Roadrunner Recap!

November 26th - 28th: No School - Thanksgiving Break

December 4th: Diversity Showcase - Holidays From Around the World

December 5th: Parents Night Out Fundraiser

December 7th: GFES Chorus sings Celebration of Lights

December 10th: Early Release Wednesday

December 10th: Make-Up Picture Day

December 9th and 11th: Two-Day Spirit Event with Moby Dick

December 20th - January 4th: No School - Winter Break

January 16th: Bingo Night

February 6th: Family Dance

FCPS School Year Calendar for 2025-2026

Click HERE to catch up on the helpful and important information sent by the school on November 14th!

Diversity Showcase - Holidays From Around the World!

This holiday season, we invite you to embark on a vibrant journey through the rich tapestry of global celebrations, showcasing the unique customs, traditions, and festive spirit that span cultures, continents, and communities. "Holidays From Around the World" is the perfect opportunity to celebrate our wonderfully diverse community and to explore how different cultures honor the season of giving, reflection, and renewal.

Please join us on Thursday, December 4th from 6:00 - 8:00pm as we come together to share traditions, stories, music, dance, and food from our community's holidays and traditions.

This year’s theme emphasizes how these diverse practices—whether through food, music, dance, storytelling, or ritual—serve as bridges to connection, building understanding across cultures. We are looking for families to share their traditions by showcasing them in one of the available booths or through a presentation (performance, storytelling, reading a book, etc.). The sky’s the limit! Please click HERE to sign up to host a booth or performance and please click HERE to RSVP! Thank you so much!!

Parents Night Out!

On Friday, December 5th the PTA will be offering its first Parents Night Out! Drop off the kids for a night of fun while you have an evening off. Parents Night out will be from 6-9pm at Great Falls Elementary. $44 for the first child, $34 for each additional child. Register for the event HERE!

Parents’ Night Out — Sample Schedule (6–9 PM)

6:00–6:15 PM | Welcome & Warm-Up
Kids check in, join their color teams, and start the night with energizer games like relays and tag.
6:15–7:30 PM | Sports Stations & Team Games
Rotating activities led by coaches:
• Basketball shootouts
• Soccer goal challenges
• Relay & obstacle course races
7:30–9:00 PM | Pizza & Movie
Pizza dinner served while kids relax on mats for a sports-themed movie (Space Jam, The Sandlot, or Mighty Ducks).
9:00 PM | Pick-Up
Parents return to happy kids after a fun evening of sports, food, and friends.

Help Us Write FCPS’ Next Chapter: Fiscal Year 2027 Budget

FCPS is currently developing our Fiscal Year 2027 Budget, which will be presented by Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid to the School Board in January.

During this process, we’ll be sharing our 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 our schools don’t get the support they need, and more.

We invite you to follow along and learn how you can help our community write its next chapter.

Interested in Taking A More Active Role in the PTA?

The PTA is seeking parent volunteers who are interested in taking a more active role in supporting our school community. We invite you to shadow current board and committee chairs to gain insight into the responsibilities and impact of these positions. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about how the PTA operates, explore areas where your skills and interests may contribute, and prepare for future leadership roles. If you would like to participate, please reach out to president@gfespta.com! We look forward to welcoming you into this important work.

Join the PTA Today!

Joining the PTA isn’t just about meetings, it's about making a difference. Your membership and donations directly support classroom supplies, enrichment programs, teacher appreciation efforts, and the little things that make a big impact. PTA memberships only last for one year! So, even if you joined last year, you need to renew/join again this year!

Every dollar helps. Every voice matters. Every hand makes the load lighter.

Let’s show our kids—and our incredible staff—that we’re in this together. Please consider joining the PTA and donating to our Roadrunner Giving Campaign today. Together, we can fill the gaps and lift our school higher.

Join Now >> https://www.gfespta.com/membership

If we reach our first goal of 40%, students will get to have a pajama day at school! Right now 38% of families have joined! Let's get to the finish line together!

Roadrunner Giving Campaign

The Roadrunner Giving Campaign is our annual no-fuss direct donation fundraiser! 100% of RGC donations are reinvested into our school to benefit students and staff! ANY amount helps our school (and donations are fully tax-deductible)! With so many budget cuts, the school needs our support more than ever! Roadrunner Giving Campaign donations help with:

Software Licenses to Support Learning
STEAM Lab
Art Enrichment
Cultural Arts Assemblies
Before and After School Programs
Professional Development for Staff

Plus, so much more!!

Cultural and Diversity Committee

Some current and upcoming events members of our diverse community celebrate include:

National Adoption Awareness Month (All of November)
National Adoption Day (Saturday before Thanksgiving)
Native American Heritage Month (All of November)
Bodhi Day - December 8th
Chanukah - Sundown on December 14th - Sundown on December 22nd
Christmas - December 25th
Kwanzaa - December 26th - January 1st

Interested in learning more about these events and holidays? Please visit the NEW Cultural and Diversity Committee page on the PTA website! The page will be updated throughout the year with information about important events and holidays as well as book recommendations related to each event and holiday!