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Dear Great Falls ES Families,
As we approach the end of the quarter in three weeks, we are scheduling parent-teacher conferences. Fall assessment results are becoming available in ParentVUE, with detailed score reports scheduled to be released on October 19. Assessment results and progress reports offer different information and can both inform conference conversations.
FCPS elementary progress reports are standards-based and describe students’ learning during the grading period. FCPS elementary progress reports are standards-based: they describe how students are demonstrating the standards taught during the grading period, rather than providing one cumulative grade for each subject. Please see the rubric below, utilized when we look at grading and progress; as you can see, the majority of our students should receive a 3. For more information, please see FCPS elementary progress reports.
Internally, as we review our recent beginning-of-year assessment data and classroom observations, our instructional team is preparing to launch Roadrunner Time, a daily block for targeted intervention and enrichment. Students may work in small groups, in another classroom, or with a specialist, depending on their learning needs. Flexible grouping helps us provide support, such as phonics practice or math problem-solving, as well as enrichment, such as creative writing and project-based learning. Grouping lets us deploy reading specialists, math coaches, special educators, and classroom teachers where their strengths will have the greatest impact. We will notify parents when students are removed from the general classroom to receive research-based intervention support.
📅Important Dates
October 12: School Planning Day - No School for Students
October 13: Moby Dick Spirit Event
October 14 - 23: PTA Winter Coat Drive
October 15: Fall Picture Day
October 16: Family Movie Night - 6:45 pm (Doors Open at 6:00 pm)
October 19 - 23: PTA Book Fair Week
October 20: Virtual PTA Meeting (Guest Speaker: Family Liaison, Sue Kim) - 10:30 am
October 21: Wear Orange for Unity Day
October 22: PTA Book Fair Family Shopping Night (4:00 - 7:00 pm)
October 30: End of Quarter 2 Hour Early Release - 1:35 pm.
November 2: No School - School Planning Day
November 3: No School - Teacher Work Day
November 18: Early Release Wednesday
November 25 - 30: Thanksgiving Break
Calendar Change: Eid al-Fitr
FCPS will mark the beginning of Eid al-Fitr with an evening-only observance day on Monday, March 8. School will be in session, 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. School will be in session, but certain activities that cannot be made up (major tests, field trips, or mandatory events) will not take place.
The new school year calendar has been published and includes this change. Please note that holidays and observances on the calendar may shift due to anticipated lunar sightings.
🐶Exciting News - Heeling House Therapy Dog Visits
We are excited to have therapy dogs from the Heeling House visit Great Falls Elementary School this year. The Heeling House mission is to improve children's lives through animal-assisted interactions.
For their first visit on November 27, the therapy dogs will be outside near our bus loop and kiss-and-ride to greet all students upon arrival after break. As the day progresses, students in classrooms will have the opportunity to interact with calm, loving, trained therapy dogs. The dogs will be in the hallway, and students will have the opportunity to greet and interact with the dogs. Each month, students in other grade levels will have the opportunity to interact with the therapy dogs.
If you do not want your student(s) to participate, fill out the form linked here as soon as possible. If you have any questions or concerns, please email our Multilingual Learner teacher, Melissa Grant (mlgrant1@fcps.edu).
📸 Fall Picture Day is Coming!
Fall Picture Day is coming up soon! Students will have their individual photos taken on Thursday, October 15th.
Order your Fall Pictures now! Visit www.strawbridge.net and enter the code PX518969 to purchase your photo package today.
PTA Book Fair: Oct 19-23
The Scholastic carts will soon line our hallways, and the students will be abuzz, plotting their Book Fair purchases. As one of our PTA's most anticipated events, Book Fair Week is always an exciting time in our school.
Would you like a chance to volunteer to help students choose their books? Please click here to join us!
Don't forget to bring the whole family for Family Shopping on Thursday, October 22, from 4:00-7:00 pm, where you'll find great books and fun gifts for all ages, including the preschool and middle grade crowds. And remember that our teachers love Book Fair too. Last school year, families generously gifted over 300 books for our teachers' classroom libraries. And your contributions to the Share the Fair fund helped ensure that every student had the opportunity to shop for a great book.
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October is Bullying Prevention Month
October is Bullying Prevention Month. Throughout October, our counselors, Courtney and Emma, will deliver bullying prevention lessons to all grade levels during classroom counseling. We will have a spirit day to celebrate Unity Day on Wednesday, October 21st, so don't forget to remind your students to wear ORANGE! Read more information about bullying prevention in FCPS.
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PTA Winter Coat Drive: Oct. 14-23
The GFES PTA Winter Coat Drive starts next week! We are collecting new and gently used, clean children’s coats in newborn–teen sizes. We will also accept donations of children’s plastic clothing hangers and reusable tote bags. All donations will be distributed at the Hunter Mill District Coat Drive for Kids events. Donations will be collected from Wednesday, October 14, through Friday, October 23. Collection boxes will be located outside the main entrance to the school and in the main lobby. Help those in need this winter by giving the gift of warmth. Every donation makes a difference! Thank you for your generous support.
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Yearbook Cover Contest
Our annual Yearbook Cover Contest is gearing up to start! This is a fantastic opportunity for students to showcase their artistic talents and design a unique cover for this year’s yearbook, which our staff will vote on.
Each entry must be created on an 8½” x 11” piece of paper. Entries must also include the school name and year prominently featured, as well as the student’s and their teacher’s names written lightly on the back.
Feel free to use any coloring medium you like — markers, colored pencils, paints, watercolors, or crayons. Remember, the brighter and bolder the design, the better! Only student artwork will be accepted. Once artwork is complete, please submit it to the main office by Friday, October 23rd.
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🚌Transportation Changes
Thank you for helping us make sure your child gets home safely each day! Please use the online Change of Transportation (COT) Form on the GFES website to let the school know about changes to your child’s usual way home, such as riding the bus with a friend or going home through Kiss & Ride instead of by bus. Submit the form by 1:30pm so staff have time to share the information before dismissal.
A few reminders:
- If your child will be going home with a friend, both families must submit a form.
- Please do not use the form for 3-hour Early Release Wednesdays.
- If your child will be leaving school early, please email your child’s afternoon teacher directly.
⌚SmartWatches - We need your help
Across all grade levels, students must keep SmartWatches off and stored personally for the entire school day. Personal devices that connect to a cellphone or cellphone accessory or operate as a smart device must also follow the FCPS Cellphone Policy.
🌱 Great Falls’ Green Team
Open to 4th–6th graders, the Green Team works on projects like gardening, recycling, and conservation. Student ambassadors help lead Get2Green initiatives in their classrooms. Students can pick up applications outside Mrs. Moorstein’s classroom.
🚌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 the Safe Routes to School program invite 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 FCPS schools, please complete a separate survey for each school.
If you have any questions about the survey, please contact SafeRoutestoSchool@fcps.edu.
🏫FCPS Seeks Community Input on Middle School AAP Centers
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.
Growing Together: Talking About Social-Emotional Learning at Home
Social-emotional learning (SEL) helps children develop confidence, resilience, self-awareness, and other important skills that support their success in school and throughout life. Join a workshop for parents and caregivers to:
- Understand your child’s Fairfax County SEL Screener results.
- Use the results as a starting point for meaningful conversations at home.
- Support your child’s social and emotional development.
- Build confidence, resilience, and lifelong skills together.
Learn practical ways to talk with your child about their social and emotional well-being and support their continued growth at home. Events will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, October 8, at Skyview High School and Wednesday, October 21, at Kingstowne Regional Library. View additional dates on the FCPS Family Academy webpage.
Childcare will be available. Interpretation services are available upon request. For more information, contact the Family and School Partnerships office at 703-204-4300 or FamilyEngagement@fcps.edu.
🗣️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, September 28, at 6:30 p.m., at Riverside Elementary School
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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.
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