November 2024 Newsletter - 🪔Happy Diwali 🪔, School Board Highlights, Family Resources and more!
School Board Sully District 1 week 4 days agoHaving trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page .
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Dear Sully District Families and Community Members,It’s hard to believe that we have completed the first quarter. Time has flown by! I am so proud of our students, teachers and staff and I can’t wait to see what we accomplish as we start our second quarter.
In Sully District, our students have been busy excelling academically, on our stages and on our athletic fields. Please take a moment to celebrate everything your student has accomplished this first quarter.
It has been a very busy month of School Board meetings. At the October 8th work session, staff from FCPS partner Thru Consulting provided an overview of the division-wide boundary project management plan . Their presentation included a review of priorities, timeline, project governance and management, community engagement opportunities, communications, the role of data, and sample maps and analytics. You can watch the work session online .
Thank you to everyone who has applied to be part of the new Boundary Policy Review Committee! This committee will include a diverse group of parents/caregivers, school-based administrators, teachers, operational staff, and community members. The committee’s goal is to provide unique perspectives and insights to ensure that the boundary review process is transparent, includes significant community participation and feedback, and always keeps students at the center of every decision. Stay tuned for more upcoming engagement opportunities, which may include community meetings, focus groups, and surveys. For more information about the boundary review process or to provide feedback, visit our 2024-26 Boundary Review webpage .
At the October 10th Regular Meeting of the Fairfax County School Board ( agenda | video ), we discussed and considered several important items, most notably, the Superintendent provided an update to the board about school accreditation and SAT score performance (we lead state averages in both).
At the October 24th meeting ( agenda | video ), the Superintendent provided her annual report on Strategic Plan Goal 1, “Strong Start,” with an emphasis on the school division’s efforts to ensure we meet multilingual students’ needs and expand access to high-quality and inclusive preschool services. Read about the improvements in the Goal 1 report (pdf).
I was also honored to introduce a proclamation declaring October 2024 as Hindu American Heritage Month . It encourages all Fairfax County residents to participate in the programs and events hosted by our schools and community, as we recognize, celebrate, and honor the rich heritage and enduring contributions of Hindu Americans.
A big thank you to students from TJHSST's Namaste Club who performed a fantastic dance sequence to help celebrate! I am very grateful to our staff and community members for attending to support the proclamation.
Hindu American Heritage Month Proclamation and TJHSST Namaste Club Student Performance!
Inside this newsletter:November is also #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth. Check out these great resources and events put together by The Library of Congress, Smithsonian and other institutions to help you honor the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans.
I look forward to seeing you and your students as I am out in the community. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if I can be helpful to your family in any way. My November Office hours are in the newsletter below if you would like to schedule time to meet with me.
Finally, I want to wish everyone a Happy Diwali! 🪔 May your year be filled with light, love, and laughter.
In partnership,
Seema DixitView my School Year 2024-25 Welcome message!
School Visit to Waples Mill Elementary!Waples Mill Elementary School Visit on Oct 29th, 2024
I had a wonderful visit to Waples Mill Elementary School on October 29th, along with my colleague Sandy Anderson, School Board representative from the Springfield district! It was such a joy to interact with the students and observe some of the amazing student engagement experiences their teachers have created in art, language, advanced math and science that reinforce the skills of persistence, curiosity and joy of learning. Thank you Principal Thirius for being so welcoming and for sharing your "grows and glows"....all of your insights help inform my ongoing policy and budget work on the School Board. Go Eagles!
Sully District Happenings Chantilly High School Students Win Journalism Awards!!Congratulations to Chantilly High School’s Odyssey yearbookfor receiving the Charles E. Sadvedge Award for Continued Excellence in Journalism!
Congratulations to Chantilly High School’s The Purple Tide newsmagazinefor receiving the All-American Awardwith marks of distinction in coverage, content, text, and presentation, from the National Scholastic Press Association .
Stone Middle School's Nick Anderson named "Citizen of the Year" at Centreville Day!Nick Anderson, an after-school program specialist at Stone Middle School, was named the Citizen of the Year by the Centreville Day Planning Committee!
According to the announcement of his award, “Mr. Nicholas Anderson has served the youth and families of our community for many years. Fifteen years ago, Mr. Anderson applied for a grant position as the After-School Specialist at Stone Middle School. In his role at Stone, Mr. Anderson (or Mr. A as he is known to the students) organizes after-school programs to engage and further develop the students' intellectual, physical, and social-emotional well-being. Stone was a pilot school for the after-school program and Mr. Anderson continuously shared his learning and provided leadership to other middle schools and to new specialists.
Mr. A's office, Room 141, is the heart of the Prowlin' Panthers Afterschool Program. Students and parents appreciate the extra efforts that Mr. Anderson puts forth to keep everyone informed and to provide a variety of opportunities. There were five school clubs when Mr. Anderson began and now there are more than 30, including the first competitive hip hop and jazz dance teams. Mr. A also encourages leadership and mentors students into their high school years and generally helps students find reasons to be at school for learning and growing. The middle school years can be challenging for many students and Mr. A is an encouraging and friendly role-model who helps guide their development. As one student said, he's a cool staff member and helped me develop my athletic interests." Congratulations, Nick! And thank you for all you do to support our students.
Sully Schools highlight fun "Advancing Literacy" learning activities with students!Navy ES students engaged in fun literacy learning activities!
Thank you to Becky Schnabel, a Literacy Leader at Navy Elementary School, for creating a video for an Advancing Literacysegment: “I collaborated with my SBTS to create a simple video that highlights what Benchmark Advance looks like in our building. I hope you can get an idea of all the great things happening in the world of literacy at Navy ES. Our teachers are making Benchmark Advance fun and engaging for ALL students!” Becky says she’s planning on sharing the video at upcoming school events! Go Dolphins!!
Bull Run ES students celebrate after literacy learning segment!
Principal James Marotta of Bull Run Elementary School shared photos above, which were captioned “Ms. Rasdolsky’s 6th grade class engaged in a camp day themed party to celebrate finishing the first unit of Benchmark Advance. After learning about nature for the past month, they created a fun camping atmosphere right in the classroom, complete with stories, activities, and a delicious treat: s'mores!” These learners look like they’re having a great time! Go Bulls!
FCPS has adopted Benchmark Advance for the Language Arts basal resource. Benchmark Advance provides 9 common knowledge-building units across K-6. The units integrate social studies, science, and literary topics. There are multiple text sets per topic, including fiction and nonfiction.
I am so grateful to our teachers and staff all around our division for creating these wonderful student engagement experiences to help our students become strong readers and writers.
First FCPS Middle School Cross Country Championship at Liberty Middle School!First FCPS Middle School Cross Country Championship - Liberty Middle School
Liberty Middle School hosted the First FCPS Middle School Cross Country Championships, featuring 439 athletes from all 26 middle schools—219 boys and 220 girls. Frost Middle School won both championships, claiming the Girls Championship with Robinson as the runner-up and the Boys Championship with Twain as the runner-up. Congratulations to all the amazing student athletes!!
Constituent Hours for NovemberI have office hours set up to meet with Sully District constituents to discuss any questions or concerns you may have. Please use this Constituent sign-up sheet to register for slots and meeting info will be sent to you. I look forward to talking with you!
Superintendent Reid's Academic Matters 2024 Accreditation and SAT ScoresIn the Academic Matters portion of the October 10th School Board meeting, Superintendent Reid discussed the 2024 Virginia Accreditation and SAT Outcomes . All 199 FCPS schools have been accredited by the Virginia Department of Education , and the Fairfax County class of 2024 performed well above state and global averages on the SAT .
As you can see from the graphic above, the Fairfax County average score for the class of 2024 (1178) was higher than the state average (1101) and the global average (1024). These results show that the hard work of our students, staff members, and parents is paying off. Together all things are possible!! View the graphic in an accessible format .
2023-24 Fairfax County Youth Survey ResultsIn the Academic Matters section of the School Board meeting, Dr. Reid shared the results of the 2023-24 Fairfax County Youth Survey , which covers topics such as substance abuse, mental health, physical health, nutrition, bullying, and aggressive behavior. There is some good news from the survey that most students reported no use of any substances. Alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use continued to decrease in 2023. This year’s rates were the lowest since 2010 and are lower than those reported nationally for most substances. Students in 8th, 10th, and 12th grade also reported lowered levels of mental health challenges (rates of stress, sadness, and markers of mental health crises). We measure the health of our community by the health of our children. When our children are well, our community is well! More information about the Youth Survey can be found at https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/data/youth-survey/ .
View data from the “Substance Use: Overall Trends” graphic in an accessible format .
Community Gathers for State of Our Schools EventCommunity leaders heard from Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid and other FCPS Leadership Team members at the inaugural State of Our Schools . The event, which was hosted by Educate Fairfax, also featured talks by students and performances showcasing their talents. Visit the State of Our Schools webpage to view video highlights.
💪 Sharing Our SuccessWe invite you to look back at the 2023-24 school year and relive some of our greatest moments. See how our outstanding students and staff excelled last year, and together, contributed to making FCPS a premier school division.
Family Resource Center - November EventsThe Family Resource Center offers free webinars, confidential consultations, a lending library, and resources to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities. Don't miss our fabulous line-up of November Webinars!Register using the QR Code!
For more information, visit the Family Resource Center webpage . You may also sign up to receive the FRC newsletter for updates on webinars, resources, and other information. If you have questions, please contact the FRC via email at [email protected] or call 703-204-3941.
Varsity Tutors Provides On-Demand Support at No CostFCPS is partnering with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra resources for learning. Every student can take advantage of Varsity Tutors’ services at no cost, including weekly live online classes, on-demand 24/7 chat tutoring, essay editing, and study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests. Learn more about online tutoring with Varsity Tutors .
Fairfax County Special Education PTA IEP PaloozaJoin the Fairfax County Special Education PTA (SEPTA) for their second annual IEP Palooza on Saturday, November 16, 2024, from 9 a.m. to noonat Luther Jackson Middle School . The event will include a simulated IEP meeting (with narration to draw attention to specific points), breakout sessions explaining the various parts of the IEP, and a resource fair to learn about community supports. Each breakout room will be hosted by a SEPTA board member and Fairfax County Public Schools staff member presenting as a team. We are thrilled that the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC) will also join us to host two sessions in Spanish! This event is geared toward families, school staff, and students ages 14+.
Mental Health Resources for Families This month's theme: New Ways NovemberThis month, we're encouraging you to try something new!
Go to Action for Happiness for ideas to help you take action for a happier and kinder world.
Student Wellness: Tips and Strategies
Feeling super stressed? Worried about a friend's mental health—or your own? Get tips to help manage your emotions and see what to do if you are in crisis.
Helping students to manage stress, make better choices, and develop healthy habits.
Staff is available by phone 703-204-3941 or email [email protected] to help! Offers free workshops, consultations, a lending library, and more to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs and disabilities.
No Cost Therapy for High Schoolers
You can refer your high school child to therapy, at no cost to you. Get the process started by filling out an e-consent and then clicking 'Request Teletherapy' at hazel.co/get-haze l, by calling 571-749-2940, or by contacting an FCPS school counselor, social worker, or psychologist.
Find out more about the Hazel Health mental health services available for all FCPS high school students: https://bit.ly/3UAQyVe.
George Mason’s Center for Community Health
George Mason University’s new Center for Community Mental Health (9900 Main Street, Fairfax) provides evidence-based, accessible, affordable, and culturally sensitive therapy and testing services to those in need, regardless of income. The Center sees children as young as age 5, and works with community members of various ages, including addressing the mental health needs of veterans.
The center’s Emotional Help Line provides free, anonymous, confidential support in both English (703-215-1898) and Spanish (703-914-3878). The line is open daily from 8:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. Learn more on the Center's website .
Upcoming School Board Meetings- Tuesday, November 12 at 10:30 a.m.- Work Session: Budget Strategic Planning and Fiscal Forecast and Grading
- Thursday, November 14 at 7 p.m.- Regular Meeting
Please note, times and topics are subject to change.
Visit the community participation webpage to sign up to speak at a regular meeting. Visit BoardDocs for more meeting logistics, agendas, and handouts.
Interested in School Board action items? Sign up to get an update on School Board votes the morning after the School Board meeting.
The work sessions and regular meetings will be broadcast live on Channel 99 (Verizon channel 11) and the FCPS website . Both will be recorded for future viewing and posted to the FCPS School Board YouTube channel .
Reuniones de la Junta Escolar de FCPS en EspañolPara ver las reuniones de la Junta Escolar grabadas o para ver en vivo durante las reuniones regulares en YouTube, por favor vaya al canal de YouTube de FCPS en Español o escanee el código QR.
Contacting MeTo contact me, it is most helpful if you can please use the official School Board contact form . This form prioritizes emails to me from constituents, and helps me track communication so I can be sure you receive a response. If you are unsure of your county magisterial district, you can look that information up here.
Use this link to sign up for my Newsletter and follow me on Facebook .
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The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.
© Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
Email: Seema Dixit | Phone: 571-423-1085
Staff Aide: Shaheen Khurana | Phone: 571-423-1072