From the School Administration
Dear Belvedere Families,
Thank you for making this week so special! We had a wonderful evening celebrating the beautiful mural created by the talented artists of Task Tarea. The SEVAtruck foundation was here with their food truck to feed all in attendance, and they were able to serve over 100 meals! It was a true community event where families had the chance to connect with each other and with the Task Tarea artists.
Last night’s Back to School Night was successful. Families were excited to learn more about what students are experiencing at school. We were also fortunate to have many interpreters available to assist families. Thanks to all of you; it was a truly special evening.
Wishing everyone a peaceful and restful weekend.
Sincerely,
Cecilia Vanderhye, Principal
Tara Boone, Assistant Principal
Kelly Cabezas, Assistant Principal
Join Us for Our Monthly Parent Coffee!
Please join us for our first Parent Coffee of the 2024-2025 school year!
Friday, September 27, 2024; 9:30am in the cafeteria
Family Resource Center News
The Family Resource Center (FRC) offers free webinars, confidential consultations, a lending library, and resources to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities. The center was formerly named the Parent Resource Center.
The office hours are from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday - Friday. We encourage families and staff to make an appointment for consultations, especially when requiring an interpreter.
SEL Screener Upcoming
One of the ways FCPS supports the mental wellness of all students is the SEL Screener.
Students in grades 3-5 will take the fall SEL Screener on October 16th. Through the screener, the student provides information on their skills like achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships with adults and peers, and making responsible decisions.
The SEL Screener also helps students evaluate their school community’s efforts to make them feel valued, included, and supported. Screener data is used to create the learning, experiences, and environments students need to be successful.
Please view the FCPS SEL this website for more information : Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener | Fairfax County Public Schools (fcps.edu) or reach out to Paige Simpson, Screener lead for BES with any questions or concerns : Pesimpson1@fcps.edu
Justice Pyramid Night
Justice High School will be hosting our annual “Youth Night” for our Justice Pyramid at our Home Varsity Football Game on Friday, October 25th @ 7:00 PM vs Edison High School. All staff, families, and students are invited from our feeder schools! We are looking forward to an awesome night with our community.
We have some fun activities being planned by our activities office and SGA: Tunnel Run with the team, Pregame Trick or Treat, Pyramid Chorus National Anthem and more!
 
From the PE Department:
We are very excited to bring back our Bike Safety unit to Belvedere. We will start our unit on Monday, September 23rd. If your child has a helmet we highly encourage them to bring their helmets to school on their PE days. Students do have the option of bringing their own bike from home on their PE days. If your child is bringing their bike to school they can bring it right to the gym in the morning and we will label it and put it on the side for them but they must take their bikes back home the same day. Please NO training wheels! Students will not only learn how to ride a bike but rules of the road, how to ride through different terrains, hand signals etc. If you would like to volunteer to help assists student please sign up with our signup genius.
|
Belvedere is on Instagram
Welcome back, Belvedere families! 🎉 New school year, new Instagram account! 📸 We’re thrilled to share all the incredible moments ahead. Stay tuned and follow along!
https://www.instagram.com/belvedereelem/
FCPS Trust Policy Supports Caring Culture
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.
We All Belong at School
Each one of us is unique, and every student matters. If your student is having a difficult time attending class, please speak with a trusted adult at school.
Watch this video to see how everyone belongs at school. Visit our Attendance webpage for resources on attendance. Attend today, achieve tomorrow!
From our School Counselors
Career day is coming up on November 15th. We are seeking parents, family members, or neighbors of students from any grade level who are interesting in sharing about their careers. Please read this flyer for more details about the event and how to sign up.
✔️ Parent/Caregiver Checklist: Have You Completed These Important Forms?
We understand that the multiple school forms caregivers receive during the first weeks of school can feel overwhelming, but each one helps set your child up for a successful school year! If you do not have a SIS ParentVUE account, please contact your child’s school for an activation code and follow the directions on the SIS ParentVUE Account webpage.
🩹 Immunization Requirements
Please check with your healthcare provider as soon as possible to make sure your child is up to date on the immunizations required by the state of Virginia. Starting Monday, September 30, students who have not provided proof of immunization will not be allowed to attend school.
You may check your child’s immunization compliance and submit their immunization record in SIS ParentVUE. Records may also be delivered to your school’s front office.
Alternative immunization documents (below) may also be provided to your school’s front office, but they may not be uploaded in ParentVUE:
- A healthcare provider’s written statement specifying all administered immunizations.
- A healthcare provider’s written statement of a permanent or temporary medical exemption.
- A notarized Religious Exemption form objecting to the administration of immunizations due to conflicts with religious tenets or practices.
Find more information on immunizations.
📋 Permission Forms
Families can easily grant permission for their children to access a variety of school resources through the Parent Digital Consent system. Parents can opt their child in or out of resources including online educational tools, school counseling services, and tutoring services. They can also change how student information is managed.Visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. Watch this video to see how to use the tool.
Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R)
The SR&R document explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses. Parents using SIS ParentVUE will be prompted to sign the document when logging in to that platform. A printable version of the document with a signature sheet is available on the SR&R webpage. This form should be signed and returned by Friday, September 30.
From the Advanced Academics Resource Teacher
Belvedere will host an Advanced Academics Information Session on Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 6:00 PM. Please join us to learn about the continuum of services available through the Advanced Academics Program. Information is also found in the FCPS AAP Fall Newsletter attached.
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.
Supporting Your Child’s Mental Health
Children go through a lot of changes, and it can be hard to tell if their behavior is developmentally appropriate or if they could benefit from mental health support. It’s important to talk to your child and pay attention to their actions, especially these warning signs:
- Increased irritability, hyperactivity, energy, and/or aggressive behavior.
- Excessive sadness, hopelessness, or worries.
- Loss of appetite, or significant weight gain or loss.
- Lack of sleep or too much sleep.
- A decline in grades, school avoidance, or attendance concerns.
- Alcohol or drug use.
- Withdrawal from activities and/or friends and family.
- Thoughts of harming themselves or others.
If you notice any of these warning signs or feel your child may be experiencing a mental health challenge, help is available. Please contact Paige Simpson, our School Counselor at pesimpson1@fcps.edu, to discuss your concerns and identify resources. Find additional ways to support your child’s wellness.
If you or someone you care about is experiencing a mental health crisis such as thoughts of harming themselves or others, please take action right away. Call 988, go to the nearest emergency room, or contact the Sharon Bulova Center for Community Health Emergency Services at 703-573-5679.
FCPS CARES Program
The FCPS CARES Program allows parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees who go above and beyond to help others and show they care about their students, colleagues, and the community. We invite you to submit a story below to acknowledge the great work of an FCPS employee or group of employees who should receive FCPS CARES recognition.
Please take note of the following before submitting an FCPS CARES:
- A notification email, with the submission text included, will be sent to the recipient(s) and copied to the recipient's supervisor(s).
- All submissions will be posted to our FCPS CARES webpage and shared via other FCPS news outlets.
- Submissions containing personal or sensitive information may be edited to protect individuals' privacy.
- Feel free to compose your submission using a text editor such as Microsoft Word, and then paste it into the text box provided.
For questions, please email employeeawards@fcps.edu.
Read more and Submit an FCPS CARES today!
✨ The 2023-30 Strategic Plan — Goal 3: Academic Growth and Excellence
FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan sets five main goals to create positive change in the division. These goals show where we should focus our attention and will help us align our efforts.
Our third goal is for all students to achieve academic growth and excellence. We want our students to have the academic skills to be successful. For example, making sure they are readers by third grade and taking courses that challenge them throughout their education will help prepare them for lifelong success. See how Goal 3 is being put into practice.
🎤 Our Schools, Our Future: Register Today for a Community Conversation!
Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid will host a series of Community Conversations this fall. She invites you to share your thoughts and ask questions. Click the dates below to register for any of the following conversations:
-
Monday, September 23, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Newington Forest Elementary School.
-
Monday, September 30, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School.
-
Monday, October 14, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Fairhill Elementary School.
-
Monday, October 21, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Virginia Run Elementary School.
-
Wednesday, October 30, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Herndon Middle School.
Events will take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Childcare and language interpretation services will be provided.
Family Literacy Program
Join FCPS’S Family Literacy Program and help your child succeed. Learn English, connect with your community, and become a partner in your child's education. This is for adults who want to learn English.
The Family Literacy program is free to families. Classes meet twice a week for two hours.
- Fall classes start in September and end in mid-December, before FCPS’s winter break.
- There are no classes offered in January.
- Spring classes start the first week in February and end at the end of April.
This program is yearlong. Students are expected to attend both the fall and spring classes.
Register
- Email or call the contact at the school where you want to attend classes. Find your school here.
- If there is space, you will be invited to attend a class, either virtually or in-person. Someone from the Family Literacy program will contact you via email or by phone. If you decide to participate in a virtual program, a class link (Google Meet or Zoom) will be shared with you.
- Sign up as soon as possible!!!!
Updated Laptop Policy for Students in Grades 3-5: Taking Laptops Home
Based on feedback from last year, we are adjusting our device policy for students in Grades 3-5. Moving forward, families will have the option to opt-in for their child to bring home a school-issued laptop.
Key Points:
-
Opt-In Process: If your child needs to bring their laptop home regularly, please complete this opt-in form or let your child's teacher know that you'd like for them to bring their school-issued device home on a daily basis.
-
Default Option: If you do not opt-in, your child’s laptop will stay at school unless a specific assignment requires it to be taken home. The teacher will give families notification when laptops are being sent home with your child.
This change aims to protect our devices while ensuring that all students have equitable access to the technology they need. We will also provide MiFi devices for families who need internet access at home. Please reach out to Mr. Downing (kwdowning@fcps.edu) or your child's teacher if you have any questions.
🔍 Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity
FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.
Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.
Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.
🤒 When a Student Should Stay Home From School
Whether students miss school because of illness or any other reason, missing school leads to learning loss.
Help your child succeed by encouraging them to attend as many days as possible, but do make sure your child stays home if they are sick. Visit our website for information on when to keep your child at home.
If your child has a chronic illness, make sure to notify their teacher so that assistance can be provided if needed. Keep an open line of communication with your school's public health staff.
Read about how families can help form good attendance habits. Attend today, achieve tomorrow!
Free and Reduced-Price Meals (FRM)
Learn more about the criteria and process to apply for free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch.
 New October PTA meeting date: Oct. 9
Due to the October student break, the next PTA meeting will be on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 6:30 pm. We will discuss fall activities including Bingoween, the Election Day bake event, teacher support activities and Volunteer Night @ Total Wine. All subsequent PTA meetings will take place on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm. This meeting will be held both online and in person in the BES cafeteria. Spanish translation is available for all meetings as part of the virtual format, so please join us via Zoom if you require Spanish support. Children are welcome to join, and there will be space for them in the room to eat dinner, use electronics, read and/or color.
All staff and BES families are welcome to join these meetings and volunteer. You must be a PTA member to vote on any financial decisions during meetings.
Save the Date: Bingo-ween is Oct. 10
The fifth grade class – with support from their incredible teachers – will host its first of TWO Bingo events this school year to raise funds for their end-of-year festivities and a class gift. This fall Bingo event will feature candy, prizes and, in the spirit of the season, COSTUMES. Mark your calendar for 6-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10. Fifth grade students will receive a sign-up sheet for volunteer opportunities soon. Want to help with the Fifth Grade Parent Committee? We need you! Email bespta.va@gmail.com to get on the list.
Help us reach our PTA member goal
The Belvedere PTA only needs 20 more people to join the organization to reach this year’s goal of 110 members! Why join? The PTA supports all Belvedere families and staff in many ways, including organizing major school events, offering enrichment and outreach activities; giving teacher grants and providing funding for field trips, library books and technology in the classroom. PTA works to build a strong school community outside the classroom through fun events like teacher appreciation celebrations, international night, read-a-thon and much more. Our dues help support these activities, as well as the National PTA mission to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.
To become a member or make a direct donation to support our work, please go to https://www.belvederepta.org/membership and choose your membership type (Staff $5 or Parent $10) and/or Direct Donation to make a one-time or recurring donation.
Visit belvederepta.org for more information about our PTA or to make a donation.
Questions or concerns? Email bespta.va@gmail.com.
Upcoming Dates
- September 21-September 29 - Blue Star Welcome Week
- Thursday, October 3 - No School (Rosh Hashanah - Begins at Sundown)
- Friday, October 4 - Teacher Workday
Keep in Touch
Visit the Belvedere website
Report student absences
Bus Delay Website
Follow Belvedere on X
Change your email preferences
FCPS Calendar
|
