Weekly update for Dec. 13, 2024
Dear CES friends and families:
It has been another great week at Columbia. I wanted to take a moment and share my sincere appreciation to the staff, students, and families that came together this week for our annual "Donuts with Grown-ups" event. It is always one of the highlights of the school year when we get to see so many families, staff, and students together here at school. Next week, which is the last week before winter break, we are looking forward to the Winter Spirit Week! Please see below for details to help your student join in the fun.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Take care,
Mike Astudillo
Proud Principal
Columbia Elementary School
Full Time Advanced Academics Referral Deadline Reminder:
Parents/guardians of Columbia Elementary students in Grades 2-5 who would like their student to be considered for Full-Time advanced academic programs may submit the AAP Full-Time Referral Form to Michelle Sansone mfsansone@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 mfsansone@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.
PTA News & Notes
Fall Direct Donation Campaign
With increasing reliance on technology in schools for learning, it's more important than ever for our elementary students to learn fundamental typing skills to increase their digital literacy. The wonderful CES staff have requested support for a typing curriculum designed to increase typing proficiency for students in grades 3-5. The PTA is launching a fundraising campaign with a goal of raising $2,300 to purchase the Edclub Typing Program for three years that will allow Columbia teachers the ability to provide broad access to the program for their students. The campaign is now live and will run through January 15th.
Please join us and consider making a tax-deductible donation. Donations can be submitted several ways:
New Partnership with Papa Johns
We are excited to announce a new partnership with Papa Johns in Annandale. You can now order pizza ANY THURSDAY from 11AM – 11PM for delivery or carryout (carryout until 10 PM). Families will receive 40 percent off their entire order and 10 percent of their order goes to the PTA. This opportunity will last until the end of the school year. Online code “CES4010” - this code will also be accepted by phone in case of issues with the website.
Upcoming Family Night Out
- December 18th at Chipotle (Landmark location from 4PM - 8PM)
News from George Mason Regional Library
Winter Reading Program – “Bundle Up With Books” December 1, 2024 – January 1, 2025. Cozy up with a good book (or a lot of books) and earn a prize!
New Director - Eric Carzon has been appointed director of Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL), effective Monday, Nov. 4. Carzon brings over 27 years of experience in library management, having most recently served as regional manager for Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL)
Columbia Elementary FCPS Honors Awards
Emma Kremer, Sarah Boudart, Mhret Wondmagegne
Columbia Elementary is proud to congratulate Sarah Boudart, Emma Kremer, and Mhret Wondmagegne who were nominated and selected for Columbia Elementary's 2024-2025 Outstanding Employee Awards, part of the FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards Program for 2024-2025 school year.
-
Emma Kremer - Outstanding Teacher
-
Sarah Boudart - Outstanding Leader
-
Mhret Wondmagegne - Outstanding New Teacher
Specials Spotlight
Music with Mrs. Eggleton
Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd graders are practicing steady beats with body percussion and instruments. Singing seasonal songs and performing rhymes and poems with non-pitched percussion instruments. We love the triangles, hand drums, and maracas. Our composer for this quarter is Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. We love keeping the steady beat to the “March” from the ballet “The Nutcracker” composed by Tchaikovsky.
3rd, 4th, and 5th graders are listening to and describing music using music terms and learning to identify traditional music symbols and terms. Our composer of the quarter is Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. We are working in small groups using movement words to perform with the “March” from The Nutcracker. Students will use scarves, ribbons and plastic candy canes to showcase their composition.
4th grade had the opportunity to go to the Kennedy Center to hear the National Symphony Orchestra. They enjoyed seeing and hearing a performance in person.
Memories will be made as we celebrate with our school-wide winter sing along.
Next week, December 16 - 20 is a
Winter Spirit Week!
-
Monday - Rainbow Day!
- Pre-K & Kindergarten: Red
- 1st Grade: Yellow
- 2nd Grade: Purple
- 3rd Grade: Green
- 4th Grade: Orange
- 5th Grade: Blue
-
Tuesday: Do You Want to Build a Snowman?
- Wear snow day/frozen themed spirit wear. Dress up as a snowman! Wear white and add geometric shapes to create a snowman.
- Wednesday: Columbia Spirit Wear Day
- Thursday: Tacky Winter Sweater Day
- Friday: Pajama Day
🐾Save the Date 🐾
Holidays - Winter Break
December 23 - January 5
Holiday
January 20
Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Meeting
January 21
Student Holiday
January 29
3 Hour Early Release - 1:05 p.m. Dismissal
February 10
Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Meeting
February 18
STEAM Night
February 20
|
