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Dear Island Creek Families,
We’ve had a wonderful week at Island Creek! Our students are actively engaging in their daily learning across all classrooms. I encourage you to ask your children this evening about their current learning targets in Math, Reading, and Specials—they have plenty of exciting work to share!
It was great having so many families at this morning's Kindergarten Family Friday Breakfast Bash!
Please make note of the following happening next week at Island Creek!
Thank you for your continued partnership and support!
Warmly,
Jen Fallert, Principal 🐊
Denise Cash-Pinckney, Assistant Principal 🐊
Together, We Are Navigating a Course Toward excellence!
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Good attendance builds key habits that help your child graduate on time and succeed in their future career.
By highlighting this important information, we aim to keep our families informed and energized about our collective efforts to encourage regular school attendance.
Be sure to check the FCPS Calendar when scheduling doctors' appointments and vacations.
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Hosted by FCPS Instructional Services and the Hayfield Pyramid Principals, this virtual session offers practical guidance for families navigating social media, gaming, and screen time.
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Date: Thursday, October 8
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Time: 6:30PM - 7:30PM (Virtual)
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Who It’s For: Hayfield Pyramid families and caregivers
Highlights:
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Strategies to set healthy boundaries while fostering independence
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Practical routines for managing devices at home
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Direct insights from student panel perspectives
Scan the QR code on the flyer or access this link.
First Early Release Wednesday for School-age Students is October 21; Please Let Us Know Your Child’s Dismissal Plan!
This school year includes four 3-Hour Early Release Wednesdays at 12:20 PM for school-age students. These shortened school days for students allow teachers to attend professional development sessions and participate in other collaborative work.
Our dismissal time will be at 12:20 PM on these days. Here are the dates for Island Creek:
- October 21
- December 2
- February 10
- May 5
We encourage all parents/caregivers to have their student take their normal route home or to daycare (bus, walk, kiss and ride) at 12:20 PM on these days, but we will ensure that every student has supervised activities at the school and returns home at the regular time if necessary.
Please let us know your childcare plans for these Early Release Wednesdays using this form: https://forms.gle/LTAbstdNsAVAGyM18
Please note you will need to submit one form for each child.
Advanced Academics Programs
Fairfax County Public Schools (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:
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Fall identification: Students in grades 3-7 who have enrolled in FCPS since January may be referred by October 15, 2026.
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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.
Families are invited to attend the Full-Time AAP Identification Meeting, led by Alyssa Grabel, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART):
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Full-Time AAP Identification: October 14 at 5:00 PM in the library. Families will learn about the referral and identification processes for Full-Time AAP services.
For more information, please contact Alyssa Grabel, AART, at angrabel@fcps.edu or visit the FCPS Advanced Academic Programs website.
All students Kindergarten through 6th grade have been learning about and practicing school wide and PE specific class routines/expectations. Students have been learning new warmups and practicing different exercises. We have enjoyed welcoming our new crocs in PE! All students have been practicing safely moving in the gym and working on modeling cooperative and respectful behavior. We have been playing PE Jeopardy this year and learning all the routines and procedures!
Our PE units for the first quarter are Expectations & Cooperative games, Movement & Fitness, and Throwing & Catching. During our movement & fitness unit students in 4th grade, 5th grade, & 6th grade will be learning and participating in the VA wellness fitness tests. We will be running the Pacer the week of October 5th with all classes in 4th, 5th, & 6th Grade. We are excited to learn together through various movement activities with all our Crocs this year! Check out how students are reflecting on their learning in PE with our learning targets display!
Please ensure your child is ready to learn in P.E. by having the appropriate shoes on their P.E. days!
The September 2026 Counseling Newsletter outlines student learning goals, home discussion starters, a mindfulness activity, and staff contact details.
Learning Targets by Grade
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Kindergarten: Recognizing feelings and sorting problems into small or big categories.
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1st & 2nd Grades: Listing reasons why going to school is important and identifying problem sizes.
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3rd & 4th Grades: Learning ways a school counselor can provide help.
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5th & 6th Grades: Identifying trusted adults at school and understanding how they can offer support.
Family Conversation Starters
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Lower Grades Prompt: "If I need help, I can go to ___."
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Upper Grades Prompt: "My trusted adult at school is ___."
Wellness Activity
- Features a sensory exercise titled the "Mindfulness Rainbow Walk" Look around the environment and find an object for each color of the rainbow.
Counselor Contact Details
Family Friday Breakfast Bash
At Island Creek, our Croc staff wants every student and family to know how much you are valued—we truly have the most amazing community! After two fantastic years, we are thrilled to bring back our Family Friday Breakfast Bash. It is a wonderful chance to connect, share a meal, and meet other families in your child’s grade.
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When: Select Friday mornings, 7:45 AM – 8:20 AM (grade levels have assigned dates)
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Where: Island Creek Cafeteria
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Who: Island Creek Families and their children
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What to bring: A breakfast dish to share (think muffins, fruit, donuts, or your favorite breakfast casserole!)
We can’t wait to share great food and connection with you before school starts. Below are the Family Friday Breakfast Bash dates for each grade level:
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Grades 1 and 2 Family Friday Breakfast Bash: Friday, October 9
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Grades 3 and 4 Family Friday Breakfast Bash: Friday, October 16
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Grades 5 and 6 Family Friday Breakfast Bash: Friday, October 23
On Wednesday, October 7, students, staff, and families are invited to walk to school! Enjoy music and receive a sticker when you arrive.
If you walk outside of school hours, let PE teachers Ms. Atari or Ms. Barber know to claim your sticker during PE class.
Family Life Education (FLE) Materials and Preview Night
Island Creek will host a Virtual Parent Preview Night for FLE on October 19th at 6:00 pm. This session provides an opportunity to ask questions and receive assistance in accessing the materials virtually. You may access the meeting via the following link:
https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/j/96036325102?pwd=OO0nHqbz9pYITeQYrrL7bt2t6YzCaF.1&from=addon
We invite you also to learn more about Fairfax County's elementary FLE program on the FCPS website.
Please reach out to Assistant Principal Dr. Denise Cash-Pinckney at dcashpinckne@fcps.edu with any questions.
The Island Creek SCA warmly invites you to join us for Croctoberfest on Friday, October 16th from 5:30-7:00pm. Bring your family out for a night of free carnival games, delicious dinner options from local food trucks, and a turn at the dunk tank to see if you can splash your favorite teachers! Admission is completely FREE. See you at Croctoberfest!
Book Character Day: Friday, 10/30
Get ready for Book Character Day at Island Creek Elementary! On Friday, October 30, all Crocodilians are invited to dress up as their favorite book character for a day of literacy fun.
Dressing up is completely optional. If your child chooses to participate, please keep costumes safe and school-appropriate: no scary themes, offensive graphics, toy weapons, masks, or face paint.
Whether dressing up or coming as they are, please remind your child to bring their favorite book to share with their class!
Celebrate Little Hawks Night with Hayfield Secondary Football!
Come out and support the Hayfield Secondary School Hawks as they face off against West Potomac under the Friday night lights!
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Date & Time: Friday, October 2, 2026 | Kickoff @ 7:00 PM
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Location: 7630 Telegraph Rd, Alexandria, VA 22315
Special Event Highlights:
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Free Admission for Kids: Children get in free with the purchase of an adult ticket. Requirement: Kids must wear a youth jersey and be accompanied by an adult purchasing a qualifying ticket.
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Fan Tunnel at 6:50 PM: All children are invited down to the field before kickoff to form a fan tunnel and help introduce the Hawks football team!
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Concession Stand: Open during the game—all sales directly support the Sports Booster Program.
Bring the family, wear your team colors, and get ready to cheer—Go Hawks!
Superintendent Community Conversations
Join Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid for a Community Conversation. Students, families, staff, and community members are invited to ask questions, share concerns, and discuss what matters most to them. Everyone is welcome! 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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Tuesday, December 1, at 6:30 p.m., at Powell Elementary School (note date change
Calendar Change: Eid al-Fitr
FCPS will mark the beginning of Eid al-Fitr with an evening-only observance day on Monday, March 8. There will be school on this day, but major school-sponsored events and activities (such as auditions or tryouts) will not take place.
Tuesday, March 9, will be a holiday for students and staff.
Wednesday, March 10, will be an observance day. There will be school on this day, but certain activities that cannot be made up (major tests, field trips, or mandatory events) will not take place.
A new school year calendar has been published, which includes this change. Please note that holidays and observances on the calendar may shift due to anticipated lunar sightings.
Safe Routes to School Parent and Caregiver Survey
As part of the Fairfax County School Board’s Annual School-Based Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Assessment, the FCPS Office of Safety and Security and Safe Routes to School program are inviting parents and caregivers to share their experiences traveling to and from school.
The Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Survey asks about walking and biking routes, traffic near schools, kiss and ride experiences, accessibility, and other safety concerns.
Your feedback will help FCPS identify common issues. Your responses will be kept confidential and shared with school administrators and the Office of Safety and Security. The five-minute survey is open through Thursday, October 15.
Be sure to identify the school related to your feedback and include specific locations where you have observed a safety issue. If you have students at different schools in FCPS, please complete a different survey for each school.
If you have any questions about the survey, please contact SafeRoutestoSchool@fcps.edu.
News from our Family Liaison
Island Creek's Family Liaison, Ms. Abbas, may be reached at
nsabbas@fcps.edu
 Arabic Early Literacy Program
Upcoming: October 6 and 7, 2026
Families with children ages 2–5 are invited to participate in this free program. Children and families will enjoy school-like activities focused on sharing books, learning through play, positive communication, understanding behavior, and kindergarten readiness.
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Cost: Free
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Eligibility: Families with children ages 2–5
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Contact: Gigi Hammoud 703-204-4347 | ekhammoud@fcps.edu
Class Locations and Times
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Lane Elementary: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
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Greenbriar East Elementary: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m.–noon
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Baileys Elementary: Wednesdays and Fridays, 10 a.m.–noon
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Lorton Community Center: Wednesdays and Fridays, noon–2 p.m.
More Information
News from our Military Family Life Counselor (MFLC), Mr. Cox
Island Creek's Military Family Life Counselor, Ms. Cox, may be reached at jrcox@fcps.edu
October Military Student Lunch Groups
The topic for military student lunch groups this month is DOG TAG CRAFT. Military students will create individual dog tags by drawing and coloring on paper dog tags that will then be used by the Student Ambassadors to create a banner for Veterans Day. The banner will be on display in the school during the month of November.
Each student will be able to decorate their dog tag according to their own style, while discussing shared personal interests/hobbies and military culture experiences to identify connections with classmates.
Lunch groups are organized by class and occur once a month. Any military student who wishes to participate in the lunch groups must have a signed parent permission form.
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 🎉 CROC ROCK-N-RUN FUNDRAISER RESULTS ARE IN! 🎉
What an incredible job, Island Creek Crocs! 🐊
Our school community came together and raised an amazing $51,607 for the 2026 Croc Rock-N-Run!
A HUGE thank-you to our students, families, teachers, staff, and everyone who donated and helped make this fundraiser such a success. Your support makes a difference for our students and our school! ❤️
👏 Congratulations to our Top 5 Student Fundraisers and Top 3 Classes!
And a special CONGRATULATIONS to Imran J., our #1 student fundraiser! 🏆🎉
We are so proud of our Croc Family! Let’s go, Island Creek!
🗓️ Island Creek Calendar
❤️Wednesday, October 7: National Walk to School Day!
❤️Thursday, October 8: Hayfield Pyramid: Helping Students Build Healthy Digital Habits (6:30, virtual)
❤️Friday, October 9: Grades 1 and 2 Family Friday Breakfast Bash (7:45, Cafeteria)
❤️Monday, October 12: School Closed for students (Indigenous Peoples' Day); School Planning Day
❤️Wednesday, October 14: Full-Time AAP Information Session (5:00, library)
❤️Friday, October 16: NEW DATE: SCA Croc-toberfest (5:30-7:00); Grades 3 and 4 Family Friday Breakfast Bash (7:45, Cafeteria)
❤️Wednesday, October 21: 3-Hour Early Release at 12:20 for school-age students
❤️Friday, October 23: Make-up Picture Day; Grades 5 and 6 Family Friday Breakfast Bash (7:45, Cafeteria)
❤️Friday, October 30: Book Character Day!; 2 Hour Early Release at 1:20 for all school-age students; 5th and 6th Grade Chorus sing The Star Spangled Banner at the Hayfield Secondary Football Game
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