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Volume 3, Issue 6; September 1, 2024
Centre Ridge All-Stars
Partnerships ensure that all students have access to the resources, support, and encouragement they need to succeed!
Dear CRES Community,
Dr. Hertzberg, Ms. Baugh, Ms. Sutton, Ms. Helmer, and Ms. Ford
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What Is a School Board?
The Fairfax County School Board is responsible for running the public schools in Fairfax County. Twelve School Board members are elected by county voters every four years.
A student representative serves on the board as a non-voting member. They are chosen by their peers each year.
The School Board makes general rules and sets guidelines to ensure Fairfax County Public Schools runs properly. They follow the laws of Virginia and the rules set by the Virginia Board of Education.
Learning about your local School Board is important. Understanding their policies and initiatives can help you advocate for positive changes and ensure that the educational needs of all students are met. There are many ways to get involved.
Learn more about the School Board, how to participate in their meetings, and where to watch their meetings.
Back-to-School Message from our School Board Member, Seema Dixit
2024 Student Rights and Responsibilities
FCPS’ Student Rights and Responsibilities document (SR&R) explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment. Read Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid’s letter to families regarding the SR&R.
Parents/caregivers should talk to their child(ren) about expectations for this school year. Also, please log in to SIS ParentVUE and sign to acknowledge your review of the SR&R, or sign and return the signature sheet to your child’s school by Monday, September 30th.
You can submit questions online regarding the SR&R.
✨ 2023-30 Strategic Plan: Foundation of Four Pillars
While the five goals of FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan focus on student success, the four pillars describe what FCPS must do well to reach our goals for all students:
- The first focus of the pillars is on teaching and learning. We want to make sure each and every student has access to excellent and inclusive learning environments, and that instruction meets students’ individual needs.
- The second pillar focuses on our connection with families and our communities. We cannot do this work alone. Strong partnerships are key to our students’ success.
- The third pillar is centered on our hiring and maintaining a world class, diverse workforce. We want to make sure our incredible employees have what they need to help our students thrive.
- The fourth and final pillar centers on how we bring this all together. We remain focused on creating a culture of equity, excellence, and accountability where data guides our decisions.
Visit our Strategic Plan webpage for more information.
Safety Drills During the School Year
Keeping students and staff safe is a priority for FCPS. Each school has an emergency preparedness plan to respond to incidents such as fires and tornadoes. Schools are required by state law to practice emergency drills, including lockdown drills, each year. Schools are also required to notify parents and guardians at least 24 hours before a school conducts a lockdown drill. However, schools are not required to give the specific date and time of the drill in advance.
The first lockdown drill of the school year must take place within the first 20 days of school. Preschool and kindergarten students are exempt from practicing the first lockdown drill.
Your child may come home and talk about their experience during the drill. We encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Please review these frequently asked questions to support your students before and after school lockdown drills.
⚠️ Know Our Security Terms
FCPS uses specific terminology to describe the actions school staff and students should take to ensure safety in a variety of situations. It is important for staff, families, and students to understand what the different terms mean and how they impact school operations.
Watch this video to learn about safety terms including lockdown; secure the building; and stay put, stay tuned.
If students, staff, or community members have a safety concern at school (that is not an immediate emergency), they should submit a tip to the FCPS Safety Tipline. In an emergency, please call 9-1-1.
🎤 Community Conversations with Superintendent Dr. Reid
Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid invites you to share your questions or concerns regarding Fairfax County Public Schools. Your voice matters! Community Conversations will be held this Fall 6:30-7:30 pm on:
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Monday, September 9, at Holmes Middle School
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Monday, September 23, at Newington Forest Elementary
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Monday, September 30, at Mount Vernon Woods Elementary
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Monday, October 14, at Fairhill Elementary
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Monday, October 21, at Virginia Run Elementary
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Wednesday, October 30, at Herndon Middle
Click the date above to register. Registration is not required but helps with planning. Additional registration links will be shared in next week’s This Week at FCPS. Childcare and interpretation services will be provided. Events are open to all. Find out about other opportunities to connect with Dr. Reid.
Cell Phones Off, Learning On
Thank you for helping to support the FCPS cell phone policy by waiting to call or text your child about non-urgent matters until the school day is over. In case of an emergency, it is always best to contact the school’s front office to reach your child during class time.
Visit the FCPS Cell Phone Policy webpage to read more about usage policies by grade level and to share your feedback on the current cell phone policy.
🙋 Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!
September is Attendance Awareness Month. It’s the perfect time to learn about attendance issues, absenteeism, and the impact of attendance on academic achievement and success. September attendance is predictive of the rest of the year! Let’s start strong!
Students who attend school regularly are more likely to perform well in reading and math, develop strong social and emotional skills, and graduate from high school on time. Help prepare your child for future success. Visit FCPS’ Attendance webpage for tips and strategies.
Solve the Puzzle Before It’s Gone!
Fairfax County's Puzzle Hunt will end on Sunday, September 15. Families have been solving puzzles and finding clues all summer in this unique community event that takes solvers on a journey to the wonderful parks in Fairfax County. There is still time to join before it ends!
Puzzles are filled with creative thinking, logic, and wordplay. They are designed to be completed with friends and family and are challenging and accessible for all skill levels. Solve the puzzles, then find clues at the parks for a final meta-puzzle. Visit our wonderful local parks with friends and family.
Ronnie Ram's Homerun Highlights!
We love highlighting learning experiences that support the acquisition of Portrait of a Graduate attributes and skills across our classrooms!
Supporting some of our littlest learners from day one with literacy skills that will last a lifetime! Thank you to our entire pre-K and preschool team for their efforts in ensuring our students are #communicators and #goal-directed individuals!
For more information on Portrait of a Graduate, ask your child how they are a communicator, collaborator, critical and creative thinker, goal-directed and resilient individual, or ethical and global citizen. Or, click here!
Please click on our main hashtags, #CRESSchoolofDreams and #CRESAllStars, for more awesome highlights from Centre Ridge!
We will continue to expand our social media presence this year!
Twitter and InstagRAM
DedicatED: For Parents and Teachers
9 Tips to Make the Most of Your Parent-Teacher Conference
By The Understood Team
During Back-to-School Night, you will have the opportunity to schedule a parent-teacher conference. These conferences are typically scheduled in mid-to-late October and early November. Our teachers appreciate taking time to connect with families about their children, and we want to make the most of this time together. Please read this article for some tips to support you in navigating your time with your child's teacher. For our kindergarten families, this conference is in lieu of your child's first progress report.
Article in English
Article in Spanish
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Family Literacy Program: Learn English!
Who: For parents with children in FCPS or with children from 3-5 years old.
When: Classes start September 17th; Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 am-12 pm (You can join anytime!)
Where: At Centre Ridge Elementary!
For more information, please contact Mary Pierri, our Family Liaison, at (703) 227-2600.
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Please Mark Your Calendars!
Great news! Centre Ridge Elementary School's events are now easily added to your own personal calendar. To find out how to download our calendar feed, please go here.
Monday, September 2nd: Labor Day Holiday
Thursday, September 5th: Back-to-School Night (UPDATED!)
Please plan on arriving early to secure a parking spot. We encourage carpooling. We have planned for interpreters for Spanish, Arabic, and Korean for each grade level presentation.
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5:00 PM-
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5:45 PM
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Grades PreK, Preschool, K
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5:45 PM-
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6:30 PM
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Grades 1, 2
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6:30 PM-
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7:15 PM
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Grades 3, 4
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7:15 PM-
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8:00 PM
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Grades 5, 6
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Monday, September 16th: ESOL Team Parent Coffee, 9:15 am, Cafeteria
Tuesday, September 17th: First day of our Family Literacy Program, 10 am;
PTA Meeting, 7 pm, Library (online and in-person) RSVP here!
See the complete 2024-2025 school year calendar.
FCPS Cares Program
Recognizing employees who go above and beyond
FCPS Cares is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize those who go above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story so we can all acknowledge the outstanding work of FCPS, and more specifically, Centre Ridge employees.
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Ram Reflection
To provide feedback directly to Dr. Hertzberg, please use the QR code, or click on this link. Thank you, in advance, for sharing your thinking!
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