This Week's Eagle Express

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 10/09/2026 05:36 PM EDT

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🗓️Upcoming Events

Sept. 15-Oct. 15: National Hispanic American Heritage

Oct.12: School Planning Day for Staff (Student Holiday)

October 15: Join GES staff and our community at Richard Byrd Library to check out books, enjoy a LEGO event, and read in a cozy corner.

Oct. 21: Early Release Wednesday #1 - 3-hour Release – 1:05 p.m.

Oct. 22: GES Family Literacy Night

Oct. 26: School Picture Day

Oct. 30: End of First Quarter 2-hour Early Release – 2:05 p.m.

Note: For the 2026–2027 school year, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has designated Veterans Day on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, as a regular instructional school day, while the Fairfax County SACC Program will be closed. Please plan before and after school care for your child(ren.

Join us for Literacy Night

Thursday, Oct. 22^nd

5:30 – 7:00

Engage in reading and writing activities with your child.

Collect take-home games, materials, and FREE books, and learn more about power of reading, writing and spelling!

*Pizza will be served while supplies last

New Literacy

Webinar Series

Fairfax County Public Schools is presenting a literacy webinar series to help families understand reading assessments, reading plans, and how to support their child at home. The series and topics:

October 20, 10 a.m.- Understanding Reading Assessments and Your Child
December 15, 10 a.m.- What is a Reading Plan?
February 19, 10 a.m.- How Do I Support My Child with a Reading Plan at Home?
May 14, 10 a.m.- Continuing Reading Success Through the Summer.

Click here to see the flyer.

K-6 Benchmark Focus
Comparing and Contrasting

Our K–6 curriculum teams recently dove into a Benchmark unit focused on a key reading skill: comparing and contrasting within and across texts. The academic vocabulary students learn during this unit isn't just for literacy: it carries over into science, social studies, math, and beyond!

Starting this week, keep an eye on our main lobby! You will see the core academic vocabulary and learning standards displayed where everyone can see them. By bringing the learning from our classrooms into our shared spaces, we highlight the great work happening schoolwide every day.

Check out the FCPS Quarterly Curriculum Overviews to learn more about what our students are learning this quarter. Thank you for your ongoing partnership as we achieve excellence, together!

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:

Registration is not required, but it helps with planning.

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.

Understanding the
FCPS Calendar

Help your child prepare for future success by encouraging them to develop positive attendance habits. Regular attendance supports learning and helps students stay on track for college, careers, and other opportunities after graduation.

Take a look at the FCPS calendar. Try your best to schedule any vacations or planned family events on weekends and school holidays. If the appointment needs to be during the school day, when possible, schedule it for the beginning or end of the day to minimize time missed.

If your child needs to miss school because of an illness or appointment, please report the absence to our school as early as possible. Find out how to report an absence on our homepage or call the front office.

If you or your family need any kind of support, please let us know. We are here for you! Visit the FCPS Attendance webpage for tips and strategies.

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:

Holmes Middle: Thursday, October 15, at 6 p.m.
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.

Transportation Survey

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.

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) at Home

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.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) at Home

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.

YOUR GES PRINCIPAL PARTNERS

We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with your family this school year. Our goal is to provide every child with a safe, welcoming, and positive learning environment where they can grow and thrive.

Please know that we are always here to listen, answer questions, and address concerns. Thank you for your continued support and for being such an important part of our Garfield team. Together, we can make this a wonderful year for every child! Thank you!

Mrs. Peerman, Principal, Klpeerman@fcps.edu

Ms. Manning, Assistant Principal, eamanning1@fcps.edu

7101 Old Keene Mill Rd, Springfield, VA 22150 | Main Office: 703-923-2900
Attendance: 703-923-2929 | Web | Twitter

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