Ram Gram - October 9, 2026

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 10/09/2026 05:30 PM EDT

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Important Dates

Monday 10/12: Student Holiday - Teacher Workday

Thursday 10/15: Advanced Academics Program (AAP) Parent Information Night 6:00-7:30 pm

Tuesday 10/20: Fall Picture Day

Tuesday 10/20: G3-6 SEL Screener

Wednesday 10/21: 3-hour Early Release Day - Students dismiss at 12:25

Thursday 10/22: Title I Annual Meeting at 6:00 pm.

Friday 10/23: Book Character Day

Tuesday 10/27: Family Science Night, 6:00-7:00 pm, gym

Friday 10/30: End of Quarter - 2-hour early release-Students dismiss at 1:25

Monday 11/2: Student Holiday - School Planning Day for Teachers

Tuesday 11/3: Student Holiday - Teacher Workday

Wednesday 11/18 - Friday 11/20: G6 Youth Screener Survey

A Message from the Principal

It has been a wonderful week at Centre Ridge ES! Our Rams have been busy learning and growing each day.  They continue to amaze us!

On Thursday, October 15th at 6:00 pm in the library, we will be holding the Advanced Academic Program (AAP) Parent Meeting.  Families are welcome to come learn more about AAP services at Centre Ridge.  We will also share information about applying for Full-Time AAP Services.  If you are unable to attend, we will share the information with families through our teachers’ grade level newsletters next week.

As a reminder, Monday, October 12, is a student holiday. We hope you enjoy the long weekend and look forward to welcoming our Rams back on Tuesday!

Sincerely,

Erika Aspuria

Principal

Please Join us for our Title I Annual Meeting at Centre Ridge Elementary School.

Date: October 22, 2026

Time: 6:00 pm

Childcare and light refreshments will be provided by Title I.

Spanish Translators will be available for both meeting options

PTA meeting to follow at 7:00 pm

This is an opportunity to learn about Centre Ridge as a Title I School, our School Data, and our School Improvement Plan. During this time, we will also ask our families to provide any feedback around our family engagement plan. An online option will be available as well. An online link will be sent via talking points closer to the meeting date.

Math Corner:

Did you know that when children hear adults say "I'm not a math person," their own math confidence may drop? Math isn't a gene—it's a muscle that grows with practice! Next time your child feels stuck, try adding the word "yet."  Like "I don't know the answer, yet!"  To help your child build math confidence at home:

  • Praise hard work, not labels: Focus on their effort and problem-solving process instead of saying "you are smart."
  • Celebrate mistakes: Remind them that making mistakes is how the brain learns and grows in math.
  • Try hard problems: Encourage your child to try tricky math questions. Working through hard problems builds strong problem-solving skills! Check out math at home for some interesting math problems to try as a family!
Family Science Night picture

Save the Date! Family Science Night is Coming to our School October 27th

 

The Children’s Science Center Lab is bringing their Family Science Night Program to Centre Ridge.

Family Science Night offers a variety of engaging, hands-on science activities such as Stacking Currency: Building Financial Literacy, Superhero Species: Creating with Probability, Forensic Fun: Mystery Solved, among several others.These experiments are specially designed to help encourage students to take interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects, as well as to encourage students to develop curiosity in everyday life situations.

Young children are natural scientists, rationally making observations, testing hypotheses, analyzing data and reaching conclusions.

Join us on October 27th 6:00-7:30pm to help keep our students engaged and excited about STEM subjects. We hope to see you there!

Calendar Reminder: Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Monday, October 12, is a student holiday and staff development day for Indigenous Peoples’ Day. See the complete school year calendar.

FCPS News

📚 Halfway Through Learning About Life Science in Language Arts 📚

We are halfway through Benchmark Unit 1 in Language Arts! Across grade levels, students have explored where plants and animals live and how they grow and change. 

Connect with your child’s learning at school with these fun questions and hands-on activities at home:

  • Question: What has been your favorite reading in this unit so far and why?
  • Activity: Have your child imagine they are an animal and write or dictate a short story about their day.

At the end of the unit, your child will take their unit magazine home. The magazine includes an activity calendar with fun ways to help students build on what they’re learning at each grade level. You can also find information on how to support your child’s reading at home on the Benchmark Families website. 

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:

Registration is not required, but it helps with planning. 

Immunization Events for FCPS Students

FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will provide school-required immunizations and optional flu shots for all FCPS students ages 18 and under with no out-of-pocket costs. Multiple events will take place at designated FCPS locations. 

Additional dates will be available throughout the school year. Parents or guardians may view upcoming events and schedule an appointment for their student. Participation is voluntary. Additional immunization resources are available.

Transportation Survey

Share Your Feedback on Traveling to and From School

The FCPS Office of Safety and Security and Safe Routes to School program are asking families to share their experiences traveling to and from their child’s school. The feedback will help inform the Fairfax County School Board’s annual assessment of traffic and pedestrian safety near schools. 

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.  

Pedestrian Safety Tips From Fairfax County Police

October is Pedestrian Safety Month, and the Fairfax County Police Department reminds drivers and pedestrians that everyone plays a role in keeping our roads safeClick to edit this placeholder text.

National School Lunch Week

Celebrating the Power of School Lunches

Multiple studies show that school lunches are important in supporting overall student health by improving students’ diets and combating food insecurity. Students who eat school lunches consume more fruit, vegetables, and fiber than their peers. 

This National School Lunch Week, FCPS Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) reminds families that they are dedicated to providing delicious, healthy, sustainable, and student-focused meals. New menu items have been launched this year based on student feedback. 

Want to know what’s for breakfast or lunch? View the Nutrition Services menus.