Terra Centre First Day Reminders

Terra Centre Families,

We are looking forward to the first day of school on Monday and welcoming students for the 2024-2025 school year! Thank you to all our families for attending open house. It was great to see new and returning students.

Thank you to our staff for transforming our learning spaces into welcoming environments. Special thanks to our incredible PTA for their support in welcoming staff back with a delicious breakfast and facilitating the delivery of our pre-ordered EduKits.

Please scroll down to review important first day and back to school information.

See you Monday!
Rebecca Gidoni, Principal
Teresa Lewis, Assistant Principal

TCES First Day of School Information

• First Day of School for Elementary Students
  • K-6th Grade - Monday, August 19
• First Day of School for Early Childhood Students 
  • PAC - August 19, 2024
  • ECIP (PreK) - August 26, 2024
  • ECCB (AM and PM) - August 26, 2024
• School hours for students:  8:40 – 3:25
• It is recommended that your child come to school on the first day the same way he or she will typically be coming to school.  
• On the First Day of School, doors will open at 8:25 (usually 8:30).
• Families are welcome to escort their child to class on the first day of school.
• Attending family members will bring child to the classroom door and refrain from entering the classroom.
• Please take pictures in advance of entering the school building.
• Families must exit promptly by 8:40 when the tardy bell rings.

Share Your First Day of School Photos

Parents/caregivers, students, and staff members are invited to share their favorite pictures and videos from the first day of school on FCPS Facebook and Instagram. Follow the fun with the hashtag #FirstDayFairfax!

Mark Your Calendar

Holidays (Labor Day Break): August 30 – September 2

Back To School Night for Parents and Caregivers: September 10, 6:00-6:30 PM; 6:45-7:15 PM (repeat of session 1)

Be sure to bookmark the FCPS school year calendar to keep track of school holidays, breaks, and observances.

24-25 Terra Centre School Hours & Information

Main Office Phone Number

703-249-1400

Health Room Phone Number

703-249-1410

Dismissal Changes

Coming soon! There will be a new form on the Terra Centre website to report changes in dismissal, which is replacing Pick-Up Patrol. Until the official launch, dismissal changes should be emailed to Sandra Ammar at saammar@fcps.edu and Valerie Sollers at vasollers@fcps.edu.

Report an Absence

Parents and caregivers have the option to submit their student’s attendance directly through ParentVUE starting the first day of school, August 19, 2024.  ParentVUE offers a more secure and reliable platform for managing students' attendance information.  How to Report an Absence Through ParentVUE

Alternatively, families may call the Terra Centre Attendance Line at 703-249-1414 or email: TerraCentreESAttendance@fcps.edu

Cell Phone Policy

📵 Phones Down, Engagement Up: FCPS Cell Phone Policy Keeping cell phones and smart devices (watches) 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 our main office at 703-249-1400.

Student Arrival-Dismissal-Transportation

Students are considered bus riders or walkers. Kiss and Ride is a courtesy service. We encourage all families to use their designated transportation.

ARRIVAL:

Students may not be dropped off before 8:30 a.m. There is NO supervision prior.

• Parking Lot is closed 8:20-8:40
• At 8:30 a.m. students may walk to their classroom.
• Students arriving after 8:40 a.m. are tardy and will need to be walked in by their parent to sign in at the main office (Door 1). 

DISMISSAL:

• Parking Lot is closed 3:15-3:45
• Dismissal begins at 3:25 pm.
• All preschool and kindergarten students must be met by an adult
• Kiss and ride is organized by numbers assigned to families.
  • Complete the Kiss and Ride form to be assigned a number and receive a car tag. 

STUDENT ENTRY/EXIT DOORS:

• Door 1 
• Bus Riders Preschool - 6th grade
• Walkers 1st-6th grade
• Gym
• Preschool and Kindergarten Walkers
• Door 8 
• Kiss and Ride Preschool - 6th grade

Walkers

If your child will be walking to school, we encourage you to walk with him or her to ensure familiarity with the route.  Walkers must use designated paths or sidewalks.

Bus Riders

We recommend having your child ride the bus on the first day of school when extra provisions are in place to help students learn bus routines and bus numbers. 

• Bus stops and route information are available on ParentVUE.
• Arrive at the bus stop 5 – 10 minutes early.
• In the afternoon, buses will typically depart school at 3:30 p.m.
• Preschool and kindergarten students must be met at the bus stop each afternoon by a parent, parent designee, or a responsible middle school or older sibling. That person must ask for the child by name at the door of the bus. Otherwise, the student will be returned to the main office at Terra Centre.
• For more information about bus transportation, visit the FCPS Transportation webpage.
• If a student’s bus is delayed, parents may access the Bus Delay Notification System or use the Here Comes the Bus mobile app to receive the delayed bus report.
• Email messages will be sent to announce significant bus delays. Contact the Transportation Office at 703-249-7000 with any additional questions. For any concerns after 5:30 p.m., contact Safety and Security at 571-423-2000. 
• To make sure you receive email messages about bus delays, update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE. 

Kiss & Ride

All students in FCPS are either designated as bus riders or walkers.  Kiss & Ride is a courtesy service that we provide for parents.  Please follow the guidelines below if you choose to drive your child to and from school.

• If you are interested in using Kiss and Ride this year to drop off or pick up your child, please complete the Kiss and Ride form. Kiss and Riders will receive numbered car tags to support student pick up at dismissal.

• Use the Kiss and Ride lane on Burke Centre Parkway, rather than neighborhood streets.  This helps to ensure the safety of all students, including our student walkers who are utilizing the paths and streets behind the school.  
• Kiss & Ride is open 8:25-8:40 in the morning and 3:25-3:40 in the afternoon.   
• All car riders must be dropped off and picked up in the Kiss & Ride lane during arrival/dismissal. Parents must stay in the car and children must exit on the right side of the vehicle (closest to the curb).
• If you arrive after 8:40 and Kiss & Ride is closed, you must park in the main parking lot and accompany your child to the main office.
• When entering Kiss & Ride, please follow Marshall Pond Road to Pond Spice Lane to Burke Centre Parkway and follow the entire loop to exit on to Burke Centre Parkway. 
  • Please avoid U-turns at the intersection of Pond Spice Lane and Burke Centre Parkway. 

Back to School Tasks - ACTION REQUIRED

Limited Early Release Mondays - RESPONSE REQUIRED

Mark your calendar for Limited Early Release Mondays in the 24-25 school year. Students will release 3 hours early on the following Mondays:

• September 23
• October 28
• November 25
• February 24
• March 17
• April 28
• May 19

To help plan for our school’s childcare needs during the early release Mondays, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/ZX5JmxoykBz4rN9T9 by Monday, August 19th for each of your children who are enrolled at Terra Centre Elementary.  The form covers the first two early release Mondays, scheduled for September 23, 2024 and October 28, 2024. If you have multiple children, you will need to submit multiple forms.

Online Verification Update (OVU) 

The 2024-25 Online Verification/Update (OVU) packet is available in ParentVue.  Please log in to ParentVue to verify your student’s emergency contact information.  Instructions and detailed information are available at the following sites: SIS ParentVUE Online Verification/Update (OVU) Packet.

Parents should contact the school directly for data corrections that they are not able to update or submit a Parent Support Request ticket for technical assistance in ParentVUE.

Parent Digital Consent

Student consent forms currently on ParentVUE were moved to the Parent Digital Consent System (PDC).

Families can log in to the PDC using their ParentVUE credentials to complete consent forms assigned to their child. School staff will have access to view consent status and edit consent with permission from the family.

Forms available in the PDC starting in the 2024-2025 school year include:

• School Counseling Opt-Out
• Digital Resources Consent
• SEL Screener Opt-Out
• Consent for Release of Student Records in Support of Postsecondary Applications
• Denial of Access to Military Recruiters 
• Family Life Education Opt-Out
• SOL Retest Permission
• Hazel Health
• BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Opt-Out
• SOS Screener Opt-Out
• Objection to Release of Information to Outside Organizations
• Objection to Release of Directory Information to the Public

https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/technology/digital-resources/consent 

Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights

Fairfax County Public Schools wants all parents and caregivers to understand its policies regarding surveys, records, curriculum, privacy, and related rights.

In its Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights and Opt-Out Forms (Annual Notice), FCPS provides explanations of the rights listed above as well as forms that may be used to exercise opt-out choices. Two versions of the Annual Notice are available: a grades K-8 version and a grades 9-12 version. Parents/caregivers with children at different grade levels should read each applicable version of the Annual Notice, because the notices and opt-out rights vary depending on the student’s grade level.

Get more information and view the 2024-25 Opt-Out Booklets.

6000 Burke Centre Parkway, Burke VA 22015  |  Phone: 703.249.1400
Attendance: 703.249.1414 or  TerraCentreESAttendance@fcps.edu
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