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August 21 from 1:15- 3:00 PM - Open House (information below)
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August 24 from 9:15-4:00 PM– First Day of School!
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September 4th- Holiday Labor Day Break
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September 7th- Holiday Labor Day Break
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September 15th- Back to School Night PAC- 2nd Grade 5:30 PM (more information to come)
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September 17th- Back to School Night 3rd-6th Grade 5:30 PM (more information to come)
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September 21st- Holiday Yom Kippur
Fairfax County Public Schools 2026-2027 Standard School Year Calendar
Good afternoon Powell Puma Families,
What a wonderful week at Powell! It was such a joy to welcome our newest Pumas, our incoming kindergartners, for Popsicles on the Playground! We loved seeing our students and families connecting, exploring the playground, and beginning to feel at home at Powell. Their excitement and energy were the perfect reminder that the start of a new school year is right around the corner!
We are also excited to share that our parking lots have been freshly repaved and are looking great! It is wonderful to see another piece of our campus refreshed and ready to welcome our families back to Powell.
Next week, we are thrilled to officially welcome our Powell staff back to school as we begin preparing for an incredible year ahead. Our teachers and staff will spend the week learning, collaborating, preparing classrooms, and getting everything ready for our students.
The countdown is officially on, and we can't wait to have our entire Puma community back together soon. One Powell! 🐾
Sincerely,
Catherine Han
Principal
This year’s annual Open House is scheduled for Friday, August 21st.
Please visit us at school during your child's designated timeframe to meet your child’s teacher(s), meet our specialists, as well as other staff members of the Colin Powell ES community. This is also a great time for you to drop your child’s school supplies off to their classroom.
Please refer to the schedule below for Open House:
Classroom placements for the 2026-27 school year will be available for families via eNotify Tuesday, August 18th as you will receive an automated email, and in ParentVUE on Thursday, August 20th. If you do not have a ParentVUE account, we strongly encourage you to register for one today.
Please visit the link below to find out information on the benefits of ParentVUE:
ParentVUE Information
Staff will also be available to let you know your child's classroom teacher at our annual Open House event.
We kindly ask that you do not call the main office and request this information. The main office staff will direct you to set-up a ParentVUE account and support you with this process, if needed.
We look forward to having our Puma family back together at Open House!
As we prepare for another exciting fall sports season, FCPS is implementing additional safety and security measures at all varsity football games.
Beginning this season, all spectators will participate in security screenings using the same weapons detection technology introduced in our middle and high schools last school year. A standardized bag policy will also be in place to help ensure a safe, efficient entry process for everyone attending our games.
These enhancements are designed to support a safe and welcoming environment while allowing families, students, and community members to enjoy Friday night football. We encourage attendees to arrive a little earlier than usual to allow time for screening. Get more information about weapons screening at football games.
Be First-Day Ready
The first day of school, Monday, August 24, is just around the corner! Check out these back-to-school tips to make sure your child gets off to a great start.
Also find out what will be new this school year.
A new Schoology Study and Support Hub is available for students in Schoology. This space was developed by the FCPS Educational Technology Team with input from students. It is designed to provide essential study tools and academic support resources directly to our learners.
Students can log in to Schoology and read their Schoology announcements or watch this video on the support hub for more information.
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All Your FCPS Links in One SpotThere are a lot of school and FCPS webpages to bookmark, but the FCPS mobile app serves as your central hub!
Check daily meal menus and calendars with no login required, or use one-tap quick links to launch SIS ParentVUE, Schoology, and MySchoolBucks.
Download the FCPS mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store..
FCPS is launching a new bus navigation system, which includes student ID cards for students who ride the bus. Students will use the cards to tap on and off the bus, helping FCPS and families know exactly which students are riding which buses.
Learn more about the new system and how it will improve route efficiency, safety, and transparency with families. Check out the frequently asked questions for families.
Building a Brighter Future, Together: FCPS Family Academy
The FCPS Family Academy is where families can learn and get support for their child’s school journey.
We know that parents and caregivers are critically important in their child’s education. The Family Academy lists classes, webinars, workshops, and programs offered by FCPS to help you support your child's needs and learning at home. The Family Academy also includes information about resources available to help every family ensure their child has what they need to succeed.
Visit the Family Academy webpage. Check out its catalog for upcoming classes, workshops, and webinars to help families learn about FCPS, parenting, early literacy, and how to partner with schools.
Follow FCPS on WhatsApp
Is WhatsApp one of the ways you stay connected with family, friends, and your community? Now you can use it to stay connected with FCPS, too.
Follow the new FCPS WhatsApp Channel for helpful information and reminders throughout the school year, including important announcements, upcoming dates, tips for families, and more.
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.
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.
To ensure a safe, smooth, and uninterrupted dismissal process for all students, please remember our protocol for early pick-ups:
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Notify Us Early: If you need to pick your student up before the end of the school day, please email their teacher and CC our attendance email (colinpowellelem.attendance@fcps.edu) by 10:00 AM on the day of the early dismissal.
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Final Cut-Off Time: The last early pick-up window of the day ends promptly at 3:30 PM. After 3:30 students will be dismiss their regular dismissal route.
Following these guidelines minimizes disruptions to valuable instructional time and helps our staff ensure that every child gets where they need to be safely. Thank you so much for your cooperation and your continued support in keeping our dismissal procedures safe and efficient!
We are introducing an updated protocol to Kiss and Ride to enhance safety, improve traffic flow, and ensure a more efficient experience for all families.
Beginning 2026-2027 school year, Kiss and Ride numbers will be limited to only out-of-boundary students. New Kiss and Ride numbers will be issued to eligible families, so current placards will need to be discarded. Once assigned, the numbers will remain with the student for the duration of their enrollment at the school.
As a reminder, during arrival and dismissal times:
- All drivers are expected to follow staff directions at all times.
- The Kiss & Ride line CLOSES at 9:15 AM. Parents arriving after 9:15 AM must park and escort students to the main office to sign them in.
- Vehicles should pull forward as far as possible before stopping to maximize lane capacity.
- Drivers must remain in their vehicles and may not leave them unattended.
- Students should enter and exit vehicles from the passenger side only.
- Families are encouraged to have students ready to exit the vehicle promptly upon arrival with their belongings prepared in advance.
- During pick-up, please ensure that the Kiss and Ride tags are clearly displayed on the dashboard.
- The use of mobile devices should be minimized while in the Kiss and Ride line to ensure full attention to traffic flow and student safety.
- Parking or passing within the Kiss and Ride lane is strictly prohibited. If additional time or assistance is needed, families are asked to park in a designated parking space.
We appreciate your cooperation and support as we implement these procedures to maintain a safe, orderly, and efficient environment for our school community.
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) utilizes the Community Peer Program as part of its special education initiatives to promote social interaction and acceptance by integrating children with and without developmental delays in the same classroom.
Why is inclusion in early childhood education so important?
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Fosters a Sense of Belonging and Acceptance by helping children appreciate differences, build positive relationships, and develop strong social skills.
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Promotes Social-Emotional Development by encouraging empathy, respect, self-esteem, confidence, and resilience.
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Enhances Learning Outcomes by providing individualized learning opportunities that support academic growth and prepare children for success in a diverse and inclusive society.
Together, we are creating an inclusive learning community where every child is valued, supported, and given the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.
Requirements:
- Must be at least 3 ½ or 4 years old by September 30 of the school year they are entering.
- Must be completely potty trained.
- Must reside within Fairfax County.
- Must attend during the designated hours of the enrolled program.
- May attend up to 5 days a week.
- Are not considered typically developing models if they have an IEP or are found eligible after acceptance.
If interested in learning more about our Community Peer Program at Powell please reach out to Lori Murphy - PAC Lead Teacher lemurphy@fcps.edu
The Korea Times is inviting translators from around the world to participate in the 57th Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards. The annual competition awards English translations of works of contemporary Korean literature in two categories: fiction and poetry.
Submission Guidelines
Applicants may submit a translation of:
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A work of fiction
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Ten poems by the same poet.
Applicants should submit only one entry in either category.
Fiction
Candidates should submit an English translation of a short story or the opening chapter of a novel. The first publication date of the original Korean work should be 2000 or later. Longer works are not given preference.
Poetry
Candidates should submit English translations of 10 poems, all by the same poet. The original poems should have been first published in or after 2000.
(QR Code text: Scan the QR code for the full details.)
General Rules
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Translation should be sent before Aug. 31, 2026, as email attachments in PDF format to ktimes.translation@gmail.com with the subject “The Korea Times Translation Awards.” Winners will be announced in The Korea Times in November.
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Submitted translations must not have been published in any form before the submission deadline. Works that have previously been published in English translation must not be retranslated for the contest.
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The awards do not permit the use of artificial intelligence (AI) assistance. Applicants found to have used AI will be immediately disqualified.
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Previous winners of The Korea Times Modern Literature Translation Awards are not eligible to submit entries in the same category. Entries for this competition must not be submitted to any other translation contest in the same year.
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The jury’s decision will be final and no correspondence concerning it will be entered into.
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All copyright in submissions and prize-winning works belongs to the translators, but portions of the award-winning entries may be published in The Korea Times.
For inquiries: The Korea Times K-Culture Desk at 02-724-2353 or ktimes.translation@gmail.com.
Prizes
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Grand prize in Fiction: 7 million won
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Grand prize in Poetry: 4 million won
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Commendation awards: 2 million won each to entries in either fiction or poetry
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Kevin O'Rourke Award: 1 million won to an entry in either fiction or poetry
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- New Student Device Requirements
- Football Game Safety Measures
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