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The Feather Report
Volume 2, Issue 13
 Second graders in Ms. Roundtree’s room have started their Global Classroom Project, where they will explore foods and cuisine from around the world. The project kickoff was a spice sniffing challenge, where students smelled six mystery spices and tried to match them up from a list of choices written on the board. A few students got 100%!
Leadership Ledger
Westlawn Families,
It has certainly been a whirlwind this past week! Last Friday all students participated in our annual Storybook Character Parade, showing off their costumes for all to see! Monday and Tuesday of this week were dedicated to family conferences as we wrapped up the 1st Quarter. It was wonderful to see so many families in the building. We hope these conferences provided some insight into student performance and steps families can take at home to reinforce daily learning.
Next Tuesday is a student holiday as we recognize Veterans Day. Thank you to all our families who have sent in pictures of family members serving in our armed forces. Come check out our Westlawn Veterans Day banner the next time you’re in the building!
Remember that learning doesn’t stop at the end of the school day! Students in grades 1-6 bring laptops home each afternoon, and students have access to multiple learning platforms to boost reading, math, and English language acquisition skills (for students receiving multi-lingual learner services). Lexia is our reading platform, ST Math can be used to boost math understanding, and Summit K12 focuses on language acquisition. All platforms are available through Clever, and students know how to log-in. We recommend 20-30 minutes a night on at least one of these platforms. Reach out to your child’s teacher for additional information.
And finally, we are hosting our second Multi-Lingual Learner Breakfast next Wednesday, November 12, at 9:00 AM in our cafeteria. Join us for a light breakfast and a presentation from our ESOL Team!
In partnership,
Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, Shana Curtis, Erin Theiss
Proud Principals
News
Food and Resources: Updates
As the situation around SNAP benefits continues to evolve by the day, the state of Virginia has introduced VENA to replace SNAP funds until they are restored by the federal government. VENA has a few differences from SNAP, primarily the distribution of funds. Fairfax County is sharing routinely-updated information about VENA for families. Families with questions about VENA should call the information line created by the state of Virginia at 804-726-7000.
Nominate a Westlawn Staff Member for an Award
We are soliciting nominations of Westlawn staff members to advance to compete against their counterparts in other buildings for the annual FCPS Excellence awards! Categories for nomination include:
- Outstanding Teacher
- Outstanding New Teacher
- Outstanding Principal
- Outstanding Leader
- Outstanding Professional Employee
- Outstanding Operational Employee
To submit a Westlawn staff member for consideration, families are asked to write 1-2 brief paragraphs explaining why they believe the person should represent Westlawn. Families may submit one nomination per category. For example, families can submit one Outstanding Teacher and one Outstanding Professional Employee, but they cannot submit two Outstanding Teachers. Also, if you are not sure about which category an employee belongs in, just submit them for the category you think fits best! We would rather have a nomination in an incorrect category than have no nomination at all! Submit your nomination(s) now. Nominations are due by November 19.
Calling Scout Troop Leaders
Are you a troop leader for a Scout troop associated with Westlawn or the Westlawn neighborhood? Does your troop have openings for more members? We have had some families interested to join! If your Scout troop is open for more members, please send Ms. Dushok the following information via email or text/TalkingPoints:
- Your name/preferred contact info
- Your troop type (Cub Scouts, Daisy Girl Scouts, etc.)
- Your troop number
- Info about open spots (example: 3 openings for girls in kindergarten or first grade, 2 openings for boys or girls ages 8-10, etc.)
Ms. Dushok will take the information she receives and add it to next week’s Community Conversation and newsletter.
Fun Clothing Wednesdays are Coming
Even after we teach our kindergarteners their colors, we will keep up with our themed Fun Clothing Wednesdays throughout the year! Here are some upcoming ones:
- November 19: Hoodies
- December 3: Pajamas
- December 10: Clothing with Animals
The themes are always optional. We will continue to announce them on social media, and we will be sending home a paper flier in next week’s Thursday folder with the themes through the end of January.
Title I Family Compact
Each year we refresh our Title I Family Compact, which outlines the roles and responsibilities we each have with respect to Westlawn students’ education. Please review our 2025-2026 compact, and provide us with feedback!
November Is National Family Engagement Month
Family Engagement Month is a time to remember that parents and caregivers are children’s first and most important teachers, advocates, and nurturers.
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 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
- PSAT/SAT School Day Scores Available
- Resources for Families
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
Dates and Events
November 11: No School (Veterans Day)
November 12: Westlawn Color Day: Wear Gray
November 12: Multi-lingual Family Breakfast - families of multilingual learners are invited to join Westlawn staff for a light breakfast and a presentation from the ESOL team in the Westlawn cafeteria from 9:00-9:45 am.
November 12: Early Release Wednesday - Students will be released at 12:30 PM. Childcare is available for the families who requested it in September. If you do not remember what you requested, please contact our main office at 703-241-5100.
November 12: Restaurant Night at Red Robin - Order in person or online, and show them the flier or mention the fundraiser! Learn more and get a digital copy of the flier.
November 12: In-Person PTA Meeting at Westlawn from 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
November 14: PTA Bingo Night from 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM - Hot dogs and drinks will be available for sale from our Scout troops. The PTA will sell bingo cards for $1 each.
November 18: A Night of Music Chorus and Instrumental Ensemble Concert; starts at 6:30 PM
November 19: Fun Clothing Wednesday: Hoodie Day
November 21: Thanksgiving Luncheon - Save the Date!
To see more schoolwide and community events, remember to check out our website calendar! You can also subscribe to our calendar to make it even more convenient. Click on the little calendar icon in the top right corner of the calendar page of our website to add all current and future events to your cell phone calendar.
Engage with Westlawn
Volunteer at Bingo Night
Bingo Night needs some volunteers to make it a success! Volunteers sell food and bingo cards, check to see if cards are correct, and call numbers. Volunteer at Bingo Night.
Volunteer at the Book Fair
The Book Fair is coming! The fair will run from December 8-12. Volunteers are needed for the duration of the fair, and for setup during the Friday before the fair. The heaviest volunteer needs are as follows:
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Monday, December 8 and Tuesday, December 9 while kindergarteners and first graders are creating their wish lists. Students often need help writing the titles of the books they are interested in buying and recording the price.
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Wednesday, December 10, from 1:00 through 6:15 PM during the Friends and Family event to ensure the event runs smoothly.
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Friday, December 12, from 8:15 AM through 10:00 AM during the last morning of the fair. Typically there is a large influx of students at this time who want to spend the rest of their money. Students especially need help finding items that fit their budget and counting their money. Volunteers ensure we can quickly get students checked out and back to class for learning!
That said, the entire fair runs on the support of our volunteers, and we are grateful for any time you can give! The schedule for classrooms visiting the fair will be published soon. Sign up to reserve your volunteer spot today.
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.
Join a Community Conversation
Join us on Wednesdays at 11 AM on Zoom to hear the important news from the school from Principal Hill! If you miss a Community Conversation, you can catch up with slides and recordings on our website.
Mind Matters
AAP Service Highlight: Young Scholars
Did you know we have about 95 students at Westlawn designated as Young Scholars? A Young Scholar is a student who has been identified for advanced academic services in one or more subject areas and may be from a historically underrepresented population or a potential first generation college student. These students may face barriers to access and therefore are given some additional opportunities to try new and challenging experiences. Our Young Scholars enjoy monthly morning meetings with Mrs. Maxwell where this year they are working on the skill of being a goal-directed and resilient student as well as executive function skills (organization, planning, studying, etc). We also have field trips (some during the school day, some after school hours with families), encouragement to take part in Westlawn enrichment opportunities, and other supports.
Tech Talk
Free Tutoring for FCPS Students
Now that the first quarter has come to a close, we have received a few questions about tutoring services for students. All FCPS students have access to free online tutoring through Varsity Tutors. Students can access the tutoring by going into Schoology, clicking on the “waffle” at the top of the page, and then entering Clever. There is a tile for Varsity Tutors in the FCPS Applications section featuring a pink circle surrounded by two blue arcs.
What can students do with Varsity Tutors? Lots!
- 24/7 online chat tutoring
- Essay editing
- Live group classes
- Recordings about various topics
- Take practice tests in various subject areas
Learn more about Varsity Tutors. Also, if your family needs free or low-cost wireless internet access for your home, we can help! Our social worker Ms. Cortez can help you understand if you qualify for low-cost internet options through different Fairfax County providers. If you do not qualify, Mr. Dinkins can help you get set up with a MiFi device.
Is there a technology topic you want us to tackle in a future issue? Email your questions to Ms. Dushok (school based technology specialist) and Mr. Dinkins (technology support specialist).
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Soaring Staff Spotlight
This week the Soaring Staff Spotlight is on Marisa Johnson!
Ms. Johnson is a school counselor here at Westlawn. Let’s learn more about Ms. Johnson!
What is your favorite thing about working at Westlawn?
The community!
If you weren’t in education, what other job would you want?
Food critic or working for a sports non-profit.
What is your favorite memory from elementary school?
I went to Westlawn! I loved the Halloween fun run and field days with Mr. Howe and Ms. Tillett many years ago!
What is your favorite snack?
Soft pretzels from Auntie Anne’s.
What is your favorite season of the year?
Fall, because it's football and soup season.
Sweet or salty snacks?
Salty, but since pregnancy… sweet!
What is one thing that always makes you smile?
My dog Noodle (and snuggles).
Is there someone you hope to see featured in an upcoming Soaring Staff Spotlight? Tell us by text to 571-355-2321.
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Connect with Westlawn
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