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Español: Haz clic en tu idioma preferido arriba para traducir este boletín.
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አማርኛ: ይህን ጋዜጣ ለመተርጎም ከላይ የመረጡትን ቋንቋ ይጫኑ።
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中文: 点击上方您选择的语言来翻译本期通讯。
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한국어: 이 뉴스레터를 번역하려면 위에서 원하는 언어를 클릭하세요.
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Tiếng Việt: Nhấp vào ngôn ngữ bạn muốn ở trên để dịch bản tin này.
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اردو: اس نیوز لیٹر کا ترجمہ کرنے کے لیے اوپر اپنی پسندیدہ زبان پر کلک کریں۔
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فارسی: برای ترجمه این خبرنامه، روی زبان مورد نظر خود در بالا کلیک کنید.
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العربية: انقر على لغتك المفضلة أعلاه لترجمة هذه النشرة الإخبارية.
A little outdoor discovery brought big excitement to recess! Our fourth graders were filled with wonder when they found a chrysalis outside, turning an ordinary moment into an unforgettable science experience. 🐛🦋
Wednesday, September 16- PTA Sponsored Movie Night
Thursday, September 17- AAP Continuum of Services Information Session 5:30-6:30 BES Library
Monday, September 21 - Yom Kippur - Division Closed
Wednesday, September 23- Back to School Night
Wednesday, October 7- PTA & Annual Title 1 Meeting
Monday, October 12 - Staff Development Day - Student Holiday
Thursday, October 29- Trunk or Treat
Dear Belvedere Family,
Belvedere is first and foremost an IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) school, and we also intentionally embed AVID practices into our schoolwide approach to learning. AVID, which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination, helps students develop the skills, confidence, and habits they need to be successful in school and prepared for their future. At the elementary level, this includes helping students see themselves as capable learners, build organization and collaboration skills, set goals, and begin thinking about college and careers. If you’d like to learn more, please visit AVID in FCPS.
One of AVID’s missions is to encourage students and families to talk more about college and careers at home. To support this effort, we will celebrate:
National AVID Day on September 18 with “Future Friday”!
Future Friday
We invite students to wear something that celebrates a career they might want to have someday. It could be a shirt, hat, or other item that represents a future career they are interested in. We hope this will be a fun way to get students talking about their interests, dreams, and possibilities for the future
A Few Kiss & Ride Reminders
We appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation as our Kiss & Ride line moves through the neighborhood each afternoon. As a reminder, please be mindful of our neighbors and do not stop or park in front of driveways, as this prevents residents from getting in and out of their homes.
If you are picking up your child by car, please use the Kiss & Ride line rather than driving into the school and parking. Cars entering the parking lot for student pickup add congestion and can create safety concerns for students who are walking home and crossing through the parking lot.
Please ensure that you are driving safely and with extra caution as you enter the line. You may see more families and students walking to enjoy our Story Book Walk! 🐾📖
Thank you for helping us keep arrival and dismissal safe and for being good neighbors to our Belvedere community!
Warmly,
Cecilia Vanderhye, Tara Boone, and Jess Duvel
Belvedere Elem Administration Team
Belvedere needs a representative for Fairfax County Public Schools' Title I Parent Advisory Committee (TPAC). Committee representatives, Title I staff and principals meet up to seven times during the school year for 90 minutes -- in person at Title I schools as well as virtually -- to discuss topics around Title I funding and family engagement initiatives taking place in other schools.
Committee members also:
- Develop leadership and advocacy skills by sharing strategies used to foster family engagement in schools.
- Provide input into the planning and implementation of Title I family engagement programming in Fairfax County.
- Support the development and presentation of an annual school board report describing the focus of the committee during the school year, information and resources gained throughout the year and recommendations for the next school year.
This committee is very valuable to our school community! If you are interested in serving, please contact Tasha Floyd, Belvedere Administrative Assistant, at 703-9166800. The first TPAC meeting is Oct. 20.
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The Annual Title I Meeting will take place during the PTA meeting on Wednesday, October 7th at 6:30 PM in the Belvedere Library or on Zoom.
Information will be provided about the Title I Program. Parents will have an opportunity to review and provide input for the Title I Family Compact.
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The Title I Parents Rights to Know Letter was in your child's Friday Folder this week. Digital copies can be accessed here in multiple languages:
Title 1 Parents Rights to Know Letter- English
Title 1 Parents Rights to Know Letter- Amharic
Title 1 Parents Rights to Know Letter-Arabic
Title 1 Parents Rights to Know Letter- Bengali
Title 1 Parents Rights to Know Letter- Chinese
Title 1 Parents Rights to Know Letter- Farsi
Title 1 Parents Rights to Know Letter- French
Title 1 Parents Rights to Know Letter- Hindi
Title 1 Parents Rights to Know Letter- Korean
Title 1 Parents Rights to Know Letter- Spanish
Title 1 Parents Rights to Know Letter-Urdu
The IB Learner Profile highlights the importance of being Reflective. One way we support our students with reflection is the PYP Portfolio. This portfolio houses student reflections and artifacts of student learning. Collecting and reflecting on their work gives students the opportunity to see how they have grown and appreciate how their understanding has deepened.
On Wednesday, September 9th, students in grades 1-5 participated in the “Portfolio Parade”. Students had the opportunity to “parade” back to their old classrooms, say hi to their previous teachers, and collect their portfolio. New students were given their own portfolio to begin documenting their journey in the Primary Years Program. After the parade, many students revisited work in their portfolios from previous years, celebrating their growth and looking ahead to the future.
As your family discusses school on a regular basis, consider ways you might support your child with reflection. You could ask:
- How have you gotten better at ______?
- How are you growing?
- How is this/ are you different from last year?
Please feel free to email our PYP Coordinator, Margot Hwang (mahwang@fcps.edu) if you have any questions about the program.
AAP Information Sessions:
Families are invited to attend two AAP information meetings led by Jaclyn Walsh, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART):
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AAP Continuum of Services: Thursday, September 17th from 5:30-6:30 in the Belvedere Library. Families will learn about the continuum of advanced academic services available to FCPS students.
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Full-Time AAP Identification: Thursday, November 12th. Families will learn about the referral and identification processes for Full-Time AAP services.
For more information, please contact Jaclyn Walsh, AART, at jwalsh@fcps.edu or visit the FCPS Advanced Academic Programs webpage.
Join us for a series of Community Conversations that will be held across the school division. Share your thoughts with Dr. Reid and ask her questions. Click on the date to register for any of the following events:
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Wednesday, September 16, 6:45 p.m., at McNair Elementary School
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Monday, September 28, at 6:30 p.m., at Riverside Elementary School
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Monday, October 19, at 6:30 p.m., at Spring Hill Elementary School
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Monday, October 26, at 6:30 p.m., at Beech Tree Elementary School
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Thursday, October 29, at 6:30 p.m., at North Springfield Elementary School
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Friday, November 13, at 6:30 p.m., at Powell Elementary School
Registration is not required, but it helps with planning.
FCPS is committed to providing a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for people of all races, national origins, and ethnicities. Individuals experiencing harassment or discrimination should report the incident as soon as possible.
The FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) booklet explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment. This year’s SR&R includes new Universal Grade Matrices, which are at-a-glance charts that make it easier for families to see behavior expectations and school responses for grades K-3, 4-8, and 9-12.
Families, please review the SR&R and discuss these expectations with your child. Be sure to sign the SR&R acknowledgement form by Wednesday, September 30, either by logging into SIS ParentVUE or signing and returning the Signature Sheet to your child’s school.
Learn more by watching a short video about the SR&R (available in English and Spanish) or visiting the SR&R webpage.
Cellphones and Personal Devices
Students may only use a personal device if it is required as part of a necessary accommodation in the students’ Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan. A principal or the principal’s designee may approve a limited, course-specific exception for students enrolled in a specialized class when the curriculum requires a technology tool or software that isn’t available on a standard FCPS-issued device. Learn more about the student device requirement.
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Future Friday is Friday, September 18! Students are encouraged to wear something that represents a career they may want to have in the future. As an AVID school, Belvedere supports students as they explore their interests, set goals, and begin thinking about college and career opportunities. We look forward to celebrating our students’ bright futures! |
Belvedere's Outdoor Club brings students and families together to discover local parks, connect with nature, and build community through optional Saturday morning field trips.
On Saturday, September 26 (9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.), join Outdoor Club to explore Huntley Meadows Park—one of the area's top nature spots! All Belvedere students and their families are invited to participate.
- Take the bus from Belvedere or Barcroft View, or meet us at the park.
- Students in grades 2–5 may attend independently; preK–1st grade students must be accompanied by a guardian.
Space is limited, so be sure to register and view full details here.
Future Outdoor Club trips are tentatively scheduled for October 24, January 23, March 6, April 3, and May 1.
September is Attendance Awareness Month. Some of the ways parents can help their children create healthy routines and a habit of getting to school on time every day include:
- Setting a regular bedtime and morning routine. (Need help? Download this checklist in English or Spanish.)
- Laying out clothes and packing backpacks the night before.
- Talking to teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make your child feel comfortable and excited about learning, if they seem anxious about going to school.
- Developing back-up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.
- Avoiding medical appointments or extended trips when school is in session.
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.
- Even though FCPS has launched a new bus navigation system, some aspects like the new FCPS My Ride mobile app are still in development. Families should still use the Here Comes the Bus mobile app to track the location of their child’s bus. This app is still compatible with the new system.
FCPS will notify families and schools when the new app is ready to download and use. In the meantime, everyone should reinforce with students that they need to tap on and off the bus with their student ID cards.
Did you already download the new app?
That’s okay! The new app is in the final stage of testing, so some features are not yet fully functional. At this time, you should refer to Here Comes the Bus for the most accurate information.
We have something new to explore at Belvedere!
A big thank you to the FCPS Safe Routes to School team for coming to Belvedere and setting up our new Story Book Walk! 🐾📖
Students and families can follow the walking route and enjoy a story one page at a time along the way. It’s a fun way to combine reading with getting outside and staying active!
Be sure to check it out the next time you’re at Belvedere!
Check out our Instagram reel for a sneak peek!
As we look ahead to the upcoming school year, the health and well-being of our students continues to be one of our priorities. Staying up to date with your child's flu vaccination helps:
- Reduce School Absences: Keeping students healthy means more time spent learning and engaging with peers.
- Protect the Community: Vaccination helps shield vulnerable family members and neighbors from seasonal illness.
- Support Overall Wellness: Routine flu shots are a key component of a proactive student health plan.
Upcoming Flu Shot Events
FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will provide flu shots for all FCPS students, ages 18 and under, at no out-of-pocket cost. Multiple events will be taking place at designated FCPS locations. Additional dates will be made available throughout the school year. Parents or guardians may view upcoming events and schedule an appointment for their student. Participation is voluntary.
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.
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.
Kindergarten students took on the Engineering Design Process as they imagined and sketched forts they could build with KEVA Planks. After constructing their designs, they reflected on ways to improve their forts, redrew their plans, and built new structures incorporating their improvements. We are highly impressed by their creativity, problem-solving, and engineering skills!
Special Education Family Conference: Connected Communities, Thriving Students
Register now for the annual Special Education Family Conference: Connected Communities, Thriving Students. The free conference will take place on Saturday, November 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Hayfield Secondary School.
Hosted by FCPS in collaboration with community partners, the conference highlights the power of partnerships in supporting student success. Families, educators, and community members are invited to connect, learn, and explore available special education services, supports, and resources.
The conference will feature an inspiring opening session, engaging breakout sessions, an exhibitor hall with local resources, and lunch for all participants.
Register for the conference and visit the Special Education Family Conference webpage for more information. Email SpecialEdFamilyConf@fcps.edu with any questions.
🍿PTA’s First Movie Night: Goat
Grab a blanket and pillows and join the BES Community for the PTA's first Movie Night of 2026-27 School Year! We will be showing Goat (rated PG). Goat is a family-friendly sports/action comedy: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/goat_2026
Location: BES Cafeteria
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 16
Time: Movie runs 6-7:40 pm -- doors open at 5:45 p.m.
All BES families are welcome, including siblings. ** Parents/caregivers must stay with children at all times -- this is not a drop-off event. **
Free popcorn will be available, and chips, drinks and candy will be for sale,with proceeds to benefit PTA activities and events. Please feel free to bring your own dinner and seating (cushions/chairs/blankets/pillows) as those will not be provided.
Interested in volunteering or want to donate chips/drinks or (mini) candy? We need help with set-up, selling concessions and clean-up. Message bespta.va@gmail.com for details.
Join Us for Volunteer Night at Total Wine, Sept. 29
Join the PTA Board for Volunteer Night, Sept. 29 from 5:30-7 p.m. at Total Wine (Plaza at Landmark, 6240 Little River Turnpike) to learn about opportunities throughout the year. Come take a break with fellow BES parents, grab some snacks and enjoy a (FREE) wine tasting or non-alcoholic beverage while learning more about how to support the PTA. Bring a friend! More information is on our Facebook page and will be going home in Friday folders.
Join the PTA!
Our goal is to top the membership involvement we saw last school year when 120 members of the BES community joined the PTA. We have 40+ members to go! Belvedere PTA membership is $10 per caregiver or $5 for Teachers/Administrators/Staff. Members have to renew each year to retain their voting rights.
Joining the PTA comes with no commitments or expectations. We simply hope you will join us to further build the Belvedere community. Joining the PTA does not commit you to volunteer time. Your membership means that you support our efforts and our goals. In addition, your membership gives you voting privileges at our general meeting and teacher-members also qualify for the BES PTA mini-grant program, which is funding for projects and other classroom needs.
Annual membership is open now! If you have questions, please reach out to bespta.va@gmail.com and a Board member will be in touch.
Room Parents Are Needed!
BES is looking for room parents. Typical room parents responsibilities include:
- Supporting communication with families
- Coordinating volunteers
- Assisting with teacher-requested needs
The role is generally about building classroom community and helping with logistics, not assisting with instruction or managing the classroom. If you are interested in becoming a room parent, contact bespta.va@gmail.com.
Join the Fifth Grade Committee
Every year Belvedere's 5th grade caregivers form a committee to support BES events during the school year. It also helps with general fundraising, the proceeds from which supports the entire grade's end-of-year party and class gift for the school.
If you can join the Fifth Grade Committee, or are interested but want to know more, please reach out to bespta.va@gmail.com and a PTA Board member will be in touch with next steps. If you can help with an event, want to party plan or organize the class gift, or just want to donate $25 and be done with it -- all support is welcome! The committee can work with your schedule.
Follow the PTA on Instagram
Come see photos of the many ways the PTA supports the BES community. We plan to share updates, stories and behind-the-scenes looks at what goes into building a volunteer organization like the Belvedere PTA. Follow us @belvedereES_PTA.
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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.
☎️Family Information Line Available in Nine Languages
Parents/caregivers who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, English, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese may call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS. View the list of phone numbers.
📲Follow FCPS on WhatsApp
Is WhatsApp one of the ways you stay connected with family, friends, and your community? Now you can use it to stay connected with FCPS, too.
Follow the new FCPS WhatsApp Channel for helpful information and reminders throughout the school year, including important announcements, upcoming dates, tips for families, and more.
FCPS This Week
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Review and Sign the SR&R
- Your Child Belongs at School
- What’s for Lunch? Check the FCPS App
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
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