Administration Summer Updates
Dear Parents,
We are truly excited and working hard to prepare for the start of the school year. To achieve that goal, we celebrate our past work but also reflect to move forward in a positive manner. Kent Gardens ranked #9 out of Virginia's 1,037 elementary schools on U.S. News and World Report's 2024 Best Virginia Elementary School list. Schools are ranked on their performance on state required tests and how well they prepared their students for high school. Amazing work by our teachers with the support of our families!
We would also like to share an overview of our Family Engagement Survey.
- 97% of parents reported that their child feels respected at Kent Gardens and 95% of parents reported feeling respected. N=182
- 97% reported feeling welcome at Kent Gardens N=181
- 96% reported that there is at least one caring adult at the school that my child trusts N=191
- 96% reported that the Kent Gardens welcomes families of different backgrounds and cultures N=181
- 92% reported that they felt comfortable communicating with the teacher or other staff regarding problems, concerns, or issues regarding their child. N=181
- 87% reported that we kept parents informed regarding your child's progress. N=181
Based on the above feedback, our goal for this next school year is to ensure that we better partner and collaborate with families regarding your child's progress and partner with you with respect to our technology usage. Stay tuned as we work to prepare activities and opportunities!
We are thrilled to share that we have NEW cafeteria tables thanks to our fabulous PTA and parental support! We are also collaborating with the PTA on new opportunities to improve our grounds for the students to enjoy and learn - both inside the building and outside of the building.
We look forward to seeing our new families this Wednesday at the New Family Tours! Check out the information in the section above with important dates.
Warmly,
Holly McGuigan Tia Hawkins Sarah Talley
Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal
#kgpride #BeTheGold #StrongerTogether
We look forward to sharing our vision for the 2024-25 school year!
Plan Forward - Dates to Mark on Your Calendar
August 7 - New Family School Tours 5:00 p.m.
August 14 - Final Kinder/First Grade Playdate 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
August 15- Open House 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
A-H: 2-00 - 2:30 p.m.; I - P: 2:45 - 3:15 p.m.; Q-Z: 3:30 - 4:00 p.m.
August 19: First Day of School - Bell Schedule 8:50 a.m. - 3:35 p.m.
August 28: Back-to-School Night (Parents/Caregivers Only)
Grades K-3: 5 - 6:00 p.m.; Grades 4 - 6: 6:15 - 7:15 p.m.
August 30 and Sept. 2: School Holidays
2024-25 FCPS School Calendar
New Family School Tours - August 7th
We look forward to seeing all of our new families on August 7th at 5 p.m.to 6 pm. It is an informal session and we will meet outside the school. You do not need to arrive at 5 p.m. as we will have tours as parents arrive through 6 p.m. Our rising sixth graders will take all of our parents and new students through the building. Administration will be available to answer questions.
We would love to have our rising sixth graders lead the school tours for our new kindergarteners and new rising first grade immersion students. Please sign up here to join with a friend or individually! The tours will take place on August 7th at 5:00 p.m. Students may join us at 4:45 p.m. We look forward to having your rising sixth grader join us!
Dining Room Assistant - Join the KG Team!
We are looking for assistance in the cafeteria until the end of the year and in 2024-25 - if you know someone or would like to work as a dining room assistant, please contact Holly McGuigan. The timeframe is about 3.5 hours per day and involves assisting students during lunch time as well as supervising student clean-up, keeps order, and dismisses students to their teachers. We are looking for an individual who is friendly, energetic, and assertive in maintaining expectations of cafeteria behavior, and loves working with children.
Multilingual Learner Summit
All multilingual learners and their families are invited to attend a special summit on Thursday, August 8th from 5-8:30 PM at Annandale High School. Explore pathways to graduation and beyond while connecting with other families and learning from inspiring speakers. Childcare and language support will be provided. Register today!
Download the flyer with all the details!
Early Release Mondays - Mark Your Calendars and Plan Forward
*New* Monday Early Release Schedule We will be remitting a survey regarding the early release Mondays below. The survey will collect parents' ability to support the pick up of your child. Stay tuned for additional information. Note that the early release is 12:35 p.m. on the following days: September 23, October 28, November 25, February 24, March 17, April 28, and May 19. This time will be utilized for teacher planning time to support students and complete required teacher professional development connected to the new Virginia Literacy Act. There are new reading and math standards and other initiatives. Additional information can be found on the FCPS Early Release Mondays webpage. If you have immediate questions, please email ESPlanning@fcps.edu.
PTA News - School Supplies
It's almost time to head back to school! We are excited to see everyone again on August 19th! We are also excited to once again offer the School Tool Box as your one-stop school supply shopping option.
Simply visit https://schooltoolbox.com/ - and type in KENT GARDENS. You'll then be given the option to choose your child's new grade. Click "order", and all of the supplies your child's teacher has requested will show up in a box on your doorstep. It's that easy!
Ordering this list of supplies through School Tool Box is not required, but it will make shopping for these items much easier. You can also be sure that the items you're getting are the exact ones your child's teacher is asking for.
Order by August 1st to ensure delivery before our open house event on August 15th! Many families find it easiest to bring their box of supplies with them to the open house, to avoid having to carry everything on the first day.
Again, visit https://schooltoolbox.com/, and follow the simple instructions. The first day of school will be here before you know it, so don't delay!
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