Weekly Message

Students to Be Surveyed on Social-Emotional Learning

FCPS is committed to supporting the mental wellness of all students. The Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener helps our students share their perspectives on how their schools and communities support them and help them develop the skills they need to succeed.

The screener is offered to all students in grades 3 through 12 in the fall and spring. It addresses skills such as achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships with adults and peers, and making responsible decisions. Students also share how successful their school and community are at making them feel valued, included, and supported. Screener data is used to plan programming for the division, schools, and individual students. 

After each screening, results will be available in the Documents tab of SIS ParentVUE and mailed to families who don’t have a ParentVUE account. For more information, please visit the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage.

Families who wish to opt their child out may do so by completing the opt-out form in the Annual Notice packet or SIS ParentVUE. For more information, please visit the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage or contact our front office. 

Please note that the SEL Screener is not the same as the anonymous Fairfax County Youth Survey, which will take place later this fall for Grade 6 students.

ADVANCED ACADEMIC PROGRAMS (AAP) PARENT INFORMATION SESSION

A parent information session will be held on Monday, September 30, 2024 @ 5PM in the OES Library.  An overview of AAP services and the identification & screening for full-time services will be shared. 

For more information please visit:  FCPS AAP.  Please note for families (grades 3-6) new to FCPS boundaries as of January 1, 2024, the Fall Screening parent referral for full-time AAP services is due on October 15, 2024.  For current FCPS families in grades 2-6, the Spring Screening parent referral for full-time AAP services is due on December 15, 2024.

Ability Testing
FCPS uses ability testing as one consideration of the holistic screening process for advanced academic services. Test scores are not weighted or prioritized in the holistic screening process.  
• All students in Grade 1 take the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT).
• All students in Grade 2 take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). 
• NNAT and/or CogAT may be administered to students in Grades 3-6 who do not have an ability test score during the regularly scheduled testing windows.  
Parents or guardians may request a one-time retest of either the CogAT or the NNAT in grades 3-6. Requests must be made during the fall testing windows. Please contact the school testing coordinator, Abby Holzinger, acholzinger@fcps.edu, no later than October 2 to request a one-time retest of the CogAT or October 15 for the NNAT.

Any questions? Please contact the Advanced Academic Resource Teachers (AARTs), Christine Neubauer, cmplagataneu@fcps.edu or Ellen Donnelly, ejdonnelly@fcps.edu.   Please email AARTs the Parent full-time AAP referral form to apply for full-time services.