GovDeliverySpanish | Westlawn Elementary School

Westlawn Feather Report: Volume 1, Issue 29

GovDeliverySpanish4 days 13 hours ago

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

Volume 1, Issue 29

Leadership Ledger

Westlawn Families,

Spring is here and so are the events at Westlawn Elementary! Thank you to all our families who have volunteered for Laps for Learning on Friday, and a HUGE thank you to our Westlawn PTA, Mr. Maloney, and Ms. Reed for the coordination efforts it has taken to make this event possible. There is still time to volunteer, use this link if you’d like to be a part of this wonderful event.

Students are actively preparing for a few big upcoming events, including our Spring Musical presentations of PIRATES! The Musical on April 9, and our Drama Club’s culminating performance on April 11. Our Spring STEAM Academy is getting ready to begin as well, all while students prepare for statewide assessments! It’s a wonderfully busy time to be part of the Westlawn community, and we are thankful for every child and every family. Please review this message closely, there’s a lot to know!

Sincerely,

Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, and Erin Theiss

Proud Principals

First graders took a field trip to Glen Echo Park this week!

Westlawn is a Community of Readers

We recently asked families and staff to recommend great books for grown-ups. Check out these amazing suggestions, and get yourself booked this Spring Break!

Help and Resources for Infants, Toddlers, and Their Families

Are you concerned about your infant, toddler, or preschool-aged child's development? Resources are available if your child exhibits difficulties in one or more of the following areas:

communication,
fine and/or gross motor skills,
self-help skills,
problem solving
attention skills

Learn more about typical developmental milestones.

The Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia (ITC) is the state’s early intervention system for infants and toddlers (0-36 months) with disabilities and their families. ITC provides evaluations and services for children who have developmental delays or medical conditions that may affect development. Parents are encouraged to contact ITC at 703-246-7121 to share their concerns.

Early Childhood Child Find is the process of identifying children with potential special education needs between the ages of 20 months and 5 years (children must be two by September 30).

FCPS Early Childhood Identification and Services (ECID&S) offers a free referral process to identify potential developmental delays or disabilities. Special education services are provided for all children who are found eligible through the referral process. Parents are encouraged to contact 571-423-4121 with questions or to make a referral.

✨ Helping students meet the criteria for kindergarten readiness is Goal 1 of the Strategic Plan.

FCPS News

Are you curious about what’s happening more broadly in FCPS? This week’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) FCPS roundup covers:

Student Achievements
Art in our Schools Month
Celebrating Students Setting Positive Examples

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

March 28: Laps for Learning

Laps for Learning is our annual fundraiser where students run laps around our field and raise money for Westlawn. This year Laps for Learning will take place on March 28, and we need volunteers!

March 31-April 1: No School

There is no school on Monday, March 31 or Tuesday, April 1.

April 2: Fun Clothing Day

Today, in celebration of National Walking Day, we encourage you to wear sneakers and fun socks!

April 3: Kindergarten Orientation

Orientation for new kindergarten students and their families happens from 9-10 am in our cafeteria. If you know a family who is new to Westlawn, please forward this email to them so they can subscribe to The Feather Report today! New families can officially register by calling us at 702-241-5100 and setting an appointment with Ms. Caballero.

April 4: Bingo Night

Save the date! More information is forthcoming.

April 7: Spring Picture Day

Save the date! More information is forthcoming.

April 8: PTA Meeting

The April PTA meeting will be on Zoom starting at 6:30 PM. Hope to see you there!

April 9: Restaurant Night

The April Restaurant Night is at Chipotle in Falls Church at 358 W. Broad Street! Use code DP2XF7B when placing an order online for pickup, or show this flier when dining in person. Make it dinner and a show by following it with PIRATES!

April 9: PIRATES: The Musical!

Our spring musical debuts tonight for one night only! Make sure you are at Westlawn at 6:30 PM to be mesmerized, impressed, and delighted!

April 11: Drama Club Performance

Families are invited to our drama club performance at 4:30 PM. It’s a great way to kick off Spring Break!

April 14-18: Spring Break

There is no school April 14-18 due to Spring Break.

To see more schoolwide and community events, remember to check out our website calendar! You can also subscribe to our calendar to make it even more convenient.

PTA Opportunities

Laps for Learning

Join a Community Conversation

Join us on Wednesday at 11 AM on Zoom to hear the important news from the school from Principal Hill! Community Conversations happen weekly barring school holidays or weather closures. If you miss a Community Conversation, you can catch up with slides and recordings on our website.

Summer Enrichment

It’s hard to believe… but summer is coming! Letting kids play outside with no parameters is a great way to promote confidence and creativity. Unstructured play that encourages imagination, problem-solving, and nature-based exploration… and removes screens… helps their brains develop longer attention spans and critical thinking skills. Sometimes, however, you need a supervised place for your children. Unfortunately, budget cuts mean there is no summer Young Scholars program this year, but here are a few other opportunities for summer enrichment.

Elementary Institute for the Arts (E-IFTA) is through FCPS and located at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke.
Tech Adventure Camp is also through FCPS at Lake Braddock Secondary School.
George Mason University offers multiple summer opportunities for students ranging from grades 3-12.
STEM camps through Virginia Tech (session descriptions below) in Arlington or Chantilly are free for a week in July.

Coding Camp (4th-6th Grade): Students will engage in hands-on coding activities using block coding and Python programming languages. Students will gain an understanding on how coding is utilized in Air Force STEM careers.

Robotics Camp (4th-6th Grade): Robotics camp will engage students in technical learning through the coding and programming of VEX robots. Throughout the week, students will come up with a solution to a real-world problem.

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is an important part of helping children develop the skills they need to succeed in school and life. This year, we are using Second Step, a research-based SEL program designed to teach students essential skills like empathy, emotional regulation, and problem-solving. Each focus for the week will share recommendations for conversations and activities families can do at home to promote SEL outside of school.

Kindergarten

In this week’s lesson, your child will practice solving problems by offering to share and take turns. Try This at Home: Encourage your child to offer to share and take turns with items at home.

1st Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn and practice ways to make amends to start to solve a problem. Try This at Home: If disagreements or hurt feelings occur at home between siblings or family members, help your child think of a way to make amends, help others feel good, and start to solve the problem.

2nd Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn that after causing a problem accidentally, besides saying sorry they can do something to make the situation better for the other person. Try This at Home: Encourage your child to think of ways to make amends or do more than say sorry after an accident.

3rd Grade

In this week’s lesson your child will learn to pick a solution to a problem by either finding a compromise or by showing kindness. Try This at Home: Ask your child to explain what a compromise is.

4th Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn how to successfully solve an interpersonal problem by picking a solution that’s safe, respectful, and can work for everyone involved. Try This at Home: Talk with your child about a time when they were able to solve a problem with a safe and respectful solution that worked for everyone involved. Describe a time when you did the same. Point out that solving problems may not always be easy, but it’s worth the effort.

5th Grade

In this lesson, your child will reflect on whether a solution to an interpersonal problem worked for everyone involved. Try This at Home: Ask your child how they can know when they’ve found a good solution to an interpersonal problem.

If you have questions about these prompts or ideas, or social-emotional learning in general, please email Westlawn’s SEL Coach, Ms. Andrews. We can work together to create a positive and safe school environment!

Follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram)
Text a staff member with TalkingPoints
Browse our website
View The Feather Report archives

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

Westlawn Feather Report: Volume 1, Issue 28

GovDeliverySpanish1 week 4 days ago

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

Volume 1, Issue 28

Leadership Ledger

Westlawn Families,

We have a lot to be excited about as we March toward April (get it?!) and the end of the third quarter. Fifth graders are taking their first Standards of Learning assessment today, our sixth graders are busy preparing for the big volleyball game, and our instrumental and choral ensembles are making the final push for PIRATES! The Musical in early April. Not to mention STEAM Academy is starting up again soon! It’s a wonderful time to be part of the Westlawn community.

On Tuesday our fourth and fifth graders traveled to the George Mason Center for the Arts to participate in Link Up, now a Westlawn tradition. Students brought their recorders and played along to songs learned in music class with Fairfax Symphony Orchestra! At Westlawn we pride ourselves in providing students with myriad opportunities to both appreciate and explore the arts in various forms - this was a perfect example. The students had a blast, and the teachers did too. We thank Mrs. Cutler, Mrs. Layton, Mr. Stuebner, Ms. Terrell, and all our fourth and fifth grade teachers for their unwavering support.

Sincerely,

Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, and Erin Theiss

Proud Principals

Caption: The onset of spring has brought back field trips across many grade levels! This week our fourth and fifth grade students visited the George Mason Center for the Arts to hear (and participate with) the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra. Stay tuned to our social media channels to see photos of our students on their on- and off-campus adventures!

Reminder: School Bus Safety

Last week, Dr. Reid sent a letter to families about a new program involving cameras on school buses that will ultimately begin to cite people who drive past the bus when the stop sign is extended. Learn more information about enforcement dates, fines, and future plans.

Reminder: Soft Plastics Collection

Remember that Mrs. Maxwell is collecting clean, soft plastics (like Ziploc baggies) to turn into a bench. Donations can be turned into the main office. We need to collect 1,000 pounds of plastics for the bench, so every bit counts!

FCPS News

Are you curious about what’s happening more broadly in FCPS? This week’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) FCPS roundup covers:

Second Annual Food Show
Cameras on School Bus Stop Arms
Comprehensive Boundary Review Process Explained

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

March 26: Fun Clothing Wednesday: Clothing with Numbers

Help us celebrate World Maths Day by wearing clothing with numbers!

March 28: Laps for Learning

Laps for Learning is our annual fundraiser where students run laps around our field and raise money for Westlawn. This year Laps for Learning will take place on March 28, and we need volunteers!

March 31-April 1: No School

There is no school on Monday, March 31 or Tuesday, April 1.

April 3: Kindergarten Orientation

April 4: Bingo Night

Save the date! More information is forthcoming.

April 7: Spring Picture Day

Save the date! More information is forthcoming.

April 8: PTA Meeting

The April PTA meeting will be on Zoom starting at 6:30 PM. Hope to see you there!

April 9: Restaurant Night

April 9: PIRATES: The Musical!

Our spring musical debuts tonight for one night only! Make sure you are at Westlawn at 6:30 PM to be mesmerized, impressed, and delighted!

To see more schoolwide and community events, remember to check out our website calendar! You can also subscribe to our calendar to make it even more convenient.

PTA Opportunities

Laps for Learning

Join a Community Conversation

Spring STEAM Academy

Did your student sign up for our free STEAM Academy this spring? We are offering a record 10 different clubs with over 200 students from grades 2-6 participating in them! STEAM Academy is only possible because we are the lucky recipients of a grant from Northrop Grumman. With this money we are able to get supplies for clubs and pay our excellent staff members! If you came to Glow Night, you might have met some of our Northrop Grumman partners at their table!

We are also lucky that Virginia Tech, a top-tier university, participates in every cohort by teaching the Drones Club! AND, we have two sets of Falls Church High School students teaching clubs this spring, many of whom are super-star Westlawn alum! Our students love to come back and volunteer; we create a culture of giving back at our school.

Kindergarten

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn that apologizing is one way to begin to solve problems. They’ll practice using the phrases, “I’m sorry. Are you okay? How can I help?” as a way to help solve problems. Try This at Home: Ask your child to teach you the three parts of the apology they learned. Encourage them to apologize when the opportunity arises at home.

1st Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn the importance of asking for what they want or need in order to solve a problem. They’ll practice making polite requests with the phrases, “Can I, please . . . ?” and “Could you, please . . .?” Try This at Home: Ask your child to sing the problem-solving song they learned this week. Have your child teach you the tune and sing it together. Here are the lyrics:

Can I, can I, can I? Could I, could I, could?

When I have a problem, these words help me feel good.

Can I, can I, can I? Could I, could I, could?

I can ask for what I want to help me feel good.

I know what I want right now, I want to play with you.

Can I please, could I please, play that game too?

Can you, can you, can you? Could you, could you, could?

When I have a problem, these words help me feel good.

Can you, can you, can you? Could you, could you, could?

I can ask for what I need to help me feel good.

I know what I need right now, I’m feeling really sad.

Could you please talk with me about that fight we had?

Can I, can I, can I? Could I, could I, could?

I can ask for what I want to help me feel good.

Can you, can you, can you? Could you, could you, could?

I can ask for what I need to help me feel good.

When I have a problem, these words help me feel good.

2nd Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn that some solutions are better than others for a problem. Try This at Home: Ask your child if playing rock, paper, scissors would be a good solution if they spilled water on someone’s paper. Why or why not?

3rd Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn to analyze possible solutions to a problem by considering whether each solution gives each person what they want. Try This at Home: Ask your child to explain how they would decide whether a solution works for each person involved in a problem.

4th Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn how to weigh the pros and cons of possible solutions to an interpersonal problem by thinking about the points of view of everyone involved. Try This at Home: Talk with your child about a time when they successfully solved an interpersonal problem. What solutions did they consider, and what were the pros and cons of each solution? Describe a time when you found it helpful to think of each person’s point of view when predicting whether a solution to an interpersonal problem might work.

5th Grade

In this lesson, your child will evaluate solutions to an interpersonal problem by thinking about the problem from each person’s point of view. Try This at Home: Tell your child about a simple interpersonal problem that you’ve experienced and describe each person’s point of view about the problem. Ask them to help you think of solutions and predict the possible outcomes of each solution.

Follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram)
Text a staff member with TalkingPoints
Browse our website
View The Feather Report archives

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

Westlawn Feather Report: Volume 1, Issue 27

GovDeliverySpanish2 weeks 4 days ago

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

Volume 1, Issue 27

Leadership Ledger

Westlawn Families,

We hope everyone has adjusted to Daylight Savings Time and are enjoying the extra hour of daylight in the evenings! My wife and I even took our girls on a walk last night. First time since the fall! We encourage families of walkers to enjoy the Westlawn playground after dismissal, this is a great time for students and parents to connect with other members of our community.

ParentVUE, an app that allows easy access to educational documents, absence creations, and much more, is an excellent way to stay up-to-date with your child’s educational experience. If you do not have the ParentVUE app, visit the FCPS website for more information, or call our front office and ask to speak with Ms. Caballero.

The coming of spring brings not only warmer weather and longer nights, but also an increase in community events. Please keep a close eye on Westlawn Events and bring the family to some of the upcoming engagement opportunities!

Sincerely,

Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, and Erin Theiss

Proud Principals

Dr. Suh from George Mason works with a second grade student on a math project. Second grade teachers were recently awarded a Mathical grant and have been working with Dr. Suh to design lessons that incorporate their new books! We will share more about their experience on our social media in the coming weeks.

STEAM Clubs are Coming!

Today your child should bring home a sign-up form for spring STEAM clubs. We are excited to share that we have more available seats than ever before! Please check your child’s backpack for the sign-up form and return it as soon as possible. We will start filling clubs on Friday afternoon and continue until they are full. Here are the available clubs this round:

Engineering Design Challenges

Ms. Burke (grades 2-3)

Do you love to design and build things? Students in this club will use the Engineering Design Process to explore a variety of fun building challenges each week.

Future Doctors

Ms. Rezcallah (grades 2-3)

Have you ever thought about working in the medical field when you grow up? There are so many different positions like doctors, nurses, x-ray techs, phlebotomists, pharmacists, and more! If you feel inspired to learn more about the human body and how it works, this class is for you! We will learn about the bones, skin, eyes, ears, muscles, and organs like your heart, lungs, and brain!

Junior Strategists

Ms. Granados (grades 3-4)

Love to play games? How about games where you get to use your best creative and critical thinking skills? Come join us to learn and play games like Sequence, Blokus, Rush Hour, and more!

Designing Vehicles with Lego Spike

Mr. Stuebner (grades 3-4)

Do you like Legos, vehicles, and robotics? Use your building skills and problem-solving to create some new ways of getting around with our Lego Spike kits.

Coding and Robotics

Falls Church High School students (grades 4-6)

Do you like robots and want to build your own to compete with? In this club we’ll apply the engineering design process and fundamental coding skills in order to build robots. After successfully assembling and coding the robots, we’ll put them head-to-head in a fun, competitive game!

Tech Titans

Mr. Maloney (grades 4-6)

Calling all innovators in grades 4-6! Unleash your inner Tech Titan in this after-school club where creativity meets cutting-edge technology. Build awesome projects, learn about the amazing world of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and explore the future of tech. Join us and become a digital creator and AI explorer!

Green Team

Ms. Chan (grades 4-6)

Are you interested in saving the environment? We will focus on our community by planting a garden, preventing food waste in our cafeteria, and cleaning up our outdoor space.

Cardboard Arcade Club

Ms. Riffe & Ms. Grijalva (grades 5-6)

Ready to unleash your inner game designer? Join our Cardboard Arcade Club, where you'll craft and build your own arcade games using just cardboard, duct tape, and imagination! Get ready for endless fun as you create, play, and challenge your friends with your very own arcade creations.

Drone Club

Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation (grades 5-6)

Students will code and program drones, race drones through obstacle courses, and have fun! They will be able to incorporate loops, conditionals, variables, and more into their code using Blockly.

Engineering Explorations

Falls Church High School students (grades 5-6)

Have you ever wanted to build a tower, catapult, or perhaps even your own car? Look no further! We build a fun, new project every week! Hosted by Westlawn Alum students from Falls Church High School, young engineers can participate in engaging building projects while learning engineering principles!

Help Us Build a Bench from Recycled Materials!

Did you know that we can build a bench from recycled materials? It’s true! We need to collect 1,000 pounds of soft plastics to create the bench. Soft plastics are things like bread bags, Ziploc baggies, and bubble wrap. We encourage Westlawn families to collect clean, dry soft plastics in plastic grocery bags and bring them to the main office for Mrs. Maxwell. See the full list of soft plastics we can collect for the bench.

School Bus Safety

Earlier this week, Dr. Reid sent a letter to families about a new program involving cameras on school buses that will ultimately begin to cite people who drive past the bus when the stop sign is extended. Here is what she shared:

Cameras have been installed on the stop arms of 50 of our school buses, to identify drivers who pass stopped school buses while children are entering and exiting the bus (called a “stop arm violation”). Warnings for drivers will begin on Wednesday, April 9. After a 30-day warning period, citations will begin to be issued on Thursday, May 8.

We appreciate our law enforcement partners for working with us to improve road safety and reduce accidents. More information about the stop arm cameras and all of the ways that we work with our county partners to keep students safe on their way to and from school can be found on this webpage.

Last Call: Help Us Celebrate Adults in Our Community Who Read!

We are a community of readers, both staff and families alike! We are asking for grown-up book recommendations from staff and families so we can create a Westlawn recommendations list. The list will be shared the week of March 24 so that families and staff can acquire titles that sound good to make sure their spring break is fully booked. Recommend one (or more!) grown-up books today!

Reminder: Families of Students in Grades 3-6: We Need Your Consent for Retests!

If you have a child in grade 3-6, they may be eligible for an SOL retake depending on the score of their first exam. Students who qualify will receive remediation by Westlawn staff before the retake, and we also need to collect permission for the retake from a parent or guardian. Families are encouraged to decide whether they want their child to retake the SOL or not, and provide their answer via the online portal.

Instructions about using the portal and SOL dates can be found on our website. Families who need support to create a SIS ParentVUE account may schedule an appointment with a parent liaison by calling the office at 703-241-5100.

FCPS News

Are you curious about what’s happening more broadly in FCPS? This week’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) FCPS roundup covers:

A Strong Academic Foundation
70th Annual Regional Science Fair
New Breakfast Options

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

March 17: A Toast to Teachers

We will have a toast bar for staff on March 17 and need donations of food items and time, and we would also like to borrow some toasters. Please sign up if you are able to support in any way!

March 19: Fun Clothing Wednesday: Sports Jersey Day

March 20: SOL Testing

Students in Grade 5 will be participating in the Integrated Reading and Writing SOL on March 20. Please help your child succeed by making sure they get plenty of rest and a good breakfast!

March 28: Laps for Learning

Laps for Learning is our annual fundraiser where students run laps around our field and raise money for Westlawn. This year Laps for Learning will take place on March 28, and we need volunteers!

March 31-April 1: No School

There is no school on Monday, March 31 or Tuesday, April 1.

To see more schoolwide and community events, remember to check out our website calendar! You can also subscribe to our calendar to make it even more convenient.

PTA Opportunities

Join a Community Conversation

Teacher Highlight: Christy Stephenson, 6th grade full-time AAP teacher

Greetings, Eagles! This is Ms. Stephenson, your sixth grade full-time AAP teacher! I am in my 22nd year of teaching and this is my 10th year at Westlawn. Working with Westlawn students and families is the absolute BEST!

There are so many reasons why I love teaching sixth grade! It's so rewarding to see the progress that students make from the beginning to the end of the year. I enjoy seeing students develop a love for learning, tap into their strengths and creativity, and begin to think about their futures! Getting students ready for middle school and beyond is my favorite thing about teaching sixth grade!

It's difficult to pinpoint a favorite part of the AAP curriculum as there are so many aspects that I enjoy! Giving students opportunities to share their thinking, look at texts from multiple perspectives, make connections among different content areas, expand on their writing, and work with partners in Math to share their different strategies is what I love! It’s also so fun when I hear or see students get creative with their sense of humor!

Correction

Last week we said that Mrs. Boyd was a 4th grade full-time AAP teacher. Mrs. Boyd is actually our 3rd grade full-time AAP teacher. Thank you to folks who pointed that out!

Kindergarten

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn that taking time to feel calm before reacting is a helpful first step to solving a problem. Try This at Home: Let your child see you taking a moment to feel calm at home when things are busy or stressful. For example, say, “Today was a really busy day. I’m going to take a few slow breaths to help me feel calm.” Invite your child to join you.

1st Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn helpful ways to respond to a problem caused by accident. They’ll practice phrases for apologizing: "I’m sorry. It was an accident. Are you okay? How can I help?" Try This at Home: When accidents occur at home, take time to apologize and encourage your child to do the same, using the new phrases they learned at school this week.

2nd Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn that thinking of more than one way to solve a problem can help them find one that works better or that they like better. Try This at Home: Ask your child to explain why it can be good to think of more than one way to solve a problem.

3rd Grade

In this week’s lesson your child will learn how to say a problem by thinking about what each person wants or needs. Try This at Home: Ask your child how they would say a problem respectfully, without blaming anyone.

4th Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will begin to learn a process for solving interpersonal problems. They’ll learn how to say the problem respectfully and without blame. Try This at Home: Talk with your child about an interpersonal problem they’ve had at home. Help your child think about each person’s point of view, and then work together to say the problem respectfully.

5th Grade

In this lesson, your child will consider when, where, and with whom it would be best to work on an interpersonal problem. Try This at Home: Ask your child why it’s important to think about when, where, and with whom it would be best to work on an interpersonal problem.

Follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram)
Text a staff member with TalkingPoints
Browse our website

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

Westlawn Feather Report: Volume 1, Issue 26

GovDeliverySpanish3 weeks 4 days ago

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

Volume 1, Issue 26

Leadership Ledger

Westlawn Families,

Thank you for celebrating Read Across Westlawn Week this with our school community! Each day has had a different theme, including pajamas, clothing with words, and color themes. And this Saturday evening at the George Mason Center for the Arts, Westlawn student artwork will be displayed in the lobby beginning at 6:30 PM, prior to a performance by the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra! We hope you reserved your ticket to attend the performance free of charge!

Monday, March 10 is our next Early Release Monday. Please be sure to have made appropriate arrangements to receive your child(ren). A reminder will be sent out on Monday to all families. We ask that families do not change their dismissal preference at this point in the year.

Thank you for being an active part of the Westlawn community!

Sincerely,

Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, and Erin Theiss

Proud Principals

Have you gotten cozy in your pajamas with a good book this week? It’s Read Across Westlawn Week and we have been celebrating every day! Read on to see how you can participate, too!

Celebrate Read Across Westlawn Week with Staff!

Families of Students in Grades 3-6: We Need Your Consent for Retests!

Information about Eating Disorders for Families

According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA 2023), Eating disorders are serious but treatable mental and physical illnesses that can affect people of all genders, ages, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, body shapes, and weights.

In the United States, 28.8 million Americans will suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives. There is no single cause of an eating disorder. Rather, it is a complex combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors that converge and set off an individual’s predisposed genetic vulnerability. Learn more about eating disorders.

🚀 Prepare for a Summer of Learning and Fun

Registration will be available soon for summer camps offered by Fairfax County Public Schools for all students. Career and Technical Education (CTE) camps and Institute for the Arts (IFTA) 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. Registration begins for these programs on Monday, March 10, and ends Friday, June 6.

Tech Adventure Camp (TAC) is a week-long exploratory camp designed to allow current K-5 students to explore activities in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math), culinary arts, health, trades, and business and marketing areas. Watch this video about CTE camps.

E-IFTA is a weekly arts camp for students in grades 2-5 who love to sing, dance, act, perform, make, and create. Students take part in four daily classes related to dance, music, theater, and visual art. They work with FCPS fine arts teachers who create fun and engaging classes.

For more information, see the Summer Learning page.

Reminder: Student Fasting Meal Kits for February 28 - March 28

Thanks to a new program from the Virginia Department of Education, students who are fasting during the school day between February 28 and March 28 can now take school meal kits home at the end of the day.Families will need to fill out a weekly Fasting Meals Request Form for their child or children to receive school meal kits. A separate form must be filled out for each week and each student. Visit the FNS webpage for more information, including weekly request forms and deadlines.

FCPS News

Are you curious about what’s happening more broadly in FCPS? This week’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) FCPS roundup covers:

Summer Camps and Learning Opportunities
Supporting Academic Growth
Preparing for Tough Conversations With Your Child

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

March 3-7: Read Across Westlawn Week

We are celebrating reading through fun clothing themes each day! Take a screenshot of these themes or keep your eyes tuned to our Instagram or Facebook stories for reminders each day.

Friday, March 7: blue

March 8: Arts Integration with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra

We have partnered with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra so our students can explore how the fine arts and the orchestra are intertwined. Student artwork meeting the theme of the performance will be displayed at the George Mason Center for the Arts starting at 6:30 PM on March 8, and families are invited to browse the artwork and stay for the show, which starts at 8 PM. We hope you reserved your ticket by March 5!

March 10: 3-Hour Early Release

March 10 is a three-hour early release for professional learning. Students will be dismissed at 12:30 PM.

March 10: Substance Abuse Prevention Presentation for Parents and Guardians

Attend a Zoom substance abuse prevention presentation facilitated by FCPS’ own Substance Abuse Prevention Specialists (SAPS). The SAPS are the same people who present to students in schools, so attending this presentation is a wonderful way to hear the information that has been delivered to your children, and to put yourself in a better position to be an advocate. The presentation will be on Zoom at 5:30 PM.

March 11: March PTA Meeting

The March PTA meeting will be on Zoom at 6:30 PM. We hope to see you there!

March 12: Restaurant Night at &pizza

Our March Restaurant Night will be at &pizza in Seven Corners from 11 AM - 9 PM. Use the code WLPTA if ordering online or at the in-store kiosk, or show the cashier this flier if ordering in person. The more people who participate in the fundraiser, the higher the percentage we receive back, so this is an especially excellent reason to text your child’s friend’s adult to make a plan to meet for pizza!

March 12: Career and Transition Fair

Families of students who receive special education services are invited to this fair, where the goal is to explore the pathways available to these students in high school and beyond. The fair takes place in person at Luther Jackson MS from 6:30-8:30 PM.

March 20: SOL Testing

Students in Grade 5 will be participating in the Integrated Reading and Writing SOL on March 20. Please help your child succeed by making sure they get plenty of rest and a good breakfast!

To see more schoolwide and community events, remember to check out our website calendar! You can also subscribe to our calendar to make it even more convenient.

Reminder: Become a PTA Board Member

We are anticipating vacancies at secretary and treasurer positions, and we are casting a wide net to see who might be ready to take on these incredible roles! Could it be you? Learn about what each role does and share your interest.

Reminder: Volleyballs Requested

Mr. Maloney and Ms. Reed are hoping to bolster our collection of volleyballs with some new additions. As we get closer to the annual staff/student volleyball game, more students request them to use at recess, and we are running low! Size 5 (“the regular size”) are what is needed, and we are happy to take new or gently-used equipment. Volleyballs can be sent to the main office for Mr. Maloney to pick up.

Reminder: Help Restock the Makerspace Cart

Our makerspace cart is in need of some additional (popular) building materials and other items. If you have any of the following to donate, please send it to the main office for Mrs. Maxwell:

Bubble wrap
Small boxes (small shoe sized)
Flat sheets of cardboard
Paper towel tubes
Disposable cups (all sizes)
Matchbox type cars
Empty and clean 2-liter plastic bottles

Join a Community Conversation

Teacher Highlight: Vanessa Boyd, 4th grade full-time AAP teacher

Ms. Rezcallah is a member of our third grade team! Born and raised in Ohio, she started her teaching career then later went on to teach overseas. Ms. Rez recently got married and is now Mrs. Boyd! Her love of extreme outdoor sports such as paragliding, sky diving & hiking has taken her on global adventures! Some favorite parts of the AAP curriculum are Socratic Seminar, Scamper, and mind mapping! She loves using the M-cubed Think Deeply activities and working on the writing process in detail! Her passion and love remains in teaching children and empowering them to reach their highest potential through building strong foundations and lasting impact.

Kindergarten

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn how to state a problem without blame or name calling. They’ll practice identifying problems in given scenarios, listen to their teacher state the problem, and then repeat the statement. Try This at Home: Children may be tempted to blame others when they’re upset about something. Encourage your child to avoid blame by describing what happened without focusing on who is at fault.

1st Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn how to state a problem in a respectful way, without blame or name calling. They’ll practice identifying problems and then state the problem respectfully. Try This at Home: Children may be tempted to blame others when they’re upset about something. Encourage your child to avoid blame by describing what happened without focusing on who is at fault.

2nd Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn how to state a problem without using blame words. Try This at Home: Ask your child for an example of blame words. Have them explain how they’d say a problem without using blame words.

3rd Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn a new process for solving problems called STEP. Try This at Home: Ask your child if they can recall what each letter in STEP stands for. (S: Say the problem, T: Think of solutions, E: Explore the outcomes, P: Pick a solution.

4th Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn two ways to become a better problem-solver: speaking up for what they need and feeling calm before trying to solve the problem. Try This at Home: Talk with your child about times when they might have an interpersonal problem (a disagreement between two or more people) with a friend. Encourage them to use these moments as opportunities to practice feeling calm and speaking up for what they want or need.

5th Grade

In this lesson, your child will learn how to begin to solve an interpersonal problem. This includes finding a way to feel calm, saying the problem respectfully, and deciding whether an adult’s help is needed. Try This at Home: Ask your child what kind of interpersonal problems they can solve on their own, and when they might need an adult’s help.

Follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram)
Text a staff member with TalkingPoints
Browse our website

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

Westlawn Feather Report: Volume 1, Issue 25

GovDeliverySpanish1 month ago

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

Volume 1, Issue 25

Leadership Ledger

Westlawn Families,

Thank you to all our families able to attend our weekly Community Conversations with Ms. Dushok, Ms. Reyes, and Mr. Hill. The budding of Spring coincides with many different opportunities to engage with the school community, and you can stay up to date on all Westlawn has to offer by being in the know!

This week we welcome families into the building on Friday evening for our annual Westlawn’s Got Talent Event! Come watch our children showcase their unique skills and talents on the big stage. The show starts at 5:30 PM.

And get your tickets for next Saturday’s Fairfax Symphony Orchestra performance at the George Mason Center for the Arts, showcasing Westlawn student artwork in the lobby before the event! Tickets are free for all Westlawn families, the showcase opens at 6:00 PM, and the show starts at 8:00 PM! Reserve your tickets today.

Sincerely,

Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, and Erin Theiss

Proud Principals

We are hoping to restock our makerspace cart for new projects and adventures this spring, and we need your help! Check the complete list of wanted items under our “Engage with Westlawn” section, or check your child’s most recent library book for our homemade “items requested” bookmark.

Benchmark Assessment Data Now Being Sent Home

Starting this Thursday, your child will periodically bring home their answer sheet from their latest Benchmark assessment in their Thursday folder. Each Benchmark assessment at a single grade level tests similar skills, and the big goal is to see improvement in scores over time as students master different aspects of literacy. Families are able to see the questions associated with each answer by logging into their child’s Benchmark portal in Clever, and navigating to the assessment in question. Learn more about Benchmark assessments and how to access them online.

VDH Immunization Packets for Rising 7th Graders

As required by the Code of Virginia, parents or legal guardians need to provide proof of immunizations for their child to attend public school. All students entering seventh grade are required to receive one dose of each of the following immunizations:

Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis booster (Tdap) given at age 7 or older.
Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) given at age 10 or older.
A complete series of 2 doses of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

After reviewing educational materials approved by the Board of Health, the parent or guardian, at the parents/guardians sole discretion, may elect for the child not to receive the HPV vaccine.

Parents/guardians are encouraged to plan ahead by scheduling an appointment with their child’s health care provider now to avoid the rush this summer. If your child does not have a health care provider, please visit the FCPS Immunizations Resource page to find out where to get an immunization.

Please review the Virginia Department of Health Information Packet for more information on rising 7th grade immunization requirements.

Reminder: Student Fasting Meal Kits for February 28 - March 28

FCPS News

Are you curious about what’s happening more broadly in FCPS? This week’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) FCPS roundup covers:

Middle School Start Times
New Lunch Items
Talking to Teens About Tough Topics

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

February 28: Westlawn’s Got Talent

Save the date! Westlawn’s Got Talent will be February 28. Come out to cheer on Westlawn’s amazing students!

March 1: VT STEM Discovery Fair

Did you sign up for the VT STEM Discovery Fair? Say hello to Ms. Dushok if you see her there! If you missed the sign up window, consider indulging your child’s interest in all things STEM by checking out free virtual STEM classes on Thursday afternoons from 4:15-5:45 through Google Meet. The classes are created and presented by our partner The Future Brighter. The classes are recommended for students in grades 3-6.

March 3-7: Read Across Westlawn Week

We are celebrating reading through fun clothing themes each day! Take a screenshot of these themes or keep your eyes tuned to our Instagram or Facebook stories for reminders each day.

Monday, March 3: pajamas
Tuesday, March 4: clothing with words
Wednesday, March 5: yellow and orange
Thursday, March 6: black and white
Friday, March 7: blue

March 8: Arts Integration with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra

We have partnered with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra so our students can explore how the fine arts and the orchestra are intertwined. Student artwork meeting the theme of the performance will be displayed at the George Mason Center for the Arts starting at 6 PM on March 8, and families are invited to browse the artwork and stay for the show, which starts at 8 PM. Tickets, which normally cost about $50 each, are available to Westlawn families for free. Reserve your tickets now because quantities are limited!

March 10: 3-Hour Early Release

March 10 is a three-hour early release for professional learning. Students will be dismissed at 12:30 PM.

March 10: Substance Abuse Prevention Presentation for Parents and Guardians

March 11: March PTA Meeting

The March PTA meeting will be on Zoom at 6:30 PM. We hope to see you there!

March 12: Restaurant Night at &pizza

March 12: Career and Transition Fair

SAVE THE DATE: 6th Grade Promotion

Sixth grade families: our promotion ceremony will take place on June 10 at Westlawn starting at 9:30 am. More details will follow closer to the date, but we wanted to give you a heads up to add it to your calendar today!

To see more schoolwide and community events, remember to check out our website calendar! You can also subscribe to our calendar to make it even more convenient.

Photo Requests

Did you take any photos during Glow Night (Family Adventure Night) or February’s Restaurant Night at Shake Shack? Ms. Dushok would love to have them to share on our social media! Please text her anything you’d like to share at 571-355-2321.

Become a PTA Board Member

Volleyballs Requested

Help Restock the Makerspace Cart

Our makerspace cart is in need of some additional (popular) building materials and other items. If you have any of the following to donate, please send it to the main office for Mrs. Maxwell:

Bubble wrap
Small boxes (small shoe sized)
Flat sheets of cardboard
Paper towel tubes
Disposable cups (all sizes)
Matchbox type cars
Empty and clean 2-liter plastic bottles

Last Chance: Volunteer to Sell and Serve Drinks and Candy at Westlawn’s Got Talent!

The PTA could use your help, and it’s a great way to meet more folks in our community!

Join a Community Conversation

Teacher Highlight: Haley Chan, 4th Grade Full-Time AAP Teacher

Hello! I am Haley Chan and I teach the 4th Grade full-time AAP students. I’ve been teaching for 5 years, 2 of which have been at Westlawn. I’ve also taught 3rd grade before. In addition, I run Westlawn’s Green Team which is a part of the FCPS Get2Green initiative.

My favorite AAP curriculum is reading and writing! It is wonderful to see the creative ways students learn to use strong verbs, descriptive dialogue, and develop a unique writer's voice. I care about my students reading and writing diverse stories.

In my free time I love reading mystery novels, eating chocolate, playing video games, and entertaining my cat.

Follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram)
Text a staff member with TalkingPoints
Browse our website

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

Westlawn Feather Report: Volume 1, Issue 24

GovDeliverySpanish1 month 1 week ago

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

Volume 1, Issue 24

Leadership Ledger

Westlawn Families,

With the 3rd Quarter in full swing and Spring on the horizon, we look forward to bringing our community together again these next few weeks. Tonight we welcome all families for Glow Night, with a focus on fun and engaging activities related to STEM, math, reading, and other content areas. And next week our children have a chance to show off their talent at our annual Westlawn’s Got Talent event!

100 days in the books, we are thankful for our students, families, and everyone who makes Westlawn special.

Sincerely,

Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, and Erin Theiss

Proud Principals

Happy Valentine’s Day! Students across the building left on Friday with sacks of goodies thanks to their classmates.

Westlawn Students are 100 Days Smarter!

Last Thursday was the 100th day of school, and Westlawn celebrated in style! Learn about the activities teachers did with students and see the 100th Day of School photo gallery on our website!

Reminder: Free Virtual STEM Classes

Students are invited to participate in free virtual STEM classes on Thursday afternoons from 4:15-5:45 through Google Meet. The classes are created and presented by our partner The Future Brighter. The classes are recommended for students in grades 3-6.

Student Fasting Meal Kits for February 28 - March 28

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has issued a new, first-time waiver allowing students fasting during the school day from February 28 to March 28, 2025, to request take-home breakfast and lunch meal kits. The Office of Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) will provide meal kits reflecting the school menu. Meals will be kept cold and must be heated at home.

Students may claim one breakfast and one lunch kit per day. If a student purchases breakfast or lunch at school, they cannot pick up a kit that day. Meal kits must be picked up by students at the end of the school day—adults cannot collect them.

Parents or guardians must submit a weekly request form via the FCPS FNS website by the deadlines:

February 24, 2025, for February 28 and the week of March 3, 2025
March 3, 2025, for the week of March 10, 2025
March 10, 2025, for the week of March 17, 2025
March 17, 2025, for the week of March 24, 2025

Forms must be submitted on time to receive meal kits for the following week.

🤧 Protect Yourself and Your Community From the Flu

Fairfax County is experiencing high levels of influenza (flu) illness. The Fairfax County Health Department reports that visits to emergency departments and urgent care centers for flu-like illness have increased, especially among children, and multiple flu outbreaks have occurred in our community and school settings.

Read this letter from the health department which includes the following steps to reduce the spread of flu and other germs:

Cover coughs and sneezes. If you must be around others while ill, wearing a mask can help reduce spread.
Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers when soap and water are not available (with supervision for younger children).
Clean frequently touched surfaces.

According to the health department, to help prevent or reduce the spread of illness, it is important for individuals who are sick to stay home and away from others until symptoms improve and until they have been free of fever for at least 24 hours. Visit our Attendance webpage for guidance.

FCPS News

Are you curious about what’s happening more broadly in FCPS? This week’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) FCPS roundup covers:

Flu Prevention
Students Spread Joy
Investing in our Classrooms

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

TONIGHT: February 20: Family Adventure Night

Family Adventure Night will take place on February 20 from 5:00-6:30! Families are invited to come to Westlawn for games and activities that have to do with reading, math, STEAM, library, art, and more!

February 21: PTA Restaurant Night at Shake Shack

Eat lunch or dinner at the Mosaic Shake Shack between 11 AM - 10 PM and help raise funds for the PTA! Mention “Donation Day” at the register or use the promo code DONATE in the Shake app, web, or in-store kiosk to help us earn 25% of the proceeds.

February 22: Falls Church High School Heritage Festival

The FCHS Heritage Festival will take place from 1-5 PM at Falls Church HS.

February 26: Fun Clothing Wednesday

Today’s theme is pink clothing in recognition of National Pink Shirt Day, an anti-bullying campaign.

February 28: Westlawn’s Got Talent

Save the date! Westlawn’s Got Talent will be February 28. Come out to cheer on Westlawn’s amazing students!

March 1: VT STEM Discovery Fair

Students are invited to the new Virginia Tech campus in Alexandria’s Potomac Yards to participate in a STEM Discovery Fair from 2:30 PM - 5:30 PM. Students from all grade levels are welcome. Families are asked to register (for free) by February 25.

March 3-7: Read Across Westlawn Week

Save the date!

March 12: Career and Transition Fair

To see more schoolwide and community events, remember to check out our website calendar! You can also subscribe to our calendar to make it even more convenient.

Volunteer to Sell and Serve Pizza Tonight at Family Adventure Night (Glow Night)

It’s never too late to volunteer to help the PTA!

Volunteer to Sell and Serve Drinks and Candy at Westlawn’s Got Talent!

The PTA could use your help, and it’s a great way to meet more folks in our community!

Join a Community Conversation

AAP Beyond Westlawn

What happens to AAP services in middle school and high school? AAP services as we know them here at Westlawn continue through 6th grade. It is a continuum of access where all students have opportunities to try rigorous AAP curriculum, some need more time in one or more subjects, and some students need full-time AAP services.

At Luther Jackson Middle School, students still access full-time AAP services if they’ve been found eligible, but also they can self-select honors level courses which offer the same rigor as an AAP class. Many of our current sixth graders will be accessing those honors courses next year in one or more subjects regardless of their current AAP service.

At Falls Church High School students have full control of their classes and can choose honors, or Advanced Placement (AP), or Dual Enrollment (DE). They can also opt to go to another high school if they want to attend International Baccalaureate (IB) classes. And they can apply to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) if they need a highly rigorous STEM focused high school.

This chart details the various AAP pathways available to students within FCPS. More information about each section of the chart can be found on the Program Overview section of the FCPS Advanced Academics page.

Kindergarten

In this week’s lesson, your child will show what they’ve learned about kindness and the power of kind acts to help people feel good. They’ll draw themselves doing a kind act for someone at school. Try This at Home: Ask your child to show or tell you about their drawing of doing a kind act for someone at school. Encourage them to draw a picture of themselves doing a kind act at home too.

1st Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will show what they’ve learned about kind acts as they role-play doing kind acts for others in a variety of contexts. Try This at Home: Choose a day of the week (for example, Wednesdays) as “kindness day.” Help your child think of kind acts they can do for family members, friends, or neighbors. Write the kind acts on the calendar for the next several weeks.

2nd Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will use empathy to come up with a kind act they could do for a person they choose. Try This at Home: Ask your child who they chose to have empathy for and what kind act they decided to do.

3rd Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will show what they know about empathy and kindness by planning kind acts to do for someone they care about. Try This at Home: Ask your child about the kindness coupons they made in class. Ask how they chose the kind acts for each person.

4th Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will practice asking questions to better understand someone’s point of view when it’s harder to empathize. Try This at Home: Discuss with your child the benefits of learning more about the different points of view of people in your family. If there’s a point of view they don’t understand, think of questions together that they can ask to learn more about it.

5th Grade

In this lesson, your child will choose a solution to a problem in their school community and explain how it meets the wants and needs of the people who are affected by the problem. Try This at Home: Point out a change that has happened in your neighborhood recently that was intended to solve a problem. Ask your child if that change was a good solution, and how they know.

Follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram)
Text a staff member with TalkingPoints
Browse our website

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

Westlawn Feather Report: Volume 1, Issue 23

GovDeliverySpanish1 month 2 weeks ago

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

Volume 1, Issue 23

Leadership Ledger

Westlawn Families,

A snow-filled January has led us into an action-packed February, and we are grateful to see our learners embracing the unique opportunities that this month has to offer, including today, the 100th day of school this year! It’s hard to believe we’ve been together for 100 days already! This week is also Kindness Week, with one more fun clothing day tomorrow: hearts, red, and pink.

Also coming up this month are two of our most popular events for families: Family Adventure Night is on February 20, and Westlawn’s Got Talent is on February 28!

We continue to appreciate your partnership in ensuring that your children are in attendance every day on time, and look forward to connecting with you at our family events and our PTA Meeting on February 18.

Sincerely,

Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, and Erin Theiss

Proud Principals

This week is Kindness Week, and Tuesday’s theme was twin day! We have enjoyed seeing students’ school spirit as they participate in the themes each day. Tomorrow’s theme is hearts, red, and pink.

Westlawn Recognized for Social Media!

Westlawn was recognized by the FCPS Office of Communications for our post about Ms. Heyer’s Groundhog Day lesson. If you are not yet doing so, please follow us on Facebook or on Instagram for an inside glimpse into the wonderful world of Westlawn!

Congratulations to Our Outstanding Staff!

Westlawn recently recognized several staff members for their amazing contributions to their community. Their nomination packets will now be submitted to Region 2. Westlawn’s nominees are:

Ms. Baer (Outstanding Professional Employee)
Ms. Carpenter (Outstanding School Leader)
Mr. Luis (Guerra) (Outstanding Operational Employee)
Ms. Schneider (Outstanding New Teacher)
Mrs. Thomas (Outstanding Teacher)

PTA Meeting Rescheduled

The PTA Meeting for February has been rescheduled to Tuesday, February 18. You can join the meeting on Zoom.

Reminder: Fun Clothing Wednesdays Return!

Fun Clothing Wednesdays are returning for the second semester! We encourage you to help your child select an outfit that meets each week’s theme. Upcoming themes will be published on our website, and reminders will be shared on Facebook and Instagram stories on Tuesdays at noon. Here are the next few themes:

February 19: farmer clothing (flannels, jeans, overalls, boots, shirts with farm animals)
February 26: pink clothing

FCPS News

Are you curious about what’s happening more broadly in FCPS? This week’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) FCPS roundup covers:

Proposed Budget Progress
Apply for Dual Immersion and Magnet Lotteries
Black History Month Event

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

February 10-14: Kindness Week

Kindness Week takes place from February 10-14 and features a different clothing theme for students and staff each day.

Friday: Red, pink, or hearts

February 17: No School (Presidents’ Day) February 18: PTA Meeting

The meeting will be on Zoom at 6:30 PM. All are welcome!

February 19: Fun Clothing Wednesday

Today’s theme is farmer clothing in recognition of Future Farmers of America Week.

February 20: Family Adventure Night

February 22: Falls Church High School Heritage Festival

The FCHS Heritage Festival will take place from 1-5 PM at Falls Church HS.

February 26: Fun Clothing Wednesday

Today’s theme is pink clothing in recognition of National Pink Shirt Day, an anti-bullying campaign.

February 28: Westlawn’s Got Talent

Save the date! Westlawn’s Got Talent will be February 28. Come out to cheer on Westlawn’s amazing students!

March 3-7: Read Across Westlawn Week

Save the date!

To see more schoolwide and community events, remember to check out our website calendar! You can also subscribe to our calendar to make it even more convenient.

Join a Community Conversation

Teacher Highlight: Sharelle White, 5th grade full-time AAP teacher

Hi there! I’m Ms. White, your full-time fifth-grade AAP teacher! I’ve been a teacher for fifteen years, and next year will be my fifth year at Westlawn. I’ve taught lots of different grade levels, but I especially love teaching third and fifth grade.

One of my favorite things about the AAP curriculum is our weekly math challenge! Each week, students work with partners to solve tricky math problems in different ways. Want to know why I love it so much? Because sometimes, even I learn something new from all the amazing strategies my students come up with!

Kindergarten

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn different ways they can show kindness at school. The class will share ideas for kind acts they could do for one another. Try This at Home: Ask your child to tell you about the kind acts they and their classmates have been doing for one another at school this week.

1st Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will role-play doing kinds acts in response to different scenarios. Try This at Home: Ask your child to tell you about the kind acts they and their classmates have been learning about at school this week.

2nd Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will use empathy to come up with a kind act they could do for a person in their school community. Try This at Home: Ask your child what member of their school community they had empathy for and what kind act they chose to do for that person.

3rd Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will practice asking questions to help them understand how someone else is feeling and what they can do to help. Try This at Home: Ask your child what questions they can ask to find out how someone feels and what they may want or need. Discuss how checking in on someone’s feelings is a great way to show you care about them.

4th Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn that better understanding someone’s point of view can change your own point of view and how you act. Try This at Home: Ask your child to describe a time when learning more about a different point of view changed their own thoughts or actions. Tell your child about a time when this happened to you.

5th Grade

In this lesson, your child will evaluate possible solutions to a community problem by thinking about the points of view of the people who are affected by the problem. Try This at Home: Point out a problem in your neighborhood that affects other people. With your child, make a list of possible solutions to the problem. Ask your child how different groups in the community might feel about each solution.

Follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram)
Text a staff member with TalkingPoints
Browse our website

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

Westlawn Feather Report: Volume 1, Issue 22

GovDeliverySpanish1 month 3 weeks ago

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

Volume 1, Issue 22

Leadership Ledger

Westlawn Families,

We are delighted to enter the second semester going strong! Our teams have planned big and exciting opportunities for students in the third quarter, and we can’t wait to get started!

Over the next few weeks there are also several opportunities for students and families to engage with Westlawn in ways beyond the classroom. February 10-14 is Kindness Week, where students will have an opportunity to nurture relationships with others and show their school spirit by dressing up for each of the fun clothing days. Then, on February 20, we are excited to welcome the community into the school for Glow Night, otherwise known as Family Adventure Night. Details for both of these events--and more--can be found below.

As always, we continue to appreciate your support as we work together toward ensuring that each day at Westlawn makes an impact.

Sincerely,

Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, and Erin Theiss

Proud Principals

Students in our Preschool Autism Classroom start the day with sensory play. Sensory play involves stimulating a child’s senses, and can also include movement, balance, and spatial awareness. Sensory play can help people with autism improve their focus, communication, and social skills, and can help them become more comfortable with their environment.

Fun Clothing Wednesdays Return!

February 12: exercise clothing or sports jerseys
February 19: farmer clothing (flannels, jeans, overalls, boots, shirts with farm animals)
February 26: pink clothing

🧸 Kindergarten Registration: It’s as Easy as 1-2-3…

There’s an easy five-step process for parents wanting to register their child for kindergarten:

Determine eligibility.
Identify your local school.
Gather documents.
Fill out forms.
Schedule an appointment.

After the appointment at the school (the student and one guardian must be present), the student will be ready for orientation, Popsicles on the Playground, and Welcome to Westlawn! Read more about the registration process. For additional information, please contact Ms. Caballero, our school registrar, at 703-241-5100.

💻 Try Online Registration

Online registration for the 2025-26 school year is open. Parents/caregivers may register their children online for kindergarten through 12th grade. Learn how to begin the online registration process.

When registering, parents/caregivers will need to create or log in to an existing SIS ParentVUE account.

Current families are encouraged to forward this email to friends and neighbors who have children eligible to enroll in kindergarten next year.

FCPS News

Are you curious about what’s happening more broadly in FCPS? This week’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) FCPS roundup covers:

FY 2026 Proposed Budget
Student-Driven Lunch Menus
Inclusion Awards Nominations

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

February 7: FCHS Youth Basketball Night

Elementary and middle school students get in free to watch the boys’ basketball team at FCHS! The game starts at 7:30.

February 8: Reading Opens the World

Get free books at Reading Opens the World, from 10 am - 2 pm at the Lorton Community Center. View the Facebook invitation.

February 10: 3-Hour Early Release (Staff Development)

February 10 is a 3-hour early release day for students. The remaining 3-hour early release days for Westlawn are March 10, April 21, and May 12.

February 10-14: Kindness Week

Kindness Week takes place from February 10-14 and features a different clothing theme for students and staff each day.

Monday: Pajamas
Tuesday: Dress the same way as someone else, or dress like a teacher
Wednesday: Workout clothes or jerseys
Thursday: Sunglasses, neon, or rainbow colors
Friday: Red, pink, or hearts

February 17: No School (Presidents’ Day) February 20: Family Adventure Night

To see more schoolwide and community events, remember to check out our website calendar! You can also subscribe to our calendar to make it even more convenient.

LAST CALL: Join the Fundraising Committee

As more FCPS schools are designated as Title I schools, the amount of money that each receives from the Title I grant is reduced. In the past, a significant amount has been set aside for upper grades field trips to places such as Jamestown, Gettysburg, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. We are forming an exploratory committee to identify other sources of funding so that we can continue to keep field trip costs affordable for families. Please consider joining the committee! If you are unable to commit to joining, you are also welcome to email your fundraising idea to Principal Hill.

Join a Community Conversation

Access to Rigor in all classrooms!

This week we are diving into the second half of the school year! Teams are celebrating all the ways they’ve used rigorous Advanced Academic curriculum in ALL classrooms in the past quarter and plan to continue in quarter three. Take a look!

Kindergarten: William and Mary Literature Web, M-squared
First Grade: VDOE math tasks, William and Mary Literature Web
Second Grade: DBQ (Document Based Questions), VDOE math tasks, Jacob’s Ladder, William and Mary Literature Web, Clarion science units
Third Grade: VDOE math tasks, DBQ (Document Based Questions), Socratic Seminar, William and Mary Literature Web, William and Mary Vocabulary Web, mind mapping, Jacob’s Ladder, M-cubed
Fourth Grade: Open Middle, M-cubed, Jacob’s Ladder, SEM-R questioning, William and Mary Literature Web
Fifth Grade: VDOE math tasks, DBQ (Document Based Questions), William and Mary Vocabulary Web, M-cubed
Sixth Grade: Desmos, advanced science pacing, DBQ (Document Based Questions), VDOE math tasks, William and Mary Vocabulary Web, M-cubed, PBL

What makes a curriculum or lesson rigorous? They often involve critical and creative thinking skills, can have multiple solutions, often requires students to do at least some work independently, and asks students to be able to defend or justify their reasoning.

Kindergarten

In this week’s lesson, your child will practice two kind acts: asking, “Would you like to share?” and “Would you like a hug?” Try This at Home: Encourage your child to offer to share items at home. For example, have them help you make a snack and then offer to share it with other family members. Encourage them to offer hugs to family members or friends when they are tired or sad or need encouragement.

1st Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn and practice two types of kind acts: offering to help someone and inviting someone to join. Try This at Home: Help your child think of a kind act they can do for someone involving offering to help or inviting them to join. Support your child in carrying out the kind act.

2nd Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will practice having empathy to come up with kind acts they could do for others in different situations. Try This at Home: Ask your child how having empathy can help them know how to be kind.

3rd Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn that people like to be shown kindness in different ways. Try This at Home: Ask your child what helps them feel better when they feel sad. What helps when they feel embarrassed or angry? Tell them what helps you feel better when you feel those same emotions.

4th Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will practice listening, asking questions, and observing to learn more about another person’s point of view. Try This at Home: Discuss with your child how learning more about someone’s point of view can help you have empathy for them. Encourage your child to think of a time when they had empathy for someone or someone had empathy for them.

5th Grade

In this lesson, your child will practice building empathy for different groups affected by a community problem. Learning more about each group’s point of view will help them find solutions that can work better for everyone. Try This at Home: With your child, think about a problem in your community and make a list together of what you could do to learn more about someone else’s point of view. If possible, try out one of your strategies.

Follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram)
Text a staff member with TalkingPoints
Browse our website

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

Westlawn Feather Report: Volume 1, Issue 21

GovDeliverySpanish2 months ago

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

Volume 1, Issue 21

Leadership Ledger

Westlawn Families,

This week we celebrated the end of the second grading period…already!! The beginning of 2025 has had a slightly interrupted start, but the weather seems to be improving, snow is melting, and we are hopeful for a smooth transition into February.

Please pay close attention to upcoming dates and events as we inch closer to spring. Tonight our rising 6th grade families have an opportunity to learn more about the middle school experience at Luther Jackson’s Curriculum Night, and tomorrow the Falls Church High School’s Athletic Department is sponsoring Youth Basketball Night at the Girls Varsity game! The more we expose our children to life in secondary school the better prepared they will be when it’s time to transition!

At Westlawn we value our school community and strive to enhance the academic and social experience for both students and families. Please reach out and let us know how we can best support your family. Let’s get the third quarter started!

Sincerely,

Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, and Erin Theiss

Proud Principals

We love it when former students return to Westlawn to complete service hours! Westlawn teachers work with former students in meaningful ways, such as having them act as additional voices to help current students think through projects in art.

Food and Growing Students

Our food sharing program has become a big hit in the cafeteria! We have noticed that requests for additional food have increased, which makes sense because students continue to grow and develop! We encourage you to talk with your child about their food needs at lunch. It might be time to pack an extra snack, or encourage them to take greater helpings of fruits and vegetables when they go through the cafeteria line. If your family needs help acquiring more food at home, please reach out to one of our family liaisons.

FCPS News

Are you curious about what’s happening more broadly in FCPS? This week’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) FCPS roundup covers:

SOL Score Reports
Upcoming Budget Presentation
Science Fair Judges Needed

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

January 30: Luther Jackson Middle School Curriculum Night

Rising seventh grade students and their families are encouraged to visit Luther Jackson MS to learn about different classes, programs, and opportunities for students in middle school. More information can be found on the Luther Jackson MS website.

January 31: FCHS Youth Basketball Night

Elementary and middle school students get in free to watch the girls’ basketball team at FCHS! The game starts at 7:00.

February 4: Family Literacy Program First Meeting

English classes for adults will be offered at Westlawn again this spring, from 6-8 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Adults can sign up by contacting Ms. Reyes via email, TalkingPoints, or calling 703-241-5100.

February 5: World Read Aloud Day

Wear clothing with words on it to celebrate World Read Aloud Day! Guest readers will be visiting classrooms throughout the school!

February 7: FCHS Youth Basketball Night

Elementary and middle school students get in free to watch the boys’ basketball team at FCHS! The game starts at 7:30.

February 8: Reading Opens the World

Get free books at Reading Opens the World, from 10 am - 2 pm at the Lorton Community Center. View the Facebook invitation.

February 10: 3-Hour Early Release (Staff Development)

February 10 is a 3-hour early release day for students. The remaining 3-hour early release days for Westlawn are March 10, April 21, and May 12.

February 10-14: Kindness Week

Kindness Week takes place from February 10-14 and features a different clothing theme for students and staff each day.

Monday: Pajamas
Tuesday: Dress the same way as someone else, or dress like a teacher
Wednesday: Workout clothes or jerseys
Thursday: Sunglasses, neon, or rainbow colors
Friday: Red, pink, or hearts

February 17: No School (Presidents’ Day) February 20: Family Adventure Night

Save the date! Family Adventure Night will take place on February 20 from 5:00-6:30! More information will be coming soon!

To see more schoolwide and community events, remember to check out our website calendar! You can also subscribe to our calendar to make it even more convenient.

Reminder: Join the Fundraising Committee

Join a Community Conversation

Kindergarten

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn that kindness is a way to show people that they care and that doing kind acts can make both the giver and the receiver feel good. They’ll share personal examples and discuss how they felt when they gave or received kind acts. Try This at Home: Help your child think of a kind act they can do for someone and support them in carrying it out. With your child, discuss how they think the receiver of the kind act felt. Ask your child how they felt doing a kind act for someone.

1st Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn and practice two ways they can be kind to others: asking, “Are you okay?” and offering to keep someone company. Try This at Home: Help your child think of a family member or close friend who could use some company. Encourage them to ask the person, “Would you like some company?”

2nd Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will describe a time they had empathy for someone and how it affected their thoughts and actions. Try This at Home: Ask your child to tell you about a time they had empathy for someone.

3rd Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn how acting on empathy can make friendships stronger. Try This at Home: Ask your child to name one of their friends and explain what makes them a good friend.

4th Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn that asking questions, listening, and observing can help you learn more about someone’s point of view when you don’t understand it. Try This at Home: Tell your child about a time when learning more about a different point of view helped you have empathy. Encourage your child to think of future situations where it might be helpful to learn more about a different point of view in order to get along and show they care.

5th Grade

In this lesson, your child will use empathy to identify problems in their school community and think about how these problems might affect other people. This is an important first step toward making positive change in the community. Try This at Home: Ask your child what problems they see in your neighborhood that affect other people. Point out how empathy helped them notice those problems.

Follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram)
Text a staff member with TalkingPoints
Browse our website

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

Westlawn Feather Report: Volume 1, Issue 20

GovDeliverySpanish2 months 1 week ago

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

Volume 1, Issue 20

Leadership Ledger

Westlawn Families,

While this has been anything less than a seamless transition back from Winter Break, we are thankful for the flexibility, empathy, and thoughtfulness of our families and community. Your patience during arrival and dismissal and understanding as meetings and events have been postponed and rescheduled (multiple times in some cases) has not gone unnoticed.

This week may have been disrupted a bit, but we can still end on a high note. Bingo Night is this Friday, with doors opening at 5:45 PM and the first game starting at 6:00 PM. Bring the family, eat some pizza, and enjoy an evening with our beautiful community.

No more snow dances in 2024!!

Sincerely,

Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, and Erin Theiss

Proud Principals

Students in fourth grade focus on reading music and playing the recorder as part of their music class. For the second year in a row, fourth grade students will also be invited to participate in Westlawn’s spring musical. How many future PIRATES! do you see?

Join the Fundraising Committee

Extreme Cold Resources on Westlawn Website

We are now sharing resources about handling the extreme cold on our website. If you are in need of winter gear for your family, please contact Ms. Reyes, Ms. Yataco, or Ms. Cortez.

FCPS Family Academy

Looking for resources about co-parenting, webinars about executive functioning skills in adolescents, or how-to documents about navigating Zoom? The FCPS Family Academy website offers it--and so much more, too!

LAST CALL: Westlawn Clothing is Available for Purchase for a Limited Time!

The Westlawn Spirit Wear Store is now open! The shop closes on January 24, and all orders will be printed at that time and delivered shortly after that.

FCPS News

Are you curious about what’s happening more broadly in FCPS? This week’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) FCPS roundup covers:

Dress Children Warmly
Proposed Construction Projects
Dual Language Immersion Lottery

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

January 24: Bingo Night

Bingo Night will be held in the Westlawn cafeteria! Doors open at 5:45, and games will begin at 6:00 PM. Pizza will be sold. We can use a few volunteers to make this event a success!

January 29: No School for Students (Teacher Workday) January 30: Luther Jackson Middle School Curriculum Night

January 31: FCHS Youth Basketball Night

Elementary and middle school students get in free to watch the girls’ basketball team at FCHS! The game starts at 7:00.

February 4: Family Literacy Program First Meeting

February 5: World Read Aloud Day

Wear clothing with words on it to celebrate World Read Aloud Day! Guest readers will be visiting classrooms throughout the school!

February 7: FCHS Youth Basketball Night

Elementary and middle school students get in free to watch the boys’ basketball team at FCHS! The game starts at 7:30.

February 10: 3-Hour Early Release (Staff Development)

February 10 is a 3-hour early release day for students. The remaining 3-hour early release days for Westlawn are March 10, April 21, and May 12.

To see more schoolwide and community events, remember to check out our website calendar! You can also subscribe to our calendar to make it even more convenient.

Volunteer at Bingo Night!

Volunteering at Bingo Night is an excellent opportunity to meet more members of the Westlawn community! Pro Tip: Sign up for one volunteer slot, and attend the event with a partner and your child. Swap roles with your partner halfway through so you each have time to soak in your child’s joy while supporting the event!

LAST CALL: Warm Winter Clothing Drive!

Students are collecting new or gently worn adult-sized winter gear for our senior friends at the James Lee Community Center! Please consider donating to this worthy cause! Some of the students will be able to go to drop them off directly and see firsthand the positive impact they have made. Donations of hats, scarves, gloves, and mittens can be dropped off to the collection box in the main office. The deadline for collection has now been extended through January 30!

Join a Community Conversation

Explore your area!

We are so lucky to live in such a culture-rich place that offers so many free or low-cost ways to enrich our minds. Here’s a few ways you can venture out and see new things, especially when it’s not tourist season!

Check out any of the Fairfax County history and nature centers, all of which are FREE. There are often exhibits in the main building then multiple trails or highlights outside, as well as events. The closest to our neighborhood is Hidden Oaks.
Any of the FREE Smithsonian museums offer a chance to build knowledge in virtually any area of interest from art to space to history. Explore the individual websites where they list free family friendly events, for example at the National Gallery of Art. Don’t forget the Zoo is a part of the free Smithsonian, as is the huge Udvar Hazy Air and Space museum in Chantilly, though both have a parking fee.
More FREE ideas include: tour the Capitol, explore the fascinating US Botanical Garden, go to the top of the Washington Monument, check out the multiple interesting areas of the US National Arboretum, catch a performance at the Kennedy Center Millenium Stage, stroll among the many DC memorials and monuments, and watch one of the free college sports at George Mason University (cross country and track, softball, tennis, golf, swimming and diving, wrestling, lacrosse, rowing). GMU also has low-cost tickets for basketball, soccer, volleyball, and baseball.

If you’ve got a cool free idea to share, tell Mrs. Maxwell and we can share more in a later newsletter.

Follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram)
Text a staff member with TalkingPoints
Browse our website

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

Westlawn Feather Report: Volume 1, Issue 19

GovDeliverySpanish2 months 2 weeks ago

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

Volume 1, Issue 19

Leadership Ledger

Westlawn Families,

It’s been wonderful to have our students back in the building and learning alongside their teachers and classmates! We've all missed the energy and laughter that fill our hallways.

Thank you to all our families able to join our PTA meeting on Tuesday evening. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with our community, and we thank the folks at Be Safe for their enlightening and sobering presentation regarding the importance of firearm safety.

We are excited to kick-off another new year together!

Sincerely,

Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, and Erin Theiss

Proud Principals

Third grade students learned about the Navajo Code Talkers this week in the library, and then had a chance to use binary code and two colors of plastic beads to make a necklace featuring their initial.

2025 Westlawn New Year’s Checklist

Is one of your New Year’s resolutions to stay more organized? We can help! Here’s a checklist to help you stay on top of all things Westlawn:

Sign up all the adults in your household for this newsletter.
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
Download the TalkingPoints app and send your child’s teacher a quick hello to make sure you can connect.
Use a fabric marker or a Sharpie and write your child’s name on the tags of their coats, hats, gloves, water bottle lunch box, etc.
Make a calendar reminder on your phone to check your child’s Thursday folder every week.

Snow and Recess: Be Prepared!

Students will go outside for recess even when there is snow on the ground. Staff will ensure that students are only playing in areas cleared of snow, such as the blacktop. Please make sure your child is wearing clothes that will keep them warm when they are outside for daily recess or transitions to classes in the quads.

Free Webinar: Help Children Understand that AI is Not Human

Sophisticated artificial intelligence programs are designed to mimic people. Adults understand the difference between artificial intelligence and human beings, but children’s emotional reserves are not as deep, and they may have trouble distinguishing between the two. This webinar recording shares the dangers of anthropomorphizing AI and what adults can do to help children distinguish between people and robots.

Reminder: Westlawn Clothing is Available for Purchase for a Limited Time!

The Westlawn Spirit Wear Store is now open! The shop closes on January 24, and all orders will be printed at that time and delivered shortly after that.

FCPS News

Are you curious about what’s happening more broadly in FCPS? This week’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) FCPS roundup covers:

National Merit Commended Scholars
Celebrating the Best of 2024 in FCPS
Cell Phones Off, Learning On

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

January 13-17: Family Math Week

FCPS families are invited to do math together during Family Math Week, and FCPS is collectively trying to collect 3,000,000 minutes spent on ST Math during that period. Learn more about how your family can participate.

January 20: No School (MLK Jr. Day) January 24: Bingo Night

Bingo Night will be held in the Westlawn cafeteria! Stay tuned for more details and a chance to sign up and volunteer.

January 29: No School for Students (Teacher Workday) January 30: Luther Jackson Middle School Curriculum Night

February 4: Family Literacy Program First Meeting

To see more schoolwide and community events, remember to check out our website calendar! You can also subscribe to our calendar to make it even more convenient.

Reminder: Warm Winter Clothing Drive!

Join a Community Conversation

Understanding Giftedness

Have you ever noticed something in your child that you don’t quite understand and wondered if perhaps it was linked to giftedness? First, it helps to figure out what “giftedness” is. One way to define it is people that perform—or have the capability to perform—at exceptional levels compared to others of the same age, experience, and environment. In FCPS our gifted services are part of an academic curriculum (Advanced Academic Program, or AAP) that all students access, and therefore it does not focus on talents in non-academic areas such as arts or sports.

The NAGC, or National Association for Gifted Children, is the largest organization that supports the needs of gifted and talented children. Their website offers multiple resources, but one in particular is helpful to families looking to understand and nurture their potentially gifted child. Family Tip Sheets offer a variety of information such as Nurturing Creativity and understanding Perfectionism. We hope you find these short articles helpful!

Fun Fact: our own FCPS AAP Coordinator, Dr. Kirsten Maloney, was the recipient of the 2023 NAGC Coordinator of the Year award!

Kindergarten

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn that a kind act is something they can do to help someone feel good. They’ll practice suggesting kind acts to do for people in different scenarios. Try This at Home: Encourage your child to think of a kind act they could do for someone, for example a sibling, grandparent, or neighbor.

1st Grade

2nd Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn that empathy means feeling or understanding what someone else is feeling, and that empathy can lead to kindness. Try This at Home: Ask your child to tell you what empathy means.

3rd Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn how empathy—the ability to understand and feel how someone else is feeling—and kindness can help build new friendships. Try This at Home: Ask your child what kind things they could do to build a friendship with someone.

4th Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn that people can have different points of view about the same thing. Try This at Home: With your child, discuss a time when you had a different point of view than someone else about the same thing. Describe how your experiences—what you’ve seen, heard, or done in your life—affect your point of view.

5th Grade

In this lesson, your child will describe how empathy can help someone identify and solve a problem in their community. Try This at Home: Point out something that has changed for the better in your neighborhood recently. Ask your child why they think that change is helpful. Point out how empathy might have helped someone decide to make that change.

Follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram)
Text a staff member with TalkingPoints
Browse our website

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

Westlawn Feather Report: Volume 1, Issue 18

GovDeliverySpanish3 months 1 week ago

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

Volume 1, Issue 18

Leadership Ledger

Westlawn Families,

As the end of another fantastic year approaches, let us express our sincere gratitude for your unwavering support of Westlawn Elementary School. Your partnership has been instrumental in creating a vibrant and enriching learning environment for our students.

We've had a truly remarkable year together, filled with countless memorable moments. From our warm and welcoming Welcome to Westlawn event that kicked off the year to the captivating performances of our Fall Musical Chorus and Instrumental Ensemble and subsequent Gatehouse encore, and the cultural immersion of International Night, our community has truly come together to celebrate the diversity and talents of our students.

As we embark on our Winter Break, we wish you all a safe and joyous time with your loved ones. May the spirit of the season fill your homes with warmth and happiness.

We look forward to welcoming you and your children back in the new year, ready to embark on new adventures and create even more lasting memories together.

Sincerely,

Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, and Erin Theiss

Proud Principals

Second grade students finish putting glazes on clay birds and prepare them for their second firing in the kiln. Some students said they plan on giving the birds as gifts this season. If that applies to your child… remember that you didn’t hear it from us!

The Next Feather Report will be in January!

The editorial team wishes your family a safe and restful winter break. We cannot wait to share the good news of Westlawn with you again in 2025!

Spring 2025 SOL Information

For our community, we are offering the gift of organization and the ability to plan ahead! We have created a pop-up SOL information page on our website, and it already contains the dates for this year’s testing. As dates approach, we will add more information.

Give the Gift of Westlawn Clothing

The Westlawn Spirit Wear Store is now open! Please note that items are printed in bulk once the store closes, so they will not arrive until after Christmas and Hanukkah. If you buy something as a gift, we recommend printing a screenshot and letting the recipient know that it’s coming soon!

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like… Course Selection for 6th Graders!

Sixth grade students will begin selecting courses to take in middle school soon! We will share more detailed information when we return in January once dates are finalized. Families who want to get a jump on the process are encouraged to talk with their sixth grader about the class selection process and help them reflect on what courses they might want to take next year. Browse the 25-26 LJMS course catalog.

Winter Special Education and 504 Newsletter

The latest issue of the FCPS Special Education and 504 Newsletter is available online. Topics in this issue include:

Community Resources for Families of Students with Disabilities
Executive Functioning Webinars
Early Literacy Resources
ESY and Assessment Webinar
COVID-19 Compensatory Education: FCPS Service Delivery Options

Subscribe to the Special Education and 504 Newsletter.

English Classes for Adults

Our partner, the English Empowerment Center, will be offering English speaking and writing classes this winter. Learn more about the offerings and see if they meet your needs.

Additionally, the FCPS Family Literacy Program will also be offering English classes for adults here at Westlawn on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from February-May. Learn more about this program, or contact Ms. Reyes via email or at 703-241-5100 to ask questions and register.

Reminder: Tax Season Resources and Winter Break Resources Now on Website

We have created some pop-up announcements to store information related to tax season resources and winter break resources on our website. Our school office will only be open for limited hours during winter break, and we will not be sending a Feather Report during this time, so please take note of them today!

FCPS News

Are you curious about what’s happening more broadly in FCPS? This week’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) FCPS roundup covers:

Course Selection for Middle and High School Students
Join Our Teacher Team!
Comprehensive Boundary Review Updates

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

December 20: Gingerbread House Decorating

Gingerbread House Decorating is open for students in grades K-2 and will take place from 3:45-4:30 PM. Students must have a ticket, and we expect that they will sell out. Adults are welcome to help their child build their gingerbread house and do not need a ticket. Purchase tickets today! Volunteer at the event!

January 13-17: Family Math Week

January 15: Restaurant Night at Pupatella

Save the date! The January Restaurant Night is at Pupatella in the Mosaic District. More information will be coming in the next Feather Report!

To see more schoolwide and community events, remember to check out our website calendar! You can also subscribe to our calendar to make it even more convenient.

Warm Winter Clothing Drive!

The students in the classrooms of Ms. Rezcallah, Ms. Stephenson, Ms. White, and Ms. Chan learned about being young activists and the impact even a child can have on making the world a better place. They are collecting new or gently worn adult-sized winter gear for our senior friends at the James Lee Community Center! The James Lee Community Center is located about a mile from Westlawn on Annandale Road and gives seniors in our community a place to gather, make friends, and participate in some activities ranging from athletic to artistic and everything in between.

Please consider donating to this worthy cause! Some of the students will be able to go to drop them off directly and see firsthand the positive impact they have made. Donations of hats, scarves, gloves, and mittens can be dropped off to the collection box in the main office between January 6-24.

Reminder: Volunteer to Decorate Gingerbread Houses

Volunteer to help students in K-2 build and decorate gingerbread houses.

Join a Community Conversation

What is Ability Testing?

FCPS administers two ability tests to students; these assess reasoning abilities and potential to succeed with an advanced academic curriculum. They are used as universal screeners, meaning they are given to all students. These are different from achievement tests which measure a student’s current content knowledge (for example an SOL).

The two ability tests currently used in FCPS are the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) given in first grade, and the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) given in second grade. As with any test, they are only one measure of skills and abilities and are never used alone to make decisions about a student’s services and needs.

CogAT test scores are coming home in folders this week and will be available in ParentVue on Friday. NNAT scores will likely come out sometime in January. Please reach out to Mrs. Maxwell via email or TalkingPoints if you have any questions about these assessments!

Curious about ALL the assessment types and purposes across all the grades? Check them out for some light holiday reading.

Follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram)
Text a staff member with TalkingPoints
Browse our website

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

Westlawn Feather Report: Volume 1, Issue 17

GovDeliverySpanish3 months 2 weeks ago

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

Volume 1, Issue 17

Leadership Ledger

Westlawn Families:

The spirit of the holidays filled our halls with music on Tuesday night! We thank all our families in attendance for your participation in the Winter Concert! It was truly inspiring to witness the joy and dedication our students poured into their performances. Their hard work in learning an instrument was evident on stage, and it was a testament to the incredible music program we have here at Westlawn.

Speaking of celebrations, the Book Fair is in full swing, and it's wonderful to see our students' excitement as they select new books! A huge thank you goes out to our dedicated parent volunteers and the PTA for their tireless efforts in making the Family and Friends event on Tuesday such a success!

We encourage all our families to join Principal Hill for our weekly Community Conversation. Every Wednesday at 11:00 AM, we discuss important topics and answer your questions in an open forum. For those who miss it live, slide decks and recordings are conveniently available on the Westlawn Elementary website. Principal Hill is always joined by Tech Coach Alanna Dushok, and Family Liaison Hilda Reyes provides Spanish interpretation.

Stay warm, and thank you for being part of our Westlawn Family.

Sincerely,

Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, and Erin Theiss

Proud Principals

The winter band and strings concert was a hit! We are so proud of our students who participate in our music programs!

Top Ten Reasons to Love Westlawn

Drumroll, please! A few weeks ago we asked for your feedback about your favorite things about Westlawn. We gathered and analyzed that information to make our Westlawn Top Ten, and created a brand-new page for our website! We are also collecting more testimonials to make the page even better!

Computer Science Education Week and Westlawn Winter Challenge

December 9-13 is Computer Science Education Week, and also kicks off the Westlawn Winter Challenge. Any student who completes an Hour of Code between now and January 6 can complete the challenge! Learn more on the Challenge slide deck. Students can complete the challenge from any computer, not just their FCPS-assigned one.

Tax Season Resources and Winter Break Resources Now on Website

FCPS News

Are you curious about what’s happening more broadly in FCPS? This week’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) FCPS roundup covers:

Family Academy Orientation
Literacy Resources
Winter Programs and Activities

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

December 9-13: Book Fair

The Scholastic Book Fair will be held December 9-13 in the Westlawn library! We still need book fair volunteers for Friday!

December 13: Protecting Kids Against Digital Exploitation (Webinar)

Join us for this important webinar from 10-11:30 AM presented jointly by Fairfax County Schools, the Fairfax County Police Department, the Department of Justice, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Webinar highlights include:

What is Sextortion?
What are FCPS and FCPD seeing in relation to sextortion?
How can families help prevent their kids from becoming victims?
How should families respond if their child was victimized?

December 14: Virginia Bronze Handbell Ensemble

This event is now sold out! We hope you snagged some tickets and have a wonderful time at the performance!

December 18: Hoodie Wednesdays

We finished teaching kindergarteners their colors, and now we will switch over to other fun clothing days on Wednesdays. Until winter break, all Wednesdays will be Hoodie Wednesdays! Students and staff are encouraged to wear hoodies to school to be comfortable and to remember to keep it easy during this busy time of year.

December 20: Gingerbread House Decorating

To see more schoolwide and community events, remember to check out our website calendar! You can also subscribe to our calendar to make it even more convenient.

LAST CALL: Make Seasonal Magic Happen

Are you hoping to spread some cheer this season? Consider supporting a Westlawn classroom via treating a teacher to an item from their wish list!

Volunteer at the Book Fair Tomorrow (It’s the Last Day!)

Volunteer to help sell books, update displays, and help students complete wish lists.

Volunteer to Decorate Gingerbread Houses

Volunteer to help students in K-2 build and decorate gingerbread houses.

Join a Community Conversation

Apps for the Brain

Screen time is hard to avoid completely these days… but why not choose apps that are fun AND educational? Here’s a sampling of some free or almost free apps you may want to consider that are reviewed by trusted sources. However, as always, we suggest monitoring your children as they try them out. Enjoy!

SimplePhysics lets you design complex structures for everything from tree houses to Ferris wheels and then simulates your design with a sophisticated physics engine.
Unblock Me is a puzzle app similar to RushHour. The goal is to move the red block off the board by sliding the other blocks out of the way in the least amount of moves.
Math BINGO has 5 different types: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and mixed, and there are 3 levels of difficulty, avatars, and rewards.
codeSpark is a learn-to-code app for kids with hundreds of activities and games designed to introduce kids to STEAM and teach them the fundamentals of computer science.
The Foolish King is a fictional and magical explanation of the origin of the game of chess as well as an introduction to the game.
Khan Academy Kids from the hugely popular online educational site Khan Academy, the app for kids has thousands of educational games, books, and activities.

LAST CALL: Window for Full-Time AAP Referrals Closes on December 15, 2024

Parents/guardians of students in Grades 2-7 who would like their student to be considered for Full-Time advanced academic programs may submit the AAP Full-Time Referral Form to the office or via email to Gretchen Maxwell no later than December 15, 2024. Look for the December 5, 2012 Feather Report email for further details.

Kindergarten

In this week’s lesson, your child will show that they can use body language and context clues to figure out how someone is feeling. They’ll also show they can use slow breathing as a way to help themselves feel calm when they encounter strong feelings. Try This at Home: Ask your child to tell you how they think others around them might be feeling, for example a sibling or a character in a story, a movie, or a TV show.

1st Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will show that they can use body language and context clues to figure out how someone is feeling. They’ll also show that they know ways to help themselves feel calm when they encounter strong feelings. Try This at Home: Ask your child to tell you some ways they’ve learned to feel calm when they get upset. Have them teach you how to use slow counting to feel calm.

2nd Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will explain why their classmates have a different feeling from theirs in the same situation. Try This at Home: Ask your child to tell you what they learned about their classmates’ feelings and their own feelings.

3rd Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will practice identifying different intensities of the same feeling by giving personal examples. Try This at Home: Ask your child if they can give examples of times they felt strong emotions like furious or excited.

4th Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will work with a team to see how many different ways they can rethink a variety of situations. Try This at Home: With your child, create a “Rethink It!” chart to display at home. Make a list of questions that everyone can use to rethink when emotions are taking over and you just need a little help to see things in a different way.

5th Grade

In this week’s lesson, your child will practice identifying two changes they could make in a recurring personal situation to manage their strong emotions. Try This at Home: Ask your child to tell you about a situation at home that causes them to feel strong emotions, like anger or stress. Ask them what they could change about the situation to better manage their emotions. Talk about what you can do to help them implement the change.

Follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram)
Text a staff member with TalkingPoints
Browse our website

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

2 minutes 42 seconds ago

Westlawn ES Noticias y Anuncios en español - Recent Updates

http://www.fcps.edu/index.shtml Subscribe to GovDeliverySpanish feed

Search