Falcon Flyer: November 21st, 2024

November 21st, 2024


Flint Hill Updates


Good Afternoon Flint Hill Families,

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I would like to wish all of you a wonderful break. To that end, I have communicated to the Flint Hill staff the need to give our students (and themselves) a respite from the daily grind of schoolwork during the Thanksgiving holiday. While teachers may have long-term assignments that span over the course of a break, I have shared with the staff to not assign homework, projects, essays, etc. to be specifically done over the break. 

This Thanksgiving all of us need the opportunity to spend time with our families and friends. We want our students to have the opportunity to catch a breath from schoolwork and to enjoy time with friends and family. We also want our teachers to decompress and put their lesson plan books and laptops away for a few days to enjoy time with their friends and family.

Our goal is to have students and teachers return to school anxiety-free without the pressure of looming deadlines. This is a unified message that Madison pyramid principals send out three times during the year: Thanksgiving, Winter Break, and Spring Break. Again, I wish you a happy and restful Thanksgiving holiday.

Also, please know that due to a rainy, cold forecast 13th annual FHES Turkey Trot will not occur on Friday. We will send out more information to families tomorrow if we are able to reschedule the event for another day.

Kindly,

 

Mr. Montaquila, Principal

Mr. Baker, Assistant Principal


FHES Turkey Trot - Postponed

Due to anticipated flurries & rain with cold and windy conditions, the Turkey Trot will not be held on Friday. We are sorry to disappoint our trotters.

We are looking at options if the event can be held next week and will share an update with the community on Friday.

Turkey Trot

Reminder: Window for Full-Time AAP Referrals Closes on December 15, 2024

pencil

Parents/guardians of students in Grades 2-7 who would like their student to be considered for Full-Time advanced academic programs may submit the AAP Full-Time Referral to Becky Timm retimm@fcps.edu no later than December 15, 2024

 

The window for families to submit a referral for Full-Time AAP services is the first day of school through December 15, annually.  Forms for Full-Time and part-time referrals are available on the AAP Forms Page. No late referrals for Full-Time AAP services will be accepted. 

 

Submitting a referral form for Full-Time AAP will initiate a process that begins at the local school and is then completed at the central office level. Our school will put together a portfolio that includes multiple data which are considered holistically. At the central office level, a committee of six trained professionals from various schools and roles will review the portfolio materials to determine eligibility for Full-Time placement.  Eligibility decisions are communicated by early April. Parents may request a copy of the portfolio that was submitted after they have been turned in for central selection by emailing Becky Timm retimm@fcps.edu.

 

Referrals for Subject-Specific and Part-Time AAP are screened at the local school. If you miss this deadline, your student can still be screened for Subject-Specific AAP or Part-Time AAP for the remainder of the year and submit a referral for Full-Time AAP next fall. 

 

For more information, please visit the Advanced Academic Programs website.


Supervision and Safety After School

FHES

We would like to remind everyone about an important policy regarding after-school use of the playground and field. All students need to go directly home after school. If a student wants stay and play on the playground or field after school, they must be supervised by a parent or guardian. This ensures the safety and well-being of all children while they enjoy these spaces.
Thank you for your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the school office.


NexTrex Challenge

Flint Hill is participating in the NexTrex Challenge!

FHES is collecting plastic items to be weighed and recycled. If our school gathers 1000 lbs of plastic before the end of the school year, FHES will receive a donated bench for our school courtyard. 

Let's help our school reach our goal by collecting 100 lbs of plastic before Thanksgiving! We still have a long way to go and future challenges will occur throughout the year.

Plastic items that can be included in the challenge are detailed in the image below. Plastic collection bins are located in the main lobby.

NexTrex Challenge

December 9th - 3-Hour Early Release

Calendar Student Services

Flint Hill will dismiss early on the following dates:

  • December 9
  • February 24
  • March 17
  • April 28
  • May 19

Students will be dismissed at 12:35 pm.

*If you have a childcare need or hardship, supervision will be provided by school staff until 3:35 pm. Please let us know your child's dismissal plan for the remaining Early Release Mondays.

You must complete the form for each child you have at Flint Hill. Your dismissal plan will apply to all the remaining 3-hour Early Release Mondays and will be confirmed one week before each early dismissal.

https://forms.gle/hpgQV2AsWRD9ZYa58


PTA Dining for Dollars

Looking for a way to support FHES? Don't miss a Dining for Dollars event where a portion of your purchase will go directly to supporting our school’s programs and initiatives.

As you gear up for the holidays, don't forget that Vienna Vintner is hosting a month-long promotion benefiting the FHES PTA. Cheers to supporting our school community!

PTA Dining For Dollars

PRIME Family Shoutouts!

FHES PRIME

Did you find your PRIME form in your student’s backpack on Tuesday?

At FHES, students are taught to value privacy, respect, integrity, mindfulness and engagement. These core values are parts of morning meetings, classroom conversations and even school assemblies. Throughout the week, teachers and students regularly recognize others for their PRIME behaviors and students who demonstrate a PRIME behavior can receive a recognition on the weekly FHES news.

Families, it is your turn to recognize your students for PRIME behaviors in and out of school! Use the PRIME slip in your students' Tuesday Folder to recognize when you see your student demonstrating any one of our five values (privacy, respect, integrity, mindfulness or engagement). Students can return their PRIME slip to their classroom teacher who will deposit them in our main office PRIME box for a weekly shoutout.

Be sure to talk to your students about PRIME and how it can help them have a successful day at school.


Healthy Snacks for Students

Snack

Please help keep students’ focus on learning throughout the day by sending school appropriate snacks with your students. Most classes have scheduled student snack times throughout the day. When students are able to feel full, they can focus on learning.

Candy and sugary snacks and drinks can be distracting during the school day and take attention away from learning. If you send snacks with your student, please consider sending healthy options that will keep students full but not take their focus off learning. Students should bring snacks that are individual servings (not to share with a class). If there are students who have a need or hardship to access school snacks, please reach out to our main office or school counselors for support.


Impact Aid Survey in ParentVUE

pencil

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is eligible for federal Impact Aid grants due to the federal presence in our area. The grants from these programs will become part of FCPS' general operating budget. They are critical to ensuring that students receive an excellent education. FCPS anticipates receiving approximately $3,000,000 in Impact Aid funds.

FCPS uses the survey for Federal Impact Aid to identify federally connected students. In October, the survey will be made available to FCPS families.

The survey is available online through ParentVue. Families without ParentVUE can request a paper copy of the survey from their child's school. 

FCPS staff will process the information with the utmost confidentiality.


JMHS Canned Food Drive

ONE Canned Food Drive

JMHS Presents "The Snowman"

The Snowman

Calendar Reminders

  • November 22nd - Turkey Trot  New Date TBD
  • November 27-29 - Thanksgiving Break
  • December 9th - 3-Hour Early Release
  • December 15th - AAP referrals due
  • December 23 - Jan. 3 - Winter Break

When a Student Should Stay Home From School

Telephone

Whether students miss school because of illness or any other reason, missing school leads to learning loss.

Help your child succeed by encouraging them to attend as many days as possible, but do make sure your child stays home if they are sick. Visit FCPS’ website for information on when to keep your child at home.

If your child has a chronic illness, make sure to notify their teacher so that support can be provided if needed. Also, keep an open line of communication with your school's public health staff.

Read about how families can help form good attendance habits. Attend today, achieve tomorrow!


FHES Family Handbook

FHES Logo

Good communication between home and school is vital to a successful school experience for each child. Questions relating to your child should be directed to the classroom teacher. All teachers have voice mail and an e-mail address. The school has a web page that links directly to each teacher’s e-mail.

Each year, FCPS produces a Handbook for its FCPS families. It contains valuable information you may need throughout the year, including calendars, services, and special programs, the instructional program, and information about starting school. Flint Hill Elementary has produced a handbook that includes some additional notes that are important for our school community.

Flint Hill Elementary Family Handbook


How to Receive FCPS Messages in Other Languages

You may wish to read FCPS messages in a language other than English. There are several ways you can receive or view our communications in a different language.

FCPS This Week is distributed in other languages to parents/guardians who have filled out the Home Language Survey form and selected a language supported by FCPS as their preferred language for communication. Home Language Survey forms are available in the following languages: Amharic | Arabic (العربية) | Chinese (中文) | Farsi (فارسی) | Korean (한국어) | Spanish (español) | Urdu (اردو) | Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt).

Learn more about other communications that are translated. 


Paperless Opt-Outs Available!

As a part of our ongoing efforts to streamline paper processes, parents can now select a number of opt-out’s electronically via ParentVUE.  Once you have signed into your ParentVUE account, simply select the “Student Info” tab and click on “Edit Information.” You will find opt-out’s listed there.  Parents that do not yet have a ParentVUE account will still be able to use paper forms for notification. If you need to set up your ParentVUE account, you can create one online via the FCPS ParentVUE Registration page.