📚Sampling New Genres, Cooking Up Big Ideas
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Our 5th graders stepped out of their reading comfort zones this week for a book tasting, cooking up their critical and creative thinking skills as they sampled new titles and reflected on surprise favorites.
What’s on your reading menu this week??
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🗓️Mark Your Calendars Now
🚨🚨Sunday, 9/13: Deadline for ordering pizza for movie night🚨🚨
🍕🍕Pre-order PIZZA🍕🍕
Monday, 9/14: Back to School Night for grades K-3 (6-6:45 pm & 7-7:45 pm)
Friday, 9/18: PTA Movie Night, 6:45-10 pm. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Monday, 9/21: No School for Yom Kippur Holiday
Wed, 9/23: Back to School Night for grades 4-6 (6-6:45 pm & 7-7:45 pm)
Mon, 9/28, 9:30 am: Virtual Volunteer Orientation (Meeting ID 945 9509 7606) with Ms. Jankovich
Mon, 9/28-Fri, 10/2: Blue Star Welcome Week: Stay tuned for details
Tues, 9/29: AAP Info Mtg, 7-8 pm, Sangster cafeteria
Wed, 9/30: 3-Hour Early Release. Dismissal at 12:55 pm
Wed, 10/7: Fall Picture Day! Details to come
⚠️Safety 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 each year.
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.
Your child may come home and talk about their experience during a drill. We encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of being prepared for emergencies.
ℹ️Advanced Academic Programs (AAP)
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 Jennifer Redford, School Testing Coordinator, at JARedford@fcps.edu by September 30.
Families are invited to attend an AAP Information Meeting, led by Linda Biberaj, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART):
- AAP Information Meeting: Tuesday, September 29, 7- 8 pm, in the Sangster Cafeteria. The session will cover the following information:
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AAP Continuum of Services: Families will learn about the continuum of advanced academic services available to FCPS students.
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Full-Time AAP Identification: Families will learn about the referral and identification processes for Full-Time AAP services.
For more information, please contact Linda Biberaj, AART, at LBiberaj@fcps.edu or visit the FCPS Advanced Academic Programs website.
🏫Back to School Nights This Week & Next!
Visit your child’s classroom, meet the teachers, and learn about the upcoming school year. BTSN is for adults, not students, but Girl Scouts offer babysitting services*.
BTSN for K-3rd on Mon, 9/14, from 6–6:45 pm or 7–7:45 pm.
BTSN for 4th-6th on Wed, 9/23 from 6–6:45 pm and again from 7–7:45 pm
The two sessions each night will contain the same exact information.
Dinner will NOT be provided at this event.
*Girl Scouts offer FREE Babysitting Services for BTSN for children who are potty trained & older; check in times start at 5:45 pm outside the gym. Children can bring books/games, but GS will also have art supplies/group games.
⏰1st Early Release Wednesday Coming Up
The 1st Early Release Wednesday (dismissal at 12:55 pm) will be Wednesday, September 30.
All parents must use this link Early Release Wednesday Form to indicate each child’s dismissal plan for the four (4) Early Releases throughout the 2026-27 school year.
Dismissal will be at 12:55 pm for all students, unless you have indicated you want your child/children to remain in school until 3:55 pm.
Students remaining in school (and not in SACC) will not be provided instructional activities, but will be supervised until the 3:55 pm dismissal.
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🍴We Need YOU
Sangster is seeking volunteers to provide support in the cafeteria during student lunches! Please complete this form to indicate your interest. Volunteers will receive an email confirmation from Ms. Jimenez to confirm their schedule before they begin. For scheduling purposes, please plan to begin volunteering the week of October 5th (and if you can, attend the virtual Parent Volunteer Orientation Meeting on September 28th).
All volunteers must be registered through FCPS. See below.
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Required FCPS Steps
To volunteer in school or to chaperone a field trip, all volunteers must complete the official FCPS volunteer screening process.
Register as soon as possible through the FCPS Volunteer Portal.
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🚨No U-Turns on Reservation Dr
This is dangerous for all Sangster students, staff, and parents!
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😋Pack Everything Your Student Needs
Please remember that the Sangster cafeteria does not provide spoons, forks or napkins for students who bring packed lunches. Please make sure students have everything they need in their lunch bags.
Remind your children who buy lunch that they should pick up what they need when they go through the lunch line, to include forks, spoons, napkins.
Thanks for your support!
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💙News & Info
Click the PTA Falcons on the left to get the latest happenings on the PTA Web site.
Thanks for your support!
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🎈Upcoming Events
Digital Wellness and Cyber Threat Indicators in K-12: When Online Behavior Becomes a Safety Concern
Fri, Sept. 18; 10-11:30 am; Virtual
Register here
Navigating the Digital Age: Creating Digital Balance as a Family
Fri, Sept. 25; 10-11:30 am; Virtual
Register here
For more information on all events, visit FCPS Family Resource Center
🎉FCPS Resources
Fairfax County Park Authority (Parktakes Online)
Now registering for fall classes. Families can visit this website for more information and registration links.
Parenting Programs (Fall 2026)
Free virtual and in-person parenting classes are available for Fairfax County parents/nd caregivers of children ages 0–18. Classes cover positive and effective parenting strategies for every age and stage. Dinner and childcare are provided.
View the complete class list and register online
💜Military Families
FCPS: A Military Family Orientation
Military families who are new to FCPS or moving to Fairfax County soon are invited to this virtual presentation to learn about FCPS programs, digital resources, early enrollment for military families, strategies to support student success, and the Military Interstate Compact.
Tues, Sept. 15 (6-7 pm); Thurs, Sept. 17 (11:30 am-12:30 pm)
Virtual via Zoom. A Zoom link will be provided after registration.
Register for the Military Family Orientation
🍎Attendance
Report absences online through ParentVue or by email or by calling 703-644-8282. Visit our attendance page for more information!
⏰School Hours, Late Arrival Policy, Early Pick Up
- School hours are 9:10 a.m. to 3:55 p.m.
- Students who arrive after 9:10 a.m. must be walked into the main office and signed in by an adult.
- If you need to pick your student up early, come to the office with your ID, and we will call your student down.
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Early pick up cut-off time is 3:30 pm.
- Whenever possible, keep your child’s transportation method the same each day.
⏰3-Hour Early Release Wednesdays (Dismissal at 12:55 pm)
September 30, November 18, January 13, April 7
⏰2-Hour Early Release Days for End of Quarter (ALL students dismissed at 1:55 pm)
Friday, October 30; Thursday, January 28; Friday, April 16
Quick Links
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