Note from Mrs. Briggs

We have had a busy week teaching and learning at SHES! Today, I spoke at our PTO meeting and mentioned that we are still finalizing how to best spend our Boosterthon funds. Please let us know how you would like us to use the funds. The survey will be open until December 19th.

As we are quickly approaching the end of November and Thanksgiving, I want to extend how deeply grateful I am to be entrusted with leading the school I love so much. 

We wish you all a safe, joyful and healthy Thanksgiving break next week with family and friends. We are grateful to have this time away and look forward to hearing about the memories you made when your children return to school on Monday, December 1.

Sincerely,

Amy Briggs

We Need Your Vote!

Your input is essential in making a decision that best serves our students and community.

Please click the link below to cast your vote on how we should best spend our Boosterthon funds. Two options are presented with pictures. 

Vote here

When your child is out from school

As a reminder, if your child is out for any reason, please make sure to put it into Parent Vue or PUP patrol so that we can accurately account for your child's absence. Thank you!

  Important Dates

2025-26   School Calendar

Window for Full-Time AAP Referrals Closes on December 15

Parents and guardians of students in Grades 2-7 who would like their student to be considered for full-time Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) services must submit the AAP Full-Time Referral Form to Erin O'Connor no later than December 15, 2025.

Each year, families can submit a referral for full-time AAP services any time from the first day of school through December 15. No late referrals for full-time AAP services will be accepted.

Once a referral is received, our school will compile information related to the student. Then, a committee of six trained professionals from across the county will review materials to determine eligibility for full-time AAP services. 

Next Steps for Parents

Eligibility decisions are communicated by early April. Parents may request a copy of their child’s materials after February 20, 2026, by emailing [name and email address of the AART].

📓 Help Us Write Spring Hill's Next Chapter: Fiscal Year 2027 Budget

There’s a story behind the success of every FCPS student — a story about what’s possible with the appropriate funding for world-class teachers, rigorous academics, and future-ready learning experiences. At FCPS, student success starts with a strong budget!

FCPS is currently developing the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget, which is for the 2026-27 school year. In January, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid will present a proposed budget to the School Board. 

During this process, we’ll be sharing FCPS’ budget story with you. The different chapters will explain the impact of chronic underfunding, why strong funding benefits all of Fairfax County, what’s at stake when Spring Hill ES and other FCPS schools don’t get the support we need, and more. 

We invite you to follow along and learn how you can help write our next chapter! 

❄️ Prepare for Winter Weather

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.

⛄ Keep Your Child Warm During Outdoor Activities

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.

IMPACT AID - ONLINE NOW

The Federal Impact Aid Survey is now available to complete online. 

The Federal Impact Aid program provides money to districts that enroll federally connected students. Help FCPS secure funding from the Impact Aid Program by helping us identify: 

• Military families.
• Federally connected families.
• Families living on a military base.

Please complete one form for each child in your household. Remember that only the parent that registered the student with FCPS (the ‘enrolling parent’) can fill out the Impact Aid Survey form. 

For families without access to ParentVUE, a paper copy of the form will be sent home with your student starting November 12. Your information will be kept strictly confidential.

Your support will ensure that we receive the resources for which we are eligible.

To access the Impact Aid Form from your computer or mobile device, we recommend using Google Chrome.

Step 1: CLICK HERE or type sisparent.fcps.edu into your Chrome address bar to be taken to SIS ParentVUE. If you don’t have a SIS ParentVUE account, contact your child’s school for an activation letter. 

Step 2: After you’ve logged into your ParentVue Account, look for the ‘Online Packets’ link at the top of the page. Click ‘Online Packets’.

Step 3: Next, click the ‘Federal Impact Aid Survey’ button at the bottom of the page. This will take you to the Impact Aid Survey for you to complete.

If you have multiple children in Fairfax County Public Schools, please fill out a form for each child. You will know you have completed all of the forms when you get to the final page and see a green check next to each of their names.

For questions, please email Denise Barber at DBarber@fcps.edu

Spelling Bee

Students who are interested in participating in this year’s Spelling Bee will need to sign up for a time to test with Mrs. Roman and Mr. Garris.    Students who wish “try out” for the Spelling Bee will be gathered at door 9 by Kiss and Ride between 8:15 and 8:25am. This written spelling test will begin sharply at 8:30. Signup sheets are posted outside of Mrs. Roman’s door.  Each testing session will be capped at 25 students.  If more testing dates are needed,  we can/will add them.   6^th grade is filling up quickly, it is likely a 3^rd date will be added in December.

4^th Grade test days will be Tuesday, December 2, and Wednesday, December 3

There are 18 participant spots for students grade 4-6 in this year’s Spelling Bee.  Please note, neither grade level nor class will be a determining factor for participation.  Participants will be announced on the Morning Show the week of December 11^th.  Study materials will be passed out at that time.

The Spring Hill Spelling Bee will be held 2:00pm, February 27, 2026.  Viewing of the Spelling Bee will be closed to a live audience.  A live streaming link will be sent closer to the date.   

STEAM Updates

SAVE THE DATE!   We will be hosting our 2^nd annual STEAM NIGHT/ Science Fair.  This year’s theme is  “Once Upon a ….”  We are excited to add another layer to the event “+ Literacy,”  The event will be Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 4:00-7:00pm.  If you are interested in volunteering to help plan and organize, please reach out to Kendra Roman krroman@fcps.edu.

This quarter there are a ton of fun things happening in STEAM.  Kindergarten – 3^rd grades are have been engaging in Nature Mandas where they are learning Math concepts (counting, shapes, symmetry), Science concepts (sorting, classifying, seeds, exoskeletons, and MUCH more), mindfulness, quiet introspection, respect for nature, all while engineering beautiful art. I hope your families can take some screen free time this fall to seek out interesting outdoor materials and make your own nature Mandalas in nature. 

Sixth graders are building rollercoasters.  They are putting to use their 5^th grade Force and Motion knowledge to use in keeping a marble in it’s tracks as it does loops, swirls, and hills.

🎤 Save the Date: Community Conversations with Superintendent Dr. Reid

Your voice matters, and Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid wants to hear from you! At FCPS, parents are partners, working with us to set our students up for long-term success at school and in life. 

A series of Community Conversations will be held across the school division to discuss current challenges and future opportunities. These events are also a chance for you to share your thoughts and ask questions about FCPS. Events are planned for the following dates from 6 to 8 p.m.:

• Friday, December 5

• Tuesday, December 9
• Thursday, December 11

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.

A Message from the PTO

STAFF APPRECIATION CHILI LUNCHEON

The festive season is upon us - which means it’s time for one of Spring Hill staff’s favorite traditions:

our Annual Staff Chili Luncheon!

To make this year’s luncheon the best one yet, we need your help and support! Show your appreciation for our amazing staff by cooking up a crockpot of your favorite chili and bringing along all the tasty fixings. All varieties of Chili are welcome—beef, turkey, vegetarian, vegan… you name it!

Cooking not your thing? No problem! We also need volunteers to provide plasticware, paper goods, drinks, and cookies.

***PLEASE SIGN UP HERE FOR THE 2025 CHILI LUNCH***

Questions? SpringHillPTOStaffAppreciation@gmail.com

LOST & FOUND CORNER

The Lost and Found corner is rapidly growing…Be sure to label all clothing items and please consider purchasing from Mabel's Labels to ensure clothing items return home again!  

UPCOMING PTO INFORMATION

Look out for information about the following upcoming events on the PTO Calendar - including January’s BINGO Night and Spring OSAs sign-ups, and early planning for our beloved Fun Fair!

Varsity Tutors Provides On-Demand Support at No Cost

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. Learn more about online tutoring with Varsity Tutors.

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