Message from Mrs. Briggs

A huge shout-out to our incredible PTO for an amazing book fair. The students were so excited to 'Dive into Reading' and we truly appreciate all of the time and effort that went into this to make an incredible experience for our students!

Beginning next week, every grade level will implement a 30-minute daily block specifically designated for Intervention and Enrichment. We call this time, 'Roar & Soar'. This dedicated time ensures that all students receive targeted instruction designed to either address specific academic needs (intervention) or challenge them with more advanced material (enrichment).

• Students identified as needing extra support in a specific area (like a particular reading skill or math concept) will receive focused, small-group instruction. This allows our teachers to quickly address gaps in understanding and ensure all students are mastering the core curriculum. Students may receive this instruction by another teacher and in a different classroom.
• Students who have already demonstrated mastery of a core skill may also have the opportunity to delve deeper into a subject, explore advanced concepts, and participate in engaging, complex projects.

We hope you and your family enjoy the long weekend!

Sincerely,

Amy Briggs

  Important Dates

2025-26   School Calendar

No Cost Meals Available for Students on October 13 at Select Schools

FCPS will be offering lunch and a snack at no cost to children aged 18 and under on Monday, October 13, at participating schools. As a reminder, all FCPS schools will be closed for students on October 13 in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. View a list of school sites that will be providing meals for children on October 13.

Here’s what you need to know:

• 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.

We are proud to support our students’ health and well-being, even on days when school is not in session. We hope that many of our families will take advantage of this opportunity. If you have questions, please contact the Office of Food and Nutrition Services at 703-813-4800.

This week in STEAM science and engineering took center stage as students across the building!

K-3 took a look at chemistry and the chemical reaction that happens between ‘Salty Bubble Powder’ a.k.a Baking Soda an vinegar.

4^th grade participated using our watershed model looking to mitigate pollution by studying the Enviroscape model. 5^th grade built steerable cars powered by magnets.

Lastly,  6^th grade participated in the Arm-n-Hammer Nation Rocket Launch Day.  We built and launched rockets powered by the chemical reaction created from baking powder and vinegar.

It was a fun and busy week in STEAM!

If you are interested in volunteering in STEAM, please reach out to Kendra Roman;krroman@fcps.edu

Picture Day 10/28/25 Remember to order your memories now- all orders are placed online in 3 easy steps: 1. Go to Strawbridge.net (or use the QR code)  2.  Click "Order Pictures& Yearbooks" 3. Enter the code FM485381 to place your order.

The Yearbook Cover Contest Has Begun! 🎉

The design must be hand-drawn.

Use a vertical sheet of regular computer paper (8.5 x 11).

The artwork should reflect the theme: “Cheers to 60 Years”.

All entries must be completed and turned in to Mr. Garris or the Front Office by October 24, 2025.

Unity Day

SHES will once again celebrate National Unity Day on Wednesday, October 22nd. Students and staff are asked to wear orange that day and come together to send a visible message of building commUNITY through kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. Orange is the chosen color for National Unity Day. The event is part of National Bullying Prevention Month. Together, we can be upstanders against bullying. Additional information will be shared with students and staff as the event gets closer.

🎤 Save the Date: Community Conversations with Superintendent Dr. Reid

Your voice matters, and Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid wants to hear from you! At FCPS, parents are partners, working with us to set our students up for long-term success at school and in life. 

A series of Community Conversations will be held across the school division to discuss current challenges and future opportunities. These events are also a chance for you to share your thoughts and ask questions about FCPS. Events are planned for the following dates from 6 to 8 p.m.:

• Friday, December 5

• Tuesday, December 9
• Thursday, December 11

Bond Referendum

A school bond referendum will be on the ballot in November. Check out the Bond Toolkit for talking points, sample social posts, and other resources. View the Elections Toolkit on Atlas for additional guidance. 

Newsletters:

• 🏗️ FCPS Buildings Benefit All Community Members

In addition to our students and teachers, we estimate millions of visits by students and community members to Fairfax County schools through more than 500,000 events. Most of the public meeting and recreational facilities available in the county are FCPS facilities. 

FCPS works with the Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services and with the Fairfax County Park Authority to ensure that school facilities and athletic fields are available to the public after school hours. 

The 2025 Bond Referendum will be on the ballot in November. Vote on Tuesday, November 4. Learn more about registering to vote and make a voting plan.

Lightspeed Student Online Activity Report

• Beginning October 12, 2025, all parents and caregivers with Records Access in SIS will automatically receive a weekly email report summarizing their student’s online activity.  These reports will be sent to the email addresses on file in SIS.
• The Student Online Activity Reports are designed to support families in having meaningful conversations with their students about responsible technology use and digital citizenship. Families who prefer not to receive these weekly emails may easily opt-out by selecting the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of the weekly email.
• Each weekly report also includes a link to register for the Lightspeed Parent Portal, which provides more detailed browsing information.
• For more information and to help answer common questions, FCPS has added a new FAQ section to the Lightspeed Parent Report page on the FCPS website. 

Join the NEW Allergy Awareness Committee!

We are pleased to announce that Spring Hill Elementary School is leading the way forward concerning serious risks with food allergies. This is a group for allergy and non-allergy families looking to learn more and support children in our school community suffering from food allergies. Fill out this form to connect! 

Important Volunteer Information

 Effective immediately, if you are considering volunteering more than twice this year or chaperoning a field trip (even once), you will need to sign up to be a volunteer. We would encourage you to start this process as soon as possible; there are multiple steps that may take some time.  It cannot be completed at the last minute.

Please follow these steps to register as a volunteer:

1. Click this link to take you the Spring Hill Volunteer Site: https://volunteer.fcps.edu/custom/501/opp_details/990
2. Click Sign Up and follow the onboard instructions where you will set up an account.  Please select General Volunteering – level 3.  This will allow you to volunteer in all opportunities (including field trips) going forward.
3. Check your inbox regularly and follow the steps to process your application speedily.  You will be notified each time there is a step to complete.

A Message from the PTO

LOST & FOUND CORNER

The Lost and Found corner is rapidly growing…Be sure to label all clothing items and please consider purchasing from Mabel's Labels to ensure that your items makes it home again! 

Varsity Tutors Provides On-Demand Support at No Cost

Every student can take advantage of Varsity Tutors’ services at no cost, including weekly live online classes; on-demand 24/7 chat tutoring; essay editing; and study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests. Learn more about online tutoring with Varsity Tutors.

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