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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
Join the PTA! Make a Difference!
We need you! The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is looking for members for the 2025-2026 school year.
What does the PTA do?
The PTA helps organize school activities. We need volunteers to make them happen. By joining, you can help with things like:
- Taking notes at meetings.
- Becoming a Classroom Parent.
- Planning fun events (like paint night or game night).
How to join?
Joining is easy! The cost is only $6.50 for the year.
Your help is important. Join the PTA and help us have a great school year! For more information click here.
2025-2026 GES Parent Handbook
The GES 2025-2026 Parent Handbook is a guide to help families access important information and school operating procedures. We hope it will serve as a resource as you navigate the 2025 -2026 school year.
Here is a 2025-2026 Mini Version of the GES Parent Handbook for a quick reference:
Attendance Counts!
Friendly Reminders:
Doors open at 9:05.
The tardy bell rings at 9:20.
Dismissal begins at 4:05.
Back to School Night
September 18: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
We’re excited to welcome all Caregivers to Back to School Night!
Please note:
BTSN is geared toward adults. No childcare will be provided.
Students must stay with their parents/guardians.
Schedule:
To help families with more than one child, the evening will include two identical sessions:
- 5:30 – 5:50pm - PTA Meeting: Cafeteria
- 6:00 – 6:40pm - Classroom Session 1
- 6:50 -7:20pm - Classroom Session 2
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 questionsto 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.
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Register NOW to
Volunteer FCPS at Garfield!
Our volunteers are a vital part of our school community. We deeply value the time and care they give to our students.
Recent FCPS 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.
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 encourage all our parents and community members interested in supporting our students by volunteering to visit the Volunteer FCPS website for details.
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.
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.
Recuerde Completar los Formularios de Permiso para los Recursos Escolares
Las familias pueden fácilmente darles permiso a sus niños para que tengan acceso a una variedad de recursos usando el sistema “Parent Digital Consent” o sistema Digital de Consentimiento Parental. Allí usted puede decidir si su hijo participa (opt. in) o no en varias herramientas educativas en línea y también elegir cómo se maneja la información de los estudiantes. Los padres y tutores de estudiantes de primaria deben elegir si sus hijos participan o no en el cuidado después de la escuela los miércoles de salida temprana.
Visite la página web “Parent Digital Consent” para que puedan acceder al sistema. Mire este video para ver cómo usar esta herramienta.
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.
Notificación y Actualizaciones para Padres sobre la Encuesta SEL
La Encuesta de Aprendizaje Social y Emocional (SEL, por sus siglas en inglés) será tomado por los estudiantes entre los grados 3 y 12 en el mes de octubre.
Dos veces al año, los estudiantes usan la encuesta SEL para compartir sus perspectivas acerca de qué tan bien sus escuelas y comunidades les han ayudado a desarrollar las habilidades que necesitan para ser exitosos. La encuesta consiste en formular preguntas o presentar afirmaciones en las que los estudiantes pueden reflexionar y responder. Esto les da una forma de expresar si en su escuela se sienten valorados, incluidos y apoyados.
Después de cada encuesta, estarán disponible en la pestaña Documentos dentro de SIS ParentVUE y serán enviados por correo a las familias que no tengan una cuenta en ParentVUE. Para más información, incluyendo las preguntas de la encuesta SEL y los pasos para excluir a su hijo (opt-out), por favor visite la página web del Examen de Aprendizaje Social-Emocional (SEL).
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.
Cell Phone Policy
We Are a Phone-Free School!
Please remind your student that cell phones and personal devices (smart watches, air pods, earbuds, headsets, other items connected to the internet) must be off and away for the entire school day (bell to bell).
Cell phones are also not permitted to be used as an instructional tool. If you need to contact your student during the school day, please call our front office at 703-923-2099. Learn more about FCPS’ cell phone policy, which helps students stay focused, safe, and engaged at school.
CALENDAR
September 9 - Special Election No School
September 17 - 3 Hour Early Release (dismissal 1:05pm)
September 18 - Back to School Night 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. - details to come on this.
September 23 - Holiday Rosh Hashannah
YOUR PARTNERS IN EDUCATION
We are in this together!
We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with your family this year. Each day, our commitment is to provide your child with a safe, supportive, and joyful place to learn and grow. Open communication is important to us—please reach out anytime with questions, concerns, or celebrations.
Thank you for your trust, your support, and for being an essential part of the Garfield community.
With appreciation,
Your Garfield Partner Principals
Mrs. Peerman, Principal, Klpeerman@fcps.edu
Ms. Manning, Assistant Principal, eamanning1@fcps.edu
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