English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

PUMA PRESS – School News & Information: May 8, 2026

Important Dates 

• 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 wrap up another wonderful week at Powell, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our families who helped make Teacher Appreciation Week so special. Your kind notes, thoughtful gestures, treats, and words of encouragement meant so much to our staff. We truly appreciate the love and support from our community and are so thankful to be part of such a caring and generous school family.

We also want to wish a very Happy Mother’s Day to all of the amazing mothers, grandmothers, caregivers, and mother figures in our community. We hope you enjoy a weekend filled with love, joy, and celebration.

Lastly, congratulations to our students for a strong start to SOL testing season! Our students did a wonderful job during their first round of SOLs, and we are incredibly proud of their focus, perseverance, and effort. Thank you to our families for your continued support and encouragement at home. As we gear up for additional SOLs next week, we encourage everyone to continue cheering on our students and reminding them to do their best work and show all that they have learned this year!

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 

Silent Auction (5/6 - 5-10)

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.

Food Allergies

We are introducing an updated protocol to Kiss and Ride to enhance safety, improve traffic flow, and ensure a more efficient experience for all families. Beginning 2026-2027 school year, Kiss and Ride numbeers will be limited to only out-of-boundary students. New Kiss and Ride numbers will be issued to eligible families, so current placards will need to be discarded for next school year 2026-27. Once assigned, the numbers will remain with the student for the duration of their enrollment at the school.

As a reminder, during arrival and dismissal times:

• All drivers are expected to follow staff directions at all times.
• The Kiss & Ride line CLOSES at 9:15 AM. Parents arriving after 9:15 AM must park and escort students to the main office to sign them in. 
• Vehicles should pull forward as far as possible before stopping to maximize lane capacity.
• Drivers must remain in their vehicles and may not leave them unattended.
• Students should enter and exit vehicles from the passenger side only.
• Families are encouraged to have students ready to exit the vehicle promptly upon arrival with their belongings prepared in advance.
• During pick-up, please ensure that the Kiss and Ride tags are clearly displayed on the dashboard.
• The use of mobile devices should be minimized while in the Kiss and Ride line to ensure full attention to traffic flow and student safety.
• Parking or passing within the Kiss and Ride lane is strictly prohibited. If additional time or assistance is needed, families are asked to park in a designated parking space.

We appreciate your cooperation and support as we implement these procedures to maintain a safe, orderly, and efficient environment for our school community.

FCPS Caters to Food Allergies

May is Food Allergy Awareness Month. The FCPS Office of Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) works to ensure every student has access to safe and nutritious school meals. Since 1 in 13 children in the U.S. has a food allergy, FNS works closely with families to provide reasonable meal accommodations for students whose medical needs affect what they can eat at school.

To support students appropriately and safely, families are asked to submit medical documentation to FNS from a U.S. licensed health care provider so we can tailor meals to each child’s needs.

Learn more about the documentation required and the steps to develop a safe menu for students.  

Immunizations

Required Immunizations for Rising 7th and Rising 12th GradersThe following immunizations are required for students entering 7th and 12th grade each school year. 

All students entering 7th grade are required to receive one dose of each of the following immunizations prior to the beginning of school: Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis booster (Tdap), Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY), and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. 

• To meet the Tdap requirement, the vaccination must be administered at age 7 or older.
• To meet the MenACWY requirement, the vaccination must be administered at age 10 or older.
• To meet the HPV requirement, the vaccination should be given between the ages of 11 to 12 or as early as 9 years old. 
•  As a parent/guardian, you may decide that your child will not receive the HPV vaccination. The school does not require documentation if a parent/guardian elects for their student not to receive the HPV vaccination.

All students entering 12th grade are to receive two doses of the Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) prior to the beginning of school. To meet the MenACWY 12th grade requirement, one dose must be administered at age 16 or older. 

Parents/guardians are encouraged to plan ahead by scheduling an appointment with your child’s health care provider now to avoid the rush this summer. Please consider getting your child’s immunizations early so that they can attend school in the fall. Summer is a busy time for families and health care providers. As long as your child meets the age requirements listed above, they can be immunized at any time.

Immunization Events for FCPS StudentsFCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will provide school-required immunizations and optional flu shots for all FCPS students at no out-of-pocket cost. Multiple events will take place at designated FCPS locations. 

Dates will be made available throughout the school year. Parents/guardians may view upcoming events and schedule an appointment for their student. Participation is voluntary. Additional immunization resources are also available. 

FCPS App

📱 Stay up to Date With the FCPS Mobile App!

The FCPS mobile app offers a customized platform to help keep families connected and informed, directly from their smartphones. You can download the Fairfax County Public Schools mobile app by going to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and searching for “FCPS.” 

With the app, you can:

• Stay up to date: Get the latest news from our school and FCPS.
• View school calendars: See events, activities, holidays, and early dismissals.
• Check school menus: See what’s for lunch and breakfast today, tomorrow, or next week.
• Tap to contact: Quickly call attendance lines or email school staff.
• Access key links: Jump to ParentVUE, Schoology, and the FCPS website in one tap.

Users can access updates and content without having to sign in, making it easy for everyone to stay informed. 

Learn more about the new mobile app, including feedback from parents.

Youseum

Thank you to Ms. Abuolba for her YOUseum display this week celebrating Arab-American Heritage Month. Her display showcases Palestinian culture through stories, clothing, art, and family photos. We invite you to explore and honor the voices and experiences that continue to shape Arab American communities today.

🌟 Family Seminar Invitation 🌟

Raising Bilingual Children: What Can Parents Do?

Dear Families,

Please join us for a family seminar on how parents can support their children in becoming bilingual learners.

We will share simple tips and easy ways to help your child use and grow both languages at home.

👩‍🏫 Presenter: Mrs. Kang, ESOL Teacher

📅 Date: May 29, 2026 🕤 Time: 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM 📍 Place: Colin Powell ES Cafeteria

If you have any questions, please contact: Tae Jung, Family Liaison 📧 tjjung@fcps.edu

We hope to see you there!

BANDEMONIUM!

May 15 - Bandemonium Concert: Centreville High School’s Wildcat Band presents the 5th Annual Bandemonium on Friday, May 15 at 6:30 PM in the bus loop—an outdoor music festival under the stars featuring a wide range of student ensembles. This year’s “OFF ROAD” theme highlights high-energy pieces centered around fast cars, with performances from all band ensembles, plus orchestra, choir, and theatre students. Food trucks and family-friendly activities like face painting and pawprint tattoos will be available, making it a fun event for all ages. Limited seating is provided, so guests are encouraged to bring blankets or chairs; in case of rain, the event will move indoors.

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• FCPS Caters to Food Allergies
• Immunizations Needed Before 7th and 12th Grade
• Thank you Teachers and Staff!

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