Welcome to Our Braddock ES Family, #OneFamily
Greetings, Braddock Families & Community!
Hope this message finds you and your family well. The purpose of this communication is to remind you that as we approach division and state assessments, we want to emphasize the critical role practice plays in solidifying learning and building confidence.
Learning doesn't stop at the school doors. Just like athletes practice to improve their skills, students need to regularly practice what they've learned in the classroom to truly master it. Consistent practice at home reinforces concepts, identifies areas where your child might need extra support, and ultimately leads to better performance on assessments.
Here are a few ways you can help your child practice at home:
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Talk about their school day: Ask your child what they learned and encourage them to explain it to you. This simple act of verbalizing their understanding helps solidify the information.
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Utilize online resources: Many teachers provide access to online practice platforms and resources. Encourage your child to use these tools regularly.
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Establish a consistent routine: Set aside dedicated time each day for review and practice. Even short, regular sessions can be more effective than long, infrequent ones.
We understand that families have busy schedules. Even a few minutes of focused practice each day can make a significant difference. We encourage you to partner with us in supporting your child's learning journey. If you have any questions or need suggestions for practice activities, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher.
Together, we can help our students achieve their full potential!
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Sincerely With Warmest Regards,
Keesha Jackson-Muir, Principal
knjacksonmui@fcps.edu
A delicious reward for a job well done! Ms. Fajr and her fourth-grade class recently celebrated their commitment to attendance with a special lunch gathering.
Important for Families
Our school will participate in the FCPS Student Experience Survey. This survey will gather important feedback from students about their school experiences to help FCPS make meaningful improvements.
All students in grades 3-6, except those who have opted out, will receive a link to the survey in their FCPS email on February 24. We will administer the survey during the school day between Monday, February 24, and Friday, March 7. Any student may take the survey at home, if they are unable to take the survey during the school day. You will receive a communication with details on how to preview the survey and opt your child out, if you choose.
We believe it's important to hear from our students about what we're doing well and where we can improve. This work also aligns with the five equity commitments in FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan, which focus on amplifying student voice and experiences as we work toward meeting plan goals.
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FCPS is committed to providing all students and families with a Safe, Welcoming, and Inclusive space. It is important to know that schools will not collect or maintain any information on the citizenship or immigration status of students or their families. For more information, contact us at 703-914-7300 OR scan the QR code below.
Every family should have a Family Preparedness Plan in case of an emergency. It is critical for immigrant families to think ahead and set more concrete plans for immigration emergencies that can arise. For example, this Resource Toolkit goes into detail about different childcare options available in case of an absent parent, where to find trusted immigration services in your community, and how to prepare to assert your constitutional rights in the presence of an immigration officer.
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Date
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Upcoming Events
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2/17
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President’s Day - School Closed
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2/19
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Family Program: Education & Awareness-Standards of Learning, Special Education & Testing
9:30 am-10:30 AM, Cafeteria
Family Program: Weekly Family Engagement & Information Meetings- Lake/Gustavo
5:30 PM - 9:00 PM
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2/21
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PTA: Movie Night
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2/26
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Literacy: VLA Family Reading Plan Meeting
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Literacy: VLA Family Reading Plan Meeting
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Family Program: Weekly Family Engagement & Information Meetings- Lake/Gustavo
5:30 PM - 9:00 PM
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FCPS 3-Hour Early Release Days for Braddock *Dismissal at 12:40 PM
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March 10th
April 21st
May 12th
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Date
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Upcoming Testing Schedule
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1/21 - 3/21
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WIDA ACCESS for ELLs (K-5)
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School & Community Events
All schools and offices will be closed on Monday, February 17, for the Presidents Day holiday.
We invite you to our Family Program: Education & Awareness session, where we’ll discuss important topics, including Standards of Learning (SOL), Special Education (SPED), and Testing. This is a great opportunity to gain valuable insights, ask questions, and learn how to support your child’s academic success.
🗓 Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2025
⏰ Time: 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
📍 Location: Cafeteria
We invite you to attend our Literacy: VLA Family Reading Plan Meeting to learn strategies for fostering a love of reading at home and supporting your child’s literacy development. Choose the time that works best for you!
📅 Date: Wednesday, February 26, 2025
📍 Location: Cafeteria
Morning Session: 🕘 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Evening Session: 🌙 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Let’s work together to build strong readers! We look forward to seeing you there.
It’s never too early or too late to start preparing for your future. We want to help you start planning for a successful transition from school to life as a young adult. Ensuring postsecondary success of our students with disabilities is dependent on what is known as transition planning. Please join CTS and other support service personnel for an evening focused on planning for the future. You will have the opportunity to meet and ask questions of representatives from CTS programs and services for students with disabilities, as well as learn about short and long-term postsecondary supports, employment and postsecondary education considerations, Supported Decision Making, and student self-determination as an evidence-based predictor of post school success. For more information and registration, please see the flyer.
📅 Date: Wednesday, March 12, 2025
⏰ Time: 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
📍 Location: Luther Jackson Middle School
District News
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. 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.
Attending kindergarten provides children with an opportunity to learn and practice the essential social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, between January and April. Eligible children can also be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps us prepare and ensure we have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school.
Families should prepare for registration by gathering documents and completing forms on the FCPS kindergarten registration webpage. FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, visit the kindergarten registration webpage.
The Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener will be administered to students in grades 3-12 in March. Students use the SEL Screener twice a year to share their perspectives on how well their school and community help them develop the skills they need to succeed. The screener works by asking questions or presenting statements that students can think about and respond to. This gives students a way to share how well their school community makes them feel valued, included, and supported.
After each screening, results are available in the Documents tab of SIS ParentVUE and mailed to families who do not have a ParentVUE account. For more information, including SEL Screener questions and opt-out information, please visit the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage.
Thanks to a new program from the Virginia Department of Education, students who are fasting during the school day between February 28 and March 28 can now take school meal kits home at the end of the day.
Families will need to fill out a weekly Fasting Meals Request Form for their child or children to receive school meal kits. A separate form must be filled out for each week and each student.
To receive meal kits for Friday, February 28, and the week of March 3, please submit the first request form by Monday, February 24. Visit the FNS webpage for more information, including weekly request forms and deadlines.
Stay connected with Braddock Elementary School by following us on social media! It's the best way to keep up with our latest news, celebrate student achievements, and be part of our vibrant community. Whether you're a student, parent, or community member, you'll find exciting updates, important announcements, and inspiring stories that showcase the spirit of Braddock.
Links: Facebook, Instagram
Your concerns are important to us. Contact your child's teacher first, most questions or concerns can be addressed with a quick phone call or email. If that doesn't work, the next step would be to contact the Assistant Principal who supports your child's grade level:
🦅Christopher Kamar - cskamar@fcps.edu or call 703-914-7388
🦅Christie Goodman - cngoodman@fcps.edu or call 703 914 7323
🦅Maureen Lopez - mmlopez1@fcps.edu or 703-914-7304
Follow us on social media for more updates:
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