Welcome Back - Upcoming Dates and Help Wanted!
Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 08/02/2026 11:01 AM EDT
Welcome Back, Franconia!
New year. New adventures. Same amazing community.
Greetings Franconia Families!
At my house, the surest sign that summer is winding down isn't the calendar; it’s the sibling infighting. If your kids are suddenly “over” the pool and casually asking when school starts again… welcome. You’ve officially reached the “we’re ready to go back” stage.
Sign of a successful summer? Complete exhaustion? Either way, Franconia is almost back and we are excited to welcome both returning and new families to another year with our wonderful school community.
The PTA is already working behind the scenes to help get the school ready, welcome our staff, and bring our community back together. Below are several ways to jump in.
Here’s to a year full of learning, laughter, and connection. See you around the halls - and at the popsicle table!
Jae Shah
PTA President
president@franconiapta.org
Let's Do This!
Help Build New Desks
August 3 - 7 | 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Franconia needs help assembling 24 new desks for our Enhanced Autism community.
Know how to wield a screwdriver? Master of IKEA instructions? Capable of staring confidently at an extra screw and deciding it was probably optional? You are perfect for the job.
Back-to-School Staff Breakfast
August 17
Let’s welcome our incredible staff back with a nutritious breakfast to kick off their back-to-work day. We need food donations and a few volunteers to help with setup.
Need help getting donated items to school? Email president@franconiapta.org for delivery help and we’ll figure it out. Let’s not allow logistics to block support.
School Supply Distribution
August 20 | 2 - 4 p.m.
Preordered school supply kits are coming in, and we need a few volunteers to help sort them by classroom.
Everything comes organized by grade, so it’s mostly sorting, loading a cart, and rolling it down the hall. Honestly, still easier than hauling it all in at Open House.
Email president@franconiapta.org to help with supply distribution .
Open House + Popsicles
August 21
Open House: 10 - 11 a.m.
Popsicles on the Playground: 10:30 a.m.- noon
Come see your classroom, meet your teachers, drop off supplies, reconnect with old friends, and meet some new ones.
Fall Fest Planning Starts Now
October 16
Fall Fest may be in October, but planning starts now. We need help. Seriously. We are down a board member and can't pull these events off on our own. We need assistance with vendors, donations, games, food, volunteer coordination, and general planning.
You do not need event-planning experience. Neither do most of us. We will guide you, divide the work, and figure it out together.
Save These Dates
First Day of School
August 24
The big day! Let's cheer on our Penguins as we kick off a great year.
Back-to-School Scoops at Bruster’s
September 3 | Approximately 5:30 - 8 p.m.
Grab a scoop, mingle with our community, and support the PTA. Like last year, there may even be a surprise guest or two.
First General PTA Meeting
September 10 | 7 - 8 p.m. | FES Cafeteria
We’ll review upcoming events, discuss special-topic ideas, and vote on the PTA budget.
We truly need that vote in order to operate for the year, so please come if you can. Working on childcare so stay tuned!
Franconia Fall Fest
October 16
We have some new ideas to keep this event fresh so mark your calendars. Want to weigh in on those plans?
Don’t Forget: Join the PTA
PTA membership resets every school year.
Joining does not mean you have to volunteer for everything or attend every meeting. It does mean you’re helping support our students, staff, and school community.