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Dear Island Creek Families,
It was great seeing so many families at Thursday's Thanksgiving Lunch! Our Fourth Grade Students had a fun time on their Jamestown Field Trip yesterday.
As we approach Thanksgiving, we want to take a moment to express our deep gratitude for our amazing students, dedicated staff, and supportive families. You make Island Creek a truly special place and your partnership is greatly appreciated!
Have a wonderful weekend and our students only have school on Monday and Tuesday next week!
Warmly,
Jen Fallert, Principal
Karen Baxter, Assistant Principal
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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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Thank you for your generosity with our Winter Coat Drive. The coats were delivered on Wednesday and the receiving school is having a "shopping night" for families!
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During the month of November, the Island Creek staff share an Attitude of Gratitude. Our four "turkeys", Gabriel, George, Gertie, and Georgina, classrooms spreading thankfulness. |
The art department is in full swing with the start of the second quarter. Kindergarten is learning about perspective through creating seasonal pumpkin patches. Our 1st graders have been working with watercolor paint and have created abstract leaves with line patterns and recently they have begun creating family portraits using colorful foam shapes. 2nd grade is working on bluebirds in window frames and is starting “better together” fiber sculptures. 3rd grade explored watercolor pumpkin painting and zentangle and now have switched to creating abstract faces with chalk pastels. 4th grade has been learning a lot about proportion and the human form. They have created silhouettes that they will highlight movement using tone and value with tempera paint. 5th grade has been discussing their big idea theme of globalization and how they might make a difference in the world. Their watercolor paintings feature many social, economic and natural disasters our world faces and ways they may help. 6th grade is eagerly looking forward to creating Marc Chagall inspired identity dreamscapes using oil pastels.
Thank you so much to those that have supported our Square 1 art fundraiser so far. Many students are so proud to share their products. Proceeds directly support our art department through unique supply purchases and opportunities like our glow in the dark art show during the school year. Good news – we were able to extend our purchase deadline until November 30, 2025!! Art treasures to keepsakes – great for oneself or gift giving!!
Croc Artists, our Art Department's fundraiser, is here! Individual art catalogs have been sent home with free stickers. Great for yourself or as a gift!
*Ordering deadline extended to November 30*
https://shop.square1art.com/shop
Exciting News: The Fall Book Fair is Almost Here!
Get ready to explore and shop for your favorite books! Here's what you need to know:
Browsing Days: Students will have the opportunity to browse the book fair!
Sales Days: The Book Fair is open for sales December 4 through December 10, closing at 3:00 pm daily.
Evening Hours: The Book Fair will be open for sales during the Famliy Wellness Night on Thursday, December 4 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm
Volunteers Needed: We’d love your help! If you’re interested in volunteering, please sign up using the link below.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4AAEAE2DAAF9C16-60510616-island
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.
Winter weather will be here before you know it! Watch this video to see how weather closing decisions are made at FCPS.
FCPS’ website is generally the first place to find out about emergency weather closings. Other communication channels will be used as quickly as possible, including email, text, social media, the new FCPS mobile app, and news stations. Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated.
Be sure to plan for the winter season. Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, bookmark the FCPS website, and arrange emergency child care if needed.
We will monitor the weather for low temperatures, wind chill advisories and warnings, and weather advisories that may prevent children from being outside. Make sure your child is dressed appropriately with a warm coat and other cold-weather clothing, so they can comfortably enjoy their time outdoors. View the National Weather Service’s tips on staying safe during cold weather.
If you need assistance getting cold-weather clothing for your family, please call Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) at 703-222-0880. Their multilingual staff can assist with any challenges you are facing, including food, shelter, employment, financial assistance, and health
FCPS offers the Lightspeed Parent Portal to help you manage screen time on your child's FCPS device at home. With a Parent Portal account, you can control your child’s access to YouTube and pause website browsing during after-school hours.Please note that parent controls are active only during after-school hours, defined as Monday through Friday from 3:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. (including student holidays) and all day Saturday and Sunday.
If you haven't signed up for the portal yet, use the link at the bottom of your weekly Lightspeed Online Student Activity Report email. To learn more, please visit the Lightspeed Parent Portal page on the FCPS website.
Students in grades 3-12 took the SEL Screener last month, providing information on skills like achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships, and making responsible decisions. The screener also asks students how well their school community makes them feel valued, included, and supported.
Individual student SEL Screener results will be available to families in the Documents section of SIS ParentVUE the week of November 17. For families who do not have an active ParentVUE account, results will be shared by our school.
For support in understanding your individual student’s results or for ideas on how to support them at home, please review the Family Guide or reach out to school staff.
All FCPS schools use an approach called Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to make sure every student gets the help they need to learn.
MTSS helps school teams deliver high-quality instruction for all students and provide extra time, support, and interventions as needed. Families are partners in this process. We will share information about your child’s individual learning, needs, and progress.
You may view your child's intervention plans and progress in SIS ParentVUE. Expect progress to be updated quarterly, with report card due dates.
 Fairfax County Therapeutic Recreation Services (TRS) has recreation and leisure programs for children and adults with disabilities and special needs. TRS is committed to providing services, education and resources to meet the needs of participants and assist them on the road toward lifelong participation and enjoyment in recreation and leisure activities. Two upcoming programs include:
Saturday Discovery - provides individuals (ages 6-22) the opportunity to discover their interests by exploring various leisure options such as arts, sports, sensory, dance, and music, all adapted to meet their individual needs in a structured environment. Locations: Irving Middle School and Kilmer Center. (Staff to participant ratio approximately 1:2, 1:3). Winter Session, 8 Saturdays, 10:00am-1:00pm, beginning January 24, 2026. Registration opens on December 3, Cost $83. For more information and to create and account and register please visit: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/neighborhood-community-services/therapeutic-recreation
F.A.N.tastic Times - Family Autism Night is a free drop-in program for individuals with disabilities ages 2 to 22 years old and their families. Planned activities provide an opportunity for the community to come together and have fun playing, socializing, and interacting with other families. Activities are held once a month during September through May. The December event is Skate Night at the Franconia Rec Center (6601 Telegraph Rd, Alexandria, VA 22310) on Saturday, December 20th from 6:00-9:00pm. RSVP is required: NCSTRS@fairfaxcounty.gov or 703-324-5532.
If you have questions or need assistance registering, please contact Island Creek Family Liaison, Amy Garcia, ajgarcia@fcps.edu, 571-595-7015 (call/text) or send a Talking Points message.
What: Family Skate Night (hosted by Park Authority)
When: Saturday, December 20, 2025, 6:00-9:00pm
Where: Franconia Rec Center - 6601 Telegraph Rd., Alexandria, VA 22310
Why: Take a break from the cold and bring the family for an evening of indoor skating with a DJ and dance area. In partnership with Park Authority - Franconia Rec Center. Pizza, popcorn and drinks will be available for purchase on-site. Skate, walk and roll on the dance floor! **Skates will NOT be provided, so please plan to bring your own.
How: RSVP required.
For reservations or more information, please contact NCSTRS@fairfaxcounty.gov or give us a call at 703-324-5532.
❤️Wednesday, November 26 - Friday, November 28: Thanksgiving Break; School closed
❤️Thursday, December 4: Wellness Night and Book Fair (5:30-7:00)
❤️Monday, December 15: AAP Full-Time Referrals due to Principal Jen Fallert
❤️Tuesday, December 16: 6th Grade Band, Strings, and Chorus Winter Concert (6:30)
❤️Wednesday, December 17: 3-Hour Early Release at 12:20 for school-age students
❤️December 22-January 2: Winter Break
❤️Monday, January 5: Welcome Back to School Croc Students and Staff!
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