 We have officially wrapped up our initial SOL testing. While we still have some make-ups and retakes occurring, the bulk of testing is complete. Our students worked hard and showed up each day ready to showcase their knowledge, and we are incredibly proud of them! Thank you to our families for your support at home and to those who were able to assist as bathroom monitors during testing. The support was invaluable and allowed staff to focus on student testing.
Our students in grades K–2 are also wrapping up their end-of-year assessments as we begin looking forward to many exciting end-of-year celebrations, including Field Day, class celebrations, Medieval performances, the Chorus concert, and other special events. It is hard to believe we are entering the final 3½ weeks before summer break.
As a reminder, this week will be a shortened week with Memorial Monday, a teacher workday on Tuesday, followed by Eid al-Adha on Wednesday.
Enjoy this week’s weekly report, and we hope you have a wonderful long weekend! We look forward to seeing everyone back on Thursday, May 28.
Ashley & Jody
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May 25-27: No School (Holidays/Teacher Workday)
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June 4: Field Day (rain date: June 5) & South Lakes HS Grad Walk
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June 5: South Lakes HS Graduation
SAVE-THE-DATES:
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June 8: Chorus Concert (evening)
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June 9: Hughes MS Moving-on Celebration
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June 12: 6th Grade Celebration (after school)
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June 16: 6th Grade Promotion Ceremony
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June 17: Last Day of School
We are excited for Field Day on June 4, with a rain date of June 5! Students in grades K–3 will participate in the morning (10:00-11:30 a.m.), and students in grades 4–6 will participate in the afternoon (2:15-3:50 p.m.).
This year, we are grateful to have received sponsorship funding from Fairfax250. We thank the Fairfax250 Commission for supporting this program as part of Fairfax County’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. In recognition of this partnership, you may notice touches of red, white, and blue, along with patriotic music, to kick off both our morning and afternoon sessions.
All families are welcome to join us and volunteer throughout the day! Please check out the different volunteer opportunities available.
Thank you for the continued push to keep our Chronic Absenteeism rates low! As a reminder, any student who misses 10% of the school year, just 2 days per month on average, for any reason (excused or unexcused) is considered chronically absent. Our Chronic Absenteeism rate is now factored into our School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF) (formerly known as accreditation).
As we approach the end of the school year, we often see an increase in absences due to trips or early vacations. Please help us keep those numbers low and Chronic Absenteeism at bay by avoiding additional days out of school whenever possible. Every day matters!
Summer weather has finally arrived this week! Just a few reminders as we begin enjoying more of these beautiful spring and summer days ahead.
Student Attire & Hydration:
Please make sure students are dressed for the warmer outdoor temperatures so they stay comfortable and avoid overheating, while also keeping in mind that the building can feel cooler indoors. Dressing in layers can help students adjust throughout the day. We also encourage students to bring a reusable water bottle so they can stay hydrated.
Pets on School Grounds:
Due to the health and safety of all, pets are required to remain off school grounds. We know many of our families enjoy bringing their furry friends along for walks during pick-up time, but we appreciate everyone adhering to this policy.
Front Entrance Play:
With the warmer weather, it’s wonderful to spend a little extra time outdoors and connect with others at dismissal. If students would like to continue playing after school, we encourage families to use the playground area. The playground is open to all after dismissal and provides a safer alternative to gathering near Door 1, where cars and buses are actively arriving and departing. We also want to help protect our trees, so please remind students not to climb or play on them.
Little Library Refresh:
Have books at home that you’ve finished reading and are ready to share? Consider donating them to help refresh our Little Library collection! We’d love to give those stories a new home and keep our shelves full for everyone to enjoy.
All medication stored in the health room must be picked up no later than the student dismissal time on the last day of school.
Medication left in the health room after that time will be destroyed. It is FCPS policy that medications must be picked up by the parent or guardian. Medication cannot be sent home with your student. If your student will be enrolled in a summer program sponsored by Fairfax County Public Schools, the existing medication authorization form(s) may be used for the summer program, but you will need to pick up the medication on the last day of school and deliver the medication and completed forms to the summer learning site on the first day of the summer program. Please let the health room know if you would like a copy of the form(s).
Please join the PTA Board for our Annual Volunteer Thank You Luncheon on Friday, May 29th from 12-2pm (at the home of a nearby SVES family*) to recognize all of our volunteers this year. Whether you helped at an event or took on a larger role, we wanted to take a moment to appreciate everyone's efforts and enjoy some informal time together.
Also, we'd like to thank and acknowledge those longtime volunteers whose youngest child is graduating the 6th grade this year. If that's you, note "6th grade graduate!" next to your name. RSVP no later than Tuesday, May 26, so that we may provide enough food. Please indicate any dietary needs in the notes field.
*The address of the SVES family hosting the event will be emailed to you a few days in advance, so look out for that email. For event questions, contact SVES PTA President, Alexis Estep, at svesptapres@gmail.com.
We are still searching for a PTA Treasurer for the 2026–27 school year. No accounting experience is necessary, though a love of Excel may come in handy!
We are incredibly thankful to Rachel for leading the charge over the past few years, and she is more than willing to mentor and support the next person stepping into this important role.
On Thursday, May 7, the Fairfax County School Board approved changes to the FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R). The approved changes include updated guidance for cellphone possession and use, to align the FCPS cell phone policy with Senate Bill 108. This new Virginia law goes into effect on July 1 and states that all schools in the Commonwealth must follow a “bell-to-bell” phone-free policy.
This means that starting July 1, 2026, across all grade levels at FCPS, student cellphones, phone accessories, and all smart devices (including watches that serve a dual purpose, such as smart watches, as well as earbuds, headsets, smart glasses, and other other items connected to the internet) must be off and personally stored (i.e., put away in backpacks) for the duration of the school day — thus, no cellphones from bell to bell.
The FCPS PreK programs provide a high-quality early learning experience for qualifying children ages 4 and 3 years old by September 30 who live in Fairfax County. Families are encouraged to apply as soon as possible; students who are 4 years old and those with multiple risk factors are prioritized.
Applications are accepted online, by email, or by mail or in person at our office at 7423 Camp Alger Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia 22042.
If you a have question about the application process or status, please call 703-208-7900 (English) or 703-208-7901 (Spanish) or by email at fcpsprekoffice@fcps.edu.
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