School Chorus Concert & Sing a Long!
Plan Forward - Dates to Mark on your Calendar
December 22 - January 2 - Winter Break Holiday - No School
January 15 - Band Concert
January 16 - Principals Coffee
January 23 - PTA Meeting
January 27 - Strings Concert
February 7 - Heritage Night
2025-26 FCPS School Calendar
A Week Of Learning and Fun!
Administration Notes
Dear Parents,
As we begin our winter break, we want to take a moment to wish you and your family a joyful, restful, and safe holiday season. Thank you for your continued support and partnership throughout 2025. We truly appreciate all that you do to support our school community and our students’ success. We have included in this newsletter literacy activities to support students over the Winter Break, please see the link below to those activities.
We look forward to welcoming students back to school on Monday, January 5, 2026. Until then, we hope you enjoy this special time together with family and loved ones.
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics - Make Your Voice Heard! Have an Impact on the Budget; Go on a Literacy Adventure; Enjoy Your Winter Break! Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
The office will be closed at times during the break. We will be in the office intermittently and will be checking messages etc.
Warmest wishes for a wonderful winter break and a happy New Year!
Warmly,
Holly McGuigan Tia Hawkins Sarah Talley
Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal
Fourth Graders ~ Working Hard to Prepare for the Strings Concert on January 27th!
Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night Jan. 14, 2026
Longfellow Middle School will be hosting a Curriculum Night for rising 7th grade families (current 6th grade students) at Longfellow MS on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. This evening session aims to provide parents with information that will help their incoming 7th grade student with the transition to middle school. Families will have the opportunity to explore elective course offerings and hear from a variety of Longfellow staff about the courses and programs offered to 7th grade students. Students and staff will also be available to answer questions. If inclement weather occurs, the event will be rescheduled for Wednesday, January 21, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. We look forward to welcoming you to Longfellow!
Literacy Corner
As your student is coming to the end of Benchmark Advance Unit 3 we wanted to share information to help you support the development of reading and writing at home. Please click on each grade level to access the parent letters for Benchmark Unit 3.
Positivity Project Weekly Focus -
Looking forward to the New Year! Here we go 2026!
Support Our Schools: 25 for 2025 Giving Challenge
Join Educate Fairfax’s 25 for 2025 Giving Challenge and help ensure every FCPS student has the tools, support, and inspiration to succeed. Every gift, whether you can give $25 or $2,500, helps students learn while supporting the teachers and staff who make a lasting difference.
Educate Fairfax is the nonprofit education foundation that supports FCPS by providing resources, recognizing outstanding educators, and strengthening connections between schools and the community. Educate Fairfax invests directly in classrooms and programs. Last year, they contributed $1.27 million back into our schools.
The foundation supplied more than 5,000 school supply kits to more than 61 schools, centers, shelters, and Welcome Centers. Its Food for All Campaign packed more than 1,000 snack packs and helped feed more than 350 families over Thanksgiving. Read the Educate Fairfax Annual Report to learn more about their impact.
Together, we can support and encourage all learners and educators and strengthen the future of our schools. Donate to Educate Fairfax today.
 Yearbook Contest 2026!
The Annual Yearbook Cover Contest is here! This year’s theme is comic books. Feel free to include references to #KG Pride and our houses!
Finished artwork should be turned into the main office or to Ms. Kladler (room 132) by January 28 (end of the 2nd quarter).
All entries must - 1. Be fully made by students (sorry parents!) 2. Relate to this year’s theme: comics 3. Include the words “Kent Gardens Yearbook 2025-2026" 4. Be in portrait orientation on either 9x12” or 8.5x11” paper 5. Be hand drawn, collaged, or painted. Sorry, no digital or AI artwork 6. Include the student’s name and grade level on the back.
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Yearbook Order Now Available!
Order your yearbook now! www.yearbookordercenter.com with code 21772
Or scan the QR code !
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⛄ 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 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.
📚❄️Winter Break Literacy Adventures
Engaging in literacy activities during 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 students return to school confident and ready to continue growing in literacy.
🧮ST Math Week
MIND Research, the organization behind ST Math, is hosting Family Math Week from January 12–16, 2026. During this week, students are encouraged to log in to the ST Math FCPS Family Math website (link coming out soon!) to participate in fun math activities with their families at home.
Family Math Week features engaging activities including stories with mathematical concepts connected to a variety of different math games from around the world! . All activities are available in English and Spanish, making it easy for families to learn and play together.
We encourage all families to join in as FCPS works toward a community goal of three million minutes of math engagement.
Virginia Quality Birth to Five
FCPS participates 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 curriculum. Refer to “VQB5 for Families English/Spanish” for more information.
Note from Parent Liaison, Shelley Lowinger
Hello families! I can’t believe it’s been just about four months since the school year began — time sure flies when you are part of such an amazing community. It’s been such a joy getting to know our students and families and seeing all the great things happening at our school. I’m so grateful for the connections we’ve built so far. As we head into the holiday season, I want to wish you joy, laughter, and plenty of time to relax with loved ones. Please remember that I’m here to support you — whether you have questions, need resources, or just want to check in, don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you for making our school such a special place! ~ Shelley Lowinger
Sibshops and SibTeens - January 29 from 9:00-noon at the Jim Scott Community Center 301 Vaden Dr. Fairfax, VA The Sibshops workshops are for children in grades 2-6 enrolled in Fairfax County Public Schools who have siblings with support needs to meet other siblings in a relaxed setting. Celebrate the many contributions made by brothers and sisters of children with special needs, share sibling experiences, and receive peer support. Play games and have fun. Register here
SibTeens is a community-building group for Middle School siblings of children with support needs in grades 6-9 enrolled in Fairfax County Public Schools. It’s a unique opportunity for students to share about their lives and support each other while normalizing their life experiences. Register here Please contact FCPSSibshops@FCPS.edu for follow up questions about either program.
Fairfax County Department of Family Services The Parenting Education Programs is taking registrations for virtual and in-person classes for the winter. Our next class for parents of 0–4-year-olds begins Jan. 27 at 5:30 p.m. in Alexandria. Email or check their website for the full schedule of classes that will be offered this winter.
Family Winter Assistance Families who may need assistance are encouraged to apply directly through the local charities and organizations listed below. These groups provide a range of supports during the holiday season, but also year-round!
Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) - https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/neighborhood-community-services/coordinated-services-planning 703-222-0880
Northern Virginia Food Rescue- https://nova-fr.org/ 703-822-5205
Food for Others - https://foodforothers.org/ 703-207-9173
McLean Winter Block Party - Saturday, January 3rd from 1 – 4 p.m. at the McLean Community Center. Enjoy s’mores, hot cocoa, watch ice carvings and more. A wide variety of food, entertainment, and crafts will be available at this McLean event. Want more info? Click here to learn more!
Partnership for Healthier Communities (PHC): - The PHC is designed to identify uninsured children and adults and connect them to an appropriate and affordable source of quality healthcare services through programs like Medicaid, CHIP, and free or low-cost medical care coverage programs. You can learn more by visiting their website, calling 703-698-2550, or emailing PHC@inova.org.
Family Café Series - The Connected Family: Navigating the Digital World Together - January 12, 2026 at Lake Braddock High School (English)(Spanish)(Arabic)(Urdu)(Vietnamese); January 22, 2026 at West Potomac High School (English)(Spanish)(Vietnamese) Register here for all upcoming dates.
Talk about the Budget
Reid Reflects: State Standards and the FCPS Budget Story - In her latest Weekly Reflections, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid thanked every member of our community for supporting FCPS as it remains fully accredited. Referencing a news release on accreditation, Dr. Reid noted how FCPS needs funding to support and maintain this excellence. As we shared last week, Belvedere was recognized as being Distinguished.
Visit the Budget Story webpage to learn more about the FCPS budget and the funding challenges that schools across Virginia, not just FCPS, face because of outdated state funding formulas.Read more of Dr. Reid’s Weekly Reflections.
🎤Make Your Voice Heard! - Look for opportunities to share your ideas about funding public education and encourage your neighbors, friends, and community members to follow the FCPS budget process. Several key decision dates and engagement opportunities - Wednesday, January 7, 2026, beginning at 10 a.m. - There will be virtual regional public hearings on the governor’s proposed 2026-28 biennial state budget and Thursday, January 22, 2026 - Dr. Reid will present the proposed FCPS budget to the School Board. Visit the FCPS budget webpage for more information.
KG PTA News and Updates
PTA Fundraiser
It's NOT too late to participate. We know that the costs of many things are rising and any extra help you can provide will help ensure that we can provide the same AWESOME school year! You can still make your donation here!
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Join the PTA Now!
The PTA at KGES is SUPER BUSY! When you join the PTA, you help support the work we do at our school AND the advocacy work that the PTA does at all levels of the government! Membership in the KGES PTA needs to be renewed every year and you don't have to wait for the school year to start. You can join the PTA NOW!
OUR NEXT PTA MEETING WILL BE: January 23 at 8:45 am in the cafe. Mary Wilcox Smith, author, parenting coach, and speaker will join us at the end of the meeting for an opportunity to dig into what it means to be a parent right now.
Cookie Exchange
So many amazing cookies! The staff was thrilled with the homemade cookies and it was true thrill and treat! Thanks for your participation at a busy time of year and support!
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Lost and Found - Mark Your Child's Names!
Be sure to label all clothing items and please consider purchasing from Mabel's Labels to ensure that your items makes it home again!
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