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☎️ Parent Information Phone Lines Available in Eight Languages
Parents/Caregivers who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese may call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS. View the list of phone numbers.
Franconia Elementary encourages Bell-to-Bell attendance
School starts at 8:35am and dismisses at 3:30pm
Upcoming Events
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Fri, Oct 2: Picture Day (see info below)
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Mon, Oct 12: NO SCHOOL-Indigenous People's Holiday (also teacher work day)
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Fri, Oct 16: PTA Fall Festival
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Fri, Oct 30: 2hr early dismissal for end of 1st quarter (1:30pm)
Be sure to bookmark the FCPS school year calendar to keep track of school holidays, breaks, and observances.
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Morning Routine Tips
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Check the bag: Review a quick checklist near the door before leaving.
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Prep the night before: Place backpacks, clothes, and lunches in a set spot.
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Label items: Write your child's name on jackets, water bottles, and lunchboxes.
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School Picture Day is Coming!
📅 Date: Friday, October 2, 2026
🛒 Pre-order Online: https://shop.imagequix.com/g1001416942
📸 Images Available: Approximately two-three weeks after picture day
📧 Questions about Ordering? Email Victor O'Neill Studios at underclass@vosphoto.com
Please note:
- Pictures are taken from the shoulders up, NOT full-length.
- The photo studio does not provide a proof or preview prior to ordering - families should pre-order.
- Pre-ordering guarantees prints will be shipped to the school. Prints ordered after Picture Day will be shipped home for a fee.
- Prints will be shipped to the school within 3 weeks after Picture Day. They will be distributed to teachers to be sent home with students.
- Pictures taken on Picture Day will be used in the school yearbook.
- Re-take day will be Monday, 11/16, if you wish to have your child's picture be re-taken or if your child misses the original Picture Day on 10/2.
There are no paper order forms - all orders should be submitted online.
A Quick Reminder when Reporting a Student Absence:
(the secret to avoiding a follow up call from the health room 😊)
When calling the attendance line, please include a specific reason for your child’s absence.
For example:
- Flu like symptoms (fever of 100.4, and cough or sore throat)
- Vomiting/diarrhea
- Positive Covid test
- Medical appointment (annual check ups), Injuries/Vacation/Funeral
- Any other communicable diseases- rash, strep throat, Hand Foot and Mouth Disease
This information is important to our school’s Public Health Nurse for illness tracking and follow up when needed. Providing the reason when you call helps us keep accurate health records and may prevent the nurse from needing to call you later for additional information if an illness investigation is necessary.
Blue Star Welcome Week
 A warm welcome to military families who may have recently joined our Penguin community.
 Every year, approximately 600,000 military-connected families relocate, and schools are a primary way they get integrated into their new location. Most of these families move to new duty stations, while some transition out of the military and others transition in. Most of these moves take place over the summer, and Fairfax County Public Schools is committed to ensuring our military families feel welcomed and a sense of belonging to their local community.
 Blue Star Welcome Week is an opportunity for our community to welcome our military-connected families and show them our appreciation for their service and sacrifices. Throughout the week, FCPS will help ease their transition through events, messages, actions of welcome, and opportunities to make meaningful connections.
Please help us welcome our military families during Blue Star Welcome Week, September 26 through October 4, 2026, and throughout the year!
LIBRARY CORNER
The Literati Book Fair is coming!
The book fair will open on the evening of Friday, October 16, during the Fall Festival. It will continue into the next week until Friday, October 23.
The volunteer sign-up will be available next week. Set-up will be Friday, October 16 at 9AM!
Reading Challenges
Book Bingo is a monthly challenge. Each month there will be a bingo board just for kindergarten and grade 1, and another bingo board for all grades.
You can find the September Book Bingo boards here.
The Million Word Challenge lasts all year. Students and adults write down the book that students read, on paper or through this online form. The librarian will look up the word count and keep track of all the words!
Library Volunteers
The library always needs volunteers! The biggest need is help with shelving, but we are also looking for help with weekly notices and bulletin boards! Email the librarian, Debby Vandersande, at dmvandersand@fcps.edu if you want to help!
Dolly Parton
The Franconia social committee treated all Franconia staff with snacks and drinks with amazing Dolly Parton outfits last Friday.
Franconia's 3-hour Early Dismissal Days
2026-2027 School Year
FCPS will continue with limited early release Wednesdays for elementary schools during the 2026-27 school year. The number of days has been reduced from eight to four.
Early release Wednesdays provide elementary teachers with a dedicated block of time to prepare lessons, participate in professional development and training, and collaborate with their peers. A well-supported and continuously improving teaching staff leads to better educational outcomes for students.
Students will be dismissed at 12:30pm on the below days.
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Wednesday, November 18
- Wednesday, January 13
- Wednesday, April 7
KINDERGARTEN
Mrs. Tran class in Music Class
Kindergarten in PE doing health
PTA CORNER
Franconia PTA Fall Festival Friday, October 16 | Evening: Exact time TBD
Mark your calendars for one of our favorite community events of the year! The Franconia Fall Festival returns and while the exact details are still in the planning stages, we can share that we are exploring some new ideas (movies? costumes? we'll see where we land!), and considering keeping familiar favorites like carnival games (with prizes!), and the popular on site food trucks with treats for purchase.
We need your help to make this community event a success! Thanks so much to the couple of folks who stepped up to help plan. We need a few more to pull off an event of this scale. And there will be future asks for help the day of. If you can lend an hour (or two!), please reach out to president@franconiapta.org.
New ParentVUE Mobile App Is Here
The new ParentVUE mobile app is available in the Apple and Google App stores. This new app provides parents and caregivers with a more secure sign-in. Families must download the new app by December 2026 to ensure they have continued mobile access to their ParentVUE account. The previous app will be deactivated at the end of 2026.
In the new app, families can enroll in multi-factor authentication (MFA) for FCPS Single Sign-On. While enrollment is optional, we strongly recommend that everyone enable this security feature. Learn more about installing the new ParentVUE app. Parents needing assistance should submit a Parent Support Request.
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Tap On and Tap Off, It’s Easy!
Please help all our bus riders remember to tap on and tap off the school bus each day. FCPS currently has about 70% of students on buses following this process correctly, which is a great start! Learn more about student IDs and bus navigation.
Families wishing to see where their child’s bus is should continue to use the Here Comes the Bus app.
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Superintendent Community Conversations
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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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.
Learn About Applied Behavior Analysis and Teaching New Skills at Home
All family members and caregivers are invited to attend monthly Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Family Training to learn how to support and teach students with autism and related disorders. No registration is needed.
Virtual trainings take place at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Join the session. Upcoming topics include:
- Autism and ABA Overview on Wednesday, October 14. (It is highly recommended that you attend this session before any future sessions.)
- Prioritizing Skills to Teach at Home on Wednesday, November 18.
- Toilet Training on Wednesday, December 9.
- Managing Challenging Behaviors at Home on Wednesday, January 13.
- Communication: a Foundation for Independence on Wednesday, February 10.
Visit the ABA webpage for a full list of classes. Need an interpreter? Contact Stephanie Watkins two weeks before the training at 571-423-4110 or sawatkins@fcps.edu.
Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) (Enrollment Open)
The Virginia Preschool Initiative provides quality early childhood programming for eligible 3- and 4-year-old children. VPI programs offer developmentally appropriate instruction, screenings, kindergarten readiness support, and family engagement opportunities through center-based and family child care programs.
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Eligibility: Child must be 3 or 4 years old by September 30, 2026; family must meet income guidelines and live in Fairfax County or the City of Fairfax
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Program Locations: Center-based and family child care programs throughout Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax
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Registration: Applications are available through the Child Care Assistance and Referral Program
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Contact: NCSVPI@fairfaxcounty.gov or contact a VPI location directly
Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC)
Upcoming: September 23, October 7, and October 21, 2026
Special Education Webinar Series
PEATC’s 2026 virtual webinar series will help families better understand the special education process, including eligibility, IEPs, 504 Plans, and family-school collaboration. Families may attend only the sessions that best meet their needs.
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Dates and Topics: September 23, Measurable IEP Goals; October 7, Ins and Outs of IEP Meetings; October 21, Cracking the Code: 504s and IEPs
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Time: 6:30 p.m. Each session lasts approximately 1 to 1.5 hours.
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Location: Virtual
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Registration: Register for the webinar series
Family and School Partnerships Academy Courses (Registration Open)
Let’s Grow Our Family Engagement Practice Together! Family and School Partnerships is offering two five-week virtual Academy courses this fall. Learn practical ways to build strong partnerships with families and create a welcoming school community. Both courses meet virtually from 4:30–6:30 PM, beginning in October.
Digital Literacy Resources for Families
As part of FCPS’ continued support for digital literacy, families can access lesson materials that introduce the concepts students will explore throughout the school year. These resources include student lessons and supporting materials organized by grade level. Resources will be shared on a quarterly basis through Schoology.
The All Parent/Guardian Course is available in Schoology through a parent or guardian account. Schoology and ParentVUE use the same login credentials. Families who need assistance can review How Do I Log in to and Access Schoology? or watch the brief walkthrough on the Schoology Snippets page.
Families can also learn more about FCPS guidance and practices on the Educational Technology in FCPS webpage.
The Importance of the Flu Vaccine
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.
September
 Attendance Awareness Month
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Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow! 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. Visit the FCPS Attendance web page for tips and strategies.
Sept. 15-Oct. 15
From September 15 to October 15, FCPS recognizes and celebrates the histories and cultures of the members of our community who trace their heritage to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS. Learn more about National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Sept. 26 to Oct. 4 - Blue Star Welcome Week
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Blue Star Welcome Week is a nationwide initiative to ensure military families feel a sense of belonging to their school communities. Blue Star Welcome Week is an opportunity to empower military families to thrive as they serve. |
Quick Links
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