From the School Administration
Dear Belvedere Families,
What a busy and productive week it has been here at school! Our students in grades three through five have been hard at work completing their Standards of Learning (SOL) tests. We are incredibly proud of the resilience and determination they have shown in tackling these lengthy assessments with such focus and effort. A heartfelt thank you to all our parents and guardians for the support you have provided throughout the testing process. Your encouragement and understanding play a big role in helping our students succeed.
Can you believe we only have three more Fridays left in the school year? It is hard to imagine how quickly the year has flown by. While we begin to look toward the end of the year, there is still plenty of excitement ahead! Mark your calendars for our Literacy and Math Family Festival on Thursday, May 22! It will be an evening filled with fun learning games, food, and opportunities for families to come together and celebrate the joy of learning. We cannot wait to see you there!
Thank you, as always, for being a vital part of our school community.
Warm Regards,
Cecilia Vanderhye, Principal
Tara Boone, Assistant Principal
Kelly Cabezas, Assistant Principal
Dismissal Schedule for the Last Day of School
On the last day of school, Wednesday, June 11, school will be dismissed at 2:05pm.
Attendance Notifications on Last Day of School
Please note that on the last day of school, June 11, 2025, morning attendance calls, texts, and e-mails will not be suspended. All schools must follow standard attendance procedures and record student attendance to ensure all students are accounted for and enable timely communication with families regarding any absences.
Be a Plant Hero This Summer
Save the date! Join us in the gardens on Tuesday, May 27 at 5:30pm or Saturday, May 31 at 9:30am to learn about summer break garden volunteer opportunities. Please contact our environmental educator, Andrea Auerbach, at asauerbach1@fcps.edu with questions.
Jump Start Registration (for Rising 6th Graders):
Attention rising 6th grade families! Glasgow Middle School is now accepting registrations for their Jump Start program this summer. Jump Start is a time when rising 6th grade students get to meet other peers and staff, participate in fun activities, and get to learn more about Glasgow. To register your student, please fill out the form below.
Registration link: https://forms.gle/BYHpV4sTMmJw7CEi8
We will be offering multiple sessions, so once you register your student, you will be notified of which session your child is assigned. Registrations will close on Friday, June 6th. Please email Hina Zafar at hzafar1@fcps.edu with any questions.
Kiss and Ride Courtesy Reminder
We kindly ask all families using Kiss and Ride—both in the morning and afternoon—to be respectful of our neighboring community. Please do not block driveways while waiting in line. Thank you for helping us maintain a positive relationship with those who live near our school!
A Note from Jaclyn Walsh, Advanced Academics Resource Teacher
FCPS provides a continuum of services to challenge and engage all students. Students are screened annually to asses academic strengths and needs and align those with the level of AAP services through a process called School-based Screening. Belvedere will hold school-based screenings in early May. For more information about the Advanced Academics continuum of services, please visit https://www.fcps.edu/academics/advanced-academic-programs-aap/elementary .
You may also contact Jaclyn Walsh at jwalsh@fcps.edu.
Belvedere Family Fun and Learning Festival!
What:
Belvedere families are invited to enjoy a variety of fun math and literacy activities hosted by our amazing staff! Students will have the chance to take home math books and independent reading books—and even enter a raffle for a fun prize! Free food will be provided for all families.
Who:
All Belvedere students and their families are welcome!
Where:
Belvedere Elementary School
(Enter through the front parking lot)
When:
Thursday, May 22
Time:
5:30 – 7:00 PM
RSVP here:
https://forms.gle/Nivh1MnWrecqcbBP8
Please note:
Parking at Belvedere is limited. We encourage you to park at John Calvin Presbyterian Church across the street, on Whispering Lane, carpool, or walk if possible.
Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) Testing Schedule
Below is the schedule for Virginia Standards of Learning for grades 3 through 5. Please strive to ensure that your child is present on the days that they will be testing.
Thank you!
Information from the Registrar
If your student is not returning to Belvedere ES for the 2025-26 school year, please be sure to contact our Registrar, Mandy Belcher at abelcher@fcps.edu or at (703) 916-6804.
Kindergarten Registration for the 2025-26 School Year is Now Open!
If you have a child who will be 5 years old by September 30, they are eligible to attend Kindergarten for the upcoming year.
Registration paperwork can be downloaded at https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/Enroll_Pre-Kindergarten_Experience.pdf. Once you have completed the paperwork and gathered the required documents, please come into the front office to meet with our registrar, Mrs. Mandy Belcher (abelcher@fcps.edu).
Alternatively, you can now choose to use our online registration tool https://www.fcps.edu/online-registration. If you choose the online option, you will then have to come into the office with the child’s original birth certificate, your proof of residence (deed/lease) and your ID.
Please note the Commonwealth of VA medical form (showing immunizations and physical exam) can be submitted at a later date, as long as we have this by August 15, 2025 at the latest.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Belcher.
Early registration is strongly encouraged.
Time to Order Your Yearbook
Get those Sharpies ready! It's time to close out another school year and look back on all of the memories from 2024-25. Order your yearbook today for $12 each. Yearbooks should be delivered in June with enough time to have classmates and friends sign them in the final days of this school year.
Join the BES PTA Board for 2025-26
Are you interested in joining the Belvedere PTA Board for the 2025-26 school year? If you are a current BES member, you can run! The PTA has officer positions for President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary and is also looking to add a Volunteer Coordinator position to the Executive Board for 2025-26. All four current Board members also intend to run again: https://www.belvederepta.org/membership-board
PTA Board members are expected to help promote PTA membership, attend planning meetings with school staff and other Board members and help lead and support PTA activities and events throughout the school year -- in addition to individual position duties.
If you're interested in running for a position, please send a note by May 30 to bespta.va@gmail.com and the Nominating Committee will be in touch. If you are added to the slate, you would be encouraged to attend -- either virtually or in person -- the June 4 community meeting where members will vote. Candidates will have an opportunity then to share brief remarks about why they are interested in a leadership position.
UPDATED – Save the Date: Jeni’s Ice Cream, June 5
Our last Restaurant Spirit Night of the school year will be held at Jeni’s Splendid ice Cream in Shirlington (4150 Campbell Ave, Arlington, VA) on a rescheduled date of Thursday, June 5, from 4-7 p.m. Come after (or before!?) dinner, practice or just to celebrate summer being right around the corner. There will be a special Belvedere flavor too! Take-out or dine in – all orders from 4-7 p.m. will benefit the Belvedere PTA.
ISO: Boxes!
Belvedere teachers are preparing to pack up their classrooms for the summer and need our help! If you have any medium to large cardboard boxes, please drop them at the front office. Check with your neighbors or in your local Buy Nothing group to see if anyone has boxes to donate.
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