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The Feather Report

September 18, 2026

Photo of the Week

Second grade students took some time to explore their Benchmark materials while the teacher was testing another student 1:1. Did you know that scanning a book for titles and headings is a reading skill?

Leadership Ledger

Westlawn Families,

We have some exciting opportunities and important dates coming up at Westlawn, and I’m grateful for our families’ partnership as we get another great school year underway!

Early Release Wednesdays are back this year! On these four Wednesdays—September 30, November 18, January 13, and April 7—our school day will end at 12:30 PM. Students enrolled in Beyond the Bell (SACC) will attend that program, while other students will take their usual bus home, be picked up through Kiss and Ride, or leave as walkers. When absolutely necessary, we will offer childcare until 3:30 PM. We ask every family to make one consistent plan for all four Early Release Wednesdays and share that plan with us using the Early Release Wednesday form. Having these plans in advance helps our staff make sure every child gets where they need to go safely and smoothly—thank you!

STEAM Academy sign-ups are also happening now! We are excited to once again offer our students opportunities to explore, create, problem-solve, and learn together. This year, students will be placed into STEAM Academy classes through a lottery system. Families interested in participating should sign up for the lottery by Thursday, September 24, at 9:00 AM.

In partnership,

Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, and Erin Theiss

Proud Principals

News

Ambulance Alert!

Families may occasionally see an ambulance at Westlawn Elementary. Because some of our students have significant medical needs, an ambulance may be called as part of a student’s established treatment plan or whenever staff believe emergency medical support may be needed. We consistently err on the side of caution when making these decisions.

If your child is injured, we will contact you immediately. If an incident affects your child’s learning environment, we will contact you later that same day, though that message may not be immediate. We will send a schoolwide communication only when an incident affects the entire school.

We understand that seeing an ambulance at school may raise questions or concerns. We are committed to being as transparent as possible while also protecting the privacy of individual students and their families. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Mr. Hill directly.

Virginia Naturally Westlawn Elementary School has been recognized as a Virginia Naturally School for the fourth consecutive year! This award celebrates our school’s commitment to environmental education, outdoor learning, sustainability, and stewardship of Virginia’s natural resources. From gardens, composting, and recycling projects to chick hatching, watershed studies, STEAM clubs, and family field trips, Westlawn students engage in meaningful, hands-on learning both inside and outside the classroom. This year’s award badge features the spotted skunk, an elusive Virginia species and a reminder of the importance of protecting our local wildlife. Read the full story on the Westlawn website, including highlights from our Virginia Naturally application and recognition letters from Principal Christoph Hill and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.

Do You Need More Westlawn Gear?

Wasn’t the beautiful fall weather earlier this week a delightful break from the humidity we experienced all summer? As the weather gets colder, remember that the Westlawn spirit wear store is available year-round. Orders typically take a couple of weeks to be printed and processed, so now is a great time to order a sweatshirt or long-sleeve T-shirt to help your child stay warm while showing their Westlawn pride! 

Reminder: Color Days are Back

We are once again delighted to support our kindergarten team through schoolwide Color Days! Here’s how it works: we are asking all community members to wear a specific color on each Wednesday between now and Thanksgiving Break. On those days, the kindergarten teachers help students identify that color as they walk around the school building. When staff and students all wear the same color, the kindergarten students see the color exists in various shades, and it helps them build a broader definition of that color. Here are the upcoming dates:

• September 23: yellow
• September 30: green
• October 7: blue
• October 14: purple
• October 21: pink
• October 28: white
• November 4: black
• November 11: brown
• November 18: gray

Reminder: Free Flu Shots

Nobody wants the flu! There are free flu shots available for FCPS students at several events throughout the county in the coming weeks. Learn more about the events and how to register students.

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• Military Families Find a Community in FCPS
• Receive FCPS This Week in Other Languages
• Not Feeling Well? When Your Child Can Come to School

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

Dates and Events

September 23: Color Days: Wear Yellow!

September 23: Learn about the AAP program at Westlawn from our Advanced Academics Resource Teacher, Mrs. Maxwell, in the Westlawn library from 5:00-6:00 PM. All families are welcome to attend.

September 24: If you are a parent of a Drama Club member, please attend the parent informational Zoom session from 4:00-4:30 PM.

September 30: Color Days: Wear Green!

September 30: This is the first Early Release Wednesday of the year. Students will be dismissed at 12:30 PM.

To see more schoolwide and community events, remember to check out our website calendar! You can also subscribe to our calendar to make it even more convenient. Click on the little calendar icon in the top right corner of the calendar page of our website to add all current and future events to your cell phone calendar.

Engage with Westlawn

Seeking Sixth Grade Parent Committee Members The sixth grade team is looking for parents to join a committee that will organize fundraisers to help cover the cost of the sixth grade field trip at the end of the school year. Without fundraising, the trip would cost approximately $70 per student. The PTA has generously committed to covering half of that cost, and the committee’s goal is to raise the remaining funds so that every sixth grader can attend. The first fundraiser, Kona Ice at Back-to-School Night, has already taken place, with all proceeds benefiting the field trip. The PTA has also offered the sixth grade team the opportunity to organize this year’s Election Day bake sale and keep all of the proceeds. The team is especially seeking parents who can help organize the bake sale, as well as parents who have additional fundraising ideas. Families interested in joining the sixth grade parent committee should contact Ms. Jessen by email or through TalkingPoints.

Get a Sneak Peek at Volunteer Signups

Did you know that we attach the volunteer sign-ups to events in our website calendar? It’s true! We usually do not advertise the sign-ups until we are within two weeks of the event, because we know that’s as far out as most families are planning. However, if you are an early bird planner, check out the website calendar and click on the events to find the “secret” volunteer sign-ups before they’re officially shared during Community Conversations or in this newsletter.

Ongoing Opportunities: Join Mr. Hill and Ms. Dushok for Westlawn’s Community Conversation each Wednesday at 11 a.m. via Zoom, and visit our website for archives of the three most recent conversations. If you plan to volunteer regularly in FCPS during the 2026–2027 school year, please register through the FCPS volunteer portal to complete any required background checks and fingerprinting.

Mind Matters

Today is AVID Day! Westlawn is a proud third year AVID school! But what is it? AVID, which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination, is a support system that helps students gain the tools they need to be successful in the years after Westlawn: middle school, high school, and beyond into college and careers. Want to learn a little more about what it looks like here at Westlawn? Check out this video we made!

Twice Exceptional Students

Fairfax County Public Schools is committed to challenging all students through talent development and differentiated instruction. Twice-Exceptional (2e) learners are students who are both gifted and have learning challenges or disabilities. 

Families can learn more about 2e learners, how to support them, and how to partner with schools on the 2e webpage, which also includes a link to the Special Education Handbook.

New information, including printable flyers, has been added under the heading Supporting 2e Learners in FCPS. 

Gretchen Maxwell is Westlawn’s Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, and she is passionate about creating opportunities for each Westlawn student to soar. You can email Mrs. Maxwell or reach her via TalkingPoints.

Tech Talk

Free Tutoring at the Library

This year, due to budget cuts, FCPS is not sponsoring free online tutoring for all students. Never fear! The Fairfax County Public Library has stepped in to fill the void. To access free online tutoring resources, students simply need to have a Fairfax County Public Library card. You can get a FCPL card for free in person at the Thomas Jefferson branch during operating hours.

The tutoring is provided through a company called Brainfuse HelpNow. HelpNow's Live Tutoring provides live, online tutoring and homework help for students in grades K-12. HelpNow’s Writing Lab provides assistance and feedback in virtual study spaces. Tutors are available every day in English and Spanish from 2 p.m to 11 p.m. Provided by the Library of Virginia. To access the tutoring, go to the Brainfuse HelpNow portal and enter your library card number.

Digital Resource Consent Update

We did it, Westlawn! We have received digital consent back from 100% of Westlawn families yet again! We completed this task just behind Flint Hill Elementary School, but coming in second place in such a large county is still impressive!

As new students enter our school throughout the year, our registrar, Ms. Caballero, gets consent at the time of registration. She then passes that information to Ms. Dushok who updates the database. So, for the rest of this year, we are all set. However, per Virginia law, the consent collection process will start all over again.

Is there a technology topic you want us to tackle in a future issue? Email your questions to Ms. Dushok (school based technology specialist) and Mr. Dinkins (technology support specialist).

The Inclusion-ist

At Westlawn, we nurture, advocate, and empower every student to feel welcomed, valued, and included in our school community. One of our schoolwide priorities is expanding opportunities for students receiving special education services to access the general education curriculum alongside their peers for more than 80% of the school day. Last spring, Westlawn “leveled up” by exceeding the county goal of 76%. In fact, as of June 2026, 79.74% of our students receiving special education services spent more than 80% of their school day in the general education setting. This year, we are continuing to Build for Beyond by creating even more meaningful opportunities for all students to learn, participate, and grow together. 

Westlawn is also home to two specialized autism programs: the Preschool Autism Classroom (PAC) and the Enhanced Autism Classroom (EAC). Students in these programs receive individualized instruction and support while learning and practicing skills that help them participate successfully in general education settings. Inclusion looks different for each student and may include learning with general education peers, attending specials, participating in extracurricular activities, joining assemblies, taking field trips, eating lunch with classmates, and taking part in other schoolwide experiences.

Inclusion benefits everyone. Students with autism have opportunities to strengthen their communication, social, academic, and independence skills while participating in a variety of school settings. At the same time, their peers develop a greater understanding of autism and learn important lessons about empathy, acceptance, patience, and celebrating differences. Together, we are nurturing a sense of belonging, advocating for meaningful access, and empowering every Eagle to reach beyond what they thought possible.

Be sure to check back next month to learn more about how Westlawn is continuing to build an inclusive school community where every Eagle belongs!

Is there a topic in special education that you’re curious about? Need more information about the process of being identified for special education services? Westlawn’s Special Education Department Chair, Mrs. Ashley Claros, would love to hear from you! You can reach her via email or TalkingPoints.

Zoom into the Room

Third grade is often described as the sweet spot of elementary school—a magical year where growing independence meets boundless curiosity. In Mrs. Boyd’s (aka Ms. Rez’s) classroom, that magic is on full display every single day. Mrs. Boyd has cultivated a joyful, supportive environment where students know it is completely safe to make mistakes, laugh together, and stretch their minds. Whether engaging in profound classroom discussions, getting lost in chapter books, or seeing creative writing come alive with personality, her third graders are embracing the beauty of learning and growing side by side.

This week, the class kicked off Benchmark Unit 1, diving into the fascinating world of animal adaptations while embarking on the writing process. In math, students are sharpening their skills in addition, subtraction, and place value, while social studies lessons focus on what it means to be an Ethical & Global Citizen. To support this deep learning, students are using key AVID strategies to build strong organizational habits. Armed with agenda books, AVID binders, and Cornell note paper, students take active ownership of their work. Flexibility and choice are key: when creating ladybug life cycle diagrams, students can choose to work at their tables or grab a clipboard from their individual letterboxes and head to the rug.

Community and collaboration are at the heart of everything happening in Mrs. Boyd's room. Students keep each other on track using dedicated accountability partners, frequently volunteer to help peers catch up, and even lend a hand prepping classroom materials. Unique U-shaped table arrangements and clear-drawer supply stations make the space flexible and clutter-free—perfect for hosting lively Socratic Seminars or seamlessly welcoming visiting third graders for subject-specific instruction. Energetic class callbacks like "waterfall," "wolfpack," and "ice cream" keep everyone engaged and united. As the class looks forward to launching their USPS School Pen Pal program, Mrs. Boyd's classroom continues to be a vibrant space where individual unique strengths shine and extraordinary teamwork thrives.

Top: Writing happens everywhere, even in math! A student describes his thinking as he looks for patterns. Middle: Students can pick the area where they can do their best work. A student has chosen to complete her Cornell notes on the rug using a clipboard. Bottom: Clear drawers hold student supplies because there are tables--not desks--in the classroom. Students must keep their drawer organized!

Connect With Westlawn

• Contact the main office: 703-241-5100
• Submit an absence: 703-241-5151 | email the absence box | using ParentVUE
• Contact Ms. Caballero (student information assistant): email Ms. Caballero | 703-241-5100 | TalkingPoints: Silvia Caballero
• Contact Ms. Reyes (family liaison): email Ms. Reyes | 703-241-5125 | TalkingPoints: Hilda Reyes
• Contact Ms. Cortez (social worker): email Ms. Cortez | 703-241-5190 | TalkingPoints: Pamela Cortez

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