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The Dunne Dispatch (Calendar Edition) - 10/07/2024
The Dunne Dispatch alternates between providing a calendar of events and reporting on School Board updates, student accomplishments, and school celebrations. My goal is to connect the schools with the community, and vice versa. Even if you do not have children attending FCPS, I encourage you to attend public events at our schools.
Inside this issue:
If you have any school or related community events you would like me to include in my calendar email, please submit them here for consideration.
Very respectfully,
 Mateo Dunne, Mount Vernon District Representative
Upcoming School Board Meetings
- Watch live on FCPS Cable TV Channel 99 (Verizon Channel 11) or the FCPS YouTube Channel.
- October 8 at 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Work Session: Strategic Plan Goal 1 Report and Boundary Contract Work Plan
- October 10 at 7 p.m.- Regular Meeting.
Academic Planning Announcements
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Advanced Academics Parent Information Sessions Taking Place Now. Are you interested in referring your child in grades 3-8 for Full-Time Advanced Academics services? Full-Time referrals for the fall screening cycle are due Tuesday, October 15, 2024. Full-Time referrals for all other students are due no later than Sunday, December 15, 2024. Please visit the FCPS AAP site for helpful information regarding the continuum of services and the referral process. For more information about all of the AAP services we offer, please visit your child’s Schoology course and look in the Advanced Academics Folder for the AAP Fall Newsletter. Use your ParentVUE login credentials to access Schoology. If you have any questions, please contact your school’s Advanced Academics Resource Teacher (AART). Most elementary schools are hosting Advanced Academics Information Meetings to help families learn more about Advanced Academics in FCPS. Please check your school’s newsletter, website, and/or other communication channels for scheduling information. Below are some dates and times of upcoming Parent Information Meetings at Mount Vernon District schools:
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Mount Eagle ES: October 8, 6:15 - 7 p.m. via Zoom and October 10, 8:40 - 9:10 a.m. in the school library. Questions? Email jcgreene@fcps.edu.
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Fort Hunt ES: October 9; 6:30-7:15 pm on Zoom (Link will be sent out to all families that morning.) Questions? Email pmlynch@fcps.edu.
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Washington Mill: October 9, 6 p.m. Questions? Call 703-619-2500 or email jmmorris1@fcps.edu.
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Newington Forest, October 9, 6 p.m. No RSVP necessary.
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Island Creek ES: October 9, 9 a.m. in cafeteria.You may attend in-person or access the meeting virtually by clicking this link. Questions? Email eamextorf@fcps.edu.
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Bucknell ES: October 17, 6 – 7 p.m via Zoom. Spanish translation will be available. The link is https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/j/94357609513. Questions? Contact Mr. Tucker.
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PSAT / SAT Day, October 9. Wednesday, October 9, 2024 is the PSAT and SAT School Day for all high schools in Fairfax County. All 10th and 11th grade students were enrolled in the PSAT test. 12th graders who opted in were enrolled in the SAT test. Since only the PSAT and SAT School Day is happening at high schools that day, 9th grade students do not report to school, nor do 12th grade students who did not sign up for the SAT.
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Post-Secondary Planning Night, October 17. Please plan to attend the Post-Secondary Planning Night hosted by FCPS Regions 3 and 6 at the Hybla Valley Community Center on Thursday, October 17th. This event will be conducted in Spanish and is an essential opportunity for families to explore critical post-secondary options. Topics will include 2- and 4-year college pathways, financial aid resources, employment opportunities, and military enlistment. Understanding these options is key to making informed decisions about the future, and this event provides invaluable information tailored to the needs of our community. We strongly encourage all families to attend and take advantage of this important resource.
Pyramid Events and Announcements
Mount Vernon Pyramid
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Fort Belvoir Primary and Upper School’s National Hispanic Heritage Month Potluck Lunch, October 9. Fort Belvoir Elementary School Family Ambassadors invites all Fort Belvoir Primary and Upper School families to come together to share Hispanic traditional dishes, learn about the rich cultures, and connect with new friends! Younger siblings are welcome to attend too! RSVP to delliott@fcps.edu by October 6.
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Washington Mill ES Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month, October 11. Washington Mill ES students, staff, and families are invited celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month together on Friday, October 11. This event is an opportunity to recognize the many contributions made by Hispanic and Latino Americans. Participants are invited to dress in their country's traditional attire or wear clothing that represents Hispanic heritage and culture!
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Save the Date for Upcoming Events at Riverside ES. Attention Riverside ES families! Please save the following dates:
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Woodlawn ES PTA Host Series of Monthly Events! Save the date for the following events being hosted by the Woodlawn ES PTA:
- October 25, 6:00-8:30 p.m.: Trunk n Treat
- November 23, 5-8 p.m.: Turkey Bingo
- December 6, 6-9 p.m.: Movie Night
All events take place at Woodlawn ES, 8505 Highland Lane, Alexandria, VA.
West Potomac Pyramid
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Bucknell Family Science Night, October 10, 6 p.m. Family Science Night is October 10. The event will be held in the Bucknell ES Gym on Thursday, November 10th from 6:00-7:30 p.m. Stations will be set up for families to participate in hands-on science activities. Just show up and be ready for a great time! We can't wait to see you there!
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Fall Immunization Clinic at West Potomac HS, October 16. West Potomac HS will host a School Site Immunization Clinic on October 16, in collaboration with the Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD). Only students enrolled at West Potomac may participate in the clinic.The following immunizations will be offered during school hours at the School Immunization Clinic:
- Meningococcal Conjugate (MenACWY) Vaccine
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine
- Tetanus, Diphtheria, & Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine
Find additional information for each vaccine. If you would like your child to receive immunizations as part of the School Site Immunization Clinic, you must first provide:
- Permission via a signed Adolescent Vaccine Clinic Consent Form, which can be found in the Middle and High School Clinics section on this webpage.
- A copy of their immunization records (if available).
- A copy of the front and back of their insurance card (if applicable). Insurance is not required.
Please bring your signed consent form to Student Services by October 8 in order for your child to participate. For more information, call 703-718-2511.
- Save the Date for West Potomac HS's Upcoming Events!
- October 25: West Potomac Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
- October 26, 10-3 p.m.: Wolverine Athletic Booster Club Marketplace
- October 27, 8-11 a.m.: Dance Team FUNDrive at West Potomac HS
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2024 Fort Hunt Fall Fest, October 18. Attention Fort Hunt ES students and families! Don't miss the 2024 Fort Hunt Fall Fest. There will be a costume parade, book fair, and of course lots of treats! Free transportation will be provided to and from Creekside between 5:10-8 p.m.
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Save the Date: Fort Hunt ES's Veterans' Day Celebration & Luncheon, November 8. Mark your calendars for Friday, November 8. Fort Hunt ES will host its annual Veterans' Day celebration event, which includes a family luncheon. All parents/caregivers are invited to join their child for a special turkey lunch. Stay tuned for more information about purchasing meal tickets and volunteer opportunities.
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South County Pyramid
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South County Hosting Hearing & Vision Screening for 10th graders, October 10-11. Attention South County HS 10th grade students who wear glasses and/or contacts. Bring your glasses or be sure to wear your contacts to school October 10 and 11, 2024. South County HS is conducting the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) required hearing and vision screening for all 10th grade students.
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Mandatory Safe Teen Driving Sessions for South County HS 10th graders. South County HS will host 4 sessions of PSTD - Partners for Safe Teen Driving this school year. Every 10th graders currently enrolled in HPE 10 must attend ONE of the sessions with a parent/guardian. The presentations are held in the auditorium and begin promptly at 7:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:45 and lock at 7:00 p.m. – no late arrivals permitted. Presentations last approximately 90 minutes. Any questions please reach out to Maureen Saale- mgsaale@fcps.edu. The session dates are as follows:
- Oct 17, 2024,
- Jan 9, 2025
- Feb. 11, 2025
- April 7, 2025
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Laurel Hill ES Screen on the Green, October 18. Laurel Hill ES’s Screen on the Green is RESCHEDULED to Friday, October 18th. Laurel Hill ES families are invited to have dinner and a movie under the stars. Movie will be Despicable Me 4. Entry is free. Concessions will be for sale. Bring cash to participate in the 50/50.
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Support Laurel Hill ES’s Monthly Dine Out Nights. Laurel Hill ES’s PTA is also hosting monthly Dine Out Nights. Several dine out nights are planned with local Lorton restaurants. Be sure to mention Laurel Hill ES so the appropriate discounts can be applied, and a portion of the proceeds benefit our organization.
- Every Thursday until June 2025 - Papa Johns Gunston location only
- Oct 9 - Panera - 4-8pm
- Oct 14 - Duck Donut Truck-8-11am (Student Holiday/No School)
- Nov 19 - Chipotle - 4-9pm
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Hayfield Pyramid
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Island Creek ES Hosts Coffee and Conversation about Advanced Academics, October 9. We invite families to join us at our Coffee and Conversations! No worries if you are unable to attend as session information will be made available on our website. Our next Coffee and Conversations is on Wednesday, October 9 at 9:00 and the topic is Advanced Academics..
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Share the Warmth: Island Creek ES Sponsors Winter Clothing Drive (October 15-31). Island Creek ES is thrilled to announce its 3rd Annual Share the Warmth Winter Clothing Drive! They will collect donations of new or lovingly used winter clothing for children, ages 4-12. Island Creek ES families are asked to ensure that all lovingly used clothing be washed before donating. Donations will be made to a Title 1 school in Fairfax County, which will host a November “shopping night” for families free of charge.
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Make Your Move!: Lorton Station ES Chess Club Registration Now Open! For grades 2-6 interested in learning and playing chess! All levels are welcome. Club activities take place Fridays before school in the cafeteria unless school is closed. Registration fee: $130/semester and includes one club t-shirt per year and snacks! Registration deadline for the fall 2024 semester: October 15.
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Edison Pyramid
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Edison HS Breakfast Celebration, October 21. Edison HS’s PTSA is looking to show EHS staff some love by hosting a Breakfast Celebration on Monday, October 21. Help is needed to make this annual breakfast the best yet! Edison HS families, please see the PTSA Sign Up Genius to donate items. Want to donate but don't have the time? Feel free to donate online. Edison HS families are also asked to save the date for Edison’s Homecoming Game (October 18) and Homecoming Dance (October 19).
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Donations Needed for Edison Academy Haunted House. Edison HS’s PTSA is helping to promote the Electrical class haunted house. They are requesting donations of snack size Halloween candy to be given out to attendees. Please help us, help them and drop off any donations by October 25 in the Halloween box at the main office.
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Twain MS AVID FUNDrive, November 5. Start cleaning up your house and donate your unwanted items! Your donations will help AVID raise money to afford a charter bus to visit colleges outside of our immediate area. We will be accepting trash bags of soft goods (clothing, coats, shoes, scarves, handbags, wallets, fashion accessories, belts, backpacks, bedding, comforters, blankets, sheets, towels, linen, tablecloths, curtains, pillows, etc.) and boxes of books and media (we can accept paperbacks, hard cover - all genres. No encyclopedias or K-12 textbooks). Donations will be collected on November 5th between 9:00-11:00 am. Be on the lookout for more details about contributing donations!
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Mount Eagle ES PTO Hosts Pizza & Puzzles Night, October 16, 6-7:30 p.m. Mount Eagle ES students and families are invited to join the PTO for its Second Annual Pizza & Puzzles Night on Wednesday, October 16 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. Don’t miss this opportunity for learning and fun!
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Upcoming PTA/PTO/PTSA Meetings
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Twain PTA General Membership Meeting, October 8, 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Twain MS families are invited to join the next meeting of Twain MS’s PTA on Tuesday, October 8th at 7:30 pm via Zoom. All are welcome to attend! Register online in advance for this meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Follow Twain PTS on Facebook @Mark Twain MS PTA and Instagram @twainmspta to stay in touch with what’s happening at Twain PTA
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Laurel Hill ES PTA Meeting, October 8. Laurel Hill ES’s PTA will meet on Tuesday, October 8 at 7pm in the school library. The PTA is busy planning programs such as International Night, field trips for ALL students, teacher appreciation activities, STEAM Night, Literacy Night, Kindness Week, among others. They are also working with the school to pursue Purple Star School status and support military families and children throughout the year. Laurel Hill ES families who have not yet joined the PTA should join online and follow the group on Facebook.
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Newington Forest ES PTA Meeting, October 9. Newington Forest ES PTA will meet on October 9 immediately following the school’s Advanced Academic Parent Information Session, which starts at 6 p.m.
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Edison PTSA Meeting, October 15, 7 p.m.. Edison HS’s next PTSA meeting is October 15th at 7 p.m. It is a hybrid meeting and a zoom link for those wishing to join online will be sent out that day.
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Riverside ES PTA Meeting, October 16, 7 p.m. The Riverside ES PTA wants you to join our Riverside School Community. Join us for our monthly meetings! Meetings are held virtually. A link will be sent via Talking Points the day of the meeting. All meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the 3rdWednesday of the month!
FCPS Events and Activities
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Immunization Clinics for All FCPS Students. Does your child need school-required immunizations?
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Safeway Pharmacy will provide immunizations at Frost Middle School for all FCPS students at no cost. 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. These clinics will take place on:
- Tuesday, October 8, 3-7 p.m.
- Saturday, October 12, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Monday, October 28, 3-7 p.m.
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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.
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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.
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Walk and Roll to School Day, October 9. On your mark, get set, WALK & ROLL! Get ready for the 28th Annual National Walk & Roll to School Day on October 9, 2024! FCPS participates in this annual event to promote physical activity and reduce traffic congestion and pollution near schools. Students and employees are encouraged to bike or walk to school and work where safe to do so. Parents/caregivers are encouraged to accompany their children to school and to work with their school and PTA or PTO to assemble bike trains or walking groups for the event. Schools are encouraged to register online with Walk and Bike to School. Get more information about Walk to School Day.
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Benchmark Advance: The New K-6 Language Arts Curriculum Webinars, October 8 and 9. Join us for an overview of the new K-6 language arts curriculum. This will include background information regarding the Benchmark Advance and how this program is organized to ensure evidence-based literacy instruction for all K-6 students. Webinar Highlights: What is evidence-based literacy instruction? What is The Benchmark Advance and its cross-curricular units? Provided scaffolds and supports for students with disabilities Join the FCPS Instructional Services Department and FCPS Office of Special Education Instruction for this important webinar on October 8, 2024, 6:30-8 p.m. or October 9, 2024, 10-11:30 a.m. Register Online
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Get to Know FCPS: Register to Attend a Virtual Family Orientation. This interactive orientation provides information about the school system, the links between family engagement and student achievement, school staff you should get to know, and programs and technology considerations for families. The orientation also includes a discussion that is helpful for families who are new to the United States. Register in advance. Visit the Family Academy catalog page to see the dates this orientation will be offered in Arabic, Korean, and Spanish. Sessions in English are held online on:
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- Tuesday, October 8, at 6:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, October 22, at 6:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, November 12, at 6:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, December 10, at 6 p.m.
- Thursday, December 19, at 6 p.m.
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Math is Everywhere! Talking to Your Children about Mathematics Webinar, October 18, 10-11:30 a.m. Join the FCPS Elementary Math Team to discuss ways to engage your children in mathematics. During our time together we will highlight books, games, and other materials that assist you in talking about mathematics with your child throughout the day. Teaching math to your children doesn’t have to be intimidating. This webinar will provide concrete examples for caregivers with ideas to spark math joy. October 18, 2024 10-11:30 A.M. Register Online
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Annual College Fair, October 20. The annual Fairfax County Public Schools College Fair will be held on Sunday, October 20, 2024, at George Mason University’s Eagle Bank Arena from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Approximately 220 colleges and universities will be represented, including two and four-year colleges and US Service Academies. Register in advance. Following the fair, the Two-Night Postsecondary Virtual Event will be held on Monday, October 21, and Tuesday, October 22, 2024, at 5, 6, and 7 p.m. Both events will help students be better prepared for the next chapter of their educational journey. Find more information on FCPS’ Look to the Future web page.
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Moving on to Life Community Resource Fair, November 13. Join Career and Transition Services (CTS) for the annual Moving on to Life in the Community Resource Fair! This event is designed for students with developmental and intellectual disabilities who will need continuing support after they exit FCPS. Learn about: supported employment options, day support programs, recreation/leisure activities, residential living options, travel training supports, advocacy, funding, and more! Families and caregivers are welcome! When: Wednesday, November 13th, 2024, from 6:30pm - 8:30pm. Where: Fairfax High School Cafeteria (enter through Door 1), 3501 Lion Run, Fairfax, VA 22030. Register online.
Community Events and Activities
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Steamology STEM Fest, October 12, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. (Register by Thursday, October 4 for FREE bus transportation available from neighboring schools--see below for more information). Steamology will host its annual STEM FEST at Mount Vernon HS on October 12, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Students in Kindergarten through 8th grade are invited to come enjoy FREE activities related to STEM, including Robotics, Coding, Experiments, and more! This event provides students with a chance to engage in hands-on activities related to science, technology, and mathematics. HS students are invited to serve as volunteers. This is a valuable opportunity for high school students to develop leadership skills, gain community service hours, and potentially inspire younger students to pursue their STEM interests. STEM FEST will also feature high school clubs and vendors, who will set up informational booths or displays related to STEM. The participation rate for the event is around 500 or more students. Visit Steamology online to register, volunteer, or host a booth or display. Register by Thursday, October 10 4 p.m. to sign-up for FREE bus service to/from Fort Belvoir ES, Woodlawn ES, Washington Mill ES, and Mount Vernon ES.
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Register Now for the 9th Annual Tour de Mount Vernon, October 19. Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck invites you to participate in this community bike ride on Saturday October 19, starting and ending at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton. Riders will enjoy a fun ride through the many Potomac Banks historic, ecological and cultural sites in the southern and central parts of the Mount Vernon District. The route consists of paved roads, paved trails and has some challenging sections. The event is rain or shine. Learn more and register online today!
The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.
© Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
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