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The Feather Report
Volume 2, Issue 34
Photo of the Week
 The chicks are here! About 60 chicks have hatched at Westlawn and are in many classrooms and others spaces throughout the building, including in the library!
Leadership Ledger
Westlawn Families,
What an incredible Teacher Appreciation Week we have had at Westlawn! I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our amazing PTA and all of the volunteers and families who helped make this week so meaningful for our staff. From the delicious treats and thoughtful wish list gifts to the kind notes, cards, and words of encouragement, our teachers truly felt celebrated and appreciated. It was a wonderful reminder of the caring and supportive community we have here at Westlawn, and I know our staff felt the love all week long!
As we head into another important week of learning, I also want to thank our students and families for their continued support during SOL testing. The last major day of testing will take place on Tuesday, May 12, when all students in grades 3–6 will take the Math SOL. Our students have been working hard all year, and we are proud of the effort and perseverance they have shown throughout the testing process.
Once SOLs are over, we will turn our attention again to the amazing end-of-year activities we have planned! One of those is our school musical, Joust! Our music team created a wish list of Joust! costumes, props, and decor. Please consider sponsoring something to help bring the show to life!
Thank you again for your partnership, encouragement, and continued support of our students and staff. Together, we are helping our Eagles finish the school year strong!
In partnership,
Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, and Erin Theiss
Proud Principals
News
Health and Safety at Westlawn: Suspected Norovirus Updates
Our custodial staff continues to clean classrooms and high-touch areas where sick students were present.
Only two products can kill norovirus: bleach and Virex. These products are too strong to use around students. Because of this, custodians can only use them at certain times. For example, custodians can use them in classrooms after students leave for the day. Custodians can also use them on lunch tables after all lunch periods end. They cannot use them between lunch periods.
Teachers are also asking students to wash their hands and use hand sanitizer more often. This helps reduce the spread of illness.
If a student vomits two or more times in 24 hours, the family should keep the student at home. The FCPS Attendance page explains when students should stay home or go to school.
To report an absence, families should not use TalkingPoints. Families should use one of the three approved absence reporting methods. The links are at the bottom of this newsletter.
We hope these prevention steps and the weekend break will help students and staff feel healthier next week.
Substitute at Westlawn!
FCPS is changing the way they assign substitute teachers to schools. Now people can apply to be substitutes for a specific pyramid. This means they will only be a substitute at one high school and the middle and elementary schools that feed into it. If you want to substitute at Westlawn, we encourage you to apply for the Falls Church pyramid!
Reminder: Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener Results Now Available
Students in grades 3-12 took the SEL Screener during the month of March, providing information on their SEL skills like achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships, and making responsible decisions. The screener also asks students how well their school community makes them feel valued, included, and supported.
Individual student SEL Screener results are now available to families in the Documents section of SIS ParentVUE. For families who do not have an active ParentVUE account, we will share copies with you directly.
For support in understanding your individual student’s results or for ideas on how to support them at home, please review the Family Guide or reach out to our school staff with any questions.
Reminder: Seeking Parent Feedback for Class Placement in 2026-2027
We invite families to share information with us to help us better place students in classrooms for the 2026-2027 school year. Note that specific teacher requests will not be considered. We are looking for information from families about academic concerns and social-emotional needs. Share your feedback with us via this form between now and May 20.
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.
Dates and Events
May 12: SOL - 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Grade Math (including Algebra 1)
May 13: Fun Clothing Wednesday: clothing with animals
May 13: Early Release Wednesday - student dismissal at 12:30 PM
May 13: Art Night at the Thomas Jefferson Library from 3:00-4:30 PM. Join art teachers and other Westlawn staff to do fun art activities including blackout poetry, button making, and pom pom hats. Please note that all students must be accompanied by an adult at all times during the event.
May 15: Luther Jackson MS Heritage Night from 6:00 - 8:30 PM. Luther Jackson MS is opening this event to Westlawn students, too! Students are invited to visit or participate! Learn more about LJMS Heritage Night.
May 16: Techstravaganza is from 10 AM - 4 PM at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. Lunch is available for students in Title I schools (that’s us!) from 12-1 PM in the cafeteria. Techstravaganza website.
May 19: Restaurant Night at Panda Express goes from 9 AM - 10:30 PM at the Mosaic Panda Express. If ordering online, use code 3855808 in the app. If ordering in person, show the cashier the restaurant night flyer.
May 20: Fun Clothing Wednesday: wear red
May 22: Last day for library checkout!
To see more schoolwide and community events, remember to check out our website calendar! You can also subscribe to our calendar to make it even more convenient. Click on the little calendar icon in the top right corner of the calendar page of our website to add all current and future events to your cell phone calendar.
Engage with Westlawn
Help Build a Castle
Our music team is looking for support to make the musical’s stage a success! They created a Joust! wish list full of medieval props and backdrops. Please consider sponsoring something to help turn Westlawn into a castle!
Reminder: Historian Wanted!
Westlawn turns 75 years old in 2027! As part of our planned celebrations, we want to update the history page on our website, which was last updated around 2001. If you are interested in helping with this project through research, writing, or sharing your knowledge from the past 25 years, please contact Ms. Dushok via email or TalkingPoints.
Join a Community Conversation
Join us on Wednesdays at 11 AM on Zoom to hear the important news from the school from Principal Hill! If you miss a Community Conversation, you can catch up with slides and recordings on our website.
Volunteering in FCPS in 2025-2026 requires you to fill out an online application, and then select the school(s) where you want to be. Learn more and apply today!
Mind Matters
Nurturing Leaders
Leadership is a valued characteristic for successful citizens. Here’s some ways you can empower and nurture your students to grow their leadership skills outside of the classroom.
- Let your child plan a family game night, outing, or meal from start to finish.
- Encourage them to help younger siblings or friends learn a new skill or activity.
- Give them opportunities to solve real-life problems at home and explain their thinking.
- Ask your child to lead part of a family discussion or help make group decisions.
- Encourage creative projects like inventing a game, designing a mini business, or building something from recycled materials.
- Have your child identify a community issue and create an improvement plan.
- Praise perseverance, teamwork, and thoughtful risk-taking — not just correct answers.
- Model leadership by showing active listening, responsibility, and kindness in everyday situations.
Tech Talk
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
You may be thinking: technology and mental health do not always go well together. In some ways, that is true. We are learning more about how tools like social media are designed to keep our attention for long periods of time.
At the same time, technology is part of our everyday lives, and it is not going away. As parents and caregivers, our goal is not to remove technology completely, but to help children learn how to use it in healthy and balanced ways.
During the month of May, we will explore simple, practical ways to use technology to support our well-being, while also setting healthy limits so it does not take over our time and attention.
Screen Time Without the Struggle
Setting limits around technology can be challenging for many families. Instead of focusing only on “how much,” it can help to focus on when and how technology is used.
Simple routines can make a big difference. For example, families might choose tech-free times, such as during meals or before bedtime. Clear and predictable routines help children know what to expect and can reduce daily conflicts.
It can also help to involve children in creating these routines. When children understand the reasons behind limits, they are more likely to follow them.
Healthy boundaries are not about being perfect. They are about creating a routine that works for your family and supports your child’s well-being.
Try this at home: Choose one small change, such as a tech-free meal or a set “device off” time each evening, and try it for one week.
At Westlawn, we are here to support you and your family. If you have questions about your child’s well-being or would like mental health resources, please reach out to our Wellness Team. If you would like to talk about technology or healthy tech habits, Ms. Dushok is happy to help.
Is there a technology topic you want us to tackle in a future issue? Email your questions to Ms. Dushok (school based technology specialist) and Mr. Dinkins (technology support specialist).
Soaring Staff Spotlight
This week the Soaring Staff Spotlight is on Taylor Thomas!
Mrs. Thomas is a first grade teacher at Westlawn. Let’s learn more about Mrs. Thomas!
What is your favorite thing about working at Westlawn?
I love the close-knit community and how everyone works to help one another!
What was your favorite subject in school?
Language arts and science
What is one talent or skill you have that most people don’t know about?
I'm secretly great at parallel parking. I've taken the test to be a contestant on Jeopardy! multiple times (just waiting for a call back!).
Who inspired you when you were growing up?
All of my teachers throughout elementary school!
If you could instantly learn one new skill, what would it be?
I wish I could speak, read, and write in any language.
Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?
Coffee
Mountains or beach?
Beach
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Connect with Westlawn
- Contact the main office: 703-241-5100
- Submit an absence: 703-241-5151 | email the absence box | using ParentVUE
- Contact Ms. Caballero (student information assistant): email Ms. Caballero | 703-241-5100 | TalkingPoints: Silvia Caballero
- Contact Ms. Reyes (family liaison): email Ms. Reyes | 703-241-5125 | TalkingPoints: Hilda Reyes
- Contact Ms. Cortez (social worker): email Ms. Cortez | 703-241-5190 | TalkingPoints: Pamela Cortez
Westlawn website | Westlawn Instagram | Westlawn Facebook | TalkingPoints
View The Feather Report archives | Questions or Comments: Contact the Newsletter Editor
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