Messages from our Principals
May 28, 2021
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As a reminder, schools and offices will be closed on Monday, May 31, for the Memorial Day holiday. Students are not expected to complete asynchronous assignments that day. |
Available in multiple languages
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If you would like to read this newsletter in your home language, please use this link. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-school-year |
We're voting on names for our Eagle this week!
All students are virtual on Tuesday, June 8th
Tuesday, June 8, is the Democratic Primary Election. Because the Fairfax County Electoral Board and City of Fairfax Electoral Board will be using 165 school facilities as polling locations, June 8 will be a virtual synchronous learning day (no In-Person classes) for students.
Join us for Kindergarten orientation!
No Social distancing at recess!
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For the remainder of the 2020-21 school year, FCPS will be requiring students and staff to continue to wear masks and socially distance during instructional time inside school buildings. Students will be required to wear masks at recess but will not be required to be socially distanced. FCPS will maintain CDC requirements of 3 feet social distance in classrooms |
FCPS Partners with Health Department to Host Student Vaccination Sites for Ages 12 and Up, May 25-June 10
FCPS received a tremendous response to this week’s announcement of our partnership with the Fairfax County Health Department to offer COVID-19 vaccination opportunities for students ages 12 and up at several high school locations. (See below.)
Due to this outstanding response, we have added additional schools and vaccine events that will take place June 1-10.
Week 2 vaccine clinic events will take place:
- Tuesday, June 1, South Lakes High School, 11400 South Lakes Drive, Reston, 20191
- Wednesday, June 2, Key Center, 6404 Franconia Road, Springfield, 22150
- Thursday, June 3, McLean High School, 1633 Davidson Road, McLean, 22101
- Friday, June 4, Chantilly High School, 4201 Stringfellow Road, Chantilly, 20151
- Thursday, June 10, Falls Church High School, 7521 Jaguar Trail, Falls Church, 22042
These new opportunities are in addition to previously announced clinics:
- Tuesday, May 25, Bryant High School, 2709 Popkins Lane, Alexandria, 22306
- Wednesday, May 26, Langley High School, 6520 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101
- Thursday, May 27, Annandale High School, 4700 Medford Drive, Annandale, 22003
- Friday, May 28, Mount Vernon High School, 8515 Old Mt. Vernon Road, Alexandria, 22309
GNN guest anchor!
Mark you calendar!
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June 8 Virtual synchronous day for all FCPS students due to the election 10 Sixth-grade Promotion at 11:00 am 11 2-hour early release
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Reminder: Garfield Laptop Return Schedule June 2021
All FCPS laptops checked out from Garfield ES must be returned to Garfield. Both the laptop and power cord/charger need to be returned.
In-person students: Laptops will be collected during class between June 9 - 10. Please ensure your child brings their laptop and power cord every day.
Virtual Students: Parents of virtual students will need to drop their laptops off. Parents are asked to drive to the front of the school by our side door 3, (Kiss and Ride) on the following dates/times.
- Monday June 14 (9:30 am - 2:00 pm) - Front Door #1
- Tuesday, June 15 (9:30 am - 12:00 am) - Kiss and Ride Door #3
Students leaving town before the end of school must return laptops on their last day.
Follow us on Twitter!
Summer Practice Books will be mailed home to FCPS students to provide suggested activities for students to support continued learning. Families who have opted-out of paper mailings from the division will only receive digital copies of the Summer Practice Books. Books will be mailed home to families in early June to arrive before the last day of school, June 11, 2021. Families will receive email communication in May about upcoming book arrival. Digital versions of books will be emailed to the enrolling parent SIS account in PDF format the week of June 7, 2021.
- Pre-Kindergarten students will receive one interdisciplinary Summer Practice Book.
- Students enrolled in grades K-8 in 2020-21 will receive one Language Arts Practice Book and one Math Practice Book by course enrollment. These books will also include information and guidance about digital tools that can be accessed by students and families to support learning throughout the summer.
- English Learners and Special Education students may receive additional or customized books.
More information can be accessed on the Summer Practice Books public webpage.
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Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
May 21, 2021
Available in multiple languages
Summer Program Night was a Success! Lewis Pyramid Art Show
It's 80's day on GNN! All students are virtual on Tuesday, June 8thTuesday, June 8, is the Democratic Primary Election. Because the Fairfax County Electoral Board and City of Fairfax Electoral Board will be using 165 school facilities as polling locations, June 8 will be a virtual synchronous learning day (no In-Person classes) for students. FCPS Partners with Health Department to Host Student Vaccination Sites for Ages 12 and Up, May 25-June 10FCPS received a tremendous response to this week’s announcement of our partnership with the Fairfax County Health Department to offer COVID-19 vaccination opportunities for students ages 12 and up at several high school locations. (See below.) Due to this outstanding response, we have added additional schools and vaccine events that will take place June 1-10. Week 2 vaccine clinic events will take place:
These new opportunities are in addition to previously announced clinics:
Mark you calendar!
Garfield Laptop Return Schedule June 2021All FCPS laptops checked out from Garfield ES must be returned to Garfield. Both the laptop and power cord/charger need to be returned. In-person students: Laptops will be collected during class between June 9 - 10. Please ensure your child brings their laptop and power cord every day. Virtual Students: Parents of virtual students will need to drop their laptops off. Parents are asked to drive to the front of the school by our side door 3, (Kiss and Ride) on the following dates/times.
Students leaving town before the end of school must return laptops on their last day. Asian American HeritageVideo—Planning the FutureHear the future plans for the Asian Pacific American Club Coalition (APAC), which brings together all of the APACs across FCPS. Suggested Social Media Content:
80's day! What will it be next week?We want the students to join in on the fun. Students will choose next Friday's spirit day! We can't wait for the whole school to get involved!  Summer Practice BooksSummer Practice Books will be mailed home to FCPS students to provide suggested activities for students to support continued learning. Families who have opted-out of paper mailings from the division will only receive digital copies of the Summer Practice Books. Books will be mailed home to families in early June to arrive before the last day of school, June 11, 2021. Families will receive email communication in May about upcoming book arrival. Digital versions of books will be emailed to the enrolling parent SIS account in PDF format the week of June 7, 2021.
More information can be accessed on the Summer Practice Books public webpage. SOL Testing Calendar Follow us on Twitter!
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May 14, 2021
Summer Program Night!
Available in multiple languages
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If you would like to read this newsletter in your home language, please use this link. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-school-year |
Check out our GNN Guest Anchors!
All students are virtual on Tuesday, June 8th
Tuesday, June 8, is the Democratic Primary Election. Because the Fairfax County Electoral Board and City of Fairfax Electoral Board will be using 165 school facilities as polling locations, June 8 will be a virtual synchronous learning day (no In-Person classes) for students.
Can you help us name our Eagle?
We are so excited to welcome our newest Eagle. Currently, our Eagle doesn't have a name! Will you help us? Share a name for our Eagle with your classroom teacher! Let's see if we can select a name for our Eagle before school is out!
Virtual Program Update 2021-2022
FCPS is excited to have all staff and students return in the fall to five days of in-person instruction! For planning purposes, FCPS is asking families with current virtual students or with students who will be new to FCPS for the 2021-22 SY to let us know if you intend to apply for the Virtual Program this fall based on your child’s documented medical need. If you do intend to apply for the Virtual Program, please complete this Intent to Apply form. Doing so DOES NOT guarantee Virtual Program enrollment for your child. You must still complete the COVID-19 Health Eligibility form, which includes a health/medical certification of need to be filled out by a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, psychiatrist, or a licensed clinical psychologist; and you must submit a Virtual Program Enrollment Application between May 17 and May 28.
If your child(ren) has a health/medical need for instruction in the Virtual Program, please:
- Fill out the Intent to Apply form ASAP.
- Download the COVID-19 Health Eligibility Form which requires a health/medical certification of need that must be completed by a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, psychiatrist, or a licensed clinical psychologist.
- Submit completed COVID-19 Health Eligibility Form with health/medical certification to @email . Upon submission, families will receive an electronic reply with detailed instructions on how to complete the Virtual Program Enrollment Application via the online application portal no later than May 28.
FCPS’ Central Virtual Program Enrollment Team will contact parents with a decision by June 1. For more information, explore the FCPS Virtual Program webpage
Mark you calendar!
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June 8 Virtual synchronous day for all FCPS students due to the election 10 Sixth-grade Promotion at 11:00 am 11 2-hour early release
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Anti Racism/Anti Bias Survey
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is committed to realizing a vision of educational equity in which every FCPS student thrives academically, socially, and emotionally. FCPS is currently revising the existing Controversial Issues Policy and developing a new Anti-Racism, Anti-Bias Education Curriculum Policy. Find out more about equity and cultural responsiveness in FCPS here. All families and staff are invited to participate in a survey that will help inform FCPS’ new Anti-Racism, Anti-Bias Education Curriculum Policy. The survey closes on May 16. Take the survey
Asian American Heritage
What is Asian American Heritage Month?
- Check out this PBS video.
How to Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at Home:
- 12 Ways to Enrich Kids’ Appreciation of Asian-Pacific American Culture
- Take a virtual tour to explore parks, memorials, and historic sites
- Learn about people, places, and stories from the National Park Service
- Explore exhibits, collections, and videos.
Summer Practice Books
Summer Practice Books will be mailed home to FCPS students to provide suggested activities for students to support continued learning. Families who have opted-out of paper mailings from the division will only receive digital copies of the Summer Practice Books. Books will be mailed home to families in early June to arrive before the last day of school, June 11, 2021. Families will receive email communication in May about upcoming book arrival. Digital versions of books will be emailed to the enrolling parent SIS account in PDF format the week of June 7, 2021.
- Pre-Kindergarten students will receive one interdisciplinary Summer Practice Book.
- Students enrolled in grades K-8 in 2020-21 will receive one Language Arts Practice Book and one Math Practice Book by course enrollment. These books will also include information and guidance about digital tools that can be accessed by students and families to support learning throughout the summer.
- English Learners and Special Education students may receive additional or customized books.
More information can be accessed on the Summer Practice Books public webpage.
SOL Testing Calendar...Updated 5/1
Follow us on Twitter!
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Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
May 7, 2021
Available in multiple languages
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If you would like to read this newsletter in your home language, please use this link. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-school-year |
2nd graders welcomed our new Mascot!
Summer Program Registration Night
When: Wednesday, May 19th
What: Summer Program Registration Night
Who:
Grades K-3 5:00 – 6:00
Grades 4 – 6 6:00 – 7:00
Where: Garfield Blacktop (in case of rain this event will be held in the gym)
Come and register for many exciting opportunities for this summer, including Garfield Summer School Programs and RecPac.
Our staff had a fun filled week! Thank you for helping us celebrate!
We played games, laughed, sang songs, danced with our classes and won prizes! We appreciated every note, flower, plant, card, gift, smile and special gesture received during Staff Appreciation Week! #EaglePride
Virtual Program Update 2021-2022
FCPS is excited to have all staff and students return in the fall to five days of in-person instruction! For planning purposes, FCPS is asking families with current virtual students or with students who will be new to FCPS for the 2021-22 SY to let us know if you intend to apply for the Virtual Program this fall based on your child’s documented medical need. If you do intend to apply for the Virtual Program, please complete this Intent to Apply form. Doing so DOES NOT guarantee Virtual Program enrollment for your child. You must still complete the COVID-19 Health Eligibility form, which includes a health/medical certification of need to be filled out by a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, psychiatrist, or a licensed clinical psychologist; and you must submit a Virtual Program Enrollment Application between May 17 and May 21.
If your child(ren) has a health/medical need for instruction in the Virtual Program, please:
- Fill out the Intent to Apply form between May 5-9.
- Download the COVID-19 Health Eligibility Form which requires a health/medical certification of need that must be completed by a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, psychiatrist, or a licensed clinical psychologist.
- Submit completed COVID-19 Health Eligibility Form with health/medical certification to @email between May 17-21. Upon submission, families will receive an electronic reply with detailed instructions on how to complete the Virtual Program Enrollment Application via the online application portal between May 17-21.
FCPS’ Central Virtual Program Enrollment Team will contact parents with a decision by June 1. For more information, explore the FCPS Virtual Program webpage
Mark you calendar!
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June 8 Virtual synchronous day for all FCPS students due to the election 11 2-hour early release
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A Note from your Principals
Dear Garfield families,
This past week has been nothing short of amazing! You came together to celebrate our amazing staff! They work tirelessly each day. We appreciate their dedication and commitment to all our eagles and the countless hours they have devoted to support our community this year.
Thank you to everyone for all you are doing to help celebrate our staff. Teachers and parents continue to work collaboratively to promote learning virtually and in-person. In the Fall, we will return to 5 Days of in-person learning. As more information is shared about details for next year, we will continue to keep you in the loop. If you have neighbors who need to enroll their children, please encourage them to reach out so we can support them and get them signed up for important information from the school.
Your principals,
April L. Cage, Principal
Rachel Waters, Assistant Principal
Kindergarten Registration
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We're excited to welcome our newest Eagles to the Garfield community. Please use the link below to begin the registration process. Additionally, you may email our school registrar if you need additional support with registration. You can reach Mrs. Rothman at @email https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/student-services/student-registration
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SOL Testing Calendar...Updated 5/1
Follow us on Twitter!
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Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
May 1, 2021
Available in multiple languages
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If you would like to read this newsletter in your home language, please use this link. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-school-year |
Teacher Appreciation Week!
PTA Meeting recording and updates
If you missed the PTA meeting, please review this message from our PTA President, Mrs. Jennifer Goen.
Here is the recording of tonight's meeting.
I have also attached the PPT from the PTA and the PDFs for teacher appreciation.
The links I put in the chat for parents are:
Join our PTA Remind https://www.remind.com/join/g22150
Volunteer with the PTA next year? Email Jennifer Goen at
PTA Website
https://garfieldelementarypta.square.site/
Teacher Appreciation Week
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UnA7DbjqOfJ5NWdj9YyIxCDxKWxKhTaS/view?usp=sharing
Join the PTA!
Picture day.... May 6th & 7th
Your child's teacher will sign up for a time and share that time with all students. Virtual and in-person students will be able to take pictures at their scheduled class time. Pictures are individual spring pictures. There are no group pictures at this time. We will also have some time set aside for virtual students on 5/7 to give families additional flexibility. Please call the front office to reserve a time if you plan to attend on Friday, May 7th.
Mark you calendar!
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May 3-7 Teacher Appreciation Week 6 Spring Picture day (virtual and in-person) 7 Spring Picture day (virtual and in-person) June 8 Virtual synchronous day for all FCPS students due to the election 11 2-hour early release
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A Note from your Principals
Dear Garfield families,
It's been great to have our students back in the building! The positivity is all around! Our in-person and virtual students are collaborating online, working in breakout rooms and in class to stay engaged.
Sixth grade promotion
The sixth-grade team will have plans to share soon. We are working together to identify a date. Our current thinking involves an in-person event that can be streamed for our virtual only students.
Our PTA needs you
It's that time of year! We need your help! There are many leadership positions available for next school year. We hope you'll consider joining the team! Take a look at the PTA recording posted above and contact our President Mrs. Jennifer Goen for more information.
Your principals,
April L. Cage, Principal
Rachel Waters, Assistant Principal
Kindergarten Registration
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We're excited to welcome our newest Eagles to the Garfield community. Please use the link below to begin the registration process. Additionally, you may email our school registrar if you need additional support with registration. You can reach Mrs. Rothman at @email https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/student-services/student-registration
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SOL Testing Calendar...Updated 5/1
Follow us on Twitter!
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Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
April 26, 2021
Music with Mrs. Cooper
Available in multiple languages
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If you would like to read this newsletter in your home language, please use this link. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-school-year |
Picture day is coming soon!
Your child's teacher will sign up for a time and share that time with all students. Virtual and in-person students will be able to take pictures at their scheduled class time. We will also have some time set aside for virtual students on 5/7 to give families additional flexibility. More specific information will be shared early next week.
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May 3-7 Teacher Appreciation Week 6 Spring Picture day (virtual and in-person) 7 Spring Picture day (virtual and in-person)
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Thank you for celebrating with us!
Transportation
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In order to locate your student's bus information, please log into your parent SIS account. Select "student information" and scroll to the bottom. You will see bus route information for AM and PM. Below is a picture with links on how to access your SIS ParentVue account. |
A Note from your Principals
Dear Garfield families,
Please join us for our next PTA meeting where we will provide a few updates around return to school, SOL's, sixth grade promotion and end of the year activities. The meeting will be held on Thursday, April 29th at 7 pm. You will receive a link through e-Notify and your child's classroom teacher.
Your principals,
April L. Cage, Principal
Rachel Waters, Assistant Principal
Kindergarten Registration
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We're excited to welcome our newest Eagles to the Garfield community. Please use the link below to begin the registration process. Additionally, you may email our school registrar if you need additional support with registration. You can reach Mrs. Rothman at @email https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/student-services/student-registration
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Guest anchor! Watch GNN!
SOL Testing Calendar
Follow us on Twitter!
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Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
April 16, 2021
Available in multiple languages
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If you would like to read this newsletter in your home language, please use this link. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-school-year |
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4/17 Special Education Conference (details below) 4/18 Administrative Professionals Week! 4/21 Purple Up Day! 5/3 -5/7 Teacher Appreciation Week! |
Honoring our Military Families
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Wear Purple on Wednesday, April 21st! |
We are excited celebrate our military youth in a very special way this month.
Share Your Story-
All month long feel free to share a https://flipgrid.com/399c9f11 of how being a military child makes you special.
Email Military Family Photos to be highlighted on GNN. Please send to Megan McKeon @McKeon, Megan T.
Let's show our office staff some love!
Covid - 19 Vaccination Process
Transportation
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In order to locate your student's bus information, please log into your parent SIS account. Select "student information" and scroll to the bottom. You will see bus route information for AM and PM. Below is a picture with links on how to access your SIS ParentVue account. |
Welcome Back Mrs. Waters!
Dear Garfield families,
As a school community we continue to thrive! Students are engaged in authentic learning experiences both in-person and virtually. We are seeing a lot of engagement and collaboration between our in-person and virtual students through concurrent teaching practices. This requires a strong home---school partnership. Thank you for your support! You've been amazing!
We were so fortunate to have the assistance of Ms. Christie Yarn and Mrs. Jennifer Fallert of Fort Belvoir Primary School! Thank you for providing your expertise and leadership over the last few months. Next week, we are excited to welcome back Mrs. Waters! We know that students, families and staff will be eager to see her back! We appreciate your patience and flexibility through it all.
Your principals,
April L. Cage, Principal
Rachel Waters, Assistant Principal
Kindergarten Registration
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We're excited to welcome our newest Eagles to the Garfield community. Please use the link below to begin the registration process. Additionally, you may email our school registrar if you need additional support with registration. You can reach Mrs. Rothman at @email https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/student-services/student-registration
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Guest anchor! Watch GNN!
Tomorrow! FCPS Special Education Conference
The 16th Annual Special Education Conference will be held virtually on Saturday, April 17, 2021. The conference will include a combination of synchronous (live) and asynchronous (recorded) sessions supporting our conference's theme: The time for inclusion is now.
Parents and community members will be able to register online. In addition, FCPS educators, administrators, and preservice teachers will be able to register online and earn recertification points for attending the conference.
Conference Highlights:
- Guest speakers and FCPS staff presentations
- A Student Strands for youth ages 14-22
- Sibshops for students in grades 7-12
- An Exhibit Hall with FCPS and community resources
- Inclusive Schools Presentations
Each year our conference draws an audience of parents, educators, administrators, preservice teachers, and community members eager to hear the latest research, strategies, and trends in the education of students with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities.
Saturday, April 17, 2021 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Register for The Special Education Conference 2021 (open link in a new tab)
SOL Testing Calendar ----Draft
Please take some time to review the proposed testing dates. The final draft will be sent out soon. We don't anticipate much change, but there could be a day here or there. Thanks for your flexibility.
Follow us on Twitter!
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Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
April 14, 2021
Dear Parents and Guardians:
Across Virginia, students will be taking Standards of Learning (SOL) tests this spring. Federal and state education departments have decided not to cancel this year’s assessments. In Fairfax County Public Schools, testing for grades 3-8 will be scheduled between April 26 and June 4, 2021.
- All SOL tests must be taken in-person at school. SOL tests are not available for remote delivery from home. Because your student attends school virtually, we will schedule testing appointments when your student will come to school to complete their SOL assessments. Bus transportation will be provided for these appointments, as needed.
- If you do not wish for your fully virtual student to take SOL tests at school this spring, you have the right to refuse testing. The Right to Refuse Assessments webpage (https://www.fcps.edu/node/34277) offers information and considerations as you make this decision.
- If you choose to refuse the grade 3-8 SOL reading or mathematics test for your virtual student, you will have the opportunity for them to complete an alternative, non-SOL test at home. The Virginia Remote Student Progress Monitoring Test will provide information about strengths and areas for growth in grade level content standards.
As we prepare for spring assessments, we need to collect information about your intentions for spring SOL tests. By Wednesday April 21st, please complete this online Google Intent Form Contact Christie Yarn Assistant Principal/School Testing Coordinator at our school if you need help accessing or completing the form.
Federal law requires schools to give SOL tests in reading, mathematics, and science. Additionally, state policy requires schools to use local alternative assessments in grade levels and content areas where SOL tests have been removed.
- SOL tests measure what students have learned of the content and skills detailed in the Virginia Standards of Learning. Tests provide information about student achievement to the parent, school, school division, and state. SOL scores are available for families by the start of the next school year.
- Local alternative assessments are the combination of formal and informal assessments delivered as part of regular classroom instruction throughout the school year. Like SOL tests, the local alternative assessments measure student learning of the content standards. Performance on local alternative assessments is incorporated into quarterly progress reports for families.
The table below shows which content areas are assessed at each grade level within elementary and middle schools. If you have questions about state assessments for your student, please contact their teacher.
|
Grade |
SOL Tests |
Local Alternative Assessments |
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3 |
Reading, Mathematics |
Science, Social Studies |
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4 |
Reading, Mathematics |
Social Studies |
|
5 |
Reading, Mathematics*, Science |
Writing |
|
6 |
Reading, Mathematics* |
Social Studies |
* For elementary and middle school students enrolled in a high school credit-bearing mathematics course, the Algebra 1, Geometry, or Algebra 2 SOL test is used to fulfill the federal testing requirement. Note that the Virginia Remote Student Progress Monitoring Test is not available for high school credit-bearing mathematics courses.
April L. Cage
Principal
April 11, 2021
Available in multiple languages
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If you would like to read this newsletter in your home language, please use this link. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-school-year |
Honoring our Military Families
Military-connected youth face unique circumstances living the military lifestyle. By understanding the lifestyle of military-connected youth we can better meet their needs as they transition with their family members who serve our nation. Currently over 14,000 military-connected youth call FCPS home. Each year, our nation designates April as the Month of the Military Child to recognize and thank children from military families for the sacrifices they make living the military lifestyle. April 21 is Purple Up! day. All are encouraged to wear purple in recognition of the strength and sacrifices of military-connected youth.
We are excited celebrate our military youth in a very special way this month.
Share Your Story-
All month long feel free to share a https://flipgrid.com/399c9f11 of how being a military child makes you special.
Email Military Family Photos to be highlighted on GNN. Please send to Megan McKeon @McKeon, Megan T.
Covid - 19 Vaccination Process
Last Call for PTA T-Shirts
If you are interested in purchasing a shirt for yourself or your student, check out https://garfieldelementarypta.square.site/membership and look under "Eagle Shop" to purchase. Orders will be taken until April 15th.
A Note from your Principals
Earlier this week, Dr. Braband shared more information regarding in-person learning, including the updated CDC guidance which will allow schools the opportunity to transition from 6 feet to 3 feet social distancing at some times, thereby possibly providing more days of in-person instruction. Please understand that we are no longer accepting changes to in-person attendance as we focus on our next phase.
You can read Dr. Braband’s full message by clicking on this link.
We are committed to bringing back as many of our in-person students to four days of instruction as our capacity restraints allow, beginning with students identified by our school staff through the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) process. FCPS has trained our FCPS teachers and leaders in a process to be able to identify and provide students additional supports through the MTSS process. We have used this process to support students for many years to provide interventions and extensions for students. We have begun notifying these families already and will continue to do so next week. we were unable to reach every family.
Please be aware that there are a variety of factors to be considered when expanding to 4 day return. We need time to work out the details regarding space and staffing, such as the continued requirement for students to eat meals (breakfast, snack and lunch) at 6 feet apart. We must continue to adhere to all of the CDC regulations and FCPS guidelines for furniture, transportation changes, classroom setup and scheduling changes.
Thank you for your patience as we work through the updated guidance to see if we are able to shift additional in-person students to four day instruction.
Your principals,
April L. Cage, Principal
Rachel Waters, Assistant Principal
Christie Yarn, Assistant Principal
Kindergarten Registration
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We're excited to welcome our newest Eagles to the Garfield community. Please use the link below to begin the registration process. Additionally, you may email our school registrar if you need additional support with registration. You can reach Mrs. Rothman at @email https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/student-services/student-registration
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Guest anchor! Watch GNN!
FCPS Special Education Conference
The 16th Annual Special Education Conference will be held virtually on Saturday, April 17, 2021. The conference will include a combination of synchronous (live) and asynchronous (recorded) sessions supporting our conference's theme: The time for inclusion is now.
Parents and community members will be able to register online. In addition, FCPS educators, administrators, and preservice teachers will be able to register online and earn recertification points for attending the conference.
Conference Highlights:
- Guest speakers and FCPS staff presentations
- A Student Strands for youth ages 14-22
- Sibshops for students in grades 7-12
- An Exhibit Hall with FCPS and community resources
- Inclusive Schools Presentations
Each year our conference draws an audience of parents, educators, administrators, preservice teachers, and community members eager to hear the latest research, strategies, and trends in the education of students with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities.
Saturday, April 17, 2021 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Register for The Special Education Conference 2021 (open link in a new tab)
SOL Testing Calendar ----Draft
Please take some time to review the proposed testing dates. The final draft will be sent out soon. We don't anticipate much change, but there could be a day here or there. Thanks for your flexibility.
Follow us on Twitter!
|
Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
April 7, 2021
Dear Garfield families,
We hope that you had a wonderful and restful spring break last week. We are happy to have students back to virtual and in-person classes this week as we start the fourth quarter journey together. The headlines from yesterday’s FCPS messaging about “expanding in person learning” has generated questions that we want to try and help clarify for you. The impact of social distancing going from six feet to three feet will look different at every school and is one important factor when considering students for four days of in-person instruction.
Here are a couple of pieces of information that we think will be helpful to you as we plan our next steps:
- We will continue using our MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support) process to identify students for four days of instruction.
- We will assess our space challenges including current occupancy, size of classrooms, furniture, and space to eat safely.
- Schools need sufficient space for all students to eat lunch without a mask, still 6’ apart, and all facing the same direction.
- We will not be changing teacher assignments, classes or schedules – so the implementation of this recent change will need to fit within our current structures.
Given this information, this week we will:
- Assess each grade level/class’ capacity for adding additional students.
- Invite students via our MTSS process/needs to attend four days/week.
- Determine how many additional “seats” we have in each classroom beginning with students currently here two days/week.
- We will be in touch with families that will be impacted by this recent development.
I cannot thank you enough for your continued grace and compassion as we navigate the latest. We badly want to have students in the building but will continue to be limited by the factors above. We also believe that major changes to schedules, teachers, classes will not be beneficial for the last nine weeks of school. As always, please reach out with any questions you have.
Sincerely,
April L. Cage, Principal
March 26, 2021
Available in multiple languages
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If you would like to read this newsletter in your home language, please use this link. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-school-year |
Dates to Remember
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Monday, March 29 - Friday, April 2 - Spring Break The office is closed. Monday, April 5 - Teacher Workday/No school |
PTA Meeting 3/24/21
Please use the YouTube link here if you would like to view the PTA meeting from Thursday, March 25, 2021. https://youtu.be/o3YtTLF1SQQ
Our office will be closed from March 29 through April 2, and our administrators and office staff will be taking a long-anticipated break as well. We will be happy to serve you upon our return on April 5. We want to wish all of our families a wonderful holiday break. Please take a moment to unplug from devices and the hustle and bustle of the day/week. We hope the entire Garfield community has a restful week.
Advanced Academics Newsletter
Please take a few minutes to review a few updates from the AAP office.
https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/academics/advanced-academic-programs
Your principals,
April L. Cage, Principal
Rachel Waters, Assistant Principal
Christie Yarn, Assistant Principal
S.T.E.A.M Creativity
Kindergarten Registration
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We're excited to welcome our newest Eagles to the Garfield community. Please use the link below to begin the registration process. Additionally, you may email our school registrar if you need additional support with registration. You can reach Mrs. Rothman at @email https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/student-services/student-registration
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Guest anchor! Watch GNN!
Each week we've invited a student guest anchor to join us on the news show! Pretty soon, the students will take over the show from start to finish! We are so excited to share the spotlight with our amazing Eagles! We would like to thank Mrs. McKeon and Mrs. Strotman for their help and organization of the news show! #proudeagles
FCPS Special Education Conference
The 16th Annual Special Education Conference will be held virtually on Saturday, April 17, 2021. The conference will include a combination of synchronous (live) and asynchronous (recorded) sessions supporting our conference's theme: The time for inclusion is now.
Parents and community members will be able to register online. In addition, FCPS educators, administrators, and preservice teachers will be able to register online and earn recertification points for attending the conference.
Conference Highlights:
- Guest speakers and FCPS staff presentations
- A Student Strands for youth ages 14-22
- Sibshops for students in grades 7-12
- An Exhibit Hall with FCPS and community resources
- Inclusive Schools Presentations
Each year our conference draws an audience of parents, educators, administrators, preservice teachers, and community members eager to hear the latest research, strategies, and trends in the education of students with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities.
Saturday, April 17, 2021 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Register for The Special Education Conference 2021 (open link in a new tab)
Explore the possibilities through S.T.E.A.M.
Follow us on Twitter!
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Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
March 19, 2021
Dates to Remember/Supply Pickup
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Thursday, March 25 - Virtual student supply pick up from 5 -7 pm (Please return your Library books at this time. There are over 500 overdue books) Friday, March 26 - Virtual student supply pick up from 10:30 - 1:30 pm. 2 hour early release. Monday, March 29 - Friday, April 2 - Spring Break holiday Monday, April 5 - Teacher Workday/No school |
Welcome Back Everyone!
We celebrated our last, first day of school this week! We are excited to have everyone who selected in-person learning back in the building! Our hearts were full as we welcomed 174 of our 334 students back into the building. The halls and classrooms were buzzing with joy! Each student was greeted with a warm smile as they made their way into the building. Our teachers are doing an incredible job exploring this new way of teaching. They have embraced new technology to support two groups of students. Our in-person and online Eagles are a part of history being made! Thank you for your continued support and patience as we stretch our thinking and learning in new ways. As long as we have each other, we will continue to thrive as a community.
While there are many things to celebrate, we continue to deal with the pandemic and social strife. Most recently, our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community has experienced escalating racism and discrimination, often originating with prejudicial blame for the COVID-19 virus.
We celebrate our diversity and strive toward a culture where every student feels included, seen, and heard. If your child experiences any form of harassment or intimidation, please immediately contact an administrator or counselor who can help with next steps to keep your child safe and secure. We are stronger and better together. #strongertogether
Your principals,
April L. Cage, Principal
Rachel Waters, Assistant Principal
Christie Yarn, Assistant Principal
Important Reminder
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Students who selected 🏫in-person instruction should be attending classes regularly by March 26 or may be returned to 💻virtual instruction. |
Kindergarten Registration
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We're excited to welcome our newest Eagles to the Garfield community. Please use the link below to begin the registration process. Additionally, you may email our school registrar if you need additional support with registration. You can reach Mrs. Rothman at @email https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/student-services/student-registration
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Women's History Month
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Did You Know? |
How to Celebrate Women’s History Month at Home:
- Play a game- research facts about famous women, write them down on scraps of paper, and play “Guess Who?”
- Read Together- click this link for read alouds about important women from each state. (you will have to be logged into your child’s FCPS account to access)
- Show gratitude- while we focus a lot on famous women to celebrate, we can also celebrate the women in our lives. Your child can write thank you notes to women in their life.
Remember diversity as you are picking out books and playing games. Choose women of all races, ethnicities, and abilities. Celebrate Women's History Month!
5th grade guest anchor! Watch GNN!
FCPS Special Education Conference
The 16th Annual Special Education Conference will be held virtually on Saturday, April 17, 2021. The conference will include a combination of synchronous (live) and asynchronous (recorded) sessions supporting our conference's theme: The time for inclusion is now.
Parents and community members will be able to register online. In addition, FCPS educators, administrators, and preservice teachers will be able to register online and earn recertification points for attending the conference.
Conference Highlights:
- Guest speakers and FCPS staff presentations
- A Student Strands for youth ages 14-22
- Sibshops for students in grades 7-12
- An Exhibit Hall with FCPS and community resources
- Inclusive Schools Presentations
Each year our conference draws an audience of parents, educators, administrators, preservice teachers, and community members eager to hear the latest research, strategies, and trends in the education of students with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities.
Saturday, April 17, 2021 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Register for The Special Education Conference 2021 (open link in a new tab)
Follow us on Twitter!
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Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
March 12, 2021
Available in multiple languages
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If you would like to read this newsletter in your home language, please use this link. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-school-year |
Fun at Recess!
Mandatory return to school forms!
In-person Learning Required Forms
*Forms only need to be completed one time, per child.
Prior to your child’s return to in-person learning, you will need to make sure that the following forms have been completed: Please go to ParentVue to complete health and consent forms required for the return to school.
This document indicates the parent or guardian’s agreement and commitment to completing a daily health screening prior to sending the student to school and also to keep sick students at home.
Students whose parent/guardian have not returned a signed Parent/Guardian Health Screening Commitment form will be required to complete a health screening until the form is received.
Signed forms can be scanned and sent to @email
We cannot accept Emergency Care/Health forms that are not signed and dated within the 2020-21 school year (starting September 2020).
Medication
Parents will need to drop-off medications and the appropriate forms prior to their child returning to in-person instruction. Call the school for an appointment to drop off these items.
Preschoolers
Do you have or know someone who has a preschool age child at home? If so take a minute to complete this survey from Fairfax County to help us prepare for the upcoming school year. Survey of Preschool Children
Kindergarten Registration
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We're excited to welcome our newest Eagles to the Garfield community. Please use the link below to begin the registration process. Additionally, you may email our school registrar if you need additional support with registration. You can reach Mrs. Rothman at @email https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/student-services/student-registration
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Women's History Month
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Did You Know? |
Celebrate Women's History Month! In 1980, a consortium of women’s groups and historians, led by the National Women’s History Project (National Women's History Alliance) successfully lobbied for national recognition. In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the Week of March 8, 1980 as National Women’s History Week. Resources are available the National Women’s History Museum. The 2021 Women's History Month Resource Toolkit is filled with links to biographies, events, and programming to celebrate this important month.
Thank You Mrs. Laster! We appreciate you!
(National School Social Work Week) School social workers are vital in supporting the whole child and addressing students’ social, emotional, physical, and environmental needs to optimize their learning. Additional information on key roles that school social workers play can be found on the VDOE School Social Work Services webpage. Ideas for promoting and celebrating School Social Work Week are available at School Social Work Association of America. VDOE invites local school divisions to honor and recognize the contributions of school social workers and the services they provide to students, families, administrators, educators, and communities.
Dates to Remember
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Sunday, March 14th is daylight savings. Turn your clocks back Friday, March 26 - 2 Hour Early Release (End of 3rd Quarter) Monday, March 29 - Friday, April 2 - Spring Break holiday |
Welcome back 3-6 grade!
March 16 Group 7: Grades 3 - 6
(Students attending in person Tuesday/Wednesday will return March 16)
(Students attending in person Thursday/Friday will return March 18)
4th grade guest anchor! Watch GNN!
Follow us on Twitter!
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Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
March 5, 2021
Available in multiple languages
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If you would like to read this newsletter in your home language, please use this link. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-school-year |
Mandatory return to school forms!
In-person Learning Required Forms
*Forms only need to be completed one time, per child.
Prior to your child’s return to in-person learning, you will need to make sure that the following forms have been completed: Please go to ParentVue to complete health and consent forms required for the return to school.
This document indicates the parent or guardian’s agreement and commitment to completing a daily health screening prior to sending the student to school and also to keep sick students at home.
Students whose parent/guardian have not returned a signed Parent/Guardian Health Screening Commitment form will be required to complete a health screening until the form is received.
Signed forms can be scanned and sent to @email
We cannot accept Emergency Care/Health forms that are not signed and dated within the 2020-21 school year (starting September 2020).
Medication
Parents will need to drop-off medications and the appropriate forms prior to their child returning to in-person instruction. Call the school for an appointment to drop off these items.
Kindergarten Registration
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We're excited to welcome our newest Eagles to the Garfield community. Please use the link below to begin the registration process. Additionally, you may email our school registrar if you need additional support with registration. You can reach Mrs. Rothman at @email https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/student-services/student-registration
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Women's History Month
Women’s History Month is a celebration of women’s contributions to history, culture and society and has been observed annually in the month of March in the United States since 1987. The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in commemorating and encouraging the study, observance and celebration of the vital role of women in American history. For more information, visit the website at this link.
Dates to Remember
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March 8th is a teacher workday. Students are out of school. March 9th 1st and 2nd graders return to school. |
Welcome back 1st and 2nd grade!
March 9 Group 6: Grades 1- 2
(Students attending in person Tuesday/Wednesday will return March 9)
(Students attending in person Thursday/Friday will return March 11)
6th grade guest anchor! Watch GNN!
Follow us on Twitter!
|
Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
February 26, 2021
Welcome Back to School!
Available in multiple languages
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If you would like to read this newsletter in your home language, please use this link. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-school-year |
FLE parent preview information
Dear Parents/Guardians of Elementary School Students:
Students in grades K-6 participate in Family Life Education (FLE) instruction through their classroom teacher. Students in Kindergarten through grade three receive instruction in an emotional and social health unit. Students in grades 4-6 receive instruction in a human growth and development unit and an emotional and social health unit. For more information about the FCPS Family Life Education program, please see the detailed grade-level program descriptions at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-family-life-education-fle .
In addition, grade level-specific curriculum lessons are available for review in multiple locations.
- Online in FCPS 24-7 (Blackboard) Parent View - includes lessons and media titles that FCPS has streaming rights for. Any additional media or book titles that are not streamed are available at your child’s school library. o Parents/guardians will need a SIS account to access FCPS 24-7 https://fcps.blackboard.com/. Account information is available at your local school or online at https://www.fcps.edu/resources/technology/fcps-24-7-learning.
- Your child’s school. Please contact the school to schedule a time to review lessons and/or media.
You are invited to attend an evening opportunity to preview the Family Life Education media and lessons and to talk with school staff about the program. The meeting will be held on March 1, 2021 at 6:00 PM in a virtual BBCU session. All program materials and media for all grade levels will be available for your review at this time. Please use this form to sign up for the link to the session: https://forms.gle/JbS59GudvopnmdR3A
Parents/guardians who do not wish to have their child participate in FLE instruction may choose to opt their child out of any or all of the lessons. If you would like to opt your child out of one or more lessons, please fill out the form provided to you in your child’s orientation packet at the beginning of the school year or you may access the opt out forms online at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-family-life-education-fle. If you have already indicated your desire to opt your child out of FLE lessons by using the form provided earlier in the school year, you do not need to complete another form. Should you opt your child out and then later decide you want your child included in FLE instruction, you must notify your child’s teacher in writing before instruction begins.
An alternative non-FLE health instructional program is provided for children who do not take part in FLE instruction, and every effort is made to foster understanding and respect for family choices and to avoid peer pressure for or against participation in the program.
Instruction occurs at various times for the instructional units during the school year. Please contact your child’s teacher for specific dates of FLE instruction. We look forward to working as your partner in providing information that will help your child make healthy choices related to the exciting changes and new challenges he/she will be facing in the next few years.
Warm regards,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
Ms. Christie Yarn, Assistant Principal
Dates to Remember
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March 5th is a 2 hour early release day. School will end at 2:15 pm. March 8th is a teacher workday. Students are out of school. March 9th 1st and 2nd graders return to school. |
It was a great week!
Upcoming Asynchronous Days for Students in Gr. 1-6
Our teachers require additional time to prepare and plan for the transition to in-person learning. We recently learned that additional days have been provided for our staff. The dates below indicate what days your child will participate in asynchronous (independent) learning. On these days your child will log into their BBCU link from 9:45-10:15 for morning meeting. Attendance will be taken and expectations for the day will be explained.
Gr. 1 and 2: February 22; March 1, 4, 5
Gr. 3-6: March 1, 11, 12, 15
March 8th is a teacher workday. No morning meeting will be held on this day.
Celebrate diversity in the books we read!
Join in the fun this week!
5th grade guest anchor! Watch GNN!
Follow us on Twitter!
|
Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
Mandatory return to school forms!
In-person Learning Required Forms
*Forms only need to be completed one time, per child.
Prior to your child’s return to in-person learning, you will need to make sure that the following forms have been completed: Please go to ParentVue to complete health and consent forms required for the return to school.
This document indicates the parent or guardian’s agreement and commitment to completing a daily health screening prior to sending the student to school and also to keep sick students at home.
Students whose parent/guardian have not returned a signed Parent/Guardian Health Screening Commitment form will be required to complete a health screening until the form is received.
Signed forms can be scanned and sent to @email
We cannot accept Emergency Care/Health forms that are not signed and dated within the 2020-21 school year (starting September 2020).
Medication
Parents will need to drop-off medications and the appropriate forms prior to their child returning to in-person instruction. Call the school for an appointment to drop off these items.
February 19, 2021
Watch GNN to see our guest anchor!
Available in multiple languages
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If you would like to read this newsletter in your home language, please use this link. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-school-year |
African American History Museum
In February, people all over the United States celebrate Black History Month—because Black history is American history. Students deserve meaningful, sustained opportunities to learn about the experiences and contributions of Black and African American people year-round, and Black History Month is one opportunity to honor these diverse and important stories.
As we continue to observe Black History Month, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is pleased to provide school divisions and communities with the following Black History Month resources to honor and recognize African Americans and their achievements and contributions to America.
- African American History Video Series - WHRO created this video series in partnership with the Virginia Department of Education. These videos are part of the African American History online course content.
- Virginia Tourism Black History Events and Tours: Celebrate Black History in Virginia with special events, guided tours, live musical and dramatic performances, lectures and films. Discover more about Black history attractions, African-American history in Virginia, famous Virginians, and the Civil Rights History of Virginia.
- The Mariner's Museum Black History Month Series: The Mariners’ Museum and Park and its Interpretation Department present a variety of virtual programs recognizing the rich history and culture of Black people, Africans, and African Americans who helped to shape the world!
5th grade guest anchor! Watch GNN!
Upcoming Asynchronous Days for Students in Gr. 1-6
Our teachers require additional time to prepare and plan for the transition to in-person learning. We recently learned that additional days have been provided for our staff. The dates below indicate what days your child will participate in asynchronous (independent) learning. On these days your child will log into their BBCU link from 9:45-10:15 for morning meeting. Attendance will be taken and expectations for the day will be explained.
Gr. 1 and 2: February 22; March 1, 4, 5
Gr. 3-6: March 1, 11, 12, 15
March 8 is a teacher workday. No morning meeting will be held on this day.
Return to school reminders
Health Screening Commitment Form
As students return to in-person instruction, parents and caregivers will be asked to acknowledge a Health Screening Commitment form before their student(s) re-enter school buildings. This document confirms that a parent, caregiver, or guardian will complete a daily health screening and will keep their students home when they are ill.
The Health Commitment form can be submitted electronically through ParentVUE (PVUE) or via hard copy. Please contact your child’s school to have a hard copy sent to you.
Townhall Meeting PowerPoint
If you missed the PTA meeting, please take some time to review the PowerPoint for return to school here. You may click the link and open in a new tab to access what was shared.
https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-school-year
Monday Attendance All students are expected to be in attendance on Mondays. Attendance can be recorded through participation in morning meeting, completion of a google form assigned by the teacher, participation in small group support or asynchronously. This may change in the coming weeks. I will keep you updated.
MEDICATION
Parents will need to drop off medication and the appropriate medication forms to the school ahead of time. Call the school for an appointment to drop off medication. This needs to be done before your child returns to in-person learning.
Thank you for your patience as teachers work really hard to prepare for the concurrent teaching model and to welcome our Eagles back to school.
Warm regards,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
Ms. Christie Yarn, Assistant Principal
PTA Meeting Links
Join our PTA Remind https://www.remind.com/join/g22150
Website for T-shirts and yearbooks: https://garfieldelementarypta.square.site/
Share your recipe at https://tinyurl.com/garfieldrecipes
Volunteer with the PTA next year? Email Jennifer at @email
Virginia Kindness Week!
Follow us on Twitter!
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Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
Return to school forms!
Please go to ParentVue to complete health and consent forms required for the return to school.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information.
February 12, 2021
Available in multiple languages
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If you would like to read this newsletter in your home language, please use this link. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-school-year |
No School on Monday, February 15
African American History Month
Here are a few highlights of African American Authors and Artists.
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Smithsonian American Art is home to one of the most significant collections of African American art in the world, with more than 2,000 works by more than 200 African American artists. https://americanart.si.edu/art/highlights/african-american
Best African American Picture Books https://thebrownbookshelf.com/2021/01/03/african-american-childrens-book-projects-best-picture-books-of-2020/ |
New Bell Schedule 9:45- 4:15
Draft In-person schedules
Please note that the schedules listed below are in draft form. They are meant to give you an idea of what the day will look like for your in-person student.
Kindergarten Daily In Person_Virtual Schedule.pdf
1st Grade Daily In Person_Virtual Schedule.pdf
2nd Grade Daily In Person_Virtual Schedule.pdf
3rd Grade Daily In Person_Virtual Schedule (1).pdf
4th Grade Daily In Person_Virtual Schedule.pdf
5th Grade Daily In Person_Virtual Schedule.pdf
6th Grade Daily In Person_Virtual Schedule.pdf
Return to School Timeline
February 23 Group 5: PreK/ Kindergarten and Specialized classes
(Students attending in person Tuesday/Wednesday will return February 23)
(Students attending in person Thursday/Friday will return February 25)
March 9 Group 6: Grades 1- 2
(Students attending in person Tuesday/Wednesday will return March 9)
(Students attending in person Thursday/Friday will return March 11)
Grades 1 and 2 will be Asynchronous on March 4 and March 5
March 16 Group 7: Grades 3 - 6
(Students attending in person Tuesday/Wednesday will return March 16)
(Students attending in person Thursday/Friday will return March 18)
Grades 3-6 will be Asynchronous on March 11 and March 12
e-Notify sent earlier this week
Here are just a few reminders...
ATTENDANCE
In Virginia, public school students aged 5-18 are required to attend school regularly. That is true whether FCPS is offering distance learning or in-person instruction. Teachers will take attendance during learning sessions and ensure that all students are counted. Parents can find more information at FCPS Return to School.
Monday Attendance All students are expected to be in attendance on Mondays. Attendance can be recorded through participation in morning meeting, completion of a google form assigned by the teacher, participation in small group support or asynchronously. This may change in the coming weeks. I will keep you updated.
Attendance Reporting
State law requires that parents provide a satisfactory explanation for a child’s absence for all or any part of the school day. This will eliminate the need for the school to make a call to the home or workplace to confirm absences.
You can provide attendance information in one of these ways:
- Attendance Form
- Attendance Answering Machine: 703-923-2929 (messages can be left 24 hours a day)
- Attendance Email: @email
Please be sure to provide:
- Your child’s full name
- The teacher’s name and grade
- The reason for the absence or tardy
- If your child is sick, please provide a specific description of the illness.
LATE ARRIVALS
Parents will need to walk their student to door 1 and ring the bell. A staff member will come out to receive your student.
EARLY DISMISSALS/APPOINTMENTS
Parents will need to share early dismissal information with the front office and their child’s teacher. Pick up and drop off will be done outside at Door 1. Please bring ID and ring the bell.
VISITORS
Due to health protocols and procedures, visitors will not be allowed in the school building during arrival, dismissal or lunch. If you need to communicate with a staff member, we recommend that you reach out to them via email.
VOLUNTEERING
We appreciate our volunteers, but we are unable to accommodate in person volunteering currently.
TRANSPORTATION
We will be receiving the bus runs from Transportation soon. This information will be shared with you in the coming weeks as Transportation finalizes the route sheets.
LUNCH
Lunch will be in the classroom. Every child will be offered lunch through the cafeteria (currently at no cost). Alternatively, students may bring lunch from home in a disposable container (no reusable containers or thermoses).
Due to health protocols and procedures, visitors will not be allowed during lunch at this time.
SNACKS
If you choose to send a snack with your child, everything needs to be disposable. Reusable water bottles will be allowed at this time.
RECESS
All students will have a recess. In-person students will be going outside and will use individualized equipment. The playground will not be used.
SPECIALS
At GES, the specials (PE, Music, Art, Library, Band, Strings) for Pre-K – 6th grade will continue to be concurrent in the classroom. The specialized teacher will be traveling to the classroom. The students will not be traveling to specials.
COMPUTERS
Your child will bring their laptop to school and back home on each in-person learning day. They must bring their laptop in a protective sleeve (to fit a 13.5” laptop) or in a backpack with a padded laptop compartment. The computer should come to school fully charged each day. Please keep the laptop charger in the backpack.
SUPPLIES
Supply pick-up is currently being scheduled. Garfield will have items for each student to replenish the items received at the beginning of the school year. Individual teachers and grade levels may have additional supplies/items. Students will not be able to transport items back and forth to minimize health concerns. They will have supplies at school and supplies to use at home.
MEDICATION
Parents will need to drop off medication and the appropriate medication forms to the school ahead of time. Call the school for an appointment to drop off medication. This needs to be done before your child returns to in-person learning.
Thank you for your patience as teachers work really hard to prepare for the concurrent teaching model and to welcome our Eagles back to school.
Warm regards,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
Ms. Christie Yarn, Assistant Principal
PTA Meeting Links
If you missed last night's meeting, you may review the recording here.
Join our PTA Remind https://www.remind.com/join/g22150
Website for T-shirts and yearbooks: https://garfieldelementarypta.square.site/
Share your recipe at https://tinyurl.com/garfieldrecipes
Volunteer with the PTA next year? Email Jennifer at @email
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We are fortunate, even in this virtual environment, to host ten high school students from Madeira School in McLean. They will be volunteering their time to support our teachers in the virtual classrooms in a variety of ways. We are thrilled that they can join us during this year’s annual volunteer tradition occurring February 9th – March 12th.
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Virginia Kindness Week!
Follow us on Twitter!
|
Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
Return to school forms!
Please go to ParentVue to complete health and consent forms required for the return to school.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information.
February 10, 2021
Greetings Eagle Families,
Welcome to the countdown to the Return to School for our in-person students. As Principal, it gives me great joy to interact with our students! I am excited to welcome our learners back into our building. Please note, we are sending this communication to all families regardless of virtual or in-person preference.
We recognize there are a lot of questions and unknowns about what in-person school and concurrent instruction will look like. It is our goal in the coming weeks to equip our students, staff, and families with all of the important information about school procedures, health and safety protocols, and concurrent instruction best practices so that our entire school community can feel confident and reassured as we embark on this next chapter of school together. I will share some of this information tomorrow night at the PTA meeting. Please use the information below to join us. The meeting will also be recorded and shared in English and Spanish if for some reason you are unable to attend.
Topic: Garfield PTA Meeting
Time: Feb 11, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88986798996?pwd=YngvbGFTOXh1NU5uand1aFZIUkFXZz09
Meeting ID: 889 8679 8996
Passcode: jq1w0e
I want to thank you ahead of time for your grace and understanding that not all the information is final. We will rely on your flexibility and positivity over the next few weeks as we iron out our plans.
NEW BELL SCHEDULE
Beginning February 16th, the bell schedule for all Garfield students is as follows:
Garfield ES Bell Schedule
K-6 Classes 9:45 am - 4:15 pm
Head start (FECEP) 9:45 am - 4:15 pm
*The building opens for in-person students on their designated date below at 9:35 am. Classes begin promptly at 9:45 am. Students are expected to be in the classroom when the second bell rings at 9:45 am. Attendance records are marked “tardy” when a student is late for and not in their classroom by 9:45 am. Supervision for students will begin at 9:35 am. There is no supervision after school dismisses at 4:15 pm.
IN-PERSON LEARNING DATES
The following is the schedule for GES Return to Learn and in-person instruction:
- February 23rd - PreK and Kindergarten students
- March 9th - 1st and 2nd grade students
- March 16th - 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th grade students
If you selected in-person learning, your student has been assigned two days for in-person instruction. Monday’s will be an asynchronous day for all students. The other two days are concurrent/synchronous.
- Students with last names beginning with A-K will be in-person on Tues and Wed*
- Students with last names beginning with L-Z will be in-person on Thurs and Fri*
*There are a few exceptions to this rule to account for social distancing. You will receive a letter giving the in-person dates specific to your student in the coming weeks.
ONLINE LEARNING SCHEDULE
If you selected online learning, your child’s schedule is as follows:
- Monday is an Asynchronous Day for everyone
- Tuesday-Friday will be Concurrent/Synchronous 4 days a week.
*Instructional schedules will be finalized and shared soon
ATTENDANCE
In Virginia, public school students aged 5-18 are required to attend school regularly. That is true whether FCPS is offering distance learning or in-person instruction. Teachers will take attendance during learning sessions and ensure that all students are counted. Parents can find more information at FCPS Return to School.
Monday Attendance
All students are expected to be in attendance on Mondays. Attendance can be recorded through participation in morning meeting, completion of a google form assigned by the teacher, participation in small group support or asynchronously. This may change in the coming weeks. I will keep you updated.
Attendance Reporting
State law requires that parents provide a satisfactory explanation for a child’s absence for all or any part of the school day. This will eliminate the need for the school to make a call to the home or workplace to confirm absences.
You can provide attendance information in one of these ways:
- Attendance Form
- Attendance Answering Machine: 703-923-2929 (messages can be left 24 hours a day)
- Attendance Email: @email
Please be sure to provide:
- Your child’s full name
- The teacher’s name and grade
- The reason for the absence or tardy
- If your child is sick, please provide a specific description of the illness.
LATE ARRIVALS
Parents will need to walk their student to door 1 and ring the bell. A staff member will come out to receive your student.
EARLY DISMISSALS/APPOINTMENTS
Parents will need to share early dismissal information with the front office and their child’s teacher. Pick up and drop off will be done outside at Door 1. Please bring ID and ring the bell.
VISITORS
Due to health protocols and procedures, visitors will not be allowed in the school building during arrival, dismissal or lunch. If you need to communicate with a staff member, we recommend that you reach out to them via email.
VOLUNTEERING
We appreciate our volunteers, but we are unable to accommodate in person volunteering currently.
TRANSPORTATION
We will be receiving the bus runs from Transportation soon. This information will be shared with you in the coming weeks as Transportation finalizes the route sheets.
LUNCH
Lunch will be in the classroom. Every child will be offered lunch through the cafeteria (currently at no cost). Alternatively, students may bring lunch from home in a disposable container (no reusable containers or thermoses).
Due to health protocols and procedures, visitors will not be allowed during lunch at this time.
SNACKS
If you choose to send a snack with your child, everything needs to be disposable. Reusable water bottles will be allowed at this time.
RECESS
All students will have a recess. In-person students will be going outside and will use individualized equipment. The playground will not be used.
SPECIALS
At GES, the specials (PE, Music, Art, Library, Band, Strings) for Pre-K – 6th grade will continue to be concurrent in the classroom. The specialized teacher will be traveling to the classroom. The students will not be traveling to specials.
COMPUTERS
Your child will bring their laptop to school and back home on each in-person learning day. They must bring their laptop in a protective sleeve (to fit a 13.5” laptop) or in a backpack with a padded laptop compartment. The computer should come to school fully charged each day. Please keep the laptop charger in the backpack.
SUPPLIES
Supply pick-up is currently being scheduled. Garfield will have items for each student to replenish the items received at the beginning of the school year. Individual teachers and grade levels may have additional supplies/items. Students will not be able to transport items back and forth to minimize health concerns. They will have supplies at school and supplies to use at home.
MEDICATION
Parents will need to drop off medication and the appropriate medication forms to the school ahead of time. Call the school for an appointment to drop off medication. This needs to be done before your child returns to in-person learning.
IN-PERSON LEARNING REQUIRED FORMS
Prior to your child’s return to in-person learning, you will need to make sure that the following forms have been completed:
Parent Health Commitment Form
As students return to school, parents/guardians will be asked to acknowledge a Health Screening Commitment form before their student(s) may return to the school building. This document indicates the parent or guardian’s agreement and commitment to completing a daily health screening prior to sending the student to school and to keep sick students at home. You have two options to provide your response.
- All parents who have indicated their child will attend in-person instruction will have access to this form in Parent VUE. Parents/guardians may access the document in their preferred language and will receive reminders in Parent VUE until the form has been submitted.
- If you do not have a Parent VUE account, you may provide your commitment on a hardcopy form. You will find the commitment form and all translated versions here.
One parent/guardian must acknowledge the commitment prior to their child coming to school in-person. Students whose parent/guardian have not returned a signed Parent/Guardian Health Screening Commitment form will be required to complete a health screening until the form is received. Once one parent has completed the Health Screening Commitment form, the form will no longer appear in Parent VUE for any related parent.
There are a couple ways to update and send in your 2020-2021 Emergency Care and Health form. Please keep in mind that we cannot accept Emergency Care/Health forms that are not signed and dated within the 2020-21 school year (starting September 2020).
If you already have a Parent SIS account, you can go to the we Care module and update it. The link for that is weCare@school. Make sure to click “SUBMIT” and we will receive confirmation at the school that you have updated it. We will then be able to print it out for our records.
We ask that you please do not send in any photos of forms.
- If you do not have a Parent VUE account, you may provide your commitment on a hardcopy form. You will find the commitment form and all translated versions at Parent Health Commitment Form.
Your Principal,
April L. Cage, NBCT, M.Ed.
February 5, 2021
African American History Month
Carter G. Woodson
Did you know that he was born in Virginia and earned his doctorate from Harvard? He dedicated his life and career to African American History. He is often referred to as the Father of Black History Month.
Students are coming back soon!
New Bell Schedule 9:45- 4:15
Dear Eagle families,
The third quarter is here! We are excited that our Eagles are making progress and working hard to learn new content! We sincerely hope you had a chance to get outside and enjoy the snow! It was so nice to finally get enough snow to make a snowman and sled with family and friends while social distancing.
As we get closer and closer to returning to school in person, I wanted to bring your attention to a few things. On February 11, we will have our month PTA meeting. I will share all return to school updates there. It will be recorded and shared in case you are unable to make it. The new bell schedule will begin on February 16, 2021.
At this time, families have already made their choice for in-person or virtual learning. Names have already been submitted to transportation and bus routes have been created for the FCPS hybrid model being offered. It would be very difficult to make any adjustments to our schedule at this time. We have made changes to classroom teachers and rosters to support family choice and to maintain the maximum amount of safety with room and building capacity according to the CDC. We'd like to thank you in advance for honoring this system and we look forward to seeing your student in person or online.
Warm regards,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
Ms. Christie Yarn, Assistant Principal
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Dates to Remember for Garfield ES February 23 Group 5: PreK, Kindergarten and Special Education March 9 Group 6: Grades 1- 2 March 16 Group 7: Grades 3 - 6
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- Monday, February 8 Asynchronous/small group Instruction
- Tuesday, February 9 - Synchronous/Asynchronous Instruction
- Wednesday, February 10 - Synchronous/Asynchronous Instruction
- Thursday, February 11 - Synchronous/Asynchronous Instruction/ PTA
- Friday, February 12 - Report cards/Synchronous/Asynchronous Instruction
Elementary Progress Report
Progress reports will be up and ready for parent view on Saturday, February 6th. You can see your student's progress in SIS. Copies have also been mailed home. You will receive them next week.
Spirit Week is Back!
Follow us on Twitter!
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Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
Return to school forms!
Please go to ParentVue to complete health and consent forms required for the return to school.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information.
January 29, 2021
Available in multiple languages
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If you would like to read this newsletter in your home language, please use this link. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-school-year |
African American History Month
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During the month of February, we honor, celebrate and explore the contributions of African Americans around the world. As a school, this is just the beginning! We will continue to celebrate and highlight our school community and what makes us unique! |
Student Transfer Renewals
Applications Open February 15, 2021
A student transfer is valid for one year only. A parent or guardian must submit a renewal application each year for student transfer consideration (SIS Parent Account required). A renewal application may be submitted for students who continue to meet the same student transfer criteria as indicated on the original student transfer request. For students no longer meeting the same student transfer criteria, a new transfer request must be submitted.
For detailed information regarding the new renewal process, please view the Student Transfer Information website.
Warm regards,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
Ms. Christie Yarn, Assistant Principal
Mrs. Dougherty we celebrate YOU!
I don't know what we would do without Mrs. Dougherty! She works tirelessly for our school community! We are lucky to have her!
I am placing her email address below if you and or your child would like to send her a special message of appreciation. @email or [email protected]
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- Monday, February 1, Asynchronous/small group Instruction
- Tuesday, February 2 - Synchronous/Asynchronous Instruction
- Wednesday, February 3 - Synchronous/Asynchronous Instruction
- Thursday, February 4 - Synchronous/Asynchronous Instruction
- Friday, February 5 - Report cards/Synchronous/Asynchronous Instruction
Elementary Progress Report
Next week, progress reports will be sent home. Please use the information below to better understand your child's progress at this time. The school website will have a link on the front page to explain in multiple languages.
Second grade Weather Mindmaps
PTA Meeting Update
Our next PTA meeting is scheduled for February 11, 2021. Please look for additional information about how to join the meeting.
Follow us on Twitter!
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Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
Return to school forms!
Please go to ParentVue to complete health and consent forms required for the return to school.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information.
January 22, 2021
What a lovely surprise from you!
Dear Garfield Eagles,
The highly awaited plan for return to school has been shared. I have attached an updated picture of the schedule below. Please take some time to review the timeline with your family. For some students, returning to school can bring on anxiety and worry. Here are a few resources to help with those conversations. Back to School Anxiety During Covid As more details become available and specifics about how the timeline impacts Garfield, we will share.
As a gentle reminder...
We will switch Daily Grab & Go meal service at Garfield ES to a bulk, weekly distribution. Bulk meal service has been very well received at locations across Fairfax County and allows for increased flexibility with food distribution during times of inclement weather and as students return to school buildings for in-person instruction.
Every Wednesday, bulk meal kits with 7 days-worth of breakfast, lunch, snack, and supper will be available for students in your community. This change will take effect on February 10th and will be updated on the FCPS food resource webpage - https://www.fcps.edu/return-school/food
Important Information
Please use the designated links at the bottom of this newsletter to complete all school forms. It is important that we have this information as we prepare to welcome students back to in-person learning.
Warm regards,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
Ms. Christie Yarn, Assistant Principal
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Dates to Remember |
- Monday, January 25- no classes due to Staff Development Day
- Tuesday, January 26 - Synchronous/Asynchronous Instruction
- Wednesday, January 27 - Synchronous/Asynchronous Instruction
- Thursday, January 28 - Synchronous/Asynchronous Instruction
- Friday, January 29 - Synchronous/Asynchronous Instruction
PTA Garfield shirts and Yearbooks!
The Garfield PTA is selling the newly designed Garfield Eagle T-Shirts and 2019-2020 Yearbooks.
Check out https://garfieldelementarypta.square.site/membership and look under "Eagle Shop" to purchase.
PTA Meeting Update
Our PTA is interested in hosting a recipe share night. Please use the link below to add your recipe to the group. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeoLpDN0Im8Oj7qoKhZADsJmID8RRTrY-tpxTxH_P2BNqFIzA/viewform?usp=sf_link
And just in case you missed the last PTA meeting, we've placed a link here for you. https://youtu.be/EphQBfCBqOE
Our next PTA meeting is scheduled for February 11, 2021. Please look for additional information about how to join the meeting.
Follow us on Twitter!
|
Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
Return to school forms!
Please go to ParentVue to complete health and consent forms required for the return to school.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information.
January 15, 2021
Remembering MLK on 1/18/21
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We are proud to answer this! Garfield is all about helping and supporting others! We are a community school! We take care of each other and appreciate our differences. #EaglePride |
Dear Garfield Eagles,
We are in our 2nd week back after break and routines and procedures are well underway. As a gentle reminder, please inform the school when you and your family are traveling outside of the country. FCPS prohibits taking student devices with you. The classroom teacher can offer multiple ways to stay connected to current classroom instruction during your child's absence.
Bulk Meals coming soon...
Daily Grab & Go meal service at Garfield ES will move to a bulk, weekly distribution. Bulk meal service has been very well received at locations across Fairfax County and allows for increased flexibility with food distribution during times of inclement weather and as students return to school buildings for in-person instruction.
Every Wednesday, bulk meal kits with 7 days-worth of breakfast, lunch, snack, and supper will be available for students in your community. This change will take effect on February 10th and will be updated on the FCPS food resource webpage - https://www.fcps.edu/return-school/food
Some of you may know that Mrs. Waters is now on Maternity leave. She had a beautiful baby boy and they are both healthy and doing very well. Ms. Christie Yarn, Assistant Principal at Belvoir Primary will be assisting us in her absence.
Warm regards,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
Ms. Christie Yarn, Assistant Principal
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Dates to Remember |
- Monday, January 18 - no classes due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Wednesday, January 20 - no classes due to the Presidential Inauguration
- Friday, January 22 - 2 hour early release for students (2:05 pm)
- Monday, January 25- no classes due to Staff Development Day
PTA Garfield shirts and Yearbooks!
The Garfield PTA is selling the newly designed Garfield Eagle T-Shirts and 2019-2020 Yearbooks.
Check out https://garfieldelementarypta.square.site/membership and look under "Eagle Shop" to purchase.
PTA Meeting Update
Our PTA is interested in hosting a recipe share night. Please use the link below to add your recipe to the group. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeoLpDN0Im8Oj7qoKhZADsJmID8RRTrY-tpxTxH_P2BNqFIzA/viewform?usp=sf_link
And just in case you missed the last PTA meeting, we've placed a link here for you. https://youtu.be/EphQBfCBqOE
Our next PTA meeting is scheduled for February 11, 2021. Please look for additional information about how to join the meeting.
Follow us on Twitter!
|
Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
Return to school forms!
Please go to ParentVue to complete health and consent forms required for the return to school.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information.
January 8, 2021
Available in multiple languages
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If you would like to read this newsletter in your home language, please use this link. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-school-year |
It's going to be a great year!
Dear Garfield Eagles,
It with great excitement that we welcome you into the new year! While there were many things that challenged our families and life as we knew it in 2020, we are stronger, wiser, and braver than before! It is our sincere hope that you and your loved ones have had a chance to reconnect and reset for the new year. Mrs. Waters and I have been in classrooms and have enjoyed seeing our students smile and laugh while making connections to the content. They continue to show Eagle Pride! Teachers are also very excited to see your students and have been preparing and planning for their arrival. Please know that you are always able to reach out to the teacher should you have any concerns or questions about their student progress.
On January 5, the Fairfax County School Board held a work session to discuss plans to bring students and staff back to school for in-person instruction. During this session, members reviewed the COVID-19 metrics for our area and listened to concerns from many parents and staff. It was decided that FCPS will pause on return to school plans for students and staff at this time. All students will participate in virtual learning until further notice. The school board will meet again on Tuesday, February 2, to review plans for returning to in-person instruction. We will continue to use the current bell schedule (9:20-4:05) at this time. Thank you for your continued support and patience as we navigate this school year together. As always, updates will be provided as we receive them.
Warm regards,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
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- Monday, January 11 - Asynchronous day, no small groups
- Monday, January 18 - no classes due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Wednesday, January 20 - no classes due to the Presidential Inauguration
- Friday, January 22 - 2 hour early release for students (2:05 pm)
- Monday, January 25- no classes due to Staff Development Day
PTA Garfield shirts and Yearbooks!
The Garfield PTA is selling the newly designed Garfield Eagle T-Shirts and 2019-2020 Yearbooks.
Check out https://garfieldelementarypta.square.site/membership and look under "Eagle Shop" to purchase.
Follow us on Twitter!
|
Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
Healthy Minds
Return to school forms!
Please go to ParentVue to complete health and consent forms required for the return to school.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information.
December 18, 2020
Available in multiple languages
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If you would like to read this newsletter in your home language, please use this link. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-school-year |
Happy Holidays! Happy New Year!
We are so excited to see you in 2021! It will be nice to get back to some normalcy as we invite larger groups of students back into the building.
New Bell Schedule 9:45- 4:15
Dear Garfield Eagles,
Each year, the Office of Transportation Services reviews the bell schedules for all Fairfax County public schools and makes minor adjustments as necessary to improve on-time arrivals.
As you can imagine, developing this school year’s bell schedule has been extremely challenging due to the pandemic.
You may remember that new school bell schedules were announced in July. Our school’s bell schedule was changed. However, given the all-virtual start to the school year, there was no need to implement the new bell schedule.
At the School Board Work session on December 10, Superintendent Brabrand presented a revised phased- plan to return all students who have selected the in-person option starting in January, 2021. Staff worked to improve start times and end times for all levels.
Barring any changes to the plan that may be impacted by the pandemic, the following bell schedule will be in place effective January 12, 2021 for both virtual and in- person instruction.
Return to School Bell Schedule
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Middle School |
7:30-2:00 |
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Secondary School |
8:20-2:50 |
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High School |
8:20-2:50 |
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Thomas Jefferson |
8:40-3:45 |
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Elementary School |
9:00-3:30 or 9:45-4:15 |
We feel this plan is a significant improvement and less disruptive over what was presented in the original plan last summer.
The fifteen (15) minute reduction in the school day is due to the increased cleaning time required between bus runs. Additionally, as more students return to school, the number of students allowed on each bus will be reduced substantially to meet social distancing requirements. With fewer students able to ride a bus at the same time, FCPS has no choice but to adjust the times that our buses are transporting students.
We understand that changes may present a hardship to some of our families and staff. However, it is the only way we can return all our grade levels to in-person learning, while following the critical guidelines to help keep our students and staff safe.
Thank you for your understanding.
Kind regards,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
PTA Garfield shirts and Yearbooks!
The Garfield PTA is selling the newly designed Garfield Eagle T-Shirts and 2019-2020 Yearbooks.
Check out https://garfieldelementarypta.square.site/membership and look under "Eagle Shop" to purchase.
Follow us on Twitter!
|
Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
Best wishes for a great year!
Return to school forms!
The Parent Consent Form is just one of the forms we need you to review and/or fill out as the school year begins. Usually we provide paper copies of these forms in our First Day Packet. For this virtual environment, we have adapted that process to a digital format. Please visit the Garfield Virtual first day forms page on our school website and follow the directions for each form if applicable to your family.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information.
Virtual Snow Pictures! We've got some creative Eagles!
December 11, 2020
Available in multiple languages
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If you would like to read this newsletter in your home language, please use this link. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-school-year |
Bell Schedule Change
Over the summer, FCPS introduced the idea of two different bell schedules for elementary schools. The time change reflects the time it will take to clean buses between routes, number kids on a bus at one time and multiple schools sharing buses. In October, we shared that our new bell schedule would change to 10:05 - 4:50. If this schedule and new Metric are approved by the school board on January 5th, students in groups 1-5 will begin reporting to school on January 12th. A draft picture of the phasing in of students is posted below. Dr. Brabrand and his team presented this draft to the school board on the evening of December 10th. We are sharing this with you in case you missed the meeting. This is only a proposed schedule at this time. We will know more after January 5, 2021.
Announcement
Dear Garfield Eagles,
Remember the dates below. There are a few more days fun before we leave for winter break!
Here are the dates and activities!
- Tuesday, December 15th, Gratitude of Gelt Day
- Wednesday, December 16th, Kuumba (Day of Creativity)
- Friday, December 18th, Festive Sweater Day
Here's how you can join in on the fun!
December 15: Gelt is a sweet treat during Hanukkah. You know what else is sweet? Sharing gratitude for those you are thankful for. Send a quick message of gratitude directly to a loved one. Spreading Cheer!
December 16: Kuumba (Creativity)- This is a principle of Kwanzaa. Tap into your inner creative self somehow today and do something different. Try something different. Make something different.
December 18: Festive Sweater Day: Tweet/Email those pictures to your teacher of tweet us @GarfieldESfcps
Send your teacher pictures of how you participate! Help us spread smiles and laughter across our school community!
Kind regards,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
PTA Garfield shirts and Yearbooks!
The Garfield PTA is selling the newly designed Garfield Eagle T-Shirts and 2019-2020 Yearbooks.
Check out https://garfieldelementarypta.square.site/membership and look under "Eagle Shop" to purchase.
Follow us on Twitter!
|
Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
Upcoming Events
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12/14 Asynchronous and Small group work 12/15 Day of gratitude, Synchronous learning 12/16 Day of creativity, Synchronous learning 12/17 Synchronous learning 12/18 Festive sweater day, Synchronous learning |
Check out our rendition of "Frosty the Snowman!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDvUgP3r9gU
Click the link above and have a little sing-along fun with us!
Return to school forms!
The Parent Consent Form is just one of the forms we need you to review and/or fill out as the school year begins. Usually we provide paper copies of these forms in our First Day Packet. For this virtual environment, we have adapted that process to a digital format. Please visit the Garfield Virtual first day forms page on our school website and follow the directions for each form if applicable to your family.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information.
December 11, 2020
Message from FCPS Superintendent’s Office
Dear Families of Students in Group 3,
We are writing to let you know that current health metrics in our region are trending in a direction where it may soon become necessary for your student to return to virtual instruction.
For Group 3, we use the metric of the percentage of positive COVID-19 tests over the last 14 days in Fairfax County. If that number exceeds 10% for seven consecutive days, Group 3 students return to virtual instruction. Today, we learned there was a backlog of data posted to the Virginia Department of Health website and that this metric exceeded 10% on Sunday, December 6. If this trend continues for the next two days, your student will return to virtual instruction beginning Monday, December 14. We will notify you of this change as soon as the data is available to us on Saturday, December 12.
We realize that this is not easy news to hear, but we hope that this letter of caution will give you time to prepare. Again, this is not an official notification that your student is returning to all virtual instruction. Should that become necessary, you will receive a separate notice from your school with specific details for your student.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that schools can reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission if they strictly follow mitigation strategies. We are in the process of collecting data at our schools and determining the thresholds for this core indicator so that even if community transmission rates remain high, we will be able to return more students to in-person instruction.
To help keep you informed, this information is updated daily on our website. FCPS is also tweeting the daily numbers on our FCPS Twitter account.
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) provides the new numbers before noon each day. Once the latest information is released, FCPS will move as quickly as possible to inform impacted families.
It is a challenging time and we understand this can be frustrating and difficult for families and staff. Thank you for your understanding.
Sincerely,
April L. Cage, Principal
December 4, 2020
Announcements
Dear Garfield Eagles,
As 2020 ends, we'd like to have a little fun and celebrate the coming holiday time together! Over the years, we've learned about a variety of ways our school community celebrates with family and friends. While this year will look different for us all, we can work together to spread a little cheer in hopes of keeping our small, tight-knit community together.
Here are the dates and activities!
- Monday, December 7th, Holiday share flip grid
- Wednesday, December 9th, Build a Snowman
- Friday, December 11th, Pajama Day
- Tuesday, December 15th, Gratitude of Gelt Day
- Wednesday, December 16th, Kuumba (Day of Creativity)
- Friday, December 18th, Festive Sweater Day
Here's how you can join in on the fun!
December 7: Holiday Tradition Share- What are some traditions that you and your family share during the holidays?
December 9: Do you want to Build a Snowman? - Use whatever you have on hand to create a snowman.
December 11: Pajama Day!! Wear your pajamas
December 15: Gelt is a sweet treat during Hanukkah. You know what else is sweet? Sharing gratitude for those you are thankful for. Send a quick message of gratitude directly to a loved one. Spreading Cheer!
December 16: Kuumba (Creativity)- This is a principle of Kwanzaa. Tap into your inner creative self somehow today and do something different. Try something different. Make something different.
December 18: Festive Sweater Day: Tweet/Email those pictures to your teacher of tweet us @GarfieldESfcps
Send your teacher pictures of how you participate! Help us spread smiles and laughter across our school community!
Kind regards,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
There's still time for Outstanding Employee Awards
Each year, Fairfax County Public Schools celebrates employees that are outstanding in their field. Anyone in the Garfield community can nominate a Garfield staff member for an Outstanding Employee Award.
To submit a nomination for a Garfield ES Outstanding Employee in one of the categories below, please complete the nomination through the attached form.
You may nominate one employee at our school or multiple employees (one individual may only nominate one employee per category.)
All that is required for a preliminary nomination is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work in the criteria for that category. The google form link has more information regarding the criteria for each of these awards and the eligibility requirements are below.
Outstanding Teacher
Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category
Outstanding New Teacher
Eligibility: Has up to three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category
Outstanding Principal
Eligibility: Has at least four years of experience as a building principal (in any school/school district)
Outstanding Leader
Eligibility: At least one year of experience in their current position as a Schedule-C or School-Based Administrator scale employee (that is not the building principal):
Common positions in this category: Assistant and Associate Principals, Director of Student Activities, Director of Student Services
Outstanding Professional Employee
Eligibility: At least one year experience in current position as a Schedule-B employee or other non-instructional employee in a school that supports school leadership
Common positions in this category: School-Based Technology Specialist, Technology Support Specialist, Assessment Coach, Career Center Specialist, Instructional Coach, Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor, Safety and Security Specialist, Resource Teachers that serve in an administrative role in a school
Outstanding Operational Employee
Eligibility: At least one year of experience in current position as Schedule-A or Classroom Instructional Support Scale employee
Common positions in this category: Administrative and Office Staff, Safety and Security Assistant, Custodial Staff, Food Service Staff, IA, PHA, PHTA, Parent Liaisons
The deadline has been extended! You have more time.
If you have any questions, please contact Janet Dougherty at [email protected].
Follow us on Twitter!
|
Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
Upcoming Events
|
12/7 Small groups and Asynchronous day Holiday flipgrid share 12/8 Synchronous day of learning 12/9 Synchronous day of learning Build a Snowman 12/10 Synchronous day of learning 12/11 Synchronous day of learning Pajama Day |
Return to school forms!
The Parent Consent Form is just one of the forms we need you to review and/or fill out as the school year begins. Usually we provide paper copies of these forms in our First Day Packet. For this virtual environment, we have adapted that process to a digital format. Please visit the Garfield Virtual first day forms page on our school website and follow the directions for each form if applicable to your family.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information.
November 23, 2020
What are you grateful for?
Would you like to share with your school community things that make you happy or what you are grateful for? Parents can use the link below to help their student share a special dish/recipe or something they are grateful for with a quick video clip. We hope you'll participate and help us all stay connected during this holiday season.
Here is the link for students to connect with the PTA Flipgrid: https://flipgrid.com/6dfca4f4
Announcements
Dear Garfield Eagles,
Thank you for all of your support over the past few weeks. So many of you have reached out to thank a teacher or the staff in general for the wonderful experiences your children are having. We appreciate your thoughtfulness as we continue to navigate distance learning. With the recent pause for group 5 many questions have come up. Currently, FCPS has not determined a date for returning to school. They are closely monitoring Covid cases and referring to the metrics put in place for guidance. We hope to have more information to share at our December 3rd PTA meeting.
Reminder: Referral Window for Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) Level IV Screening Consideration Ends December 1
Tuesday, December 1 is the close of the window (Sept 8-Dec 1) for parents to submit a referral form for their student to be screened for full-time Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) Level IV. The parent referral form, submitted to the school, is one pathway to have a student screened for AAP Level IV. Parents should not wait for an announcement of the second grade screening pool if they want to make sure their student is screened for AAP Level IV in the coming cycle. Parents of students in grades 2-7 will need to submit the referral form by December 1.
Referrals will not be accepted after December 1.
All forms should be emailed to our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, Sally Chadbourn at @email. Referrals will not be accepted after the deadline.
Kind regards,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
Outstanding Employee Awards
Each year, Fairfax County Public Schools celebrates employees that are outstanding in their field. Anyone in the Garfield community can nominate a Garfield staff member for an Outstanding Employee Award.
To submit a nomination for a Garfield ES Outstanding Employee in one of the categories below, please complete the nomination through the attached form.
You may nominate one employee at our school or multiple employees (one individual may only nominate one employee per category.)
All that is required for a preliminary nomination is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work in the criteria for that category. The google form link has more information regarding the criteria for each of these awards and the eligibility requirements are below.
Outstanding Teacher
Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category
Outstanding New Teacher
Eligibility: Has up to three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category
Outstanding Principal
Eligibility: Has at least four years of experience as a building principal (in any school/school district)
Outstanding Leader
Eligibility: At least one year of experience in their current position as a Schedule-C or School-Based Administrator scale employee (that is not the building principal):
Common positions in this category: Assistant and Associate Principals, Director of Student Activities, Director of Student Services
Outstanding Professional Employee
Eligibility: At least one year experience in current position as a Schedule-B employee or other non-instructional employee in a school that supports school leadership
Common positions in this category: School-Based Technology Specialist, Technology Support Specialist, Assessment Coach, Career Center Specialist, Instructional Coach, Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor, Safety and Security Specialist, Resource Teachers that serve in an administrative role in a school
Outstanding Operational Employee
Eligibility: At least one year of experience in current position as Schedule-A or Classroom Instructional Support Scale employee
Common positions in this category: Administrative and Office Staff, Safety and Security Assistant, Custodial Staff, Food Service Staff, IA, PHA, PHTA, Parent Liaisons
The deadline to submit a nomination is close of business on Monday, November 30, 2020.
If you have any questions, please contact Janet Dougherty at [email protected].
Follow us on Twitter!
|
Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
Parent Meeting from 10/30
If you missed our meeting about returning to school, please take some time to listen to the recording. You will hear us talk about scenarios, FCPS protocols safety measures, transportation and so much more!
https://us.bbcollab.com/recording/26a4c6af2203482198e537fcb7ded57b
Upcoming Events
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11/23 Asynchronous day and small groups 11/24 Synchronous day of learning 11/25 - 11/ 27 Thanksgiving Break The PTA meeting has been reschedule to December 3rd. Information will be coming soon on how to join. |
Return to school forms!
The Parent Consent Form is just one of the forms we need you to review and/or fill out as the school year begins. Usually we provide paper copies of these forms in our First Day Packet. For this virtual environment, we have adapted that process to a digital format. Please visit the Garfield Virtual first day forms page on our school website and follow the directions for each form if applicable to your family.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information.
November 13, 2020
1st and 2nd grade Return to SchoolDr. Brabrand announced the change to the start date for grades 1 and 2 for the return to school for in-person instruction to December 8. In order for teachers to prepare for students to return to in-person, 1st and 2nd grades will be asynchronous on November 30th, December 3rd , December 4th and December 7th. |
Dear Garfield Eagles,
The first quarter has ended and there is so much to celebrate! Our school community has worked hard to collaborate to ensure student engagement and learning. With so much support, we've been able to see an increase in student participation.
Next week, our Head start and Kindergarten classes will return along with a few special classes. Families have been notified and will receive a letter in the mail. The letter will provide you with additional details on the days for instruction and transportation.
Please make sure you have completed all necessary forms and have been practicing having your children wearing a mask properly for long periods of time. We are excited to have students return. Please see the last section of this newsletter for all important forms when returning to school.
As students return to school it will be like the first day of school, so there may be delays with transportation and slight adjustments in schedules. Teachers will keep you up to date on any changes that may impact your child’s schedule.
Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) Level IV Screening
Parents of students in grades 2-6 who would like their child to be screened for full-time Advanced Academic services may submit a Level IV Referral form. The referral form is available at https://www.fcps.edu/node/38893 and is due by December 1, 2020.
All forms should be emailed to our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, Sally Chadbourn at @email. Referrals will not be accepted after the deadline.
A parent session about AAP Screening will be held from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 18. Please contact Ms. Chadbourn for the BBCU link or for more information about Advanced Academic Programs.
Student Illness at Home
If a student becomes ill at home, the student should stay home from school. Parents need to contact the school and report the reason for their child’s absence. Parents will need to follow established procedures when contacting the school regarding student illness. Parents/guardians will be required to complete and return the Permission to Return to School/Child Care Form when the student returns. The form will be completed by the health care provider and will indicate to the school when the student may safely return.
Kind regards,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
Do you need a ParentVue Account?
A Student Information System (SIS) ParentVue Account provides online access to a wealth of information. Please consider signing up for an account. Signing up allows you to access the following:
- Online report card viewing
- Update your child’s Emergency Care Form
- Bus stop Information via the Bus Stop module
- Attendance
- Monitor assignments
- Access course materials
- Monitor class performance
Get more information on SIS ParentVue accounts
Watch this video to learn how to set up your ParentVue account
Follow us on Twitter!
|
Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
Parent Meeting from 10/30
If you missed our meeting about returning to school, please take some time to listen to the recording. You will hear us talk about scenarios, FCPS protocols safety measures, transportation and so much more!
https://us.bbcollab.com/recording/26a4c6af2203482198e537fcb7ded57b
Upcoming Events
|
There will be a PTA meeting on Thursday, November 19th at 7:00 pm. Please look for additional information on how to participate in the meeting as we get closer to that date.
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Return to school forms!
The Parent Consent Form is just one of the forms we need you to review and/or fill out as the school year begins. Usually we provide paper copies of these forms in our First Day Packet. For this virtual environment, we have adapted that process to a digital format. Please visit the Garfield Virtual first day forms page on our school website and follow the directions for each form if applicable to your family.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information.
November 6, 2020
Thank you for your service!
Two Hour Early Release - November 11th
As a reminder, Wednesday, November 11, is a two-hour early release day in honor of Veterans Day. Your student will have a synchronous day. School will end at 2:05 pm.
Dear Garfield Eagles,
Progress Reports
Your student's progress reports will be updated in ParentVue by Wednesday, November 11th. While some grades can be seen tomorrow, the report that is typically sent home for you to sign won't be populated until 11/11. Thank you for your patience and support as we navigate a new way of communicating progress with students and parents.
Student Illness
As your student returns to in-person instruction, when they are absent please indicate whether your child has any of the following symptoms:
-
- Feeling feverish or chills
- Fever greater than or equal to 100.4 F
- Headache (not due to another health condition, hunger, menstrual cramps stress, or injury)
- A new cough (not due to another health condition)
- Shortness of breath or breathing difficulties (not due to diagnosed respiratory condition or if different than normal pattern of chronic condition)
- A new sore throat (not due to another health condition)
- Congestion or runny nose (not related to allergies or health condition)
- Fatigue (more tired than normal or sudden onset)
- New muscle pain (not due to another health condition or that may have been caused by a specific activity such as physical exercise))
- New loss of taste, smell, or appetite
- Abdominal pain (not due to hunger, constipation, injury, or stress)
- Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
Student Illness at Home
If a student becomes ill at home, the student should stay home from school. Parents need to contact the school and report the reason for their child’s absence. Parents will need to follow established procedures when contacting the school regarding student illness. Parents/guardians will be required to complete and return the Permission to Return to School/Child Care Form when the student returns. The form will be completed by the health care provider and will indicate to the school when the student may safely return.
Kind regards,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
Follow us on Twitter!
|
Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
Photo of the week!
We are so grateful for the donations of supplies, support and genuine care of our school community! We would like to extend a warm thank you to all!
Upcoming Events
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Veterans Day, November 11th 2 hour early release |
Return to school forms!
Virtual First Day Packet
The Parent Consent Form is just one of the forms we need you to review and/or fill out as the school year begins. Usually we provide paper copies of these forms in our First Day Packet. For this virtual environment, we have adapted that process to a digital format. Please visit the Garfield Virtual first day forms page on our school website and follow the directions for each form if applicable to your family.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information.
October 30, 2020
Dear Garfield Eagles,
Please check for a message from e-Notify. It will include a message about this evenings meeting about reopening schools and what it will look like at Garfield. The current plan is for FCPS students to continue to return to in person learning at their local school. Garfield welcomed its first students last Monday. Our next group will return on November 16th. That group includes PreK/K students. For more updates and information about returning to school please visit Return to School
Quarterly Progress Report Option
Please consider going paperless. To access your child's paperless progress report, login to ParentVue, then go to "My Account" and select "Go Paperless."
Parents should select this option prior to November 6th to ensure they do not receive a printed copy of the first quarter progress report.
Kind regards,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
Virtual Wall of Honor for Veterans
We are collecting photos of our Garfield Elementary Veterans for our "Virtual Wall of Honor!" Please email pictures of your special Veteran to [email protected]. Remember to include the branch of service and their name. For example, Master Sgt. Zennie Peterson III.
Follow us on Twitter!
|
Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
Photo of the week!
It was so much fun to see what third graders and first graders were reading this week! Thank you Ms. Pareja, Ms. Keitelman and Ms. Jameson for these wonderful pictures!
Upcoming Events
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No School on November 2nd and 3rd.
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November
- 02 Teacher Workday, No school for students
- 03 Teacher Workday, Election Day, No school for students
- 04 Wednesday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 05 Thursday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 06 Friday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
Return to school forms!
Virtual First Day Packet
The Parent Consent Form is just one of the forms we need you to review and/or fill out as the school year begins. Usually we provide paper copies of these forms in our First Day Packet. For this virtual environment, we have adapted that process to a digital format. Please visit the Garfield Virtual first day forms page on our school website and follow the directions for each form if applicable to your family.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information.
October 26, 2020
Update your choice
Dear Garfield Families,
Thank you for your patience. Updates were made under Instructional planning to communicate planning time for teachers.
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is planning to bring additional student groups back to school for in-person instruction soon. We will follow strict safety and health protocols to minimize health risks for students and staff. To learn more, visit here.
RETURN TO SCHOOL SCHEDULE
The following groups of Garfield students will be returning to in-person instruction (start dates below are tentative and subject to change):
Group 5:
November 16 – tentative date
Early Head Start (infants and toddlers)
PreK (three and four year olds)
Kindergarten
Group 6:
November 30 - tentative date
Grades 1-2
Group 7:
January 4 – tentative date
Grades 3-6
Students who elect in-person instruction will receive two days of teacher-led instruction in the school building and two days of teacher-led instruction at home. Students who elect all-virtual learning will continue to receive four days of teacher-led instruction at home.
You only need to complete this form if you would like to submit a change to the choice you made in the FCPS July survey. We will honor the choice you made in the FCPS July survey to determine the setting for instruction. If you did not submit a survey in July, then your choice defaulted to in-person. If your circumstances have changed, please submit this form, and we will strive to accommodate your request based on the availability of staff and space. If you wish to keep this choice, no further action is needed, and you may exit this form.
Instructional Planning and Professional Development
Below are the upcoming Monday's for independent learning. I will explain more about this on Friday during our parent meeting. I will share examples of what this might look like and future Monday expectations.
Please expect asynchronous work on 11/9 for Kindergarten/Head Start.
Please expect asynchronous work on 11/16 for First and Second graders.
Please expect asynchronous work on 12/14 for grades 3-6.
November 20, 23, and 24 will be teacher workdays and independent learning.
UPDATE YOUR CHOICE BY FRIDAY, October 30, 2020.
Families were surveyed in July 2020 and non-responses defaulted to in-person instruction. We will use July responses in planning unless we have an updated communication from you by the due date of Friday, October 30, 2020 by 11:00 pm.
If your preferences have changed, or you wish to provide additional information in confirming your preferences, please call our office at 703-923-2900 or complete the applicable Google form below.
IF ENGLISH IS NOT YOUR FIRST LANGUAGE, LET OFFICE STAFF KNOW AND WE WILL CALL A THIRD-PARTY INTERPRETER AS NEEDED AND HELP YOU COMPLETE THE FORM.
Si habla español, llame a la oficina al para informarnos si desea que su hijo regrese a la escuela en persona o continúe con la instrucción virtual, y para ayudarlo a completar el formulario de Google correspondiente a continuación.
Please submit a separate form response for each child -enrolled at Garfield:
Updated preferences are due October 30th. Families will not be able to update preferences after this time. We will strive to minimize the impact of this transition; however, some students may experience a change in schedule or class assignment as we work to accommodate everyone’s preferences.
Parent Q&A session on Friday, October 30 at 6:30 PM about Return to School. Please submit questions by TUESDAY at 8 PM to guide this presentation using this link Return to School Q&A Garfield
We will send a link for the meeting very soon. Thank you for your support and partnership as we continue this journey to deliver the best instruction for all FCPS and Garfield students.
Kind regards,
April Cage, Principal
October 23, 2020
Dear Garfield Eagles,
Can you believe that the end of the first quarter is almost here? Students have been hard at work! We are so very proud of the work they've done! Class participation is at an all-time high! Students are checking in on Monday's to watch the news show and gather directions for their asynchronous work. They are learning in small groups to strengthen their skills. We couldn't do it without you! The partnership between home and school is so very special. We appreciate every parent and caregiver for your support!
Students will begin to return to school in phases. Garfield will share that information with families next week. For your student to return, you must complete the emergency care forms as well as the health questionnaire. Your student will not be permitted without these forms. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-return-to-school
Please watch a brief video of reopening schools and listen to a message from our Superintendent Dr. Brabrand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ivh2IogCwdU&feature=youtu.be
Supply pick-up is still available. Please email your child's teacher if you were unable to attend. Supplies are limited, so please reach out soon.
Kind regards,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
Lee Valley testing site will be at Garfield ES tomorrow from 9 - 1
For the month of October we will show our school spirit using the template below. Get ready to move on Monday and show us your pictures! Submit your photos to Mrs. Cage, Mrs. Waters or your classroom teacher!
Follow us on Twitter!
|
Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
Photo of the week!
Movement Monday and Talent Tuesday was a big hit in 1st grade! Thanks for sharing your pictures with us Yassine!
Upcoming Events
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Friday, October 30th, is a 2 hour early release day. That means class will end at 2:05 pm. There won't be any asynchronous work for students! Unplug and spend time doing an activity that you love as a family. |
October
- 26 Monday, Morning Meeting, Small groups, Clubs
- 27 Tuesday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 28 Wednesday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 29 Thursday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 30 Friday, 2 hour early release.
Return to school forms!
Virtual First Day Packet
The Parent Consent Form is just one of the forms we need you to review and/or fill out as the school year begins. Usually we provide paper copies of these forms in our First Day Packet. For this virtual environment, we have adapted that process to a digital format. Please visit the Garfield Virtual first day forms page on our school website and follow the directions for each form if applicable to your family.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information.
October 16, 2020
Dear Garfield Eagles,
Parents, we will begin to meet about returning to school. In order for your student to return, you must complete the emergency care forms as well as the health questionnaire. Your student will not be permitted without these forms. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-return-to-school
Supply pick-up was a huge success! We know that some of you came just before 7 pm and did not receive any supplies. Please email your child's teacher so that we can add you to the list. We will be in touch to schedule a pick-up time for you. It started to get dark and that created a hazard. We stopped at 6:35 pm.
Free and Reduced meals
If you applied for Free or Reduced-Price Meals last school year for your child(ren), please remember to submit a new application for this school year. The current eligibility status will expire on October 20, 2020.
Apply for free and reduced-price meals by visiting www.MySchoolApps.com. Eligibility may also provide your child(ren) other important benefits. Be sure your child(ren) are approved for the 20-21 school year.
The online application is available in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, Tagalog, French, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Korean. Paper applications are available to complete and submit in English upon request at food distribution sites. Some of you received these during our supply pick-up.
Virtual hugs,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
Spirit Friday
We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got spirit, how 'bout you?!!!
Let's show some spirit!
For the month of October we will show our school spirit using the template below. Get ready to move on Monday and show us your pictures! Submit your photos to Mrs. Cage, Mrs. Waters or your classroom teacher!
Follow us on Twitter!
|
Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
Photos of the week!
We enjoyed seeing your faces during supply pick-up! Send your photos to Mrs. Cage, Mrs. Waters or your classroom teacher when participating in our spirit week!
Upcoming Events
|
If you applied for Free or Reduced-Price Meals last school year for your child(ren), please remember to submit a new application for this school year. The current eligibility status will expire on October 20, 2020. |
October
- 19 Monday, Morning Meeting, Small groups, Clubs
- 20 Tuesday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 21 Wednesday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 22 Thursday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 23 Friday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
Return to school forms!
Virtual First Day Packet
The Parent Consent Form is just one of the forms we need you to review and/or fill out as the school year begins. Usually we provide paper copies of these forms in our First Day Packet. For this virtual environment, we have adapted that process to a digital format. Please visit the Garfield Virtual first day forms page on our school website and follow the directions for each form if applicable to your family.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information.
October 9, 2020
Dear Garfield Eagles,
If you would like to read this newsletter in your home language, please use this link. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/2020-21-school-year
ASSESSMENTS/TESTS
Parents and guardians are asked not to assist students when teachers are assessing what they know. This can give false information to teachers about a student’s strengths and needs. When that occurs, it will make it doubly difficult to find a starting place of instruction. Students must be able to demonstrate their own ability to learn and show their understanding. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
ADVANCED ACADEMIC PROGRAMS (AAP) ELEMENTARY CONTINUUM OF SERVICES
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) offers a continuum of advanced academic services for all students in Grades K-12. Learning experiences are designed to develop higher-level thinking through enrichment, acceleration, and extension of the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs). Teachers, administrators, and Advanced Academic Resource Teachers (AARTs) work together to provide the levels of services at the elementary level. Mrs. Chadbourn has captured all the important information and dates. Her newsletter has been added to Garfield's AAP website. Please use the following link to access her first newsletter of the year!
https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/academics/advanced-academic-programs
PTA
Thursday, October 8th we had a very productive PTA meeting. Please ask your teachers for the PTA reminder App code to join. Additionally, we would like for you to join the PTA and support our Garfield Eagles. Please use this link to join. https://garfieldelementarypta.square.site/
Virtual hugs,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
Talent Tuesday!
During Talent Tuesday, a 5th grader had a chance to show us an electronic drawing of the Titanic! Thank you Noah! This is fantastic! Submit your pictures for Talent Tuesday to your teacher and or Mrs. Cage and Mrs. Waters.
Let's show some spirit!
For the month of October we will show our school spirit using the template below. Submit your pictures! Let's show our school spirit!
Follow us on Twitter!
|
|
Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps Our numbers are slowly climbing! Let's be in charge of telling our own story. Each week we will share something amazing about our school community! You don't want to miss it! |
Photos of the week!
This week we had library curbside pickup, butterflies were released, teachers visited the pumpkin patch, students picked up instruments, teachers modeled using documents cameras and we shared what we were currently reading! Join us next week! Send your photos to Mrs. Cage, Mrs. Waters or your classroom teacher.
Upcoming Events
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|
Please mark you calendar! Monday is Indigenous Peoples' Day! No School |
October
- 12 Monday, Student Holiday, No School,
- 13 Tuesday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 14 Wednesday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 15 Thursday, K-6 Supply Pick-up beginning at 4:30 (kiss n ride)
- 16 Friday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
Return to school forms!
Virtual First Day Packet
The Parent Consent Form is just one of the forms we need you to review and/or fill out as the school year begins. Usually we provide paper copies of these forms in our First Day Packet. For this virtual environment, we have adapted that process to a digital format. Please visit the Garfield Virtual first day forms page on our school website and follow the directions for each form if applicable to your family.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information.
October 2, 2020
Dear Garfield Eagles,
October is here! We hope that you are enjoying the nice fall weather with planned activities outdoors and away from electronic devices as much as possible. The school day has been nothing short of amazing! Students and staff are working so hard to use this online platform to teach and learn. When Mrs. Waters and I log into virtual classrooms, students are sharing, problem solving, analyzing, reading, writing and exploring. We'd like to thank you personally for partnering with our staff so that students are in class every day and ready to learn! It wouldn't be possible without the home and school connection.
Early conferences will begin soon. You’ll have the chance to talk with teachers about your child’s strengths and areas for growth. This helps create solid partnerships with families and directly impacts students’ success. Teachers will also be providing regular feedback in addition to quarterly report cards and interims about the social and academic progress of your child. Two-way communication is key. Please call or e-mail your child’s teacher if you have any questions or need clarification on anything. We are here for you
PTA Meeting
To ensure that our PTA meeting is safe and secure, the PTA board created an additional measure of security. Please use this link and follow along with the directions so that you can participate in our meeting on October 8th! https://forms.gle/oMj8Wr7LXWPRQJN3A
Virtual hugs,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
Virtual Spirit Week!
Garfield ES Bell Schedule
FECEP and K-6 will remain 9:20 am – 4:05 pm
Please try to join your online class by 9:10 am. Your teacher will be there waiting for you! If you have any trouble at all, please email your classroom teacher. If you aren't able to reach your teacher, please call the school at 703-923-2900.
Upcoming Events
October
- 05 Monday, Asynchronous and small group instruction
- 06 Tuesday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 07 Wednesday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 08 Thursday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction, PTA Meeting
- 09 Friday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
Forms and Virtual First Day Packet
Virtual First Day Packet
The Parent Consent Form is just one of the forms we need you to review and/or fill out as the school year begins. Usually we provide paper copies of these forms in our First Day Packet. For this virtual environment, we have adapted that process to a digital format. Please visit the Garfield Virtual first day forms page on our school website and follow the directions for each form if applicable to your family.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information.
September 25, 2020
Dear Garfield Eagles,
Thank you for taking the time to attend our virtual "back to school night." We had a great turnout! If you were unable to attend, please contact your child's teacher to locate the recorded version. It has been made available for you.
Over the last three week, we've seen students become accustomed to their new school routines and procedures. While this isn't the ideal environment for school, we see that students, parents and teachers are making the very best of the time they have together.
As we begin week 4, please take a few moments to review the information captured in our newsletter. You will find additional information on school testing, parent consent forms and student rights and responsibilities.
Virtual hugs,
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
Virtual Spirit Week!
iReady Assessment
Each year, students are assessed using the iReady universal screener as one tool to help determine where your child is performing academically. With the COVID-19 pandemic still with us, this year students will be taking this assessment at home. Please watch this video for some tips on how to support your child with this assessment from home. Letters with more information will be emailed by classroom teachers soon.
English
https://i-readycentral.com/view-resource/?id=35541
Spanish
Garfield ES Bell Schedule
FECEP and K-6 will remain 9:20 am – 4:05 pm
Please try to join your online class by 9:10 am. Your teacher will be there waiting for you! If you have any trouble at all, please email your classroom teacher. If you aren't able to reach your teacher, please call the school at 703-923-2900.
Upcoming Events
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Please mark you calendar! October 8th is the next PTA meeting! Please join us! |
September
- 28 Monday, Asynchronous and small group instruction
- 29 Tuesday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 30 Wednesday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 01 Thursday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 02 Friday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
Students Rights and Responsibilities
Parents and guardians, please review the Student Rights and Responsibilities and related resources at www.fcps.edu/srr. After reviewing the information, fill out the SR&R Parent Acknowledgement Form using this link we have provided. The form must be filled out one time per student.
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Please read the information below. We need forms for every student. |
Forms and Virtual First Day Packet
Virtual First Day Packet
The Parent Consent Form is just one of the forms we need you to review and/or fill out as the school year begins. Usually we provide paper copies of these forms in our First Day Packet. For this virtual environment, we have adapted that process to a digital format. Please visit the Garfield Virtual first day forms page on our school website and follow the directions for each form if applicable to your family.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information.
September 18, 2020
Dear Garfield Family,
Week one is done! It was wonderful to see smiling faces and happy students. As we visited classrooms, students were engaged in class discussions, interactive slides and responding using their devices.
As a school team, we've identified breaks, specials, and independent work time. Students will receive virtual instruction five days per week. The week included 4 days of live, face-to-face (synchronous) online instruction with teachers Tuesday through Friday. Mondays will be used for independent learning (asynchronous) and/or individualized instruction, as well as Morning Meeting. Additional intervention will be provided to select students on Monday mornings. You will hear specifically from your child's teacher about his/her Monday schedule. Additionally, enrichment opportunities will be available for students on Mondays. There will be information coming soon about special classes and clubs that may also be offered. Individual teachers will provide more detailed information about their Monday schedule.
Meal Distribution Update
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) buses are delivering grab and go meals along some bus routes. School buses will stop at designated intersections to deliver these meals.
All FCPS students (regardless of age) are eligible for free grab and go breakfast and lunch, as well as other county children, under the age of 18. Adults picking up meals for children should let staff know how many children meals they need. Adults may pay $2 for the meals as well.
Grab & Go service hours will be extended to 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) with both breakfast and lunch being served at the same time. Garfield ES will remain a site for curbside. Bus routes for food distribution are being added and the current routes updated. Meals on buses will be distributed Monday through Friday beginning at 6:30 a.m. Specific information about meal distribution locations and bus distribution schedules are available here https://www.fcps.edu/return-school/food.
It’s going to be a great year!
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
iReady Assessment Update
The online iReady assessment (also known as the universal screener) provides an initial view of all students’ foundational skills to help teachers identify students who may have challenges in reading or mathematics. Students in grades K-6 will take the iReady reading assessment. Students in grades 1-6 will take the iReady mathematics assessment. More information about the assessment can be found on the FCPS Universal Screener Parent Notification webpage.
This fall, students will take iReady at home instead of at school. Teachers will discuss the assessment with students in advance, including how to log in and what to expect. Resources to help families administer the assessment at home can be found on the FCPS Universal Screener webpage.
For questions, please contact your child’s teacher.
Technology Support for Families
To support families who are working with their children during distance learning, FCPS has launched a new Parent Technology Help Desk, effective Monday, August 24. The help desk can be reached at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS) and will be answered by staff members between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., seven days a week.
FCPS has also set up Parent and Student Technology Support portal at https://itweb.fcps.edu/itsupport/ to allow older students and parents/guardians to request technology help directly. When a support request ticket is entered through the portal, it is auto-routed to the TSSpec at the appropriate site to expedite service.
Garfield ES Bell Schedule
FECEP and K-6 will remain 9:20 am – 4:05 pm
Please try to join your online class by 9:10 am. Your teacher will be there waiting for you! If you have any trouble at all, please email your classroom teacher. If you aren't able to reach your teacher, please call the school at 703-923-2900.
School Supplies
Please call the school to make an appointment to pick up supplies if you missed the first distribution day. The items included are listed below. Additional charts/manipulatives have also be added to support distance learning. We will announce a school-wide distribution day 2 coming soon.
Upcoming Events
September
- 14 Monday, Asynchronous and small group instruction
- 15 Tuesday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 16 Wednesday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 17 Thursday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 18 Friday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
Students Rights and Responsibilities
Parents and guardians, please review the Student Rights and Responsibilities and related resources at www.fcps.edu/srr. After reviewing the information, fill out the SR&R Parent Acknowledgement Form using this link we have provided. The form must be filled out one time per student.
Forms and Virtual First Day Packet
Virtual First Day Packet
The Parent Consent Form is just one of the forms we need you to review and/or fill out as the school year begins. Usually we provide paper copies of these forms in our First Day Packet. For this virtual environment, we have adapted that process to a digital format. Please visit the Garfield Virtual first day forms page on our school website and follow the directions for each form if applicable to your family.
Return to School at Garfield Website
Finally, we have created a Garfield Return to School 2020 page on our school website where we are posting messages from the administrators and links to other pages with important back-to-school information. Please visit often to stay up to date with the latest information
September 13, 2020
Dear Garfield Family,
Week one is done! It was wonderful to see smiling faces and happy students. As we visited classrooms, students were engaged in class discussions, interactive slides and responding using their devices.
As a school team, we've identified breaks, specials, and independent work time. Students will receive virtual instruction five days per week. The week included 4 days of live, face-to-face (synchronous) online instruction with teachers Tuesday through Friday. Mondays will be used for independent learning (asynchronous) and/or individualized instruction, as well as Morning Meeting. Additional intervention will be provided to select students on Monday mornings. You will hear specifically from your child's teacher about his/her Monday schedule. Additionally, enrichment opportunities will be available for students on Mondays. There will be information coming soon about special classes and clubs that may also be offered. Individual teachers will provide more detailed information about their Monday schedule.
Meal Distribution Update
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) buses are delivering grab and go meals along some bus routes. School buses will stop at designated intersections to deliver these meals.
All FCPS students (regardless of age) are eligible for free grab and go breakfast and lunch, as well as other county children, under the age of 18. Adults picking up meals for children should let staff know how many children meals they need. Adults may pay $2 for the meals as well.
Grab & Go service hours will be extended to 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) with both breakfast and lunch being served at the same time. Garfield ES will remain a site for curbside. Bus routes for food distribution are being added and the current routes updated. Meals on buses will be distributed Monday through Friday beginning at 6:30 a.m. Specific information about meal distribution locations and bus distribution schedules are available here https://www.fcps.edu/return-school/food.
It’s going to be a great year!
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
iReady Assessment Update
The online iReady assessment (also known as the universal screener) provides an initial view of all students’ foundational skills to help teachers identify students who may have challenges in reading or mathematics. Students in grades K-6 will take the iReady reading assessment. Students in grades 1-6 will take the iReady mathematics assessment. More information about the assessment can be found on the FCPS Universal Screener Parent Notification webpage.
This fall, students will take iReady at home instead of at school. Teachers will discuss the assessment with students in advance, including how to log in and what to expect. Resources to help families administer the assessment at home can be found on the FCPS Universal Screener webpage.
For questions, please contact your child’s teacher.
Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps
Technology Support for Families
To support families who are working with their children during distance learning, FCPS has launched a new Parent Technology Help Desk, effective Monday, August 24. The help desk can be reached at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS) and will be answered by staff members between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., seven days a week.
FCPS has also set up Parent and Student Technology Support portal at https://itweb.fcps.edu/itsupport/ to allow older students and parents/guardians to request technology help directly. When a support request ticket is entered through the portal, it is auto-routed to the TSSpec at the appropriate site to expedite service.
Garfield ES Bell Schedule
FECEP and K-6 will remain 9:20 am – 4:05 pm
Please try to join your online class by 9:10 am. Your teacher will be there waiting for you! If you have any trouble at all, please email your classroom teacher. If you aren't able to reach your teacher, please call the school at 703-923-2900.
School Supplies
Please call the school to make an appointment to pick up supplies if you missed the first distribution day. The items included are listed below. Additional charts/manipulatives have also be added to support distance learning. We will announce a school-wide distribution day 2 coming soon.
Upcoming Events
September
- 14 Monday, Asynchronous and small group instruction
- 15 Tuesday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 16 Wednesday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 17 Thursday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
- 18 Friday, Live synchronous/asynchronous instruction
Students Rights and Responsibilities
Parents and guardians, please review the Student Rights and Responsibilities and related resources at www.fcps.edu/srr. After reviewing the information, fill out the SR&R Parent Acknowledgement Form using this link we have provided. The form must be filled out one time per student.
September 7, 2020
Dear Garfield Family,
It's the night before distance learning! It's hard to contain our excitement!
We are thrilled to start the school year! It is an honor to serve such a warm and caring community! We look forward to getting to know more about each one of you!
We are so proud of how hard our teachers have worked over the summer to get ready for tomorrow! We are equally proud of the collaboration between home and school at the end of last school year and this past summer! We look forward to collaborating with you for another school year!
Our partnership with you is valued. We welcome your input and will provide ways for two-way communication. We will communicate weekly through News you Choose, Twitter and e-Notify. This is a new system designed to share pertinent information in a timely manner with families. In addition, there will be parent-teacher conferences, quarterly progress reports and interims as needed to help keep you informed of your child’s academic strengths and areas of growth.
Meal Distribution Update
Beginning Tuesday, September 8, Grab & Go service hours will be extended to 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) with both breakfast and lunch being served at the same time. Bus routes for food distribution are being added and the current routes updated. Meals on buses will be distributed Monday through Friday beginning at 6:30 a.m. Specific information about meal distribution locations and bus distribution schedules are available here https://www.fcps.edu/return-school/food.
It’s going to be a great year!
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
Welcome Back Eagles!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijcOrA-YoP0
Here's a little sneak peek of what we did to prepare for distance learning! Let's learn and have some fun! Copy and paste the link above in a new window.
School hours of operation
FECEP and K-6 will remain 9:20 am – 4:05 pm
Please try to join your online class by 9:10 am. Your teacher will be there waiting for you! If you have any trouble at all, please email your classroom teacher. They will be able to add you to the class relatively quickly. If you aren't able to reach your teacher, please call the school. 703-923-2900.
Supply Distribution Day 2 coming soon...
Please call the school to make an appointment to pick up supplies if you missed the first distribution day. Here are a few items that have been provided for each of our students. Additional charts/manipulatives will be added to support distance learning. We will announce a school-wide distribution day 2 soon.
Follow us on Twitter @GarfieldESfcps
Upcoming Events
September
- 8 First Day of School
Let's show our Eagle Pride!
Tomorrow, use the hashtag #firstdayfairfax or #FCPSReady to show your excitement for the start of the school year!
September 2, 2020
Dear Garfield Family,
The first day of school is Tuesday, September 8th! It's just around the corner! We were so excited to see you and your children online for our virtual open house! Let's go Eagles! We know that this isn't the start that we had all hoped for. However, we will make the best of the time we have with our Eagles while they continue to soar! We believe that we will have a chance to reunite in the building before the end of this school year! Let's keep thinking positive thoughts.
If you have not picked up a laptop for your student/students, you may come today from 12:30- 4:00 pm. We want all students to have access so that they may join their teacher for class.
Student supply pick up is scheduled for tomorrow from 3 pm to 7 pm.
Digital Resources at Garfield ES
This information is provided in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) to provide you with information about the measures FCPS takes to keep student data secure when using digital tools. By completing the digital form linked below, you provide permission for your child to use the FCPS-approved online tools listed in the link below as part of an instructional program. https://garfieldes.fcps.edu/adopteddigitalresources
To provide your parental consent for each student in your family, please follow this link and follow the provided directions. Provide consent.
It’s going to be a great year!
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
Welcome Back Eagles!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XCQjlZwYXg&feature=youtu.be
School hours of operation
FECEP and K-6 will remain 9:20 am – 4:05 pm
This time may change, when schools reopen.
Supply Distribution 9/3 (3-7 pm)
Here are a few items that have been provided for each of our students. Additional charts/manipulatives will be added to support distance learning.
Upcoming Events
September
- 2 Laptop distribution Today 12:30 - 4:00 pm
- 3 School supplies will be distributed 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
- 8 First Day of School
Welcome Back Eagles!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRpedqsOnR4&feature=youtu.be
August 30, 2020
Dear Garfield Family,
We would like to extend a huge thank you to all the parents, teachers and students who joined the PTA Zoom meeting. While we are deeply saddened that individuals disrupted our very productive and highly attended meeting with racial slurs and graphic images, we will not be moved! Love conquers hate and we will continue to partner with you to love and lead. The Garfield community is one that respects diversity and welcomes opportunities to support one another. That is exactly what you did! I would personally like to thank each of you for your calls, messages and emails of support.
Let's go Eagles!
Laptop distribution has been such a success! We've given out 170 laptops and tomorrow we will continue. Make sure you have an appointment scheduled so that there is a device waiting for you. By now, you should've received a phone call from your child's teacher. Please see the schedule below for open house. Your child's teacher will also send a secured link using their Gmail account. If you have not heard from your child's teacher, please send an email to me at @email so that I may assist you.
It’s going to be a great year!
Mrs. Cage, Principal
Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal
School hours of operation
FECEP and K-6 will remain 9:20 am – 4:05 pm
This time may change, when schools reopen.
Supply Distribution 9/3 (3-7 pm)
Here are a few items that have been provided for each of our students. Additional charts/manipulatives will be added to support distance learning.
Laptop distribution 8/31 and 9/2
Laptops are distributed by appointment only. This is necessary to ensure that there is a device waiting for your student. Please make sure your son or daughter is present. They will need their username and password from last school year. Everyone must wear a face mask/covering.
Upcoming Events
August
- 31 PreK - 4 laptop distribution 9-11 am by appointment
September
- 1 Open House 9:00-10:00, Pre-K to 2
- 1 Open House 10:15 -11:15, 3rd and 4th
- 1 Open House 11:30 - 12:30, 5th and 6th
- 2 Laptop distribution 12:30 - 4:00 pm
- 3 School supplies will be distributed 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
- 8 First Day of School
Hi there! Can you find your teacher?
