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PUMA PRESS – School News & Information: May 1, 2026

Important Dates 

• May 2nd- Spring Fun Fair!
• May 6th- 5th & 6th Grade Reading SOL
• May 7th- 3rd & 4th Grade Reading SOL
• May 8th- Diversity Night 5:30 PM
• May 15th- 5th Grade Science SOL
• May 18th- 3rd & 4th Grade Math SOL
• May 19th- 5th & 6th Grade Math SOL
• May 20th - 3 Hr Early Release 
• May 25th - Memorial Day 
• May 26th - Teacher Work Day - Student Holiday
• May 27th - Eid-al- Adha - Student Holiday

Fairfax County Public Schools 2025-2026 Standard School Year Calendar

Message from the Principal

Good afternoon Powell Puma Families,

As we head into the coming week, we are excited to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week. This is a special time for our school community to recognize the incredible dedication, care, and expertise our teachers bring to Powell each and every day. From planning engaging lessons to supporting the academic and social-emotional growth of every student, their impact is felt in every classroom and across our entire school. We look forward to kicking off a week of celebration to show our gratitude for all they do.

We also want to highlight School Nurse Day on May 6th, when we recognize the important role our school nurse plays in keeping our students safe, healthy, and ready to learn. Their compassion, professionalism, and responsiveness are essential to the well-being of our school community, and we are grateful for the care they provide every day.

We encourage families to join us in celebrating both our teachers and our school nurse this week with messages of appreciation and thanks.

Thank you for your continued support of our staff and school community. We hope to see you all at the PTA Fun Fair tomorrow!

Sincerely,

Catherine Han

Principal

Parent Input for Classroom Placement:

Our school team takes great care in creating balanced and supportive classroom placements for all students. We consider a variety of factors, including academic needs, learning styles, social dynamics, peer relationships, and behavioral considerations. We also work to ensure that each classroom has a positive mix of personalities and strengths to support both individual growth and a strong learning community.

Family input is valued and thoughtfully reviewed as part of this process. Please note that all information shared is kept confidential and used solely to support appropriate student placement.

To ensure the most equitable and effective learning environments for all students, we kindly ask that families do not request specific teachers. Our team works collaboratively to consider many factors, and teacher requests may not be honored.

This form will close on Friday, May 15, 2026. After this date, we will not be able to accept any additional input. Here is the link.

Thank you for your partnership and trust in this process.

Powell 2026 SOL Testing Calendar: Grades 3-6th

Parents and caregivers can help their children perform their best on these tests by reminding them to get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and the cell phone policy still applies during testing season. 

It is important that students attend school on scheduled testing dates. If you are aware of a conflict that may cause your student to miss a test, please notify your student’s school as soon as possible. 

Learn more about how to support your child and why test participation matters.

Support your student(s) in being successful on their SOLs with consistent and on time attendance each day! Please review the schedule below to ensure your students ready for the day! If you have specific questions, regarding testing dates contact your student’s teacher or the school test coordinators, Hope Song khsong@fcps.edu and Sanaz Hosseini shosseini2@fcps.edu

NOTIFICATION OF TESTING AND RETEST PERMISSION FORM

State Assessments, Grades 3-8

Dear Parents and Guardians:

Students in grades 3-8 participate in state assessments each year. State assessments measure how students are learning grade level standards. Format and timing of state assessments vary by subject and grade level. See the table below. Test formats include:

• Standards of Learning (SOL) mathematics, science, and reading standardized tests with an integrated reading and writing (IRW) component;
• Ongoing local alternative assessments (LAAs) completed as part of classroom instruction in science and social studies;
• Growth assessments completed as part of classroom instruction using the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) for mathematics and iReady for reading.

More information about these assessments can be found on the webpage: SOL Tests in Elementary and Middle Schools (https://www.fcps.edu/node/42716). The Grade Level Tests webpage (https://www.fcps.edu/node/50045) outlines the division testing schedule for required assessments at each grade. School staff will contact you with the specific dates your student is scheduled to take spring SOL tests.

The state allows elementary and middle school students who fail a spring SOL test to have another attempt before the end of the school year. Retests are not offered for the integrated reading and writing (IRW) component. Parent/guardian permission is required for the school to retest any student in grades 3-8. A decision not to allow retesting will not impact your student’s course grade or academic record. 

If you believe your student would benefit from a second opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and skills on the spring SOL test, submit your decision using the Parent Digital Consent application (https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/technology/digital-resources/consent). This application uses your SIS ParentVUE login. If you don’t have a SIS ParentVUE Account, you may complete and return a paper form to the school to give permission for retesting. Paper forms are available in the front office. 

If you have questions about state assessments or about SOL retesting, contact your student’s teacher or the school test coordinators, Hope Song khsong@fcps.edu and Sanaz Hosseini shosseini2@fcps.edu 

Kindergarten Orientation May 20, 2026, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Rising Kindergarten students and parents are invited to attend our Kindergarten Orientation. Families will have the opportunity to meet our Principal and our Assistant Principals, along with our Kindergarten Team who will share some ideas for how to prepare your child for school next year.

While parents meet with our staff, the rising Kindergarteners will do an activity in the kindergarten classrooms and then rejoin parents later. 

Kindergarten enrollment is in progress! If you have not enrolled your child for the 2026-2027 school year, please call the office at 571-522-6000 or email our Registrar, Regina Johnson (rljohnson2@fcps.edu) to schedule an appointment.

Do you know a neighbor with a rising kindergartner? Please encourage them to contact Colin Powell so we have accurate numbers for staffing our classes for next year!

We look forward to seeing you May 20^th , 2026 at 2 pm.

Message form the Library

Need a great teacher appreciation gift idea? Create a digital gift card for Book Fair!

Our end of year book fair, June 1st-5th will be exactly what you need to get kids excited about summer reading! This year we are going cashless. No cash or check will be accepted during this book fair. This means that each student will have to have an ewallet setup for them through the Bookworm Central website. View the digital flyer for directions on setting up your ewallet.

The first 100 students to have their ewallet setup will receive a magnetic bookmark!

Summer Extravaganza

Discover Exciting Summer Learning Activities and IdeasJoin Fairfax County Public Schools for a free, family-friendly community celebration filled with hands-on STEM, arts, and creative experiences for students of all ages. This year’s Summer Extravaganza takes place on Saturday, June 6, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at Woodson High School. 

Explore summer learning resources and connect with FCPS offices and community partners. Don’t miss the Student Market and a full day of engaging activities designed to spark learning, growth, and inspiration for the whole family. 

For more information, visit the Summer Extravaganza webpage.

Spring Fun fair

Join us for our Spring Fun Fair on Saturday, May 2, 2026 from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM! 🌸

Get ready for a fun-filled day with games, prizes, dunking teachers, face painting, pizza, cotton candy, and more! 🍕🍭🎯

We’d love your help to make this event amazing—sign up to volunteer here:

Signup

🎟️ Ticket presale info coming soon (tickets will also be available at the door).
Mark your calendars—we can’t wait to see you there! 🎈

Teacher Appreciation Week - Taco Bar & Root Beer Float Donations

On Tuesday, May 5th, we will have a taco bar for all staff members, and we need your help! If you would like to donate items to the taco bar, please use the link below to sign up. All items should be dropped off by 9:30am on the 5th. Thank you for your continued support!

Taco Bar Sign Up

We will also celebrate all staff members with root beer floats on Thursday, May 7th. Please use the link below if you are able to donate items for this event. All items should be dropped off by 9:30am on the 7th. Thank you so much!

Root Beer Floats Sign Up

Yearbooks (Order by Friday!)

Yearbooks are available for purchase until this Friday, May 1st. We will NOT be ordering any extra yearbooks this year, so please remember to place your order by the deadline. Students who purchase a yearbook will receive them at the end of the year. 

When placing your order, use the following access code: 0036793YB

https://www.barksdalestorefront.com/store/event_login/

Family Information Phone Lines

FCPS family information phone lines are available in nine different languages. An FCPS employee will respond to your call in your preferred language within 24 hours, Monday through Friday. 

Call the phone line with questions about your child’s education or FCPS, and someone will help connect you to resources or arrange for you to speak to the appropriate school employee. Learn more about family information phone lines.

Attendance

Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow. We All Belong Here!

In FCPS, we all belong. From the first day of school, to the last day of school, every child matters. If your student is having a hard time finishing the year strong and attending school, please contact a trusted adult at our school — a teacher, counselor, or administrator. Visit FCPS’ website for more attendance resources. 

Mental Health Services

Your Child's Mental Wellness Matters: Access Comprehensive Services

Reach out to the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) for specialized youth mental health services designed to help your child succeed. The CSB has individual and family counseling, psychiatric diagnostic evaluations, medication management, parenting groups, peer support, crisis response, recovery supports that include medication-assisted treatment (MAT), intensive services, and other services. 

Contact CSB Entry and Referral to get started by calling 703-383-8500 or emailing csb@fairfaxcounty.gov. 

Additional Mental Health Resources

FCPS has resources available to support your child’s mental health. During after-school hours, parents and students who need additional support can use the 988 Lifeline to get free, confidential guidance from trained crisis counselors on how to best help someone experiencing a mental health challenge or crisis. You can call or text the number. 

Recent reports have shared an 11% drop in suicides among young people since the rollout of 988. Please note, the hotline is not only for those experiencing suicidal ideation (or thoughts), it is also available for any mental health or substance abuse-related crisis and those with a loved one experiencing those crises or suicidal thoughts. 

And as always, if your concern is an emergency, you should call 911.

Diversity Night

Come out & celebrate what makes our school community so unique! Diversity Night will take place on Friday, May 8th from 5:30 - 7:30pm. Here is the Registration Link: Signup

We are looking for volunteers to help with the event! If you have a high school aged student who needs service hours, please email Carsen Leeder at cbleeder@fcps.edu for more information.

ManorGate Marlins Summer Swim Team:

Schedule & Registration

• Meets: Held on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings.

• Status: Registration is currently OPEN.

• Dates & Times: Specific schedules for practices and meets are available on the team website.

Contact & Resources

• Website: www.manorgatemarlins.com

• Email: manorgatemarlins@gmail.com

• Available Online: You can find the meet schedule, practice times, volunteer info, special events, and pricing on their website.

FCPS News

• FCPS NewsIn case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
• Summer Learning
• Mental Health Resources
• Thank You, Bus Drivers and Food Service Workers

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.  

13340 Leland Road, Centreville, VA 20120  |  Main Phone: 571.522.6000 

 Attendance: 571.522.6060 | Web | Twitter