Vision Statement

Believe you can: Be brave, Be kind, Be you!

Mission Statement

We cultivate lifelong learners by developing 21^st century skills, establishing relationships with students, staff, and families, empowering passions and strengths, and engaging students academically, socially, and emotionally. 

Motto

In the nest, we do our best to connect, protect and respect

Core Values/Beliefs

We value:

• A respectful, safe, and nurturing school environment
• The social and emotional curriculum as much as the academic curriculum
• The use of differentiated instruction
• Our staff as experts 
• Professional Learning Communities
• The diversity of our students and families
• Family and community partners
• Healthy minds and bodies
• Recognition of students & staff reaching their goals
• The daily integration of technology 

Principal

Mrs. Kerry Peerman

@email 

Assistant Principal

Ms. Liz Manning

@email

Administrative Assistant to Principal

Mrs. Tabea Leabhart 

703-923-2903

Administrative Assistant 

Mrs. Darlene Deese

703-923-2901

Student Information Assistant 

Mrs. Sarah Rothman

703-923-2902

Health Room 

Mrs. Dawn Rihaly 

703-923-2910

Cafeteria Manager

Mr. Anthony Kirby

703-923-2921

School Counselor  

Mrs. Janet Dougherty

703-923-2969

Family Liaison  

Mrs. Melody Wheatley

703-923-2904

The safety and security of our students is our number one priority at Garfield  Elementary.  We regularly review our security procedures in order to ensure a safe learning environment for our students.  We appreciate your assistance in helping us keep our students safe by following these procedures.

Our school security plan requires that all exterior doors to the main building be locked. Office staff provide parents and school visitors access through the main entrance (Door 1) via the video entry security system. All visitors must then go directly to the office to sign in with their driver’s license and receive a visitor’s tag. Please make sure that your visitor tag is secured to your shirt.  Visitors can expect to be questioned by school personnel if they are not displaying the visitors tag issued at the office.

We maintain a safety plan that requires we hold various drills throughout the year to make sure we are ready in the event of an emergency. Fire drills are held once a week during the first four weeks of school and then again each month. Lockdown drills are practiced four times a year, and tornado drills are practiced in the spring. 

These recommended procedures have been adopted to protect  the safety of our students.  We appreciate your support in ensuring a caring, happy and most importantly safe, learning environment.

• School Hours:  Our expectation is that students will be in their classrooms, ready to learn, by 9:20 AM.  Students cannot be dropped off prior to 9:05 AM as we do not have staff to supervise them before then.  School ends at 4:05 PM.
• Change of phone number(s), email and/or address:  If you change your phone number, or anyone on your child’s emergency care form changes their phone number, please let us know AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  It is critical that we be able to reach you quickly in case of an emergency.  If you change your address, we need to know that as well. 
• Release of children:  We can only release students to those adults listed on the emergency care form. 
• Sending money from home:  Funds for fundraisers, field trips, etc. should be sent in a sealed envelope with your child’s name, teacher and the activity on the envelope.  Please send the exact amount needed as we cannot make change.
• Don't forget to label your child's items, especially coats, backpacks, lunch boxes, and water bottles. We have a lost and found; unclaimed items are donated to a local charity quarterly.

• All visitors are required to report to the office immediately upon entering school premises. They must sign in and present a government ID to the office staff. Parents are welcome and encouraged to visit the school, but student issues should be discussed in a parent conference setting.

Visitors will be given a name tag. Staff are to question anyone not wearing an FCPS ID or a visitor badge and escort them to the office. Following this rule will help PROTECT INSTRUCTIONAL TIME and keep our building secure.

All students should be seated in their classrooms by 9:20 a.m. Students are considered tardy if they arrive after 9:20 a.m. and are required to go directly to the front office to receive an “Office Pass”.

Parents are required to sign their children in at the office if it is after 9:20 a.m. PLEASE ALWAYS CHECK-IN AT THE FRONT OFFICE.

Absences:  You can report your child's absence in one of the following ways:

• Call the attendance line at 703-923-2929
• Send an email to [email protected]
• Online Attendance Form (It is also located at the very bottom of the home page on this website).

*It is also helpful to send an email to your child's teacher to let them know. 

**If your child attends Garfield ES SACC please let them know your child will not be there. SACC operates independently of FCPS, and must be contacted directly.

To ensure safety for our students, we ask parents to remember the following:

Students may not be dropped off before 9:05a.m. There is NO supervision. 

Students arriving prior to 9:05 a.m. are to remain with their parent(s). 

•  Doors will open at 9:05 a.m. students may enter the building and walk to their classroom.
•  For the first days of school, multiple staff members are assigned to assist children in finding their classrooms.
• As a safety measure, we ask that all Kiss & Ride students be dropped off at the Kiss & Ride line along the side of the building. You will need a Kiss & Ride tag in your car window. Please do not drop off students in the parking lot or in front of the building.  
• If you arrive after 9:20 am and the Kiss & Ride has closed, please park your car and walk your students through door #1.
• Students arriving after 9:20 am will need to be signed in as tardy.
• During arrival, please refrain from walking your students to class in order to prevent disruptions to classroom routines.

 Bus Riders

• Families should be at the bus stop at least 5 minutes prior to the listed pick-up time. 
• Transportation can be reached directly at 703-446-2150.
• Daily bus delays are listed at www.busdelay.fcps.edu.
• Families can sign up for the FCPS Here Comes the Bus App to receive real-time bus location information.  Details here: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/safety-and-transportation/transportation-services/here-comes-bus-mobile-app (or search ‘’Here Comes the Bus’’ at FCPS.edu). 

Dismissal Changes:

Early Pick Ups: Early student pick-ups are allowed prior to 3:30 PM.  Please send a note to your child’s teacher to let them know of the early dismissal. If your child is being picked up during their specials time (music, PE, art, etc.), please be aware that they will need additional time to return to the classroom to pack up their belongings. Please remember to bring photo identification with you. 

Going home with another student: We require written notes from the parents/guardians of BOTH children permitting this. 
Same Day Dismissal Changes:  Same day dismissal changes must be communicated to the front office prior to 3:30 PM IN WRITING so that we have enough time to make sure your child receives the information.  The easiest way to do this is to utilize the online attendance form. A written note to the classroom teacher is also appreciated BUT, as classroom teachers may not have an opportunity to check their email before the end of the day, ALL dismissal changes MUST be communicated to the front office.

**If your child attends Garfield ES SACC please let them know your child will not be there. SACC operates independently of FCPS, and must be contacted directly.

Visiting the Classroom

Visitors are welcome in classrooms. Prior arrangements must be made with the teacher to include classroom observations and volunteer opportunities.

Visitors to the Building

All visitors must sign-in and out using our automated visitors’ system.  Please ensure you bring a valid I.D., as it is required to enter the building.

Homework is a key point of contact between home and school. Parents should create a home environment that reinforces the school message that education is important and life is enriched by learning. Parents may do this by providing a time, place, and materials for students to complete homework each day. 

• Homework is assigned to reinforce skills taught in the classroom. 

• In general, daily homework across subjects should take approximately 10 minutes per grade level. For instance, a student in grade 1 could expect to have 10 minutes of homework, while a student in grade 3 could expect to have 30 minutes of homework. 

• Long-term projects may require additional time. 

• Please let your child’s teacher know if your child is taking significantly longer to complete homework on a regular basis.  

Student Progress Reports 

The school year is divided into four nine-week grading periods. Shortly after each grading period, you will receive a printed progress report. Your child’s teacher will send home an interim report midway through first quarter and that will send an interim on an as needed basis .

Staying healthy:  If your child does not feel well in the morning, especially if they vomit or have a fever, please keep him/her at home.  It is recommended that your child be fever-free for 24 hours before returning to school.

Medications:  If medication is to be given in school, it must be in accordance with Regulation 2102. All medications must be delivered in person by the parent or guardian, including over the counter medications. Never send medication with your child. Here is the form your medical provider will need to complete if your child will need medication, which includes over the counter medicine such as Tylenol, administered at school:  https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/se63.pdf  Please make arrangements with the school public health nurse to accept medications and discuss any concerns you may have.

Screenings:  Each year, students in kindergarten and Grade 3 as well as new students to FCPS will have a vision and hearing screening in our Health Room.

Students are issued a school device and school account at the beginning of the year. Pre-K/K students have an iPad, and 1st-6th are issued a school laptop. 

Students in PreK-2nd leave the devices at school, and 3rd-6th students typically take them back and forth from home to school each day. 

These devices are ONLY FOR TEACHER DIRECTED TASKS. THEY ARE NOT FOR PERSONAL USE (even at home).

The FCPS Student Acceptable Use Policy is now part of the SR&R document. Some key information to remember is:

It is the responsibility of the user to:

• Using or not using devices as directed by the teacher.
• Use the FCPS technology resources in a manner that is consistent with the educational mission of the school system.
• Help maintain a safe, positive, and trusting learning environment by not using offensive, obscene, or harassing language when on the FCPS network and/or FCPS devices.
• Students are prohibited from accessing any portion of the internet that is inconsistent with the educational mission of FCPS.
•  Students may not take photographs or videos of others without consent during school hours while on school property, unless for academic use. School administration may allow limited nonacademic use of photography on a case-by-case basis.
• Parents and/or guardians should ensure that use of student assigned devices is limited to supporting the educational outcomes of the student at home and the device not be used by anyone else for non-educational purposes.

Cell Phone Guidelines Elementary school -  Kindergarten-sixth grade 

*taken from FCPS SR&R

Phones must be silenced and in backpacks for the duration of the school day. Watches that serve a dual purpose (e.g., smart watch) may be worn; however, phone features (e.g., texting, Internet, calls, etc.) are to be off when phone use is prohibited. Students are prohibited from using phones, tablets, and other mobile devices in restrooms and locker rooms, unless there is a medical necessity or emergency. Teachers may allow usage of cell phones for instructional activities where they are the most appropriate tool, however one-to-one FCPS devices should meet most needs. Cell phones maybe used on campus only before and after school.  

If you would like to learn more, scroll down the the SR& R section of this document. 

The following guidelines have been developed in order to maintain a safe and secure learning environment at Garfield Elementary School.   In the event a family would like to observe a student or have a clinician observe a student in their classroom environment, the following policy points must be followed: 

Parents/observers must contact the Principal and Assistant Principals in advance to arrange a mutually agreed upon date and time to observe in the school setting. Please provide specific reasons for the visit to assure the observation is productive and appropriate. Permission is required in order to arrange the observation. 
Parents/observers must sign a confidentiality release form before a visitor/observer is allowed an observation. 

• The school administrator will be present during all observations. 
• Observations are set for a limited amount of time not to exceed 30 minutes (or time determined by administrator) in an individual classroom setting. This will assure a limited amount of disruption and distraction for the students and teachers. If the parent/guardian would like to complete more than one visit/observation, he/she must seek permission from the school administrator. 
• If a parent wishes to bring another visitor/observer with him/her, permission must be sought from the school administrator. Other family members, consultants/advocates, therapists and/or other professionals visiting must be approved by the administrator. 
• The school administrator reserves the right to refuse or decline an observation or visit if it is deemed inappropriate or if it is believed the observation may cause a disruption to the educational environment. 
• No pictures, videotaping or electronic devices will be allowed during the observation. 
• All visitors are required to check in at the main office. 

All FCPS schools have crisis management and emergency preparedness plans in place.  These plans are designed with the help of our school system’s security planning staff, local law enforcement, and emergency management officials. Plans are regularly reviewed and updated. 

Throughout the school year, all Fairfax County Public Schools are required to conduct the following safety drills for student and staff understanding and fluency in applying these procedures in the most efficient and effective manner possible, in order to ensure safety and security for all.

1. Fire Drills- once per week through September, then monthly for the remainder of the school year
2. Lockdown Drills- one in September and one in January
3. Tornado Drills- one in March
4. Bus Emergency Drills- one at the beginning of the school year and one at the beginning of the second semester (February)

Our teachers prepare and practice with our students to make these drills and experiences as orderly and effective as possible. They will be teaching the foundational understanding that these practices are precautionary to keep us all safe if a dangerous situation presents itself. If you have any questions about these safety drills, please don’t hesitate to contact administration.   Parents are encouraged to become familiar with emergency response terminology: 

Lockdown – Lockdown is used to describe enhanced security measures taken to protect against potentially violent intruders who have entered the school.  No one is permitted to enter or exit the school until public safety officials give the “all clear.” 

Secure the Building - Used if the threat is outside the building (example, a robbery near the school). Outside activities are canceled; all exterior doors are secured while staff members and students are free to move about inside the building. No one is permitted to enter the school until public safety officials give the “all clear.”  

Shelter-in-Place –Procedures used to temporarily separate people from hazardous outdoor atmosphere, such as a hazmat incident. No one is allowed to enter the school until public safety officials give the “all clear.” 

Stay Put, Stay Tuned – Implemented at the request of public safety officials to limit the impact on the transportation infrastructure. Normal end-of-day release will not occur until authorized by public safety officials. Parents are allowed to “check out” their students from school. 

Parents are asked not to call the school in emergency situations so phone lines can remain accessible for handling the specific situation. Communication will be sent via the FCPS emergency messaging system.   

Please visit the Fairfax County Public Schools website: Emergency Preparedness and Support Frequently Asked Questions:  http://www.fcps.edu/emergencyplan/faq.shtml

In order to ensure the greatest learning potential for all students, we recognize the critical importance of consistent school-home communication. 

Contacting your child’s teacher:  For most teachers, contact by email is preferred. Email addresses can be found on our website. Please note that teachers typically check email before and after school; please do not send time-sensitive information (such as a same-day change in dismissal) via email.

• Take-Home Friday folder 
  • Friday has been designated as our “take home” day. Parents are encouraged to look for communication from school each day, but we will try to limit most correspondence to Friday. Please sign up for our Eagle Express (News You Choose) to arrive weekly in your email on Fridays. 
• News You Choose  
  • Stay updated with what is happening at Halley Elementary!  Sign up for News You Choose emails with the Eagle Express Newsletter weekly 
  • Read  News You Choose is on our Garfield Website    
• Schoology  
  • Log in with your ParentVue SIS credentials on Schoology
  • Review each class or group where your child is enrolled 
  • Look for information and announcements in the Parents Course  
• e-Notify 
  • e-Notify is the automatic enrollment service for parents of FCPS students and employees of the system. It draws contact information from the student information system and the employee databases. FCPS central offices and schools use e-Notify for three types of messages: emergency, attendance and outreach. It is important that parents keep their child’s emergency contact information up to date with the school. 

Bring in special treats:  It is critical that you check with your child’s teacher prior to sending in treats for birthdays (or other special days), so that any food related allergies in your child's classroom can be addressed ahead of time.  Items that can be served individually, such as bite-sized treats, are preferred. We prefer that no outside drinks or balloons/ decorations are brought in. Please limit to no more than one treat per classmate.  Most treats will be served during lunch.

Party invitations can be distributed at school as long as every child in the class is invited.

Click to see our daily lunch menu.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

The 2024-2025 Student Rights and Responsibilities document explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable and supportive school environment. We ask that you use this document as a framework for discussing these expectations with your child or teen so that he or she is well prepared for success when the school year begins. You will also find that this publication includes information that you may need throughout the school year, including contact numbers and other resources. This document is available in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese.

Parent/Guardian Signature Sheet
Please log on to your SIS ParentVue account and sign to acknowledge review of this document OR sign and return the Signature Sheet to your child’s school by September 29, 2024.

Schoology is a learning management system used by FCPS. Teachers use Schoology to post their classroom materials; to provide a safe forum for students to discuss their ideas and collaborate on projects; and to assign and collect homework electronically. It helps students stay organized and it keeps the class connected. 

Through Schoology, parents are able to view their child’s class, assignments and participation, calendar, and teacher comments, scores, and feedback. Students access Schoology through their FCPS account. Parents access Schoology through their SIS ParentVue account. For more information on Schoology and how to set-up a parent account, see Schoology for Parents. 

Parents/Guardians use the same username and password as their Student Information System (SIS) Parent account to log in. Forgot Password? 

Weather-related delays and cancellations:  You can find out about Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) weather-related delays and cancellations on www.fcps.edu, as well as on the FCPS Facebook page, via the automated News You Choose system, and on local television and radio stations.