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Dear Freedom Hill Families,
What a great first week at Freedom Hill! It has been wonderful to have our students back in the building and to see our school come alive again. Throughout the week, we saw teachers diving into meaningful learning while also taking time to build relationships, establish routines, and create the strong classroom communities that will set the foundation for a successful year. Our students have brought so much energy and enthusiasm back to the Hill!
Thank you as well for your patience and cooperation with our arrival and dismissal procedures this week. We know that the beginning of the year brings an adjustment period as everyone settles into new routines, and we greatly appreciate our families working alongside us to keep arrival and dismissal safe and efficient for all students.
As we head into week two, we hope you will join us Tuesday evening for our annual Back to School Night for parents. Our schedule is below, and offers families two sessions, if needed, to see multiple FHES classroom teachers:
- ~5:50 - Doors Open
- 6:00-6:25 - Session 1 with Teachers
- 6:30-6:55 - Session 2 with Teachers
- 6:00-7:00 - Specialist Meet & Greet in the Library
- 7:00-7:30 - Advanced Academics Information Session in Library
- 7:30-8:00 - Informal Discussion with the School Administration in Library
Wishing you and your family a great 2nd week!
In partnership,
Dr. Nicholas Zapadka, Principal
Mr. Tim Scesney, Assistant Principal
Ms. Holly Sims, Assistant Principal
2026-27 FCPS School Calendar
Freedom Hill Family Resources
Breakfast/Lunch Menus
PTA-sponsored enrichment classes for the Fall 2026 session are now open for registration! Our teacher-led programs offer students a fun and meaningful way to explore new interests before school.
The Fall Session runs from September 8 – December 18 and includes a variety of engaging options across grade levels.
Before-School Options for the Fall Include:
(Class days and times vary; see the registration page for complete details.)
All enrichment classes are taught by FHES teachers, providing a safe, familiar, and supportive learning environment.
To register, visit the PTA Enrichment Activities page and store: https://freedomhillespta.givebacks.com/w/enrichment
Note: Classes require minimum enrollment to run.
Registration Closes August 31 @ 9 PM
Contact the PTA at info@freedomhillpta.org if you have any questions, issues, or need additional help.
Fairfax County Public Schools is committed to challenging all students through talent development and differentiated instruction. A continuum of Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) services is available to students in Grades K to 12 and is designed to match services to each student’s unique academic needs.
Identification for Subject-Specific and Part-Time AAP services occurs throughout the school year. Full-Time AAP services have two identification cycles:
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Fall identification: Students in grades 3 to 7 who have enrolled in FCPS since January may be referred by October 15th.
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Spring identification: Any FCPS student in Grades 2 to 7 may be referred by December 15th.
FCPS uses ability testing as one consideration in the holistic identification process for AAP services:
- All students in Grade 2 take the Naglieri General Ability Test (NGAT).
- Students in Grades 3 to 6 who do not have a multi-domain ability test score take the NGAT.
- Students in Grades 3 to 6 may retake an ability test one time. Families may request the ability test retake by contacting Tara Fredericks by September 30.
Families are invited to attend our AAP information meeting led by Mrs. Fredericks, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART), from 7:00-7:30PM on Back to School Night. In additional meeting will be held later this year to discuss the specifics of Full-Time AAP services (for interested families with students in grades 2-6).
For more information, please contact Tara Fredericks, AART, at or visit the FCPS Advanced Academic Programs webpage.
Is your child interested in student leadership opportunities? Student Council Elections are coming soon! Look for the permission slip to participate in elections in your student’s Wednesday folder.
Freedom Hill Eagle Running Club is BACK! Calling all 3rd through 6th graders to join us for 6 weeks of Running Club on the following Thursdays after school from 4:10-5:30: September 17, 24, October 1, 8, 15, and 22. The cost is $25 and is payable on MySchoolBucks. This payment includes 6 weeks of running club and registration to the Freedom Hill 5K on October 25th. Students will receive a race t-shirt! Registration is OPEN from September 2nd- September 15th.
Three-hour early release days for Freedom Hill are:
- September 30th
- November 18th
- January 13th
- April 7th
Read more about early release Wednesdays on the FCPS website. Directions for how to indicate your childcare needs are below. Please complete by August 25th.
Opt In/Opt Out for ERW Childcare
We anticipate most students will be dismissed at 1:05, like last year. However, we recognize that some families may require childcare during the limited Early Release Wednesdays; these students will be supervised by instructional assistants. No new instruction will take place as after-school care is strictly supervision.
Directions to Indicate your Childcare Needs for ERW
Log in to ParentVUE to review and provide your choice for Early Release Days Child Care.
⇒ No, I have childcare arrangements on Early Release Days and do not require childcare
⇒ No, My child is enrolled in afternoon SACC
⇒ Yes, I require childcare, and my child will stay at school until the normal dismissal
Here are the welcome videos from ALL Fairfax County School Board members.
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.
Again this year, families will use the Parent Digital Consent System to complete some forms that have used paper in the past. You will log in using your ParentVUE Account credentials, there, you will be able complete the Digital Resources Consent form for the school year, which is required for all students. You will also be able to find more information about opt-out forms and complete those forms for your student.
 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 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.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, eating breakfast at school is associated with better attendance rates, fewer missed school days, and better test scores. Studies show that students who eat both school breakfast and lunch tend to have healthier diets than those who don't participate in school meals.
Families who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals can receive breakfast and lunch for their students at no cost or at a reduced cost. This includes more than one-third of FCPS students. Families must complete the Free and Reduced-Price Meals (FRM) application before the start of each school year. Approved applications may also qualify students for additional benefits.
The application for FRM is now available for the 2026-27 school year. Students who were approved for FRM last year are eligible for the first 30 days of school this year (or until a new application is processed). Families should reapply as soon as possible so eligible students continue to receive meals at no cost.
Access the application and view criteria and up-to-date information on the FRM webpage. Families should reach out to their schools with questions or for assistance.
On Tuesday, July 28, a new ParentVUE mobile app will become available in the Apple and Google app stores. This new app provides parents and caregivers with a more secure sign-in. The current “classic” app will remain active for about six months. Families must download the new app by December 2026 to ensure they have continued mobile access to their child’s school data.
In the new app, families can enroll in multi-factor authentication (MFA) for FCPS Single Sign-On. While enrollment is optional, we strongly recommend that everyone enable this security feature.
Learn more about installing the new ParentVUE app. Parents needing assistance should submit a Parent Support Request.
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.
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 703-446-2050 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.
    
Upcoming Events
Stop by the PTA table while you’re here! Come say hello, ask us any questions, join the PTA, and if you’ve already joined for the 2026-27 school year, pick up your PTA swag.
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- 5:45 - Doors open for parent/guardians
- 6-6:25 - Session 1 w/teachers K-6
- 6:30-6:55 - Session 2 w/teachers K-6
- 6-7 - Meet & Greet w/ Specialists
- 7-7:30 - Advanced Academics Info Session
- 7:30-8 - Open Discussion w/ our Principals
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Sept 11 - Back to School Picnic - 5:30-7:30PM @ Freedom Hill (Volunteer Link)
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Sept 23 - First PTA Meeting, 6PM-8PM, Library
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Sept 30 - Family Dinner Out @ Pike 7 Shake Shack, 10am-10pm, mention Donation Day or use promo code, DONATE (Flyer)
BACK TO SCHOOL PICNIC - FRIDAY, SEPT. 11
We hope to see you on the Freedom Hill playground, blacktop, and field as we celebrate the new school year! The picnic is from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM, and we will need help before and after to set up and clean up. Sign up to volunteer here. (If you have a student who needs volunteer hours, this is a great opportunity.)
Make your picnic dinner easy! You can pre-order pizza or Potbelly through the PTA website, and it will be waiting for you at the picnic. Order now. See the flyer for a paper order form (English) (Spanish).
FALL 2026 TEACHER-LED ENRICHMENT CLASSES
Time is running out to register your student for the PTA’s before-school programs. Many classes will be cancelled unless we can meet the minimum number of students. See below for details. Reach out to your friends and get them to join before August 31st!
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PE Club (grades 3-6), led by Mr. Dowling, needs nine more student registrants to meet the minimum enrollment. AT RISK OF BEING CANCELLED.
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Game Makers Guild (grades 1-6) needs five more student registrants to meet the minimum enrollment. AT RISK OF BEING CANCELLED.
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Origami Club (all grades) needs three more student registrants to meet the minimum enrollment. AT RISK OF BEING CANCELLED.
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Art Club (grades 2-6), led by Mr. Hodges, needs six more student registrants to meet the minimum enrollment. AT RISK OF BEING CANCELLED.
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Book Club (grades 3-6), led by Ms. Baughman, needs seven more student registrants to meet the minimum enrollment. AT RISK OF BEING CANCELLED.
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Continental Math League (grades 2-6) is good to go. Can accept 15 more students.
Financial aid is available for eligible families; please reach out before registering if you need assistance.
If a class hasn’t reached minimum size by the end of registration, it will be canceled, and money refunded. Registration Closes August 31 @ 9 PM.Find all details on the PTA website’s Enrichment Activities page.
Questions or need support? Email info@freedomhillpta.org.
STAY CONNECTED
PTA QUICK LINKS
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