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Happy Monday, Westbriar Families!
We hope you had a wonderful and relaxing weekend! As we settle into the rhythm of the school year, we want to take a moment to talk about the vital role daily attendance plays in your child’s success. Attendance isn't just about showing up, it's key to our school accreditation and directly impacts academic growth. Currently, our schoolwide Chronic Absenteeism rate stands at 9.8%, and our goal is to keep it at or below 7% all year long. To help us reach this target, we strongly encourage families to utilize the FCPS calendar when planning family vacations or scheduling routine medical appointments during non-school days.
Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more of the school year—which is as few as two days a month or 18 days overall, for any reason, including illness, family trips, or travel. While our upper grades are currently maintaining strong attendance rates below 10%, our primary attendance needs are concentrated in Kindergarten (13.5%) and 1st Grade (12.3%). Consistent routines early in the week, like set bedtimes and evening preparations, make a world of difference. Every day of learning counts, and staying on track prevents instructional delays for both individual students and the entire classroom.
Thank you for partnering with us to build strong attendance habits that prepare our Falcons for long-term success. If your family is facing barriers like transportation or health challenges, please reach out to our school counselors or front office, we are here to support you!
Warmly,
Sallie Burch, Principal • Katie Blomquist, Assistant Principal • Erin Lear, Assistant Principal
Students in 3rd through 6th grade will be using Recorders in Music Class this year!
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Need to Buy a Recorder? If your child does not already have one, please order a recorder via MySchoolBucks by Friday, October 30th. The cost is $4.93.
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Already Have One? If your child already owns a recorder from a previous year or sibling, they do not need to buy a new one, just have them bring it with them to music class!
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Ordering Details: Additional information on how to place your order can be found HERE.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please feel free to reach out to our music teacher, Ms. Chernov, at mchernov@fcps.edu.
Each year, FCPS School Health Rooms perform required hearing and vision screenings for all Kindergarten and 3rd grade students to comply with Code of Virginia Section 22.1-273.
Screening Schedule:
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3rd Grade: Monday, October 5th
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Kindergarten: Wednesday, October 7th
Reminders for Families:
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Eyeglasses: Parents, please remember to ensure your child wears or brings their eyeglasses to school every day.
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Results Notification: Caregivers will be provided a notification letter in their child's Friday folder shortly after screenings are completed if a child requires further follow-up or fails the hearing and/or vision screenings.
If you have any questions, please reach out to our Health Room team:
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Emily Tshishimbi, School Health Aide
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Megan Rayes, Public Health Nurse
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Phone: 703-937-1710
It is almost time for our annual Parent-Teacher Conferences! Conferences offer a wonderful opportunity to connect with your child’s teacher, celebrate their progress, and collaborate on goals for the school year.
Teachers will offer both in-person and virtual conference options for families. Please look for scheduling details directly from your child’s teacher and begin signing up for a session during the designated windows below:
Conference Schedule Windows:
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Monday, October 12th: 1:00 PM–4:30 PM
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Friday, October 30th: 2:30 PM–4:15 PM
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Monday, November 2nd: 1:00 PM–4:30 PM
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Tuesday, November 3rd: All Day (Election Day/Teacher Workday)
We value our partnership with you and look forward to discussing your child's academic and social growth!
We are looking for parent volunteers to help make our upcoming Picture Days run smoothly! Volunteers play a key role in helping classes stay on schedule, assisting students with looking their best, and keeping everything organized.
If you are available and would like to lend a hand, please sign up using our Picture Day Volunteer Sign-Up Genius.
Thank you for your time and support in helping capture wonderful memories for our Westbriar students!
Please mark your calendars for our upcoming picture days throughout the school year!
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Fall Picture Day: Friday, October 9th (Yearbook)
Individual portraits taken on this day will be used for the official school yearbook. Important Note: Students WILL NOT be published in the yearbook if they are not present for Fall Picture Day on October 9th or the makeup day on December 4th.
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Make-Up/Retake Picture Day: Friday, December 4th (Yearbook)
This session is reserved for students who were absent on Fall Picture Day or require a portrait retake for the yearbook.
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Club & Group Photos: Friday, January 15th
Group photos will be taken for student clubs, leadership groups, and extracurricular organizations.
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Spring Photos & Class Photos: Thursday, March 18th
Casual spring individual portraits and full class group photos will be taken on this day. Please note that spring photos are NOT used for the yearbook.
Ordering Information: Details on how to purchase photo packages will be sent home prior to both the Fall and Spring Picture Days.
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 will not take place on this day.
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.
FCPS is exploring a plan to offer Full-Time Advanced Academic Program (AAP) services at every middle school. Under the proposal, students who qualify could attend their neighborhood middle school and take advanced classes with other AAP students. The School Board has approved community engagement at Franklin, Hayfield, Holmes, Key, and Whitman middle schools, where programs could open for the 2027-28 school year. The proposal is still under consideration, and the School Board is expected to make a decision in December.
Each community meeting offers in-person and virtual participation. Upcoming meetings are scheduled for:
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Franklin Middle: Monday, October 5, at 6 p.m.
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Holmes Middle: Thursday, October 15, at 6 p.m.
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Whitman Middle: Thursday, October 22, at 6 p.m.
Current middle school students will remain at their assigned AAP centers through middle school. Learn more and find meeting sign-up forms on the Middle School AAP Centers page.
FCPS News
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
đź‘ź PTA News: Walk, Bike, or Bus to School Days: October 7th & 8th!
Join us for Walk, Bike, or Bus to School Days on Wednesday, October 7th and Thursday, October 8th from 9:00 AM to 9:15 AM!
Our goal is Zero Cars at Westbriar for these two mornings to keep our kids safe, healthy, active, and green!
How to Participate:
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Walkers & Bikers: Walk or bike to school and pick up fun tokens by the bike rack!
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Bus Riders: If you don't have a safe walking or biking route, take the school bus!
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Skip the Kiss & Ride: Families are encouraged to skip the carpool lane. Students arriving by foot, bike, or bus will receive water bottle stickers on both days!
🙌 Volunteers Needed!
We need parent volunteers to help hand out tokens and stickers in the morning from 9:00 AM to 9:15 AM. Scan the QR code on the flyer or check the PTA website/sign-up links to register!
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