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Hello, Scottie families!  

A fun, full week of school, capped off today by our November SCA Spirit Day - Construction Crew!  What a treat to see our Scottie students and staff showing their spirit, with fun neon construction gear, hats, and Bonnie Brae colors of blue and white.

Be sure to check out the PTO section below, which includes the incredibly popular Spiritwear Store!  A reminder that the store is open through Sunday, November 23rd.  Be sure to place your order before it closes! 

Please remember that next week is a short week as we head into the Thanksgiving break. Students will be dismissed on Tuesday, November 25th, and return on Monday, December 1st.

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday next week, we want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude for our incredible school community. This season of thanks is a wonderful time to reflect on all the things we have to be grateful for in our lives. We hope that each of you has a warm, safe, and wonderful Thanksgiving holiday filled with joy, rest, and time spent with loved ones. We are thankful for you!

Morgan Birge, Principal

Rose Stephens, Assistant Principal

Natalie Vershaw, Assistant Principal

Family.  Relationships.  Success.

• November 26-November 28 - Thanksgiving Break (no school for students and staff)

As the days get colder, please remind your child to bring their jackets to school.

Mrs. Stephens is all decked out for our Contruction Crew Spirit Day!

Thanksgiving

Schools and offices will be closed November 26 to 28. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving! Classes will resume on Monday, December 1. See the complete school year calendar.

Bonnie Brae December Cheer!

We have two sign-up opportunities linked below, each with awesome ways to show your support for our staff during the month of December:

In collaboration with the Bonnie Brae PTO, we have special activities and treats planned for twelve days in December to help make the month joyful for our fantastic Bonnie Brae staff, and we cannot do it without you!

Please sign-up for donations for the treats and activities! 

Additionally, we are seeking donations of gift cards to use in a raffle for our wonderful teachers and staff leading up to winter break! 

Please see the sign-up for gift card donations.

These are two opportunities to show how much we love and appreciate our Scottie staff. Any donation is very appreciated! 

Holiday Support Program

As the holidays approach, some of our school families are facing significant hardships.  We have a unique opportunity to come together as a community and provide much-needed support and cheer during this time.  We are organizing a Holiday Support Program to provide gift cards and essential items to families in need.  Your voluntary contribution can make a significant impact and help brighten the season for our students and their families. 

If you would like to donate a gift card to our Holiday Support Program, please purchase a gift card and include the amount on the gift card. There will be a gift card collection box in our front office. All gift cards should be turned in to the front office by December 15.

Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity!

Please Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey

FCPS is asking all families to complete a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets, which is in the upper right corner of the screen after logging in. Please complete the survey as soon as possible.

Our school will provide paper forms to families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE. For more information, please visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page or watch this video about why Impact Aid matters.  

Register for ParentVUE

Learn how to activate your SIS ParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey and have access to other helpful information about your child’s education at FCPS.

Window for Full-Time AAP Referrals Closes on December 15

Please note the Bonnie Brae/FCPS deadline for Full Time AAP Referrals and optional referral documents (Grades 2-6) is Monday, December 15, 2025 (earlier is preferred), unfortunately, no exceptions can be made to this timeline. To learn more about the referral process, please visit the Full Time Services link  on the Advanced Academics Identification and Placement for Current FCPS Students webpage. Referral documents and follow up questions should be submitted to our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, Larissa Sheehan, ltsheehan@fcps.edu. Thank you for your support!

Each year, families can submit a referral for full-time AAP services any time from the first day of school through December 15. No late referrals for full-time AAP services will be accepted.

Once a referral is received, our school will compile information related to the student. Then, a committee of six trained professionals from across the county will review materials to determine eligibility for full-time AAP services. 

Next Steps for Parents

Eligibility decisions are communicated by early April. Parents may request a copy of their child’s materials after February 20, 2026, by emailing Larissa Sheehan, ltsheehan@fcps.edu.

At the elementary level, referrals for subject-specific and part-time AAP are screened by the school. If you miss the full-time referral deadline, your student can still be screened for subject-specific or part-time AAP services for the remainder of the year. 

For more information, please visit the Advanced Academic Programs webpage.

Community Thanksgiving Dinners

FCPS Office of Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) is excited to host special Community Thanksgiving Dinners for our students and families, in partnership with Educate Fairfax.

• When:
  • Monday, November 24, 6–7 p.m. at Herndon and Justice High School.
  • Tuesday, November 25, 6–7 p.m. at Annandale and Mount Vernon High School.
• Cost: Meals are FREE for both children and adults (1 meal per customer).
• Details: No registration is required. Meals will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Families can look forward to enjoying a delicious Thanksgiving-inspired meal, featuring a main dish, side items, fresh fruits and vegetables, and dessert. Meals must be eaten on-site. 
• Menu:
  • turkey with dinner rolls OR chickenless bites with dinner rolls OR peanut butter and jelly power pack
  • mashed potatoes, gravy, garlic green beans, fresh fruits, vegetables, and apple crisp
  • assorted milks

The FNS team is excited to welcome all families, celebrate the season together, and continue building meaningful connections across our school communities. We hope you will join us! 

Social and Emotional Learning Screener: Parent Reports

Students in grades 3-12 took the SEL Screener last month, providing information on skills like achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships, and making responsible decisions. The screener also asks students how well their school community makes them feel valued, included, and supported. 

Individual student SEL Screener results will be available to families in the Documents section of SIS ParentVUE the week of November 17. For families who do not have an active ParentVUE account, results will be shared by our school.

For support in understanding your individual student’s results or for ideas on how to support them at home, please review the Family Guide or reach out to school staff.

Monitoring Support for Your Child in ParentVUE

All FCPS schools use an approach called Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to make sure every student gets the help they need to learn. 

MTSS helps school teams deliver high-quality instruction for all students and provide extra time, support, and interventions as needed. Families are partners in this process. We will share information about your child’s individual learning, needs, and progress.

You may view your child's intervention plans and progress in SIS ParentVUE. Expect progress to be updated quarterly, with report card due dates. 

Action Required! Update Your Permission for Google Tools

Google recently made changes to how educational applications are managed and accessed on the Chrome Browser and Chromebooks. Many applications are moving from the Chrome Web Store to the Google Play Store. 

To ensure your student(s) can continue accessing all approved instructional tools, FCPS has updated its digital consent platform to include both the Chrome Web Store and the Google Play Store.

Please review and provide your consent for these two new options through our easy-to-use Parent Digital Consent system:

• Additional Google Services – Chrome Web Store
• Additional Google Services – Google Play Store

Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting safe and effective digital learning experiences for all students. 

For questions or support, please visit FCPS’ Family Technology Resources page or open a ticket with our Technical Support desk.

Manage Your Child’s Screen Time on FCPS Devices

FCPS offers the Lightspeed Parent Portal to help you manage screen time on your child's FCPS device at home. With a Parent Portal account, you can control your child’s access to YouTube and pause website browsing during after-school hours.

Please note that parent controls are active only during after-school hours, defined as Monday through Friday from 3:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. (including student holidays) and all day Saturday and Sunday. 

If you haven't signed up for the portal yet, use the link at the bottom of your weekly Lightspeed Online Student Activity Report email. To learn more, please visit the Lightspeed Parent Portal page on the FCPS website.

Help Us Write Bonnie Brae's Next Chapter: Fiscal Year 2027 Budget

There’s a story behind the success of every FCPS student — a story about what’s possible with the appropriate funding for world-class teachers, rigorous academics, and future-ready learning experiences. At FCPS, student success starts with a strong budget!

FCPS is currently developing the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget, which is for the 2026-27 school year. In January, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid will present a proposed budget to the School Board. 

During this process, we’ll be sharing FCPS’ budget story with you. The different chapters will explain the impact of chronic underfunding, why strong funding benefits all of Fairfax County, what’s at stake when Bonnie Brae and other FCPS schools don’t get the support we need, and more. 

We invite you to follow along and learn how you can help write our next chapter!

Prepare for Winter Weather

Winter weather will be here before you know it! Watch this video to see how weather closing decisions are made at FCPS. 

FCPS’ website is generally the first place to find out about emergency weather closings. Other communication channels will be used as quickly as possible, including email, text, social media, the new FCPS mobile app, and news stations. Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated.

Be sure to plan for the winter season. Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, bookmark the FCPS website, and arrange emergency child care if needed.

Keep Your Child Warm During Outdoor Activities

We will monitor the weather for low temperatures, wind chill advisories and warnings, and weather advisories that may prevent children from being outside. Make sure your child is dressed appropriately with a warm coat and other cold-weather clothing, so they can comfortably enjoy their time outdoors. View the National Weather Service’s tips on staying safe during cold weather.

If you need assistance getting cold-weather clothing for your family, please call Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) at 703-222-0880. Their multilingual staff can assist with any challenges you are facing, including food, shelter, employment, financial assistance, and health.

Volunteer FCPS Helps Community Members Connect With Schools

The new volunteer management system, Volunteer FCPS, allows individuals to search and register for volunteer opportunities at our school or across the school district. 

Volunteer FCPS is how FCPS provides a safe, consistent, and welcoming environment at all of our sch