Hello, Scottie families!
What a fantastic Open House and Back-to-School BBQ Bash today! Special thanks to our Bonnie Brae staff and our PTO for organizing and carrying out this great community event.
We are looking forward to the first day of school on Monday! On the first day only, parents (all grades) may walk their child to the classroom door if they wish, but are reminded that they should not enter the classroom. An announcement will be made at 8:30 AM reminding all parents that they will need to exit the building so that we can get the school day (and year!) started.
Following drop off, we invite our kindergarten parents to join us in the cafeteria for a "Tears & Cheers" coffee & donuts, from 8:30-9:15 AM.
Have a great weekend!
Morgan Birge, Principal
Natalie Vershaw, Assistant Principal
Melissa Johnson, Assistant Principal
Family. Relationships. Success.
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August 19 - First Day of School
- Parents, all grades, may walk their child to the classroom door if they wish, but they should not enter the classroom.
- An announcement will be made at 8:30 AM reminding all parents that they will need to exit the building so that we can get the school day (and year!) started.
- At 8:30 AM, parents of kindergarten students can head to the cafeteria for our "Tears and Cheers" coffee and donut gathering.
Positivity Project
Upcoming Weekly Focus: Introduction Week - Other People Mindset
What Does This Mean: Anything that builds relationships is going to make you happy.
Positivity Project for Families
Families can find resources to help continue the discussion of character strengths at home by visiting the Positivity Project for Families webpage.
A few amazing highlights that happened this week...
We loved seeing all the smiles at Open House!
The Bonnie Brae Back-to-School BBQ Bash was a blast!
First Day of School
Monday, August 19, is the first day of school. See the complete school year calendar. FCPS parents, students, and staff members are invited to share their favorite pictures or videos from the first day of school on social media using the hashtag #FirstDayFairfax. We will share some of the photos on FCPS Facebook and Instagram.
Labor Day
Friday, August 30, and Monday, September 2, are Labor Day holidays for all FCPS employees and students. Virginia legislation requires that schools opening prior to Labor Day must be closed the Friday immediately preceding Labor Day. We hope everyone takes the long weekend to celebrate a strong start to the school year and enjoy time with family and friends. See the complete school year calendar.
Parent Toolkit
There are some items families need to complete at the beginning of the school year. Visit our Parent Toolkit webpage to access links to complete them. Items with an asterisk (*) are time sensitive and require parent action.
Kiss and Ride Location and Sign Up
As we welcome students back to Bonnie Brae ES, we want to ensure the safe arrival and departure of each child. Bonnie Brae ES has an established area called the Kiss & Ride (at our side parking lot), which is designed as a safe place for adults in private vehicles to load and unload children. Please be aware that Kiss & Ride has slightly shifted location for 2024-2025, as we will be using Design & Construction plastic barriers for our drop off/pick-up area. The plastic barriers allow for a safe space for staff and students to walk and stand as they arrive and dismiss each day. Be sure to follow the direction of Bonnie Brae staff to help keep everyone safe!
If you are interested in using Kiss and Ride to drop off or pick up your child, please complete the Kiss and Ride form. Returning and new Kiss and Riders will receive new tags prior to students returning.
Kindergarten Parent Tears and Cheers Coffee
We would like to invite kindergarten parents to our “Tears and Cheers” coffee and donut gathering with the administrators, from 8:30-9:15 AM on the first day of school, Monday, August 19. This is a great way to start the year! While there will not be a formal presentation, parents will have an opportunity to meet our administrators and other kindergarten families. We look forward to seeing many of you at 8:30 AM on Monday, August 19 in our Bonnie Brae cafeteria!
Summer Reading Choice Board
Let's continue reading this summer! Students are invited to read and complete 15 blocks on our Bonnie Brae Summer Reading Choice Board. Bring the choice board back to school by August 23, 2024 for a celebration of summer reading treat!
Early Release Mondays
As a reminder, FCPS elementary schools will have limited early release Mondays during the upcoming school year. The goal is to provide elementary teachers with additional time to meet new professional development requirements for the Virginia Literacy Act.
You can help us with planning for the seven early release Mondays. Please watch your email for a short survey from us asking if your child will leave at the early release time on these days or remain at school until the standard dismissal time. Your response will help us in planning activities for students who will need to stay at school until regular dismissal time.
We realize there are many details for us to finalize before our first early release Monday in mid-September. Thank you for your patience, we strive to create a positive and successful experience for students, families, and teachers.
Early release Mondays for our school include:
- 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/LpwRhtomocauubX67 for each of your children who are enrolled at Bonnie Brae 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. Staff will confirm the after school supervision plan for each student.
Learn more about Early-Release Mondays.
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What Is a School Board?
The Fairfax County School Board is responsible for running the public schools in Fairfax County. Twelve school board members are elected by county voters every four years.
A student representative serves on the board as a non-voting member. They are chosen by their peers each year.
The School Board makes general rules and sets guidelines to ensure Fairfax County Public Schools runs properly. They follow the laws of Virginia and the rules set by the Virginia Board of Education.
Learning about your local school board is important. Understanding their policies and initiatives can help you advocate for positive changes and ensure that the educational needs of all students are met. There are many ways to get involved.
Learn more about the school board, how to participate in their meetings, and where to watch school board meetings.
View our School Board Members' Welcome Back messages:
Rachna Sizemore Heizer
Sandy Anderson
Phones Down, Engagement Up: FCPS Cell Phone Policy
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 our main office, (703) 321-3900.
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.
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 also provide other immunization documentation including a healthcare provider’s written statement of a permanent or temporary medical exemption or a notarized Religious Exemption Form.
Find more information on immunizations on the FCPS website.
Stay up to date on all things BBES! Subscribe to our School Calendar.
View the 2024-2025 FCPS School Calendar
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August 28 - Back to School Night (PAC, K-3rd), 6-7:30 PM
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August 30 & September 2 - Labor Day Weekend Holidays (no school)
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September 4 - Back to School Night (4th-6th and All EAC), 6-7:30 PM
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September 23 - Three Hour Early Release Monday
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September 26 - Fall Picture Day (more details to come)
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