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 Willow Readers
Students and staff had fun celebrating Read Across America Week
A Note from the Principal's Desk
Dear Willow Springs families,
This week we all had a great time celebrating Read Across America Week. Our students always impress us with their creativity and enthusiasm.
This week we also focused on safety by conducting a fire drill and talking with 3-6 grade students about rights and responsibilities. It is so important that we all work together to ensure our school is a safe and welcoming place for all.
Next week we hope to see many of you at our PTA meeting.
We wish all of you a relaxing & rejuvenating weekend filled with happy moments. Thank you for sending us your best every day! #WillowPride
Sincerely,
Dylan Taylor, Principal
Ipsa Stringer, Assistant Principal
Laura Tapper, Assistant Principal
 Time to Spring Forward
Daylight Saving Begins (Spring Forward)Sunday, March 9, at 2 a.m., daylight saving time begins. Don’t forget to move your clocks ahead one hour!
As a result of the time change, many students will be walking to school or to bus stops in the dark. Help your child stay safe by having them wear reflective clothing and bright or light colors, or add reflective items to their backpacks or clothes. Also, encourage your child to be especially alert for cars that are turning or backing up and not to run into the street or cross between parked cars.
Crisis Planning & Drills
Keeping students and staff safe is a priority for all of us. We have a crisis management and emergency preparedness plan for our school that is reviewed and updated regularly. Our plan includes procedures on how to respond to incidents such as fires and tornadoes. Students and staff regularly practice these drills every school year. We also practice lockdown drills.
Virginia Law (22.1-137.2) requires schools to notify parents at least 24 hours before a school practices a lockdown drill. However, we are not required to share the exact date and time of the drill. We are required to practice lockdown drills two times a year. FCPS lockdown drills do not include any type of active shooter scenario training, they are instruction and classroom based.
We will conduct a lockdown drill at our school next week. This week we conducted a tornado drill.
Additional information on our lockdown drill program to include parent tips and FAQs can be found on the Emergency Planning and Crisis Response web page. After reviewing this content, you should discuss the value of these safety drills with your child.
3 Hour Early Dismissal
The next early dismissal day is Monday, March 17th, one week from Monday.
We have saved your dismissal plan from our last early release day and will plan on sending your child home the same way they went home last time.
If your plans have changed and your child will be staying at school or going home a different way, please email our administrative assistant, Amanda McCabe at anmccabe@fcps.edu and let her know what the new plan for your child will be (stay at school, go to SACC, or go home via Kiss and Ride, bus, or walking). The deadline for emailing regarding a change is Thursday at 3:00 PM.
If your child will be staying at school after dismissal, please send them with a snack and in clothes and shoes that are appropriate for physical activity and artwork.
2025 FCPS Family Summit
Beyond Labels: Nurturing a Culture of Belonging! An Extension of the Special Education Conference
Families, educators, and community members are invited to the 2025 FCPS Family Summit: Beyond Labels: Nurturing a Culture of Belonging. Fairfax County Public Schools will be hosting the free, in-person event in collaboration with valued community partners. The summit will be held Saturday, March 15, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at South Lakes High School.
 Kindergarten Registration
If your child is eligible for kindergarten enrollment for the 2025-26 school year please complete the Survey of Preschool Children. The form should be returned to Liz Flaherty, Registrar at WSES.
Online Registration for the 2025-2026 school year is open. If you have a child who is eligible to start Kindergarten in the fall, please register them now. Early registration gives us the information we need to start supporting YOU as you prepare to send your child to public school.
Both new and returning (re-enrolling) families can use our Online Registration (OLR) system to register students entering Kindergarten (00) through 12th grade for the upcoming academic year.
Welcome to Fairfax County Public Schools’ (FCPS) Online Registration.
OLR provides families with the information to utilize this convenient registration tool. Parents and guardians can still register students using the electronic bundle or choose to complete paper registration forms if they prefer.
Willow Springs Student Registration Page for New Students.
After registration is complete the student will be ready for orientation, Bridge to Kindergarten, or any other introductory events Willow Springs may host.
 🚀 Prepare for a Summer of Learning and Fun
Registration will be available soon for summer camps offered by Fairfax County Public Schools for all students. Career and Technical Education (CTE) camps and Institute for the Arts (IFTA) camps will be held in July at Lake Braddock Secondary School from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bus transportation will be available from select FCPS middle and high schools. Registration begins for these programs on Monday, March 10, and ends Friday, June 6.
Tech Adventure Camp (TAC) is a week-long exploratory camp designed to allow current K-5 students to explore activities in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math), culinary arts, health, trades, and business and marketing areas. Watch this video about CTE camps.
E-IFTA is a weekly arts camp for students in grades 2-5 who love to sing, dance, act, perform, make, and create. Students take part in four daily classes related to dance, music, theater, and visual art. They work with FCPS fine arts teachers who create fun and engaging classes.
For more information, see the Summer Learning page.
As you plan your spring and summer activities and travel, please keep in mind that our 3rd - 6th grade students will be taking standardized tests (SOLs) in May and June.
If you can avoid traveling or appointments that will keep your child out of school on a scheduled testing date, that would be greatly appreciated and will benefit your child. Students tend to prefer taking these tests in their classrooms and learning spaces with their peers and their usual teachers. When students are absent on a testing day, they are eligible for a makeup opportunity, but the makeup test will be given by any available staff, and it will not take place in the classroom.
The calendar is linked here. Please know the schedule is subject to change.
We will be sharing more information about testing in the coming weeks and months. Please stay tuned and attend PTA meetings to learn more.
March is National Women's History Month and Celebrating Arts in Our Schools Month.
March 9: Daylight Saving Time Begins, Spring Forward 1 Hour!
March 11: PTA Meeting, 7:00 PM
March 17: 3 Hour Early Dismissal
March 25: 5th Grade SOL Test: Integrated Reading and Writing
March 28: Quarter 3 Ends; Willow Springs Spirit Night-Fairfax H.S. Field House Gym 6-8 p.m.
April 28: 3 Hour Early Dismissal
May 19: 3 Hour Early Dismissal
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