September 4 Family Newsletter
We hope everyone had an amazing Labor Day weekend. We have been making the most out of our time this week as we continue to develop students communication and collaboration skills.
Our school picture vendor had to reschedule our picture day from Tuesday, September 10th to Monday, September 30th.
As we approach our first 3-hour early release on Monday, September 23rd, we expect students to follow their regular routes home. To ensure student safety, please complete this form to confirm your plans for each student. During this time, our instructional staff will be involved in professional development, so it’s crucial we have an accurate count of families needing supervision to plan accordingly.
Upcoming Dates
Tuesday, September 10th - Picture Day (postponed)
Monday, September 23rd - 3-hour Early Release -12:30pm dismissal
Thursday, September 26th - Union Mill Fun Run
Monday, September 30th - Picture Day (rescheduled)
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October 3rd - Rosh Hashanah (student holiday)
October 4th - Teacher Workday (student holiday)
October 9th - Principal's Coffee
October 28th - 3 Hour Early Release
October 29th - Picture Retakes
November 12th - Family Math and Science Night
& Veterans' Chorus Concert
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2024 - 2025 FCPS School Year Calendar
The 2024 - 2025 FCPS School Year Calendar can be accessed here. We encourage families to review the calendar when considering trips or preplanned absences.
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IMPORTANT: Picture Day Change
Due to unforeseen circumstances, next week's Picture Day has been moved to Monday, September 30 and retakes are now scheduled for Tuesday, October 29.
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Stuffed Animals
Mrs. Schroder is looking for donations of gently used small to medium sized stuffed animals for a school project. If you have any to donate as you clean out closets and toy cabinets please email her at amschroder@fcps.edu
Plus, Minus, Interesting
Many of our students have been engaged in persuasive writing around school uniforms as part of our new writing curriculum. Mrs. Rucker's class collaborated with one another using the Critical and Creative Thinking Strategy Plus, Minus, Interesting to prepare for their persuasive writing.
The PMI strategy encourages students to think about many possibilities, and to explore the positive and negative aspects of ideas or activities. PMI encourages students to develop the habit of looking beyond the polarity of “yes or no,” “wrong or right,” “my answer or your answer.” The goal of PMI is to develop independent thinkers who consider a range of ideas and/or possibilities and see beyond the obvious. To learn more about Plus, Minus, Interesting (PMI) check out this video.
Military Families Information
A dedicated FCPS webpage is available to support military families transitioning into our school system. Please visit it for a wealth of helpful information.
Community Flier Distribution
This semester’s nonprofit Community Flier distribution will take place on Friday, September 20th. To submit a flier for approval, it must be received in the office by Friday, September 6th and include the following disclaimer – “This event [or activity] is sponsored by [name of organization] and is operated independently of the Fairfax County School Board, the Superintendent, and Union Mill Elementary School.”
Once the flier is approved, please deliver 35 sets of 30 copies each (plus a few extras for front office staff) by close of business on September 13th. Fliers will go home with students on Friday, September 20th.
Parent Volunteer Opportunity
UMES is looking for parent volunteers who would be willing to donate their time labeling our new language arts curriculum materials. The labels are already printed, so you would just need to stick them on the books. Please email Wendy Hare, one of our reading specialists if you would like to help wrhare@fcps.edu.
Early Release Mondays
The Centreville Pyramid, which includes Union Mill Elementary, will have the following three-hour early release days. On these days, students will be dismissed at 12:30 p.m.
- September 23
- October 28
- December 9
- February 24
- March 17
- April 28
- May 19
To help us plan for childcare needs during our early release Mondays, please fill out this form for each of your children enrolled at Union Mill Elementary. This form will cover the first two early release Mondays, scheduled for September 23, 2024, and October 28, 2024. If you have multiple children, please submit a separate form for each one. We’ll follow up with you to confirm the after-school supervision plan for your child. Thank you for your help in making these days smooth and enjoyable for everyone!
Additional information can be found on the FCPS Early Release Mondays webpage. If you have immediate questions, please email ESPlanning@fcps.edu.
*Students requiring adult supervision due to hardship will be overseen by instructional assistants, school monitors, school staff, central office personnel, and/or volunteers. Your child will not be with their teacher due to required professional development. Time will be allocated for students to complete STMath, Lexia, MyOn, independent reading, and other similar supervised tasks.
Union Mill PTA
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PTA Funds at Work
Each of our first graders received book totes for their library books thanks to our PTA. This helps our books from becoming damaged and ensures students are able to transport their books.
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Save the Date - Union Mill Fun Run 2024
We're excited to introduce this year's main fundraiser, the Union Mill Fun Run, sponsored by our UMES PTA. Our goal this year is to raise $50,000 for classroom technology needs, Math & Science Night, and flexible seating and carpet replacement in classrooms to benefit ALL students at Union Mill Elementary.
We're excited for this fundraising experience because it offers three important things to our school community:
1. User-friendly fundraising platform
2. Character enrichment program
3. Fitness-focused event that includes ALL of our students
As a family, you will work together asking friends and family to donate on your student's Donation Page at MyBooster.com. The best part is, you can still support our school just by SHARING about the fundraiser!
Students will also experience an amazing character enrichment program called "Castle Quest", teaching students about how to be brave and live with character.
Key Dates to Remember:
September 4th - Sign up online at MyBooster.com
September 18th - Fundraiser Kickoff in School
September 26th - Event Day/Fun Run
More details to come! Follow our social pages and sign up to be a PTA member for updates on our fundraiser.
Questions? Email Juliet Prillaman at waysandmeans@unionmillpta.org.
Membership
PTA Memberships are only good for one year. Members get PTA information first, discounts and benefits at PTA-sponsored events, and are the first to know about volunteer opportunities at the school!
Why Join?
Membership is only $15/year for a family and $7.50/year for an individual or staff member and shows you value our school community - students, staff and your fellow parents and caregivers. It’s a small investment - you spend more than that on Starbucks or gas every week! Show your love and support of Union Mill and click here to join today.
Office Hours
Monday - Friday - 8:00 am - 4:15 pm
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