Strong Start to a Short Week

2026-2027 Vol. 09

STRONG START TO A SHORT WEEK

Dear Fairhill Families,

We hope you had a nice long weekend!

Yesterday was a productive day for our staff. Our teachers took part in professional development focused on building an inclusive school environment and supporting advanced academics. They also had time to plan and implement strategies to support students as they returned to school today.

A big thank-you to our PTA for providing a wonderful lunch for our staff. We appreciate your generosity!

Have a great week and as always, please don't hesitate to reach out if you need support.

All our best,

Ted & Maura

October

October 16th - 3rd Grade Field Trip to Zoo
October 22nd - Kindergarten Field Trip to Cox Farms
October 28th - Fall Picture Makeup Day
October 28th - 4th Grade Field Trip to GMU Center of the Arts
October 29th - AAP Parent Coffee: Screening for full-time AAP
- Parents/Guardians of grades 2-6 only. 8:30 am - 9:30 am.
October 30th - Fall Festival

November

November 2nd - Teacher Workday (Student Holiday)
November 3rd - School Planning Day (Student Holiday)
November 5th - 1st Grade Field Trip to Frying Pan Park
November 10th - PTA Meeting 6:30 pm
November 11th - Veterans Day Breakfast
November 14th - Pumpkin Pie Run
November 18th - Wednesday Early Release (3 hours)
- Dismissal 1:05 pm
November 24th - Thanksgiving Luncheon
November 25th - 27th Thanksgiving Holiday (No School)

December

December 7th - 11th - Book Fair
December 10th - 5th Grade Field Trip to Luray Caverns
December 16th - Winter Concert
December 21st - January 1st - Winter Break

Outstanding Employee Award!

Please take a moment to nominate a Fairhill employee for an Outstanding Employee Award! This is a wonderful way to recognize the amazing staff members who make a difference in our school community every day.

Thank you for helping us celebrate and show appreciation for our Fairhill team!

Nominate here

Veterans Day Breakfast

For veteran families, relatives, & their students at Fairhill. Enjoy breakfast & music by Fairhill students to honor veterans in our community. November 11th 8:40 am - 9:10 am.

Signup here Submit this form to RSVP to bring a breakfast item to share!

In honor of Veterans Day, we’d like to invite the Fairhill community to honor their veteran family members on our Wall of Heroes! To participate, please use YOUR STUDENT’S FCPS GMAIL LOG-IN (student#@fcpsschools.net) and complete this 3 question Google Form to submit a photo. IF YOU SUBMITTED LAST YEAR, we still have your veterans, and there is no need to resubmit. All submissions are due by Friday, October 30th. Thank you!

Picture retakes are on 10/28.

Use code PX518851 at Strawbridge.net to order online.

Importance of Strong Attendance Habits

September is Attendance Awareness Month. Some of the ways parents can help their children create healthy routines and a habit of getting to school on time every day include:

Setting a regular bedtime and morning routine. (Need help? Download this checklist in English or Spanish.)
Laying out clothes and packing backpacks the night before.
Talking to teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make your child feel comfortable and excited about learning, if they seem anxious about going to school.
Developing back-up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.
Avoiding medical appointments or extended trips when school is in session.

If you or your family need any kind of support, please reach out to our front office. We are here for you! Visit FCPS’ Attendance webpage for tips and strategies.

Unexcused Absences and Late Arrivals

Absences and late arrivals are unexcused in situations of family trips, childcare conflicts, oversleeping, non-school related activities, traffic, missed buses, etc.

Fairhill Specific School Calendar

English

español

Spanish:

La importancia de crear buenos hábitos de asistencia

Septiembre es el Mes de Concientización sobre la Asistencia Escolar. Las familias pueden ayudar a sus estudiantes a crear rutinas saludables y el hábito de llegar puntualmente a las escuela todos los días de diferentes maneras:

Establecer una hora regular para dormir y una rutina para las mañanas. (¿Necesita ayuda? Descargue esta guía disponible en inglés y en español.)
Deje preparada la ropa y las mochilas desde la noche anterior.
Tenga conversaciones con maestros, consejeros escolares u otras familias para encontrar maneras de ayudar a su estudiante a sentirse más cómodo y entusiasmado por aprender en caso de que presente ansiedad por asistir a la escuela.
Tenga un plan alternativo para llegar a la escuela si surge algún imprevisto. Puede pedir ayuda a un familiar, vecino o alguien de su confianza.
Siempre que sea posible, evite programar citas médicas o viajes prolongados durante los días de clases.

Si usted o su familia necesitan algún tipo de apoyo, comuníquese con nuestra oficina principal. ¡Estamos aquí para ustedes! Visite la página web de asistencia de FCPS para encontrar consejos y estrategias que ayuden a fomentar el hábito de asistencia.

News from PTA

Hello Fairhill Families,

Fairhill PTA is excited to participate in the Square 1 Art fundraiser! This year, we’re trying something a little different! We’re sending the artwork sheets home so students can create their own unique masterpieces at home, with the freedom to let their creativity shine. There’s no need to be an expert artist—encourage your child to have fun, think outside the box, and make the artwork their own! If your child needs a little inspiration, visit https://www.fairhillpta.org/ for ideas, or email the PTA at fairhilles@gmail.com. We can’t wait to see what our Fairhill artists create! Artwork needs to returned to school by Tuesday, October 27, 2026.

Thank you for supporting the Fairhill PTA and helping make this fundraiser a success!

Best,

Kate Cofer

Square 1 Art Fundraiser Coordinator

Fairhill Elementary

Please mark your calendars for Fairhill's Fall Festival on October 30th from 5:30 - 7:30pm!

The Fall Festival is a favorite Fairhill community event and fundraiser for the PTA. There will be games, music, and lots of fun for the whole family. Kids 4 and up are $10 and adults are free! Tickets will be sold at the door and cash is preferred. If you'd like to help, we're looking for volunteers to help on site (sign up here) or you can make a donation to the PTA (donate here). We also welcome donations of single-serve chips and drinks, which can be dropped off at the school office anytime.

Spanish

Room Parents at Fairhill

What is a room parent?

A room parent facilitates communication between families in their child’s class, the PTA, and their child’s teacher. The PTA is looking for room parents from each class at Fairhill.

What are the responsibilities of a room parent?

Email families in your class periodically with key announcements and information. The Room Parent Coordinator will let you know when to send these emails and provide suggested language, which you can personalize.
Support Teacher Appreciation Week. Each spring, the PTA plans a school-wide celebration for Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week. Room parents are encouraged to supplement the PTA’s efforts by providing families in the class a nonmonetary opportunity to recognize your teacher.

Room parents may also assist in other ways, depending on their availability and teachers’ needs. For example, some room parents have chosen to:

Coordinate grade-level playdates in collaboration with other room parents (typically just a weekend meetup at the Fairhill playground).
Assist teachers with administrative tasks, such as creating a Sign-Up Genius when the teacher needs particular supplies or stuffing Tuesday folders.
Check with the teacher quarterly to see if they need supply donations from the PTA or classroom families.

I don’t have a flexible schedule and I can’t volunteer during the school day. Can I be a room parent?

Yes! You can do all of the tasks required of a room parent on your own time. Room parents do not need to be available during the school day.

Volunteer or ask questions here (or email sharonkim18@gmail.com)

Calling for Volunteers: Help to Make a Big Difference in our community

The Fairhill PTA again will continue to support Fairhill families and our broader local community by collecting unused food purchased from the cafeteria (e.g., milk, string cheese) and/or unopened store-bought food (e.g., crackers).

Our kids' role -> Kids are asked to leave food they may otherwise toss in the garbage and instead put it off in the Food for Others fridge in the cafeteria.

Our volunteers' role -> Once a week (Mondays or Tuesdays), we are asking for a volunteer to collect the food and drop it off at Food For Others (1 mile away).

Our collective Impact -> In addition to minimizing food waste, we are helping 75,000 Fairfax County (and Fairhill families) who are food insecure. On a weekly basis last year, we collected hundreds of milk cartons, string cheese packets, crackers, yogurts and more.

Help Us Erase Student Lunch Debt

Please consider donating to eliminate school lunch debt through our Educate Fairfax platform. All donations are tax deductible; you will receive a receipt for tax deduction purposes.

News, Updates & Resources

from FCPS

Fairhill Families: Explore SafeWalkr!

FCPS Safe Routes to School is excited to invite Fairhill families to try SafeWalkr, a new interactive walking map tool developed by Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology students in collaboration with our team!

If you live within Fairhill designated walking boundary, explore information about sidewalks, road crossings, and crossing guard locations to help plan your walk to school.

Go to the SafeWalkr tool, select Fairhill, and explore a route with your child. Review current conditions and consider your child’s abilities and supervision needs before walking. The tool does not change walking boundaries or transportation eligibility. Help us improve SafeWalkr by sharing your feedback during the pilot. Thank you for supporting safe, active trips to school!

Spanish:

Familias de Fairhill: ¡Conozcan SafeWalkr!

El programa Safe Routes to School (Rutas Seguras hacia la Escuela) de FCPS invita a las familias de Fairhill a probar SafeWalkr, una nueva herramienta interactiva de mapas para caminar a la escuela, desarrollada por estudiantes de La Escuela Secundaria Thomas Jefferson para La Ciencia y Tecnología en colaboración con nuestro equipo.

Si vive dentro del área designada para caminar de Fairhill, explore información sobre caminos peatonales, cruces de calles y ubicaciones de guardias de cruce para ayudarle a planificar el recorrido a pie hacia la escuela.

Visite la herramienta SafeWalkr, seleccione Fairhill y explore una ruta con su estudiante. Revise las condiciones actuales y tenga en cuenta las capacidades de su estudiante y sus necesidades de supervisión antes de realizar el recorrido a pie. Esta herramienta no modifica las áreas designadas para caminar ni la elegibilidad para recibir transporte escolar. Ayúdenos a mejorar SafeWalkr compartiendo sus comentarios durante esta fase de prueba. ¡Gracias por apoyar recorridos seguros y activos hacia la escuela!

Share Your Feedback on Traveling to and From School

The FCPS Office of Safety and Security and Safe Routes to School program are asking families to share their experiences traveling to and from their child’s school. The feedback will help inform the Fairfax County School Board’s annual assessment of traffic and pedestrian safety near schools.

The Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Survey asks about walking and biking routes, traffic near schools, kiss-and-ride experiences, accessibility, and other safety concerns.

Your feedback will help FCPS identify common issues. Your responses will be kept confidential and shared with school administrators and the Office of Safety and Security. The five-minute survey is open through Thursday, October 15.

Be sure to identify the school related to your feedback and include specific locations where you have observed a safety issue. If you have students at different schools in FCPS, please complete a different survey for each school.

If you have any questions about the survey, please contact SafeRoutestoSchool@fcps.edu.

Spanish:

Comparta sus comentarios sobre el trayecto hacia y desde la escuela

La Oficina de Seguridad y Protección de FCPS y el programa Safe Routes to School (Rutas Seguras a la Escuela) invitan a las familias a compartir sus experiencias al trasladarse hacia y desde la escuela de sus estudiantes. Sus comentarios ayudarán a orientar la evaluación anual de seguridad vial y peatonal cerca de las escuelas que realiza la Junta Escolar del Condado de Fairfax

La Encuesta sobre Seguridad Vial y Peatonal incluye preguntas sobre las rutas para caminar y andar en bicicleta, el tráfico cerca de las escuelas, las experiencias en las áreas de kiss-and-ride, la accesibilidad y otras inquietudes relacionadas con la seguridad.

Sus comentarios ayudarán a FCPS a identificar problemas comunes. Sus respuestas se mantendrán confidenciales y se compartirán con los administradores escolares y la Oficina de Seguridad y Protección. La encuesta toma aproximadamente cinco minutos y estará disponible hasta el jueves, 15 de octubre.

Asegúrese de indicar la escuela relacionada con sus comentarios e incluir los lugares específicos donde haya observado algún problema de seguridad. Si tiene estudiantes en diferentes escuelas de FCPS, complete una encuesta por separado para cada escuela.

Si tiene preguntas sobre la encuesta, comuníquese con SafeRoutestoSchool@fcps.edu.

Safe Routes to School Parent and Caregiver Survey

As part of the Fairfax County School Board’s Annual School-Based Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Assessment, the FCPS Office of Safety and Security and Safe Routes to School program are inviting parents and caregivers to share their experiences traveling to and from school.

The Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Survey asks about walking and biking routes, traffic near schools, kiss and ride experiences, accessibility, and other safety concerns.

Be sure to identify the