I wanted to share with you that I am back at work today after an extended medical leave and will be catching up on emails as fast as I can!
We have had some complaints from neighbors, and it was noted by the police, that families are using Raftelis to drop off students in the morning in order to skip the K&R line. While K&R may be a bit frustrating, I encourage you to come earlier for drop off, and a bit later for pick up, to avoid the heaviest usage times. I am also concerned that there are NO adults on the paths out back or around the school. We want to keep a good relationship with our neighbors, but more importantly, ensure the safety of our students. Please use the K&R line properly.
I also wanted to address cell phone use. Cell phones are not to be used by students throughout the school day. This includes "smart watches" that are connected to phones. They are disruptive and distracting to students. We have seen a significant 'uptick' in usage by students and I wanted to send a friendly reminder. To communicate with your child during the school day, we ask that you call the office or email the teacher and we will relay messages. Students with cell phones (or smart watches) that are out, will have them confiscated and delivered to the office. More information can be found below.
Lastly, we are currently trying to fill a few student support positions. I am looking to hire "student monitors" who would work with small groups of kids on interventions. This is a full day job, 5x/week, but has some flexibility to it. I am looking to hire a "high impact tutor" who would provide Tier 3 supports to students using research based interventions. This is a part time position in the afternoons, 5x/week and does require a level of credentials and training (we provide the training). Lastly, I am hopeful to add a cafeteria hostess. This would be for 3 hours daily (11-2), 5x/week. If interested, please reach out to me at your earliest convenience.
I hope that you have a wonderful weekend and a quick reminder that next week is a short week.
October 31 - Last Day of Quarter - 2 hr Early Release
Cell Phone Policy
Supporting engaged students and classrooms
FCPS' cell phone expectations for students help foster engagement, learning, and positive social behavior in the classroom.
Young people report that they have difficulty self-regulating their own technology use, even when it gets in the way of socializing, school or home obligations, or getting a good night's sleep. Educators and mental health professionals advise that students who don’t use their phones to communicate during the school day:
Have fewer distractions and less difficulty learning.
Experience more face-to-face interactions with peers and teachers, which are important to social-emotional wellbeing.
Have more opportunities to develop resilience and independent problem-solving skills.
We encourage families to talk to their student about the FCPS cell phone policy and support their student by:
Contacting the school’s front office (rather than the student directly) if there is a family emergency.
Only communicating about non-urgent matters before or after the school day.
Waiting to respond to non-urgent texts from students until the school day is over.
The usage policies below apply to all FCPS students, with the exception of schools participating in the school year 2024-25 cell phone storage pilot program. More information on the storage pilot program can be found here.
Phones must be silenced and in backpacks for the duration of the school day. Cell phones may be used on campus before and after school only.
Smart watches that serve a dual purpose may be worn, but the phone features (texting, Internet viewing, and calls) are to be off when phone use is prohibited.
Students are prohibited from using phones, tablets, and other mobile devices in restrooms and locker rooms, unless there is a medical necessity or emergency.
With the approval of the principal or their designee, teachers may allow usage of cell phones for instructional activities where they are the most appropriate tool; however, one-to-one FCPS devices should meet most needs.
Annual Hearing & Vision Screening
SY 2024 -2025 Vision and Hearing Screenings
Vision and Hearing screening will be held on:
Testing Schedule:
Tuesday, October 1, 2024 *** (& other students needing screening)
Screening Date / Time:
Kindergarten 9:45 am – 11:15 am & 12:30 pm – 3:30pm
Tuesday, October 8, 2024 *** (& other students needing screening)
Testing Time:
3rd Grade 9:45 am – 10:40 am & 11:45 pm – 3:30pm
If your child wears glasses, please be sure he/she has them at school on their screening day.
The purpose of screening is to identify students who need further evaluation because they have difficulty seeing the screening chart or hearing the screening tones.
Vision and hearing difficulties can interfere with learning. Prompt follow-up of a referral is recommended.
Parents will be notified by a letter if screening results indicate that further testing is needed by a doctor.
**Screenings will be done along with the students who needs re-screenings & NEW to the Fairfax County School system.**
Thank you so much for your support in keeping our students’ Vision and Hearing healthy and ready for learning!
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the School Health Aide: at 703-923- 2810 mcrisostomo@fcps.edu (Mylene Crisostomo)
Blue Star Family Welcome
Cherry Run Elementary School celebrated Blue Star Families Welcome Week by hosting a "Chalk the Walk" event, where military-connected students wrote encouraging and welcoming messages to greet new military families. The event was organized by the Purple Team, an after-school club made up of military-connected students who meet monthly to celebrate, support, and build connections with their peers. Cherry Run has a long-standing tradition of supporting its military community, with over 110 students coming from Active Duty, Reserves, or National Guard families.
Limited Early Release Mondays
Limited Early Release Mondays for Elementary Schools: Steering Committee Update
As a reminder, FCPS elementary schools will have limited early release Mondays during the upcoming school year. The goal is to provide elementary teachers with additional time to meet new professional development requirements for the Virginia Literacy Act.
You can help us with planning for the seven early release Mondays. Please watch your email for a short survey from us asking if your child will leave at the early release time on these days or remain at school until the standard dismissal time. Your response will help us in planning activities for students who will need to stay at school until regular dismissal time.
We realize there are many details for us to finalize before our first early release Monday in mid-September. Thank you for your patience, we strive to create a positive and successful experience for students, families, and teachers.
🎤 Community Conversations with Superintendent Dr. Reid
Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid invites you to share your questions or concerns regarding Fairfax County Public Schools. Your voice matters! Community Conversations will be held this Fall 6:30-7:30 p.m. on:
Monday, September 30, at Mount Vernon Woods Elementary
Monday, October 14, at Fairhill Elementary
Monday, October 21, at Virginia Run Elementary
Wednesday, October 30, at Herndon Middle
Click the date above to register. Registration is not required but helps with planning. Additional registration links will be shared in next week’s This Week at FCPS. Childcare and interpretation services will be provided. Events are open to all. Find out about other opportunities to connect with Dr. Reid.
Bus Late? Here Comes the Bus!
🚍 Here Comes the Bus
Want to know if your child's bus is on schedule or where the bus is? Here Comes the Bus® is an easy-to-use website and app that enables parents to see the location of their child’s school bus — almost in real time — on a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer.
Parents can track multiple buses if their children don’t all ride the same bus; know exactly when children arrive at school or the bus stop; and receive customized text and/or email notifications about bus locations, schedule changes, or delays.
Already using the Here Comes the Bus app? Send your feedback to HCTB@fcps.edu.
Note: eNotify text messaging will continue to be used for reporting bus delays and bus incidents.
🚍 Here Comes the Bus (Ahí Viene el Autobús)
¿Quiere saber si el autobús de su hijo llegará a tiempo o dónde está? Here Comes the Bus® es un sitio web y una aplicación fáciles de usar que permiten que los padres vean la ubicación del autobús escolar de sus hijos -casi en tiempo real- en un smartphone, una tableta o un ordenador personal.
Los padres pueden ver la ubicación de varios autobuses en caso de que sus hijos no viajen todos en el mismo autobús; saber exactamente cuándo llegan los niños a la escuela o a la parada de autobús; y recibir notificaciones personalizadas por mensaje de texto y/o correo electrónico sobre la ubicación de los autobuses, los cambios de horario o los retrasos.
Para comenzar, baje la aplicación de la tienda de aplicaciones de Apple iOS o Android. Consulte las páginas web Here Comes The Bus y Preguntas Frecuentes para obtener más información.
¿Ya utiliza la aplicación Here Comes the Bus? Envíen sus comentarios a HCTB@fcps.edu.
Aviso: La mensajería de texto eNotify seguirá utilizándose para informar de retrasos e incidencias en los autobuses.
Student Attendance
🙋 Student Attendance and Engagement
During the Academic Matters segment of the November 9 School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid discussed student attendance and engagement. Attendance and absenteeism rates are one measure for Goal 2 of our 2023-30 Strategic Plan.
Chronic absenteeism — which is defined as a student missing 10% or more of school for any reason — is a concern across Virginia school districts. Although FCPS continues to outperform the state average in attendance rates, we are tracking chronic absenteeism closely.
Missing just 10% of school — just two days a month — negatively affects a student’s academic performance.
Only 17% of students who were chronically absent in both kindergarten and first grade were reading proficiently in third grade, compared to 64% of those with good attendance.
Students who fail to read at grade level by the end of third grade are four times more likely than students who achieve proficiency to drop out of high school.
By sixth grade, chronic absenteeism becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.
Attendance is critical for academic success!
Missing School Over the Holidays
Looking ahead to the holiday season, if missing school is unavoidable, please speak with your child’s teachers in advance to create a plan for making up missed work. However, a homework packet cannot make up for the interaction and learning that happens in the classroom.
📑 Varsity Tutors Provides On-Demand Support at No Cost
FCPS is partnering with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra resources for learning. Every student can take advantage of Varsity Tutors’ services at no cost, including weekly live online classes, on-demand 24/7 chat tutoring, essay editing, and study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests. Learn more about online tutoring with Varsity Tutors.
