 Our 4th Graders enjoying some bonding time during recess.
Dear Families,
Thank you so much for all of your support during our snow day challenges. We truly appreciate the time, flexibility, and encouragement you gave your children. We hope the activities helped mix a little bit of school learning into your day while still leaving plenty of space for rest, play, and cozy moments together.
We absolutely believe that children should enjoy these unexpected breaks, and at the same time, we want to make sure important learning stays fresh. Your partnership makes that balance possible, and we are so grateful. You are amazing, and we couldn’t do this without you.
As we move into Quarter 3, we are really getting into the heart of the school year. This is a time when we focus closely on helping every student make progress toward both their individual goals and their grade-level goals. In the coming weeks, students will begin setting goals for themselves as we start the new quarter. These goals will include personal or behavioral goals as well as academic goals.
You can support this process by starting some simple conversations at home. Here are a few questions you might ask your child to help them think about goal setting:
- What is something at school you feel really proud of right now?
- What is one thing you would like to get better at?
- What helps you learn or stay focused at school?
- If you could pick one goal for yourself, what would it be and why?
- How can we help you work toward that goal at home?
Thank you again for being such supportive partners in your child’s learning. We are excited for all the growth ahead in Quarter 3 and are grateful to be on this journey together.
With appreciation,
Bailey’s Upper Admin Team
💙Ms. Dowling
🧡Ms. Wayland
🐯Ms. Wiley
✨ Thursday Folders ✨
📂 This week’s Thursday Folder includes:
- No items were sent this past week.
Please take a few minutes to review these items with your student so you stay up-to-date with all the exciting things happening in our school community!
 Our Tiger Student working on her art project!
Student Ambassador Opportunity!
We’re excited to invite students to apply to become a Bailey’s Upper Student Ambassador! Student Ambassadors are leaders who help others, share ideas, and work together to make our school a welcoming and positive place for everyone. Please note that students who are in Get2Green Club are not eligible to apply as they already hold a leadership position in our school.
📄 Applications were sent home in last week’s Thursday folders and are hard copy only.
👩🏫 Two students will be selected from each class.
📅 Selected students will meet once a month during school hours.
We encourage students to take their time and provide thoughtful responses to the application questions.
**NEW Application Deadline**:
Wednesday, February 4th
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🌟 Family Engagement Workshop
Join us to learn how to understand your child’s Middle of the Year iReady (Literacy) and MAP (Math) results. We’ll review progress from the beginning to the middle of the year, highlight strengths, and identify areas for growth.
Please note that due to the weather we are expecting this weekend, we have moved our workshop to our scheduled snow date.
📅 **NEW DATE** Monday, February 9th
🏫 In-Person: Bailey’s Upper at 9:30–10:45AM
💻 Online via Zoom: 7:00–8:00PM
📊 Results will be shared at the workshop or sent home the same day.
🔗 English Zoom: https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/j/98226138523?from=addon
🔗 Spanish Zoom: https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/j/95877144722
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 Winter Showcase magic with the 5th Grade BUAE Orange Cast !
💌 Valentine’s Day Lunch – Friday, February 13
We are excited to invite parents to share a Valentine’s Day Lunch with their children on Friday, February 13! 💖 Enjoy a special meal together, celebrate friendship, and create loving memories in the cafeteria. Parents should attend during their child’s classroom lunch period.
School lunch will be available for $4.75, and we kindly ask that you either purchase a school lunch or bring a lunch from home. Please do not bring fast food (such as McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, etc.). We look forward to seeing all the smiles and Valentine’s Day joy! 🍎💘
10:45-11:10
Davila, Delgado, Mahmood, Ortega & Warner
11:10-11:40
Abu, Bukovac, Hammye & May
11:40-12:10
Aviles, Dove, Gerber, Oliveras, Rabil & Rotello
12:15-12:45
Anderson, Coles, Morrissey & Orellana
12:45-1:15
Agus, Longsworth, Smith, Stukes & Wyatt
1:15-1:45
Pavoni, Springer, Velasquez & West
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As we approach the holy month of Ramadan, we want to extend our best wishes to all who will be observing this special time of reflection, prayer, and fasting. We recognize that this is an important period for many of our students and families, and we want to ensure that we are providing the appropriate support.
Please view this IMPORTANT VIDEO in Arabic explaining the support Bailey's Upper is offering our families.
If your child will be fasting Ramadan and/or would like to participate in prayer during the school day, please let us know so that we can make the necessary accommodations. Please complete this brief form so that we can document your child’s participation and create a plan to support them. We are happy to provide a quiet space for students who wish to pray and will do our best to support their needs throughout the month.
STUDENT FASTING & PRAYER SUPPORT FORM
Please feel free to reach out with any questions or to share how we can best support your family during this time. We appreciate your partnership in making our school a welcoming space for all.
Wishing you a blessed Ramadan!
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Student Fasting Meal Kits Information:
- Kits are charged based on a student’s meal status (Free, Reduced, or Paid).
- Students may claim one breakfast and one lunch kit per day.
- Students who eat a meal at school during the day are not eligible for a take-home kit on the same day.
- Kits are distributed at the end of the school day. Students must pick up their own kits; adults are not permitted to collect them.
Parents or guardians must submit a weekly request form via the FCPS FNS website by the deadlines:
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February 11, 2026 for week of February 18, 2026
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February 16, 2026 for the week of February 23, 2026
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February 23, 2026 for the week of March 2, 2026
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March 2, 2026 for the week of March 9, 2026
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March 9, 2026 for the week of March 16, 2026
Forms must be submitted on time to receive meal kits for the following week. The form will be available starting February 4th.
 With full hearts, we celebrated the community partners who have walked alongside our schools for so many years. They have poured into our students and families in countless ways through food, mentorship, time, resources, and unwavering support. This was a moment to honor the care, commitment, and presence that make our school community stronger every day. We are deeply grateful for the organizations and individuals who support our schools!
New WIDA Testing Schedule
WIDA Testing
All students identified as multilingual learners (MLs) are assessed annually to monitor their progress and proficiency in English as required by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). In Virginia, all divisions use the WIDA ACCESS for this purpose. The WIDA ACCESS is aligned with the WIDA English Language Development standards and assesses English in the four language domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
CHANGE TO WIDA DATES: All testing Dates that were previously listed have changed due to the snow days. The new testing dates (weather permitting) are below.
WIDA Listening
- 5th grade -Tuesday, February 3rd
- 4th grade - Wednesday, February 4th
- 3rd grade - Thursday, February 5th
WIDA Reading
- 5th grade -Tuesday, February 10th
- 4th grade - Wednesday, February 11th
- 3rd grade - Thursday, February 12th
WIDA Writing
- 5th grade -Friday, February 20th
- 4th grade - Monday, February 23rd
- 3rd grade - Tuesday, February 24th
WIDA Speaking - will begin after the other 3 testing domains are complete and will be in small groups settings by our ESOL teachers beginning February 26th and continuing over the next several weeks.
If you have any questions regarding past, current, or upcoming assessments, please contact Nicole Cassidy or Hugo Duran, our School Testing Coordinators at 703-503-2700
Upcoming Student Experience Survey at Bailey’s Upper ES
Our school will participate in the FCPS Student Experience Survey. This survey will gather important feedback from students about their school experiences to help FCPS make meaningful improvements.
All students in grades 3-5, except those who have opted out, will receive a link to the survey in their FCPS email on February 23. We will administer the survey during the school day between Monday, February 23, and Friday, March 6. Any student may take the survey at home, if they are unable to take the survey during the school day. On January 15th in our Thursday Folder, you received a letter with details on how to preview the survey and opt your child out, if you choose. The electronic opt-out form can also be accessed at this link.
We believe it's important to hear from our students about what we're doing well and where we can improve. This work also aligns with the equity commitments in FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic
 Our 3rd grader working hard on his Lexia!
Justice High School's PTSA marquee fundraiser, Wolves at the Lodge will be on Sat. February 28th 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.
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Each week we highlight anywhere from 1-4 staff members for our Staff Star of the Week Program. With this recognition, our staff is featured in our weekly staff newsletter and receives either a $5 Starbucks gift card, $5 Target gift card, or $5 Amazon gift card.
If you are interested in donating $5 Starbucks gift cards, $5 Target gift cards, or $5 Amazon gift cards to our school to help us continue our Staff Star of the Week Program, please drop them off in the main office.
 Bailey's Upper February 2026
 Our 5th Grade Advanced Band Students ready for their showcase!
Fairfax County Public Schools does not provide medical insurance for accidents that may occur at school. Families may wish to consider whether purchasing voluntary student accident insurance is a good option for their child.
K & K Insurance Group offers a voluntary student accident insurance plan that families can choose to purchase at any time during the school year. For families without medical insurance, this coverage may be a helpful resource. For families who already have insurance, it may help with out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles and co-pays.
We encourage families to review this option and decide what works best for their needs. Use this link to get details and sign-up.
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FCPS Ombuds Office Provides Confidential Guidance
The Office of the Ombuds engages with families, students, and staff to offer resources and improve the experience of each and every member of the FCPS community. They work as an independent confidential resource to help answer questions, offer options to resolve concerns, and hear complaints regarding FCPS matters. Anyone seeking assistance from the Office of the Ombuds may call 571-423-4014, text 571-496-8284, email ombuds@fcps.edu, or visit the ombuds webpage, where you may submit a question. Ombuds staff do not change or make decisions, policies, or regulations; take sides; or provide legal advice.
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The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story, so we can all acknowledge the good work of FCPS employees, specifically at Bailey’s Upper ES. |
 Students using music sticks to learn rhythm and team work!
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