In honor of Veterans Day, we invite all of our military-connected families - grandparents, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and more — to join us for a special celebration!
Each classroom will host a Q&A session where students can learn directly from our guests about their military experiences, service, and what it means to serve our country.
This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to connect, listen, and show appreciation for the sacrifices and dedication of our military families.
đź“… Date: Monday, November 10
đź•’ Schedule
8:15 – 8:55 - Special Guest Check-in & Donuts and Coffee in Cafeteria
8:55 – 9:10 - Veterans Parade
9:10 – 10:00 - News Show, Morning meeting, Classroom Q & A
To Join Us:
We look forward to celebrating and learning from the heroes in our own community!
Veterans Day Hero Wall
West Springfield Elementary School is proud to honor Veterans Day by filling our hallways with posters celebrating the veterans connected to our students and families. We invite WSES families to create and decorate a poster for a veteran you wish to recognize. Please have your student return the completed poster to the front office by Wednesday, November 5th.
You may use this template, or pick up a printed copy in the front office.
If you have any questions, please contact Rainey Chase.
 Heritage Night is next week!
Date: Thursday, October 23
Time: 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
How to Participate:
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Food Sign-Up Share a taste of your heritage! Bring sample-size portions of a favorite dish that reflects your family’s cultural background. Sign Up Here
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Display Sign-Up Create a display to share your culture, traditions, and story. Posters, trifolds, photos, artifacts, and other creative ideas are welcome. Sign Up HereÂ
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Student/Family Showcase Perform or present something meaningful to you, your family, or your culture. All are welcome to showcase until the sign up is full! Sign Up Here
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Volunteer to Help Former Student Mustangs, this is your chance to give back and earn service hours by helping make the night a success! Sign Up Here
Fall Book Fair
The Fall Book Fair is almost here. The fair will run Tuesday, October 21st through Friday, October 24th during the school day and will be open on Thursday night as part of our Heritage Night event. Students will visit the library for a book preview and may purchase books during any school day that week or Thursday evening.
As always, we are asking for volunteers to help us run the fair.  Sign up here! If you are volunteering, please make sure you follow the FCPS process and sign up to volunteer.
Scholastic is again offering families the chance to create eWallets — a digital payment account. Before the Fair, set up eWallet for worry-free, cash-free purchases. Visit our Book Fair homepage to learn more and get started with eWallet and online shopping.
Donations Requested
One way to keep a staff happy is to keep them caffeinated and full of treats!! We would appreciate any caffeinated K-cup donations as well as individual wrapped candy. Our staff loves a morning jolt or an afternoon chocolate pick me up during the day, thank you!
A Small Act of Love: SCA Food and Sock Drive
Each night, around 600,000 people in the United States experience homelessness. This October, West Springfield Elementary School (WSES) SCA is inviting our community to show how a simple act of love—like donating a pair of socks and a bag of snacks—can make a big difference for our neighbors in need.
- Throughout the month of October, we will be collecting new socks in all sizes and non-perishable snack items. You can donate items like dried fruit, crackers, granola bars, jerky, pretzels, graham crackers, cereal, and rice cakes.
Your donations will go to local shelters and food banks. To show your house spirit, please place your donated items in your school house bin located by the front office.
School Photos & Picture Makeup Day
School Photos are now online! Families should have received an E-proof via email. Please remember to check your spam. For any questions about your student's school pictures please contact: underclass@vosphoto.com
Victor O’Neill will be here on Wednesday, November 5! This photo day is for students who were absent, new to the school, or who were not happy with their original package (students are required to return their original package to the photographer). No purchase is necessary. Please let our Office Assistant Ms. Cook hdcook@fcps.edu know if you wish for your child to be photographed.
Family Assistance QuestionnaireÂ
West Springfield Elementary School is committed to ensuring that all our students have the resources and support they need throughout the school year to reach their full potential in school and within the community.
- To help us prepare and plan, we've created an optional Family Assistance Questionnaire. The information you provide will help us understand and better support our school community. Please only complete one form per family. If you have questions, please reach out to Jen Lynch (school social worker) at jblynch@fcps.edu.Â
The questionnaire is confidential. Only the school counselor, social worker, and administration will have access to the information to better support our community and their individual needs..
Meeting the Moment: FCPS Forward — AI and the Future of Learning
On November 3, FCPS will host Meeting the Moment: FCPS Forward — AI and the Future of Learning, a first-of-its-kind event dedicated to the launch of the FCPS AI Roadmap.
Join us as we explore how artificial intelligence is shaping teaching, learning, and the future of work within our district.
 Educators, IT professionals, students, families, and community leaders are all invited to come together to:
- Learn about the opportunities and challenges of AI in education
- Explore how AI can support FCPS student achievement and workforce readiness
- Engage in a thought-provoking panel and keynotes
- Shape the future of innovation in Fairfax County Public Schools
 Date: Monday, November 3, 2025
Time: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pmÂ
Location: West Springfield High School
đź“Ť October Community Boundary Review Meetings
FCPS’ October community boundary review meetings will begin on Monday, October 13. Each of the 12 meetings will focus on two pyramids. Our area will be covered at the meeting on Monday, October 27, 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Irving Middle School, (Lake Braddock and West Springfield Pyramids) in person or virtual. Register by clicking “in person” or “virtual,” based on how you would like to participate.
At the meeting, the consultant will present the latest draft boundary map (Scenario 4) and potential changes specific to our West Springfield pyramid. Participants will also be invited to ask questions.
If you are unable to attend the meeting for our pyramid, you are welcome to attend any meeting that is convenient. View the full list of October boundary meetings.Â
Visit the Comprehensive Boundary Review webpage for more information.
FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards
Nominations are now open for the FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards! To submit a nomination for a West Springfield Elementary School Outstanding Employee in one of the categories below, please complete the nomination through this Google form link: Here
All that is required is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work in one or more of the criteria for that award category. You may nominate one employee at our school or multiple employees (one individual may only nominate one employee per category.) The eligibility requirements are below.
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Outstanding Teacher Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category.
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Outstanding New Teacher Eligibility: Has up to three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category.
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Outstanding Principal Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a building principal (in any school/school district).
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Outstanding Leader Eligibility: At least one year of experience in their current position as a Schedule-C or School-Based Administrator scale employee (that is not the building principal) at their current location. Common positions in this category: Assistant and Associate Principals, Director of Student Activities, Director of Student Services.
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Outstanding Professional Employee Eligibility: At least one year experience in current position as a Schedule-B employee or other non-instructional employee in a school that supports school leadership at their current location. Common positions in this category: School-Based Technology Specialist, Technology Support Specialist, Assessment Coach, Career Center Specialist, Instructional Coach, After-School Specialist, MTSS Coordinator, Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor, Safety and Security Specialist, Resource Teachers that serve in an administrative role in a school, Special Education Department Chairs that teach less than 50% of their time, Reading Specialists that do not have a regular course load/do not give grades.
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Outstanding Operational Employee Eligibility: At least one year of experience in current position as Schedule-A or Classroom Instructional Support Scale employee at their current location. Common positions in this category: Administrative and Office Staff, Safety and Security Assistant, Custodial Staff, Food Service Staff, IA, PHA, PHTA, Parent Liaisons
The deadline to submit a nomination is October 31st, 2025.
If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Knotts at jpknotts@fcps.edu
Save the Date
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Monday, October 20 - Student Holiday
Tuesday, October 21- Friday, October 24 - Spirit Week & Bookfair
Thursday, October 23 - Heritage Night & Book Fair 6:00 - 7:30 pm
Wednesday, October 29 - Early Release at 12:30 pm
Friday, October 31 - First Quarter Ends - Early Dismissal at 1:30 pm
Monday, November 3 - Tuesday, November 4 - Student Holidays
Wednesday, November 5 - School Make-up Pictures
Monday, November 10 - Veterans Day Celebration 9:00 am
Tuesday, November 11 - Student Holiday
Wednesday, November 12 - Early Release at 12:30
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âť“Questions?
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