In this Paw Print:
-
School News
- Principal's Message 🗣️
- Where in the School is Ms. Andujar 🔎
- Panther Prowl! 🏃🏽♀️➡️
- Step Right Up to the Big Top Book Fair! 🎪
- Outstanding Employee Awards ✨
- 3-Hour Early Release Choice ⏰
- Veterans Day Celebration🪖
- Music T-Shirts 🎶
- Advanced Academics Program Meeting 🧠
-
PTA News
- iCode Clifton - Halloween Game Night! 👻
- Talent Show Lead or Co-Leads Needed!🎭
- Registration for Math and Running Club is Open! 👟✖️
-
FCPS News
- Virginia Quality Birth to Five 🔠
- Superintendent Community Conversations💬
-
Community News
- Rocky Run Tailgate Block Party 🐏
- Clue at Chantilly High 🔎
- Upcoming Dates
Dear Families,
We have some exciting news to share! Our band teacher, Kelsey Seipp was nominated for an FCPS Cares award.The FCPS CARES Program allows parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees who go above and beyond to help others and show they care about their students, colleagues, and the community.
Not only was Kelsey nominated but she was awarded the FCPS CARES of the Month award for June 2026 and TODAY was visited by Dr. Reid to award her with the FCPS CARES of the Quarter for Summer 2026!
Ms. Seipp was nominated by one of our multi age teachers Diana Houston and a parent Teresa Greenfield. Here is part of the submission written about Ms. Seipp:
"My 11-year-old daughter, has global developmental delays that have often kept her on the sidelines, missing out on opportunities to fully participate alongside her peers. Joining the band was her first opportunity to truly belong to a team and be part of something bigger than herself. From the very beginning, Mrs. Seipp made her feel welcomed, valued, and capable. Rather than focusing on her limitations, Mrs. Seipp focused on her strengths. She took the time to understand her individual needs, adapted instruction when necessary, and created an environment where she could succeed alongside her classmates."
To read the entire FCPS CARES click HERE.
Want to honor another awesome Poplar Tree employee?? Visit this page to nominate someone for an FCPS CARES award!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Sue Andujar, Principal
Amy Alley, Assistant Principal
Where in the School is Ms. Andujar?
Watch the video linked below to see Ms. Andujar visiting 3rd graders during their phonics lesson!
Panther Prowl Fun Run 🏃🏽♀️➡️
Way to go Panthers!!! Our goal was to raise $20,000 and as of today we have surpassed our goal!
This year's goal is $20,000!!
We've currently raised $21,335!
We look forward to seeing everyone at the Panther Prowl TONIGHT! Due to the weather, we will be moving all events inside. Games and food will be in the cafeteria for students to enjoy after they are done running!
Students will still be able to run around the gym! Each grade level will have 5 minutes to see how many laps they can get! When you arrive to the school, look for the adult holding up the sign for your grade level and we will let you into the gym when it's your turn!
See everyone soon!
🎪📚 Step Right Up to the
Big Top Book Fair! 🎟️
The greatest book fair on Earth is coming to Poplar Tree October 19–23! Get ready for a week of amazing books, exciting discoveries, and circus-sized fun!
🌟 Don't miss Family Night on Tuesday, October 20, from 4–7 PM! Bring the whole family for sweet treats from a food truck, temporary tattoos, a fun photo station, and first dibs on the most popular books and goodies! Plus, be among the first to grab the brand-new Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Fight or Flight, releasing that very night!
💳 No Cash? No Problem! Make shopping a breeze with Bookworm Central's eWallet! Families can set up a cash-free spending account for their student, choose a spending limit, and let their little bookworms shop independently. Best of all, your credit card is charged only for what your student actually spends, so there's no leftover balance to worry about!
👉 Set up your Bookworm Central eWallet here!
Come one, come all! The Big Top Book Fair is sure to be a page-turning spectacular! 🎪✨
Do you know an amazing Poplar Tree Employee? ✨
We are now accepting nominations to recognize our outstanding employees at Poplar Tree for the 2026 - 2027 school year! If you have worked with an outstanding employee at Poplar Tree, FCPS wants your help recognizing them. Panther colleagues and families are invited to nominate:
🏆 NOMINATIONS FOR...
- Outstanding Teacher
- Outstanding New Teacher
- Outstanding Principal
- Outstanding Professional Staff Leader
- Outstanding Educational Services Employee
- Outstanding Operational Services Employee
🗓️DEADLINE: The deadline to submit a nomination is Friday, November 6, 2026.
🐾 Thank you for supporting our outstanding Panther Staff! 🐾
Please submit your nominations HERE!
3-Hour Early Release
Wednesdays!!⏰
This year we have FOUR 3-Hour Early Release Wednesdays. These days are:
- October 21
- December 2
- February 10
- May 5
Please complete THIS FORM for each of your children letting us know what their plan is on these days. If you need to change their plan for a Wednesday moving forward, we will send another message out giving you the opportunity to update their plan closer to that date.
PTES Celebrates our Veterans🎖️
Family members of our Poplar Tree students who have served or are currently serving in the military are invited to join us for an in-person celebration on Wednesday, November 11, 2026!
-
The celebration will go as follows:
- ⭐ 9:00 am - Reception for Veterans in the Library
- ⭐ 9:15 am - Schoolwide Assembly in the gym
To have your Veterans' photo in a video slideshow we will be showing at the celebration, to sign up for your Veteran to speak at our assembly, or to RSVP to the event, please complete THIS FORM by Friday, November 6! If you have previously submitted a photo, we will use it again unless you would like to submit a NEW photo!
You will have to have a Google account to share your photo on this form. If you do not have one, you can send the photo via email to Leslie Leisey at lfleisey@fcps.edu.
We look forward to honoring all of our Veterans!⭐
Music T-Shirts 🎶
It's time to order a music T-Shirt! Students will wear these shirts for all concerts and events this year!
To order a T-Shirt please visit: https://fcps.click/ptmusicshirt.
The cost of each shirt is $12. Any leftover funds collected will go to supporting our music programs - band, chorus, and strings. You can pay for the shirts with exact cash, check (made out to Poplar Tree Elementary), or through My School Bucks.
All orders are due by Friday, October 30.
Advanced Academic Programs
Poplar Tree families are invited to attend an AAP information meeting, led by Kim Keleher, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART):
-
Full-Time AAP Identification: October 22 at 9:30. We will offer a hybrid meeting inviting families in person and online. Families will learn about the referral and identification processes for Full-Time AAP services. Join Virtually via ZOOM at this link
For more information, please contact Kim Keleher, AART, at kjkeleher@fcps.edu or visit the Poplar Tree Advanced Academic Programs website.
Parent Night Out! iCode October Spirit Night 👻
iCode Clifton is Hosting... Poplar Tree Halloween Game Night!
- Saturday, October 24th; 6pm - 8:30pm
- 5754 Union Mill Rd. Clifton, VA
- $35/kid pizza dinner included
- Proceeds Benefit: Poplar Tree ES PTA
Get ready for a spooktacular game night! Enjoy pizza, drinks, Halloween fun, and a costume contest. Check out the link to sign up: https://tinyurl.com/icodeptes.
Talent Show Lead or Co-Leads Needed!🎭
The Talent Show is one of the most beloved community events at Poplar Tree - last year almost 100 students performed, plus teachers and staff! We need a new lead (or group of friends!) to step up in order to hold this event. This is a fun way to contribute through a short-term commitment. We have amazingly detailed notes and guidance from past years and lots of tools and resources to support you! Help us keep this tradition alive!
Interested in this or being involved in another committee?
Contact the PTA at poplartreepta@gmail.com.
 Registration for Math and Running Club is Open! 👟✖️
-
PTES Math Club is back for the new school year!
- Open to students in grades 3-6, the kids will test and build their math problem-solving skills (logical thinking, spatial reasoning) using non-standard math problems, competing in several math contests including Math Olympiad, Noetic, and Math Kangaroo throughout the year.
- This year we will meet on alternate Mondays after school from 3:35-4:45, in the cafeteria. Our first session will be on Monday, October 5; students can attend to try out the club without registering for the full year.
There is a registration fee to cover contest fees and materials.
- Registration is $40 for 3rd graders and $50 for 4th-6th graders.
- Registration deadline is October 17, ahead of our second meeting on Monday, October 19.
- Parents MUST be part of the PTA in order to enroll their child.
- Learn more and register HERE!
-
Running Club Starts October 15th!
FCPS Is Participating in Virginia Quality Birth to Five 🔠
(VQB5)
Virginia Quality Birth to Five is Virginia’s system for measuring and supporting quality in early childhood programs so children enter kindergarten ready to learn. VQB5 builds on health and safety standards by measuring the quality of teacher-child interactions and the use of the curriculum. Visit the Virginia Quality Birth to Five website for more information.
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:
-
Monday, October 19, at 6:30 p.m., at Spring Hill Elementary School
-
Monday, October 26, at 6:30 p.m., at Beech Tree Elementary School
-
Thursday, October 29, at 6:30 p.m., at North Springfield Elementary School
-
Tuesday, December 1, at 6:30 p.m., at Powell Elementary School (note date change)
Registration is not required, but it helps with planning.
Rocky Run Tailgate Block Party 🐏
Get ready for a fun evening of food, games, football challenges and Ram spirit! Join Rocky Run families for our Tailgate Block Party on October 30 from 5-6:30PM.
Clue at Chantilly High 🔎
The game is officially ON! Chantilly High School Theatre is thrilled to present CLUE — a madcap murder mystery packed with hilarious characters, unexpected twists, suspicious behavior, and enough secrets to keep you guessing until the very end!
It’s a dark and stormy night at Boddy Manor. Six colorful guests. One very dead host. A collection of questionable weapons. And EVERYONE has something to hide.
Will it be Miss Scarlet with the rope?
Professor Plum with the candlestick?
Colonel Mustard with the wrench?
There’s only one way to find out! Performances will be:
- Thursday, October 22 at 7 PM
- Friday, October 23 at 7 PM
- Saturday, October 24 at 7 PM
- Sunday, October 25 at 2 PM
Gather your favorite detectives, bring your best theories, and get ready for a night of mystery, mayhem, and LOTS of laughs!
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit chantillydrama.org.
-
Friday, October 16: Panther Prowl - Starts at 5:30 pm
-
October 19 - 23: Book Fair
-
Tuesday, October 20: Book Fair Family Night, 4:00 - 7:00 pm
- Wednesday, October 21: 3 Hour Early Release
-
Thursday, October 22: Hybrid Full-Time AAP Identification Meeting
-
Friday, October 23: 5th Grade Field Trip to Camp Hemlock
-
October 27, 28, 29: NGAT Testing
-
Thursday, October 29: 1st Grade Field Trip to EC Lawrence Park
-
Friday, October 30: Kindergarten Halloween Parade
|
