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Hello Mustang Families,
This week's edition of the "MUES Weekly News & Announcements" is full of upcoming events that families might be interested in attending. Next week, we will have two evening events that I hope you're able to attend. The first is AAP Parent Information Night where families can learn about the tiered levels of academic support provided to our Mustangs while at school. This event will take place for all McNair families on Monday evening at 6:00 PM at McNair ES.
The second event that I'd like to personally invite you to attend is our September PTA general membership meeting, which will be held at 6:30 PM on Wednesday evening at McNair Upper ES. We hope to grow our membership base this school year so that we can offer a variety of fun-filled family events for you to attend, host after school clubs, and recognize our hard working staffs throughout the school year.
As always, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need support. Have a nice weekend!
Your Proud Principal,
Mrs. Goddin
MMGoddin@fcps.edu
he Early Release Mondays planned throughout the school year for elementary schools are essential to allow educators time for planning and professional development. Students will be dismissed 3 hours early seven times throughout the school year and are encouraged to return home via their normal route. However, we understand there may be a childcare hardship because of the early release Mondays for many of our families. To resolve these concerns, student supervision will be available for families who need it.
The following dates are planned for Early Release Mondays throughout the school year:
- September 23
- October 28
- December 9 (new date)
- February 24
- March 17
- April 28
- May 19
To help plan for our school’s childcare needs during the early release Mondays, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/YKctLCWHcrhcVfCU7 for each of your children who are enrolled at McNair Upper Elementary. The form covers the first two early release Mondays, scheduled for September 23, 2024 and October 28, 2024. If you have multiple children, you will need to submit multiple forms. Staff will confirm the after school supervision plan for each student.
The deadline for the fall Full-Time Advanced Academics referral is approaching. All materials should be submitted to Mrs. Janofsky, the McNair Upper AART, by Tuesday, October 15 at 11:59pm.The fall screening window is for students newly enrolled in FCPS after January 2024. Scroll down to the "Full Time Services" section on this website for the referral form and other important information. For detailed instructions regarding documentation and work samples, click here and scroll down to the "Screening Files" section. October 15 is a firm deadline. Please plan ahead and ask questions early! You can email Mrs. Janofsky at mljanofsky@fcps.edu.
As a community, we have had some questions around election campaigns. Although campaign activity is prohibited on school grounds during the school day, individuals are generally permitted outside of schools during off-hours, and when schools are open for events. This includes individuals who are handing out political leaflets, as long as they are not creating a disturbance, or a risk to health or safety. Additionally, Fairfax County Public Schools does not endorse candidates or political parties. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Goddin at MMGoddin@fcps.edu.
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As you plan upcoming trips and other family events, please remember the importance of sending your child to school every day. Review the FCPS School Year Calendar and try to plan any time away during breaks from school.
Children who show up for school regularly develop fundamental reading and math skills while building a habit of good attendance that will carry them into college and careers. Research shows that children who were chronically absent (missing 18 days or more) in kindergarten and first grade were far less likely to read proficiently at the end of third grade.
Learn how families can help form good attendance habits.
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Last night we held McNair Upper’s FLE Parent Preview Night. The slide deck presented can be accessed here. Parents/guardians may choose to opt their child out of all or part of the Family Life Education program. Students who are opted out are provided with age-appropriate, nonpunitive alternative health instruction, and every effort is made to foster respect for family choices. To opt your child out of any FLE lessons click the Parent Digital Consent Directions. Please reach out to your child’s teacher or Cliff Credle at cmcredle@fcps.edu if you have any questions.
Advanced Academics Program Elementary Services Parent Overview
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Monday, September 16th –6:00-7:00 PM in the cafeteria at McNair Elementary (PreK-2 building)
You are invited to join for an information session with Kaitlin Burg (McNair ES Advanced Academic Resource Teacher) and Mallory Janofsky (McNair Upper ES Advanced Academic Resource Teacher). We will provide an overview of Advanced Academics in FCPS and explain the AAP levels of service. This information will not be focused on Full Time AAP screening. That content will be discussed at a separate meeting in October (see below)
Full Time AAP Screening Overview
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Monday, October 21 –6:00-7:00 PM in the cafeteria at McNair Upper Elementary School (G3-6 building)
Kaitlin Burg (McNair ES Advanced Academic Resource Teacher) and Mallory Janofsky (McNair Upper ES Advanced Academic Resource Teacher) will host this information session for parents interested in learning about the Full-Time AAP screening process. We will discuss the FCPS screening timeline, the Full-Time AAP referral, the family’s role in the referral process, and the eligible/ineligible notification process. Second through 6th graders at McNair Elementary and McNair Upper Elementary are eligible for Full Time AAP screening. Families of younger students are also welcome to attend if they would like.
Spanish translation will be available at each session. Please contact us directly if you need a translator for a different language.
We will share the slide decks on our respective websites following each meeting.
You are welcome to reach out to your school’s AART with questions about either session.
McNair Elementary: PreK-2 Mrs. Burg (kmburg@fcps.edu)
McNair Upper: Grades 3-6 Mallory Janofsky (mljanofsky@fcps.edu)
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McNair Upper is excited to welcome volunteers into our school to support staff and students. If you are interested in helping to support our school community during the school day, please attend one of our upcoming volunteer orientations.
- Wednesday, September 25th at 2:45 p.m.
- Thursday, September 26th at 8:50 a.m.
Please attend only one.
Volunteers can help in the Mustang Stable during lunchtime, help shelf books in the library, serve as a room parent for your child’s classroom teacher to help organize events for your child’s class and stuff Thursday Folders. We are also seeking 6th grade families who may like to assist with planning our annual 6th grade promotion ceremony, luncheon, and party in June. More information will be communicated to 6th grade families in January with a meeting time to begin planning for our annual 6th grade festivities and traditions.
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Calling all students in Grades 2-6!
Date: Sunday, September 29, 2024
Time: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. (lunch at noon)
Place: Westfield High School (Gym Entrance - Door #11)
Click here to register.
All participants will have the opportunity to perform with the Varsity Dance Team at halftime of the Varsity Football Game vs. Wakefield on Friday, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m. Registration fee includes pizza, snacks, and an official WHS Dance Team t-shirt!
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The PTA supports our schools through help from our community. One way we do that is through the help of our wonderful volunteers! Whether you're available for an hour a year or an hour a week to pitch in - we have opportunities that meet everyone's busy schedule!
As we are so appreciative of our past Board Members, we are excited to announce that we have a new President, Lorelei Cheung, and VP of Communications, Sayanti Dasgupta. We are appreciative of their dedication to our school community and look forward to our journey together this school year.
While we celebrate these new additions, there are still several key positions open that are crucial for our PTA's success. We encourage you to get involved and consider taking on one of the following roles:
- VP of Outreach and Fundraising
- VP of Events and Programs
- Financial secretary
For more information or to apply, please reach out to our PTA at board@mcnairespta.org.
Some of the ways that our PTA supports our students are the following:
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School Clubs: Some examples include Art Club, Science Club, Debate Club etc., which provide students with enriching extracurricular opportunities.
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Competitions: Like the Spelling Bee, Science Olympiad, Odyssey of the Mind, Reflections, ACSL, FLL etc., which inspire and challenge our students.
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Community Events: Including Family Fun Nights, Holiday Parties, and Fundraising Activities, which foster a sense of community and engagement that supports our school.
The future of our PTA—and the valuable programs and events we provide—depends on your involvement. Please consider stepping up to ensure that our PTA remains a vibrant and effective part of our school community.
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- September 16th: AAP Services Parent Overview at 6:00 PM/Location: McNair Elementary (PreK-2 location)
- September 18th: PTA General Membership meeting at 6:30 PM/Location: McNair Upper ES (cafeteria)
- September 23rd: Three-Hour Early Release; Dismissal is at 12:30 PM
- October 2nd: Coming Soon! Family Coffee Talk at 9:00 AM (Topic: Benchmark, our new division-wide literacy basal)
- October 3rd: Rosh Hashanah; school closed in observance of this holiday
- October 4th: Staff Development Day; school closed for students
- October 10th: 1st Quarter Interims sent home in Thursday Folders
- October 21st: Full-Time AAP Screening Overview at 6:00 PM/Location: McNair Upper ES (3-6 school)
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