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Students take turns mentoring and working with younger students in the classroom.
October 19 NGAT testing for all grade 2 students & select 3-5 students
October 21 Family Cafe: Social Emotional Learning at Home, @
Kingstown Regional Library, 6:30–8 p.m.
October 23 Book Character Dress Up Day
October 23 PTA Sponsored BINGOween, 6:00 p.m.
October 30 2 Hour Early Release, Schools Ends at 2:00 p.m. (no after-school care is available)
Nov. 2 - 3 No School - School Planning & Teacher Workday
Nov. 18 3 Hour Early Release
Nov. 19 Thanksgiving Lunch - Families Invited to Join!
Nov. 25 - 27 Student Holiday - Thanksgiving break
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) uses the online Naglieri General Ability Tests (NGAT) to learn more about students’ reasoning skills in different areas.
The NGAT is an abilities test. Its purpose is to provide information about your student's cognitive strengths and areas of growth. It has three parts that give information about different strengths: verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal reasoning. Some questions may ask students to find an object that is different from others within a group. Other questions may ask students to complete puzzles by rotating a shape.
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) uses a nationally normed abilities test as one piece of information when identifying students for advanced academic programs. After schools give the abilities test, student score reports are shared with families to communicate test outcomes. A student's abilities test score may be an additional element to inform family decisions on whether to refer their children for full time Advanced Academic Program (AAP) services.
You can learn more about types of student tests in FCPS at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/student-tests-and-assessments/types-student-assessment.
Join Dr. 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:
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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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Tuesday, December 1, at 6:30 p.m., at Powell Elementary School (Note date change)
Registration is not required, but it helps with planning.
The Family Café Series is a special time for parents to come together and learn about important topics that can help them support their child’s growth and learning. These fun and helpful sessions are designed to keep families
informed and involved in their child’s education—mind, body, and heart. At Family Café, we believe parents are key partners in helping children succeed. We’re excited to learn and grow with you!
Childcare will be available. Interpretation services available upon request.
- October 21, 2026 Kingstowne Regional Library, 6:30–8 p.m.
- November 10, 2026 Thomas Jefferson Library, 6:30–8 p.m.
- November 12, 2026 Lorton Community Center, 6:30–8 p.m.
Register HERE
 A horizontal row of six children's book covers: Little Red Riding Hood, Arthur, The Day the Crayons Quit, The Egyptian Cinderella, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, and Anansi the Spider.
Students are welcome to come to school dressed up as their favorite book character at school on Friday, October 23, 2026.
No face masks or fake weapons, please. Students should still wear closed-toe shoes for safety on the playground and in P.E.
Children should regular school clothes to school on Friday, October 30.
A Halloween-themed illustration featuring a cute white ghost, a red bingo ball numbered 21 wearing a witch hat, and a silhouette of a haunted house under an orange sky
You're invited to join us for BINGOween! Enjoy time with other community members and play games. This is one of PTA's fundraising events for the year.
5:30 p.m. - Ticket sales begin outside
6:00 p.m. - Pizza and snack sales in the cafeteria
6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. - BINGO, snacks and fun with friends!
Children and adults are welcome to wear costumes.
No face masks or fake weapons, please. Children under age 18 must come with an adult who will stay for the entire event.
It's hard to believe, but we are almost at the end of the first quarter of this school year! Friday, October 30, 2026 is the last day. This will also be a 2-hour early release for all FCPS students.
The Bren Mar Park school day will end at 2:00 p.m. There is no after-school care available from the school on end of quarter early release days. All students dismiss at 2:00 p.m.
On Friday, October 30, 2026, the front office will be closed to the public starting at 2:30 p.m. This will allow the office time for professional learning and collaboration.
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.
Yetta Williams, Advanced Academics Resource Teacher & AVID Site Coordinator
In Advanced Academics Programs, lots of exciting things are happening! Our focus continues to be the Portrait of a Graduate skills of Communication and Collaboration.
Full-time fifth graders extended their exploration of pioneers and corn through the “Stick in the Mud” experiment. Working in small groups, they built a tar-pul (pulley) model and tested weight distribution, balance, and soil layering. They then made recommendations for future pioneers based on their learning about westward expansion along the Oregon Trail. Fourth graders used creative and critical thinking to analyze artifacts, maps, portraits, and articles about First Nations, settlers who came from abroad, and people brought from Africa. Third graders are planning and creating a water filtration system. Small-group sessions have also focused on programming, communicating for understanding, and engineering and design through LEGO structure models.
Together, these experiences broaden and enrich students’ understanding of one another. They show how different perspectives can spark new ideas as students make connections, learn from mistakes, and build a well-rounded educational experience
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Construction continues... we are still optimisitic for a move-in date of early November.
Construction on the new two-story addition at Bren Mar Park Elementary School is reaching an exciting milestone as the building undergoes final inspections. Next week, delivery and assembly of new furniture will begin inside the addition to prepare the new modern learning spaces for students. Once safety inspections are complete and classes transition into their new classrooms, Phase 2 will officially launch for the renovation of the current 4th and 5th grade back hallway.
Any family lunch visits will be paused for the first three weeks in the new building to allow our students time to learn and become familiar with the new lunchroom routines.
For more information, please visit https://www.fcps.edu/bren-mar-park-elementary-capital-project
As we strive to keep our school community safe and organized, we kindly remind all families to utilize our designated Kiss & Ride loop during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. While it may be tempting to park along neighboring streets and walk over or have your child walk to your car, off-campus parking severely gridlocks our small community roads, blocks our neighbors' driveways, and creates unsafe traffic conditions for student pedestrians. By consistently using the official Kiss & Ride procedures through the main parking lot, you help keep traffic moving efficiently and ensure a predictable, safe, and respectful environment for all of our students, families, and surrounding community members. Thank you for your partnership.
As we wrap up another wonderful week at school, we want to take a moment to thank all of our families for everything you do to keep our morning drop-off and afternoon pickup running smoothly. Our top priority will always be student safety. Creating a smooth, secure arrival and dismissal routine takes all of us working together. Please follow street safety laws, slowing down in our school zone, and using the Kiss & Ride drop off rather than parking to help ensure our children stay safe when coming to and leaving our building.
We want to give a special shoutout to the new crossing guard from Fairfax County, who shows up to protect our children. Please support her work by staying attentive, yielding at crosswalks, and following her directions. Even just an extra moment to pause, check your surroundings, and model patient driving sets a wonderful example for others. Thank you for your continued partnership and shared dedication to keeping our school community safe and thriving!
 Students conclude Hispanic heritage month with a parade around the school showcasing the many different flags and heritages that come together in our diverse school community.
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.
 The Compass Club did service learning, picking up trash that has been left behind on our school grounds.
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.
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.
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