Greetings McNair Students and Families,
Thank you to all of our students and families that were able to join us at our Open House yesterday! We hope that you had a wonderful time meeting our amazing teachers and staff. Monday is the first day of school for our Kindergarten, First, and Second grade students as well as our students accessing the Preschool Autism Classroom (PAC) program. (Students accessing our Pre-K and ECCB programs will join us for their first day of school on Monday, August 26th.) We are so excited to welcome our Mustangs back into the building to kickoff the 2024-2025 school year together! Please see below for a couple of friendly reminders:
- School Hours: 8:45am-3:30 pm
- We will open our doors to welcome students with our first bell ringing daily at 8:35 am to signal a ten-minute notice for students to enter the school building and make their way to their classroom. Our students should be in their classroom seats no later than 8:45 am. Our day begins with connecting with each other and building relationships among staff and students for productive learning! Please partner together with us to have your child/children at school and in class on time.
- First Day of School
- We will be permitting families to walk their child to the classroom on the first day of school. Many of our staff each morning throughout the entire school year will greet our students at arrival and will be available to assist students to class.
- Buses & Delays
- Please be patient and show grace to all of our FCPS employees as we want to ensure a successful first day, week, and year for all of our students and families. 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.
- Arrival and Dismissal
- Please follow staff directions during arrival and dismissal times to ensure we are keeping all of our students safe.
- First Day Fairfax!
- We encourage parents, students, and staff members to share their favorite pictures or videos from the first day of school on social media using the hashtag #FirstDayFairfax. Some of the photos taken will be displayed on the FCPS Facebook and Instagram pages.
We are so eager and EXCITED to kickoff an amazing school year together with our Mustang Family! Together, we are looking forward to your partnership as we continue to support all of our Mustangs to thrive and meet their fullest potential this year and beyond! See you on Monday, Mustangs!
All the best,
Elizabeth Watson, Principal
Brandy O'Bryant, Assistant Principal
Lifelong Learners Grow Here!
Please contact us with any questions!
Principal: Elizabeth Watson, evwatson@fcps.edu
Assistant Principal: Brandy O'Bryant, bmobryant@fcps.edu
💪 Student Attendance Matters!
Student attendance at school is important all year long. Attendance has an effect on student performance and on school accreditation. See how to:
- Check your child’s attendance record.
- Help your student stay engaged at school.
- Report future absences.
- Understand the FCPS school calendar.
Learn more about attendance resources.
Please click below to view a welcome message from Ms. Meren.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vYvcsGZwaU
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.
The first day of school is Monday, August 19, 2024 and every minute counts! We will open our doors to welcome students with our first bell ringing daily at 8:35 am to signal a ten-minute notice for students to enter the school building and make their way to their classroom. Our students should be in their classroom seats no later than 8:45 am. Our day begins with connecting with each other and building relationships among staff and students for productive learning! Please partner together with us to have your child/children at school and in class on time.
The bell schedule is as follows:
.
 |
|
School Hours at McNair
Office Hours: 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
School Hours for Students: 8:45 AM-3:30 PM
Doors Open with Welcome Bell: 8:35 AM
Final Bell Rings: 8:45 AM
|
All exterior doors are locked during school hours. To enter the building, go to Door #1, push the doorbell, and the front office will remotely unlock the door. Upon entering, please report to the office where you will be requested to sign-in and show identification. To maintain the momentum of instruction, forgotten lunches and materials will be delivered by office staff, or students will be called down to the office to get their forgotten items.
For any change in a child’s typical transportation arrangements, send a note to the teacher indicating the date of the change, the duration of the change, and the reason for the change. Students may not ride a non-designated school bus home with a friend as buses are filled to capacity. For safety, we also ask that students get off at their designated stop only.
If picking up a student before the end of school, provide notice to the teacher and school office whenever possible to avoid confusion for your child. If a student must leave unexpectedly, alert the office at least one hour ahead of time.
During arrival and dismissal, please follow the established rules and travel routes for the safety of all. For everyone’s safety, we ask that parents follow the procedures for arrival and dismissal. This will allow you to get your Mustang to school as quickly and as efficiently as possible. Modeling safe procedures is critical and teaches our young students to stay safe when adults are not with them.
Parents who plan to use Kiss & Ride must register their child here. Please remember, class assignments will be distributed on Wednesday, August 14 at 4 p.m. Make sure you review the McNair Arrival and Dismissal Procedures and map prior to the first day of school!
As a final reminder, taking the bus is a very safe way to travel to and from school. If you plan to have your child take the bus during the school year, put them on the bus the first day of school. It will help establish the school year routine, and students will be learning the rules and expectations along with peers from day one!
 .
Parents/guardians new to McNair will need to register at their first visit. After that you will be able to quickly sign in and get a visitor badge if you have an ID with you. Office staff will be available to help parents/guardians use the system. Having a driver’s license handy makes the registration process faster, but a driver’s license is not required.
On the first day of school, all students will receive a Take Home Folder with critical back to school information. We ask that parents complete the forms if they haven’t done so electronically and return those forms in the same folder to the classroom teacher. |
|
 |
McNair uses News You Choose to distribute the parent newsletter, The Mustang News, weekly. News You Choose is an electronic communication platform that allows community members the ability to select what information they want to receive and how often from individual schools, the School Board office and members, departments, programs, PTA/PTO, and booster organizations. Subscribers can change their settings or unsubscribe at any time.
Please make sure we have your current email so that we can send you updates.
eNotify
Parents of Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) students are automatically enrolled to receive eNotify Communications. FCPS central offices and schools use this system to communicate emergency, delayed opening and school closing information, attendance, and other essential communications. Contact information from the student information system are uploaded to eNotify. It is important that parents keep their child’s emergency contact information up-to-date. To update, email Afkham Hosseini at ahosseini@fcps.edu, fill out an emergency care card, or update through your SIS ParentVUE account.
SIS ParentVUE
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. Parents can access information about their child’s attendance, class performance, and manage emergency communication and FCPS forms via a SIS ParentVUE account. Click here for more information. If you need an activation code, please call the school at 703-793-4800.
Schoology /SKOO-luh-jee/
Our Learning Management System is Schoology. In Schoology, parents will find teacher schedules, information about the curriculum, and other important information. It’s also a great platform for teachers to communicate with families. Parents will receive information about accessing classroom sites from their student's teacher. To learn more, parents can click here.
Communicating with the Teacher
Parents may contact the classroom teacher by leaving a message with the office staff or by emailing the staff member directly. Teachers will also often communicate via Talking Points. It is best to always start with the classroom teacher if you have a question or a concern, as they are often the person with the most knowledge regarding your child. Staff email addresses can be found on the McNair Elementary School's websites directory.
During school hours, McNair Elementary offers both breakfast and lunch for purchase. Both breakfast and lunch begin on the first day of school. |
|
 |
Preparing for and Paying for Meals at School
Parents/caregivers need to provide their students with money to purchase meals at school, send them with a packed lunch, or apply (and be approved) for free and reduced-price meals benefits. School breakfast for students costs $1.75. Lunch is $3.25 for elementary students and $3.50 for middle, secondary, and high school students.
Free and Reduced-Price Meals
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 for the 2024-25 school year, so eligible students continue to receive meals at no cost.
Paying With MySchoolBucks
The best way to purchase meals (and keep food lines moving!) is to use MySchoolBucks. Set up your student’s MySchoolBucks account today. Our front office staff can help with any questions.
MySchoolBucks accounts can be set up to add money to the account automatically, as needed. Families with multiple children can use the same MySchoolBucks account. Visit FCPS’ Food and Nutrition webpage for more information.
Your child’s heath needs at school is a priority. School health room services, including the administration of medication and modified first aid, are performed by the health room aide. When we return to school, prescription and most over-the-counter medications at school require strict adult supervision and should not be in the child’s possession. Please let us know if your child has special health needs that may impact learning in school as soon as possible. We will connect you with our Public Health Nurse, Yasamin Asmat, to develop a school plan. A letter regarding school health services will be sent home with your child on the first day of school.
 .
🩹 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.
This is a friendly reminder that 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 at McNair Elementary School:
- 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 by August 19, 2024: https://forms.gle/bEmijZM4A1NH1Taj9 for each of your children who are enrolled at McNair 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.
 This year’s annual Back to School Night will be held on the evening of Thursday, September 5th. We will offer two sessions.
-
Session #1: 5:00-5:45 pm
-
Session #2: 5:45-6:30 pm
At Back to School Night, classroom teachers will share information with parents/guardians about grade level curriculum your child will be learning about this school year and specific grade level events such as field trips your child may attend this upcoming school year. You will also hear about the classroom practices and expectations your child’s teacher will employ this school year to support them.
This is a great opportunity to begin establishing your partnership with your child’s classroom teacher(s) to support their success this school year. It is important that parents/guardians plan to attend one of our session offerings.
Signing up for a SIS ParentVUE account helps you to support your child’s academic success. Caregivers can view important information in ParentVUE such as attendance, grades, progress reports, and assessment scores.
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. A SIS ParentVUE app is available for Apple and Android devices.
Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video explains the steps. Find out more. To create a new account, please contact our school registrar, Afkham Hosseini at ahosseini@fcps.edu for an activation letter.
If you already have an account, be sure your contact information is up-to-date. Parents/guardians can update their phone numbers or email addresses in the Parent/Guardian section. View more information.
Parents/caregivers who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese may call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS. View the list of phone numbers.
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.
Are you interested in Volunteering at McNair?
We would greatly appreciate your support! Please do not hesitate to reach out to us! If you are interested, please contact the Main Office at 703-793-4800. You may also email our Administrative Assistant, Julia Smoot at jcsmoot@fcps.edu.
Get Involved with the PTA!
The PTA supports our schools through help from our community. One way we do that is through the help of our wonderful volunteers! Whether you're available for an hour a year or an hour a week to pitch in - we have opportunities that meet everyone's busy schedule!
Additionally, we are in need of board members to keep the PTA operational. Without enough volunteers to fill key positions on the PTA board, we will be unable to have this amazing association that supports our students and school community. This would result in the loss of valuable programs and activities, including:
-
School Clubs: Some examples include Art Club, Science Club, Debate Club etc., which provide students with enriching extracurricular opportunities.
-
Competitions: Like the Spelling Bee, Science Olympiad, Odyssey of the Mind, Reflections, ACSL, FLL etc., which inspire and challenge our students.
-
Community Events: Including Family Fun Nights, Holiday Parties, and Fundraising Activities, which foster a sense of community and engagement that supports our school.
We are reaching out to all families for their support. If you have the time and to contribute, we encourage you to consider joining the PTA board. We are looking for dedicated volunteers for the following key positions:
-
President: Leads the PTA and oversees all activities.
-
Vice President: Assists the President and manages committees.
-
Secretary: Manages communications and records meeting minutes.
If you are interested in taking on a board position or would like more information about what’s involved, please contact us at board@mcnairespta.org as soon as possible. We are eager to discuss how you can get involved and help us continue to support our school.
The future of our PTA—and the valuable programs and events we provide—depends on your involvement. Please consider stepping up to ensure that our PTA remains a vibrant and effective part of our school community.
Support PTA: Become a Member or Volunteer
Please contact Miranda Butzlaff, our PTA President at president@mcnairespta.org if you want to know more information about our PTA and opportunities to get involved within our school community!
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.
📖 Students Reading on Level by the Third Grade
FCPS has continued to improve its approach to reading over the last several years through our Equitable Access to Literacy (EAL) plan. Reading by third grade is also one of the measures of Goal 3: Academic Growth and Excellence in our 2023-30 Strategic Plan.
By focusing on foundational skills for our young readers and literacy intervention for upper grades, FCPS has made significant progress toward narrowing the achievement gaps in this critical skill. Visit the Strategic Plan webpage for more information
Successfully Completing Algebra 1 by Eighth Grade
Helping students to complete Algebra 1 by eighth grade is part of our FCPS 2023-30 Strategic Plan Goal 3: Academic Growth and Excellence.
Passing Algebra 1 earlier allows for students to take more advanced classes like Dual Enrollment courses, Advanced Placement (AP), and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. These advanced courses help students succeed in college. A recent study from the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) found that completing Algebra 1 by grade eight led to 30% more ninth graders and 16% more 11th graders taking advanced courses.
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.
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Prepare for the First Day of School
- FCPS.edu Has a New Look
- Free Resources and Workshops for Families
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
👍❤️ Follow Our School on Social Media!
Want to see more photos and videos of what’s going on at McNair Elementary School? Follow us on social media!
 Twitter Facebook Instagram
Please stay in touch with us by...
Mark your calendars!
As we navigate through our school year together, please mark the upcoming important dates on your calendar.
August 19: First Day of School for Students in Grades K-12
August 19: First Day of School for Students Accessing the Preschool Autism Classroom (PAC) Program
August 26: First Day of School for Students Accessing the Pre-K Head Start Program and for students accessing the ECCB Program
August 30 & September 2: School Closed for Labor Day Weekend
September 5: Back-To-School Night at McNair ES, 5:00pm-6:30pm
September 23: 3 Hours Early Release Monday Grades K-2- Please complete form: https://forms.gle/bEmijZM4A1NH1Taj9
2024-2025 Arrival and Dismissal
Arrival begins at 8:35am. The school day begins at 8:45am.
Dismissal begins at 3:30 pm.
We are looking forward to galloping together with you into the 2024-2025 school year!
|
