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April 15 Family Newsletter
Dear Families,
Thank you to all our military families who came in this week as a mystery reader. Check out some of the photos below of our readers in action.
We are also grateful for all of the students and families who came to our Unified Sports event last Friday. It was a fantastic day and great opportunity for many of our Union Mill Bears to shine. Thank you to Mrs. Murray and Mrs. Tirado for all the planning and preparation to make this event a success.
As a reminder, our PTA will be meeting this evening at 7:00 pm virtually. A Zoom link was provided to current PTA members through PTA e-news this week. If you are not yet a member and you want to attend it’s not too late to sign-up. You will receive the PTA meeting link for tonight. Memberships are inexpensive.
Upcoming Dates
Wednesday, April 15th - Purple Up! for the Military Child
- Yearbook Order Deadline
- Virtual PTA Meeting
Saturday, April 18th - Military Family Field Day @ Annandale High School
Monday, April 20th - Friday, April 24th - Book Fair
Tuesday, April 21st - Teacher Workday (No School for Students)
Wednesday, April 22nd - 6th Grade Panoramic Photo (new date)
- Evening Book Fair & Ice Cream Social
See the complete school year calendar
April Statewide Election: No School for Students
There will be no school for students on Tuesday, April 21, for the Virginia statewide election. Student activities, athletic practices, and events may proceed as scheduled. Principals and directors of student activities may adjust event start times and entry points to ensure clear separation between student activity areas and polling spaces.
Employees should check their email for a message from the school division (sent Wednesday, March 11) with additional details.
Salute to Our Mystery Readers
A huge thank you to the military-connected family members who surprised our classrooms as mystery readers! You made storytime extra special for our students. We are looking forward to our continued readers coming in to read with students. The Union Mill community is forever grateful for your service to our our country and our community.
MOMC Spirit Week
We are excited to celebrate Military Spirit Week next week! Please join us as we honor and recognize our incredible military-connected students and families who make up such an important part of our school community. Throughout the week, students will have fun opportunities to show their support, appreciation, and school spirit. We look forward to coming together as a community to celebrate and uplift our military families!
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Playground Update
Our playground is in the process of it's final upgrade with the installation to create a safer and more accessible space for all students. This improvement will allow students of all mobility levels, including those who use wheelchairs, walkers or other supports to access and enjoy the playground. Our playground will be closed this week during and after school hours for the installation of this upgrade. We look forward to re-opening early next week.
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Victory, High-Fives, and a Whole Lot of Heart!
The energy was electric this past Friday, April 10 as our community came together for the Centreville Pyramid Unified Sports Event!
After weeks of early morning practices—where our incredible athletes, buddies and staff showed up to hone their skills—it was finally time to shine. And boy, did they ever!
The stands were packed with cheering staff and peers as students gave it their all across a variety of events: The 50-meter relay, tennis ball toss, obstacle course, soccer kick and more!
The best part? The competition may have ended on the field, but the celebration continued with an epic dance party for everyone involved! From the sportsmanship to the "moves" on the dance floor, it was a day that reminded us what it means to be part of the Centreville Pyramid family.
Huge thanks to all the athletes, buddies, and fans who made this day unforgettable!
Parent Input for Class Placements 2026-2027
As we plan for the 2026-2027 school year, we are inviting your input. Creating class assignments require careful consideration and the involvement of many perspectives. We know a good teacher-student match and a productive mix of children are ingredients for success. Should you have additional information about your specific child that school staff may not know, particularly regarding learning style and classroom environment; you have the option to complete the following form no later than Friday, May 15th.
Disability Awareness Stations in Physical Education
From April 7, 8 and 9th students have engaged in an interactive journey of perspective and play. During this time students took a deep into the world of diverse abilities. We explored how people navigate the world with visual impairments, fine motor difficulties, autism, dyslexia and physical disabilities. Students also discussed inclusion and took a pledge to be more inclusive by signing their names and sharing ways to “invite others in!”. Look for our colorful pledge the next time you visit the main lobby!
A massive thank you to Coach Debbie LoCastro and the Queen of Power Soccer Norma White both from Northern Virginia Power Soccer for providing equipment and expertise to introduce our students to the fast-paced, exciting world of Power Soccer. Check out the incredible work they do: nova-powersoccer.org
UMES Yearbook
Have you been waiting to purchase a yearbook for your student? Well, wait no longer! The deadline to buy a yearbook is today so don’t delay, order today!
You can click on this link to place orders at www.buytheyearbook.com with school ID# 732149. Yearbooks are $16.49 each. Don't miss your chance to order a yearbook as there will not be extras available at the end of the year.
The Book Fair is Coming!
Spring Book Fair - April 20, 22, 23 and 24th. The evening event is Wednesday April 22nd (Earth Day!) from 4-7pm. A flier will be coming home next Friday with more details.
Book Fair Volunteers: Our spring book fair is almost here! This fundraiser supports the UMES library by providing funds which are used to purchase new books for your students. We are looking for some volunteers to help set up the fair, help students make wish lists, and run the cash registers. If you have a bit of time to give, even 30 minutes, please click on this link to sign up https://tinyurl.com/nhdnk4sd or email librarian, Ami Schroder at amschroder@fcps.edu to let her know when you can help. Thank you!
Kindergarten Registration
Online Registration is now open for the 2026-27 school year!
Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives.
New-to-FCPS families create a ParentVUE account for online access. Details are available here: Welcome to Fairfax County Public Schools' (FCPS) Online Registration | Fairfax County Public Schools
Current families can register their new student through their existing ParentVUE account. (No need to register students returning to UMES.)
Our Registrar, Catherine Dubas, is happy to process registrations directly, as well. Please contact her at cmdubas@fcps.edu and be ready to provide your family’s address and rising kindergartener’s date of birth. Catherine will respond with registration details and documents necessary to start the process.
Spring registration puts you on the list for school communications, so don’t wait!
Kindergarten Orientation - New Date
Due to recent changes in the FCPS calendar, the early release day originally scheduled for Orientation on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 has been cancelled. As a result, we have updated the date and time for this event.
🗓️ New Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2026
🕓 Time: 2:45 – 3:45 PM
📍 Location: Union Mill Elementary School
We appreciate your flexibility and understanding as we make this adjustment. We look forward to meeting you and beginning this exciting partnership together!
Early Release Wednesdays
The Centreville Pyramid, which includes Union Mill Elementary, will have the following three-hour early release Wednesdays. On these days, students will be dismissed at 12:30 p.m. This time allows for our staff to plan, collaborate and grow professionally.
Thank you for your help in making these days smooth and enjoyable for everyone!
Additional information can be found on the FCPS Early Release Wednesdays webpage.
UMES PTA
PTA Funds at Work
Virtual PTA Meeting TONIGHT
The UMES PTA is coming to you virtually tonight on Zoom at 7:00 pm. Agenda items will include the Principal’s report, a financial update, upcoming 2026 events, Booster Fun Run 2026/27, and 2026/27 planning - volunteers & Board members needed! We will be taking nominations for Board positions and looking for volunteers for the 2026/2027 school year. There are so many ways your voice can matter at UMES. Don’t miss the chance to be a part of the conversation to decide next year’s budget, programs, and events. A Zoom link was provided to current PTA members through PTA e-news this week. If you are not yet a member and you want to attend it’s not too late to sign-up. You will receive the PTA meeting link for tonight. Memberships are inexpensive.
You can sign up by clicking here.
If you have questions about the meeting, memberships, PTA Board roles, what time commitments are like for volunteers, or any other topic current Board Members are available to answer your questions.
Ice Cream Social
Doing some shopping at the Spring Book Fair? Please stop by and grab some FREE ice cream sponsored by the PTA! Girl Scout Troop 54081, made up of UMES 6th graders, will be serving up delicious ice cream in the school cafeteria on Wednesday, April 22, 5:30 - 6:30 pm!
Flower Power Grade Challenge!
Win a Spirit Day for Your Entire Grade!
Flower Power Challenge Week #1 results are in!
In the lead.... 1st Grade! Followed by 4th and 3rd grades. Winning grade level will get a Spirit Day of choice for the entire grade!
The Spring Flower Power Contest and Fundraiser ends May 15th. Watch Facebook and UMES PTA E-news for weekly updates, and check out the school lobby to see your grade (butterfly) jump along the flowers and see who is in the lead!
How to participate and get your student's grade in the lead:
Order seeds and bulbs online through the UMES Flower Power Fundraiser! Grades will receive credit for every 5 sales - the grade with the most sales by May 15th will win a special Spirit Day for their grade level! Orders are delivered directly to your home! The PTA earns 50% of each sale to support school programs.
You can order here.
Box Tops for Education
We are a Box Tops for Education school! All you have to do is download the app and scan your printed receipts or upload your digital receipts. Shopping at Walmart? Just connect your account, no scanning required!
Click this link to get started and use code P7R07LNQ!
Teacher Appreciation Week
Celebrate National Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week (May 4–May 8) and help us show our public school educators just how much we support, respect, and appreciate all they do! Please join the PTA in a week-long celebration honoring our amazing Union Mill teachers and staff. Each day, we’ll recognize and thank our wonderful team in a special way.
Check out the details and attached schedule — we hope you’ll join us in making this a memorable week!
Help us stock the lounge with snacks & drinks to brighten the week.
Use the following link to sign up to donate items by Friday, May 1st. Stock the Lounge
Kick Off the Week With a Handmade Card or Treat
To kick off the week, please encourage your student(s) to bring in a handmade card or special treat for their teacher(s) on Monday, May 4th. The “Staff Favorite Things” lists can be found here: UMES Staff Favorite Things
Recess Volunteers for Teacher’s “Happy Half Hour”
On Friday, May 8th we are in need of volunteers throughout the day to cover for our teachers and staff during recess so that staff can enjoy an extra “happy half hour” of time.
The sign up link can be found here: Recess Duty Sign Up
*All volunteers must be registered and approved as Level 1 Volunteers with FCPS. Please register through the Volunteer Portal for Recess Coverage. You can find the option here: UMES Volunteer Opportunities
Red Robin Spirit Night: April 29 (ALL DAY)
Grab a burger and support your Bears! April's Spirit Night is on April 29 at Red Robin in Fair Lakes. Restaurant hours are 11am - 9pm and the fundraiser is ALL DAY! It’s easy to order online for takeout or in the restaurant. Check the flyer for details. In-person dining? Just mention the flyer or the UMES spirit night fundraiser to your server!
Updated UMES PTA Calendar of Events
View our updated calendar of events here.
Visit us at unionmillpta.org, follow the PTA on Facebook @UMESPTA and email us anytime at pta@unionmillpta.org.
Union Mill Hours
Bell Schedule
Doors open at 8:35 am. Students should be in class by 8:45 am.
Students are dismissed at 3:30 pm.
Office Hours
Monday - Friday - 8:15 am - 4:15 pm
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