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The Feather Report
Volume 2, Issue 20
 Students are all smiles in the art room! As students progress through their time at Westlawn, the projects they do become increasingly complex, both in scope and in available materials.
Leadership Ledger
Westlawn Families,
This week, I want to take a moment to share some important news with our Westlawn communityânews that comes with a mix of gratitude, pride, and a few heartfelt emotions. Assistant Principal Shana Curtis will be transitioning from Westlawn to serve as an Assistant Principal at Luther Jackson Middle School. Her last day at Westlawn was today. While this change comes sooner than any of us expected, itâs a reflection of Shanaâs incredible leadership and the trust our district has in her ability to support students at the next level.
Although Shana joined Westlawn just this past July, it didnât take long for her to make a lasting impact. In a short time, she built strong relationships with students, staff, and families, and she quickly became a familiar, caring presence in our halls. Her dedication to kids, her warmth with families, and her steady partnership with staff have meant so much to our school. Itâs okay to feel a little sad about her leavingâwe will miss her deeplyâbut Iâm also incredibly proud of the role Westlawn played in this next step of her journey.
The silver lining is a meaningful one: knowing that Shana will continue to support and advocate for our children as they move on to Luther Jackson MS makes this transition feel full-circle and reassuring. On behalf of our entire community, I want to thank Shana for everything she has given to Westlawn in such a short but powerful time. Westlawn is better because of her, and we wish her nothing but success as she continues to serve our studentsâjust down the road. Thank you, as always, for being such a supportive, caring, and connected community.
In partnership,
Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, and Erin Theiss
Proud Principals
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News
Illness and Westlawn
There have been reports of high levels of cases of influenza, norovirus, and other illnesses throughout Fairfax County, and we have been seeing a higher number of staff and students affected, too.
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What we are doing: we are able to use a chemical called Virex on surfaces. Virex kills bacteria and viruses (including norovirus), but it needs to sit on surfaces for 10 minutes before being wiped off. We also canât use it in rooms with students present because it is quite toxic. Right now we use Virex on cafeteria tables each day once all lunch periods are over. We also use Virex at least once a week in each classroom after students have left for the day, and more often if needed, such as if a classroom had a student get physically ill earlier that day.
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What you can do to help: if your child has been vomiting or having diarrhea, please keep them home. Children must stop vomiting overnight and be able to keep food and drink down in the morning before school in order for them to return. Children with diarrhea must have had no more than 2 bowel movements about what is normal in a 24 hour period in order to come to school. Learn more about FCPS guidelines for school attendance with other illnesses such as pink eye, strep throat, and the common cold.
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What we all can do to prevent illness: while at school, teachers are encouraging students to engage in frequent hand-washing and we are re-emphasizing the school rule about not sharing food. Families are also encouraged to get vaccinated if they have not done so already. Pharmacies usually have vaccines on hand, and FCPS maintains a list of other providers who often offer no-cost clinics. The next clinic for FCPS students will be January 31 at Frost Middle School, and students who attend can get all FCPS-required immunizations and flu shots for free! Finally, while masks are not required, several staff and students do wear masks regularly and even more wear them sporadically. If you send your child to school masked, they will not be the only one.
Reminder: Testing Season is Coming Soon
Believe it or not, the start of the new year means testing season is right around the corner! (Or at least it certainly can FEEL that way.) All students in grades 3-6 will be taking SOL exams, and we will have that schedule available soon. In the meantime, we are beginning to collect parent permission for retakes. Students who earn a close-to-passing score are eligible to retake the SOL after reviewing with their teacher. In elementary school, we are required to get parent permission to make this opportunity available for each student. If you want your child to review and retake an SOL test if their score falls into the eligible range, please grant permission online through the Parent Consent Portal. Log in with your ParentVUE credentials. If you need access to ParentVUE, contact Ms. Caballero at 703-241-5100.
Reminder: 6th Grade Families: LJMS Curriculum Night is Coming Soon!
Students are meeting with their counselors to discuss course selection for the next school year. Sixth grade students and their families are invited to Luther Jackson Middle Schoolâs Curriculum Night on January 21. Families can learn more about course offerings and programs at these events. School-life balance is an important consideration for students as they strive for academic and personal success. You may contact your studentâs school counselor Ms. Jacoby via email, TalkingPoints, or 703-241-5100 with questions.
FCPS News
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Superintendent Updates on Boundaries and AI
- Healthy Habits to Avoid Illness
- Access Schoology to Support Your Child
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
Dates and Events
January 19: No School (MLK Jr. Day)
January 21: Fun Clothing Wednesday: Silly Sock Day
January 21: Curriculum Night for Rising 7th Graders at Luther Jackson MS
January 23: Restaurant Night at Chuck E. Cheese in Fairfax
January 28: Fun Clothing Wednesday: College and Career Day
January 28: End of Quarter 2-Hour Early Release; students will be dismissed at 1:30 PM
January 29-30: No School (Staff Development and Teacher Work Day)
SAVE THE DATE
The annual Jaguar 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run will be held on April 18, 2026! Families are encouraged to sign up now to lock in a low price and ensure that each runner receives a t-shirt. Learn more and register now.
To see more schoolwide and community events, remember to check out our website calendar! You can also subscribe to our calendar to make it even more convenient. Click on the little calendar icon in the top right corner of the calendar page of our website to add all current and future events to your cell phone calendar.
Engage with Westlawn
Feather Report Survey
We would love your feedback about our newsletter! Feedback is used to make sure the newsletter is helpful and accessible for your family. You can provide feedback in English or Spanish. It should take less than 5 minutes. Thank you for your thoughts!
The PTA Needs Leaders!
Help make the second half of the year one to remember by taking the lead on popular springtime events! The PTA is looking for people to volunteer to lead springtime events such as Laps for Learning, Spirit Wear, and the end-of-year Patrol Picnic. Co-chairs are encouraged! Sign up now.
Reminder: Parents in 3-6, HELP WANTED
Do you look forward to checking out your childâs agenda every day? Do you find it helps you connect to whatâs going on in school and in your childâs classroom? Then we want to talk to you! Please email Mrs. Maxwell or send her a TalkingPoints message! Sheâs looking for some AVID testimonials and this is a big part of it here at Westlawn. Thank you!
Join a Community Conversation
Join us on Wednesdays at 11 AM on Zoom to hear the important news from the school from Principal Hill! If you miss a Community Conversation, you can catch up with slides and recordings on our website.
Volunteering in FCPS in 2025-2026 requires you to fill out an online application, and then select the school(s) where you want to be. Learn more and apply today!
Mind Matters
STEAM Academy Sign Up Reminder
This season we are changing registration for STEAM Academy. We will be using a lottery system. Forms were sent home with students in grades 2-6 in Thursday folders. To enter the lottery, fill out the form and return it to your childâs teacher by January 22. If you need another copy of the form, please contact your childâs teacher. Note that the form still says clubs will be first-come, first-served, but that is not true! Placement will be determined via lottery.
Every Child Has a Spark
Every child brings something unique to the classroom, and academic talent can show up in many different waysânot just on tests or in high grades. Some students might ask deep questions, dive into projects with intense curiosity, or pick up new ideas quickly; others may show strength in creative thinking or problem-solving. Academic giftedness can appear across diverse backgrounds and in more than one area of ability, and not all students who are gifted look or act the same.
Seeing these sparks earlyâand nurturing them with the right supportâhelps all learners thrive. At Westlawn, and throughout FCPS, we ensure all classrooms provide opportunities for students to try rigorous and challenging work. Teachers are trained to notice traits in students that show giftedness, and to help develop those skills further. Encouragement at school AND at home, opportunities for extended learning, and a chance to explore interests deeply can help students grow their strengths and build confidence. Check out this resource from the National Association for Gifted Children for more information.
Tech Talk
Trustworthy Information Sources and Your Children
One of the most important skills that your child must learn is how to decipher a trustworthy source of information from one that is fabricated and full of nonsense. All classroom teachers and many specialists visit this topic in age-appropriate ways, from helping primary students determine fact vs. opinion to showing older students how to determine the trustworthiness of a source. We especially like promoting research databases to students as credible sources of information. You can help by helping your children access FCPS-supported databases and learning from them together.
This weekend is a long weekend due to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and our FCPS databases are wonderful places to learn about MLK Jr. and his legacy. Students can access databases in multiple ways. They will know they are logged into Destiny Discover, the gateway to the databases, when their screen background changes from green to blue. The embedded video below shows each step of the process.
Our librarian Ms. Heyer has turned the databases into buttons in the box of Learning Resources on the main screen. Check these out:
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PebbleGo: PebbleGo is designed for students in grades K-2. You can click on tiles until you find a topic of interest. Each topic opens as a five-card story. Stories can be displayed in English or Spanish and students can have stories read aloud in either language. At the end of each story, PebbleGo offers a list of related topics that students may want to learn about.
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PeggleGo Next: PebbleGo Next is designed for students in grades 3-5. Like PebbleGo, it offers information about topics and can be treated like an encyclopedia. The articles in PebbleGo Next are longer and more in-depth than those in PebbleGo.
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Britannica Encyclopedia: this online encyclopedia allows students to search for topics of interest in the search bar. If you scroll down the main page, you will also see a link to a version of the encyclopedia designed for primary students, too!
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Britannica Escolar: this is a Spanish-language version of Britannica Encyclopedia.
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World Book Encyclopedia: this is an alternate encyclopedia to Britannica. Students often enjoy comparing articles about the same topic from both encyclopedias to see how they differ. Like Britannica, World Book has varying levels of its encyclopedia designed to meet the needs and interest levels of children of varying ages.
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Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos: this is a Spanish-language version of World Book.
Fairfax County Public Schools students have access to various databases during their entire time as FCPS students, with access to even more databases opening up as students move into middle school and high school. Families can browse the impressive list of databases and e-books available to students on the FCPS website.
Is there a technology topic you want us to tackle in a future issue? Email your questions to Ms. Dushok (school based technology specialist) and Mr. Dinkins (technology support specialist).
Soaring Staff Spotlight
This week the Soaring Staff Spotlight is on Deirdre Ladd!
Mrs. Ladd is a sixth grade teacher at Westlawn. Letâs learn more about Mrs. Ladd!
What is your favorite color?
Magenta
What is your favorite season of the year?
Fall
If you could instantly learn a new skill, what would it be?
American Sign Language!
If you could time travel, would you want to go to the past or the future?
Iâd want to go to the past--I love history!.
Early bird or night owl?
Night owl
Mountains or beach?
Mountains
Pizza or tacos?
Tacos
Is there someone you hope to see featured in an upcoming Soaring Staff Spotlight? Tell us by text to 571-355-2321.
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