|
English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو
Volume 1, Issue 1
This week we welcomed Westlawn Staff back from Summer Break and started preparing classrooms to welcome students next Monday! Our Community Walk on Tuesday was a big hit, much thanks to all our families able to come out and see us! There is so much love in this community, we consider serving you and your children both an honor and pleasure.
Join us tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM for our annual Welcome to Westlawn Event on the field/blacktop to meet teachers and engage with a variety of different community organizations. We look forward to seeing everyone!
 Look at the smiles on the faces of our families and staff members during the first Westlawn Community Walk!
We’re Eager to Welcome You Back-to School!
As summer winds down, our school and staff are looking forward to welcoming students back to our classrooms. Before the first day of school, make sure you have completed the following:
Sign Up for SIS ParentVUE
Access your student’s attendance records, grades, and assignments at any time with SIS ParentVUE. Parents/caregivers should receive an activation code when they register their child. Contact the school registrar Ms. Caballero if you need a code.
Once you have activated a SIS ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same SIS ParentVUE account. Access SIS ParentVUE using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices.
Need help creating an account? This video walks through the steps. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE.
Update Your Contact Information
To be sure you receive important information from your schools, update your phone numbers and/or email addresses in the Parent/Guardian section of SIS ParentVUE.
Update Immunizations and Records
Immunizations are required for all students to attend school in Virginia. This is an important part of protecting them from certain diseases and keeping them healthy. Please log in to SIS ParentVUE to see what immunizations your child has recorded.
Please check with your healthcare provider to make sure your child is up-to-date on the immunizations required by the state of Virginia as soon as possible. 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.
Remember to request your child’s immunization record and bring that to the school’s front office or submit the record via SIS ParentVUE as soon as possible. Find more information on FCPS’ website.
Prepare for Meals at School
Just like last year, all Westlawn students are eligible for free breakfast and lunch at school this year. Breakfast will be provided in to-go bags for students to pick up on their way into school in the morning. At lunch, students need to simply get in line and will have their choice of hot entree and sides in addition to our salad bar.
Families who want children to be able to purchase additional food items, such as dessert treats, will need to ensure that their children have an account set up using MySchoolBucks. If you have not already, set up your student’s MySchoolBucks account today.
MySchoolBucks accounts can be set up to add money to the account automatically as needed, and families with multiple children can use the same MySchoolBucks account.
Apply for Free and Reduced-Priced Meals
The application for free and reduced-priced meals is now available for the 2024-25 school year. While all students will automatically receive free breakfast and lunch at Westlawn this year, eligible families still must apply. This ensures that we, as a school community, continue to maintain the status required to be eligible for universal free meals. Additionally, having a free and reduced-price meals application on file will open eligible families to other benefits, such as free and reduced-cost summer camps. If you need any support in completing the application, please contact our main office at 703-241-5100.
Save the Date: Back-to-School Night
Westlawn’s Back-to-School Night will be held September 19 from 4:30-6 PM. Stay tuned for more details!
🔖 Bookmark the School Year Calendar
Be sure to bookmark the FCPS school year calendar to keep track of school holidays, breaks, and observances:
- Days marked with a blue “H” are student holidays. Schools are closed on these days.
- Days marked with an orange “O” are religious and cultural observance days (or evenings if only half marked). There is school on these days, but certain events that cannot be made up may not be scheduled on these days.
- Days marked in pink are holidays for students, but working days for teachers and staff.
-
Note: Some holidays and observances, such as Eid al-Fitr, may shift and the calendar may be adjusted.
Stay Connected!
Families should expect to receive a newsletter once per week when school is in session. Families are also encouraged to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Limited Early Release Mondays for Elementary Schools: Steering Committee Update
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 16
- October 21
- November 18
- February 10
- March 10
- April 21
- May 12
Learn more about Early-Release Mondays.
Free Workshops for Families
Parents and caregivers can access free webinars, confidential consultations, a lending library, and resources to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities. Learn more about the Family Resource Center (FRC).
In September, the FRC will host webinars for families on supporting siblings of children with disabilities, helping students organize their school work, working with children who like to push boundaries, and teen development and well-being. Sign up for the FRC newsletter for their latest offerings or visit their webinar website.
📑 Varsity Tutors Provides On-Demand Support at No Cost
FCPS is partnering with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra resources for learning. Every student can take advantage of Varsity Tutors’ services at no cost, including weekly live online classes, on-demand 24/7 chat tutoring, essay editing, and study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests. Learn more about online tutoring with Varsity Tutors.
Welcome to Westlawn: Friday, August 16, 10-11 AM
Join us on the field on Friday to meet your child’s teacher, drop off school supplies, and reconnect with friends! At 11 AM we will invite new kindergarten families to walk through the kindergarten hallway and take a peek at their child’s classroom.
First Day of School: Monday, August 19, 8:30 AM (doors open) and 8:45 AM (instruction begins)
We are looking forward to a wonderful year! Please note that families will not be able to enter the building this morning, and we will have all staff on hand to ensure that students get breakfast, join their assigned classes, and get off to a strong start.
Parent Coffee for Kindergarten Families: Monday, August 19, 8:45-9:30 AM
Join us on the field under the white tent to celebrate the start of this new adventure! We will provide coffee and pastries, give an overview of your child’s experience in the classroom, and provide time and space for you to meet other kindergarten families.
Labor Day Break: Friday, August 30 through Monday, September 2
Since we start school before Labor Day, we are required to turn Labor Day weekend into a four-day weekend. There will be no school on Friday, August 30 or Monday, September 2. We look forward to welcoming everyone back on Tuesday, September 3.
To see more schoolwide and community events, remember to check out our website calendar! You can also subscribe to our calendar to make it even more convenient.
We are looking for someone to help coach the Science Olympiad team with Ms. Rebecca Lentz, one of our new Westlawn staff members. If you are interested, please contact Ms. Carpenter.
|
