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Dear Thoreau Families,
We were thrilled to host over 20 parents at our first parent coffee today. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with our community. Stay tuned for more events in the new year!
Our canned food drive is wrapping up on Wednesday, December 13th. Thank you to everyone who has already donated! Your generosity helps those in need.
With just two weeks left before winter break, we have some exciting things planned. Mark your calendars for our upcoming spirit week and we are looking forward to the performing arts concerts.
Wishing you a great weekend,
Teresa Khuluki
Principal
The front office will be closed from December 23rd - January 3rd. Students and staff will return on January 6, 2024.
We will monitor the weather for low temperatures, wind chill advisories and warnings, and weather advisories that may prevent children from being outside. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately with a warm coat and other cold-weather clothing (labeled with the name!), so they can comfortably enjoy their time outdoors. On the majority of days, students will go outside for recess.
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.
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 any challenges you are facing, including food, shelter, employment, financial assistance, and healthcare.
At Tuesday’s School Board work session, staff from Prismatic Services, Inc., presented options for adjusting start times at FCPS middle schools. As a reminder, Prismatic is charged with developing an action plan to help the School Board reach its goal of starting middle school at or after 8 a.m.
The presentation includes five options for adjusting middle school start times based on the consultant’s analysis from community forums, surveys, and interviews with staff, parents, associations, and other groups. The School Board will provide next steps to the superintendent.
Watch a video of the work session. Visit the Middle School Start Times webpage for more information on the project.
After-School is an amazing opportunity for our staff & students to connect outside of the normal school day hours! Students & staff are coming up with some really creative clubs to kick off this exciting school year. After-School clubs & late buses will continue to occur on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between the hours of 2:25pm - 4:45pm throughout the school year!
Check out all of the after-school information linked below!
Please have your student access these links using their FCPS Google account!
Weekly After-School Club Schedule – this is the club schedule for the week of December 9th – December 13th. The weekly club schedule is updated weekly since clubs are always being added as they are created by students and Thoreau staff. If a club is highlighted and crossed out, that means that the club will not be meeting that day.
Club Descriptions – learn a little bit more about what each particular club is and what they will be offering to the students.
Late Bus Routes/Stops – help your child find their late bus stop. Late buses depart from Thoreau on Mondays, Wednesdays & Thursdays from 4:30pm-5pm only!
NO After-School Activities or Late Bus Transportation on: Early Release Days, County Holidays or possible cancellation due to inclement weather.
QUESTIONS/CONCERNS?
Email Ms. Colleen Myers at cmmyers@fcps.edu or call 703.846.8016.
The SOL assessment schedule can be found below. The testing schedule will impact the bell schedule each day. Please avoid prearranged student absences on the dates your child will be taking an SOL test. More information regarding middle school SOL tests is available on the SOL assessments webpage.
If you have any questions regarding testing, please contact Thoreau’s School Testing Coordinator, Erin Lynch (703.846.8058 or emlynch@fcps.edu).
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 Wednesday, December 18, 6:30-8 p.m., at Madison 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.
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 receiving special education services, 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.
From the County:
🍲 Food Assistance and Resource Guide Food insecurity impacts more than 96,000 Fairfax County residents. There are many resources available to support those who need food assistance. Learn how to help these families and the many resources available to support those who need food assistance on Fairfax County’s website or view the county’s Human Services Resource Guide.
📚 Bundle Up With Books Over Break
Fairfax County Public Library’s (FCPL) winter reading adventure has begun and will continue through Friday, January 31, 2025. Visit your local FCPL library branch or visit their 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, and many more fun events.
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