Parklawn’s Back to School Night and family picnic is an opportunity for families to learn about the upcoming school year. We invite you to bring your own picnic dinner and join us at 5:00 for our family picnic. The Back-to-School Night sessions will run from 5:45-7:30. School bus transportation will be available at Skyline Towers and Arbor Park at the following bus stops:

• Skyline Towers Apartments by playground (current bus stop)- two buses at 5599 Seminary Rd, Falls Church, VA 22041
• Arbor Park Apartments on Wingate Ct & Southland Ave  by Community Center- one bus

First bus pick up at these stops will be 4:45, and will loop back after dropping Families at Parklawn. Neighborhood pick ups end at 6:15 with return loops from Parklawn to bus stops until 7:45.

Schedule of Events:

Picnic Begins: 5:00: families bring their own picnic dinner, blankets, etc.

Session 1: 5:45- 6:25 (includes welcome videos and grade level presentations)

Session 2/Specialists: 6:30-7:00 (grade level presentations and specialist visits (PE, music, art, FLES, STEAM, library)

Session 3 Specialists: 7:00-7:30 specialist visits (PE, music, art, FLES, STEAM, library)

Event Concludes: 7:30

We’re excited to share that our school will be offering lunch and a snack at no cost to children aged 18 and under on Tuesday, September 9. 

As a reminder, all FCPS schools will be closed for students and school staff on September 9 due to a special election in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District. Many FCPS schools serve as election sites. Since our school is not an election site, we will be able to provide student meals. 

Here’s what you need to know:

• Lunch and a snack will be served together from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Meals must be eaten on site at participating schools.
• Enrichment activities will be available for children. Participation is encouraged but not required.
• Only children 18 and under may receive meals.
• Each child may receive one lunch and one snack.

We are proud to support our students’ health and well-being, even on days when school is not in session. We hope to see many of our families take advantage of this opportunity! View a list of all school sites that will be providing meals for children on September 9. If you have questions, please contact the Office of Food and Nutrition Services at 703-813-4800.

At Parklawn Elementary, 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. 

This week, the PTA is launching our Membership Drive! Your membership helps to support many PTA activities, such as our BINGO Night, the Wild About Reading contest, and teacher appreciation activities. Membership dues are $15 for a family for the entire school year. When you submit your membership form (in paper or online), please include the grade(s) of your student(s). The grade that has the highest percentage of members by September 30 will win a prize! Stop by the PTA table at Back to School Night and Family Picnic on September 4 to pick up a membership form or visit our website to join online.

September PTA Meeting: Join us for our first Parklawn Parent Teacher Association (PTA) meeting of the school year! The meeting will be Thursday, September 11 at 4pm. It will be held in person in the library. Principal Forgy and all of the Assistant Principals will be in attendance, including our new Assistant Principal, Mr. Mike Staroscik!