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rDear Garfield Community,

Welcome to October! As we lean into the last few weeks of first quarter, we want to share the importance of your continued engagement in your child’s education. Your involvement is crucial to their success, and we provide numerous opportunities for you to connect with school and stay informed about your child’s learning journey.

On October 16^th, we invite you to our Parent Coffee!  You will have a chance to learn more about our new literacy curriculum, and resources to navigate school success.  Did you sign-up for a parent-teacher conference?  We cannot wait to meet with you about your student’s learning journey and what we’ve accomplished during the first quarter.  If you haven’t already, please ask your student’s teacher about a time to meet!

We want you to remain informed parents and caregivers regarding your child’s school experience, and we encourage you to ask questions, attend parent-teacher conferences, participate in our PTA, frequent family engagement nights, and simply be present throughout the year. Your partnership is invaluable, and we are grateful for your collaboration!

Blessings and Joy!

Mrs. Peerman and Ms. Manning

Everyday Counts at Garfield!

At Garfield Elementary, we believe that every single day matters when it comes to your child’s success. To ensure transparency and celebrate our progress, we will regularly share attendance data in our newsletter.

By highlighting this important information, we aim to keep our families informed and energized about our collective efforts to reduce absenteeism.  As of today, Garfield’s absenteeism rate is at 7.9%.  Our goal is to keep it under 15% and even 10% if possible.  Be sure to send your child to school when healthy and help us continue to decrease our overall percentage of students who are considered chronically absent (as a reminder, chronic absenteeism is missing 10% or more of days in a school year, regardless of excused or unexcused).

When students attend school consistently, they have more opportunities to learn, engage with peers, and develop the skills required to succeed.  We thank you for prioritizing your child's education and for partnering with us each day. Together, let’s make every day count!

🗓️ 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.

Please bookmark the FCPS School Calendar to stay informed about school holidays, breaks, and observances.

Updated Survey Form
For 3-Hour Early Release, Oct 21st

Please complete this UPDATED survey by 10/11/24 to indicate how your child will be going home for our next early release Monday on 10/21/24. *If you have multiple children, please complete a form for each student.  We encourage all parents/caregivers to have their student take their normal route home (SACC, bus, walk, kiss and ride) on early dismissal days. While these are designated as early release days- where necessary, we will ensure that every student has supervision at the school and returns home at the regular time if that is what works best for your family.  FCPS is offering student supervision at no-cost to families for those who have unique childcare needs. Students will be supervised by FCPS school-based staff, substitute teachers, and central office staff. For more information, please visit https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/safety-and-transportation/limited-early-release-mondays

Custodian Appreciation Day 
Oct. 2nd

A huge thank you to our amazing custodians for keeping Garfield a clean and safe place to learn, teach, and grow. Mr. Fernando, Ms. Maria, Ms. Amanda, and Ms. Ruth—you are an absolute rockstar team!

Your hard work and dedication allow us to thrive, and we are truly grateful for everything you do. Your efforts make a world of difference at Garfield, and we appreciate you more than words can say! THANK YOU!!

Garfield Parent Coffee 
October 16th at 9:30am

Join us for an exciting Garfield Parent Coffee on October 16th from 9:30 to 10:45 am in the GES Cafeteria!

We have an engaging morning planned just for you! Learn how to navigate ParentVue, understand your child's report card and attendance reports, and get the latest updates on Language Arts. Plus, sit back and enjoy a special musical performance from our talented students!

This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with other parents, gain valuable insights, and have some fun. We can’t wait to see you there!

Safeway Immunization Clinics for All FCPS Students

Safeway Pharmacy will be providing immunizations at Frost Middle School for all FCPS students at no cost on: 

• Tuesday, October 8, 3-7 p.m.
• Saturday, October 12, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Monday, October 28, 3-7 p.m.

Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are highly encouraged to avoid wait times. A parent or guardian must accompany walk-in students under the age of 19 to provide consent. Learn more about immunization resources and registering in other languages for the Safeway clinic.

Elementary School Clinics

The Fairfax County Health Department will provide immunizations for FCPS elementary students on limited early release Mondays at their district offices. All school-required immunizations will be offered at no cost. Call 703-246-7100 to make your appointment.

Middle and High School Clinics

FCPS is partnering with the health department to host immunization clinics at middle and high schools. Clinics will take place during the school day. Students may only participate in the clinic at the school where they are enrolled. Parental/caregiver consent is required for students to receive immunizations.

Please check the Immunization Resources page for clinic locations, dates, and how to submit a consent form.

📚 Social Studies Basal
Resources Review

FCPS is adopting Social Studies Basal Resources for the 2025-26 school year. Basal resources are the primary resources used to support instruction in a given subject. Public review of the instructional materials under consideration — which is part of the process for selecting new resources — is underway. Visit the Community Review webpage for more information on how to view the materials online or in person. 

All community feedback will be shared with School Board members before they vote to select materials in spring 2025. FCPS adopts basal resources by the process outlined in Regulation 3004.

✨ The 2023-30 Strategic Plan — Goal 5: Leading for Tomorrow’s Innovation

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 final goal is Leading for Tomorrow’s Innovation. We are preparing our students for a future that has yet to be imagined. We must give them the skills they will need to succeed. Watch this video to see students exploring and preparing for careers through Career and Technical Experience programs. See how Goal 5 is being put into practice.

Free Webinars for Families

In October, the Family Resource Center (FRC) will host webinars for families on:

• Supporting siblings of children with disabilities.
• Helping students organize their schoolwork.
• Benchmark Advance, the new K-6 language arts curriculum.
• Ways to engage with your children in mathematics.
• Transitions from school to work and adult life for students with disabilities. 

Sign up for the FRC newsletter to learn about their latest offerings or visit their webinar webpage.

Quick Links

• ParentVue
• FCPS News
• School Meal Menus
• Here Comes The Bus
• Schoology
• Mental Health Resources and Emergency Services Information

YOUR PARTNERS IN EDUCATION

We are in this together!!  We are thankful to have the opportunity to work with your family this year and will work every day to ensure a safe and positive learning environment for your child. Please contact us when there is a question or concern. Thank you for your support and being part of our team!

Your Garfield Partner Principals,

Mrs. Peerman, Principal,  Klpeerman@fcps.edu
Ms. Manning, Assistant Principal, eamanning1@fcps.edu

7101 Old Keene Mill Rd, Springfield, VA 22150 | Main Office: 703-923-2900 
Attendance: 703-923-2929 | Web | Twitter