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Dear GFES Families,
We are off to a great start this month, and our classrooms are already buzzing with exciting activities and new learning. The halls are full of happy, engaged students, and it's a joy to see them back in the rhythm of school.
As you look at your calendar for next week, please note these important dates:
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No School on Tuesday, September 9: Our school will be closed to students as it is being used as a polling place for a special election.
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Three-hour Early Release on Wednesday, September 10: Students will be dismissed early at 12:25 p.m. to allow for staff professional development. As a reminder, for student safety, we DO NOT accept change of transportation requests for Early Release Wednesdays. If you'd like to check out groups of children early from school for playdates, please arrive after 1 pm and ask the front office to call them to leave.
Please make sure you have arrangements in place for your child on both of these days. Thank you for your continued support in making this a successful school year!
Sincerely,
Sara Harper
🚨Calendar Updates
September 9th: No School - Special Election
September 10th: Early Release Wednesday (Dismissal at 12:35 pm)
September 12th: PTA Chick-fil-A Spirit Event
September 17th: Principal's Coffee at 9:00 am in Cafeteria
September 19th: PTA Movie Night!
September 23rd: Rosh Hashanah - No School
To review the most recent PTA newsletter, please click here.
Informational Meetings
Please join us virtually to learn more about Advanced Academics in FCPS! A zoom link will be provied for parents or guardians who RSVP using this form.
Meeting Dates:
Overview of Services
Friday, Sept 12 @ 9:30 am
RSVP by Sept 10
Full Time Screening & Identification (2nd-6th grades)
Friday, October 10 & 9:30 am
RSVP by October 8
Please direct all questions to Amy Keefer, GFES Advanced Academics Resource Teacher: amkeefer@fcps.edu
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🔎Vision and Hearing Screening
Vision and hearing screening will be held on Wednesday, September 17th, for all 3rd graders and on Wednesday, September 24th, for all kindergarteners. Students who are new to FCPS will also be screened on these dates.
The purpose of screening is to identify students who need further evaluation due to difficulty seeing the screening chart or hearing the screening tones. If your child wears glasses, please ensure they bring their glasses to school on screening day.
Parents will be notified by letter if screening results indicate that further evaluation is needed. Prompt follow-up with your health care provider is recommended, as vision and hearing difficulties can interfere with learning.
If you would like to assist as a volunteer with the screening process, please get in touch with Colleen Murphy, cpmurphy@fcps.edu.
💻SR&R Violations and Documentation in SIS ParentVUE
Per the SR&R, all discipline incidents must be recorded in the Student Information System (SIS). This means that when a student is referred to school administration for a behavior violation listed in the SR&R, the incidents are recorded in SIS and are attached to a student’s record. Documentation related to incidents that resulted in disciplinary action up to and including a short-term suspension is retained in a student’s scholastic record for 5 years after the incident occurred. Families will be notified within 24 hours of any SR&R violations that warrant disciplinary action and are encouraged to check ParentVUE to see their child’s discipline record. For any questions, please contact Devin Diaz, Assistant Principal, dmdiaz@fcps.edu.
📏New Math Screening and Growth Assessment
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.
🌱 Great Falls’ Green Team
Open to 4th–6th graders, the Green Team works on projects like gardening, recycling, and conservation. Student ambassadors help lead Get2Green initiatives in their classrooms. Students can pick up applications outside Mrs. Moorstein’s classroom.
Details:
- 📅 Meets 1st & 3rd Thursdays after school
- ✅ Applications need a teacher signature
- 📌 Due to Mrs. Moorstein by Thursday, 9/18
- 🌟 First meeting: Thursday, 9/25
✅ 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.
Please visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage today to access the system. Watch this video to see how to use the tool
💜Special Education Virtual Workshop for Military Families
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Family and School Partnerships (FSP) will be facilitating a virtual workshop given by the Office of Special Education Procedural Support on Monday, September 22, 2025, from 6 to 7 p.m.
The Office of Special Education Procedural Support will present information on the IEP/504 process within FCPS, provide resources to help families navigate receiving these services in accordance with the Military Interstate Compact, and answer questions from workshop participants. The presentation will be geared towards military families, and parents/guardians may submit questions beforehand.
This virtual event will be held via Zoom. To register for the workshop, as well as submit questions, please fill out this Google form by Wednesday, September 10, 2025.
FSP will be facilitating monthly workshops, webinars, or family engagement events for military families throughout the school year. Please check the Family Academy catalog under “Military-Connected Families Offerings” for more information on these events as they are posted.
For more information and/or to connect with FCPS resources, email us at militaryfamilies@fcps.edu.
👋🏻Meet our new staff members!
Please join us in extending a warm welcome to the final group 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!
💙SEL Screener Parent Notification and Updates
The Fall Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener will be administered to students in grades 3 through 12 in October.
Students use the SEL Screener twice a year to share their perspectives on how well their school and community help them develop skills they need to succeed. The screener works by asking questions or presenting statements that students can think about and respond to. This gives students a way to share how well their school community makes them feel valued, included, and supported.
After each screening, results are available in the Documents tab of SIS ParentVUE and mailed to families without a ParentVUE account. For more information including SEL Screener questions and opt-out information, please visit FCPS’ Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage.
🍴No-Cost Meals Available for Students on 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. FCPS will provide student meals at a select number of schools at no cost. Please keep in mind that:
- 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.
View a list of 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.
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