Fort Belvoir Upper News
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Winter Break - No School
December 22, 2025 - January 2, 2026
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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.
With the recent extreme cold temperatures, school buses may take longer than usual to warm up. This could result in slight delays in student pick-up times.
Families can stay informed about bus schedules in the following ways:
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Bus Delay Board: Visit https://busdelay.fcps.edu/ for timely updates on late bus routes. When a bus is running 10 minutes or more behind schedule, the delay is posted. Morning route information is available until 11:00 a.m., and afternoon route information is available from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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Here Comes the Bus® App: This free app provides real-time bus location tracking using GPS data and is available on multiple devices, helping families know when the bus is approaching.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact FCPS Transportation. Please note that the Fort Belvoir Garrison Commander’s staff does not have information regarding bus pick-up or drop-off schedules.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as FCPS works to transport students safely during cold weather conditions.
Here Comes the Bus Mobile App
Welcome to Here Comes the Bus! Know when your bus is approaching your stop. Here Comes the Bus® app is a school bus tracking app that provides real-time bus location. This helps parents and students get to the bus stop on time. Here Comes the Bus® utilizes our GPS data and available on multiple devices.
How to Get Started
Using the app is EASY! You will need the FCPS school district code 28982 and a Student Information System (SIS) Parent Account. Contact your child's school if you do not have an SIS Parent Account. Please be sure to follow the detailed instructions below.
From a smartphone or tablet, download (for free) the Here Comes the Bus® app from the App Store or Google Play.
Please Note: If a new SIS Parent Account was created, please wait 24-48 hours before proceeding with the detailed instructions below.
- Open the app. Enter your email address associated with your SIS Parent Account. Do not use the Student Login or Sign Up links.
- Enter FCPS school district code 28982.
- Enter your password associated with your SIS Parent Account.
- Click 'Login', just below the password field.
- Next, you will be prompted to validate your account. Please click the Validation Button (the app will close). Next, log on to your email account associated with your SIS Parent Account.
- Please open the validation email from Synovia and click the validate account link. (If you do not receive an email, check the junk/spam folder) A browser window will open. Please close the browser window and return to the Here Comes the Bus® app.
- Repeat the previous login steps (Steps 1-4).
- Enter the name of your device.
- Close and log back onto the Here Comes the Bus® app.
- Under 'Students', you should see a list of your student(s) names.
- Confirm the information and you are ready to begin using Here Comes the Bus®.
Once signed in, you can customize or edit features, including how the app will communicate with you, and the size and location of the notification radius around your child's bus stop.
Helpful Tips
The app tracks the bus route, not the student.
Sometimes we make bus substitutions and this can affect the accuracy of the Here Comes the Bus® app. When a bus substitution is made, the Here Comes the Bus® app may not work.
Please note that no bus tracking service is 100 percent accurate; DO NOT assume the bus is not coming just because the app did not notify you! If in doubt about the arrival of a bus, please contact the Transportation office that supports your child's school.
The bus stop associated with your child for morning and afternoon bus service is the location you can draw the radius around; the app does not track after-school athletics or any other transportation we provide.
You must have your SIS ParentVUE Account information in order to use the app. If you need your SIS Parent Account information, you must contact your child's school. Transportation staff will NOT be able to provide this information to you.
Depending on your cell provider and coverage strength, notifications may be delayed due to bad cell phone reception.
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Fort Belvoir Elementary Families of K-6 students, it’s time for our annual Kids Lab Afterschool STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) Program! Our DoDEA funded Grant brings hands-on, fun learning for our students. If your child loves STEAM, they’ll love this program! We will hold classes on Wednesdays right after school until 5:25 starting on January 14th and ending on March 18th. Transportation will be provided. There is a small supply fee for each student. For more information, and to register, click the link below or use the QR code. For any questions, please email our STEAM Grant Team - ecstickel@fcps.edu or ksfahy@fcps.edu
https://forms.gle/cFKQhh5AQ3czMXHj7
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The Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Military-Connected Youth Process Action Team (MCY PAT) identifies the unique academic, behavioral, and social/emotional needs of military-connected youth and families, and ensures faculty and staff are informed and prepared to meet those identified needs. The team partners with FCPS and community stakeholders as appropriate to achieve these goals.
The MCY PAT strives to include family representation, and highly encourages military-connected family members to apply to be part of our team.
The team meets virtually on the first Thursday of each month at 2 p.m.
As a military-connected family member, if you would like the opportunity to be selected to participate, please complete this Google form by Friday, December 19, 2025.
For more information, please contact Katie Server, Family Partnerships Specialist, Military-Connected Youth & Families, at kaserver@fcps.edu.
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 Susan Lattuca, AART, 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 Susan Lattuca at salattuca@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.
At the middle school level, honors courses are open to all students.
For more information, please visit the Advanced Academic Programs webpage.
Did you know Fort Belvoir Elementary has dedicated Family Liaisons to help you and your family connect with the school?
Blue Star Welcome Coffee
If you're a military family, join the Liaisons for a Blue Star Welcome Coffee! It's a relaxed way to meet new families, share your ideas, and discuss topics that matter to you.
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Where: PX Starbucks
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When: 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM
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Upcoming Dates: January 20, February 18, March 24, April 21, and May 19.
New Family Orientations
New to Fort Belvoir Elementary (FBES) or FCPS? We host monthly New Family orientations to help you learn the ropes. If you need help with school apps like ParentVue, Schoology, or MySchoolBucks, stop by or call!
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When: 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM
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Upcoming Dates: January 26, February 23, March 18, and April 28.
PCSing? We're Here for You!
If your family is moving or PCSing, the Liaisons can support you by:
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Providing new school district Points of Contact.
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Reaching out to the community for resources.
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Connecting you to Military Family Life Counselors (MFLCs).
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Setting up a virtual meeting.
Don't hesitate to reach out to Dolores or Jeannette!
Good afternoon, PTA will place a monthly newsletter in teachers’ mailboxes to help improve communication of upcoming events to families. These are the events that we know of for January.
Jan 5th Jan 8 : Domino's Spirit Night
Jan 8 : Food Market 12 - 3:30pm
Jan 13 : Chick Fil A Spirt Night @ Kingstowne 5pm - 7pm
Jan 14 : PTA Meeting 5:30pm
Jan 16 : Popcorn Palooza
Jan 19 : No School
Jan 20 : Blue Star Coffee @ PX Starbucks
Jan 26 : New Family Orientation
Jan 28 : 2 Hour Early Release
Jan 29 - Feb 1 : No School
Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Information
•What is scoliosis? Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine. A spine affected by scoliosis has a sideways curve, making it appear more like an "S" or a "C" than a straight line. Untreated scoliosis can lead to limited motion, back pain, deformity, and in extreme cases, impaired function of the heart and lungs. Early detection and treatment may prevent scoliosis from progressing.
•When should my child be screened for scoliosis? Scoliosis most commonly occurs during the growing years, between age 10 and the time an adolescent is fully grown. Screenings should begin in early adolescence. Pediatricians should check for early signs during a routine physical exam.
•What causes scoliosis? The cause of scoliosis is unknown. Scoliosis is more common in females than males.
•How is scoliosis treated? In many cases, the curve is mild and does not require treatment. In some cases, treatment may involve bracing. Severe curves may require spinal surgery. The need for treatment is best determined by a trained medical professional.
•What are the signs of scoliosis?
*One shoulder may be higher than the other.
*One shoulder blade may be higher or more prominent than the other.
*One hip appears higher or more prominent than the other.
*Unevenness of the waist.
*The spine curves sideways.
*The head is not centered over the pelvis.
If you have any concern that your child may have scoliosis, make sure that your child is screened by a health care provider. For additional resources and information, please contact the school Public Health Nurse (PHN).
For more information see: https://www.srs.org
Apply for free & reduced meals at: https://www.fcps.edu/frm.
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Dear Parents,
Please be sure to make childcare arrangements on our early dismissal Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. each month! 😊
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