|
English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو
Dear Families,
We want to extend a heartfelt thank you for your incredible partnership in prioritizing school attendance this year. Your hard work is making a measurable difference: our chronic absenteeism rate has dropped significantly from 12.7% last year to just 8.5% today! We are so happy to see our students’ faces in the halls each morning, and we encourage you to keep up this amazing momentum.
Additionally, we want to share a big thank you to all the families who joined us for our Kindergarten Orientation. It was wonderful to meet our newest learners and their parents; we truly have a supportive community, and we are grateful for your continued engagement in our school.
Sincerely,
The Dogwood Administration
Principal Beckner, Ms. Bell, Ms. Skerker, and Dr. White
Important Dates
April
April 21: Teacher Workday (No School for Students)
April 22: 3 Hour Early Release - CANCELED
April 24: Stuff the Bus at Dogwood
April 25: Bicycle Giveaway
April 28: PTA Chick Fil A Spirit Night at 4 pm
April 29: Advanced Academics Parent Night at 5:00 pm
April 29: Spring Chorus Concert at 5:30 pm
May
May 1: Pastries with Parents (Literacy)
May 6: Reading SOL Test (Grades 3 - 6)
May 13: 3 Hour Early Release
May 14: Math SOL Test (Grades 3 - 6)
May 20: Science SOL Test (Grade 5)
May 25: Student Holiday (No School)
May 26: Teacher Workday (No School for Students)
May 27: Student Holiday (No School)
 Get ready to celebrate Earth Week with a series of themed spirit days! From Wildlife Day on Monday to Watershed Day on Friday, students are encouraged to wear nature prints, green, red, and blue to show their environmental support. Since schools are now closed on Tuesday, April 21, for the state-wide special election, Get2Green invites families to participate in a "Zero Waste Challenge" at home by wearing white and finding creative ways to reduce single-use plastics.
 |
|
Stuff the Bus
On Friday, April 24, an FCPS bus will be traveling to local schools to collect donations for the South Lakes High School Food Pantry. We are looking for various items to help our community, including:
-Canned Goods: Tuna, salmon, soup, and fruit.
-Dry Goods: Pasta, rice, cereal, and macaroni & cheese.
-Hygiene Products: Toiletries, diapers (sizes 4 and 5), and feminine products.
-Pantry Staples: Cooking oil, peanut butter, and spices (plastic jars only, please!).
Participating schools include Dogwood ES, Forest Edge ES, Fox Mill ES, Hunters Woods ES, Lake Anne ES, Sunrise Valley ES, Terraset ES, Langston Hughes MS, and South Lakes HS.
|
No After School Clubs on 4/21/26
***Clubs will NOT be held on Wednesday, April 21***
SOL Testing Updates
As we head into May, our students in Grades 3–6 are gearing up to showcase all the incredible growth they’ve made this year! Our teachers and students have been working hard, and we are confident in their ability to tackle the upcoming Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments.
📅 Save the Dates
Please mark your calendars for our primary testing windows:
-
Wednesday, May 6th: Reading SOL (Grades 3–6)
-
Thursday, May 14th: Math SOL (Grades 3–6)
-
Wednesday, May 20th: Science SOL (Grade 5 only)
Preparation & Support
Over the next few weeks, students will be conducting in-class reviews to revisit key grade-level concepts and sharpen their test-taking strategies.
We also want to extend a huge "thank you" to the families whose students participated in our After-School and Saturday Test Prep sessions. These extra hours of dedication are a testament to our students' commitment to their own success!
How You Can Help at Home
To ensure your child feels confident and energized on testing days, we recommend:
-
A Good Night's Sleep: Aim for 8–10 hours of rest the night before.
-
A Healthy Breakfast: Fueling the brain is key to staying focused.
-
Positive Encouragement: A simple "You've got this!" goes a long way in reducing test anxiety.
We are so proud of our students' hard work. Let's finish the year strong!
 Action April
At the heart of being an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School is agency and empowering our students to take action. Throughout April, we will engage in Action April, in which our students will be presented with different ways to take action every day. Our students will also reflect and share ways that they took action and how it made them feel.
Please ask your child, “How did you take action today? How did it make you feel?”
🚲Back on Two Wheels: The Community Bike Giveaway!
We are thrilled to announce the return of our Community Bicycle Giveaway, a wonderful collaboration between the Dogwood and SVES PTAs! After the astounding success of our first event, we are once again teaming up to get more wheels into the hands of our community members.
The Team Behind the Gears
A huge shout-out to parents Mr. Sasha Hafner and Gary R., who have been working tirelessly alongside Jennifer Glynn from the SVES PTA. Together, they have been collecting donations, performing expert repairs, and shining up gently used bicycles to ensure they are safe and ready for the road.
📅 Event Details
-
When: Saturday, April 25th
-
Where: Dogwood Parking Lot (Tentative location)
-
How it Works: This giveaway operates via a bicycle lottery. Winning parents will be notified in advance and can claim their family's new ride during the event!
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.
Updates to 2026-27 School Year Calendar
The School Board voted to direct the superintendent to designate Veterans Day as a standard instructional day for the 2026-27 school year. Because this day was added, the 2026-27 school year will now end for students on Wednesday, June 16, 2027. Find additional information on BoardDocs. View the updated complete school year calendar on FCPS’ website.
The last day of school for the current school year — Wednesday, June 17, 2026 — has not changed.
Help FCPS Sustain Excellence: Make Your Voice Heard on the FY 2027 Budget
About 70% of the FCPS budget comes from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. There are several upcoming opportunities to provide feedback to the county on its budget before final adoption in May. This includes public budget hearings (April 14-16) and an online survey. Learn how the FCPS budget helps us sustain our excellence.
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.
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.
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.
|
