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Fairfax County Public Schools 2025-2026 Standard School Year Calendar
Good afternoon Powell Puma Families-
As we head into the final stretch of December, we want to share a few reminders and celebrations happening in our community.
Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate! Hanukkah (also spelled Chanukah) is an eight-night Jewish holiday known as the Festival of Lights. It commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the enduring hope and perseverance symbolized by the menorah’s lights. Many families celebrate by lighting the menorah each night, enjoying time together, and reflecting on themes of faith, resilience, and community. We wish our students, staff, and families a meaningful and joyful Hanukkah.
Winter weather reminder: Please help your child come to school prepared for colder temperatures each day. We recommend sending students with a warm coat, gloves or mittens, and a hat (and scarves as needed). As temperatures drop, winter gear helps students stay comfortable during arrival, dismissal, and outdoor time.
Thank you for your continued partnership and support—have a wonderful week!
Warmly,
Catherine Han
Principal
Spirit Week to Countdown to Winter Break!
| Day |
Date |
Theme/Description |
| Monday |
15 |
WARM & FUZZY- Wear fuzzy socks, fluffy sweaters, sherpas, mittens, or any soft fuzzy clothing. |
| Tuesday |
16 |
SPARKLE LIKE A SNOWFLAKE- Wear sparkly, white, silver, or light blue clothing to shine bright! |
| Wednesday |
17 |
WINTER ACCESSORIES- Pull out those hats, festive headbands, jewelry, fun socks, and more! |
| Thursday |
18 |
WACKY TACKY- Wear a wacky outfit that could include a tacky sweater or mismatched patterns. |
| Friday |
19 |
PJ DAY- Keeping up with tradition, wear pajamas to school on the last day before winter break! |
🚨 Follow-Up: Safety Reminder for Kiss & Ride & Parking Lot 🚨
Thank you to our families for your continued cooperation with our Kiss & Ride procedures. We are writing to share an important safety follow-up based on concerns observed during morning arrival.
Recently, we have observed unsafe driving behaviors in the Kiss and Ride lane and parking lot, as well as students and families walking through the parking lot outside of designated walkways. The safety of our students is our top priority, and we need everyone’s help to ensure arrival remains safe and orderly.
🚗 Kiss & Ride Is for Quick Drop-Off Only The Kiss & Ride lane is designed for quick, efficient student drop-off:
- Students should have all materials ready before arriving at the drop-off point
- Parents should not exit their vehicles at any time while in the Kiss & Ride lane
If your student:
- Needs additional assistance that requires you to stop, get out, and help
- Has a large instrument
- Needs items retrieved from the trunk
👉 Please utilize the parent parking area, park your vehicle, and walk your student in. This ensures student safety and keeps the Kiss & Ride lane moving efficiently.
🚸 Watch for Students Who Are Walking Please drive slowly and remain alert for students and families who are walking to school, especially during busy arrival times.
🚶♀️ Use Crosswalks & Sidewalks Only We have noticed students and families running across the parking lot at random locations. This is extremely unsafe. All families who are walking must use designated sidewalks and marked crosswalks.
👋 Follow Staff Directions at All Times Staff members are on duty each morning to support safety and traffic flow. Please follow their directions and signals promptly and respectfully. These directions are given to protect students and ensure a smooth arrival for all families.
These expectations are critical to:
- Keeping students safe
- Preventing congestion
- Reducing delays caused by stopped vehicles in the Kiss & Ride lane
We appreciate your cooperation and partnership as we work to safely move over 100 vehicles through arrival each morning. With everyone following these procedures, we can ensure a calm, safe, and efficient start to the day for all students.
Thank you for your attention to this important safety matter and for helping us protect our school community.
Hello, Powell Families! 🎨
Due to popular demand, and because some people experienced issues placing their orders, the Original Works ordering program is reopened!
Turn your child’s masterpiece into personalized gifts and support our school. Proceeds help purchase a large paper organizer.
🎁 How to order:
- Follow the easy instructions in the flyer.
🗓️ New Due Date:
Don't miss out on this special program! Thank you for your support!
 
It’s time! Registration for Baroody Camps’ enrichment at Colin Powell is officially OPEN!
From STEM and sports to arts and cooking, our programs are packed with activities that keep kids engaged, learning, and having a blast after the school day ends.
Registration closes Sunday, January 11th—don’t wait!
Sign up and find full program details here: bc-ffx-colinpowell.jumbula.com/winter-2026 Questions? Contact us at info@baroodycamps.com.
The online store is only open for one more week! If you were unable to purchase school spirit wear back in September, please be sure to place your order by December 17th (1pm deadline).
THE HOLIDAY IS ALMOST HERE! LET US SPREAD A SPRINKLE OF HAPPINESS AND HOLIDAY CHEER!
Please use the link or the QR code and submit by Friday, December 12th.
This is in support of the 6th grade Korean Immersion trip to Korea. Thank you for your support!!!
Save the Date for the Rising 7th grade Katherine Johnson Curriculum Night! The event will be at KJMS from 6pm – 8pm and is for current 6th graders and their Parents and Guardians. More information will be shared soon!
Curriculum Night – Wednesday, January 14 (snow date Wed Jan 21)
Save the Date for the Rising 7th grade Liberty Curriculum Night! You are invited to join us for our Curriculum Night on Wednesday, January 14th for Liberty Middle School rising 7th grade students. This is a great opportunity to learn about course offerings and the course selection process as students prepare to select classes for the 2026-2027 school year.
We look forward to seeing you in January!
Full-Time AAP
Full-Time AAP is an academic program that offers a high degree of frequency and intensity of differentiation through acceleration, depth, and complexity of content and skills in all four core content areas. If you have a current 2nd-6th grader and feel your child requires full-time AAP, please submit your referral materials by December 15th. Please read below to learn more about what to submit. **Please note that ability test scores may or may not be released by December 15th. Do not wait until scores are received to submit your referral package.**
Parent Responsibility for the Referral File:
You can also find information from our November 5th Parent Night posted on our Parent Schoology page in the AAP folder.
Sending/Delivering the Referral File
If you are submitting your materials digitally, please email your attachments to Mrs. Bach, kmbach@fcps.edu. Only PDF and JPG formats are allowed.
If you are submitting your materials by hard copy, please drop them off to the front office. All copies and forms should be completed prior to drop off. Items will not be returned.
Confirmation of the Referral File
Upon submission, Mrs. Bach will send an email to confirm receipt of the file and the materials, within 24-48 hours of submission during workdays. If there is any issue with the readability or if the file does not follow the guidelines, the email will specifically communicate what needs to be fixed for the file to proceed. Please note, Mrs. Bach is on leave December 9th-12th and will be unavailable. She will follow up with email messages upon return on Monday, December 15th.
Please submit your referral materials BY DECEMBER 15th. This is the deadline and there are no exceptions.
We have some great news! The deadline for the annual Yearbook Contest has been extended to give students a little more time.
All submissions are now due on Monday, December 18th.
Please encourage your student to finalize their entry and submit it soon. We're really looking forward to seeing all the masterpieces!
Volunteer FCPS allows individuals to search and register for volunteer opportunities across the division. It helps ensure a safe, consistent, and welcoming environment at all of our schools. All volunteers must:
- Create a profile in Volunteer FCPS.
- Register for opportunities through Volunteer FCPS.
- Sign in and out of schools using our visitor kiosk.
Individuals can complete a volunteer orientation on the Volunteer FCPS website. View Volunteer FCPS Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about the volunteer levels.
Recent Updates to Volunteer Opportunity LevelsDue to the overwhelming response from our community, 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.
As part of the application, all volunteers sign a statement confirming they have not been convicted of violent crimes, crimes against children, or other serious misconduct.
Field trip chaperone opportunities are now classified as Level 2 (not requiring a comprehensive background check).
Food insecurity impacts more than 96,000 Fairfax County residents. Learn how to help and discover the many resources available to support those who need food assistance or shelter. View the county’s Human Services Resource Guide.
Food insecurity impacts more than 96,000 Fairfax County residents. Learn how to help and discover the many resources available to support those who need food assistance or shelter. View the county’s Human Services Resource Guide.
A list of resources has been compiled for students and families in case they or someone they know needs assistance while schools are closed for winter break. Please visit FCPS’ winter resources page for information on academic support, mental health support, and county resources related to food, clothing, housing, and other needs.
Even If School Is Closed, Learning Can Continue!
We encourage students to take advantage of fun learning opportunities during the upcoming winter break and on snow days. Consider these winter activities to blend education and play at home.
Engaging in literacy activities over winter break helps students maintain the reading, writing, and speaking skills they built during the first half of the school year. Even a little daily practice, such as these 10 fun family activities, helps ensure they return to school confident and ready to continue growing in literacy. Enjoy these literacy adventures as a family!
Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE to make sure you receive notifications of school delays/closings. Emails and text messages are sent to parents/caregivers based on the email addresses and cell phone numbers entered on this platform.
If your information is correct but you are not receiving updates from FCPS, contact the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277, Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Watch a video to see how FCPS makes weather delays/closing decisions. Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated.
⛄ Winter Resources for Families
A list of resources has been compiled for students and families in case they or someone they know needs assistance while schools are closed for winter break. Please visit FCPS’ winter resources webpage for information on academic support, mental health support, and county resources related to food, clothing, housing, and other needs.
Even If School Is Closed, Learning Can Continue!
FCPS encourages students to take advantage of fun learning opportunities during winter break and snow days. Consider these winter activities to blend education and play for your students during winter break or in the event of weather-related school closures.
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- FCPS Showcases Success
- Be Among the First to Hear About School Delays/Closings
- Winter Resources for Families
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