FCPS

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To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

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Để đọc bản tin này bằng ngôn ngữ khác, xin quý vị truy cập vào trang mạng của chúng tôi.

A Message From Your Principals

Westlawn Families:

This week we recognize, promote, and celebrate kindness in the Westlawn Community.  Each day has a theme as we elevate some of the characteristics that make Westlawn beautiful: Gratitude, Helpfulness, Self Love, and Positivity.  At Westlawn, social and emotional learning is taught with the same intentionality as academics, ensuring our children not only meet, but excel in the areas defined in FCPS’ Portrait of a Graduate.  

Last week we were excited to be joined by Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid!  Dr. Reid was escorted to classrooms by two Westlawn scholars, Yajaidy and Joel, and learned about different endeavors at Westlawn, including our STEAM program and Family Engagement initiatives.    

A reminder that Community Conversations with Principals are held virtually each Wednesday morning at 11:00 AM.  Join Principal Hill, Tech Specialist Ms. Dushok, and Family Liaison Ms. Reyes to stay up-to-speed with the busy world at Westlawn ES!  Check out the recording from this week's CCwP located here.  

The Westlawn team is committed to providing a learning experience that nurtures your child’s natural abilities, advocates for growth and excellence, and empowers your child to reach their full potential.

Stay up-to-date with school events by accessing our Westlawn All Families Schoology Calendar.  Access an overview of the entire school year, including holidays and cultural observance days, by clicking here. 

And be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram! 

At Westlawn, we soar together.

At Westlawn, we soar together. 

Individually Unique … Together Extraordinary

Somos Westlawn.

Your Proud Principals,

Christoph Hill, Anaya Bryson, and Stephanie Carpenter

Upcoming Dates:

February 12-16: Westlawn Kindness Week (daily themes)

February 19: President’s Day (no school for students)

February 22: FCHS Open House  (7:00 - 8:30 PM)

February 26/27: 6th Grade Field Trip to National Gallery of Art 

February 29: Wolf Trap STEAM Parent Workshop (PreK/Kinder only) (Westlawn Cafe 5:00 - 6:00 PM)

March 1: Westlawn Staff and Family Volleyball Game (FCHS Gym @ 5:30 PM)

March 4: Coffee Connections (9:00 AM in the Westlawn Cafe, hosted by the Wellness Team)

March 4 - 8: Read Across America Week (different themes each day!)

March 5: Primary Elections (Student Holiday)

March 12: 3rd and 4th Grade Link Up Field Trip - GMU Campus

March 16: Westlawn Day (Westlawn Cafe and Gym from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM)

March 20: Laps for Learning Event (Westlawn Field during school hours)

March 21: Drama Troupe Performance (5:00 - 6:30 PM)

April 9: Kindergarten Orientation (Westlawn Cafe @ 9AM)

April 17: Falls Church Pyramid Art Show (FCHS Main Gym and Lobby from 5:00 - 7:00 PM)

April 19: Westlawn Art Night (Westlawn Blacktop from 5:30 - 7:00 PM) 

 

FCHS Open House - Explore New Spaces

Exciting news! We're excited to announce the completion of several new/renovated spaces in our building. The cafeteria, library, science/math wing, culinary arts, automotive tech, and STEM lab are now finished and eagerly awaiting the enjoyment of our students and staff!

Join us in commemorating this significant milestone with a community open house, inviting you to explore our recently unveiled spaces. Although there's still a lot of work ahead, we're thrilled to share the progress achieved with our community!

When: February 22nd 7-8:30pm

Note: Tours start from School Cafeteria (park and enter at doors: 1, 2, 3 and 4) 

Westlawn Volleyball Game 

Come cheer on the Westlawn 6th graders as they take on the staff in our annual volleyball game.  And this year we’re on the big stage!  Come to the FCHS gym on Friday, March 1 @ 5:30 PM for the event.  Entrance is free, and all proceeds from concessions go directly to the Westlawn PTA.   For additional details please email Ms. Maxwell at [email protected]. 

📚 Lexia Parent Night: How We Help Your Child Learn to Read

FCPS funds the use of Lexia for all elementary and middle schools to use as part of their literacy instruction. Lexia is a computer-based program that supplements classroom instruction to help students develop literacy skills. It also provides teachers with data to identify students who need additional support, and the ability to know which specific concepts and skills to prioritize.Attend an information night on Monday, February 12, at 6:30 p.m., at Thoreau Middle School. Parents/caregivers will learn more about Lexia, and how FCPS is integrating it into the classroom and supporting student growth in reading. Attendees will also get tips for supporting their students at home.

Register to attend or submit a question in advance. Unable to attend in person? Join on Zoom. 

Integrating Lexia into the literacy curriculum aligns with the Virginia Literacy Act, FCPS’ Equitable Access to Literacy, and FCPS Strategic Plan Goal 3, which aims to have all students reading on level by the end of third grade. 

Westlawn Spirit Days 

We will continue to celebrate Not-So-Secret Staff and Student Spirit Days each Wednesday in the new year.  This Wednesday wear pink and red to celebrate self love in recognition of Westlawn Kindess Week!  Students and staff should find a twin and choose an outfit!  

🥁 Sign Up for FCPS Summer Camps 

Registration is now open for several summer camps and learning opportunities offered by Fairfax County Public Schools for all students.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) camps and Institute for the Arts camps will be held in July at Lake Braddock Secondary School from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bus transportation will be available from select FCPS middle and high schools. 

Tech Adventure Camp is available for current grade K-5 students to explore STEAM, culinary, health, trades, and business and marketing areas. E-IFTA is a weekly arts camp for elementary students who love to sing, dance, act, perform, make, and create. Visit the E-IFTA webpage to register.

Tutor.com Teacher-Referred Tutoring

Through Schoology®, all FCPS students have 24/7 access to no-cost, year-round, on-demand, 1-to-1 tutoring services through Tutor.com.

A new Teacher-Referred Tutoring program feature provides targeted support and extends student learning. Teachers can now refer students for tutoring, with their specific needs already identified. Students can get extra support — on their own schedule — and reinforce their in-class learning.

Caregivers can guide students to access expert tutoring, homework help, and writing support by clicking on the Tutor.com icon in their Schoology portal—anytime, anywhere.

Plus, look for teachers’ tutoring session referrals on the Tutor.com homepage.

Community Conversations with Principals 

Join Mr. Hill, Ms. Carpenter, and Dr. Bryson for Weekly Community Conversations this school year.  Weekly sessions will be held virtually on Wednesday mornings at 11:00AM.  You can access these sessions using this link.  Slide decks and recordings will be posted to the website as quickly as possible after the close of the week’s conversation. Families can access all materials here: https://westlawnes.fcps.edu/get-involved

Do you want to celebrate a Westlawn staff member who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way, or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone.

Recurring Reminders

Collecting a Student for Early Dismissal

Families are reminded that they should call the main office at 703-241-5100 to arrange to get a student for early dismissal. We do not monitor our TalkingPoints account all day, and we may not receive messages about early dismissals in a timely manner.  We ask that families picking up children early do so before 3:00 PM to avoid conflicts with the schoolwide dismissal process.

Portrait of a Graduate at Westlawn 

Children at Westlawn engage daily in Portrait of a Graduate skills: Communication, Collaboration, Goal-Setting, Resilience, Critical and Creative Thinking, and Global Citizenship.  Check out our First Friday Photos to see these skills in action!

How to Register for Pre-K or Early Head Start

Fairfax County offers pre-K for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements and Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. To register, parents or caregivers should:

1. Complete the application form.
2. Make a copy of the child’s birth certificate and a residency document (lease, dead, or mortgage). 

If your child is selected for one of the programs, the following will need to be completed:

1. A school physical.
2. Dental exam.
3. FCPS school registration forms.

Bus Delay Information

If a bus is delayed or more information is needed, parents and guardians can access the FCPS Bus Delay Website or contact the Area Transportation Office.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to sign up to receive Here Comes the Bus notifications.

Parents and guardians can be notified by text, phone call and/or email when a bus is delayed 30 minutes or more by indicting these options through their SIS ParentVUE account.

Child Find Screenings

Child Find is the process of identifying children with potential special education needs as well as educating the community about child development and the importance of early intervention. Child Find screenings and services are provided by the FCPS Early Childhood Identification and Services program for children ages 20 months through 5 years who live in Fairfax County or Fairfax city. Learn more on the Child Find website.

FCPS Early Childhood and PreK Programs

Fairfax County Public Schools offers programs for the youngest learners: 

• PreK is for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements. Space is limited, and priority is given to 4 year olds to help them prepare for kindergarten. 
• Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. 
• Early Literacy Programs and Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) work with parents to help prepare their children for school. 

Community liaisons are available to assist families with the registration process and answer any questions. For more information, visit the Early Childhood Registration webpage.

What Is ParentVUE and How Can You Sign Up?

If you do not already have a ParentVUE SIS account, sign up now to monitor and support your child’s academic success! Through ParentVUE, you are able to monitor your student’s attendance, grades, and assignments at any time. You can also access special reports for your student like progress reports and assessments score reports. 

Once you have activated a ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same ParentVUE account. SIS ParentVUE can be accessed using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices. 

Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video walks you through the steps on how to do so. You can also find out more about SIS ParentVUE on our website.

Update Your Emergency Care Information Through weCare@school

Fairfax County Public Schools provides weCare@school (weCare), an emergency care information system, to parents/caregivers who have registered for their own parent account. weCare helps manage emergency medical information by allowing parents to enter and update their children’s medical data online at their convenience. That contact information automatically enrolls parents/caregivers to receive eNotify communications from the district and their child’s school. eNotify is the communications tool for FCPS emergency, transportation, attendance, weather closing and delay, and essential outreach messages. Messages are sent via email, text, and occasionally phone. Click to edit this placeholder text.

🔍 Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity

FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.

Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.

Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.

Family Resources

FCPS’ Office of Family and School Partnerships would like to remind families of some of the many resources available to them:

• Bilingual community liaisons support student registrars by providing families with information about school and community services offered in Fairfax County. Liaisons are available to help families speaking Spanish, Korean, and Arabic. Once registered at a school, families can contact their family liaison for assistance. 

• Early literacy programs are available to Fairfax County residents for parents of children up to 5 years old. These programs help prepare children for school and build confidence in parents as their child’s first teacher. They also help parents become active partners in their child’s education. Programs are available in African-Heritage, Arabic, Spanish, and Korean. 
• Parent Information Phone Lines are available in eight languages for parents who speak languages other than English. 
• A Multilingual Family Podcast is produced by the offices of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Family and School Partnerships, and Professional Learning and Equity. It covers important information for parents in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Korean. 
• ESOL services are available in Fairfax County not only for students, but also for adults and families. Information on Spring classes will be posted in March 2023. 

Visit the Family Engagement webpage for more resources.

Parent Advocacy Handbook

The Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC) has created a Parent Advocacy Handbook to provide information and support to families as they navigate the FCPS system for their children. It is designed to be particularly useful for families who may be less familiar with such a large school division and/or with schooling in the U.S.  

Contact Hilda Reyes, Westlawn Family Liaison, with additional questions. 

Westlawn on Social Media

Westlawn is active on social media, we encourage families to access our Facebook and Instagram accounts for a glimpse into daily school life. 

Falls Church High School Athletics

FCHS offers a variety of athletic opportunities for students - and it’s never too early to get your children interested in different sports!  Visit the FCPS Athletics webpage for team information, calendars, and more. 

Westlawn 2023-2024 PTA Board

We are excited to announce our PTA Cabinet!

Simone Rose, President

Deirdre Ladd, Vice President

Christine Lusk and Dave Jones, Treasurers

Jordan Kislear, Secretary

3200 Westley Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042  | Main Office: 703.241.5100
Attendance: 703.241.5151 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

Để đọc bản tin này bằng ngôn ngữ khác, xin quý vị truy cập vào trang mạng của chúng tôi.

A Message From Your Principals

Westlawn Families:

This week we recognize, promote, and celebrate kindness in the Westlawn Community.  Each day has a theme as we elevate some of the characteristics that make Westlawn beautiful: Gratitude, Helpfulness, Self Love, and Positivity.  At Westlawn, social and emotional learning is taught with the same intentionality as academics, ensuring our children not only meet, but excel in the areas defined in FCPS’ Portrait of a Graduate.  

Last week we were excited to be joined by Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid!  Dr. Reid was escorted to classrooms by two Westlawn scholars, Yajaidy and Joel, and learned about different endeavors at Westlawn, including our STEAM program and Family Engagement initiatives.    

A reminder that Community Conversations with Principals are held virtually each Wednesday morning at 11:00 AM.  Join Principal Hill, Tech Specialist Ms. Dushok, and Family Liaison Ms. Reyes to stay up-to-speed with the busy world at Westlawn ES!  Check out the recording from this week's CCwP located here.  

The Westlawn team is committed to providing a learning experience that nurtures your child’s natural abilities, advocates for growth and excellence, and empowers your child to reach their full potential.

Stay up-to-date with school events by accessing our Westlawn All Families Schoology Calendar.  Access an overview of the entire school year, including holidays and cultural observance days, by clicking here. 

And be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram! 

At Westlawn, we soar together.

At Westlawn, we soar together. 

Individually Unique … Together Extraordinary

Somos Westlawn.

Your Proud Principals,

Christoph Hill, Anaya Bryson, and Stephanie Carpenter

Upcoming Dates:

February 12-16: Westlawn Kindness Week (daily themes)

February 19: President’s Day (no school for students)

February 22: FCHS Open House  (7:00 - 8:30 PM)

February 26/27: 6th Grade Field Trip to National Gallery of Art 

February 29: Wolf Trap STEAM Parent Workshop (PreK/Kinder only) (Westlawn Cafe 5:00 - 6:00 PM)

March 1: Westlawn Staff and Family Volleyball Game (FCHS Gym @ 5:30 PM)

March 4: Coffee Connections (9:00 AM in the Westlawn Cafe, hosted by the Wellness Team)

March 4 - 8: Read Across America Week (different themes each day!)

March 5: Primary Elections (Student Holiday)

March 12: 3rd and 4th Grade Link Up Field Trip - GMU Campus

March 16: Westlawn Day (Westlawn Cafe and Gym from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM)

March 20: Laps for Learning Event (Westlawn Field during school hours)

March 21: Drama Troupe Performance (5:00 - 6:30 PM)

April 9: Kindergarten Orientation (Westlawn Cafe @ 9AM)

April 17: Falls Church Pyramid Art Show (FCHS Main Gym and Lobby from 5:00 - 7:00 PM)

April 19: Westlawn Art Night (Westlawn Blacktop from 5:30 - 7:00 PM) 

 

FCHS Open House - Explore New Spaces

Exciting news! We're excited to announce the completion of several new/renovated spaces in our building. The cafeteria, library, science/math wing, culinary arts, automotive tech, and STEM lab are now finished and eagerly awaiting the enjoyment of our students and staff!

Join us in commemorating this significant milestone with a community open house, inviting you to explore our recently unveiled spaces. Although there's still a lot of work ahead, we're thrilled to share the progress achieved with our community!

When: February 22nd 7-8:30pm

Note: Tours start from School Cafeteria (park and enter at doors: 1, 2, 3 and 4) 

Westlawn Volleyball Game 

Come cheer on the Westlawn 6th graders as they take on the staff in our annual volleyball game.  And this year we’re on the big stage!  Come to the FCHS gym on Friday, March 1 @ 5:30 PM for the event.  Entrance is free, and all proceeds from concessions go directly to the Westlawn PTA.   For additional details please email Ms. Maxwell at [email protected]. 

📚 Lexia Parent Night: How We Help Your Child Learn to Read

FCPS funds the use of Lexia for all elementary and middle schools to use as part of their literacy instruction. Lexia is a computer-based program that supplements classroom instruction to help students develop literacy skills. It also provides teachers with data to identify students who need additional support, and the ability to know which specific concepts and skills to prioritize.Attend an information night on Monday, February 12, at 6:30 p.m., at Thoreau Middle School. Parents/caregivers will learn more about Lexia, and how FCPS is integrating it into the classroom and supporting student growth in reading. Attendees will also get tips for supporting their students at home.

Register to attend or submit a question in advance. Unable to attend in person? Join on Zoom. 

Integrating Lexia into the literacy curriculum aligns with the Virginia Literacy Act, FCPS’ Equitable Access to Literacy, and FCPS Strategic Plan Goal 3, which aims to have all students reading on level by the end of third grade. 

Westlawn Spirit Days 

We will continue to celebrate Not-So-Secret Staff and Student Spirit Days each Wednesday in the new year.  This Wednesday wear pink and red to celebrate self love in recognition of Westlawn Kindess Week!  Students and staff should find a twin and choose an outfit!  

🥁 Sign Up for FCPS Summer Camps 

Registration is now open for several summer camps and learning opportunities offered by Fairfax County Public Schools for all students.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) camps and Institute for the Arts camps will be held in July at Lake Braddock Secondary School from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bus transportation will be available from select FCPS middle and high schools. 

Tech Adventure Camp is available for current grade K-5 students to explore STEAM, culinary, health, trades, and business and marketing areas. E-IFTA is a weekly arts camp for elementary students who love to sing, dance, act, perform, make, and create. Visit the E-IFTA webpage to register.

Tutor.com Teacher-Referred Tutoring

Through Schoology®, all FCPS students have 24/7 access to no-cost, year-round, on-demand, 1-to-1 tutoring services through Tutor.com.

A new Teacher-Referred Tutoring program feature provides targeted support and extends student learning. Teachers can now refer students for tutoring, with their specific needs already identified. Students can get extra support — on their own schedule — and reinforce their in-class learning.

Caregivers can guide students to access expert tutoring, homework help, and writing support by clicking on the Tutor.com icon in their Schoology portal—anytime, anywhere.

Plus, look for teachers’ tutoring session referrals on the Tutor.com homepage.

Community Conversations with Principals 

Join Mr. Hill, Ms. Carpenter, and Dr. Bryson for Weekly Community Conversations this school year.  Weekly sessions will be held virtually on Wednesday mornings at 11:00AM.  You can access these sessions using this link.  Slide decks and recordings will be posted to the website as quickly as possible after the close of the week’s conversation. Families can access all materials here: https://westlawnes.fcps.edu/get-involved

Do you want to celebrate a Westlawn staff member who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way, or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone.

Recurring Reminders

Collecting a Student for Early Dismissal

Families are reminded that they should call the main office at 703-241-5100 to arrange to get a student for early dismissal. We do not monitor our TalkingPoints account all day, and we may not receive messages about early dismissals in a timely manner.  We ask that families picking up children early do so before 3:00 PM to avoid conflicts with the schoolwide dismissal process.

Portrait of a Graduate at Westlawn 

Children at Westlawn engage daily in Portrait of a Graduate skills: Communication, Collaboration, Goal-Setting, Resilience, Critical and Creative Thinking, and Global Citizenship.  Check out our First Friday Photos to see these skills in action!

How to Register for Pre-K or Early Head Start

Fairfax County offers pre-K for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements and Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. To register, parents or caregivers should:

1. Complete the application form.
2. Make a copy of the child’s birth certificate and a residency document (lease, dead, or mortgage). 

If your child is selected for one of the programs, the following will need to be completed:

1. A school physical.
2. Dental exam.
3. FCPS school registration forms.

Bus Delay Information

If a bus is delayed or more information is needed, parents and guardians can access the FCPS Bus Delay Website or contact the Area Transportation Office.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to sign up to receive Here Comes the Bus notifications.

Parents and guardians can be notified by text, phone call and/or email when a bus is delayed 30 minutes or more by indicting these options through their SIS ParentVUE account.

Child Find Screenings

Child Find is the process of identifying children with potential special education needs as well as educating the community about child development and the importance of early intervention. Child Find screenings and services are provided by the FCPS Early Childhood Identification and Services program for children ages 20 months through 5 years who live in Fairfax County or Fairfax city. Learn more on the Child Find website.

FCPS Early Childhood and PreK Programs

Fairfax County Public Schools offers programs for the youngest learners: 

• PreK is for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements. Space is limited, and priority is given to 4 year olds to help them prepare for kindergarten. 
• Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. 
• Early Literacy Programs and Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) work with parents to help prepare their children for school. 

Community liaisons are available to assist families with the registration process and answer any questions. For more information, visit the Early Childhood Registration webpage.

What Is ParentVUE and How Can You Sign Up?

If you do not already have a ParentVUE SIS account, sign up now to monitor and support your child’s academic success! Through ParentVUE, you are able to monitor your student’s attendance, grades, and assignments at any time. You can also access special reports for your student like progress reports and assessments score reports. 

Once you have activated a ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same ParentVUE account. SIS ParentVUE can be accessed using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices. 

Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video walks you through the steps on how to do so. You can also find out more about SIS ParentVUE on our website.

Update Your Emergency Care Information Through weCare@school

Fairfax County Public Schools provides weCare@school (weCare), an emergency care information system, to parents/caregivers who have registered for their own parent account. weCare helps manage emergency medical information by allowing parents to enter and update their children’s medical data online at their convenience. That contact information automatically enrolls parents/caregivers to receive eNotify communications from the district and their child’s school. eNotify is the communications tool for FCPS emergency, transportation, attendance, weather closing and delay, and essential outreach messages. Messages are sent via email, text, and occasionally phone. Click to edit this placeholder text.

🔍 Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity

FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.

Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.

Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.

Family Resources

FCPS’ Office of Family and School Partnerships would like to remind families of some of the many resources available to them:

• Bilingual community liaisons support student registrars by providing families with information about school and community services offered in Fairfax County. Liaisons are available to help families speaking Spanish, Korean, and Arabic. Once registered at a school, families can contact their family liaison for assistance. 

• Early literacy programs are available to Fairfax County residents for parents of children up to 5 years old. These programs help prepare children for school and build confidence in parents as their child’s first teacher. They also help parents become active partners in their child’s education. Programs are available in African-Heritage, Arabic, Spanish, and Korean. 
• Parent Information Phone Lines are available in eight languages for parents who speak languages other than English. 
• A Multilingual Family Podcast is produced by the offices of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Family and School Partnerships, and Professional Learning and Equity. It covers important information for parents in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Korean. 
• ESOL services are available in Fairfax County not only for students, but also for adults and families. Information on Spring classes will be posted in March 2023. 

Visit the Family Engagement webpage for more resources.

Parent Advocacy Handbook

The Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC) has created a Parent Advocacy Handbook to provide information and support to families as they navigate the FCPS system for their children. It is designed to be particularly useful for families who may be less familiar with such a large school division and/or with schooling in the U.S.  

Contact Hilda Reyes, Westlawn Family Liaison, with additional questions. 

Westlawn on Social Media

Westlawn is active on social media, we encourage families to access our Facebook and Instagram accounts for a glimpse into daily school life. 

Falls Church High School Athletics

FCHS offers a variety of athletic opportunities for students - and it’s never too early to get your children interested in different sports!  Visit the FCPS Athletics webpage for team information, calendars, and more. 

Westlawn 2023-2024 PTA Board

We are excited to announce our PTA Cabinet!

Simone Rose, President

Deirdre Ladd, Vice President

Christine Lusk and Dave Jones, Treasurers

Jordan Kislear, Secretary

3200 Westley Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042  | Main Office: 703.241.5100
Attendance: 703.241.5151 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

Để đọc bản tin này bằng ngôn ngữ khác, xin quý vị truy cập vào trang mạng của chúng tôi.

Family Engagement Events 

 

Looking Toward Summer!

3200 Westley Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042  | Main Office: 703.241.5100
Attendance: 703.241.5151 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

Để đọc bản tin này bằng ngôn ngữ khác, xin quý vị truy cập vào trang mạng của chúng tôi.

Family Engagement Events 

 

Looking Toward Summer!

3200 Westley Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042  | Main Office: 703.241.5100
Attendance: 703.241.5151 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

Để đọc bản tin này bằng ngôn ngữ khác, xin quý vị truy cập vào trang mạng của chúng tôi.

A Message From Your Principals

Westlawn Families:

The 3rd quarter is just underway and our 6th graders are already looking toward next year!  This week Luther Jackson Middle School hosted families for an information event on the 30th, then welcomed 6th graders from all feeder elementary schools on Thursday to tour the school and learn about some of the exciting opportunities awaiting them in 7th grade!  

Keep an eye on our calendar of upcoming events for February and March!  

Community Conversations with Principals will continue in the new year, held virtually each Wednesday morning at 11:00 AM.  Check out the recording from this week's CCwP located here.  

The Westlawn team is committed to providing a learning experience that nurtures your child’s natural abilities, advocates for growth and excellence, and empowers your child to reach their full potential.

Stay up-to-date with school events by accessing our Westlawn All Families Schoology Calendar.  Access an overview of the entire school year, including holidays and cultural observance days, by clicking here. 

And be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram! 

At Westlawn, we soar together.

At Westlawn, we soar together. 

Individually Unique … Together Extraordinary

Somos Westlawn.

Your Proud Principals,

Christoph Hill, Anaya Bryson, and Stephanie Carpenter

Upcoming Dates:

February 6: Westlawn PTA Meeting (virtual link)

February 7: World Read Aloud Day (with a special visit from the FCHS Girl’s Basketball Team!)

February 8: 100th Day of School 

February 12-16: Westlawn Kindness Week (daily themes)

February 19: President’s Day (no school for students)

February 26/27: 6th Grade Field Trip to National Gallery of Art 

February 29: Wolf Trap STEAM Parent Workshop (PreK/Kinder only) (Westlawn Cafe 5:00 - 6:00 PM)

March 1: Westlawn Staff and Family Volleyball Game (FCHS Gym @ 5:30 PM)

March 4 - 8: Read Across America Week (different themes each day!)

March 5: Primary Elections (Student Holiday)

March 12: 3rd and 4th Grade Link Up Field Trip - GMU Campus

March 16: Westlawn Day (Westlawn Cafe and Gym from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM)

March 20: Laps for Learning Event (Westlawn Field during school hours)

March 21: Drama Troupe Performance (5:00 - 6:30 PM)

April 9: Kindergarten Orientation (Westlawn Cafe @ 9AM)

April 17: Falls Church Pyramid Art Show (FCHS Main Gym and Lobby from 5:00 - 7:00 PM)

April 19: Westlawn Art Night (Westlawn Blacktop from 5:30 - 7:00 PM)

 

New Bike Rack!

We are proud to announce the installation of our new bike rack is complete!  Located just inside the gate by the tennis courts, we hope this new location will allow more children to safely ride a bike to school and lock it securely.  Thank you to Grant Maloney and Whitney Reed for their work in securing the funding, Haydee Sanchez for handling the logistics, and David Lopez and the FCPS Facilities’ Team for installation. 

Westlawn Staff and Family Volleyball Game - March 1st @ 5:30 PM

On March 1st we invite families and staff to participate in a Westlawn Community Volleyball game at Falls Church High School!  Join in the game or just come and watch!  If you and your family are interested in participating please email Ms. Maxwell at [email protected]. 

Westlawn Kindness Week: February 12 -16 

In an effort to promote community wellness, the week of February 12 we celebrate Westlawn Kindness!  Each day will have a theme, and children will participate in a variety of different learning activities that highlight the importance of intentional acts of kindness.   

Mon, Feb. 12th- Green for Gratitude

Tues, Feb 13th- Blue for Helpfulness

Wed, Feb 14th- Red/Pink Self-Love

Thurs, Feb. 15th- Yellow for Positivity

Fri., Feb 16th- Favorite Color or Kindness Message T-shirt

Westlawn Spirit Days 

We will continue to celebrate Not-So-Secret Staff and Student Spirit Days each Wednesday in the new year.  This Wednesday is Twin!  Students and staff should find a twin and choose an outfit!  

Drive for FCPS 

FCPS continues to actively recruit bus drivers (Westlawn currently has one route without a permanent driver).  More information can be found here.

Upcoming Assessments 

WIDA Testing Window: January 16 - March 14

Specific information regarding testing for each grade level will be communicated to families.  Please contact your child(ren)’s teacher for more information. 

Winter Choral Performance 

Check out the full recording of our Winter Choral Concert here on the Westlawn website.  We thank our amazing Westlawn Chorus, our choral directors Ms. Cutler and Ms. Layton, and Ms. Dushok for making this event possible!

Middle School Prep for 6th Graders 

January 30: Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night

• This will be an in-person event with information posted online.  We will present curriculum information, as well as general information on school logistics,  special education information, and electives will be showcased.

February 1: Westlawn 6th Graders visit Luther Jackson

• Students will visit the middle school, tour the building, and receive information regarding schedules and daily activities

March 1st : Class Registration Forms Due 

• Deadline for Rising 7th grade google course selection forms completed

Community Conversations with Principals 

Join Mr. Hill, Ms. Carpenter, and Dr. Bryson for Weekly Community Conversations this school year.  Weekly sessions will be held virtually on Wednesday mornings at 11:00AM.  You can access these sessions using this link.  Slide decks and recordings will be posted to the website as quickly as possible after the close of the week’s conversation. Families can access all materials here: https://westlawnes.fcps.edu/get-involved

Superintendent to Present FY 2025 Proposed Budget

Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid will present the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Proposed Budget at the School Board meeting on Thursday, February 8, at 7:30 p.m. Dr. Reid’s presentation, as well as other budget documents, will be available after she presents to the board. 

View the meeting on FCPS Cable TV Channel 99 (Verizon Channel 11), the FCPS YouTube Channel, or the FCPS website. To watch School Board meetings dubbed in Spanish, please visit the FCPS en Español YouTube channel.

If you would like language interpretation or American Sign Language support for any School Board meeting, please contact the board clerk. Find your School Board member and how to contact them on the School Board Members webpage.

🚍 Here Comes the Bus

Want to know if your child's bus is on schedule or where the bus is? Here Comes the Bus® is an easy-to-use website and app that enables parents to see the location of their child’s school bus — almost in real time — on a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. 

Parents can track multiple buses if their children don’t all ride the same bus; know exactly when children arrive at school or the bus stop; and receive customized text and/or email notifications about bus locations, schedule changes, or delays.

To get started, download the app from the Apple iOS or Android app store. Check out the Here Comes the Bus and Frequently Asked Questions webpages for more information.

Already using the Here Comes the Bus app? Send your feedback to [email protected].  

Note: eNotify text messaging will continue to be used for reporting bus delays and bus incidents.

Career Exploration Events for Students

In February, school divisions across the region will team up with Virginia Ed Strategies to host the annual Instruction 2 Industry Career Expo event. This Northern Virginia regional event invites high school students to connect virtually and in person, with more than 60 local industry professionals from in-demand career fields. 

These free career exploration events aim to provide students with opportunities to prepare for tomorrow’s workforce today. 

Virtual sessions will be held Monday, February 5, through Thursday, February 8, 4-7 p.m., and the in-person Career Expo and Job Fair will be held Saturday, February 17, 1-4 p.m., in the North Hall of the Dulles Expo Center. 

Students should register today on the Instruction 2 Industry Events page.

Do you want to celebrate a Westlawn staff member who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way, or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone.

Recurring Reminders

Collecting a Student for Early Dismissal

Families are reminded that they should call the main office at 703-241-5100 to arrange to get a student for early dismissal. We do not monitor our TalkingPoints account all day, and we may not receive messages about early dismissals in a timely manner.  We ask that families picking up children early do so before 3:00 PM to avoid conflicts with the schoolwide dismissal process.

Portrait of a Graduate at Westlawn 

Children at Westlawn engage daily in Portrait of a Graduate skills: Communication, Collaboration, Goal-Setting, Resilience, Critical and Creative Thinking, and Global Citizenship.  Check out our First Friday Photos to see these skills in action!

How to Register for Pre-K or Early Head Start

Fairfax County offers pre-K for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements and Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. To register, parents or caregivers should:

1. Complete the application form.
2. Make a copy of the child’s birth certificate and a residency document (lease, dead, or mortgage). 

If your child is selected for one of the programs, the following will need to be completed:

1. A school physical.
2. Dental exam.
3. FCPS school registration forms.

Bus Delay Information

If a bus is delayed or more information is needed, parents and guardians can access the FCPS Bus Delay Website or contact the Area Transportation Office.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to sign up to receive Here Comes the Bus notifications.

Parents and guardians can be notified by text, phone call and/or email when a bus is delayed 30 minutes or more by indicting these options through their SIS ParentVUE account.

Child Find Screenings

Child Find is the process of identifying children with potential special education needs as well as educating the community about child development and the importance of early intervention. Child Find screenings and services are provided by the FCPS Early Childhood Identification and Services program for children ages 20 months through 5 years who live in Fairfax County or Fairfax city. Learn more on the Child Find website.

FCPS Early Childhood and PreK Programs

Fairfax County Public Schools offers programs for the youngest learners: 

• PreK is for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements. Space is limited, and priority is given to 4 year olds to help them prepare for kindergarten. 
• Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. 
• Early Literacy Programs and Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) work with parents to help prepare their children for school. 

Community liaisons are available to assist families with the registration process and answer any questions. For more information, visit the Early Childhood Registration webpage.

What Is ParentVUE and How Can You Sign Up?

If you do not already have a ParentVUE SIS account, sign up now to monitor and support your child’s academic success! Through ParentVUE, you are able to monitor your student’s attendance, grades, and assignments at any time. You can also access special reports for your student like progress reports and assessments score reports. 

Once you have activated a ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same ParentVUE account. SIS ParentVUE can be accessed using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices. 

Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video walks you through the steps on how to do so. You can also find out more about SIS ParentVUE on our website.

Update Your Emergency Care Information Through weCare@school

Fairfax County Public Schools provides weCare@school (weCare), an emergency care information system, to parents/caregivers who have registered for their own parent account. weCare helps manage emergency medical information by allowing parents to enter and update their children’s medical data online at their convenience. That contact information automatically enrolls parents/caregivers to receive eNotify communications from the district and their child’s school. eNotify is the communications tool for FCPS emergency, transportation, attendance, weather closing and delay, and essential outreach messages. Messages are sent via email, text, and occasionally phone. Click to edit this placeholder text.

🔍 Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity

FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.

Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.

Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.

Family Resources

FCPS’ Office of Family and School Partnerships would like to remind families of some of the many resources available to them:

• Bilingual community liaisons support student registrars by providing families with information about school and community services offered in Fairfax County. Liaisons are available to help families speaking Spanish, Korean, and Arabic. Once registered at a school, families can contact their family liaison for assistance. 

• Early literacy programs are available to Fairfax County residents for parents of children up to 5 years old. These programs help prepare children for school and build confidence in parents as their child’s first teacher. They also help parents become active partners in their child’s education. Programs are available in African-Heritage, Arabic, Spanish, and Korean. 
• Parent Information Phone Lines are available in eight languages for parents who speak languages other than English. 
• A Multilingual Family Podcast is produced by the offices of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Family and School Partnerships, and Professional Learning and Equity. It covers important information for parents in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Korean. 
• ESOL services are available in Fairfax County not only for students, but also for adults and families. Information on Spring classes will be posted in March 2023. 

Visit the Family Engagement webpage for more resources.

Parent Advocacy Handbook

The Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC) has created a Parent Advocacy Handbook to provide information and support to families as they navigate the FCPS system for their children. It is designed to be particularly useful for families who may be less familiar with such a large school division and/or with schooling in the U.S.  

Contact Hilda Reyes, Westlawn Family Liaison, with additional questions. 

Westlawn on Social Media

Westlawn is active on social media, we encourage families to access our Facebook and Instagram accounts for a glimpse into daily school life. 

Falls Church High School Athletics

FCHS offers a variety of athletic opportunities for students - and it’s never too early to get your children interested in different sports!  Visit the FCPS Athletics webpage for team information, calendars, and more. 

Westlawn 2023-2024 PTA Board

We are excited to announce our PTA Cabinet!

Simone Rose, President

Deirdre Ladd, Vice President

Christine Lusk and Dave Jones, Treasurers

Jordan Kislear, Secretary

3200 Westley Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042  | Main Office: 703.241.5100
Attendance: 703.241.5151 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

Để đọc bản tin này bằng ngôn ngữ khác, xin quý vị truy cập vào trang mạng của chúng tôi.

A Message From Your Principals

Westlawn Families:

The 3rd quarter is just underway and our 6th graders are already looking toward next year!  This week Luther Jackson Middle School hosted families for an information event on the 30th, then welcomed 6th graders from all feeder elementary schools on Thursday to tour the school and learn about some of the exciting opportunities awaiting them in 7th grade!  

Keep an eye on our calendar of upcoming events for February and March!  

Community Conversations with Principals will continue in the new year, held virtually each Wednesday morning at 11:00 AM.  Check out the recording from this week's CCwP located here.  

The Westlawn team is committed to providing a learning experience that nurtures your child’s natural abilities, advocates for growth and excellence, and empowers your child to reach their full potential.

Stay up-to-date with school events by accessing our Westlawn All Families Schoology Calendar.  Access an overview of the entire school year, including holidays and cultural observance days, by clicking here. 

And be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram! 

At Westlawn, we soar together.

At Westlawn, we soar together. 

Individually Unique … Together Extraordinary

Somos Westlawn.

Your Proud Principals,

Christoph Hill, Anaya Bryson, and Stephanie Carpenter

Upcoming Dates:

February 6: Westlawn PTA Meeting (virtual link)

February 7: World Read Aloud Day (with a special visit from the FCHS Girl’s Basketball Team!)

February 8: 100th Day of School 

February 12-16: Westlawn Kindness Week (daily themes)

February 19: President’s Day (no school for students)

February 26/27: 6th Grade Field Trip to National Gallery of Art 

February 29: Wolf Trap STEAM Parent Workshop (PreK/Kinder only) (Westlawn Cafe 5:00 - 6:00 PM)

March 1: Westlawn Staff and Family Volleyball Game (FCHS Gym @ 5:30 PM)

March 4 - 8: Read Across America Week (different themes each day!)

March 5: Primary Elections (Student Holiday)

March 12: 3rd and 4th Grade Link Up Field Trip - GMU Campus

March 16: Westlawn Day (Westlawn Cafe and Gym from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM)

March 20: Laps for Learning Event (Westlawn Field during school hours)

March 21: Drama Troupe Performance (5:00 - 6:30 PM)

April 9: Kindergarten Orientation (Westlawn Cafe @ 9AM)

April 17: Falls Church Pyramid Art Show (FCHS Main Gym and Lobby from 5:00 - 7:00 PM)

April 19: Westlawn Art Night (Westlawn Blacktop from 5:30 - 7:00 PM)

 

New Bike Rack!

We are proud to announce the installation of our new bike rack is complete!  Located just inside the gate by the tennis courts, we hope this new location will allow more children to safely ride a bike to school and lock it securely.  Thank you to Grant Maloney and Whitney Reed for their work in securing the funding, Haydee Sanchez for handling the logistics, and David Lopez and the FCPS Facilities’ Team for installation. 

Westlawn Staff and Family Volleyball Game - March 1st @ 5:30 PM

On March 1st we invite families and staff to participate in a Westlawn Community Volleyball game at Falls Church High School!  Join in the game or just come and watch!  If you and your family are interested in participating please email Ms. Maxwell at [email protected]. 

Westlawn Kindness Week: February 12 -16 

In an effort to promote community wellness, the week of February 12 we celebrate Westlawn Kindness!  Each day will have a theme, and children will participate in a variety of different learning activities that highlight the importance of intentional acts of kindness.   

Mon, Feb. 12th- Green for Gratitude

Tues, Feb 13th- Blue for Helpfulness

Wed, Feb 14th- Red/Pink Self-Love

Thurs, Feb. 15th- Yellow for Positivity

Fri., Feb 16th- Favorite Color or Kindness Message T-shirt

Westlawn Spirit Days 

We will continue to celebrate Not-So-Secret Staff and Student Spirit Days each Wednesday in the new year.  This Wednesday is Twin!  Students and staff should find a twin and choose an outfit!  

Drive for FCPS 

FCPS continues to actively recruit bus drivers (Westlawn currently has one route without a permanent driver).  More information can be found here.

Upcoming Assessments 

WIDA Testing Window: January 16 - March 14

Specific information regarding testing for each grade level will be communicated to families.  Please contact your child(ren)’s teacher for more information. 

Winter Choral Performance 

Check out the full recording of our Winter Choral Concert here on the Westlawn website.  We thank our amazing Westlawn Chorus, our choral directors Ms. Cutler and Ms. Layton, and Ms. Dushok for making this event possible!

Middle School Prep for 6th Graders 

January 30: Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night

• This will be an in-person event with information posted online.  We will present curriculum information, as well as general information on school logistics,  special education information, and electives will be showcased.

February 1: Westlawn 6th Graders visit Luther Jackson

• Students will visit the middle school, tour the building, and receive information regarding schedules and daily activities

March 1st : Class Registration Forms Due 

• Deadline for Rising 7th grade google course selection forms completed

Community Conversations with Principals 

Join Mr. Hill, Ms. Carpenter, and Dr. Bryson for Weekly Community Conversations this school year.  Weekly sessions will be held virtually on Wednesday mornings at 11:00AM.  You can access these sessions using this link.  Slide decks and recordings will be posted to the website as quickly as possible after the close of the week’s conversation. Families can access all materials here: https://westlawnes.fcps.edu/get-involved

Superintendent to Present FY 2025 Proposed Budget

Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid will present the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Proposed Budget at the School Board meeting on Thursday, February 8, at 7:30 p.m. Dr. Reid’s presentation, as well as other budget documents, will be available after she presents to the board. 

View the meeting on FCPS Cable TV Channel 99 (Verizon Channel 11), the FCPS YouTube Channel, or the FCPS website. To watch School Board meetings dubbed in Spanish, please visit the FCPS en Español YouTube channel.

If you would like language interpretation or American Sign Language support for any School Board meeting, please contact the board clerk. Find your School Board member and how to contact them on the School Board Members webpage.

🚍 Here Comes the Bus

Want to know if your child's bus is on schedule or where the bus is? Here Comes the Bus® is an easy-to-use website and app that enables parents to see the location of their child’s school bus — almost in real time — on a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. 

Parents can track multiple buses if their children don’t all ride the same bus; know exactly when children arrive at school or the bus stop; and receive customized text and/or email notifications about bus locations, schedule changes, or delays.

To get started, download the app from the Apple iOS or Android app store. Check out the Here Comes the Bus and Frequently Asked Questions webpages for more information.

Already using the Here Comes the Bus app? Send your feedback to [email protected].  

Note: eNotify text messaging will continue to be used for reporting bus delays and bus incidents.

Career Exploration Events for Students

In February, school divisions across the region will team up with Virginia Ed Strategies to host the annual Instruction 2 Industry Career Expo event. This Northern Virginia regional event invites high school students to connect virtually and in person, with more than 60 local industry professionals from in-demand career fields. 

These free career exploration events aim to provide students with opportunities to prepare for tomorrow’s workforce today. 

Virtual sessions will be held Monday, February 5, through Thursday, February 8, 4-7 p.m., and the in-person Career Expo and Job Fair will be held Saturday, February 17, 1-4 p.m., in the North Hall of the Dulles Expo Center. 

Students should register today on the Instruction 2 Industry Events page.

Do you want to celebrate a Westlawn staff member who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way, or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone.

Recurring Reminders

Collecting a Student for Early Dismissal

Families are reminded that they should call the main office at 703-241-5100 to arrange to get a student for early dismissal. We do not monitor our TalkingPoints account all day, and we may not receive messages about early dismissals in a timely manner.  We ask that families picking up children early do so before 3:00 PM to avoid conflicts with the schoolwide dismissal process.

Portrait of a Graduate at Westlawn 

Children at Westlawn engage daily in Portrait of a Graduate skills: Communication, Collaboration, Goal-Setting, Resilience, Critical and Creative Thinking, and Global Citizenship.  Check out our First Friday Photos to see these skills in action!

How to Register for Pre-K or Early Head Start

Fairfax County offers pre-K for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements and Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. To register, parents or caregivers should:

1. Complete the application form.
2. Make a copy of the child’s birth certificate and a residency document (lease, dead, or mortgage). 

If your child is selected for one of the programs, the following will need to be completed:

1. A school physical.
2. Dental exam.
3. FCPS school registration forms.

Bus Delay Information

If a bus is delayed or more information is needed, parents and guardians can access the FCPS Bus Delay Website or contact the Area Transportation Office.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to sign up to receive Here Comes the Bus notifications.

Parents and guardians can be notified by text, phone call and/or email when a bus is delayed 30 minutes or more by indicting these options through their SIS ParentVUE account.

Child Find Screenings

Child Find is the process of identifying children with potential special education needs as well as educating the community about child development and the importance of early intervention. Child Find screenings and services are provided by the FCPS Early Childhood Identification and Services program for children ages 20 months through 5 years who live in Fairfax County or Fairfax city. Learn more on the Child Find website.

FCPS Early Childhood and PreK Programs

Fairfax County Public Schools offers programs for the youngest learners: 

• PreK is for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements. Space is limited, and priority is given to 4 year olds to help them prepare for kindergarten. 
• Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. 
• Early Literacy Programs and Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) work with parents to help prepare their children for school. 

Community liaisons are available to assist families with the registration process and answer any questions. For more information, visit the Early Childhood Registration webpage.

What Is ParentVUE and How Can You Sign Up?

If you do not already have a ParentVUE SIS account, sign up now to monitor and support your child’s academic success! Through ParentVUE, you are able to monitor your student’s attendance, grades, and assignments at any time. You can also access special reports for your student like progress reports and assessments score reports. 

Once you have activated a ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same ParentVUE account. SIS ParentVUE can be accessed using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices. 

Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video walks you through the steps on how to do so. You can also find out more about SIS ParentVUE on our website.

Update Your Emergency Care Information Through weCare@school

Fairfax County Public Schools provides weCare@school (weCare), an emergency care information system, to parents/caregivers who have registered for their own parent account. weCare helps manage emergency medical information by allowing parents to enter and update their children’s medical data online at their convenience. That contact information automatically enrolls parents/caregivers to receive eNotify communications from the district and their child’s school. eNotify is the communications tool for FCPS emergency, transportation, attendance, weather closing and delay, and essential outreach messages. Messages are sent via email, text, and occasionally phone. Click to edit this placeholder text.

🔍 Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity

FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.

Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.

Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.

Family Resources

FCPS’ Office of Family and School Partnerships would like to remind families of some of the many resources available to them:

• Bilingual community liaisons support student registrars by providing families with information about school and community services offered in Fairfax County. Liaisons are available to help families speaking Spanish, Korean, and Arabic. Once registered at a school, families can contact their family liaison for assistance. 

• Early literacy programs are available to Fairfax County residents for parents of children up to 5 years old. These programs help prepare children for school and build confidence in parents as their child’s first teacher. They also help parents become active partners in their child’s education. Programs are available in African-Heritage, Arabic, Spanish, and Korean. 
• Parent Information Phone Lines are available in eight languages for parents who speak languages other than English. 
• A Multilingual Family Podcast is produced by the offices of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Family and School Partnerships, and Professional Learning and Equity. It covers important information for parents in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Korean. 
• ESOL services are available in Fairfax County not only for students, but also for adults and families. Information on Spring classes will be posted in March 2023. 

Visit the Family Engagement webpage for more resources.

Parent Advocacy Handbook

The Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC) has created a Parent Advocacy Handbook to provide information and support to families as they navigate the FCPS system for their children. It is designed to be particularly useful for families who may be less familiar with such a large school division and/or with schooling in the U.S.  

Contact Hilda Reyes, Westlawn Family Liaison, with additional questions. 

Westlawn on Social Media

Westlawn is active on social media, we encourage families to access our Facebook and Instagram accounts for a glimpse into daily school life. 

Falls Church High School Athletics

FCHS offers a variety of athletic opportunities for students - and it’s never too early to get your children interested in different sports!  Visit the FCPS Athletics webpage for team information, calendars, and more. 

Westlawn 2023-2024 PTA Board

We are excited to announce our PTA Cabinet!

Simone Rose, President

Deirdre Ladd, Vice President

Christine Lusk and Dave Jones, Treasurers

Jordan Kislear, Secretary

3200 Westley Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042  | Main Office: 703.241.5100
Attendance: 703.241.5151 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

Để đọc bản tin này bằng ngôn ngữ khác, xin quý vị truy cập vào trang mạng của chúng tôi.

Family Engagement Events 

 

3200 Westley Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042  | Main Office: 703.241.5100
Attendance: 703.241.5151 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

Để đọc bản tin này bằng ngôn ngữ khác, xin quý vị truy cập vào trang mạng của chúng tôi.

Family Engagement Events 

 

3200 Westley Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042  | Main Office: 703.241.5100
Attendance: 703.241.5151 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

Để đọc bản tin này bằng ngôn ngữ khác, xin quý vị truy cập vào trang mạng của chúng tôi.

A Message From Your Principals

Westlawn Families:

This week we put a bow on the 2nd quarter here at Westlawn!  We hope families are enjoying the warmer temps on this extended weekend with children.  On Thursday Math Magician Brian Curry wowed and dazzled Westlawn students with his new performance - thank you to our wonderful Westlawn PTA for providing this experience.  

We thank our families able to attend our Coffee Connections collaborative session this past Monday.  This was the first installment of this community engagement series, designed to explore collaborative solutions to issues facing our school community.  

In the coming weeks we have some exciting opportunities for families to engage with one another, including our 2nd Coffee Connections (targeting social media awareness) in February.  In March we are excited to host our first Westlawn Staff and Family Volleyball Game, as well as this year’s installment of Westlawn Day on March 16!   

The Westlawn team is committed to providing a learning experience that nurtures your child’s natural abilities, advocates for growth and excellence, and empowers your child to reach their full potential.

Stay up-to-date with school events by accessing our Westlawn All Families Schoology Calendar.  Access an overview of the entire school year, including holidays and cultural observance days, by clicking here.

And be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram! 

At Westlawn, we soar together.

At Westlawn, we soar together. 

Individually Unique … Together Extraordinary

Somos Westlawn.

Your Proud Principals,

Christoph Hill, Anaya Bryson, and Stephanie Carpenter

Upcoming Dates:

January 30: 2024 Gap Year Fair (Marshall High School from 6:00 - 8:30 PM)

January 30: Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night (Luther Jackson MS @ 6:00 PM; 

*for 6th grade families

February 1: 6th Grade Visits Luther Jackson MS (9:30 - 11:00 AM)

February 7: World Read Aloud Day 

February 12-16: Westlawn Kindness Week (daily themes)

February 19: President’s Day (no school for students)

February 29: Wolf Trap STEAM Parent Workshop (PreK/Kinder only) (Westlawn Cafe 5:00 - 6:00 PM)

March 1: Westlawn Staff and Family Volleyball Game (FCHS Gym @ 5:30 PM)

March 4 - 8: Read Across America Week (different themes each day!)

March 5: Primary Elections (Student Holiday)

March 16: Westlawn Day (Westlawn Cafe and Gym from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM)

March 20: Laps for Learning Event (Westlawn Field during school hours)

March 21: Drama Troupe Performance (5:00 - 6:30 PM)

April 9: Kindergarten Orientation (Westlawn Cafe @ 9AM)

April 17: Falls Church Pyramid Art Show (FCHS Main Gym and Lobby from 5:00 - 7:00 PM)

April 19: Westlawn Art Night (Westlawn Blacktop from 5:30 - 7:00 PM) 

 

Westlawn Staff and Family Volleyball Game - March 1st @ 5:30 PM

On March 1st we invite families and staff to participate in a Westlawn Community Volleyball game at Falls Church High School!  Join in the game or just come and watch!  If you and your family are interested in participating please email Ms. Maxwell at [email protected]. 

Westlawn Kindness Week: February 12 -16 

In an effort to promote community wellness, the week of February 12 we celebrate Westlawn Kindness!  Each day will have a theme, and children will participate in a variety of different learning activities that highlight the importance of intentional acts of kindness.   

Mon, Feb. 12th- Green for Gratitude

Tues, Feb 13th- Blue for Helpfulness

Wed, Feb 14th- Red/Pink Self-Love

Thurs, Feb. 15th- Yellow for Positivity

Fri., Feb 16th- Favorite Color or Kindness Message T-shirt

Westlawn Spirit Days 

We will continue to celebrate Not-So-Secret Staff and Student Spirit Days each Wednesday in the new year.  This Wednesday is Twin!  Students and staff should find a twin and choose an outfit!  

Westlawn is Looking for Tutors!

We are currently interviewing for tutors to work with Westlawn students.  If you or someone you know is interested in this potential opportunity please email Principal Hill at [email protected].

Drive for FCPS 

FCPS continues to actively recruit bus drivers (Westlawn currently has one route without a permanent driver).  More information can be found here.

Upcoming Assessments 

iReady Winter Window: January 3 - February 2

WIDA Testing Window: January 16 - March 14

Kindergarten PALS Window: January 3 - February 2

Specific information regarding testing for each grade level will be communicated to families.  Please contact your child(ren)’s teacher for more information. 

Middle School Prep for 6th Graders 

January 30: Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night

• This will be an in-person event with information posted online.  We will present curriculum information, as well as general information on school logistics,  special education information, and electives will be showcased.

February 1: Westlawn 6th Graders visit Luther Jackson

• Students will visit the middle school, tour the building, and receive information regarding schedules and daily activities

March 1st : Class Registration Forms Due 

• Deadline for Rising 7th grade google course selection forms completed

Snow Days This Winter

For the current school year, FCPS will be returning to its previous procedure for snow days — there will be no virtual learning days when school is closed due to bad weather. 

During snow days, students may still access Tutor.com, complete any supplemental learning opportunities recommended by their teachers, and view educational programming (available virtually and on public access television channels):

• Elementary school instruction: Red Apple 21.
• Middle school instruction: Channel 25.  
• High school instruction: Channel 99.

Eleven snow days are built into the existing FCPS calendar. Eliminating virtual learning days will allow us to maximize students’ in-person learning and provide equitable access to instruction and student services.

Community Conversation Recordings and Slide Decks 

To provide families with more organized communications from Westlawn, recordings and slide decks from Wednesday Community Conversations will now be posted on our website instead of being sent via text message. Families can visit our website at any time to view the last five Community Conversations slide decks and recordings. Slide decks and recordings will be posted to the website as quickly as possible after the close of the week’s conversation. Families can access all materials here: https://westlawnes.fcps.edu/get-involved

Do you want to celebrate a Westlawn staff member who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way, or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone.

Recurring Reminders

Collecting a Student for Early Dismissal

Families are reminded that they should call the main office at 703-241-5100 to arrange to get a student for early dismissal. We do not monitor our TalkingPoints account all day, and we may not receive messages about early dismissals in a timely manner.  We ask that families picking up children early do so before 3:00 PM to avoid conflicts with the schoolwide dismissal process.

Portrait of a Graduate at Westlawn 

Children at Westlawn engage daily in Portrait of a Graduate skills: Communication, Collaboration, Goal-Setting, Resilience, Critical and Creative Thinking, and Global Citizenship.  Check out our First Friday Photos to see these skills in action!

How to Register for Pre-K or Early Head Start

Fairfax County offers pre-K for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements and Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. To register, parents or caregivers should:

1. Complete the application form.
2. Make a copy of the child’s birth certificate and a residency document (lease, dead, or mortgage). 

If your child is selected for one of the programs, the following will need to be completed:

1. A school physical.
2. Dental exam.
3. FCPS school registration forms.

Bus Delay Information

If a bus is delayed or more information is needed, parents and guardians can access the FCPS Bus Delay Website or contact the Area Transportation Office.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to sign up to receive Here Comes the Bus notifications.

Parents and guardians can be notified by text, phone call and/or email when a bus is delayed 30 minutes or more by indicting these options through their SIS ParentVUE account.

Child Find Screenings

Child Find is the process of identifying children with potential special education needs as well as educating the community about child development and the importance of early intervention. Child Find screenings and services are provided by the FCPS Early Childhood Identification and Services program for children ages 20 months through 5 years who live in Fairfax County or Fairfax city. Learn more on the Child Find website.

FCPS Early Childhood and PreK Programs

Fairfax County Public Schools offers programs for the youngest learners: 

• PreK is for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements. Space is limited, and priority is given to 4 year olds to help them prepare for kindergarten. 
• Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. 
• Early Literacy Programs and Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) work with parents to help prepare their children for school. 

Community liaisons are available to assist families with the registration process and answer any questions. For more information, visit the Early Childhood Registration webpage.

What Is ParentVUE and How Can You Sign Up?

If you do not already have a ParentVUE SIS account, sign up now to monitor and support your child’s academic success! Through ParentVUE, you are able to monitor your student’s attendance, grades, and assignments at any time. You can also access special reports for your student like progress reports and assessments score reports. 

Once you have activated a ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same ParentVUE account. SIS ParentVUE can be accessed using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices. 

Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video walks you through the steps on how to do so. You can also find out more about SIS ParentVUE on our website.

Update Your Emergency Care Information Through weCare@school

Fairfax County Public Schools provides weCare@school (weCare), an emergency care information system, to parents/caregivers who have registered for their own parent account. weCare helps manage emergency medical information by allowing parents to enter and update their children’s medical data online at their convenience. That contact information automatically enrolls parents/caregivers to receive eNotify communications from the district and their child’s school. eNotify is the communications tool for FCPS emergency, transportation, attendance, weather closing and delay, and essential outreach messages. Messages are sent via email, text, and occasionally phone. Click to edit this placeholder text.

🔍 Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity

FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.

Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.

Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.

Family Resources

FCPS’ Office of Family and School Partnerships would like to remind families of some of the many resources available to them:

• Bilingual community liaisons support student registrars by providing families with information about school and community services offered in Fairfax County. Liaisons are available to help families speaking Spanish, Korean, and Arabic. Once registered at a school, families can contact their family liaison for assistance. 

• Early literacy programs are available to Fairfax County residents for parents of children up to 5 years old. These programs help prepare children for school and build confidence in parents as their child’s first teacher. They also help parents become active partners in their child’s education. Programs are available in African-Heritage, Arabic, Spanish, and Korean. 
• Parent Information Phone Lines are available in eight languages for parents who speak languages other than English. 
• A Multilingual Family Podcast is produced by the offices of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Family and School Partnerships, and Professional Learning and Equity. It covers important information for parents in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Korean. 
• ESOL services are available in Fairfax County not only for students, but also for adults and families. Information on Spring classes will be posted in March 2023. 

Visit the Family Engagement webpage for more resources.

Parent Advocacy Handbook

The Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC) has created a Parent Advocacy Handbook to provide information and support to families as they navigate the FCPS system for their children. It is designed to be particularly useful for families who may be less familiar with such a large school division and/or with schooling in the U.S.  

Contact Hilda Reyes, Westlawn Family Liaison, with additional questions. 

Westlawn on Social Media

Westlawn is active on social media, we encourage families to access our Facebook and Instagram accounts for a glimpse into daily school life. 

Falls Church High School Athletics

FCHS offers a variety of athletic opportunities for students - and it’s never too early to get your children interested in different sports!  Visit the FCPS Athletics webpage for team information, calendars, and more. 

Westlawn 2023-2024 PTA Board

We are excited to announce our PTA Cabinet!

Simone Rose, President

Deirdre Ladd, Vice President

Christine Lusk and Dave Jones, Treasurers

Jordan Kislear, Secretary

3200 Westley Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042  | Main Office: 703.241.5100
Attendance: 703.241.5151 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

Để đọc bản tin này bằng ngôn ngữ khác, xin quý vị truy cập vào trang mạng của chúng tôi.

A Message From Your Principals

Westlawn Families:

This week we put a bow on the 2nd quarter here at Westlawn!  We hope families are enjoying the warmer temps on this extended weekend with children.  On Thursday Math Magician Brian Curry wowed and dazzled Westlawn students with his new performance - thank you to our wonderful Westlawn PTA for providing this experience.  

We thank our families able to attend our Coffee Connections collaborative session this past Monday.  This was the first installment of this community engagement series, designed to explore collaborative solutions to issues facing our school community.  

In the coming weeks we have some exciting opportunities for families to engage with one another, including our 2nd Coffee Connections (targeting social media awareness) in February.  In March we are excited to host our first Westlawn Staff and Family Volleyball Game, as well as this year’s installment of Westlawn Day on March 16!   

The Westlawn team is committed to providing a learning experience that nurtures your child’s natural abilities, advocates for growth and excellence, and empowers your child to reach their full potential.

Stay up-to-date with school events by accessing our Westlawn All Families Schoology Calendar.  Access an overview of the entire school year, including holidays and cultural observance days, by clicking here.

And be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram! 

At Westlawn, we soar together.

At Westlawn, we soar together. 

Individually Unique … Together Extraordinary

Somos Westlawn.

Your Proud Principals,

Christoph Hill, Anaya Bryson, and Stephanie Carpenter

Upcoming Dates:

January 30: 2024 Gap Year Fair (Marshall High School from 6:00 - 8:30 PM)

January 30: Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night (Luther Jackson MS @ 6:00 PM; 

*for 6th grade families

February 1: 6th Grade Visits Luther Jackson MS (9:30 - 11:00 AM)

February 7: World Read Aloud Day 

February 12-16: Westlawn Kindness Week (daily themes)

February 19: President’s Day (no school for students)

February 29: Wolf Trap STEAM Parent Workshop (PreK/Kinder only) (Westlawn Cafe 5:00 - 6:00 PM)

March 1: Westlawn Staff and Family Volleyball Game (FCHS Gym @ 5:30 PM)

March 4 - 8: Read Across America Week (different themes each day!)

March 5: Primary Elections (Student Holiday)

March 16: Westlawn Day (Westlawn Cafe and Gym from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM)

March 20: Laps for Learning Event (Westlawn Field during school hours)

March 21: Drama Troupe Performance (5:00 - 6:30 PM)

April 9: Kindergarten Orientation (Westlawn Cafe @ 9AM)

April 17: Falls Church Pyramid Art Show (FCHS Main Gym and Lobby from 5:00 - 7:00 PM)

April 19: Westlawn Art Night (Westlawn Blacktop from 5:30 - 7:00 PM) 

 

Westlawn Staff and Family Volleyball Game - March 1st @ 5:30 PM

On March 1st we invite families and staff to participate in a Westlawn Community Volleyball game at Falls Church High School!  Join in the game or just come and watch!  If you and your family are interested in participating please email Ms. Maxwell at [email protected]. 

Westlawn Kindness Week: February 12 -16 

In an effort to promote community wellness, the week of February 12 we celebrate Westlawn Kindness!  Each day will have a theme, and children will participate in a variety of different learning activities that highlight the importance of intentional acts of kindness.   

Mon, Feb. 12th- Green for Gratitude

Tues, Feb 13th- Blue for Helpfulness

Wed, Feb 14th- Red/Pink Self-Love

Thurs, Feb. 15th- Yellow for Positivity

Fri., Feb 16th- Favorite Color or Kindness Message T-shirt

Westlawn Spirit Days 

We will continue to celebrate Not-So-Secret Staff and Student Spirit Days each Wednesday in the new year.  This Wednesday is Twin!  Students and staff should find a twin and choose an outfit!  

Westlawn is Looking for Tutors!

We are currently interviewing for tutors to work with Westlawn students.  If you or someone you know is interested in this potential opportunity please email Principal Hill at [email protected].

Drive for FCPS 

FCPS continues to actively recruit bus drivers (Westlawn currently has one route without a permanent driver).  More information can be found here.

Upcoming Assessments 

iReady Winter Window: January 3 - February 2

WIDA Testing Window: January 16 - March 14

Kindergarten PALS Window: January 3 - February 2

Specific information regarding testing for each grade level will be communicated to families.  Please contact your child(ren)’s teacher for more information. 

Middle School Prep for 6th Graders 

January 30: Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night

• This will be an in-person event with information posted online.  We will present curriculum information, as well as general information on school logistics,  special education information, and electives will be showcased.

February 1: Westlawn 6th Graders visit Luther Jackson

• Students will visit the middle school, tour the building, and receive information regarding schedules and daily activities

March 1st : Class Registration Forms Due 

• Deadline for Rising 7th grade google course selection forms completed

Snow Days This Winter

For the current school year, FCPS will be returning to its previous procedure for snow days — there will be no virtual learning days when school is closed due to bad weather. 

During snow days, students may still access Tutor.com, complete any supplemental learning opportunities recommended by their teachers, and view educational programming (available virtually and on public access television channels):

• Elementary school instruction: Red Apple 21.
• Middle school instruction: Channel 25.  
• High school instruction: Channel 99.

Eleven snow days are built into the existing FCPS calendar. Eliminating virtual learning days will allow us to maximize students’ in-person learning and provide equitable access to instruction and student services.

Community Conversation Recordings and Slide Decks 

To provide families with more organized communications from Westlawn, recordings and slide decks from Wednesday Community Conversations will now be posted on our website instead of being sent via text message. Families can visit our website at any time to view the last five Community Conversations slide decks and recordings. Slide decks and recordings will be posted to the website as quickly as possible after the close of the week’s conversation. Families can access all materials here: https://westlawnes.fcps.edu/get-involved

Do you want to celebrate a Westlawn staff member who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way, or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone.

Recurring Reminders

Collecting a Student for Early Dismissal

Families are reminded that they should call the main office at 703-241-5100 to arrange to get a student for early dismissal. We do not monitor our TalkingPoints account all day, and we may not receive messages about early dismissals in a timely manner.  We ask that families picking up children early do so before 3:00 PM to avoid conflicts with the schoolwide dismissal process.

Portrait of a Graduate at Westlawn 

Children at Westlawn engage daily in Portrait of a Graduate skills: Communication, Collaboration, Goal-Setting, Resilience, Critical and Creative Thinking, and Global Citizenship.  Check out our First Friday Photos to see these skills in action!

How to Register for Pre-K or Early Head Start

Fairfax County offers pre-K for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements and Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. To register, parents or caregivers should:

1. Complete the application form.
2. Make a copy of the child’s birth certificate and a residency document (lease, dead, or mortgage). 

If your child is selected for one of the programs, the following will need to be completed:

1. A school physical.
2. Dental exam.
3. FCPS school registration forms.

Bus Delay Information

If a bus is delayed or more information is needed, parents and guardians can access the FCPS Bus Delay Website or contact the Area Transportation Office.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to sign up to receive Here Comes the Bus notifications.

Parents and guardians can be notified by text, phone call and/or email when a bus is delayed 30 minutes or more by indicting these options through their SIS ParentVUE account.

Child Find Screenings

Child Find is the process of identifying children with potential special education needs as well as educating the community about child development and the importance of early intervention. Child Find screenings and services are provided by the FCPS Early Childhood Identification and Services program for children ages 20 months through 5 years who live in Fairfax County or Fairfax city. Learn more on the Child Find website.

FCPS Early Childhood and PreK Programs

Fairfax County Public Schools offers programs for the youngest learners: 

• PreK is for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements. Space is limited, and priority is given to 4 year olds to help them prepare for kindergarten. 
• Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. 
• Early Literacy Programs and Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) work with parents to help prepare their children for school. 

Community liaisons are available to assist families with the registration process and answer any questions. For more information, visit the Early Childhood Registration webpage.

What Is ParentVUE and How Can You Sign Up?

If you do not already have a ParentVUE SIS account, sign up now to monitor and support your child’s academic success! Through ParentVUE, you are able to monitor your student’s attendance, grades, and assignments at any time. You can also access special reports for your student like progress reports and assessments score reports. 

Once you have activated a ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same ParentVUE account. SIS ParentVUE can be accessed using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices. 

Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video walks you through the steps on how to do so. You can also find out more about SIS ParentVUE on our website.

Update Your Emergency Care Information Through weCare@school

Fairfax County Public Schools provides weCare@school (weCare), an emergency care information system, to parents/caregivers who have registered for their own parent account. weCare helps manage emergency medical information by allowing parents to enter and update their children’s medical data online at their convenience. That contact information automatically enrolls parents/caregivers to receive eNotify communications from the district and their child’s school. eNotify is the communications tool for FCPS emergency, transportation, attendance, weather closing and delay, and essential outreach messages. Messages are sent via email, text, and occasionally phone. Click to edit this placeholder text.

🔍 Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity

FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.

Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.

Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.

Family Resources

FCPS’ Office of Family and School Partnerships would like to remind families of some of the many resources available to them:

• Bilingual community liaisons support student registrars by providing families with information about school and community services offered in Fairfax County. Liaisons are available to help families speaking Spanish, Korean, and Arabic. Once registered at a school, families can contact their family liaison for assistance. 

• Early literacy programs are available to Fairfax County residents for parents of children up to 5 years old. These programs help prepare children for school and build confidence in parents as their child’s first teacher. They also help parents become active partners in their child’s education. Programs are available in African-Heritage, Arabic, Spanish, and Korean. 
• Parent Information Phone Lines are available in eight languages for parents who speak languages other than English. 
• A Multilingual Family Podcast is produced by the offices of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Family and School Partnerships, and Professional Learning and Equity. It covers important information for parents in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Korean. 
• ESOL services are available in Fairfax County not only for students, but also for adults and families. Information on Spring classes will be posted in March 2023. 

Visit the Family Engagement webpage for more resources.

Parent Advocacy Handbook

The Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC) has created a Parent Advocacy Handbook to provide information and support to families as they navigate the FCPS system for their children. It is designed to be particularly useful for families who may be less familiar with such a large school division and/or with schooling in the U.S.  

Contact Hilda Reyes, Westlawn Family Liaison, with additional questions. 

Westlawn on Social Media

Westlawn is active on social media, we encourage families to access our Facebook and Instagram accounts for a glimpse into daily school life. 

Falls Church High School Athletics

FCHS offers a variety of athletic opportunities for students - and it’s never too early to get your children interested in different sports!  Visit the FCPS Athletics webpage for team information, calendars, and more. 

Westlawn 2023-2024 PTA Board

We are excited to announce our PTA Cabinet!

Simone Rose, President

Deirdre Ladd, Vice President

Christine Lusk and Dave Jones, Treasurers

Jordan Kislear, Secretary

3200 Westley Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042  | Main Office: 703.241.5100
Attendance: 703.241.5151 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

Để đọc bản tin này bằng ngôn ngữ khác, xin quý vị truy cập vào trang mạng của chúng tôi.

Family Engagement Events 

 

3200 Westley Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042  | Main Office: 703.241.5100
Attendance: 703.241.5151 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

Để đọc bản tin này bằng ngôn ngữ khác, xin quý vị truy cập vào trang mạng của chúng tôi.

Family Engagement Events 

 

3200 Westley Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042  | Main Office: 703.241.5100
Attendance: 703.241.5151 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

Để đọc bản tin này bằng ngôn ngữ khác, xin quý vị truy cập vào trang mạng của chúng tôi.

A Message From Your Principals

Westlawn Families:

We hadn’t seen snow for two years, but we sure made up for it this week!  Snowfall causes a number of challenges for schools - most importantly student safety.  Sidewalks and entrances need to be cleared quickly and effectively before students arrive, and we are fortunate to have a top tier Custodial Team to ensure our building is ready for children.  We thank Ms. Morena Bermudez, Mr. Luis Guerra, Ms. Ana Romero, Mr. David Paniagua, Mr. Elmer Castillo, and Mr. Rafael Sorto for their dedication and commitment to the Westlawn Community.  The team was on campus Saturday morning to clear and de-ice sidewalks in preparation for school on Monday!

This Thursday marks the end of the second grading period.  We remind families that Thursday is a two-hour early dismissal and Friday there is no school for students, as teachers take time to complete progress reports for all students.  Expect finished reports in ParentVUE on February 5, hard copies sent home in Wednesday folders on February 7.  

Community Conversations with Principals are held virtually each Wednesday morning at 11:00 AM.  Check out the recording from this week's CCwP located here. 

The Westlawn team is committed to providing a learning experience that nurtures your child’s natural abilities, advocates for growth and excellence, and empowers your child to reach their full potential.

Stay up-to-date with school events by accessing our Westlawn All Families Schoology Calendar.  Access an overview of the entire school year, including holidays and cultural observance days, by clicking here.

And be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram! 

At Westlawn, we soar together.

At Westlawn, we soar together. 

Individually Unique … Together Extraordinary

Somos Westlawn.

Your Proud Principals,

Christoph Hill, Anaya Bryson, and Stephanie Carpenter

Important Dates:

January 22: Coffee Connections (9:00 AM in Westlawn Cafe)

January 25: Mathematical Magician Brian Curry Assembly (all grade levels, during school)

January 25: Two Hour Early Release (students dismiss at 1:30 PM)

January 25: End of 2nd Quarter

January 26: Teacher Workday (no school for students)

January 30: 2024 Gap Year Fair (Marshall High School from 6:00 - 8:30 PM)

January 30: Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night (Luther Jackson MS @ 6:00 PM; 

*for 6th grade families

February 1: 6th Grade Visits Luther Jackson MS (9:30 - 11:00 AM)

February 7: World Read Aloud Day 

February 12-16: Westlawn Kindness Week (daily themes)

February 19: President’s Day (no school for students)

February 29: Wolf Trap STEAM Parent Workshop (PreK/Kinder only) (Westlawn Cafe 5:00 - 6:00 PM)

March 4 - 8: Read Across America Week (different themes each day!)

March 5: Primary Elections (Student Holiday)

March 16: Westlawn Day (Westlawn Cafe and Gym from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM)

March 20: Laps for Learning Event (Westlawn Field during school hours)

March 21: Drama Troupe Performance (5:00 - 6:30 PM)

April 9: Kindergarten Orientation (Westlawn Cafe @ 9AM)

April 17: Falls Church Pyramid Art Show (FCHS Main Gym and Lobby from 5:00 - 7:00 PM)

April 19: Westlawn Art Night (Westlawn Blacktop from 5:30 - 7:00 PM) 

 

Coffee Connections - January 22, 2024

The Westlawn Wellness Team is happy to announce the initiation of Coffee Connections!  These will be monthly, in-person opportunities for families to connect and engage with the school community.  Our first session will be January 22, 2024, at 9:00 AM in the Westlawn Cafe.  Refreshments and light snacks will be available.  More information to come in the new year!

Westlawn is Looking for Tutors!

We are currently interviewing for tutors to work with Westlawn students.  If you or someone you know is interested in this potential opportunity please email Principal Hill at [email protected].

Winter Enrichment and STEAM Clubs 

We will begin our Winter Enrichment Club sessions on February 1st.  Sessions will be held on Thursday afternoons from Feb. 1 through March 21.  Look for club information and registration forms in the January 24th Wednesday folder.  

STEAM Clubs will be held on Wednesday afternoons during the Winter session, beginning on March 6.  More information will be communicated via Community Conversation and Wednesday folders. 

Westlawn Kindness Week: February 12 -16 

In an effort to promote community wellness, the week of February 12 we celebrate Westlawn Kindness!  Each day will have a theme, and children will participate in a variety of different learning activities that highlight the importance of intentional acts of kindness.   

Mon, Feb. 12th- Green for Gratitude

Tues, Feb 13th- Blue for Helpfulness

Wed, Feb 14th- Red/Pink Self-Love

Thurs, Feb. 15th- Yellow for Positivity

Fri., Feb 16th- Favorite Color or Kindness Message T-shirt

Westlawn Spirit Days 

We will continue to celebrate Not-So-Secret Staff and Student Spirit Days each Wednesday in the new year.  This Wednesday is Library Shelfie Day!  Students and staff should dress in their coziest reading apparel!  

Upcoming Assessments 

iReady Winter Window: January 3 - February 2

WIDA Testing Window: January 16 - March 14

Kindergarten PALS Window: January 3 - February 2

Specific information regarding testing for each grade level will be communicated to families.  Please contact your child(ren)’s teacher for more information. 

Middle School Prep for 6th Graders 

January 30: Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night

• This will be an in-person event with information posted online.  We will present curriculum information, as well as general information on school logistics,  special education information, and electives will be showcased.

February 1: Westlawn 6th Graders visit Luther Jackson

• Students will visit the middle school, tour the building, and receive information regarding schedules and daily activities

March 1st : Class Registration Forms Due 

• Deadline for Rising 7th grade google course selection forms completed

Snow Days This Winter

For the current school year, FCPS will be returning to its previous procedure for snow days — there will be no virtual learning days when school is closed due to bad weather. 

During snow days, students may still access Tutor.com, complete any supplemental learning opportunities recommended by their teachers, and view educational programming (available virtually and on public access television channels):

• Elementary school instruction: Red Apple 21.
• Middle school instruction: Channel 25.  
• High school instruction: Channel 99.

Eleven snow days are built into the existing FCPS calendar. Eliminating virtual learning days will allow us to maximize students’ in-person learning and provide equitable access to instruction and student services.

Community Conversation Recordings and Slide Decks 

To provide families with more organized communications from Westlawn, recordings and slide decks from Wednesday Community Conversations will now be posted on our website instead of being sent via text message. Families can visit our website at any time to view the last five Community Conversations slide decks and recordings. Slide decks and recordings will be posted to the website as quickly as possible after the close of the week’s conversation. Families can access all materials here: https://westlawnes.fcps.edu/get-involved

Do you want to celebrate a Westlawn staff member who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way, or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone.

Recurring Reminders

Collecting a Student for Early Dismissal

Families are reminded that they should call the main office at 703-241-5100 to arrange to get a student for early dismissal. We do not monitor our TalkingPoints account all day, and we may not receive messages about early dismissals in a timely manner.  We ask that families picking up children early do so before 3:00 PM to avoid conflicts with the schoolwide dismissal process.

Portrait of a Graduate at Westlawn 

Children at Westlawn engage daily in Portrait of a Graduate skills: Communication, Collaboration, Goal-Setting, Resilience, Critical and Creative Thinking, and Global Citizenship.  Check out our First Friday Photos to see these skills in action!

How to Register for Pre-K or Early Head Start

Fairfax County offers pre-K for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements and Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. To register, parents or caregivers should:

1. Complete the application form.
2. Make a copy of the child’s birth certificate and a residency document (lease, dead, or mortgage). 

If your child is selected for one of the programs, the following will need to be completed:

1. A school physical.
2. Dental exam.
3. FCPS school registration forms.

Bus Delay Information

If a bus is delayed or more information is needed, parents and guardians can access the FCPS Bus Delay Website or contact the Area Transportation Office.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to sign up to receive Here Comes the Bus notifications.

Parents and guardians can be notified by text, phone call and/or email when a bus is delayed 30 minutes or more by indicting these options through their SIS ParentVUE account.

Child Find Screenings

Child Find is the process of identifying children with potential special education needs as well as educating the community about child development and the importance of early intervention. Child Find screenings and services are provided by the FCPS Early Childhood Identification and Services program for children ages 20 months through 5 years who live in Fairfax County or Fairfax city. Learn more on the Child Find website.

FCPS Early Childhood and PreK Programs

Fairfax County Public Schools offers programs for the youngest learners: 

• PreK is for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements. Space is limited, and priority is given to 4 year olds to help them prepare for kindergarten. 
• Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. 
• Early Literacy Programs and Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) work with parents to help prepare their children for school. 

Community liaisons are available to assist families with the registration process and answer any questions. For more information, visit the Early Childhood Registration webpage.

What Is ParentVUE and How Can You Sign Up?

If you do not already have a ParentVUE SIS account, sign up now to monitor and support your child’s academic success! Through ParentVUE, you are able to monitor your student’s attendance, grades, and assignments at any time. You can also access special reports for your student like progress reports and assessments score reports. 

Once you have activated a ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same ParentVUE account. SIS ParentVUE can be accessed using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices. 

Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video walks you through the steps on how to do so. You can also find out more about SIS ParentVUE on our website.

Update Your Emergency Care Information Through weCare@school

Fairfax County Public Schools provides weCare@school (weCare), an emergency care information system, to parents/caregivers who have registered for their own parent account. weCare helps manage emergency medical information by allowing parents to enter and update their children’s medical data online at their convenience. That contact information automatically enrolls parents/caregivers to receive eNotify communications from the district and their child’s school. eNotify is the communications tool for FCPS emergency, transportation, attendance, weather closing and delay, and essential outreach messages. Messages are sent via email, text, and occasionally phone. Click to edit this placeholder text.

🔍 Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity

FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.

Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.

Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.

Family Resources

FCPS’ Office of Family and School Partnerships would like to remind families of some of the many resources available to them:

• Bilingual community liaisons support student registrars by providing families with information about school and community services offered in Fairfax County. Liaisons are available to help families speaking Spanish, Korean, and Arabic. Once registered at a school, families can contact their family liaison for assistance. 

• Early literacy programs are available to Fairfax County residents for parents of children up to 5 years old. These programs help prepare children for school and build confidence in parents as their child’s first teacher. They also help parents become active partners in their child’s education. Programs are available in African-Heritage, Arabic, Spanish, and Korean. 
• Parent Information Phone Lines are available in eight languages for parents who speak languages other than English. 
• A Multilingual Family Podcast is produced by the offices of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Family and School Partnerships, and Professional Learning and Equity. It covers important information for parents in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Korean. 
• ESOL services are available in Fairfax County not only for students, but also for adults and families. Information on Spring classes will be posted in March 2023. 

Visit the Family Engagement webpage for more resources.

Parent Advocacy Handbook

The Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC) has created a Parent Advocacy Handbook to provide information and support to families as they navigate the FCPS system for their children. It is designed to be particularly useful for families who may be less familiar with such a large school division and/or with schooling in the U.S.  

Contact Hilda Reyes, Westlawn Family Liaison, with additional questions. 

Westlawn on Social Media

Westlawn is active on social media, we encourage families to access our Facebook and Instagram accounts for a glimpse into daily school life. 

Falls Church High School Athletics

FCHS offers a variety of athletic opportunities for students - and it’s never too early to get your children interested in different sports!  Visit the FCPS Athletics webpage for team information, calendars, and more. 

Westlawn 2023-2024 PTA Board

We are excited to announce our PTA Cabinet!

Simone Rose, President

Deirdre Ladd, Vice President

Christine Lusk and Dave Jones, Treasurers

Jordan Kislear, Secretary

3200 Westley Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042  | Main Office: 703.241.5100
Attendance: 703.241.5151 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

Để đọc bản tin này bằng ngôn ngữ khác, xin quý vị truy cập vào trang mạng của chúng tôi.

A Message From Your Principals

Westlawn Families:

We hadn’t seen snow for two years, but we sure made up for it this week!  Snowfall causes a number of challenges for schools - most importantly student safety.  Sidewalks and entrances need to be cleared quickly and effectively before students arrive, and we are fortunate to have a top tier Custodial Team to ensure our building is ready for children.  We thank Ms. Morena Bermudez, Mr. Luis Guerra, Ms. Ana Romero, Mr. David Paniagua, Mr. Elmer Castillo, and Mr. Rafael Sorto for their dedication and commitment to the Westlawn Community.  The team was on campus Saturday morning to clear and de-ice sidewalks in preparation for school on Monday!

This Thursday marks the end of the second grading period.  We remind families that Thursday is a two-hour early dismissal and Friday there is no school for students, as teachers take time to complete progress reports for all students.  Expect finished reports in ParentVUE on February 5, hard copies sent home in Wednesday folders on February 7.  

Community Conversations with Principals are held virtually each Wednesday morning at 11:00 AM.  Check out the recording from this week's CCwP located here. 

The Westlawn team is committed to providing a learning experience that nurtures your child’s natural abilities, advocates for growth and excellence, and empowers your child to reach their full potential.

Stay up-to-date with school events by accessing our Westlawn All Families Schoology Calendar.  Access an overview of the entire school year, including holidays and cultural observance days, by clicking here.

And be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram! 

At Westlawn, we soar together.

At Westlawn, we soar together. 

Individually Unique … Together Extraordinary

Somos Westlawn.

Your Proud Principals,

Christoph Hill, Anaya Bryson, and Stephanie Carpenter

Important Dates:

January 22: Coffee Connections (9:00 AM in Westlawn Cafe)

January 25: Mathematical Magician Brian Curry Assembly (all grade levels, during school)

January 25: Two Hour Early Release (students dismiss at 1:30 PM)

January 25: End of 2nd Quarter

January 26: Teacher Workday (no school for students)

January 30: 2024 Gap Year Fair (Marshall High School from 6:00 - 8:30 PM)

January 30: Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night (Luther Jackson MS @ 6:00 PM; 

*for 6th grade families

February 1: 6th Grade Visits Luther Jackson MS (9:30 - 11:00 AM)

February 7: World Read Aloud Day 

February 12-16: Westlawn Kindness Week (daily themes)

February 19: President’s Day (no school for students)

February 29: Wolf Trap STEAM Parent Workshop (PreK/Kinder only) (Westlawn Cafe 5:00 - 6:00 PM)

March 4 - 8: Read Across America Week (different themes each day!)

March 5: Primary Elections (Student Holiday)

March 16: Westlawn Day (Westlawn Cafe and Gym from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM)

March 20: Laps for Learning Event (Westlawn Field during school hours)

March 21: Drama Troupe Performance (5:00 - 6:30 PM)

April 9: Kindergarten Orientation (Westlawn Cafe @ 9AM)

April 17: Falls Church Pyramid Art Show (FCHS Main Gym and Lobby from 5:00 - 7:00 PM)

April 19: Westlawn Art Night (Westlawn Blacktop from 5:30 - 7:00 PM) 

 

Coffee Connections - January 22, 2024

The Westlawn Wellness Team is happy to announce the initiation of Coffee Connections!  These will be monthly, in-person opportunities for families to connect and engage with the school community.  Our first session will be January 22, 2024, at 9:00 AM in the Westlawn Cafe.  Refreshments and light snacks will be available.  More information to come in the new year!

Westlawn is Looking for Tutors!

We are currently interviewing for tutors to work with Westlawn students.  If you or someone you know is interested in this potential opportunity please email Principal Hill at [email protected].

Winter Enrichment and STEAM Clubs 

We will begin our Winter Enrichment Club sessions on February 1st.  Sessions will be held on Thursday afternoons from Feb. 1 through March 21.  Look for club information and registration forms in the January 24th Wednesday folder.  

STEAM Clubs will be held on Wednesday afternoons during the Winter session, beginning on March 6.  More information will be communicated via Community Conversation and Wednesday folders. 

Westlawn Kindness Week: February 12 -16 

In an effort to promote community wellness, the week of February 12 we celebrate Westlawn Kindness!  Each day will have a theme, and children will participate in a variety of different learning activities that highlight the importance of intentional acts of kindness.   

Mon, Feb. 12th- Green for Gratitude

Tues, Feb 13th- Blue for Helpfulness

Wed, Feb 14th- Red/Pink Self-Love

Thurs, Feb. 15th- Yellow for Positivity

Fri., Feb 16th- Favorite Color or Kindness Message T-shirt

Westlawn Spirit Days 

We will continue to celebrate Not-So-Secret Staff and Student Spirit Days each Wednesday in the new year.  This Wednesday is Library Shelfie Day!  Students and staff should dress in their coziest reading apparel!  

Upcoming Assessments 

iReady Winter Window: January 3 - February 2

WIDA Testing Window: January 16 - March 14

Kindergarten PALS Window: January 3 - February 2

Specific information regarding testing for each grade level will be communicated to families.  Please contact your child(ren)’s teacher for more information. 

Middle School Prep for 6th Graders 

January 30: Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night

• This will be an in-person event with information posted online.  We will present curriculum information, as well as general information on school logistics,  special education information, and electives will be showcased.

February 1: Westlawn 6th Graders visit Luther Jackson

• Students will visit the middle school, tour the building, and receive information regarding schedules and daily activities

March 1st : Class Registration Forms Due 

• Deadline for Rising 7th grade google course selection forms completed

Snow Days This Winter

For the current school year, FCPS will be returning to its previous procedure for snow days — there will be no virtual learning days when school is closed due to bad weather. 

During snow days, students may still access Tutor.com, complete any supplemental learning opportunities recommended by their teachers, and view educational programming (available virtually and on public access television channels):

• Elementary school instruction: Red Apple 21.
• Middle school instruction: Channel 25.  
• High school instruction: Channel 99.

Eleven snow days are built into the existing FCPS calendar. Eliminating virtual learning days will allow us to maximize students’ in-person learning and provide equitable access to instruction and student services.

Community Conversation Recordings and Slide Decks 

To provide families with more organized communications from Westlawn, recordings and slide decks from Wednesday Community Conversations will now be posted on our website instead of being sent via text message. Families can visit our website at any time to view the last five Community Conversations slide decks and recordings. Slide decks and recordings will be posted to the website as quickly as possible after the close of the week’s conversation. Families can access all materials here: https://westlawnes.fcps.edu/get-involved

Do you want to celebrate a Westlawn staff member who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way, or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone.

Recurring Reminders

Collecting a Student for Early Dismissal

Families are reminded that they should call the main office at 703-241-5100 to arrange to get a student for early dismissal. We do not monitor our TalkingPoints account all day, and we may not receive messages about early dismissals in a timely manner.  We ask that families picking up children early do so before 3:00 PM to avoid conflicts with the schoolwide dismissal process.

Portrait of a Graduate at Westlawn 

Children at Westlawn engage daily in Portrait of a Graduate skills: Communication, Collaboration, Goal-Setting, Resilience, Critical and Creative Thinking, and Global Citizenship.  Check out our First Friday Photos to see these skills in action!

How to Register for Pre-K or Early Head Start

Fairfax County offers pre-K for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements and Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. To register, parents or caregivers should:

1. Complete the application form.
2. Make a copy of the child’s birth certificate and a residency document (lease, dead, or mortgage). 

If your child is selected for one of the programs, the following will need to be completed:

1. A school physical.
2. Dental exam.
3. FCPS school registration forms.

Bus Delay Information

If a bus is delayed or more information is needed, parents and guardians can access the FCPS Bus Delay Website or contact the Area Transportation Office.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to sign up to receive Here Comes the Bus notifications.

Parents and guardians can be notified by text, phone call and/or email when a bus is delayed 30 minutes or more by indicting these options through their SIS ParentVUE account.

Child Find Screenings

Child Find is the process of identifying children with potential special education needs as well as educating the community about child development and the importance of early intervention. Child Find screenings and services are provided by the FCPS Early Childhood Identification and Services program for children ages 20 months through 5 years who live in Fairfax County or Fairfax city. Learn more on the Child Find website.

FCPS Early Childhood and PreK Programs

Fairfax County Public Schools offers programs for the youngest learners: 

• PreK is for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements. Space is limited, and priority is given to 4 year olds to help them prepare for kindergarten. 
• Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. 
• Early Literacy Programs and Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) work with parents to help prepare their children for school. 

Community liaisons are available to assist families with the registration process and answer any questions. For more information, visit the Early Childhood Registration webpage.

What Is ParentVUE and How Can You Sign Up?

If you do not already have a ParentVUE SIS account, sign up now to monitor and support your child’s academic success! Through ParentVUE, you are able to monitor your student’s attendance, grades, and assignments at any time. You can also access special reports for your student like progress reports and assessments score reports. 

Once you have activated a ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same ParentVUE account. SIS ParentVUE can be accessed using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices. 

Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video walks you through the steps on how to do so. You can also find out more about SIS ParentVUE on our website.

Update Your Emergency Care Information Through weCare@school

Fairfax County Public Schools provides weCare@school (weCare), an emergency care information system, to parents/caregivers who have registered for their own parent account. weCare helps manage emergency medical information by allowing parents to enter and update their children’s medical data online at their convenience. That contact information automatically enrolls parents/caregivers to receive eNotify communications from the district and their child’s school. eNotify is the communications tool for FCPS emergency, transportation, attendance, weather closing and delay, and essential outreach messages. Messages are sent via email, text, and occasionally phone. Click to edit this placeholder text.

🔍 Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity

FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.

Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.

Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.

Family Resources

FCPS’ Office of Family and School Partnerships would like to remind families of some of the many resources available to them:

• Bilingual community liaisons support student registrars by providing families with information about school and community services offered in Fairfax County. Liaisons are available to help families speaking Spanish, Korean, and Arabic. Once registered at a school, families can contact their family liaison for assistance. 

• Early literacy programs are available to Fairfax County residents for parents of children up to 5 years old. These programs help prepare children for school and build confidence in parents as their child’s first teacher. They also help parents become active partners in their child’s education. Programs are available in African-Heritage, Arabic, Spanish, and Korean. 
• Parent Information Phone Lines are available in eight languages for parents who speak languages other than English. 
• A Multilingual Family Podcast is produced by the offices of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Family and School Partnerships, and Professional Learning and Equity. It covers important information for parents in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Korean. 
• ESOL services are available in Fairfax County not only for students, but also for adults and families. Information on Spring classes will be posted in March 2023. 

Visit the Family Engagement webpage for more resources.

Parent Advocacy Handbook

The Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC) has created a Parent Advocacy Handbook to provide information and support to families as they navigate the FCPS system for their children. It is designed to be particularly useful for families who may be less familiar with such a large school division and/or with schooling in the U.S.  

Contact Hilda Reyes, Westlawn Family Liaison, with additional questions. 

Westlawn on Social Media

Westlawn is active on social media, we encourage families to access our Facebook and Instagram accounts for a glimpse into daily school life. 

Falls Church High School Athletics

FCHS offers a variety of athletic opportunities for students - and it’s never too early to get your children interested in different sports!  Visit the FCPS Athletics webpage for team information, calendars, and more. 

Westlawn 2023-2024 PTA Board

We are excited to announce our PTA Cabinet!

Simone Rose, President

Deirdre Ladd, Vice President

Christine Lusk and Dave Jones, Treasurers

Jordan Kislear, Secretary

3200 Westley Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042  | Main Office: 703.241.5100
Attendance: 703.241.5151 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

Để đọc bản tin này bằng ngôn ngữ khác, xin quý vị truy cập vào trang mạng của chúng tôi.

Family Engagement Events 

 

3200 Westley Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042  | Main Office: 703.241.5100
Attendance: 703.241.5151 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

Để đọc bản tin này bằng ngôn ngữ khác, xin quý vị truy cập vào trang mạng của chúng tôi.

Family Engagement Events 

 

3200 Westley Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042  | Main Office: 703.241.5100
Attendance: 703.241.5151 | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

Để đọc bản tin này bằng ngôn ngữ khác, xin quý vị truy cập vào trang mạng của chúng tôi.

A Message From Your Principals

Westlawn Families:

The Westlawn Community kicked off the new year in style this week with Bingo Night, presented by the Westlawn PTA.  We thank our families, staff, and students who attended for an evening full of good fun, good food, and good people!  

Tomorrow is a student holiday as we remember and celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.  With the possibility of winter weather in the forecast, please note that any school closures or late openings will be communicated via email and text.  The FCPS website offers guidance as well, and information is included in the body of this Family Message.  

Community Conversations with Principals will continue in the new year, held virtually each Wednesday morning at 11:00 AM.  Check out the recording from this week's CCwP located here.  

The Westlawn team is committed to providing a learning experience that nurtures your child’s natural abilities, advocates for growth and excellence, and empowers your child to reach their full potential.

Stay up-to-date with school events by accessing our Westlawn All Families Schoology Calendar.  Access an overview of the entire school year, including holidays and cultural observance days, by clicking here.

And be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram! 

At Westlawn, we soar together.

At Westlawn, we soar together. 

Individually Unique … Together Extraordinary

Somos Westlawn.

Your Proud Principals,

Christoph Hill, Anaya Bryson, and Stephanie Carpenter

Important Dates:

January 15: Martin Luther King Birthday (no school for students)

January 18: FCHS Basketball Double Header vs Annandale HS (Girls @ 5:45 PM, Boys at 7:30 PM)

January 22: Coffee Connections (9:00 AM in Westlawn Cafe)

January 25: Two Hour Early Release (students dismiss at 1:30 PM)

January 25: End of 2nd Quarter

January 26: Teacher Workday (no school for students)

January 30: 2024 Gap Year Fair (Marshall High School from 6:00 - 8:30 PM)

January 30: Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night (Luther Jackson MS @ 6:00 PM; 

*for 6th grade families

February 1: 6th Grade Visits Luther Jackson MS (9:30 - 11:00 AM)

February 19: President’s Day (no school for students)

February 29: Wolf Trap STEAM Parent Workshop (PreK/Kinder only) (Westlawn Cafe 5:00 - 6:00 PM)

March 4 - 8: Read Across America Week (different themes each day!)

March 5: Primary Elections (Student Holiday)

March 16: Westlawn Day (Westlawn Cafe and Gym from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM)

March 20: Laps for Learning Event (Westlawn Field during school hours)

April 9: Kindergarten Orientation (Westlawn Cafe @ 9AM)

April 17: Falls Church Pyramid Art Show (FCHS Main Gym and Lobby from 5:00 - 7:00 PM)

April 19: Westlawn Art Night (Westlawn Blacktop from 5:30 - 7:00 PM) 

 

Westlawn is Looking for Tutors!

We are currently interviewing for tutors to work with Westlawn students.  If you or someone you know is interested in this potential opportunity please email Principal Hill at [email protected].

Winter Enrichment and STEAM Clubs 

We will begin our Winter Enrichment Club sessions on February 1st.  Sessions will be held on Thursday afternoons from Feb. 1 through March 21.  Look for club information and registration forms in the January 24th Wednesday folder.  

STEAM Clubs will be held on Wednesday afternoons during the Winter session, beginning on March 6.  More information will be communicated via Community Conversation and Wednesday folders. 

Collecting a Student for Early Dismissal

Families are reminded that they should call the main office at 703-241-5100 to arrange to get a student for early dismissal. We do not monitor our TalkingPoints account all day, and we may not receive messages about early dismissals in a timely manner.  We ask that families picking up children early do so before 3:00 PM to avoid conflicts with the schoolwide dismissal process.

Westlawn Spirit Days 

We will continue to celebrate Not-So-Secret Staff and Student Spirit Days each Wednesday in the new year.  This Wednesday is Freaky Friday, where students dress like teachers and teachers dress like students! 

Upcoming Assessments 

iReady Winter Window: January 3 - February 2

WIDA Testing Window: January 16 - March 14

Kindergarten PALS Window: January 3 - February 2

Specific information regarding testing for each grade level will be communicated to families.  Please contact your child(ren)’s teacher for more information. 

Middle School Prep for 6th Graders 

January 30: Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night

• This will be an in-person event with information posted online.  We will present curriculum information, as well as general information on school logistics,  special education information, and electives will be showcased.

February 1: Westlawn 6th Graders visit Luther Jackson

• Students will visit the middle school, tour the building, and receive information regarding schedules and daily activities

March 1st : Class Registration Forms Due 

• Deadline for Rising 7th grade google course selection forms completed

FCHS Girls and Boys Basketball Doubleheader - Pyramid Night on January 18

FCHS is providing free tickets for all Westlawn students for the double-header on January 18!  Mention that you are a Westlawn Family at the ticket booth for admission.

Coffee Connections - January 22, 2024

The Westlawn Wellness Team is happy to announce the initiation of Coffee Connections!  These will be monthly, in-person opportunities for families to connect and engage with the school community.  Our first session will be January 22, 2024, at 9:00 AM in the Westlawn Cafe.  Refreshments and light snacks will be available.  More information to come in the new year!

Snow Days This Winter

For the current school year, FCPS will be returning to its previous procedure for snow days — there will be no virtual learning days when school is closed due to bad weather. 

During snow days, students may still access Tutor.com, complete any supplemental learning opportunities recommended by their teachers, and view educational programming (available virtually and on public access television channels):

• Elementary school instruction: Red Apple 21.
• Middle school instruction: Channel 25.  
• High school instruction: Channel 99.

Eleven snow days are built into the existing FCPS calendar. Eliminating virtual learning days will allow us to maximize students’ in-person learning and provide equitable access to instruction and student services.

Community Conversation Recordings and Slide Decks 

To provide families with more organized communications from Westlawn, recordings and slide decks from Wednesday Community Conversations will now be posted on our website instead of being sent via text message. Families can visit our website at any time to view the last five Community Conversations slide decks and recordings. Slide decks and recordings will be posted to the website as quickly as possible after the close of the week’s conversation. Families can access all materials here: https://westlawnes.fcps.edu/get-involved

Free Resources for Families

Did you know that caregivers can access free webinars, confidential consultations, a lending library, and resources to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities? 

Learn more about FCPS’ Family Resource Center (FRC).

Be the first to learn about new workshops by signing up for the FRC newsletter.

Do you want to celebrate a Westlawn staff member who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way, or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone.

Recurring Reminders

Low Cost Internet for Free and Reduced Price Eligible Students 

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program to lower internet costs for families with children who have been eligible for free or reduced-price meals within the last 12 months. A qualifying household will receive $30 per month toward internet services and a one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. Check your eligibility and register at AffordableConnectivity.gov or by calling 877-384-2575.

Portrait of a Graduate at Westlawn 

Children at Westlawn engage daily in Portrait of a Graduate skills: Communication, Collaboration, Goal-Setting, Resilience, Critical and Creative Thinking, and Global Citizenship.  Check out our First Friday Photos to see these skills in action!

How to Register for Pre-K or Early Head Start

Fairfax County offers pre-K for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements and Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. To register, parents or caregivers should:

1. Complete the application form.
2. Make a copy of the child’s birth certificate and a residency document (lease, dead, or mortgage). 

If your child is selected for one of the programs, the following will need to be completed:

1. A school physical.
2. Dental exam.
3. FCPS school registration forms.

Bus Delay Information

If a bus is delayed or more information is needed, parents and guardians can access the FCPS Bus Delay Website or contact the Area Transportation Office.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to sign up to receive Here Comes the Bus notifications.

Parents and guardians can be notified by text, phone call and/or email when a bus is delayed 30 minutes or more by indicting these options through their SIS ParentVUE account.

Child Find Screenings

Child Find is the process of identifying children with potential special education needs as well as educating the community about child development and the importance of early intervention. Child Find screenings and services are provided by the FCPS Early Childhood Identification and Services program for children ages 20 months through 5 years who live in Fairfax County or Fairfax city. Learn more on the Child Find website.

FCPS Early Childhood and PreK Programs

Fairfax County Public Schools offers programs for the youngest learners: 

• PreK is for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements. Space is limited, and priority is given to 4 year olds to help them prepare for kindergarten. 
• Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. 
• Early Literacy Programs and Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) work with parents to help prepare their children for school. 

Community liaisons are available to assist families with the registration process and answer any questions. For more information, visit the Early Childhood Registration webpage.

What Is ParentVUE and How Can You Sign Up?

If you do not already have a ParentVUE SIS account, sign up now to monitor and support your child’s academic success! Through ParentVUE, you are able to monitor your student’s attendance, grades, and assignments at any time. You can also access special reports for your student like progress reports and assessments score reports. 

Once you have activated a ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same ParentVUE account. SIS ParentVUE can be accessed using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices. 

Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video walks you through the steps on how to do so. You can also find out more about SIS ParentVUE on our website.

Update Your Emergency Care Information Through weCare@school

Fairfax County Public Schools provides weCare@school (weCare), an emergency care information system, to parents/caregivers who have registered for their own parent account. weCare helps manage emergency medical information by allowing parents to enter and update their children’s medical data online at their convenience. That contact information automatically enrolls parents/caregivers to receive eNotify communications from the district and their child’s school. eNotify is the communications tool for FCPS emergency, transportation, attendance, weather closing and delay, and essential outreach messages. Messages are sent via email, text, and occasionally phone. Click to edit this placeholder text.

🔍 Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity

FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.

Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.

Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.

Family Resources

FCPS’ Office of Family and School Partnerships would like to remind families of some of the many resources available to them:

• Bilingual community liaisons support student registrars by providing families with information about school and community services offered in Fairfax County. Liaisons are available to help families speaking Spanish, Korean, and Arabic. Once registered at a school, families can contact their family liaison for assistance. 

• Early literacy programs are available to Fairfax County residents for parents of children up to 5 years old. These programs help prepare children for school and build confidence in parents as their child’s first teacher. They also help parents become active partners in their child’s education. Programs are available in African-Heritage, Arabic, Spanish, and Korean. 
• Parent Information Phone Lines are available in eight languages for parents who speak languages other than English. 
• A Multilingual Family Podcast is produced by the offices of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Family and School Partnerships, and Professional Learning and Equity. It covers important information for parents in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Korean. 
• ESOL services are available in Fairfax County not only for students, but also for adults and families. Information on Spring classes will be posted in March 2023. 

Visit the Family Engagement webpage for more resources.

Parent Advocacy Handbook

The Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC) has created a Parent Advocacy Handbook to provide information and support to families as they navigate the FCPS system for their children. It is designed to be particularly useful for families who may be less familiar with such a large school division and/or with schooling in the U.S.  

Contact Hilda Reyes, Westlawn Family Liaison, with additional questions. 

Westlawn on Social Media

Westlawn is active on social media, we encourage families to access our Facebook and Instagram accounts for a glimpse into daily school life. 

Falls Church High School Athletics

FCHS offers a variety of athletic opportunities for students - and it’s never too early to get your children interested in different sports!  Visit the FCPS Athletics webpage for team information, calendars, and more. 

Westlawn 2023-2024 PTA Board

We are excited to announce our PTA Cabinet!

Simone Rose, President

Deirdre Ladd, Vice President

Christine Lusk and Dave Jones, Treasurers

Jordan Kislear, Secretary

3200 Westley Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042  | Main Office: 703.241.5100
Attendance: 703.241.5151 | Web | Twitter

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To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.

Để đọc bản tin này bằng ngôn ngữ khác, xin quý vị truy cập vào trang mạng của chúng tôi.

A Message From Your Principals

Westlawn Families:

The Westlawn Community kicked off the new year in style this week with Bingo Night, presented by the Westlawn PTA.  We thank our families, staff, and students who attended for an evening full of good fun, good food, and good people!  

Tomorrow is a student holiday as we remember and celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.  With the possibility of winter weather in the forecast, please note that any school closures or late openings will be communicated via email and text.  The FCPS website offers guidance as well, and information is included in the body of this Family Message.  

Community Conversations with Principals will continue in the new year, held virtually each Wednesday morning at 11:00 AM.  Check out the recording from this week's CCwP located here.  

The Westlawn team is committed to providing a learning experience that nurtures your child’s natural abilities, advocates for growth and excellence, and empowers your child to reach their full potential.

Stay up-to-date with school events by accessing our Westlawn All Families Schoology Calendar.  Access an overview of the entire school year, including holidays and cultural observance days, by clicking here.

And be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram! 

At Westlawn, we soar together.

At Westlawn, we soar together. 

Individually Unique … Together Extraordinary

Somos Westlawn.

Your Proud Principals,

Christoph Hill, Anaya Bryson, and Stephanie Carpenter

Important Dates:

January 15: Martin Luther King Birthday (no school for students)

January 18: FCHS Basketball Double Header vs Annandale HS (Girls @ 5:45 PM, Boys at 7:30 PM)

January 22: Coffee Connections (9:00 AM in Westlawn Cafe)

January 25: Two Hour Early Release (students dismiss at 1:30 PM)

January 25: End of 2nd Quarter

January 26: Teacher Workday (no school for students)

January 30: 2024 Gap Year Fair (Marshall High School from 6:00 - 8:30 PM)

January 30: Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night (Luther Jackson MS @ 6:00 PM; 

*for 6th grade families

February 1: 6th Grade Visits Luther Jackson MS (9:30 - 11:00 AM)

February 19: President’s Day (no school for students)

February 29: Wolf Trap STEAM Parent Workshop (PreK/Kinder only) (Westlawn Cafe 5:00 - 6:00 PM)

March 4 - 8: Read Across America Week (different themes each day!)

March 5: Primary Elections (Student Holiday)

March 16: Westlawn Day (Westlawn Cafe and Gym from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM)

March 20: Laps for Learning Event (Westlawn Field during school hours)

April 9: Kindergarten Orientation (Westlawn Cafe @ 9AM)

April 17: Falls Church Pyramid Art Show (FCHS Main Gym and Lobby from 5:00 - 7:00 PM)

April 19: Westlawn Art Night (Westlawn Blacktop from 5:30 - 7:00 PM) 

 

Westlawn is Looking for Tutors!

We are currently interviewing for tutors to work with Westlawn students.  If you or someone you know is interested in this potential opportunity please email Principal Hill at [email protected].

Winter Enrichment and STEAM Clubs 

We will begin our Winter Enrichment Club sessions on February 1st.  Sessions will be held on Thursday afternoons from Feb. 1 through March 21.  Look for club information and registration forms in the January 24th Wednesday folder.  

STEAM Clubs will be held on Wednesday afternoons during the Winter session, beginning on March 6.  More information will be communicated via Community Conversation and Wednesday folders. 

Collecting a Student for Early Dismissal

Families are reminded that they should call the main office at 703-241-5100 to arrange to get a student for early dismissal. We do not monitor our TalkingPoints account all day, and we may not receive messages about early dismissals in a timely manner.  We ask that families picking up children early do so before 3:00 PM to avoid conflicts with the schoolwide dismissal process.

Westlawn Spirit Days 

We will continue to celebrate Not-So-Secret Staff and Student Spirit Days each Wednesday in the new year.  This Wednesday is Freaky Friday, where students dress like teachers and teachers dress like students! 

Upcoming Assessments 

iReady Winter Window: January 3 - February 2

WIDA Testing Window: January 16 - March 14

Kindergarten PALS Window: January 3 - February 2

Specific information regarding testing for each grade level will be communicated to families.  Please contact your child(ren)’s teacher for more information. 

Middle School Prep for 6th Graders 

January 30: Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night

• This will be an in-person event with information posted online.  We will present curriculum information, as well as general information on school logistics,  special education information, and electives will be showcased.

February 1: Westlawn 6th Graders visit Luther Jackson

• Students will visit the middle school, tour the building, and receive information regarding schedules and daily activities

March 1st : Class Registration Forms Due 

• Deadline for Rising 7th grade google course selection forms completed

FCHS Girls and Boys Basketball Doubleheader - Pyramid Night on January 18

FCHS is providing free tickets for all Westlawn students for the double-header on January 18!  Mention that you are a Westlawn Family at the ticket booth for admission.

Coffee Connections - January 22, 2024

The Westlawn Wellness Team is happy to announce the initiation of Coffee Connections!  These will be monthly, in-person opportunities for families to connect and engage with the school community.  Our first session will be January 22, 2024, at 9:00 AM in the Westlawn Cafe.  Refreshments and light snacks will be available.  More information to come in the new year!

Snow Days This Winter

For the current school year, FCPS will be returning to its previous procedure for snow days — there will be no virtual learning days when school is closed due to bad weather. 

During snow days, students may still access Tutor.com, complete any supplemental learning opportunities recommended by their teachers, and view educational programming (available virtually and on public access television channels):

• Elementary school instruction: Red Apple 21.
• Middle school instruction: Channel 25.  
• High school instruction: Channel 99.

Eleven snow days are built into the existing FCPS calendar. Eliminating virtual learning days will allow us to maximize students’ in-person learning and provide equitable access to instruction and student services.

Community Conversation Recordings and Slide Decks 

To provide families with more organized communications from Westlawn, recordings and slide decks from Wednesday Community Conversations will now be posted on our website instead of being sent via text message. Families can visit our website at any time to view the last five Community Conversations slide decks and recordings. Slide decks and recordings will be posted to the website as quickly as possible after the close of the week’s conversation. Families can access all materials here: https://westlawnes.fcps.edu/get-involved

Free Resources for Families

Did you know that caregivers can access free webinars, confidential consultations, a lending library, and resources to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities? 

Learn more about FCPS’ Family Resource Center (FRC).

Be the first to learn about new workshops by signing up for the FRC newsletter.

Do you want to celebrate a Westlawn staff member who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way, or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone.

Recurring Reminders

Low Cost Internet for Free and Reduced Price Eligible Students 

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program to lower internet costs for families with children who have been eligible for free or reduced-price meals within the last 12 months. A qualifying household will receive $30 per month toward internet services and a one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. Check your eligibility and register at AffordableConnectivity.gov or by calling 877-384-2575.

Portrait of a Graduate at Westlawn 

Children at Westlawn engage daily in Portrait of a Graduate skills: Communication, Collaboration, Goal-Setting, Resilience, Critical and Creative Thinking, and Global Citizenship.  Check out our First Friday Photos to see these skills in action!

How to Register for Pre-K or Early Head Start

Fairfax County offers pre-K for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements and Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. To register, parents or caregivers should:

1. Complete the application form.
2. Make a copy of the child’s birth certificate and a residency document (lease, dead, or mortgage). 

If your child is selected for one of the programs, the following will need to be completed:

1. A school physical.
2. Dental exam.
3. FCPS school registration forms.

Bus Delay Information

If a bus is delayed or more information is needed, parents and guardians can access the FCPS Bus Delay Website or contact the Area Transportation Office.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to sign up to receive Here Comes the Bus notifications.

Parents and guardians can be notified by text, phone call and/or email when a bus is delayed 30 minutes or more by indicting these options through their SIS ParentVUE account.

Child Find Screenings

Child Find is the process of identifying children with potential special education needs as well as educating the community about child development and the importance of early intervention. Child Find screenings and services are provided by the FCPS Early Childhood Identification and Services program for children ages 20 months through 5 years who live in Fairfax County or Fairfax city. Learn more on the Child Find website.

FCPS Early Childhood and PreK Programs

Fairfax County Public Schools offers programs for the youngest learners: 

• PreK is for students 3-4 years old whose parents meet income requirements. Space is limited, and priority is given to 4 year olds to help them prepare for kindergarten. 
• Early Head Start is for infants, toddlers, and expectant mothers who meet income requirements. 
• Early Literacy Programs and Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) work with parents to help prepare their children for school. 

Community liaisons are available to assist families with the registration process and answer any questions. For more information, visit the Early Childhood Registration webpage.

What Is ParentVUE and How Can You Sign Up?

If you do not already have a ParentVUE SIS account, sign up now to monitor and support your child’s academic success! Through ParentVUE, you are able to monitor your student’s attendance, grades, and assignments at any time. You can also access special reports for your student like progress reports and assessments score reports. 

Once you have activated a ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same ParentVUE account. SIS ParentVUE can be accessed using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices. 

Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video walks you through the steps on how to do so. You can also find out more about SIS ParentVUE on our website.

Update Your Emergency Care Information Through weCare@school

Fairfax County Public Schools provides weCare@school (weCare), an emergency care information system, to parents/caregivers who have registered for their own parent account. weCare helps manage emergency medical information by allowing parents to enter and update their children’s medical data online at their convenience. That contact information automatically enrolls parents/caregivers to receive eNotify communications from the district and their child’s school. eNotify is the communications tool for FCPS emergency, transportation, attendance, weather closing and delay, and essential outreach messages. Messages are sent via email, text, and occasionally phone. Click to edit this placeholder text.

🔍 Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity

FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.

Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.

Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.

Family Resources

FCPS’ Office of Family and School Partnerships would like to remind families of some of the many resources available to them:

• Bilingual community liaisons support student registrars by providing families with information about school and community services offered in Fairfax County. Liaisons are available to help families speaking Spanish, Korean, and Arabic. Once registered at a school, families can contact their family liaison for assistance. 

• Early literacy programs are available to Fairfax County residents for parents of children up to 5 years old. These programs help prepare children for school and build confidence in parents as their child’s first teacher. They also help parents become active partners in their child’s education. Programs are available in African-Heritage, Arabic, Spanish, and Korean. 
• Parent Information Phone Lines are available in eight languages for parents who speak languages other than English. 
• A Multilingual Family Podcast is produced by the offices of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Family and School Partnerships, and Professional Learning and Equity. It covers important information for parents in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Korean. 
• ESOL services are available in Fairfax County not only for students, but also for adults and families. Information on Spring classes will be posted in March 2023. 

Visit the Family Engagement webpage for more resources.

Parent Advocacy Handbook

The Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC) has created a Parent Advocacy Handbook to provide information and support to families as they navigate the FCPS system for their children. It is designed to be particularly useful for families who may be less familiar with such a large school division and/or with schooling in the U.S.  

Contact Hilda Reyes, Westlawn Family Liaison, with additional questions. 

Westlawn on Social Media

Westlawn is active on social media, we encourage families to access our Facebook and Instagram accounts for a glimpse into daily school life. 

Falls Church High School Athletics

FCHS offers a variety of athletic opportunities for students - and it’s never too early to get your children interested in different sports!  Visit the FCPS Athletics webpage for team information, calendars, and more. 

Westlawn 2023-2024 PTA Board

We are excited to announce our PTA Cabinet!

Simone Rose, President

Deirdre Ladd, Vice President

Christine Lusk and Dave Jones, Treasurers

Jordan Kislear, Secretary

3200 Westley Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042  | Main Office: 703.241.5100
Attendance: 703.241.5151 | Web | Twitter