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Greetings McNair Students and Families,
We are so proud of how our students have settled into their new routines and are already showing great perseverance as readers, writers, mathematicians, and scientists. It's always heartwarming to see students excited about learning and building relationships with their peers.
September is a very busy month, so please be sure to mark your calendars! We are looking forward to connecting with all of you at our upcoming events. Please see below to just a name a few.
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FLE Parent Preview for Grades K-6
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McNair ES Back-To-School Night for Grades Preschool-2nd
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Parent Information Meeting (Title I & Literacy Initiatives)
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McNair Elementary School
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September 8th at 4:30 PM
More information about these and other events will be shared soon, so please stay tuned!
A Note on Safety
In order to ensure the safety of our community, please remember the following:
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For K-2 students who are driven to school: Please use the kiss-and-ride loops at both McNair campuses during arrival and dismissal.
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For preschool students: Please use street parking. Please avoid parking at the Townes of Copper Mill during these times.
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For walkers: Please ensure that you model safety by using the crosswalks and avoid crossing in the middle of the road.
Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. Together, all things are possible. We hope that you have a wonderful week, Mustangs!
Together We Grow,
Mrs. Watson, Mrs. Stringer, and Mrs. Royer
Lifelong Learners Grow Here!
Please contact us with any questions!
Principal: Elizabeth Watson, evwatson@fcps.edu
Assistant Principal: Ipsa Stringer, IBStringer@fcps.edu
Assistant Principal: Sara Royer, smroyer@fcps.edu
Click on the links below to navigate to sections of this newsletter.
Save the Date
📌September 3: FLE Parent Preview for Grades K-6 at McNair Upper, 4:30pm
📌September 4: Back-To-School Night at McNair ES, 5:00pm-6:30pm (Session 1: 5:00-5:45pm and Session 2: 5:45-6:30pm)
📌September 8: Parent Information Meeting: Title I & Literacy Initiatives at McNair ES starting at 4:30pm.
📌September 9: School Closed; Special Election Day
📌September 17: 3-Hour Early Release Wednesday, Dismissal is at 12:30pm for students in grades K-2.
📌September 17: PTA monthly meeting at 6:30 PM McNair Upper Elementary
📌September 21: Asha-Jyothi Annual 5K Run/Walk & Fun Run at Fairfax Corner at 8:00am. Register today and support a great cause and Team McNair! We cannot wait to see you there! More information below in this newsletter.
📌September 23: School Closed; Holiday- Rosh Hashanah
**Please reference the 2025-2026 School Year FCPS Calendar when making appointments or scheduling family trips. Attendance counts and everyday matters!**
Arrival and Dismissal
Doors open for arrival at 8:35 a.m. The school day begins at 8:45 a.m.
Dismissal begins at 3:30 p.m.
💪Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!
Did you know?
- Regular school attendance in elementary school improves the chances that your child will read on grade level.
- Chronic absenteeism (missing 18 or more school days per year) is a primary cause of lower academic achievement even when the absences are "excused" or understandable.
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- Students who attend 90% or more of the school year are more likely to graduate from high school on time.
- Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with peer conflicts or facing some other potentially serious difficulty, and help is available.
New Math Screening and Growth Assessment for Elementary Students
Starting in September, FCPS elementary schools will use the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Math assessment to assess grade level mathematics skills in grades 1-6. The MAP Math test along with the iReady Reading test fulfill a state requirement to measure academic growth in grades 3-6 throughout the school year.
MAP Math tests are administered in the fall, winter, and spring. They help teachers identify students' strengths and areas where they may need more support.
Families can learn more about MAP Growth assessments by visiting the MAP Test Information webpage.
📅 Calendar Adjustment: September Special Election
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has set Tuesday, September 9, as the date for a special election in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District. Because more than half of our schools serve as polling locations, the Fairfax County Office of Elections asked us to consider closing for the day. Therefore, all FCPS schools will be closed on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.
Read Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid’s message about this change to the 2025-26 school year calendar.
Everything You Need to Do Through SIS ParentVUE
Don’t forget your back-to-school forms and checklists! Make sure you have a SIS ParentVUE account for your family and log in to find important forms and updates.
If you do not have a ParentVUE account, contact our front office for an activation code and follow the directions on the SIS ParentVUE Account webpage.
☑️ Update Contact Information
Be among the first to know about weather closings, bus delays, and other critical communications from your school and FCPS by providing your cell phone number and email in SIS ParentVUE. To update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, click the “Online Packets” tab in the upper right of the screen, then click the “Online Verification/Update” icon.
Parents/caregivers who do not have a ParentVUE account should contact our school for an activation code to create an account, or print and complete the Emergency Care Information Form and submit it to our front office.
☑️ Submit Absences
Parents/caregivers can submit daylong absences through SIS ParentVUE. Log in to the platform and click “Report Absence.” Partial day absences and changes of transportation should still be reported directly to our front office.
☑️ Review and Submit Immunization Forms
Parents/caregivers can check their child’s immunization compliance and submit immunization records 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.
🍴Help Your Child Navigate the Lunch Line
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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 703-249-7000 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.
Family Life Education Instructional Program Information
Our Family Life Education Instructional Program Information Session will take place for parents/guardians for students in K-6 at McNair Upper Elementary School on Wednesday, September 3rd at 4:30pm.
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) provides a comprehensive, sequential Family Life Education (FLE) program for students in grades kindergarten through grade twelve. Instruction is seen as a partnership among parents and guardians, the school, and the community in supporting the learning essential to the development of strong families, positive relationships, and a healthy community.
Parents/guardians may choose to opt their child out of all or part of the Family Life Education program. Students who are opted out are provided with age-appropriate, nonpunitive alternative health instruction, and every effort is made to foster respect for family choices. If you wish to opt your child out of all or part of FLE for this school year, opt out forms are available in Parent Digital Consent. Paper opt-out forms are available from your child’s school. Students receiving special education services and accessing modified curriculum will receive a printed opt-out form for modified FLE lessons.
Detailed grade-level program descriptions are available online at Elementary (K-6) , Middle School (7-8) , and High School (9-12). FLE grade level-specific lessons and media that FCPS has streaming rights for are available for parents online in Schoology. Parents/guardians login to Schoology using the same username and password as their Student Information System (SIS) Parent account. Grade level-specific lessons are also available at the City of Fairfax Regional Library (this location does not have media). Grade level-specific lessons and media that is not streamed online are available for review at your child’s school library. Due to copyright permissions, we are unable to stream all media online.
Program questions may be addressed at your child’s school or by contacting Instructional Services at 571-423-4550 or by email to fle@fcps.edu.
Dr. Reid, Superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools, has launched the FCPS Family Vision Group. This group brings together parents and caregivers in a meaningful way through sharing diverse perspectives to ensure that FCPS provides the best possible education experience for each and every student. The Family Vision Group also provides another opportunity to put our 2023-2030 Strategic Plan in action through meaningful communication and collaboration with families and caregivers.
By participating, parents/caregivers gain valuable knowledge and connections to become powerful partners in their child's educational journey. The group also facilitates open discussions with Dr. Reid on important topics related to student success. Bi-monthly meetings (August 2024 - May 2025) ensure consistent school representation and foster open communication through Q&A sessions, and feedback opportunities to help participants inform other families at their schools. The FCPS Family Vision Group seeks to recognize and strengthen the positive impact of community engagement on student achievement. Key responsibilities of the FCPS Family Connection Group Include:
- Regularly attend FCPS Family Vision Group meetings.
- Support the superintendent's outreach efforts to engage families and community members.
- Actively participate in the exchange of information and perspectives.
- Serve as ambassadors to your school community by being an additional bridge to sharing information between families and the superintendent.
- Commit to pursuing the interest of each and every student in Fairfax County Public Schools.
We are still looking for two family representatives to serve on this group to represent the McNair ES community. If you are interested, please reach out to Principal Watson by email at evwatson@fcps.edu or by calling the main office at 703-793-4800.
Thank you so much in advance for your support of this division wide opportunity for families!
Let's Go Mustangs!
Join Team McNair on September 21!
Mark your calendars for Sunday, September 21, 2025 as we participate in the 17th Annual Asha-Jyothi Fun Run at Fairfax Corner! This special event not only raises money for a great cause, but for our school community too! Please see below to register your mustangs, family members, and anyone else that would like to join to support Team McNair! Looking forward to seeing you there!
In addition, here are some more joyful activities that you may engage in on this special morning!
- Delicious pastries, desserts and snacks
- Fun, joyful music with lots of dancing on and off stage
- Live performances on stage
- Unique medals for all our participants
- Best location on Sunday morning - Fairfax Corner
Please note, if you register before September, you can apply the coupon code provided below on the flyer and save 10 dollars on your registration fee by entering AJ4Schools.
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Back To School Night
 This year’s annual Back to School Night will be held on the evening of Thursday, September 4th. We will offer two sessions.
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Session #1: 5:00-5:45 pm
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Session #2: 5:45-6:30 pm
At Back to School Night, classroom teachers will share information with parents/guardians about grade level curriculum your child will be learning about this school year and specific grade level events such as field trips your child may attend this upcoming school year. You will also hear about the classroom practices and expectations your child’s teacher will employ this school year to support them.
This is a great opportunity to begin establishing your partnership with your child’s classroom teacher(s) to support their success this school year. It is important that parents/guardians plan to attend one of our session offerings.
A Welcome Back To School Message From School Board Member, Melanie Meren
⏰ Limited Early Release Days for Elementary Schools
Limited early release days for elementary schools will shift to Wednesdays for the 2025-26 school year. Student supervision will be provided for families who require it. Three-hour early release days for our school will take place at 12:30pm on the following dates:
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September 17
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October 15
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November 19
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December 17
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February 25
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March 25
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April 29
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May 20
✅ Remember to Complete Permission Forms for School Resources
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 a variety of online educational tools and choose how student information is managed. Parents/caregivers of elementary students should opt in/out of after-school care on early release Wednesdays.
Please visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage today to access the system. Watch this video to see how to use the tool
Opt In/Opt Out for Early Release Wednesday Childcare
While we anticipate that most students will be dismissed at 12:30pm on limited early release Wednesdays, we recognize that some families may require childcare. These students will be supervised by instructional assistants, substitutes, and school based staff. No new instruction will take place, as after-school care is strictly supervision.
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.
Ensuring Student Safety: Register for Volunteer FCPS
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At McNair Elementary 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.
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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.
Get to Know FCPS and the Resources Available to Families
We know that as a parent or caregiver, you play a critical role in your child’s education. The FCPS Family Academy compiles classes, webinars, workshops, and programs offered by the school division to help you support your child’s needs and learning at home.
The Family Academy also includes information about resources to help ensure your child has what they need to succeed. Check out some of the upcoming Family Academy sessions:
- Co-Parenting: Two Parents, Two Homes (available in English and Spanish)
- Loving Solutions
- Military-Connected Youth Family Advisory Council
- Parent Project
- Family Resource Center Webinars on topics including: How to Prepare for School; Building Collaborative Relationships Between Caregivers and Educators; Worried Parents, Anxious Kids; and What Families Need to Know About Drugs for Their Students with Disabilities.
Visit the Family Academy catalog for more information on these sessions and to register to attend.
Make Sure Your Children Are Up-to-Date on Immunizations
Please make sure your child has all of their necessary immunizations. Remember, all students are required to be immunized against certain diseases to attend school in Virginia. This is an important part of keeping children healthy!
Starting Tuesday, November 18, students who have not provided proof of immunization may not be allowed to attend school. Visit the How To Submit Immunization Documents webpage for step-by-step guidance on how to check your child’s immunization status and submit updated immunization information
Please check with your health care provider to make sure your child is up to date on required immunizations for the 2025-26 school year. If your child needs an immunization, make an appointment with your healthcare provider, visit the Fairfax County Health Department website for a list of child immunization clinics, or view other Immunization Resources. Be wise and immunize!
🌩️ Weather Happens, FCPS is Ready
Virginia is no stranger to inclement weather. From severe thunderstorms to high winds to flooding, there are many different types of weather events that can (and sometimes do) impact our schools. But FCPS has a plan for each of these scenarios that prioritizes the safety of all our students and staff. What does FCPS do during a flood? What about a severe thunderstorm?
Answers to those questions along with resources you can use to prepare for different weather events are now available on the new FCPS weather safety webpage.
Get Involved with the PTA!
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Join the McNair PTA today!
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The PTA supports our schools through help from our community. One way we do that is through the help of our wonderful volunteers! Whether you're available for an hour a year or an hour a week to pitch in — we have opportunities that meet everyone's busy schedule!
For more information or to apply, please reach out to our PTA at board@mcnairespta.org.
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Please join McNair ES PTA Here: https://mcnairespta.givebacks.com/shop
Volunteers Needed
During Open House, the McNair PTA organized a membership drive and got an awesome response. A huge thank you goes out to all the volunteers who worked tirelessly, patiently explaining everything to each and every parent.
We're on the lookout for some awesome volunteers who’d love to join us and who can help during the upcoming Back to School Nights at both schools.
McNair Upper: September 3rd at 5:30-7:00 PM
McNair Primary: September 4th 5:00-6:30pm
Please Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/ycxhmx5t
For any questions please send an email to board@mcnairespta.org
Do You Want to Join the PTA Board?
If you want to connect with other parents, teachers, and school leaders, consider organizing events that enhance student learning and well-being, participate in fundraising to acquire resources benefiting students, and help in organizing staff appreciation events. Please join us.
McNair PTA is seeking enthusiastic individuals to fill several board positions.
- VP Events & Outreach
- Teacher Appreciation Chair
- Volunteer Coordinator Chair
- Fundraising Chair
- Competition Leads
Please send an email to board@mcnairespta.org if you want to join the team or have any questions.
Our PTA is on Facebook
Please like and follow to get the latest updates.
 Please like & follow to get the latest updates.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567288287981
Harris Teeter Together In Education- Fundraiser
 Harris Teeter’s Together In Education Program gives schools a chance to earn funds when you link your VIC card and shop Harris Teeter brands. A percentage of your purchase is donated to the school that your VIC card is linked to. There are NO LIMITS to how much a school can earn.
Please use the annual sign up form for the TIE program from Harris Teeter. Note: You need to re-register every year for this program.
You can also sign up in-person at the counter using our school code: 5090.
✨ FCPS’ North Star for Student Success
 The FCPS 2023-30 Strategic Plan is our North Star for how we provide excellence, equity, and opportunity for each and every student. It focuses on ensuring students love learning and feel safe, happy, and welcome at school.
The plan includes five student-centered goals. It also outlines how we’ll measure progress, equity commitments to support every student, and four pillars that identify what FCPS must do to reach our goals. The plan aims to ensure students:
- Build strong reading and math skills.
- Have fair opportunities to grow and succeed.
- Stay on track to graduate and thrive beyond school.
Discover how the Strategic Plan impacts student success.
📑 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.
FCPS News
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- ✅ Remember to Complete Permission Forms for School Resources
- 🚨 Safety and Security Information
- 📍 Updates on Comprehensive Boundary Review
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
Please stay in touch with us by
👍❤️ Follow Our School on Social Media!
Want to see more photos and videos of what’s going on at McNair Elementary School? Follow us on social media!
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Thank you for your partnership as we gallop together in supporting our Mustangs!
#TogetherWeGrow
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