Dear Navy Community,

We have enjoyed the nice days of February, as the students were able to be outside for recess.  With predicted colder, winter weather returning next week, we send a gentle reminder to send students with appropriate warm winter gear.

We are seeing wonderful results from recent academic assessments throughout the school.  Students are learning and growing academically as well as socially.  Students regularly address the FCPS Portrait of a Graduate goals which you may review at the FCPS website and learn about the skills that are part of the five important attributes.

On a personal note, I have been struggling with the cold/flu that has been floating through our community.  Doctors are determined that I should take my medicine and rest. Our familiar Navy friend, Lindsay Trout (Region 1 Executive Principal), will be “my eyes on the ground” while I get better at home.  I will continue to oversee the workings of the day with the faculty and administration online. I am on email and will be responding, as normal. I look forward to feeling better and seeing you all soon.

Kindly,

Mrs. Lancaster

🚗 Kiss and Ride Reminder

We continue to address the long lines and congestion at Kiss and Ride on inclement weather days.  The Department of Safety and Security has reviewed our situation.  We are working with them to improve. Here are a few things you may want to consider. Arrive early.  Students may enter the building at 8:25 a.m. Have students ride the bus assigned to them. If you choose to drive on inclement days, consider carpooling.  As a respectful community citizens, be mindful of roadways, fire lanes, and no parking zones as these are violations. Local law enforcement may be called to control this issue. We will continue to work with the Safety and Security Team and implement their recommendations in order to keep our students safe. Thank you, in advance, for working with us on safe student arrival.

🌡️ An Important Note About Health

Dear Parent or Guardian:

We are working with the Fairfax County Health Department to notify you that there is an increase in respiratory illnesses at our school. These illnesses can cause symptoms like fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, stuffy nose (congestion), sneezing, and feeling very tired. They can be caused by different germs, including COVID-19 and influenza (flu).

To keep your family safe, the Health Department recommends the following:

• Monitor your child and keep them home if sick. Watch for signs of illness in your child. If your child has a fever or severe cough, keep them home. They should stay home, except for medical visits, until they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without medication, feel better overall, and are able to participate in school activities. After they return to school, parents may choose to have them wear a mask at school and during other indoor activities for 5 days after symptoms improve. This will further reduce the chance that they may spread illness to someone else.
• Get your child tested. Consider getting your child tested for respiratory illness if they are sick. You can get COVID-19 tests to use at home, and testing for flu can be done by your healthcare provider.
• Teach your child to wash their hands for 20 seconds with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.
• Cover coughs and sneezes. Have your child use a tissue to cover their mouth and nose when they cough and sneeze. Throw tissues in the trash after use. If they do not have a tissue, they should cover coughs and sneezes with their upper sleeve.
• Remind your child to avoid touching their face, like eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Improve your air quality at home. If it’s not too cold, open doors and windows or move activities outside to get fresh air.
• Get vaccinated. Vaccines are highly recommended to protect your child from COVID-19 and the flu. Updated vaccines available each fall are needed for the best protection to prevent serious illness.
• Talk to a healthcare provider about treatment. Talk to your child’s healthcare provider if you have questions or concerns, especially if they have a chronic illness or take long-term medications.

Please follow these recommendations to help keep your child healthy and to prevent others from getting sick. If you have questions, please contact your healthcare provider or the School Public Health Nurse, Kelly Pandey at

571.373.0799.

Sincerely,

Bunny Lancaster

ICYMI: 🕑3 Hour Early Release

Our next three hour early release is Monday, February 24th. Please check our Early Release Tool to confirm your child's dismissal plan.  Follow the link: bit.ly/NESearlyrelease Enter your child's 7 digit user name If the plan is correct, great, you're done! If you need to update the plan follow the link to the Google Form from the tool.  Please make sure the dismissal plan is updated by 2/19.

ICYMI:🧸 Kindergarten Registration: It’s as Easy as 1-2-3…

Parents of rising kindergartners please contact Yoely Arias, our school’s registrar to set up an appointment to register your rising kindergartner for the fall of 2025! Spread the news with neighbors and friends who may also have a kindergartener ready to begin their journey at Navy! You can email Yoely at ymavilaarias@fcps.edu or call her at 703-262-7101.   There’s an easy five-step process for parents wanting to register their child for kindergarten: 1.    Determine eligibility: Children must be age 5 or older by September 30. 2.    Identify your local school.  3.    Gather documents.  4.    Fill out forms.  5.    An in-person appointment is still necessary. Please schedule with Yoely Arias. Read more about the registration process. 💻 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.

ICYMI: ✨ Join Us for the 2025 Multicultural Fair! 🌍

We’re excited to celebrate our Navy community’s diversity at the Multicultural Fair 📅 Date: Friday, February 28 📍 Location: Navy Elementary ⏰ Time: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Explore new cultures, enjoy live performances, and savor delicious foods from around the world. This event is only possible with your help! Sign up to share an informational display or bring a dish to contribute. We can’t wait to celebrate with you! 🌟  Sign up here to participate!

Navy staff participated in the Wear Red Challenge on Friday, February 7 to raise awareness for heart disease and to promote heart health! Way to go TEAM Navy! 

The POG Corner is brought to you by two 6th grade students, Ethan S and Aavan P. They are part of the 6th grade POG Squad. The goal of the POG Squad it to help spread the message of POG throughout our community and school. Some students have been writing a monthly newsletter aimed towards our K-3rd grade students. Others have helped organize donation collections with Ms. Giardina. We have had students write the POG Perspective, a segment on our WNES News program, and recently we even had a group of students create a reel for social media with a POG focus. We hope to bring to you this student written section, bi-weekly,  to highlight some of the great POG work happening in our building. 

Hi Navy Parents, In this report we are going to be talking about students in Mrs. Barker’s class and how they are being great POG stars. Recently, her students have been working on how to be Goal Directed and Resilient. Being Goal Directed and Resilient means that you don't give up when something is hard, treating others with respect, and learning from mistakes. One of the activities that they were doing was making a Flappy Bird game. They all did a great job and worked really hard. Some people even added cool features like music or sound effects. But the process took a long time and everyone made mistakes, but they kept persevering even when it was hard, and learning from their mistakes. In conclusion these second grades did a great job at being Goal Directed and Resilient. Written by: Ethan S and Aavan P

Make Sure Your Children Are Up-to-Date on Immunizations

Please make sure your child has all of their necessary immunizations. Remember, all students are required to be immunized against certain diseases to attend school in Virginia. This is an important part of keeping children healthy! Starting Monday, May 19, students who have not provided proof of immunization may not be allowed to attend school. You can check your child’s immunization status and submit updated immunization information by accessing SIS ParentVUE.  Please check with your healthcare provider to make sure your child is up to date on required immunizations for the 2024-25 school year. If your child needs an immunization, make an appointment with your healthcare provider, visit the Fairfax County Health Department website for a list of child immunization clinics, or view other Immunization Resources. Be wise and immunize!

Black History Month Celebration – Date Change

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.

🗺️ 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.

FCPS Proposed Budget Progress

The Fairfax County School Board discussed the 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 the FY 2026 Proposed Budget on Tuesday, February 4, where they invited the community to share their feedback on the budget.

On Tuesday, February 18, the Fairfax County executive will present the county’s Advertised Budget, and the Fairfax County School Board will hold a work session on the FCPS FY 2026 Proposed Budget. View FCPS’ 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. The majority of the budget increase is dedicated to that proposed 7% pay increase.  

Our families want their children in high-quality schools with the best teachers who provide rigorous academic experiences. We 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.

🩷February

2/12: PTO Dining for Dollars @ Chipotle

2/17: No School - President's Day

2/20: Clubs and Activities Picture Day

2/21: Spirit Day: Wear Yellow for Bus Driver Appreciation Day!💛

2/24: Three Hour Early Release Monday 12:30 p.m.

2/28: Spirit Day - Wear Red Day

2/28: PTO Event - Multicultural Fair

🍀March

3/1 - PTO Read-A-Thon kick off

3/3-3/7 - Read Across America Spirit Week (more to come soon!)

3/17 - Three Hour Early Release 12:30 p.m.

3/18 - Navy's 2nd Annual Literacy Night 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

3/22 - PTO Read-A-Thon ends

3/25 - Yearbook Orders are Due

3/28 - STEAM Fair

3/28 - 3rd Quarter Ends & SCA Spirit Day: Disney Day

3/31 - No School - Eid al-Fitr

👍Have You Seen Our Socials?

Have you seen our recent Social Media post? Two students from our Tech Team helped to direct this video! Listen to what some of our Navy Stars have to say about Mrs. Giardina! We celebrated her for National Counselor Appreciation Week, last week. 

Quick Links:

• School Calendar
• FCPS Calendar
• PTO Website
• Lunch Menus

3500 West Ox Road, Fairfax, VA 22033  | Main Office: 703.262.7100

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