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Roadrunner Families,
As we settle into a great school year, I want to remind everyone about a few important arrival and dismissal procedures to help ensure a safe and smooth dismissal for all our students.
- We kindly ask that you do not come to school to check your child out after 3:00 pm unless it is an emergency, as buses begin arriving at that time.
- Change of Transportation forms (COTs) will begin on September 2; until then, if an emergency arises, please contact your child’s teacher directly.
- We also want to remind everyone that, for safety reasons, parking in the bus loop is strictly prohibited between 8:25 and 9:00 AM and 3:00 and 4:00 PM when buses are actively arriving and departing. Your cooperation is key to keeping this area clear for all of our students.
- To see when buses are dismissed, please click here to view the Silent Dismissal slide. Remember, you have to refresh to see the most up-to-date information on this dismissal slide.
Thank you for your help in making our daily routines safe and efficient!
Best,
Sara Harper
🚨Calendar Updates
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August 25th: Back to School Night (K-3) - 5:30 - 6:45 pm (parents/caregivers only)
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August 27th: Back to School Night (4-6) - 5:30 - 6:45 pm (parents/caregivers only)
** JIP classrooms will have different times sent by JIP teacher **
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August 29th and September 1st: Labor Day Break - No School
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September 9th: No School - Special Election
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September 10th: Early Release Wednesday (Dismissal at 12:35 pm)
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September 12th: PTA Chick-fil-A Spirit Event
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September 17th: Principal's Coffee at 9:00 am in Cafeteria
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September 19th: PTA Movie Night!
To review the most recent PTA newsletter, please click here.
SAFETY FIRST: BACKGROUND CHECKS REQUIRED!
To protect our students, all volunteers (even those on field trips) need a completed background check and fingerprinting on file with FCPS before joining the fun! This includes:
- Classroom helpers
- Field trip chaperones
- And more!
Ready to get cleared? Visit the FCPS Volunteer Page or connect with Colleen Murphy in our main office.
Pro tip: Please be patient as our county processes requests from 140+ schools!
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✅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.
📚 Learning About Life Science in Language Arts 📚
Benchmark Unit 1 in Language Arts is about life science. Students in K-5 will be learning about plants, animals, and nature. Sixth grade students will learn about the natural balance of nature.
Connect with your child’s learning at school with these fun questions and hands-on activities at home:
- Question: What are some ways we can take care of nature and living things?
- Activity: Pick an animal and act out how it moves or survives in its habitat — see if family members can guess!
At the end of the unit, your child will take their unit magazine home. The magazine includes an activity calendar with fun ways to help students build on what they’re learning at each grade level. You can also find information on how to support your child’s reading at home on the Benchmark Families website.
👋🏻Meet our new staff members!
Please join us in extending a warm welcome to a few of our new staff members! We are so excited to have these talented and passionate educators and support staff join our community. We will feature more of our staff members in our next newsletter!
Congratulations, Tracey Leverett - Our Registrar
We are excited to announce that Tracey Leverett, who many of you may already know as our wonderful office assistant, has been promoted to registrar! In her new role, she will be supporting families with student registrations, records, enrollment, and more. Tracey has been such an important part of our school community, and we are thrilled to see her step into this new position. Please join us in congratulating her on this well-deserved promotion!
If you need assistance with registration or student records, you can reach Tracey by email at tlleverett@fcps.edu or by phone at (703) 757-2103.
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Sofie Morris, 3rd-grade teacher
Hello! My name is Sofie Morris, and I am so excited to be teaching third grade this year at Great Falls! I went to James Madison University and completed my degree in Elementary Education. This will be my second year teaching third grade! I have experience teaching all the way from kindergarten to fourth grade. Teaching is my passion, and I truly enjoy building meaningful and lasting relationships with my students. I just moved to the Northern Virginia area this summer, and I am having so much fun exploring my new community! I enjoy spending my free time trying new restaurants, coffee shops, hanging out with friends, and watching a good TV show. Here’s to a great school year!
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Cody McCready, Music & Chorus
Hello, Great Falls families! My name is Cody McCready, and I'm so excited to be joining you as the new General Music and Chorus teacher. I previously taught in Arlington Public Schools. I'm originally from western Pennsylvania and am a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. I love what I do because I get to help students discover their own musical voice. My goal is to not only teach the fundamentals of music but also to inspire them to be lifelong music learners. When I'm not at school, I love spending time with friends and family, traveling, and cooking. I'm so thrilled to be a part of the Roadrunner family!
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Brittany Smith, 2nd grade teacher
Hi! My name is Brittany Smith, and I will be teaching 2nd grade at Great Falls Elementary. I went to the University of Pittsburgh and completed my degree in elementary education. I then attended George Mason University and graduated with my Master's in curriculum and instruction with a focus in literacy leadership. This is my 11th year teaching! I am married to my husband, Jason, and we have a sweet 1-year-old girl named Claire! We also have two dogs, Reggie and Evie who we love to spend time with. In my free time, I enjoy cooking and traveling. I’m looking forward to an AMAZING school year!
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Laura Villatoro, 2nd grade teacher
Hello! My name is Laura Villatoro, and I’m thrilled to be joining the Great Falls staff! This is my first year teaching, and I previously completed my student teaching in FCPS. I earned my bachelor's degree in Education Studies and a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from George Mason University.
I am passionate about making a meaningful difference in my students’ learning and lives. I believe every child deserves a safe, supportive, and enriching learning environment, and I strive to tailor my instruction to help each student reach their full potential.
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Eric Witchell, 4th grade teacher
Hello! My name is Mr. Witchell, and I am absolutely thrilled to return to Great Falls Elementary! It's an honor to be part of the fourth-grade team, and I can't wait to embark on this exciting journey of learning and growth.
To share a little about myself, I was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania and received my Bachelor’s degree from Gannon University. I also hold my Master’s degree in K-8 Mathematics Education from the University of Virginia. Over the past 23 years, I have taught 1st-6th graders. For the last three years, I have been teaching fourth grade in West Bloomfield, Michigan. These experiences help me challenge my students to reach for the stars.
When I'm not teaching, I enjoy spending time with my family and my 3.5-year-old English Bulldog named Lord Beeferton.
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🔍 See Where Your Child Goes Online With Lightspeed
Parents can access their child’s activity on FCPS devices through Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service. Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites their child visited.
The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.
Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.
📵Student Smart Watches and Cell Phones
Please remind your child that FCPS is phone-free! For elementary school students, this means:
- Smart watches that serve a dual purpose may be worn, but the phone features (texting, Internet viewing, and calls) are to be off when phone use is prohibited.
- 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).
If you need to reach your child during the school day, please call our main office at (703) 757-2100. Learn more about FCPS’ cell phone and personal device policy.
🍕Help Your Child Navigate the Lunch Line
Help your child get through the lunch line quickly and have more time to eat:
- Teach your child their student ID number to receive meals at school.
- Sign up for and add money to MySchoolBucks to purchase meals at school.
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Apply for free and reduced-price meals. 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 submit a new application as soon as possible, so eligible students continue to receive meals at no cost.
If your child has any food allergies, learn how to submit accommodations for dietary restrictions and allergens.
Access menus for breakfast, lunch, and other school meals, as well as allergen and nutrition information.
🚍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 your student’s bus is delayed, you 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. Please contact the Transportation Office at (703) 249-7100 with any additional questions. For concerns after 5:30 p.m., contact the FCPS Office of Safety and Security at 571-423-2000.
Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE to make sure you receive email messages about bus delays.
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