GBE Happenings: September 9, 2026

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 09/09/2026 05:00 PM EDT

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Three students wearing backpacks smile as they arrive at school, with a school bus behind them.

 

Students arrive at school with smiles on their faces, ready for another day of learning and fun!

Looking Ahead

  • Wednesday, September 9 - PTA Meeting 
  • Monday, September 21 - Holiday - No School 
  • Friday, September 25 - Parent Café at 10 a.m. in the GBE Library
  • Thursday, October 1 - Watch D.O.G.S. Orientation at 7 p.m. in the GBE Library 

Connect and Learn at Our First Parent Café

Greenbriar East administration and Ms. Kwon, our family liaison, are partnering to offer Parent Cafés throughout the school year. These gatherings are an opportunity for families to connect, ask questions, and learn more about resources and support available at GBE.

Join us for our first Parent Café on Friday, September 25, at 10 a.m. We hope to see you there!

Families can RSVP by email at dhkwon@fcps.edu or by text at 571-536-9435.

Join Mr. Pietzman at the Asha Jyothi 5K!

Lace up your running shoes and join our Greenbriar East community for the 18th Annual Asha Jyothi 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run on Sunday, September 20, at Fairfax Corner! Our very own principal, Mr. Pietzman, will be running this year, and we would love to have our community join him!

  • 1 Mile Fun Run: 8 a.m.
  • 5K: 8:30 a.m.

Asha Jyothi is a volunteer-based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting education and health care. Through its school partnership program, 100% of registration fees are donated back to participating schools, with additional donations available as schools reach registration milestones.

Registration includes an Asha Jyothi T-shirt, kids' medals, food, and Bollywood music. 

Select Greenbriar East Elementary School during registration, and 100% of your registration fee will come back to GBE, even if you participate in the 1 Mile Fun Run!

Register for the Asha Jyothi 5K and Fun Run

Come run, walk, or cheer on Mr. Pietzman while supporting Greenbriar East!

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 Tests (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 either Katie Smallwood (kssmallwood@fcps.edu) or Samara Green (SEGreen@fcps.edu), School Testing Coordinators by September 30.

Families are invited to attend an AAP information meeting, led by Stephanie Gardner, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART):

  • AAP Continuum of Services and Full-Time AAP Identification: Tuesday, September 22 at 6pm in the GBE Cafeteria. Families will learn about the continuum of advanced academic services available to FCPS students. Families will also learn about the referral and identification processes for Full-Time AAP services.

For more information, please contact Stephanie Gardner, AART, at sngardner1@fcps.edu or visit the FCPS Advanced Academic Programs website.

Save the Date: Community Conversations with Superintendent Reid

Your voice matters, and Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid wants to hear from you! At FCPS, parents are partners, working with us to set our students up for long-term success at school and in life. 

A series of Community Conversations will be held across the school division. You are invited to share your thoughts with Dr. Reid and ask her questions. Events are planned for the following dates at 6:30 p.m. (unless otherwise noted):

Registration links will be shared soon. Childcare and interpretation services will be provided. Events are one-hour long and open to all. Find out about other opportunities to connect with Dr. Reid.

Your Child’s Presence at School Matters

Attendance

The beginning of the school year is the best time to develop strong attendance habits! Students who attend school regularly are more likely to perform well in reading and math, develop strong social and emotional skills, and graduate from high school on time. Help prepare your child for future success by helping them build good habits. 

If you or your family need any kind of support, please reach out to our front office. We are here for you! Visit FCPS’ Attendance webpage for tips and strategies.

Help Keep Our School Distraction-Free

Please remind your student that personal electronic communication or computing devices should be off and personally stored (i.e. backpacks) for the duration of the school day — bell to bell. This includes:

  • Personal laptops and tablets.
  • Smartphones and smartwatches.
  • Other personal electronic communication or computing devices.

If you need to reach your student during the school day, please call our main office at 703-633-6400. Learn more about the FCPS Cellphone Policy and Device Policy.

PTA New & Notes

📅 First PTA Meeting

  • When: Wednesday, September 9th at 7:00 PM
  • Where: Online via Google Meet
  • Link: Click here to join

⚾ Family Fundraising Event: Night at the Ballpark!

Join us for a fun night out to support the PTA! Grab your family and friends and come watch the Baltimore Orioles take on the Milwaukee Brewers.

🍂 2026 Fall Clubs Registration

Below is the lineup for our Fall before- and after-school clubs. Spaces usually fill up fast, so grab a spot early!

 

GBE Run Club

  • Grades: K - 6th
  • When: Fridays (Start date and time TBD)
  • Where: Track
  • Cost: TBD

More information to be available by 9/10/2026

AFYP (Acting for Young People)

  • Grades: 2nd - 6th
  • When: Wednesdays, 4:15 - 5:15 PM (Sept 23 - Nov 18)
  • Where: Music Room (by the gym)
  • Cost: $152.00 (8 weeks)
  • Register Here

Jimmy Potters Pottery

  • Grades: K - 6th
  • When: Thursdays, 4:15 - 5:15 PM (Oct 1 - Nov 19)
  • Where: Art Room
  • Cost: $245.00 (8 weeks)
  • Register Here

Odyssey Debate Club

  • Grades: 3rd - 6th
  • When: 4:15 - 5:15 PM (Starts Oct 9)
  • Where: Cafeteria
  • Cost: $150.00 (8 sessions)
  • Details: Taught by competitive high school debaters, students will play games, run drills, and complete challenges to learn research, persuasive writing, and critical thinking based on public forum-style debate.
  • Note: The registration link will be live online by next week.

Sticky Fingers Cooking Class

  • Where: Art Room
  • Cost: $216.00 (8 weeks)
  • Grades K-2: Thursdays, 4:30 - 5:30 PM (Starts Sept 24) | Register Here
  • Grades 3-6: Tuesdays, 4:30 - 5:30 PM (Starts Sept 29) | Register Here

Chess Club

  • Ages: All grades and skill levels
  • When: Tuesdays, 7:50 - 8:50 AM (Oct 6 - Jan 12)
  • Where: Cafeteria
  • Cost: $258.00 (12 weeks)
  • Register Here