Share Your Graduation or Promotion Ceremony Photos on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram

Graduation season is here! FCPS parents, students, and staff members are invited to share their favorite pictures from this year's graduation or promotion ceremonies on Twitter and Facebook or Instagram by using the hashtag #fcpsgrad21

We will retweet some of the photos on Twitter and share some of the photos on Facebook and on Instagram.

The 2021 FCPS high school graduation schedule, including dates, times, and locations, is available online.

Calendar Reminder: All Students to Be Virtual on June 8 Due to Democratic Primary Election

Tuesday, June 8, is the Democratic Primary Election. Because the Fairfax County Electoral Board and City of Fairfax Electoral Board will be using 165 school facilities as polling locations, June 8 will be a virtual synchronous learning day (no in-person classes) for students.

Get more information about the primary elections.
 

Last Day of 2020-21 School Year Is June 11

As a reminder, the last day of the 2020-21 school year is Friday, June 11, and students will be dismissed early. Check with your child's school for its individual dismissal time.

2021-22 School Year to Start on August 23

With the school year winding down and many families making plans for summer camps, vacations, and other activities, be sure to note that the first day of school for the 2021-22 school year will be Monday, August 23. The last day of school is June 10, 2022. See the complete 2021-22 school year calendar.

Summer Arts Opportunities for Rising 3-12 Graders

Does your child love the arts? Are you looking for a wonderful summer enrichment opportunity for them? Institute for the Arts (grades 6-11) and Elementary Institute for the Arts (grades 2-5) registration is open now for students currently in grades 2 through 11. Don't delay, seats are first-come first-serve and registration closes June 25. 

Tuition waivers are available for students who qualify. Questions? Email: [email protected] or [email protected]. 

Registration is available online.

Video: Return to School Parent Perspectives—Lauren Thor

Lauren Thor's two young children are back to in-person instruction. While she had some concerns about the new learning environment, her energetic kids have had a great experience returning to the classroom!

FCPS students will return to in-person learning five days a week in the fall! #FCPSReturningStrong

Win Prizes With the Public Library Summer Reading Adventure; Starts June 11

The Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) summer reading program will start on June 11 and end on August 13. Students can start signing up now on Beanstack where they can track their summer reading online.

Students will have the chance to earn prizes when they read and complete activities. Here are the prize milestones for Youth Summer Reading Adventure 2021:

• Sign up for the program to unlock a chance to win a $25 e-gift card to Scrawl Books.
• Read 500 minutes to unlock a chance to win a $50 Chipotle gift card.
• Complete the program by reading 1,000 minutes OR reading 500 minutes and completing 5 activity badges to unlock a chance to win a $150 Amazon e-gift card.

Prizes will be awarded after the completion of Summer Reading Adventure. Winners will be notified by August 31.

If you don't want to use Beanstack to log your reading, paper reading logs will be available beginning June 11 online and at your local library branch.

Fill out your reading log and return it to your local library by August 13 to be entered into the grand prize drawing. Good luck—winning would be a happy ending to your summer story!

More information about the FCPL summer reading program is available online.

Photos of the Week

View and enjoy this week’s photos to see teachers and students celebrating teacher appreciation week, students finding cicadas, and students enjoying outdoor learning.

Provide Your Feedback on FCPS’ COVID Relief Funds 

Fairfax County Public Schools wants to hear how you want to spend anticipated American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) III funds.

The ESSER III grant will be used in support of students, staff, and school operations. Learn more about the ESSER III grant.

Sign up to speak at a Fairfax County School Board Public Hearing about the ESSER III grant on June 7 at 6 p.m. or submit your input using the FCPS Online Feedback Form.

Kings Glen Elementary School Students and Staff Making History, One Marker at a Time

Students from Kings Glen Elementary School in Springfield are responsible for nominating three of the five new Virginia historical highway markers highlighting Black history chosen in Governor Northam’s Black History Month Historical Marker contest.

From the Healthy Minds Blog: Prioritize Mental Health to Build Resilience in Families

This past year presented so many different challenges and obstacles that tested our strength and resiliency. During this global pandemic, the major changes to the ways we live our lives have impacted our children and their relationships. Many families have experienced higher levels of stress and anxiety than ever before.

The good news is that there are tools and resources available that can help parents support the well-being of themselves and their children.

Collect for Kids Campaign Kicks Off

Summer is officially here, and we're already thinking about how FCPS will "Return Strong" in the fall. With nearly 60,000 students qualifying for free and reduced meals, we already know that many of our students will not have the school supplies they need to succeed.

Your contribution to the Collect for Kids campaign helps to provide these students with supply kits that will be delivered to them in August before the start of school. Please help us ensure that all students have the tools they need to be creative, productive, and successful in school.

FCPS Students Learning About Cicadas Earns Lots of Attention...

Lots of buzz about our students and cicadas this week!

Last week we featured this story on Belvedere Elementary School students getting a hands-on lesson about cicadas in their outdoor classroom.

The story has been covered by local TV station ABC7 (WJLA), WTOP radio, and was also retweeted by the First Lady of Virginia, Pamela Northam.

Video: Ask Me Why I Vaccinate—Lewis

Teens are getting vaccinated and sharing their reasons why with the rest of us! (Note: In some photos, masks were briefly removed, but safety measures were in place.)

Meet Lewis, a senior at Justice High School, and hear his "why."

April FCPS CARES of the Month Winners

FCPS Cares is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. All FCPS Cares submissions were reviewed, and six winners were selected for the month of April—one for each region and the central office—to receive extra recognition for their work. They are:

• Central Office: Rahul Nooniwal – Energy Zone Food Services Center.
• Region 1: Brian Hollingsworth – Herndon Middle School.
• Region 2, Bernie DeLeo – Marshall High School.
• Region 3, Izza McDonald – Fort Hunt Elementary School.
• Region 4, Tina Perez – Mountain View High School.
• Region 5, Patty Smalley – Olde Creek Elementary School. 

Get more information about the winners and how you can acknowledge an FCPS employee who has gone above and beyond.