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 🐾 Cougar Buddies: Building Friendships Across Grade Levels!
Our Cougar Buddies program brings students together to build friendships, strengthen connections, and foster a sense of belonging! Sixth graders apply and are selected to serve as buddies for younger students, building meaningful relationships throughout the school year. Buddies meet weekly to read, play games, and enjoy fun activities together. A special thank-you to our school counselors, Veronique Lilienthal and Shannon Li, for organizing this wonderful program that helps our Cougars grow as leaders, role models, and friends! ❤️
Dear Haycock Families,
I hope everyone had a great weekend and is resting up for a Saturday night Halloween! Excitement is building, and we hope everyone has a safe and fun time. I enjoyed a Cub Scout camping trip with my son this weekend. It was a fun and memorable time, but I’m not following my own advice to rest up for Halloween!
Please remember to download the Pickup Patrol app and use it to report absences or changes to your child’s dismissal plans. We think it will be a helpful communication tool and encourage everyone to download it and get started.
Thank you for participating in parent-teacher conferences. Many teachers will also hold conferences next week, on November 2 and 3. If you’re coming in on November 3, please be mindful of the parking spaces reserved for voting, as it will be a busy day at Haycock.
A reminder that SACC will be closed on November 11 for Veterans Day. There will be no before or after-school SACC that day, so please make other arrangements.
Friday is Book Character Day! Students are invited to dress as their favorite book character. Please remember: no masks, weapons, or scary costumes.
I hope everyone has a great week and continues to enjoy this gorgeous fall weather!
With appreciation for your partnership,
Jeremy Ferrara, Principal jcferrara1@fcps.edu
Cali Loewenberg, AP HAboyd@fcps.edu
Krystal Styles, AP krstyles@fcps.edu
- Friday, October 30: Storybook Character Day (no masks, no weapons, no face paint)
- Friday, November 6: Picture Day Makeups
- Tuesday, November 10: PTA STEAM Night
- Friday, November 6 at 3:15 PM: Boosterthon Obstacle Course Fun
FCPS Calendar: 2026-27
Outstanding Employee Awards - Nominations Are Open
Want to celebrate an incredible Haycock Elementary staff member? Nominations are now open for the Outstanding Employee Awards! 🎉
Recognize someone on our amazing team in categories like Outstanding Teacher, New Teacher, New Principal, Professional Staff Leader, Educational Services Employee, and Operational Employee.
Submit your nominations by Friday, November 13th! Click here for more details and to access the nomination form. Let’s show our appreciation for the hard work and dedication of our fantastic staff!
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Children's Art Walk
Congratulations to the students whose art was on display at the 2026 McLean Art Fest earlier this month. The art has been moved to the MPA Gallery until the holidays. Please take a moment to check it out if you are near the McLean Community Center.
Cafeteria Purchases: A Reminder for Families
We encourage families to regularly review their child's cafeteria purchases, including additional snacks and drinks purchased during breakfast and lunch. We've noticed some students purchasing multiple juices and snacks throughout the day. Please take a moment to review your child's meal account and discuss healthy choices and reasonable purchasing amounts.
Cafeteria staff cannot limit a student's purchases unless a parent or guardian has specifically requested restrictions on their child's meal account. To set purchasing limits, please contact our cafeteria staff to discuss your preferences.
Thank you for partnering with us to encourage healthy habits and responsible choices!
Advanced Academics Program (AAP) Screening Night
Thank you to the families who joined us for our AAP Night to learn about the screening process! If you could not attend or want to review the information, here is the link to the presentation: AAP Screening.
Please reach out if you have any questions.
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:
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Monday, October 26, at 6:30 p.m.,Beech Tree Elementary School, 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.
FCPS 2e Programming
We’re excited to share information about Twice-Exceptional (2e) Programming available throughout our school system. Twice-exceptional students demonstrate advanced abilities while also experiencing learning, attention, or other challenges that may require additional support.
The Superintendent’s Advisory Committee for 2e Programming developed a one-pager sharing ways in which we are Supporting 2e Learners in FCPS. This information is included on the 2e webpage. Families can also learn more about 2e learners, ways to support them, and how to partner with schools. The webpage also includes a link to the Special Education Handbook.
If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact Siobhan O'Hair at sfohair@fcps.edu
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.
Quarter End, Early Release, Student Holidays
Friday, October 30, is the last day of the first quarter, and a two-hour early release for students. Schools are closed for students on Monday, November 2, for a school planning day, and Tuesday, November 3, for a teacher workday.
See the complete school year calendar.
Help Your Student Stay Focused and Engaged Without Digital Distractions
Please remind your student that personal electronic communication or computing devices should be off and personally stored (i.e., in backpacks) for the duration of the school day: bell to bell.
This includes personal laptops, tablets, smartwatches, smartphones, and similar devices. Students can only use FCPS-issued devices for school-related digital activities during the instructional day. There are exceptions for students with disabilities and those enrolled in specific courses.
If you need to reach your student during the school day, please call the Haycock front office. Learn more about the FCPS cellphone policy and device policy.
FCPS This Week
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Literacy Resources
- Return Your Impact Aid Survey
- Download the New ParentVUE App
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
Scouting for Food
Haycock Cub Scout Pack 861 is Scouting for Food on Saturday, November 14. Please leave canned and non-perishable goods outside by 8 am to participate in their food drive to benefit SHARE McLean.
2026 Reflections Art Contest
Calling all Haycock artists! It’s time to get creative! Haycock students are invited to participate in the 2026 National PTA Reflections Art Contest and share what this year’s theme means to them:
“What My Culture Means to Me”
Students can submit original work in one of six categories:
- Dance Choreography
- Film Production
- Literature
- Musical Composition
- Photography
- Visual Arts.
For more than 50 years, the Reflections program has encouraged students across the country to explore their creativity, express themselves, and celebrate the arts.
Entries are due Thursday, November 5. More information can be found here: Entry Form & Rules. Paper entry forms will also be available in the school library.
Questions? Contact HaycockReflections@gmail.com.
Haycock Fit Games: You Did It!
Thank you so much for your generous donations and support of our school. Together we raised OVER $52,000. Wow!
Congratulations to Dr. Bartczak’s class for raising the highest amount per student and to Mrs. Surber’s class for raising the most overall!
Next up: Staff obstacle course on Friday, November 13.
FCPS Cares
Take a moment to acknowledge and affirm a Haycock staff member when they go above and beyond in demonstrating care and dedication that ensures every one of our students is seen, heard, and valued. FCPS Cares.
 🐾 Fifth Graders Put Teamwork into Action! 🤝
Our fifth graders put their teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills to the test with a fun challenge! Students first explored what teamwork looks like, sounds like, and feels like using a graphic organizer. Then, they put those ideas into action as they worked together using only paper clips to rescue Sam the Worm from his overturned boat and safely place him in his life preserver! This hands-on activity encouraged collaboration, creativity, and perseverance while showing our Cougars the power of working together! ❤️
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