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Message from Mrs. Fallert
Dear Island Creek Families,
Thank you to the Island Creek PTA, Families, and Staff for your support with today's Croc Rock-N-Run! An extra thank you for the amazing leadership and organizational skills of Jodi VanWoerkom, PTA President; Christine Mehrtash, School Based Technology Specialist; and Lindsey Barber, PE Teacher!
Students were excited, energetic, and had fun during their run. They loved the music, balloon arch, and T-shirts from the PTA! As a bonus, we had perfect weather.
We hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and thank you for entrusting your amazing children with us, as it is an honor to serve the Island Creek community!
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Your Proud Administration Team,
Jen Fallert, Principal
Karen Baxter, Assistant Principal
Denise Cash-Pinckney, Assistant Principal
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Should you have questions, suggestions, or concerns, please reach out to your child's teacher. Additionally, the following staff are here to support and may be reached via email or by calling the front office at 571-642-6300.
Jen Fallert, Principal (jrfallert@fcps.edu)
Karen Baxter, Assistant Principal (kpbaxter@fcps.edu)
Denise Cash-Pinckney, Assistant Principal (dcashpinckne@fcps.edu)
Nikki Bohnert, School Counselor (anbohnert@fcps.edu)
Trina Clinkscales, School Counselor (trclinckscale@fcps.edu)
Jermaine Perkins, School Psychologist (jtperkins@fcps.edu)
Allison DeGregorio, Social Worker (amdegregorio@fcps.edu)
Corinne Washington, Public Health Nurse (cwashington@fcps.edu)
 Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is proud to participate in Blue Star Welcome Week from September 21-29, 2024, a special time to welcome military-connected families to our community. This annual celebration, hosted by the non-profit organization Blue Star Families, is a nationwide campaign to recognize our military-connected families and show them our appreciation for their service.
During this week, Island Creek Elementary will be celebrating Blue Star Welcome Week by announcing the first names of our new military-connected students on the Morning News Show. The staff at Island Creek Elementary wants our military-connected students to feel welcome and for them to know they’re an important part of our school community.
 From September 15th to October 15th, FCPS recognizes and celebrates the histories and cultures of the members of our community who trace their heritage to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS. Learn more about National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Exciting things are happening at Island Creek in STEAM education! STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics, and it's all about integrating these subjects to foster creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Island Creek continues to bring this innovative approach to the classroom, where students explore real-world problems and develop solutions through hands-on projects and collaborative activities. From designing simple machines to coding robots and creating artistic presentations of scientific concepts, STEAM education makes learning engaging and relevant.
For the first few weeks of school, we had the students “do CRUT.” All the kids looked at each other and had no clue what CRUT was. That was the point of the activity. Students worked creatively for 15-20 minutes, using supplies in the center of the table. Their creativity, teamwork, communication, and collaboration shined through! Were there bumps in the road? Of Course, but they were resilient! CRUT stands for Cooperation Respect Understanding and Trust. Take a look below at some of our students’ creations.
Stay tuned for more updates on how our young learners are thriving in this dynamic educational environment!
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Our Crocs have already embarked on many reading adventures this year, with 4,372 books checked out during our first month! Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade lessons have focused on becoming familiar with library routines, locations of books in the library, and taking care of library books. |
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1st and 2nd Grade students engaged in a See, Think, and Wonder investigation of a primary source photograph about child labor and then read Mother Jones and Her Army of Mill Children, a narrative nonfiction book about a famous march of child workers from Philadelphia to New York in 1903.
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4th grade students were introduced to the Island Creek History Hunters year-long scavenger hunt, which encourages 4th grade students to dig deeper into their study of Virginia history and Virginia ecosystems by reading Virginia historical markers and visiting historical sites, state parks, and National Park Service sites in Virginia.
Ranger Jen Rudnick of the National Park Service visited Island Creek Library for an assembly for all 4th grade students to kick off 4th graders’ participation in Every Kid Outdoors, which encourages families of 4th grade students to visit National Parks and other public lands. 4th grade Crocs each received an individual America the Beautiful pass (valued at $80) for use through August 2025, which covers standard entrance fees at National Parks and other federal recreational lands. Island Creek 4th graders can earn History Hunters points for all Junior Ranger badges earned at National Park Service units in VA, MD, DC, and WV, so this is a great year for a Virginia staycation! Popular books about National Parks in our collection can also be adventures for the imagination or help plan adventures for your family.
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4th and 5th grade library students engaged in a challenging Breakout activity related to Constitution Day. Similar to an Escape Room, a Breakout is a series of puzzles to be solved in teams. In our fictional scenario, the two founding fathers from Fairfax County, George Washington and George Mason, have been kidnapped and transported through time. Crocs solved tricky knowledge challenges to open 10 locks and release one of the founding fathers in time to travel back to 1787 to sign the Constitution. Do you know which founding father from Fairfax refused to sign the Constitution and why? Ask your 4th or 5th grader!
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During the first week of Hispanic Heritage Month, many students have checked out books from our featured displays of Hispanic Heritage biographies, picture books by Hispanic authors and illustrators, and Hispanic Heritage chapter books.
We have many new books in our collection, including wonderful new biographies made possible with support from our Island Creek PTA. With your student logged into their FCPS Google account, you can browse and put holds on books to read together as a family from our Hispanic Heritage Biography, Hispanic Heritage Picture Books, and Hispanic Heritage Chapter Book collections on our Island Creek Library catalog. These books are on display in the front of our library during Hispanic Heritage Month and are wonderful to read any time of year!
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We invite Island Creek families to join us on Thursday, October 17 between 5:00-6:30 for our Social Emotional Learning Fair! We will have interactive activites, information, mindfulness, and more! We will also have a Food Truck!
Advanced Academics News
New to County Full-Time Referrals
Are you new to FCPS? Are you interested in referring your child in grades 3-8 for Full-Time Advanced Academics services? Full-Time referrals for the fall screening cycle are due Tuesday, October 15, 2024. Full-Time referrals for all other students are due no later than Sunday, December 15, 2024. Please visit the FCPS AAP site for helpful information regarding the continuum of services and the referral process. For more information about all of the AAP services we offer, please visit your child’s Schoology course and look in the Advanced Academics Folder for the AAP Fall Newsletter. Use your ParentVUE login credentials to access Schoology. If you have any questions, please contact our Advanced Academics Resource Teacher (AART), Emily Mextorf, at eamextorf@fcps.edu
Elementary Parent/Guardian Information Meeting
A parent information meeting focusing on the AAP levels of service and the Full-Time referral process will be held virtually and in-person on Wednesday, October 9 at 9:00 in the cafeteria. Our AART, Ms. Mextorf, and Assistant Principal, Ms. Cash-Pinckney, will provide information about levels of service and answer questions about the advanced academic continuum of services and the Full-Time screening process. You may attend in-person or access the meeting virtually by clicking this link. After the meeting, the slides will be shared via email. If you have any questions, please contact our AART, Emily Mextorf, at eamextorf@fcps.edu
We invite families to join us at our Coffee and Conversations! No worries if you are unable to attend as session information will be made available on our website. Our next Coffee and Conversations is on Wednesday, October 9 at 9:00 and the topic is Advanced Academics.
The Sibshop workshops are for children in grades 2-6 enrolled in Fairfax County Public Schools who have siblings with special needs. They will:
- Meet other siblings in a relaxed setting.
- Celebrate the many contributions made by brothers and sisters of children with special needs.
- Share sibling experiences and receive peer support.
- Play games and have fun!
October 4, 2024, 9 a.m.- noon
Jim Scott Community Center 3001 Vaden Dr. Fairfax, VA 22031
Presented by FCPS School Social Work Services
Register Online
Fairfax County Public Schools is proud of its caring culture and strives to provide a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space for all students and families. The FCPS Trust Policy solidifies this commitment and aligns with Fairfax County Goverment's Public Trust and Confidentiality Policy. It ensures that FCPS students and families can access FCPS benefits and services without fear that information will be disclosed, directly or indirectly, to federal immigration officials. Please visit FCPS’ Trust Policy webpage to learn more about the policy and regulation in multiple languages.
Upcoming Dates
❤️Thursday, October 3: Rosh Hashanah (No school for students and staff)
❤️Friday, October 4: Teacher Workday (No school for students)
❤️Wednesday, October 9: Advanced Academics Family Information Session (9:00-10:00; in-person or virtual link; slides will be shared)
❤️Thursday, October 17: SEL Fair for Families (5-6:30)
❤️Monday, October 21: 3-Hour early release at 12:20 for school-age students
❤️Thursday, October 31: Book Character day; 2-Hour early release for students (1:20)
❤️Friday, November 1: Diwali and All Saints Day (No school for students and staff)
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