 We are lucky to have such amazing students at WSES!
April 21, 2026 - CALENDAR CHANGE - No School
Due to the need to accommodate polling locations at our schools and worksites for the Virginia statewide election, FCPS schools will be closed for students on Tuesday, April 21.
Get Ready for Starch Madness
The Student Council Association (SCA) is thrilled to announce our next big community project: Starch Madness! Inspired by the Echo mission to share resources and lend a helping hand to our neighbors in need, we are hosting a week-long food drive to stock the pantry shelves for local families.
The Details
We are looking for non-perishable, starch-based items to help provide hearty meals. From March 16th to March 20th, students can drop off donations in the designated bins at the front of the school.
What to Donate:
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Pasta & Grains
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Quick Meals
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Snacks & Sides
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Spaghetti & Macaroni
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Ramen Noodles
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Crackers (Saltines/Goldfish)
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White or Brown Rice
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Cup O' Noodles
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Instant Mashed Potatoes
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Quinoa or Couscous
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Boxed Stuffing
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Pre-packaged Mac & Cheese
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Visiting our school anytime soon? Avoid frustration and pre-register!
Raptor Safe is our new visitor management system. This will be the standard way to sign in at all FCPS schools.
The new system allows you to pre-register via the Raptor Safe app, saving you valuable time when checking in for school visits or events! We strongly encourage all family members to download the app and complete their registration today, it will only take a couple of minutes to complete the process!
Registration Options:
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Via the App: Search "Raptor Safe" in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. You can also visit raptortech.com/raptorsafe-app/ for direct links.
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In Person: If you are unable to register ahead of time, you can still complete the process at the school kiosk. Please ensure you have a valid photo ID with you to check in
Family Engagement Survey to Open March 9
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 multiple languages. 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 are available at each school.
Parent Input for the 2026-2027 School Year
As we begin planning for the upcoming school year, our staff collaborates regarding student placements. A variety of factors such as student personalities, friendships, and academic abilities are considered as we create our new classes. Other factors impacting the decision-making process of student class assignments are new student enrollments and teachers moving to a new assignment.
West Springfield families may assist in this process by sharing insights. Please note the following when providing information. We do not accept requests for specific teachers for the upcoming grade placement. This includes hints that reference specific teachers. While all feedback is reviewed and considered, we cannot guarantee placement or non-placement with any other specific students. We do our best to create a positive learning year for your child.
Please provide your input by submitting this FORM as it will ensure we have your request. Please do not email us additional information to your child’s teacher or administration. Completion of the form is optional: however, the deadline for any correspondence is Friday, March 27 at 4 PM. Thank you for your input.
6th Grade Pi Contest
Congratulations to this year’s 6th grade Pi Contestants. The top three students who memorized the most were…
1st place – Liabo Mabejane
2nd place – Aroa Perez Soto
3rd place – Garrett White
Way to go, Mustangs!! 😊
Student Intentions - 2026-2027 School Year
Help us plan for next year and appropriate staffing. In your Thursday Folder is a Student Intention Form to complete. Please indicate your child(ren)’s intention for the next school year. One form should be completed for each child ONLY if you are moving, or will attend another school. This input will support our staffing and planning for the next school year. This information is non-binding and will simply be used to plan. If you are returning, you do NOT need to complete the form that will come home in your child’s Thursday folder.
Nominate Our Outstanding WSES Staff
Do you know an outstanding WSES staff member who goes above and beyond or turns ordinary to extraordinary? Nominate them for an FCPS Cares Award and help share how amazing they are!
Pyramid Art Show
Save the date! Wednesday, April 15th, 5pm-8pm, West Springfield High School
The Pyramid Art Show is an annual art exhibit. Selected artwork from West Springfield ES will be displayed along with artwork from surrounding elementary schools, Irving Middle School and West Springfield High School. Students that have art on display will receive an official invitation with their name on it in the beginning of April.
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:
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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.
Volunteer FCPS Helps Community Members Connect With Schools
The new volunteer management system, Volunteer FCPS, allows individuals to search and register for volunteer opportunities at our school or across the school district.
Volunteer FCPS is how FCPS provides a safe, consistent, and welcoming environment at all of our schools. Anyone interested in volunteering with FCPS must:
- Create a profile in Volunteer FCPS.
- Register for opportunities through Volunteer FCPS.
- Sign in and out of schools using the visitor kiosk on EVERY visit – no exceptions.
SOL Testing and Parent Permission to Retest
 Students in grades 3-8 participate in state assessments each year. These Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments measure how students are learning grade level standards. See the table below for the primary dates for Spring 2026 SOL testing at WSES.
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Grade Level
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Reading SOL
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Math SOL
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Science SOL
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Integrated Reading & Writing SOL
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3
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May 12
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May 14
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none
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none
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4
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May 12
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May 14
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none
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none
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5
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May 12
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May 14
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May 19
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March 24 (no retesting)
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6
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May 12
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May 14
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none
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none
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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.
The state allows elementary school students who fail a spring SOL test to have another attempt before the end of the school year. Parent/guardian permission is required for the school to retest any student in grades 3-6. A decision not to allow retesting will not impact your student’s grades or academic record.
If you believe your student would benefit from a second opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and skills on the spring SOL test, submit your decision using the Parent Digital Consent application. This application uses your SIS ParentVUE login. If you don’t have a SIS ParentVUE Account, you may complete and return a printed copy of the permission form (available in seven different languages) to give permission for retesting.
If you have questions about state assessments or about SOL retesting, contact your student’s teacher or James Koontz, School Testing Coordinator, at jhkoontz@fcps.edu.
2026 Special Education Family Conference
Date: Saturday, April 18 Time: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Location: George C. Marshall High School 7731 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22043
We are pleased to announce the 2026 Special Education Family Conference - Stronger Together: Connecting Families & Schools. This no-cost, in-person event is hosted by Fairfax County Public Schools in collaboration with a host of internal and external community partners. Families will have the opportunity to hear a keynote address from internationally renowned educator and advocate, Dr. Shelley Moore. Following lunch, families will be able to connect with resources and community organizations available in the vendor hall, and participate in breakout sessions. Registration.
Celebrating Month of the Military Child
The month of April is designated as Month of the Military Child where we recognize and celebrate all our military connected students. FCPS designates April 15th as Purple Up Day where everyone wears purple to show our support for our military students. Please save the date of April 15th for our Purple Up Breakfast where we invite all WSES military connected students and their families to join us. Please RSVP here.
Additionally, we encourage our military connected familiesto fill out an about me poster to display in our front hallway. These were sent home in Thursday folders but if your student needs another copy they can pick one up from the office or you can print one here.
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It’s Kindergarten Registration Time!
If your child will attend our school, please gather necessary documents and begin the registration process!
Questions? Please contact our registrar Maria Paz Garcia.
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Kindergarten Orientation
DATE: Wednesday, April 22
TIME: 2:00 - 3:00 pm
WHERE: Cafeteria
WHO: Parent and Rising Kindergartner
Save the Date
Friday, March 20 - Student Holiday
Friday, March 27 - End of Quarter/Early Release at 1:30 p.m.
Monday, March 30 - Monday, April 6 - Spring Break
Thursday, April 9 - School Wide Field Trip!
Friday, April 10 - No School
Monday, April 13 - Week of Book Fair
Wednesday, April 15 - Purple Up! and STEAM Night
- 📚 Book Fair: 4:00–7:30 PM
- 🔬 Science Expo: 5:30–6:30 PM
- ⚙️ STEAM Night: 6:00–7:30 PM
Tuesday, April 21 - No School
Wednesday, April 22 - Early Release at 12:30 p.m. & Kindergarten Orientation 2:00 - 3:00
Monday, June 15 - 6th Grade Promotion at 10:00 AM
❓Questions?
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