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In this Message:
- Principal's Message
- PTA News and Announcements
- Parent Digital Consent
- SIS ParentVUE
- Curiosity Corner
- Library Information
- AAP Information
- Student IDs/ Bus Tracking
- Transportation Patience and Safety
- FCPS Mobile App
- Upcoming Dates
Hello Floris Families,
What a great start to the school year! We have loved seeing our students come through the doors each morning ready to learn, connect, and grow. We are excited about the routines and relationships that are already beginning to take shape across our school!
As we head into the long weekend, we wanted to share a few reminders and updates:
No School Tomorrow or Monday
Just a reminder that there is no school tomorrow, Friday, September 4, or Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day. We hope you enjoy the long weekend with your family and have an opportunity to relax and recharge!
Bus Badges Coming Next Week
We wanted to give our bus-riding families a heads-up that students will receive their bus badges next week. To help prevent badges from getting lost, we will secure each badge to the right side of the student's backpack with a zip tie.
Our goal is for all bus riders to have their badges attached and ready to use by Friday, September 11.
Family Lunch Begins the Week of September 14
We are also excited to begin welcoming parents and family members to have lunch with their children in the cafeteria starting the week of September 14.
We wanted to give our students these first few weeks to establish routines, learn our structures, and get into the rhythm of the school day. We are excited to open this opportunity to families and know how special it can be to share lunchtime with your child at school!
Thank you for helping us make the start of this school year such a positive one. We are off to a wonderful beginning!
Enjoy the nice, long weekend, and we look forward to seeing everyone back at Floris on Tuesday!
Josh DeSmyter
Principal
Floris Elementary School
PTA News and Announcements
- Please follow the Floris PTA on Instagram (@florispta) as a way to stay connected and receive real time updates on events and news announcements.
- Consider volunteering to help make our year successful! We need parental support in making our afterschool enrichment programs a success. Please visit our website and sign up to support one of our many programs we have planned for this year.
- We need parent input on what programs to offer this year! Please visit this link asap so we can get enrichment classes rolling: Parent Input Form for PTA
🍭Popsicle Social on Thursday, September 10th at 6:30pm on the playground.
🏃🏽♀️➡️Girls On The Run registration IS OPEN and will close September 14th. Please sign up soon as space is limited: www.gotrnova.org.
👕Floris spirit wear sale begins Aug 31 through Sep 16. Order spirit wear in our virtual store!
The Floris Fun Run is Coming!
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What: A fun, high-energy event where students run, have fun, and work together to help their school!
When:
- Kick-off Pep Rally: September 18, 2026
- Fun Run: October 2, 2026
(The Fun Run will take place during the school day.)
Goal: $35,000
Our goal is to raise money to support the PTA annual budget and upgrade musical instruments. All donations are tax-deductible.
Every step counts! Together, we can do it!
Be a star and support our school. Thank you!
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Silver Knights Chess Academy
Open to all grades and skill levels.
Tuesdays, September 29–December 8, 2026
8:00–9:00 a.m.
No club on November 3
Tuition: $215 for 10 weeks
To register, visit www.chessacademy.com or scan the QR code.
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Do you have a rising kindergartener? Are you interested in joining Daisies?
If so, email the Floris Troop Organizer: floristrooporganizer@gmail.com!
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Join Scouting Night
Tuesday, September 8
6:00–7:00 p.m.
Floris Elementary School Library
New and returning Cub Scout families are welcome!
Parents will learn about the activity schedule, pack dues, volunteer opportunities, and what to expect this year. Scouts will enjoy a field day led by older Cub Scouts.
Upcoming activities include a fall campout, popcorn fundraiser, Rocket into Scouting, and Scouting for Food.
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Remember to Complete Permission Forms for School Resources
Families can now easily grant consent for their children to access a variety of school resources through the Parent Digital Consent system. This online tool can be accessed using your SIS ParentVUE account login. Parents can easily opt their child in or out of a variety of resources, including online educational tools, school counseling services, and more.
Visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. Watch this video to see how to use the tool.
Opt In or Out to Student Devices Being Sent Home for Grades 1-6
New this year, families can opt out of having student laptops sent home with their student.
- If you do not want your student to bring their FCPS-issued device home, please toggle the Opt Out button to a check mark and confirm by pressing Save Selection.
- If you would like your student to bring their FCPS device home, no toggle action is needed. Confirm by pressing Save Selection.
Students whose families opt out will continue to have access to an FCPS-issued device during the school day. Please reach out to your student’s teacher to understand expectations for homework and any learning activities that may require access to technology outside of the school day.
Everything You Need to Do in SIS ParentVUE
Are you working your way through back-to-school forms and checklists? Make sure you have a SIS ParentVUE account for your family and log in to find important forms and updates.
- Be among the first to know about weather closings, bus delays, and other critical communications from your school and FCPS by providing your cell phone number and email in ParentVUE. To update your contact information in ParentVUE, click the “Online Packets” tab in the upper right of the screen, then click the “Online Verification/Update” icon.
- Submit daylong absences by clicking “Report Absence.”
If you do not have a ParentVUE account, contact your child’s school for an activation code and follow the directions on the SIS ParentVUE Account webpage.
🧠Curiosity Corner🧠
Back, by popular demand, we bring you... Monthly Maker Missions! Each month, we will provide optional STEAM challenges that can be completed at home. The goal is to promote creative and critical thinking and engage in the engineering and design process. Submissions are due in the Curiosity Lab at the end of the month and will be highlighted within the school building and on the student news show. Let's get curious!
Our first challenge is tocreate "junkbots." Using recycled materials, create a prototype for a robot that will help the school year be a great one!
Interested in supporting the Curiosity Lab?
👉Check out our Curiosity Lab Wish List!
📚Library Information📚
Hello from the Library!
It has been wonderful to see familiar faces and meet new friends this week. We have been reviewing check out policies and students are checking out books.
Library check out policies are:
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Kindergarten: May check out 2 books per visit.
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1st Grade: May check out 2 books per visit, the number will go up as the school year continues.
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2nd-6th Grade: Students may check out as many books as they need. We talk about considering what other things are going on and if a big stack of books is a good idea (ex: Busy week? Just a book or two. Quiet, rainy weekend at home? Maybe a couple more books.). Students also need to be able to carry their books safely and they have to fit in their backpacks.
Books are checked out for 3 weeks, but students can always bring their books back early. Students are encouraged to find a space at home just for their library books, such as a box or basket, to help them remember to return their books and keep them from getting lost.
📚 Volunteers Needed in Our School Library! 📚
Do you have a few minutes to spare and a love for books? Our school library could use your helping hands! We’re looking for volunteers to assist with shelving books and keeping our library organized and welcoming for all our young readers.
No experience is needed—just a willingness to help and a smile! Even a short shift makes a big difference.
If you’re interested, please reach out to Ms. Papas at mopapas@fcps.edu. Together, we can keep our library a bright, cozy place where our kids’ imaginations can soar!
Thank you for supporting our readers!
AAP Information
Interested in learning more about Advanced Academics at Floris ES?
- Please attend the Parent Information Session Wednesday, September 23rd at 5:30 PM in the school Cafeteria.
- Please plan to arrive through the cafeteria doors.
- Any parents/guardians of students in grades K-6 are invited to attend – no RSVP needed.
- The meeting will discuss the continuum of services for Advanced Academics and the process for screening and identification for these services.
- Please visit our Floris webpage for Fall 2026 Advanced Academic updates.
- Please visit the FCPS AAP website for more information about services and screening.
Are you a Family new to FCPS AND Interested in Full-Time AAP services?
- New Students (grades 3-6 only) can be considered for Full-Time AAP services for this school year.
- If interested, please complete the required AAP Referral Form and Optional Parent Questionnaire found on the AAP Forms website.
- Completed forms need to be submitted via email anytime on or before Oct 15, 2026, to Amy Albanese abalbanese@fcps.edu. No late submissions can be accepted.
- If found eligible, students will begin receiving services in the second semester of this school year.
Interested in Full-Time AAP Services for the 27-28 School Year?
- Students in Grades 2-7 can be screened for full-time services this year for possible services starting in the 27-28 school year.
- Eligibility decisions are made by central office this March and shared with families in early April.
- If you’d like your 2-7th grader screened, please submit the full-time AAP Referral Form and the Optional Parent Questionnaire found on the AAP Forms website and submit to Amy Albanese abalbanese@fcps.edu by December 15, 2026. This deadline is firm. Forms be accepted anytime between now and COB on Dec. 15th.
- Once referrals are received, the AART (Amy Albanese) will put together a portfolio of information which will be submitted to central office for screening.
Twice Exceptional Programming
We’re excited to share information about Twice-Exceptional (2e) Programming available within our school system. Twice-exceptional students demonstrate advanced abilities while also experiencing learning, attention, or other challenges that may require additional support.
Please visit the FCPS 2e webpage to learn more about 2e programming, available resources, and opportunities to support the unique strengths and needs of twice-exceptional learners.
If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact Amy Albanese at abalbanese@fcps.edu
Any lingering questions?
Please feel free to reach out to Amy Albanese, Advanced Academics Resource Teacher at abalbanese@fcps.edu with any questions. She is available Mondays -Thursdays 8:45 – 4:15PM.
Student ID Cards for Floris Bus Riders
We are distributing student ID cards to all our students who ride the school bus or use FCPS transportation services. ID cards will be attached to your child’s backpack and brought to the bus each day.
Students who have student ID cards should begin tapping as they board and exit the bus. Only students who use FCPS transportation services will be provided with a student ID card at this time.
We ask for your patience! Bus drivers are checking in students and may need some extra time at each bus stop while they do this. The transportation team is working hard to minimize any potential delays.
Learn more about the bus navigation and student ID cards.
Transportation Patience and Safety
Thank you for your patience as we all get used to new routines this school year. We appreciate our families following Kiss and Ride procedures and being patient while waiting for your child’s bus.
If your child’s bus is delayed, you may access the Bus Delay Notification System or use the Here Comes the Bus mobile app to receive the delayed bus report. Email messages will be sent to announce significant bus delays. Please contact the Transportation Office at [phone number] with any additional questions. For concerns after 5:30 p.m., contact the FCPS Office of Safety and Security at 571-423-2000.
Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE to make sure you receive email messages about bus delays.
Have Children in Multiple FCPS Schools? 🏫
The FCPS mobile app lets you follow updates from all your children's schools in one place! Simply open the app, tap the teal pull-down menu, then tap the gear icon and select every school you want to follow. See this video of how to follow your school.
Find out about more features of the app. Download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Dates for the 2026-2027 School Year
September 4-7: Holiday- Labor Day Break – All FCPS schools and offices closed
September 10: PTA Popsicle Social, 6:30
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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