2025-26 FCPS School Calendar

• March 2-6: National School Breakfast Week!
• March 2:  Sign up for student fasting kit for the week of March 9
• March 5: General PTA Meeting (new date), 5:30 pm
• March 9:  Sign up for student fasting kit for the week of March 16
• March 18: 3-Hour Early Release at 1:05 pm
• March 20: No School, Eid-al-Fitr and Nowruz 
• March 26: Heritage Night,  (rescheduled from March 19)
• March 27: 2-Hour Early Release at 2:05 pm, End of 3rd Quarter
• March 30-April 3: No School, Spring Break
• April 6: Student Holiday, Teacher Work Day
• April 10: Student Holiday, School Planning Day
• April 10: Kindergarten Orientation, 10:00 am-11:30 am
• April 14: Family Science Night, 6:00 pm-7:30 pm

English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

Message from Principal Vereb 

🐝 Principal Reflections from the Hive

Even with a snow day to start the week, the learning and leadership at Herndon Elementary did not slow down.

❄️ Monday: Snow Day

A pause in the week gave many of us time to rest and reset. I am grateful for a community that stays flexible and supportive when schedules shift.

🤝 Tuesday: Transformative Family Engagement

Our team engaged in professional learning focused on family engagement strategies that move beyond events and toward partnership. We examined how we build trust, increase access, and create two-way communication that supports student growth. The goal is not simply engagement, but meaningful collaboration that improves outcomes for students.

📊 WIDA Testing in Action

This week we continued WIDA ACCESS testing. Our multilingual learners are demonstrating growth in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. I am proud of the care our staff takes to ensure students feel confident and supported during assessments.

🏠 Home Visits

I had several lovely home visits this week. These conversations strengthen relationships and reinforce our shared commitments. When we meet families and listen to their hopes and dreams for our school community, we build trust and vision that lasts.

🏗 Construction Progress Meeting

We met with our construction partners to review modernization progress. Each meeting brings us one step closer to an updated learning environment that reflects the excellence happening inside our classrooms every day.

🤝 Community Partnerships

We were grateful to meet with partners from Bechtel and Trinity Church this week. Strong school-community partnerships expand opportunities for students and strengthen our One Hive network of support.

🎶 Celebrating Excellence

It was an honor to attend the Second Annual Black History Month Celebration at Carter G. Woodson High School. The student performances were powerful reminders of the brilliance, talent, and leadership within our division.

🎉 65 Years of Herndon Excellence

Finally, members of our team attended the Fairfax County School Board meeting where Herndon Elementary was recognized for 65 years of service to this community. That recognition belongs to generations of educators, families, and students who built the legacy we now carry forward.

Looking Ahead

This week reflected what makes Herndon Elementary special:

• Strong instruction
• Meaningful family partnership
• Community collaboration
• Pride in our history
• Focus on our future

Thank you for being part of this work. It is an honor to lead alongside you.

Black Excellence in Fairfax County Schools: A Legacy. A Journey. A Future.

📸Snapshots from Principal Vereb

Celebrating the 100th day of school, creative ways to learn math, collaboration, and how to strategize all at once!!

Readers Are Leaders: How Herndon Students Are Building Confidence — One Book at a Time

Each week, members of the boys basketball team from Herndon High School trade in their practice shoes for storybooks as they travel down the road to Herndon Elementary School to read alongside their younger buddies. The visits are part of the Readers Are Leaders initiative — a program designed to strengthen literacy while building meaningful relationships between students of different ages.

Founded by longtime educator and coach Wendell Byrd, Readers Are Leaders brings together two powerful ideas: helping young students experience the joy of reading and giving high school athletes opportunities to serve their community in meaningful ways. Byrd, who spent more than 30 years teaching elementary students while coaching high school athletes, envisioned a program where mentorship could positively shape both groups of students.

Read the rest of the featured article which is on the FCPS website homepage this week! 

Subscribe to FCPS This Week.

Celebrating the Power of
School Breakfast!
March 2-6

Our fruit parfaits are available at breakfast with vanilla yogurt and delicious fruit.

Multiple studies show that school breakfasts are important in supporting overall student health by improving students’ diets and combating food insecurity. Students who eat school breakfast consume more fruit and fiber than their peers. 

This National School Breakfast Week, FCPS Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) reminds families that they are dedicated to providing flavorful, healthy, sustainable, and student-focused meals. New menu items have been launched this year based on student feedback. 

Breakfast Menu Promotion

Cafeterias will display posters that showcase special breakfast menu items to encourage students to try menu items and help students conquer the day, one adventure at a time.

• Grand Guava Pastelitos
• These warm and golden, flaky pastries are filled with a tropical fruit filling. 
• They’re made with whole grains to keep you full and filled with whole fruit to give you energy!
• Power Up Parfaits
• Our fruit parfaits are available at breakfast with vanilla yogurt and delicious fruit. Try the new roasted banana parfait later this month!  
• Parfaits are protein-rich to help build your muscles and give you strength for adventures. 
• Enchanted Mini Blueberry Pancakes
• Fluffy pancakes with blueberries make breakfast feel magical.
• The blueberries add natural sweetness to help fuel your mornings, and the pancakes give you the energy for your quests. 
• Adventurers Turkey Sausage & Cheese Bagel
• A warm bagel with savory turkey sausage and cheese powers your adventure.
• This protein-packed breakfast helps you armor up and keep you full for the day.
• Rise & Shine Nutrigrain Bars with String Cheese
• This combo is the perfect grab-and-go breakfast.
• Jumpstart your day with whole grains and protein.
• Royal French Toast Sticks
• These French toast sticks are fit for kings and queens. 
• This tasty breakfast favorite provides energy to rule the school day.
• Wizard’s Breakfast Quesadilla 
• A magical breakfast filled with cheesy eggs in a quesadilla.
• This protein-packed breakfast with a whole-grain tortilla gives you the energy you need to cast spells all mornin

Want to know what’s for breakfast? Nutrition Services has printable menus available. 

Herndon ES PTA Meeting
Thursday, March 5

HES PTA Leadership Opportunities for Next Year

Looking for a meaningful way to support Herndon Elementary, connect with other families, and make a real impact on our school community? The Herndon ES PTA is seeking interest for several leadership roles for the 2026–2028 school years:

📢 President

📝 Secretary

💰 Treasurer

🙋‍♂️ VP of Volunteers

Serving on the PTA is one of the most direct ways to shape the experiences of our students—supporting teachers and staff, funding enrichment programs, strengthening family engagement, and helping build a welcoming, connected school community. These roles are well-supported, collaborative, and a great fit for someone who enjoys being involved and making things happen behind the scenes.

No prior PTA experience is required—just a willingness to help and a heart for our school. If you’re curious, interested, or just want to learn more, we’d love to hear from you!

Reach out to the PTA at herndonptapresident@gmail.com to express interest or ask questions.

Your time and talents can make a lasting difference at Herndon ES 🐝

Meal Kits for Fasting Students

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 next deadline is March 2, for the week of March 9 .

• Cost: Meals are charged just like a normal school day. 
• Pickup: Students must grab their kits at the end of the school day.
• Menu: Kits include school meals that are easy to heat at home.

Visit the Food and Nutrition webpage for forms, deadlines, and more information. Please contact the Office of Food and Nutrition Services with any questions at FCPSFNS@fcps.edu or 703-813-4800.

Body Safety Program at Herndon ES

The Body Safety Program is scheduled to take place at Herndon Elementary the week of March 23rd for grades Pre-K-6^th. If you would like to opt your child out of this program, please make sure to send in a signed opt-out form (English/Spanish) no later than March 6th. Printed copies went home this week. Please note that Rylynn, a Department of Family Services Facility Dog, will be on-site Friday.

• OPT Out Form - English
• OPT Out Form - Spanish

Be a Part of our HES Heritage Night

Thursday, March 26, 5:30-7:30 pm.

Our Annual Heritage Night is coming up volunteers are needed for this fun and festive event!

If you haven't registered with FCPS to be a volunteer, please do so today and you'll be all set to volunteer: Volunteer FCPS.

Please contact Mrs. Perez in the main office at MYPerez@fcps.edu

Pre-K and Early Head Start Programs 

FCPS Pre-K and Early Head Start programs provide a high-quality early learning experience for qualifying children with economic and educational risk factors, ages 6 weeks to 4 years, living in Fairfax County. 

• Pre-K prioritizes 4-year-old applicants but also accepts applications for children who will be 3 years old by September 30 of the same year.

• Early Head Start is located at three elementary schools — Clearview, Crestwood, and Dogwood — and accepts applications from pregnancy to 2 years old.

Families are encouraged to apply as soon as possible; space is limited and provided based on need, not on a first-come, first-served basis.

Applications are accepted online, by email, by mail, or in person at the program office at 7423 Camp Alger Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia 22042.  

If you have a question about the application process or status, please call 703-208-7900 (English) or 703-208-7901 (Spanish).

HES Kindergarten Open House
April 10

Kindergarten open houses are being held this spring to give parents of students entering school in August an opportunity to learn more about kindergarten at their school. Herndon Elementary's open house is April 10, 10:00-11:30 am.

FCPS recognizes that parents are their children’s first teachers. Resources on the School Readiness and Transition to Kindergarten webpage provide parents with ways to support their children to help ensure a smooth transition to kindergarten. 

There’s also an easy-to-follow five-step process for parents registering their children for kindergarten. Register your child today!

Questions? Please contact our Herndon Elementary Student Information Assistant/Registrar, Shermin Sirajudin, at 703-326-3108 or ssirajudin@fcps.edu

District News
In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)

• FCPS News
  In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• The FCPS Budget
• School Safety 
• Community Conversations

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today. 

Follow the Herndon Elementary renovation progress which is located on the FCPS website by clicking here.

Administration E-mail:

• Principal, Monika Vereb mgvereb1@fcps.edu 
• Assistant Principal, Elizabeth Baxter eabaxter@fcps.edu 
• Assistant Principal, Daphne Holliday daholliday@fcps.edu
• Assistant Principal, Kelly Cosgrove kmcosgrove@fcps.edu

📸(Left to Right): Mrs. Cosgrove, Dr. Vereb, Mrs. Holliday, and Mrs. Baxter

Do you know a Herndon Elementary staff member who goes above and beyond or turns the ordinary into something extraordinary? If so, click here to nominate them for FCPS Cares and help us share their story.

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630 Dranesville Rd. Herndon, VA 20170  | Main Office: 703-326-3100
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