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Greetings McNair Students and Families,
We are having another wonderful week of learning and growing together! Today marked a special milestone – our 100th Day of School! Our Mustangs had a blast participating in our 100 Days of Learning Challenges, and it was truly heartwarming to see their creativity shine as they explored different ways to represent the number 100. We encourage you to ask your child about their favorite challenge – we're sure they'll love sharing their memorable experiences with you!
Looking ahead, our second graders have an exciting day planned for tomorrow: their very own innovative marketplace! They've been busy creating goods to "sell" to staff and fellow students. We're all looking forward to witnessing their entrepreneurial spirit in action. A huge thank you to our amazing teachers for creating such incredible, real-world learning experiences for our students. These opportunities are truly invaluable.
We're also so excited to connect with you all at our upcoming events, and we truly hope you'll be able to join us!
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February 10-14: McNair Kindness Spirit Week (More information below!)
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February 19: Annual PTA Meeting at McNair Upper ES at 6:30pm
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February 20: "McNair Mustangs Love To Read" Family Literacy Night, 4:30-6:00pm at McNair Elementary School
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February 22: McNair PTA's Chess Tournament. Please register here!
Kindergarten Registration is here! Please help us spread the word to your family, friends, and neighbors with incoming kindergarteners so they can register as soon as possible. We appreciate your assistance!
Thank you for your continued partnership. We hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week, Mustangs!
All the best,
Mrs. Watson and Mrs. O'Bryant
Lifelong Learners Grow Here!
Please contact us with any questions!
Principal: Elizabeth Watson, evwatson@fcps.edu
Assistant Principal: Brandy O'Bryant, bmobryant@fcps.edu
🙋Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!
Did You Know?
- Starting in preschool and kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
- Missing 10%, or about 2 days each month over the course of a school year, can make it harder to learn to read.
- Students can still fall behind if they miss just one or two days every few weeks.
- Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
- Absences and tardiness can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.
Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves. Start building this habit in preschool so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important. Eventually good attendance will be a skill that will help them succeed in high school, college, and beyond.
Please visit https://www.fcps.edu/attendance for more information about the importance of student attendance.
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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.
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After the appointment at the school (the student and one guardian must be present), the student will be ready for Kindergarten Orientation at McNair Elementary School. Read more about the registration process. For additional information, please contact Afkham Hosseini, our school registrar at at ahosseini@fcps.edu or 703-793-4800.
💻 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.
Let's see your spirit, Mustangs! This is such a special week to celebrate together!
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AAP February Newsletter
Check out from the latest edition of the AAP February Newsletter. from Mrs.Janofsky and Mrs. Burg.
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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! |
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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!
Fairfax County is experiencing very high levels of influenza (flu) illness. The Fairfax County Health Department reports that visits to emergency departments and urgent care centers for flu-like illness have increased, especially among children, and multiple flu outbreaks have occurred in our community and school settings. Read a letter from the health department.
The health department suggests taking the following steps to reduce the spread of flu and other germs:
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Cover coughs and sneezes. If you must be around others while ill, wearing a mask can help reduce spread.
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Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers when soap and water are not available (with supervision for younger children).
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Clean frequently touched surfaces.
According to the health department, to help prevent or reduce the spread of illness it is important for individuals who are sick to stay home and away from others until symptoms improve and until they have been free of fever for at least 24 hours. Visit this Attendance webpage for guidance on when your child should go to school.
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.
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.
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Breaking Down the BudgetMore 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.
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.
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.
We would love the help of our McNair families to stock both of our school's teacher workrooms with snacks, treats, and drinks for our hard working staff members to enjoy while they plan engaging lessons and activities for our Mustangs. |
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If you are able to do so, please consider donating something. Please click on the following link to sign-up for your donation:
Fall Snacks Sign-Up Form
Donations can be dropped off to the designated school's main office each school day between the hours of 8:00 AM-4:00 PM.
Thank you in advance for your support!
All the best,
Mrs. Goddin & Mrs. Watson
We want to emphasize the importance of safety on our school grounds and surrounding areas. One crucial aspect of this is using the designated crosswalks to safely cross Thomas Jefferson Drive. |
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We understand that it may be inconvenient to walk to the crosswalk, but not doing so puts our students at risk. By modeling responsible behavior and using the crosswalk with the crossing guard or police officer, we can create a safer environment for everyone. Please discuss the importance of crosswalk safety with your child and encourage them to always use the designated paths. Your support and partnership in this matter is greatly appreciated.
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.
Are you interested in Volunteering at McNair?
As our community knows, teamwork makes the dream work! We are looking for parent volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact our main office at 703-793-4800.
Get Involved with the PTA!
Join the McNair PTA today!
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The PTA supports our schools through help from our community. One way we do that is through the help of our wonderful volunteers! Whether you're available for an hour a year or an hour a week to pitch in - we have opportunities that meet everyone's busy schedule!
For more information or to apply, please reach out to our PTA at board@mcnairespta.org
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Harris Teeter Together In Education- Fundraiser
Harris Teeter’s Together In Education Program gives schools a chance to earn funds when you link your VIC card and shop Harris Teeter brands. A percentage of your purchase is donated to the school that your VIC card is linked to. There are NO LIMITS to how much a school can earn.
Instruction for Families
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Option 1: Please use the annual sign up form for the TIE program from Harris Teeter using the following link: McNair Harris Teeter
**Note: You need to re-register every year for this program.**
Option 2: You can also sign up in-person at the counter using our school code: 5090
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Community Resources
Buy Nothing Facebook Group Herndon: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/d5K39SGGSU2eRZQU/
PTA Volunteers Needed
We need volunteers to be Event Coordinators for the following Events:
- Financial Committee (3 volunteers needed!)
- Movie Night
- Bingo Night
- Kids vs. Adults Sports Tournament
- 6th Grade Promotion Ceremony
What Does an Event Coordinator Do?
Event Coordinators act as the main organizer and point of contact for their chosen event; lead a team of volunteers, brainstorm ideas, and make sure everything runs smoothly on the day of the event.
We're also looking for friendly Coaches and volunteers to host events like Science Olympiad Division B, ACSL, Odyssey of the Mind and Reflections.
Please click on the link to join the volunteer group:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/JZ4KRYb4mYh5N2Qt6NJOKu
FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan sets five main goals to create positive change in the division. These goals show where we should focus our attention and will help us align our efforts.
The 2025 FCPS Family Summit will take place on Saturday, March 15, at South Lakes High School. Visit the Family Summit webpage for more information.
At the event, FCPS students will be invited to showcase projects and advocacy efforts around inclusivity in schools. This is a great resume-building opportunity, and students can earn service hours as well. Students may share their work in a share-fair environment using posters, essays, videos, songs, or art. They will interact with attendees through conversations about their work, ideas, and efforts to foster inclusivity in school communities.
Students must use this Google Form to participate by Monday, February 17. A list of possible projects is also on the form. More information will be provided after the student’s submission is received. Please contact Manuel Gomez Portillo with any questions.
✨ Centering student voice is part of FCPS’ Strategic Plan Goal 2: Safe, Supported, Included, and Empowered.
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FCPS’ Chief Equity Office invites the community to an Inaugural Black History Month Kick-Off 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.
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For more information, contact Nina Thomas, senior manager for Professional Learning and Cultural Responsiveness.
Thank you to the Fairfax County School Board for all they do throughout the year. Want to contact your school board representatives to share your appreciation? Visit their website to find your school board member and contact them.
Throughout the year, as we celebrate and recognize various cultural holidays and observances, families are encouraged to contact their child’s principal, Mrs. Watson at evwatson@fcps.edu regarding accommodations, including but not limited to those around lunch, prayer/meditation and silent reflection spaces and times, and instruction.
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:
- Proposed Budget Progress
- Apply for Dual Immersion and Magnet Lotteries
- Black History Month Event
👍❤️ Follow Our School on Social Media!
Want to see more photos and videos of what’s going on at McNair Elementary School? Follow us on social media!
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Mark your calendars!
As we navigate through our school year together, please mark the upcoming important dates on your calendar.
February 10-14: McNair Kindness Week (Let's see your spirit, Mustangs!)
February 13: The 100th Day of School!
February 12: School Crossing Guard Appreciation Day
February 17: Presidents Day Holiday, All Schools and Offices Closed
February 19: FCPS Black History Month Celebration at Woodson HS, 5:30pm
February 19: Annual PTA Meeting at McNair Upper ES, 6:30pm
February 20: "McNair Mustangs Love To Read" Family Literacy Night 4:30-6:00pm at McNair Elementary School (More information coming soon)
February 22: PTA's Chess Tournament at McNair ES
February 24: 3 Hour Early Release Day, Dismissal will be at 12:30pm (Student supervision will be available for families who require it. SACC will be available for students that already participate in SACC programming.)
February 28: Ramadan Begins at Sundown
2025 Arrival and Dismissal
Arrival begins at 8:35am. The school day begins at 8:45am.
Dismissal begins at 3:30 pm.
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Thank you for your partnership as we gallop together in supporting our Mustangs!
#BloomingTogether #McNairCARES
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