Floris Family Message
In This Message:
- Principals' Message
- PTA News
- Month of the Military Child
- Spirit Days Next Week
- Yearbooks
- Thank You From the Library
- Thank You From the Money Jar Club
- Curiosity Corner
- AAP Information
- Floris SOL Schedule
- April Statewide Election
- Family Engagement Survey
- Budget
- Community Conversations
- Cell Phone Reminder
- Countdown to Kindergarten
- Summer Learning
- Upcoming Dates
Hello Floris Families,
This week brought lots of excitement to Floris, especially with our St. Patrick’s Day celebrations! Many classrooms even received a surprise visit from a mischievous leprechaun friend who may have left a little magic (and a bit of mess!) behind. From overturned chairs to tiny green footprints and clever tricks, it seems our visitor kept everyone on their toes! We hope you’ve had a chance to hear all about the fun, creativity, and laughter from your child.
In addition to the festivities, we want to extend a thank you to the many families who joined us for our Spring Chorus Concert. Our students shined on stage, and the performance was a wonderful showcase of their hard work, and talent. We are proud of our chorus and grateful for the support of our community in celebrating the arts at Floris.
As we head into this longer weekend, we hope your family enjoys some well-deserved time together to relax, recharge, and make special memories. Thank you, as always, for your continued partnership and support!
Sincerely,
Joshua DeSmyter, Principal
Robert Gibbs, Assistant Principal
PTA News and Announcements
🍎Food Share Program:
-
Sign up to deliver donated food on Fridays. It is a quick errand!
🔬Science Fair - only TWO days left to register!
- Our Science Fair is filling up fast - If your student is interested in participating, now is the time to sign up. Registration closes on March 19. Register here!
🌎International Night:
- Held on Thursday, April 30 from 6:30-7:30pm in the Floris Elementary School Cafeteria and Gym. International Night is a celebration of the diversity of our students and families from different parts of the world. To make this event successful, we need volunteers. Check out our sign up and host a country table, perform, or just help.
♟️Chess Club:
- Silver Knights Chess Academy is back this spring with chess club on Tuesday mornings! Sign up today to continue the progression. Clubs are a mixture of lessons, activities, and games. We welcome all skill levels. Sign up today using the link here: https://chessacademy.com/products/floris-elementary-chess-club
🗣️Floris Arabic Student Club:
- Registration for the Floris Arabic Student Club (FASC) is OPEN for any Floris 3rd-6th graders. FASC meets on Wednesdays from 4:15-5:00pm. This club is for all levels of learners - from those just starting to learn Arabic to fluent speakers.
2026-2027 PTA Leadership Opportunities:
- Got ideas? Got energy? Floris PTA needs YOU!
-
Volunteer to be a PTA officer to help continue programming and provide enrichment opportunities for Floris students.
- Roles vary in commitment, and we are happy to provide training/support. If you’d like to learn more, please contact florispta.pres@gmail.com.
Want to learn more about the PTA? Visit our website.
Month of the Military Child
April is the Month of the Military Child, a time to recognize and honor the unique experiences and resilience of our military-connected students and families. As part of this recognition, Floris Elementary will be joining Fairfax County Public Schools in celebrating Purple Up! Day on Wednesday, April 15.
We encourage all students, staff, and community members to wear purple on April 15 as a visible show of support. Purple represents all branches of the military and symbolizes unity and appreciation for the sacrifices made by military families.
We are proud to support and celebrate our military-connected youth and look forward to seeing our Floris community “Purple Up!” together!
Spirit Days Next Week
📅 Spirit Week Days:
👩🏫 Wednesday, March 25– Dress Like a Teacher
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be the teacher? Now’s your chance! Dress like a Floris staff member or your favorite teacher.
🎓 Thursday, March 26 – College Gear Day
Show off your future goals by wearing your favorite college or university gear! T-shirts, sweatshirts, and hats are all welcome.
👩🚀 Friday, March 27 – Future Career Day
What do you want to be when you grow up? Dress up as your future career—doctor, engineer, artist, athlete, scientist, and more!
Let’s show our Eagle pride as we dream big and explore all the amazing possibilities ahead. We can’t wait to see your creativity!
Soar high, Floris Eagles! 🦅✨
Yearbooks Are Now On Sale
- Cost: $18
- Order Deadline: April 17, 2026
- In order to ensure everything is tracked appropriately and efficiently, we will only be conducting online orders.
👉👉You can order the Floris Yearbook from 🔗this direct link 🔗👈👈
- You will need to enter your student's first name, last name, grade level, and provide online payment.
- If you are ordering more than one yearbook, you'll need to complete the above process for each student (separate transactions).
We can expect our yearbooks to arrive from Walsworth at the end of May and they will be distributed to students in June! Thank you!
📚 Thank You From the Floris Library! 📚
A big thank you to all of the families who supported the FES Spring Book Fair! Your participation helps make a real difference—proceeds from the fair go toward special activities and exciting library visits for our students.
We’re also incredibly grateful to our parent volunteers; the Book Fair simply wouldn’t be possible without your time and dedication. Thank you for helping make it such a success!
Thank You From the Money Jar Club
The Money Jar Movie Night was a huge success! The club raised $550—enough to provide a catered meal for all three firefighter shifts.
Thank you for joining us and making the night so fun!
🧠Curiosity Corner🧠
March’s Maker Mission: Birdhouse Builders
Spring is here! Design and build a birdhouse using recyclable materials found at home. The goal is to create a safe, creative shelter a bird could use this spring!
The goal is to promote creative and critical thinking and engage in the engineering and design process. Submissions are due in the Curiosity Lab at the end of the month and will be highlighted within the school building and on the student news show. Let's get curious!
AAP Information
AAP Screening – School-Based Services (Subject-Specific Differentiation and Part-Time Services):
Screening for subject-specific differentiation (grades K-5) and part time services (grades 2-5) will be happening in May for the 26-27 school year. This is a screening process that is completely separate from full-time services. For families interested in referring their child for subject-specific differentiation and/or part-time services you have the option to submit a referral form to Amy Albanese by April 30, 2026. Please note the forms are not required - All students will be automatically screened for possible services, but the form allows the parent to submit their own insights as to why their child needs services. Forms can be submitted digitally to abalbanese@fcps.edu by April 30, 2026.
If you are interested in learning more about the 4 levels of AAP services, please click on this link: Elementary School AAP Levels of Service.
If you should have any questions regarding AAP services, please reach out to Amy Albanese our Advanced Academics Resource Teacher here at Floris ES, or learn more about AAP on our Floris webpage!
 Grades 3 and 4
Tuesday, May 12 - Language Arts SOL
Thursday, May 14 - Math SOL
Grade 5
Friday, May 8 - Science SOL
Grades 5 and 6
Wednesday, May 13 - Language Arts SOL
Friday, May 15 - Math SOL
Grades 3-6
May 18-May 22 - SOL makeup testing
May 28-June 2 - Expedited SOL retakes (Scores of 375-399 on initial assessment)
April Statewide Election: No School for Students
There will be no school for students on Tuesday, April 21, for the Virginia statewide election. Student activities, athletic practices, and events may proceed as scheduled.
Fairfax County Public Schools will still exceed the required number of instructional hours for students, as set by the Virginia Department of Education.
Family Engagement Survey Open
FCPS is administering our Family Engagement Survey, which will be open from Monday, March 9, to Monday, March 23. Your feedback is critical in helping us to better recognize, understand, respect, and address family strengths and needs in our schools.
Survey topics include:
- Welcoming environment.
- Communication.
- Student success.
- Advocacy.
- Family and school partnerships.
- Community partnerships.
The survey will be available in English, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Pashto, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese.
Parents/caregivers received a survey link via email from FCPS on March 9. A survey link will also be posted on FCPS’ website. Paper surveys will be available at each school. Please stay tuned for more information.
County Seeking Budget Input
About 70% of the FCPS budget comes from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. They are currently reviewing the county’s 2027 Fiscal Year Advertised Budget and are considering possible adjustments before the final county budget is adopted in May. Provide the county with feedback on how you would like your tax dollars spent by completing this survey.
Community Conversations: Share Your Thoughts With Dr. Reid
As a listening leader, connecting with community members across our school division is critical to Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid. Dr. Reid’s 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:
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.
Phones Off, Learning On
FCPS’ cell phone policy helps students focus, learn, and engage. When students put their phones away, they have more face-to-face interactions with their peers and teachers and more opportunities to develop resilience and problem-solving skills. Please remind your child that:
-
Cell phones and personal devices (earbuds, headsets, other items connected to the internet) must be off and away for the entire school day (bell to bell).
-
Smart watches that serve a dual purpose may be worn, but the phone features (texting, Internet viewing, and calls) are to be off when phone use is prohibited.
If you need to contact your child during the school day, please call our front office at 703-561-2900. Visit our cell phone policy webpage for more information and answers to frequently asked questions.
Countdown to Kindergarten: Supporting a Smooth Transition
Is your child heading to kindergarten this fall? Join FCPS staff for Countdown to Kindergarten, a virtual event designed to help families prepare for this exciting transition! The webinar will take place on Friday, March 27, from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
During this webinar, families will learn practical tips and essential information to support their child's smooth and successful start to kindergarten in Fairfax County Public Schools. Register to receive the event link.
Kindergarten Registration
There’s an easy five-step process for parents wanting to register their child for kindergarten:
- Determine eligibility.
- Identify your local school.
- Gather documents.
- Fill out forms.
- Schedule an appointment (the student and one caregiver must be present).
Read more about the registration process.
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 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 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.
Dates for the 2025-2026 School Year
March 20: Holiday- Eid al-Fitr
March 25: 3-Hour Early Release
March 26: Science Fair
March 26: Westfield HS International Night
March 30-April 3: Spring Break
April 6: Teacher Workday
April 8: Spring Picture Day
April 10: School Planning Day
April 10: Kindergarten Orientation, 10:00 in Cafeteria
April 15: "Purple Up" Day for Military Children
April 21: Election- No School
Find the 2025-2026 School Year Calendar: https://www.fcps.edu/calendars/standard-school-year-calendar
|
