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Dear Island Creek Families,
As we begin the second quarter, we want to express our gratitude for your outstanding partnership and support during the first quarter. A special thank you to all the families who attended our first quarter conferences. These meetings are essential, and your commitment to discussing your student's progress is invaluable. We look forward to continuing our work together throughout the year to ensure every student thrives.
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Tuesday, November 11: Veterans Day (school closed)
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Wednesday, November 12: All families are invited to attend STEAM Night between 5:30-7:00. Students must be accompanied by an adult.
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Friday, November 14: Wear Purple for Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day (purple is Ruby Bridges' favorite color)
Thank you for entrusting us with your children!
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Warmly,
Jen Fallert, Principal
Karen Baxter, Assistant Principal
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Thank you to our Veterans as we appreciate your sacrifice and service for our country. Veterans Day is a time to pause, reflect, and recognize the extraordinary sacrifices our veterans and their families have made on our behalf. “Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude.” Learn about the history of Veterans Day.
Tuesday, November 11th, is a student holiday as we observe Veterans Day.
Every Day Counts at Island Creek!
Help us reach our goal of 4% or less this year!
Attendance is a vital life skill that will benefit your child later in life. It’s a good habit to build now to help them graduate from college on time and routinely report to work on time once they have a career.
To ensure transparency and celebrate our progress, we will be sharing weekly attendance data in our newsletter. By highlighting this important information, we aim to keep our families informed and energized about our collective efforts to encourage regular school attendance
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❤️Questions? ❤️Suggestions?
❤️Concerns?
Should you have questions, suggestions, or concerns, please reach out to your child's teacher. Additionally, the following staff are here to support and may be reached via email or by calling the front office at 571-642-6300.
Nikki Bohnert, School Counselor (anbohnert@fcps.edu)
Sarah Trevino, School Counselor (smtrevino@fcps.edu)
Amy Garcia, Family Liaison (ajgarcia@fcps.edu)
Jeremy Cox, Military Family Life Counselor (jrcox@fcps.edu)
Jermaine Perkins, School Psychologist (jtperkins@fcps.edu)
Allison DeGregorio, Social Worker (amdegregorio@fcps.edu)
Corinne Washington, Public Health Nurse (cwashington@fcps.edu)
Karen Baxter, Assistant Principal (kpbaxter@fcps.edu)
Jen Fallert, Principal (jrfallert@fcps.edu)
We are looking forward to the Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day on Friday, November 14, 2025, and we hope you can join us! Ruby Bridges is an icon who believes the most important thing is uniting students.
This event was started in 2018 by a group of 5th graders from San Mateo, CA who learned about Ruby and decided she needed a special day to celebrate her. At six years old, Ruby Bridges advanced the cause of civil rights on November 14, 1960, when she was the first African American to integrate an elementary school in New Orleans. Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day is a great way for students to honor the courage of Ruby and the advancement of civil rights. Her simple but courageous act of showing up for school each day played an important part in the Civil Rights Movement.
Information you can share with your child(ren) may be found here and here.
Please join us in honoring Ruby’s legacy by walking to school, as a community, one step at a time.
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We are excited to announce that Island Creek Elementary is collecting Winter Coats for children from November 6th through November 18th!
Your generosity will make a huge difference in keeping students warm this winter. We welcome donations of new or lovingly pre-owned winter coats in all children's sizes
Please have your child bring the donated coat(s) to the designated collection bins located in the front lobby.
Principal Jen Fallert will personally ensure that all donated winter coats are delivered to an FCPS Title I Elementary School, where the coats will be distributed directly to students who need them most.
November is Native American Heritage Month where we celebrate the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories of Native people and acknowledge their important contributions. It is also a time to raise awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and today—and to recognize the strength, resilience, and leadership of tribal communities across our nation.
Look at the dream catchers our 2nd Grade students made!
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FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets, which is in the upper right corner of the screen after logging in. Please complete it as soon as possible. We will provide paper forms to families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE starting Wednesday, November 12.
Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is important. This year, FCPS expects to receive approximately $4 million in Impact Aid funding. These funds are used to support all Fairfax County public schools and centers.
For more information, visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.
Register for ParentVUE
Learn how to activate your SISParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey and have access to other helpful information about your child.
Technical support for using ParentVUE or submitting the survey online is available by submitting a Parent Support Request ticket. Select SISParent in the Application dropdown menu and type “Federal Impact Aid Survey” in the Issue Description section. You may also call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS).
Croc Artists, our Art Department's fundraiser, is here! Individual art catalogs have been sent home with free stickers. *Ordering deadline is November 19, 2025. Great for yourself or as a gift!
https://shop.square1art.com/shop
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It is that time of year again for the Outstanding FCPS Employee Awards. Using the links below, you can nominate an Island Creek staff member that you feel does an outstanding job!
Nominations close on November 11, 2025.
Outstanding Leader
Outstanding Operational Employee
Outstanding Teacher
Outstanding Professional Employee
Outstanding New Teacher
We started our fun throwing and catching stations and games in September! There were over 20 different stations during our throwing and catching unit, and the students practiced their rolling, underhand throwing, overhand throwing, & catching skills. During our movement & fitness unit, students in 4th, 5th, & 6th grade completed the functional fitness and VA wellness fitness tests. Kindergarten students completed gross motor testing, and all students in 1st Grade and 2nd Grade practiced their locomotor skills. All classes also played fun noodle tag or football tag and got a chance to spin our Wheel of Fitness!
We are very excited to start the second quarter in PE with a special Elite Martial Arts (EMA) visit for students in kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Grades. We will also have our fun dance and gymnastics units that focus on collaboration and teamwork. We are looking forward to a fun quarter of learning for all students in PE!
If you can, check out the hallway displays outside of the gym! We have a pyramid of reasons why PE matters, and our Literacy in Motion display, which highlights words that have been a current focus for students in PE. We will also have a display near our PE croc, which highlights Island Creek Library books that match the units in PE.
Please RSVP if you would like to attend the Island Creek Thanksgiving Luncheon with your child on Thursday, November 20. Student meals are $3.25, additional meals for any family members attending can be purchased for $5.00. Student meals will be charged to student accounts. Please make sure your child has money on their MySchoolBucks lunch account if they are purchasing a student lunch. Family members can only pay for their meal ($5.00) with cash or check. We are not able to charge guest meals to the student account. Please RSVP by Friday, November 7
Please Note: Island Creek’s Fourth Grade students will be on their Field Trip to Jamestown on Thursday, November 20. Families are more than welcome to eat lunch with their children on another day
The Fairfax County School Board and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors work together to administer the Fairfax County Youth Survey. The survey is given each fall to all students in grades 6, 8, 10, and 12. It provides information about a variety of topics related to our students that influence their physical and mental well-being, from sleep, physical activity, and nutritional habits to protective factors, substance use behaviors, and symptoms of depression.
The 2025 Fairfax County Youth Survey will be taken by students between Monday, November 10, and Friday, November 21. Parents and caregivers can opt their student out of participating in the survey if they so choose.
Visit the Fairfax County Youth Survey webpage for more information and to review the opt-out forms.
UPDATE as of November 3rd - chaperones are now level 2 -
fingerprinting has been paused.
Due to the overwhelming response from our community, FCPS is temporarily pausing fingerprint requirements for most Level 3 volunteers.
If you are scheduled for an upcoming fingerprinting appointment, please cancel your appointment unless you are a mentor, host parent, or non-parent volunteer having frequent, direct, and unsupervised contact with students, which will still require fingerprinting. FCPS will be charged if individuals miss a fingerprinting appointment without canceling in advance.
Those who have already been fingerprinted will be processed to be eligible for all Level 3 opportunities.
Field trip chaperone opportunities will now be classified as Level 2 (not requiring a background check).
To ensure continuous safety, all new volunteers are required to sign a Volunteer Certification Statement. This statement is a legal attestation confirming you have no history of violent felonies, physical/sexual crimes against children, or crimes of moral turpitude.
Want to volunteer? Visit Volunteer FCPS to find and sign up for volunteer opportunities. Contact Volunteers@fcps.edu with any questions.
Reminder: Window for Full-time AAP Referrals Closes on December 15, 2025
Parents/guardians of students in Grades 2-7 who would like their student to be considered for full-time advanced academic programs may submit the Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) Full-Time Referral Form and optional materials to Principal Jen Fallert at jrfallert@fcps.edu no later than December 15, 2025.
The window for families to submit a referral for full-time AAP services is the first day of school through December 15, annually. All forms may be found on the AAP forms page. No late referrals for Full-Time AAP services will be accepted.
Submitting a referral form for full-time AAP will initiate a process that begins at Island Creek and is then completed at the central office level. Island Creek will put together a portfolio that includes multiple data points that are considered holistically. At the central office level, a committee of six trained professionals from various schools and roles will review the portfolio materials to determine eligibility for full-time placement. Eligibility decisions are communicated by early April.
Slides from the Family Information Session may be accessed here.
For more information, please visit the Advanced Academic Programs website.
November 19, 10-11:30 a.m.
Come join this webinar to learn about Restorative Justice (RJ) Practices in FCPS! You’ll learn about what’s available to students and families in schools and how RJ Practices support students and families feeling empowered and connected to their school communities. We will also share how you can implement a simple restorative justice practice to create connection in your family.
Register here
 Fall/Winter Holiday Assistance
If you need assistance during the fall and winter holidays please reach out to one of the following organizations as soon as possible. You will need to register as a client in order to receive assistance.
Koinonia: Serving Franconia, Kingstowne and Rose Hill addresses. Located at 6037 Franconia Rd, Alexandria, VA 22310 Call 703-971-1991 https://www.koinoniacares.org/
Lorton Community Action Center: Serving families who live in Lorton with 22079 and 22060 zip codes. Located at 9520 Richmond Hwy, Lorton, VA 22079 Call 703-339-5161 https://lortonaction.org/register-for-services/
If you are looking to donate to families in need for the holidays, the following food and gift drives can use your support to help brighten the holiday season for area families. Koinonia (703-971-1991) Holiday Baskets Information; Lorton Community Action Center (703) 339-5161 Winter Food Drive and Fairfax County Department of Family Services Adopt-a-Family Holiday Program.
Resources to Support Families During Federal Government Shutdown
Fairfax County Public Schools have compiled a list of resources to support families during the Federal Government Shutdown.
Immunization Events for FCPS Students
FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will be providing school-required immunizations and optional flu shots for all FCPS students with no out-of-pocket costs. Additional dates will be made available throughout the school year. Immunization clinics will take place from 3 to 6:30 p.m. at Willow Oaks Administrative Center on Tuesday, November 18, Wednesday, November 19 and Thursday, November 20. A clinic will also take place at Frost Middle School on Saturday, November 15, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Participation is voluntary. Additional Immunization Resources are available. Parents or guardians may schedule an appointment for their student.
Tutoring Resources for Families
Some families may be looking for additional resources to help support their child’s academic success. The Family Resource Center (FRC) maintains a list of FCPS employees who hold a valid Virginia teaching credential and who are available to hire as tutors. Families are responsible for contacting and working directly with the tutors. This list is not approved by FCPS and is only meant as a resource for families. FCPS also partners with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra resources for learning. 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. Tutoring is available in English and Spanish.
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🦃 Thanksgiving Break Is Almost Here!
We can hardly believe it—Thanksgiving break is right around the corner! Before we all head off for turkey, travel, and time with loved ones, we’ve got some exciting updates and fun events to share.
🏃♂️ The Croc Rock-N-Run: Update
November has been full of Croc spirit! Our team is making the rounds to celebrate the top classroom and grade-level fundraisers—thank you for your incredible energy and support! 🐊💚
We're also finalizing dates for the individual and school-wide prize celebrations.
November 21: Croc Flock: Parents Night Out
Join us for a night packed with games, sports, music, and pizza fun — all led by Overtime Athletics’ energetic coaches. Kids will laugh, play, and make new friends while parents enjoy a well-deserved evening out. The event will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. on November 21.
Registration:
https://otathletics.leagueapps.com/events/4764766-island-creek-elementary-school
December 5: Registration is Open for Family Bingo
It’s back—and it’s one of our most popular events of the year! Bring the whole family for a night of friendly competition, prizes, and Croc community fun. Registration is now open for Family Bingo, taking place from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on December 5!
- Tickets ($10) per person (kid or adult).
- Pizza ($12) is available for pre-purchase online.
- Raffle tickets ($1 each) are available for purchase online in advance.
Registration:
https://sites.google.com/view/icespta/events-programs/bingo-dec-5?authuser=0
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❤️Tuesday, November 11: Veterans Day; School closed
❤️Wednesday, November 12: STEAM Night (5:30-7:00)
❤️Friday, November 14: Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day (Wear Purple)
❤️Wednesday, November 19: 3-Hour Early Release at 12:20 for school-age students
❤️Thursday, November 20: Thanksgiving Lunch; 4th Grade Field Trip to Jamestown
❤️Wednesday, November 26 - Friday, November 28: Thanksgiving Break; School closed
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