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Dear Columbia Friends & Families,
We had another exciting week at CES! Here are a few reminders about upcoming events:
📚 Annual Book Fair – Next Week!
Our annual Book Fair is coming next week, and students will have an opportunity to preview and shop during the school day. Families are also welcome to shop at the following times:
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Tuesday: After school from 4:00–4:30 p.m.
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Wednesday: During our early release from 1:00–4:30 p.m.
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Thursday: During the Thanksgiving Luncheon and until 4:30 p.m.
For after-school shopping, we ask families to wait in the lobby until a staff member comes to welcome you after buses have been dismissed, just as we did last year.
The Book Fair is cashless, and families can find more information here: Bookworm Central Book Fair
⏰ Three-Hour Early Release – Wednesday, November 18
Please remember that Wednesday, November 18, is a three-hour early release day. Dismissal will begin at 1:05 p.m. Please make sure your family has a plan for the early dismissal.
🍂 Thanksgiving Luncheon – Thursday, November 19
We look forward to welcoming families to our Thanksgiving Luncheon next Thursday! All parents and family members are welcome to join us for lunch. Please connect with your child's teacher for more details.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Take care,
Mike Astudillo
Proud Principal
Columbia Elementary School
 Veterans Day Assembly – November 11
On Wednesday, we were honored to welcome so many veterans from our Columbia community for a special Veterans Day assembly. Our students sang songs and shared their heartfelt appreciation for the veterans who joined us. We are grateful for the opportunity to help our students learn about service, sacrifice, and gratitude.
***Also, did you know that the audio (and a lot of the video) on a recent FCPS Instagram post is from our Veteran's Day assembly? See below :)
FCPS Instagram Post on Veteran's Day
PTA News & Notes
Volunteer to support the Book Fair and Turkey Lunch
Looking for a fun way to get involved? The fall book fair runs November 16–20, and our dedicated librarian, Mrs. Ames, would appreciate your help. You can sign up for 1-hour slots (as many as you would like) to support students as they preview and purchase books. No experience is needed—just your time and enthusiasm. Sign up here.
There is also an opportunity to help during the Annual Turkey Lunch on Thursday, November 19. Sign up here (they are listed after book fair slots on Thursday).
Upcoming November events
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Virtual PTA meeting: Click here to JOIN via Zoom. (11/18, 7 pm)
FLE Parent Preview Night
Students in grades K-5 participate in Family Life Education (FLE) instruction through their classroom teacher. Students in Kindergarten through grade three receive instruction in an emotional and social health unit. Students in grades 4 and 5 receive instruction in a human growth and development unit and an emotional and social health unit. For more information about the FCPS Family Life Education program, please see the detailed grade-level program descriptions at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-family-life-education-fle.
In addition, grade level-specific curriculum lessons are available for review in multiple locations.
- Online in Schoology - includes lessons and media titles that FCPS has streaming rights for. Any additional media or book titles that are not streamed are available at your child’s school library.
- Parents/guardians login to Schoology using the same username and password as their Student Information System (SIS) Parent account.
- Your child’s school. Please contact the school to schedule a time to review lessons and/or media.
- City of Fairfax Regional Library – lessons only. Media is not available.
You are invited to attend an evening opportunity to preview the Family Life Education media and lessons and to talk with school staff about the program. The meeting will be held on November 18 at 6:30 on Zoom. All program materials and media for all grade levels will be available for your review at this time.
Zoom link
Parents/guardians who do not wish to have their child participate in FLE instruction may choose to opt their child out of any or all of the lessons. If you would like to opt your child out of one or more lessons, please , please complete the opt-out form available in Parent Digital Consent (PDC) at https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/technology/digital-resources/consent/directions . If you are unable to access PDC, a paper opt-out form may be requested from the main office. Opt-out for students accessing the modified FLE curriculum is only available by using a paper form that will be provided to you or may be accessed online at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/curriculum/subject-area/family-life-education-fle/fle-opt-out-request-forms. Should you opt your child out and then later decide you want your child included in FLE instruction, you must notify your child’s school principal in writing before instruction begins.
An alternative non-FLE health instructional program is provided for students who do not take part in FLE instruction, and every effort is made to foster understanding and respect for family choices and to avoid peer pressure for or against participation in the program.
Instruction occurs at various during the school year. Please contact your child’s teacher for specific dates of FLE instruction. We look forward to working as your partner in providing information that will help your child make healthy choices related to the exciting changes and new challenges he/she will be facing in the next few years.
Save the date!
November 16 - 20: Annual Book Fair at Columbia ES
November 18: 3-Hour Early Release Day, dismissial at 1:05pm
November 19: Thanksgiving Luncheon
November 25 - 27: Thanksgiving Break, no school
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