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Dear WMES Families,
We want to remind you of our upcoming early release Mondays:
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Monday, March 10– Students will be dismissed three hours early at 12:20 PM for teacher professional learning and planning.
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Monday, April 21– This is also the first day back from Spring Break. Students will be dismissed early at 12:20 PM.
We understand that early dismissal can be challenging for some families, so we are offering extended care on both days for those who need it.
To help us plan for dismissal, please complete the Google form below for each of your children by Wednesday, March 5 to indicate whether they will be dismissed at 12:20 PM or 3:20 PM on March 10 and April 21.
Thank you for your support!
With gratitude,
Brad Bennink
Principal, Washington Mill Elementary
📞 703-619-2500
WMES Spelling Bee
Get ready to spell your way to victory! 🏆 Washington Mill Elementary is hosting its 2nd annual Spelling Bee on Thursday, March 6th. Come cheer on our amazing spellers as they showcase their hard work and linguistic skills! Families will arrive at 5:30 PM, with opening remarks at 5:45 PM, and the Bee starts promptly at 6:00 PM. Your presence would mean a lot to our students. We hope to see you there!
Supporting Positive Student Behavior
At WMES, we are committed to creating a positive and structured learning environment for all students. Our school-wide behavior framework ensures that students feel safe, supported, and empowered to make positive choices. Key components include:
✔ Responsive Classroom (RC) practices
✔ Consistent routines and procedures in every classroom
✔ Zones of Regulation to help students manage emotions
✔ Counseling lessons & mediation supports
✔ Supervision and structured recess zones for student safety
While we strive to teach and reinforce positive behaviors, we also recognize that students will sometimes make mistakes. When this happens, we focus on fair, supportive, and restorative consequences that provide clear boundaries while helping students grow from their experiences. Thank you for your continued support in reinforcing these expectations at home!
Staffing Updates & Job Fair
We are already planning for a strong start to the 2025-2026 school year! Our administrative team is committed to ensuring that WMES is fully staffed with high-quality educators who reflect and support our diverse school community.
📢 Do you know an outstanding teacher looking for a new opportunity? Our team will be attending the FCPS Instructional Job Fair on March 8 to recruit top talent. If you know a great educator interested in joining the WMES family, please encourage them to apply!
Ramadan Considerations (March 1-30)
As Ramadan approaches, we want to be mindful of the needs of our Muslim students and families. Ramadan is a sacred time marked by prayer, reflection, and fasting from dawn to sunset. We recognize that this may impact students' energy levels and participation in certain activities.
💡 If your child will be fasting and requires accommodations during lunch, PE, or other activities, please reach out to us. We are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for all students.
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 today. 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.
 Above is our Chronic Absenteeism rate as of March 3, 2025. Help us stay under 15% for Chronic Absenteeism! Staying under 15% is part of the VDOE school accreditation requirement.
 
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