Shrevewood Wise Words - January 8, 2026

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🌟Principal's Message

🌟Wise Owl Way Positive Referrals

🌟Body Safety Program

🌟Green Team Needs Empty Tissue Boxes

🌟Parent Coffee

🌟Save the Date: Rising 7th Grade Course Registration Events

🌟Shrevewood Yearbook Cover Contest

🌟Local Food Bank

🌟Shrevewood PTA News

🌟Family Resource

🌟Limited Early Release Days for Elementary Schools

🌟Ensuring Student Safety: Register for Volunteer FCPS

🌟Procedures for Joining Your Child for Lunch

🌟Cell Phone and Smart Watch Policy

🌟Student Birthday Policy

🌟Attendance

🌟School Meals and Free/Reduced Lunch Applications

🌟FCPS News

🌟Save the Date


Principal's Message

Dear Shrevewood Families,

Happy New Year! We hope you all had a restful, joyful winter break filled with quality time and relaxation. It is wonderful to see our hallways buzzing with energy again as we kick off the second half of the school year.

As we settle back into our routines, we are hitting the ground running. Over the next couple of weeks, our students will be participating in their midyear reading and math assessments. These evaluations are a vital "check-in" point for us as they provide a clear picture of what our students have mastered and where we can offer extra support.

We are incredibly excited to see the growth our students have made since August. These assessments aren't just about scores, they are a celebration of the hard work and persistence your children show every day in the classroom.

Thank you for your continued partnership and for being such an integral part of our school community. We have a fantastic 2026 year ahead of us!

Sincerely,

Katie Vandawalker, Principal

Dan Reichard, Assistant Principal


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Wise Owl Way Positive Referrals

  • Asher O. (2nd Grade)
  • Madelyn A. (2nd Grade)
  • Julia A. (2nd Grade)
  • Emma G. (2nd Grade)
  • Hila N. (2nd Grade)
  • Bastian O. (4th Grade)
  • Forrest B. (4th Grade)
  • Brooklyn L. (4th Grade)

Body Safety Program

The Childhelp Speak Up Be Safe Body Safety Program is scheduled to take place at Shrevewood January 26-28 for grades prekindergarten through sixth grade. If you would like to opt your child out of this program, please email Assistant Principal Dan Reichard at dnreichard@fcps.edu or send in a signed opt-out form (linked below or available in our front office) no later than Tuesday, January 21. Please note that Rylynn, a Department of Family Services Facility Dog, will be on-site Wednesday, January 28. You can learn more about the program by visiting the Body Safety Program website

Opt out form (English)

Opt out form (Spanish)


Green Team Needs Empty Tissue Boxes

The Green Team needs your empty tissue boxes!  Please recycle your empty tissue boxes as the Green Team plans to reuse them as classroom collection boxes for stretchy plastics. 

“Go Green – Go Team – Shrevewood Owls on the Scene!”  Thank you!


Parent Coffee

Multilingual Learners (MLs) Parent Coffee

Friday, January 16, 2026

9:45 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Meet our ESOL Teachers!

Learn about:

  • WIDA Testing
  • Q&A with the ESOL team
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Save the Date: Rising 7th Grade Course Registration Events

Course registration for 7th grade begins in January! Families are invited to a Virtual Information Session on Wednesday, Jan. 14, at 5:00 p.m. for an overview of Kilmer Middle School and course options and an in-person Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night on Thursday, Jan. 15, from 5:00–7:00 p.m. to meet teachers, attend information sessions, explore course options, and tour the school. 


Shrevewood Yearbook Cover Contest

Theme: Dream Big, Work Hard, Achieve Together

Must include:

  • School name
  • School year
  • Dream Big, Work Hard, Achieve Together
  • Vertical orientation (8.5 x 11 inches)

Due: January 23rd

You can turn in a paper copy to Ms. Daniels or email it to KLDaniels@fcps.edu

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Local Food Bank

Timber Lane E.S. has invited Shrevewood families who are in need to participate in their family market.  Market dates are listed below.

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Shrevewood PTA News

PTA FEEDBACK SURVEY

The Shrevewood PTA is setting goals for the second half of the year and we want them to represent the needs of our community. Please take 5 minutes to complete our mid-year feedback survey.

Your input helps us:

  • Understand your family's specific needs.            
  • Grow our programs to be more inclusive and effective.            
  • Prioritize resources for the remainder of 2026.

Incentive: Complete the survey by Sunday, January 11, at 11:59 p.m. for a chance to win The Shrevewood PTA Prize Pack (a curated collection of Shrevewood spirit wear and prizes from the PTA closet)!

We aim to share preliminary insights at our upcoming PTA meeting on January 13, so please let your voice be heard early!


PTA MEETING

Please save the date for our next PTA meeting on Tuesday, January 13, at 6:30 p.m. in the Shrevewood Library. Childcare will be provided, and there will be light refreshments.


WINTER CHESS CLUB

Is your student ready to learn a new skill, make new friends, and challenge their mind before the school day starts? The Shrevewood Chess Club, run by Silver Knights Chess Academy, is back for the winter session! All grades and skill levels are welcome, from brand-new beginners to experienced players.

  • When: Thursday mornings, 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
  • Dates: January 22 - March 19 (No Club on 1/29)

Spaces are limited, so sign up today to secure your spot!

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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR POWER PACK DISTRIBUTION 

Help us ensure every student at Shrevewood has the fuel they need to succeed! We are looking for volunteers to assist with our Power Pack Program which provides weekend food bags to students.

We need 1-2 volunteers, most on Thursday afternoons, to help distribute these packs (if there is no school on a Thursday, the delivery date will be earlier that week). Your time makes a direct difference in supporting our school community. The first time you sign up, you will have someone train you on how to deliver the bags. Middle and high school volunteers are welcome to sign up (this is a great opportunity for service hours).

Volunteer Responsibilities:

  • Meet at the school to collect the prepared food bags.
  • Discreetly deliver bags to designated classrooms.
  • Time Commitment: Approx. 45-60 minutes.

Thank you for helping us power up our students! Sign up here.


Family Resource

FCPS Math Week

January 12- 16

FCPS invites you to experience a full week of family time with FREE stories, games, and math activities - all from the comfort of your home.

Math Week offers families an opportunity to experience math, literacy, history, and geography in a fun and positive way. All content will be available for families in English and Spanish beginning Monday, January 12.

Visit the Math Week website for games, stories, and other interactive activities for the whole family.


Limited Early Release Days for Elementary Schools 

Three-hour early release days for Shrevewood E.S. will include:

  • February 18
  • March 18
  • April 22
  • May 13

Read more about early release Wednesdays on the FCPS website. 


Ensuring Student Safety: Register for Volunteer FCPS

Volunteer Registration Update

Due to the overwhelming response from our community, FCPS is temporarily pausing fingerprint requirements for most Level 3 volunteers. 

If you are scheduled for an upcoming fingerprinting appointment, please cancel your appointment unless you are a mentor, host parent, or non-parent volunteer having frequent, direct, and unsupervised contact with students, which will still require fingerprinting. FCPS will be charged if individuals miss a fingerprinting appointment without canceling in advance.

Those who have already been fingerprinted will be processed to be eligible for all Level 3 opportunities. ​​​​​​​

Field trip chaperone opportunities will now be classified as Level 2 (not requiring a background check). 

To ensure continuous safety, all new volunteers are required to sign a Volunteer Certification Statement. This statement is a legal attestation confirming you have no history of violent felonies, physical/sexual crimes against children, or crimes of moral turpitude.

Want to volunteer? Visit Volunteer FCPS to find and sign up for volunteer opportunities. Contact Volunteers@fcps.edu with any questions.

As a reminder, all volunteers — and visitors to a school — are required to sign in by scanning their ID at our visitor kiosk. Visit the Volunteer FCPS Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more.

For full details, visit the Volunteer FCPS website or contact our Volunteer Point of Contact, Pilar Quintero Florespjquinterofl@fcps.eduwith questions.


Procedures for Joining Your Child for Lunch

We are excited to open our cafeteria for parents and guardians to join their children for lunch at school! We know how much you value connecting with your child, and this is a great chance to share a special moment during the school day.

If you'd like to have lunch with your child, please follow these steps:

  • Enter at Door 1 and report to the Main Office. 
  • Using a government issued photo ID, sign-in and receive a visitor sticker. 
  • Wear the visitor sticker at all times. 
  • Report directly to the cafeteria. 
  • Enjoy lunch with your child(ren). 
  • Return to the main office to check-out using your visitor sticker. 
  • Please don't visit the classroom or recess, so our daily schedule and routines can continue without interruption for our students. 
  • Please do not bring fast food for lunch. 
  • Please do not bring any food to share with other children due to safety protocols and allergies.

Cell Phone and Smart Watch Policy

Please remind your child that FCPS is phone-free! For elementary school students, this means:

  • Smart watches that serve a dual purpose may be worn, but the phone features (texting, internet viewing, and calls) are to be off when phone use is prohibited.
  • Cell phones and personal devices (airpods, earbuds, headsets, other items connected to the internet) must be off and away for the entire school day (bell to bell).

If you need to reach your child during the school day, please call our main office. Learn more about FCPS’ cell phone and personal device policy.


Student Birthday Policy

As an administrative team and school, we will be recognizing and honoring our students' birthdays monthly. For the safety of all students and staff in our building and to limit the amount of classroom disruptions, please do not send in food or toys for your child's birthday.


Attendance

Our goal is to partner with families to help minimize the number of days students are absent. Getting your student into the habit of daily attendance helps reduce stress and makes it easier to connect with friends and teachers. We understand that each year presents different extenuating circumstances that lead to missed days. However, we hope to increase communication in regards to absences to reduce impact on your child’s well-being. FCPS has created a Health Flyer for Parents indicating when a parent should keep their child home from school. Please review FCPS Attendance Policies and resources to encourage regular school attendance. 

Parents/legal guardians can report up to two consecutive absences through SIS ParentVUE. Learn more about attendance reporting through ParentVUE HERE. Families can also report absences by emailing shrevewoodelem.attendance@fcps.edu or calling 703-645-6666 before 10:00 a.m. each day.


School Meals and Free/Reduced Lunch Applications

Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, students will enter their student ID number as their cafeteria PIN at the cash register to receive their meals.   You can access your student’s ID number via ParentVUE.

Breakfast and Lunch

Breakfast will be $1.75.  Lunch will be $3.25.  Money can be added to your child(ren)’s accounts using www.myschoolbucks.com.  You may also write a check to Shrevewood Food Services and deliver it to our Food Services Manager.  During the school year, you can find the menu for breakfast and lunch at https://linqconnect.com/public/menu/ESSF44.

Free and Reduced-Price Status

Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals will continue to receive these benefits through the end of September.  A new application must be completed each new school year.  Forms are available online now: https://www.fcps.edu/frm.  Applications are accepted at any time, but we encourage you to apply or renew your application before the end of September. Call (703) 813-4800 if you need help. This application must be completed for eligible students to receive free meals.


FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:

  • School Boundaries
  • Capital Improvement Program
  • New Western High School

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today


Save the Date

⭐PTA Meeting

Tuesday, Jan. 13, 6:30 p.m.

⭐Parent Coffee

Friday, Jan. 16, 9:45-10:30 a.m.

⭐MLK Holiday

Monday, Jan. 19

(No school for students or staff)

⭐End of Quarter/2 Hour Early Release

Wednesday, Jan. 28

⭐Staff Development Day/Student Holiday

Thursday, Jan. 29

(No school for students)

⭐Teacher Workday/Student Holiday

Friday, Jan. 30

(No school for students)


Click Here for the FCPS 2025-2026 School Year Calendar


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