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Dear Panther Family,

November is Family Engagement Month. It's a time to remember that parents and caregivers are children’s first and most important teachers, advocates, and nurturers. We want to express our gratitude for all of our amazing families! Your involvement is the foundation of our students' success. Strong family engagement creates a vital connection between home and school that benefits everyone. Below are some ways for you to be engaged in your child's education and school experience. 

• Establish a Learning-Friendly Routine and Space At Home:

  • Create a designated, distraction-free study area for homework and schoolwork.

  • Ensure your student attends school daily. Schedule family trips, doctors appointments and other events around the school calendar so your student is present at school as often as possible. 

  • Maintain a consistent daily routine (including regular sleep schedules).

• Encourage a Love of Learning:

  • Read together daily and let your child see you reading for pleasure. Reading is the single most important activity for academic success.

  • Talk with your child about the world, visit museums or libraries, and encourage their natural curiosity and exploration.

  • Praise effort and persistence, not just outcomes or innate ability.

• Show Genuine Interest In School:

  • Go beyond "How was your day?" Ask specific, open-ended questions like, "What was the most interesting thing you learned today?" or "What's a problem you solved?"

  • Help them manage the homework process and offer guidance when they need it, but encourage them to solve problems independently first.

Thank you for being such an essential part of the Mt Vernon Woods community. 

Warmly, 

Gina O'Neal, Principal

Christine Berry, Assistant Principal 

Kevin Heron, Assistant Principal 

November 10- Family Food Market 4:00pm

November 11- Student and Staff Holiday- Veterans Day 

November 13- Thanksgiving Luncheon

November 19- Early Release Wednesday (dismissal at 12:15pm)

November 26- November 28- Thanksgiving Break

Thanksgiving Lunch at Mt Vernon Woods

Our Thanksgiving Luncheon will be on the 13th of November. Families are invited to join their students for lunch (times are listed below). If you would like to have Thanksgiving Lunch the price will be $5.00 a person including any children who do not attend Mt Vernon Woods. A flyer has been sent home with information about how to purchase Thanksgiving Lunch. Mt Vernon Woods students' lunch is free.

If you plan to attend our Thanksgiving Lunch, please bring your ID to sign into our system as a guest, allow 10-15 minutes to sign in as there is often a line. Parents will not be permitted to stay in the cafeteria or office after or before their child's lunch. 

Every Day Is a Stepping Stone to Success

Attendance is an important life skill that will help your child later in life. It’s a good habit to build now that will help them graduate on time and help them with time management. Parents and families can play a big role in helping kick-start good attendance habits.

Please take a look at the FCPS Calendar. Try to schedule any trips or family events on weekends and school holidays. Keep in mind that absences add up quickly. Students who are absent 10% of the school year (or just two days per month) are considered “chronically absent.”

When possible, schedule appointments for your child outside of school hours. If your child needs to miss school because of an illness or appointment, you must report the absence to our school. Visit our Attendance webpage for more information. 

November Is National Family Engagement Month

 The FCPS Family Academy supports the continued success and well-being of each and every student within the FCPS community. The Academy offers a variety of positive and engaging learning opportunities and meaningful connections to transform the FCPS experience into a welcoming environment for all families.

FCPS Family Café Series: Support Your Child’s Growth and Learning

The FCPS Family Academy announces the launch of a monthly series called the FCPS Family Café. These fun and helpful sessions are designed to keep families informed and involved in their child’s education. At Family Café, parents are key partners in helping children succeed. Click on a topic below to register to attend. 

• The Connected Family: Navigating the Digital World TogetherThursday, November 13, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Herndon Middle School

• Introduction to Career Pathways for StudentsTuesday, November 18, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Key Middle School

✨ FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan Pillar B: Vibrant Home, School, and Community Partnerships, reminds us to empower families through trusting partnerships that sustain a safe, inclusive culture for learning. 

Volunteer Registration Update

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. 

Tutoring Resources for Families

Some families may be looking for additional resources to help support their child’s academic success. The FCPS 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. This list is a resource offered by the FRC, but families are responsible for contacting and working directly with the tutors. This list is not approved by FCPS and is only meant to be a resource to 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.

Apply Anytime for Free and Reduced-Price Meals

Families are encouraged to apply for free and reduced-price meals at any time during the school year. 

If your income changes — for example, due to a furlough, layoff, or job loss — you may become newly eligible. Once approved, your benefits stay active for the rest of the school year and for the first 30 days of the next school year.

Students who qualify for free and reduced-price meals or attend a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school receive free breakfast and lunch every school day. It’s a great way to make your food budget go further and save time from packing meals. Learn more about FCPS Food and Nutrition. 

Impact of Federal Shutdown on Local Community

Fairfax County is home to around 80,000 federal employees and thousands of federal contractors. Its Federal Workforce Resource Hub is intended to help navigate current and future issues for residents, government employees, active military/veterans, contractors, nonprofits, and businesses who may be affected by actions, changes, or disruptions to federal services or employment. 

Find more community resources for families.

4015 Fielding Street, Alexandria, VA 22309 |  Main Phone: 703.619.2800
Attendance: 703.619.2828 | Web | Twitter