Newsletter - August 9, 2023
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August 9, 2023 Dear Aldrin Families, We hope you had a wonderful summer and are getting as excited as we are about the 2023-2024 school year! As usual, our summer has been filled with cleaning the school (while running multiple summer programs and hosting summer SACC), registering new students, completing the new playground, and planning for an exciting return to school for our students. Our school is GREAT because we have an amazingly supportive group of teachers, staff members and parents who always put students’ needs as a top priority. Together, we can do anything! Our mission and vision continue to be aligned with what we believe and practice each and every day—Every Student. Every Day. Whatever It Takes. We are also very excited to announce that we will once again have a full time STEAM Teacher at Aldrin! Mr. Kevin Curtis is excited to be taking on this new role where he plans to incorporate our Maker Space room, outdoor learning, Green Team, 3-D printers, etc., into the curriculum for our kiddos. Mr. Curtis will meet with students on a weekly or bi-weekly basis based on their grade-level. The biggest question of the summer is Who is my child’s teacher? Teacher placements will be available for you on SIS ParentVUE on August 17, 2023. This is a county-wide teacher notification timeframe. If you don’t have access to SIS ParentVUE, please reach out to Mrs. Linda Adgate in our main office for assistance (@email or 703-904-3807). Below you will find some of the updates for this school year. As always, please contact us if you have any questions. Sincerely, Shane and Barbara Welcome to our New Staff Members:
Staff Grade Level Changes:
Aldrin Website: Visit our “Best of the Web,” FCPS-award winning Aldrin home page! We keep it updated with lots of great information for families. News You Choose: Stay in the know!! News You Choose is a service that allows subscribers to receive email notifications and updates from Aldrin. If you haven’t signed up, we encourage you to do so today!! News You Choose Twitter-now known as X: Follow us on Twitter (now known as X) for pictures and events at the school throughout the year. This is an excellent way to keep in touch with all the special moments at the school. @AldrinEagles Instagram and Facebook: Aldrin also has active and newsworthy accounts on Instagram and Facebook. Instagram @aldrineaglesfcps Facebook Aldrin Elementary Home of the Eagles @aldrinelementaryhomeoftheeagles Aldrin is Hiring!! If you are interested in applying for a Dining Room Host position, please give us a call at 703-904-3800 and ask to speak to Lesley Aschenbach. The FCPS School Calendar can be found at: FCPS School Year Calendar for 2023-24
Every Student. Every Day. Whatever It Takes. 2023-2024 ALDRIN ELEMENTARY—IMPORTANT INFORMATION Open House – Thursday, August 17, 2023
During our “Open House” we will have staff members located in the lobby to help you and your child find their classroom. There will also be staff available to assist with information about buses, forms from the school clinic, etc. Please remember that Open House is a time for the teacher and students to meet and is not intended as a time for a Parent Teacher Conference. If you want to meet with your child’s teacher, please set up a time outside of Open House by calling or e-mailing them for a designated time. This ensures teachers get a chance to meet all the children and parents who have been waiting for this very exciting time. Teacher email addresses are on the school website. Popsicles on the Playground: Mark your calendars……Another great opportunity to re-connect and meet new families is at our annual Popsicles on the Playground, sponsored by the PTA. Popsicles on the Playground times are listed above. Grade level sessions follow the appropriate Open House. This event is so much fun for everyone! The biggest question of the summer is: Who is my Child’s Teacher? Please know we take the placement of your kiddos very seriously and have made every effort to place them with the teacher we feel will be the best fit. We appreciate you trusting and believing in us. All families will find student classroom teacher placements under the student’s schedule tab in the SIS ParentVUE Account on Thursday, August 17th. First Day of Day of School is Monday, August 21st: (We are so excited!!) Your child will bring home some VERY important forms for you to read, sign and return to school the next day. After the first day, Thursday Recorder envelopes are sent home each Thursday. (Please return the envelope each Friday.) Helpful Hint: Your child’s FCPS identification number is included at the top of the Thursday Recorder envelope for any forms requiring this number. HOLIDAY: Friday, September 1st and Monday, September 4th are Student/Staff Holidays for the Labor Day weekend. Back to School Night is Thursday, September 7th: Back to School Night (BTSN) is an opportunity for teachers to meet you, share information about their instructional programs, and learn more about their students. Look for a separate detailed flyer in your child’s Thursday folder prior to BTSN. The PTA will also vote on their budget and have information on membership and volunteer opportunities. Student Devices: All students will be assigned a computer the first week of school. (Kindergarten gets iPads in October.) Kindergarten, 1st , and 2nd Grades: Students will be assigned a device that stays in school. If devices are needed for schoolwork or projects, or in the event of an extended absence or temporary closure, devices will be sent home with students so they can continue to participate in their classwork. Grades 3rd through 6th: Students will be issued a FCPS device for school use. Your child will take their device home with them each day and bring it back the following school day. SIS ParentVue Not Sure How to Access Your SIS Parent Account? It’s EASY! New to FCPS? Follow this link to get started: https://myparent.fcps.edu/registration/privacy-statement.xhtml?jfwid=80E6A265AE13CB6B9C2CA54541C8E99E:0 SIS ParentVUE provides electronic access to attendance, grades, and other information related to students via its SIS Parent Account system. **It is very important that you take time to register for your account today. If you have forgotten your SIS Parent Account login or password, go to https://sisparent.fcps.edu/PVUE/PXP2_Login_Parent_OVR.aspx?regenerateSessionId=True and click “More Options.” Once you have activated a ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same ParentVUE account. Access SIS ParentVUE by using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices. Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video walks through the steps. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE. Emergency Care Updates in SIS ParentVUE: FCPS is offering a new online option where parents can easily update their child’s information! The Online Verification Update packet or OVU will allow parents to review and update phone numbers, emergency contacts and health information (such as health conditions and immunizations) for students in Preschool through 12th grade. Bus Transportation Information: Bus routes are being finalized by FCPS Transportation Department. Please log in to your SIS ParentVUE Account to find your child’s bus route: https://sisparent.fcps.edu/PVUE/PXP2_Login_Parent_OVR.aspx?regenerateSessionId=True Supply Lists and Pre-Ordered Supplies through the PTA: The student supply list can be found on the Aldrin website at https://aldrines.fcps.edu/resources/supply-lists . Pre-ordered supply packages, ordered through the PTA, will be available for pick-up during our Open House in the Little Theater. If your child is unable to attend the Open House, their packages will be delivered to their classroom before the first day of school. Health Room Information: Jeanne Frost, Public Health Nurse (PHN) and Hailey Walsh, our School Health Aide (SHA), will continue to take care of Aldrin student medical needs this year. They will be in the Clinic during the Open House to answer your questions and accept medication. First Week of School: Extra staff members will be located throughout our school during arrival and dismissal times to assist all children the first day of school and throughout the first week. They will help children learn their way around the school and make sure all riders board the correct bus each afternoon. Walkers dismiss through exit 5, and students using the Kiss and Ride line will go to the cafeteria for dismissal. **Please be sure your child knows how they are getting home from school each day. If a change occurs, please call the Main Office so a note can be sent to your child’s teacher prior to dismissal. School Hours: Instructional Hours: 9:20 a.m. to 4:05 p.m. Main Office Hours: 8:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Kindergarten Families: Kindergarten parents are invited to walk their child to the classroom on the first day of school. Arrive between 9:00 am and 9:15 am: Staff members are present in the lobby daily from 9:00 to 9:15 am. Students should not arrive at school prior to 9:00 am. At 9:00 a.m. children may enter the building and wait in the Cafeteria (Grades K through 2) and in the Gym (Grades 3 through 6) until they are dismissed to their classrooms. Students are marked tardy if they are not in their classroom, and ready to learn by 9:20 a.m. Distribution of Information: Efforts to conserve paper will continue to be made this year by reducing the printed materials that are sent home and by posting newsletters, notices, PTA flyers, and other information on the Aldrin website. Also, when possible, we will send information home in e-mail format through the e-Notify or News You Choose system, so please be sure we have your correct e-mail address on file. Paper copies will be available to anyone without internet access. Important Phone Numbers: Main Office:.............................. 703-904-3800 FAX ......................................... 703-904-3897 Health Room ........................... 703-904-3810 Attendance Line Recorder ...... 703-904-3818 (Available 24 hours a day) Cafeteria ..…………………..….703-904-3821 Fairfax County SA……………...703-449-8989 Reminder about the FCPS Student Dress Regulation: FCPS respects students’ rights to express themselves in the way they dress. It is important, however, that their appearance is tasteful and appropriate for a K-6 school setting. Discussion about dress code violations shall be held privately and maintain the dignity of the student. Clothing and accessories should not:
Aldrin ES Birthday Treat Policy: At Aldrin, like many other schools, we have quite a few students who suffer from life-threatening allergies. As a school community, we must do all we can to reduce the chances of an allergic incident happening and must work diligently to keep our students safe. We also have a continuing concern over childhood obesity and concern for families that can’t afford to purchase treats /items for an entire class. So, based on feedback and collaboration with parents, students, teachers, and administrators, we have determined that we will limit student birthday celebrations to a presentation of a birthday pencil and a school-wide announcement. Please do not send treats or gifts from home to be shared with the class for birthday celebrations. We also ask that you do not send invitations in with your child unless the entire class is invited. Volunteers are Welcome at Aldrin! Aldrin Elementary School is always excited to welcome volunteers into our building! We have many opportunities—in the classroom, in the Library, in the Clinic, or in the Main Office. Regular, on-going Volunteers must submit a completed Volunteer Application Form to the school and be fingerprinted at the Gatehouse Administration Center. Read more about the application and background check process. Volunteers must arrange the days and times they plan to volunteer with their child’s classroom teacher or the main office. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact your child’s teacher, Assistant Principal, Barbara Gist or Administrative Assistant, Lesley Aschenbach, at 703-904-3800. We look forward to welcoming you to our school! Early Pick-Up: If you need to pick up your child early for an appointment, please arrive at Door #1. When the office staff answers the bell, please tell them who you are there for. Be sure to bring a State-Issued Photo ID whenever you want to visit or pick up children from Aldrin. Come inside and sign your child out on the early-dismissal clipboard. Someone from the office will call your child down. To make the process easier, please send a note in with your child to their teacher. You may also leave a message on the attendance line at 703-904-3818 or email: @email Cafeteria: Menus ● Menus and nutrition information are available online at: https://fcps.nutrislice.com/menu/ Breakfast ● The cost is $1.75 for students. Lunch ● Lunch will be served from the cafeteria serving lines. The Salad Bar will again be offered for students. The cost is $3.25 for students. Milk is sold separately for $.60. There are three (3) ways to purchase lunch:
For more information about the criteria and process to apply for Free and Reduced-Price Meals (FRM) in English and other languages, visit https://www.fcps.edu/frm. Please apply ASAP; if you need assistance, stop in the Main Office and we will assist you. Anyone who qualified last year, qualifies for the first few weeks of school, but must reapply for assistance. Free and Reduced-Price Meal Applications Available: According to the Centers for Disease Control, eating breakfast at school is associated with better attendance rates, fewer missed school days, and better test scores. Students who qualify for free and reduced-price meals receive breakfast and lunch at school at no cost. Families in FCPS that are earning less than 185% of the poverty level can receive meals for their students at no cost. Families should complete the application before the start of each school year. Approved applications may also qualify students for additional benefits. Apply on the Free and Reduced-Price Meals webpage. Special Diet Requests: The Public Health Nurse (PHN) and the FCPS Food and Nutrition Services Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) coordinate all special dietary requests by following the FCPS Allergy Handbook. Please contact Jeanne Frost, the Aldrin PHN at 703-904-3800, if you need to make a special request. Here Comes the Bus® app is a school bus tracking app that can simplify morning and afternoon routines. The app provides real-time bus location and text or email notification alerts. Here Comes the Bus® utilizes our GPS data and an easy to use customizable map that works on one or multiple devices, such as a tablet or smartphone. Using the app is EASY! From a smartphone or tablet, download (for free) the Here Comes the Bus® app from the App Store or Google Play. You will need the FCPS school district code 28982 and a SIS ParentVUE account. Once signed-in, you can customize or edit features, including how the app will communicate with you, and the size and location of the notification radius around your child's bus stop. FCPS Cell Phone Policy: Students in K-6 must keep phones silenced and in backpacks for the duration of the school day unless there is a medical need or emergency, or teachers have allowed the usage of cell phones for instructional activities. Cell phones may only be used on campus before and after school. Helping Prepare Young Children for School: Families play an important role in helping children prepare for kindergarten and having a successful school year. Visit these pages to learn how to actively support your kindergartener:
Are Your Child’s Immunizations and Records Up to Date? Immunizations are required for public school entry and help keep students protected from serious diseases. Many children missed their well check-ups and their recommended childhood vaccinations during recent years because of disruptions from COVID-19. It is critical to catch up to keep children healthy and ready for school. While COVID-19 vaccinations are not required, many other immunizations are. Check with your students’ healthcare providers now to make sure they are up to date on their immunizations. Visit the Fairfax County Health Department website for a list of clinics or contact your family’s healthcare provider. Appointments are required for most clinics. Remember to request documentation of your child’s immunizations to provide to their school. Get more information on immunization requirements and the necessary documentation to share with your child’s school. |