Mosaic Matters - September 9, 2026

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 09/09/2026 04:20 PM EDT

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📰What's Happening at Mosaic?

students standing together on the field

🏫Back to School Night

Back to School Night is coming up! On Thursday, September 17, at 6:00 p.m., we will welcome families of students in kindergarten through 3rd grade, as well as Mrs. Presper’s class. Families of students in 4th through 6th grade are invited to attend on Thursday, September 24, at 6:00 p.m. Please remember that these events are for parents/guardians only, not students.

📝Required Forms Available in the Parent Digital Consent System

The start of the school year comes with several important forms that need to be completed for every student. We encourage families to log in to SIS ParentVUE and the Parent Digital Consent (PDC) System (same username and password that you use for SIS ParentVue) to complete forms. Many required forms, along with several optional permissions and resources, are available online.

📚Notes from the Library

Our Mustangs have already checked out over 3,000 books this school year! We enjoy seeing students visit the library each week to select books to take home and enjoy. Our library offers an assortment of books for PreK through 6th grade, including picture books, chapter books, biographies, nonfiction, and graphic novels. Our library catalog, Destiny Discover, is a great place for students to search for books or to access FCPS’s online databases such as PebbleGo and Britannica. For questions about any of these resources, or about our library program, please reach out to our librarian, Mrs. Brown, at hbrown@fcps.edu.

👩‍⚕️Get to Know Our School Health Staff

Our Public Health Nurse at Mosaic is Sarah Watnee. Contact her at swatnee1@fcps.edu for health plans, medication drop-offs, or questions about chronic conditions. Our School Health Aide is Pam Taylor. Visit our school health webpage for forms, illness policies, and tips to keep your student healthy.

📵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 703-937-1600. Learn more about the FCPS Cellphone Policy and Device Policy.

🔐Safety Drills During the School Year

Keeping students and staff safe is a priority for FCPS. Each school has an emergency preparedness plan to respond to incidents such as fires and extreme weather. Schools are required by state law to practice emergency drills, including lockdown drills, each year. Schools are also required to notify parents and guardians at least 24 hours before a school conducts a lockdown drill. However, schools are not required to give the specific date and time of the drill in advance. 

The first lockdown drill of the school year must take place within the first 20 days of school. Preschool and kindergarten students are exempt from practicing the first lockdown drill. 

Your child may come home and talk about their experience during the drill. We encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Please review these frequently asked questions to support your child before and after school lockdown drills.

⚠️ Know Our Security Terms

FCPS uses specific terminology to describe the actions school staff and students should take to ensure safety in a variety of situations. It is important for staff, families, and students to understand what the different terms mean and how they impact school operations.

Watch this video to learn about safety terms including lockdown; secure the building; and stay put, stay tuned. 

If students, staff, or families have a safety concern at school (that is not an immediate emergency), they should submit a tip to the FCPS Safety Tipline. In an emergency, please call 9-1-1. 

📝Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) at Mosaic ES

FCPS provides a continuum of Advanced Academic Program (AAP) services (Grades K–12) to meet students' individual academic needs. Subject-Specific and Part-Time screening occurs annually, with a referral deadline of April 15, 2027. Full-Time services follow two annual cycles:

  • Fall Screening Cycle (This screening cycle is for Grade 3-7 and students enrolled in FCPS after Jan 2026). Referral deadline October 15, 2026.
  • Spring Screening Cycle (This screening cycle is for Grades 2–7). Referral deadline December 15, 2026.

Testing & Next Steps:

  • NGAT Testing: Administered to all 2nd graders and any 3rd–6th graders without an ability test score. Testing information will be shared with families at a later date.
  • Test Retakes: 3rd–6th graders may retake an ability test once. Request a retake by September 30.
  • Family Night: Coming this October! Date and details will be shared soon.

Important: Please do not wait for ability test scores before submitting a referral for your child in Grades 2-7. Referrals submitted after the deadlines will not be accepted.

For questions, reach out to Kate Duffy (Mosaic ES AART) at ksduffy@fcps.edu or visit the FCPS AAP web page.

🎤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.

🗓️Upcoming Events 

September 15 - PTA Meeting, 6:00 p.m.

September 17 - Back to School Night grades K-3 (and Presper), 6-7 p.m.

September 21 - Yom Kippur (Student Holiday)

September 24 - Back to School Night grades 4-6, 6-7 p.m.

October 7  - Walk and Roll to School Day

October 12 - Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Student Holiday)