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Hello, Westbriar community! I’m Katie Blomquist, and I couldn’t be more excited to join you. I moved to Fairfax County in 2004 as a 2nd grade teacher and have since had the privilege of teaching 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. Throughout my career, I’ve chaired various committees focused on equity, multilingual learners, family engagement, and the Responsive Classroom approach. I’ve also mentored both new and experienced teachers and facilitated professional learning for educators across Virginia.
After two joyful decades in the classroom, I’m eager to embrace the role of assistant principal. Westbriar is truly a special place, and I can’t wait to meet each of you and support our shared mission.
Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my 6-year-old daughter, Evelyn, who loves horses, sloths, waterparks, and gymnastics. Sometimes she’ll slow down long enough to practice yoga with me. When I find a quiet moment, I love to unwind with a cup of coffee and a good book.
I look forward to connecting with you all and hope we can share a cup of coffee and great conversations soon!
Welcome to Kindness Spirit Week at Westbriar Elementary! This week, we celebrate the power of kindness, encouraging everyone to spread positivity and show respect to themselves and others. As part of this special week, we’ll also be honoring Unity Day—a national movement where we stand together against bullying and promote acceptance. Let’s make this week one filled with smiles, compassion, and community as we unite for kindness!
Monday, October 14th: Professional Development Day - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
Tuesday, October 15th: Take a Walk Tuesday
Wear two different shoes with the intention of walking a mile in someone else’s shoes.
Wednesday, October 16th: Unity Day
Wear ORANGE showing you “Lend a Hand and Take a Stand.”
Thursday, October 17th: Inside Out Day
Wear clothing inside out to represent that words hurt more on the inside than they do on the outside.
Friday, October 18th: Dress to Impress for Kindness Success
Dress your best and present yourself in a way that represents kindness and respect to yourself and others.
Fall Picture Day is scheduled for October 18th! To learn more about photo packets, promotional deals, and discounts, please complete the Strawbridge Studios form. You can subscribe for updates and additional information by visiting: https://strawbridge.fotomerchanthv.com/clients/westbriar-elementary-school/fall-pictures-10-18-2024-21/optIn.
Don't miss out on capturing your child's school memories!
Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) is celebrating National School Lunch Week from October 14-October 18. National School Lunch Week (NSLW) is a celebration of the federal National School Lunch Program (NSLP), which provides millions of children a nutritious meal each school day. Last school year, FNS served over 13 million lunches to students! This year’s NSLW theme is “Find Your School Lunch Treasure.”
On October 16, all school cafeterias will participate in “X Marks the Tray”, where lucky students can find a sticker on the bottom of their hot entree container randomly. This can be redeemed for our popular whole grain, reduced sugar sweet treat at the end of the lunch period. Encourage students to check their entree containers for a sticker after eating and bring the container to the cashier by the end of the lunch period to receive their sweet treat.
We are thrilled to announce that our annual Read-a-thon Fundraiser kicks off on Tuesday, October 15th and runs through Friday, October 25th. This event is a wonderful opportunity to promote the joy of reading while also supporting our school. Here’s how you can get involved:
- Register Online: Use our code 03570 to sign your student up online. Participation is open to all students, even if they don’t raise any money.
- Prizes for Reading: The more students read, the more prizes they can earn! Let's encourage everyone to dive into a good book.
- Grade-Level Competition: The grade with the most reading minutes will get the chance to Prank the Principal—a fun incentive that’s sure to get everyone reading!
- School-Wide Goal: If we reach our goal of raising $6,000, the entire school will be treated to popsicles.
Let’s rally together for this fantastic event! Please encourage your students to participate and track their reading minutes. Every page counts!
Parents and caregivers can report full-day absences for the current school day and the next four school days using ParentVUE. For absences that extend beyond this five-day window, parents and caregivers must report these directly to the school by calling the attendance line or using the attendance email. Parents and caregivers must also report late arrivals and early dismissals directly to the school, as partial-day absences cannot be recorded in ParentVUE.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter and for your continued commitment to student attendance.
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology's student-led organization, TJ Investigative Science Outreach, is excited to invite 5th-8th grade students to participate in our 12th annual invitational science fair! Admission to the science fair is completely free.
Students will have the opportunity to complete a research project of their choice and present it at the in-person fair this coming spring. To help students prepare, we will hold multiple sessions to teach essential STEM skills, including brainstorming, data collection, presenting, writing an experiment summary, using statistics, and creating experimental diagrams.
Our first interest and brainstorming session will take place on October 18th, 2024, from 6-7 PM, and will be held virtually via Zoom. During this session, we will introduce the goals and guidelines of the fair and provide a wide variety of project ideas for students to explore. If your child is interested in participating, please sign up using the following form: Interest Sign-Up Form.
For more information, you can visit our website at tjsciencefair.wordpress.com or email us at tjhsstsciencefair@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing your young scientists there!
FCPS NewsIn case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:
- Learn About Lexia for Literacy
- Schools Win Exemplar Awards
- Upcoming Community Conversations
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
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