Franconia ES Wednesday Word - 01/14/26

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️ Parent Information Phone Lines Available in Eight Languages

Parents/caregivers who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese may call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS. View the list of phone numbers.

 


Upcoming Events

  • Thursday, January 15: Clubs/ Candid Picture day
  • Monday, January 19: NO SCHOOL, MLK Holiday
  • Wednesday, January 28:  2-Hour Early Release (1:30 Dismissal) End of Quarter 2
  • Thursday, January 29:  Staff Development Day - No School for Students
  • Friday, January 30:  Teacher Workday - No School for Students

Be sure to bookmark the FCPS school year calendar to keep track of school holidays, breaks, and observances.


Morning Arrival Reminders

During the colder months, we tend to see an increase in the number of cars in our Kiss & Ride lane. To ensure a safe and smooth start to the day for everyone, please keep the following in mind:

  • Kiss & Ride Timing: The lane closes promptly at 8:45 a.m.
  • Late Arrivals: If you arrive after 8:45 a.m., please park and use Door 1 (the main entrance).
  • Sign-In Protocol: For your child’s safety, please walk your child into the front office to sign them in for the day.

Attendance

If you need to report any attendance or dismissal changes, please notify the front office.

Absences and late arrivals must be reported to the office by 9:00 a.m. via one of the following methods

Change of Dismissal

To change your student’s dismissal, use the Change in Dismissal Form located on the Franconia ES school website. You will need to provide details like your child's name, grade, and teacher, as well as specify how they will go home, such as early pickup (specify time student is being picked up), Kiss and Ride or a specific bus number. Make sure to submit the request by the school's deadline of 2:00 pm. Please be aware that if another student is involved, a corresponding form may be needed from that student's parent/guardian. 

Just a reminder that all early dismissals must occur before 3:00 pm.


YEARBOOK

COVER CONTEST!

Penguin Painting

All Franconia students are invited to participate in our yearbook cover competition. Please use a white 8 x 11 sheet of paper and colored pencils. On the back of the paper, write your first and last name, teacher's name, and grade level. This year's yearbook theme is:

Penguins Today, Leaders Tomorrow

Your cover designs should be related to the theme. Please include Franconia Elementary 2025-2026 on the cover and remember to check your spelling!

Designs are due to Mrs. Yortzidis by Tuesday, January 27th

Things to Consider when designing:

  1. Draw your picture with a pencil first.
  2. When coloring, use colored pencils only.
  3. Your design should be Portrait view (not landscape)
  4. Remember to use color to really make your picture pop! (don’t have a lot of white space)

Franconia Toiletry Drive 

Thank you for supporting troop 53110 and many families at Franconia by sending in toiletries for the Franconia Food and Toiletry Bank. We collected over 2,000 items to help families at our school. Here are our final results

Toiletry Drive Points

Toiletry Pic

Family Cafe

Thursday, January 22

The Connected Family: Navigating the Digital World Together

Technology connects us like never before, but it’s important to know how to stay safe while using it. This family workshop provides hands-on learning about internet safety to inform families of:

  • Today’s popular social sites and apps used by students
  • Effective strategies to engage youth in discussions regarding internet safety
  • 7 primary topics to discuss with youth that will remain important from kindergarten through adulthood

Join FCPS Intervention and Prevention Services to learn how your family can build healthy, secure, and positive habits online together.

Interpreters and Childcare available.

On Thursday, January 22, Region 3 will host this event at West Potomac High School Library from 6:30 to 8pm. HERE is the registration form for families who would like to join this conversation. They are also welcomed to just walk in without registering! 😉

 


📅Future Franconia ES Early Release Dates

Please mark your calendars for the rest of our Early Release Days for this school year.  Dismissal on these days is 12:30pm.

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

📖 LIBRARY NEWS

book fair

An all NEW Book Fair is coming!

We will be hosting a Literati Book Fair from February 2 to February 6.

Stay tuned for more information!

 

 

READING CHALLENGES

Million Word Challenge, lasts all year

Click here to find more information and the paper form.

Click here to submit your student’s books online with this form.

 

CONTACT:

Please contact the librarian, Debby Vandersande, any time at dmvandersand@fcps.edu.

 


calendar reminder graphic

National Mentoring

Imagine a world where young people feel empowered, encouraged, and understood. Mentors can make that world a reality by helping young people find and follow their passions, excel in school, and thrive wherever they are.Learn more about Mentoring Month.

Research has shown that young people with at least one trusted mentor are less likely to skip school, less likely to use illegal drugs or drink alcohol, and more prepared to enter college or the workforce. Yet one in three children lack a mentor.

All it takes is one person to serve as a trusted adult to help change a young person’s path in life. Mentors provide attention, support, and enrichment, and help connect their mentees to resources that may help them on their journey in life.

The FCPS MentorWorks program matches mentors with students in schools near where they live or work. They meet for at least 30 minutes a week. Learn more about how to become a mentor for an FCPS student. Contact Martha Macdonald, mentoring specialist, for additional information at mmacdonald@fcps.edu.

Jan 19 -  Orthodox Epiphany

 A joyous Orthodox Epiphany to those in our community who celebrate! In the Orthodox church, Epiphany celebrates the baptism of Jesus rather than the arrival of the Three Kings. 


martin luther

 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Holiday

Schools and offices will be closed on Monday, January 19, for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. See the complete school year calendar.

 


County Flu Letter

Healthy Habits to Reduce the Spread of Flu and Other Germs

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

If your child is ill, please use ONE of the following methods to report the absence. Choosing only one method ensures our records remain accurate and prevents duplicate entries.

When reporting, please be specific about the reason for the absence. Include symptoms (fever, cough, vomiting) and any diagnosis provided by a doctor.

  1. ParentVUE: Submit a full-day absence through ParentVUE 
  2. Attendance Line: Call 703-822-2222
  3. Email: franconiaelem.attendance@fcps.edu

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