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Dear Freedom Hill Families,
We hope you are doing well (and hiding from all of this wind!) as we start a new week. Last week was a blast - we celebrated the 100th day of school as well as Valentine's Day, and our 3rd and 4th graders went on some fabulous field trips. A big thanks to our staff who organize such great adventures for our students, and to all of our family chaperones who make the days possible.
This week, don't forget:
Have a great week!
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 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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February 27 - Spelling Bee Finals, 6PM
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February 28 - Read-A-Thon Kickoff + Author Visit
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February 28 - Marshall HS STEM Night, 6-8PM
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March 3 - 14 - Read-A-Thon - Info coming soon!
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April 1 - 2025-26 Kindergarten Orientation, 9:30
 Join Marshall High School students for STEM Night on February 28th, 6-8pm! Click here to RSVP.
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This week, we are working on ONE of the FIVE overarching pillars of the Positivity Project. Cheering others’ success is an important test of our character every single day.
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Friends don’t get jealous of each other or begrudge the other for finding success. They celebrate every victory together.”
~Karen Kingsbury
Questions you might enjoy talking about:
- Be grateful. The root of jealousy is cut off when you focus on the things you DO have, not that you don’t have.
- Be inspired instead of discouraged by their success.
- Don’t compare yourself to others. Everyone is different.
- Know that your value does not come from external things.
🧸 Kindergarten Registration: It’s as Easy as 1-2-3…
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.
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 at Freedom Hill with Ms. Sujo at (703) 506-7800 or email at ssujoromero@fcps.edu
After the appointment at Freedom Hill (the student and one guardian must be present), the student and family will be invited to attend our Kindergarten Orientation on April 1, 2025. Read more about the registration process. For additional information, please contact Ms. Sujo with the contact information above.
The Early Release Mondays planned throughout the school year for elementary schools are essential to allow educators time for planning and professional development. Students will be dismissed three hours early seven times throughout the school year and are encouraged to return home via their normal route.
The following dates are planned for Early Release Mondays throughout the school year:
- September 23
- October 28
- December 9
- February 24
- March 17
- April 28
- May 19
Additional information can be found on the FCPS Early Release Mondays webpage. If you have immediate questions, please email ESPlanning@fcps.edu.
 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
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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. |
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.
    
ORDER BY TUESDAY! PURCHASE LOCAL AUTHOR’S BOOKS FOR EVENT
As we get ready for this year’s Read-a-thon, we’re excited to announce that Mrs. Rossman has lined up another exciting local author event! Alyssa Colman is the author of Where Only Storms Grow (2025), The Tarnished Garden, and The Gilded Girl, which won the 2021 Northern Lights Book Award for middle grade fantasy and was a Bank Street Best Book of the Year. Read about Ms. Colman’s books at https://www.alyssacolman.com/books.html Mrs. Rossman, FHES reading specialist, is happy to answer any questions at msrossman@fcps.edu.
Books can be pre-purchased until this Tuesday, February 18th through Bards Alley at this link: https://bardsalley.square.site/school-visits. Mrs. Rossman will deliver purchased books to students on the day of the event, Friday, February 28th.
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. With the 3 hour early release also scheduled for that day, it’s a great opportunity to gather with other Freedom Hill families!
SPELLING BEE
The FHES Spelling Bee will be held Thursday, February 27th, beginning at 6PM in the cafeteria. Good luck to all the participants!
VOLUNTEERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME
We have a continued need for volunteers for several committees for the remainder of the school year. Please take a look at this google form and express your interest.
In the coming weeks, we will open up nominations (including self-nominations) for the 2025-2026 PTA Board. As part of the election process, we will also need to elect a Nominating Committee at the March PTA meeting. Ths committee (minimum of 3 PTA members) reviews the submitted nominations during March (exact timing TBD) and will present a slate of candidates at the April PTA meeting. If you are interested in serving on the Nominating Committee, please express your interest in the google form.
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