|
English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو
Preschooler hard at work making some repairs in the classroom!
Saturday, March 14- Outdoor Club
Friday, March 20- Eid al-Fitr - Division Closed
Monday, March 23- Yearbook Cover Art Contest Deadline
Tuesday, March 24- PTA Sponsored Belvedere Ballers @ Justice High School
Wednesday, March 25- 3 Hour Early Release Wednesday
Thursday, March 26- PTA Spirit Night 2Fifty BBQ Pickup Orders
Friday, March 27- 2 Hour Early Release and End of Quarter 3
Monday, March 30 - Friday, April 3 - Spring Break (Belvedere Offices Closed)
Monday, April 6 - Teacher Workday - Student Holiday
Thursday, April 9- Kindergarten Orientation
Friday, April 10 - School Planning Day - Student Holiday
Saturday, April 18- Special Education Family Conference @ Marshall High School
Tuesday, April 21- Special Election- Student Holiday
Dear Belvedere Family,
What a whirlwind of a week it has been! If you felt a bit of "weather whiplash," you aren't alone. We truly experienced all four seasons in a matter of days, going from bright sunshine to falling snow. It’s been a great reminder of how unpredictable and beautiful the weather in Northern Virginia can be!
Join us tomorrow for our outdoor field trip at Ellanor C Lawrence Park. If you’d like to soak up some morning sun and enjoy a refreshing walk through the trails, we would love to have you. It’s a fantastic opportunity to connect with nature. For more information, please see below.
Next Friday, we do not have school in observance of Eid. We want to take a moment to wish a heartfelt Eid Mubarak to all of our community who celebrate!
Whether you’re joining us at the park tomorrow or simply relaxing at home, we hope you have a wonderful, restful weekend.
Warm regards,
Cecilia Vanderhye, Tara Boone, Kelly Cabezas
Belvedere Elem Admin Team
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.
Get Outside with Belvedere
The weather is warming up, and Outdoor Club is heading to Ellanor C. Lawrence Park on Saturday, March 14! This optional field trip is open to everyone—we’d love for you to join us as we explore the pond, hunt for vernal pools, and search for signs of new amphibian life. You can ride the bus from Belvedere or Barcroft View or meet us directly at the park. Get all the details and sign up online at https://forms.gle/hJb3myrzFsDUzwwq5.
Ellanor C. Lawrence Park Pond Shelter, 5235 Walney Road, Chantilly, VA 20151
- 9:00 am bus pick up at Belvedere
- 9:15 am bus pick up at Barcroft View
- 9:50 am meet at the park
- 12:00 pm bus return to Barcroft View
- 12:15 pm bus return to Belvedere
Who will be the champions? Belvedere Teachers & Parents or Belvedere Students (grades 3-5)?
Mark your calendars for Tuesday, March 24th. PTA sponsored Belvedere Ballers will be happening from 6-8 PM in the Justice High School Gym, 3301 Peace Valley Ln, Falls Church, VA.
Sign up today!
Students in 3rd grade practice their entrepreneurial skills this week! Thanks to the hard work and dedication of Andrea Auerbach, our Environmental Ed teacher, 3rd grade had a successful seed sale. They had fun creating posters to advertise and practicing their math skills as cashiers!
📰Special Education and Section 504 Newsletter
Stay up to date with the Special Education and Section 504 Newsletter. This issue includes:
- Supporting Social and Emotional Learning
- Boost Your Child’s Success: Executive Functioning Training Series
- Extended School Year Feeder Schools and Bell Schedules
- Least Restrictive Environment
- And more!
Special Education Family Conference- Rescheduled
FCPS’ 2026 Special Education Family Conference has been rescheduled to Saturday, April 18, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Marshall High School. Updated conference details are now available on the Special Education Family Conference webpage. Please register for the event. If you registered before, please re-register for the new date. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this date change may cause and appreciate your understanding.
Join BES March Madness on March 24
Belvedere Ballers returns on Tuesday, March 24. Students in grades 3-5 and all teachers and parents are eligible (alumni too!). The games are ON from 6-8 PM in the Justice High School gym -- 3301 Peace Valley Ln., Falls Church. Pizza, snacks and drinks will be on sale! Sign up today + order your t-shirt by March 16!
March 23 Deadline: Yearbook Cover Art Contest
Calling all BES students! The annual yearbook cover art contest is open for all Belvedere students. All entries must include:
- The words “Belvedere Elementary”
- The year “2025-2026”
- Your name in the bottom corner
- All entries must on 8.5x11 inch PLAIN paper
- Artwork must be in PORTRAIT (vertical)
- All artwork must be original (no AI!)!
Submit your entry to Ms. Guzman by Monday, March 23, for an opportunity to have your art be on the cover of the 2025-26 yearbook.
Help Hang Belvedere Art!
Have a few hours to spare? Want to make Belvedere look even more beautiful? Come hang artwork at school! Contact Tania Guzman at tguzman@fcps.edu if you can volunteer any time during the school day.
Save the Date for 2fifty BBQ: March 26
The next Restaurant Spirit Night will be a meal drop from 2FIfty BBQ on Thursday, March 26. Pre-orders will open the morning of March 25 and close at 9am on March 26. Take a look at the menu now and start thinking about how much brisket, ribs, corn bread and mac and cheese you want to order before you start packing for Spring Break.
Grade-Level Basket Help Needed for Spring Auction
We are looking for volunteers who would be willing to coordinate grade-level baskets for the spring auction. If you – or you and some friends – would like to gather themed items for your student’s grade for the auction, these baskets are very popular with bidders! We can share ideas for you to choose from (like gardening, books, fitness, etc) or you can create your own theme.
Do you have donations you can contribute? Let us know by emailing BelvederePTAauction@gmail.com.
We also need volunteers NOW who can spare an hour to e-mail local businesses for donations. We have a template and contacts. If you can help, please let us BelvederePTAauction@gmail.com.
Upcoming PTA Events
March:
23- Yearbook Cover Art Contest Deadline
24 - Belvedere Ballers, 6-8pm, Justice High School. Sign up today!
26 - Spirit Night, 2fifty BBQ (School drop - pre-orders start March 25 at 11am)
April:
13-25 - Silent Auction
30 - Spirit Night, TBD
 Reading Opens the World Book Drive and Family Literacy Fair
30,000 FREE BOOKS for Families and Educators!
- Books are available on a first-come, first served basis, so arrive early! • Parents and guardians are welcome to choose up to 10 FREE BOOKS per child for home libraries, with a 30 books maximum limit per family. • Educators and school staff may choose up to 50 FREE BOOKS for their classrooms. • Fun family activities including DJ and free arts and crafts. • Hundreds of LEGO brick boxes available while supplies last!
Saturday, Mar. 14 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Lorton Community Center 9520 Richmond Hwy, Lorton, VA 22079
For more information, please contact Jack Delaney at jdelaney@fcft.org.
School and community program staff must be registered with First Book to receive free books. Registration is free and on-site registration will be available. To register in advance, please go to www.firstbook.org/AFT
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.
Belvedere Kindergarten Orientation
We are so excited to welcome your child to Belvedere Elementary! We hope to see parents and rising kindergarten students at our Kindergarten Orientation on Thursday, April 9 at 6:00pm-7:30pm in the Cafeteria. Registration is open and we encourage you to register your child prior to April 9th.
Please contact Mandy Belcher at 703-916-6804 or at abelcher@fcps.eduIf you have any questions.
Date: Thursday, April 9th 2026
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Where: Belvedere ES Cafeteria.
Led by our amazing PE staff, Dan Bowles and Abby Novak, our 5th graders took a field trip to go bowling! After practicing techniques and style in their PE unit, they got to put their talents to the test at a real bowling alley!
Click to edit th
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 703-916-6800. Visit our cell phone policy webpage for more information and answers to frequently asked questions.is placeholder text.
Do you know a Belvedere Elementary School or FCPS employee who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone.
💵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.
Family Engagement Survey Open
FCPS is administering our Family Engagement Survey, which will be open through 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 will receive 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.
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:
-
Tuesday, March 17, from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m., at Glen Forest Elementary School.
-
Monday, March 23, at Ravensworth Elementary School.
-
Monday, April 13, at Belle View Elementary School.
-
Monday, April 20, at Westgate Elementary School.
-
Wednesday, April 22, at Crestwood Elementary School.
Click on a date to register to attend that event. Registration is not required, but helps with planning, especially for child care and interpretation services. Events are open to all. Visit the superintendent’s engagement page for the most up-to-date information.
FCPS This Week
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Family Engagement Survey
- Student Honors
- No School on April 21
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
|
