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Dear Freedom Hill Families,
We hope you had a nice week! It sure was a fun one at school. Despite the snow day on Monday, we still enjoyed field trips, a visit from the Fire Department, a parent presentation about circuitry, and lots of engaging hands-on learning in our classrooms. At our monthly staff meeting on Friday, we eagerly shared with staff the progress that our students have made in the first half of the year. Thank you for your partnership - we are doing hard things!
This week, we are excitedly MARCHing into a new month with some thrills - the Read-A-Thon is here! On Monday, we continue our focus on literacy this year by kicking off our annual Read-A-Thon. Please take a few minutes to sign up your reader(s) for this year's event by seeing the link below in our PTA section. This important fundraising event supports many of the extra programs and resources that benefit our school each year!
Wishing you a great week.
In partnership,
Nicholas Zapadka, Principal
Tim Scesney, Assistant Principal
Holly Sims, Assistant Principal
2025-26 FCPS School Calendar
Freedom Hill Family Resources
Breakfast/Lunch Menus
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March 2 - Read-A-Thon Kickoff Event, AM
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March 2 - 13 - Read-A-Thon!
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March 9 – 13 – Read-A-Thon Spirit Week (Thank you SCA!)
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March 13 - 19 - Spring Book Fair
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March 18 - 3-Hour Early Release at 1:05
- March 20 – School Closed, Eid Al-Fitr
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March 27 – End of Q3, 2-Hour Early Release
- March 30 – April 3: Spring Break
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This week, we are focusing on Love of Learning. You master new topics and skills on your own or in school.
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"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.”
~B.B. King
Questions you might enjoy talking about:
- What kinds of things do you like learning?
- Do you think it’s true that you can learn ANYTHING?
- What do you think are the benefits of loving to learn?
Students in grades 3-6 participate in state assessments each year. These assessments measure how students are learning the state standards. Below is the current schedule for the spring Standards of Learning tests at Freedom Hill. More information will be provided as we get closer to the testing window and is available on the SOL Tests in Elementary School page on the FCPS website.
- Tuesday, March 24: Grade 5 Integrated Reading and Writing SOL
- Tuesday, April 28: Grade 6 & Grade 4 Reading SOL
- Thursday, April 30: Grade 5 & Grade 3 Reading SOL
- Thursday, May 7: Grade 5 Math SOL
- Thursday, May 12: Grade 4 Math SOL
- Thursday, May 14: Grade 5 Science & Grade 3 Math SOL
- Tuesday, May 19: Grade 6 SOL
- May 28 - June 3: Retakes for identified students
Please avoid scheduling appointments for students on the dates that students will participate in the SOLs.
Will include:
Read more about early release Wednesdays on the FCPS website.
 FCPS is excited to welcome The StudyPro at 10AM on March 11 for a conversation around executive functioning.
In this talk we will break down what's really getting in the way and how parents can help to:
- Recognize and identify EF challenges
- Reduce the friction that keeps kids stuck
- Support your child with strategies for planning, time management, and managing work
You'll leave with strategies to reduce homework stress and bolster developing EF skills, and improve relationships. Register here!
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.
As a listening leader, connecting with community members across our school division is critical to FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid. Her Community Conversations are opportunities for you to share your thoughts and ask questions. Events will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (unless otherwise noted) on:
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Tuesday, March 3, at Waples Mill Elementary School.
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Tuesday, March 17, from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m., at Glen Forest Elementary School.
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Monday, March 23, at Ravensworth Elementary School.
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Monday, April 13, at Belle View Elementary School.
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Monday, April 20, at Westgate Elementary School.
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Wednesday, April 22, at Crestwood Elementary School.
Child care and interpretation services will be provided. Events are open to all. Visit the superintendent’s engagement page for the most up-to-date information.
Registration is open or will be available soon for summer camps and learning opportunities offered by Fairfax County Public Schools for all students.
Career and Technical Education and Institute for the Arts Camps
Career and Technical Education camps and Institute for the Arts camps will be held in July at Robinson Secondary School from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bus transportation will be available from select FCPS middle and high schools. Tuition assistance is available to FCPS families eligible for free or reduced meals.
Tech Adventure Camp (TAC) is a week-long exploratory camp that allows current K-5 students to explore STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math), culinary, health, trades, and business and marketing areas. Watch this video about CTE camps. Registration is open through Friday, June 5th.
Elementary Institute for the Arts (E-IFTA) is a weekly fine and performing arts camp for students in grades K-5 who love to sing, dance, act, perform, make, and create. Students attend four daily classes in dance, music, theater, and visual arts and work with experienced educators who create engaging, fun classes.
New this year: Students in the above camps can also register for aftercare, which is available from 2 to 5 p.m.
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is gearing up to honor and celebrate its military-connected youth in April, the Month of the Military Child, and on Purple Up! Day!
This year, Virginia will celebrate Purple Up! Day on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. Purple Up! Day is a special day for communities to come together and wear purple as a visible gesture of support for our military-connected youth and their families. Purple symbolizes the combined colors of all branches of the military.
FCPS Purple Up! T-shirts and other items are available for purchase now through Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in our Custom Ink online store. These items highlight our gratitude and appreciation for our 14,500 military-connected students and their families. #PurpleUpFCPS!
For more information and/or to connect with FCPS resources, email us at militaryfamilies@fcps.edu.
    
Upcoming Events:
Read-a-Thon Starts Monday, March 2nd!
Register your reader today!
It's as easy as 1 - 2 - 3....Go!
- Click this link and select “Register My Reader”
- Find and select your reader’s teacher
- Search for and select your reader, then create your account
Go - Send out emails, texts, Facebook posts, or donate!
Why are we having a Read-A-Thon?
The PTA supports a variety of programs that directly touch every student at Freedom Hill Elementary. The proceeds collected from Read-A-Thon will be used for literacy programs, academic supports, teacher training, and technology.
Prizes!!
In addition to Read-A-Thon individual fundraising prizes:
- Classrooms that meet their weekly goal will earn a teacher’s choice reward (e.g., PJ day)
- If we reach our school-wide minutes goal of 300,000 minutes, students will receive a class choice day
- If we reach our school-wide fundraising goal of $10,000, students will get to throw water balloons at the Principals during Field Day!
Read-A-Thon Dates
- Monday (3/2) - Read-A-Thon begins with the Author Event, Jen Fier Jasinski (Thank you, Ms. Rossman!)
- Friday (3/6 and 3/13) - Flashlight Friday
- Monday - Friday (3/9 – 3/13) - SCA Read-A-Thon themed Spirit Week (Thank you, Ms. Turner!)
- Friday (3/13) - Read-A-Thon ends
SPRING INTO SNACKS: HELP US CELEBRATE OUR FHES TEACHERS & STAFF!
The PTA is humbly asking parents and caregivers to help us show our FHES teachers and staff appreciation with a spring event by buying items off our Amazon "SPRING INTO SNACKS" wishlist to set up a snack break for all FHES staff on our next early release Wednesday (3/18). Since studying is always better with snacks, the PTA is hosting this spring appreciation event on behalf of our FHES families to recognize and show them how much we appreciate all that the FHES teachers and staff do each and every day.
The PTA will bring all items to the school and set them up so that when kids are released on Wednesday, 3/18, and teachers go to study, they will be able to grab some yummy treats to keep them going.
We deeply appreciate any items you are able to buy off the list to fuel our staff and teachers to be delivered BY MONDAY, MARCH 16.
The link to the list is here:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/EZ682JYIIQ4O?ref_=wl_share
2026-2027 PTA BOARD NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN
Nominations are now open for the PTA Board for the 2026-2027 school year! You can read about the position on the PTA website, and you can self-nominate for one or more positions using this Google form or the paper flier that will come home in your student’s folder. If you have any questions, email president@freedomhillpta.org. Nominations close March 31st.
PTA Quick Links:
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