Floris Family Message
In This Message:
- Principals' Message
- PTA News
- Early Release Wednesday Planning
- Safety Drills
- Attendance
- Curiosity Corner
- AAP Information
- Back to School Information
- Upcoming Opportunity: Asha- Jyothi 5K
- Upcoming Dates
Dear Floris Families,
We’ve made it through another short but productive week here at Floris! Even with the condensed schedule, our students have remained fully engaged in learning and are making great progress across all grade levels. (We’re starting to think our students may secretly prefer short weeks, but don’t tell them the learning still happens at full speed!).
We also want to thank all the families who joined us for Popsicles with the PTA this week. It was a wonderful evening filled with laughter, community, and fun. Our students had an absolute blast playing basketball, getting their faces painted, and enjoying the beautiful weather. Events like these are what make our school community so special, and we’re grateful to our supportive PTA for organizing such a memorable gathering.
Hopefully everyone was able to wind down after all that excitement, we heard bedtime may have been a little later than usual after all that sugar and fun (sorry, parents!). Thank you again for your continued support, it takes a village, and we are so fortunate to have such an engaged and caring community at Floris.
Joshua DeSmyter, Principal
Robert Gibbs, Assistant Principal
PTA News and Announcements
The Floris Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is made up of parents, grandparents, guardians, teachers, staff, and administrators who are committed to improving the educational experiences of our children. We strive as a PTA to have a positive influence on every student at Floris. Will you join us?
Got questions? We’ve got all the answers on our website - CLICK IT!
🏃♀️➡️Registration for Girls on the Run is open now through September 15 (Grades 3-6).
The FUN RUN is here! The Fun Run is a three week, school-wide fundraiser which gives our students the opportunity to have fun, be active, and take the lead in fundraising money for Floris. At the conclusion of the fundraising period, the students will have a FUN RUN! 100% of all donations will directly support the PTA’s Annual Budget.
Early Release Wednesday Planning
Our first Early Release Wednesday of the school year will be on September 17. On this day, we will have two full dismissals, at 1:00pm and 4:00pm. All bus routes will run for both dismissals, and SACC will begin at 1:00pm.
To help us plan for a smooth and efficient dismissal, please share your child’s dismissal preference by completing this quick form:
For your reference, the Early Release Wednesdays for the 2025–2026 school year are:
- September 17
- October 15
- November 19
- December 17
- February 25
- March 25
- April 29
- May 20
If there are any changes to your child’s dismissal plan for an Early Release Day, please notify both your child’s teacher and the front office as soon as possible. If no changes are communicated, we will follow the plan you have submitted.
Safety Drills During the School Year
Keeping students and staff safe is a priority for FCPS. Each school has an emergency preparedness plan to respond to incidents such as fires and tornadoes. Schools are required by state law to practice emergency drills, including lockdown drills, each year. Schools are also required to notify parents and guardians at least 24 hours before a school conducts a lockdown drill. However, schools are not required to give the specific date and time of the drill in advance.
The first lockdown drill of the school year must take place within the first 20 days of school. Preschool and kindergarten students are exempt from practicing the first lockdown drill.
Your child may come home and talk about their experience during the drill. We encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Please review these frequently asked questions to support your students before and after school lockdown drills.
⚠️ Know Our Security Terms
FCPS uses specific terminology to describe the actions school staff and students should take to ensure safety in a variety of situations. It is important for staff, families, and students to understand what the different terms mean and how they impact school operations.
Watch this video to learn about safety terms including lockdown; secure the building; and stay put, stay tuned.
If students, staff, or families have a safety concern at school (that is not an immediate emergency), they should submit a tip to the FCPS Safety Tipline. In an emergency, please call 9-1-1.
Every Day Counts: Setting Your Child Up for Success
- September is Attendance Awareness Month. There are many ways parents and caregivers can help their children create healthy routines and make a habit of getting to school on time every day. Some examples include:
- Set a regular bedtime and morning routine. (Need help? Download this checklist in English or Spanish.)
- Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
- If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make them feel comfortable and excited about learning.
- Develop back-up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.
- When possible, avoid medical appointments or extended trips when school is in session.
Visit the FCPS website for more attendance tips and resources.
Attend today, achieve tomorrow!
🧠Curiosity Corner🧠
Introducing... Monthly Maker Missions! Each month, we will provide optional STEAM challenges that can be completed at home. The goal is to promote creative and critical thinking and engage in the engineering and design process. Submissions are due in the Curiosity Lab at the end of the month and will be highlighted within the school building and on the student news show. Let's get curious!
AAP Information
Interested in learning more about Advanced Academic Programs? Please join us for a parent/guardian information session on Monday, September 29 at 5:30 in the cafeteria. During this parent session, we will discuss an overview of AAP services as well as highlight screening deadlines and a brief overview of the screening process for Advanced Academics. All parents are invited to attend.
If you are interested in having your child screened for full-time AAP services (Grades 2 – 6 only) you will need to submit an AAP Full-Time referral form to Amy Albanese by no later than Dec 15, 2025, for possible eligibility for the 26-27 School year. Families who are new to FCPS as of January 2025 can be screened earlier during the fall screening cycle (grades 3-6 only) for possible eligibility starting second semester of this school year. In addition to the Referral form, parents are encourage to submit the Optional Parent Questionnaire and up two pages of work samples. Submission can be submitted digitally to Amy Albanese on or before the deadline. No late submissions can be accepted.
If you should have any questions regarding AAP services, please reach out to Amy Albanese our Advanced Academics Resource Teacher here at Floris ES. She works Mon – Thurs from 8:45AM – 4:15PM and is most easily reachable via email: abalbanese@fcps.edu
Learn more about AAP on our Floris webpage.
Back to School Information From FCPS
Welcome Videos From Our School Board Members:
Melanie Meren: Hunter Mill District
Kyle McDaniel: Member-at-Large
Ryan McElveen: Member-at-Large
Illryong Moon: Member-at-Large
Asha-Jyothi 5K Run/ Walk on September 21st
Let's raise money for Floris while also having fun and getting fit in the process! Asha-Jyothi is a local nonprofit that gives back to schools in the area through race registration of a 5K. The more registrants that identify Floris as our school, the more money Floris will receive to use towards student-centered projects in our STEAM Lab!
Register to race here, and check out more details in the flyer below:
Dates for the 2025-2026 School Year
September 16: Back to School Night (Grades 1,2,3,&5 only) 6:30pm-8:00pm
September 17: 3-Hour Early Release for Students
Back to School Night (Grades K, 4, 6 only) 6:30pm-8:00pm
September 23: Holiday- Rosh Hashanah- all FCPS Schools and Offices Closed
October 2: Holiday- Yom Kippur
October 13: No School for Students, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Staff Development Day
October 15: 3-Hour Early Release for Students
October 20: Holiday- Diwali
October 31: End of First Quarter and Two-Hour Early Release
November 3-4: No School for Students, Teacher Workdays and Election Day
November 11: Holiday- Veterans' Day
November 19: 3-Hour Early Release for Students
Find the 2025-2026 School Year Calendar: https://www.fcps.edu/calendars/standard-school-year-calendar
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