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Dear Island Creek Families,
We had a wonderful three-day week filled with learning, laughter, and positive energy throughout the school. It’s always amazing to see how much our Crocs can accomplish in a short time when they feel supported and connected.
Thank you to our Kindergarten Families who attended this monring's Breakfast Bash.
As part of our renewed focus on kindness, we’ve been encouraging students to be intentional about how they speak to and treat one another. Kindness may seem simple, but its impact is powerful. As the saying goes, “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” When students choose kindness, they help create an environment where everyone feels safe, valued, and ready to learn.
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Wednesday, February 25 is a 3-hour Early Release for school-age students at 12:20. Dismissal time and transportation arrangements will follow the same schedule as December's Early Release. If you have a change, please contact the office (571-642-6300) no later than 4:00 PM on Tuesday, February 24.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
Warmly,
Jen Fallert, Principal 🐊
Karen Baxter, Assistant Principal 🐊
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Every Day Counts at Island Creek!
Help us reach our goal of 4% or less this year!
Attendance is a vital life skill that will benefit your child later in life. It’s a good habit to build now to help them graduate from college on time and routinely report to work on time once they have a career.
By highlighting this important information, we aim to keep our families informed and energized about our collective efforts to encourage regular school attendance
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Early Release (12:20) for school-age students on Wednesday, 2/25
Wednesday, February 25, is a 3-Hour Early Release Wednesday at 12:20 for school-age students.
Dismissal time and transportation will follow the same arrangements as the December's Early Release Day
If you have any questions, please contact the office (571-642-6300) no later than 4:00 PM on Tuesday.
Preschool Students will follow their regular Wednesday schedule.
At Island Creek, our Croc staff wants every student and family to know just how much you belong and are valued—we truly have the most amazing community!
Because it was such a hit last year, we are thrilled to bring back our Family Friday Breakfast Bash. This is a wonderful chance to gather, share a meal, and get to know other families in your child’s grade.
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When: Friday mornings, 7:45 AM – 8:20 AM (grade levels have assigned dates)
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Where: Island Creek Cafeteria
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Who: Families and their children
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What to bring: A breakfast dish to share (think muffins, fruit, donuts, or your favorite breakfast casserole!)
We can’t wait to enjoy some great food and fellowship with you before the school day begins. The Breakfast Bash dates for every grade level are shown below.
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Kindergarten Family Friday Breakfast Bash: Friday, February 20
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1st and 2nd Grades Family Friday Breakfast Bash: Friday, February 13
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3rd and 4th Grades Family Friday Breakfast Bash: Friday, February 27
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5th and 6th Grades Family Friday Breakfast Bash: Friday, March 13
We hope to see your family at one of these events!
From February 18 to March 19, 2026, a Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) waiver allows students fasting during the school day to request take-home meal kits. These kits include a complete school breakfast and lunch to be eaten after the school day ends.
Important Meal Kit 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.
Upcoming Student Experience Survey at Island Creek
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 through 6, 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 on Wednesday, February 25. Any student may take the survey at home, if they are unable to take the survey during the school day. You will receive a communication 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 Plan, which include a focus on amplifying student voice and experiences as we work toward meeting plan goals.
Spotlight on Specialst: STEAM
Olympic Themed STEAM!
Our 3rd and 4th graders are wrapping up their exciting STEAM Olympics engineering challenges, with winners to be announced next week! Students worked collaboratively in teams to complete two KEVA plank design challenges—one focused on building the tallest and most stable structure, and the other on creating a structure that included both a door and a roof. Teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving were on full display!
Next, we’ll shift our focus to science as students investigate different types of paper towels. They will test materials, analyze how they are constructed, and explore how their properties affect functionality. As students design and carry out their own experiments, they’ll deepen their understanding of the scientific investigation process while continuing to strengthen important engineering concepts.
Our 5th and 6th grade students have been diving into the exciting world of STEAM through an Olympic-themed unit! By exploring the connections between Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math and the Olympic Games, students discovered how creativity, design, and problem-solving play an important role in athletics.
As part of this hands-on experience, students designed and built their own mini hockey equipment. Using yarn, straws, and tape, they engineered hockey nets, carefully considering structure and stability. They also created hockey sticks from popsicle sticks and tape.
The highlight of the project was putting their equipment into action! Students loved testing their creations Through collaboration, perseverance, and innovation, they truly demonstrated the Olympic spirit while experiencing STEAM in action.
Winter Family Score Reports for Screening/Growth Assessments
Family score reports for elementary winter screening and growth assessments will be centrally distributed to families through SIS ParentVUE (PVUE) Documents. Families in grades PreK-6 will receive up to three (3) reports based on the assessments their student took this winter:
📚 Exploring Technology and Society in Language Arts 📚
Benchmark Unit 5 in Language Arts is about technology and how it can help us solve problems at home, school, and work. Students in K-5 will be learning about technology and society. Grade six students will learn about technology in the 21st century.
Connect with your child’s learning at school with these fun questions and hands-on activities at home:
- Question: If you could invent anything, what would it be?
- Activity: Talk to your child about what daily life was like before today’s advances in technology. Where would you go to find information? How did you stay in touch with friends and family? Ask your child if they think they would like living without modern technology.
At the end of the unit, your child will take their unit magazine home. The magazine includes an activity calendar with fun ways to help students build on what they’re learning at each grade level. You can also find information on how to support your child’s reading at home on the Benchmark Families website.
New-to-FCPS families create a ParentVUE account for online registration. Details are available here: Welcome to Fairfax County Public Schools' (FCPS) Online Registration | Fairfax County Public Schools
Current families can register their new student through their existing ParentVUE account. (No need to register students returning to Island Creek)
Our Registrar, Ms. Bickerstaff, is happy to process registrations directly as well. Please complete this New Student Intake Form and she will respond with registration details and documents necessary to start the process.
There’s an easy five-step process for parents wanting to register their child for kindergarten you can learn more here.
- Determine eligibility.
- Identify your local school.
- Gather documents.
- Fill out forms.
- Schedule an appointment
Island Creek will have an FCPS PreK Class for School Year 2026-2027!
This is a high-quality Early Childhood Program for eligible families. PreK (which stands for Pre-Kindergarten) is a full-day program, and spaces are limited. The PreK program prioritizes children who will be 4 years old by September 30 but also accepts applications for children who will be 3 years old by September 30.
For more information or to apply, visit the FCPS PreK website, email fcpsprekoffice@fcps.edu, or call the PreK Office at 703-208-7900 (English) or 703-208-7901 (Spanish).
2025-2026 Yearbooks on Sale! Order Now and Save!
School yearbooks are on sale! The basic book is just $22 now, but the price will go up to $25 on March 20th.
Ordering is simple: Just go http://www.buytheyearbook.com, put in Island Creek School ID 732461, and pay with your credit card. All orders are online only.
PLEASE NOTE: There will not be any additional books for sale in June. If you want your child to have a yearbook, please order one now.
Students in Grades 3-6 participate in the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) Tests. Students are administered the assessment in the morning and need to get a good night's sleep and eat breakfast at home or school. Please refrain from scheduling appointments when your child has an SOL Test.
Rooted in Resilience: Echoes of Excellence
Families and community members are invited to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and uplift the voices shaping our future at FCPS’ Second Annual Black History Month Celebration. Rooted in Resilience: Echoes of Excellence will take place on Wednesday, February 25, at 6 p.m., at Carter G. Woodson High School.
The event will honor the rich history, strength, and contributions of the Black community through inspiring student performances and a powerful keynote address by Rev. Vernon C. Walton, pastor of First Baptist Church of Vienna. Light refreshments will be available.
Techstravaganza
Techstravaganza is a free, public, hands-on STEM activity fair for elementary and middle school students in Northern Virginia. In previous years, we've hosted more than 4,500 students and 70 labs presenting STEM activities. Our exhibitors range from TJHSST clubs and our own TWIST volunteers to organizations like NASA SCaN, Art of Problem Solving, George Mason University, American Society of Naval Engineers, and the National Air and Space Museum. This year, we will be holding the 22nd annual Techstravaganza on Saturday, May 16, 2026 from 10 AM to 4 PM at TJHSST.
Admission is free, and we hope that you can spread the word in your school. Here is our registration link: https://tinyurl.com/Techstravaganza26, and attached are flyers in English and Spanish that can be used to advertise this event. We would appreciate you sharing this with families in a newsletter or your school's social media. Please let us know if translating the flyer into other languages will help.
More information about the event can be found on our website at https://techstrav.org/index.htmlor tjpartnershipfund.org/techstravaganza/.
Register Today With Volunteer FCPS
Volunteer FCPS allows individuals to search and register for volunteer opportunities. It helps ensure a safe, consistent, and welcoming environment here at Island Creek Elementary. All volunteers must:
- Create a profile in Volunteer FCPS.
- Register for opportunities through Volunteer FCPS.
- Sign in and out of schools using the visitor kiosk.
At the Volunteer FCPS site, you can complete a volunteer orientation. Visit the Volunteer FCPS Frequently Asked Questions for more information.
New Visitor Management System
We are excited to announce that our school is now using the new Raptor Visitor Management System (VMS). This upgrade is part of our school’s and FCPS’ ongoing commitment to enhancing school safety and streamlining the process for visitors at our school. The VMS ensures that no visitor is on the sex offender registry.
For most visitors, the user experience will be the same when you check-in at the front office.
But now there is also an app, which can make check-in’s even faster at school. Visitors who choose to download the RaptorSafe App and create a Raptor Passport can pre-verify their information before they get to school. The app will give you a QR code you can use when you check-in at school.
If you have questions or need assistance with the new system, please contact our front office at 571-642-6300. Thank you for your partnership in keeping our schools safe!
 Upcoming Free Webinars from the Family Resource Center
Tips to Reduce Parent Stress and Anxiety Tuesday, March 3, 10-11:30 a.m.
Join Rachel Bailey for a workshop on why modern parenting feels so overwhelming— and how to manage it. Learn practical strategies to reduce stress, respond calmly instead of reactively, and parent with more confidence and ease. Register here
You’re Not Doing It Wrong: Parenting Through “Bumps” with Neurodivergent Kids Friday, March 6, 10-11:30 a.m.
Parenting a neurodivergent child evolves in stages, often in unexpected ways. This webinar explores how parental roles shift over time and introduces a three-phase framework to help parents navigate change with clarity, curiosity, and intention—building more confident, responsive leadership along the way. Register here
Why Smart Kids Struggle Wednesday, March 11, 10-11:30 a.m.
Many students struggle not because of ability, but because of executive function. This session helps parents recognize these challenges and learn simple strategies to reduce overwhelm and help kids get unstuck—without nagging or doing it for them. Register here
BIS Part 3: How to Develop Emotional Regulation with Your Child Friday, March 13, 10-11:30 a.m.
Join us to explore how to move beyond stopping challenging behavior and instead focus on teaching the core skills of recognizing, understanding, and responding to emotions in healthy ways. Walk away with tools leading to a calmer family life. Register here
Countdown to Kindergarten Friday, March 27, 10-11:30 a.m.
Is your preschooler heading to kindergarten this fall? Join us for Countdown to Kindergarten, a virtual event designed to help families prepare for this exciting transition! During this webinar, families will learn practical tips and essential information to support your child's smooth and successful start to kindergarten in Fairfax County Public Schools. Register here
❤️Wednesday, February 25: 3-Hour Early Release at 12:20 for school-age students
❤️Friday, February 27: Breakfast Bash with 3rd and 4th Grade Families (7:45-8:20, Cafeteria)
❤️Tuesday, March 10: 5th Grade Writing SOL
❤️Friday, March 13: Breakfast Bash with 5th and 6th Grade Families (7:45-8:20, Cafeteria)
❤️Friday, March 20: Eid-al-Fitr (No School)
❤️Wednesday, March 25: 3-Hour Early Release at 12:20 for school-age students
❤️Thursday, March 26: Authors and Artists Night (5:30-7:00)
❤️Friday, March 27: Quarter 3 ends; 2-Hour Early Relase at 1:20
❤️March 30 - April 6: Student Holiday: Spring Break and Teacher Workday
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