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Our talented 5th graders sang their hearts out this week! They performed for our school on Monday and then for the community on Wednesday evening. We are so proud of them and very grateful to our phenomenal music teachers Ms. Freeman and Ms. Scarboro.
Friday, April 24- PTA Silent Auction Closing Party@ Glory Days Grill
Tuesday, April 28- Strings Concert
Wednesday, April 29- PTA Bingo Night
Wednesday, May 6- PTA Community Meeting
Thursday, May 7- Family Fun & Learning Festival
Thursday-Friday, May 7-8- PTA Jewelry Shop
Tuesday, May 12- PTA Spirit Night- Safe Truck
Wednesday, May 13- 123 Andres Even at Belvedere
Wednesday, May 20- 3hr Early Release Wednesday
Monday, May 25- Memorial Day- Division Closed- No School
Tuesday, May 26- Teacher Workday- No School for Students
Wednesday, May 27- Eid-al-Adha- Division Closed- No School
Wednesday, June 3- PTA Community Meeting
Thursday, June 4- Band Concert
Friday, June 5- Field Day
Wednesday, June 10- PYPX Community View from 10:00-12:00
Thursday, June 11- PTA Spirit Night- Jeni's Ice Cream
Wednesday, June 17- Last Day of School
Dear Belvedere Family,
We’ve had so much to celebrate and be proud of this week—from our wonderful Chorus Concert, to a successful Family Language Night, to our Algebra 1 Information Night for families. Tonight, we wrap up the week with our PTA Auction at Glory Days from 6:00–8:00 PM, and we hope to see many of you there!
A special thank you to Chris Freeman and Meredith Scarboro for leading our chorus program and supporting our fifth graders as they shared their beautiful voices. We are also incredibly grateful to Hannah McKiernan-Campbell for her leadership in making Family Language Night such a welcoming and engaging experience for our community.
We’re looking ahead to another exciting week! On Tuesday evening, we will host the Strings concert and Thursday the PTA will host Bingo night, we hope to see you there!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Cecilia Vanderhye, Kelly Cabezas, & Tara Boone
Belvedere Elem Admin Team
Kindergarten is buzzing with excitement as their chicks have officially arrived. Alongside the fluffy new arrivals, students are also carefully incubating eggs in their classrooms, eagerly waiting to witness the moment they hatch. Each classroom has its own set of live chicks and eggs, giving every student a truly hands-on and immersive experience.
This learning opportunity connects directly to our PYP Transdisciplinary Theme, How the World Works, as students explore patterns and cycles through the life cycle of a chicken. They are engaging in scientific observation, using tools and methods to track growth and change, and developing an understanding of systems in the natural world. The experience sparks curiosity, encourages discovery, and helps students think about the possibilities and impacts of living things in our environment.
The excitement has spread beyond kindergarten as students share their learning with others across the school. At one point, Ms. Dillane’s 4th grade class even stepped in for “chick babysitting” duties, helping care for the chicks and joining in the learning experience. It has truly become a joyful, schoolwide celebration of inquiry and discovery.
Last Chance to Bid! Auction Closes TONIGHT at 8pm
The Belvedere PTA Spring Auction - one of our biggest events of the year - will close tonight at 8 p.m.! Help us meet our $10,000 goal to help fund field trip buses, teacher grants and monthly teacher appreciation support – plus community events. It’s your last chance to bid on fun events, tickets, curated baskets, gift cards and unique experiences at BES, including:
- Break the “rules” at school, Principal for the morning and all kinds of special time with teachers!
- Art, Books, I love the 80's, Fitness and many more themed baskets, donated by parents
- Sports tickets — Capitals, Wizards, GW and George Mason sports, rounds of golf + putt-putt
- A cabin getaway in the Shenandoah Valley
- Beautiful jewelry, including a gorgeous diamond and gold necklace that would be a perfect Mother’s Day gift
- Locally-owned restaurant gift cards for Duangrat’s Thai Restaurant, Lebanese Taverna + Silverado
….and so much more!
The PTA is hosting a closing party with special give-aways, complimentary food and drinks at Glory Days Grill in Barcroft Plaza TONIGHT from 6-8 p.m. All are welcome!
URGENT: Help Needed for Next Week’s Bingo
Win some amazing prizes at this fun-filled family evening when Bingo returns to Belvedere next Wednesday. Every student receives two Bingo cards and popcorn! Drinks, snacks and extra cards will be available for purchase. We need everyone's help to make this event a success! Adult volunteers are needed to manage our student support, pop popcorn, hand out Bingo cards, sell pizza and more.
Date: Wednesday, April 29
Hours: 6-7:30 p.m.
Location: Belvedere ES CafeteriaWe are also looking for refreshment donations including drinks (especially Gatorade– these kids are obsessed), chips, brownies and cookies. Those items can be brought into school and dropped in the front office until April 29.
All proceeds support BES 5th grade graduation events – including their class gift for the Belvedere community. Sign up to volunteer and donate today!
Boundary Study Update: April 28
FCPS is hosting a community meeting on Tuesday, April 28, 6:30-8 p.m., at Falls Church High School to discuss the Glasgow MS Boundary Study – related to potential changes to the Belvedere boundary and discuss next steps in this ongoing process. Officials will also review draft maps that were previously developed as a starting point and gather public feedback. Register to attend by clicking in person or virtual.
Date/Time: April 28, 2026 at 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Location; Falls Church HS
Registration: Register to attend in person or virtually.
Learn more about the Glasgow MS Boundary Study.
BES Jewelry Shop Seeks Volunteers for May 7 & 8
The annual BES Jewelry Shop will be open May 7-8! All BES students will get an opportunity to select a piece for someone special in their lives. Volunteers are needed during the “shopping days” to help students select their gift and get it wrapped to take home. Help is also needed to set up the displays before the shop opens and to pack things up post-event. Many volunteers are required for each shift to quickly move students along.
If you've never volunteered for a PTA event before, this is a great one to try. No special skills are required except a willingness to help. The volunteer shifts are short, so feel free to sign up for more than one if you're available. Dads, grandparents and other caregivers are all welcome to volunteer!
Sign up online. Questions? Contact Abby Bullock at 703-795-4110 or abby.bullock@gmail.com
Jewelry (costume jewelry, etc), boxes, bags and tissue paper donations can be accepted in the front office until May 7.
Upcoming PTA Events
April:
17-24 - Silent Auction (Online)
24 - Closing Auction Party @ Glory Days Grill, Barcroft Plaza – ALL ARE WELCOME!
29 - Spring Bingo, Belvedere Elementary School (To Benefit the Fifth Grade Class!)
May:
4-8 - Teacher Appreciation Week
7-8 - PTA Jewelry Shop
12 - Spirit Restaurant Night - Sate Truck! Details Coming Soon
Last night, our ESOL team hosted a great event for families who speak a language other than English at home. The focus was on helping families support their multilingual learners.
Families were able to attend presentations in different languages, ask questions, and learn ways to support learning at home. We also made sure to have activities for children and food available so families could come, relax, and fully take part in the evening.
A big thank you to Hannah McKiernan-Campbell for organizing the event and helping ensure we can support our families We also appreciate our presenters, interpreters, and volunteers who helped make it all possible.
At Belvedere, we care about building a strong community. We are proud to support our students and celebrate the many languages and cultures that make our school special.
Andrés and Christina are very excited to visit our community on Wednesday, May 13th at 5:30 PM. They are so excited that they made a little video for us! Click on their picture to watch the video!
Students and Families had a great time this past Saturday during Outdoor Club. They explored Turkey Run Park, a hidden gem of the National Park system along the shores of the Potomac River.
SOLs are coming up in May for 3rd-5th graders! Our fantastic Resource Teachers gave a presentation on Wednesday to discuss preparations for the upcoming assessments. Check out the Parent Coffee Recap for more info. Please take time to review the Testing Calendar to know when your child is scheduled to be assessed.
- Tuesday, May 5th- 5th Grade Reading
- Wednesday, May 6th- 4th Grade Reading
- Thursday, May 7th- 3rd Grade Reading
- Tuesday, May 12th- 5th Grade Math
- Wednesday, May 13th- 4th Grade Math
- Thursday, May 14th- 3rd Grade Math
- Monday, May 18th- 5th Grade Science
We are excited for our annual festival night focused on literacy, mathematics & play! Join us for delicious snacks and games hosted by our creative staff and free books to enjoy at home!
What? Belvedere families will get to choose between many fun math and literacy experiences from a number of offerings by our staff. Students will have the option to take home, math books, independent reading books, and enter into a raffle for a fun prize! Free food will be provided to our families!
Who? All Belvedere students and families are invited.
Where? Belvedere Elementary School (Entry at Front Parking Lot )
When? Thursday, May 7 (Rain or Shine)
Time? 5:30-7:00 pm
Please note: Limited parking will be available at Belvedere Elementary School. Please consider parking at John Calvin Presbyterian Church across the street, parking on Whispering Lane, carpooling or walking!
Nominations are now open for the 2026 Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award. This award recognizes an employee, student, or community member who has demonstrated significant and impactful efforts to improve the educational experiences and outcomes of students from groups who are marginalized or underserved.
Any staff, student, or community member can nominate an individual for the award. All nomination materials must be submitted by Monday, May 18.
The Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC) sponsors this award to honor the legacy of Dr. Bussey, a founding member of the MSAOC and a longtime advocate for students and families.
Full details and the nomination information form can be found at the Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award webpage.
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 Students are Invited to Get2Green's First Student Action Summit
Join fellow FCPS students in grades K-12 for an evening of learning and connecting about environmental action at schools. The Student Action Summit will take place Thursday, May 14 from 5:30-7pm in the FCPS Welcome Center at 8270 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive, Fairfax, VA. This event is open to all students in Fairfax County Public Schools. Elementary school students must be accompanied by an adult. Register for the FCPS Get2Green Student Action Summit by May 8, 2026. Questions? Email Get2Green@fcps.edu.
Our Office of the Ombuds Is at Your Service!
Ombuds staff engage with FCPS staff, families, and students to offer resources and improve the experience of each and every member of the FCPS community. They work as an independent confidential resource to help get answers to questions, resolve concerns, and hear complaints regarding FCPS matters.
Ombuds staff do not make or change decisions, policies, or regulations. They do not take sides, and they do not provide legal advice.
Anyone with concerns, questions, or complaints to share with the Office of the Ombuds may call 571-423-4014, email ombuds@fcps.edu, or visit their webpage, where you may submit a question.
FCPS This Week
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Student Awards and Recognitions
- Military Child of the Year Finalist
- Required Immunizations Reminder
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
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