September 10 Family Newsletter

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 09/10/2026 04:50 PM EDT

English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

September 10 Family Newsletter

Dear Families, 

Thanks to everyone who attended Back to School Night last evening. For additional information and videos, check out our "Back to School Night Preview" from earlier in the week. 

Tomorrow, September 11, we pause to remember the lives lost and the many people whose lives were changed by the events of September 11, 2001. We honor the courage of the first responders and the countless individuals who helped others during a difficult time.

As a school community, we are reminded of the importance of kindness, compassion, courage, and coming together to support one another. We encourage families to take a moment to reflect in a way that is appropriate for your family and your children.

Upcoming Dates  

Thursday, September 17th - PTA Fun Run 

Friday, September 18th - Community Flier Deadline for Approval

Wednesday, September 23rd - First PTA Meeting 

Thursday, September 24th - AAP Continuum of Services Overview @ 5:45pm

FCPS 2026-2027 School Calendar 

September 11 National Day of Service

With the upcoming 25th anniversary of September 11, FCPS acknowledges the loss of life, the heroism of our first responders, and the resilience of our country. The September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, also called Patriot Day, is a chance to reflect and act in service to others to honor those who were injured or killed in the terrorist attacks. 

 ta

All FCPS students are encouraged to participate in service learning as it supports Portrait of a Graduate (POG) attributes and social and emotional learning (SEL) skills.

t

Rosh Hashanah Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on Friday, September 11. Shanah tovah to our Jewish community celebrating Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year! Meaning “head of the year,” Rosh Hashanah is one of Judaism’s holiest days and marks the beginning of the Days of Awe, a 10-day period of introspection that ends with Yom Kippur. 

Promote Deep Thinking at Home with  "Prove It!"

At Union Mill, we are focusing on helping our students extend their thinking beyond just giving a quick answer. One simple yet powerful strategy we use in the classroom is asking students to “Prove It (a.k.a. Because...)”.

When students are prompted to explain why or how they arrived at an answer, it builds a habit of mind focused on evidence, reasoning, and deeper discussion rather than just finding a correct answer.

To help bring these rich conversations into your home, we’re sharing our "Prove It!" Conversation Cards. You can use these simple follow-up questions during homework time, over dinner, or while reading together.

Try using these questions this week to see how your child extends their initial thoughts into full explanations. Happy talking, Bears!

cards

Connecting with Families 

At Union Mill we pride ourselves on having strong connections with our families. If your family is in need of resources and/or assistance, please reach out to our Family Liaison, School Counselors or  School Social Worker. You can also go to the school website, scroll down to Student Services and then click through to “School Counseling Team”. At the bottom of the page you will find a Family Needs Assessment which can be completed and returned to school. Questions can be directed to JChimnani@fcps.edu.

Parent To-Do List: Parent Action Required

Advanced Academic Programs

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is committed to challenging all students through talent development and differentiated instruction. A continuum of Advanced Academic Program (AAP) services is available to students in Grades K-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:

  • Fall identification: Students in grades 3-7 who have enrolled in FCPS since January may be referred by October 15, 2026.
  • Spring identification: Any FCPS student in Grades 2-7 may be referred by December 15, 2026.

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 3-6 who do not have a multi-domain ability test score take the NGAT.
  • Students in Grades 3-6 may retake an ability test one time. Families may request the ability test retake by contacting Jaime Graham, School Testing Coordinator, at jagraham@fcps.edu by September 30.

Families are invited to attend two AAP information meetings, led by Melissa Paris-Hutchens, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART):

  • AAP Continuum of Services: Thursday September 24th at 5:45 p.m. in room 115. Families will learn about the continuum of advanced academic services available to FCPS students.
  • Full-Time AAP Identification: Thursday November 5th at 5 p.m. in room 115. Families will learn about the referral and identification processes for Full-Time AAP services.

For more information, please contact Melissa Paris-Hutchens, AART, at maparis@fcps.edu or visit the FCPS Advanced Academic Programs website.

Community Flier Distribution

This semester’s nonprofit Community Flier Distribution will take place on Friday, September 25th.  To submit a flier for approval, it must be received in the main office by no later than Friday, September 18th and include the following disclaimer:

"This event [or activity] is sponsored by [name of the organization] and is operated independently of the Fairfax County School Board, the Superintendent, and Union Mill Elementary School.”

Once the flier is approved, please deliver 31 sets of 30 copies each (plus a few extras for the front office) no later than 12:00pm on Wednesday, September 23rd.

Fliers will go home with students on Friday, September 25th .

Volunteering at Union Mill

If you are looking to volunteer for the 26-27 school year and have not already done so, complete your Volunteer FCPS registration this summer! This is required for all FCPS and Union Mill Volunteers. 

  • Register With Volunteer FCPS Volunteer FCPS allows individuals to search and register for volunteer opportunities. It helps ensure a safe, consistent, and welcoming environment here at Union Mill. All volunteers must:
  • Create a profile in Volunteer FCPS. 
  • Register for opportunities through Volunteer FCPS. 
  • Sign in and out of schools using the visitor kiosk.  

At the Volunteer FCPS site, you can complete a volunteer orientation. Visit the Volunteer FCPS Frequently Asked Questions for more information. 

Union Mill thanks you for your support!

Early Release Wednesdays for 2026-27 

FCPS will continue with limited early release Wednesdays for elementary schools during the 2026-27 school year, however the number has been reduced from eight to four days. 

Early release Wednesdays provide elementary teachers with a dedicated block of time to prepare lessons, participate in professional development and training, and collaborate with peers. A well-supported and continuously improving teaching staff leads to better educational outcomes for students. 

Find more information about early release Wednesdays, including the list of early release dates.

  • October 21

  • December 2

  • February 10

  • May 5

UMES PTA 

Sign Up for our Union Mill Fun Run!

It’s time to rally together for our Union Mill Fun Run fundraiser! Our goal is to raise $50,000 for reducing field trip costs, and funding both school-wide improvements and school-wide engagement activities for students, which will enhance our school’s resources and provide our students with an even better educational experience.

Great Wolf Lodge is helping us have more fun during our fundraiser! One lucky family from our school will win a Great Wolf Lodge night’s stay! Register on MyBooster.com to be eligible, and earn additional chances to win every time you share your donation page. Plus, all students earn wolf ears just for participating!

To make things even more exciting, if we raise $50,000, we will have a school wide PJ Day!

Here’s how you can help:
1. Sign up at MyBooster.com
2. Share your student’s donation page with friends and family
3. Donate if you’re able

Every sign-up, share, and donation helps students earn points for prizes in the Reward Store. Visit MyBooster.com to see all the prizes you can choose from!

The Fun Run is on 9/17. Spectators are welcome but must be registered as FCPS volunteers to attend! We are also looking for volunteers to help hand out water during the Fun Run. Sign up here to be an FCPS volunteer at UMES! Look out for a separate Sign Up Genius from the PTA to come out soon.

Thank you for our support!

ta
ta

Fun Run – Signups Are OPEN!

Signups are now OPEN for our Union Mill Fun Run! Our goal is to raise $50,000 for reducing field trip costs, funding school-wide improvements, and school-wide events for students. When you sign up at MyBooster.com, your pack will have the chance to head to Great Wolf Lodge! We have some fun in store for our families while we fundraise to reach our goal, but you must be registered on MyBooster.com to qualify. Students earn their wolf ears just for receiving their first donation. Here’s the lead up to our Fun Run: 📅 Sign Up online at MyBooster.com – TODAY! 🎉 Fundraiser Kickoff in school – 09/08/2026 👟 Event Day – 09/17/2026

Learning Garden Meeting – Monday 9/14

The first meeting of the Learning Garden Club will be on September 14th from 3:30-4:30PM after school. Registration is required! Check back next week for sign up details. They are also looking for volunteers! Please email umeslearninggarden@gmail.com with any questions!

First PTA Meeting – September 23rd

Join us in person for the first general membership PTA meeting of the school year. The PTA meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7PM. Most meetings are virtual and we hold a quarterly meeting in person. We will meet in the cafeteria and childcare will be provided by the CVHS Student Government Association (SGA). PTA meetings are open to everyone! You don’t need to be a member to attend, but you do need to be a member to vote in elections and on budget decisions.

At our September meeting we will cover:

  • Meet the PTA Board
  • Approving the PTA budget for the school year
  • Discussion of the recent technology policy changes made by the FCPS School Board and how they impact students. Speakers will be in attendance at the meeting to answer your questions!

Save These Dates 

September 8th - Kick Off for the Fun Run!

September 9th - Visit the PTA Table for a calendar or spirit wear.

September 14th - Learning Garden Club Meeting 3:30PM 

  • Stay tuned for registration details!

September 17th - Fun Run - Kick Off is September 8th at school!

September 23rd - First PTA General Membership Meeting of the year!

  • Time: 7PM, attend in person, childcare provided by CVHS SGA
  • Meeting Topics: 
    • Approving the PTA Budget for the school year
    • Discussion of the recent technology policy changes made by FCPS School Board and the impact on students
    • Speakers will be in attendance to answer your questions

Stay Connected with the PTA 

We’ve got lots of ways for you to keep in touch with other families in our community and stay the most up to date on PTA sponsored events and programs!

  1. Care to email? We’re always available at pta@unionmillpta.org
  2. Want to browse the calendar, budget, or past meeting minutes? Hit up our website.
  3. Are you all about sliding into DMs? Follow us on Instagram.
  4. Is Facebook more your comfort zone? We identify as millenials…so same here. Like our page on Facebook to browse updates, community resources, and join our grade specific Facebook groups.

Union Mill Hours

Bell Schedule 

Doors open at 8:35 am. Students should be in class by 8:45 am.

Students are dismissed at 3:30 pm.

Office Hours 

Monday - Friday - 8:00 - 4:00 pm