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Dear Dragons,
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who dined at Chick-fil-A last night to support our PTA and school! I grabbed my meal to-go but was thrilled to see so many familiar faces. We are incredibly grateful to our PTA for their dedication to raising funds and creating more opportunities for our students. Chick-fil-A continues to be a monthly fundraising partner, so we hope you’ll consider incorporating it into your meal plans.
On Tuesday, March 18, our 3rd graders participated in Link Up: The Orchestra Swings! with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra. Dogwood students shined as principled communicators, singing, dancing, and playing the recorder to jazz classics like Duke Ellington’s Duke’s Place and It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing). Even our teachers joined in on the fun!
Special thanks to Ms. Crumrine and Ms. Shrimpton for preparing students during general music classes. In addition, all 3rd-grade students created artwork inspired by Juba by Florence Price, guided by Ms. Riddle and Ms. Johnson. The following students had their artwork displayed during the Fairfax Symphony’s performance of Juba: Alison Portillo Alaya, Margaux Blundell, Imani Carter, Ingrid Fernandez Diaz, Cielo Gonzalez Lemus, Mohammad Hussaini, Gabriel Jovel Gutierrez, Juliana Martinez Sanchez, Bella Torres, and Genesis Villalta Meza. Congratulations!
This morning, bright and early, our 4th graders departed for Jamestown on chartered buses—beating me to school by 6:00 AM and all smiles! This trip is a significant expense, and we are so grateful for the support that made it more affordable. Special thanks to Ms. Waksman for securing a $500 grant from Stohlman Subaru and to our community for supporting our Chuck E. Cheese fundraiser. It truly takes a village!
Finally, a reminder that our PTA is hosting a general meeting tonight, Wednesday, March 19, at 6:30 PM in the library. These meetings take place on the third Wednesday of every month, and we hope to see you there!
With great appreciation,
Kate Beckner
Proud Principal
🙋Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!
This year, spring break is April 14th-April 18th. We will be eager to welcome your children back to school on Monday, April 21st when our school doors open at 8:35 AM.
Student attendance is very important. Every day, our teachers will be teaching, and students will be learning. Studies have shown that just two absences per month can cause students to fall behind. Let’s finish this school year strong! Visit FCPS’ website for attendance resources.
Time to get your child registered!
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.
✨ A strong start is Goal 1 of the 2023-30 Strategic Plan.
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.
📆 4th Quarter Testing Is Here!
The 4th quarter includes several important assessments, and we need your help! Please make sure your child is present, on time, and ready to learn on testing days. Spring iReady testing begins in April. Check with your child’s teacher on exact dates.
Standards Of Learning (SOL) Assessments begin in May. Check out the testing schedule:.
Coates Elementary School Boundary Study Community Meetings - Update
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is conducting a division-wide review of school boundaries, with the first round of community meetings that were held between mid-November and mid-December 2024, followed by virtual sessions in January and February 2025.
However, the Coates Elementary School boundary study is a separate effort to address capacity challenges at the school. On February 20, 2025, the Fairfax County School Board received recommendations for the study’s scope. A final decision on the scope of the Boundary Study is expected at the March 13, 2025, School Board meeting. Schools included in the recommended boundary scope:
Herndon Pyramid
- Aldrin ES
- Armstrong ES
- Clearview ES
- Dranesville ES
- Herndon ES
- Hutchison ES
South Lakes Pyramid
- Dogwood ES
- Fox Mill ES
- Hunters Woods ES
- Lake Anne ES
- Terraset ES
Chantilly Pyramid
- Lees Corner ES
- Oak Hill ES
Westfield
- Floris ES
- McNair ES
- McNair Upper ES
AAP Level IV Center Boundaries
- Clearview ES
- Forest Edge ES
- Hunters Woods ES
- McNair Upper ES
- Oak Hill ES
- Sunrise Valley ES
Once the scope of the boundary study is approved by the School Board, FCPS staff will develop possible program and/or boundary change scenarios within the approved scope. These scenarios will be shared with the community, and opportunities for public input will be available through in-person and virtual meetings on:
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Wednesday, April 2, 2025, from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Virtual via Zoom – Register here. For the virtual meeting, registration is required to receive the Zoom link.
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Monday, April 7, 2025 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. In person - Coates Elementary School - Cafeteria
Each meeting will offer the same presentation and opportunity for community feedback, with language interpretation available. Families and community members can review the proposed changes and share their input.
Stay informed by visiting the Coates Elementary School Boundary Study, where you can also sign up for the mailing list to receive updates.
For any questions, please fill out this form. Your engagement in this process is important!
🛑 Cameras Installed on School Bus Stop Arms
Cameras have been installed on the stop arms of 50 FCPS school buses. These cameras will be used to identify drivers who pass stopped school buses while children are entering and exiting the bus (called a “stop arm violation”).
Warnings for drivers will begin on Wednesday, April 9. After a 30-day warning period, citations will begin to be issued on Monday, May 12.
According to Virginia law, drivers must stop for stopped school buses with flashing red lights on and their stop signs extended. Motorists should stop when approaching from any direction (unless there is a barrier or median separating their lane from where the bus is stopped). They should remain stopped until everyone is clear and the bus is moving.
We appreciate our law enforcement partners for working with us to improve road safety and reduce accidents. Read more information about the stop arm cameras and all of the ways that we work with our county partners to keep students safe on their way to and from school.
VDH Immunization Packets for Rising 7th Graders
As required by the Code of Virginia, parents or legal guardians need to provide proof of immunizations for their child to attend public school. All students entering seventh grade are required to receive one dose of each of the following immunizations:
- Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis booster (Tdap) given at age 7 or older.
- Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) given at age 10 or older.
- A complete series of 2 doses of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.
- After reviewing educational materials approved by the Board of Health, the parent or guardian, at the parents/guardians sole discretion, may elect for the child not to receive the HPV vaccine.
Parents/guardians are encouraged to plan ahead by scheduling an appointment with their child’s health care provider now to avoid the rush this summer. If your child does not have a health care provider, please visit the FCPS Immunizations Resource page to find out where to get an immunization.
Please review the Virginia Department of Health Information Packet for more information on rising 7th grade immunization requirements.
Quarter End, Eid al-Fitr, and Student Holiday
Friday, March 28, is the last day of the third quarter. It is a full day of school for students.
All FCPS schools and offices are closed on Monday, March 31, for Eid al-Fitr. Tuesday, April 1, is a student holiday and teacher workday. See the complete school year calendar.
Spring Break🌷
April 14-18 is spring break. Our office will be open. There will be no typical school, except for Spring Sprouts and Blooming Readers which are by invite only. We wish our students and teachers a happy and restful Spring Break! See the complete school year calendar.
FCPS News
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:
- Second Annual Food Show
- Cameras on School Bus Stop Arms
- Comprehensive Boundary Review Process Explained
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
Fairfax County Public Schools 2024-2025 Standard School Year Calendar
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March 19: PTA Meeting 6:30 PM Dogwood Library
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March 28: Quarter End, Eid al- Fitr, and Student Holiday
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April 1: Student Holiday & Teacher Workday
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April 14-18: Spring Break: No school for most. Spring Sprouts and Blooming Readers will be on campus.
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