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Dear Mantua Families,
What a fantastic first week of school we had! Our students were already getting acquainted, practicing positive behavior, and learning about character strengths. We're excited to continue our journey with The Positivity Project. You can learn more about it in the excerpt below.
We're so grateful for our amazing PTA! They do so much for our school, from sponsoring activities and supporting our staff to providing resources for our classrooms. One of their upcoming events is the Mantua PTA Ice Cream Social on August 28th. Join us for fun food and fellowship! You can find more information and a presale QR code below.
Also, don't forget about the Woodson High School Feeder Night! You received a flyer about this event in your child’s Raccoon Folder. The carnival is free for elementary students and a great opportunity for families to connect. This is a special night for all of our elementary students to "run the field"
Reminder: Friday, August 30th, and Monday, September 2nd, are Labor Day holidays for all FCPS employees and students. We hope everyone enjoys the long weekend and celebrates a strong start to the school year.
Take good care,
Ms. Shannon, Mr. Deixler, Mrs. Vaughan
Save the Dates!
August 28: Ice Cream Social hosted by Mantua PTA, 6-7:30 PM, 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 9: Movement Monday, 8:30 AM, Mantua track
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.
Prep for the Week Ahead
- To help plan for our school’s childcare needs during the early release Mondays, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/dttwas8ENE4sP9bD6 for each of your children who are enrolled at Mantua Elementary.
- New to PickUpPatrol? Take some time to familiarize yourself with the app. See their FAQ page here.
- Check your Raccoon folder for the Emergency Care Information Sheet and Health form and return this completed to your student’s homeroom teacher.
- The Health Room is open for emergency and daily medication drop-offs. You may stop by from 9:00-4:00 pm to deliver any needed medication for your child.
- Look for the Weekly Communicator Envelope (Tuesday folder) to come home with your child each week on Tuesdays. It contains important information that you will want to see.
Mantua PTA’s Pizza & Ice Cream Social
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We are looking forward to the Mantua PTA’s first event of the year, the Annual Pizza and Ice Cream Social! This event is very well attended every year, and you can purchase wristbands ahead of time to avoid any food lines. Simply scan the QR code, found below. You don’t want to miss this yummy event! |
Woodson Pyramid Annual Feeder Night
August 29th, 2024 | 5-7pm
Open to grades K-6 - Free football admission with a paying adult. Activity tickets sold separately. Free activities available
Click here for flyer!
The Positivity Project
The Positivity Project is a classroom tool that focuses on 24 character strengths. Character strengths are a family of positive traits expressed through a person’s thoughts, feelings and behaviors that all people recognize to be strong qualities in individuals and communities. Each week, our classrooms will focus on one of these character traits.
This week, our school community will focus on the Other People Mindset. This means anything that builds relationships is going to make you happy.
The Positivity Project (P2) aims to empower youth to build positive relationships by understanding, appreciating, and exemplifying the character strengths in us all. People who have a strong “Other People Mindset” are able to build and maintain strong, positive relationships with others by consistently practicing these five Other People Mindset principles:
- Cheer other people on when they succeed
- Recognize the good in other people
- Remain present when giving people your attention
- Support others when they struggle
- Understand that everything you say and do affects other people
While mental health is incredibly complex, we do know that positive relationships can help people become happier, healthier, and more resilient. And, the Positivity Project believes educators have a tremendous opportunity and vital role to play in this endeavor. Our nation’s youth spend a large percentage of their time in school. By deliberately and consistently teaching students that relationships are important — and that positive relationships are cultivated through character strengths and the Other People Mindset — educators can roll back these trends and create strong citizens and leaders for our communities and countries.
To practice and encourage the Other People Mindset at home, please visit the Positivity Project’s mobile-friendly P2 for Families. There, you will watch a video clip together and discuss a quote and three questions.
Mantua Movement Mondays
We are again inviting staff and students for Movement Mondays from 8:30 - 9:00 AM every Monday. Families are welcome to join, too! This program will run from September 9th through November 25th. We will be walking or jogging and eventually adding some fun fitness components and exercises to our laps. Students can be dropped off any time after 8:30 AM to walk with their friends and will be dismissed to class at 9:05 AM. Exercise is a great way to boost your mood, improve focus, and improve your ability to do everyday activities. We are looking forward to seeing you there!
Preschool Community Peers
Mantua is excited to announce that community peers will again join our preschool program. The early childhood special education staff members are seeking opportunities for our students to participate in activities with typically developing peers.
Our program will invite a limited number of community preschoolers (1-2 per class), who are aged 3 ½ -5 years, to participate in our daily preschool activities. The children from the community will have the opportunity to make new friends and share experiences with current early childhood special education students. Our students will, in turn, benefit from being with community peers who can model appropriate language, motor, and social skills.
All children learn through their play. Intellectual growth occurs in a social context, influenced strongly by the quality of social interactions. The goal of this program is to encourage active learning and promote social interaction and acceptance through shared experiences between the community children and our preschoolers with special needs. Please reach out to Diana Grace at dlgrace@fcps.edu if you are interested in learning more about this initiative.
Our Commitment to Excellence, Equity, and Opportunity for Each and Every Student
As we begin a new school year, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid reminds us of the goals of FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan, which guides us in delivering excellence, equity, and opportunity for each and every one of our students. Watch Dr. Reid’s message.
2024-2025 FCPS Calendar & Limited Early Release Mondays
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 additional time to meet new professional development requirements for the Virginia Literacy Act.
To help plan for our school’s childcare needs during the early release Mondays, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/dttwas8ENE4sP9bD6 for each of your children who are enrolled at Mantua Elementary.
Early release Mondays for our school include:
- September 16
- October 21
- November 18
- February 10
- March 10
- April 21
- May 12
Update Your Contact Information
Want to easily access back-to-school forms and checklists? Log in to your SIS ParentVUE account to find forms and make updates.
Update Contact Information
Be among the first to know about weather closings, bus delays, and other critical communications from your school and FCPS by providing your cell phone number and email in SIS ParentVUE. To update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, click the “Online Packets” tab in the upper right of the screen, then click the “Online Verification/Update” icon.
Parents/caregivers who do not have a SIS ParentVUE account should print and complete the Emergency Care Information Form (PDF) and submit it to their child’s school.
Complete Permission Forms
Families can now easily give permission for their children to access a variety of school resources through the Parent Digital Consent system. This online tool can be accessed using your SIS ParentVUE account. Parents can easily opt their child in or out of resources including online educational tools, school counseling services, and tutoring services. They can also change how student information is managed.
Visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. Watch this video to see how to use the tool.
Submit Absences
Parents can submit daylong absences through SIS ParentVUE. Log in and click “Report Absence.” Note: Partial day absences and changes of transportation should still be reported directly to the school front office.
Don’t Have a SIS ParentVUE Account Yet? Contact your school for an activation code and follow the directions on the SIS ParentVUE Account webpage.
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.
The best way to purchase meals and additional food items is to use 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. 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.
Transportation Patience and Safety
Thank you for your patience as we all get used to new routines this school year. We appreciate our families following Kiss and Ride procedures and being patient while waiting for your children’s buses.
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. For any concerns after 5:30 PM, 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
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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