It has been great to be back in school!
Principal's Message
Thank you for your support this week as we returned to school on delays and navigated the increase with kiss n ride. We will return to a normal arrival and dismissal time this week. We tried to get back into as much routine as possible and students did a great job.
Next Thursday, we will be sending home two reports to parents in Thursday folders, the quarter two report card and an attendance report card. Attendance report cards will outline the school attendance habits of your child. Please note if you have a chronically absent students we need to prioritize attendance each day the remainder of the year, holding off on vacations that pull your child out of school during academic time. Another concern for a few families is the late arrival of children. This can be remedied by working by putting in place structures at home that will support an earlier morning start. Consider these tips to help develop health attendance habits.
- Setting bedtime and wakeup routines and sticking close to them on the weekends and holidays. Being on time now will result in your child building readiness skills into adulthood. Work with your child to develop the routine and timing.
- Charging devices outside of the bedroom so students are not staying up late with electronic access.
- When possible, schedule medical appointments before or after school or during teacher workdays or school breaks.
- Limit family vacations to times when school is not in session.
- Keep your student’s teacher and counselor aware of extended medical absences or school avoidance concerns.
If your child is having difficulties with arrival, it is important to get in touch with our counselors or social worker.
Heather Lomelin, School Counselor, HELomelin
Kayla O'Prandy, School Counselor, KMOPrandy@fcps.edu
Maria Mahoney, School Social Worker, at MTMahoney@fcps.edu
We appreciate all your collaboration and support and look forward to a full week ahead!
Sincerely,
Stacy Kirkpatrick, Principal
Lara Macdonald, Assistant Principal
Important Upcoming Dates
Monday, February 9- 2nd Quarter Grades posted in Parent Vue
Thursday, February 12 - Academic & Attendance Report cards go home
Monday, February 16 - President's Day, No School
Tuesday, February 17 - Teacher Workday, No School
Wednesday, February 18 - 3HR Early Release
Feb 18 - 3 Hour Early Release; Harlem Wizards Assembly for Students
Mar 7 - Harlem Wizards Game
Monday, March 9 - Screenagers Elementary Edition - Parent Viewing
Held at Franklin Sherman ES, 7PM
Save the Date!
April 10 - Kindergarten Orientation 10-12PM
April 10 - Fun Fair 4PM - 7PM
April 21 - International Night 5:30 - 7 PM
June 10 - 6th Grade Promotion - Longfellow MS 5PM
FCPS 2025-26 School Year Calendar
Spirit Week February 6-13 Spread the Love
Feb 9 – Students will make a Heart Wall in the front hallway and play Kindness Bingo
Feb 10 - “Spread the Love.” Each student writes kind notes for peers or staff.
Feb 11 - Secret Staff Theme
*4 lucky student winners will get to pick out and print an object on our 3D printer!
Feb 12 – PJ Day, wear cozy pajamas to celebrate “self-love” and relaxation.
Feb 13 - Wear Valentine’s Day Colors (White, Pink, Red, or Purple)
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Reminder - No dogs on Campus
Schools are dog free zones. While we love seeing your dogs, they are not allowed on school grounds at any time. This is posted around campus and is for the health and well-being of our students. We realize the dogs may love walking to pick up your student, which is fine. If you bring your dog to drop off or pickup, please remain by the front public sidewalk on Kirby.
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Harlem Wizards Tickets on Sale for March 7th
When: Saturday, March 7th | Game begins at 6 PM | Doors open at 5 PM Where: Meridian High School | Located at 121 Mustang Alley
Come watch our Chesterbrook, Haycock and Franklin Sherman staff as they take on the Harlem Wizards in this fun and wild basketball game. A portion of the proceeds will benefit our PTA. Purchase your tickets today to reserve your spot at the game. This event will sell out, so get your tickets NOW!
Questions? Please contact Katie Broom at ktbroom@gmail.com.
https://pretix.eu/harlemwizards
3 Hour Early Release Planning
Note this Early Release is after students are out of school on Monday and Tuesday 2/16-17, so we hope to have all planning completed before Friday, 2/13. If you need to update your child's plan for the next early release, please do so.
Enter Updates for Early Release Here
SCREENAGERS Elementary Edition - Parent Viewing
Parents from all MHS pyramid elementary schools are invited to a free screening and facilitated discussion of Screenagers: Elementary Edition on Monday, March 9 at 7:00 p.m. at Franklin Sherman Elementary, sponsored by the Franklin Sherman PTA.
This adults-only event supports families navigating smartphone use and healthy technology habits. By coming together as a broader McLean community, we can better prepare our students and families for thoughtful technology decisions. We will also discuss Franklin Sherman's Wait Until 8th campaign and how we can help implement it at your elementary school.
Please RSVP here. We hope you will join us!
Fun Fair Committee Roles - We Need You!
It can be hard to think about a lovely spring evening of fun spread across the back field of Chesterbrook Elementary, but soon enough we will enjoy a wonderful evening of fun and community building. Please consider joining a great committee to help support ours students and join in the fun!
Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to help plan Fun Fair 2026! We are still looking to fill two committee roles: one co-chair (who will work with current co-chairs Katie Bianco and Christine Zeillberger) as well as someone to organize ticket sales. Fun Fair Committee Roles
- Fun Fair Co-Chair (New Leader Wanted!)
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The Role: The captain of the ship! You will oversee all committees, coordinate major elements like moon bounces and food, and ensure all volunteer shifts are filled.
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Time Commitment: A few meetings in the fall, followed by a few hours a month in the spring, with a heavier time commitment in the final weeks. This is a great opportunity to learn the ropes from a seasoned chair and potentially take on a lead role in the future!
- Ticket Sales (1 Person)
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The Organizer! Responsible for fulfilling and delivering pre-sale orders of wristbands and tickets. You will get the online sales report and deliver orders to homeroom teachers.
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Time Commitment: Be available to handle any ticket questions on the day of the Fun Fair.
Please reach out with any questions, or to express your interest in a role, by emailing funfair@chesterbrookpta.org
Meal Kits for Fasting Students
From February 18 to March 19, students who are fasting during the day can take school meals home. These kits include one breakfast and one lunch to be eaten after the school day ends.
Families must fill out a request form each week for every student who wants a kit. The first deadline is Wednesday, February 11, for the week of February 16. Please note other important details below:
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Cost: Meals are charged just like a normal school day.
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Pickup: Students must grab their kits at the end of the school day.
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Menu: Kits include school meals that are easy to heat at home.
Visit the Food and Nutrition webpage for forms, deadlines, and other information. Please contact the Office of Food and Nutrition Services with any questions at FCPSFNS@fcps.edu or 703-813-4800.
It’s Kindergarten Registration Time!
Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives.
Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, in the spring. Eligible children can be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps schools prepare and ensure they have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school.
If your child will attend our school, please gather necessary documents and complete registration forms as soon as possible.
FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, please visit the FCPS Registration webpage.
❤️ FCPS Cares ❤️
Take a moment to acknowledge and affirm a Chesterbrook staff member when they go above and beyond in demonstrating care and dedication that ensures every one of our students is seen, heard, and valued. FCPS Cares. All FCPS Cares nominees are considered for an additional monthly award.
ICYMI - News from FCPS
FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- How to Get Weather Updates ASAP
- Celebrating Students and Staff
- Kindergarten Open Houses
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics.
If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
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