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Dear Great Falls ES Families,
At Great Falls Elementary, we’re proud of what makes our school community so special. We’ve launched a page on our website to celebrate the many ways our students shine every day! From their curiosity and kindness to their creativity and love of learning, we’ve highlighted the top 10 reasons our students stand out and make Great Falls ES an extraordinary place.
We invite you to visit the site, explore the list, and celebrate with us! Thank you for partnering with us as we inspire our students to reach for the stars.
Thank you for your support,
Sara Harper
Upcoming Dates
Feb 8: PTA Skate Night
Feb 10th-14th: Scholastic Book Fair in the GFES Library
Feb 12: Book Fair Family Shopping Night, 4:00-7:00 pm
Feb 12: General PTA Meeting
Feb 17: President's Day Holiday - No School
Feb 18: Art Enrichment Orientation - 4th session
Feb 19 - Spring Picture Day
Feb 24 - 3-hour Release Monday
Click here for the FCPS school year calendar.
Spring Picture Day & Class Photos February 19
February 19, 2025, is Spring Picture Day! To order, please go to www.strawbridge.net. Click order pictures and enter the following code: FM453629
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🍴Rise Against Hunger
Our Langley Pyramid students raised nearly $25,000 in schools with a total of over $35,000 collected as a Langley Pyramid community. We appreciate you taking time this weekend to help Rise Against Hunger.
We had over 350 volunteers in attendance at Colvin Run Elementary School as we packaged 82,000 meals. By working together, we made it possible for nearly 500,000 people to have a meal. We are so proud of your children for their work raising money to help children and families worldwide.
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🧸 Kinder Registration: It’s as Easy as 1-2-3…
There’s an easy five-step process for parents wanting to register their child for kindergarten:
- Determine eligibility.
- Identify your local school.
- Gather documents.
- Fill out forms.
- Schedule an appointment.
After the appointment at the school (the student and one guardian must be present), the student will be ready for [orientation and any other introductory events your school may host]. Read more about the registration process. For additional information, please contact Abeer ElGharib, our school registrar, at 703-757-2100.
💻 Try Online Registration
Online registration for the 2025-26 school year is open. Parents/caregivers may register their children online for kindergarten through 12th grade. Learn how to begin the online registration process.
When registering, parents/caregivers will need to create or log in to an existing SIS ParentVUE account.
🏢Office of the Ombuds: At Your Service!
Ombuds staff engage with FCPS employees, families, and students to offer resources and improve the experience of each and every member of the FCPS community. They work as an independent confidential resource to help get answers to questions, resolve concerns, and hear complaints regarding FCPS matters.
Ombuds office staff members are available to help resolve disagreements between parents/caregivers and schools. They do not change or make decisions, policies, or regulations; take sides; or provide legal advice.
Anyone with concerns, questions, or complaints to share with the Office of the Ombuds may call 571-423-4014, email ombuds@fcps.edu, or visit their webpage, where you may Submit a Question.
📅Black History Month Kick-Off Celebration
(Note: Date Change)
FCPS’ Chief Equity Office invites the community to an Inaugural Black History Month Kickoff Celebration on Wednesday, February 19, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Carter G. Woodson High School.
The event begins with a light reception followed by a formal program, From the Threads of Our Past to the Fabric of Our Future. The program will honor the enduring contributions of Black history and culture while envisioning a future rooted in equity and excellence. It will include inspiring performances, personal stories, reflections, and opportunities to connect and celebrate. The event is open to the entire community.
For more information, contact Nina Thomas, senior manager for Professional Learning and Cultural Responsiveness.
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Update On Potential Middle School Start Time Changes!
I think it is important that all of you are informed about the discussion on Middle School Start Times, which don’t just affect Middle School! 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.
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 The Spring Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener will be administered to students in grades 3-6 between March 10-28. Students use the SEL Screener twice a year to share their perspectives on how well their school and community help them develop skills they need to succeed. The screener works by asking questions or presenting statements that students can think about and respond to. More information is available about the SEL Screener by accessing this link: https://www.fcps.edu/student-tests-and-assessments/student-assessment-details/social-emotional-screener . If you have already opted your child out of the SEL Screener, you do not need to opt them out again.
If you have any questions, please reach out to our SEL Screener Lead, Courtney Barber, at cjbarber@fcps.edu
🏅 Advisory Committee for Students With Disabilities Seeks Nominations for First-Class Awards
First-Class Awards are presented each year to individuals who support, design, and/or implement inclusion activities that result in positive outcomes for students. The Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities (ACSD) is seeking nominations for the 2025 First-Class Awards. This is a great opportunity for the community to recognize and celebrate the inclusion efforts of educators, administrators, and students who demonstrate the inclusion of students with disabilities in all facets of education.
Nominees should model excellence in their role relative to special education, have a positive impact that benefits disabled and non-disabled students alike, and be committed to creating an inclusive environment and mindset.
Nominate an administrator, staff member, student, or community partner who has made an exceptional contribution to inclusive practices in Fairfax County Public Schools. Nominations close Wednesday, February 19.
🗺️ Dual Language Immersion Lottery Registration
Countywide lottery registration for the Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program for first graders in the 2025-26 school year is open through Thursday, February 13, at 4 p.m. Current pre-K students may apply for the kindergarten immersion program through Thursday, March 6, at 4 p.m.
Dual Language Immersion is available in French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish.
Interested parents/caregivers may attend an informational meeting at the school site. Visit the Dual Language Immersion Program registration page for a list of meetings by language offered.
Get more details on the DLI Program webpage.
🧲 Learn About Science, Technology, and Arts Magnet Schools
Three FCPS elementary magnet schools — Hunters Woods, Bailey’s Primary, and Bailey’s Upper — provide enhanced learning programs in science, technology, and performing arts.
Registration for the 2025-26 elementary magnet lottery is open Tuesday, March 4, through Friday, April 4. Learn more about the programs on the Elementary Magnet Schools page and information on the magnet lottery on our Registration page.
🏫FCPS Proposed Budget Progress
The Fairfax County School Board discussed the FCPS Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Proposed Budget at their work session on February 4. They discussed details regarding student enrollment and investments in students requiring additional support, market comparison data for surrounding school divisions, and an update on progress toward achieving the Baldrige Award for Performance Excellence. Baldrige is a framework used to assess and improve organizational performance across various sectors, including education.
The School Board also held a public hearing on February 4, where they invited the community to share their feedback on the proposed budget.
On Tuesday, February 18, the Fairfax County executive will present the county’s Advertised Budget, and the School Board will hold a work session on FCPS’ FY 2026 Proposed Budget. View the Budget Development Calendar.
Breaking Down the Budget
More than 85% of the budget is dedicated to instruction and reflects the needs of our community’s young people in response to the changing world around us. Budget priorities include providing competitive compensation for all employees, including a 7% salary increase for all staff.
Our families want their children in high-quality schools with the best teachers who provide rigorous academic experiences. FCPS must provide competitive compensation to attract and retain our outstanding educators, administrators, and other school-based and operational staff dedicated to the success of our students.
The proposed 7% salary increase would likely move FCPS to the highest starting salary for teachers with a master's degree among our neighboring counties and greatly improve our recruitment efforts amidst an ongoing teacher shortage. Visit the Budget webpage for more information.
PTA General Meeting
Next General Meeting Wednesday, February 12 at 10:30am.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 846 9699 9395
Passcode: W4Jgtn
BINGO NIGHT WAS A BLAST!
Thank you so much to all of the participants and volunteers that made Bingo Night a huge success!! We hope everyone had the best time!! Thank you so much to our wonderful co-chairs, Angie Hohmann and Amanda McKnight for such a fantastic event!! Also, thank you so much to all of the volunteers who helped Bingo Night run so smoothly!
Finally, thank you so much to our AMAZING emcees, Assistant Principal Diaz and veteran parent, Patrick Killoran! Both were fantastic and made each session so much fun!
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BOOK FAIR starts TODAY!
Our Scholastic Book Fair runs February 10-14, and students will be shopping during their regularly scheduled library class times.
Here’s a quick checklist to prepare for Book Fair week:
Don’t forget that K-2nd grade parents can visit to shop during your child’s library class time (siblings cannot be pulled from other classes). You do not need to sign up as a volunteer; just sign-in at the front office and come directly to the library.
And our Family Shopping Night is Wednesday, February 12 from 4-7 pm. To ensure that dismissal goes smoothly on Wednesday, please do not enter the school before 4 pm.
Any questions can be sent to the Co-Chairs, Beth and Jannette, at bookfairgfes@gmail.com. Remember that every Book Fair purchase supports our GFES library and PTA programs – and this is our ONLY Book Fair this school year (in the past, we’ve hosted two fairs each year). Thank you in advance for making this a spectacular event!
Reflections Contest
Congratulations to the following GFES students whose Reflections entries earned Outstanding Interpretation Award, Award of Excellence and Award of Merit at the Fairfax County Council level. Outstanding Interpretation Award entries in the FCCPTA level were advanced to the Virginia PTA level.
Outstanding Interpretation: Middle School Photography: Dominic Choi
Award of Excellence: Intermediate Photography: Mario Roser Castro
Award of Merit: Dance - Nishka Arya
We are SO proud of our Roadrunners!
Help Stock The Teacher’s Lounge!
Thank you so much to all of the families who have purchased items off our Amazon Wishlist! These items help keep the teacher’s lounge stocked with yummy treats for the teachers and staff!
If you are interested in helping provide snacks for the staff, please click HERE!
Thank you so much for your generosity and continued support of the school! The snacks always put a smile on the faces of our wonderful teachers and staff!
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