🌟Principal's Message

🌟Wise Owl Way Positive Referrals

🌟Veterans Day Assembly

🌟Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow

🌟Thanksgiving Luncheon

🌟FLE Parent Preview Night

🌟Yard Sign Fundraiser

🌟Outstanding Employee Awards Program

🌟AAP Information

🌟Local Food Bank

🌟Shrevewood PTA News

🌟Family Resource

🌟Limited Early Release Days for Elementary Schools

🌟Ensuring Student Safety: Register for Volunteer FCPS

🌟Procedures for Joining Your Child for Lunch

🌟Cell Phone and Smart Watch Policy

🌟Student Birthday Policy

🌟Attendance

🌟School Meals and Free/Reduced Lunch Applications

🌟FCPS News

🌟Save the Date

Principal's Message

Dear Shrevewood Families,

We are pleased to share an update on our progress in reducing chronic absenteeism. Our current chronic absenteeism rate is 10.3%. This represents a significant improvement, as it is 5.5 percentage points lower than our rate one year ago! We are proud of this achievement and want to remind our families that our school-wide goal is to keep the rate below 10% throughout the year. By continuing to work together, we ensure that all our students have the best possible environment to succeed.

As we close the books on the first quarter of the school year, we want to take a moment to celebrate the incredible energy and hard work displayed by our students, staff, and families. The beginning of the school year set a strong foundation for learning, growth, and community engagement, and we are so proud of the progress everyone has made so far. With that strong start behind us, we can now look forward to a busy and exciting November! Please mark your calendars for several wonderful upcoming events, including our PTA Family Game Night and our beloved Thanksgiving Luncheon. We can't wait to see you there!

Please take note that there is no school on Tuesday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day, and there is a 3-hour early release on Wednesday, November 12.

Sincerely,

Katie Vandawalker, Principal

Dan Reichard, Assistant Principal

Wise Owl Way Positive Referrals

• Grace H. (2nd grade)
• Harper B. (1st grade)
• Vania D.M. (1st grade)
• Zoe G. (2nd grade)
• Victor V. (2nd Grade

Veterans Day Assembly

Shrevewood's Veterans Day Assembly is Monday, November 10.

As Veterans Day approaches on Tuesday, November 11, we are preparing a special assembly to honor the brave men and women who have served our country. This assembly is an opportunity for our students to learn about service, sacrifice, and citizenship directly from those who embody it.  We look forward to welcoming our veteran guests.

Monday, November 10, Assembly Schedule

• Kindergarten - Grade 3: 9:45-10:45 a.m.
• Grades 4-6: 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow

Shrevewood Elementary has a schoolwide goal to reduce our chronic absenteeism rate from 11.6% to 10% or less by the end of the school year. One strategy we are using to achieve this goal is to send quarterly report cards to all families. Informing you of where your child’s attendance stands each quarter is one aspect of a coordinated effort we are making to improve attendance. Please check your child's Friday Folder for a printed quarter 1 attendance report card. 

As a reminder, chronic absenteeism is defined as missing more than 10% of the school year. After reviewing the attendance report card, please reach out to the office with any questions. 

Thanksgiving Luncheon

We're excited to invite you to our annual Shrevewood Thanksgiving Luncheon on Friday, November 21, 2025! It’s a wonderful tradition, and we can’t wait to celebrate with our families.

Please RSVP by filling out this Google Form no later than Friday, November 14, 2025.

Lunch Schedule

Regular lunch times are adjusted for this event. Please note the time slot corresponding to your child's grade/teacher. 

• 10:30 - 11:00: Kindergarten, Ms. Gross
• 11:05 - 11:35: 5th Grade, Mr. Mitchell
• 11:10 - 11:40: Ms. Ashley
• 11:40 - 12:10: 1st Grade
• 12:15 - 12:45: 2nd Grade
• 12:50 - 1:20: 4th Grade
• 1:25 - 1:55: 3rd Grade
• 2:00 - 2:30: 6th Grade

Meal Cost and Payment 

To help us prepare, please RSVP by filling out this Google Form if you plan to attend. Meals will be handled as follows: 

• Student Meal: $3.25 (This will be charged directly to your child's MySchoolBucks lunch account.)
• Family Member Meal: $5.00 (This will also be charged directly to your child's MySchoolBucks lunch account.)

A Quick Note on Payment: Please ensure your child’s MySchoolBucks account has sufficient funds to cover both his/her student meal and any additional adult meals you plan to purchase. Both students and parents can use the account balance at the cafeteria line to pay! 

Please RSVP by Friday, November 14, 2025. 

FLE Parent Preview Night

Students in grades 4-6 will be participating in Family Life Education lessons. The lesson materials are available for your review in the All Parents/Guardians Schoology Course. To log in, use your same username and password as SIS ParentVue. You are invited to attend an evening opportunity to preview the Family Life Education media and lessons and to talk with school staff about the program. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 18, at 6:00 p.m. in the library.  All program materials and media for all grade levels will be available for your review at this time, and any questions about the material can be addressed.  An opt out form is available in the Parent Digital Consent (PDC), which you also use your SIS ParentVUE username and password to access.  If you have already indicated your desire to opt your child out of FLE lessons by using the form provided earlier in the school year, you do not need to complete another form. If you have any questions, please contact Katie Vandawalker at kmvandawalke@fcps.edu.

Yard Sign Fundraiser

Show your Shrevewood spirit or give a shoutout to a 6th grade graduate by purchasing a Shrevewood Yard Sign! The sale goes through November 19.  Orders will be shipped directly to the school and then distributed. 

Oustanding Employee Awards Program

Nominations are open for the Outstanding Employee Awards! Our Shrevewood families are encouraged to nominate Shrevewood employees for these awards. To submit a nomination for a Shrevewood Elementary School Outstanding Employee in one or more of the categories below, please complete the Shrevewood ES Outstanding Employee Awards Nomination Form. You may nominate one employee at our school or multiple employees (one individual may only nominate one employee per category). 

All that is required for a preliminary nomination is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work in one or more of the criteria for that award category.  The nomination form has more information regarding the criteria for each of these awards. The eligibility requirements are below.

Outstanding Teacher 

• Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district). Ex: Teacher or Librarian with 3+ years of experience

Outstanding New Teacher

• Eligibility: Has up to three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district). Ex: Teacher or Librarian with less than three years of experience

Outstanding New Principal

• Eligibility: Currently work as an elementary, middle, secondary or high school principal in FCPS and within the first 3 years of their assignment as building principal (in any school/district).

Outstanding Leader 

• Eligibility: At least one year of experience in their current position and location as a Schedule-C or School-Based Administrator Scale employee. This does not include the principal. Ex: Assistant Principal, Director of Student Services

Outstanding Professional Employee 

• Eligibility: At least one year of 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. Ex: School Based Technology Specialist (SBTS), Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor, Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART), Instructional Coach, Testing Coordinator, Clinicians, Speech Pathologist, After-School Specialist, Resource Teachers, MTSS Coordinator, Assessment Coach or Special Education Department Chair

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 Ex: Administrative Assistants, Office Assistants, Librarians, Finance Tech, Custodial staff, Food Services staff, Instructional Aids, Public Health Attendant, Public Health Training Attendant, Parent Liaison

The deadline to submit a nomination is November 14, 2025, at 11:59 pm. If you have any questions, please email Coreen Pinkerton at ckpinkerton@fcps.edu.

AAP Information

Please click to access the AAP Parent Information Slides from the October presentation. Please click to see the Fall AAP Newsletter and the Referral Forms.

Full Time AAP Services Referrals for families new to FCPS after January 1, 2025, were due October 15.

All other referrals for Full Time AAP Services are due December 15. 

Subject-Specific and Part-Time Services AAP Referrals are open at any time. 

Local Food Bank

Timber Lane E.S. has invited Shrevewood families who are in need to participate in their family market.  Market dates are listed below.

Shrevewood PTA News

Family Game Night

Please join us for a family game night on Thursday, November 20, from 6:00-7:30 p.m.. Please bring a board game and/or a favorite snack to share. We will also be trying out some ThinkFun! games and raffling off several games from ThinkFun!

We are looking for volunteers to help us put on our first Family Game Night. If you are interested in helping, please contact us at board@shrevewoodpta.org.

Join Us for Our Next PTA Meeting

Please join us for our next PTA meeting on Tuesday, November 18, at 6:30 p.m. Following our regular business, we will have a special parent information session on Childhelp Speak Up Be Safe. Coordinators from the Fairfax County Department of Family Services will provide an overview of this body safety curriculum which will be taught to all students in January. This is a great chance to learn about the five safety rules, ask questions, and meet the program’s service dog.

6th Grade Promotion Committee

Are you a 6th grade parent and want to get involved? Join the Sixth Grade Promotion Committee and play a part in making this last year of elementary school special for our 6th graders! Email Alyssa Romashko if you’re interested in helping on the committee. Thanks!

Enter the PTA Reflections Contest

Starting this year, Shrevewood is participating in the National PTA’s annual art contest, Reflections. The theme for this year is “I belong”. We welcome students to submit entries for dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography, and visual arts. For more information about this year’s contest, please email Taylor and Ben Powell at reflections@shrevewoodpta.org or visit our PTA’s reflections webpage.

Family Resource

The Family Café Series is a special time for families to come together to learn about important topics that support their child’s growth and learning. These fun and helpful sessions keep families informed and involved in their child’s education—mind, body, and heart. 

At Family Café, we believe families are important partners in helping children succeed. We’re excited to learn and grow with you! 

Upcoming Family Café Sessions: 

• The Digital World – November 13th at Herndon Middle School: Join us for a hands-on workshop on how to stay safe online. Families will learn about popular social media apps, how to start meaningful conversations about internet safety, and the seven key topics that matter from kindergarten through adulthood. Read more and register here . 
• Career Pathways – November 18th at Key Middle School: Discover the many Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses available for middle and high school students in FCPS. Learn about specialty programs, academy options, and how each pathway helps students prepare for their future. Read more and register here. 

Limited Early Release Days for Elementary Schools 

Three-hour early release days for Shrevewood ES will include:

• November 12
• December 10
• February 18
• March 18
• April 22
• May 13

Read more about early release Wednesdays on the FCPS website. 

Ensuring Student Safety: Register for Volunteer FCPS

At Shrevewood Elementary School, 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.

For full details, visit the Volunteer FCPS website or contact our Volunteer Point of Contact, Pilar Quintero Flores, pjquinterofl@fcps.edu, with questions.

Procedures for Joining Your Child for Lunch

We are excited to open our cafeteria for parents and guardians to join their children for lunch at school! We know how much you value connecting with your child, and this is a great chance to share a special moment during their school day.

If you'd like to have lunch with your child, please follow these steps:

• Enter at Door 1 and report to the Main Office. 
• Using a government issued photo ID, sign-in and receive a visitor sticker. 
• Wear the visitor sticker at all times. 
• Report directly to the cafeteria. 
• Enjoy lunch with your child(ren). 
• Return to the main office to check-out using your visitor sticker. 
• Please don't visit the classroom or recess, so our daily schedule and routines can continue without interruption for our students. 
• Please do not bring fast food for lunch. 
• Please do not bring any food to share with other children due to safety protocols and allergies.

Cell Phone and Smart Watch Policy

Please remind your child that FCPS is phone-free! For elementary school students, this means:

• Smart watches that serve a dual purpose may be worn, but the phone features (texting, internet viewing, and calls) are to be off when phone use is prohibited.
• Cell phones and personal devices (airpods, earbuds, headsets, other items connected to the internet) must be off and away for the entire school day (bell to bell).

If you need to reach your child during the school day, please call our main office. Learn more about FCPS’ cell phone and personal device policy.

Student Birthday Policy

As an administrative team and school, we will be recognizing and honoring our students' birthdays monthly. For the safety of all students and staff in our building and to limit the amount of classroom disruptions, please do not send in food or toys for your child's birthday.

Attendance

Our goal is to partner with families to help minimize the number of days students are absent. Getting your student into the habit of daily attendance helps reduce stress and makes it easier to connect with friends and teachers. We understand that each year presents different extenuating circumstances that lead to missed days. However, we hope to increase communication in regards to absences to reduce impact on your child’s well-being. FCPS has created a Health Flyer for Parents indicating when a parent should keep their child home from school. Please review FCPS Attendance Policies and resources to encourage regular school attendance. 

Parents/legal guardians can report up to two consecutive absences through SIS ParentVUE. Learn more about attendance reporting through ParentVUE HERE. Families can also report absences by emailing shrevewoodelem.attendance@fcps.edu or calling 703-645-6666 before 10:00 a.m. each day.

School Meals and Free/Reduced Lunch Applications

Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, students will enter their student ID number as their cafeteria PIN at the cash register to receive their meals.   You can access your student’s ID number via ParentVUE.

Breakfast and Lunch

Breakfast will be $1.75.  Lunch will be $3.25.  Money can be added to your child(ren)’s accounts using www.myschoolbucks.com.  You may also write a check to Shrevewood Food Services and deliver it to our Food Services Manager.  During the school year, you can find the menu for breakfast and lunch at https://linqconnect.com/public/menu/ESSF44.

Free and Reduced-Price Status

Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals will continue to receive these benefits through the end of September.  A new application must be completed each new school year.  Forms are available online now: https://www.fcps.edu/frm.  Applications are accepted at any time, but we encourage you to apply or renew your application before the end of September. Call (703) 813-4800 if you need help. This application must be completed for eligible students to receive free meals.

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• State Standards of Learning (SOL) Changes
• Tutoring Resources for Families
• Immunization Events

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today. 

Save the Date

⭐Veterans Day Assembly⭐

Monday, Nov. 10

⭐Veterans Day Holiday⭐

Tuesday, Nov. 11

(No school for students or staff)

⭐3 Hour Early Release⭐

Wednesday, Nov. 12

⭐FLE Parent Preview Night⭐

Tuesday, Nov. 18, 6:00 p.m.

⭐PTA Meeting⭐

Tuesday, Nov. 18, 6:30 p.m.

⭐PTA Family Game Night⭐

Thursday, Nov. 20, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

⭐Thanksgiving Luncheon⭐

Friday, Nov. 21

⭐Thanksgiving Holiday⭐

Nov. 26-28

(No school for students or staff)

Click Here for the FCPS 2025-2026 School Year Calendar

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7525 Shreve Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Office: 703-645-6600
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