|
English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو
Dear Cardinal Families,
I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for your incredible support and understanding during our first Early Release Monday. As you know, demands on teacher time have increased dramatically since the pandemic. With the adoption of new textbooks, differentiated support plans for students, required professional development for the new Virginia Literacy Act, new reading and math Standards of Learning exams (SOLs) from the state, and other initiatives — teachers have a lot to do in addition to actually teaching! These demands require blocks of uninterrupted, in person, and collaborative time to plan. A well-supported and continuously improving teaching staff will lead to better educational outcomes for students.
There will be six additional Early Release Mondays throughout the school year. As a reminder, the following dates are planned for Early Release Mondays throughout the school year:
- October 28
- December 9 (FCPS Date Change)
- February 24
- March 17
- April 28
- May 19
In just a few weeks, we will be sending out a confirmation for the October 28th Early Release Monday. We kindly ask that you do your best to avoid changing your plans on the day of the early release. Any last-minute changes can disrupt our communication with teachers as they are teaching and not able to check their email and take phone calls during the school day.
If you anticipate needing to make a change to your arrangements, please contact the school office well in advance. Thank you for your continued support.
Warmly,
Allison Hoak, Principal
Jon Kemmerer, Assistant Principal
Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on Wednesday, October 2. That day is an evening-only observance day. Important events will not be held after school.
-
Thursday, October 3, is a holiday for all FCPS staff. Schools and offices will be closed.
-
Friday, October 4, is a teacher workday and there will be no school for students.
|
🗓️ Attendance Tip: Scheduling Family Trips or Events
Good attendance is an important life skill that will help students succeed in school and beyond.
When planning trips or family events, refer to the FCPS calendar and try to use weekends and school holidays. Every day of learning is a day toward success. Keep in mind that absences add up quickly. Students absent 10% of the school year (or just two days per month) are considered chronically absent.
When possible, schedule appointments for your child outside of school hours. If your child needs to miss school because of an illness or another reason, you must report the absence.
Watch this video with tips on understanding our school calendar and visit our Attendance webpage for additional information. Attend today, achieve tomorrow!
Advanced Academic Screening Process
We will host a parent information meeting on Thursday, October 10th from 6:00-7:00 pm in the library. Our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART), Jenna Murgia, will share about the Full Time AAP Screening Process. This information session is for parents of children in grades 2-6.
 |
|
🎻Musical Instrument Donation 🎺
A former Cardinal is working on a service project and collecting gently used instruments. If you have an instrument to donate, please drop it off in the main office. Thank you!
|
🎤 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 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 take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Childcare and language interpretation services will be provided.
Gun Safety and Safe Gun Storage
Providing students and staff with a safe educational environment remains our priority. Sadly, gun violence continues to impact schools and communities across our nation.
In FCPS, lessons on gun safety are built into our curriculum. It is critical that parents and guardians talk to their children about the importance of gun safety and safe gun storage in their homes, and in any home they may visit.
The FCPS website has gun safety resources as well as detailed information about safety and security practices at schools. See Dr. Reid’s recent letter to the community for more resources.
Safely Store Firearms and Medications
The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board has a limited supply of free locking medication boxes and trigger locks that fit a wide variety of firearms. Visit the Lock and Talk website to learn more.
Pyramid Information
Quick Links
|
