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Dear Freedom Hill Families,
We truly hope that your Spring Break was full of relaxation, recharging, family time, and good memories this year! We also want to wish a very Happy Easter and Passover to our families who are celebrating.
Tomorrow, we welcome our students back for the final 9 weeks of the school year. They have made so much growth this year, and we are excited to hold many of our traditional end-of-year events as we celebrate our year of Doing Hard Things. Some of the photographs this week capture memories from only the last week or two. Our students are collaborating across grade levels, preparing the school garden for an eventful spring, sharing research on the Morning News Show, enjoying engaging field trips and guest presenters, and sharing their cultural traditions. FHES is the place to be!
As you prepare your family calendars for a busy spring, please see our important date sections below. We would love to have you involved with many of our great events organized by the school and by our wonderful PTA. In particular, see date information for a Family Dinner Out, the Staff vs. Westgate Volleyball Game, and the Cultural Heritage Parade. Spring Picture Day will also be here before you know it.
Lastly, but certainly not least, this week the FCPS community celebrates Librarian Appreciation Day and Assistant Principal Week. I hope you will join us in appreciating Ms. Trott, Mr. Scesney, and Ms. Sims. We are truly lucky to have three of the best supporting our Eagles and their families each day. Without them, our important work would not be possible!
As we begin our 4th quarter, please let us know how we can support your family.
In partnership,
Nicholas Zapadka, Principal
2025-26 FCPS School Calendar
Freedom Hill Family Resources
Breakfast/Lunch Menus
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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 - Wear Purple for "Purple Up Day" to support our military families
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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 22 - PTA Family Dinner Out, SCA "Runs the Diner" at Silver Diner McLean, 4-8PM
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April 23 - Spring Picture 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.
A joyful Easter to all in our community who celebrate! The springtime celebration of Easter is the most important Christian holiday. It commemorates the resurrection of Jesus, who Christians believe suffered and died on the cross for the salvation of the world and the forgiveness of sins. Through his own resurrection.
Chag Sameach to all in our community celebrating Passover! For Jewish communities, this holiday celebrates the deliverance of Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Many Jewish families eat a ceremonial meal known as the Seder, which involves telling the story of the exodus from Egypt as well as eating various symbolic foods.
In April, people throughout the United States celebrate Arab American Heritage Month. This history is a foundational part of American history. Students deserve meaningful, sustained opportunities to learn about the experiences and contributions of Arab Americans year-round, and the celebration of Arab American Heritage Month is an opportunity to honor diverse and important stories.
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.
Tuesday, April 21, is now a teacher workday and staff development day because of a recently announced special election that will impact all FCPS schools.
Students will now have a traditional full day of instruction and be released at the regular dismissal time on April 22, which was previously a 3-hour early release day.
This adjustment allows our staff to still have dedicated time for planning, collaboration, and professional learning without reducing instructional time on other school days.Read Dr. Reid’s letter to elementary parents for more details.
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).
On Saturday, April 18, the Fairfax County History Commission will host Revolutionary Ideas: Fairfax County’s American Revolution, featuring free, interactive activities designed with young learners in mind. From hands-on experiences to creative ways to explore the past, elementary-age students will have plenty of opportunities to jump in and have fun. The conference will be held at the Fairfax County Government Center, with children’s activities beginning at 1:30 p.m.
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DIG ARCHAEOLOGY “What Is It?” A guessing game that asks you to be the archaeologist. Handle cool artifacts that make Fairfax County unique.
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IN YOUR OWN WORDS What does freedom mean to you? Share your thoughts. Responses will be collected on a poster.
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LIVE LIKE A COLONIAL Write with a quill pen, try a whirligig, play dress-up, learn colonial slang.
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FIND YOUR ROOTS Interactive session. Fairfax Genealogical Society dives deep into your past.
🗓️ Saturday, April 18, 2026
⏰ Children’s activities begin at 1:30 p.m.
📍Fairfax County Government Center, 2000 Government Center Pkwy, Fairfax, VA 22035
       
Upcoming Dates:
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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 22 - Family Dinner Out @ Silver Diner (8101 Fletcher St., McLean, VA 22102), 4-8PM
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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 🌐
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.
PRE-ORDER VOLLEYBALL GAME TICKETS & PIZZA
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!
VIENNA YOUTH SOCCER CAMP AT FREEDOM HILL
We are excited to announce that Vienna Youth Soccer Summer Camp is now happening at Freedom Hill Elementary School!
In addition to the engaging soccer programming, campers will now enjoy access to:
- Indoor gymnasium to cool off from the heat (Yes, we have AC!)
- Indoor classroom as we offer creative crafts & projects
- Multi-Sport offering in the afternoon
- A TV to watch World Cup games during camp hours (who wants to miss a game?!)
- World-Cup themed days
To register for Half-Day & Full-Day, Click Here
To register for Early Drop-Off & Late Pick-Up, Click Here
https://www.vys.org/programs/camps#SummerCamps
We look forward to an unforgettable summer of camps at Freedom Hill with Vienna Youth Soccer.
Quick Links:
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