pm to 8:30pm, a portion of all proceeds will be generously donated to support the Herndon Middle School Theatre Department!
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Herndon Pyramid Concert
Join us for the 2024 Herndon Pyramid Concert on Tuesday, April 16th at 7:00pm. We hope you can attend to support our performing arts students on Tuesday night as our pyramid will come together for what will be a beautiful evening in the arts!
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Chess and Cubing at Carson MS
Rachel Carson is hosting a few events that your child can be a part of:
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April 27 - Chess Tournament from 9:00AM-5:00PM
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May 4 - Rubik’s Cube Competition
Passover and
Half-O Days
Many Jewish communities in the United States celebrate Passover, a recognition of the deliverance of Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Passover is also known as Pesah, Pesach, or the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Many Jewish families in the United States eat a ceremonial meal known as the Seder, which involves telling the story of the exodus from Egypt as well as eating various symbolic foods, such as meat of the paschal lamb and bitter herbs, recalling the harsh life of slavery. Learn more about Passover in NatGeo Kids.
Monday, April 22, and Tuesday, April 23, are designated half-O days in recognition of the first two days of Passover. Half-O days are full school days, but important events will not be held after school on those days. See the complete school year calendar.
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Autism Acceptance Month
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.
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National Arab American Heritage Month
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
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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April
16 | Herndon Pyramid Concert at 7pm at Herndon MS
17 | Purple Up! Day (Month of the Military Child)
17 | NJHS Meeting at 2:30pm
20 | Track & Field Meet at McLean HS
24 | PTA Meeting at 7pm at Herndon MS Cafeteria
27 | Track & Field Meet at South Lakes HS
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FCPS Cares
The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story, so we can all acknowledge the good work of FCPS employees.
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