In this Paw Print:

• Principal's Message 🗣️
• Back to School Nights 🗓️
• Lockdown Drill Information 🔒
• Monitor Help Wanted 🙋🏽
• Panther Prowl 🐾
• House T-Shirt Design Contest 👕🎨
• Movement Photos Needed! 🦮🕺🏽🤾🏽‍♀️
• Complete Digital Forms 🖱️
• Testing Updates 💻
• Annual Asha-Jyothi 5K Run 👟
• PTA Announcements 📣

Dear Poplar Tree Families,

This week we had our House System Reveal Assembly! It was very exciting as each class discovered their assigned house color. The energy and enthusiasm in the gym were awesome! You can see photos and videos of the event on Facebook or Instagram!

The purpose of our House System is to foster a sense of belonging, community, and friendly competition among our students. By grouping students into different houses, we aim to create a supportive environment where they can make new friends and develop teamwork skills. Our houses will also meet throughout the year for morning meetings and closing circles. Within each house, we have buddy classes. Our buddy classes will also get together from time to time to do a variety of activities that will encourage creative & critical thinking skills! 

Thanks to our wonderful PTA and the Panther Prowl, EVERY student will receive a House T-Shirt. You can find more information about this below where you can also share your child's T-shirt size by registering!

We hope everyone enjoys the long weekend!

Sue Andujar, Principal

Amy Alley, Assistant Principal

🗓️ Back to School Night Details 🗓️

We are so excited to see our parents and caregivers for Back to School Night in the next two weeks! This is the schedule for the night:

• OPTIONAL: 6:00 - 6:30
  • Meet our specialists in the library
  • Get a preview of the Family Life Education (FLE) curriculum in Ms. Stauber's music room.
• 6:30 - 6:55 
  • Session 1: Visit your child's classroom
• 7:00 - 7:25
  • Session 2: Visit your child's classroom

If you have more than one child to visit on a particular night, we will have 2 sessions each night so you can be sure to visit both teachers!

🔒 Lockdown Drill Next Week 🔒

Every school in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has a crisis management and emergency preparedness plan in place. Keeping students and staff safe is a priority. We practice a number of safety drills throughout the school year, including lockdown drills which helps us know what to do if there is a potentially violent intruder inside the school or on school property.

Next week, our school will conduct a lockdown drill and teachers will talk to students to prepare them for the drill.

 Additional guidance on discussions with your child about lockdown drills can be found in the Parent/Guardian tip letter, as well as on the frequently asked questions (FAQs) page.

Our emergency preparedness plans have been developed in coordination with the FCPS Office of Safety and Security, local law enforcement, emergency management officials, and FCPS mental health professionals. The plans are regularly reviewed and updated and include procedures on how to respond to critical incidents such as fires, tornadoes, and other events. Students and staff regularly practice safety drills.

We will continue to keep you informed of safety and security measures in place at our school. If you have questions, please call or contact the school office.  We appreciate your continued support in these matters.

🙋🏽 Student Monitor Needed!🙋🏽

We are looking for an energetic person who may be looking for an opportunity to join our Poplar Tree staff on Wednesdays. Poplar Tree is a positive work environment, and we are ready to fill the following opportunity with members of our community. Applicants must be 18 or older.

Description

Provides supervision of students throughout the school day, including but not limited to the classroom, hallways, lunch, recess, specials, and at arrival/dismissal; helps maintain order and discipline and assists in managing the behavior of students; operates technology; performs administrative and non-instructional duties; ensures all layered prevention/safety protocols and procedures are implemented and followed.

Qualifications

Any combination of education and experience is equivalent to graduation from high school. Must be comfortable managing student behaviors in large and small groups, ensuring all layered prevention/safety protocols and procedures are implemented and followed, and have general familiarity/skills with basic office technology in support of teachers, students, and the classroom.

Please pass this information along to anyone you may know. 

Interested applicants should contact Amy Alley (avalley@fcps.edu) or at 703-633-7400.

👟Save the Date - Panther Prowl!🐾

• What: A one mile fun run through the Poplar Tree community!
• When: Friday, October 25, 2024
• Where: Starting and ending at Poplar Tree
• Why: To have fun, build community, and help raise funds for our school!

We are so excited to announce our 5th annual Panther Prowl Fun Run! Sponsored by our Poplar Tree PTA, this event is a great way for our community to come together and fundraise to support our school!

Register by September 15th to ensure we have your student’s t-shirt size. Every student will receive a t-shirt based on their house color. Register your student or re-login to your parent dashboard and complete your student’s webpage at getmovinfundhub.com. School Identifier: 64f23ac4c07c5

(Please register even if your child cannot attend so we can get their T-shirt size!!)

We will have sign ups at both Back to School Nights – Tuesday, September 3 & 10. Bring cash as we’ll also have jars out to represent each house! As houses collectively raise money, they will get prizes!

Incentive lists for fundraising are coming soon - check your email, social media, and the Poplar Tree PTA website for details!

We can’t wait for this fun event and look forward to participation from our community!

👕House T-Shirt Design Contest🎨

How awesome would it be if YOUR design was featured on this year's House T-Shirt?! All designs are due by Friday, September 20 and must be submitted on THIS FORM - also linked in the Poplar Tree Student Schoology course!

We can't wait to see your creative designs!!

🦮🕺🏽Movement Photos Needed!🤾🏽‍♀️

Welcome to PE with Ms. Loudin, Ms. Rosenfeld, & Ms. Birge! We would love to include your child's picture on our PE bulletin board featuring all the ways we love to move and be active. If you would like to participate, please send a picture of your child being active by September 13. You may send an actual photo or send the photo digitally to Ms. Loudin (eeloudin@fcps.edu) or Ms. Rosenfeld (aerosenfeld@fcps.edu). Activities could be anything from walking the dog or dancing in the kitchen or playing a favorite sport!

We can't wait to see all our active Poplar Tree Panthers!

✅ Important Action Items ✅

Thank you to those families who have completed the digital consent and early release Monday forms! For those of you who have not, please do so as soon as possible! 

• Make sure you have a SIS ParentVUE account. If you do not have access to ParentVUE, please contact our School Information Assistant, Claudia Munson at caguitjensmu@fcps.edu or our School Based Technology Specialist, Leslie Leisey at lfleisey@fcps.edu. 
• Complete the digital consent forms for your child. You will use your ParentVUE username and password to login to the Parent Digital Consent. Here you will provide consent for your child to use many of our digital resources or opt out of a variety of FCPS services.
• Complete THIS FORM indicating your plan for our first two 3-hour early release Mondays on September 23 and October 28. This form must be completed for each child.

We appreciate your help with this!!

Academic Screening, Growth, and Diagnostic Tests

The Virginia government requires assessments for the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA), Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program (VKRP) in all schools. These assessments help state officials understand literacy and school readiness needs across Virginia. Test results also help teachers, school leaders, and families know how to support each student’s learning and development. The Academic Screening, Growth, and Diagnostic Tests webpage  (https://www.fcps.edu/academic-screening-growth-and-diagnostic-tests) provides more information on these tests.

Our students will be taking these tests during the 1st quarter. You can which tests each grade level will be administering below. 

In addition to the EMAS, VKRP also requires PreK-K teachers to observe a student’s self-regulation and social skills using the Child Behavior Rating Scale (CBRS).   

Based on academic screening results, some students may require a reading plan or math intervention plan. Some students may need additional diagnostic tests to help teachers determine specific areas for support. If you have further questions about these assessments, please contact your student’s teacher or one of our school test coordinators Amy Alley, avalley@fcps.edu or Leslie Leisey, lfleisey@fcps.edu.

🖐🏼Join the PTA! 🖐🏼

Our PTA supports the school in many ways! Join the PTA today to help contribute to our awesome school community!

Join here: http://www.poplartreepta.org

👩🏽‍💻👨🏽‍🍳New After-School Classes This Fall!♟️

Cooking, coding, chess, and more! The PTA is excited to offer an expanded line-up of after-school classes this fall, beginning in late September. Stay tuned to the Paw Print and Friday folders for more details soon. You must be an active PTA member in order to sign up your students for after-school classes. Renew your membership today and be ready for registration!

13440 Melville Lane, Chantilly, VA 20151  |  Main Phone: 703.633.7400
Attendance: 703.633.7474 or PoplarTreeESAttendance@fcps.edu
Website | Twitter