STEAM/Literacy Night - A Blast!
We thoroughly enjoyed our Steam/Literacy Night. We had an amazing turnout with out parents and students. So many engaging activities! A shout out to our fabulous teachers for organizing and to the vendors that joined us!
Planning Ahead - Calendar Dates!
March 3 - Author Visit
March 5 - Student Spring Pictures - Photos will be available approximately 10 days after the picture day. Parents will have the option to purchase at that time.
March 6 - 13 Book Fair
- -March 10 - Donuts with Grownups 8:00 - 8:45 a.m. (Students come with and adult)
- March 11 - Storybook Lagoon and Family Buying 4 - 6:30 p.m. for read-alouds and family buying time. Students accompanied by an adult.
March 9 - Free Parent Event (no children) - Screenagers: Elementary Edition Viewing at Franklin Sherman 7 p.m. Open to the McLean Pyramid schools
March 10 - Silver Diner - Restaurant Night for KG 5- 8 p.m.(20% from sales including DELIVERY from their website) Come support KGES!
March 18 - Three Hour Early Release
March 20 - Eid al-Fitr School Holiday
March 25 - Parent Coffee 8:45 a.m.
March 26 - Virtual Kindergarten Orientation Meeting by Zoom (8 - 8:45 a.m. link to follow to those signed up in google form below)
March 27 - Two Hour Early Release and End of Quarter
March 30 - April 3 - Spring Break and April 6 - Teacher Workday
April 10 - Kindergarten Tours/Orientation 9 - 10 a.m. and Teacher Workday
April 14 - Class Group Pictures
April 18 - Heritage Night (rescheduled)
April 22 - Three Hour Early Release
April 24 - Bingo Night!
2025-26 FCPS School Calendar
KG Ted Talks!
We were thrilled to have FCPS' communication office come see our students at work who are supported by Lisa Waters and Peggy Tuma. Then, we were joined by WJLA who filmed a clip and broadcast it this past week! Check out the FCPS feature here. #kgpride #StrongerTogether #AnchoredInExcellence
Student Intentions for Next School Year 2026-27
As we plan forward for the next school year, please complete this google form if your child(ren) are NOT returning. It does not need to be completed if your child(ren) are returning to Kent Gardens. It is not binding, we are merely using this information to guide our thinking on numbers as we plan forward! Thanks in advance!
Administration Note
Dear Parents,
What a full and exciting week we’ve had, even with a snow day on Monday! Classrooms have been buzzing with learning, and it’s been wonderful to see our students engaged and thriving.
We hosted the STEAM/Literacy Night that included KG Ted Talks on Thursday evening. It was a fantastic event! Families enjoyed estimations, engaging learning experiences and more! Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make it a memorable evening.
Below, we have included the sixth grade sign up for the new kindergarten tours. Also, we are collecting information on students who may be moving and possibly not attending Kent Gardens the next school year. Please complete the google form if your child(ren) will Not return to KG. Next week, we will include the google form that will support placements for the next school year.
Note that we have spring picture day on March 5th as well as the Book Fair coming up. The PTA has selected a new vendor - take note of the new options! They have been working hard to circulate and plan the event. See the blurb below for detailed information on volunteering, purchase a gift card or even shopping online!
Have a wonderfully warm weekend!
Warmly,
Holly McGuigan Tia Hawkins Sarah Talley
Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal
Book Fair New Vendor - Literati - How to Shop!
On March 6th, our Book Fair opens at Kent Gardens. That's just a little more than a week away!!! We cannot WAIT to shop the fair with you! But until then, you can get a head-start by checking out our ONLINE Fair!
Get Book Fair Ready! Buy a gift card for your reader! EVERY student who uses a Literati gift card instead of cash at our book fair will receive a FREE mini-poster. Using a gift card is EASY! Visit our online store. Click "gift card" in the amount you want to send with your reader! Enter your reader's information (first AND last name) and include their home room teacher. This is how we'll look their gift cards up at the fair! You'll receive your unique code via email and you can print your reader's gift card as a back-up on the day they shop! Share our online store link so other family members can send your readers gift cards for our fair!
Join the Literati Monthly Book Club! - Our Spring Book Fair is offering our Kent Gardens families the opportunity to sign up for their monthly book club! Each month, your child will receive books curated especially for them! There's something for EVERY reader in their very own, personalized book club and when kids have access to books they love, their love of reading grows! You don't have to wait for the physical fair to sign up! Visit our online book fair here and join a book club NOW! Choose "book club" from the menu! Want to REALLY make a difference? Buy a book club for your favorite teacher!
Support Teacher Wishlists Online! - Our physical book fair doesn't open until March 6, BUT you CAN start supporting our teachers NOW by granting their book wishes from their wishlists! Every order you place will be delivered to our teachers after our fair closes and the best part, they don't have to pay shipping ever! Your kiddos will get to watch their teachers and specialists unbox their book treasure knowing that it came from THEM! Find your teachers' wishlists here!
Volunteer to Help with Book Fair - To make our book fair a success, we rely on volunteers to help guide students as they set sail to find a treasure trove of tales that transport them across oceans, across time, across lives. When you volunteer, you make kindergarteners can fill in their wishlist, 6th graders can find the title they're REALLY looking for, and we have enough registers working to keep our line moving along. Consider donating an hour or two of your time to make sure our book fair is the absolute best! Volunteer here.
Sixth Graders Share Their Poetry...
Very heartfelt poems were created by our sixth graders. Students read their poetry aloud to their classmates. #kgpride #StrongerTogether #AnchoredInExcellence
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Yearbook Order Now Available!
Order your yearbook now! www.yearbookordercenter.com with code 21772
Or scan the QR code !
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New Raptor Visitor Check In - Download App Now!
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. Please download the RaptorSafe App to your mobile phone so that you can quickly sign in as a visitor or volunteer at Kent Gardens.
For most visitors, the user experience will be the same when you check-in at the front office.
We are excited to begin using the New RaptorSafe system to keep our building safe and to know who is visiting.
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🍌🥪Student Fasting Meal Kits
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.
Sixth Graders - Guides for the Rising Kindergarteners
We are looking for any interested 6th graders who can give school tours to the families of the rising kindergartners on April 10th 9 - 10 am. in the morning. It is a professional workday for the staff and students are off school. Use this link to sign up!
Kindergarten Registration
If you have a child who will be 5 years old by September 30, they are eligible to attend Kindergarten for the upcoming year. You can now choose to use online registration tool. With the online option, you will then have to come into the office with the child’s original birth certificate, your proof of residence (deed/lease) and your ID. You can contact Annie Joseph to coordinate a convenient time.
Rising Kindergarten Student Intention 2026-27
Please complete this form if you have a rising kindergartner and plan on attending Kent Gardens. If you are hopeful to attend, you may complete but please note your status in the form below. We are not using this data for evaluative purposes nor for placement purposes but merely to collect information for the beginning of the school year. All students come in at various levels academically and socially. Here is the link for online registration. We are excited for our 2026-27 kindergarten students!
Kindergarten Parent Information Meeting will be through Zoom (link to follow) on March 26th at 8 a.m. Sign up here to receive the link.
The Parent Tour and Kindergarten Student Orientation is on Friday, April 10 at 9 a.m. (Parents and students attend together) Link is here to reserve your tour time.
Positivity Project Focus - Love of Learning
This week, our school community will focus on the character strength of Love of Learning. Love of learning means enjoying the process of learning new things, whether in school or on your own. People with a love of learning are motivated because they find joy in learning itself, not just for rewards like grades or prizes. They are driven by the excitement of discovering and mastering new skills.
Developing a love of learning is important for students because it helps them stay motivated and engaged. It can also improve their mental and physical well-being as they take pride in overcoming challenges and growing. To practice and encourage the character strength of Love of Learning at home, please visit The Positivity Project’s mobile-friendly P2 for Families (available in English and Spanish), where you will watch a video together and discuss a quote and three questions. Below are links to this week’s P2 for Families lessons. Click on the grade level that best meets your child’s needs.
Spirit Day Fun - Pajama Day!
Middle School Transition Fair - Special Education Focus
Families are invited to FCPS' Middle School Transition Fair, an evening for families of elementary and middle school students receiving special education services to learn about planning for the future. At this event, families can meet Career and Transition Services (CTS) representatives and other support staff, learn about postsecondary education, employment, and community supports, and hear from a student and parent panel sharing real transition experiences.
The fair will be held on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, from 6:30–8:30 p.m. at Luther Jackson Middle School. Language support will be available. This is a great opportunity to ask questions, connect with resources, and feel more confident about your child’s next steps. We hope to see you there! Event Flyer and Translations; Event registration link
2026 Special Education Family Conference - Date Change - Now 4/18
The 2026 Special Education Family Conference, Stronger Together: Connecting Families and Schools, date has been rescheduled to April 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Marshall High School. Update information is available on the FCPS Conference webpage.
Note from Parent Liaison, Shelley Lowinger
Family Resource Center Workshops - 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 - 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
Neighborhood and Community Services - Neighborhood and Community Services is hosting Stuff the Bus on Saturday, March 14, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Residents may donate non-perishable food items at participating grocery locations to support local food pantries across the county. This one-day food drive helps restock shelves and support families experiencing food insecurity in our community.
Participating Locations and Benefiting Partners: • Lidl - 9001 White Spruce Way, benefiting Lorton Community Action Center • Giant - 2425 Centreville Rd, benefiting Cornerstones • Giant - 5740 Union Mill Rd, benefiting Britepaths • Giant - 1450 North Point Village Center, benefiting LINK Against Hunger • Giant - 1454 Chain Bridge Rd, benefiting Share of McLean • Giant - 7137 Columbia Pike, benefiting Annandale Christian Community for Action • Giant - 7501 Huntsman Blvd, benefiting ECHO • Walmart - 4368 Chantilly Shopping Center, benefiting Western Fairfax Christian Ministries
Spring Break Programs - Spring Break will be here before you know it. Looking for childcare or fun options? The Camp Fairfax Spring Program, a five-day, supervised camp for K-6 students runs from March 30 to April 3, 2026. Held at consolidated sites, it features STEM and creative activities. For more information, visit: Camp Fairfax. McLean's Old Firehouse offers fun spring break activities for students from March 30 to April 3, 2026 for children ages 9-16. For more information on pricing and registration, visit: MCC Spring Break Activities!
Purple Up! Store Now Open - Fairfax County Public Schools will celebrate Purple Up! Day on April 15, 2026 in honor of the Month of the Military Child. Purple Up! spirit wear is now available through our Custom Ink pop-up store. Items include T-shirts, hoodies, pajama pants, key chains, and yard signs. Spirit Wear Store (families): https://www.customink.com/s/fcps-purple-up-spirit-wear-store
Pop Tab Collecting - 6th Grade Community Service Group
The 6th grade community service group is participating in a Pop Tab Collection to benefit The Ronald McDonald House in Northern Virginia. We would love the entire KGES community help by collecting the little tabs you pull to open soda, soup, or other aluminum cans. Although the Pop Tabs are small and easily discarded, when our entire community works together to collect them, they add up and do great things. These Pop Tabs will be recycled and a check for the tabs will be sent to the Ronald McDonald House. This collection will support the programs by easing the hardship of childhood illness on children and their families. The collection will start on February 18th and run through March 18th (Global Recycling Day). Look for the labeled donation boxes by our KGES House ticket boxes. Make sure your child places their tabs in their appropriate colored boxes.
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)
Community Conversations: Share Your Thoughts With Dr. Reid
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: March 3, at Waples Mill Elementary School; March 17, from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m., at Glen Forest Elementary School; March 23, at Ravensworth Elementary School ; April 13, at Belle View Elementary School; April 20, at Westgate Elementary School ; 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.
Summer Learning
Prepare for Summer Learning and Fun for Students - 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 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 5.
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.
KG PTA News and Updates
Join the PTA Now!
The PTA at KGES is SUPER BUSY! When you join the PTA, you help support the work we do at our school AND the advocacy work that the PTA does at all levels of the government! Membership in the KGES PTA needs to be renewed every year and you don't have to wait for the school year to start. You can join the PTA NOW!
OUR NEXT PTA MEETING WILL BE: March 27 8:45 - Cafeteria
Girls On The Run Spring Session!
Sign up now for the spring session. Registration for Girls on the Run will take place Feb. 2-Feb. 23 at gotrnova.org. The program is open to girls in grades 3-6. Practices begin March 2 on Mondays and Wednesdays between 3:45-5 p.m. We, unfortunately, are not planning a Tuesday/Thursday team this spring because our usual enrollment numbers aren't large enough to support two teams. Please contact Danielle Newman at kges.gotr@gmail.com with any questions.
Early Birds Club Offering with Ms. Smouse!
Ms. Smouse is offering a before school Early Birds Club for Grades 1-5 starting March 26th through May 7th on Thursdays from 7:45-8:45am. $200. Register here
EARLY BIRDS CLUB - Students will take part in: Quiet games (board games, cards, puzzles) Art and craft activities Drawing or journaling Reading Brain teasers and light academic challenges.
Lost and Found - Mark Your Child's Names!
Be sure to label all clothing items and please consider purchasing from Mabel's Labels to ensure that your items makes it home again!
Hats Off to Reading!!
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