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Welcome Back, Hawks!
Welcome back, Hawk families! We’re excited to welcome both our new and returning students and families as we kick off the 2025-2026 school year. We look forward to a fantastic year filled with learning, fun, and new memories. Here’s to a great year ahead!
In This Issue
🚘 Important Kiss & Ride Procedures
For the safety of all our students, please remember to follow these important Kiss & Ride procedures for morning drop-off.
- All students must be dropped off at the designated Kiss & Ride area at the back of the building. Please DO NOT drop students off in the front of the school on Locust Street or in the side parking lot, as this creates a safety hazard.
- When you enter campus, please drive straight to the designated drop-off zone. Students should remain in the car until you reach this area.
- To help keep traffic flowing smoothly, please be aware that all cars exiting the campus onto Locust Street must make a right turn between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m.
- The busiest time for drop-off is typically from 7:15-7:30 a.m., so we encourage you to arrive a few minutes early if possible.
Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our students safe!
🛑 Help Keep Students Safe — Become a Crossing Guard
Dependable and caring adults are needed to serve as crossing guards, helping students safely bike and walk to and from our schools. This is a great opportunity for retirees, stay-at-home parents, or anyone looking to make a difference in their community. Crossing guards will earn $16.50 per hour and receive bonus time: Work 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after school for a total of one hour a day and earn $33.00.
The Fairfax County Police Department has engaged a company, ACMS, to recruit crossing guards. Please visit their website to learn more and apply.
🛡️ Weapon Detection System
In our latest effort to strengthen our layered safety and security programs, FCPS piloted a weapon screening system across our high schools last spring. This weapon screening system will be expanded to all middle and high schools this fall.
Learn more on the weapons detection frequently asked questions page.
🚫 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 703-904-4800.
Learn more about FCPS’ cell phone policy, which helps students stay focused, safe, and engaged at school.
🥪 Student ID Numbers Needed for School Meals (New This Year)
Starting this school year, students will enter their student ID number — not their current cafeteria PIN — at the cash register to receive school meals. Please remind your child of their student ID number, which you can find in SIS ParentVUE. View more updates and reminders for school meals this year.
⛹️♂️ Required Middle School Athletic Physical Examination
Is your child interested in middle school sports like Cross Country, Track & Field, Basketball, Volleyball, or Futsal? To ensure they're ready for tryouts, a completed Middle School Athletics Physical is required before they can participate.
You can download the form here. Once it's filled out, please turn it in to Liana Shivers, the After-School Specialist.
Just a heads-up, Basketball and Cross Country start in September, so don't wait!
If you have questions about the program, you can find more information here or email Ms. Shivers directly.
📝 Night Hawk: Registration & First Day
Get ready—the Night Hawk After-School Program kicks off on Wednesday, September 10!
Even though your student is automatically registered, we need all parents and guardians to complete the MS After-School consent form. Please fill it out through our Parent Digital Consent website.
🧑🏫 Save the Date: Back to School Night
We invite all families to join us on Thursday, September 18, from 6:00-8:00 PM for our annual Back-to-School Night! This is a special event for parents and guardians only. We look forward to seeing you there!
🏫 Building a Brighter Future, Together: FCPS Family Academy
The FCPS Family Academy promotes connections and collaborations between families, educators, and the community. Its work is aimed at strengthening partnerships in support of each and every student’s success.
Explore a wide range of resources; tools; and virtual and in-person webinars, workshops, and programs. The FCPS Family Academy helps you become a key part of your child’s education! Learn more about the FCPS Family Academy.
🤝 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.
📋 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. Visit FCPS’ Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. Watch this video to see how to use the tool.
🗣️ Family Information Line Available in Nine Languages
Parents/caregivers who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese may call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS. View the list of phone numbers.
🚍 Student Bus Passes Offer Free Transportation All Year
All Fairfax County middle and high school students can get a Student Bus Pass SmarTrip card to ride the Fairfax Connector and Fairfax CUE buses for free! With the pass, fares are free from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, all year.
Children 12 and younger ride for free on Fairfax Connector with a paying adult.
Learn more about the Student Pass. Complete the application and return it to Ms. Shivers or the main office.
🌱 Sign Up for 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 Ms. Fry, our school registrar 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.
💻 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.
To access Schoology, parents will need to have an active SIS/ParentVUE account. Get more information on how to login and use Schoology.
🍴 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.
🩹 Update Your Child’s Immunizations and Records
Please check with your health care provider as soon as possible to make sure your child is up to date on the immunizations required by the state of Virginia. Please submit your child’s immunization documentation. If your child has an appointment to receive their required immunizations after the start of school, please submit an Immunization Action Plan to confirm the appointment.
You can check your child’s immunization compliance and submit their immunization record in SIS ParentVUE. Records may also be delivered to our front office. If needed, families may also provide other immunization documentation including a health care provider’s written statement of a permanent or temporary medical exemption or a notarized Religious Exemption Form. Please visit the FCPS How to Submit Immunization Documentation webpage for step-by-step instructions on how to submit each of these items.
If your child needs a vaccine, please make an appointment with your health care provider or visit the FCPS Immunization Resources webpage and the Fairfax County Health Department website for local immunization clinics and additional resources.
💉 Required Immunizations for Rising 7th and 12th Graders
Several immunizations are required for students entering 7th and 12th grades.
- All students entering 7th grade are required to receive one dose of each of the following immunizations before the beginning of school: Tetanus, Diphtheria, the Pertussis booster (Tdap), Meningococcal (MenACWY), and Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
- To meet the Tdap requirement, the vaccination must be administered at age seven or older.
- To meet the MenACWY requirement, the vaccination must be administered at age 10 or older.
- Parents/guardians may choose for their child to not receive the HPV vaccination. Documentation is not required to opt out of the HPV vaccination.
- All students entering 12th grade are required to receive one dose of the MenACWY vaccine before the beginning of school.
- To meet the MenACWY 12th grade requirement, the vaccination must be administered at age 16 or older.
As long as your child meets the age requirements listed above, they can be immunized at any time.
👩⚕️ Where to Receive Immunizations
If your child needs an immunization, make an appointment with your family’s health care provider or one of the following clinics:
FCHD offers limited walk-in hours for immunization services on a first-come first served basis. Immunizations are also available by appointment.
- Inova Cares Back to School Pediatric Health Fairs provide children ages 5 and up with free school physicals and immunizations. Weekday and weekend clinics are available in July and August. These health fairs are for VA Medicaid or Uninsured Inova registered patients only. Appointments are required. Call 703-698-2550 to make an appointment. Bring vaccine records to the appointment.
Local immunization clinics and additional resources are available on the FCPS Immunization Resources webpage and from the FCHD.
🎒 Back to School? Virginia Cardinal Care Has You Covered!
As the new school year begins, make sure your child is ready with the health coverage they need! Virginia’s Medicaid and FAMIS programs, known as Cardinal Care, offer free, comprehensive health insurance for kids across the Commonwealth.
Cardinal Care covers:
If your family of four earns up to $96,000/year, you may qualify!
Need help applying or have questions?
Visit CoverVirginia.org or call 1-833-5CALLVA (1-833-522-5582). Already enrolled? Make sure your contact info is up to date at commonhelp.virginia.gov.
Learn more at VirginiaCardinalCare.com
📑 Varsity Tutors Provides On-Demand Support at No Cost
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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August
29 | Labor Day Break
September
1 | Labor Day Break
9 | Teacher Workday (Student Holiday)
18 | Back to School Night, 6:00-8:00 PM
23 | Rosh Hashanah (begins sundown 9/22-sundown 9/24)
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📅 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.
FCPS Cares
The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story, so we can all acknowledge the good work of FCPS employees.
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