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Dear Freedom Hill Community,
The first day of school is upon us! It was wonderful to see many families at Open House. I know we speak for our staff when we express how excited we are for our students to return tomorrow. We want to say a big thank you to our teachers and staff for preparing a wonderful environment for our first day!
Please review the newsletter below for important information on arrival procedures for school. Every beginning and ending of our school day involves the most important goal of the safe arrival and dismissal of our students. It takes a village to supervise this portion of our day but also involves families carefully following our drop-off and pick-up procedures to ensure our students' safety.
For families with healthcare and/or medication needs this year, please see the School Health Room Annual Letter. Families will also find the school calendar, cafeteria menus site, and parent resource website linked below.
We look forward to continued partnership this year! Kindergarten parents, don't forget about our Tears & Cheers Event tomorrow morning!
Nicholas Zapadka, Principal
Tim Scesney, Assistant Principal
Holly Sims, Assistant Principal
Kiss and Ride (Red) - Parents follow the loop and drop off students in the safe area where staff members meet the students. Cars in the bus loop need to allow for space for families to access the accessible parking spaces.
Accessible Parking (Blue) - There are two areas designated for accessible parking.
Door #1 - Students that ride the bus enter and exit the building at Door 1.
Door #8 -Walkers and Kiss and Ride students enter and exit the building at Door 8.
Door #5 - Walkers from behind the school and some students in our special education programs enter and exit the building at Door 5.
In the interest of student safely, please do not:
- Make illegal U-turns on Lord Fairfax Road
- Park in the bus lanes (yellow area) during arrival/dismissal
- Walk across the road or bus lanes (please use the crosswalk)
- Park at the neighboring apartment complex
2024-25 FCPS School Calendar
FCPS Lunch Menu
Freedom Hill Family Resources
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August 19 - First Day of School - Student Arrival 9:05-9:20
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August 19 - Kindergarten Parents' Tears & Cheers, 9:05-9:45
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August 27 –Back to School Night – 6:00-8:00
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August 30 – September 2 – Labor Day Holidays
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September 6 – PTA Back to School Picnic: 5:30-7:30
 We are eager to interview individuals who are interested in joining our team! Please email Dr. Z. with your interest in our open position:
- Cafeteria Attendant (11:00-2:00 daily)
Join Our PTA! The PTA has a goal of raising $10,000 through memberships. By becoming a member of the PTA and contributing to our fundraising efforts, you are directly investing in your child’s educational journey and our school community. Visit our PTA website here to join today. A flier with more information will come home in your student’s folder.
Freedom Hill has amazing things happening and we are always looking forward to connecting with our families in new and creative ways. Please be sure to follow us on the following social media pages to stay up to date with the latest information. We love sharing updates about our community!
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.
Access your student’s attendance records, grades, and assignments at any time with SIS ParentVUE. Caregivers should receive an activation code when they register their child.
Once you have activated a 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 ParentVUE account. Access SIS ParentVUE by using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices.
Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video walks through the steps. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE.
The application for free and reduced-priced meals is now available for the 2024-25 school year. Students who were approved for free and reduced-price lunch last year are eligible for the first 30 days of school this year (or until a new application is processed). Families should re-apply as soon as possible, so eligible students continue to receive meals at no cost.
To help plan for our school’s childcare needs during the early release Mondays, please complete this form no later than Wednesday, August 21 for each of your children who are enrolled at FHES. 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. Students who attend PM SACC will still attend.
The Early Release Mondays planned throughout the school year for elementary schools are essential to allow educators time for planning and professional development. Students will be dismissed 3 hours early seven times throughout the school year and are encouraged to return home via their normal route. However, we understand there may be a childcare hardship because of the early release Mondays for many of our families. To resolve these concerns, student supervision will be available for families who need it.
The following dates are planned for Early Release Mondays throughout the school year:
- September 23
- October 28
- November 25
- February 24
- March 17
- April 28
- May 19
Additional information can be found on the FCPS Early Release Mondays webpage. If you have immediate questions, please email ESPlanning@fcps.edu.
TEARS OR CHEERS - MONDAY, AUGUST 19th
Our kindergarten TEARS or CHEERS event is tomorrow, Monday, August 19th in the cafeteria from student drop-off until approximately 9:45AM. Come meet other kindergarten parents/families; light breakfast goodies will be provided.
WHAT IS THE PTA & HOW DO YOU JOIN
The Freedom Hill PTA is a volunteer-driven organization that facilitates exciting programs, activities, and traditions that are not otherwise provided by Fairfax County Public Schools, such as the following and many more!
- Kindergarten Tears or Cheers, Spelling Bee, Science Fair, Cultural Heritage Day
- Field Day pizza/ice cream, Garden improvements/landscaping materials,
- Teacher wish lists, curriculum support, and teacher/staff appreciation events throughout the year
We have a goal of raising $10,000 through memberships. By becoming a member of the PTA and contributing to our fundraising efforts, you are directly investing in your child’s educational journey and our school community. Visit our PTA website here to join today. A flier with more information will come home in your student’s folder.
HELP THE PTA EARN MONEY
Box Tops:
Join other families and community members in earning cash for our school by using the Box Tops app. It’s an easy way to make a difference. All you have to do is buy Box Tops participating products (like Cheerios!) and scan your grocery receipt each time you shop. Box Tops are worth $.10 each and they add up fast! Twice a year, our school receives a check to help pay for whatever we need - equipment, supplies or experiences the kids love!
Use this referral code F3FQ0H6U when you sign up and you’ll get 25 Bonus Box Tops when you scan your first receipt, while supplies last! Download the Box Tops for Education app here. If you shop at Walmart, link your Walmart account to your Box Tops app by August 31st and you’ll earn an extra $5 for the school.
Harris Teeter:
Do you shop at Harris Teeter? By linking your Harris Teeter bonus card to Freedom Hill, you can help us earn money each time you shop for groceries.
SAVE THE DATE - BACK TO SCHOOL PICNIC
The PTA looks forward to celebrating the start of the new school year at our annual Back to School Picnic on Friday, September 6th from 5:30-7:30PM! This is a great opportunity to meet other members of the Freedom Hill community. Feel free to bring your own lawn chairs, picnic blankets, and/or picnic goodies. Don’t feel like making dinner? Pre-order a salad or sandwich box from Potbelly by Tuesday, September 3rd here to be delivered on-site at the picnic.
We need a few volunteers to work short shifts to set-up and clean-up. This is a great opportunity for middle school and high school alumni looking to get a start on volunteer hours. Sign up here. A flier with detailed information will come home in your student’s folder next week.
GET SOCIAL WITH US
- Bookmark the PTA website as a favorite in your internet browser
- Sign up for the separate PTA Newsletter HERE
- Follow us on X: @freedomhillpta.org
- Follow us on Facebook: Freedom Hill ES Community
- General PTA inquiries: info@freedomhillpta.org
We hope everyone has a fantastic first day of school and we look forward to seeing you soon! As a reminder, your PTA Board for the 2024-2025 school year is:
- President: Kerrey Olden
- Secretary: Hyun Yoo
- Treasurer: Emily Jacobs
- VP: Amber Halaka
- VP of Communications/Technology: Kiara Osorio
- VP of Membership: Aleksia Forster
- VP of New Business Development: Camille Paredes
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