Pine Spring Paw Print

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 08/17/2025 04:48 PM EDT
playdate

Paw Print Topics

Transportation Patience and Safety

Thank you for your patience as we all get used to new routines this school year. We appreciate our families following Kiss and Ride procedures and being patient while waiting for your children’s buses. 

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) 446-2050 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. 

First Day of School

The first day of school is August 18th, and we can’t wait to welcome our students back! Doors open at 8:30 AM. Please help your child arrive ready to learn, grow, and, most of all, have fun as we kick off this exciting new chapter together.

Bell Schedule

Students will be welcomed into the building promptly at 8:30 AM, with the late bell ringing at 8:45 AM. We will release all students starting at 3:30 PM each day.

Additionally, please note that Kiss and Ride will close at 8:40 AM after the first week of school. This adjustment will provide students with a valuable 5 minutes to travel to their classrooms and be fully prepared for a productive day of learning. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding in adhering to this schedule change.

Support Your Child’s Success by Checking SIS ParentVUE

Access your student’s attendance records, grades, and assignments at any time with SIS ParentVUE. Parents/caregivers should receive an activation code when they register their child. Contact the school registrar, Ms. Breeden if you need a code. 

Once you have activated a SIS ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same SIS ParentVUE account. You may also access SIS ParentVUE using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices. 

Need help creating an account? This video walks through the steps. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE.

First Day Plan

The first day is always a special day for our students. To ensure a smooth start, we kindly request your cooperation with a few important guidelines:

  • Please have your child arrive at school using their regular transportation method on the first day. Consistency helps establish a positive routine from day one.
  • Discuss with your child their planned method of transportation for going home. Clear communication ensures a successful dismissal process.
  • It's essential for all children to confidently share their first and last names to ensure we can guide them to the correct morning location. For students in grades K and 1, please write their first and last name inside their backpacks using the name provided during registration. For example, if your child's name is John Robert but goes by JR, please write John Robert in the backpack. This will help to eliminate any confusion.

Kiss and Ride

kiss and ride

If you are planning to use Kiss and Ride during the school year, we ask that you please have a tag. If you previously had a Kiss and Ride tag, you will continue to use your current number. If you are new to Kiss and Ride, please complete the Kiss and Ride form. Please note that Kiss and Ride will take longer during the first week. We ask that you continue to be patient and allow extra time.

The Kiss and Ride process will remain the same as the last 3 years with one small change. 

AM Drop-off 

  • Cars will pull to the front of the building with their student on the passenger side of the car if at all possible. (We do understand that some families have babies that need to be in that seat.)
  • A Pine Spring team member will open your child’s door and ensure your child gets into the building. Please do not get out of your car. 
  • We ask that you have said goodbye to your child and ensured that your child has everything they need for the day before you get to the drop-off zone. This ensures that all families are able to get through the line in a timely manner. 
  • This year Kiss and Ride will close at 8:40 AM. Families who come after 8:40 AM will need to bring their child into the building. Children coming after 8:40 must be accompanied by an adult.  

PM Pick-up 

  • Cars will line up in the Kiss and Ride line outside of the main door, where you dropped your child off. We ask that you do not line up for pickup before 3 PM. 
  • A staff member will collect your tag number (or your child’s name for the first week). 
  • Once dismissal begins, children will come out of the building in the order of your arrival once you stop at the designated cones. 
  • Again, a team member will open your door so that your child can get into the car. 
  • If your child does not come out in time, or if your child still needs support with their seatbelt/car seat you will pull to the designated area so that you can park the car to wait/support your child. 
  • Please do not go around a car in line unless you are directed by a Pine Spring staff member. 

Bus Riders

If your child is going to take the bus, you will receive communication from transportation with your child’s bus number, stop, and approximate times. During the first week, your child should arrive at the bus stop 10 minutes early until the bus driver establishes a regular routine. We encourage you to practice going to your bus stop before the first day of school to help eliminate any additional first-day jitters. 

Here Comes the Bus® 

FCPS knows that knowing when the bus is coming is an important part of your morning and afternoon. You can download the app to know when your bus is approaching your stop.  Here Comes the Bus® app is a school bus tracking app that can simplify morning and afternoon routines for parents and students by giving them real-time bus location and text or email notification alerts, helping them get to the bus stop on time. You can get additional information about the app and how to download it here.

Walkers

Walkers Arrival 

  • We will welcome PreK-K students starting at 8:30 AM at Door 1.
  • We will welcome 1st-6th students starting at 8:30 AM at Door 6.
  • We will have staff stationed outside to support the transition.

Walkers Dismissal 

  • Parents of PreK walkers will be asked to meet their child at outside of the cafeteria. 
  • Parents of K walkers will be asked to meet their child at the library door across from the flagpole.

Parents of 1st-6th walkers will be asked to meet their child at Door 6 near the playground.

 

*All students in Kindergarten or younger must be picked up by an adult on their emergency care card each day. Students in kindergarten or younger not picked up by an adult from the bus will be returned to Pine Spring. 

First Day Packets

  • A packet of information will be sent home on the first day of school in our new Wednesday Folder. Please complete all mandatory forms in the folder and return both the folder and the forms to school by Friday, August 23. 
  • The Wednesday Folder will be sent home each Wednesday.  Please be sure that you check these envelopes each week and review the contents with your child. The folder should be returned each week.
Open House 25

Complete Permission Forms Today

Families can easily grant permission for their children to access a variety of school resources through the Parent Digital Consent system. Opt your child in or out of online educational tools and choose how student information is managed. You may also opt in or opt out of after-school care on early release Wednesdays; read more below.

Visit FCPS’ Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. Watch this video to see how to use the tool.

Opt In/Opt Out for Early Release Wednesday Childcare

While we anticipate that most students will be dismissed at [time] on limited early release Wednesdays, we recognize that some families may require childcare. These students will be supervised by [instructional assistants? substitutes? school-based staff?]. No new instruction will take place, as after-school care is strictly supervision.

Parents and caregivers should log in to the Parent Digital Consent system to review and provide consent to a variety of resources and services including Early Release Wednesday Childcare.

 

  • OPT IN if you require childcare on our limited early release Wednesdays.
  • OPT OUT if your child will go home (or to childcare arranged with SACC or another provider) at the early release time. 

Families need to complete the opt in form by Monday, August 25, for after-school supervision for all early release Wednesdays. If a family needs to change their selection, they should notify our front office at least one week in advance to ensure enough staff are available to provide supervision.

💻 Catch Up on Your Child’s Classwork in Schoology

Teachers use Schoology to post their classroom materials online; to provide a secure forum for students to discuss their ideas and collaborate on projects; and to assign and collect homework electronically. It helps students stay organized, and it keeps the class connected.

A Schoology Parent Account gives you access to:

  • Your child’s classes.
  • Your child’s upcoming assignments.
  • School, class, and group announcements.

Parent accounts will be available after Monday, August 18. To access Schoology, parents will need to have an active SIS/ParentVUE account. Get more information on how to login and use Schoology.

Save The Date

August 18: First Day of School

August 29-September 1: Labor Day Break

September 4: Back to School Night (5:00-6:30) 

September 4: PTA Meeting (7:00 PM) 

September 9: No School 

September 10: 3 Hour Early Release

September 24: Fall Picture Day

September 19: PTA Dance

September 23: No School 

Pine Spring Resources

Grade Level Supply Lists

Bell Schedule

Attendance Procedures

Pine Spring PTA 

Pine Spring Website 

Early Release Wednesdays

 

Â