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A Message From Your Principals
Westlawn Families:
Looks like it’s going to be a warm summer! Upper 90s last week was quite a shock to our systems! We hope families and children are able to enjoy the warmth while remaining safe and hydrated.
This week’s newsletter wraps up the 23-24 school year and looks forward to some summer events. Please know that the school is open from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Mondays - Thursdays during the summer weeks. Please contact Ms. Haydee Sanchez ([email protected]) or Principal Christoph Hill ([email protected]) with any questions.
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:
July 8: Summer Meal Service Begins at Westlawn (more info below)
July 10: Community Conversation with Principals (11:00 AM) (LINK)
July 18: Playground and Popsicles For New Kindergarteners (1:30 - 2:30 PM)
July 31: Community Conversation with Principals (11:00 AM) (LINK)
Farewell, Westlawn Eagles
Over 130 staff members comprise the Westlawn Elementary Team that supports your child(ren) each day. Each year, life circumstances offer some Westlawn Team members new opportunities. While we will miss these faces in our halls and classrooms, we wish our Eagles well in all future endeavors, and thank them for their dedication to the Westlawn School Community. They are forever Westlawn Eagles!
Carol Hunt, Kindergarten
After a long and impactful career in education, Ms. Carol Hunt steps out of the classroom and into retirement. Over the years Ms. Hunt has touched the lives of countless families and children, and we will miss her dearly. And who knows, you may still see her in the courtyard from time to time ;)
Caroline Litman, ESOL
Westlawn Families,
After 8 years at Westlawn, my husband and I are moving to Philadelphia to be closer to our families.
I will miss everyone and cherish all the wonderful memories of Westlawn forever.
Thank you to those of you who have made my time here special – especially every student who I had the pleasure of teaching. I wish the best for everyone!Caroline (Weiss) Litman
Carole Mullarkey, Counselor
Dear families and colleagues,
I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with you and your students these last few years. I am consistently amazed by this wonderful community and will remember you always. I wish you all a future of good health, kindness, strength and wisdom.
With Love,
Carole Mullarkey
Jamie Rhudy, SACC Director
Dear Westlawn and SACC Families,
My journey at Westlawn has come to an end. Westlawn SACC has been my one of my greatest joys for 8 years! I want to say thank you. My daughter grew up at Westlawn with the most incredible teachers! I feel so lucky to have been surrounded by such a talented team, school, admin, and community. My success could not come without the support of everyone rallying around the SACC program and understanding the passion I have for the children we share. I plan to take all the lessons and skills I have acquired with me as I move on in my career. I will be taking on a regional supervisor position within the SACC program and looking over several school in the community. I want to bring the joys and light of Westlawn to so many other places!
Inclusion and passion are such a huge part of what I believe in and why Westlawn means so much to me. Please keep supporting each other and SACC. That's what makes Westlawn so special. Thank you again and keep being extraordinary!
Don’t forget you are amazing, and you are loved!
Camilla Boyle, 3rd Grade
I came to Westlawn as a student teacher in August and felt welcomed from the very beginning. To say I've loved my time at Westlawn is an understatement; this is a very special school. I want to thank everybody for welcoming me, valuing my opinion, and helping me grow as a first-year teacher. I will be getting married this August and teaching third grade in my hometown back in Utah! It's been an honor to be part of the Westlawn family this year. Go Eagles!
Fatme Khraibani, 4th Grade
Ms. Khraibani joined our school community in 2020 as a student teacher, and taught both 4th and 5th grades over the past three years. She will remain a part of the FCHS Pyramid, moving to the high school as a mathematics teacher!
Alejandra Iriarte, Family Liaison
Ms. Iriarte is moving to the left coast, just outside Los Angeles, to continue her college coursework. She has already secured a job in a school front office!
Joleen Michalowicz, Technology Specialist
Dear Westlawn Community,
I can’t thank you all enough for being the most special school I have ever worked in. I treasure the community, my colleagues, and most of all the students, whom I love with all my heart. So, it is with sadness that I inform you that I have accepted a promotion to the Client Services Onboarding Specialist position at Gatehouse Administration Center. Although my office may move, my heart will always remain at Westlawn ES. You have been an incredible community to be a part of.
Dr. Mike
Paul Erickson, Band Director
Mr. Erickson has worked with Westlawn students since 2004, igniting a passion for music arts in countless students. Next year he will bring his passion to the middle school arena, excited to support students on their musical journeys.
Westlawn Alum Give Back
Check out the attached article, authored by Advanced Academic Lead Gretchen Maxwell, highlighting the power of the Westlawn Community and ways in which former Westlawn students continue to contribute long after 6th Grade Promotion!
Westlawn Alumni Give Back.pdf
Westlawn Beautification Donation Link
With the Spring comes the need to ensure our Courtyard and Discovery Area are properly maintained. We are reliant upon our community to fund upkeep and improvements to our outside spaces. If you are able, we ask for a small donation to beautify these unique areas. The link to donate is below. Thank you for your consideration.
Westlawn Beautification Donation Link
A Message From the Westlawn Library
We encourage students to return the Westlawn ES library books they still have checked out to the school library as soon as possible. All library books were due May 29. Students who still have books checked out will get a reminder notice on Monday, June 10th.
If a book cannot be found, please let a librarian know so we can update the catalog. There are no fines or fees.
If library books are found over the summer, there will be a cart inside the Main Office where they can be returned during summer office hours. Thank you for your help getting our library books back.
Summer Meal Service
As part of its efforts to ensure children have access to healthy meals during the summer months, Fairfax County Public Schools is pleased to announce it will be participating in the Summer Food Service Program.
Starting on June 13, all children and teens 18 and under can receive meals free of charge at the sites and times listed below. The meals will be provided regardless of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability or age.
Summer Meal Service begins at Westlawn on July 8 and runs through July 26. More information regarding sites and menus can be found on the FCPS Website.
Community Conversations with Principals
Two CCWP's are scheduled for July. Use this link to access each session.
July 10: 11:00 AM
July 31: 11:00 AM
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.
Summer 2024
☀️ Summer Reading Challenge
Summer is around the corner and that means the fantastic FCPL Summer Reading Challenge is, too! This year’s theme is Adventure Begins at Your Library and there are challenges for our youngest students all the way through parents and grandparents!
Online Campus Summer Registration Closing Soon!
Registration for summer classes with FCPS' Online Campus will close on Friday, June 7. Online campus courses are for students in grades 7-12. Email [email protected] or call 703-503-7781 with any questions.
Other Summer Learning OpportunitiesChantilly Academy will host an AFA CyberCamp from Monday, June 24, to Friday, June 28, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. This camp would be a great fit for rising fifth through eighth graders of all skill levels interested in learning more about the importance of cybersecurity and gaining skills to protect themselves and others from cyber threats. Discounts are available for students eligible for free and reduced-price meals. Visit the camp website for more information.
Registration is also still available for the Institute for the Arts (IFTA) and Elementary-IFTA (E-IFTA) arts camps, and Credit Recovery Academy.
SoCo Summer Strings
Exciting news! SoCo Summer Strings is returning this summer! The camp will be hosted at South County Middle School from July 8-19, 8:30am-12:30pm, weekdays only. Camp is open to all rising 5th-9th grade students with at least one year of experience on the violin, viola, cello, or bass. Students will participate in two large ensemble rehearsals, an instrument-specific technique class, and a sectional each day. You can find more information and registration for camp at www.schsorchestra.org/soco-summer-strings. Early registration is open through June 9, so reserve your student’s spot soon!
Recurring Reminders
Register Your Children Online
Online registration is available for new and returning (re-enrolling) FCPS families! Apply today to help us plan for the 2024-25 school year.
Resources for Newly Registered Families
Being connected to your school community helps you stay informed and support your child’s success. Take some time to get familiar with the many resources and tools available to FCPS families, including:
There’s an easy to follow five-step process outlined for parents registering their children for kindergarten. Be sure to register your child as soon as possible!
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:
- Complete the application form.
- 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:
- A school physical.
- Dental exam.
- 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:
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.
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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.
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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
