May 2020 Newsletter from School Board Member Stella Pekarsky

Stella Pekarsky's Newsletter


“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”  

-Henry Brooks Adam


Dear Sully District Families,

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 4-8th. I hope you can take some time this week to thank our wonderful teachers. We are fortunate in FCPS to have incredible educators that give 110% every single day so our kids can be successful. They continue to do so under the hardest of circumstances outside the classroom. 

Our online learning opportunities expanded last week, after a difficult start this month. Last week, we had almost 155,000 synchronous (real time, face to face) sessions with over 940,000 attendees. FCPS staff continues to work tirelessly to ensure a high quality experience for all students. Dr. Brabrand will be presenting his initial plans for our future “return to learn” scenarios to the School Board on May 11th.

I want to thank everyone who has emailed or called me to share your concerns and experiences. Please continue to do so. This is valuable feedback that I share with School Board colleagues and FCPS staff to improve our system. I also appreciate the many PTA presidents that joined my virtual townhall this month. Your input helps inform me of the needs of our school communities. 

Lastly, please join Springfield School Board member Laura Jane Cohen and me on May 21st, 7:30-9pm for a virtual Town Hall. 

 

Stella


Joint Town Hall Meeting: Stella Pekarsky and Laura Jane Cohen

Please join Springfield District Board Member Laura Jane Cohen and me for a joint Town Hall meeting on Thursday, May 21 from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. This is an opportunity to hear any updates and discuss any issues pertaining to FCPS.

To join this Town Hall meeting, please click here. Alternatively, please paste the link below into your browser.

https://us.bbcollab.com/collab/ui/session/guest/a90f2e646ba2498d8b14eaad6038a919

 

Upcoming School Board Meetings

Special Electronic Regular Meeting - Thursday, May 7 at 1:30 p.m.

Special Electronic Work Session - Monday, May 11 at 1:30 p.m.

 

For agenda, handouts and virtual meeting access, click here.

Members of the public are welcome to attend virtually via at https://www.fcps.edu/tv/ch99.

 


FY21 Budget Electronic Public Hearing

The School Board will hear remarks on the FY 21 Advertised Budget at a virtual public hearing on Tuesday, May 12 beginning at 5:00 p.m.

Registration is now open for the community to speak at this public hearing. click here  to sign-up.

 


NOVA to Offer Tuition-Free Summer Online Courses for Region's High School Students

Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) is using institutional dollars from the Federal stimulus to launch a new summer schedule of tuition-free online classes for approximately 70,000 qualified Northern Virginia high school students. This is an opportunity for rising seniors through graduating seniors to JumpStart their summers and earn college credit by attending up to two online courses that will run from June 1 to July 15, 2020.    The online courses have been selected because they fulfill not only NOVA degree requirements but also transfer to most colleges and universities. Also, in partnership with Amazon Web Services, the JumpStart offerings will include an online course in Cloud Computing, providing students with their first step onto an in demand local tech pathway.    NOVA JumpStart Online Course Options:

  • ITN 257  Cloud Computing: Infrastructure and Services  
  • MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning
  • ART 101  History and Appreciation of Art
  • CST 110  Introduction to Communication
  • ENG 111 College Composition I
  • HIS 112  World Civilization II 

Upon completion of the JumpStart application process, which includes applying to NOVA, completing their JumpStart application and uploading eligibility requirements, local high school students can start earning college credits. For students under 18, a parent or legal guardian’s permission will be needed to register. Offer is for students enrolled in public schools in Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church City, Fairfax City, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Manassas, Manassas Park, Prince William County and multiple private high schools with existing dual enrollment agreements with NOVA.    For more information about the program, contact JumpStart@nvcc.edu

 


FCPS Middle School After-School @ Home

FCPS Middle School After-School has put together a number of virtual after-school activities to engage middle school students in the arts, music, STEM, physical fitness, cooking, games, puzzles, literature, and more – things students can do at home.

FCPS students can access these virtual after-school activities by joining the "FCPS MS After-School @ Home" Google Classroom.

The classroom code is: t673w7v.

Once your student has joined the classroom, there are a variety of topics they can choose from in the "Classwork" tab. We hope your students enjoy this site, and that it helps them actively pursue their interests during this time of social distancing.

If you or your student have ideas for other activities, please email your After-School Program Specialist or use the "FCPS MS @ Home Interest Form" located on the classroom home page.

 


Special Education Update

On April 27, the Department of Special Services (DSS) announced they will be providing a regular electronic newsletter to provide parents with updates, information, tips and ideas to support families during the school closure.

This information can be found here.

 


Roll the Dice to a Virtual Park Experience with the Family

The Park Authority is bringing the fun of Fairfax County parks and recreation facilities to your home with the Virtual Exploration Center. This week, new features have been added to give your family a workout, challenge the kids with scavenger hunts and help you delve into county history from the comfort of your couch.

The Virtual Exploration Center provides one-stop shopping for ideas on how to keep healthy and stay entertained while COVID-19 restrictions have us all sticking close to home. You can find links to workout videos and fitness trackers, educational guides to plants and animals, and story maps tracing local history. All features are cost-free and geared toward family fun.

For more information, please visit: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/park-news/2020/z-ir052

 


For latest updates from FCPS regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, please click HERE

As always, the safety of our students, teachers, and staff is our top priority. If I can be of assistance in any way, please do not hesitate to call me at 571-253-4522.


The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.

© 2020 Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia