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Dear Terraset Families,
It is so hard to believe that tomorrow, 9/10/2025, is our first 3 hour early release Wednesday of the school year. Please remember, we expect students to follow their regular routes home and that during this time, our instructional staff will be involved in professional development. It is important not to change your child’s dismissal plan unless there is an emergency. It will be very difficult to navigate dismissal changes on that day and our priority is to get every student home safely at the correct time.
Although today is a student holiday and tomorrow is an early release day, it is critical that all of our Tigers are present every day. September is Attendance Awareness Month, and we would like to share our current chronic absenteeism rate. We are currently at 7.2% and our goal is to stay below 10% all year, even when illnesses go around. Every day that we partner together to keep chronic absenteeism down, we provide all Tigers with the best environment to succeed.
Thank you for your partnership,
Katie Aldridge, Principal
Dave Ickowski, Assistant Principal
🚨Last Week's Lockdown Drill
On Friday, September 5th, our school conducted a lockdown drill and teachers talked to students to prepare them for the drill. We are very proud of our students. They listened to directions and the drill was conducted in a calm and orderly fashion. Our students did a great job, and I encourage you to discuss the drill with them. Additional guidance on discussions with your child about lockdown drills can be found in the Parent/Guardian tip letter, as well as on the frequently asked questions (FAQs) page.
Our emergency preparedness plans have been developed in coordination with the FCPS Office of Safety and Security, local law enforcement, emergency management officials, and FCPS mental health professionals. The plans are regularly reviewed and updated and include procedures on how to respond to critical incidents such as fires, tornadoes, and other events. Students and staff regularly practice safety drills.
📷Picture Day - Thursday, September 18
Picture day is Thursday, September 18th. Picture day envelopes have been sent home with all students in Tuesday folders. You can turn in this order form or pay online. To pay online, go to www.strawbridge.net, click Order Pictures and enter the code: FM480475
🐕No Pets on School Grounds
Please refrain from bringing your pets with you to arrival and dismissal at the school. It is expected that we all follow the No Pets on School Grounds expectation of FCPS. Should you have any questions or concerns, we are always happy to connect.
🏃🏽♀️➡️Friends of Reston 5K
Join fellow tiger families and sign up for the Friends of Reston 5k on Sunday October 5th, 2025, at 8 am. Run, walk or stroll at Brown's Chapel Park!
All proceeds support the Friends of Reston youth scholarship and enrichment fund to cover the cost of summer camps, swimming and tennis lessons for Reston youth.
Sign-up link: https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/Reston/FriendsOfRestonFall5K
🫱🏽🫲🏽Ensuring Student Safety: Register for Volunteer FCPS
At Terraset 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.
📖Advanced Academic Program Information
Here is the Fall 2025 Newsletter provided by the FCPS Advanced Academic Program central office.
The first Terraset AAP Parent Information Night will be held on Thursday, September 18, 2025, from 5:30 – 6:30 PM in the Terraset Library. Parents interested in learning about the FCPS continuum of advanced academic services should plan to attend. A second information night focusing on the Full Time AAP Referral Process will be coming in October. All questions regarding advanced academics at Terraset should be directed to Jennifer Szczesniak, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART), jkszczesniak@fcps.edu.
🫂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.
🔍 See Where Your Child Goes Online With Lightspeed
Parents can access their child’s activity on FCPS devices through Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service. Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites their child visited.
The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.
Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.
📑Challenged Materials Review Committees
As detailed in Regulation 3009, principals are required to submit a list of individuals who are available to serve on a Challenged Materials Review Committee if a departmental committee is needed. Names of a teacher, librarian, two parents/caregivers, and one high school student are required. Parents and guardians must not be employed by FCPS, and contact information should be provided. High school students will be contacted through their school, if needed. The list of potential committee members will be maintained at the central office. Names are randomly chosen to serve if a central departmental committee is required to review a challenged material.
If you are interested in being on this list, please email Renee Waite at rmwaite@fcps.edu
🐯PTO News
Please be sure to check your student’s Tuesday folder and subscribe to our weekly PTO news email for more information about all PTO-related activities!
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New Spiritwear Now Available! Visit our Terraset Spirit Store at https://www.campussurvivalkits.com/terraset-spiritwear to order t-shirts, hoodies, Pj pants, grade-level shirts and more! All orders placed by Sept 28 will be delivered to Terraset before Homecoming.
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Tiger Clubs Registration Begins Friday: Get ready to register your student for Tiger Clubs at https://www.homeroom.com/sites/terraset-elementary-reston. Registration begins Friday, Sept 12 at noon. A limited number of scholarships are available. To request a scholarship please email Marina Chavez (imchavezotoy@fcps.edu) before September 11.
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Tigers on the Town: Wednesday, September 17, 5:00-9:00 p.m. at Chipotle, 11120 South Lakes Dr., South Lakes Shopping Center. Please mention Terraset PTO with your in-person order. For online orders, use promo code NQDLNXC on the Chipotle app or website (valid 5:00-9:00 p.m.).
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Homecoming 2025: Wear your Terraset colors and help us show our Terraset Tiger Pride in the SLHS Homecoming parade on Friday, October 10.
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Fall Membership Drive: Join the PTO (or renew your PTO membership) today and help us support our students, teachers, and school community all year long! https://terrasetpto.square.site/
🏫FCPS News
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Safety Drills During the School Year
- Cell Phones Off, Learning On
- Attendance: Every Day Counts
🐾P.A.W.S. (Parents Appreciating Wonderful Staff)
Have you seen a staff member go above and beyond for your family or student? Take a moment to fill out this quick form to let us know and say thank you!
Click here to tell us about a PAWSitively amazing staff member!
🗓️TES Looking Ahead:
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Wednesday, September 10- 3-hour Early Release for Students
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Wednesday, September 17- Tigers on the Town @ Chipotle
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Thursday, September 18- Picture Day
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Thursday, September 18- AAP Parent Info Night @ 5:30 p.m.(TES Library)
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Tuesday, September 23- Rosh Hashanah (Student Holiday)
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Saturday, October 5- Friends of Reston 5K
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Friday, October 10- South Lakes High School homecoming parade & football game
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Wednesday, October 29- 3-hour Early Release for Students
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