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Labor Day Holidays - August 29 and September 1

Friday, August 29, and Monday, September 1, are Labor Day holidays for all FCPS employees and students. Virginia legislation requires that schools opening prior to Labor Day must be closed the Friday immediately preceding Labor Day. We hope everyone takes the long weekend to celebrate a strong start to the school year and enjoy time with family and friends. See the complete school year calendar.

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 703-446-2150 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.

Volunteer FCPS

Ensuring Student Safety: Register for Volunteer FCPSAt Key Center School, our volunteers are a vital part of our school community. We deeply value the time and care they give to our students. 

Recent updates to our volunteer process focus on one primary goal: keeping students safe.

These updates — such as checks against the sex offender registry and, in some cases, criminal background checks — are safety measures that will help us maintain a secure and supportive learning environment for every student in our care. 

We encourage all our parents and community members interested in supporting our students by volunteering at school to visit Volunteer FCPS, click “Learn More,” and then “Sign Up.” After you create a profile, you will view an orientation video and complete a volunteer application. 

Volunteer FCPS ensures a safe, consistent, and welcoming environment at all of our schools. All volunteers must be registered in Volunteer FCPS. This includes individuals who volunteer to chaperone on field trips, work at book fairs, and help out regularly in classrooms, libraries, or cafeterias. Volunteers who work unsupervised with students will also be required to undergo a background check.

We understand these changes may seem disruptive, especially for long-time volunteers. Our intent is to ensure that our students feel safe and supported with each and every person they encounter at school.

As a reminder, all volunteers — and visitors to a school — are required to sign in by scanning their ID at our visitor kiosk. Visit the Volunteer FCPS Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more. 

Special Education Handbook

Updated Special Education and 504 Handbooks

The Department of Special Services has updated and translated key resources to help our families of students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and/or Section 504 Plan.

• Section 504 Procedures Manual
• Special Education Handbook for Parents
• Special Education Glossary

These resources help family and staff understand procedures, rights, and processes. Find additional information on Special Education Instruction and the Family Academy: Resources to Support Special Education and 504 Plans pages.

Transition Series

The Arc of Northern Virginia's Annual Transition Series will begin on October 4th. This year's series features a new format, starting with a mandatory in-person workshop on October 4th at the Arc of Northern Virginia office. The remaining sessions will be held virtually throughout the rest of the month.

For more information and to register, please visit the 2025 Transition Series page.

Required:  Important Back to School Forms

The most efficient way to update your child’s information is by completing the required forms online through SIS ParentVUE as part of the Online Verification/Update (OVU) Packet.

If you're unable to complete the forms online, a physical packet was mailed to your home in late July. Please fill out the forms and return them to our main office as soon as possible. 

If you need additional copies or assistance completing the forms, feel free to visit our main office.  We're happy to help!

Keeping us informed about your child’s health allows us to consistently provide the best possible care and support for your child throughout the year.

Opt In/Out

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.

Update Your Child’s Immunization 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 be sure to submit your child’s immunization documentation. If your child has an appointment to receive their required immunizations after August 18, 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. 

Family Information Phone Lines

Family Information Line Available in Nine LanguagesParents/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.

FCPS Family Vision Group-Representatives Needed

The FCPS Office of Community Relations is reaching out to request each school to have 1-2  designated representatives for the Superintendent’s Family Vision Group—a vital forum for elevating family voice and strengthening connections across the division.

Information for Family Vision Group Representatives:

• The Superintendent’s Family Vision Group meets six times in person, all sessions held in the evening, from 6-7:30pm.

• The Family Vision Group team has divided Fairfax County into four sections, called Quads; you are placed in a Quad based on where your school falls within these sections, and meetings are organized by Quad to ensure accessible locations.
• Tentative Meeting Schedule for 2025–26:All meetings are subject to change in accordance with division-wide priorities and scheduling adjustments as needed.
• Thursday, September 4, 2025 (Full Group Kickoff)
• (Meeting #1) TBD
• Wednesday, December 10, 2025 (Meeting #2)
• Wednesday, February 11, 2026 (Meeting #3)
• Wednesday, April 15, 2026(Meeting #4)
• Wednesday, May 6, 2026 (Full Group Wrap-Up)
• Representatives are expected to attend all meetings whenever possible.
• Communication is essential—please notify the Family Vision Group Team in advance if you cannot attend a meeting.
• Representatives who accumulate three or more unexcused absences may be replaced during the school year.
• For more details on the group’s structure and purpose, please visit the Superintendent’s Family Vision Group webpage.

Please let Key Center know if you would like to serve on this committee, simply call and share with our front office staff and/or call Ann Smith, principal if you have any questions about the role. 

Turning 18 in Virginia: What Individuals with Disabilities Need to Consider

September 10 @ 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.Turning 18 is a big deal. An 18-year-old is legally considered an adult in Virginia and can make their own legal, financial, medical, and educational decisions. For some individuals with disabilities, this will not be an issue. Others may need support. This workshop will share basic information about things that need to be considered as your loved one turns 18.

Click here for more information.

Resources

The Individual Family Support Program (IFSP) 

This program is run through the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. IFSP provides funding for those on the DD Waitlist and hosts the website My Life, My Community https://mylifemycommunityvirginia.org/. My Life, My Community is an online tool that helps people with developmental disabilities (DD) and their families answer basic questions about services and supports. 

Sign up to get news and updates from the IFSP email list

IFSP First Steps

My Life My Community 

 The Center for Family Involvement which is part of the Partnership for People with Disabilities at VCU has a network of staff and volunteer Family Navigators who have lived experience and provide one to one emotional, informational and systems navigational support for individuals with disabilities and their family members. For more information and assistance on a wide variety of resources. Call the Helpline (877) 567-1122, email cfihelpline@vcu.edu or fill out this online form 

New Initiative with VDOE: Transition Talks to Answer Your Questions

We’re excited to launch Transition Talks, a new virtual conversation series developed in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). Our very own Dr.Staci Carr will host this live Q&A series on Zoom, and it’s designed to support educators, case managers, and families at every stage of a student’s transition journey by answering questions and opening up a space for conversation. These 1-hour Q&A sessions are designed to share practical tools and strategies, highlight key transition milestones across school levels, and promote collaboration among families, schools, and communities. 

Click here to Sign up for the 3:30-4:30 PM sessions 

September 23 – Families & Caregivers

NOTE: Add your questions about transition to the Zoom Registration page!

America the Beautiful—The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Access Pass

If you’re a U.S. citizen or permanent resident with a disability, you can enjoy free access to national parks and federal lands with the America the Beautiful Access Pass. It’s your ticket to amazing outdoor adventures without any cost!

Applying is simple—you can visit a park in person or order your pass online. Start exploring the beauty of nature today!

Click Here to Learn More

Key Center PTA

Not yet a member of our PTA?  We would love to have you join!  You can also support Key Center by volunteering with our PTA or making a donation through our Educate Fairfax site.

Key Center PTA Membership

Key Center PTA Volunteer Opportunities

Educate Fairfax link to donate to Key Center

Upcoming Dates

6404 Franconia Road Springfield, VA 22150  | Main Office: 703-313-4000
Attendance: 703-313-4000 | Web | Facebook