News Items for Use in School, Department, and Office Newsletters and Other FCPS Publications

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These articles are provided as a service from the Department of Communications and Community Outreach. They can be used in any FCPS or PTA publication. For more information or to suggest an article idea, contact the curator below. This page is updated monthly during the school year.

Note: If you would like to be notified when new content has been added to this page, sign up to receive information from the Keep in Touch (KIT) Plus system and select the PTA, PTSA, PTO option.

New Articles for January:

• FCPS Superintendent Proposes FY 2011 Budget, Cuts Include FLES, Freshman Sports, 594 Positions
• FCPS, 52 Schools Honored by Virginia Board of Education; 36 Schools Receive Governor's Award
• February 16 Is Deadline to Register for Two-Way and Partial-Immersion World Language Programs
• Nomination Deadline Is February 12 for Support Employee of the Year Award
• Keep Up-to-Date on the FY 2011 Budget With New FCPS E-Newsletter The Bottom Line
• FCPS Accepting Applications for Elementary Magnet School Programs
• Nominations Now Open for Outstanding First-Year Teacher and Principal Awards, Deadline Is March 5
• H1N1 Virus (Swine Flu) Update
• FCPS by the Numbers: Where the Money Comes From
• Tip Sheet for Parents: Teach Your Child How to Balance School, Activities

Recent Articles of Continuing Interest

• FCPS Emergency School Closings Telephone Hot Line Discontinued December 31
• Inclement Weather and Emergency Closing Plans
• 2010-11 Standard School Year Calendar Available
• Bailey’s Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences Information Night
• Hunters Woods Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences Information Night
• Two FCPS High Schools Make U.S. News and World Report's List of Top 100 High Schools; TJHSST Named Top High School Third Year in a Row
  
  

Articles of Year-Round Interest

FCPS Superintendent Proposes FY 2011 Budget, Cuts Include FLES, Freshman Sports, 594 Positions

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Superintendent Jack D. Dale has released the school system’s FY 2011 proposed budget of $2.3 billion, which includes $104.8 million in cuts and cost avoidances, $3.4 million in new and increased fees, and a projected enrollment growth of 1,760 students. The proposed budget includes a class size increase of one student, and the elimination of the foreign language in the elementary schools (FLES) program, general education summer school, all high school freshman sports, and 594 positions, including 81 in central office support for schools. The proposed budget also includes no salary increases for employees for a second consecutive year.

"For the third straight year, I have submitted a budget that includes major cuts due to dismal local and state economic conditions,” said Dale. “These cuts will have a long-term and far-reaching impact on maintaining our high student achievement and excellence for which FCPS is widely known and respected. Student achievement remains our main focus, and while we have directed our diminishing resources to support students and staff members working directly with our students, there is no doubt that many programs that parents and students have come to expect will be gone.”

Dale has proposed new fees for athletic participation ($100 per student per Virginia High School League sport); fees of $75 per test for students taking Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) tests and the actual cost of the PSAT test; an increase in community use building revenue of 20 percent; and an increase of 30 percent in monopole revenue.

In addition to eliminating all freshman sports, two additional sports—winter cheerleading and indoor track—will be eliminated along with the drill team coaching supplement, and swim and dive team practices will be reduced by 50 percent. These moves will result in the elimination of approximately 300 coaching supplements. Operating fund support for behind-the-wheel driver education, the elementary focus program, and the extended learning program will be eliminated. Pimmit Hills Alternative High School will be closed, and its students sent to one of the other two FCPS alternative high schools or another FCPS program. Support departments will again undergo significant budget reductions, averaging 20 percent over the past three years.

“To prevent more damaging cuts, I am requesting a county transfer increase of $57.8 million to preserve full-day kindergarten, elementary band and strings, elementary foreign language immersion, and to avoid further increases in class sizes for general and advanced academic education, including Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST).

“FCPS engaged its employees, parents, and members of the community in dialogues this fall to determine priorities and to get suggestions as to how to approach this year’s budget challenges,” explained Dale. “We received thousands of suggestions and comments and have incorporated this feedback into our decisions. What we clearly and consistently heard was that FCPS needs to maintain high student achievement and high caliber teachers for our long-term success.”

The Fairfax County School Board will hold public hearings on the FY 2011 budget on January 25, 26, and 27 at Jackson Middle School, 3020 Gallows Road in the Falls Church area of Fairfax County; the speakers list for those public hearings is now open at http://www.fcps.edu/schlbd/requestspeak.htm.

For complete information on the FCPS FY 2011 budget, including the budget calendar, visit http://www.fcps.edu/news/fy2011.htm.

FCPS, 52 Schools Honored by Virginia Board of Education; 36 Schools Receive Governor's Award

Fairfax County Public Schools and 52 individual schools have been recognized by the Virginia Board of Education as part of the Virginia Index of Performance (VIP) incentive program.

FCPS was one of 15 school divisions recognized with the 2010 Board of Education Excellence Award for meeting all state and federal accountability benchmarks for at least two consecutive years and for making significant progress toward goals for increased student achievement and expanded educational opportunities. 

Thirty-two Fairfax County schools were also recognized with the Excellence Award, including: Aldrin Elementary, Bonnie Brae Elementary, Cameron Elementary, Chantilly High, Clifton Elementary, Colvin Run Elementary, Crossfield Elementary, Daniels Run Elementary, Fairfax High, Fairfax Villa Elementary, Floris Elementary, Franklin Sherman Elementary, Great Falls Elementary, Greenbriar East Elementary, Kent Gardens Elementary, Lake Braddock Secondary, Laurel Ridge Elementary, Marshall High, Mosby Woods Elementary, Oak View Elementary, Orange Hunt Elementary, Poplar Tree Elementary, Powell Elementary, South County Secondary, Spring Hill Elementary, Stenwood Elementary, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Union Mill Elementary, Wakefield Forest Elementary, Waynewood Elementary, Westgate Elementary, and Woodson High.

Twenty Fairfax County schools received the Board of Education Competence to Excellence Award for meeting all state and federal benchmarks for at least two consecutive years and for making progress toward goals set by Governor Tim Kaine and the board. FCPS award winners include Belvedere Elementary, Canterbury Woods Elementary, Centreville Elementary, Centreville High, Columbia Elementary, Fairview Elementary, Herndon High, Jackson Middle, Key Middle, Kings Glen Elementary, Kings Park Elementary, Marshall Road Elementary, Oakton Elementary, Olde Creek Elementary, Pine Spring Elementary, Rolling Valley Elementary, Sleepy Hollow Elementary, Timber Lane Elementary, West Springfield High, and Westfield High.

In addition, 36 schools have been recognized by Virginia Governor Tim Kaine with the 2010 Governor's Award for Educational Excellence. This award is the highest honor bestowed by the Virginia Board of Education under the Virginia Index of Performance incentive program. 

Schools must meet all state and federal benchmarks for at least two consecutive years and achieve goals for elementary reading, enrollment in Algebra 1 by grade 8, enrollment in college-level courses, high school graduation, attainment of advanced diplomas, increased attainment of career and industry certifications, and participation in the Virginia Preschool Initiatives. Schools can also earn points for other performance measures, including the Governor’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Scorecard.

The following Fairfax County public schools were recognized with the Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence: Carson Middle, Cherry Run Elementary, Chesterbrook Elementary, Churchill Road Elementary, Clermont Elementary, Cooper Middle, Fairhill Elementary, Flint Hill Elementary, Forestville Elementary, Fox Mill Elementary, Franklin Middle, Frost Middle, Greenbriar West Elementary, Haycock Elementary, Hunt Valley Elementary, Langley High, Louise Archer Elementary, Madison High, Mantua Elementary, McLean High, Navy Elementary, Oak Hill Elementary, Oakton High, Rocky Run Middle, Sangster Elementary, Shrevewood Elementary, Springfield Estates Elementary, Sunrise Valley Elementary, Thoreau Middle, Vienna Elementary, Virginia Run Elementary, Waples Mill Elementary, West Springfield Elementary, Westbriar Elementary, Willow Springs Elementary, and Wolftrap Elementary.

A complete list of all schools and school divisions earning the Virginia Index of Performance Awards can be viewed at www.doe.virginia.gov.

Keep Up-to-Date on the FY 2011 Budget With New FCPS E-Newsletter The Bottom Line

Fairfax County Public Schools is now publishing The Bottom Line, a new publication that will be sent to all FCPS parents and employees every two weeks while the budget for next school year (FY 2011) is proposed, discussed, and approved (in May 2010). It contains the latest budget news, facts, dates, and rumor busters to help the FCPS community better understand the budget and the budget process. Links will be posted on the
FY 2011 budget web site at http://www.fcps.edu/news/fy2011.htm.

Please Note: All FCPS employees and all FCPS parents who have registered e-mail addresses with their children's schools get The Bottom Line automatically. If you are not a member of one of these groups and want to receive copies of The Bottom Line, go to http://www.fcps.edu/kit/, create a KIT Plus subscription, and sign up for one of the following:

• Current Issues.
• School Board News and Updates.
  
  

February 16 Is Deadline to Register for Two-Way and Partial-Immersion World Language Programs

Fairfax County Public Schools’ (FCPS) online registration for two-way immersion and partial-immersion elementary school foreign language programs is now open. Current prekindergarten students may apply for the two-way immersion program, and current kindergarten students may apply for the partial-immersion world language program for the 2010-11 school year. 
 
The kindergarten two-way immersion program is available—in Spanish only—at Bailey’s Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences and Lake Anne, London Towne, and Rose Hill Elementary Schools. The partial-immersion program is offered at 12 elementary schools. In the first grade partial-immersion program, students spend approximately half of each day learning mathematics, science, and health in French, German, Japanese, or Spanish. The other half of the day is spent learning social studies, language arts, and reading in English. Availability of the partial-immersion program will be subject to final budget decisions, expected in May, for the 2010-11 school year.

Enrollment involves no formal criteria, but the program is open only to residents of Fairfax County. Online registration can be accessed at www.fcps.edu/DIS/OHSICS/forlang/partial.htm and must be submitted by Tuesday, February 16. If a specific school has more applicants than available spaces, students will be selected for the program at that school by lottery. 

Families will be notified Friday, March 26, about acceptance into the partial-immersion program. Families will be notified Monday, May 24, about selection or placement on a waiting list for the kindergarten two-way immersion program. Parents of students who live outside the school’s regular attendance area will need to provide transportation for their children if they are selected for the program.

For more information, go to http://www.fcps.edu/DIS/OHSICS/forlang/partial.htm.

FCPS Accepting Applications for Elementary Magnet School Programs

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is currently accepting applications for its elementary magnet school programs for Bailey’s Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences for students who, during the 2010-11 school year, will enter grades K-4 and for Hunters Woods Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences for students who will enter grades K-6 during the 2010-11 school year. Selection for available magnet school spaces is based on a lottery.

To be eligible for the magnet school lottery, students must be working at or above grade level in language arts and math and must demonstrate consistent positive interpersonal and school behaviors. Students entering kindergarten should have attended preschool during the 2009-10 school year.

An information night will be held for families interested in the elementary magnet school program at Hunters Woods on Tuesday, February 2, at 7 p.m. at the school; the snow date is February 9.

Applications must be postmarked by March 1, and submitted to the Magnet Program, FCPS PreK-6 Instruction and School Support Office, Room 21A, Leis Instructional Center, 7423 Camp Alger Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia 22042.

More information about both programs, including online application forms, is available at http://www.fcps.edu/news/magnet.htm.  

Nomination Deadline Is February 12 for Support Employee of the Year Award

Nominations are now open for the 2010 FCPS Support Employee of the Year Award. This award recognizes one school-based support employee and one nonschool-based support employee.

A nominee must be a contracted support employee and provide a unique and exceptional contribution to FCPS through his or her work, demonstrate commitment and leadership in his or her field, and foster cooperative relationships with colleagues and/or the community. Winners, finalists, and nominees for this award are all honored at a Support Employee of the Year reception and School Board ceremony, which will be held in April 2010 during Support Employee Week.

Parents, students, administrators, FCPS staff members and teachers, Fairfax County government employees, and Fairfax County citizens are invited and encouraged to nominate a support employee for this prestigious award.

The deadline for Support Employee of the Year Award nominations is Friday, February 12, 2010. The nomination form and instructions are available online at http://www.fcps.edu/DHR/employees/awards/seoy.htm.   

For more information, contact Shannon Watson in the Department of Human Resources at 571-423-3278.

Nominations Now Open for Outstanding First-Year Teacher and Principal Awards, Deadline Is March 5

Nominations are now open for the 2010 FCPS Outstanding First-Year Teacher Award and the Nancy F. Sprague Outstanding First-Year Principal Award and will close on Friday, March 5. The Outstanding First-Year Teacher Award recognizes outstanding performance during the first year of teaching. Principals may nominate teachers who have begun their teaching careers on or after January 1, 2009. The nomination form and instructions are available at http://www.fcps.edu/DHR/employees/awards/fytoy.htm.

The Nancy F. Sprague Outstanding First-Year Principal Award recognizes exemplary performance during the first year of principalship. Any FCPS employee or community member may nominate a first-year principal for this award. For more information, visit http://www.fcps.edu/DHR/employees/awards/fypoy.htm.

Nominations also remain open for the Support Employee of the Year Award until Friday, February 12. The nomination form and instructions are available online at http://www.fcps.edu/DHR/employees/awards/seoy.htm. For more information on these award opportunities, contact Shannon Watson at 571-423-3278.

H1N1 (Swine Flu) Update

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is partnering with the Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) to monitor the progression of the 2009 H1N1 influenza (swine flu). The Fairfax County Health Department follows the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and provides recommendations to the school system. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a flu vaccine as the single best way to protect against influenza illness, including the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. The 2009 H1N1 vaccine is available through many of the same health care providers, pharmacies, and community programs that provide the seasonal influenza vaccine. Individuals and families should check with their providers about availability.

It's Not Too Late to Vaccinate  

The Fairfax County Health Department is now offering daily H1N1 vaccination clinics and encourages everyone who has not yet received H1N1 vaccine to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The H1N1 flu is a serious disease, and vaccination is your best protection.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that between mid-April and November 14, 2009, 47 million people in the United States were infected with the 2009 H1N1 flu, more than 200,000 people were hospitalized, and more than 9,800 people died.

“Despite the decline in the number of influenza cases, influenza is unpredictable and flu activity can rise and fall throughout the season,” says Gloria Addo-Ayensu, MD, MPH, Fairfax County director of health. “Influenza activity typically peaks in February, so it’s not too late to get vaccinated.”

H1N1 vaccine is now widely available and free of charge at health department district offices. For information about H1N1 clinic hours of operation and locations visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/flu or call the Fairfax County H1N1 call center at 703-267-3511.

Flu Prevention

As you may know, flu can be easily spread from person to person. Fairfax County Public Schools is taking steps to reduce the spread of flu. It is the school system's goal to keep schools open to students and functioning in a normal manner during this flu season. But, FCPS needs your help to do this.

Here are a few things you can do to help:

• Teach your children good hand hygiene etiquette. Hands should be washed frequently with soap and water, and handwashing should last for at least 20 seconds.
  
• Teach your children to cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues. If a tissue is unavailable, children should cover their coughs or sneezes using the elbow, arm, or sleeve instead of their hands.
  
• Learn the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit, 37.8 degrees Celsius, or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and a very tired feeling. Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea.
• Keep sick children at home. Any child who is found to be sick while at school will be sent home. It is also important to keep sick children at home for at least 24 hours after having a fever or showing signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing drugs. 
• Plan now for your children’s care if you or your children become ill with the flu and need to stay home. 
• Stay informed. FCPS encourages you to visit www.flu.gov or call 1-800-CDC-INFO for the most current information about the flu.

For more information about flu in our community and what our school system is doing, visit http://www.fcps.edu/news/swineflu.htm or call your school.

FCPS by the Numbers: Where the Money Comes From

The main source of FCPS revenue (75 percent) comes from Fairfax County, primarily through real estate and personal property taxes. The state of Virginia provides just over 17 percent (including sales tax revenue), and the federal government provides 3.5 percent. Remaining funds come from a variety of other sources including local fees and tuition from Fairfax City.

Tip Sheet for Parents: Teach Your Child How to Balance School, Activities

Over scheduling has become a problem for children today. Between school, sports, music lessons, and clubs, kids don’t get a break. And parents spend more time shuffling children around than building a good relationship.
The key is to balance schoolwork, outside activities, family time, and free time. Here’s how:

• Cut down on the number of different activities. Instead, allow your child to explore two activities in depth.
• Decrease the overall amount of time your child spends on planned activities. Give him or her more free time to play and explore on his or her own.
• Don’t put pressure on your child when he or she is playing sports or practicing music. Getting upset about a missed pass or wrong note won’t allow your child to enjoy the activity.
• Spend more time with your child. Let him or her just “hang out” and talk to you. Have a family night once a month to build family relationships.

Note: Copyright 2010. Reprinted with permission from the Parent Institute. Additional tip sheets and other resources for parents can be found on the Family and School Partnerships web site at http://www.fcps.edu/cco/fam/ptips.htm.

FCPS Emergency School Closings Telephone Hot Line Discontinued December 31

Due to budget cuts, the FCPS emergency school closings telephone hot line was discontinued on December 31. Employees, students, parents, and community members who have relied on the hot line exclusively in the past will now need to check the FCPS web site, Channel 21 (a cable TV channel programmed by FCPS), or local TV and radio stations or sign up to receive emergency school closing information from the Keep in Touch e-mail notification system.

For more information on emergency closings, go to http://www.fcps.edu/news/emerg.htm.

Inclement Weather and Emergency Closing Plans

Due to inclement weather or other emergency situations, it may be necessary to close schools for the entire day, to open schools late, or to close early.

Parents are urged to make arrangements now for the care of their children when schedule changes are made (and to provide for the rare situation when it is necessary to close an individual school because of a power failure or other circumstances). Children should know where to go if a parent will not be home.

Decisions on schedule changes are made after careful study of the best information available from many sources including weather services, the highway department, the police, and FCPS transportation staff members who are out checking the roads. FCPS will make every effort to decide, before 5 a.m., whether to close or delay schools and will begin communicating the decision once it is made. The 5 a.m. decision time is a goal. Weather conditions can deteriorate after 5 a.m., which means that it may not be possible for FCPS to meet that goal. While no sources dealing with weather predictions can be infallible, decisions are made with one overriding consideration—the safety of all students—those who ride buses and those who walk to school each day.

FCPS has several schedules set up to deal with inclement weather; these are put into effect when conditions threaten the safety of children who are walking or riding school buses to schools. These schedules are:

(1) Keep schools closed. (2) Open two hours late. (3) Close two hours early.

In every case of a schedule change:

• Tune in to local radio and television stations (including cable Channel 21, a channel programmed by FCPS), which are notified as soon as a decision is made.
  
• Check www.fcps.edu.
  

Do not phone the school or one of the stations for this information. To receive this information via e-mail, sign up for the FCPS Keep in Touch (KIT) e-mail notification system. (See article below on how to subscribe and how to update your Keep in Touch information or go to www.fcps.edu/kit/.)

For more information, go to http://www.fcps.edu/news/weather.htm.

If you want to learn more about how FCPS administrators decide to delay or close schools during inclement weather, you can check out a short video, which is available online by going to http://www.fcps.edu/DIT/streaming/ss10_snow.asx.

Please note: FCPS schools are open unless information is posted or sent that indicates schools are closed, opening late, or closing early. During an emergency closing situation in which other local school systems are closed or delayed and FCPS is open on time, the crawl for local TV stations WJLA (ABC 7) and NewsChannel 8 will indicate "No Report" for FCPS.

In addition, the emergency closings telephone hotline has been discontinued as of December 31.

2010-11 Standard School Year Calendar Available

The calendar for the 2010-11 school year has been posted and is available online at http://www.fcps.edu/DHR/employees/oec/pdfs/stcalendar10-11.pdf.

Bailey’s Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences Information Night

Bailey’s Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences has been a magnet school since 1992, and, in addition to serving the surrounding community, welcomes students from other parts of Fairfax County. The school integrates arts, sciences, and technology as students learn through an active process of creating, inquiring, and connecting. The school is focused on each student meeting goals in three areas:

• academic proficiency and growth.
• well-rounded learning in the arts, sciences, technology, and multiple languages (for the partial-immersion and ESOL programs).
• interpersonal and community connections. 

Bailey’s is unique in its spaces and in its teachers who support learning in science, technology, and the arts. Additionally, partnerships with the Kennedy Center, the U.S. Forest Service, and Capital One strengthen the resources for both student and teacher learning. After-school opportunities in the theater program and in PTA-sponsored classes are extensive. 

Applicants for admission must be entering grades kindergarten through 5 in the 2010-11 school year, be working on or above grade level in language arts and math, and demonstrate positive interpersonal and school behaviors. The partial-immersion program in Spanish is an option on the application for entering first grade. Applications are available in all Fairfax County elementary schools beginning in January or can be downloaded from the Bailey’s web site at www.fcps.edu/BaileysES/. Applications must be completed and postmarked by March 1, 2010,  and submitted to the Office of Elementary Instruction and Administrative Services.

An information night will be held at the school on Thursday, February 4, 2010, at 7 p.m. (snow date February 11).

For information, contact Marjorie McCarthy at Bailey’s Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences at 6111 Knollwood Drive, Falls Church, VA 22041, 703-575-6836.

Hunters Woods Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences Information Night

Hunters Woods Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences magnet program will have openings for qualified students in grades K through 6 for the 2010-11 school year. To be selected, students must be working on or above grade level in language arts and mathematics and must possess good citizenship and study skills. The magnet program weaves the arts, sciences, and technology into all areas of the curriculum in order to stimulate and extend the educational potential of all students.

Each year, students are selected by a computer-generated lottery. The number of students chosen varies from year to year according to the number of openings at each grade level. This is not determined until the actual time of the lottery. Students not selected for the lottery are placed on a wait list.

Applications will be available in all Fairfax County public schools beginning in January 2010 or can be downloaded from the Hunters Woods web site at www.fcps.edu/HuntersWoodsES/. Applications must be completed and submitted to: Magnet Lottery, Office of Elementary Instruction and Administrative Services, 3705 Crest Drive, Annandale, VA 22003. Applications must be postmarked no later than Monday, March 1, 2010.

An information meeting will be held at Hunters Woods on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at 7 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, the meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 9, 2010, at 7 p.m.

For additional information, contact Diane Beers, parent liaison, Hunters Woods Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences, 2401 Colts Neck Road, Reston, VA 20191, 703-262-7405.

Two FCPS High Schools Make U.S. News and World Report's List of Top 100 High Schools; TJHSST Named Top High School Third Year in a Row

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST), a Fairfax County public school, has been named the top high school in the U.S. for the third consecutive year by U.S. News and World Report. In all, seven Fairfax County high schools were cited by the magazine.

Langley High School was included on the gold medal list (the top 100 schools) at number 47. Winning distinction as silver medal recipients were Madison High School and Marshall High School; Marshall was also recognized as a top International Baccalaureate (IB) school.

Honorable mention recipients include Lake Braddock Secondary School, McLean High School, and Woodson High School. 

For complete information on the U.S. News and World Report top high schools report, visit http://www.usnews.com/sections/education/high-schools/index.html. 

Interested in Becoming a Mentor?

Mentoring in Fairfax County Public Schools occurs throughout the entire school system and at all levels. According to data from the 2008-09 school year, a total of 140 mentoring programs are in place in FCPS: 100 elementary school programs, 20 middle school programs, and 20 high school programs. These data also indicated that approximately 4,000 students in FCPS were being mentored.

If you are interested, consider several factors, including the age and number of young people you want to work with—elementary, middle, or high school-age children; one youth or several. (There is a difference between mentoring a child one on one versus coaching a group of young people). Also, consider the setting that you may want to mentor in, such as a school, the community, or a business.

For more information, go to http://www.fcps.edu/cco/mentor/index.htm.

FCPS Is Now on Facebook and Twitter

Fairfax County Public Schools is now on Twitter, where news and information, emergency messages, and information about current issues are posted for those who choose to become followers of the school system. To follow FCPS on Twitter, visit http://www.twitter.com/fcpsnews and click on Follow.

FCPS also has a Facebook page; to follow FCPS on Facebook, visit http://www.facebook.com/fcpsva and select Become a Fan at the top of the page. 

Citizens can also receive FCPS news and information by subscribing to the school system’s Keep in Touch e-mail messaging system, or by subscribing to RSS (really simple syndication). To learn more about RSS, visit http://www.fcps.edu and go to the News Releases banner on the right side of the page, then click on the orange RSS logo.

Revamped Donations Web Site Now Does the Work for You

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has revamped and improved the web page that the public can use to donate items to the school system. The site, http://www.fcps.edu/donate/, allows users who want to donate goods such as computers, musical instruments, sports equipment, and books to FCPS to easily provide their contact information  and relevant information about the item or items they want to donate.

A donor can select the school to which his or her donation can be offered and will receive  an acknowledgement e-mail when the information is submitted. A donor will also receive an e-mail suitable for tax purposes once the donation has been received.

The site also includes explanations about what items are accepted as well as minimum standards for many items.  Among the items that can be donated are art equipment and supplies, audio and video equipment, building and landscaping materials, textiles, furniture, prom wear, and vehicles.

The donations web site can also be accessed from www.fcps.edu from the “What Do You Want to Do?” drop-down box.

For more information, contact Jay Garant in the Office of Business and Community Partnerships, Department of Communications and Community Outreach, at 571-423-1225 or jay.garant@fcps.edu.

Three Ways to Purchase School Meals: Online Payment, Check, or Cash

Fairfax County Public Schools is pleased to announce that it now offers three ways to pay for school meals:

• Online—Using www.myLunchMoney.com—The service is easy to use, convenient, private, and secure. There is a convenience fee of $1.95 per transaction. Once the account is open, parents may check the fund account at any time from computer or phone.
• Check—Write a check—made out to (School Name) Food and Nutrition Services—and bring the check to the food service manager’s office. A parent who wants his or her check payments to be for meals only (no à la carte items) should write it on the check or tell the manager.
• Cash—Cash may be brought to the food service manager’s office for deposit in student accounts, or students may pay cash for breakfast and lunch on a daily basis.
  

Parents—Please Note!

• Parents may ask for a printed summary of their child(ren)’s account at any time by contacting the food service manager (or by signing on with myLunchMoney.com). You don’t need to use the online account for this service.
• Parents are asked to remind their child(ren) not to share their personal identification number (PIN) with friends.
• A parent who wants his or her payments to be for meals only (no à la carte items or snacks) should tell the food service manager.

2009-10 School Meal Prices

The prices for school meals during the 2009-10 school year will be as follows:

For more information, such as school lunch menus, which are updated monthly, go to http://www.fcps.edu/fs/food/food_at_school.

What's New With Keep in Touch (KIT) for 2009-10

FCPS has an electronic mass notification system known as Keep in Touch (KIT). KIT has two services: KIT Basic (automatic enrollment) and KIT Plus (subscription).

KIT Basic has automatic enrollment because it draws contact information from the student information system (SASI) and the employee (Lawson) databases. Contact information for KIT Basic may be updated at the school or through weCare@School, a feature of FCPS 24-7 Learning (Blackboard) - http://www.fcps.edu/DIT/fcps247.html. FCPS central offices and schools use KIT Basic to provide families and employees with three types of messages—attendance (new this year), emergency, and outreach—via e-mails and phone calls.

KIT Plus is a subscription service for students, community members, and citizens interested in news, events, and updates from FCPS. Subscribers may select from the following topics: 

• Adult and Community Education (ACE) classes and news.
  
• Current issues (budget, boundary studies, summer programs).
  
• Delayed openings and school closings.
  
• FCPS job opportunities.
  
• Magnet schools and advanced academic programs.
  
• News releases and media tips.
  
• PTA, PTSA, PTO information.
  
• School Board news and updates.
  
• Special education services.
  
• Supergram (employee newsletter).
  
• Volunteer opportunities.

In addition to these topics, KIT Plus subscribers may also receive announcements from up to five schools of their choice. KIT Plus is a self-subscribing, -updating, and -unsubscribing service. FCPS families and employees may receive announcements from both KIT Basic and KIT Plus.

For more information, or to subscribe, visit http://www.fcps.edu/kit.

The School Bus: A Smart Choice, A Safe Choice

The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that the school bus is 60 times safer than all other passenger vehicles. School buses manufactured after January 1, 1977, must meet more federal motor vehicle safety standards than any other type of motor vehicle. Why? Because school buses are transporting our most valuable possessions—our children.

So, while your own car may seem to be the most convenient or quickest way for your child to get to school or while it may provide you additional time with your child, the familiar yellow school bus is still the smartest and safest transportation choice you can make for your child.

This year, help not only to get your child to school safely but also to alleviate parking problems and traffic congestion by making the school bus your child’s first choice in transportation.

For more information on bus transportation, contact the Office of Transportation Services, Linda Farbry, director, by calling 703-446-2000, or by going to www.fcps.edu/fts/tran/index.htm.

Telephone Parent Information Line Available in Korean and Spanish

Parents who speak Korean or Spanish can call a telephone information line to help them learn general information about FCPS and to receive support if they are having difficulty communicating with their child’s school due to a language barrier.

The Parent Information Line numbers are:

• Spanish—703-764-7361.
• Korean—703-764-7363.

A parent may call at any time, leave a message in his or her language, and receive a return phone call in that language from an FCPS staff member within 24 hours.

Office of Transportation Services After-Hours Emergency Telephone Number

We know that your number one concern as a parent is your child's safety. We also know that it is frustrating—or even frightening—when you need to call someone for information about your student’s whereabouts after school hours and the phones are not being answered. If your child normally rides a bus home and you cannot get in touch with him or her, contact the transportation office at 703-446-2000 until 5 p.m. After 5 p.m., or if your child normally walks home, contact the FCPS school security office at 703-764-2400. In an emergency, the dispatcher can contact a school or a transportation staff member to help you.

FCPS Offers Parent Orientation to New Families

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is offering a parent orientation seminar to families new to the school system. Getting to Know Fairfax County Public Schools: A Parent Orientation is taught by community liaisons and is offered in English, Arabic, Korean, and Spanish. This interactive seminar provides information about the school system and the importance of parental involvement in a child’s educational achievement, suggestions for how parents can get involved with their children’s schools, and a cultural discussion component that helps accelerate a family’s acculturation to the United States.

The seminar is presented on selected dates each month in each language on a drop-in basis at the following locations:

• South County Government Center, 8350 Richmond Highway, in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County, 703-704-6002. Presentation is in English from 10 a.m. to noon on the last Wednesday of each month.
• Devonshire Center, 2831 Graham Road, Falls Church, 703-208-8017. Presentation is in English from 10 a.m. to noon the second Friday of each month; in Korean from 10 a.m. to 12 noon the third Friday of each month; and in Spanish from 10 a.m. to noon the last Friday of each month.
• Lake Anne-Reston, 11484 Washington Plaza West, Reston, 703-668-0583. Presentation is in Spanish from 10 a.m. to noon the second Thursday of each month
• For times and locations of presentations in Arabic, call 703-277-2637.

Individual school parent liaisons and school parent center coordinators may also request a copy of the presentation to use with families at their schools.     

Family Services and Involvement personnel are also available to present to individuals, schools, and community groups.  

Note: For more information, contact Robin Hamby in the FCPS Department of Communications and Community Outreach, Family and School Partnerships, at 703-277-2640 or robin.hamby@fcps.edu.

Important Immunization Requirement: Do You Have a Student Entering Sixth Grade?

If you do, he or she may need a booster dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis). Sixth grade students cannot begin school in the fall without documentation of having had either the Tdap booster or documentation of having had a tetanus-containing vaccine within the past five years. Parents and guardians of current fifth graders should check their child’s immunization records. 

• If your child is 11 years old, he or she should get the Tdap immunization, and documentation should be provided to the school.
  
• If your child is still 10 years old, he or she may receive the Tdap vaccine, Boostrix, which is approved for 10-year-olds, or he or she may wait until the 11th birthday to receive the vaccine approved for 11-year-olds.
  
• If your child’s 11th birthday is after the first day of school, your child must have a medical exemption from the doctor stating when he or she will receive the Tdap immunization in order to attend school.

Documentation that your student has received this immunization should be brought to the school registrar. Fairfax County Public Schools tracks compliance for this state requirement, and students who do not meet the requirement by the first day of school will be excluded from school. 

Students can receive immunizations required for school at no charge at any Fairfax County Health Department walk-in immunization clinic. The school public health nurse may be contacted for more information about the health department clinic hours. For more information, contact Elizabeth Donaldson, health specialist, Student Safety and Wellness office, at 571-423-4402 or elizabeth.donaldson@fcps.edu.

For more information about immunization requirements, see the current version of FCPS Regulation 2101.

Parent Resource Center Web Site Provides Information for Parents of Special Needs Children

The Parent Resource Center (PRC) maintains a list of upcoming workshops, activities, and events for parents of children with special needs. A complete list of all upcoming workshops and activities is available on the PRC web site http://www.fcps.edu/cco/prc/workshops.htm. For more information, contact the PRC by e-mail at prc@fcps.edu or by phone at 703-204-3941.

School Board Directives No Longer Available on Paper

Virginia’s Standards of Quality require all school divisions to notify the public annually of the availability of the school system’s policies. Fairfax County Public Schools policies are available online at http://www.fcps.edu/Directives/. A continuous review process ensures ongoing examination and revision of each policy, regulation, and notice as needed.

If you do not have Internet access and would like a print copy of any policy or regulation, please direct your request to your child's school principal. The School Board office, located at Gatehouse Administration Center I in Falls Church, maintains the historical records of all directives. 

Parents: Sign Up Now for FCPS 24-7 Learning

All parents, legal guardians, and foster parents of FCPS students are eligible to receive their own user accounts for FCPS 24-7 Learning (Blackboard). Since the program was made available to parents in March 2007, more than 29,000 parents have already signed up for their own accounts.

Registration provides several benefits. With their own accounts, parents no longer have to share account information with their children in order to visit their online class sites in FCPS 24-7. An account, which provides access to the Parent View page in FCPS 24-7, allows parents to directly access all their children’s class sites from this one location. This allows parents to view class announcements and materials shared with students and, in most cases, provides a direct link to each of their children’s teachers’ FCPS e-mail addresses for easy communication. Please Note: By updating your child's emergency contact information in FCPS 24-7 you are also updating your account information for messages from the Keep in Touch (KIT) Basic message system.

weCare@school and Family Connection Tools Included

Additionally, registration provides access to the weCare@school and Family Connection tools. weCare@school provides parents a secure capability to review and electronically update each child’s emergency data information. Parents who take advantage of this service can now only update those fields that require a change, such as contact phone information or home address, without manually completing a new form. This up-to-date information can be rapidly included in the FCPS student information system and allows each school’s first responders to electronically access this information should the need arise.

Family Connection, a planning tool for high school students, enables high school parents to:

• View their students’ GPAs and SAT and ACT test scores.
• View their students’ resumés and postgraduation plans.
• Research colleges and view acceptance histories from their high schools.
• View additional career and college counseling resources from their schools and FCPS.
  
  

Signing Up Is Easy

To sign up for an FCPS 24-7 Learning account, parents need only complete a simple two-step process. First, they register online through FCPS 24-7 Learning. The site can be accessed by either selecting the FCPS 24-7 Learning link on the FCPS public web site or by going directly to http://fcps.blackboard.com and entering parentreg as the username and newuser as the password.

This login provides access to step-by-step instructions, a toll-free number for assistance, and the online registration form. After completing the online registration, which requires school directory-type information and a valid e-mail address, parents receive a validation code that must be taken to one of their children’s schools in order to validate and enable the account.

Schools provide opportunities for both registration and validation at parent-oriented activities such as Back-to-School Nights, orientations, and other activities. They also have the ability to support walk-in validation requests. As a courtesy, it is best to call the school ahead of time for walk-in validation.

The registration and validation process is a one-time requirement. No annual update or other update or additional registration is required while parents have students enrolled in FCPS.

Parents are encouraged to contact their children’s schools to find out their plans for registration activities and validation opportunities over the coming months.

Alternate Transportation Plans

In case of emergencies such as road closures, accidents, or weather-related road problems, drivers may use safe transportation-approved alternate locations to pick up or drop off students. Drivers will return children to their schools:

• If there is no safe transportation-approved alternative stop.
• If the driver has any other concerns regarding the safety of releasing a student at a regular stop.
• If a child expresses concern, for any reason, about getting off of the bus.
  
  
  

Walker Safety Tips

Parents should plan a walking route to school and choose the most direct way with the fewest street crossings. Parents are responsible for selecting their children’s walking routes to and from bus stops, schools, and home. Parents are also responsible for providing supervision that is appropriate for their child’s age, maturity, and conditions on the route. Parents should be encouraged to outfit their children with reflective clothing.

Students should cross streets at controlled intersections and in crosswalks where available. Students should not cross in the middle of a street unless the crossing is supervised by a crossing guard or a police officer. Before crossing, students should look both ways before stepping off the curb. Students should always pay attention for turning vehicles. Students should be encouraged to turn off personal stereos (iPods) while crossing intersections.

Students who walk to and from school should be encouraged to walk with other students. Walkers should go directly home after school and never take shortcuts. Elementary students should avoid parks, vacant lots, fields, and other places where there aren't many people, and, if they are unable to walk home safely, they should return to the school.

It is important to note that school system staff members do not assess all possible walking routes, supervise those routes, or guarantee the safety of any particular route. Staff members provide general safety information to school communities and respond to requests for specific information and advice when practicable. Staff members also assess routes for unusual hazards when concerns are brought to their attention.

Parent Resource Center Tutor and Speech Clinician List

The FCPS tutor list, which can be found at http://www.fcps.edu/cco/prc/tutors_spclinicians.htm, contains names of individuals who have contacted the Parent Resource Center (PRC) to offer services. The PRC in no way recommends or guarantees certification or costs of individual tutors. The list is a service provided by the PRC, but parents are responsible for contacting and working with the tutors. The listed FCPS speech clinicians are those who are licensed to provide services privately to clients. The PRC cannot make specific recommendations or guarantee certification, licensure, or costs.

If you have questions, call 703-204-3941 or visit the PRC at 2334 Gallows Road, room 224. Hours are Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Satellite locations are open part-time at Aldrin and Hayfield Elementary Schools.

For more information about the Parent Resource Center, go to http://www.fcps.edu/cco/prc/about.html.

School Assignment and Boundaries

School assignment is determined by residence address. In order to provide expanded access to boundary information, Fairfax County Public Schools has introduced the school boundary application (http://www.fcps.edu/boundary). School assignments for a particular address within Fairfax County may also be obtained 24 hours a day by calling the interactive voice recognition system at 703-329-9831.

For more information on how to determine school assignment and information about boundary changes under consideration, please visit School Boundary Information. Individual school boundary maps can be viewed and printed through the Schools and Centers Directory and can also be purchased for $12.00 each from the FCPS Office of Facilities Planning Services, 10640 Page Avenue, suite 300, Fairfax, Virginia 22030. School boundary maps may also be referenced at all Fairfax County public libraries.

For additional information, please contact the Office of Facilities Planning Services at 703-246-6930.

Online Nutrition Calculator

The Office of Food and Nutrition Services now offers an online nutrition calculator to help students, parents, and staff members evaluate their snacks at home. It is also a fun teaching tool for the classroom.

To learn more, go to http://fsweb.fcps.edu/FNSCalculator/EZCalculator.cfm. A short video is also available by going to http://www.fcps.edu/DIT/streaming/ss9_healthysnacks.asx.

Online Campus Offers Option for Gaining High School Credit

The FCPS Online Campus is a web-based high school course delivery program. FCPS' Online Campus delivers courses identical in content to those offered in traditional classrooms and uses multimedia to teach students.

An FCPS Online Campus course is designed to deliver material that is fully aligned with the FCPS high school curriculum. In every face-to-face course, an average high school student will be engaged for 3.5-5 hours per week for the entire school year (36 weeks).

Often, a student is under the impression that a virtual class from the Internet will be a quick and easy way of finishing a course for credit. In reality the time spent in an online course will demand at least the same amount as a typical face-to-face course.

If you are thinking about taking an Online Campus course, you should consider the time involved:

• If you are starting a class in September: An average student will need to work 4.25 hours per week to finish a full-credit online course by June.
• If you are starting a class in January: An average student will need to work 8.5 hours per week to finish a full-credit online course by June.
• If you are starting a class in summer school: A student will need to work 30 hours per week for the 5 week session!

All online campus courses require at least three face-to-face meetings that are held in the evenings. These are for orientation and assessment purposes.

More information is available by going to http://www.fcps.edu/DIS/onlinecampus/gen-info.htm.

Learning Through Experience: Volunteer Opportunities for High School Students

There are many ways that high school students can volunteer their time to help others. The FCPS Career Connections volunteer opportunities web site, found at http://www.fcps.edu/ss/CareerConnections/resource/fcpscc.htm, offers a list of organizations that have volunteer opportunities for young people, as well as tips on how to become involved in volunteer activities.

Parent Resources Available Online

A complete list of resources for parents can be found on the Fairfax County Public Schools web site. The Parent Resources page includes links to information on:

• Frequently called FCPS phone numbers.
• Athletics.
• Lunch payments.
• Fairfax County public library homework and student support.
• Policies, bylaws, and regulations.
• Netsmartz.
• Volunteering in FCPS.
• Parent education.

For more information, go to http://www.fcps.edu/parents.htm.

Watch TV That Counts! A Block of Shows All About FCPS

Fairfax County Public Schools operates two open cable TV channels—Red Apple 21 and Channel 25—to serve the community. Funded mostly by franchise funds from Cox Communications, with additional funds from Comcast Communications and Verizon, these channels provide residents with news and information. Red Apple 21's block of shows all about FCPS begins every day at 5:30 p.m.

Several FCPS-produced news and information and curriculum-based programs also air regionally in the metropolitan Washington, D.C., area on broadcast television, Direct TV, and the Dish Network via the MHz Networks—an independent media group that has partnered with Fairfax County Public Schools.

In addition, many FCPS TV shows have been video streamed, or made available for viewing online throughout the FCPS web site.

For more information, go to http://www.fcps.edu/mediapub/cable-tv/.

Don't Miss Out! Post Your Event on the School Events Bulletin Board

The School Events Bulletin Board on the FCPS web site lists happenings in all Fairfax County public schools. Find out about student performances, fun fairs, and special celebrations by checking the board at http://www.fcps.edu/bulletin/netcal.htm. A form to list an event is also linked at the site.

Preschool Child Find Helps Children 20 Months to Five Years of Age

FCPS School Bus Driver Positions Available

Join the driving force in education! Be a school bus driver for Fairfax County Public Schools. For more information call 571-423-3000 or go to www.fcps.edu/fts/tran/opportunities/index.htm.

Driving Directions to FCPS Schools

The FCPS web site offers complete turn-by-turn driving directions and maps along with the capability of selecting an origin and destination from a complete list of schools and offices as well as many common field trip destinations. Further choices include the option to avoid toll roads or major highways, to select the shortest or the fastest route, and to display text or maps. From the FCPS home page at http://www.fcps.edu select the "Schools and Centers" link to find your way.

Last update: >>January 26, 2010
Curator: Andy Grunig, Andy.Grunig@fcps.edu