Resources
Especially For
Last Update:
October 14, 2011
Curator: Nancy Moy, Nancy Moy@fcps.edu

Updates to the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Web Site

October 17: In order to transition to a redesigned, more user-friendly website, the FCPS website will be unavailable after 5 p.m. on Monday, October 17.  The new www.fcps.edu will debut on Tuesday, October 18.

October 14: Coming Soon! FCPS will soon launch a completely redesigned school system website. There will be several changes in the new site that will improve navigation and make the site more user-friendly. As a result of the redesign, bookmarks that you have created for quick access to your favorite pages on the old site will no longer work. The transition from the old website to the new website will occur during the evening of October 17

October 13: Chantilly High School and Chantilly Academy invite all students in grades 7-12 to attend the Engineering Expo and Engineering College Fair on Saturday, October 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to learn about careers in engineering and admissions to college engineering programs.  Details.

October 12: Students at Franconia Elementary will hold a Martin Luther King, Jr., musical celebration on Thursday, October 13, at 2:30 p.m.  The event coincides with the rescheduled dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr., memorial on the National Mall, which is set for October 16 after being postponed in August because of Hurricane Irene.  Second grade students will present a musical tribute to the late civil rights leader, including “America Everyday,” “One Nation,” and “Something for You, Something for You.”  The program also includes spoken reflection by sixth grade students and a rap by second grade students.  Music teacher Linda Rezek conceived of and planned the program.  Contact principal Merrell Dade at 703-822-2200 or mvdade@fcps.edu or event liaison Linda Rezek at lrezek@fcps.edu.

October 11:  The Fairfax County Health Department reminds the community that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends that everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccine every year. The Health Department encourages all eligible parents and students to get vaccinated in an effort to achieve “community immunity” which will extend protection from the flu to the entire community, especially the vulnerable such as those who are ineligible to receive the flu vaccine or are at greater risk of flu-related complications. Details.

October 7:  There will be several changes in the new site that will improve navigation and make the site more user-friendly. Bookmarks that you have created for quick access to your favorite pages on the old site will no longer work. Here are some helpful tips for navigating the new site:   

Also, if you are using printed materials with a Fairfax County Public Schools URL or link, some of those links may not work on the new website. After the launch, go to www.fcps.edu and click on one of the tabs at the top of the page to access more information and make new bookmarks for the pages you frequently visit. The Department of Communications and Community Outreach (DCCO) welcomes your comments about the new website design. Please send your comments to fcpsinfo@fcps.edu.

October 6: A photo gallery of past and present bond projects is available. View the photos.

October 4: A school bond referendum will be on the general election ballot Tuesday, November 8.  Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Residents of Fairfax County may vote if they are 18 years of age or older on Election Day and have registered to vote 21 days prior to the elections (by October 17).For more information about registering or voting, call 703-222-0776 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/eb.

October 3: The Fairfax County Health Department reminds the community that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends that everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccine every year. The Health Department encourages all eligible parents and students to get vaccinated in an effort to achieve “community immunity” which will extend protection from the flu to the entire community, especially the vulnerable such as those who are ineligible to receive the flu vaccine or are at greater risk of flu-related complications. Details.

September 30: Applications for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST), the Governor’s Regional School for science and technology in Northern Virginia, are now available in all public middle schools in participating school districts and many private schools. Details.

September 29: Registration for the 2011 Credit Exam for World Languages is open until October 24 at 4 p.m.  Students should see their counselors who will register them.  Additional information can be found here.   

September 28: Tune in to Channel 21 at 9 a.m. or 4:30 p.m. to watch as President Obama signs the America Invents Act at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. TJHSST student speakers also participated in the event which will air through October 1.  See what else is coming up on Channel 21.

September 27: Workshops are held monthly, beginning in October for those who supervise or work with their school volunteer programs or parent centers. Register here and follow the instructions for registering for one or more of the following workshop (through December). Advance registration is required; registration is limited to 30 people per workshop.

September 26: Do you know a teacher or principal who goes above and beyond and deserves recognition for their outstanding work? Nominations for the Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year awards are open through Friday, January 13, 2012. Details.

September 23: Under the Sea, an organization that promotes awareness of the aquatic environment while encouraging stewardship and conservation, will present a special program on aquatic life at Key Center on Friday, September 30, at 8:45 and 9:45 a.m.  Presenter Andrew Wilson will bring live sea animals to the school so that students can get a closer look at and, in some cases, even touch the marine creatures used in the program.  The program will incorporate curriculum standards from the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) tests.  Wilson plans to tailor his presentation to meet the special needs of students. 

September 22:  After implementing a successful pilot program in the 2010-11 school year, FCPS will begin using online textbooks this year for students in grades 7-12 in all core social studies classes. Students taking Advanced Placement social studies courses or elective social studies courses will continue to use printed textbooks. Details.

September 21: Tune in to Channel 21 at 9 a.m. or 4:30 p.m. to watch as President Obama signs the America Invents Act at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. TJHSST student speakers also participated in the event which will air through October 1.  See what else is coming up on Channel 21.

September 20: A school bond referendum will be on the general election ballot Tuesday, November 8, 2011. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Residents of Fairfax County may vote if they are 18 years or older on Election Day and have registered to vote 21 days prior to the election (by October 17, 2011, at 5 p.m.). More.

September 19: Belvedere Elementary has received a $2,500 grant from Dominion Educational Partnership to support its Belvedere Goes Green: Walking on the Wild Side (WOWS) program.  The initiative includes establishing discovery gardens for hands-on learning, a schoolwide composting program, and a new hiking trail that would link the school with an adjacent public park.  The WOWs program will transform the schoolyard into a biodiverse and inviting outdoor educational space by funding raised garden beds for each grade level and creating a monarch butterfly habitat and ladybug garden. More.