 A Message from our Administrators
Dear Hunt Valley Community,
Our students have enjoyed the warmer weather and recess outside this week! Please be mindful as you walk on school grounds as the county has planted some grass seed on the hill by the playground. We ask that no one walks on the straw/hay so that the grass can grow!
Our 3-6 grade students will start SOLs next week! It is important for students to get a good night's rest, eat a hearty breakfast and come to school on time on the days that they are testing. For specific dates, please see the schedule below.
In this week's News You Choose, you will find a link to a Google Form for parent input about class placements for the 2025-2026 school year. Input must be submitted by the deadline, Friday, May 16, 2024, to be considered. We will not accept late requests. We will not accept requests for specific teachers.
Our SCA and Green Guardians Club are hosting Earth Day this Saturday, April 26th from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. They have planned activities, crafts, vendor visits and other stations. We hope that you are able to attend!
Please see below for information about:
- SOL testing schedule
- Autism Acceptance Month
- Month of the Military Child
- Earth Day
- Parent Input for the 2025-2026 School Year
- Military-Connected Family Support
- Irving PTA needs officers
- World Book Drive and Family Literacy Fair
- Social and Emotional Learning Screener: Parent Reports
- Protect your child from measles
- Cameras Installed on School Bus Stop Arms
- Career Day--Presenters needed
- Summer Learning Activities and Ideas
- VDH Immunization Packets for Rising 7th Graders
- Spotlight on the Arts Day--May 3rd
- The Comprehensive School Boundary Review Process Explained
- Immunizations
- Updating Emergency Contacts
- Varsity Tutors
We hope that everyone has a wonderful break!
Sincerely,
Keieownna Hightower, Principal
Chrissy Gibbs, Assistant Principal
Keith Hirsch, Interim Assistant Principal
Eric Kopacz, Assistant Principal
Happy Administrative Professionals Week!
This week we celebrated our fabulous front office team; Nani Carr, Ann Rodriguez, Lisa Dumond and Cynthia Youssef (pictured above). Our school would not function without them, and we are grateful for their hard work and dedication to Hunt Valley!
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Mark Your Calendar
April 26--Earth Day Celebration
April 28-May 23--SOLs for grades 3-6
May 9--PTA Spring Festival
May 12--3-hour Early Release
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Autism Acceptance Month
April is Autism Acceptance Month. One in 44 children is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder in the United States, according to the CDC. Our schools and staff play a vital role in creating and ensuring inclusive environments that accommodate and affirm autistic students.
Month of the Military Child
April is the Month of the Military Child! Every year we take the opportunity to recognize military-connected youth for their service and contribution to our community. Fairfax County Public Schools is proud to have over 14,000 military-connected youth as a part of our student body. We appreciate the varied life experiences they bring to our school community, and recognize their strength and resilience. Learn more about Month of the Military Child and FCPS resources for military families.
Parent input for class placement
As the 2024-2025 school year comes to an end, we are in the process of planning for next school year. One of our important tasks is to determine class placements for the 2025-2026 school year. Our school staff works collaboratively to plan teacher and student assignments. A variety of factors such as student personalities, friendships, and academics are considered as we create new classes.
Hunt Valley families have an option to assist in placements by providing insights about their child(ren). Please be mindful of the following:
- We will not accept requests for specific teachers.
- Input must be submitted by the deadline, Friday, May 16, 2024, to be considered. We will not accept late requests.
The deadline for any correspondence regarding the next school year is Friday, May 16th via this Google Form
Military-Connected Family Support
FCPS welcomes all of our new and returning military-connected families throughout the year! Whether your family is moving permanently to the school district or living here for a short time, our schools and support staff welcome you and will be able to assist with your transition into and/or out of our district.
Visit the FCPS Military Families webpage and sign up to receive the Military Families newsletter. Follow FCPS Military Families accounts on Facebook and Instagram for support and resources throughout the year. If you have any questions, please email the FCPS Family and School Partnerships team.
Irving Middle School PTA Secretary and Vice President Needed
The WIMS PTA is looking for a Secretary and a Vice President for the 2025–2026 school year. These are key roles that help shape the PTA’s work to support students, staff, and families. Learn about the roles here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OKiRO1ti0lNTwDhJOjuIIDd_78IWBlfT/view?usp=sharing Submit your nomination here: https://forms.gle/7Td41pg5eaf5Mpek7 Questions? Email us at: irvingptanomcommittee@gmail.com
Register here
For more information, please contact David Walrod at dpwalrod@fcft.org
Social and Emotional Learning Screener: Parent Reports
Students in grades 3-12 took the SEL Screener during the month of March. The screener provides information on their SEL skills such as achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships, and making responsible decisions. The screener also asks students how much their school community makes them feel valued, included, and supported.
Individual student SEL Screener results are available to families in the Documents section of SIS ParentVUE. Families who do not have an active ParentVUE account will receive their results via postal mail.
For support in understanding your individual student’s results or for ideas on how to support them at home, please review the SEL Screener Results Family Guide or reach out to our school staff with any questions.
Protect Your Child from Measles: What You Need to Know
Measles cases continue to rise in the U.S. About 1 in 5 people who get measles end up in the hospital. Measles can cause severe complications like a lung infection (pneumonia), brain inflammation (encephalitis), and possibly death, even with medical care. Symptoms of measles typically include:
- High fever (may spike up to 104°F)
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red, watery eyes
- A rash that appears around 3-5 days after other symptoms begin. The rash typically starts on the face and spreads down the body.
The best way to protect a child from measles is by getting two doses of the combination measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.
If you are unsure of your child's vaccination status or your personal vaccination status, talk to your health care provider. If your child needs an immunization, make an appointment with your health care provider, visit the Fairfax County Health Department website for a list of child immunization clinics, or view other Immunization Resources.
🛑 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.
Career Day for 5th and 6th Grades - Hunt Valley Elementary
Presenters Needed…
We will be hosting a Career Day on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, for all 5th and 6th grade students. We are looking for speakers from a variety of different Careers. If you, or anyone you know, would be willing to be a speaker, we are interested in your participation. Our goal on this day is to expose students to different career possibilities. We would like professionals from various fields to join us for a few hours (9:00 - 12:15) to share their career choices, how their interests led them to their career choice, educational background, and some of the details of their day-to-day work. We would also like you to share how you use math and reading in your job. Any visual information or short demonstrations you think the children would find interesting are welcome. You will be grouped with other presenters and will share for approximately 3 to 5 minutes. You will present your information multiple times with different groups of students. We will be following up with more details about presenting once we have our presenter pool. If you are interested, please click on the following link, and fill out the form.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAydvIYwBKC3tPCV4NxvBMaYjici-X4uSL4K8b8lra_RaE1g/viewform?usp=header
Thank you so much for the time you are willing to share with our 5th and 6th grade students. We hope to make this day productive and rewarding for everyone. If you have specific questions, you can email mfberry@fcps.edu or call me at 703-913-8827.
Mary Berry, School Counselor
☀️ Discover Exciting Summer Learning Activities and Ideas
Attend the FCPS Summer Extravaganza on Saturday, May 10, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., at Woodson High School and get a jump on summer learning and fun! At this free event, participants can engage in educational and enrichment activities designed to inspire curiosity and growth.
An FCPS Student Program Marketplace will feature student-made goods for sale. Proceeds will support the students’ programs.
Learn about summer programs and resources available from community and business partners. Enjoy face painting, touring a fire truck, student performances, and much more! For more information, visit the Summer Extravaganza webpage.
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.
📍 The Comprehensive School Boundary Review Process Explained
Want to learn more about the ongoing Comprehensive School Boundary Review process? Watch this video for explanations of terms such as attendance zones, attendance islands, split feeders, and other factors that affect school boundaries. The video will also be available in other languages soon.
Visit FCPS’ Comprehensive Boundary Review webpage for more information and sign up for our School Boundary Review newsletter.
Make Sure Your Children Are Up-to-Date on Immunizations
Please make sure your child has all of their necessary immunizations. Remember, all students are required to be immunized against certain diseases to attend school in Virginia. This is an important part of keeping children healthy!
Starting Monday, May 19, students who have not provided proof of immunization may not be allowed to attend school. You can check your child’s immunization status and submit updated immunization information by accessing SIS ParentVUE.
Please check with your healthcare provider to make sure your child is up to date on required immunizations for the 2024-25 school year. If your child needs an immunization, make an appointment with your healthcare provider, visit the Fairfax County Health Department website for a list of child immunization clinics, or view other Immunization Resources. Be wise and immunize!
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Returning to In-Person Work?
If you are no longer telecommuting, please make sure your emergency contact information is updated. You can update via ParentVue.
📑 Varsity Tutors Provides On-Demand Support at No Cost
FCPS is partnering with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra learning resources. Every student can take advantage of Varsity Tutors’ services at no cost, including weekly live online classes; on-demand 24/7 chat tutoring; essay editing; and study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests. Learn more about online tutoring with Varsity Tutors.
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