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Dear Franconia Residents/Estimados Residentes de Franconia,

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  You've been preparing for your students to get back to school, and I’ve had the opportunity to meet and reconnect with some of you at the various resource fairs throughout our region. It is always such a joy to hear students enthusiastically talk about getting back to school and about their hopes and dreams for the coming school year. The work to prepare for your students’ new school year has been ongoing. I saw the FCPS Leadership Team in action the week of July 15th as FCPS leaders gathered to learn and take back information to their individual schools. Last week, I met many new teachers at Great Beginnings (the new teacher orientation) who are enthusiastic and proud to join the FCPS family. This Monday was the kickoff for school staff to return to their school buildings. I was thrilled to join the staff at Mt. Vernon Woods Elementary where I was able to continue my tradition of cooking a pancake breakfast at the schools I’ve worked at or my children have attended.

Meanwhile, teachers are participating in professional development, setting up classrooms, and participating in student orientation. Office staff are registering students, getting student packets together, organizing materials, and issuing teachers classroom materials. Custodians are landscaping, putting the finishing touches on polishing floors, and making our school buildings clean and welcoming. Everyone is getting everything ready…the only thing missing is your student. Everyone is eager to welcome them, be it for the first time or the 13th time on Monday, August 19, 2024.

I am looking forward to seeing some of you on the first day of school, an open house, or a back-to-school night. If I don’t see you then, I hope to meet you at upcoming school visits and events. Meeting and listening to parents, caregivers, students, and families is why I do this work. So if our paths don’t cross soon, please feel free to reach out to me. 

Here is to a successful school year filled with discovery, creativity, personal growth, and accomplishment.

Kind Regards/Bondadosamente,

Marcia St. John-Cunning

Franconia District School Board Member

 🗓️ Elementary School Early Release Mondays

Our elementary school teachers will be trained on FCPS’s new language arts curriculum so we are in alignment with the new Virginia Literacy Act and new reading and Standards of Learning exams (SOLs). To accommodate the rigorous training, elementary schools will release students three hours early on the following dates for the Edison, Hayfield, Lewis, Mount Vernon, West Potomac, and West Springfield pyramids. 

• September 16
• October 21
• November 18
• February 10
• March 10
• April 21
• May 12

Schools are offering programming for students whose parents and caregivers can’t pick them up early. You can find answers to many of your logistical questions here. Please keep in touch with your elementary school for specific information. 

 📱Middle & High School Cell Phone Storage Pilots

Keeping cell phones off during the school day helps students focus and learn. It also boosts positive social behavior. Review FCPS’ cell phone expectations by grade level with your child and help keep our classrooms free of distractions. If you need to reach your child during the school day, please call their school’s main office. 

At the May 9, 2024 School Board meeting, the School Board directed the superintendent to develop a pilot program for cell phone storage at FCPS.

Select middle schools will be cell phone-free all day. Each student will use a personal storage pouch that will be unlocked at the end of the day.

Select high schools will be cell phone-free during all instructional times. Students will use cell phone storage units in each classroom.

Find more information on our cell phone storage webpage.

➡️➡️Franconia District schools that are participating include Twain Middle School, Edison High School, and Lewis High School.⬅️⬅️

✅ School Attendance 

When you entrust FCPS with your children’s education, you expect that our dedicated teachers and staff develop the whole child and prepare them to be “future ready.” In FCPS this includes academics and the five FCPS “Portrait of a Graduate” attributes which include being an effective communicator, a strong collaborator, an ethical and global citizen, a creative and critical thinker, and a goal-directed and resilient individual. 

Lessons on these attributes are incorporated into the curriculum from kindergarten through graduation. However, for your students to develop fully, they need to show up and be truly present to learn. Attending school is critical. 

If your student is having challenges getting to school, please reach out to teachers, counselors, social workers, or family liaisons who will connect you with resources to help. 

⚕️Update Your Child’s Immunizations and Records

Please check with your healthcare provider as soon as possible to make sure your child is up-to-date on the immunizations required by the state of Virginia. Starting Monday, September 30, students who have not provided proof of immunization will not be allowed to attend school. 

You can check your child’s immunization compliance and submit their immunization record in SIS ParentVUE. Records may also be delivered to a  school’s front office. 

If your child needs a vaccine, please make an appointment with your healthcare provider, visit the Fairfax County Health Department website for a list of child immunization clinics, or access other local services. If needed, families may provide other immunization documentation including a healthcare provider’s written statement of a permanent, temporary medical exemption, or a notarized Religious Exemption Form. 

Find more information on immunizations on the FCPS website. 

🏫Back-to-School Nights for Franconia District 

Schools are working to get information out to parents about back-to-school nights scheduled for August and September. Please be sure to check your school's website and watch for emails for more information. If you have specific questions, please contact the school directly.

🎯Tips to Begin the School Year 

• Bookmark the school calendar

• Sign up for school-specific newsletters

• Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R)
• Free Mental Health Teletherapy for High Schoolers
• Free and Reduced Lunch Application

School Board Meetings

Helpful Links

• FCPS SY24-25 Calendar

• Newsletter Subscription Preferences

• Mental Health Resources and Emergency Services Information

• Safety Tip Line

• Report Fraud, Waste, and Abuse

• FCPS Jobs

• Multilingual Telephone Help Line

Note: This newsletter contains links to translated versions of the content for your convenience. These translations are generated by Google Translate and are not intended to be a substitute for professional translation services.

The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.

© Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia

E-mail: Marcia St. John-Cunning |  Phone: 571-423-1081

Staff Aide: Mara Kaiser Braunger | Phone: 571-279-1691