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From the Principals’ Desk
As we move into December, we want to remind families how important daily attendance is for student success. Every year, absences tend to increase before and after winter break. Consistent attendance helps students build strong routines and stay connected to their learning. Thank you for helping your child arrive each day on time and ready to SOAR! More resources and tips are available on the FCPS Attendance webpage.
We also know this season can bring added stress for families. If you or someone you know could benefit from support, Fairfax County offers a wide range of food assistance or shelter, and community resources. You can explore what’s available through the Human Services Resource Guide.
We are grateful for the care, kindness, and community you bring to SEES every day.
With appreciation,
April Martin, Proud Principal & Kassandra Flading, Assistant Principal
🦅 SOAR Shout-Outs
Thank you to our custodians for supporting all of our events this week and keeping everything running smoothly. As we move into the snowy and icy season, we want to especially recognize our amazing custodial staff, who arrive early—often before sunrise—to ensure our sidewalks and parking lots are safe and ready for students, staff, and families.
Our front office team also deserves a big shout-out for their constant support. They greet families with kindness, help navigate schedule changes, answer community questions, and manage student absences due to illness with patience and care. We’re grateful for their commitment to keeping SEES welcoming, responsive, and connected.
✨ Literacy Spotlight
What’s happened in Fifth Grade Reading & Writing this week?
FCPS Goal 3: Academic Growth and Excellence: Benchmark
 Fifth Grade Unit 3 Essential Question
Why do laws continue to evolve?
Students are reading about the U.S. Constitution and how it sets up the three branches of our government. They are exploring how the Constitution can be changed through amendments and why those changes are sometimes needed to make laws fair and protect everyone’s rights. Students are also learning that citizens can make their voices heard by petitioning or protesting for causes they care about. Throughout this unit, we are discussing how determination and persistence play an important role when people work to improve our laws and government.
➕ Math Spotlight
What’s happened in Second Grade Math this week?
FCPS Goal 3: Academic Growth and Excellence: Student Centered Engagement
 Second Grade Focus for This Week:
Our second graders have been hard at work strengthening their number sense! Students are building a strong foundation by matching quantities to the correct numerals, helping them develop accuracy and confidence with early number concepts. They’ve also been exploring the value of digits in three-digit numbers using base-ten blocks. This concrete practice helps them visualize place value, explain their thinking, and truly take flight in their understanding of how numbers work. Our second graders are certainly SOARing to new heights in math this week!
🏡 Community Corner
Santa’s Ride & Community Giving
Santa will be stopping by SEES on Tuesday, December 9, to spread holiday cheer as part of Santa’s Ride, a yearly tradition coordinated through local law enforcement and community partners.As part of this event, we are collecting new toys, books, and games for children receiving care at INOVA Children’s Hospital. Donation boxes are located in the front lobby. If your family would like to contribute, items will be collected through December 8.Thank you for helping brighten the holidays for children in the hospital this season.
Dates & Reminders
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December 9: Band Concert. 7:00 p.m., Key MS. Student performers report at 6:30 p.m.
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December 10: Coffee & Conversation for Parents/Guardians. 9:30 a.m., SEES Cafeteria. Topic: Wheel of Life Workshop - finding balance with Tamara Morozova, Health Coach.
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December 11: Strings Concert (5th and 6th grade). 7:00 p.m., Key MS. Student performers report at 6:30 p.m.
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December 17: Three Hour Early Release. Students will be dismissed at 1:05 p.m. unless we have already received notification from their families that they should stay until 4:05 p.m.
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December 18: Coffee & Conversation for Parents/Guardians. 9:30 a.m., SEES Cafeteria. Topic: Multilingual Strategies and Supports.
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December 22 - January 2: Winter Break. School is closed for students and staff.
- Click here to see the full 2025-2026 FCPS 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 Allison Donnelly (aldonnelly@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 Allison Donnelly at aldonnelly@fcps.edu.
.At the elementary level, referrals for subject-specific and part-time AAP are screened by the 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.
At the middle school level, honors courses are open to all students.
For more information, please visit the Advanced Academic Programs website.
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