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Dear Lee District Families,
As always, I hope this finds you and your family safe and healthy. December is a time of many celebrations, but with the pandemic, the holidays will be different for most families this year. I’ve included links to our Healthy Minds Podcast on how to experience joy in this ‘different’ holiday season.
Our School Board work will continue right up until our winter break and I have included our meeting schedule.
This coming Thursday, we will have a work session with the focus on return to school. With cases continuing to rise in our county and throughout the state, it’s critical that the health and safety of our students and staff remain our primary area of focus.
I hope you take the time to read about the many positive things that continue to happen in FCPS' hybrid learning environment.
Stay well!
- Tammy
Upcoming School Board Meetings
- Audit Committee Meeting - Wednesday, December 9 - 5:30 p.m.
- Work Session - Thursday, December 10 - 6 p.m. (see more below)
- Public Hearing - Friday, December 11 - 6 p.m. (Restraint & Seclusion Policy)
- Work Session - Tuesday, December 15 - 11 a.m. (2021 Midyear Budget Review)
- Regular Meeting - Thursday, December 17 - 7 p.m.*
Click here for meeting logistics, agendas and handouts.
*Effective November 5, 2020, the School Board will return to in-person Regular Meetings at Luther Jackson Middle School. For more information, click here.
Meetings will also be live-streamed on the FCPS website and televised on FCPS Cable Channel 99. For more information about signing up to speak at a regular meeting, click here.
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) Admissions Process
Our Board reviewed options for revising admissions to the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) admissions process in September and October 2020.
On September 5, 2020 the Superintendent proposed a Merit Lottery process for admissions. On October 6 and 8, 2020, our Board reviewed this proposal, which incorporated a holistic review into the Merit Lottery.
Here is the link to the work session held on Monday, December 7th. A final vote in this matter will take place on December 17.
December 10 School Board Work Session to Focus on Return to School
The FCPS School Board work session scheduled for Thursday, December 10, at 6 p.m. will focus on Return to School. Superintendent Brabrand will provide an update on his plans for future groups of students to return to in-person instruction. The meeting will be televised on FCPS Cable TV Channel 99 (Verizon Channel 11) and will also be available on the FCPS website.
Safety Teams Deployed to Monitor COVID-19 Mitigation Strategies at FCPS Schools
Fairfax County Public Schools has implemented new Safety Teams to help the school district monitor each schools’ adherence to five mitigation strategies for COVID-19. These teams, consisting of FCPS staff members and retirees, will conduct random onsite spot checks, deliver education and resources, and report data back to administrators.
The five mitigation strategies are set forth in the Centers for Disease Control’s Indicators for Dynamic School Decision-making guide, and include proper use of masks or face coverings; social distancing; hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette; cleaning and disinfection; and contact tracing in collaboration with the health department.
More information on FCPS Safety Teams is available online.
FCPS Continues to Monitor Health Data for COVID-19
FCPS is monitoring COVID-19 health data every day to make decisions on when students and staff can return for in-person learning. The school division posts the regional health data collected by the Virginia Department of Health on the COVID-19 Health Metrics web page and monitors two core indicators related to coronavirus infections: the number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people and the percentage of people who test positive for COVID-19. Both indicators are increasing in Northern Virginia.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has set thresholds to help school communities understand the risk of introduction and transmission of COVID-19 in schools. View thresholds for Groups 1-6.
Last week's numbers exceeded the thresholds for students and staff in Groups 4-8 to return to in-person learning. FCPS will continue to monitor community health data closely, and open schools for in-person instruction as soon as we are able to ensure the safety of students, teachers, and other staff.
Special Education Parent Newsletter
The Department of Special Services (DSS) publishes a regular electronic newsletter for parents of special education students to provide updated DSS information, and tips and ideas to support you and your family during distance learning. The latest issue is available online.
Virtual Workshop today December 9: Postsecondary Education Options for Students with Disabilities
Join FCPS Career and Transition Services for a parent workshop to learn about postsecondary concerns for students transitioning to college. The virtual session will be held today Wednesday, December 9, from 10 a.m. to noon. Registration is available online.
Healthy Minds Podcast: How to Experience Joy Through Giving this “Different” Holiday season
In this week's Healthy Minds podcast, Maria Genova, an FCPS psychology supervisor, shares unique ways we can all give through “connections” this holiday season and reap the results of added joy in our lives. She addresses how we can learn to flex our “happiness” muscles and how we can look for the micro-moments to feel and demonstrate and cultivate optimism.
From the Healthy Minds Blog: Free Resources to Deal with Stress from the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused upheaval and unexpected stress in the lives of so many people. To support Virginians, the VA C.O.P.E.S. (Compassionate, Optimistic, Person-Centered, Empowering Support) warmline is available to offer support. The mental health tip line started in May 2020 and will be extended through May 2021, thanks to new funding.
In addition, George Mason University's Center for Psychological Services is offering a COVID-19 Essential Workers Emotional Support Line. Essential workers, including those individuals working in healthcare, schools, sanitation, transportation, hospitality, the postal service, and the military, can call to speak confidentially with a trained provider about stress, anxiety, depression, or grief for free. Additional virtual therapy services are also available.
More information on COVID-19 resources is available online.
Photos of the Week
Check out recent photos of the week to see students and teachers at work. A couple of familiar faces from the Lee District are recognized below.
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Key Center students help print out the design for masks on a Cricut machine, weed it out, and press it on the masks, a new vocational enterprise. |
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Bush Hill ES physical education teachers are twinning during a virtual meeting. |
The Foundation for FCPS’ Kids in Need initiative is partnering with FCPS for our annual gift card drive to benefit homeless students. FCPS typically identifies up to 3,000 children per year as homeless. Many of them are unaccompanied, living without a parent or legal guardian. Securing essential needs such as clothing, medicine, emergency food, and hygiene supplies is even more of a struggle since the pandemic began.
If you are able to help, please make a donation which will be used to purchase gift cards and empower students to make purchases for their own personal needs. If you would like to donate a physical gift card(s), please mail it to:
Patti Parisi
Gatehouse Administrative Center, 4214
8115 Gatehouse Road
Falls Church, VA 22042
Please contact Patti Parisi with questions at poparisi@fcps.edu. Thank you!
New Employment Opportunities in Fairfax County Public Schools: Classroom Monitors
FCPS schools and centers are hiring classroom monitors to provide in-person classroom assistance for students when some staff members continue to work virtually. If you would like more information about the position, review the job description online and apply if interested. Please share information about this opportunity with anyone else you think may be interested.
FCPS Is Seeking Individuals to Serve as Substitute Teachers
Are you or somebody you know interested in substitute teaching with FCPS? Apply online or attend one of our Friday information sessions to learn more. To sign up for a session, visit the FCPS substitute teacher information page.
Parent Resource Center Webinars
The FCPS Parent Resource Center offers several free parent and educator webinars to provide the latest information to help your child succeed. Some upcoming webinars include:
Coping Strategies for Anxious Kids
Join Dr. Erin D. Berman, a clinical psychologist at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland, for an important session helping children cope with anxiety.
Webinar highlights:
- How to identify an anxious child.
- How to change anxious thinking.
- The science and biological roots of anxiety in children.
- How computer technology is transforming the understanding of anxiety.
- Current treatment options.
Friday, December 11, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Register for Coping Strategies for Anxious Kids.
All Behavior Happens for a Reason: Behavior as Communication
- Overview on the reasons why behaviors may occur.
- Overview about reinforcing positive behavior.
- General tips for encouraging replacement behaviors.
Thursday December 17, 10 to 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Register for All Behavior Happens for a Reason: Behavior as Communication.
More information about Parent Resource Center webinars is available online.
Video: Foundation for FCPS Leaders and Learners Virtual Event
 The Foundation for FCPS held a virtual event on November 30 to celebrate how the Fairfax County community has come together during the pandemic to support our neediest students. Hear from Superintendent Brabrand, teachers, and business leaders about the importance of helping students. Watch the video.
Foundation for Fairfax County Public Schools' Project Cornucopia
The Foundation for FCPS is working to ensure that the neediest students in FCPS can enjoy a special meal for the holidays. Donations to Project Cornucopia will be used to purchase gift cards that can be redeemed for grocery items so that families can enjoy their favorite flavorful traditions–or create new ones. Donations can be made online.
Grab and Go Meals Available to All Students
Fairfax County Public Schools is offering no-cost nutritious meals to ALL students through June 30, 2021. Meals are available at school sites and along bus routes. The bus schedule is available online.
Breakfast and lunch meals are offered Monday through Friday (excluding holidays). Breakfast and lunch are served at the same time. Breakfast and lunch are also offered at no cost to any student who attends in-person instruction at a school Monday-Friday. Meals for Saturday and Sunday are offered at sites and on bus routes every Friday.
More information is available online, or by calling the Office of Food and Nutrition Services at 703-813-4800.
Subscribe to the 2020-21 FCPS Theater Calendar
Do you love watching high school theater? If so, check out the Fine and Performing Arts calendar on the FCPS website. Individual listings for many virtual middle and high school theater events are listed through December. Users can subscribe to the calendar to be notified of upcoming performances, and each event can be added to a calendar or shared on social media. See the Fine and Performing Arts calendar.
GrandInvolve News - November 2020
Giving Thanks | E-newsletter Nov. 24, 2020
- Thankful to Be Making a Difference with Virtual Volunteering
- Welcome, New Board Members
- Upcoming Events
- Partnerships & Collaborations Update
- Get Involved with GrandInvolve
GrandInvolve’s mission is to:
- Support the education of our most vulnerable populations through in-person and virtual volunteering
- Reduce ageism by growing intergenerational relationships between our youngest and oldest community members
- Increase intercultural understanding.
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Calendar Reminder: Winter Break Is December 21 to January 1, 2021
As a reminder, this year winter break starts on December 21 and ends on January 1, 2021. Classes will resume on Tuesday, January 5, 2021. Monday, January 4, 2021, is an asynchronous day.
See the complete 2020-21 school year calendar.
Winter Holidays and COVID-19: Recommendations for Family Celebrations, Shopping, and Entertainment
To help families celebrate the holidays safely, the Fairfax County Health Department shared suggestions on how to stay healthy this winter holiday season as you shop, celebrate, and entertain.
Quick Links:
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
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