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GARDEN DAY CANCELED

Dear Families:

It’s wonderful to have such great weather! We have so much to be thankful for at Fairhill, and it’s been great to see students and staff enjoying the sunshine throughout the day.

As you received in the earlier talking points message today, PTA Garden Day is canceled for this weekend. We appreciate your understanding and will share any updates about future opportunities.

We are looking forward to a strong stretch of full weeks ahead as we focus on our final push before end-of-year state testing. All of our indicators point to our students being well-prepared, and we truly believe they are going to knock it out of the park. We are excited for them to show all they have learned this year!

On that note, we encourage you to have your child spend some time practicing at home using the online resource www.solpass.org. Students should already know the password, but if not, please feel free to reach out and we will be happy to share it. Fairhill provides a membership for all students in grades 3–6.

Thank you for your continued support!

Ted and Maura

April April 15th - Purple Up! Day Military Connection April 17th - Story Book Parade 9:45 - 10:45 am Bus Loop April 21st - Election Day (No School for Students) April 22nd - Falls Church Pyramid Art Show 5 - 7 pm  April 23rd - 5th Grade Field Trip to Natural History Museum April 24th - Career Fair  1:15 - 3:30 pm April 30th - 6th Grade Field Trip to Art Museum April 30th - 1st Grade Field Trip to Clemyjontri  April 30th - Spring Strings/Band Concert Evening May May 1st - Spring Strings/Band Concert Day May 1st  - Parents Night Out - Glow Dodgeball May 4th - May 8th Staff Appreciation Week May 7th - PTA Meeting 6:30 pm May 7th - 4th Grade Field Trip to Baltimore Aquarium May 11th - 3rd-6th Grade SOL Testing Reading May 13th - Wednesday Early Release (3 hours)  Dismissal 1:05 pm  May 18th - 3rd-6th Grade SOL Testing Math (including Grade 7 and Algebra) May 21st - 5th Grade SOL Testing Science  May 25th - Memorial Day (No School) May 26th - Teacher Workday (No School for Students) May 27th - Eid al-Adha (No School)

April is the Month of the Military Child and Purple Up Day! April is the Month of the Military Child, and at Fairhill, we are proud to celebrate the incredible strength, resilience, and spirit of our military-connected students. Join us on Purple Up Day, April 15th, by wearing purple to show your support and appreciation. As a Purple Star School, this day is especially meaningful to our community. It is a chance for all of us to stand together and recognize the sacrifices our military families make, especially the children who walk our halls each day. Let’s turn Fairhill purple and show our students just how much they are seen, valued, and celebrated!

It’s That Time of Year! Please Help Us Plan for Next School Year As we begin planning for the upcoming school year, we ask all families of students in Kindergarten through 6th grade to let Fairhill Elementary know about their child’s intentions for next year. In the past, this information was collected using paper forms sent home in Tuesday folders. This year, we’re making the process easier and more convenient by moving to a digital format! Please take a moment to complete our short Google Form to let us know whether your child will be returning to Fairhill Elementary for the next school year. Your response helps us with staffing, class placement, and overall planning to ensure a smooth and successful start for all students. If you have more than one child that attends Fairhill, please complete for each child. https://forms.gle/QesM6JrsLR5du6LFA We kindly ask that all families complete the form by Friday, May 1, 2026. Thank you for your time and continued support!

Class Placement Input

We are beginning to plan for the 2026–27 school year and will be collecting parent input electronically. Class placements are an important part of both learning and building a strong school community. If there is information you would like us to consider as we determine placements, we invite you to take a few moments to respond to the questions below.

We recognize that a positive teacher-student match and a well-balanced classroom contribute to student success, and we carefully consider each child’s strengths and needs throughout this process. To ensure we are able to thoughtfully account for all factors, we ask that families do not request specific teachers. Teacher assignments may change due to the needs of the school, and requests for specific teachers are not considered as part of the placement process.

We have found it most helpful when families share relevant academic or behavioral information about their child that may support our decision-making. Completion of this form is optional; however, if you choose to participate, please submit your responses by May 29.

Thank you for your time and for partnering with us.

Use link here: https://forms.gle/WobJSdgm8QBoUNEE6

6th Annual Fairhill Elementary Career Fair Each spring, Fairhill hosts our annual career fair to help students explore different careers and learn about the world of work. It’s a fun, interactive event where adults from the community share what they do, talk about their professions, and answer students’ questions — helping spark curiosity and future ambition.  2026 Career Fair details: To inspire students, provide insight into the "World of Work," showcase the diverse talents of our community, and have lots of Career Day fun!  Theme: “The Possibilities Start Here” — a celebration of career exploration and future planning for students Date & Time: Friday, April 24, 2026, 1:15 – 3:30 pm Location: Fairhill Elementary Gymnasium  Setup: Tables and chairs will be provided. Electrical outlets are available. What to Bring: We encourage you to wear your professional attire/uniform and bring interactive items (videos, equipment, literature, etc.) to engage our future workforce! Detailed logistics regarding session times will be sent as the date approaches. View: 2025 Career Day Info and PHOTOS - this will give you a good idea of the look and feel of our career day. Contact: Mrs. Schwartz, Counselor, 703-208-8130, gwschwartz@fcps.edu Sign Up Here

SOL Testing Spring 2026 

Believe it or not, the Standards of Learning Assessments are just around the corner at Fairhill!  Below is the schedule for testing.  The SOL Assessments are in grades 3-6 and content area differs by grade level.  Please plan for success by ensuring your child has a good night’s sleep the night before, a hearty breakfast the morning of, and arrives to school on time for the day of their scheduled test.  Testing will begin promptly at 9:45 AM; if a student arrives after this time, they will take the test on an alternate date.  If you have additional questions about the SOLs, please contact School Testing Coordinators Justin Goldberg (jmgoldberg@fcps.edu) and Maura Cotter (mkcotter@fcps.edu).

Monday, May 11: 3^rd - 6th Grade Reading

Monday, May 18: 3^rd – 6^th Grade Math (including Grade 7 and Algebra)

Thursday, May 21: 5^th Grade Science

Spring Concert Date and Times: Evening Concert- Thursday, April 30 4th Grade Arrival 5:00 pm, Concert starts 5:30 pm 5th/6th Grade Arrival 6:00 pm, Concert starts 6:30 pm Daytime Concert - Friday, May 1 9:50-10:50 am

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News from PTA

GLOW DODGEBALL IS BACK!  Need Friday night plans for the kids? Send them to InCourage Fairfax on May 1st for a glowing good time! 🍕 Pizza Provided 🕕 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM 💰 $25/child (All proceeds go to Fairhills PTA!) Don't miss out on the brightest fundraiser of the year! Tag a Fairhill's parent who needs a night off! 👇

Staff Appreciation Week is coming up Monday, May 4 - Friday, May 8th and we’re looking for some help to make it unforgettable. Our theme is “Fairhill staff are the sweetest” and we’re baking up a magical week to celebrate the most delightful staff around —our amazing Fairhill teachers and team members. We can’t make this week as special as they deserve without some extra hands. There are many ways you can help us sprinkle in a little more joy and show our appreciation for all that they do!   Stock the Lounge Stock the Teachers’ Supply Closets Help Setup and Breakdown Staff Snacks and Lunches Volunteer for Kiss and Ride Monetary Donations You and your student can also participate in these daily activities: May 4: Send your teacher a note through the VA Lottery May 5: High five a teacher or admin and say thank you May 6: Draw a picture or write a song for your teacher or other staff to show your appreciation May 7: Classroom cleanup, show your gratitude by helping pick up If you have any questions please email Kimberly Van and Mary Mandell.

2026-2027 Fairhill School Supply Pack Sales 

No time to shop for school supplies? Just click here to order a school supply pack from EPI for the 2026-2027 school year. Purchased packs will be delivered right to your student's classroom in August! Enter the code FAI068 for Fairhill. Additional ordering information can be found in the attached flyer.

English    Spanish

Help Shape the Future of Fairhill Elementary! 🏫

The school year is winding down, but our community’s momentum is just getting started. The Fairhill Elementary PTA is looking for enthusiastic leaders to join our Board and Committee teams for the 2026-2027 school year.

Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer or looking to get involved for the first time, we have a place for you!

🌟 Open Leadership Positions

We are currently seeking dedicated individuals for the following roles:

🕒 Commitment & Details

• Meetings: The Board and Committee Leads meet once a month.

• Support: You’ll be part of a collaborative team dedicated to making Fairhill a better place for our students.

Ready to step up? To learn more about these roles, please visit the Fairhill PTA website or scan the QR code on our physical flyers. Interested in joining the team? Send us an email at fairhilles@gmail.com to get started!

Calling for Volunteers:  Help to Make a Big Difference in our community

The Fairhill PTA again will continue to support Fairhill families and our broader local community by collecting unused food purchased from the cafeteria (e.g., milk, string cheese) and/or unopened store-bought food (e.g., crackers) during the spring semester

Our kids' role -> Kids are asked to leave food they may otherwise toss in the garbage and instead put it off in the Food for Others fridge in the cafeteria.

Our volunteers' role -> Once a week (Mondays or Tuesdays), we are asking for a volunteer to collect the food and drop it off at Food For Others (1 mile away). 

Our collective Impact -> In addition to minimizing food waste, we are helping 75,000 Fairfax County (and Fairhill families) who are food insecure.  On a weekly basis last year, we collected hundreds of milk cartons, string cheese packets, crackers, yogurts and more.

Sign up here to volunteer!  Questions????  Call/text//email Anika Marpaka (anikaamin@yahoo.com or 703 855 0500)

Help Us Erase Student Lunch Debt

Please consider donating to eliminate school lunch debt through our Educate Fairfax platform. All donations are tax deductible; you will receive a receipt for tax deduction purposes.

News from FCPS

Luther Jackson Middle School’s drama department is proud to present the timeless class, The Wizard of Oz, and we would love to have you come!  Tickets are available on the LJMS website or by using this QR code for only $6. Tickets will also be sold at the door for $8. The shows are Thursday, April 30th 7:00 pm, Friday, May 1st, 7:00 pm and Saturday, May 2nd 2:00 pm & &:00 pm. The 2:00 pm matinee show is especially for our young audience members- after the show there will be a special photo opportunity with cast & crew. Come out and see the world of Oz come to life! https://jacksonms.fcps.edu/announcements/spring-musical-tickets-now-sale

Adult ESOL The spring semester is enrolling soon for Adult ESOL classes through FCPS ACE. Adults in our community can take advantage of comprehensive English language classes at a much lower cost than college programs or private language schools. Classes are available for all levels of proficiency, with morning or evening classes at FCPS locations throughout the county.

2026 CTE Summer Enrichment Programs

Create | Explore | Learn

Programs

Tech Adventure Camp: Current Kindergarten - grade 5 students explore Business/Marketing, Family + Consumer Sciences, Health + Medical Sciences, STEAM, and Trades by rotating through daily classes

Visit the Tech Adventure Camp webpage here: bit.ly/FCPS_TAC

CTE Summer Academy: Current grade 6 - 11 students choose their classes and dive deeper into CTE program areas, skills, and career exploration

Visit the CTE Summer Academy webpage here: bit.ly/FCPS_CSA

Details

• Time - 8:30  to 2 pm* *Early drop off begins at 7:30 am; after care ends at 5 pm

New to 2026! We’re offering after care!

• Location - Robinson SS
• Transportation from select FCPS schools is provided!
• Cost - $300 per week Back for 2026 programs, we will be offering tuition assistance. More information on our webpages.
• Dates -

• Week 1: July 6 - 10

• Week 2: July 13 - 17

• Week 3: July 20 - 24

• Week 4: July 27 - 31

New to 2026! We’re offering a 4th week of our programs!

• Different weekly offerings; weekly themes and class offerings can be found on our webpages!

More Information
Visit our webpages (linked above) for more information!

For questions, please contact Beth Mehr at bgmehr@fcps.edu

We look forward to creating, exploring, and learning with your students this summer!

Save the Date! Military Family Field Day  Saturday, April 18, 2026 - noon to 2 p.m. FCPS is excited to celebrate the Month of the Military Child with a good, old-fashioned field day! We invite all military-connected families with FCPS students to a special field day to honor our military-connected children. Join us for an afternoon of fun and community at Annandale High School (4700 Medford Dr, Annandale, VA 22003) on Saturday, April 18, 2026, from noon to 2 p.m. Enjoy field day games and crafts at the football and track stadium. Food and beverages will be available for purchase to support various FCPS school clubs and organizations. This is a great opportunity to connect with other military families across the division!

Important Fairhill Contact Information

Fairhill Phone Numbers:

Main Office 703-208-8100

• Health Room 703-208-8110

• Cafeteria 703-208-8121

Administration e-mail addresses:

• Principal, Ted Cooper: egcooper@fcps.edu

•  Assistant Principal, Maura Cotter: mkcotter@fcps.edu

Follow us! Click here to follow us on Twitter. #YouBelongAtFairhill Click here to like our Facebook page. Click here to follow us on Instagram.

3001 Chichester Lane, Fairfax, VA 22031 | Main Office: 703-208-8100
Attendance: 703-208-8181 | Web | Twitter | Facebook