Tuesday Terragram April 7

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 04/07/2026 03:35 PM EDT

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Dear Terraset Families,

We hope you and your family enjoyed Spring Break and are rejuvenated for an incredible final quarter of school.  As the weather turns warmer and summer approaches, we need your help to ensure all of our Tigers are present and engaged in learning all day, every day.  We have many exciting learning opportunities and events planned, including field trips, Stuff The Bus on 4/24, spring music concerts, field day, 6th grade promotion, Staff Appreciation Week and more! 

This Friday, April 10th is a student holiday and we will be hosting our annual Kindergarten Orientation event. If you or a neighbor have a student entering kindergarten at Terraset for the 2026-2027 school year, please join us at 10:30am in the cafeteria. You will have an opportunity to meet our phenomenal kindergarten team, support staff, and administration, and learn about our Purposeful Placement Process (KP3). The kindergarten staff, with the support of our administrators and specialists, use the first week of school as an opportunity to get to know the students and to inform final placement decisions. KP3 provides the Kindergarten team the opportunity to get to know each child, their strengths, and their needs. The information gained over the first week allows us to craft kindergarten classes with careful consideration of every child. Our goal is to create a balance of personalities and learning styles that will promote a dynamic learning community in each classroom for the duration of the school year. Learn more about KP3 by viewing this video created by our kindergarten teachers (Kindergarten Purposeful Placement Process) 

Warmly,

Katie Aldridge, Principal

Dave Ickowski, Assistant Principal

📋We Want Your Feedback! Principal Evaluation Parent/Guardian Questionnaire

On Monday, April 6, parents and guardians of Terraset ES received an email with a link to the FCPS Principal Evaluation Parent/Guardian Feedback Form. This questionnaire is part of the Performance Evaluation Program and provides an opportunity to share anonymous feedback about our school’s leadership and environment.

Topics covered in the survey include:

✅ Instructional leadership

✅ School climate

✅ Management (human resources and organizational)

✅ Communication and community relations

✅ Culturally responsive and equitable leadership

✅ Professionalism

The questionnaire will be open April 6 - April 19 and will be collected online. When you receive the email from noreply@fcps.edu, please take a few minutes to complete it. Your input is valuable and helps shape the future of our school. Thank you for your time and feedback!

🎤Terraset’s Got Talent!

Terraset’s annual talent show is Friday, May 29th!

CAN YOU….sing, dance, juggle, tell jokes, act, play an instrument, do gymnastics, solve a Rubix Cube blindfolded, ride a unicycle, or do magic??? OR sing a song while juggling and riding a unicycle blindfolded, BACKWARDS???  Whatever your talent, we NEED YOU!!!

Students interested in performing will need to pick up a sign-up sheet from Mr. Andert (Room 128). They must be returned by April 13th.

Acts may be solo or with a group. 2-minute limit per act. School-appropriate standards for lyrics and costumes. Performance dress recommended.

In order to participate students must attend ALL of the following:

- Audition: either Thursday, April 23rd or Friday, April 24th, 8am – 9am (link to a SignUp Genius on the form)

- Dress rehearsal: Thursday, May 28th, 4:05pm - 6:30pm

- Performance: Friday, May 29th, 6pm - 8pm (Call time for performers 5:30pm)

Thank you,

The Talent Show Committee

📅Elementary Early Release Wednesday Update for April

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 an  early release Wednesday for Terraset.

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.

🚌STUFF THE BUS 2026 

Join the South Lakes Pyramid schools in making a difference! All schools in the South Lakes Pyramid will be collecting donations for the South Lakes High School Food Pantry.

Then, on Friday, April 24, an FCPS bus will travel from school to school to STUFF THE BUS with all collected donations!

🛒 Most Needed Items:
🥫 Canned goods (tuna, chicken, veggies, soup, fruit)
🧂 Plastic bottles/jars (cooking oil, peanut butter, jelly, spices)
🍚 Box/dry goods (rice, dried beans, pasta, cereal, boxed milk)
🧼 Hygiene products (shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, diapers-4/5, baby wipes)

Let's come together and support families in need! Drop off your donations in the Terraset lobby. Every contribution counts! 

📝Learn About Kindergarten at Terraset

Our kindergarten orientation is being held on April 10th at 10:30 a.m. to give parents of students entering school in August an opportunity to learn more about kindergarten at our school. 

We recognize that parents are their children’s first teachers. Resources on the School Readiness and Transition to Kindergarten webpage provide parents with ways to support their children to help ensure a smooth transition to kindergarten. 

There’s also an easy-to-follow five-step process outlined for registering your child for kindergarten. Register your child today! Contact our registrar, Shannon Johnson with any questions.

 📚Yearbook Orders

Celebrate the memories of the 2025–2026 school year with a Terraset Elementary School yearbook!

Yearbooks are available for $13.00 and must be ordered by April 10, 2026. Quantities are limited, so be sure to place your order on time to guarantee your copy.

Families can order online at www.strawbridge.net using the school’s online code: YB33613, or return the completed order form to school. Don’t miss this opportunity to capture the smiles, friendships, and special moments from this school year!

🗣️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. on: 

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.

🐯PTO News

Please be sure to check your student’s Tuesday folder and subscribe to our weekly PTO news email for more information about all PTO-related activities!

  • Tigers on the Town April 15: Join us on Wednesday, April 15 at Chick-fil-A (12160 Sunset Hills Rd) from 4-8pm. Mention the spirit night when you dine in, or carry out (use code “Spirit”’ in the Chick-fil-A app) and 25% will be donated back to the PTO. 
  • Next PTO Meeting Is April 29: Join us at 6:30 pm in the library. Our slate of officers for the 2026-27 school year will be presented by the Nominations Committee via email prior to the meeting, and elections will take place that night. Refreshments will be provided in the meeting and childcare and pizza will be provided for school-aged children who attend.
  • Staff Appreciation Week: Staff Appreciation Week is coming up May 4th-8th and we plan on celebrating with snacks, meals and more! If you would like to help by making a donation, you can do that online. Thank you!

🏫FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:

  • School Weather Safety
  • Science Fair Winners
  • Summer Internships at FCPS

🐾P.A.W.S. (Parents Appreciating Wonderful Staff)

Have you seen a staff member go above and beyond for your family or student? Take a moment to fill out this quick form to let us know and say thank you! 

Click here to tell us about a PAWSitively amazing staff member! 

🗓️TES Looking Ahead:

  • Friday, April 10 - No School (Teacher Workday)
  • Friday, April 10- Kindergarten Orientation @ 10:30 a.m.
  • Wednesday, April 15- Tigers on the Town (Chick-Fil-A)
  • Tuesday, April 21- No School (VA Statewide Election)
  • Friday, April 24- Stuff the Bus
  • Friday, April 24- 5th/6th Grade Spring Fling @ 6:00 p.m. (TES Cafeteria)
  • Wednesday, April 29- PTO Meeting @ 6:30 p.m. (Terraset Library)
  • Thursday, April 30- Spring Pictures
  • Thursday, April 30- Orchestra Spring Concert @ 7:00 p.m. (Hughes MS)

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