FCCPS’ FRIDAY FINAL LOOKAHEADFor the School Week: January 11-15, 2021 Outlooks are based on the FCCPS Health Metrics Dashboard and Thresholds. COHORT 1: Special PopulationsCurrent week: Hybrid InstructionOutlook: As not all of our Key Indicators are RED - Cohort 1 will remain in Hybrid next week. COHORT 2: Elementary/Grades K-5Current Week: VirtualOutlook: With... READ MORE >

Dear FCCPS Families, I trust you all had a safe and healthy holiday break. I wanted to send some updates and clarifications regarding our next steps for reopening FCCPS. While my letter to all of you about returning this month was filled with excitement and enthusiasm, it also included a revised set of metrics for reopening and, if needed, thresholds for returning... READ MORE >

Dear FCCPS Families, I hope you all are enjoying your winter break with some great family time. I want to make sure you receive this update regarding the return to school beginning next week. ALL students are slated to return in the month of January. Throughout the pandemic, we have experienced ups and downs that have created hardship for each of us. All along, we... READ MORE >

The Falls Church City School Board seeks applications from qualified individuals to fulfill the term of School Board member Lawrence Webb, who will resign effective January 4, 2021. Applications may be submitted by qualified voters in the City of Falls Church who are not employed by the School Board. The appointee will serve from the date of appointment until... READ MORE >

Thanks to the hard work of the staff at The McGuire Group, the GMHS Sentimental & Surplus Auction is ppen! Bidding runs through Dec. 28. Check out the auction catalog to see a great collection of items for business, home, and gifts! https://www.themcguiregroupllc... READ MORE >

Falls Church Community, On December 8th, the Falls Church School Board voted to proceed with the process of renaming two of the division’s schools. The renaming process will follow the guidelines outlined in the FCCPS Regulation FFA-R School Building Names Committee. At this time, Superintendent Peter Noonan is accepting applications for persons interested in... READ MORE >

Dear FCCPS Families, First and foremost, I want to thank all of you for your incredible support throughout the first part of this school year. Your dedication to your children and FCCPS is second to none, and I am so appreciative of you. Your support of our school division during this time has been so wonderful. We are all so grateful. We also received the most... READ MORE >

Bid on some great items at the GMHS Auction Dec. 21-28.Auction Link will be published here on Dec. 21. It will include surplus items and nostalgic treasures - something for everyone! Look for new and vintage items like tables, industrial shop tools, library bookshelves, cubbies, whiteboards, electronics, kitchen equipment, even basketball hoops and scoreboards,... READ MORE >

Dear FCCPS Families, It has been a long couple of weeks for all of us. I hope you were able to take some time to read my message regarding the Board’s decision to rename both George Mason High School and Thomas Jefferson Elementary. The choices faced by school leaders are not easy whether returning to virtual/hybrid/face-to-face learning, renaming schools, or... READ MORE >

Tuesday's School Board meeting saw the unanimous approval of the 2021-22 academic year calendar. The school year will begin one week before Labor Day, includes a two-week Winter Break and more holidays, including Veterans Day!The final day of school is scheduled for June 23rd, however there is the possibility of a June 17th end-date. The division is awaiting the... READ MORE >

Dear FCCPS Families, Today, we received updated data from the Virginia Department of Health for our region. Unfortunately, the information has not changed from last week when we decided to take a one week pause. We remain in a “high” rate of burden and have substantial disease transmission for our region. The data points we monitor translate to “red x’s” on our... READ MORE >

Dear FCCPS Families & Staff Members, This is not the letter I wanted to send to our community the afternoon before Thanksgiving. This morning we received updates from the Virginia Department of Health on the COVID metrics for our region and school division. We have been monitoring the impact of COVID across the nation and increases here in our home community.... READ MORE >

Dear FCCPS Families, This week we were able to reach a huge milestone in our reopening efforts safely. All of our K-5 Elementary grades returned for hybrid instruction. It has been eight months since we’ve had all of our youngest learners in the buildings. The sights and sounds of in-person learning were so wonderful this week! I am certainly thankful for all of... READ MORE >

Dear FCCPS Families, As we have stated all along, we have and will continue to review data and make decisions based on what we see with respect to health, operational, and instructional metrics. Today’s data we received from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and Fairfax County Health District (FCHD) is not moving in a good direction. While we remain in the... READ MORE >

Dear FCCPS Families, We had a fantastic reopening with our Kindergarten and 3rd students this week! Thank you to our teams at Thomas Jefferson and Mount Daniel for all of their hard work and dedication! As we reopen with our “next wave” of Elementary students on Tuesday, we do so with excitement and caution as we move forward. We continue to monitor our data and... READ MORE >

Dear FCCPS Families, This has been an unusual and stressful week for us all (a common refrain it seems). Despite the election and politics, we continue to be focused on monitoring our health, operations, and instructional metrics. Our reopening planning continues. We had our weekly call with the Fairfax County Health Department today and there has been little... READ MORE >

(Vea a continuación la traducción al español)Dear FCCPS Families, It has been another busy week full of outstanding online learning opportunities provided by our exceptional teachers and staff. I am so proud of all the hard work our students have put in over this quarter, despite the circumstances. This week’s message will be centered around our work for the... READ MORE >

Dr. Warren Pace passed away on Sunday, October 18 (1928-2020). He served as FCCPS Superintendent for 20 years, from 1971 to 1991. He is pictured above with former superintendents Mary Ellen Shaw left and Lois Berlin at a 2013 event at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School. "Dr. Pace was one of the biggest of giants that helped FCCPS become the amazing system it... READ MORE >

Dear FCCPS Families, Thank you so much for your continued support of our schools. I wanted to send a quick update today to ensure the communication continues to flow. There are a few items of note this week. Secondary Update Over the past couple of weeks, I have received quite a bit of feedback about getting our Henderson and Mason students back sooner than the... READ MORE >

Dear FCCPS Families, I hope you all are doing well and staying healthy. Last week I sent you a very long email updating where we are with respect to reopening plans for our school division. This week’s promises to be shorter :). On Tuesday evening, I briefed the School Board about our updated measures and metrics and explained our students’ return Kindergarten -... READ MORE >

Dear FCCPS Families, It has been a couple of weeks since you have heard directly from me, and I feel like the time is right to update you on some of the many things that are happening across the state and in our school division. Let me start by saying thank you for your continued support of FCCPS and working so well with your kids. As a working parent of... READ MORE >

FCCPS Transportation is preparing for that time when students return to school. The staff has been participating in training, cleaning buses, and addressing minor maintenance issues. All drivers will be performing their usual pre-trip inspections and driving bus routes approximately once each week. Diesel buses do not do well sitting for long periods of time, and... READ MORE >

Dear FCCPS Families, Happy Friday, everyone. This was a big week for us in FCCPS as we welcomed our new staff and faculty to our system and began the onboarding process. Yesterday was the first official day back for all of our teachers and staff, and we are working diligently to make the best of a situation none of us had hoped for. This week’s version of the Road... READ MORE >

Falls Church City Public Schools is thrilled to welcome 28 new professional staff members to #TeamFCCPS this week. The annual new teacher and professional orientation began this morning and continues for most of this week. All staff return next week in preparation for the first day of school on August 24th. The 2020-21 Class of New Teachers and Professional... READ MORE >

Dear FCCPS Families, Happy Friday. As we close in on the start of the 2020-21 school year we want to start focusing our next few editions of the Road to Reopening to what the day in the life of a student will look like when we open our virtual doors on August 24th. Please take a look at the videos below and the other information provided to help with your family’s... READ MORE >

Dear FCCPS Families, Happy Friday, and I hope you had a nice lazy midsummer week. We continue to collectively put our best thinking, creativity, and small division focus on our reopening plans, and we are very excited to begin the school year on August 24th. We look forward to welcoming all of our students online. This takes time to plan and develop. We appreciate... READ MORE >

Dear FCCPS Families, Over the past weeks, we have collectively put our best thinking, creativity, and small division focus on our reopening plans. All along, we’ve said we would be prepared for whatever the conditions presented us and make the appropriate adjustments to keep our students, staff, and families safe. Circumstances have changed in the last two weeks,... READ MORE >

Welcome to Mount Daniel Kindergarten! Here's a quick video we put together to introduce our new students to the Mount Daniel administrators and Kindergarten teachers! READ MORE >

FCCPS Community, As Virginia continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, and with the health and safety of our students, families, staff, and community foremost in mind, tomorrow evening, I will make a recommendation that the School Board adopt a fully virtual start to the FCCPS 2020-21 school year. The Board is expected to discuss and take action on the... READ MORE >

Happy Friday, everyone. I hope you have big plans for this weekend. This is the fourth installment of The Road to Reopening, and you can continue to expect it every Friday as we approach the start of school. Over the past week, we have seen some shifting in other school divisions in our region here in Northern Virginia. Please know we are watching this very... READ MORE >

Happy Friday everyone. I hope you have big plans for this weekend. This is the third installment of The Road to Reopening, and you can now expect it every Friday as we close in on the start of school August 24th. This issue is focused heavily on K-5 (MDES, TJES), and next week’s edition will be more Secondary focused again. However, please take a read through as... READ MORE >

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you had a restful and enjoyable weekend. This is a new communication that I plan to send weekly to update you as we continue our plans for our reopening on August 24th. The intention is to send it on Fridays going forward but this week you will get two editions...today and Friday. This communication is to share quick clarifying... READ MORE >

Dear FCCPS Families and Community, This has been an unprecedented year and I would like to begin by saying thank you. Your work as parents, dedication to your children’s education, and care were amplified at the end of the school year in a brilliant and beautiful way. Through your partnerships with our teachers and your efforts, our students in FCCPS were widely... READ MORE >

Kindergarten Welcome letter, Greetings incoming kindergarten students and families. My name is Tim Kasik and I am the very proud principal of Mount Daniel School here in Falls Church City. Welcome to Mount Daniel! For some of you, this might not be your first time at our school; for others, this might be your first experience with public school. If this is your... READ MORE >

Versión en español a continuación Dear FCCPS Families and Staff, Well...what a school year it has been. This Friday Update will be the last I will send for the foreseeable future as the school year is officially coming to an end. However, do be on the lookout in the next several weeks for another community survey to help inform our reopening plans for... READ MORE >

May 29, 2020 Versión en español a continuación Friday Update Dear FCCPS Families and Staff, The end of the year is drawing near...this is the last Friday for our students. We are almost to the finish line, and I am so thankful to you - Students, Families, Faculty, and Staff - for making it happen for our students this spring. During unusual... READ MORE >

The Falls Church School Board unanimously approved the school division's Fiscal Year 2020-21 budget; a once-promising financial plan derailed by a global pandemic. The $52,191,532 revenue and spending plan represents a $2.4 million decrease over the School Board's pre-pandemic Advertised Budget. The adjustment eliminates salary improvements for staff but does not... READ MORE >

May 22, 2020 Versión en español a continuación This year, like all school years, has been marked by milestones and waypoints. However, this year’s waypoints have been very different...March 13th (Friday the 13th) - school closure, March 18th - the start of online learning, Spring Break, April 13th - the start of new instruction, and now we are at Memorial... READ MORE >

May 15, 2020 Versión en español a continuación This is longer than usual so get a cool drink, settle in, and read…:) Dear FCCPS Families and Staff, It has been another interesting week in FCCPS. Thank you all for your continued support of our schools. I mentioned in my weekly Wednesday @peternoonan Twitter message that we, as a... READ MORE >

May 8, 2020 Versión en español a continuación Dear FCCPS Families, Another week has come to a close here in our FCCPS learning community. This was a special time, as it was Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week. We are so grateful to our community for their thoughtful recognition and appreciation of our teachers and staff. The cards, emails, social... READ MORE >

May 1, 2020 Versión en español a continuación Dear FCCPS Families and Staff, May 1st has arrived, and we are moving into the last full month of school. As you all know, every day, my family (though usually only the two adults) tries to take a long walk to maintain exercise and mental health. We spend this time reflecting on our current and collective situation.... READ MORE >

Danny took all the festivities in stride, as any 61-year old would! Special purple black raspberry ice cream, purple oatmeal, cards, signs, and purple t-shirts, sweatshirts, ties, and more. So much fun, all in the name of the love showered on Mt. Daniel's mascot in honor of his birthday yesterday. Great job Hippos! Happy Birthday Art, Signs, Cards FCCPS came... READ MORE >

Versión en español a continuación Dear FCCPS Families, I hope you and your family are doing well, are healthy, and safe. This has been another remarkable week in the Falls Church City Public Schools. Your students, our teachers, and you are making it happen, and for that, we are grateful. Last week, I sent you an article that described... READ MORE >

Danny the Hippo's birthday is a major holiday at Mt. Daniel! Even though we won't be able to celebrate his 61st birthday in school on April 28, there are several ways to bring the party fun into your home. Here's how to join the #DannyBday party: Show Your Danny Love If you were a Mt. Daniel student, teacher or parent, please send in a vintage or recent photo... READ MORE >

Some first graders were given the challenge to create the best and the worst sandwiches this week - and then, of course, to give them a try. This student created a Finn-wich, which is a hot dog with ketchup, mustard, marshmallows and chocolate chips. Here's the creator giving it a thumbs up, and his risk-taking dad willingly taking a bite. READ MORE >

Versión en español a continuación We have finished up the first week of ‘new’ instruction, and the first full month of online instruction. It is amazing to reflect on how far we have come! Thank you again for all of your support during this time. Below you will find our latest updates on the many projects we are continuing to work on during the closure to keep... READ MORE >

Dear FCCPS Families, Welcome back to school! I hope you all had a great spring break, albeit different, and you and your students feel ready for the challenge of new material. This week marks a turning point for us in FCCPS insofar as we will begin to introduce new content to our students PK-12. As mentioned previously, we would much prefer to be face-to-face, but... READ MORE >

With the cancelation of Standards of Learning tests this year, modifications made to the upcoming International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement assessments, and the need to prepare for summer instruction, the Falls Church School Board is shortening the current school year by 13 days to June 4th for students and June 5th for teachers and staff. The change is... READ MORE >

Tuesday Update En español abajo Dear FCCPS Family, Happy last day of March. We are a week from the official Spring Break, and while we may not be able to do all the things we want during the holiday, it is my hope that during the break you can all feel some modicum of relief by not having to stay on your kids about getting their work done. We... READ MORE >

Please remember! If COVID-19 closures have resulted in a change in your family's income, you could be eligible for assistance through the National School Lunch program. FCCPS accepts applications for the Free Reduced Meals Program at all times. Please visit https://www.fccps.org/o/FCCPS/page/free-reduced-meals--14 to download the application for the FRM program.... READ MORE >

Friday Update March 27, 2020 En español abajo Dear FCCPS Family Thank you for your continued support of our schools. As Team FCCPS continues to meet, we have all reflected on how fortunate we are to work in a small school division where we can know our kids, our families, and each other in ways that support strong relationships and care. Congratulations to... READ MORE >

Registration for NEW FCCPS students is now open - especially for Kindergarten aged children. Registration for RETURNING students will open in July. NOTE: Due to the current Coronavirus Health Crisis, we do not allow walk-in registrations and we are not able to receive paper copies of documents. Here are the items you will need to submit digitally to register your... READ MORE >

Yesterday (Monday, March 23rd) was an emotional and sad day for our school system. I understand your sadness, frustration, and concern about the decision. Regardless, I am confident that we will move forward in a way that continues to be supportive of our students. We are strong, we are together, and we are @FCCPS (#bettertogether). Last night, I joined School... READ MORE >

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced this afternoon, at his press conference, all public schools in the Commonwealth will remain closed for the remainder of the school year. The news is not what we were hoping for or expecting, but together we will get through this. It was only ten days ago we announced our closure due to the coronavirus (COVID-19).... READ MORE >

FCCPS Principals are sharing their schools' e-learning plans for the weeks ahead. In addition to sharing via email and Schoology, the plans are also found in the specific schools COVID-19 Information pages and in the FCCPS app. MD COVID-19 MEH COVID-19 gadellm@fccps.org. Speaking will be done via the call-in number. Thank you all for your continued... READ MORE >

In this kindergarten classroom's language arts rotation, one station is "sight word typing." Students flip to a word on the ring of sight words, find the letters to type it on the keyboard, and then write the word on their sheet. Students do up to 10 words and then have space for "bonus words" if they still have time. At other stations, students work with the... READ MORE >

On Tuesday evening, the Falls Church School Board unanimously approved its Advertised Budget for the 2020-2021 school year. Reflecting an investment in our students, our staff, and our schools, the budget includes a step increase for eligible employees, and a 1% Cost of Living Adjustment for all FCCPS staff members. The $54.6 million budget, which now heads to the... READ MORE >

The Virginia Department of Health announced there are 2 presumptive positive cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Northern Virginia; a Fort Belvoir resident and a City of Fairfax resident in his 80s both of whom recently traveled abroad. The Virginia Department of Health and Fairfax County Health Department held a press conference Sunday, March 8. With... READ MORE >

On Monday, Superintendent Peter Noonan continued the presentation tour of his FY2020-21 Proposed Budget. Dr. Noonan met with staff members at Mount Daniel Elementary (above) in the morning and that evening held a Community Meeting to share the budget plan at Thomas Jefferson Elementary (below) "This is my ninth year as a superintendent in the Commonwealth of... READ MORE >

Falls Church City Public Schools announced 16 nominees for FCCPS Employee Awards on Wednesday, January 22. Colleagues, students, and parents made the nominations based on their exceptional dedication to the students and community of Falls Church. A "Prize Patrol" including Superintendent Peter Noonan, Chief Academic Officer William Bates, Chief Financial Officer... READ MORE >

Fees for Summer Day Camp operated by the FCCPS Extended Day Care Program will rise two percent this summer. EDCP, which is self-supported, charge fees to recover costs. The Day Care Advisory Board approved the increase last week and, per current policy, the School Board signed off on it as well, Tuesday night. The program cites increases in staff wages, cost of... READ MORE >

Four years into Falls Church City Public School's Stop-Arm Camera program and it continues catching violators, and the fines continue to roll in. In 2019, a total of 1,082 citations were issued to drivers who passed a Falls Church school bus with its red lights flashing. For the first five months of the current fiscal year (July through November), the program... READ MORE >

FCCPS is offering free English classes for the parents and adult family members of FCCPS students with sessions beginning on January 14th. The beginner level (Nivel Principiante) will be held from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. and the intermediate level (Nivel Intermedio) will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. Both sessions will be held in the Family Resource Center at... READ MORE >

The Hour of Code at Mt. Daniel on Thursday morning maxed out the school's bandwidth for the most fun possible, as students by grade took turns packing the library to learn about this year's theme of "doing good." In no time, they were coding and sharing their knowledge with all the adult volunteers in the room. Amazon had over a dozen volunteers onhand, in... READ MORE >

Students in kindergarten are taught the concept of a "just right" book early in the year. When selecting new books to read, they try to pick ones that are interesting to them and challenging enough, but not so tricky that the book would be frustrating. Students leaf through a book before adding it to their basket for their reading time. READ MORE >

With Italian Renaissance music playing in their room, these first graders simulated Michelangelo's experience painting upside down! After an overview of the Sistine Chapel, students took on their drawing efforts on a "ceiling" - the underside of their tables. The students created art with a pencil, and next will color it in with markers. The activity is part of the... READ MORE >

Falls Church City Public Schools is thrilled to announce the new FCCPS app! It's everything FCCPS, in your pocket! With the new app, you can access staff directories, lunch menus, news updates, and even emergency notifications. Best of all, YOU control what notifications you receive! Download the app on Android: https://bit.ly/30xyIV5 or iPhone:... READ MORE >

Thank you in advance for your assistance as Falls Church City Public Schools works to improve how we serve our students, families, and community. We appreciate your time. Effective July 1, 2019, the General Assembly passed legislation allowing school divisions to start the school year up to 14 days before the September Labor Day holiday. Previously school... READ MORE >

Award-nominating season is here! Recognize outstanding FCCPS employees by submitting a nomination for one of our awards: FCEF Teacher of the Year; Professional Specialist of the Year and Support Staff Employee of the Year. Nomination forms for all three awards are below. The deadline for submitting nominations is Friday, January 3. All nominees will be surprised in... READ MORE >

The Falls Church School Board received four options for the 2020-21 school calendar from its Ad Hoc Calendar Committee during its regular meeting last night. The options include two that would see school opening two weeks before Labor Day and two with the first day of school on the day after Labor Day. The Virginia General Assembly last year changed the law... READ MORE >

Guest readers are common in many of the elementary classrooms, and it was an extra special Veterans Day guest reader who came to Mrs. Custer's second grade room on Monday. Class of 2014 GMHS graduate, Truman Custer came to read to the students and answer their questions about his service in the Coast Guard. READ MORE >

Part of the "Changes, Changes" year-long Kindergarten PYP planner had students outside yesterday hunting for great leaves. First, the teacher read We're Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger, then the class went on their own leaf walk. Students looked for a favorite leaf and then completed Leaf Investigations noting color, size, shape and more. The class is... READ MORE >

Reading fluency is coming along fast for these first graders (above). Students are improving their skills with a "reader's theater" where they work to combine fluency with an expression as each child reads their part of a story or play. The concept of Reader's Theater continues at TJ as many grades use it to build on skills, including these fourth-graders (below). READ MORE >

Last Friday, the Family Resource Center hosted an Open House to show off its new space. Erika Sequiera, third from left, runs the center for all of FCCPS from the area at TJ. She supports families with children in all the system's schools with a particular focus on support for non-English speakers. Visitors to the opening included city employees, administrators... READ MORE >

Mrs. Stillwagoner's second-grade class videotapes a weekly news show. Working together, the students write the script, and then the school's technology educator, Mr. Daugherty, films them using a green screen, like TV newscasters. The students report on their favorite special of the week, favorite classroom activity, any special events happening in the classroom.... READ MORE >

The "Prize Patrol" had a very busy Wednesday! The Falls Church Education Foundation was out in the schools awarding Super Grant funds for 16 requests, totaling over $68,000 in Super Grants and over $19,000 in Advanced Training. Awards are in response to teacher and staff requests. It went to a wide variety of initiatives, including training, classroom libraries,... READ MORE >

As part of Service Learning, over 70 high school students visited Mt. Daniel yesterday to help out in classrooms by reading with students and doing activities with groups. Many more visits will occur throughout the year. As GMHS strives to maintain a caring community and culture, Service Learning includes focusing all juniors towards supporting the learning... READ MORE >

Naturalists are guiding groups of Mt. Daniel kindergartners on trails through Arlington's Potomac Overlook Park. Students are able to explore leaves, trees, seeds, and animals that change with the season. Groups are hiking, visiting the frog pond, and watching docents handle snakes in the nature center. Meanwhile, Kindergarten classes are also taking their annual... READ MORE >

Building Reading Stamina, One Page at a TimeFriday was National Read a Book Day, and these third graders took out their book bins for the first time. Each then found comfy places around the room to work on their reading stamina. Reading stamina is a child's ability to focus and read independently for long-ish periods of time without being distracted or without... READ MORE >