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Dear Great Falls ES Families,
Happy November! As we enter this month of gratitude, I want to express our thanks for the support of our PTA and school community. Our fall festival continues to be one of the very best events the PTA hosts, and it was lovely to see everyone in their costumes enjoying fun, food, and togetherness.
Over the past two days, our staff has been busy completing conferences and progress reports to communicate students’ first-quarter progress.
Reminders:
- Progress Reports will be available on ParentVue on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024.
- Note: A progress report reflects learning at a point in time, not an average over the period.
- With our new Benchmark curriculum, skills are taught and reinforced each quarter, so language arts grades may look different than they have in the past. Students are not expected to have mastered skills by the first quarter, so you may not see “4s” yet. A “4” represents a high level of achievement, showing a strong understanding of all skills taught for that standard during the quarter (please see visual example below). Teachers base grades on the most recent assessment data to reflect current learning.
- An 'nt' mark indicates a concept wasn’t taught that quarter, while 'na' means a standard wasn’t assessed summatively. All skills are expected to be taught and assessed over the year unless noted otherwise, except for students who join later or have extended absences.
- You can read more on the FCPS website.
As always, thank you for your support of all things Great Falls ES, and we look forward to seeing our students tomorrow!
Sincerely,
Sara Harper
Upcoming Dates
Nov. 4 & 5: Teacher Workdays (Parent-Teacher Conferences)
Nov. 6: Last day to nominate a staff member for FCPS Awards
Nov. 8: Impact Aid Forms Due
Nov. 8: PTA Reflections Submission Deadline
Nov. 8: Spirit Day at Chick-Fil-A
Nov. 11: No School - Veterans' Day
Nov. 12: Progress Reports accessible via ParentVue
Nov. 13: Orientation for Art Enrichment Session 2
Nov. 13: PTA General Meeting
Nov. 27 - 29: No School - Thanksgiving Break
Click here to read GFES PTA newsletter updates.
Click here for the FCPS school year calendar.
🏆M.A.R.K. Model Students
The students below are the latest group to be recognized for exhibiting one or more of the four core tenets of M.A.R.K.: Mindful, Accountable, Responsible, and Kind. We are so proud of them and grateful to have them as part of our Roadrunner community!
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Fiona C was recognized for being kind and polite, always expressing gratitude!
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Ava L is always on her MARK, holding herself to high standards.
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Michael H is a responsible student, volunteering to help a teacher finish a special project
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Ella J is consistently on her MARK, a wonderful model for other students in the classroom!
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Taylor S is also always on her MARK, going above and beyond as a patrol for kindergarteners.
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Emily M demonstrates kindness to classmates and teachers. Her teacher doesn’t know what they’d do without her!
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Ethan E is on his MARK, helping his classmates feel welcome and invited at lunch and play time.
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Livy W was nominated for being kind, making sure a lost jacket made it back to its owner.
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Emma H was caught being mindful and kind; she noticed a classmate feeling left out and invited them to a special lunch bunch.
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Weijing Z is a model of responsibility, using his time wisely and often volunteering to help other students, especially with technology.
💜Heroes in Our Families - Honoring Our Veterans
In honor of Veteran’s Day, we will host a Great Falls Elementary Heroes in Our Families series on our daily news show from November 12th - 15th.
This series will honor and remember our school community’s veterans and active military members.
If you and your child wish to honor an immediate family member who is a veteran, we ask that you complete this Google form sharing specifics about them.
All submissions should be completed by Friday, November 8th. In addition to submitting the Google form, please email a digital copy of a photo of your veteran to Taleah Mizell at tamizell@fcps.edu.
📸Extra Fall Picture Ordering
Did you miss out on ordering your child's fall pictures? Strawbridge’s new Lookup Tool is here to help. Simply go to www.strawbridge.net/code-lookup/ and follow the instructions below.
- Type "Great Falls Elementary" into the search box.
- Select your state.
- Click "Search."
- Choose "Great Falls Elementary" from the list provided.
- Select "Get Code" next to the picture day you need the code for.
- Enter your child’s last name and Student ID number, then click "Search."
- Click on the Student Code to access your student’s image gallery!
No need to contact Customer Service for an access code! However, if at any time you have questions about the Lookup Tool or are having difficulty navigating the site, you can still reach out to Strawbridge Customer Service team via the Live Chat on their website, www.strawbridge.net. Just have your student’s information ready for data security. Don’t miss this chance to capture those special moments!
Yearbook Ordering📸📚
Our 2024-2025 yearbook is now available for purchase! Don’t miss out on this opportunity — click here to buy your yearbook today and capture this year’s special moments for just $20! The deadline for ordering is March 21st, 2025, so be sure to secure your copy!
Reminder: Impact Aid Forms Due November 8
Thank you to all who have completed the Federal Impact Aid Survey. If you have not already done so, please complete the form via ParentVUE, under "Online Packets". ** Note: only the enrolling parent can fill out the Impact Aid Survey form.
Please note, if you have multiple children in Fairfax County Public Schools, please fill out a form for each child. You will know you have completed all of the forms when you get to the final page and see a green check next to each of their names.
Advanced Academic Full-Time Referral Deadline
The winter referral deadline for full-time advanced academic referral forms is December 15, 2024. More information and referral forms can be found here. Please contact Amy Keefer, AART, at amkeefer@fcps.edu with questions.
Family Learning Series
Teen Series: Building Resilience: Helping Teens Develop Coping Skills and Emotional Intelligence
Join us for a series of insightful sessions focusing on the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social aspects of teen development. Learn strategies to support resilience, mental health, and healthy boundaries, fostering a nurturing environment for adolescents to thrive. Presented by Beth Mohaupt, FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
November 16, 2024, 10-11:30 a.m.
Register online
Starting The Conversation About Drugs: A Webinar for Families
Drugs and drug prevention have become increasingly important topics in recent years. Are you unsure about how to approach the topic of drugs with your child? Join us to learn how to navigate this importance discussion with confidence and ease! Presented by Beth Mohaupt, FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
November 22, 2024 10-11:30 a.m.
Register online
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