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 Students in Ms. M&Ms class building their number sense skills. Kindergarteners thrive on visuals and hands-on materials to help support their learning.
Wednesday, January 28 - 2 Hour Early Release and End of 2nd Quarter
Wednesday, January 28- Parent Coffee: Understanding IB-PYP program
Thursday, January 29 - Staff Development Day - Student Holiday
Friday, January 30 - Teacher Workday - Student Holiday
Wednesday, February 4- PTA Community Meeting
Thursday, February 5 - PTA Sponsored Movie Night
February 9-13- Kindness Week
Monday, February 16 - Presidents' Day - Division Closed
Tuesday, February 17 - Teacher Workday - Student Holiday
Wednesday, February 25- 3 Hour Early Release Wednesday
Wednesday, February 25- Parent Coffee: Responsive Classroom and Second Step
Thursday, February 26- International Family Culture Night
Dear Belvedere Families,
This has been another great week at Belvedere!
As we do each month, we completed a fire drill to ensure our students are prepared in the event of a real emergency. We encourage you to talk with your child about what to do if there is a fire at school.
As you may be aware, the forecast is calling for significantly colder weather, with the potential for snow and ice. Please be on the lookout for FCPS messages through news outlets, social media, and official FCPS communications regarding any potential school delays or closures. In class newsletters, you will find information about homework your child can complete next week in the event of a school closure. Additionally, all class Schoology sites have been updated with an optional snow-day learning choice board.
We hope you stay safe and warm, and we wish you a wonderful weekend.
Cecilia Vanderhye, Tara Boone, Kelly Cabezas
Belvedere Elem Admin Team
Join Margot Hwang, our IB-PYP Coordinator, on January 28th from 10:00-11:00 AM in our Parent Center. We will be talking about Understanding IB-PYP program at Belvedere.
If you can't make it in person, join via Zoom: https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/j/99122013266?jst=1
For more information contact Iva Plazas, Family Liaison, at 703-916-6800.
Winter weather will be here before you know it! Watch this video to see how weather closing decisions are made at FCPS.
FCPS’ website is generally the first place to find out about emergency weather closings. Other communication channels will be used as quickly as possible, including email, text, social media, the new FCPS mobile app, and news stations. Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated.
Be sure to plan for the winter season. Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, bookmark the FCPS website, and arrange emergency child care if needed.
⛄ Keep Your Child Warm During Outdoor Activities
We will monitor the weather for low temperatures, wind chill advisories and warnings, and weather advisories that may prevent children from being outside. Make sure your child is dressed appropriately with a warm coat and other cold-weather clothing, so they can comfortably enjoy their time outdoors. View the National Weather Service’s tips on staying safe during cold weather.
If you need assistance getting cold-weather clothing for your family, please call Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) at 703-222-0880. Their multilingual staff can assist with any challenges you are facing, including food, shelter, employment, financial assistance, and health.
Winter Resources for Families
A list of resources has been compiled for students and families in case they or someone they know needs assistance while schools are closed for winter weather. Please visit FCPS’ winter resources page for information on academic support, mental health support, and county resources related to food, clothing, housing, and other needs.
Even If School Is Closed, Learning Can Continue!
We encourage students to take advantage of fun learning opportunities during snow or inclement weather days. Consider these winter activities to blend education and play at home.
Have your child complete some activities from our Winter Fun Choiceboard. Students can access the board on their teacher’s Schoology page. You can also check out Digital Resources for Belvedere Students on our site.
 Kindergarteners on their way to lunch!
Survey of Preschool Children
Please complete the Survey of Preschool Children form if you have a child who will be 5 years of age as of September 30, 2026. You can access the form in multiple languages at this link: https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/it112.pdf
Please complete and return the form to your local elementary school by March 31, 2026.
This will allow for FCPS to estimate the number of incoming kindergartners to plan for staffing and resource needs.
🧸 Kindergarten Registration: It’s as Easy as 1-2-3…
There’s an easy five-step process for parents wanting to register their child for kindergarten:
- Determine eligibility.
- Identify your local school.
- Gather documents.
- Fill out forms.
- Schedule an appointment.
After the appointment at the school (the student and one caregiver must be present), the student will be ready for orientation or any other introductory events each school may host. Read more about the registration process. For more information, call our student information assistant/registrar at xxxxxxxxx.
💻 Try Online Registration
Parents may register their children online for kindergarten through 12th grade. Learn how to begin the online registration process. When registering, parents will create (or log in to an existing) SIS ParentVUE account.
Immunization Events for FCPS Students
FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will provide school-required immunizations and optional flu shots for all FCPS students with no out-of-pocket costs. Multiple events will take place at designated FCPS locations. Additional dates will be available throughout the school year.
Parents or guardians may view upcoming events and schedule an appointment for their student. Participation is voluntary. View immunization resources on the FCPS website.
Mason District Health Fair
Save the date for the upcoming Mason District Health Fair on Saturday, February 7th from 10am-12 pm at the James Lee Community Center. A variety of community groups, organizations, and county departments will provide valuable health-related information, services, and resources:
- Vaccine appointment registration and information
- Medicaid enrollment assistance
- Hearing and vision screenings
- Substance abuse prevention training and resources
- Child development screenings and information
- Breast cancer awareness information
- HIV screening and prevention information
- Information on the importance of healthy eating
- And more!
The Fair is for all ages and is free entry for all.
  When Should Your Child Stay Home?
Help your student succeed in school by encouraging them to miss as few days as possible. However, do make sure your student stays home if they are sick. Visit the FCPS website for helpful insights regarding absences and how to work with your child and our school to minimize impacts on learning.
If your child has a chronic illness, make sure to let us know so we can provide assistance, if needed.
😷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.
💻 Action Required! Update Your Permission for Google Tools
Google recently made changes to how educational applications are managed and accessed on the Chrome Browser and Chromebooks. Many applications are moving from the Chrome Web Store to the Google Play Store.
To ensure your student(s) can continue accessing all approved instructional tools, FCPS has updated its digital consent platform to include both the Chrome Web Store and the Google Play Store.
Please review and provide your consent for these two new options through our easy-to-use Parent Digital Consent system:
- Additional Google Services – Chrome Web Store
- Additional Google Services – Google Play Store
Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting safe and effective digital learning experiences for all students.
For questions or support, please visit FCPS’ Family Technology Resources page or open a ticket with our Technical Support desk.
💻Access Schoology to Support Your Child
Schoology is the learning management system used in FCPS. Parents and students can use Schoology to view assignments and messages from teachers. Learn more about how to access and navigate Schoology.
Visit the Schoology Snippets YouTube playlist to watch short tutorials that walk you through how to use Schoology.
Need help logging in or accessing Tech Support? Visit the Schoology for Parents page.
The 2026 Special Education Family Conference, Stronger Together: Connecting Families and Schools, will take place on Saturday, March 21, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Marshall High School. Families will have the opportunity to hear from internationally renowned educator and advocate, Dr. Shelley Moore, connect to resources and other families, and participate in afternoon sessions.
FCPS families are invited to register to attend this year’s conference. Childcare, accommodations, and language interpretation are available.
Families are also invited to register to serve as event volunteers by Friday, February 20. Volunteer hours will be awarded to student volunteers.
Visit the FCPS 2026 Special Education Family Conference webpage for updates and more details.
 International Night at Justice High School
Justice High School presents International Night, “The Quest for the Diamond in the Rough,” on February 7, 2026. The event invites the school community to explore cultures from around the world represented by Justice High School’s multicultural diversity. Showtimes are at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and children. A cultural food experience will be available, with food service from 4:30 to 5:30 PM and 5:30 to 6:30 PM. Food prices vary.
🐺Wolves at the Lodge
Justice High School's PTSA marquee fundraiser, Wolves at the Lodge will be on February 28 from 7:00-11:00 PM. Tickets for teachers and administrators are only $10!!!
Enjoy a night out with neighbors. Reunite with old friends. Meet some new ones. The casino games will be rolling. There will be fabulous prizes, raffles, and silent auction items… including themed baskets this year! Great food, dancing, music, cocktails— everything you want AND it’s a great cause— our kids and teachers. Let’s make this year’s event the biggest and best yet.
📱 More News and Updates — on the go — With the FCPS App
Gone are the days of digging through emails or hunting for bookmarks. The FCPS app provides a custom experience that is both powerful and easy to use. Here is how it makes life easier:
- Customized for Your Family: Do you have students at two (or more!) different schools? You can "follow" multiple schools to get a feed of news, notices, and events specific to your family.
- No Sign-In Required: Access essential content like district-wide announcements, live updates, and school calendars instantly — no password to remember, no login required.
- Real-Time Notifications: Get push notifications for urgent updates — including weather announcements! — ensuring you never miss an important announcement from the district or your school.
- Everything in One Place: From bell schedules and staff directories to athletic event locations and school menus, the app is a central hub for all things FCPS.
To ensure every family stays informed, the app supports automatic translation for more than 100 languages. Learn more about the app, or download it today in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
FCPS This Week
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- 📱 More News and Updates — on the go — With the FCPS App
- Special Education Family Conference: Registration Open, Volunteers Needed
- Connect With Your Kids: Simple Steps to Stronger Communication
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
DABs needs for February
Calling all dads, uncles, grandpas and other male role models: come volunteer as a Dad at Belvedere (DABs) and show your support of education. DABs work in their student’s classroom, play on the playground and greet students at the kiss and ride line! It’s a fun-filled day that your student will never forget – and neither will their classmates! Sign up here.
📞Answer the Phone … an Hour a Week!
The Belvedere ES front office staff is looking for volunteers to help run the office for an hour a week while the administrative team hosts their weekly meeting. They are seeking a few volunteers and can be flexible with the day of the week and time, as long as it is between the hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
If you have a flexible schedule and may be able to help (even if it's not every week!), please connect with Tasha Floyd at tnfloyd@fcps.edu.
Upcoming PTA Events
February:
2-12 - Purse Fundraiser
5 - Movie Night @ BES (TBD)
26- Family Culture Night @ BES
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