FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK
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From the Principal's Desk:Good morning families!!
I hope you enjoyed the weekend and were able to engage in some fun activities. We are now in the holiday season, so please make sure that you notify the classroom teacher AND the front office if you will be missing any school this week. We have a full, five-day week with no early closings. This is the last week before winter break.
This week there are a variety of activities scheduled, so please make sure you read your teacher's (or grade level's) newsletter. Winter parties, special instruction (like FLE), and assemblies may change the daily schedule. Please be aware of any changes if you are coming to visit or volunteer!
The weather is fluctuating daily with temperatures swinging above and below 50 on a near daily basis. Please make sure that students have appropriate clothing for outside participation in recess, PE, or other instructional opportunities (like the Nature Nook). I hate seeing our little friends missing out on some of the fun activities because they don't have a coat, jacket, or sweatshirt.
Just a reminder, during the winter break (Dec 23 - Jan 3), the school will be closed to visitors. Staff will not be in attendance at school and the custodial staff will be conducting their deep, mid-year cleaning. Hallways and classrooms will be off limits. If your child needs anything over the break, please remind them to bring it home or email a teacher to ask them to check.
Have a great week!
Sincerely,
Mark Bibbee
Principal
Cherry Run ES
Important Dates:December 17 - Interims come home (Only for 1's & 2's)
Dec 23 - Jan 3 - Winter Break - No Students - School is CLOSED
January 20 - Student Holiday - No Students - School is CLOSED
January 28 - Last Day of 2nd Quarter - Regular dismissal!
January 29 - Teacher Workday - No Students - School is OPEN
SCA Spirit Week! Winter Resources- Student and Family Resources
Fairfax County Public Schools has compiled a list of resources for students and families in case they need assistance while schools are closed for winter break. Please visit FCPS’ winter resources webpage for information on academic support, mental health support, and county resources related to food, clothing, housing, and other needs.
School’s Closed, Learning Can Continue!
FCPS encourages students to take advantage of fun learning opportunities during winter break and snow days. Consider these winter activities to blend education and play for your students during winter break or weather-related school closures.
- Recursos para estudiantes y familias
Las Escuelas Públicas del Condado de Fairfax han compilado una lista de recursos para estudiantes y familias en caso de que necesiten ayuda mientras las escuelas están cerradas por las vacaciones de invierno. Por favor visite nuestra página web de recursos de invierno para enlaces a apoyo académico; apoyo a la salud mental; y alimentos, ropa, vivienda y otros recursos del condado.Cuando las Escuelas están Cerradas, el Aprendizaje Puede Continuar
FCPS anima a los estudiantes a aprovechar las oportunidades de aprendizaje divertido durante las vacaciones de invierno y días de nieve. Considere estas actividades de invierno para que sus estudiantes combinen la educación y la diversión durante las vacaciones de invierno o en caso en que se cierren las escuelas debido al mal tiempo.
Literacy Resources for ParentsFCPS has created the following sites as literacy resources for families:
Literacy Resources for Families
Each site provides resources for families to support their students at home. The first site is a link to resources, definitions of words/acronyms, and other general supports for students. The second site is a link to the FCPS program of studies, pacing guides, and quarter expectations.
School Climate SurveyDear Parent or Guardian,
Our school, in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Department of Education, is conducting the Virginia School Survey of Climate and Working Conditions. We will survey students in grades {6, 7, and 8}, as well as classroom instructors and staff, beginning in January 2025. The purpose of the student survey is to measure student support, student engagement, school discipline, and safety conditions in each school. This information will be used to guide educational practices that produce a safe and supportive school environment.
The survey does not ask for your child’s name and all answers are anonymous. No one, including teachers and administrators, will know how your child answered the survey questions. You will not have access to your child’s survey answers. You may preview the questions asked in the student survey at this website: https://tinyurl.com/VaSchoolSurveyDCJS .
The survey will ask questions such as how students feel about their school, how students get along with one another and their teachers, how students feel about school rules, and their perceptions of their teachers’ willingness to help them. Please note that there are questions about topics that may be sensitive to some, including questions about bullying, mental health, and suicide. This is a great time to talk to your child about these important issues. For guidance and more resources on these topics, please see:
https://tinyurl.com/MentalHealthdcjs or https://tinyurl.com/VDOEstudentservices.
All students in your child’s grade level are eligible to participate in the survey. The survey is voluntary, and you and/or your child can decide they prefer not to participate. No action will be taken against you, your child, or the school if your child does not participate. If you do not wish for your child to participate, please notify the school office by telephone, email or letter by January 8th, 2025.
The Virginia School Survey results are provided to the school around the end of the school year. You can find survey results for your school and division here: https://tinyurl.com/VaSchoolSurvey. The results are used by the school, the division, and the state to identify strengths and to address relevant needs to improve learning environments for your child as well as students across the state.
Thank you for your cooperation in this important study of Virginia’s schools.
Cherry Run Cold Weather Policy
FCPS - SEH-23
How Cold is Too Cold to Allow Students to Play Outdoors??
Deciding when students may play outdoors remains the responsibility of the principal, based on his or her professional judgement after considering the information provided on the fact sheet. Principals should communicate with their community that it is the intention of the school to hold recess during cold spells and that parents should have their children prepared to play outdoors (jackets, gloves, and hats).
Based on the guidance provided in the regulation, Cherry Run has adopted the following "Cold Weather Policy" for students:
When temperatures drop below 50 degrees we do not allow students who are not wearing leg coverings (e.g. pants/sweats, etc.) and a warm jacket/sweatshirt/hoodie to go outside. Long-sleeve tee-shirts do not count. Students without appropriate covering will be brought to the office or library where they can read until their class returns.
Please remember to have your students dress appropriately for recess and PE! While outside recess is at the teacher’s discretion, and we ask that they use good judgment, teachers are able to take students outside for up to 15 minutes when the temperatures reach ZERO!!
We are aware that sunshine, cloud cover, wind, etc. impact the 'relative' temperature, but having a clear guideline helps with planning for parents/students and gives teachers an objective measure in making determinations.
Limited Early Release Mondays- Limited Early Release Mondays for Elementary Schools: Steering Committee Update
As a reminder, FCPS elementary schools will have limited early release Mondays during the upcoming school year. The goal is to provide elementary teachers with additional time to meet new professional development requirements for the Virginia Literacy Act.
You can help us with planning for the seven early release Mondays. Please watch your email for a short survey from us asking if your child will leave at the early release time on these days or remain at school until the standard dismissal time. Your response will help us in planning activities for students who will need to stay at school until regular dismissal time.
We realize there are many details for us to finalize before our first early release Monday in mid-September. Thank you for your patience, we strive to create a positive and successful experience for students, families, and teachers.
Early release Mondays for our school include:
- February 10
- March 10
- April 21
- May 12
Learn more about Early-Release Mondays.
Bus Late? Here Comes the Bus!- 🚍 Here Comes the Bus
Want to know if your child's bus is on schedule or where the bus is? Here Comes the Bus® is an easy-to-use website and app that enables parents to see the location of their child’s school bus — almost in real time — on a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer.
Parents can track multiple buses if their children don’t all ride the same bus; know exactly when children arrive at school or the bus stop; and receive customized text and/or email notifications about bus locations, schedule changes, or delays.
To get started, download the app from the Apple iOS or Android app store. Check out the Here Comes the Bus and Frequently Asked Questions webpages for more information.
Already using the Here Comes the Bus app? Send your feedback to [email protected].
Note: eNotify text messaging will continue to be used for reporting bus delays and bus incidents.
- 🚍 Here Comes the Bus (Ahí Viene el Autobús)
¿Quiere saber si el autobús de su hijo llegará a tiempo o dónde está? Here Comes the Bus® es un sitio web y una aplicación fáciles de usar que permiten que los padres vean la ubicación del autobús escolar de sus hijos -casi en tiempo real- en un smartphone, una tableta o un ordenador personal.
Los padres pueden ver la ubicación de varios autobuses en caso de que sus hijos no viajen todos en el mismo autobús; saber exactamente cuándo llegan los niños a la escuela o a la parada de autobús; y recibir notificaciones personalizadas por mensaje de texto y/o correo electrónico sobre la ubicación de los autobuses, los cambios de horario o los retrasos.
Para comenzar, baje la aplicación de la tienda de aplicaciones de Apple iOS o Android. Consulte las páginas web Here Comes The Bus y Preguntas Frecuentes para obtener más información.
¿Ya utiliza la aplicación Here Comes the Bus? Envíen sus comentarios a [email protected].
Aviso: La mensajería de texto eNotify seguirá utilizándose para informar de retrasos e incidencias en los autobuses.
Student Attendance
- 🙋 Student Attendance and Engagement
During the Academic Matters segment of the November 9 School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid discussed student attendance and engagement. Attendance and absenteeism rates are one measure for Goal 2 of our 2023-30 Strategic Plan.
Chronic absenteeism — which is defined as a student missing 10% or more of school for any reason — is a concern across Virginia school districts. Although FCPS continues to outperform the state average in attendance rates, we are tracking chronic absenteeism closely.
Data shows that:
- Missing just 10% of school — just two days a month — negatively affects a student’s academic performance.
- Only 17% of students who were chronically absent in both kindergarten and first grade were reading proficiently in third grade, compared to 64% of those with good attendance.
- Students who fail to read at grade level by the end of third grade are four times more likely than students who achieve proficiency to drop out of high school.
- By sixth grade, chronic absenteeism becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.
Attendance is critical for academic success!
Missing School Over the Holidays
Looking ahead to the holiday season, if missing school is unavoidable, please speak with your child’s teachers in advance to create a plan for making up missed work. However, a homework packet cannot make up for the interaction and learning that happens in the classroom.
Visit FCPS’ website for more attendance resources.
Tutoring Information- 📑 Varsity Tutors Provides On-Demand Support at No Cost
FCPS is partnering with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra resources for learning. Every student can take advantage of Varsity Tutors’ services at no cost, including weekly live online classes, on-demand 24/7 chat tutoring, essay editing, and study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests. Learn more about online tutoring with Varsity Tutors.
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School Hours9732 Ironmaster Drive, Burke, Virginia, 22015 | Main Office: 703-923-2800
Attendance: 703-923-2828 | Web | Twitter | Facebook