 In This Message:
- Principals' Message
- PTA News and Announcements
- Walk in My Shoes
- Floris Recess Bin Donations
- Giving Tree Charity
- Boundary Review
- IEP Palooza
- Sensory Disabilities
- Tutoring Resources
- Advanced Academics Information
- Upcoming Parent Session
- District News/ In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)
- Upcoming Dates
Principals' Message
Dear Floris Families,
We hope you’ve all had a wonderful week! We know that November has had its share of inconsistencies with all the days off, but we want to assure you that our teachers have remained consistent in providing engaging and meaningful instruction for your children.
We are so excited to see our community tomorrow evening at the Spirit Ball! It’s been so much fun seeing the participation throughout Spirit Week as students and teachers dressed up and had a blast together. We appreciate the enthusiasm and spirit that everyone has brought to this week.
And, back by popular demand, we are already gearing up for our Thanksgiving Day lunch on November 21st! We can’t wait to connect with families and see all the smiling faces as we celebrate together. This event will be a great way to bring positive momentum into the upcoming holiday break.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership. We’re looking forward to all the upcoming events and celebrations as we finish out November strong!
Thank you,
Joshua DeSmyter, Principal
Robert Gibbs, Assistant Principal
PTA News and Announcements
Third Grade: Snack Pack Service Project is November 22.
👉Sign-up here to donate items.👈
Get ready for the Spirit Ball!
Thank you to everyone who registered for Spirit Ball. We are looking forward to a great evening on Friday!
REGISTER HERE!
(While this event is FREE, due to capacity limits, we need attendees to register)
WHEN: Tomorrow, Friday, November 15, 6:30 - 8:00 PM
WHERE: Floris Cafeteria and Gym, Enter via Door 6
WHO: All are welcome to the K-6 Spirit Ball!
DJ, Dancing, Pizza, Bakesale, Silent Raffle, Photo Booth, Silent Auction, Merchandise Sale, Class Poster Contest, Spirit Wear Contests and More!
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TONIGHT, November 14th, is Spirit Night at the Chick-fil-A!
Come by from 5-8 pm to enjoy dinner with family and friends while supporting the Floris PTA. A portion of the sales will go back to our school, so bring your appetite and school spirit!
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Walk in My Shoes Program: Volunteers Needed!
Floris is once again partnering with “Walk in My Shoes” to bring a special event to all 4th, 5th and 6th graders in December. Students will participate in hands on learning activities designed to teach students to be respectful and inclusive of all children, especially those with medical, developmental, or learning challenges. In order for the program to be successful, we need parent volunteers. Even if your student is not yet in 4th grade, we need you! Training to run an activity and the related conversation will be provided prior to the event. It is a lot of fun and easy to do, so please email Sarah de Kramer at shdekramer@fcps.edu if you can volunteer. The schedule is as follows, please let us know if you would like to help on a day or two!!
4th grade – Dec. 6th, 11:00-12:50
5th grade – Dec. 4th, 12:30-2:15
6th grade – Dec. 6th, 9:00-10:35
Please Fill Our Floris Recess Bin!!
Floris has a new recess bin for storage of playground equipment. The equipment is shared by our students and is available during the school day. It will be secured during non-school hours. The problem is….we lack the equipment to share. Thank you to those who have already donated things. We could really use some more donations of second-hand equipment that can be safely used by our students. We are collecting second-hand equipment to help fill our bin. The following items (in usable condition) will be accepted:
- Soft or soft-shelled soccer balls
- Nerf footballs
- Frisbees or Frisbee rings
- Basketballs
- Jump ropes
- Playground or kick balls
- Velcro catching mitts and balls
We will be accepting donations in our main lobby and you are welcome to send the equipment to school with your child to be donated. So, please visit those attic spaces and corners of your garage that may contain recess equipment just waiting to be used.
Thank you for considering making a donation to our Floris recess bin.
Floris’ Annual Giving Tree – To Benefit Local Families
As we move towards the holiday season, we are reminded that there are families in need in our community, especially during breaks from school such as winter break. Floris will once again offer the opportunity to support these families through our Giving Tree. It is super simple, just sign up to purchase a Target or Walmart gift card and deliver or send to school.
👉Sign Up Here! 👈
We ask that all gift cards be mailed or dropped off in the office by Dec. 13th. The school address for mailing cards is:
2708 Centreville Road
Herndon, 20171
attn: Sarah de Kramer.
If you are or know of a family in need, please email shdekramer@fcps.edu. We truly are ONE FLORIS and for that our staff is so grateful!
📍 Boundary Review Community Meetings Start This Month
As a reminder, FCPS has started the process of reviewing school boundaries across the division. This important work will help the district better support student population growth, changes in school capacity, and evolving community needs. Community input is vital to this process. With that in mind, FCPS, in partnership with Thru Consulting, will be hosting a series of community meetings in each of FCPS’ six regions. Participants are encouraged to share their thoughts, ask questions, and learn more about the boundary review process.
Please visit FCPS’ website for meeting dates, locations, and other information. Sign up for the School Boundary Review newsletter for updates.
IEP Palooza and Community Resource Fair
- Parents/caregivers, school staff, and students over the age of 14 are invited to attend an interactive event celebrating the individualized education program (IEP) process. The IEP Palooza and Community Resource Fair will take place on Saturday, November 16, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., at Jackson Middle School.
The event is sponsored by Fairfax County Special Education Parent Teacher Association (SEPTA). Activities include simulated IEP meetings, break-out sessions on the various parts of an IEP, and a resource fair to learn more about community supports. Register in advance.
Services for Hearing-Impaired and Visually-Impaired Students
Students with sensory disabilities require specialized services and support to access instruction that is typically presented visually and auditorily (by means of hearing). FCPS provides educational services to students who are deaf, hearing-impaired, or visually impaired. They are supported in various settings, including at their school or through itinerant specialists who travel to different schools to work with students, rather than being based in a single school. Learn more about Services for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and Services for Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired.
Visit the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) website for Resources for Serving Students with Sensory Disabilities.
Tutoring Resources for Families
Is your family looking for resources to help support your child’s academic success? FCPS’ Family Resource Center (FRC) maintains a list of district employees who hold a valid Virginia teaching credential and who are available to be hired as a tutor by parents. FRC maintains this list, but families are responsible for contacting and working directly with tutors. This list is not “approved” by FCPS and is only meant as a resource.
FCPS also partners with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra resources for learning. Every student can take advantage of Varsity Tutors' services at no cost, including weekly live online classes, on demand 24/7 chat tutoring, essay editing, study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests.
✨ FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan Goal 3: Academic Growth and Excellence, reminds us of our commitment to supporting each and every student and helping them meet or exceed high academic standards.
Advanced Academic Services Information
Thank you to the families who attended our information session on September 30th. For those that were unable to attend, please find the presentation linked, here on our Floris webpage.
Upcoming Screening Information for Full-Time AAP Services
If you are interested in referring your child for Full-Time AAP services for the 25-26 School Year (Grades 2-6 only), please submit the required Full-Time AAP Referral Form and optional Parent/Guardian Questionnaire to Amy Albanese abalbanese@fcps.edu (Grades 3,5) or Katie Pickett kmpickett@fcps.edu (grades 2, 4, 6) by no later than December 15, 2024.
For families interested in learning more about the screening process for full-time advanced academics, we will be hosting an information session about this process on Monday, November 18th at 6PM.
- This information session will be virtual and can be accessed via this Zoom link.
Parent Session With the Clinical Team:
Book discussion and tips for managing technology use at home
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You are invited to join us from 12:00-1:00 on Friday November 22nd to review recent research on the impact of social media and other technology use on developing minds and to discuss strategies for limiting use. Reading the book is recommended but not required to join this discussion (we have a few copies available to borrow).
Willa McGrath, FCPS technology specialist, will be joining us to provide some practical recommendations on how to protect students from harmful online exposure. All are welcome, Please RSVP to Maggie Seneca, maseneca1@fcps.edu.
Update!! A virtual session will be offered Thursday, November 21st at 7:00pm. Please email Maggie Seneca to get the link for the virtual meeting.
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District News/In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)
FCPS News: In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:
- Fall Testing Results
- Boundary Review Community Meetings
- Resources for Families
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
Dates for the 2024-2025 School Year
November 15: PTA Spirit Ball
November 20: PTA Meeting, 6:30pm
November 21: Thanksgiving Lunch
November 27-29: Holiday, Thanksgiving
December 4: Picture Makeup Day
December 9: 3-hour early release
December 23- January 3: Holiday, Winter Break
Find the 2024-2025 School Year Calendar: https://www.fcps.edu/calendars/standard-school-year-calendar
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