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August 5th Family Newsletter
Dear Families,
It is hard to believe it is already August. We hope everyone is having a wonderful summer and making memories with your family. We look forward to welcoming back our Union Mill Bears in a few weeks for the 2026-2027 school year.
We look forward to connecting with some of our new students and families on Friday during our second Scavenger Hunt from 10:30 - 11:30 am.
As we look toward the start of the new school year, please take a moment to review the important dates and information below.
Upcoming Dates
Friday, August 7 - Kindergarten & New Student Scavenger Hunt @ 10:30 am
Friday, August 21 - Open House and medication dropoff @ 10:00 - 11:30 am
Monday, August 24 - First Day of School
Wednesday, September 9 - Back to School Night @ 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Thursday, September 17th - PTA Fun Run
FCPS 2026-2027 School Calendar
Upcoming Events at Union Mill
🔍 NEW STUDENT SCAVENGER HUNT - Are you joining Union Mill this fall? Come check out the building and meet some staff members!
- August 7th from 10:30 - 11:30 am
🎒OPEN HOUSE - Come meet your teacher and drop off school supplies and any medications to the health room. There will also be Kona Ice available during and after Open House courtesy of ML Real Estate. We hope families take this opportunity to reconnect with one another before the year begins.
- August 21st from 10:00 - 11:30 am
🏫 BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT - Parents, don't miss the opportunity to come learn about your child's or children's teachers, grade level curriculum, classroom procedures, school wide expectations and more!
- September 9th from 5:30 - 7:30 pm
We look forward to connecting with students and families at these upcoming events.
Union Mill StoryWalk®
Thank you to Ami Schroder, Jenny Murray, Anne Hollis along with Union Mill students Logan Brice and Oliver Donovan for installing the very first StoryWalk® in our playground area! StoryWalk® is one of the Union Mill Get2Green initiatives. Our students now have a wonderful new space where they can enjoy stories while exploring the outdoors. This interactive addition encourages a love of reading, movement, and learning in a fun and engaging way. We are so grateful for your support in creating meaningful experiences for our students—thank you for helping turn this vision into a reality!
The StoryWalk® concept was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont, in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. It has since been adopted by schools, libraries, and parks across the United States and around the world. It is an interactive literacy activity that combines reading with movement. The pages of a children's book are displayed one at a time along a walking path, trail, playground, hallway, or other outdoor or indoor route. As participants walk from one station to the next, they read the story in sequence.
Medication Dropoff
Families may drop off medication on Friday, August 21st during Open House from 10:00 - 11:30 am or during the week of August 17th by appointment. To schedule an appointment, please call the Union Mill Health Room at 703-322-8510 to schedule an appointment.
Volunteering at Union Mill
If you are looking to volunteer for the 26-27 school year and have not already done so, complete your Volunteer FCPS registration this summer! This is required for all FCPS and Union Mill Volunteers.
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Register With Volunteer FCPS Volunteer FCPS allows individuals to search and register for volunteer opportunities. It helps ensure a safe, consistent, and welcoming environment here at Union Mill. All volunteers must:
- Create a profile in Volunteer FCPS.
- Register for opportunities through Volunteer FCPS.
- Sign in and out of schools using the visitor kiosk.
At the Volunteer FCPS site, you can complete a volunteer orientation. Visit the Volunteer FCPS Frequently Asked Questions for more information.
Union Mill thanks you for your support!
New Student ID Cards Coming This Fall
This fall, every FCPS student will receive a student identification (ID) card as part of a divisionwide effort to modernize school transportation, improve communication with families, and strengthen student safety while traveling to and from school.
Every student who rides the school bus will need to tap on and tap off the bus every day using their new student ID card. Families can help by reinforcing this new habit with their child.
All students at our school will need to wear their student ID cards throughout the school day. We will be handing out the new student ID cards the first few weeks of school. More details will be shared soon.
Learn more about the new transportation system and student ID cards.
Kindergarten Registration
Online Registration is now open for the 2026-27 school year!
Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives.
New-to-FCPS families create a ParentVUE account for online access. Details are available here: Welcome to Fairfax County Public Schools' (FCPS) Online Registration | Fairfax County Public Schools
Current families can register their new student through their existing ParentVUE account. (No need to register students returning to UMES.)
Our Registrar, Catherine Dubas, is happy to process registrations directly, as well. Please contact her at cmdubas@fcps.edu and be ready to provide your family’s address and rising kindergartener’s date of birth. Catherine will respond with registration details and documents necessary to start the process.
Early registration puts you on the list for school communications, so don’t wait!
Early Release Wednesdays for 2026-27
FCPS will continue with limited early release Wednesdays for elementary schools during the 2026-27 school year, however the number has been reduced from eight to four days.
Early release Wednesdays provide elementary teachers with a dedicated block of time to prepare lessons, participate in professional development and training, and collaborate with peers. A well-supported and continuously improving teaching staff leads to better educational outcomes for students.
Find more information about early release Wednesdays, including the list of early release dates.
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October 21
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December 2
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February 10
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May 5
UMES PTA
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Fun Run – Fall 2026 – Save the Date!
The PTA is reviving the UMES Booster Fun Run on Thursday, September 17! Be on the lookout for sponsorship opportunities and more information over the summer. Please email pta@unionmillpta.org with questions.
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Welcome Our 2026-2027 PTA Board!
Meet your PTA Board Members for the 2026-2027 school year! This group of devoted parents and teachers will work to strengthen and serve the students, staff, and families that make up our UMES community! We’d love to see you in our inbox, on social media, at an event, or in a meeting. Many voices make for a well-represented community!
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Union Mill Hours
Bell Schedule
Doors open at 8:35 am. Students should be in class by 8:45 am.
Students are dismissed at 3:30 pm.
Office Hours
Monday - Friday - 8:00 - 4:00 pm
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