Heritage Night
Thanks to our PTA and all of our parents for supporting! It was a fabulous evening!! #kgpride
Plan Forward - Dates to Mark on Your Calendar
January 27: Strings Concert: 5:30PM 4th Grade, 6:15PM 5th & 6th Grades
January 28 - End of the Quarter
January 29- Teacher Workday - Student Holiday
February 4- 2nd quarter report cards available in SIS ParentVUE
February 13 - Save the Date! Math/STEAM Night! 5 - 6:30 p.m. A wonderful evening to enjoy using our critical thinking skills!
February 13 - Immersion Registration Link Closed
February 17 - President's Day Holiday
February 24 - Three Hour Early Release Monday
February 28 - PTA Meeting 9 a.m.
March 21 - Yearbook Order Deadline
2024-25 FCPS School Calendar
Administration Notes
Dear Parents,
Recently, we have had some challenges at dismissal. There are 2 options for dismissal if you, as a parent/guardian, are picking up your child(ren). Your child should be met as a walker or picked up in the kiss and ride area. The playground is not a meeting place for students after school - especially without parent supervision. If you are unable to pick up your child on a timely basis, please coordinate with another parent and notify the office. Students should not be unsupervised at the end of the day.
Our police officer, who supports our walkers and dismissal after school, also shared that many parents are not following guidelines for pick up. Parents must NOT block any driveways (especially in the cul de sac ) and should always respect the property and residents in the neighborhood. There may be tickets given in the future should parents park in front of driveways and in other non parking areas no matter the timeframe in which are parked.
We will be remitting information regarding attendance for your child(ren). The VDOE has now deemed 15 absences (excused or unexcused) as 'chronic absenteeism'. Data shows that students missing 10% of school (2 days a month) negatively affects their academic performance. Your child's attendance matters and if you are at the 15 day number, we will be contacting you for next steps.
Please note that this coming Wednesday (1/29) is a Teacher Workday ~ student holiday. We look forward to seeing our students back at school on Thursday.
Last but not least, we will be transitioning to outdoor recess. Please dress your child appropriately. Remind your child(ren) that throwing of snow/ice is NOT acceptable. All students need to be safe. Thanks as always for your support!
Warmly,
Holly McGuigan Tia Hawkins Sarah Talley
Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal
Student Intentions - 2025-26 School Year
Please indicate your child(ren)'s intention for the next school year if you are moving or will attend another school. One form should be completed for each child ONLY if you are moving or will attend another school. This input will support our staffing and planning for the next school year. This information is non binding but will simply be used to plan. If you are returning, you do NOT need to complete this form. The link to the form is here.
Rising Kindergarten Student Intention 2025-26
Please complete this form if you have a rising kindergartner and plan on attending Kent Gardens. If you are hopeful to attend, you may complete but please note your status in the form below. We are not using this data for evaluative purposes nor for placement purposes but merely to collect information for the beginning of the school year. All students come in at various levels academically and socially. We are excited for our 2025-26 kindergarten students!
Kindergarten Parent Information Meeting will be through Zoom (link to follow) on March 21st at 8 a.m. Sign up here to receive the link.
The Parent Tour and Kindergarten Student Orientation is on Tuesday, April at 1st 2:00 p.m. (Parents and students attend together) Link is here to reserve your tour time.
Kindergarten Registration
If you have a child who will be 5 years old by September 30, they are eligible to attend Kindergarten for the upcoming year. Registration paperwork can be downloaded at this link. Once you have completed the paperwork and gathered the required documents, please come into the front office to meet with our registrar, Annie Joseph.
Alternatively, you can now choose to use online registration tool. If you choose the online option, you will then have to come into the office with the child’s original birth certificate, your proof of residence (deed/lease) and your ID. You can contact Annie Joseph to coordinate a convenient time.
Immersion Registration
FCPS offers DLI programs in French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish. Online lottery application closed on February 13 at 4 pm for rising kindergarten and first graders dependent upon the school. A SIS account is required to complete the application. If a student is not currently enrolled in FCPS, registration at the base school is required. Please contact Annie Joseph, ajoseph@fcps.edu if you need a create an account and live in our boundary. FCPS does not provide transportation for students who live outside the attendance area of the DLI school. A one-time fee of $100 must be paid upon acceptance of an out-of-boundary placement (see Notice 5922).
Program Sites and Informational Meetings - The dates for various schools are in this link. For registration information, please visit: https://www.fcps.edu/registration/dual-language-immersionprograms-registration . For general program information: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary/worldlanguages-immersion-programs
Dear Families,
This week, our school community will focus on the character strength of Social Intelligence. Social intelligence means understanding other people's thoughts and feelings and why they act the way they do.
Social intelligence helps us build good relationships by being aware of others’ emotions and behaviors. It is different from "book smarts" and grows with experience. It also allows people to connect, form friendships, and protect themselves from being taken advantage of. It also helps us read facial expressions and understand what motivates others.
To practice and encourage the character strength of social intelligence at home, please visit The Positivity Project’s mobile-friendly P2 for Families (available in English and Spanish), where you will watch a video together and discuss a quote and three questions. Below are links to this week’s P2 for Families lessons. Click on the grade level that best meets your child’s needs.
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News from Shelley Lowinger - Parent Liaison
Handy Dandy Links for Attendance and Student Transportation Updates -Check out a few useful links that will be helpful for any attendance and student transportation temporary updates. Please use the following link for submitting a request for attendance changes and updates including early check out or late arrival. To report a full day absence, parents / legal guardians should submit this information using ParentVUE. We request that any temporary changes in student transportation be submitted electronically here.
Chocolate, Chocolate and more Chocolate! My favorite food group is chocolate, and I wanted to share 2 of my favorite upcoming community festivals. Looking for something to do today (Sunday)? Head to McLean Community Center with your friends and family in indulge in McLean’s 13th annual Chocolate Festival. And if that’s not enough chocolate for you, check out City of Fairfax’s Chocolate Festival next weekend. Yummy treats, great music and a good time will be had by all.
Free Webinars and Events for Familiesv - Upcoming free webinars and events for families hosted by the Family Resource Center (FRC) include: Depression in Teens; Understanding Trauma in Your Child/Comprendiedo el Trauma en su Hijo (presented in Spanish). Sign up for the FRC newsletter to receive additional webinar and event information.
Upcoming Family Academy Events - You are an important part of your child's education! The FCPS 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.
Proposed Budget
Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid presented the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Proposed Budget at the School Board meeting on Thursday, January 23. Watch a video of the presentation. The proposed budget reflects FCPS’ continued focus on providing a world-class education for each and every student while recognizing the hard work and commitment of our outstanding employees. The budget focuses on competitive compensation — including a 7% salary increase for all staff — investing in students who require additional support, and the continuation of multiyear investments. It reflects the needs of and FCPS’ commitments to Fairfax County students, families, and community members. Learn more on the Budget website.
📈 Virginia’s Student Assessment Summary for Families
This month, families of students who took any Standards of Learning (SOL) test between school years 2015-16 and 2023-24 will receive a Student Assessment Summary Report. The report shows a student’s state percentile ranking for each test. This allows families to see how their child ranked compared to all Virginia students who took the same test that year.
Reports are available now in SIS ParentVUE Documents. We will distribute them to students whose families do not have ParentVUE access. Learn how to access ParentVUE. The report is intended to help families reflect on how their child performed across all tested subjects over the years. Our staff members are committed to working with families to help every student reach their highest potential. Learn more about student assessments in FCPS.
 The QR code above and the link is here to purchase the yearbook. Use code 21772. We will close the purchase window March 21, 2025. Buy now to ensure you will have a yearbook for your child(ren)!
Longfellow Rising 7th Grader Update
It was such a pleasure meeting many of our rising 7th graders, parents, and guardians during last week’s Curriculum Night! We hope you found the evening informative and gained valuable insights into our curriculum, course offerings, and the wonderful opportunities to connect with our staff and students. If you weren’t able to attend, no problem! All presentations are available on the LMS Academic Advising website for your convenience. Thank you for your partnership—we’re excited to work together to support your student’s success as they begin their middle school journey!
Middle School Transition
The Middle School Transition Matters Newsletter: Elementary Edition is here! This Winter 2024-25 edition helps foster curiosity, self-awareness, and career readiness in elementary students. It includes practical tips, activities, and local resource ideas to connect classroom learning with real-life experiences. Highlights include: ideas for integrating transition planning into lessons and family discussions; strategies to build self-awareness and explore interests; fun ways to introduce career awareness through reflection, exploration, sharing, and activities; hands-on group projects and pre-vocational activities to build real-world work skills.
Rising 7th Grader Immunization Requirements
Parents of rising 7th graders will receive an email child(ren)'s immunizations. The Code of Virginia, requires all students to be immunized against certain communicable diseases. All students entering 7th grade are required to receive one dose of each of the following immunizations prior to the beginning of school: Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis booster (Tdap), Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Additional information regarding compliance will be in the letter.
PTA News
PTA membership for the school year costs $20 and is about more than monthly meetings and the odd event here and there. The PTA supports schools and that means staff, teachers, students and their families in ways that go beyond what any one group would be capable of on their own. Make joining the PTA at Kent Gardens a priority. We can't be the PTA we are without parents and other caring adults like YOU!
We are still searching for a President Elect to join our PTA board. Contact Jenny Gregory, PTA President for more information
Our Next PTA Meeting: February 28 at 9am
We are still searching for a President Elect to join our PTA board. Contact Jenny Gregory, PTA President for more information!
Our next General Meeting will be February 28 at 9am in the cafeteria!
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Make a Difference This Year! - Volunteer Opportunities
Teacher and Staff Love Wednesdays The KGES Wellness Committee has shared that teachers and staff LOVE when there is coffee/tea available for them in the lounge...and they REALLY love treats! Help us shower our teachers and staff with love every Wednesday this year by bringing in coffee/tea, snacks, bags of mini candies, or whatever goodies you think might help sweeten their day. You can also help stack the staff lounge with paper plates/cups/napkins...etc. Please choose a slot to volunteer and drop off in the Staff Lounge by 8am on Wednesdays to show some love and support for our fabulous teachers and staff.
KGES Food Bus Food Rescue Program Volunteers Needed Do you have a half-hour to spare on Friday afternoons to deliver food to SHARE of McLean Food Pantry at McLean Baptist Church? Interested in getting involved in this program? Please sign up HERE and/or email beccadw@gmail.com or lanavu@gmail.com with questions. Service hours available for middle/high school students! Thank you for your ongoing support. We could not do this amazing program without you!
Chess Club Registration is Open!
Want to have fun and learn new strategic skills? Join Chess Club! Any Kent Gardens student in 2nd through 6th grade may sign up. Chess Club will meet on Wednesdays from 3:45pm to 5:15pm in the cafeteria at Kent Gardens Elementary. The Spring session will start February 5th, and end May 28th. Registration deadline is Friday, January 31st, or until the class is full. Cost for the season is $185.
Register here! https://kentgardenspta.com/product/chess-club/
If you need a password reset, please email kgptapresident@gmail.com
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