Daniels Run ES- April 17, 2026

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A Note from the Principal

Hello Daniels Run families,

We are off to a busy start to the final quarter of the school year—always one of the most exciting (and active!) times for our students and staff.

Thank you to our PTA for organizing a fantastic Buy One, Get One Free Book Fair this week, and to all of our parent volunteers who generously gave their time to make it a success. Your support truly makes a difference for our school community. We also appreciated everyone who joined us for the Ice Cream Social, with our DRES staff serving as scoopers—it was a fun way to connect as a community.

In addition, we were proud to host our Purple Up! breakfast, honoring and celebrating our military-connected families. Thank you to all who joined us for this special recognition.

This weekend, we wish the best of luck to our Science Olympiad team as they compete in their tournament at Oakton High School on Saturday, April 18. We are cheering you on!

Looking ahead to next week, Tuesday, April 21 is a voting day, and there will be no school for students. We will then look forward to our Spring Strings Concert on Thursday, April 23 in the evening.

I encourage every Daniels Run family to consider volunteering for at least one event each year. When more hands pitch in, the work becomes lighter and it ensures we can continue offering these meaningful experiences for our students.

Thank you, as always, for your partnership and continued support.

Warm regards,

Susan Mullen, Principal

Upcoming Dates

April 21: VA Statewide Election Day- No School for Students

April 22: Earth Day- Wear blues and greens to highlight the importance of taking care of our Earth.

May 4-8: Teacher Appreciation Week

May 25: Memorial Day- No School

May 26: Teacher Work Day- No School for Students

May 27: Eid al-Adha Holiday- No School

April Statewide Election: No School for Students

There will be no school for students on Tuesday, April 21, for the Virginia statewide election. Student activities, athletic practices, and events may proceed as scheduled.

FCPS will offer lunch and a snack at no cost to children aged 18 and under on April 21 at participating schools. The meals must be eaten on site. For more information, visit the FCPS Food and Nutrition Services webpage.

Adjusted Elementary Early Release Wednesdays

Students will now have a traditional full day of instruction and be released at the regular dismissal time on April 22 and April 29, which were previously early release Wednesdays for elementary schools.

This adjustment allows our staff to still have dedicated time for planning, collaboration, and professional learning without reducing instructional time on other school days.

Thank you GMU Baseball Team!

We’d like to extend a big thank you to the George Mason Baseball team for joining us in PE this week! Their partnership with our school over the years means so much, and our students absolutely love when they come to volunteer in the gym. The energy, enthusiasm, and positive role modeling they bring make a lasting impact on our kids. We’re so grateful for their continued support and can’t wait to have them back again! -DRES PE Team

PTA News

Teacher Appreciation Week is coming May 4th-8th. Please consider donating to the PTA's efforts to celebrate our teachers here.

We have big plans to celebrate our All Star Staff with treats, lunch and goodies throughout the week. If you are interested in donating so the PTA can purchase items to support our efforts we are accepting Venmo Donations @DanielsRunPTA (Beth Brixius). We greatly appreciate your support in making it a memorable week for our teachers and staff!

Your child will receive the print below in their Thursday folders next week to fill out for a favorite teacher, or you can print multiple copies! Teacher Appreciation Print.pdf

Thank you for supporting our school community!

Celebrate Month of the Military Child in April

This past week our Daniels Run military-connected students participated in a flower pot painting activity. The dandelion is the official flower of the military child, symbolizing resilience, adaptability, and strength. Like dandelions, military-connected children "bloom wherever they are planted," thriving in new environments despite frequent moves, school changes, and parental deployments. They are hardy, able to put down roots anywhere, and represent a "small but mighty" force. Our students planted marigolds in each of their pots as a keepsake.

Purple Up! Day

Purple Up! Day is a special time to honor and recognize our military-connected students and families. We loved celebrating with a breakfast Wednesday morning and are so proud to support the strength and resilience our military-connected students and their families bring to our community! Thank you for your service!

April is...

National Arab American Heritage Month

FCPS is proud to celebrate National Arab American Heritage Month in April. This special month provides an opportunity to recognize the history and valuable contributions of Arab Americans. Arab Americans have ancestry in one of the world’s 22 Arab nations, which are located from northern Africa through western Asia. The people of these nations are ethnically, politically, and religiously diverse but share a common cultural and linguistic heritage. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.

Autism Acceptance Month

April is Autism Acceptance Month. One in 31 children is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder in the United States, according to the CDC. Our schools and staff play a vital role in creating and ensuring inclusive environments that accommodate and affirm autistic students.

Month of the Military Child

Each year our nation designates April as the Month of the Military Child to recognize and thank children from military families for the sacrifices they make living the military lifestyle. The recognition is part of the legacy of former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger, who established the commemoration in 1986. During the month, one day is selected as the day to "Purple Up! For Military Kids," and all school personnel and students are encouraged to wear purple in recognition of the strength and sacrifices of military-connected youth (MCY). Military-connected youth face unique circumstances living the military lifestyle. By understanding that lifestyle, we can better meet their needs as they transition with their family members who serve our nation. Celebrating the Month of the Military Child provides a powerful opportunity to raise awareness and build support to help these children meet the unique challenges they face! It is an opportunity to recognize and thank military children and youth for their heroism, character, courage, sacrifices, and continued resilience.

FCPS Month of the Military Child Calendar

Families can participate in daily activities to build awareness and celebrate military-connected youth.

National Library Week- April 19-25

April is School Library Month and it's a great time to celebrate the essential role that school librarians play in the lives of students. School librarians ensure students have access to a wide variety of high-quality books and resources that connect them to the world and build a culture of literacy. Librarians develop lessons that are meaningful to students and help them develop critical thinking, inquiry, and information literacy skills. They support learning across all subject areas by teaching students the skills to be independent problem-solvers and creative thinkers. By creating a safe environment for all students to be engaged and curious learners, FCPS libraries are places where everyone belongs.Take a moment to learn more about FCPS Library Programs and share your appreciation of your school librarian!