English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

Bright Minds, Brilliant Designs

Where All Students Shine!

Dear Kings Park Families,

This week is full of fall fun at Kings Park. Our second graders put their science learning into action during a field trip to Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, exploring pond habitats by collecting and releasing aquatic insects and other pond dwellers. Hands-on learning is fun for adults, too! Family members are enjoying active games and musical activities at this week’s PE and Music Open Houses. 

We are excited to celebrate the many cultures in our community at International Night this Friday, October 23rd, from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at Kings Park. Thank you to the Kings Park and Kings Glen families who have signed up to share their cultures and traditions, and to the Kings Park/Kings Glen PTA for hosting this special event. All Kings Park families are invited to explore countries around the world through traditions, food, and more!

Sincerely, Mrs. Dotty Lin, Mrs. Jenn Burke and Mrs. Anna Kaplan

In This Edition

• Attendance Check-In
• Thanksgiving Luncheon - RSVPs due this Friday, October 23rd
• Preschool Family Morning/Afternoon Meeting this Friday, October 23rd
• Picture Day - Wednesday, October 28th
• 1st Grade Family Morning Meeting - Friday, October 30th
• Veterans Day Celebration and Honor Walk - November 11th
• Outstanding Employee Awards
• Advanced Academics Spotlight
• Benchmark Unit 2
• Federal Impact Aid Survey - Complete Online Today
• Virginia Quality Birth to Five (VQB5) 
• Renovation Queue Survey
• Lexia and Literacy Webinars
• Special Education Conference
• Community Events
  • Burke Basketball
• PTA News and Events
• Important Dates

October 20th Attendance Check-In: K-3

KP’s 2026-2027 Attendance Goal:

6.5% chronic absenteeism or less 

• Percentage of students not currently chronically absent: 92.5%
• Percentage of students currently chronically absent (missed 10% or more of the school days so far this year): 7.1%

Be sure to check the FCPS Calendar when scheduling

doctors' appointments and vacations.

Kings Park’s Thanksgiving Luncheon - RSVPs due this Friday, October 23rd

Families are invited to join their student(s) (Preschool - 3rd Grade) for a festive lunch on Friday, November 20th. The Thanksgiving luncheon schedule shows what time each class will be having lunch.  The cafeteria will serve a traditional Thanksgiving meal with turkey. A vegetarian option will also be available.

Let us know you’re coming! RSVPs are required for all attendees by Friday, October 23rd and are available in English or Spanish. Space is limited; RSVPs may close early if capacity is reached.  We’re so thankful for our Kings Park families and look forward to celebrating together. 

Preschool Family Morning/Afternoon Meeting and Work Time/Learning Centers  this Friday, October 23rd

Preschool families are invited to experience two essential parts of your preschooler’s day: Morning/Afternoon Meeting and Work Time. You’ll also hear a brief presentation from Kings Park’s administration about school routines and ways to support your child’s literacy. 

Preschool Morning/Afternoon Meeting and Work Time/Learning Centers

Friday, October 23rd

9:00am-10:15am  | Baechtel, Caruso, Pfannenbecker and Rowland

1:00pm-2:15pm | Catalano

Picture Day - Wednesday, October 28th  Picture Day - Wednesday, October 28th  All students will be photographed for school records on Wednesday, October 28th.   Package options from Strawbridge Studios can be found electronically at Strawbridge.net.  Additionally, paper copies will be sent home in your student’s Take Home Envelope on Friday.  Parents can choose to purchase photos, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting our school.  If you decide to order a photo package, please order on-line or return the envelope to school by photo day. Photos should arrive in a few weeks.   Make-up photos and re-takes will occur Monday, December 7th.   For questions you can go to www.Strawbridge.net and enter the on-line code PX524833.

📅1st Grade Family Morning Meeting next Friday, October 30th, 8:30am-9:50am

Visit your child’s classroom to experience first-hand how Morning Meeting plays a critical role in your child’s day. Then, stay to hear about FCPS’s Advanced Academics program with Kings Park’s Advanced Academics resource teacher, Jamie Mucciolo. 

Guardians are encouraged to participate on the following dates/times assigned by grade level:

Morning Meeting and AAP Parent Information Sessions (K-3)

8:30am-8:45am | Setting the Stage for Morning Meeting in the Cafeteria

8:45am-9:15am | Morning Meeting in the Classroom

9:20am-9:50am | Advanced Academic Programs Presentation 

in the Cafeteria

Veterans Day Celebration and Honor Walk - Wednesday, November 11th, 8:30am-9:05am

We look forward to welcoming veterans and military-connected family members in the Kings Park community to our Veterans Day Celebration and Honor Walk on Wednesday, November 11th, 8:30am-9:05am. Let us know you’re coming: https://tinyurl.com/VDayKPES26. Other ways to participate:

1. Send in Veterans Day Honor Wall Submissions. Honor wall forms will be sent home in Friday folders and/or can be printed and turned into classroom teachers.
2. Patriotic Spirit Day - all students are encouraged to wear red, white and/or blue on November 11th in support of our veterans.

Outstanding Employee Awards  Is there an amazing member of the Kings Park staff that you would like to recognize? Nominations are now open for the Outstanding Employee Awards!  All that is required for a preliminary nomination is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work at Kings Park.  To submit a nomination for a Kings Park Outstanding Employee please click on this link.  The deadline to submit a nomination is Wednesday, November 4th.   If you have any questions, please contact Beth Beavers at EKBeavers@fcps.edu.

Advanced Academics Spotlight

Questions about Advanced Academics? Check out the AAP section of the Kings Park Website. Jamie Mucciolo, AART, will continue to offer office hours for questions about services and screening. You can find the link as well as a checklist for submitting full-time materials on our site.

Reminder: Window for AAP Full-Time Referrals Ends December 15, 2026

Parents/guardians of KPES students in Grades 2-3 who would like their student to be considered for Full-Time Advanced Academic Programs may submit the AAP Full-Time Referral Form to Jamie Mucciolo (JMMucciolo@fcps.edu) no later than December 15, 2025.

The window to submit an AAP Full-Time Referral Form is the first day of school through December 15, annually.  Forms for full-time and part-time referrals are available on the AAP Forms Page. No late referrals for Full-Time services can be accepted. 

Submitting a referral form for AAP Full-Time services will initiate a process that begins at the local school and is then completed at the central office level. Our school committee will put together a portfolio that includes multiple data points which are considered holistically. At the central office level, a committee of professionals from various schools review materials to determine eligibility for full-time placement. Eligibility decisions are communicated by early April. Parents may request a copy of the portfolio that was submitted after they have been turned in for central selection by emailing Jamie Mucciolo in mid/late February.

For more information, parents may review Testing and Identification information on the AAP office website, as well as information about Full-Time services. We have also created a Full-Time Referral Checklist to assist with required and optional materials. Please reach out to Jamie Mucciolo via email at JMMucciolo@fcps.edu with any further questions.

📚 Uncovering Characters in Language Arts 📚

Benchmark Unit 2 in Language Arts is about why characters matter. Students in K-5 will be learning about different characters, and how they shape stories and face challenges. Grade six students will learn about how characters are changed and inspired by others. 

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

• Question: How does the way you act change the way people think about you?
• Activity: Pretend you are a talk show host and interview your child as if they are the main character of their favorite book.

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 Benchhmark Families website. 

The Federal Impact Aid Survey is now available to complete online

The Federal Impact Aid program provides money to districts that enroll federally connected students. Help FCPS secure funding from the Impact Aid Program by helping us identify: 

• Military families.
• Federally connected families.
• Families living on a military base.

Please complete one form for each child in your household. Remember that only the parent that registered the student with FCPS (the ‘enrolling parent’) can fill out the Impact Aid Survey form. 

For families without access to ParentVUE, a paper copy of the form will be sent home with your student starting October 28. Your information will be kept strictly confidential. Your support will ensure that we receive the resources for which we are eligible.

If you choose to use the ParentVUE app, after signing in, click on ‘Online Registration’. From there, find the Impact Aid button on the bottom of the page to continue to the Impact Aid Survey Form. Depending on your phone’s make, model, and settings, these directions may not work. If you are not able to complete the form using the ParentVUE app, please use Google Chrome to complete the survey.

To access the Impact Aid Form from your computer or mobile device, we recommend using Google Chrome. 

• Step 1: Log in to Your SIS ParentVUE account or type sisparent.fcps.edu into your Chrome address bar to be taken to SIS ParentVUE. If you don’t have a SIS ParentVUE account, contact your child’s school for an activation letter. 
• Step 2: After you’ve logged into your ParentVue Account, look for the ‘Online Packets’ link at the top of the page. Click ‘Online Packets’.
• Step 3: Next, click the ‘Federal Impact Aid Survey’ button on the bottom of the page. This will take you to the Impact Aid Survey for you to complete.

If you have multiple children in Fairfax County Public Schools, please fill out a form for each child. You will know you have completed all of the forms when you get to the final page, and see a green check next to each of their names.  Thank you.

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.

Share Your Thoughts on Schools and Buildings in the Renovation Queue Survey

The Office of the Chief of Facilities Services and Capital Programs is seeking input from community members, families, and employees about school facility needs and how FCPS prioritizes facility improvements. 

Whether you work in an FCPS school, have a child enrolled, or live near an FCPS school, please share your perspective. The survey asks about building conditions, how facilities affect teaching and learning, renovation priorities, and what information would help you better understand this process.

Look for the survey in your email on Friday, October 16. The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. Participation is voluntary, and all responses will be kept confidential. The survey will remain open until Saturday, October 31. 

Did You Know? Bond Referendums Fund Facility Renovations

FCPS does not pay for facility renovations out of its general operating budget. Instead, Fairfax County voters decide on how much money FCPS can spend on capital improvement projects through bond referendums. Bonds are issued by the county to the school division and allow FCPS to renovate buildings without increasing taxes.

Learn more about bond referendums and how they support our schools on the Bond Referendum webpage.

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.

Literacy Webinar Series

Join us for a series of family-friendly webinars designed to help you understand reading assessments, reading plans, and ways to support your child at home. Learn what assessment results mean, how reading plans guide instruction, and practical strategies to strengthen decoding, language, comprehension, and literacy skills, including support for multilingual learners.

• October 20, 2026: Understanding Reading Assessments and Your Child
• December 15, 2026: What Is a Reading Plan?
• February 19, 2027: How Do I Support My Child With a Reading Plan at Home?
• May 14, 2027: Continuing Reading Success Through the Summer

Register for the Literacy Webinar Series.

Introduction to Dyslexia Webinar – What Is It and What Does It Mean for My Student?

Participants will look at the definition of dyslexia and its impact on students including the different types of dyslexia and what support students with dyslexia require. Participants will also leave with activities and tips to support their students at home.Join us on Friday, October 23, from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Register for the Introduction to Dyslexia webinar.

Annual Special Education Family Conference: We Need You!

Register now to attend FCPS’ annual Special Education Family Conference, Connected Communities, Thriving Students, on Saturday, November 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Hayfield Secondary School. 

Educators, families, and community members are invited to this in-person event at no cost. Participants can connect, learn, and explore available special education services, supports, and resources. Lunch will be provided for all participants. Register to attend the conference. 

Volunteers Are Needed to Make This Event a Success! Sign up through Volunteer FCPS. 

Visit the Special Education Family Conference webpage for more information. Email questions to SpecialEdFamilyConf@fcps.edu. 

Community Events

Burke Basketball 

• Kindergarten and 1st Grade: Co-Ed Instructional League, January-February
• 2nd - 8th Grade: Separate Boys and Girls Leagues, December - Early March

Register today!
Flier for download

KP/KG PTA News and Events

Come explore the world with us at International Night this Friday, October 23rd, from 6–7:30PM at Kings Park! Join Kings Park and Kings Glen families as we celebrate the many cultures in our community and discover countries around the world through their traditions, food, and more! Also, it's not too late to sign up to help as a volunteer before, during and after the event! 

Our next Spirit Night is coming up at McDonald’s on October 28th from 5-7 pm in the Kings Park Shopping Center. The PTA will receive 15% back from all sales during this time.

Join the PTA.  We hope all members of the KP/KG community will consider joining the PTA this school year. Membership is only good for one year, so make sure to join each school year!  Being a PTA member has numerous benefits --  it's a great way to meet new friends and become more involved in your child's school and community.  Join on our website! 

Keep in Touch with the PTA.  A great way to keep in touch with the PTA is to subscribe to our emails and/or join our Facebook group.  An updated PTA events calendar can also be found here.  Reach out to board@kpkgpta.org if you have any questions.

Important  Dates See the complete school year calendar October 19th-23rd: PE and Music Open Houses (K-3) October 23rd:  Silly Socks Spirit Day Preschool Morning/Afternoon Meeting and Work Time/Learning Centers PTA’s International Night, 6:00pm-7:30pm at Kings Park October 28th: Picture Day PTA Spirit Night at McDonald's, 5:00pm-7:00pm October 30th:  Storybook Character Day 1st Grade Family Morning Meeting and AAP Information Session, 8:30am-9:50am End of Quarter/2-hour Early Release for all students (PreK-3rd); no PM preschool November 2nd-3rd: No School For Students (School Planning Day and Teacher Workday)

5400 Harrow Way Springfield, VA 22151 | Main Office: 703-426-7000
Attendance: 703-426-7070 | Web | Twitter