Roadrunner Recap!

January 16th: Bingo Night - TONIGHT!

January 19th: No School - Student Holiday

January 20th: Principal and PTA Pop Up Meeting - 2:00pm

January 21st: Japanese Immersion Information Night - 5:30pm

January 28th: Quarter Ends - 2 Hour Early Release

January 29th - 30th: No School - School Planning/Teacher Workday

February 7: Rise Against Hunger Food Packing Event

February 16th: No School - Presidents' Day

February 17th: Teacher Workday - Lunar New Year

FCPS School Year Calendar for 2025-2026

Click HERE to catch up on the helpful and important information sent by the school on January 9th!

School and Teacher Wishlists

Happy New Year! We hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing winter break! The school is still in need of essential items like toilet paper, paper towels, and soap! You can find the school's Amazon wishlist HERE! In addition, you can now access teacher wishlists on the PTA website HERE! We will continue to update the page as we receive additional wishlists! Thank you so much for your endless support!

PTA BINGO NIGHT - TONIGHT!

Join the PTA, tonight, Friday, January 16th in the Cafeteria for what promises to be a night of fun, prizes, and lots of winners!! There will be snacks and drinks available for purchase - cash only please! Online ticket sales end at 3:30pm but tickets can be purchased at the door - cash preferred!

Session 1: 6-7pm; doors open at 5:45pm

Session 2: 7:30-8:30pm; doors open at 7:15pm

Tickets are $10, and EVERY person entering the cafeteria will need a ticket. Entrance is through Door 4!

To purchase tickets click HERE

For more details, visit the PTA website HERE

Principal and PTA Pop Up Meeting - January 20th

Please join us for our second Principal & PTA Pop‑Up Conversation! We are coming together for a quick and meaningful chat on one important question: How do we make families feel more included? Stop by to share your ideas, hear from others, and help shape a more welcoming school community. Your voice matters, and we’d love to see you there!

Rising first graders: Interested in Japanese Immersion?

Great Falls Elementary School offers a Japanese Dual Language Immersion Program that provides students with a unique opportunity to develop strong academic skills while becoming proficient in Japanese. Open to all Fairfax County residents, the program integrates language learning with core content instruction, fostering bilingualism, cultural understanding, and global competence from an early age. Families interested in learning more about the Japanese Immersion program, its structure, and what to expect are encouraged to attend the upcoming Information Night on January 21 at 5:30pm in the Great Falls Elementary School library.  The snow date for the meeting will be January 22.

LET ME RUN Is Back for Spring 2026!

ATTENTION boys grades 3rd through 6th: LET ME RUN, the awesome boys running program, is back for spring season! The season begins on March 18th. Practice will be on Mondays and Wednesdays at the GFES track from 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM.

Registration is open! Register at this link: LMR Registration

Interested in coaching? We would LOVE to have you! You don't need to be a runner or be able to make it to all practices. Email Heidi or Alyssa if interested at lheidibrown@gmail.com or alyssakeeter@gmail.com

Interested in Taking A More Active Role in the PTA?

The PTA is seeking parent volunteers who are interested in taking a more active role in supporting our school community. We invite you to shadow current board and committee chairs to gain insight into the responsibilities and impact of these positions. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about how the PTA operates, explore areas where your skills and interests may contribute, and prepare for future leadership roles. If you would like to participate, please reach out to president@gfespta.com! We look forward to welcoming you into this important work.

Cultural and Diversity Committee 

Some recent and upcoming events members of our diverse community celebrate include:

• Saebae (Korean New Year) - January 1st
• Oshogatsu (Japanese New Year) - January 1st - 3rd
• Three Kings Day/Epiphany - January 6th
• Orthodox Christmas - January 7th
• Orthodox Epiphany - January 19th

Interested in learning more about these events and holidays? Please visit the NEW Cultural and Diversity Committee page on the PTA website! The page will be updated throughout the year with information about important events and holidays as well as book recommendations related to each event and holiday!

NEW - Lending Library!

📚 Help Us Build a Library That Reflects Us All!
We're creating a new lending library and need your help! We're seeking donations of culturally rich and diverse books that celebrate different backgrounds, voices, and experiences. Whether it's a beloved folktale, a story in another language, or a book that reflects your family's heritage—your contribution can help every person see themselves in the pages. Drop off your books on the shelf in the school vestibule and help us grow a library as vibrant and inclusive as our community! You can also visit our Lending Library Wishlist to purchase a book for the library! Thank you so much!

Celebrate Winter Traditions Together!

Our school community is beautifully diverse, and we want to showcase that in  one of the school display cases this season. We’re inviting families, students, and staff to contribute items that represent winter holidays, cultural traditions, and awareness months. These could include decorations, artifacts, books, photos, or symbols that highlight celebrations such as Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Lunar New Year, Korean or Japanese New Year, Winter Solstice, or other meaningful observances.
By sharing these items, we’ll create a vibrant display that honors the many ways our community comes together during the winter months. If you’d like to contribute, please reach out to Jane DelGiorno at jedelgiorno@gmail.com to arrange a drop off time!
Thank you for helping us celebrate the richness of our community and the traditions that make this season so special!

*All items will be returned to you when we update the display case for the spring! Thank you so much!

Don't Forget to Join the PTA!

Joining the PTA isn’t just about meetings, it's about making a difference. Your membership and donations directly support classroom supplies, enrichment programs, teacher appreciation efforts, and the little things that make a big impact. PTA memberships only last for one year! So, even if you joined last year, you need to renew/join again this year!

Every dollar helps. Every voice matters. Every hand makes the load lighter.

Let’s show our kids—and our incredible staff—that we’re in this together. Please consider joining the PTA and donating to our Roadrunner Giving Campaign today. Together, we can fill the gaps and lift our school higher.

Join Now >> https://www.gfespta.com/membership

If we reach our first goal of 40%, students will get to have a pajama day at school! Right now 39% of families have joined! Let's get to the finish line together! 

Roadrunner Giving Campaign

The Roadrunner Giving Campaign is our annual no-fuss direct donation fundraiser! 100% of RGC donations are reinvested into our school to benefit students and staff! ANY amount helps our school (and donations are fully tax-deductible)! With so many budget cuts, the school needs our support more than ever! Roadrunner Giving Campaign donations help with:

• Software Licenses to Support Learning
• STEAM Lab
• Art Enrichment 
• Cultural Arts Assemblies
• Before and After School Programs
• Professional Development for Staff

Plus, so much more!! 

Help Stock The Teacher’s Lounge!

Thank you so much to all of the families who purchased items off our Amazon Wishlist! These items help keep the teacher’s lounge stocked with yummy treats for the teachers and staff! 

If you are interested in helping provide snacks for the staff, please click HERE!

Thank you so much for your generosity and continued support of the school! The snacks always put a smile on the faces of our wonderful teachers and staff!

Community Offering: Northern Virginia Rugby

Looking for a fun, active way to get kids involved in a positive, team-based sport? Build confidence, fitness, teamwork, and leadership in a safe, supportive environment. Northern Virginia Rugby programs are designed to help kids grow on and off the field while making new friends and becoming part of a strong, family-oriented community.

• NON-CONTACT Coed (ages 4–10)
• Tackle Coed (ages 10–14)
• Boys & Girls Tackle (ages 14–18)

Learn more and sign up at www.rugbyVA.com

Community Offering: Talent Show

Presented by the Great Falls Optimist Club

Join the Great Falls Got Talent! Talent Show at the Great Falls Grange Theater.

Sign Up Deadline: January 21st

Show: Sunday, February 8th

MAMTS: Championship 2026

Mathletes of all levels are invited to participate in the upcoming in-person math tournament for students in Grades 3-5 (Division E) and Grades 6-8 (Division M).  Registration just opened and is limited to 80 teams on a first-come, first-served basis.  Don't miss out on this highly anticipated event!

Become a Corporate Sponsor! If anyone - person, family, company - is interested in becoming a Corporate Sponsor, please click HERE to learn more on how our school can benefit from your sponsorship as well as promoting your business throughout the school year!  Questions about the Roadrunner Giving Campaign or becoming a Corporate Sponsor? Please reach out to fundraisingvp@gfespta.com and/or president@gfespta.com. Thank you so much!

2025-2026 Corporate Sponsors!

Thank you so much for your support!!

Follow the PTA on Instagram account, please follow and share! We will duplicate what is shared on our Facebook page.

Follow the PTA on Facebook! Share with friends and new GFES families.

701 Walker Road, Great Falls, VA 22066  |  president@gfespta.com

www.gfespta.com