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DO YOU KNOW AN AMAZING EMPLOYEE?
 If you have worked with an outstanding employee at Key Center School, FCPS wants your help recognizing them. Families are invited to nominate staff members for recognition!
🏆 NOMINATIONS FOR...
- Outstanding New Teacher
- Outstanding Principal
- Outstanding Professional Staff Leader
- Outstanding Educational Services Employee
🗓️DEADLINE: The deadline to submit a nomination is Monday, November 2, 2026.
SUBMISSIONS: Submissions can be made by completing this form.
If you have any questions, please contact Helly Ahmadyar at hahmadyar@fcps.edu.
Thank you for supporting our outstanding Key Center Staff!
Important Reminder: Friday is Early Release, Monday and Tuesday 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.
Don’t forget to get out and vote on Tuesday, Nov. 3! For more information, visit the Virginia Department of Elections webpage. See the complete school year calendar.
RSVP Now for Key Center PTA’s First General Meeting of the School Year - November 5th!
 Join us for the PTA general membership meeting on Thursday, November 5, from 5:00–6:30 p.m.! Families and students are welcome, and pizza dinner will be provided.
Come hear about anticipated PTA activities for the 2026–2027 school year, vote to fill the vacant Vice President position (Katie Harper has been nominated), and learn about a program supporting adaptive skiing and ice skating for individuals with disabilities.
Please register so we know you’re coming: Sign up for the PTA meeting.
Questions? Contact Emily Bell at emilyherzogbell@gmail.com.
Daylight Saving Time Ends (Fall Back)
 This Sunday, November 1, at 2 a.m., daylight saving time ends. Remember to move your clocks back one hour!
Spirit Week - October 26-30
 Monday 10/26: Pumpkin Spice Day: Wear orange, brown or anything with pumpkins on it
Tuesday 10/27: Sweater Weather: Wear your coziest sweater or sweatshirt
Wednesday 10/28: Wear your classroom hallway colors for the Pep Rally (A Hall: Red; C Hall: Black; D Hall: Blue; B Hall: White)
Thursday 10/29: Dress to impress for the Homecoming Dance
Friday 10/30: Dress up as anything you want…a book character, a pirate, a superhero…anything!! And we will have a fall spirit parade throughout the Key Center halls!!
Note: All Spirit Week activities are optional.
Key Center Students Participate in Digital Citizenship Week
  Last week, we celebrated Digital Citizenship Week at our school. Our School-Based Technology Specialist, Beth Curtis, visited every classroom to lead a lesson for students. Students discussed finding balance when using technology—knowing when it’s helpful to use screens and when it’s time to turn them off and enjoy some “green time” away from screens.
To introduce the idea of respecting others’ work, Beth read This Is Not My Hat, a story about a fish who takes another fish’s hat without asking. The book helped students talk about taking things without permission and connect that idea to giving credit when using someone else’s pictures, books, writing, or other creative work. This lesson provided a fun and engaging way for students to learn that being responsible digital citizens means making thoughtful choices, respecting others’ work, and balancing screen time with time away from screens.
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:
Registration is not required, but it helps with planning.
Annual Special Education Family Conference: Breakout Session Information Available
 Join FCPS for the annual Special Education Family Conference, Stronger Together: Connecting Families and Schools, taking place on Saturday, November 14, at Hayfield Secondary School.
More than 20 engaging breakout sessions have been designed to support, inform, and inspire our community. Visit the Special Education Family Conference webpage to explore the lineup of presenters, titles, and session descriptions. Complete the Special Education Family Conference Registration Form to secure your spot and let us know about any childcare, language interpretation, or accommodation needs.
Impact Aid Survey
 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. Key Center School will provide paper forms to families in your child’s backpack folder who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE starting next Wednesday, November 4 .
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.
ABA Family Training- Prioritizing Skills to Teach at Home - November 11th
 All family members and caregivers are invited to attend monthly Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Family Training to learn how to support and teach students with autism and related disorders. No registration is needed.
Virtual training takes place at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Join the session.
Topics covered will include:
- How do I select a behavior to teach?
- What are the “learning to learn” behaviors?
- How are behaviors taught and learned?
Visit the ABA webpage for a full list of classes. Need an interpreter? Contact Stephanie Watkins two weeks before the training at 571-423-4110 or email at sawatkins@fcps.edu.
For additional questions, contact Tina Wilkerson by email at twilkerson@fcps.edu
Resources
 Free Webinar: Creating a Meaningful Life for Adults with Disabilities
Join Lisa Escoto, Founder and President of Family-Run Individual Group Homes of Virginia, and Susan Keenan, Executive Director of Community Living Alternatives on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. for an encouraging conversation about planning for adulthood. They’ll discuss living options, balancing independence and safety, and building daily routines that support each person’s interests, relationships, choices, and goals.
Families will also learn about day programs, community activities and supports, recreation, volunteering, and other ways adults can build skills, friendships, and a sense of belonging.
Register at www.FamilyRIGH.com/webinars.
Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP)- Medicare 101 Workshops
VICAP offers in-person and virtual workshops for people who will soon be eligible for Medicare, people with Medicare, and their care partners. Registration is required; see the flyer sent in student backpacks today for dates, locations, and registration details.
Contact: VICAP, 703-324-5851
Transition Planning: Decision-Making Alternatives for Families of
Individuals with Disabilities
Friday, October 30, 2026
10 - 11:30 AM
As young adults with disabilities and their families prepare for life after high school, families may have questions about how to support decision-making while respecting their loved one’s rights and independence. This webinar will provide an overview of guardianship and conservatorship, powers of attorney (POA), and advance medical directives (AMD), including their purposes, differences, and potential impact. Participants will learn about these decision-making alternatives and considerations for choosing the option that best meets their loved one's needs. This presentation is for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.
Register here
Expanding Your Knowledge of Available Community Resources
Friday, November 6, 2026
10 - 11:30 AM
Join us to learn about resources that can help families navigate education, advocacy, disability services, and more. Representatives from the FCPS Family Resource Center, FCPS Office of the Ombuds, NOVA IDD, and PEATC will share information about their services and supports for individuals and families in our community.
Register here
Connecting You to Support: An Introduction to CSB and Developmental Disability Services
Friday, November 13, 2026
10 - 11:30 AM
Learn about the Community Services Board (CSB) and Developmental Disability Services. Representatives from the Developmental Disability Services department will explain the following:
- How to access services
- What to expect during the application process and while on the waitlist
- What services are available
- What to expect from targeted case management support
Register here
Ecumenical Community Helping Others (ECHO)
ECHO offers food, clothing, household items, school supplies, and limited financial assistance to eligible residents in the Burke and Springfield area. Its service area includes all addresses in ZIP codes 22151, 22152, 22153, and 22015, and some addresses in 22150 and 22312.
Call 703-569-9160 to check eligibility and make an appointment; walk-ins are not accepted. Phone hours are Monday–Friday, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., and Tuesday and Thursday, 7–9 p.m.
Fairfax County Fuel Assistance (Applications open through November 13)
Eligible households can apply for help with winter heating costs. If approved, applicants will receive their benefit amount in late December; payments are made from January through April or until the benefit is used.
Apply: Online through CommonHelp or call 855-635-4370. Learn more about Fuel Assistance.
Key Center PTA
 Not yet a member of our PTA? We would love to have you join! You can also support Key Center by volunteering with our PTA or making a donation through our Educate Fairfax site.
Key Center PTA Membership
Educate Fairfax link to donate to Key Center
Upcoming Dates
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October 30
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End of 1st Q, 2 hr Early Release - 11:40 Student Dismissal
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November 2
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Teacher Workday - Student Holiday
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November 3
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School Planning Day - Student Holiday
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November 25-27
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Thanksgiving Break - Holidays
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December 21-
January 3
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Winter Break
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