Garfield ES - Eagle Express: School News & Announcements

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 12/06/2024 04:00 PM EST

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Dear Garfield Elementary Families,

What a wonderful week it has been at our school!

First, a huge thank you to everyone who joined us for our Winter Fun Night on Thursday. It was incredible to see so many families enjoying fireside stories, creating festive crafts, and building gingerbread houses. The laughter and joy in the air truly captured the magic of the season. We are so grateful for your participation and for making this event such a success.

Today, we were thrilled to host an assembly by Coastal Wilds Mobile Zoo, where students had the chance to meet fascinating wildlife up close! It was an educational experience that left everyone amazed. Ask your student which animal they enjoyed best! Thank you to Coastal Wilds for bringing the wonders of nature to our school and inspiring curiosity in our students.

As we head into December, it’s important to emphasize the value of consistent attendance. Every day of learning matters, and being present helps your child stay engaged, connected, and on track for success. Let’s make the most of this time before the holiday break!

Thank you for your continued support and for helping make Garfield a place where learning and community come together!

Blessings and Joy,

Kerry Peerman
Principal

Liz Manning
Assistant Principal

THANK YOU for joining us for our Winter Family Fun Event last night! We LOVED seeing all of our Eagle Families! Until next time…

Today, we had a wonderful Assembly with Coastal Wild! Garfield Eagles saw a few cool animals including an owl, bearded dragon, guinea pig, and tortoise!

Ask your student what they enjoyed most!

December 18 - Parent Coffee, 9:30 am
December 23 - Jan 2 - Winter Break (Student Holiday)

Please bookmark the FCPS School Calendar to stay informed about school holidays, breaks, and observances.

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 Heather Jenkins, hkjenkins@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 Heather Jenkins, hkjenkins@fcps.edu.

Full-Time Referral Form (PDF)

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.

Garfield Parent Coffee
December 18th at 9:30am

❄️ 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 Melody Wheatley, 703-923-2900. We can help get you in touch with multilingual staff to assist with any challenges you are facing, including food, shelter, employment, financial assistance, and health care.

Boundary Review Community Meeting

Community meetings regarding FCPS’ comprehensive boundary review will take place in each of the division's six regions. You are encouraged to attend the meeting in our region, which will take place on Thursday, December 12, 6:45-8:15 p.m., at Annandale High School Cafeteria.

Please register in advance by clicking on the date. Language interpretation will be available.

If you are unable to attend on this date, view the full list of meetings on the Comprehensive School Boundary Review webpage.

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.

❄ Keep Your Child Warm During Outdoor Activities

Garfield principals will monitor the weather for low temperatures, wind chill advisories and warnings, and other weather advisories that may prevent children from being outside. Also, Please 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 getting cold-weather clothing for your family, please call Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) at 703-222-0880. Their multilingual staff can assist with support, including food, shelter, employment, financial assistance, and health care. Please feel free to also call Garfield and ask to speak with our counselor or school social worker.

📚 Bundle Up With Books Over Break

Fairfax County Public Library’s winter reading adventure has begun and will continue through Friday, January 31, 2025. Visit your local FCPL branch or their Winter Reading Adventure website to register and get a sneak peek at the prizes being offered.

Check out their Winter Reading Events webpage to learn about laser tag, movie nights, crafting sessions, Noon-Year Eve celebrations, and book discussions.

⛄ Get Outdoors for Winter Fun!

The Fairfax County Park Authority has rounded up its seasonal fun into a handy list of events happening across the county.

Learn more about the Winter Wonderland and the Holiday Train at Burke Lake Park, Holiday on the Farm at Frying Pan Farm Park, the Holiday Lantern Tour at Colvin Run Mill, and many more fun events.

🗓️ Upcoming Events with the Family Academy

You are an important part of your child's education! The Family Academy compiles classes, webinars, workshops, and programs offered by FCPS to help you support your child's needs and learning at home. Browse Family Academy offerings.

Protecting Kids Against Digital Exploitation: Keeping Kids Safe Online

Join us for this important webinar presented jointly between Fairfax County Schools, Fairfax County Police Department, the Department of Justice, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Webinar Highlights:

What is Sextortion?
What are FCPS and FCPD seeing with respect to sextortion?
How can families help prevent their kids from becoming victims?
How should families respond if their child was victimized?

December 13, 2024 10-11:30 a.m.

Youth Mental Health First Aid

(in-person course)

Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among children and adolescents ages 12-18.

The course will teach you how to apply the MHFA Action Plan (ALGEE):

Assess for risk of suicide or harm. • Listen nonjudgmentally. • Give reassurance and information. • Encourage appropriate professional help. • Encourage self-help and other support strategies.

December 20, 2024, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Family Resource Center

2334 Gallows Road

Dunn Loring, VA 22027

Garfield PTA

Join the PTA! Help us build a stronger future together!

Please join the Garfield PTA by clicking here.

https://garfieldelementarypta.square.site/

Quick Links

YOUR PARTNERS IN EDUCATION

We are in this together!! We are thankful to have the opportunity to work with your family this year and will work every day to ensure a safe and positive learning environment for your child. Please contact us when there is a question or concern. Thank you for your support and being part of our team!

Your Garfield Partner Principals,

Mrs. Peerman, Principal, Klpeerman@fcps.edu
Ms. Manning, Assistant Principal, eamanning1@fcps.edu

7101 Old Keene Mill Rd, Springfield, VA 22150 | Main Office: 703-923-2900
Attendance: 703-923-2929 | Web | Twitter

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