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Dear Freedom Hill Families,
What a wonderful week that was! A big thank you to all of our volunteers, staff, and students (especially our PTA planning team) for helping to make one of our favorite events, the Culture and Heritage Parade, a big success. Celebrating the many cultures that make Freedom Hill a special, unique place is always one our most rewarding events. We also honored Purple Up! Day and celebrate our military-connected families. We are deeply grateful for your service and sacrifice.
As a reminder, there will be no school on Tuesday, April 21. All week, we'll be celebrating Earth Spirit Week! On Wednesday, our SCA will be "running the diner" at Silver Diner for dinner, and on Thursday we'll be taking individual and class pictures on Spring Picture Day. On Friday, it's game time! We're counting on a big turnout as your Eagle teachers take on Westgate in our Annual Volleyball Game. Come ready to cheer!
With just seven weeks remaining in the school year, we know time will pass quickly. Please stay attentive to upcoming communications, as we will be sharing important updates and end-of-year information in the weeks ahead.
Have a great week,
In partnership,
Nicholas Zapadka, Principal
Tim Scesney, Asst. Principal
Holly Sims, Asst. Principal
2025-26 FCPS School Calendar
Freedom Hill Family Resources
Breakfast/Lunch Menus
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April 20 - 24 - Earth Week Spirit Week
- 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 🏐
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May 4 - 8 - Staff Appreciation Week
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This week, we are focusing on the Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence. You notice and value the world’s beauty and people’s skills. You don’t take things for granted.
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"Better to be blind and see with your heart than to have two good eyes and see nothing.”
~Helen Keller
Questions you might enjoy talking about:
- What do you think it means to see with your heart?
- Why do you think we fail to notice the beauty around us?
As the 2025-2026 school year is coming to a close, your Freedom Hill staff is starting to prepare for the 2026-2027 school year. Class placement is one of the most important tasks that our staff engage in during the last weeks of school. If you feel that there is pertinent information to support your child’s success, please complete this optional Parent Input Form by Friday, May 22nd
Your child’s current classroom teacher, specialists, counselors, and administrators will collaborate to make well-balanced classes. We value and consider your insight into your child’s learning needs. Please note that this system is not intended for families to request specific teachers.
For Earth Week, students and staff are invited to wear the color matching each day’s theme to show your Earth Week spirit!
- Monday, April 20 – Wildlife Day - wear nature print
- Wednesday, April 22 – Zero Waste Day and Earth Day - wear green
- Thursday, April 23 – Climate Change Day - wear red
- Friday, April 24 - Watershed Day - wear blue
We are very excited to introduce our new Family Liaison, who will be starting Monday. Please join us in giving her a big FHES welcome when you see her! Ms. Alwazir has been a longtime supporter of our school and PTA, even most recently producing our 75th Anniversary tribute video. We know she is eager to support our families!
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Hi, I’m Afiaa Alwazir! Some of you may have already seen me around, volunteering at school, chit-chatting in the parking lot, or hanging out at the playground while the kids burn off that last bit of energy. Well… now I’m officially your Family Liaison at Freedom Hill!
I’m here to support our families, answer questions, and help make the school experience feel a little less overwhelming.
I’m a FHES mom and a video producer, founder of After 8, named after those familiar words, “I’ll call you after 8,” once the kids were finally asleep. Funny enough, that time turned into my most productive hours.
I love connecting with people and building community, so please don’t hesitate to reach out, say hi, or stop me if you see me around (parking lot conversations are kind of my specialty).
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Victor O'Neill Studios will be at Freedom Hill on Thursday, April 23 to take individual and class photos. Spring photos can be ordered by families after they are taken. Photos will be available online approximately two weeks after Picture Day. Once available, orders placed within the first two weeks will receive free shipping to the school.
 New Year’s good wishes to our Theravada Buddhist community! Theravada means “the teachings of the elders.” New years celebrations include a water festival in which participants bathe Buddha images and pay respect to their elders.
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, 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.
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.
As required by the Code of VA, parents or legal guardians need to provide proof of immunizations for their child to attend at a Virginia public school.
In addition, all students entering 7th grade are required to receive one dose of each of the following immunizations:
- Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis booster (Tdap) given at age 7 or older
- Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) given at age 10 or older
- A complete series of 2 doses of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine
- After reviewing educational materials approved by the Board of Health, the parent or guardian, at the parents or guardians sole discretion, may elect for the child not to receive the HPV vaccine.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to plan ahead by scheduling an appointment with your child’s healthcare provider now to avoid the rush this summer. Immunization appointments are available. Inspire Health Alliance will be providing immunizations for currently enrolled FCPS students at no out-of-pocket cost. Visit the Inspire Immunization Events Student Registration webpage to schedule an appointment.
Additional Immunization Resources are also available.
     
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April 22 - Family Dinner Out @ Silver Diner (8101 Fletcher St., McLean, VA 22102), 4-8PM (Flyer)
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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 🌐
CULTURE HERITAGE DAY BRINGS OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER
The Culture Heritage Day Parade was a joyful and vibrant celebration that brought our school community together in a wonderful display of diversity and pride. Students enthusiastically represented their cultures, creating a lively and memorable event that truly captured the spirit of the day.
A heartfelt thank you goes to our incredible organizers, Smriti Choudhary, Rama Alokhwan, Afiaa Alwazir, and Launika Arya, for their thoughtful planning and for building excitement across the school community. Their dedication made this event possible.
We are also grateful to the many volunteers who supported the parade both during the event and with cleanup afterward: Karen Calton, Nawel Hamdad, David Hay, Derya, Raha Nezami, Tanya O’Neil, Camille Paredes, Asma Shahab, Didi Winner, and Lu Xu. Your time and effort ensured everything ran smoothly.
A special thank you to our amazing students for their enthusiastic participation and to Ms. Katherine for leading the parade and helping bring the celebration to life.
We appreciate everyone who contributed to making this event such a meaningful and memorable experience for our school community!
CELEBRATING OUR PTA VOLUNTEERS
Volunteer Appreciation Week is April 19-25, and Freedom Hill Elementary School PTA is proud to celebrate all of the passionate volunteers who we love to PTA with! The power of PTA comes from you, our volunteers, and we are filled with gratitude to champion the PTA mission alongside you.
It takes a special type of person to step up and lean in, and we want you to know how much we appreciate your tireless work and dedication! From organizing events and staffing field trips to buying breakfast treats and PTA memberships, the work of our volunteers often goes far beyond what we recognize. We couldn’t do it without you. Cheers to our PTA Volunteers!
NEXT FDO AT SILVER DINER - APRIL 22, 4-8PM (Flyer)
Join your fellow Freedom Hill Eagles for our next Family Dinner Out on Wednesday, April 22 from 4-8PM at Silver Diner. It’s a great chance to enjoy a delicious meal while supporting our school community. 20% of sale proceeds will go directly to FHES!
Our Student Council members will be welcoming guests starting at 4:20 PM, adding an extra touch of Eagle pride to the evening.
Can't make it in person? Order online: Tysons Corner - Order Online or call to place your order 703-821-5666 and use code Parrot0422.
PRE-ORDER VOLLEYBALL GAME TICKETS & PIZZA - WEAR RED!
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! Enter at Door #5 (back). 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 by April 22nd on the PTA website. We always need volunteers to make events successful so sign-up for a volunteer shift too!
ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS OF THE INAGUGURAL FHES PTA TEACHER & STAFF GRANT PROGRAM
The Freedom Hill Elementary School PTA is proud to announce the winners of our inaugural Teacher & Staff Grant Program! This new initiative supports student learning by funding innovative programs, instructional resources, and collaborative efforts that enrich the classroom experience.
For the 2025–26 school year, the PTA allocated $1,000 in grant funding, and we are excited to recognize three outstanding recipients so far:
- Mr. P (EAC Teacher) – Awarded $78 for liquid sensory floor tiles, providing engaging sensory support for students.
- Ms. Bliss (Fifth Grade Teacher) – Awarded $293.15 to expand the beloved chick hatching program, bringing this hands-on learning experience to four classrooms across fifth grade and kindergarten this year.
- Ms. Baughman & the Third-Grade Team – Awarded $500 for a Simple Machines project, benefiting current and future third-grade students with interactive, STEM-based learning opportunities.
These grants reflect the creativity, dedication, and commitment of our teachers and staff to enhancing student learning in meaningful ways. We are grateful to all who applied and look forward to continuing this program in the future.
Congratulations to our winners, and thank you for the incredible work you do every day to support our students!
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.
PTA Quick Links:
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