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The Feather Report
Volume 2, Issue 15
 Students in the Westlawn Chorus and Instrumental Ensemble shared their talents on Tuesday with A Night of Music, featuring special guests from the Virginia Bronze Handbell Ensemble.
Leadership Ledger
Westlawn Families,
Considering this was our first five-day week in November, Iād say we made the most out of it! On Monday our 2nd - 6th graders had the opportunity to listen to Dr. George Nield describe his experiences in space exploration, and on Tuesday the Westlawn Chorus and Instrumental Ensemble, with some help from our partners at Virginia Bronze, performed A Night of Music for Westlawn families. And if that wasnāt enough, today we welcomed over 300 parents and family members for our annual Thanksgiving Luncheon! Weāll need Thanksgiving Break just to recover from this week!Ā
Monday and Tuesday are regular school days, with Thanksgiving Break beginning on Wednesday, November 26. While we appreciate that many families may be traveling for the holiday, please know learning will continue uninterrupted on Monday and Tuesday. And every day counts. Our current absentee rate is down over 3% from this time last year, and we thank all our Westlawn families for continuing to prioritize student learning.Ā Ā
Thank you to all our families in grades 1-6 for supporting our schoolwide initiative of sending student laptops home each evening. To better support and guide families in how their children can utilize technology at home, we are planning a parent-focused, in-person session, during which we will review the specific online resources at your childās disposal, and ways families can support their child(ren) in the home. We are still working on a date - stay tuned! In the meantime, we encourage parents to keep tabs on the Tech Talk section of our weekly newsletter for information about technology and how it relates to your child! Back issues of the newsletter can be accessed by searching for āThe Feather Reportā in your inbox or browsing the archive.
The Westlawn School Team wishes all our families a safe Thanksgiving Break, filled with love and laughter with those you hold dear. Thank you for making Westlawn special.
In partnership,
Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, Shana Curtis, Erin Theiss
Proud Principals
News
Thanksgiving Break is November 26-28
Thanksgiving Break is next week! There is no school Wednesday-Friday. There is no Community Conversation on Wednesday and no Feather Report on Friday. We hope you have a safe and restful break and come back ready for the three full weeks we have school before winter break!
Free Thanksgiving Meals Available
There will be free Thanksgiving meals for adults and students available on November 24 and 25 from 6:00-7:00 PM at various FCPS high school sites. Meals are free and will be available first-come, first-served. Registration is not required.
- November 24: Justice HS and Herndon HS
- November 25: Annandale HS and Mt. Vernon HS
Free Concert Tickets from Virginia Bronze Handbell Ensemble
Virginia Bronze Handbell Ensemble invites our friends at Westlawn Elementary to join us on one of three dates for our December concert series, Your Favorite Things.
This holiday season, the bells will be ringing with your favorite festive songs! We asked our friends and followers to share the holiday tunes that mean the most to them - and we listened. The result is a delightful handbell concert featuring repertoire chosen by our very own community.
Learn about concert dates and times and request free tickets.
Book Fair News
The book fair is coming! The Scholastic Book Fair will take place at Westlawn between December 8-12.
- The Westlawn Book Fair page on the Scholastic site is now live! This page contains links and directions for setting up an eWallet for your child, a way to supply them with money to spend without resorting to the old-fashioned āloose change in a sandwich bagā method. The best part about an eWallet is that the link to add funds is shareable, so you can set one up and send the link to your coparent, relatives living far away, or that one especially generous neighbor.
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Share the Fair, Westlawnās community fund for the book fair, is also live. When you contribute to share the fair, the money in that account helps pay the remaining balance for students who do not have enough to buy a book on their own, and also pays for books for students who are unable to contribute anything toward the cost of one.
- The book fair needs volunteers! Learn more about specific volunteer needs in the Engage with Westlawn part of the newsletter. You can volunteer at the same time your child shops at the fair!
Check Out Our Updated PTA Page
The Westlawn PTA page on our website received a glow-up! Show your thanks for everything that the PTA does for the Westlawn community by joining the PTA today! (Itās never too late to join!)
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Plastic Recycling Update
Thanks to our neighborhood partners, our friends in Human Resources, and the continued support from our families and staff, we have now collected a whopping 662 pounds of plastic film and are 66% of the way toward completing our goal! We are rolling now! Families are encouraged to continue sending in clean, dry plastic film to our special recycling bins in the lobby and inside the doorway from kiss and ride.
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Reminder: Scouts Needed!
The following troops are looking to add more Scouts to the mix! Please contact the troop leader for details about joining. Note that financial help is available for dues/fees and troop leaders can help you with that process.
āļø 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.Ā
FCPSā 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.
ā 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 Serviceās 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 ACE Black Friday Sale: Save 20% Off Classes!
Save 20% when you register for any of the hundreds of classes offered through FCPS ACE from 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 27, through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 30!Ā
Register for as many classes as you want ā adult learning courses, SAT prep courses or driver education classes (including Behind-the-Wheel) ā and even gift them to friends and family. Visit the ACE website for details.Ā
This offer cannot be combined with any other discount and does not apply to gift card purchases.
FCPS News
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- FCPS Budget
- Prepare for Winter Weather
- Community Meal Nights
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 20-22: Aliceās Adventures in Wonderland at Luther Jackson MS (buy tickets and get more information about showtimes)
November 24: Free Thanksgiving Meals for Adults and Students, 6-7 PM at Justice HS
November 25: Free Thanksgiving Meals for Adults and Students, 6-7 PM at Annandale HS
November 26-28: No School - Thanksgiving Break
December 5-7: Behind the Lines at Falls Church HS (buy tickets and get more information about showtimes)
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
Reminder: 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 is now available. Sign up to reserve your volunteer spot today.
Reminder: PTA Fundraiser: Charleston Wrap
Help the PTA raise funds by participating in the Charleston Wrap fundraiser! Shop directly through Westlawnās store, or share our special link with family and friends and encourage them to support Westlawn with their holiday shopping.
Enter a Westlawn Staff Member for a Chance to Win Flowers, a Gift Certificate, Accolades, and More!
Has a Westlawn staff member made you smile this month? Maybe your childās teacher helped them through some unusual challenges, or an office staff member helped you access resources to help your child? Submit them for FCPS Cares! FCPS chooses one winner per region each month, and each monthās winners go on to compete for a quarterly award, which includes a surprise visit from the Superintendent! All nominations are shared on the FCPS website. Read about last monthās winners and nominate a Westlawn staff member. We are Region 2. If you need the full name of a staff member text Ms. Dushok at 571-355-2321 and she can help!
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.
Volunteering in FCPS in 2025-2026 requires you to fill out an online application, and then select the school(s) where you want to be. Learn more and apply today!
Mind Matters
AAP Service Highlight: Subject-Specific and Part-Time Services
At Westlawn we are very proud of our ability to flexibly meet the needs of students. Meeting students by āname and needā means that we individualize services for each student in all thingsā including AAP curriculum. The continuum of AAP services offered in FCPS and here at Westlawn include two separate part-time programs.
- Students in grades K-6 can be found eligible for Subject-Specific AAP services which means they have an academic strength and require more challenging work beyond their peers in one or more subjects. These students receive small group instruction or differentiation in their areas of strength from their classroom teacher. Our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, Mrs. Maxwell, partners with teachers as needed by directing them to opportunities to infuse AAP curriculum in the classroom.
- Students in grades 3-6 can be found eligible for Part-Time AAP services which means they have an overall multi-subject need for advanced curriculum beyond their peers. Many of these students receive the same services as Subject-Specific students, but also participate in a weekly pull-out group with Mrs. Maxwell that focuses on CCT skills as well as challenging curriculum in all subjects. Some part-time students access AAP curriculum daily in their subjects of strength.
All students are screened for these services in the Spring, but a parent can refer at any time by filling out the subject-specific or part-time services referral form and sending it in to your teacher.
Tech Talk
Tech as Presents
With so many gift-giving opportunities over the next few weeks, it is almost inevitable that your children are clamoring for new technology. But how do you spend your money wisely, ensuring that what you buy is a good--and safe--investment? Consider these tips:
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Match the device to your childās age: many tech gadgets, such as smart watches, cell phones, and cameras, come in kid-friendly versions. These starter gadgets usually have fewer features and far less access to the internet, allowing your child to experiment with being responsible for the device and their time on it in a more controlled setting.
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Consider device durability and how the device charges: children can be notoriously hard on devices, so consider investing in cases or screen protectors to increase the deviceās durability. Additionally, consider gifting your child with your old device and getting a new one for yourself. That way, if the device gets broken or lost, it becomes a lesson in personal responsibility without the sting of financial loss. Also consider how the device receives power. The standardization of chargers means that fewer devices come with the ābricksā needed to convert a USB charger into a standard electrical outlet plug, and you may need to purchase a brick separately if you do not have USB power outlets in your home.
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Check for parent controls: almost all devices--and especially the ones specifically designed for children--come with varying levels of parental controls. If your child has multiple homes, consider devices with controls that support multiple parents providing input and monitoring use.
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Check media ratings: for media such as video games or movies, various websites with media ratings are available for families to browse before making any purchasing decisions. We recommend Common Sense Media as a good place to start. Their media reviews section does not require a subscription.
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Check privacy and data practices: look for toys and devices with clear privacy settings and no unnecessary data collection.
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Choose tools that build skills: consider toys that build coding skills, video games that bolster creativity and cooperation, or apps that offer learning experiences. Your child can apply these skills to a variety of settings both online and offline, and they will help your child find greater success in school at all levels.
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Prepare for setup: plan to help your child create or link accounts, choose settings, and learn how to operate and charge their new device. If you donāt know how to do something, you can almost always find a how-to video on YouTube.
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Create boundaries at home: have expectations for your childās use of the new technology before they open the package. Communicate these expectations with your child right from the outset. It is far easier to set expectations from the beginning than try to limit tech use after a pattern has been set! On that note, consider tossing an inexpensive battery-operated timer into your cart along with the device! You can package them together and teach your child how to set the timer to limit their time on the device. Also, if you purchase a device for multiple children to share, make sure to have a schedule for use ready to go to prevent fights and tears!
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Begin (or continue) an ongoing dialogue about technology and experiences: your childās experiences with technology will continue to grow and develop over time. Be curious about their experiences: ask about their video games, the things they see online, and how technology makes them feel.
With some planning, tech gifts can bring joy to the recipient and make a positive impact in their life. And remember: your children are always watching you! The best way you can help your child develop healthy tech habits is to model them yourself.
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).
Soaring Staff Spotlight
This week the Soaring Staff Spotlight is on Jimmy Honnold!
Mr. Honnold is a special educator supporting 5th and 6th grade students here at Westlawn. Letās learn more about Mr. Honnold!
What was your favorite subject in school?
Math
If you werenāt in education, what other job would you want?
Park ranger
What is your favorite season of the year?
Summer
What is your favorite hobby?
Listening to music
What is one song that always puts a smile on your face?
Ocean by Mike Perry
If you could meet any famous person, who would it be?
Shohei Ohtani
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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