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Dear Freedom Hill Families,
We hope you had a nice weekend. Despite losing an hour of sleep as we change the clocks, the weather has been beautiful and given us some time to think about the promise of the spring months!
Last week, we excitedly kicked of the 2026 Read-A-Thon with a visit from local author Jen Fier Jasinski. Students had the opportunity to learn more about the writing process, ask her questions about creating a book, and spend plenty of time in their classrooms enjoying reading. We're eager to continue the good progress in our 2nd week of the Read-A-Thon this week! We are continuing to shoot for our ambitious school reading goal of 300,000 total minutes. That's a lot of great books! Thank you for continuing to log your minutes as part of our important fundraiser.
As part of our Read-A-Thon, our SCA has created a Read-A-Thon Spirit Week. Please see below for more details. We welcome your participation!
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 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
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March 18 - PTA Family Dinner Out @ Taco Bamba Vienna (flyer) & Ben & Jerry's. Mention “Freedom Hill” at checkout, 4-9PM (flyer) 🍨
- 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
  Join us this week for Read-A-Thon Spirit Week!
- Monday: Book Character Day
- Tuesday: PJ and Stuffed Animal Day
- Wednesday: Stripes or Sparkles Day
- Thursday: Wear Words on Your Shirt Day
- Friday: Flashlight Friday
 This week our school community will be focusing on the character strength of Perspective. Perspective means you appreciate when people see things in different ways. You have the ability to understand the world from multiple points of view.
Perspective is also referred to as wisdom and is distinct from intelligence. People with this strength are sought out for advice because they see the big picture and can make sense of the world’s complexity. This strength of perspective gives individuals the ability to see to the heart of difficult matters and achieve clarity. Most importantly, they are honest and behave in an ethically consistent manner.
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.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that infects 9 out of 10 people who are exposed, if unvaccinated or not immune. It has been in the news lately due to cases in Northern Virginia and among people who have traveled through local airports.
If your spring break or summer plans include traveling abroad or to an area in the United States with high measles activity, the Fairfax County Health Department encourages you to ensure your family is protected. Children 12 months and older should have 1 or 2 doses before traveling. Depending on your specific travel plans, your health care provider may also advise you to vaccinate infants 6 to 11 months old. Read more about these recommendations.
   
- March 2 - 13 - Read-A-Thon! 📖
- March 18 (early release) - FDO @ Taco Bamba, 164 Maple Ave West (Vienna Shopping Center). Mention “Freedom Hill” at checkout, or use code GIVE20 for online orders, 9AM-9PM (flyer) 🌮
- March 18 - In the afternoon, head a few doors over for ice cream at Ben & Jerry's. Mention “Freedom Hill” at checkout, 4-9PM (flyer) 🍨
- April 5 - FHES PTA Teacher & Staff Grant Program application due 📝
- April 15 - PTA Meeting in the Library and via Zoom, 6PM
- April 17 - Cultural Heritage Parade, 9:30–10:30AM @ Freedom Hill 🌐
- April 24 - Freedom Hill vs. Westgate Volleyball Game, 6:30PM-8PM, Marshall High School 🏐
- May 21 - PTA Meeting & Volunteer Celebration in the Library and via Zoom, 6PM
- May 29 - Cultural Heritage Night, 6–8 PM, in the Cafeteria 🌐
📖READ-A-THON SPIRIT SPIRIT WEEK MARCH 9-13📖
We’re off to a great start with our Read-A-Thon! Students are logging their reading minutes and building strong reading habits. There’s still time to log reading minutes and collect donations by registering your reader today.
- Go to this link: https://www.read-a-thon.com/readers/r/XEyHjV/1 and click “Register My Reader”2. Find and select your reader’s teacher3. Search for and select your reader, then create your account
Plus, the fun continues next week (3/9 - 3/13) with our Read-A-Thon Spirit Week, courtesy of the SCA!
🍩SPRING SNACK DRIVE: HELP TREAT OUR TEACHERS & STAFF BY MARCH 16🍩
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
 FAMILY DINNER (AND DESSERT!) OUT - MARCH 18 🌮🍨
Our next Family Dinner Out is coming up, and it’s a delicious double‑stop day for Freedom Hill!
Start anytime between 9:00am–9:00pm at Taco Bamba in the Vienna Shopping Center. Enjoy tacos and more, and be sure to mention “Freedom Hill” or use code GIVE20 for online orders.
Then swing by Ben & Jerry’s just a few doors down between 4:00pm–9:00pm for an afternoon treat. Mention “Freedom Hill” at checkout and 20% of all purchases will support our school.
Thank you for helping us build community and raise funds in such a tasty way.
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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