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Bailey’s Upper Families,
What an incredible week we’ve had at Bailey’s Upper! Our building was filled with joy, kindness, and inspiration from start to finish.
We kicked off the week with Spirit Week, and our students truly showed up. A huge thank-you goes to our 5th graders, who took the lead in organizing the activities and creating the posters.. Their leadership and creativity helped make the week extra special.
We were also honored to welcome a REAL ASTRONAUT, Dr. George Nield! Dr. Nield flew in a Blue Origin rocket, and he shared his unforgettable experience with all of our students. The excitement and curiosity in the room were incredible to witness—what an opportunity for our kids!
Then on Wednesday, during our Town Halls, students had the chance to meet and interview Justice High School students currently in the AVID program. They spoke about setting goals, staying focused in school, and planning for the future. Their words resonated with both our students and staff, and it was truly inspiring to see our Bailey’s Upper students engage with them so thoughtfully.
Finally, on Friday, we enjoyed seeing all of the families who joined us for our Thanksgiving luncheon! The smiles on both students' and families' faces were wonderful to see.
Next week may be a short one with only two school days, but we are committed to making them meaningful and strong.
Thank you, as always, for your partnership and support. Bailey’s Upper continues to be a vibrant and joyful place because of our amazing students, families, and staff.
With gratitude,
Bailey’s Upper Admin Team
💙Ms. Dowling
🧡Ms. Wayland
🐯Ms. Wiley
📂 This week’s Thursday Folder includes:
- I 9 Winter Sports 2026 Registration Flyer (English Only)
- 5th Grade End of Benchmark Advance Unit 2 (English and Spanish)
- 3rd Grade End of Benchmark Advance Unit 2 (English and Spanish)
- 4th Grade End of Benchmark Advance Unit 2 (English and Spanish)
- Opt-Out Request Form-Grade 3-Fairfax County Family Life Education-Emotional and Social Health (English and Spanish)
- Opt-Out Request Form-Grade 4-Fairfax County Family Life Education-Emotional and Social Health (English and Spanish)
- Opt-Out Request Form Grade 5-Fairfax County Family Life Education—Emotional and Social Health (English and Spanish)
Please take a few minutes to review these items with your student so you stay up-to-date with all the exciting things happening in our school community!
Family Life Education (FLE) week is coming up at Bailey’s Upper ES.
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5th Grade FLE is a week long and will take place December 12–18.
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4th Grade FLE is one day and will take place on December 19.
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3rd Grade FLE includes two days of lessons on December 17 and December 19.
To preview the FLE lessons and resources, families can access materials online. Please use the video tutorials below for step-by-step directions on how to find the content:
FLE opt-out forms were sent home at the beginning of the school year and again on Thursday, November 20th. If you would like to opt your child out of any lessons, please complete the opt-out form and return it to school by December 5th. Students who are opted out will participate in an alternative health lesson.
If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Wayland at pawayland@fcps.edu
📸 This is for students who were ABSENT or who would like to RE-TAKE pictures.
✨ Important Information:
- Parents must notify your child’s teacher in writing if your child needs to take re-takes.
- The original photo package must be returned on the day of re-takes.
- Students who were absent may order photos online or bring in hard copy forms.
- Deadline to order photos: Friday, December 5th.
- Payments can be made by check (payable to Victor O’Neill Studios) or exact cash only (no change available).
🗓️ Dates:
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Bailey’s Primary: Wednesday, December 3rd
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Bailey’s Upper: Thursday, December 4th
💻 Online Orders:
SEL Screener: Parent Reporting
The Fall SEL Screener window for students in grades 3-12 is now closed. Results will be released on the following schedule:
- Parent/guardian reports will be available to families in SIS ParentVUE the week of November 17, 2025.
- For families that do not have Parent Vue, Reports will be provided by December 5, 2025.
If you have any questions regarding past, current, or upcoming assessments, please contact Nicole Cassidy or Hugo Duran, our School Testing Coordinators at 703-503-2700
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Wednesday, November 26th- No School (Thanksgiving Break)
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Thursday, November 27th- No School (Thanksgiving Break)
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Friday, November 28th- No School (Thanksgiving Break)
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Wednesday, December 3rd- PTA General Meeting (Online via Zoom) 6:30pm
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Thursday, December 4th- Make-up Picture day for Individual Photos
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Wednesday, December 17th- 3-Hour Early Release (Dismissal starts at 12:25 p.m.)
✅ Please Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey
FCPS is asking all families to complete a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets, which is in the upper right corner of the screen after logging in. Please complete the survey as soon as possible.
Our school will provide paper forms to families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE. For more information, please visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page or watch this video about why Impact Aid matters.
Register for ParentVUELearn how to activate your SIS ParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey and have access to other helpful information about your child’s education at FCPS.
📓 Help Us Write Bailey’s Upper 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 Bailey’s Upper 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.
Volunteer FCPS Helps Community Members Connect With Schools
The new volunteer management system, Volunteer FCPS, allows individuals to search and register for volunteer opportunities at our school or across the school district.
Volunteer FCPS is how FCPS provides a safe, consistent, and welcoming environment at all of our schools. Anyone interested in volunteering with FCPS must:
- Create a profile in Volunteer FCPS.
- Register for opportunities through Volunteer FCPS.
- Sign in and out of schools using the visitor kiosk on EVERY visit – no exceptions.
Recent Updates to Volunteer Opportunity Levels
Due to the overwhelming response, FCPS is temporarily pausing fingerprint requirements for most Level 3 volunteers. 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 comprehensive background check that includes fingerprinting).
To ensure continuous safety, all new volunteers are required to sign a Volunteer Certification Statement. This statement is a legal confirmation that you have no history of violent felonies, physical or sexual crimes against children, or crimes of moral turpitude (dishonesty, fraud, things that are immoral by society’s standards).
Visit the Volunteer FCPS website to complete a volunteer orientation. View Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about the volunteer levels.
Action Required! Update Your Permission for Google Tools
Google recently made changes to how educational applications are managed and accessed on the Chrome Browser and Chromebooks. Many applications are moving from the Chrome Web Store to the Google Play Store.
To ensure your student(s) can continue accessing all approved instructional tools, FCPS has updated its digital consent platform to include both the Chrome Web Store and the Google Play Store.
Please review and provide your consent for these two new options through our easy-to-use Parent Digital Consent system:
- Additional Google Services – Chrome Web Store
- Additional Google Services – Google Play Store
Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting safe and effective digital learning experiences for all students.
For questions or support, please visit FCPS’ Family Technology Resources page or open a ticket with the Technical Support desk
Manage Your Child’s Screen Time on FCPS Devices
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.
Social and Emotional Learning Screener: Parent Reports
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.
Monitoring Support for Your Child in ParentVUE
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.
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 Sue Lackey (AART Teacher) at salackey@fcps.edu 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 Sue Lackey (AART Teacher) at salackey@fcps.edu
At the elementary level, referrals for subject-specific and part-time AAP are screened by our school. If you miss the full-time referral deadline, your student can still be screened for subject-specific or part-time AAP services for the remainder of the year.
For more information, please visit the Advanced Academic Programs webpage.
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.
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The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story, so we can all acknowledge the good work of FCPS employees, specifically at Bailey’s Upper ES. |
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