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Dear Freedom Hill Families,
Another exciting week on the Hill is in the books! Literally! We are so grateful for our community's involvement with the Read-A-Thon. Thank you to Amber Halaka, our coordinator this year, for leading us to over 320,000 total minutes read! We love that our yearly fundraiser is tied to reading and literacy. And yes, of course, with us meeting our goal, all of the principals will be subjected to some water balloon treatment at Field Day this year. Thank you to our families for making reading a priority. Last week, we were also happy to see so many students involved in celebrating St. Patrick's Day, as well as continued exciting field trip experiences when first grade visited Riverbend Park for a morning of learning.
As a reminder, the end of the third quarter is quickly approaching at the end of the week, and with it, an early release and the beginning of spring break. The end of Q3 is a great time to connect with your child’s teacher to discuss their areas of strength and opportunities for growth as we prepare to enter the fourth quarter.
Thank you, as always, for your continued partnership and for sharing your wonderful children with us each day. We are grateful to work alongside such a supportive and engaged community.
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 27 – End of Q3, 2-Hour Early Release
- March 30 – April 6: School Closed for Spring Break
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April 7 - School Resumes for Q4
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April 10 - No School, Staff Development Day
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April 15 - PTA Meeting in the Library and via Zoom, 6PM
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April 17 - Culture & Heritage Parade, 9:30–10:30AM @ Freedom Hill (Sign-up Form)
- April 21 - No School, Statewide Election Day
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April 24 - Freedom Hill vs. Westgate Volleyball Game, 6:30PM-8PM, Marshall High School 🏐
 This week our P2 trait is Spirit. School spirit is about showing pride in our community, supporting one another, and contributing to a positive and welcoming environment for everyone at Freedom Hill.
When we demonstrate school spirit, we help create a place where everyone feels connected, valued, and excited to belong.
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
~Helen Keller
Questions you might enjoy talking about:
- What does school spirit mean to you?
- What are some ways we can show pride in our school each day?
- How does supporting classmates and staff build a stronger community?
- How does it feel to be part of a school where people show enthusiasm and pride?
Let’s continue working together to make Freedom Hill a place where our Eagles pride shines bright!
We encourage families registering students for the 2026–2027 school year (Kindergarten and Grades 1–6) to begin the registration process online.
Please start the process here.
Once you have completed the online registration and gathered all required forms and documentation, please contact Ms. Sujo to schedule an appointment to finalize the process at the school.
On the day of your appointment, please bring the following original documents:
- Child’s Birth Certificate
- ID of the enrolling parent/guardian
- Vaccine records
- Physical examination form
- Three (3) forms of proof of address
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office.
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Benchmark Unit 6 in Language Arts is about the lessons we can learn from different stories around the world. Students in K-5 will be learning about themes across cultures. Sixth grade students will learn about legendary journeys. |
Connect with your child’s learning at school with these fun questions and hands-on activities at home:
- Question: What’s a lesson that you’ve learned recently, or a challenge you had?
- Activity: Pick a few of your child’s favorite books or classic stories such as “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” With your child, discuss each story and whether it has a lesson.
At the end of the unit, your child will take their unit magazine home. The magazine includes an activity calendar with fun ways to help students build on what they’re learning at each grade level. You can also find information on how to support your child’s reading at home on the Benchmark Families website.
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.
April Statewide Election: No School for Students - There will be no school for students on Tuesday, April 21st, for the Virginia statewide election. Student activities, athletic practices, and events may proceed as scheduled.
Eid Mubarak to those in our Muslim community celebrating! In Islam, Eid al-Fitr is a 3 day festival to mark the end of Ramadan. Muslims dress in new clothes, give charity, and pray in congregation. Eid is celebrated with the exchange of presents and delicious food with family and friends. #OurFCPS
Nowruz Mobarak to all who celebrate! Nowruz, meaning “New Day,” is a more than 3,000-year-old spring festival marking the first day of the new year at the vernal equinox. Rooted in ancient Persian civilization, it is widely celebrated as the national new year in Iran and Afghanistan and across many Central Asian nations. Families welcome the new season with festive meals, gift-giving, and the beautiful tradition of the Haft-Seen table, filled with symbols of new life and renewal. #OurFCPS
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.
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:
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.
FCPS is administering our Family Engagement Survey, is open from Monday, March 9th, to Monday, March 23rd. 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.
FCPS’ 2026 Special Education Family Conference has been rescheduled to Saturday, April 18th, 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.
FCPS Pre-K and Early Head Start programs provide a high-quality early learning experience for qualifying children with economic and educational risk factors, ages 6 weeks to 4 years, living in Fairfax County.
- Pre-K prioritizes 4-year-old applicants but also accepts applications for children who will be 3 years old by September 30 of the same year.
- Early Head Start is located at three elementary schools — Clearview, Crestwood, and Dogwood — and accepts applications from pregnancy to 2 years old.
Families are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Space is limited and provided based on need, not on a first-come, first-served basis.
Applications are accepted online, by email, by mail, or in person at the program office at 7423 Camp Alger Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia 22042.
If you have a question about the application process or status, please call 703-208-7900 (English) or 703-208-7901 (Spanish).
     
Upcoming Dates:
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March 31 - Applications are due for the PTA Board for the 2026-2027 school year!
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April 5 - FHES PTA Teacher & Staff Grant Program application due 📝
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April 15 - PTA Meeting in the Library and via Zoom, 6PM
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April 17 - Cultural Heritage Parade, 9:30–10:30AM @ Freedom Hill (Sign-up Form)
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April 24 - Freedom Hill vs. Westgate Volleyball Game, 6:30PM-8PM, Marshall High School (Links: Volunteer and Order Ahead)
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May 21 - PTA Meeting & Volunteer Celebration in the Library and via Zoom, 6PM
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May 29 - Cultural Heritage Night, 6–8 PM, in the Cafeteria 🌐
CHEERING ON OUR CHAMPION AT THE COUNTY SPELLING BEE!
As our school’s Spelling Bee Champion, Daniel Lagos, heads off to the Fairfax County Spelling Bee this Sunday, March 22, 2026, we send our warmest wishes and support! We are incredibly proud of your hard work, determination, and love of words. Enjoy this exciting experience and know that your entire school community is cheering you on. Good luck! We are all rooting for you! We are so proud of all our talented spellers who participated and made this year’s bee such a success.
2026-2027 PTA BOARD NOMINATIONS OPEN THROUGH MARCH 31ST
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.
VOLLEYBALL GAME COMING SOON!
We’re serving up an evening of friendly competition between the FHES staff and the Westgate staff in the annual volleyball showdown! If you haven’t already, mark your calendars for Friday, April 24th from 6:30pm-8pm at Marshall High School and we’ll see you there! Tickets are $5 (children under 5 years old are free), whole pizzas are $15, pizza slices are $3, and drinks and snacks are $1-$2. Save yourself time and pre-order your tickets and pizza on the PTA website. We always need volunteers to make events successful so sign-up for a volunteer shift too! Look for a flyer to come home in your student’s backpack.
CULTURAL HERITAGE PARADE - SIGN UP BY APRIL 10
Join us for Freedom Hill’s annual Culture Heritage Day Parade on Friday, April 17, from 10:00–10:30 AM. Students are invited to represent their country of origin - submit the form or scan the QR code by April 10. Volunteers are also needed to help organize or clean up.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email the parade coordinator, Smriti Choudhary, at choudharysmriti@gmail.com.
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