Greetings McNair Students and Families,
Tomorrow 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.
Let the countdown begin! We are so eager and excited to kickoff this incredible school year together! See you tomorrow, 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
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A great way to have richer conversations with your child is to check-in with him/her by asking some of the questions listed below. This will support you learning a little bit more about your child's day while they are at school.
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- What made you smile today?
- Can you tell me about an act of kindness you did or saw?
- What is something creative you did today?
- Who did you sit with at lunch today?
- Tell me something you learned today.
- What did you eat first at lunch?
- If you could change one thing about the day, what would it be?
- What made your teacher(s) smile today?
- What is your favorite thing to do at recess?
- What is the best thing that happened today?
- Did you help anyone today?
- What was your thorn, and what was your rose today?
- What are you looking forward to for tomorrow?
- Teach me something you learned.
- What kinds of things did you see people eating for snack?
- Did you learn any new words today?
Please click below to view a welcome message from Ms. Meren.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Students who attend 90% or more of the school year are more likely to graduate from high school on time.
- Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
- Missing 10 percent (or about 2 days per month) can make it harder to learn to read.
- Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
- Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day every few weeks.
- Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.
- Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with peer conflicts or facing some other potentially serious difficulty, and help is available.
WHAT YOU CAN DO?
- Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
- Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
- Find out what day school starts and make sure your child has the required shots.
- Introduce your child to her teachers and classmates before school starts to help her transition.
- Don’t let your child stay home unless she is truly sick. Keep in mind complaints of a stomach ache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home.
- If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make her feel comfortable and excited about learning.
- Develop back-up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.
- Avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school is in session.
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:
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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
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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!
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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.
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:
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School Clubs: Some examples include Art Club, Science Club, Debate Club etc., which provide students with enriching extracurricular opportunities.
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Competitions: Like the Spelling Bee, Science Olympiad, Odyssey of the Mind, Reflections, ACSL, FLL etc., which inspire and challenge our students.
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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:
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President: Leads the PTA and oversees all activities.
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Vice President: Assists the President and manages committees.
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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.
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!
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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: All FCPS Schools are Closed for Labor Day Weekend
September 5: Back-To-School Night at McNair ES, 5:00pm-6:30pm
September 23: 3 Hours Early Release Mondays 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!
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