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2025-26 FCPS School Calendar
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January 19: Holiday | Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday
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January 19: Religious and Cultural Observance | Orthodox Epiphany
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January 28: End of Second Quarter - 2-hour Early Release
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January 29: Student Holiday (Staff Development Day for Staff)
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January 30: Student Holiday (Teacher Workday for Staff)
English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو
  Message from Principal Vereb
It has been an energizing first week back for our Bees! While the holiday season provided a much-needed rest, our team has returned with a sharp focus on instructional precision and deepening our partnerships with families. From the living rooms of our community to the data-driven discussions in our Hive, we have hit the ground running.
Strengthening the Home-School Connection
True excellence begins with partnership. This week, we prioritized home visits and held intensive attendance meetings with both staff and families. These conversations are vital; they allow us to understand the unique needs of our students and ensure every Bee is present and ready to learn every single day.
A Deep Dive into Data and Instruction
Our commitment to high-quality teaching remains at the forefront of our work. This week was defined by rigorous planning and collaborative leadership:
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Instructional Planning: Our teams engaged in focused Math and Literacy planning sessions to ensure our upcoming units are both engaging and rigorous.
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Community Meeting (All-Staff): During our all-staff gathering, we engaged in Math Data Dialogues. By analyzing our current trends, we are tailoring our instruction to meet students exactly where they are.
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Accountability Steering Committee: I had the privilege of leading learning with this committee as we navigate VDOE School Performance Framework changes as a school community.
Expanding Academic Horizons
We are constantly looking for ways to challenge our students and provide opportunities within our Hive.
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Advanced Academics: We are currently refining our Advanced Academics Program (AAP) to ensure we are nurturing the potential of our high-achieving learners. This week we engaged in Advanced Academic vertical articulation planning and I learned alongside other elementary school principals as we envision SY 26-27.
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Algebra 1 for 6th Grade: We are excited to begin plans to offer Algebra 1 virtually next year for our sixth graders who qualify. This expansion of our math pathway reflects our commitment to student pathways and the direct connection to our division's strategic plan.
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SACC Partnership: I also met with our SACC (School Age Child Care) leaders this week to ensure our students have a seamless and supportive experience from the moment they arrive until they head home. This lovely team was a joy to connect with and we are thankful to partner with them.
It has been a week of intentionality and hard work. I am incredibly proud of how our staff has transitioned back into the Hive with such a dedicated focus on student growth and family engagement.
With Our Bees in Mind,
Dr. Monika Vereb
Herndon ES Principal
 Sign-up by emailing Mrs. Flora.
📸Snapshots from Principal Vereb
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.
Apply for Your Child to Learn in Two Languages
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.
Reporting Student Absences
We are committed to partnering with families to promote positive attendance habits. Whenever your child is unable to attend school, please let us know. Reporting absences helps our staff support students and connect them with resources they may need.
Attendance Policy and Partnership
Maintaining consistent school attendance is critical for student success. Please note our attendance target:
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We aim for our "Bees" (students) to have no more than seven total days of absence for the entire school year.
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The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) makes no distinction between excused and unexcused absences; all missed days count toward this limit.
Why this partnership matters:
We need to partner with parents to ensure our students are in school daily. If a scheduled appointment is necessary, please try your best to have your student attend school for any portion of the day, as every hour counts toward their attendance and learning.
For Students Already at Seven Absences or More
For students who have already accumulated seven or more absences this year, the grade-level Assistant Principal and Counselor will reach out to enroll your student in our absence recovery program:
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Early Release Wednesdays/Early Arrival: Students can earn back iPFIT days by staying after school on Early Release Wednesdays or arriving early to school (more information to come from counselors and grade level assistant principals)
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Rate: Three hours of attendance recovery equals one buy-back day.
Full-day absences can be reported in SIS ParentVUE. Parents can also report absences by:
Parents may monitor their child’s attendance records in SIS ParentVUE.
Attendance Codes in SIS ParentVUE Explained
Attendance codes in SIS ParentVUE are assigned by school staff to better identify the reasons behind student absences. This allows us to respond thoughtfully and provide appropriate support. Visit the FCPS Attendance Policy webpage to learn more about the codes.
When Your Child Is Sick
It is also important to keep your child home when they are sick. The Can My Child Go to School? webpage provides helpful recommendations on when to keep your child home.
For instance, a child should attend school if they have cold symptoms, as long as they are feeling like they can participate in school activities. However, if they have severe, uncontrolled, or rapid coughing; wheezing; or difficulty breathing, definitely keep them home and contact your health care provider.
Addressing Chronic Absenteeism: A Community Priority
Reviewing our recent grade-level attendance data highlights areas where we must focus our collective efforts. Our overarching goal as a school community is to reduce chronic absenteeism to below 10% (the single digits) for all grade levels.
To achieve this critical benchmark, we must specifically concentrate our resources and partnership efforts on the students and families in:
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Kindergarten
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Second Grade
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Third Grade
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Fourth Grade
Your cooperation in prioritizing daily, on-time attendance for students in these grades will be essential to meeting our school-wide goal and ensuring continuous academic growth.
Attendance Is Important Every Day!
Volunteer FCPS Helps Community Members Connect With Schools
Volunteer FCPS allows individuals to search and register for volunteer opportunities across the division. It helps ensure a safe, consistent, and welcoming environment at all of our schools. All volunteers must:
- Create a profile in Volunteer FCPS.
- Register for opportunities through Volunteer FCPS.
- Sign in and out of schools using our visitor kiosk.
Individuals can complete a volunteer orientation on the Volunteer FCPS website. View Volunteer FCPS Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about the volunteer levels.
Budget
Follow Our Budget Process
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.
Herndon Community Center Open House Jan. 24, 2026 2pm-4pm
Event Details: SATURDAY, January 24,2026
Time: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Location: Herndon Community Center
814 Ferndale Ave
Herndon, VA 20170
Details: Families will be able to explore programs, connect with community resources, and participate in interactive activities throughout the facility.
 Follow the Herndon Elementary renovation progress which is located on the FCPS website by clicking here.
 District News
In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- The FCPS Budget Process
- Course Selection
- Language Immersion Lottery
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Herndon Elementary Phone Numbers:
- Health Room 703-326-3110
- Cafeteria 703-326-3121
- Attendance 703-326-3131
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Herndon Elementary Email:
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Administration E-mail:
📸(Left to Right): Mrs. Cosgrove, Dr. Vereb, Mrs. Holliday, and Mrs. Baxter
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Do you know a Herndon Elementary staff member who goes above and beyond or turns the ordinary into something extraordinary?
If so, click here to nominate them for FCPS Cares and help us share their story.
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