Daniels Run ES- November 22, 2024

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A Note from the Principal

Dear Daniels Run Elementary Families,

As Thanksgiving approaches, we want to extend our warmest wishes to you and your loved ones. This time of year is a wonderful opportunity to express gratitude, and we are incredibly thankful for our supportive community and dedicated families.

Important Reminder: Early Release on December 9th

Please note that Monday, December 9th, will be an early release day. We plan for your child to go home in the same manner as the last early release. If there are any changes to your child's schedule, kindly inform both the teacher and the school office by December 4th. This will help us ensure a smooth transition for all students.

Thank You

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the PTA for organizing a fantastic book fair. It was a joy to see so many of you at our Thanksgiving luncheon. A special shout-out to our Assistant Principal, Janelle Alabi, for her exceptional organization of this event. Additionally, we appreciate Beth Brixius for her invaluable assistance with the Principal's Coffee, book fair, and the volunteers who made the luncheon possible.

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our school community. We wish you a joyful and restful Thanksgiving holiday.

Warm regards,

Susan Mullen

Principal, Daniels Run Elementary School

PTA News

A BIG THANK YOU to all the amazing parent volunteers who helped make our school book fair a success! Your time, energy and enthusiasm mean so much to our students and school community. We couldn't have done it without you!

AAP News

Reminder: Window for Full-Time AAP Referrals Closes on December 15, 2024

Parents/guardians of students in Grades 2-7 who would like their student to be considered for Full-Time advanced academic programs may submit the AAP Full-Time Referral Form to the Advanced Academics Resource Teacher, Danni James at dfjames@fcps.edu no later than December 15, 2024.

The window for families to submit a referral for Full-Time AAP services is the first day of school through December 15, annually. Forms for Full-Time and part-time referrals are available on the AAP Forms Page. No late referrals for Full-Time AAP services will be accepted.

Submitting a referral form for Full-Time AAP will initiate a process that begins at the local school and is then completed at the central office level. Our school will put together a portfolio that includes multiple data which are considered holistically. At the central office level, a committee of six trained professionals from various schools and roles will review the portfolio materials to determine eligibility for Full-Time placement. Eligibility decisions are communicated by early April. Parents may request a copy of the portfolio that was submitted after they have been turned in for central selection by emailing Advanced Academics Resource Teacher, Danni James at dfjames@fcps.edu

Referrals for Subject-Specific and Part-Time AAP are screened at the local school. If you miss this deadline, your student can still be screened for Subject-Specific AAP or Part-Time AAP for the remainder of the year and submit a referral for Full-Time AAP next fall.

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

Student Feedback Opportunity for FCPS Cell Phone Policy and SR&R

FCPS is working with K12 Insight to host a community forum for families, staff members, and students to provide feedback on the school division’s cell phone policies and practices, and the Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) document. FCPS is looking for more student participants (grades 3-12) to help ensure diverse perspectives from our community.

The community forum will be held on Tuesday, December 10, 6:30-8 p.m., at the Willow Oaks Administrative Center. If your student is interested in providing feedback, please visit the Cell Phone Policy Forum registration page to learn more. Families must register their child by Monday, November 25.

Boundary Review Community Meeting

Community meetings regarding FCPS’ comprehensive boundary review will take place in each of the division's six regions. You are encouraged to attend the meeting in our region, which will take place on Monday, December 2, 6:30-8 p.m., at Westfield High School Cafeteria. Please register in advance by clicking on the date. Language interpretation will be available.

If you are unable to attend on this date, view the full list of meetings on the Comprehensive School Boundary Review webpage.

Daniels Run Komodo Karate

Daniels Run Parents and Families,

Starting on Tuesday, January 14th, the Daniels Run Komodo Karate Program will begin. Students will head to the cafeteria at 4:00 pm. Karate will take place from 4:00 pm to 4:50 pm. Students will be picked up from the kiss and ride entrance at 4:55 pm. Parents must be able to provide after school transportation in order for students to participate.

Please make sure your child is wearing something comfortable for karate. The program is free, and students do not need to bring any equipment, uniform, or belt during karate class. During karate, students will warm up, learn karate basics, participate in character talks, and play an active game.

The Daniels Run Komodo Karate Program will take place for eight weeks and conclude with a karate graduation. Students will earn their yellow belts once the program concludes.

Please be at the Kiss and Ride entrance by 4:55 pm.

The last session will take place on Tuesday March 4^th.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher or email jgayl@fcps.edu.

Thanks,

Joseph Gayl

Certification American Freestyle Karate Instructor

School Counselor

Social and Emotional Learning Screener Results Coming Soon

One of the ways FCPS supports the mental wellness of all students is through the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener. In October, students in grades 3-12 took this screener, which gives information about their skills such as achieving goals, handling emotions, building relationships with adults and peers, and making good choices.

The screener also helps students evaluate their school community’s efforts to make them feel valued, included, and supported. Screener data is used to create learning, experiences, and environments for students to succeed.

In early December, families will be able to view student SEL Screener results in SIS ParentVUE. For families who do not have an active ParentVUE account, results will be sent by mail.

Learn more about the screener on the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage. For help understanding your child’s results or ideas to support them at home, review the Family Guide or contact your child’s school.

Register for ParentVUE

Learn how to activate your ParentVUE account, so you can easily access your child’s results and other helpful information.

Veteran's Day Recognition

If you are or have a family member that serves or has served in the US armed forces, please click here. We want to honor you on the Veterans Day display in the café. Your information will be written on a star and placed on a Veteran's Day display in the café. If you filled it out last year, you do not need to complete it again. The display will remain up until Thanksgiving Break.

❄️Preparing for Winter Weather❄️

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

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, 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 for childcare 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 which 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. See the National Weather Service’s tips on staying safe during cold weather.

If you need assistance supplying your child with cold-weather clothing, please call Fairfax County's Coordinated Services Planning at 703-222-0880. Their multilingual staff can assist with any challenges you are facing, including food, shelter, employment, financial assistance, and health care.

Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey

FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets (in the upper right corner after logging in). Please complete it as soon as possible.

For any families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE, we will provide paper forms starting Wednesday, November 13. Paper forms should be returned by Wednesday, December 4.

Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is important. Information from this survey resulted in more than $4 million in funding last year from the U.S. Department of Education. These funds are used to support all Fairfax County public schools and centers.

For more information, please watch this video on Impact Aid and visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.

Need to Register for ParentVUE?

Learn how to activate your SIS ParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey.

Technical support for using ParentVUE or completing the survey online is available by submitting a Parent Support Request ticket. Select SISParent in the Application dropdown menu and type Federal Impact Aid Survey under Issue Description. Or, call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS).

P2 News

Dear Families,

Next week, our school community will continue to focus on the character strength of Gratitude. Gratitude means being aware of and grateful for good things that happen.

Gratitude is about feeling and showing thankfulness. It helps us see the good in others and in the world. People with gratitude are ready to appreciate and return kindness. Expert Robert Emmons says gratitude strengthens relationships because it makes us recognize how others support us.

Out of all 24 character strengths, gratitude is the single best predictor of individual well-being. It is linked to more energy, empathy, happiness, and optimism. The good news is that gratitude can be practiced and strengthened like a muscle. The more we practice it, the more benefits we get.

To practice and encourage this strength at home, please visit The Positivity Project’s mobile-friendly P2 for Families (available in English and Spanish), where you will watch a video together and discuss a quote and three questions. Below are links to this week’s P2 for Families lessons. Click on the grade level that best meets your child’s needs.

Thank you for your support!