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Dear Freedom Hill Families,
We hope you are doing well this weekend. It was a sad week in Northern Virginia, and our hearts go out to all affected by the recent airplane crash in Washington. We know that even when we don't personally know a family that was involved, it can still be difficult for our elementary learners to process. We have a very dedicated clinical team at Freedom Hill who are always happy to support the well-being of our students. Please let us know how we can support your family.
On a brighter note, there is so much awesome work occuring at Freedom Hill! On Friday, the administration shared data from our first two quarters with our staff. There is much to be proud of!:
- In both reading and math, our standardized assessments show that our students grew in mastery significantly faster than national averages. This was true for every single grade level that tested. Way to go, Eagles!
- Our rates of chronic absenteeism continue to plummet! Please see the graph below that plots our current rates of absenteeism (dark line) against last year's (lighter line). A big thanks to all of our families who support our students learning each day in school.
- Our culture of care continues. In the recent SEL Screener, 90% of our students indicated that they have supportive relationships with their teachers. This was one of the highest scores in FCPS, and is a testament to all of the big and little things our staff to do support our students.
We look forward to continued growth and success this year! See you soon, and don't forget to wear your favorite sports jersey to support our SCA spirit day on Friday!
In partnership,
Nicholas Zapadka, Principal
Tim Scesney, Assistant Principal
Holly Sims, Assistant Principal
2024-25 FCPS School Calendar
FCPS Lunch Menu
Freedom Hill Family Resources
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February 3 - 14 - Spelling Bee Classroom Bees
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February 4 - 13 - Valentine Candygram Sales
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February 6 - (Virtual) Feb. PTA Meeting, Link
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February 7 - Student Council Jersey Day
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February 24 - 3-hour Early Release Day (Teacher Training)
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February 24 - PTA Family Dinner Out - Panera, Pike 7 Plaza
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March 3 - 14 - Read-A-Thon - Info coming soon!
 
 This week our school community will be focusing on the character strength of Forgiveness. Forgiveness means you forgive those who have done wrong and you accept that people make mistakes.
Forgiveness is the ability to move past being injured, and allow yourself to reconcile with the person who hurt you. Forgiveness can often be seen as a selfless act, but it also carries many benefits for those who practice it. Those who demonstrate forgiveness have the ability to move forward after someone has hurt them. Forgiveness is often rooted in the idea that all people are valuable and worthy of a second chance. Many who forgive have the ability to consider things from another’s perspective.
- Please ensure your child(ren) arrives at school before 9:20 each day. Late arrivals mean they are missing learning.
- Please send your child to school with a snack. The office is not able to provide them.
- We are always eager to receive your paper towel donations! We use these to clean the cafeteria tables between lunch shifts and the paper towels ordered through the FCPS Warehouse are not very effective for this purpose. If you are able to donate, feel free to drop them off in the office anytime, or have them shipped directly to school.
The Superintendent’s Boundary Review Advisory Committee held its second meeting on December 16. View key takeaways from that meeting and access the meeting agenda, slides, and other materials that committee members received. If you did not attend an in-person Community Boundary Review Meeting, consider participating in one of the following virtual meetings:
- Thursday, January 16, 2025, 1-2:30 p.m.
- Saturday, January 25, 2025, 9:30-11 a.m.
- Monday, January 27, 2025, 6:30-8 p.m.
- Tuesday, January 28, 2025, 6:30-8 p.m.
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Monday, February 10, 2025, 6:30-8 p.m. Language interpretation will be available.
Virtual meetings will follow the same format as in-person meetings that were recently held and the same information will be shared. Stay tuned for details on how to register. Visit FCPS’ Comprehensive Boundary Review webpage to learn more. Sign up for FCPS’ School Boundary Review newsletter as well.
February 3-7 is National School Counseling Week, a time to recognize the incredible impact school counselors have in supporting students' academic success and future goals. A big thank you to Ms. Hill and to Ms. Mackoul!
Our school counselors play a vital role in the well-being of our students, providing guidance through classroom lessons, group sessions, and individual counseling. Their dedication helps shape a positive and supportive learning environment for all.
Take a moment this week to show appreciation for our amazing counselors! Learn more about the essential role they play in FCPS.
Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history.
Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS. Learn more about Black History month.
Keeping cell phones off during the school day helps students focus and learn. It also boosts positive social behavior. Review FCPS’ cell phone expectations by grade level with your child and help keep our classrooms free of distractions! If you need to reach your child during the school day, please call our office at 703-506-7800.
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The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FHES employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story, so we can all acknowledge the exceptional work happenings at Freedom Hill. |
FCPS is partnering with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra resources for learning. Every student can take advantage of Varsity Tutors’ services at no cost, including weekly live online classes; on-demand 24/7 chat tutoring; essay editing; and study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests. Learn more about online tutoring with Varsity Tutors.
    
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PTA MEETING - THIS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6th - VIRTUAL
All are invited to attend our PTA meeting this Thursday, February 6th at 7:30PM. We will discuss:
- Upcoming events, like Read-a-thon
- Proposed initial budget for FHES’s 75th Anniversary Celebration - come hear about the ideas!
- Ways to get involved
- Updated financial information
- Other topics on your mind
Save this link to your calendar and set an alarm/reminder to join. See you Thursday night!
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VALENTINE’S DAY CANDYGRAMS ARE BACK THIS WEEK
Candygrams for Valentine's Day are back! Sixth grade volunteers will be selling from this Tuesday, February 4th through 13th from 8:30-9:10AM each school day by the main entrance. You can purchase lollipops or rainbow pencils (a non-candy alternative, limited quantity available) for 50¢ each to be delivered to classmates, friends or siblings in other grades, teachers, specialists, and other FHES staff - anyone in the building!
Simply fill out the pink order form that came home last week and have your student bring the completed form and payment to school any day that the 6th graders are selling. Extra order form and candy notes are available for printing at home and will also be available on site.
NEXT FDO - FEBRUARY 24TH - PANERA
Save the date for our next Family Dinner Out on Monday, February 24th from 4-8PM at Panera on Leesburg Pike.
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