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A Note from the Principal
Hello Daniels Run families,
We are off to a busy start to the final quarter of the school year—always one of the most exciting (and active!) times for our students and staff.
Thank you to our PTA for organizing a fantastic Buy One, Get One Free Book Fair this week, and to all of our parent volunteers who generously gave their time to make it a success. Your support truly makes a difference for our school community. We also appreciated everyone who joined us for the Ice Cream Social, with our DRES staff serving as scoopers—it was a fun way to connect as a community.
In addition, we were proud to host our Purple Up! breakfast, honoring and celebrating our military-connected families. Thank you to all who joined us for this special recognition.
This weekend, we wish the best of luck to our Science Olympiad team as they compete in their tournament at Oakton High School on Saturday, April 18. We are cheering you on!
Looking ahead to next week, Tuesday, April 21 is a voting day, and there will be no school for students. We will then look forward to our Spring Strings Concert on Thursday, April 23 in the evening.
I encourage every Daniels Run family to consider volunteering for at least one event each year. When more hands pitch in, the work becomes lighter and it ensures we can continue offering these meaningful experiences for our students.
Thank you, as always, for your partnership and continued support.
Warm regards,
Susan Mullen, Principal
Upcoming Dates
April 21: VA Statewide Election Day- No School for Students
April 22: Earth Day- Wear blues and greens to highlight the importance of taking care of our Earth.
May 4-8: Teacher Appreciation Week
May 25: Memorial Day- No School
May 26: Teacher Work Day- No School for Students
May 27: Eid al-Adha Holiday- No School
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.
FCPS will offer lunch and a snack at no cost to children aged 18 and under on April 21 at participating schools. The meals must be eaten on site. For more information, visit the FCPS Food and Nutrition Services webpage.
Adjusted Elementary Early Release Wednesdays
Students will now have a traditional full day of instruction and be released at the regular dismissal time on April 22 and April 29, which were previously early release Wednesdays for elementary schools.
This adjustment allows our staff to still have dedicated time for planning, collaboration, and professional learning without reducing instructional time on other school days.
Thank you GMU Baseball Team!
We’d like to extend a big thank you to the George Mason Baseball team for joining us in PE this week! Their partnership with our school over the years means so much, and our students absolutely love when they come to volunteer in the gym. The energy, enthusiasm, and positive role modeling they bring make a lasting impact on our kids. We’re so grateful for their continued support and can’t wait to have them back again! -DRES PE Team
PTA News
 Teacher Appreciation Week is coming May 4th-8th. Please consider donating to the PTA's efforts to celebrate our teachers here.
We have big plans to celebrate our All Star Staff with treats, lunch and goodies throughout the week. If you are interested in donating so the PTA can purchase items to support our efforts we are accepting Venmo Donations @DanielsRunPTA (Beth Brixius). We greatly appreciate your support in making it a memorable week for our teachers and staff!
Your child will receive the print below in their Thursday folders next week to fill out for a favorite teacher, or you can print multiple copies! Teacher Appreciation Print.pdf
Thank you for supporting our school community!
Celebrate Month of the Military Child in April
 This past week our Daniels Run military-connected students participated in a flower pot painting activity. The dandelion is the official flower of the military child, symbolizing resilience, adaptability, and strength. Like dandelions, military-connected children "bloom wherever they are planted," thriving in new environments despite frequent moves, school changes, and parental deployments. They are hardy, able to put down roots anywhere, and represent a "small but mighty" force. Our students planted marigolds in each of their pots as a keepsake.
Purple Up! Day
 Purple Up! Day is a special time to honor and recognize our military-connected students and families. We loved celebrating with a breakfast Wednesday morning and are so proud to support the strength and resilience our military-connected students and their families bring to our community! Thank you for your service!
April is...
National Arab American Heritage Month
FCPS is proud to celebrate National Arab American Heritage Month in April. This special month provides an opportunity to recognize the history and valuable contributions of Arab Americans. Arab Americans have ancestry in one of the world’s 22 Arab nations, which are located from northern Africa through western Asia. The people of these nations are ethnically, politically, and religiously diverse but share a common cultural and linguistic heritage. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.
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Autism Acceptance Month
April is Autism Acceptance Month. One in 31 children is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder in the United States, according to the CDC. Our schools and staff play a vital role in creating and ensuring inclusive environments that accommodate and affirm autistic students.
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Month of the Military Child
Each year our nation designates April as the Month of the Military Child to recognize and thank children from military families for the sacrifices they make living the military lifestyle. The recognition is part of the legacy of former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger, who established the commemoration in 1986. During the month, one day is selected as the day to "Purple Up! For Military Kids," and all school personnel and students are encouraged to wear purple in recognition of the strength and sacrifices of military-connected youth (MCY). Military-connected youth face unique circumstances living the military lifestyle. By understanding that lifestyle, we can better meet their needs as they transition with their family members who serve our nation. Celebrating the Month of the Military Child provides a powerful opportunity to raise awareness and build support to help these children meet the unique challenges they face! It is an opportunity to recognize and thank military children and youth for their heroism, character, courage, sacrifices, and continued resilience.
FCPS Month of the Military Child Calendar
Families can participate in daily activities to build awareness and celebrate military-connected youth.
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National Library Week- April 19-25
April is School Library Month and it's a great time to celebrate the essential role that school librarians play in the lives of students. School librarians ensure students have access to a wide variety of high-quality books and resources that connect them to the world and build a culture of literacy. Librarians develop lessons that are meaningful to students and help them develop critical thinking, inquiry, and information literacy skills. They support learning across all subject areas by teaching students the skills to be independent problem-solvers and creative thinkers. By creating a safe environment for all students to be engaged and curious learners, FCPS libraries are places where everyone belongs.Take a moment to learn more about FCPS Library Programs and share your appreciation of your school librarian!
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Music News
🎵 Congratulations to these students for their performance in the Fairfax Pyramid Strings Day last Saturday at Fairfax High School! Ava, Clara, Emily, Jana, Farah, Hamza, Maryam, Jefferson & Yuxin,
🎵 Our April musician of the month is Chinese pianist, Lang Lang 郎朗. He has performed with major orchestras around the world and appeared at many leading concert halls
UPCOMING MUSIC EVENTS:
April is a very big month of music concerts. Please mark these on your calendar:
- Wed, 4/22: 4th Grade Strings Spring Concert Rehearsal (during school)
- Thurs, 4/23 5th-6th Grade Strings Spring Rehearsal (during school) and 4th-6th Grade Strings Concert 7pm
- Mon, 4/27: Band Spring Concert Rehearsal in the gym (during school)
- Tues, 4/28: Band Spring Concerts in the gym: afternoon concert for 3rd-5th grade & at 7pm
- Thurs, 4/30: Chorus Spring Evening Concert (6:30pm)
- Fri, 5/1: Chorus Spring Concerts in the café (morning, during school)
SUMMER MUSIC OPPORTUNTIES:
🎵 SUMMER CHOIR CAMP: 1 week camp at George Mason University: Grades 1-8.
🎵 E-IFTA is a weekly arts camp for students currently in grades K-5 who love to sing, dance, act, perform, make, and create. Students take part in 4 daily classes related to dance, music, theater, and visual art. They work with FCPS fine arts teachers who create fun and engaging classes.
🎵 IFTA is a 2- or 3-week summer enrichment program for students currently in grades 6-11.
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April 22 is Earth Day
To highlight the importance of taking care of our Earth for our future, the Daniels Run community is asked to wear Blues and Greens.
Science Lab Request
The Science Lab would love the following materials replenished:
- Paper towel tubes
- Toilet paper tubes
- Cereal boxes (please collapse)
- Cardboard egg cartons
Materials can be dropped off at the science lab door. Thank you in advance!
SOL Test Schedule
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3rd Grade Reading: May 6th
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3rd Grade Math: May 12th
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4th Grade Reading: May 5th
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4th Grade Math: May 15th
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5th Grade Writing: March 19th
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5th Grade Reading: May 7th
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5th Grade Math: May 14th
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5th Grade Science: May 19th
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6th Grade Reading: May 4th
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6th Grade Math: May 11th
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6th Grade Algebra: May 18th
Submit Photos for DRES Yearbook
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Do you have photos you want to submit to the DRES yearbook?
Upload your photos using the Lifetouch community upload site and enter our school’s unique school code DRES-DRAGONS-26-26.
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Theatre 4 Kids Foundation
Theatre 4 Kids Foundation has partnered with Fairfax High School to provide an exciting opportunity for elementary students interested in the performing arts! We are offering 10 free tickets per show to Fairfax's performance of Something Rotten on May 7th, 8th, and 9th at 7:00 PM, and May 2nd and 9th at 1:00 PM. Not only is this a great way for the students to get more acquainted with their future school, but it is also a perfect introduction to their theatre program, inspiring students to take a theatre class or be a part of productions in their future school years.
This offer is sponsored by the non-profit organization, Theatre 4 Kids Foundation, run by FCPS high school students with a mission to inspire the next generation of performers, artists, and technicians by providing unforgettable performing arts experiences for students and their families.
More information can be found at our website: theatre4kids.org, or email us at theatre4kidsfoundation@gmail.com!
If you are interested, please click to complete the Google Form https://forms.gle/q8RHx5w6RQd6qows5 to get free tickets!
P.S. Also, feel free to browse our other show offerings as well: https://theatre4kids.org/events/
Fairfax Girls Basketball Camp
Attention All Rising 2nd Graders – Rising 7th Graders
The Fairfax Girls Basketball Staff is hosting basketball camp the week of July 13-16 from 9 AM – 3 PM and Friday July 17 9 AM – 12 PM at Fairfax HS. The camps will provide quality instruction, skill development, fun interactive games and team play. For more information, online registration, and payment go to
https://givebutter.com/futurelionsgirlsbasketball
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Resources to Help Infants and Toddlers Meet Milestones
Are you concerned about your infant, toddler, or preschool-aged child’s development? Resources are available if your child exhibits difficulties in one or more of the following areas: communication, fine and/or gross motor skills, self-help skills, problem-solving, and attention skills. Learn more about typical developmental milestones.
The Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia (ITC) provides evaluations and services for children (0-36 months) who have developmental delays or medical conditions that may affect development. Parents are encouraged to contact ITC at 703-246-7121 to share their concerns.
Early Childhood Child Find is the process of identifying children with potential special education needs between the ages of 20 months and 5 years (children must be two by September 30).
FCPS Early Childhood Identification and Services (ECID&S) offers a free referral process to identify potential developmental delays or disabilities. Special education services are provided for all children who are found eligible through the referral process. Parents are encouraged to call 571-423-4121 with questions.
2026 Special Education Family Conference
The 2026 Special Education Family Conference, Stronger Together: Connecting Families and Schools, will take place on Saturday, April 18, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Marshall High School.
Dr. Shelley Moore will deliver the keynote address on The Evolution of Inclusion. It will look at how the goals of inclusion have continued to shift and evolve, as we learn more about diversity and identity. Participants will be invited to reflect on their own contexts and consider next steps for advocacy and action.
Visit the FCPS 2026 Special Education Family Conference webpage for more information, including breakout session offerings and a list of vendors that will be on site. Confirm your attendance for this year’s conference.
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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 it 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.
Pre-K and Early Head Start Programs
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).
 
 
FCPS News
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Calendar Updates
- Teacher on The Kelly Clarkson Show
- Support Your Student During SOLs
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
FCPS Calendar
 FCPS 2025-2026 Standard School Year Calendar
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