From the School Administration
Dear Belvedere Families,
What an amazing time we had last week! On Wednesday, our school hosted a Nature Night that brought together over 150 families for an unforgettable evening of learning and fun. Huge thanks to Ms. Auerbach, our environmental education teacher, for planning and leading such an enriching event! Families had the opportunity to dive into exciting activities like learning about flying squirrels and bats, observing fluorescent lichen, creating mandalas, experiencing forest bathing, enjoying a guided nighttime nature walk, and crafting beautiful art with leaves. To top it all off, the SEVA food truck served over 100 delicious meals, ensuring no one left hungry. A special thank-you to the staff who came out to support this event—it was truly a team effort!
On Thursday, we continued the celebration with a fantastic Thanksgiving lunch! Families filled the cafeteria, enjoying a delicious feast lovingly prepared by our amazing cafeteria staff. The table decorations made by our talented preschoolers added a festive and heartwarming touch. A big shout-out to all the staff who helped serve, supported during lunch, and ate with their classes. Thank you to all family members who were able to join us.
As we approach Thanksgiving, we want to express our gratitude for you. Your participation and support make our school such a special place.
As we move into the colder months and holiday season, let's work together to keep our school community healthy. Here are a few important tips to reduce the spread of germs:
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Wash Hands Frequently: Encourage students to wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before meals, after using the restroom, and after coughing or sneezing.
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Use Hand Sanitizer: When soap and water aren't available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
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Cover Coughs and Sneezes: Teach students to use a tissue or their elbow to cover their mouths and noses when coughing or sneezing, and always wash hands afterward.
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Avoid Touching Faces: Remind students to avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Hand Washing Prevents The Spread of the Flu
Your Health Is In Your Hands with the Help from a Shark
By working together, we can help ensure everyone stays healthy and enjoys the upcoming holiday season to the fullest.
Thank you for being such a vital part of our school family, and we look forward to creating even more wonderful memories together!
We wish you a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,
Cecilia Vanderhye, Principal
Tara Boone, Assistant Principal
Kelly Cabezas, Assistant Principal
Join us for our upcoming monthly Parent Coffee on December 13!
Reminder: Window for Full-Time AAP Referrals Closes on December 15, 2024
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 Form to Jaclyn Walsh at jwalsh@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 Jaclyn Walsh at jwalsh@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.
Student Feedback Opportunity for FCPS Cell Phone Policy and SR&R
FCPS is working with K12 Insight to host a community forum for families, staff members, and students to provide feedback on the school division’s cell phone policies and practices, and the Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) document. FCPS is looking for more student participants (grades 3-12) to help ensure diverse perspectives from our community.
The community forum will be held on Tuesday, December 10, 6:30-8 p.m., at the Willow Oaks Administrative Center. If your student is interested in providing feedback, please visit the Cell Phone Policy Forum registration page to learn more. Families must register their child by Monday, November 25.
Social and Emotional Learning Screener Results Coming Soon
One of the ways FCPS supports the mental wellness of all students is through the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener. In October, students in grades 3-12 took this screener, which gives information about their skills such as achieving goals, handling emotions, building relationships with adults and peers, and making good choices.
The screener also helps students evaluate their school community’s efforts to make them feel valued, included, and supported. Screener data is used to create learning, experiences, and environments for students to succeed.
In early December, families will be able to view student SEL Screener results in SIS ParentVUE. For families who do not have an active ParentVUE account, results will be sent by mail.
Learn more about the screener on the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage. For help understanding your child’s results or ideas to support them at home, review the Family Guide or contact your child’s school.
Register for ParentVUE
Learn how to activate your ParentVUE account, so you can easily access your child’s results and other helpful information.
 ❄️ Preparing for Winter Weather
Winter weather will be here before you know it! Watch this video to see how weather-related closing decisions are made.
FCPS’ website is generally the first place to find out about emergency weather closings. Other communication channels will be used as quickly as possible including email, text, social media, and news stations. Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated.
Be sure to plan for the winter season. Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, bookmark the FCPS website, and arrange for childcare if needed.
Keep Your Child Warm During Outdoor Activities
We will monitor the weather for low temperatures, wind chill advisories and warnings, and weather advisories which may prevent children from being outside. Make sure your child is dressed appropriately with a warm coat and other cold-weather clothing, so they can comfortably enjoy their time outdoors. See the National Weather Service’s tips on staying safe during cold weather.
If you need assistance supplying your child with cold-weather clothing, please call Fairfax County's Coordinated Services Planning at 703-222-0880. Their multilingual staff can assist with any challenges you are facing, including food, shelter, employment, financial assistance, and health care.
📍 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. 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.
Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey
FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets (in the upper right corner after logging in). Please complete it as soon as possible.
For any families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE, schools will provide paper forms starting Wednesday, November 13. Paper forms should be returned by Wednesday, December 4.
Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is important. Information from this survey resulted in more than $4 million in funding last year from the U.S. Department of Education. These funds are used to support all Fairfax County public schools and centers.
For more information, please watch this video on Impact Aid and visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.
Need to Register for ParentVUE?
Learn how to activate your SIS ParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey.
Technical support for using ParentVUE or completing the survey online is available by submitting a Parent Support Request ticket. Select SISParent in the Application dropdown menu and type Federal Impact Aid Survey under Issue Description. Or, call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS).
FCPS News
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:
- Preparing for Winter Weather
- SEL Screener Results
- Varsity Girls Wrestling Is New Winter Sport
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
Read-a-Thon Extended!
Due to popular demand, the PTA is extending our Read-a-Thon for one more week until Tuesday, December 3! CLICK HERE for our fundraising site, and search your student's name to see their individual page to track reading minutes and to donate. Please share with your networks! Thanksgiving break is a great time to ask loved ones near and far to support our wonderful school and students by donating to this important fundraiser. All students are invited to participate, whether or not the secure donations, and can enjoy these awesome prizes:
- The class with the most minutes in the school gets a pizza party.
- Every class that hits 3,000 minutes gets to bring a stuffed animal to school.
- Every class that hits 5,000 minutes gets to wear pajamas to school one day.
- If we hit our school goal of $20,000, Mrs. Vanderhye has agreed to give extra recess one day!
Questions? Please reach out to Read-a-Thon coordinator Laura Nunneker at lauradiserio@gmail.com. Let's keep the momentum going, Bulldogs!
Read-A-Thon extended to Dec. 3
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Students now have another week to fill out their reading sheets: Read-a-thon has been extended to Tuesday, Dec. 3. We still have $6,000+ left in our fundraising campaign. Thanksgiving break is a great time to ask loved ones near and far to support our school and students by donating to this important fundraiser. This fundraiser benefits PTA’s work to pay for school field trips and classroom supplies, while also encouraging good reading habits.
People can donate a flat amount ($1, $20, $50, $100 etc.) or pledge an amount based on the number of minutes read by -- or to -- a student. Details: https://app.99pledges.com/fund/belvederesStudents DO NOT have to collect pledges to participate -- reading the most important goal. All students will be able to enjoy these exciting prizes:
-- The class with the most minutes read gets a pizza party.
-- Every class that hits 3,000 minutes gets to bring a stuffed animal to school.
-- Every class that hits 5,000 minutes gets to wear pajamas to school one day.
-- If we hit our school goal of $20,000, Mrs. Vanderhye has agreed to give extra recess one day!
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Read-a-Thon coordinator Laura Nunneker at lauradiserio@gmail.com.
Join us for the December community meeting
Next month’s community meeting will be on Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 6:30 pm. We will discuss upcoming community events before the winter holiday break, as well as plans as we head into 2025, including VIP + Me in January. PTA meetings last about an hour and are offered in a hybrid format – both online and in person in the BES cafeteria. Spanish translation is available as part of the virtual format, so please join us via Zoom if you require Spanish support.
The virtual link will be shared via News You Choose and via MemberHub (PTA’s communication link for members) in advance of the meeting. Children are welcome to join in person at Belvedere, and there will be space for them in the cafeteria to snack, play games, use electronics, read and/or color. All staff and BES families are welcome to join these meetings, share ideas, ask questions and volunteer. You must be a PTA member to vote on any financial decisions made during meetings.
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Grab your sneaks! BES Fun Run is Dec. 14
Bring your Belvedere Bulldogs to the return of the Fun Run. We will gather at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14 at the school to do some stretching, running and hot chocolate drinking! We are looking for volunteers to help donate and/or serve hot chocolate, hand out lap counters, guide the runners and clean-up. Sign up here. The PTA will also be selling wrapping paper, hand bag raffle tickets and spirit wear and we will also be collecting gift cards for BES community members in need this holiday season.
Save the Dates: December Events
Dec. 4-18: Purse raffle begins. Buy tickets ($10/each) to win a designer purse – a great holiday gift idea. Details to come.
Dec. 4: PTA Community Meeting, 6:30 p.m. At BES and online.
Dec. 14: Fun Run, 9:30-11 a.m.. Come cheer on BES students as they run on the field at school. BES spirit wear and wrapping paper will also be on sale.
Free and Reduced-Price Meals (FRM)
Learn more about the criteria and process to apply for free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch.
If you need assistance with the Free and Reduced-Meal application, please visit Belvedere's Family Liaison, Mrs. Plazas in the Parent Center or you may call her office at (703) 916-6824
FCPS CARES Program
The FCPS CARES Program allows parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees who go above and beyond to help others and show they care about their students, colleagues, and the community. We invite you to submit a story below to acknowledge the great work of an FCPS employee or group of employees who should receive FCPS CARES recognition.
Please take note of the following before submitting an FCPS CARES:
- A notification email, with the submission text included, will be sent to the recipient(s) and copied to the recipient's supervisor(s).
- All submissions will be posted to our FCPS CARES webpage and shared via other FCPS news outlets.
- Submissions containing personal or sensitive information may be edited to protect individuals' privacy.
- Feel free to compose your submission using a text editor such as Microsoft Word, and then paste it into the text box provided.
For questions, please email employeeawards@fcps.edu.
Read more and Submit an FCPS CARES today!
Belvedere is on Instagram
Welcome back, Belvedere families! 🎉 New school year, new Instagram account! 📸 We’re thrilled to share all the incredible moments ahead. Stay tuned and follow along!
https://www.instagram.com/belvedereelem/
Native American Heritage Month
Native American Heritage Month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native Americans. It is also a time to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges they have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges.Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.
National Career Development Month
By enrolling in a Career and Technical Education (CTE) course or program, students learn the technical applications of many occupations while preparing for higher education or entry-level employment. A core program of CTE courses is offered in every middle and high school. Based on the needs of the populations served, each school determines optional courses to be offered. Learn more about Academies and Specialized Programs.
National Family Engagement Month
This month reminds us that families are children's first and most important teachers, advocates, and nurturers. Strong family support is vital to student well-being and success.
FCPS has many resources designed to increase engagement and partnerships with families while fostering academic success and social-emotional growth.
Additionally, every school has a family liaison who will welcome and orient families, and help them understand the school's culture, policies, procedures, and practices. They can help connect families to resources in the community. Family liaisons might also assist a family in transitioning to a new school and encourage family-school partnerships to help ensure their student's success and healthy development.
If you have questions or would like more information, ask your school office to connect you with your family liaison or visit FCPS’ website for a list of region representatives.
Upcoming Dates
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National Special Education Day
National Special Education Day is recognized each year on Dec. 2 and commemorates President Gerald Ford’s signing of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1975. We celebrate our teachers and staff who serve and support our students with special needs, as well as our families who are partners in the education and support of those students!
Learn more about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
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Bodhi Day
Bodhi Day, Friday, December 8, is the Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni), experienced enlightenment, also known as bodhi in Sanskrit and Pali.
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