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Students wore wildlife print on Monday to celebrate Earth Week.
Celebrate #FCPSEarthWeek
Join us in celebrating Earth Week 2026.
- Wednesday, April 22 – wear green for Earth Day
- Thursday, April 23 – wear red for Climate Change Day
- Friday, April 24 – wear blue for Watershed Day
While we show our spirit this week, we also demonstrate that we are global and ethical citizens who care for the world every day. We are grateful for our Get2Green Teacher Leaders, our Get2Green Family Ambassador, and our robust Get2Green team for teaching, modeling, and practicing the daily habits that positively impact our environment and the world. 🌍♻️
To celebrate Earth Week, here are some ways students and families can learn about energy use and perform an energy audit in your home.
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Be a Draft Detective: Hold a small piece of paper (or a "draft detector" made of paper and a paper clip) near window edges or doors to see if it moves. If it does, it can indicate air leaks.
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Hunt for Phantom Power Use: Find electronics that are plugged in but not being used. Make a list, then discuss when you can unplug these items to save money and keep your house safe. Extra credit: Explain how these "vampire appliances" still use energy.
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Check Your Lights: Count the number of energy-efficient LED bulbs in your house versus older incandescent bulbs to see where upgrades can be made to save energy and money.
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Be an Appliance Inspector: Make a list of every item in the house that uses electricity—from the toaster to the TV—and categorize them by how often they are used.
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Check Your Temperature: Check thermostat settings. Do you close curtains in the summer to keep the house cool or open them in the winter to let in warm sun? How do you save energy when the temperature outside is high or low?
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Dranesville's chronic absentee rate as of the 136th day of school is 9.5%.
Prioritizing Readiness: Every Day Counts at Dranesville Elementary
Based on the Virginia Department of Education’s (VDOE) School Performance and Support Framework, Readiness is a vital component of school success. In elementary schools, Readiness accounts for 10% of a school’s total performance rating. Within that category, student attendance is the primary metric.
Consistent attendance is a critical pillar of Readiness. Research shows that missing as few as two days a month, just 10% of the school year, can significantly impact academic growth. Students who reach this threshold for any reason are considered "chronically absent."
Our Strategic Approach
At Dranesville Elementary, we believe everyone must work together to ensure students are engaged every day. Over the past three years, we have been intentional about shifting our culture to prioritize attendance by:
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Thoughtful Scheduling: We align instruction, assessments, field trips, and events to maintain consistent momentum throughout the year.
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Celebrating Success: We recognize student and class attendance daily, every ten days, and every quarter.
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Systematic Interventions: When a student is absent, we intervene immediately. These interventions help our staff identify specific barriers to attendance and allow us to partner with families to remove those barriers so students can attend school.
Celebrating Our Progress
Our collective efforts have yielded incredible results. We reduced our chronic absenteeism rate from over 20% in the spring of 2023 to just 6.7% in the spring of 2024. This year, we are on track to meet or exceed those results.
Dranesville demonstrating "Strong Readiness" as measured by the VDOE requires the consistent and collective efforts of every member of our school community.
Our goal is to finish the year with 93% or more of our students attending and learning every day.
Meeting this goal would mean:
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Maintaining a chronic absentee rate of 7% or less.
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Earning 9.3 out of 10 points in the VDOE School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF).
Thank you for your continued partnership and for prioritizing your child’s daily attendance. Together, we are ensuring the continued success of our students and Dranesville Elementary School.
Remember to Purchase Your 2025-2026 Yearbook by April 24th
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Yearbook orders are due April 24th! Yearbooks are $20.00 Please pay online with ID 14267226. You may also pay with cash in the main office.
Lifetouch /https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/
Yearbook ID 14267226
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Join Us for the Best Buddies Friendship Walk
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The Best Buddies Friendship Walk is coming up on Saturday, April 25th. Join us in walking together and building friendships Saturday, April 25th at 8:30 am. Register online to join the Dranesville Dragons team. |
Professionals Needed for Career Day
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We are looking for dynamic presenters to share their professional expertise! This event will follow a Career Fair format where each presenter will have a designated area for students to visit. Students will rotate through the fair to interact with representatives from a wide host of career pathways. |
We encourage you to bring props, posters, or other engaging materials to spark curiosity, as you will be interacting with students across multiple grade levels. Giveaways are also welcome!
Please complete the form below if you are interested in volunteering. We appreciate your support as we work to expose our students to a diverse array of career fields and future opportunities.
Please complete our Volunteer Form Link by May 1, 2026. Help us make this an unforgettable day of discovery and show our students their future possibilities!
Standards of Learning Assessment Dates
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May 5th: 5 and 6 Reading
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May 7th: 3 and 4 Reading
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May 12th: 5 and 6 Math
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May 14th: 3 and 4 Math
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May 19th: 5th Science
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Spring testing season is here! Be sure to put testing dates on your family calendar so you don't forget. 📅
Here are some ways to prepare before a test:
- Remind your child to get a good night's rest.
- Make sure your child has a healthy breakfast.
- Avoid scheduling appointments that would take your child out of school on a testing day.
- Remind your child that electronic devices are not allowed in testing, unless required by 504 or IEP.
Find out more about the tests at each grade level:https://bit.ly/FCPS-Grade-Tests.
Digital Tools to Support Student Learning
 Students have access to a robust suite of digital resources for learning across the content areas. Here is information about resources by grade level that can support learning aligned to the curriculum both in the classroom and at home.
Kindergarten Orientation
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Our Kindergarten Orientation was held on April 10, 2026, and we loved meeting the Class of 2039 and their families! If you have a child turning five years old before September 30, 2026, and were unable to attend, we would still love to connect with you. |
Please save the date for our second Kindergarten Orientation:
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Date: Friday, May 8, 2026
- Time: 9:30 AM
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Location: Dranesville Elementary
To get started, please contact our Registrar, Angela Agana, to schedule a registration appointment. You may also reach out to our Family Liaison, Paulina Hidalgo, who is available to assist families in both English and Spanish.
We look forward to seeing you on May 8th and officially welcoming you and your child to the Dranesville community!
Countdown to Kindergarten
The FCPS Family Resource Center March 2026 Countdown to Kindergarten webinar recording is now available. It contains comprehensive information that addresses:
- what school readiness is and is not;
- about the kindergarten program and take a look at a typical kindergarten day;
- essential information for registration and being prepared for the school year; and
- practical tips for getting your child ready.
Click below to access the 43-minute recording(s):
Calendar Reminders
April 22: Full Day of School 9:20 AM- 4:05 PM
April 23: Full Time Advanced Academics Program Orientation
April 25: Best Buddies Walk, Washington D.C.
April 30: Sweet Feet Meet at Madison High School
May 4-8: Staff Appreciation Week
May 6: Walk and Bike to School Day
May 5 - June 6: Standards of Learning Assessments for Grades 3 through 6
June 4: Spring Music Concert Strings 6:00 PM Band and Chorus 7:00 PM
June 11: Fairfax 250 Dranesville Elementary School Community Picnic
June 12: Out of the Box Day
June 15: Career Day
25-26 School Year Calendar
25-26 SACC Calendar
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