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Important Dates:

Mar 28       Last Day of the Third Quarter

Mar 31       No School-Holiday- Eid al-Fitr

Apr 1          No School for Students- Teacher Workday

Apr 1          Kindergarten Orientation 1-5 pm

Apr 3          Curriculum Night 6-7:30 pm

Apr 14-18   Spring Break

Apr 22        Band Spring Concert 6-7pm

Apr 23        Full-Time AAP Orientation 6-7pm

Apr 24        PTA Spring Fling 5-9pm

Message from Principal Morris

We are celebrating the end of the 3^rd quarter of school at Stratford Landing. From snow days to engaging grade level field trips, it’s been a great quarter of learning at the Landing! Some highlights include a celebration of our new Student Ambassador program. These dolphins are providing leadership and community to our newly arriving students. They have been brushing up on their school tour guide skills, too. Additionally, our Student Leadership Association (SLA) sponsored two school spirt weeks and led a food drive for Be The Good. During the third quarter we also recognized about 120 Distinguished Dolphins. We are so proud of how hard these students work to demonstrate our Dolphin Decree and make SLES a better place to be.

Our sixth graders had an awesome Lock-In. We know this is an exciting tradition and we appreciated all the family support to make it such a memorable event for our students. One sixth grade dolphin shared, “This is the best night of my life!” The annual PTA sponsored Scripps National Spelling Bee was one for the record books. It took 39 rounds to crown a SLES champion. We also appreciate our PTA’s sponsorship of the “Corey the Dribbler” assembly. Wow, that was a hit for both students and our staff. One teacher told me, “I think I had more fun than the kids!” Our second annual Family Identity Night was so successful and such a special evening that we were able to spend together. It was great to see so many SLES staff at the event to celebrate and support our school. A highlight for many was watching our very own Mr. Gallego and Mrs. Fustanes perform a cultural dance from the Philippines. One student said, “My teacher can really dance. They did such a good job.”

Our students are demonstrating academic progress and growth in many ways. iReady, VALLSS, PRF/Core, Lexia, ST Math and Benchmark Advance assessments are a few data points indicating our students are learning and growing. Plugging our upcoming Curriculum Night on Thursday, April 3, you can attend a session to learn more about all these different assessments and data points. Our Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Team (MTSS) continues to do a stellar job monitoring student progress and providing appropriate interventions for students. Many of our students are demonstrating individual growth, and our team and teachers are skillful providing these targeted interventions. In one instance a teacher shared significant growth in a student’s writing ability as shown at the beginning of year and now ending quarter 3. That was great to see, and we have a lot of success stories like that in our school, Pre-K through sixth grade. Be sure to thank a teacher if you see growth in your child. A continued shout out to our instructional staff is deserved. Implementing new curriculum is no small task and our teachers have done an excellent job with Benchmark Advance this school year. 

Stay connected in the fourth quarter. We have a busy quarter at school planned, with several community engagement events including our upcoming Curriculum Night, Young Scholars conference and our PTA sponsored Dance-A-Thon and Spring Fling. It’s a great time to be a dolphin.

Onward.

Kevin Morris, Principal

🎖️Month of the Military Child🎖️

💜Purple Up Wednesdays💜

April is the Month of the Military Child and we will be having Purple Up Wednesdays here at SLES to recognize and honor our military connected students. Please join us in wearing anything purple on Wednesdays (2nd, 9th, 23rd, 30th) in April to show our support for our military connected families💜

Your SLES is Showing

Curriculum Night

Thursday, April 3rd 6-7:30 pm

Please come join us for our Curriculum Night where you will be able to visit your student's classrooms and see all the wonderful work they have been creating here at SLES!

Kindergarten Student Orientation

April 1, 2025 1pm- 5pm

Dear Rising Kindergarten Families

Please join us for our Kindergarten Student Orientation. Here your child can experience Kindergarten before the first day of school. There will be 2 sessions by last name: A-K 1:00pm-2:00 pm and L-Z from 2:30pm-3:30pm. There will be a parent orientation in the cafeteria from 4pm-5pm.

Please take this opportunity to have your child experience various Kindergarten activities since we will not be hosting the August Jumpstart this year. Please RSVP by March 22nd. 

If your student is not registered for Kindergarten yet, please email Ms. McDade at rrmcdade@fcps.edu. 

PTA Spring After School Programs

Registration is open for Spring Clubs! All clubs meet immediately after school and pick up is at 5:10 at the main school door. We are still looking for a parent volunteer for Thursday Clubs. Questions or interested in volunteering please contact clubs@slpta.org. Registration information is in the fliers below.

Chess Club

Theater Club

Piano Lab

Lego Club

Spring Breakfast Food Drive

The 6th Grade SLES Girl Scout Troop 53073 is partnering with the local non-profit organization Be The Good Project in collecting non-perishable breakfast food items from March 13th- April 10th.

We would greatly appreciate it if you could consider donating to the food drive. 

The donations will be used to fill the Little Free Food Pantries at SLES and across the region to help local students and families who are experiencing food insecurity. 

EVERYONE'S INVITED

SLES 2024-2025 Yearbook

is on sale now!

Don't miss out on the SLES yearbook! We've sold nearly 400 copies -- WOW!

Yearbooks are $25 each. Order online here today.

If you are interested in donating a yearbook to SLES Care & Share, you can do so by using the "Donate-A-Book" option on the ordering website. (Note that there is no option for cash donations.)

The final deadline to order is April 1, 2024. Please send questions to StratfordLandingESYearbook@gmail.com.

Spring State Assessments (SOL)

Dear Parents and Guardians:

Students in grades 3-8 participate in state assessments each year. State assessments measure how students are learning the state standards. Format and timing of state assessments vary by grade level and content area, as noted in the table below.

More information about the assessments can be found on the webpage: SOL Tests in Elementary and Middle Schools (https://www.fcps.edu/node/42716).

The Grade Level Tests webpage (https://www.fcps.edu/node/50045) provides information by grade level about the division wide assessment schedule and reporting method for each required assessment in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). 

Please refer to the calendar below for the Stratford Landing tentative SOL schedule (this is always subject to change).

Makeup testing will occur the week of May 19 and retakes will occur the week of May 27.

Please avoid scheduling appointments or trips on testing dates if possible. Ensuring that your student is well rested, has eaten breakfast, and is on time to school on testing dates will greatly set your student up for success.

If you have further questions about state assessments, please contact your student’s teacher or the school test coordinator, Ms. Rose Stephens at rwstephens@fcps.edu.

📝Tutoring Resource: Varsity Tutors

Varsity Tutors offers a variety of free services to all FCPS students: on-demand chat tutoring, live group classes, essay review, college and career ready resources, and assessment and self-study resources.  These are all free and students automatically have access to these services through Clever.  For the “on-demand chat tutoring,” tutors are matched with students based on their subject of choice and can work through homework problems or a review for an upcoming test with the tutor providing visual problem solving.  This would not be a consistent tutor as it functions more like open office hours where students can drop in at any time and work with one of the tutors that are currently available. 

Here are some resources that might be helpful:

• Overview of Varsity Tutors- FCPS Page
• Overview of Varsity Tutors- Varsity Tutor Page

📢 Stay Connected with Stratford Landing Elementary on Instagram! 📢

Want to stay in the loop with all the exciting things happening at Stratford Landing Elementary? Follow us on Instagram! 📸✨

From classroom highlights and special events to important school updates and fun behind-the-scenes moments, our Instagram page is the perfect way to stay engaged with our school community.

📍 Follow us today: @stratfordlandinges 💙 Like, comment, and share to show your Dolphin Pride!

#StratfordLandingES #WeLoveOurDolphins #StayConnected

💕Thank you so much for your kind donations to the Family Resource Center  Thank you so much for all the generous donations made to the Family Resource Center in the last couple weeks! The items are being shared with SLES families and we are so grateful for your generosity!  Our Family Resource Center provides clothing items to all students throughout the school day whenever they need a change of clothes or winter items to keep the students warm during outdoor recess. Also non-perishable food items are donated directly to families needing food support at home.  This can only be possible with the help of your generous donations. There are still a few items that we need in our Family Resource Center. We would greatly appreciate it if you could please consider donating clothing items or donating items from our Family Resource Center Wish List. For any questions or need for resources from our Family Resource Center, please contact Haruka Hopp, our Family Liaison. hhopp@fcps.edu 703-619-3690

Programs in FCPS

Community Peer Program

The community peer program provides an opportunity for preschoolers with special needs to work and play with typically developing preschoolers who model developmentally appropriate language, motor, and social skills. 

The early childhood special education program uses a child-centered approach to learning. There are established daily routines that include circle, centers, story-time, small group,  music, art, and outside play. Classes are staffed by an early childhood special education teacher and a full-time instructional assistant. We hope to have at least 2 peers per ECSE classroom that is not paired with a PreK classroom.  

Below is a Google interest form for families who would like to have their child considered to be community peer: (Families Interested in the Community Peers Program.)  

Our Schools, Our Future – Spring Series 2025: Community and Employee Conversations

FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid is hosting a series of Community and Employee Conversations across the school division this spring. These events are a valuable opportunity for you and your communities to share your thoughts, ask questions, and engage directly with Dr. Reid. Your input matters, and we encourage you to participate.

Employee Conversations

• Tuesday, April 29 | 5:30–6:30 p.m. | Providence Elementary School
• Thursday, May 1 | 5:30–6:30 p.m. | Burke School
• Wednesday, May 7 | 5:00–6:00 p.m. | Weyanoke Elementary School

Community Conversations – Open to all families from all regions

• Tuesday, April 1 | 6:30–7:30 p.m. | Lorton Station Elementary School - Registration coming soon.
• Monday, April 7 | 6:30–7:30 p.m. | Greenbriar West Elementary School - Registration coming soon.
• Monday, April 21 | 6:30–7:30 p.m. | Mount Eagle Elementary School - Registration coming soon.
• Wednesday, April 23 | 6:30–7:30 p.m. | Mason Crest Elementary School - Registration coming soon.

Interpreter services will be provided for all events.

Montessori Program Coming to

West Potomac Pyramid

FCPS will offer a new Montessori program in the West Potomac pyramid. The program will begin in the 2025-26 school year, starting with multi-age classrooms at the pre-K and kindergarten levels. 

The program will be located at Bucknell Elementary School. Families of 3, 4, and 5 year olds are invited to apply through a lottery process.  Eligible families must have a verified residence in the West Potomac pyramid — Belle View, Fort Hunt, Groveton, Hollin Meadows, Hybla Valley, Stratford Landing, or Waynewood elementary schools. The program is free and transportation will be provided.

The Montessori method helps kids become curious, creative, and excited to learn for the rest of their lives. In a Montessori classroom, the whole room is set up to help students learn using Montessori-specific hands-on materials. Students have a lot of choice in their learning, which helps them stay motivated and become more independent.  

One special feature of the Montessori approach is having children of multiple ages in one classroom. Children learn valuable social skills — such as cooperation and empathy — through interactions with peers of different ages. Additionally, the multi-age environment allows students to learn at their own pace, while developing a sense of community. The Montessori classroom is carefully organized with hands-on materials, encouraging students to explore and work independently.      

The lottery application for the 2025-26 school year Montessori program at Bucknell Elementary School will be available Monday, March 10, through Thursday, May 1, 2025.  Families may learn more about the program and apply for the lottery at www.fcps.edu/montessori.

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. 

Programs in the Community

West Potomac Athletic Booster Club

Girls Basketball Spring Clinic

Gum Springs Community Center

After School Program

Gum Springs Community Center offers FREE after school program Monday-Friday from 3:30-6pm. They also offer activities on days FCPS has Early Release and they are open from school dismissal time until 6pm. They are also open on  Teacher Workdays from 9am-5pm. The programs are offered for free  but registration is required to participate in these programs. I

If you are interested in registering or have questions, please contact Ms. Jess Fuller the Assistant Director of Youth Program at Gum Springs. 

jessica.fuller@fairfaxcounty.gov

703-360-6088

Spring Break STEM Camp 

Hands-On Science & Engineering Activities!

(Free for Eligible Students)

Looking for an exciting and educational way for your child to spend spring break? Students from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology are hosting a Spring Break STEM Camp for 4th-7th graders from April 14-18 in McLean, VA. Campers will explore engineering, coding, chemistry, physics, and biology through engaging, hands-on activities designed to make STEM fun and accessible. The camp runs from 9 AM - 3 PM, with optional extended care available.

• Cost:$180 (FREE for students receiving free/reduced lunch)
• Location:6888 Elms St. Suite 2C, McLean, VA
• Lunch:Students should bring their own
• All proceeds benefit CAPA NoVA and TJHSST clubs

Sign up here: https://forms.gle/N9downzWECuXoYQW9. For more details or questions, please email springstemcamp@gmail.com. 

Art Camp at St. Lukes Day School

Summer art camp opportunity at St. Lukes Day School from August 4th-8th from 9am-1pm. Please refer to the flyer below for more details. 

8484 Riverside Road Alexandria, Virginia 22308 | Main Office: 703-619-3600
Attendance: 703-619-3636 | Web | Instagram