Terra Centre Back to School Updates

Terra Centre Families,

As summer winds down, we are looking forward to welcoming students back to our classrooms. Please review this checklist to make sure your child is ready! 

☑️ Sign Up for SIS ParentVUE

Access your student’s attendance records, grades, and assignments at any time with SIS ParentVUE. Contact our registrar, Valerie Sollers, at vasollers@fcps.edu, or 703-249-1400 if you need an activation code. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE.

Update Your Contact Information

Be sure you receive important information! Update your phone number(s) and/or email address(es) in the Parent/Guardian section of SIS ParentVUE. 

☑️ Update Immunizations and Records

Immunizations are required for all students to attend school in Virginia. This is an important part of protecting them from certain diseases and keeping them healthy. 

When your child is immunized, remember to request a copy of their immunization record and bring that to our front office or submit the record via SIS ParentVUE as soon as possible. Find more information on FCPS’ website.

☑️ Learn About School Meals

Parents/caregivers need to provide their students with money to purchase meals at school, send them with a packed lunch, or apply (and be approved) for free and reduced-price meal benefits. 

☑️ Volunteer FCPS Helps Community Members Connect With Schools

A new volunteer management system, Volunteer FCPS, will allow students, parents/caregivers, and community members to register and search volunteer opportunities within the school division. 

All volunteers (new or returning) will register in Volunteer FCPS, complete a volunteer orientation, and be required to sign in using the visitor kiosk. Some volunteers will also be required to undergo a background check. Visit the Volunteer FCPS website for details.

☑️ Bookmark the School Year Calendar

Be sure to bookmark the FCPS school year calendar to keep track of school holidays, breaks, and observances:

• Days marked with a blue “H” are student holidays. Schools are closed on these days.
• Days marked with an orange “O” are religious and cultural observance days (or evenings, if only half marked). There is school on these days, but certain events that cannot be made up may not be scheduled on these days.
• Days marked in pink are holidays for students but working days for teachers and staff.

Please note that some holidays and observances, such as Eid al Fitr, may shift, and the calendar may be adjusted.

As a reminder, we are a phone free school! Please remind your student that cell phones and personal devices (air pods, earbuds, headsets, other items connected to the internet) must be off and away for the entire school day (bell to bell). Cell phones are also not permitted to be used as an instructional tool. If you need to contact your student during the school day, please call our front office at 703-249-1400. Learn more about FCPS’ cell phone policy, which helps students stay focused, safe, and engaged at school. 

Please scroll down to review important first day and back to school information.

With Tiger Pride!

Rebecca Gidoni, Principal
Tim Signorelli, Assistant Principal

TCES First Day of School Information

• First Day of School for Elementary Students
  • K-6th Grade - Monday, August 18
• First Day of School for Early Childhood Students 
  • PAC - Monday, August 18
  • ECIP (PreK) - Monday, August 25
  • ECCB (AM and PM) - Monday, August 25
• School hours for students:  8:40 – 3:25
• It is recommended that your child come to school on the first day the same way he or she will typically be coming to school.  
• On the First Day of School, doors will open at 8:25 (usually 8:30).
• Families are welcome to escort their child to class on the first day of school.
• Attending family members will bring child to the classroom door and refrain from entering the classroom.
• Please take pictures in advance of entering the school building.
• Families must exit promptly by 8:40 when the tardy bell rings.

Mark Your Calendar

Friday, August 15: Open House, PreK-6th, 9:00-10:00 AM

Monday, August 18: First day of school, K-6th and PAC students 

Monday, August 25: First day of school, PreK(ECIP and ECCB students

August 29-September 1: Holiday (Labor Day Break) 

Tuesday, September 9: Student Holiday

Wednesday, September 10: Back to School Night (Parents/Caregivers only)

Session 1 - 5:30-6:15 PM

Session 2 - 6:20-7:05 PM (repeat of session 1)

Be sure to bookmark the FCPS school year calendar to keep track of school holidays, breaks, and observances.

25-26 Terra Centre School Hours & Information

Main Office Phone Number

703-249-1400

Health Room Phone Number

703-249-1410

Dismissal Changes

If you need to change your child's dismissal, please use the following link to create a change: Change of Dismissal Form. All dismissal changes must be made by 2:45 PM. 

Report an Absence

Parents and caregivers have the option to submit their student’s attendance directly through ParentVUE starting the first day of school, August 18, 2025.  ParentVUE offers a more secure and reliable platform for managing students' attendance information.  How to Report an Absence Through ParentVUE

Alternatively, families may call the Terra Centre Attendance Line at 703-249-1414 or email: TerraCentreESAttendance@fcps.edu

Student Arrival-Dismissal-Transportation

Students are considered bus riders or walkers. Kiss and Ride is a courtesy service. We encourage all families to use their designated transportation.

ARRIVAL:

Students may not be dropped off before 8:30 a.m. There is NO supervision prior.

• Parking Lot is closed 8:20-8:40
• At 8:30 a.m. students may walk to their classroom.
• Students arriving after 8:40 a.m. are tardy and will need to be walked in by their parent to sign in at the main office (Door 1). 

DISMISSAL:

• Parking Lot is closed 3:15-3:45
• Dismissal begins at 3:25 pm.
• All preschool and kindergarten students must be met by an adult
• Kiss and ride is organized by numbers assigned to families.
  • Complete the Kiss and Ride form to be assigned a number and receive a car tag. 

STUDENT ENTRY/EXIT DOORS:

• Door 1 
• Bus Riders Preschool - 6th grade
• Walkers 1st-6th grade
• Gym
• Preschool and Kindergarten Walkers
• Door 8 
• Kiss and Ride Preschool - 6th grade

Walkers

If your child will be walking to school, we encourage you to walk with your child(ren) to ensure familiarity with the route.  Walkers must use designated paths or sidewalks.

Bus Riders

We recommend having your child ride the bus on the first day of school when extra provisions are in place to help students learn bus routines and bus numbers. 

• Bus stops and route information are available on ParentVUE.
• Arrive at the bus stop 5 – 10 minutes early.
• In the afternoon, buses will typically depart school at 3:30 p.m.
• Preschool and kindergarten students must be met at the bus stop each afternoon by a parent, parent designee, or a responsible middle school or older sibling. That person must ask for the child by name at the door of the bus. Otherwise, the student will be returned to the main office at Terra Centre.
• For more information about bus transportation, visit the FCPS Transportation webpage.
• If a student’s bus is delayed, parents may access the Bus Delay Notification System or use the Here Comes the Bus mobile app to receive the delayed bus report.
• Email messages will be sent to announce significant bus delays. Contact the Transportation Office at 703-249-7000 with any additional questions. For any concerns after 5:30 p.m., contact Safety and Security at 571-423-2000. 
• To make sure you receive email messages about bus delays, update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE. 

Kiss & Ride

All students in FCPS are either designated as bus riders or walkers.  Kiss & Ride is a courtesy service that we provide for parents.  Please follow the guidelines below if you choose to drive your child to and from school.

• If you are interested in using Kiss and Ride this year to drop off or pick up your child, please complete the Kiss and Ride form. Kiss and Riders will receive numbered car tags to support student pick up at dismissal.(This form is for a permanent change in transportation)

• Use the Kiss and Ride lane on Burke Centre Parkway, rather than neighborhood streets.  This helps to ensure the safety of all students, including our student walkers who are utilizing the paths and streets behind the school.  
• Kiss & Ride is open 8:20-8:40 in the morning and 3:25-3:40 in the afternoon.   
• All car riders must be dropped off and picked up in the Kiss & Ride lane during arrival/dismissal. Parents must stay in the car and children must exit on the right side of the vehicle (closest to the curb).
• If you arrive after 8:40 and Kiss & Ride is closed, you must park in the main parking lot and accompany your child to the main office.
• When entering Kiss & Ride, please follow Marshall Pond Road to Pond Spice Lane to Burke Centre Parkway and follow the entire loop to exit on to Burke Centre Parkway. 
  • Please avoid U-turns at the intersection of Pond Spice Lane and Burke Centre Parkway. 

Limited Early Release Wednesdays - RESPONSE REQUIRED

Mark your calendar for Limited Early Release Wednesdays in the 25-26 school year. Students in Kindergarten-6th grade will release 3 hours early on the following Wednesdays:

• September 17

• October 15

• November 19

• December 17

• February 25

• March 25

• April 29

• May 20

To document your child's dismissal for the early release Wednesdays, please go to the BOY Digital Consent App under "Early Release Wednesday Childcare" and complete the form.

Online Verification Update (OVU)

The 2025-2026 Online Verification/Update (OVU) packet is available in ParentVue.  Please log in to ParentVue to verify your student’s emergency contact information.  Instructions and detailed information are available at the following sites: SIS ParentVUE Online Verification/Update (OVU) Packet.

Parents should contact the school directly for data corrections that they are not able to update or submit a Parent Support Request ticket for technical assistance in ParentVUE.

Parent Digital Consent

Student consent forms currently on ParentVUE were moved to the Parent Digital Consent System (PDC).

Families can log in to the PDC using their ParentVUE credentials to complete consent forms assigned to their child. School staff will have access to view consent status and edit consent with permission from the family.

Forms available in the PDC starting in the 2025-2026 school year include:

• School Counseling Opt-Out
• Digital Resources Consent
• SEL Screener Opt-Out
• Consent for Release of Student Records in Support of Postsecondary Applications
• Denial of Access to Military Recruiters 
• Family Life Education Opt-Out
• SOL Retest Permission
• Hazel Health
• BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Opt-Out
• SOS Screener Opt-Out
• Objection to Release of Information to Outside Organizations
• Objection to Release of Directory Information to the Public

https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/technology/digital-resources/consent 

Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights

Fairfax County Public Schools wants all parents and caregivers to understand its policies regarding surveys, records, curriculum, privacy, and related rights.

In its Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights and Opt-Out Forms (Annual Notice), FCPS provides explanations of the rights listed above as well as forms that may be used to exercise opt-out choices. Two versions of the Annual Notice are available: a grades K-8 version and a grades 9-12 version. Parents/caregivers with children at different grade levels should read each applicable version of the Annual Notice, because the notices and opt-out rights vary depending on the student’s grade level.

Get more information and view the 2025-2026 Opt-Out Booklets.

6000 Burke Centre Parkway, Burke VA 22015  |  Phone: 703.249.1400
Attendance: 703.249.1414 or  TerraCentreESAttendance@fcps.edu
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