To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

ይህንን ዜና መፅሄት በሌሎች ቋንቋዎች ለማንበብ፤ እባክዎን ድረ ገፃችንን ይጎብኙ።

اس نیوزلیٹر کو دوسری زبانوں میں پڑھنے کیلئے ، براہ مہربانی ہماری ویب سائیٹ ملاحظہ کیجیئے۔

The Clearview Community Connect

Stronger together

Dear Clearview Families,  

This week was a wonderful week of learning, including several field trips!  Our PTA sponsored field trips for fourth and sixth grade students to visit Jamestown and for fifth grade students to visit the National Museum of Natural History. Thank you, as always, to our PTA for everything you do to support the Clearview students and staff and thank you to volunteers who served as chaperones on the field trips.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or compliments you may have. If you have seen a Clearview staff member going above and beyond, fill out an FCPS Cares here.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Stephanie Almquist        Joshua Redford         Rachel Charlton  

Principal                         Assistant Principal     Assistant Principal

Sorting in Pre-K; Hands on fun on Jamestown Field Trip; Showing support for military families on Purple Up! Day; Lego Spike!; Playing the Math game 24Ⓡ; 

✅ 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.

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. 

⏰ Community Forums on

Middle School Start Times

FCPS 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. Register for an in-person forum by clicking on one of the following dates: 

• 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.

A virtual forum will be held on Monday, May 13, 6:30-8 p.m. That registration link will be available soon.

While registration is not required, it does help with planning. Language interpretation and childcare will be provided. Learn more about the project exploring middle school start times.  

Social and Emotional Learning Screener Results Coming Soon

Clearview students in grades 3-6 took the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener in March, providing updated information on skills such as achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships with adults and peers, and making responsible decisions. The SEL Screener also helps students evaluate their school community’s efforts to make them feel valued, included, and supported. 

In late April, individual student SEL Screener results will be available for families in the Documents section of SIS ParentVUE. For families who do not have an active ParentVUE account, results will be sent via postal mail. 

Get more information about the screener on the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage. For support in understanding your individual student’s results or ideas on how to support them at home, please review the Family Guide or contact Alexis Pozinsky, School Counselor or Shayna Sargent, School Social Worker.

True Book Fair

We are so close to our True Book Fair at Clearview and hope we can count on your support. Right now, students in all grade levels will take home one free book; however, only students in a few grade levels will receive two free books.

There are two ways to support our book fair.1. Shop at A Thousand Stories in Herndon, VA. You can support a WONDERFUL local business and receive 15% off any donations!

2. Shop our Amazon wish list!

Thank you for your support!

Assessment (Testing) Schedule

We thank you in advance for scheduling doctor and dentist appointments with this assessment schedule in mind.  Evening and morning routines continue to play an important role every day, including relative to scheduled assessments. As the assessment dates approach, we will provide further resources and information to support your child's success.

Passover

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.

Theravada New Year

In countries where Theravada Buddhism is the most dominant religion, New Year is celebrated for three days from the first full moon in April. Theravada means “the teachings of the elders.” Celebrations begin with people attending the local temple in the morning for chanting and meditation. In the afternoon they have a water festival in which they meet the Buddha image and pay respect to the elderly by watering their hands together. Building sandcastles is also one of the most popular activities during this day of celebration. Wednesday, April 24, is designated as an O day for Theravada New Year. The school calendar recognizes many religious and cultural observances (O days) during the school year. There is school on these days, however tests, quizzes, field trips, graduation, homecoming, or FCPS-scheduled athletic events will not be held on these observance days. See the complete school year calendar.

🌎 Earth Week🌎

Earth Week will be celebrated April 22-26! Earth Week is a chance for us to focus on ways to help the Earth. Each day of Earth Week has a different theme and focuses on a different way to help care for the Earth. Students are encouraged to wear different color shirts each day and will be doing activities and learning about how they can make a difference. Please take a look at information about connecting Earth Week to home.

Summer Arts Camp

Don’t miss out on this summer’s most exciting arts enrichment program! At Elementary Institute for the Arts (E-IFTA), students take art, music, theater, and dance classes daily. E-IFTA is for current second through fifth grade students. Learn more on the E-IFTA webpage. Email EIFTA@fcps.edu with any questions.

Nominate Someone Today for the Bussey Memorial Equity Award

Do you know of an outstanding person or group that has worked for equity in an FCPS school? There’s still time to nominate a candidate for the 2024 Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award.

This award recognizes staff, students, 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 may nominate an individual or group for the award. All nomination materials must be submitted by Wednesday, May 1. Full details are available on the Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award webpage.

🚍 Here Comes the Bus

Want to know if your child's bus is on schedule or where the bus is? Here Comes the Bus® is an easy-to-use website and app that enables parents to see the location of their child’s school bus — almost in real time — on a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. 

Parents can track multiple buses if their children don’t all ride the same bus; know exactly when children arrive at school or the bus stop; and receive customized text and/or email notifications about bus locations, schedule changes, or delays.

To get started, download the app from the Apple iOS or Android app store. Check out the Here Comes the Bus and Frequently Asked Questions webpages for more information.

Already using the Here Comes the Bus app? Send your feedback to HCTB@fcps.edu.  

Note: eNotify text messaging will continue to be used for reporting bus delays and bus incidents.

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.

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 students with autism.

Important Dates

• 4/23 Preschool Spring Photos
• 4/25
  • K-6 Spring Photos
  • Family Science Night & Art Show, 6-7:30 pm
• 5/2 Band & 4th Grade Strings Concert
• 5/9 Chorus & 5th and 6th Grade Strings Concert
• 5/15 PTA Meeting, 7pm
• 5/22 Family Coffee, 9am

Mark your calendars 

• May 3 (Fri.): Family Skate Night from 7:10 to 9:10 p.m. at SkateQuest Reston
• May 6-10 (M-F): Staff Appreciation Week, “Clearview Staff Takes the Gold”
• May 11 (Sat.): Clearview 1 Mile Fun Run, 5K, and Community Walk starting at Clearview Elementary with a course that runs through adjacent neighborhoods
• May 15 (Wed.): Final PTA Member Meeting & New Officer Elections at 7 p.m. in the library
• May 22 (Wed.): Last Spirit Night at Charcoal Kabob on 394 Elden Street

PTA Board nominees for the 2024-25 school year 

Thank you so very much to everyone who submitted nominations for next year’s PTA Board. We’ve got a great slate of candidates, so watch for more information about them in future PTA updates. We’ll hold the elections during our May 15 PTA member meeting at 7 p.m. in the library.

Can you pick up a few items at the store this weekend?

Bakers and buyers still needed for Family Science Night & Art Show next Thursday: please check out this sign-up sheet. All items should be dropped off at the main office between Tuesday and no later than 4 p.m. on Thursday next week. Proceeds from the bake sale will go towards the 6th grade celebration.

Come to Family Ice Skate Night on May 3

Family Skate Night is Friday, May 3 from 7:10-9:10 p.m. at SkateQuest (1800 Michael Faraday Court in Reston). Purchase your $10 pre-paid tickets by May 1, then stop by the Clearview table at the event to pick them up. You can also pay $12 at the door. Both types of tickets include your skate rental and a donation for the 6th grade celebration. All Clearview families are encouraged to attend, but parents must stay to supervise all children (no drop offs). 

If you want a race shirt, you need to register by this Wednesday

A celebrated community tradition, the Clearview 5K and Fun Run is back with some new features for 2024! We want to be more inclusive and bring in participants with all modes of mobility. So we’re encouraging walkers to join us and we’re welcoming wheelchairs and strollers. We also want to encourage you to invite a neighbor or other community member to run, walk, or roll with you. 

Here’s what you need to know:

• The race takes place Saturday, May 11, at 8 a.m.—rain or shine
• Registrations that include a race shirt are $15 and due THIS WEDNESDAY April 24
• Registrations that don’t include a shirt are $5 and due by May 3
• Same-day registration (no shirts) are $10 on May 11 from 7-7:45 a.m.

The event is also a fundraiser for the PTA. If you are interested in being a race sponsor, view these details and contact Brian Kelley. All sponsorships must also be secured by Wednesday, April 24 so we can include the logos on the race shirts.

Let’s get ready to show some appreciation

Staff Appreciation Week is coming up on May 6-10. We need volunteer support help the Clearview staff “Go for the Gold and Finish the Year Strong!” Here’s how you can help:

• View our volunteer and donation sign-up sheet
• Donate or purchase gift cards from our Amazon wish list now through May 8 for a raffle
• Help assemble and decorate the staff lounge the week of April 29
• Donate food items for our "Carbo-Load and Fuel Up" breakfast on May 7
• Donate soft drinks for the “Victory Cart” on May 8 and the “Closing Ceremonies” lunch on May 9 
• Make or donate an international food item for the “Closing Ceremonies” lunch on May 9

Contact Alecia Nault (alecialnault@gmail.com) with any questions. 

Stay connected

• In case you missed it, our latest PTA monthly newsletter is posted on our PTA website where you’ll also find announcements, calendars, sign-up forms, and more! When you “sign up” at PTBoard, you’ll also receive announcement emails and newsletters.
• Join our Facebook Group: The Buzz: Clearview Elementary PTA (Herndon, VA). Be sure to answer the membership questions!
• Reach out anytime at ClearviewElementaryPTA@gmail.com. 

We’re here for you!

Your Clearview PTA Board: Christine Graham (president), Nakisha Dixon (treasurer), Ryan Herb (secretary), Amana Katora (head of programs), and Brian Kelley (head of fundraising).

Quick Links

• Attendance email. 
• School Calendar.
• FCPS Calendar. 
• Clearview Website. 
• Contact us. 

12635 Builders Road, Herndon, VA 20170  | Main Office: 703-708-6000
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