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The Feather Report
Volume 2, Issue 16
 Sixth grade students were blown over by the exhibits at the National Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian) on a recent field trip.
Leadership Ledger
Westlawn Families,
We were delighted to welcome students back into the building after last week’s extended Thanksgiving break! Students and staff eagerly jumped into new learning and sprinkled in a smattering of field trips, seasonal fun, and the usual anticipation for the first snow events for the year. As a reminder--when school is closed or delayed, FCPS will share the information on its website, its social media channels, and local news stations. Learn more about how FCPS makes the decision to delay or close schools.
Next week we look forward to one of the most exciting events of the year: the Scholastic Book Fair! The Book Fair will be open to students during school hours each day, and family and friends are invited to come shop the fair on Wednesday, December 10, from 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM. There are still volunteer slots open for the fair!
Wednesday, December 10 is also an early release Wednesday, and dismissal will be at 12:30 PM.
With only two weeks left before winter break our calendar remains packed with events and opportunities for students and families! You can see dates and details below. We hope to see you at some of them! Thank you for ensuring that the Westlawn community remains a strong, supportive, and joyous place to grow and learn!
In partnership,
Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, Shana Curtis, Erin Theiss
Proud Principals
News
Deadline Alert! AAP Referrals Due Soon
Each year, families can submit a referral for full-time AAP services at any time from the first day of school through December 15. No late referrals for Full-Time AAP services will be accepted. Please read more about it in the Mind Matters section below.
Gifts for Westlawn Staff
As we enter the holiday season, we want to share a gentle reminder: there is no expectation for students or families to give gifts. Your partnership and support all year long are more than enough.
If your family enjoys giving, simple and low-cost ideas can mean a lot. A kind note (or submitting an FCPS Cares), a student-made card, a drawing, or a small classroom supply (like a glue stick or marker) are all thoughtful options. Even a quick “thank you” message can brighten a staff member’s whole day.
For families who ask each year, we do have teacher wish lists available on our school website. These are completely optional and only there for those who look for them.
Thank you for helping us keep the focus on kindness, community, and gratitude during this season.
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We Reached Our Goal!
Thank you to our community, our community partners, and our friends in Human Resources for helping us collect 1,000 pounds of plastic film and reach our goal of earning a Trex bench for our campus. Families: we still encourage you to collect plastic film so it doesn’t end up in the landfill! There are several drop sites around the Westlawn neighborhood where you can recycle the film. Learn more on the NexTrex website.
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Virginia Quality Birth to Five (VQB5)
FCPS is participating in Virginia Quality Birth to Five (VQB5). VQB5 is Virginia’s system for measuring and supporting quality in early childhood programs so children enter kindergarten ready to learn. VQB5 builds on health and safety standards by measuring the quality of teacher-child interactions and the use of the curriculum. Learn more about VQB5 from VDOE.
Scoliosis Fact Sheets
We are required by the state of Virginia to share information about scoliosis with families. The FCPS website has information about scoliosis, including PDF fact sheets in various languages at the bottom.
Reminder: 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 “loose change in a sandwich bag” 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, Westlawn’s 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!
- Cardboard Arcade STEAM Club will present their games to the public on December 10 at the same time as the Family and Friends Book Fair event. Students in the club who are able to stay after school will have their games on display in the lobby outside the library for book fair guests to play from 4-5 pm. They’ve got some great claw machines, whack-a-mole, plink, and even a car racing game!
FCPS News
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Navigating the Digital World at Family Cafe
- Computer Science Education Week
- Comprehensive Boundary Review Updates
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
Engage with Westlawn
STEAM Volunteers Wanted
Volunteers are requested to help with STEAM classes in the afternoons from 2:15-3:15, especially on Wednesdays and Fridays. Sixth grade students are working on capstone projects and some are working on rocketry and aeronautics. They need to run tests outside in the field, and a second adult for supervision would be helpful! No knowledge about flying objects is required! Send a TalkingPoints or email to Ms. Winters.
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.
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!
Dates and Events
December 5-7: Behind the Lines at Falls Church HS (buy tickets and get more information about showtimes)
December 8-12: Book Fair
December 9: Winter Band/Strings Concert; doors open at 6:00, concert starts at 6:30 PM
December 10: Fun Clothing Wednesday - clothing with animals or animal print
December 10: Multilingual Learner Family Breakfast - 9:00 AM in the cafeteria
December 10: Early Release Wednesday - 12:30 PM dismissal
December 10: Book Fair Family and Friends Event - 1:00 - 6:00 PM
December 10: PTA Meeting - 6:30-7:30 PM on Zoom
December 11: Fall Picture Retakes
December 16: Gingerbread House Decorating - 3:30-4:30 PM; buy tickets now
December 17: Fun Clothing Wednesdays - green for Grinch Day
December 17: Restaurant Night - Chipotle in Mosaic from 5-9 PM
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.
Mind Matters
Window for Full-Time AAP Referrals Closes on December 15
Parents and guardians of students in Grades 2-6 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 our AART Gretchen Maxwell or classroom teachers no later than December 15, 2025. No late referrals for full-time AAP services will be accepted.
Once a referral is received, Westlawn staff 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. Eligibility decisions are communicated by early April.
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.
For more information, please visit the Advanced Academic Programs webpage.
Tech Talk
Computer Science Education Week (December 8-12)
Computer Science Education Week takes place from December 8-12, 2025! Learning computer science in elementary school helps children build strong skills for the future. When students explore coding, they practice problem-solving, creativity, and logical thinking. These skills are important in many fields, not just technology. Early exposure also helps students understand how computers, apps, and digital tools work, which is a big part of today’s world.
By starting young, children gain confidence to try new ideas and stick with challenges. This foundation can open doors to future careers in areas like engineering, design, robotics, medicine, communication, and more. Small steps now can lead to big opportunities later in life.
Students at Westlawn explore computer science in multiple ways, including through STEAM and certain classwork activities. There are also resources that families can use at home with children of various ages:
- The Student Technology Links page has a selection of links for coding and computer science, with games and learning opportunities for students at all grade levels.
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(Legacy) Hour of Code activities are free activities based on popular media such as Minecraft, Disney’s Frozen, Hot Wheels, Barbie, and more! There is a filter system on the left to only display activities that match your child’s age level.
- Coding and computer science education and exploration can also happen without a screen! Making patterns using beads or engaging in if-then sequencing games are two skills that coders and computer scientists use on a daily basis. Check out some ideas for screen-free coding and computer science ideas.
Google Tools
Google recently made changes to how educational applications are managed and accessed on the Chrome web browser and Chromebooks. Many applications are moving from the Chrome Web Store to the Google Play Store.
To ensure your child 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 through our easy-to-use Parent Digital Consent system for these two new options:
- Additional Google Services – Chrome Web Store
- Additional Google Services – Google Play Store
Note: you need a ParentVUE account to access the Parent Digital Consent system. Your ParentVUE username and password give you access to the Parent Digital Consent system. If you need to set up a ParentVUE account, please contact Ms. Caballero in the main office at 703-241-5100.
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 Meredith Jessen!
Ms. Jessen is a sixth grade teacher here at Westlawn. Let’s learn more about Ms. Jessen!
What was your favorite subject in school?
Math
If you weren’t in education, what other job would you want?
Pediatric oncology nurse
What is your favorite memory from elementary school?
Great teachers and long-lasting friendships, including a friend I have had since second grade!
What is your favorite snack?
Skinny Pop
What is your favorite hobby?
Reading
If you could instantly learn a new skill, what would it be?
Spanish - speaking, reading, and writing fluently!
Pizza or tacos?
Seafood tacos
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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