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📅Calendar Updates📅
October 6-10: Fall Book Fair
October 8: PTA Spirit Event with Shake Shack in Reston
October 10: AAP Information session for full-time services (grades 2-6 only)
October 13: Staff Development Day - No School For Students
October 20: Diwali - No School
October 29: 3 Hour Early Release - Students dismiss at 12:35 pm
October 31: First Quarter Ends - Students dismissed at 1:35
November 3: School Planning Day - No School for Students
November 4: Teacher Work Day - No School for Students
FCPS School Year Calendar for 2025-2026
Click HERE to catch up on the helpful and essential information sent by the PTA on September 12th!
Calling All Student Leaders in grades 3-6
Ms. Levetown and Ms. Day are looking for 3rd- to 6th-grade students to sign up for the SCA! The Student Council Association (SCA) is a group where students in grades 3–6 can develop leadership skills and become leaders in our school. SCA helps us show school spirit, plan fun events, and work together to help our community. By joining SCA, you’ll practice teamwork, share ideas, and learn how to make a positive difference for our school and others. We will meet once a month or more for an hour after school on Wednesdays! The first meeting will be on Wednesday, October 8th. We hope to see you there! Please use the link below to sign up your student! 😊
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScNi72z7NtwrI3a9CrnWA0C0NNueMtptNX_O5bGnL1YsyfUTA/viewform?usp=header
🧭 Advanced Academics Program Update (grades 2-6)
If you are interested in learning about the process for referring students for Full-Time AAP services, we will be hosting our final virtual informational session on Friday, October 10, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. This meeting is for parents/guardians of students in grades 2-6. Please use this link: https://forms.gle/BJYNsUX8ParJywtK6 to RSVP for the meeting by Wednesday, October 8, 2025. The meeting link will be sent the day before the meeting. If you have previously filled out the form, you do not need to complete it again.
Please contact Amy Keefer, the Advanced Academics Resource Teacher (AART), at amkeefer@fcps.edu with any questions.
🎉Hispanic Heritage Month
Monday, we kicked off a month-long celebration for Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15). Hispanic Heritage Month was officially observed in the United States in 1968. September 15 is significant because it marks the anniversaries of independence for several Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively. This month is a time to recognize and celebrate the many contributions by Latinos/Hispanics in popular culture through music, food, and dance, as well as in science, art, economics, politics, and other fields.🌎💃🪗
🔐See Where Your Child Goes Online With Lightspeed
Starting October 12, 2025, parents and caregivers will automatically receive a weekly Lightspeed Student Online Activity Report. This report provides a summary of the websites your child visited during the previous week and is delivered every Sunday to your email directly from Lightspeed, our internet content filter.
The email contains:
- Subject: Filter Portal Weekly Report
- From: do_not_reply@lightspeedsystems.com
If you wish to get more detailed information, there will be a link at the bottom of the emailed report to sign up for the Parent Portal. Those who sign up for the Parent Portal can log in any time to see more detail about their child’s internet browsing. The portal also allows parents to “pause” access to the internet during non-school hours on the FCPS device. Parents cannot pause the internet during the school day.
💚How Much Screen Time?
As young children grow older, their interests in TV shows, movies, apps, and video games evolve. You may wonder how much screen time is too much for children aged 3 to 8. You might also wonder how you can get anything done at home if you don't give them some screen time! Check out Common Sense Education Family Resources for four tips that can help you support your child's healthy development and make the best choices for your family.
Community Access
For the safety and security of Great Falls Elementary School students, we ask that community members refrain from accessing school grounds during the school day for recreational use. Additionally, pets are never permitted on school property. This includes areas such as playgrounds, sports fields, and parking lots. All visitors must check in at the front office and follow proper sign-in procedures. We also ask that you remind your neighbors of this policy to help ensure a secure environment for everyone.
School security or local law enforcement may be called if there are any concerns or non-compliance with this policy. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and secure campus for our students and staff. Thank you for your understanding and support!
Global Passport Adventure
The Global Children’s Event at Wolf Trap is a youth-oriented event featuring performances, visual arts, and interactive experiences from around the world. The event will provide opportunities for children to learn about world cultures through art, song, and dance; appreciate nature; and learn actions they can take to protect our world. Registration.
Date: Sunday, October 5 at 12-2 pm
Location: Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
Cost: free
📖Language Arts Webinars for Parents
⭐Supporting Your Child with Dyslexia: October 15
10:00-11:30 a.m. Register here
Join us for an informative webinar on Dyslexia Awareness, designed for Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) families. This session will provide essential information about dyslexia and the resources available within FCPS to support students with this learning difference. What You'll Learn:
- Understanding Dyslexia: Gain a clear understanding of what dyslexia is, its common signs, and how it can affect students' reading, writing, and spelling.
- FCPS Support Systems: Learn about the various supports and interventions FCPS provides, including evidence-based, structured literacy approaches and the role of reading specialists.
- Virginia Literacy Act: Discover how the new Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) and FCPS's Equitable Access to Literacy (EAL) Plan are changing literacy instruction to benefit all learners, especially those with dyslexia.
- Resources for Families: We'll share practical tools and strategies you can use at home to support your child's literacy development and partner effectively with their school.
- This webinar aims to empower families with knowledge and resources to help their students with dyslexia succeed.
⭐Reading Plans and Your Student: October 22
10:00-11:30 a.m. Register here
This 1.5-hour webinar is designed to help parents and caregivers understand the new reading plans in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). Parents will learn about:
- What a reading plan is: A reading plan is a support system for students who are not meeting literacy benchmarks. It outlines specific, evidence-based instruction and interventions to help them improve their reading skills.
- Who requires a reading plan: All students from kindergarten through eighth grade who are identified as needing additional support based on literacy assessments will receive a reading plan. This is part of a broader effort by FCPS to implement the Virginia Literacy Act.
- How schools will support students: The webinar will explain how FCPS is using a science-based reading approach and will discuss the role of reading specialists, the curriculum used, and the assessments to monitor student progress.
- Resources and tools for parents: Parents will leave with practical resources and tools they can use at home to support their child's literacy development. The webinar aims to empower families to be active partners in their child's reading journey.
🍲 New Food Items Include Hearty Homestyle Favorites
Our new menu items debuting in September and October feature hearty homestyle favorites — including veggie chili, pictured above — and fresh global inspiration! Other new additions include:
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Breakfast: Cinnamon apple overnight oats, mini blueberry pancakes, French toast sticks, egg and cheese breakfast quesadillas and tacos, and turkey sausage and cheese bagels.
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Lunch: Teriyaki chicken stir-fry, teriyaki chickenless bites stir-fry, cheesy turkey pepperoni pasta, cheesy pasta with marinara sauce, deep dish pizza, and cheesy fiesta nachos.
Check our online menu to see when your child can try new recipes developed by FCPS’ executive chef and team of food and nutrition experts, based on student feedback.
What Will the 2025 Bond Referendum on the November Ballot Fund?
The $460M bond referendum on the November ballot is expected to fund the next stages of several ongoing projects, as well as others referenced in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
The building and renovation of our schools is not funded through the division’s operating budget. Voter-approved bonds allow payment for these projects over time. Read more about the 2025 Bond Referendum. Learn more about registering to vote. Make a plan to vote by Tuesday, November 4.
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