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 Welcome Walk 2025 and first day of school smiles!
Upcoming Dates
August 25: First Day of School for Students in the ECCB Program
August 29 & September 1: No School
September 9: No School
September 10: Back to School Night - 6:00-7:30PM
September 17: Early Release Wednesday - Dismissal at 12:25pm
September 21: Asha-Jyothi Annual 5K Run/Walk & Fun Run at Fairfax Corner-8:00AM
2025-26 school year calendar
Cubbie News
Dear Cub Run Families and Friends,
What a fantastic first week we are having with our amazing Cubbies! There's no better feeling than seeing our school filled with so much energy, excitement, and smiles as we kick off a new school year. It was wonderful to see so many of you at our Welcome Walk and Open House events. Your participation truly made the start of the school year special, and it was a joy to reconnect with returning families and welcome our new ones. A special shout out to our wonderful PTA for providing a delicious lunch for our staff during opening week!
A huge thank you to our dedicated teachers for their incredible hard work this summer. They have poured so much time and effort into preparing their classrooms and creating welcoming, engaging spaces for our students. Their commitment to our Cubbies is truly outstanding.
This year, our staff is focused on collaboration, connectedness, collective responsibility, and communication. Throughout the year, you will continue to hear about what this looks like within our school, how it supports our students, and how our priorities support our Cub Run Vision:
We envision Cub Run as a place of belonging and learning rooted in equity, compassion, connection, and engagement.
Our Cub Run motto, Together, We Belong, also supports our vision. As we focus on connectedness and ensuring that we foster a sense of belonging for each student, Cub Run is continuing to implement a positive behavior approach (PBA) this year which includes components of responsive classroom and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). Our goal is to use this approach to encourage the expected positive behaviors regarding safety, empathy, responsibility, community, and readiness. These are behaviors that we will support students in demonstrating through instruction and reinforcement. We want every staff member to recognize as many students as possible for demonstrating these behaviors. Along with our schoolwide Positive Behavior Approach (PBA) we will be teaching positive character traits through the Positivity Project. We are enthusiastic about Cubbie C.A.R.E.S. and the positive impact that it has had and will continue to have on our school community with it being our second year of implementation. We have exciting things planned for our Cubbies this year to continue to increase their sense of belonging throughout our whole school community.
We're so grateful for your partnership and are looking forward to an incredible year of learning and growth together. Here's to a wonderful school year ahead, Go Cubbies!
Warm regards,
Melissa Miller, Principal
Nausheen Haider, Assistant Principal
Back to School Night-September 10
Please join us for Back to School Night on Wednesday, September 10. At Back to School Night you'll have an opportunity to hear from your child's teacher(s), meet our specialists, and hear important FCPS information on what to expect this school year. Childcare will not be available, please plan accordingly.
We look forward to seeing you!
6:00-6:40PM - Session 1 & Welcome Videos
6:00-7:15PM - Specialists available in library
6:50-7:30PM - Session 2 & Welcome Videos
Elementary Early Release Wednesdays for 2025-26 School Year
Elementary school students will be released three hours early at 12:25 p.m. on eight Wednesdays during the 2025-26 school year. Find more information about early release here!
Action Item: 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.
Forms available include:
- School Counseling Opt-out
- Digital Resources Consent
- SEL Screener Opt-Out
- Family Life Education Opt-out
- SOL Retest Permission
- Objection to Release of Directory Information to the Public
- Objection to Release of Information to Outside Organizations
- Opt In/Opt Out for Early Release Wednesday Childcare
Opt In/Opt Out for Early Release Wednesday Childcare
While we anticipate that most students will be dismissed at 12:25pm on limited early release Wednesdays, we recognize that some families may require childcare. These students will be supervised by instructional assistants. No new instruction will take place, as after-school care is strictly supervision. The form defaults to students being dismissed early. Parents must complete the form to opt in to afterschool care.
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.
Safety at Arrival & Dismissal
Arrival Reminders
If you are walking your child to school, please use our crosswalk with the assistance of our crossing guard. If you are driving your child, please use our Kiss and Ride/Car Rider loop that is adjacent to our school and loops around the parking lot. This is the safest option for dropping off students and as students get used to the process, the line moves quicker.
Dismissal Reminders
All students should know how they will be going home from school each day, whether they are a walker, bus rider, or kiss and rider. Please also work on remembering the following:
Walkers: Who they walk home with and where they are supposed to meet them
Kiss and Riders: Their Kiss and Ride number
Bus Riders: Their bus number and bus stop
Need to communicate an early dismissal or a change in dismissal plans for a particular day?
Please contact our main office BEFORE NOON on the day of the change to notify both the front office and our classroom teachers of the dismissal change.
Kiss & Ride Procedures
In order for the Cub Run staff to ensure a safe environment for all children, the following drop-off and pick-up procedures should be followed by all families. These procedures will be strictly adhered to each day. We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our cubbies safe!
Morning Drop-off Procedures
- Drop off begins at 8:30 a.m.
- When entering the parking lot for the Kiss & Ride line, please do not block the crosswalk. Proceed to the side of the school and follow the loop around to the right.
- All other individuals in the car should remain in the vehicle at all times for safety reasons.
- Please remember to pull your car all the way up to the designated spot. This ensures we can fit the maximum number of cars and keep the line moving efficiently.
- Please stay in your vehicle at all times. This is a great opportunity to teach your children the valuable skill of buckling their seatbelts themselves, as all students must enter and exit the car from the sidewalk side.
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Do not leave your child if there is no staff member present at Kiss & Ride. You must line up and wait at the starting location until a staff member is in position at Kiss & Ride to receive your child.
- The students may exit their vehicle on the right passenger side only. The left door should always be closed for safety purposes.
- After dropping off your child, proceed to exit the Kiss & Ride line carefully. Use extreme caution when you get to Sully Station Drive, as walkers will be crossing at various times in a designated crosswalk. The crossing guard will use a stop sign to halt traffic when walkers are present.
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Parents arriving after 8:40 a.m. must park and escort students to the main entrance (Door 1), where you check in your students in the front office.
Afternoon Pick-Up Procedures
- When entering the parking lot for the Kiss & Ride line, please do not block the crosswalk.
- When you arrive, please be sure to have your Kiss & Ride number card visibly displayed on your dashboard when you pull forward.
- All cars should move up as far as possible along the sidewalk so that we may get as many cars loaded as possible. Please do not stop directly in front of your child, as this will delay all of the cars behind you.
- Children may only enter their vehicle from the right side of the vehicle. The left door should always be closed for safety purposes, especially during dismissal time.
- Ensure that your child wears a seat belt and proceed to exit the Kiss & Ride loop carefully.
- Parents arriving after 3:45 p.m. must park and sign out students from the office staff.
Kiss & Ride Hang Tag Reminders
- If you do not have a Kiss & Ride number, please reach out to our front office staff to be assigned a number (returning students keep their same number from the previous year).
- Please have car tag have your KNR number clearly displayed at all times, both as you enter and exit the parking lot. This helps our staff quickly identify who they're dismissing and keeps the flow of traffic steady.
Walker Procedures
In the afternoons, walkers are met at Door 4 by the playground. Kindergartner walkers are required to have an adult meet them.
Bus Riders
Arrival: All bus riders enter through door 1.
Dismissal: Kindergarten students will be escorted to their buses. All Kindergarten students must be met at the bus stop by an adult.
Students will watch for their bus numbers on our Silent Dismissal slide. Teachers will have bus number information to encourage students to leave at the appropriate time.
Reporting Absences
Parents/caregivers may report absences by using ParentVUE or by contacting the front office. Please find important details below:
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How to Use ParentVUE: Log in to your ParentVUE account and select “Report Absence.”
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More Ways to Report: Use our attendance line at 703-633-7575 or email cubrunelem.attendance@fcps.edu for absences longer than two days, late arrivals, and early dismissals.
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Where to Get Help: Visit FCPS’ Attendance Reporting webpage for step-by-step instructions.
If you need to set up a ParentVUE account or have questions, please contact our front office at 703-633-7500. They will provide you with an “activation key” and instructions to create a ParentVUE account.
Safety Drills During the School Year
Keeping students and staff safe is a priority for Cub Run and FCPS. Each school has an emergency preparedness plan to respond to incidents such as fires and tornadoes. Schools are required by state law to practice emergency drills, including lockdown drills, each year. Schools are also required to notify parents and guardians at least 24 hours before a school conducts a lockdown drill. However, schools are not required to give the specific date and time of the drill in advance.
By law, the first lockdown drill of the school year must take place within the first 20 days of school. Preschool and kindergarten students are exempt from practicing the first lockdown drill.
Your child may come home and talk about their experience during drills. We encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Please review these frequently asked questions to support your students before and after school lockdown drills.
Band, Strings & Chorus Registration
Registration is open for students who are interested in joining or continuing band/strings or our chorus program at Cub Run.
The registration forms linked below provide all the details about the different options available. We want to ensure that every student has the chance to participate in a way that best suits them. Please take a moment to review the information with your child and fill out the form if they'd like to be a part of this enriching experience.
Please follow this LINK for information regarding our Band/Strings program. Band is an available for students in grades 5&6; Strings is available for students in grades 4-6.
Please follow this LINK for information regarding our Cub Run Chorus program. Chorus is available for students in 5&6.
We look forward to another wonderful year of musical programs at Cub Run!
Cub Run Music Department
Birthday Celebrations
In an effort to foster healthy food choices and avoid possible allergens in the classroom, food items will not be permitted for birthdays. If you would like to send in a small non-food item for all students in the class, you could consider erasers, stickers or birthday pencils on your child’s special day. These items would be handed out at the end of our instructional day. You could also consider donating a book to the classroom library.
We would like to remind families that parents are under no obligation to send in anything for birthdays. Our teachers will recognize birthdays in class and they are celebrated on our Morning News as well. We appreciate your support.
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.
FCPS News
We Are a Phone-Free School
Please remind your student that cell phones and personal devices (airpods, 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 703-633-7500. Learn more about FCPS’ cell phone policy, which helps students stay focused, safe, and engaged at school.
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.
Reminders
2025-26 FCPS Homework Guidelines
As we prepare for another exciting school year, we want to share updated homework guidelines that will be in place for the 2025–2026 school year. These guidelines align with FCPS Regulation 3205.1 and are designed to support student learning, promote consistency across classrooms, and foster meaningful home-school partnerships.
At Cub Run, we believe that homework should reinforce classroom learning, help students practice and apply new skills, and encourage responsibility and independence. You can expect the following:
Purpose and Quality Over Quantity
- Homework will support content students are currently learning.
- We encourage daily reading at home as part of building lifelong literacy skills.
- Assignments will be relevant, manageable, and focused on quality rather than quantity.
- For advanced learners, homework will focus on deepening understanding, not adding extra time.
Student-Centered Approach
- Teachers will consider student learning styles, readiness levels, and home support systems when assigning homework.
- Students will receive timely feedback to reinforce learning.
- Homework expectations and grading practices will be shared at the start of the year.
Time Guidelines (Across All Content Areas)
Homework may be assigned either nightly or weekly.
Total homework time per day:
- K-2: 10-20 minutes/day
- 3-4: 20-30 minutes/day
- 5-6: 40-60 minutes/day
How Families Can Support Homework Success We encourage families to:
- Create a consistent routine and quiet space for homework
- Provide necessary materials and time management support
- Read and talk with your child daily
- Connect school learning to real-world experiences
- Stay in regular communication with your child’s teacher
These guidelines aim to make homework a meaningful and balanced part of your child’s educational experience. We appreciate your support as we work together to promote lifelong learning.
Asha-Jyothi Fun Run - September 21
Cub Run is excited to partner with Asha-Jyothi again to support their 17th Annual Fun Run! The Asha-Jyothi (AJ) 5K Run is a fun-filled family event with foot tapping music, delicious food and a friendly course. It is a volunteer based non-profit organization dedicated to serving the needs of the underprivileged by providing access to education and healthcare.
AJ generously donates all the registration money from each school back to the school for its STEM needs.
Last year we had 34 participants from Cub Run and raised $1,390 for our school! Let's beat our number of registrants from last year - this is an excellent fundraiser for the school and a great opportunity to practice our running! Register now and join the fun!
Event Details: Sunday, September 21stFun Run at 8:00 a.m.; 5K Run/Walk at 8:30 a.m.Location: 4250 Fairfax Corner Avenue; Fairfax, VA 22030
Register here for the 2025 Fairfax-17th Annual 5KRun/Walk Fun Run
Use Coupon Code "AJ4Schools" and receive $10 off the registration for the 5K Run.
AJ Fairfax Sep 21 2025 Race Flyer
Medical Dietary Accommodation Requests
Does your child eat school meals? Does your child need special food because of food allergies or medical reasons? If yes, Food and Nutrition Services can help! To learn more, please visit our Food and Nutrition Services website or email us at dietary.form.fns@fcps.edu
FCPS' Office of Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) works collaboratively with families to ensure an equal opportunity to participate in the school meal programs and receive program benefits. Schools are required to make substitutions to meals for students with a disability; these are provided only when supported by a signed written statement from a state licensed health care provider. The Medical Dietary Accommodation form and further information about the process can be found here. If needed, this form should be mailed directly to dietary.forms.fns@fcps.edu. Please note that forms will only need to be submitted once throughout the student’s enrollment unless there are medical changes.
Apply Today for Free and Reduced Price Meals
According to the Centers for Disease Control, eating breakfast at school is associated with better attendance rates, fewer missed school days, and better test scores. Students who qualify for free and reduced-price meals receive breakfast and lunch at school at no cost.
Families must complete the Free and Reduced-Price Meal application before the start of each school year. Approved applications may also qualify students for additional benefits. Access the application and view criteria on the Free and Reduced-Price Meals webpage
Students who were approved for free and reduced-price meals last year are eligible for the first 30 days of school this year (or until a new application is processed). Families should re-apply as soon as possible so eligible students continue to receive meals at no cost.
Contacts
Cub Run Main Office: 703-633-7500
Cub Run Attendance Phone Line: 703-633-7575
Cub Run Attendance mailbox: CubRunElem.Attendance@fcps.edu
Technology Support for Families/Parent Help Desk: 1-833-921-3277
Parent Information Phone Lines/Support for parents who do not speak English as their first language: Parent Information Phone Lines
Parent and Student technology support: IT Support Portal
FCPS Free and Reduced Meals Information & Application: Information
Melissa Miller, Principal, mhmiller@fcps.edu
Nausheen Haider, Assistant Principal, nfhaider@fcps.edu
Brittney Kalbaugh, Administrative Assistant, bwood@fcps.edu
Namrata Saxena, Student Information Assistant, nsaxena@fcps.edu
Christina Davis-Luczak, Office Assistant, cddavislucza@fcps.edu
Michelle Shea, Office Assistant, mrshea@fcps.edu
Helen Seo, Family Liaison, hseo@fcps.edu
Be Informed, Stay Involved!
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