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☎️ Parent Information Phone Lines Available in Eight Languages
Parents/Caregivers who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese may call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS. View the list of phone numbers.
Franconia Elementary encourages Bell-to-Bell attendance
School starts at 8:35am and dismisses at 3:30pm
Upcoming Events
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Mon, Nov 16: Picture Make-up Day
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Wed, Nov 18: 3-hour Early Dismissal Day (12:30pm)
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Fri, Nov 20: Thanksgiving Lunch
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Wed, Nov 25 - Fri, Nov 27: NO SCHOOL (Thanksgiving Break)
Be sure to bookmark the FCPS school year calendar to keep track of school holidays, breaks, and observances.
LAST CALL! Nominations close Friday, November 13th!
It's Awards Season at Franconia!
Franconia Elementary School is fortunate to have so many outstanding staff members! Fairfax County Public Schools honors outstanding school staff members in several categories. Check out this link for more information.
Here at Franconia, we are seeking nominations from the community for these awards. Please use the form linked below to nominate Franconia's staff for awards. Consider nominating an outstanding classroom teacher or specialist, our amazing office, custodial, and cafeteria staff, or even our fantastic principals! You may nominate multiple staff members by completing a new form for each nomination. Please note there are some qualifications for these awards, so not all staff members may be eligible. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Claire Branson, school awards liaison (and teacher) at cebranson@fcps.edu. Please note, if you need help with preparing a nomination (translation services or writing assistance), we are happy to help!
Awards Nomination Link: https://forms.gle/jkuKF3z1ios4f1GF6
Franconia's 3-hour Early Dismissal Days
2026-2027 School Year
FCPS will continue with limited early release Wednesdays for elementary schools during the 2026-27 school year. The number of days has been reduced from eight to four.
Early release Wednesdays provide elementary teachers with a dedicated block of time to prepare lessons, participate in professional development and training, and collaborate with their peers. A well-supported and continuously improving teaching staff leads to better educational outcomes for students.
Students will be dismissed at 12:30pm on the below days.
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Wednesday, November 18
- Wednesday, January 13
- Wednesday, April 7
We are excited to invite you to join your child for our Thanksgiving Lunch on Friday, November 20th!
This is a special opportunity to share a meal and celebrate the season of thanks with your student. Families will meet students at their classroom to attend lunch at their designated time.
Adult Lunch: $5.50
Children (12 and under) Lunch: $3.75
Note: If your child receives free/reduced lunch, they will still receive this pricing.
However, all guests must pay full price for their lunches. Milk is included with lunch, but there is an additional charge for water
Payment: Payment for lunches should be added to your student's MySchoolBucks Meal Account
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Attending without Purchasing Lunch: You may still attend lunch with your child even if you choose not to purchase a Thanksgiving Lunch meal.
**If you plan to attend more than one lunch (for multiple children), you will need to purchase additional meals.
Thanksgiving Lunch Schedule
- 2nd
- 9:45 Arrival; Seating 10:00
- Kinder
- 10:25 Arrival; Seating 10:40
- 1st
- 11:05 Arrival; Seating 11:20
- 5th
- 11:40 Arrival; Seating 11:55
- 6th
- 11:55 Arrival; Seating 12:10
- EA
- 11:55 Arrival; Seating 12:30
- 4th
- 12:30 Arrival; Seating 12:45
- 3rd
- 1:10 Arrival; Seating 1:25
Please note the arrival and seating times for each grade level:
RSVP
To ensure we have an accurate count for meals, please complete the FES Thanksgiving Lunch - Google Form (https://forms.gle/rnWangQ9NmnukP467) to indicate which lunch(es) you plan to attend and how many meals you need.
The Snowflake Ball
Friday, December 11, 5:30-7:00
Join us for some winter fun!
TICKETS ARE $10 each
We’ll have games, singalongs, dancing, snacks, and other fun activities.
The fun will happen in the Franconia Elementary Cafeteria.
Entry and exit only at Door 3.
This is NOT a drop off event. All K-4 students must attend with an adult family member.
All K-4 students need a ticket to attend.
TICKET MUST BE PRE-ORDERED
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.
Counselor Corner
Dear Penguin Family,
Get ready for an exciting event! Inspired by the spirit of Dr. Seuss's book called "Oh the Places You'll Go." Franconia Elementary School is thrilled to host our annual Career Day on Friday, December 11, 2026, from 1:15 PM to 2:55 PM.
We are inviting parents, guardians, and community members to share their professional journeys with our students! We are looking for enthusiastic speakers who can spark curiosity, share what they do, and highlight the importance of staying in school.
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Target Audience: Presentations will be tailored for students in grades 4–6 (Note: Your child does not need to be in grades 4–6 for you to participate as a speaker!).
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How to Join the Fun: If you are interested in presenting, please complete the Google Form HERE.
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Deadline: Please submit your interest by Tuesday, December, 1, 2026.
Feel free to forward this invitation to colleagues, family, or friends who would love to inspire our young learners!
If you have any questions, please contact our school counselor, Veronica Guillion, at 703-822-2200.
We can't wait to see all the places our students will go!
LIBRARY CORNER
Reading Challenges
Book Bingo is a monthly challenge. Each month there will be a bingo board just for kindergarten and grade 1, and another bingo board for all grades.
You can find the November Book Bingo boards here.
The Million Word Challenge lasts all year. Students and adults write down the book that students read, on paper or through this online form. The librarian will look up the word count and keep track of all the words!
Library Volunteers
The library always needs volunteers! The biggest need is help with shelving, but we are also looking for help with weekly notices and bulletin boards! Email the librarian, Debby Vandersande, at dmvandersand@fcps.edu if you want to help!
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ART CLASS
The art room is in search of a blender to mix slip for ceramics lessons. Please reach out to Mr. Nawrot directly at jmnawrot@fcps.edu if you have a used donation.
Thank you for your consideration, Mr. Jacob Nawrot"
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This workshop gives families a clear overview of how special education works in Virginia, from referral through services and IEP development. Parents will learn the basic steps, key terms, and their rights under special education law, along with practical ways to participate as an equal member of the team. Families will leave with a stronger understanding of the process, what to expect at each stage, and how to advocate for their child with confidence.
Date: November 19
Time: 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Register using the button below or by following this link: go.peatc.org/sped26-reg
This webinar will be presented on Zoom. It will not be recorded.
JBLE Langley School Liaison Program Manager, Terrilyn Williams.
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!
Join us on November 12, 2026 Lorton Community Center to support your student’s social and emotional well-being.
Register at this link.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHHO_TaaiD9376MEzrD1DCZeouhQ1y_mS4iLmXBtATFup1Hw/viewform
Visitor Information
At Franconia, we pride ourselves in maintaining a welcoming and caring community. It is also important that we continue to encourage all our penguins to build their independence skills.
We ask that parents do not enter the building during arrival and, instead, allow their children to walk to their classroom on their own. There are many adults stationed throughout the hallways who can assist students, so please rest assured all our penguins will get to their classroom safely.
If parents need to speak with their child's teacher, they can make appointments via email or Talking Points.
If parents have business in the office, we ask they enter the building ONLY through the front at Door 1.
Thank you for your support for the Franconia Penguin Community!
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.
NOVEMBER
Native American Heritage Month
Native American Heritage Month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native Americans. It is also a time to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges they have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges.Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.
National Family Engagement Month
This month reminds us that families are children's first and most important teachers, advocates, and nurturers. Strong family support is vital to student well-being and success.
FCPS has many resources designed to increase engagement and partnerships with families while fostering academic success and social-emotional growth.
Additionally, every school has a family liaison who will welcome and orient families, and help them understand the school's culture, policies, procedures, and practices. They can help connect families to resources in the community. Family liaisons might also assist a family in transitioning to a new school and encourage family-school partnerships to help ensure their student's success and healthy development.
If you have questions or would like more information, ask your school office to connect you with your family liaison or visit FCPS’ website for a list of region representatives.
11 - Veterans Day |
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16-20 - American Education Week
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For American Education Week we celebrate ALL who work in our [SCHOOL] community: our bus drivers, cafeteria workers, counselors, support staff, teachers, leadership and more! Learn more from the National Education Association. Want to recognize someone from our school who goes above and beyond? Submit a nomination to FCPS Cares. |
19 - National Family Engagement Day
25-27 - *Thanksgiving
Schools and offices will be closed November 25 to 27. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving! Classes will resume on Monday, November 30. See the complete school year calendar.
Quick Links
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