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January 9, 2026
Dear Waynewood Families,
It was so great to welcome students back from winter break! I loved hearing about all your family adventures this week. I hope your holiday season was filled with rest, laughter, and quality time with the people you love most.
This week has been all about a "gentle reset." Just as we often need a moment to find our stride when returning to work, our students benefit from a little extra support as they transition back into their school routines. Teachers have spent time practicing our daily routines and procedures, ensuring everyone feels confident and secure in our expectations for a safe, productive learning environment. From hallway transitions to classroom procedures, our Owls have done a wonderful job remembering what makes Waynewood such a respectful place to learn.
In addition to revisiting our routines, our classrooms have been buzzing with reflection and forward-thinking. Students have been working on New Year goal setting. It has been fun to hear them articulate their aspirations—whether it is mastering their multiplication tables, being a more inclusive friend on the playground, or finishing a challenging chapter book. These goals provide our students with a sense of agency and purpose as we dive into the second half of the academic year.
As we look toward the months ahead, I have a few important logistical updates to share with you. First, it is officially time to capture this year’s memories! The Waynewood yearbook is now available for preorder. Please keep in mind that we do not order extra copies to sell at the end of the year, so if you would like your child to have a keepsake of their 2025-2026 school year, please ensure you place your order in advance. You will find the specific ordering details and links immediately following this message.
I also want to invite you to our first PTA meeting of the new year, which will be held virtually next week. We know how busy January can be, so we hope this online format makes it easier for many of you to join us from the comfort of home. Your voice and your partnership are what make our school programs so vibrant, and we look forward to sharing our plans for the spring.
For our enthusiastic readers and word lovers, don’t forget that the Waynewood Spelling Bee is less than a month away! Registration is currently open on the PTA website. It is always a wonderful event that celebrates the hard work and academic courage of our students.
Finally, I want to express my deepest gratitude for your continued support. A new year represents a fresh start and a world of possibilities, and I am so optimistic about everything we will achieve together in the coming months. Thank you for sharing your children with us and for being such a vital part of the Waynewood family. Happy New Year!
Sincerely,
Katie Cachine, Principal
Alyssa Bonner, Assistant Principal
Allison Ovalle, Assistant Principal
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Our SCA Officers have been meeting regularly to plan exciting things for our school! Classroom representatives from each class will be joining them soon.
This week our SCA officers started organizing our Valentines by Kids project. All students at Waynewood will have the opportunity to make a handmade Valentine that will be distributed to hospital patients, nursing home and hospice residents, and to clients of Food and Friends.
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Please order your copy of the Waynewood Yearbook for the 2025-26 school year!
The Waynewood Yearbook can be purchased directly from Lifetouch at ybpay.Lifetouch.com through Monday, April 27, 2026.
Use code 14417526 or search for “Waynewood” on the Lifetouch ordering website. The cost for a yearbook is $15.25. Lifetouch offers packages for inserts at an additional cost.
Please spread the word, yearbook sales close on Monday, April 27, 2026. To secure your copy, order by April 27!
If you have questions about the yearbook, please email Janet Laisch at jclaisch@fcps.edu.
Come together as a community for students in K-6 for 5 nights the week of January 12, 2026, with delightful math games and stories - all on your own time and from the comfort of your own home. All content will be available for free directly to all families in English and Spanish.
Through rich story-based mathematics experiences, math week offers families an opportunity to experience math, literacy, history, and geography in a positive way. The games and stories feature several countries including Lesotho, Madagascar, Ghana, and China.
All content will be available completely free on the website starting January 12, 2026. To access the games, families will be able to simply click on the day of the week and find their child's grade and language.
Families can play for as little as 15 minutes or replay over and over lasting more than an hour on any given night. For families that want to reduce screen time, we will have physical print options for access to the content and games as well.
Use the games and stories on our website or dust off your favorite math game and play it as a family.
Any and ALL math experiences outside of a normal week count. Our goal is for FCPS to experience 3,000,000 minutes of math outside of the school day. Join us!
https://www.mindresearch.org/fairfax-math-week/
Fairfax County is seeing very high levels of influenza (flu) illness. Visits to emergency departments and urgent care centers for flu-like illness have increased, especially among children, and multiple flu outbreaks have occurred in our community and school settings.
Consider these tips from the Fairfax County Health Department to help reduce the spread of flu and other germs.
Encourage your neighbors, friends, and community members to follow the FCPS budget process and look for opportunities to share your ideas about funding public education. Key decision dates and engagement opportunities are coming up in the next few weeks:
- The Fairfax County delegation to the General Assembly will hold a public hearing regarding the upcoming 2026 session on Saturday, January 10, at 9 a.m. in the Board Auditorium at the Fairfax County Government Center. Fairfax County residents can sign up in advance to speak at the hearing online or contact the Department of Clerk Services at 703-324-3151, TTY 711, by Thursday, January 8, at noon.
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Thursday, January 22, Dr. Reid will present the proposed budget to the School Board.
Visit our budget webpage for more information.
FCPS’ 2026-27 Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Program lottery opens on Monday, January 12. The program offers students in kindergarten and first grade the opportunity to learn in English and another language — French, German, Japanese, Korean, or Spanish — for half of each instructional day.
The online, countywide lottery is open to Fairfax County residents. Families must have a SIS ParentVUE account. Students not currently enrolled in FCPS should register at their base school before applying for the immersion program.
Families applying for first grade must do so by Thursday, February 12, at 4 p.m. Those applying for kindergarten must do so by Monday, March 2, at 4 p.m.
Informational meetings will begin in January. View dates and details on the FCPS calendar. If you have questions, please contact Brigid Williams at 571-423-4600.
Save the Date – PTA Meeting Join us for our January PTA Meeting on Tuesday, January 13 at 6:00 PM. This meeting will be held virtually, and the link will be sent out by the morning of the meeting. We hope to see you there!
Spelling Bee – Thursday, February 5 Register here for the Spelling Bee
Bingo Night - Thursday, February 19 More details coming soon!
Math Kangaroo is Coming to Waynewood! Math Kangaroo's International Math Competition is coming to WWES on March 19, 2025 from 4:30-5:45 PM!
Find more information here
Winter Enrichment Opportunities
Tuesday, January 13-PTA Meeting 6pm VIRTUAL
Monday, January 19-No School (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
Wednesday, January 28-2 hour early release, Last Day of 2nd Quarter
Thursday, January 29-No School for Students, Staff Development Day
Friday, January 30-No School for Students, Teacher Work Day
Thursday, February 5-Spelling Bee
Monday, February 16-No School (George Washington's Birthday)
Thursday, February 19-BINGO Night
You can access the full 2025-26 calendar here. Days that are shaded pink or blue are holidays for students. Orange days are NOT school holidays.
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