Panda Press - October 21, 2026

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School Priorities Banner. Family Engagement, Sense of Belonging, Personalized Instruction
Two smiling students wearing ladybug antenna headbands celebrating our 3rd grade Ladybug Museum.

 

Celebrating our 3rd Grade Project Based Learning Ladybug Museum

 


Principal's Message

Dear Franklin Sherman Families,

 

I hope to see you tomorrow night for our PTA meeting at 5:30. We're excited to welcome a guest speaker, Jenny Steinhoff, local mom, former teacher, and child therapist, to our PTA meeting! She'll share practical ways to build independence and executive functioning skills at home, reinforce morning meeting strategies, and strengthen the school-home connection.

Following the PTA meeting, we will have our Academic Night & Book Fair. 
From 6:00–7:00 PM, explore Passport to Learning, featuring hands-on Reading, Math, Science, and STEAM activities! Students can collect stickers as they complete their learning passports.

 

I hope to see you and your students tomorrow night. 

 

Farris Thomas
Principal
Franklin Sherman ES

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Policy on Toys and Fidgets

Note to Families: Policy on Toys and Fidgets at School

We kindly ask that students do not bring toys or fidgets from home to school, unless your child's classroom teacher has specifically notified you about a special class celebration.

While we understand these items are fun, bringing toys and personal fidgets to school can create significant disruptions to learning. Additionally, personal items risk being lost, misplaced, or broken.

Support for Fidgets as Learning Tools

If your child requires a fidget to assist with emotional regulation or concentration during the school day, please contact Ms. Crummett, School Counselor, at SLCrummett1@fcps.edu Ms. Crummett will work directly with your child to teach them how to use a fidget as an effective learning tool and will provide a school-appropriate fidget for them to use and keep at school.

Thank you for your cooperation and support in maintaining a focused and positive learning environment for all of our students!

 


Important Dates

ATTENTION SACC Parents

On Wednesday, November 11, SACC will be closed for Veterans Day. School is open on that day 

FSES Calendar 

Franklin Sherman has a new school calendar online. We encourage all families to subscribe for up to the minute information about school schedules and events. If you have previously subscribed to the old school calendar you can unlink it in your calendar app. You can also view the new school calendar on our website.

 

 

Calendar Portrait

 

October 22  Fall Picture Day

October 26 Field Trip Grades K & 1 

October 30  End Q1 and 2 hours early release 

Friday, October 30

Students are  encouraged to dress up as a favorite story book character. Staff will be dressing up as well on the 30th for students to vote for the best costumes! 

*Reminder this is a 2 hour early release for the end of the quarter. All students will leave at 2**

 


Visitor Check-in

All visitors to FSES must check via the Visitor Management System (VMS) prior to entering the building.  You must bring have a photo ID to check-in. We suggest that you download the Raptor Safe App prior to visiting FSES to shorten the check-in time.  Please allow extra time to check in for larger school events.

 


Outstanding Employee Awards

✨DO YOU KNOW AN AMAZING EMPLOYEE? ✨

We are now accepting nominations to recognize our outstanding employees at Franklin Sherman Elementary for the 2026 - 2027 school year! If you have worked with an outstanding employee, FCPS wants your help recognizing them. Panda colleagues and families are invited to nominate:

🏆 NOMINATIONS FOR...

  • Outstanding Teacher
  • Outstanding New Teacher
  • Outstanding New Principal
  • Outstanding Professional Staff Leader
  • Outstanding Educational Services Employee
  • Outstanding Operational Services Employee

🗓️DEADLINE: The deadline to submit a nomination is Tuesday, November 13, 2026.

📝SUBMISSIONS: Submissions can be made by completing the form linked here

Thank you for supporting our outstanding PANDA Staff!

 


Full-Time AAP Q&A

AAP Full-Time Questions & Support: Virtual Office Hours

Ms. Stoermann, our Advanced Academic Resource teacher, will host virtual office hours sessions to help you with your questions regarding AAP Full-Time screening (available to students in Grades 2-6) or any other AAP questions you have.

AART Virtual Office Hours will be held via Zoom on the following dates and times:

  • October 22 (Thursday) 4:30-5:30 PM (Zoom Link) 
  • November 6 (Friday) 8:00-8:45 AM (Zoom Link)
  • November 19 (Thursday) 4:30-5:30 PM (Zoom Link) 
  • December 4 (Friday) 8:00-8:45 PM (Zoom Link) 

The county deadline for submitting the AAP Full-Time family referral is Tuesday, December 15th. This is a county set deadline, and late entries will not be accepted. Parents are encouraged to turn in their forms and supporting documents early to ensure that they are formatted appropriately for the screening portfolio. The AAP Full-Time Parent Referral form can be found at the bottom of the FCPS AAP Forms website linked here.

 


Multi-Language Learners Parent Coffee

Does your family speak a language other than English at home?

Please join us on Friday, November 6, from 9:15-10:15 a.m. in the library for coffee and conversation. We’ll share information about the supports Franklin Sherman offers multilingual learners and their families and make time for your questions. Our new school counselor, Ms Crummett and our Social worker, Ms Slattery will also be there.

 

Please RSVP to nmzoorba@fcps.edu. Your reservation helps us plan our event.

 


PTA Meeting & Academic Night October 22

Mark your calendars for October 22 and get ready for adventure. We will have our PTA meeting from 5:30-6 and then our Passport to Learning, Academic Night is 6-7 p.m. There will be games and learning activities in Reading, Math, Science, and STEAM. Participate in all the activities and fill your passport for the event with stickers from each station. All this, and you can stop in to browse and purchase at the Book Fair as well!

 

Image of cartoon pandas engaged in learning activities. The text reads "Passport to Learning, Academic Night."

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FS Book Fair

When: October 19 - 23

Where: Library

October 22: 6-7 - Family Night

We are thrilled to announce that our school is hosting our Fall Book Fair, in partnership with Bookworm Central! This exciting event is an opportunity for our students to explore a world of literature, foster their love of reading, and support our school! Every purchase from the Book Fair helps us earn rewards and resources for Franklin Sherman.

Volunteers Needed

To help everything run smoothly, we are looking for parent volunteers to assist with setting up and breaking down, restocking shelves, helping students make their lists and complete their purchases. Whether it’s 2 hours or twice as much, we are very appreciative of your participation. Here is the sign up genius, please enter your name in the slot that fits your schedule. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Rosalie Essimi at rmessimimen@fcps.edu.

We look forward to seeing you there!

 


FCPS News

FCPS logo

Immunization Events for FCPS Students

FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will be providing 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 made 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.

Learn About Applied Behavior Analysis and Teaching

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:

Survey Extended! 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 survey takes about five minutes to complete and will be open through Tuesday, October 20.

Please note that parents may now submit more than one response to provide feedback regarding different schools. 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.

Help Your Child Become a Stronger Reader: Upcoming Family Learning Opportunities

Want to better understand how your child learns to read and how you can support them at home? FCPS is offering several free virtual sessions to help families learn about reading instruction, literacy resources, and strategies to build strong reading skills. Explore the opportunities below and register for the sessions that interest you.Lexia Family Information Sessions

Want to learn more about Lexia® Core5 and Lexia® PowerUp? These virtual sessions share how FCPS is using both programs in classrooms across the division this school year to support students’ literacy growth and give families a chance to ask questions.

Every one-hour session covers the same content. Choose the option that works best for your family:

  • Wednesday, October 21, at 5 and 6 p.m.
  • Wednesday, November 4, at 6:30 p.m.

Join a Lexia Family Information Night Session.


PTA News

Franklin Sherman PTA logo

Get Ready for Monster Mash Dash!

Join your Franklin Sherman friends for one of our favorite annual traditions!

Whether you’re ready to race the 5K, walk with friends, or bring the whole family out for the 1-Mile Fun Run, everyone is welcome. Costumes are encouraged, and you definitely don’t have to be a runner to join the fun!

Sunday, October 25

5K at 8:00 AM

1-Mile Fun Run at 9:00 AM

Come run, walk, cheer, dress up, and be part of a fun FSES tradition.

Sign up today!

Auditions for School Musical

Fantastic News!!!

Ms. Nevills will be coming back to FSES to be the musical director for our school play!!!!!!

If you are interested in having your child audition (grades 4-6 only) please sign up here: https://www.fsespta.org/post/26-27-school-play

 


FCPS Cares logo

Reminders

FCPS CARES

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team at Franklin Sherman? Share an FCPS CARES! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu. Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration party from HR. Celebrate our wonderful staff today!

 

Volunteers

Volunteers are an important part of helping our students learn, grow, and succeed at Franklin Sherman and throughout FCPS! Parents, caregivers, and community members who would like to volunteer on field trips, in classrooms, at school events, or in other school activities must complete the FCPS volunteer registration process. This includes an online application, a training video, and, depending on the role, a background check.

Ready to get involved? Click here to begin or login to the volunteer portal if you already have an account.!

 

Lunch with a Panda

We are thrilled to invite parents once again for "Lunch with a Panda."

Please join your child for lunch. Reservations become available 2 weeks in advance.

Submit this Reservation Form to let us know that you will visit for lunch.

Important Details:

  • This form creates a reservation for 1 parent at a time (if both parents wish to visit for lunch the form must be submitted twice)
  • There are at most 3 reservations available per grade per day
  • Reservations will only become available 2 weeks in advance and reservations can not be made the same day of the visit
  • If a date does not appear in the list of choices it is either because there are no more reservations available for that day, or the school calendar/schedule of events does not allow us to have lunchtime visitors

 


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