The Ram Gram! Hot Off the Press!

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 11/05/2024 05:56 PM EST

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Volume 3, Issue 13; November 5, 2024

Centre Ridge All-Stars

Entering the second quarter is like rounding second base in a baseball game. We have had a strong start and are gaining momentum as we head toward third! Just like in baseball, focus and teamwork are essential, and your continued support helps our students succeed!

Dear CRES Community,

As we approach the end of the 1st quarter, we want to express our gratitude for your continued support and partnership in your child’s education. It has been a wonderful start to the school year, and we have already seen tremendous growth and excitement for learning in our students, thanks in large part to your involvement!

As we move into next quarter, it is important to keep up the momentum and maintain a strong focus on learning at school and at home. Consistent routines and engagement with your child’s education can make a significant impact. Here are a few ways you can support your child as we continue the school year:

Continue Daily Reading: Encourage your child to read daily and have conversations about their reading. This practice helps build critical literacy skills and fosters a love for books.
Reinforce Math Skills: Practice math in everyday situations, such as cooking or shopping, or use educational math games to keep skills fresh and engaging. There are board games you can check out at the local Centreville library!
Encourage Creative Exploration: Support your child’s creativity through activities like writing, drawing, or simple science experiments to inspire curiosity and joy in learning.

Your support is crucial for maintaining your child’s academic progress and enthusiasm for school. We look forward to partnering with you in upcoming school events and celebrations as we continue to build a strong and supportive community. We hope to see you at our next PTA meeting on November 14th!

Thank you for your dedication and involvement. Let’s keep up the great work as we head toward third base (quarter)!

Warmly,

Dr. Hertzberg, Ms. Baugh, Ms. Sutton, Ms. Helmer, and Ms. Ford

Every Day Counts at CRES!

To ensure transparency and celebrate our progress, we will be sharing weekly 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.

End of the Quarter Update: K-6th (49 days)

Quarter 1 Attendance Stats

Number of students present EVERY DAY: 216! That’s 35%.
Number of students present all but 1 day: 140! That’s 22%.
Number of students not currently chronically absent: 559 students, 89.2%
Number of students currently chronically absent (having missed 5 days of school so far this year): 67 students
Number of unexcused absences (mostly due to travel): 349
Number of medical absences, specifically those that do not follow FCPS guidelines for keeping a child at home: 682 total absences

Have we hit a home run?

While IPFIT (In Personal Flexible Instruction Program) has begun and can help mitigate days absent, it does not fix the problem. We want to remind our families that all absences count and full days will help your child reach their learning goals. Please follow the health policy and send your students to school every day.

Together, let’s make every day count!

Elementary School Language Arts Grading Updates

Our teachers have been hard at work teaching with the new Language Arts curriculum, and we are excited to help all of our students become strong readers and writers! This year we also have new assessments, which is how we check if your student needs extra help with reading and writing, and new Standards of Learning (SOLs).

Because of these changes, we are now teaching all of the Language Arts skills your child needs to know (and checking if they need extra help) throughout the whole school year, instead of different skills each quarter. While these skills will be new to your child in the beginning of the year, the goal is for your child to grow strong in all of their new skills by the end of the year.

This means that when you get your child’s progress report next month, it might look different. Your child’s teacher will give you more information on the new progress reporting and how we’re making sure your child is getting any extra help they might need. You can also find more information on FCPS’ Grading and Reporting webpage.

We will also have new ways for you to help your child practice their reading and writing skills at home. These resources are coming soon!

FCPS News: In Case You Missed It!

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:

Calendar Reminders
Resources for Families
Complete Impact Aid Survey

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

Ronnie Ram's Homerun Highlights!

We love highlighting learning experiences that support the acquisition of Portrait of a Graduate attributes and skills across our classrooms!

We are a beautifully diverse school!

Students in second grade shared traditions and learned new math skills using a fall favorite: pumpkins!

#GlobalCitizens #CriticalThinkers

For more information on Portrait of a Graduate, ask your child how they are a communicator, collaborator, critical and creative thinker, goal-directed and resilient individual, or ethical and global citizen. Or, click here!

Please click on our main hashtags, #CRESSchoolofDreams and #CRESAllStars, for more awesome highlights from Centre Ridge!

We will continue to expand our social media presence this year!

Twitter and InstagRAM

DedicatED: For Parents and Teachers

Literacy Resources for Families Webpage

A new Literacy Resources for Families webpage has been published to provide families with information about how to support your children with developing literacy knowledge and skills at home. It provides valuable information about reading and writing resources, the VALLSS, Reading Plans, guidance for Parent Teacher Conferences, and training available through the Family Academy. We encourage you to check it out!

Family Literacy Program: Learn English!

Who: For parents with children in FCPS or with children from 3-5 years old.

When: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 am-12 pm (You can join anytime!)

Where: At Centre Ridge Elementary!

For more information, please contact Mary Pierri, our Family Liaison, at (703) 227-2600.

Advanced Academic Program Parent Information Night

Full-time Referral & Screening Process

November 12, 2024, 5:00-6:00 pm

Please join us in the CRES library (or online) for our upcoming AAP Parent Information Meeting to learn about the referral and screening process for the full-time Advanced Academic Program. Please RSVP at your earliest convenience. We will share a link with those who RSVP 30 minutes prior to the meeting. We hope you can join us!

December 15, 2024 -Deadline for all referrals (grades 2-6) for full-time screening

If you have questions, please contact Valerie Carter, Advanced Academic Resource Teacher.

National Family Engagement Month

November is National Family Engagement Month! This month reminds us that families are children's first and most important teachers, advocates, and nurturers. Over 40 years of research have shown that the most effective way to increase student achievement is for families to be actively involved in their children's education. Family engagement is a shared responsibility between home, school, and the community. The importance of family engagement will be highlighted during November as we celebrate and strengthen family-school partnerships.

The Family and School Partnerships Office has created calendars of ideas for additional ways to engage as a family!

Families + Schools = Success!

Please Mark Your Calendars!

Great news! Centre Ridge Elementary School's events are now easily added to your own personal calendar. To find out how to download our calendar feed, please go here.

Monday, November 11th: Veterans Day; no school.

Tuesday, November 12th: AAP Parent Information Meeting Full-time Screening Process; Please RSVP here.

Thursday, November 14th: PTA Winter Wonderland Fundraiser ends; any physical orders and monies must be turned in to the teachers. The online Shop will be closed. There is a PTA Meeting, via Zoom, at 7pm. RSVP here.

See the complete 2024-2025 school year calendar.

FCPS Cares Program

Recognizing employees who go above and beyond

FCPS Cares is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize those who go above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story so we can all acknowledge the outstanding work of FCPS, and more specifically, Centre Ridge employees.

Ram Reflection

To provide feedback directly to Dr. Hertzberg, please use the QR code, or click on this link. Thank you, in advance, for sharing your thinking!

14400 New Braddock Road Centreville, Va 20121 | Main Office: 703.227.2600
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