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 (PIctured above, students, families and friends of CES at last year's parade!)
Dear CES Friends & Families,
It has been another wonderful week at Columbia Elementary! Our classrooms continue to be filled with meaningful learning, collaboration, and opportunities for students to grow. It's hard to believe that next week is the last week of the 1st quarter!
We have some exciting community events to look forward to, including Bingoween tonight and the Annandale Parade tomorrow morning! These are wonderful opportunities to come together, celebrate school spirit, and make lasting memories with our Cougar community. I hope to see many of our families joining in the fun.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Take care,
Mike Astudillo
Proud Principal
Columbia Elementary School
PTA News & Notes
We can't wait to see you at BINGOWEEN! Below please find everything you need to know about the event.
A Guide to Bingoween - 5:30 - 8 pm (10/23)
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What is Bingoween? Bingoween is one of the biggest and most fun events of the year - expect costumes, fun with friends, and BINGO! There will be raffles, a silent auction, a concession stand, and plenty of prizes.
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When is Bingoween? TONIGHT! 5:30 - 8 pm.
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What should I bring for Bingoween? We recommend bringing a picnic blanket or chairs, a highlighter or other writing utensil to mark your bingo cards, and a flashlight since it will get dark during the event.
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What concessions will be available? We will have Paisano's cheese and pepperoni pizza, drinks, chips, and candy available for purchase.
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What items are up for bid at the silent auction? We have a wonderful selection for you to bid on this year, including:
- Tickets to Capital One Hall
- Tickets to Signature Theater
- A gift certificate to Tea with Mrs. B
- A gift certificate to Bluemont Vineyards & Great Country Farms
- 1 year online piano lessons
- Kendra Scott and Gorjana jewelry
- And much, more more!!!
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What is the timing of the event? Pre-order pick-up is 5:30 - 6 pm. This is also a great time to check out the silent auction and raffle items. Bingo games will start at 6 pm with a few breaks in between games to select raffle winners. Silent auction winners will be announced near the end of the event.
Annandale Parade – 9:30 am (10/24)
The fun continues the morning after Bingoween! Show your Columbia spirit by wearing your red or spiritwear and walking with us in the Annandale Parade. Let’s show the community our school pride!
Upcoming November events
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Spirit Day at Chik-fil-a:Use “cougars” at checkout or online. (11/2, Available all day)
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Virtual PTA meeting:Click here to JOINvia Zoom. (11/18, 7 pm)
 Thanks to the PTA's fundraising efforts and continued support of school beautifciation, we have a new addition to our school's main entrance! Thank you, CES PTA!
 Exciting News: Solar Panels Are Coming to Columbia starting next week!
We are excited to share that Columbia Elementary will begin a solar panel installation project on Tuesday, October 27! The project is expected to take approximately four weeks and represents an exciting investment in our school's energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.
Once installed, the solar panels will help reduce electricity costs, generating long-term savings for Fairfax County Public Schools. The system is backed by a 25-year guarantee and will receive annual maintenance to support its continued performance.
Throughout the project, student and staff safety will remain our top priority. Certain areas around the building will have temporary construction activity, and we will make adjustments to parking & outdoor access as needed. We do not anticipate any changes to our regular arrival and dismissal procedures. However, if you experience any concerns or challenges during arrival or dismissal, please reach out to Mr. A. at mastudillo1@fcps.edu
We appreciate your patience and partnership as we bring this exciting improvement to Columbia. This project is another step toward creating a more sustainable future for our school community!
📚 Finishing Up Our Learning About Life Science in Language Arts 📚
Benchmark Unit 1 in Language Arts came to a close last week! Over the last several weeks, our students have learned, read, and written about the natural world around us.
Connect with your child’s learning at school with these fun questions and hands-on activities at home:
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Question:
- How do living things change?
- How have you changed since last year?
- How do you think you’ll change in the next five years?
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Activity: Go outside and try to spot three different plants or animals. Discuss how they get food, water, and shelter.
On Tuesday, October 27th your student will bring home their magazine and an end of the unit letter. The magazine includes an activity calendar with fun ways to help students build on what they’re learning at each grade level. Complete at least 3 activities as a family and send back the letter to school. Students that complete 3 activities and return the letter by November 13th will participate in our Benchmark Buddies Unit 1 celebration. You can also find information on how to support your child’s reading at home on the Benchmark Families website.
 SCA Spreads Seasonal Cheer Through Community Partnership!
A special shout-out to our Student Council Association (SCA) students and SCA sponsor, Mr. Ames, for establishing a wonderful new partnership with the Lincolnia Senior Center!
Columbia student leaders put their creativity and kindness into action by designing and creating handcrafted seasonal decorations that were delivered to the center earlier this week to help spread joy and brighten the season for its residents.
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:
Registration is not required, but it helps with planning.
Spanish:Conversaciones Comunitarias Directamente con la Dra. ReidAcompáñenos en una serie de Conversaciones Comunitarias que se llevarán a cabo en diferentes lugares de la división escolar. Estas reuniones están abiertas a todos, incluyendo familias, estudiantes, y miembros de la comunidad. Puede asistir al evento que le resulte más conveniente, aunque no se lleve a cabo en su escuela o comunidad. Esta es una oportunidad para compartir sus opiniones, conversar directamente con la Dra. Reid y hacerle preguntas sobre temas importantes para nuestra comunidad de FCPS.
No es necesario inscribirse, pero hacerlo nos ayuda con la planificación.
Impact Aid
Please Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey
FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets, which is in the upper right corner of the screen after logging in. Please complete it as soon as possible. Schools will provide paper forms to families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE starting Wednesday, October 28.
Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is how we ensure we receive all the resources available to us from the federal government. For more information, please visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.
Register for ParentVUE
Learn how to activate your SISParentVUE account so you can easily submit your survey and have access to other helpful information about your child.
Spanish:
Por favor, complete la Encuesta Federal de Asistencia por Impacto
FCPS solicita a todas las familias que completen la Encuesta Federal de Ayuda por Impacto. El formulario está disponible en SIS ParentVUE, en la sección Online Packets, ubicada en la esquina superior derecha de la pantalla después de iniciar sesión. Por favor, complételo lo antes posible. A partir del miércoles, 28 de octubre, las escuelas proporcionarán formularios impresos a las familias que aún no hayan completado la encuesta en ParentVUE.
¡Cada formulario cuenta! Complete uno por cada niño en edad escolar que viva en su hogar. Así ayudamos a que FCPS reciba todos los recursos disponibles del gobierno federal. Para obtener más información, visite la página de la Encuesta de Ayuda de Impacto Federal.
Regístrese en ParentVUE
Conozca cómo activar su cuenta de SIS ParentVUE para que pueda enviar fácilmente su encuesta y acceder a otra información útil sobre su estudiante.
Click to edit this placeholder text.
Save the date!
October 24th (Tomorrow!) - Annandale Parade at 9:30am
October 30th - Last Day of 1st Quarter, Dismissal at 2:05pm
November 2 & 3 - No school for students
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