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In this Summer Message:
- Principal Message
- Back to School Checklist
- Register for Kiss and Ride
- Back to School Timeline
- New Staff Spotlight
- Student IDs/ Bus Tracking
- FCPS App
- New Menu Platform
- 2026-2027 Supply Lists
- Join Cub Scouts
- Upcoming Dates
Dear Floris Families,
We hope you are enjoying the final days of summer break. We are looking forward to welcoming everyone back to Floris Elementary School and hearing about your summer adventures!
As a reminder, the first day of school is Monday, August 24, and we are excited to welcome both our returning students and the many new families joining the Floris community this year. With our recent boundary adjustment, we are thrilled to welcome students and families from Coates Elementary School and look forward to building one strong Floris Family together.
As we begin the 2026–2027 school year, our commitment remains centered on ensuring every child feels known, valued, challenged, and supported. This year's theme, "The Best Is Yet to Come," reflects our belief that together we can build upon the incredible foundation that already exists at Floris while continuing to grow and improve in meaningful ways.
Our School Improvement and Innovation Plan will focus on three key priorities:
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Strengthening Tier 1 instruction by providing engaging, high-quality learning experiences in every classroom every day.
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Using data to drive instruction and intervention so every student receives the support or enrichment they need to be successful.
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Creating a culture of belonging where every student feels connected, valued, and empowered to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
These priorities will guide our work throughout the year as we continue to collaborate as educators, build strong relationships with students and families, and provide learning experiences that inspire curiosity, confidence, and growth.
Today, we welcomed our newest staff members to Floris, and next week our entire team will return to prepare classrooms, collaborate with colleagues, and finalize plans for an outstanding school year. Thanks to our growing enrollment, we have expanded our team with additional teachers and support staff, allowing us to continue providing exceptional opportunities for all students. We will continue to introduce our new staff members in upcoming Floris Family newsletters.
Below this message, you will find important information and key dates to help your family prepare for the opening of school. We look forward to seeing many of you at Open House and Back-to-School Night, where you'll have an opportunity to meet teachers, connect with our staff, and learn more about the exciting year ahead.
Thank you for your continued partnership and trust. Together, we will make this a year filled with meaningful learning, strong relationships, and memorable experiences for every child. We cannot wait to welcome our Eagles back to school.
The best is yet to come!
Sincerely,
Joshua DeSmyter
Principal, Floris Elementary School
We’re Eager to Welcome You Back to School!
As summer winds down, we are looking forward to welcoming students back to our classrooms. Use the following list to help make sure your child is ready!
☑️ Sign Up for SIS ParentVUE
Access your student’s attendance records, grades, and assignments at any time with SIS ParentVUE. Contact our registrar at 703-561-2900 if you need an activation code. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE.
Update Your Contact Information
Be sure you receive important information! Update your phone number(s) and/or email address(es) by clicking “My Account” and reviewing the “Online Verification/Update.” On that form, you can also update immunization records, health information, and emergency contacts.
☑️ Update Immunizations and Records
Immunizations are required for all students to attend school in Virginia. This is an important part of protecting them from certain diseases and keeping them healthy.
When your child is immunized, remember to request a copy of their immunization record and bring that to our front office or submit the record via SIS ParentVUE as soon as possible. Find more information on FCPS’ website.
☑️ Learn About School Meals
Families need to provide their children with money to purchase meals at school or send them with a packed lunch. Alternatively, families may apply to receive free and reduced-price meal benefits, pending approval.
☑️ Bookmark the School Year Calendar
Be sure to bookmark the FCPS school year calendar to keep track of school holidays, breaks, and observances:
- Days marked blue with an “H” are student holidays. Schools are closed on these days.
- Days marked orange with an “O” are religious and cultural observance days (or evenings, if only half marked). There is school on these days, but certain events that cannot be made up may not be scheduled on these days.
- Days marked as TW, SD, and SP and in pink are holidays for students but working days for teachers and staff.
Please note that some holidays and observances, such as Eid al Fitr, may shift, and the calendar may be adjusted.
Register for Kiss and Ride for the 2026-2027 School Year
In order to streamline our Kiss and Ride process, you must register your child(ren) so that you are assigned a kiss and ride number. 2025-2026 Kiss and Ride numbers will NO LONGER BE VALID. All registered families will receive a new number for 2026-2027 that will be associated with your child(ren).
How does it work?
Once you register, you will receive a laminated number to display in the front window of your car. Each family will get a car number, and your child(ren) must know their family number at dismissal time.
👉 In order to receive your Kiss and Ride number at Open House on Thursday, August 20, please complete the Kiss and Ride registration by 4pm on Tuesday, August 18.
Thank you so much for your help in ensuring a safe, smooth, and speedy dismissal for all Floris students!
2026–2027 Back-to-School Timeline
We're excited to welcome our Eagles back for another great school year! Please save these important dates:
📧 Tuesday, August 18 – Class Placement Notification
- Families of enrolled students will receive their child's homeroom teacher assignment.
- Notifications will be sent during the afternoon via an eNotify message from Principal DeSmyter.
🏫 Thursday, August 20 – Open House
Meet your child's teacher, see the classroom, and bring school supplies!
Kindergarten
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11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. – All Kindergarten families
Grades 1–6
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1:30–2:30 p.m. – Students with last names A–K
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3:00–4:00 p.m. – Students with last names L–Z
🍎 Monday, August 24 – First Day of School
Welcome back!
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Doors open: 9:00 a.m.
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School day begins (late bell): 9:15 a.m.
👨👩👧👦 Back-to-School Nights
Kindergarten
- Monday, September 14
- 6:00–7:00 p.m.
Grades 1, 3, and 6
- Tuesday, September 15
- 6:30–7:45 p.m.
Grades 2, 4, and 5
- Wednesday, September 16
- 6:30–7:45 p.m.
✨ New Staff Spotlight ✨
McKell Hills: Fifth Grade Teacher
Hi everyone! My name is McKell Hills. I grew up in Utah and love the mountains, especially hiking. My husband is from Virginia and we’ve moved out here to be close to his side of our family. We have three little boys. Ages: 5, 3, and 2. They are full of energy and keep us busy. Besides hiking, I love reading and being crafty. I’m excited to be teaching at Floris. This will be my 5th year teaching in a classroom. I’ve heard incredible things about your community and can’t wait to be a part of it.
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Shamari Taylor-Reed: Special Education Teacher
Hello! My name is Shamari Taylor-Reed, and I am excited to join the Floris team. I have 15 years of experience working with children in a variety of settings, including camps, preschools, recreation centers, dance studios, and elementary schools. My greatest passion is supporting children with special needs. I have a background in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and five years of experience working in public schools. This will be my third year as a classroom teacher, and I am excited to continue making a positive impact on my students. I am a proud Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) alumna and enjoy expressing my creativity through art and dance. I'm also a big Disney fan and love the creativity, imagination, and sense of wonder that Disney inspires—qualities I enjoy bringing into my classroom whenever I can. When I'm not at school, you'll often find me trying out a new Mexican restaurant, enjoying sushi, seafood, or spending quality time with my husband and our two fur babies. I can't wait to get to know everyone and looking forward to a wonderful school year.
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Katie Pickett: Math Resource Teacher
I'm Katie Pickett, and I'm so happy to be back at Floris! My husband, Johnny, and I have 5-year-old twins, Olivia and Cora, and our youngest, Millie, who recently turned one. After taking the past year off to be home with Millie, I'm so excited to return to the Floris family. This year marks my 11th year teaching and my fifth year at Floris. I have experience as a classroom, ESOL, and AART teacher and each role has shaped the educator I am today and deepened my love for helping students grow and building confidence. I'm especially excited to join the math team this year! I can't wait to collaborate with such an amazing staff and support our students and families as we make math engaging, meaningful, and fun. I'm looking forward to a wonderful year of learning, growing, and celebrating successes together!
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Shannon McKay: Art Teacher
I'm Shannon McKay and thrilled to be returning to Floris Elementary to teach art again this school year! Having spent one day a week with this wonderful community last year, I am so excited to step into a full-time role. When I'm not in the school art studio, I love making ceramics, painting, and spending time outside with my family. Looking forward to making this year amazing!
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Download the FCPS App Today!
The FCPS mobile app offers a customized platform to help keep you connected and informed, directly from your smartphone. Download the FCPS mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
With the app, you can:
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View school calendars. See events, activities, holidays, and early dismissals.
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Check school menus. See what’s for lunch and breakfast each school day.
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Tap to contact. Quickly call attendance lines or email school staff.
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Stay up to date. Get the latest news from FCPS.
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Access key links. Jump to ParentVUE, Schoology, and the FCPS website in one tap.
No need to log in, just download and go! Learn more about the FCPS mobile app.
Student IDs/ Bus Tracking
As part of the ongoing commitment to strengthening layered safety and security programs, FCPS will implement a new student ID system for students who ride our school buses.
The implementation of the student IDs is designed as an additional safety measure for our 130,000 FCPS students who ride the bus each day, ensuring they are on the right bus and that they get on and off at the correct bus stop, as well as making sure only authorized students are on our buses.
The IDs will be provided to students who ride the bus. Those students will be expected to tap on and tap off the bus. The student IDs do not track student movement. The only information available is when a student taps on or off a bus. Much like our Here Comes the Bus app, our new app will allow parents/guardians to track the progress of the school bus.
It is possible that the ID program will expand in the future to include uses such as library cards and meal payment. Learn more about the new transportation system and student ID cards.
Explore School Meals in the New Menu Platform
Experience an easier way to view your child’s school menus using MealViewer:
- View what is being served each day.
- View the nutritional information for each meal.
- See if any specific allergens are being served.
- Get notified when your student’s favorite meal is being served.
Printable menus are always available on the Food and Nutrition Services webpage.
Supply Lists Available
Still need to order school supplies? Check out our 2026-2027 School Supply Lists, and have one thing less to worry about at back to school time!
If your family needs help purchasing school supplies, please contact our counselor, Sarah de Kramer at shdekramer@fcps.edu.
Join Cub Scouts at Floris
Dates for the 2026-2027 School Year
August 20: Open House (Kindergarten) 11:30am-12:30pm
Open House (Grades 1-6) 1:30pm-3:30pm
August 24: 1st Day of School
August 27: PTA Meeting, 6:30pm in the Library
September 4-7: Holiday- Labor Day Break – All FCPS schools and offices closed
September 15-16: Back to School Nights, details to follow
September 21: Holiday- Yom Kippur
October 2: PTA Fun Run
October 12: No School for Students, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Staff Development Day
October 15: Fall Picture Day
October 16: 3rd-6th Grade Field Day
October 21: 3-Hour Early Release
October 30:
- Harvest Parade
- End of First Quarter and Two-Hour Early Release
- PTA Trunk or Treat
November 2-3: No School for Students, Teacher Workdays and Election Day
November 11: Veteran's Day Concert
November 19: Thanksgiving Luncheon
November 25-27: Holiday- Thanksgiving
Find the 2026-2027 School Year Calendar: https://www.fcps.edu/calendars/standard-school-year-calendar
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