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Greetings, Mantua Families,
Welcome to a new school year! We are excited to open our doors and welcome our students and families back for another year of learning, growth, connection, and joy.
Today, we welcomed our staff back to school and began our work together for the year ahead. Our day included professional learning around our instructional priorities, collaborative school planning, and time to reconnect as a staff and prepare for the students who will soon fill our classrooms and hallways. A special thank you to our incredible PTA for starting our day with a wonderful breakfast and making our staff feel so welcomed and appreciated!
We also introduced our staff theme for the year: Create the Experience. Inspired in part by the intentional way Trader Joe’s creates a welcoming, joyful, and service-centered experience for its customers, our theme challenges us to think about the experience we create for each and every person who walks through our doors: students, families, colleagues, and ourselves. You may even notice a few Hawaiian shirts along the way as a lighthearted nod to our inspiration!
At its heart, Create the Experience reflects a simple belief: a great school experience does not happen by accident. We create it each day through the way we welcome one another, build relationships, design meaningful learning, provide support, celebrate successes, and ensure every child feels known, valued, and that they belong. These are things we already focus on every day, but this year we are being even more intentional about bringing them to life in every interaction.
Thank you for trusting us with your children and for being such an important part of our school community. We look forward to partnering with you as, together, we Create the Experience for an exceptional school year!
Take good care,
Ms. Shannon
August 21: Mantua Student and Family Open House, 12-2:15 PM
August 22: Popsicles with the Principal, Mantua playground, 10-11 AM
August 24: First day of school!
August 26: Ice Cream Social hosted by Mantua PTA, Mantua playground
6 to 7:30 PM
September 3: Woodson HS Feeder Night from 5 to 7 PM
September 4-7: Student Holiday, Labor Day Weekend, schools and offices closed
Mantua Open House
Join us for the Open House on August 21 to prepare for your exciting new school year. We look forward to seeing both new and familiar faces at this event!
- Families are asked to attend at designated times based on their last name.
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Please enter through the gym (Door 5).
- Rocky’s Resource Fair - Meet our specialists and many other staff members! You will also get to learn about many opportunities and resources, including enrichment programs and more!
- Classroom Visit - Your family will walk to the classroom(s), meet your teachers, and drop off school supplies.
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SESSION 1 - LAST NAMES A-G
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Rocky’s Resource Fair
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12:00 - 12:15 PM Gym
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Visit Classrooms
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12:15 - 12:45 PM
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SESSION 2 - LAST NAMES H-O
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Rocky’s Resource Fair
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12:45 - 1:00 PM Gym
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Visit Classrooms
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1:00 - 1:30 PM
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SESSION 3 - LAST NAMES P-Z
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Rocky’s Resource Fair
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1:30 - 1:45 PM Gym
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Visit Classrooms
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1:45 - 2:15 PM
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Open House Concluded
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Staff Meeting
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2:15 PM
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New Student & Family Popsicles with the Principal
We know the new school year is ready to start when it's time for Popsicles with the Principal!
- Join us on Mantua’s playground on Saturday, August 22, from 10-11:00 AM.
- No need to RSVP; just come out and join the festivities as we get to know each other!
Mantua PTA Ice Cream Social
One of our favorite celebrations, the Mantua PTA Ice Cream Social will be held on August 26th from 6 to 7:30 PM on the Mantua playground! Please purchase pre-sale tickets using the QR code above to help with meal planning. This is a great way to connect with your Mantua community!
Additionally, if you would like to volunteer at the event, please use the sign-up link here: Ice Cream Social Volunteer Signup Genius
Clinic and Medication Drop-off
The clinic will host office hours for questions and medication drop-offs the week of August 17th. Office hours will be:
Wednesday, August 19 from 1 to 4pm
Thursday, August 20 from 9 to 4pm
Friday, August 21 from 12 to 4pm
As Open House is a very busy time, please consider other available times for medication drop-off. You may also contact the clinic by calling the main office phone number, 703-645-6300.
Class Placement Information
Families will have access to their child's class placement in ParentVue beginning at 9am on August 20th. Additionally, all families will receive a welcome letter from their child's teacher on the afternoon of the 20th. Kindergarten families will also be receiving welcome letters from the kinder team about their "home base" which is where they will go on day 1 at arrivals. More information on Kindergarten Camp will be coming to incoming kinder families later this week.
New Student Device Requirement
Starting this school year, students may only use FCPS-issued devices for school-related digital activities during the instructional day. This is in accordance with a new School Board requirement, approved on July 16, which states that students may not use personal electronic communication or computing devices, including personal laptops, tablets, smartwatches, smartphones, and similar devices.
Students may only use a personal device if it is required as part of a necessary accommodation in the students’ Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan. A principal or the principal’s designee may approve a limited, course-specific exception for students enrolled in a specialized class when the curriculum requires a technology tool or software that isn’t available on a standard FCPS-issued device.
Families can help support this requirement by reminding students to bring their FCPS-issued device each day and use it for all school-related digital activities unless an approved exception applies.
Study Help and Support Available to Students in Schoology
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.
Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications
Families must complete the Free and Reduced Price Meal application before the start of each school year. Approved applications may also qualify students for additional benefits. Look for the application in August, view criteria, and up-to-date information on the Free and Reduced-Price Meals webpage. Families should reach out to their schools with questions or for assistance.
To apply online:
- Visit www.MySchoolApps.com.
- In the State drop-down menu, select Virginia.
- Click on the Search button.
- On the next screen, select Fairfax County Public Schools from the Choose your District dropdown.
- Click on the Select District & Continue button.
FCPS Bus Transportation ID Cards
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.
2026-27 Class Assignments - ParentVue
Beginning August 20th, you will be able to view your child's class placement through ParentVue. You may want to check now to ensure that you have access to your ParentVue account.
Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video walks through the steps. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE. If you need support getting access to your account, please reach out to Mergie Kakouris, MBKakouris@fcps.edu.
New ParentVUE Mobile App Now Available
FCPS families can now download the new ParentVUE mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The updated app offers a more secure sign-in experience and includes the option to enable multi-factor authentication for added account security. The current ParentVUE app will continue to work for approximately six months, but families should download the new app by December 2026 to ensure uninterrupted access to their student's information. Learn more about the new app and installation instructions on the FCPS website. Parents who need assistance can submit a Parent Support Request.
Linda Shannon, Principal LCShannon@fcps.edu
Colleen Vaughan, Assistant Principal CAVaughan@fcps.edu
Michele Maurer, Assistant Principal, Mkmaurer@fcps.edu
Susan Palomino, Administrative/Finance Assistant SLPalomino@fcps.edu
Mergie Kakouris, Student Information Assistant, MBKakouris@fcps.edu
Fadwa Finaish, Office Assistant, FFinaish@fcps.edu
Judy Toy, Office Assistant, JPToy@fcps.edu
Avril Donat, Office & Library Assistant Andonat@fcps.edu
Kathy Van Dyke, Advanced Academics Resource Teacher kkvandyke@fcps.edu
Maria Regina Incer, Family Liaison, mrincernunez@fcps.edu
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