In this Paw Print:
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School News:
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PTA News:
- Fun Land Spirit Night 🎉
- Science & Technology 🔎
- Online Auction: Call for Community Donations! 💰
- Join the PTA! ❤️
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Community News:
- Spring Break STEM Opportunities 🤖👨🏽💻
- Chantilly Girls Basketball Camp 🏀
Dear Poplar Tree Families,
The weather was certainly interesting this week! We got a lovely taste of spring/summer and then enjoyed some snow showers yesterday!
Last Friday, we LOVED seeing so many of our student's talents SHINING on the big stage! Dancing, singing, playing instruments, break dancing, and karate were only SOME of the talents we witnessed! Even some of our staff members shared their dancing abilities! (If you haven't seen it, check it out on Facebook HERE!) Thank you to our PTA and especially Usa Cramer who organized this fun community event!
Next week is only a 4 day week as Friday is Eid and therefore a staff and student holiday. We will have our club and candid photos taken on Monday and on Wednesday, our 5th graders will be taking their Integrated Reading and Writing Assessment (IRW). We are hoping for warmer and sunnier days ahead!
Have a fantastic weekend!
Sue Andujar, Principal
Amy Alley, Assistant Principal
SOL Testing Dates📅
SOL tests are the main part of the Virginia Assessment Program for grades 3-8 and are administered each spring. SOL tests are used to fulfill state and federal testing requirements in reading and writing, mathematics, and science.
This year we are trying something new and testing all students in Grades 3-6 on the same day for Reading and the same day for Math. Students who need to test in a small group or one on one setting may test on a different day, and we will inform those families about this closer to the actual date.
See below for this year's SOL Testing schedule. Please refrain from scheduling appointments on these days and ensure your child comes to school!
- 📝 5th Grade Integrated Reading and Writing: Wednesday, March 18
- 📚 3rd - 6th Grade Reading: Wednesday, May 6
- ➗ 3rd - 6th Grade Math (including Algebra): Wednesday, May 13
- 🔬 5th Grade Science: Tuesday, May 19
More information about these assessments can be found on the webpage: SOL Tests in Elementary and Middle Schools. The Grade Level Tests webpage outlines the division testing schedule for required assessments at each grade.
If you have questions, contact your child's teacher or our School Testing Coordinators Leslie Leisey, School Based Technology Specialist and Amy Alley, Assistant Principal.
Panther Mascot Highlight Video! 🐾
As we have shared before, we now have a new Panther mascot! PoG the Panther is the new mascot that represents our school! See the description for PoG below - who was created by Ms. Kollmer's 4th grade class.
"POG is Poplar Tree Elementary’s friendly panther guide, created to help students live the Portrait of a Graduate every day. With a bright smile, a puzzle-piece shirt symbolizing how every learner fits into our community, and a pencil ready for creative thinking, POG leads Panthers with positivity and purpose. Whether encouraging teamwork, celebrating resilience, or modeling communication, POG shows the way—every day, the Panther way!"
Learn more about the process for our new Panther Mascot Creation in THIS VIDEO created by FCPS! We love that it highlights our students and teachers voices, the use of AI in a safe environment, and eventually even taking the AI generated image to an actual graphic design!
Current Standings in our Music Bracket!
March Music Madness🍀
Current Standings
Have your children told you about our "THEN vs. NOW" Music in our Schools Month Tournament?!! From retro anthems to modern bops, our Panthers are narrowing down the field to find the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time)!
Will it be from THEN or NOW! Who’s on your winning bracket?
Want the playlist? Use this link: March Music Madness Spotify Playlist
Chantilly Pyramid Art Show 🎨
This year’s Chantilly Pyramid Art Show is on Thursday, April 9th, from 6-8 PM at Chantilly High School.
This fun-filled event celebrates artists in our community from elementary school through high school age! Selected artworks from 9 different schools (including Poplar Tree) will be on display for families to explore, interact with, and celebrate! There will be fun activities like face painting, crafts, photo booths, and more to keep the whole family entertained! You don’t even need to worry about dinner! There will be 3 food trucks (DC Pizza, Hangry Panda, and Paradise Ice Cream) ready and waiting upon your arrival!
Come out and support the arts on April 9th and enjoy this fabulous community event with us! We look forward to seeing you there!
Fire vs. Ice Basketball Game🏀
🔥SAVE THE DATE!🧊
Our annual 6th grade Fire vs. Ice Basketball game is scheduled for Friday, May 29 at Chantilly High School!
During this game, 6th grade students will play each other as well as staff members in basketball, our pep band will perform, and we will have a Spirit Squad cheering everyone on! This is a fun community event and a highlight for our 6th grade students especially!
- 🏀6th graders who want to play in the games, help announce, create decorations, or volunteer, please complete THIS FORM by Friday, March 13.
- 📣Any student from Kindergarten through 6th grade who wants to be on our Spirit Squad (led by Ms. Grieco), please complete THIS FORM by Friday, March 13.
Any questions regarding the Fire vs. Ice event, please email ptes6thgrade2526@gmail.com.
Family Engagement Survey📝
FCPS will administer our third Family Engagement Survey from Monday, March 9 to Monday, March 23. The survey is designed to gather data for Strategic Plan Pillar B: Vibrant Home, School, and Community Partnerships; and to better recognize, understand, respect, and address family strengths and needs in our schools and community.
The survey will also be used to measure our current success with family engagement and allow us to deepen that engagement and continue building trust while empowering families to support their students’ success. Data may impact School Innovation and Improvement Plan (SIIP) strategies aligned to specific goals and metrics.
- Family engagement is a shared responsibility between home and school. Families and schools are co-creators in preparing students for success.
- FCPS’ Family Engagement Survey will help the school division better recognize, understand, respect, and address family strengths and needs in our school community.
- The survey provides a key opportunity to hear the family perspectives and voices and receive their feedback on their family’s engagement experience within FCPS.
- This work aligns with the FCPS 2023-30 Strategic Plan and will help us implement our work on Pillar B: Vibrant Home, School, & Community Partnerships.
- Survey topics include:
- Welcoming environment
- Communication
- Student success
- Advocacy
- Family and school partnerships
- Community partnerships
- This survey will also gather compliance data for FCPS’ Title I and Title III federal grants, Early Childhood federal grant applications, and monitoring for family engagement.
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The survey, which will be open March 9-23, will be available in English, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Pashto, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese.
- The survey will be emailed from Fairfax County Public Schools.
- All responses will be confidential. No personally identifiable information will be shared with school or district staff.
- Survey results will be used to develop a plan to improve family and school partnerships throughout the division to support student success.
Fun Land Spirit Night 3/16! 🎉
Meet up with friends on March 16 for an awesome deal at Fun Land that also supports Poplar Tree! For $20, you get an unlimited attractions pass, along with a $10 arcade card. You can use your three hours anytime between 4-9 p.m. Purchase tickets at the door (no pre-sales) and please say you are with Poplar Tree Elementary!
Science & Engineering Expo 🔎
Sponsored by the PTA, Poplar Tree’s Science and Engineering Expo will return on April 15 at 7 p.m. This is an exciting opportunity for each student to create a STEM-related project that captures their interest. All students will get the chance to present their project, and each participant will receive a certificate recognizing their efforts and participation.
Please register your student by April 8 at https://bit.ly/PTESscience. If your child is working with another student, both children need to submit a registration form.
Learn more on our PTA website HERE!
Online Auction
Call for community donations!💰
The annual PTES PTA Auction will be held from April 24-May 1! If you or anyone you know has an item/service you'd like to donate to be auctioned off, please send an email to poplartreesilentauction@gmail.com. Previous donations have included artwork, vacation home rentals, household items, home repair services, and gift cards just to name a few!
Thank you for all your support to make the 2026 auction a success!
Join the PTA! ❤️
Please join the PTA to help support our school!!
If you haven't joined yet, please do so HERE!
The Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation in Chantilly, VA is offering FREE Spring Break Sessions for 3rd-6th grade students. Acceptance is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
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🤖 Tuesday, March 31
- Edison Robots
- 3rd - 5th Grade
- Register HERE
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🤖 Wednesday, April 1
- Edison Robots
- 4th - 6th Grade
- Register HERE
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👨🏽💻 Thursday, April 2
- Coding & Programming
- 6th - 8th Grade
- Register HERE
Sessions will be held at the CASTLE location: 14840 Conference Center Dr, Suite 150, Chantilly, VA 20151. It will run from 9:30AM - 1:30PM.Students will need transportation to and from the location and to bring a lunch/snack.
Learn more about the VT-ARC HERE!
Chantilly Girls Basketball Camp 🏀
Chantilly Girls Basketball is happy to announce our camp dates for Summer 2026. Come be a part of the best girls basketball camp in Northern Virginia!
There will be two sessions. Cost is $220 per session or $400 for both!
- Session 1: July 6-10
- Session 2: July 20-24
Register HERE!
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