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Dear Mantua Families.
We hope everyone had a wonderful first day of school! It was such a joy to see our students return to school with smiles on their faces.
The day was a resounding success, filled with excitement and anticipation. Our students had the opportunity to meet new friends, get to know our amazing staff, and learn about their new routines.
I was so excited by the positive energy and enthusiasm in the hallways. It's clear that our students are ready for a fantastic year of learning and growth.
Take good care,
Ms. Shannon, Mr. Deixler, Mrs. Vaughan
First week reminders:
- Be sure to familiarize yourself with PickUp Patrol (PUP) and check to make sure your child’s default dismissal plan in PUP is up to date. Review with your child how they will get home from school each day. More detailed instructions are found below and also in your child’s Raccoon folder.
- Check your Raccoon folder for the Emergency Care Information Sheet and Health form and return this completed to your student’s homeroom teacher.
- Get a good night’s rest and eat a good breakfast for a great start to the school year!
Save the Dates!
August 28: Ice Cream Social hosted by Mantua PTA, Mantua playground
August 29: Woodson HS Feeder Night, Cav Carnival 5 PM
August 30: Student Holiday, schools and offices closed
September 2: Labor Day student holiday, schools and offices closed
September 16: Three-hour early release at 1:05 PM
September 19: Back to School Night, 6:00-7:30 pm
Be sure to bookmark the FCPS School Calendar to keep track of school holidays, breaks, and observances.
Mantua PTA Restaurant Night -Tonight!
On August 19th, the first day of school, order delivery, pick-up, or dine in at Old Dominion Pizza and Mantua PTA will receive 10% of all sales between 5-8pm! You don’t need a flyer or code-just eat great pizza on the day & time listed above and you’ll be helping the PTA! Old Dominion is located at: 3950 University Dr Ste 102 Fairfax, VA 22030
Mantua PTA’s Pizza & Ice Cream Social
Save the date for this annual event on Wednesday, August 28th, from 6:00-7:30 PM. Be on the lookout for a flier in your child's First Day Folder with full event details, including instructions on purchasing your pre-sale wristbands. We look forward to celebrating with you!
MANTUA News
Bell Schedule
Mantua ES Bell Schedule for 2023-24 is 9:20 AM. - 4:05 PM
- Office hours are 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
- Kiss & Ride Drop Off - 9:05 AM - 9:20 AM
- Doors open at 9:05 AM for students - In order to work within teacher contract times and provide appropriate adult supervision, students will be able to enter the school building and classrooms beginning at 9:05 AM.
Arrival & Dismissal
Safety is our priority. Please be patient as arrival and dismissal routines are established in these first weeks. We understand the hurried nature of mornings and evenings, but please drive slowly and safely through our parking lots and beyond. We have a single entrance and exit dedicated to Kiss and Ride, buses, and many walkers. If there is a line of cars waiting on Kirkwood Drive, do NOT pass the line. This presents a significant safety risk for students and families walking to and from school. The following notes help us to be safe and efficient. Please review the information below and reach out if you have any questions.
Arrival
We begin welcoming students at 9:05 AM. Please do not drop your child off early, as there is no adult supervision of students before that time. If you arrive after 9:20 AM., please park your car and walk your student(s) to the front office through door #1.
While staff will be greeting children at Kiss & Ride until 9:20, please complete dropoff by 9:15 to ensure a prompt 9:20 start in the classroom. This allows your student time to walk to class and be in place by the time class begins. An essential part of our day in classrooms is our Morning Meeting. Being on time means your child has meaningful opportunities to develop relationships with peers and staff and start their day on a positive note.
- Walkers: Staff will greet walkers at Door #1. We ask parents to give hugs and well wishes prior to their children entering the building. We will have many staff members to help your child find their way to class during the first week of school.
- Bus Riders: Students are dismissed from their buses at 9:05 AM,
- Kiss & Ride: Staff will greet Kiss & Ride students in the loop at the side entrance near door # 2. Please be sure to pull completely forward as staff directs you to do so. Whenever possible, please have students sit on the passenger side of the vehicle. For safety reasons, students are not to exit on the driver's side of the vehicle. Staff will assist your child's exit from the car as needed. Please remain in your car.
Dismissal
- Walkers: Will be dismissed from their classrooms. If you are meeting your student(s), please meet them at door #2.
- Kiss and Ride: Students waiting for Kiss & Ride will report to the Art rooms daily. If parents/guardians arrive before dismissal, students will receive notification in their classrooms through PUP and report directly to Kiss & Ride at dismissal. As you approach the Kiss & Ride loop tomorrow, you will give your name to staff on radio or display it on a piece of paper in your window. On Tuesday, all families will receive PickUp Patrol (PUP) placards in Tuesday folders to be displayed on your dashboard or passenger window. Plan to use these placards when you come through K&R. This is how we know that the person picking up is authorized by the parent/guardian. If you need additional placards throughout the year, please let us know.
- Bus Riders: Will be dismissed from their classrooms. If you are meeting your student(s) at the bus stop, please plan on being at the bus stop at least 5 minutes early. Kindergarten students who ride the bus in the afternoon must be met at the bus door and asked for by name by a parent, parent designee, guardian, or a responsible sibling who is a 7th grader or older. Kindergarten students not met will be returned to school.
PickUp Patrol (PUP)
Registration PickUp Patrol (PUP) emails were sent to all families. To ensure that all students take the correct mode of transportation home on Monday, it is imperative that parents and guardians complete the PUP registration and update each of your children’s dismissal plans. Please visit the PUP website if you have any questions. If you need further assistance, please email Ms. Finaish at ffinaish@fcps.edu. If you have not yet created an account, we encourage you to contact Ms. Finaish for a one-time link to set up your account. The link expires for security purposes, so once you receive the link, you should create the account immediately.
The student default plans you enter in PUP will become visible to the main office and to the individual teacher. If a student needs to leave school during the day for a doctor's appointment, families will update their child's dismissal plan using the app. This information is then communicated to the teacher and main office staff. At the time of pick-up, the parent/guardian will come to the office to pick up the child.
Key Points to Remember
- All children must be signed out in the office (late arrivals, early dismissal, re-entry).
- A student CAN NOT be released to anyone except the parent/guardian or the emergency contact indicated on the emergency care card. Parents/Guardians can give consent to release their child to a different adult by making a change to their child's dismissal plan using the PUP app. Please know that if the person picking up a child is unknown to the staff, identification will be required.
- Changes to the default plan need to happen prior to 2 PM daily.
- Changes can be made in advance for planned changes to the student’s schedule.
- No dismissals can occur within 20 minutes of the end of the school day.
- As you use the application, if you have any questions, please check the PUP FAQ page. If you need further assistance, please reach out to Ms. Fadwa Finaish at ffinaish@fcps.edu or PickUp Patrol at support@pickuppatrol.net.
Attendance
We will also continue using PUP for absence reporting. In the event of an absence or tardy, please login to PickUp Patrol or call 703-645-6363. Please specify a physician’s diagnosis, such as strep throat or pinkeye.
Medication Forms & Drop Off
The Health Room continues to be open for drop-off of emergency and daily prescription medications. Medications may be dropped off after the start of school M-F, 9 AM-4 PM. All visitors are required to check in at the Main Office. All medications require a completed medication authorization.
A parent or designated adult must transport all prescription medications to school. Students are not allowed to bring in prescription medications. Prescription labels must include a description of the medication.
Quick Contacts & Links
Linda Shannon, Principal LCSshannon@fcps.edu
Rich Deixler, Assistant Principal RADeixler@fcps.edu
Colleen Vaughan, Assistant Principal CAVaughan@fcps.edu
Mergie Kakouris, Student Information Assistant, MBKakouris@fcps.edu
Fadwa Finaish, Office Assistant, FFinaish@fcps.edu
Judy Toy, Office Assistant, JPToy@fcps.edu
Susan Palomino, Finance Office Assistant SLPalomino@fcps.edu
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