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Principal's Message

Dear Franklin Sherman ES Parents/Guardians,

Congratulations to all of our incredible students on their outstanding performance of Dear Edwina ! The talent, energy, confidence, and joy displayed on stage were truly amazing. We are so proud of every student who participated and represented our school so beautifully.

A very special thank you goes to Ms. Nevills and the National Children’s Theater for their months of dedication, preparation, and hard work in bringing this production to life. Your commitment to our students and the arts made this experience unforgettable. Thank you also to the PTA for your dedication to the arts and supporting this fantastic event each year. Thank you specifically to Jennifer Abreo-Jennett who helped facilitate the new tradition of having National Children’s Theater support Franklin Sherman. She is a true champion of the arts and we are thankful to have her support and leadership. 

We would also like to recognize Mr. Christian for the many extra hours he dedicated to technical support during the week leading up to the performances and throughout show week. His behind-the-scenes work helped ensure everything ran smoothly.

Thank you to everyone who supported our students and helped make Dear Edwina such a tremendous success!

Sincerely,

Farris Thomas
Principal
Franklin Sherman ES

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Important Dates

May 19  5th Grade Science SOL

May 25 - 27  Student Holidays

June 1-2  Final Lost and Found Clean Out

June 12  Field Day and Family Picnic (June 11 Rain Date)

June 16  6th Grade Promotion

June 16  End of Year School Party

June 17  Last Day of School Early Dismissal

FCPS Calendar:  2025-26

Franklin Sherman Calendar

Staff Farewells & Welcomes

As we head into the final weeks of the school year, I want to thank our entire community for your continued support and partnership. Our teachers and staff have been working incredibly hard, and I’m so proud of the dedication they bring to our students each and every day.

I’m also pleased to share that we are nearly fully staffed for next school year. 

As we prepare for the transition into a new school year, we would also like to recognize several staff members who will be moving on to new opportunities or retirement:

• Carol Clark, special education teacher and co-chair, will be retiring.
• Kim Denton, instructional coach, will be retiring.
• Evan Donohue, special education teacher, will be transferring to another FCPS school.
• Rajat Dubey, support staff, will be leaving the profession.
• Priya Durairaj, support staff, will be transferring to another FCPS school.
• Estephany Fenstermacher, Spanish teacher, will be leaving the profession. 
• Diana Nevills, music teacher, will be leaving the profession.
• Justin Nielson, counselor, will be transferring to another FCPS school.
• Eve Park, support staff, will be transferring to another FCPS school.
• Lynda Singletary, special education teacher, will be transferring to another FCPS school.

We are deeply grateful for the contributions each of these staff members has made to our school community and wish them all the best in their next chapter.

As we wrap up the 25-26 school year, we are also preparing for the 26-27 school year. We would like to recognize several staff members who will be joining our Panda Family next year. Some are current staff members moving into new roles while others will be joining us for the first time. 

• Sara Crummett, a current FCPS counselor, will be joining us as our FSES school counselor. 
• Cristina Cole, a recent graduate, will be joining us as a special education teacher. 
• Sara (Eichmeier) Oglesby, our current 5th grade teacher, will become our STEAM and interventionist teacher 
• Whitney Graves, our current co-chair of special education and special education teacher, will be returning as our full time special education department chair. 
• Amy Gruber, our current high impact tutor, will be returning as an instructional assistant. 
• Pilar Morera, a current FCPS Spanish teacher, will be joining us as our Spanish teacher. 
• Jennifer Von Elm, our current instructional assistant and recent graduate of a special education program, will be returning as a special education teacher. 

Our final two positions to fill are a music teacher and a family liaison. 

You may also have seen recent budget updates shared by FCPS and heard from me at the Parent Coffees and PTA meeting where our staffing numbers did decrease based on enrollment. Please know that I am working diligently on our school’s budget with a clear focus on ensuring that our students continue to receive the high-quality education and support they deserve. This process requires thoughtful planning and strategic decision-making to maximize available resources. 

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our incredible PTA and school community for the many ways you continue to support our students, staff, and families. Your generosity, partnership, and commitment make a meaningful difference in the daily experiences of everyone in our school.

Thanks to your support, we have been able to redesign and refresh our library space to enhance learning and expand opportunities for family engagement. The PTA has also funded technology supplies that strengthen student learning and support the arts, math intervention and support programs, and reading initiatives that help foster a love of literacy across our school.

In addition, your support has helped provide spirit wear to strengthen staff connection and belonging, continue our popular book vending machine program to help celebrate student birthdays, and fund programs such as Typing Club and engaging assemblies like the recent Brain Show. You have also supported charter buses for field trips, helping ensure students can participate in enriching educational experiences beyond the classroom.

These are just a few examples of the incredible work our PTA does to support our school community. We are truly grateful for the time, energy, and resources you invest in making our school such a special place for students and staff alike.

As always, your engagement and partnership are incredibly important. I encourage all families to stay informed about topics such as school budgets and boundary changes. Your voice matters, and I truly appreciate those who continue to stay engaged in these important conversations that impact our entire school community.

Principal Thomas 

Franklin Sherman's Annual Report

Franklin Sherman is preparing our second annual report for the staff and community. This is a place where we highlight our accomplishments from the year and shine light on our success. We are looking for two parents to share thoughts and reflections from the 25-26 school year. If you are interested, please email Principal Thomas at [email protected]

Family Liaison Position

Dr. Reid has approved for Franklin Sherman to have a full time family liaison for the 26-27 school year. This is a full time job with benefits! We are looking for a welcoming, passionate, tech savy individual who can help us continue to spread joy. Please email Principal Thomas if you are interested at [email protected]

Library News

This is that time of the year again: all library books are due back. Please, help your child find all library books and return them by Monday June 1. This Friday, May 22 is our last check out day! 

On Friday, May 29, the public librarian in charge of youth programming at the Dolley Madison branch is coming to give a presentation about their summer events. Flyers will be sent home to keep you informed.

Our yearly book swap is coming up on Thursday and Friday, June 4 & 5. Your child can bring any books they wish to swap. We have tables set up in the library for this purpose. 

Contact Rosalie Essimi for any questions or comments.

Summer Camp Opportunities for FSES Students!!!

We’re excited to share that Franklin Sherman will host Chesterbrook PTA’s Summer Quest Campin our building this summer as they undergo renovation work! This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to enjoy engaging activities, connect with friends, and stay active right here at FSES.

Registration information and details can be found here: Summer Quest Camp Sign Up at Franklin Sherman

Be sure to sign up early, as spots fill quickly!

Summer Access to Learning Software

Students will have access to learning tools such as Benchmark Universe and ST Math through their school logon. To facilitate access, families can request to check out a school laptop for student academic use during the summer. If your family would like to reserve a device please submit the form linked below.

Laptop Reservation Form for Summer Learning

FCPS News FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week , the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• 2027 Budget Updates
• New Cell Phone Policy
• Stay Up-to-Date with the Mobile App

Read FCPS This Week  to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today . 

PTA News Middle School Transition

Join the PTA for a fun and informative virtual event on Tuesday, June 2 at 12 p.m.! Upper elementary families are invited to hear directly from two MHS students about what life at Longfellow Middle School is really like, including classes, teachers, schedules, friendships, and tips for a smooth transition. Don’t miss this chance to ask questions and get honest advice from students who’ve been there. Register and submit questions in advance click here!

Final Raffle of the year is now OPEN!

Enter for a chance to pie a participating teacher, staff member, or front office favorite! Pick your “pie target,” purchase your raffle entries, and cross your fingers.

One lucky student winner will be chosen for each raffle and will get to deliver a whipped cream pie during the big event!

Entry Options

$1 = 1 entry
$10 = 15 entries
$25 = 40 entries
$50 = 100 entries
$100 = 225 entries

All proceeds support programs, events, and resources for our students and school community.

Visit the main raffle page to purchase tickets.

  Franklin Sherman Family Impact Campaign

Dear Franklin Sherman Families,

We all want the very best for our kids and our school.

As you heard at the Principal’s Coffees this week, our administration is working hard to preserve critical staffing and student support resources that are not fully funded this year or next. As a community, we have an opportunity to help.

Click here for FSES Family Impact Campaign

The PTA spring fundraiser is focused on just that. The impact campaign helps you see exactly what you’re helping provide. Covering supplies helps free up school funds for staffing and educational materials, and purchasing everyday supplies like paper and notebooks support hands-on learning (and time away from devices!). 

If each family contributes $35 per child, we can fully meet our needs.

Thank you for being part of a community that shows up for our students and our school.

A huge thank you to the incredible first 5 families who contributed - the Parsons family, the Gutierrez family, the Baeder family, the Dreyfuss family and the Steger family!

Middle School Transition

Join the PTA for a fun and informative virtual event on Tuesday, June 2 at 12 p.m.! Upper elementary families are invited to hear directly from two MHS students about what life at Longfellow Middle School is really like, including classes, teachers, schedules, friendships, and tips for a smooth transition. Don’t miss this chance to ask questions and get honest advice from students who’ve been there. Register and submit questions in advance click here!

News from Longfellow MS

Jump Start: Save the Date

Help your student prepare for the upcoming school year with our Jump Start Program. This optional, non-academic program is specifically designed to support a smooth transition. Students will have the chance to meet school staff, connect with new peers, explore the school layout, and learn about key policies before the first day of school. Along with informational sessions, participants will enjoy fun community-building activities.

Registration Link: Click here to register

Program Schedule

We are offering two identical sessions to choose from:

• Session A:August 11th from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• Session B:August 12th from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Important Details

• Location:Longfellow Middle School
• Registration:Opens on April 30th
• Cost:$30.00 per student
• Transportation:Please note that transportation is not providedfor this event. Parents and guardians are responsible for the drop-off and pick-up of their students.

Reminders Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. 

Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, in the spring. Eligible children can be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps schools prepare and ensure they have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school. 

If your child will attend our school, please gather necessary documents and complete registration forms as soon as possible. 

FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, please visit the FCPS Registration webpage .

  Students Not Returning

Please fill out this  student intentions form  for each child who  WILL NOT attend Franklin Sherman. The parents/care givers of current 6th grade students should fill out the form if their child will not attend Cooper/Longfellow nest year.

Lunch with a Panda

We are thrilled to invite you to "Lunch with a Panda."

Submit this Reservation Form to let us know about your visit.

Important Details:

• This form creates a reservation for  1 parent at a time (if both parents wish to visit for lunch the form must be submitted twice)
• There are at most  3 reservations available per grade per day
• Reservations will only become available 1 week in advance
• If a date does not appear in the list of choices it is either because there are no more reservations available for that day, or the school calendar/schedule of events does not allow us to have lunchtime visitors

FCPS CARES

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team at Franklin Sherman? Share an FCPS CARES ! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu . Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration partyfrom HR. Celebrate our wonderful staff today!

Franklin Sherman Flash Archive and Translation Available On Our Website

6633 Brawner St. McLean, VA 22101   | Main Office:  703.506.7900

Attendance :  703-506-7979  |  Web | Facebook | Instagram

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page .

English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

We love seeing our students enjoying time to collaborate and problem solve! 

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Principal's Message

Dear Franklin Sherman ES Parents/Guardians,

Thank you to our incredible PTA and school community for the tremendous love and appreciation you showed our staff during Teacher Appreciation Week. From thoughtful notes and generous treats to decorations, meals, and kind words, our teachers and staff truly felt celebrated all week long. Your partnership and support mean so much, and we are deeply grateful for the care you show our school community every day.

We are heading into a big and exciting week at Franklin Sherman! Our students will be shining in so many ways as we begin SOL testing and prepare for our school play performances. One of the things that makes our school so special is the opportunity for students to demonstrate their talents both academically and artistically. We are looking forward to seeing our whole-picture students thrive in the classroom and on the stage this week.

As a reminder, Wednesday is a 3-hour early release day. This will be our final 3-hour early release of the school year.

Thank you again for your continued partnership and support. We are excited for a wonderful week ahead!

Sincerely,

Farris Thomas
Principal
Franklin Sherman ES

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Important Dates

May 12  Reading SOL

May 13  3 Hour Early Release

May 13  Kindergarten Orientation @ 1:45 - Rescheduled from April 22

May 14  Math SOL

May 14 - 15  School Musical

May 19  5th Grade Science SOL

May 25 - 27  Student Holidays

June 12  Field Day and Family Picnic

June 16  End of Year School Party

FCPS Calendar:  2025-26

Franklin Sherman Calendar

Tickets On Sale for Our School Musical

Tickets are on sale for this years school musical which will run May 14 and 15. Family and community members who wish to attend the musical will need to purchase a ticket to reserve their seat. Please bring the QR code you receive after purchasing your ticket in order to enter the cafeteria for the performances.

Purchase tickets for each day with these links.

May 14, 6 p.m.

May 15, 5 p.m.

Every adult and child will need a ticket to attend the performances.

Franklin Sherman's Annual Report

Franklin Sherman is preparing our second annual report for the staff and community. This is a place where we highlight our accomplishments from the year and shine light on our success. We are looking for two parents to share thoughts and reflections from the 25-26 school year. If you are interested, please email Principal Thomas at [email protected]

Family Liaison Position

Dr. Reid has approved for Franklin Sherman to have a full time family liaison for the 26-27 school year. This is a full time job with benefits! We are looking for a welcoming, passionate, tech savy individual who can help us continue to spread joy. Please email Principal Thomas if you are interested at [email protected]

Summer Camp Opportunities for FSES Students!!!

We’re excited to share that Franklin Sherman will host Chesterbrook PTA’s Summer Quest Campin our building this summer as they undergo renovation work! This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to enjoy engaging activities, connect with friends, and stay active right here at FSES.

Registration information and details can be found here: Summer Quest Camp Sign Up at Franklin Sherman

Be sure to sign up early, as spots fill quickly!

Summer Access to Learning Software

Students will have access to learning tools such as Benchmark Universe and ST Math through their school logon. To facilitate access, families can request to check out a school laptop for student academic use during the summer. If your family would like to reserve a device please submit the form linked below.

Laptop Reservation Form for Summer Learning

FCPS News FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week , the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• FCPS Caters to Food Allergies
• Immunizations Needed Before 7th and 12th Grade
• Thank you Teachers and Staff! 

Read FCPS This Week  to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today . 

PTA News Franklin Sherman Family Impact Campaign

Dear Franklin Sherman Families,

We all want the very best for our kids and our school.

As you heard at the Principal’s Coffees this week, our administration is working hard to preserve critical staffing and student support resources that are not fully funded this year or next. As a community, we have an opportunity to help.

Click here for FSES Family Impact Campaign

The PTA spring fundraiser is focused on just that. The impact campaign helps you see exactly what you’re helping provide. Covering supplies helps free up school funds for staffing and educational materials, and purchasing everyday supplies like paper and notebooks support hands-on learning (and time away from devices!). 

If each family contributes $35 per child, we can fully meet our needs.

Thank you for being part of a community that shows up for our students and our school.

A huge thank you to the incredible first 5 families who contributed - the Parsons family, the Gutierrez family, the Baeder family, the Dreyfuss family and the Steger family!

News from Longfellow MS

Jump Start: Save the Date

Help your student prepare for the upcoming school year with our Jump Start Program. This optional, non-academic program is specifically designed to support a smooth transition. Students will have the chance to meet school staff, connect with new peers, explore the school layout, and learn about key policies before the first day of school. Along with informational sessions, participants will enjoy fun community-building activities.

Program Schedule

We are offering two identical sessions to choose from:

• Session A:August 11th from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• Session B:August 12th from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Important Details

• Location:Longfellow Middle School
• Registration:Opens on April 30th
• Cost:$30.00 per student
• Transportation:Please note that transportation is not providedfor this event. Parents and guardians are responsible for the drop-off and pick-up of their students.

Reminders Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. 

Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, in the spring. Eligible children can be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps schools prepare and ensure they have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school. 

If your child will attend our school, please gather necessary documents and complete registration forms as soon as possible. 

FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, please visit the FCPS Registration webpage .

  Students Not Returning

Please fill out this  student intentions form  for each child who  WILL NOT attend Franklin Sherman. The parents/care givers of current 6th grade students should fill out the form if their child will not attend Cooper/Longfellow nest year.

Lunch with a Panda

We are thrilled to invite you to "Lunch with a Panda."

Submit this Reservation Form to let us know about your visit.

Important Details:

• This form creates a reservation for  1 parent at a time (if both parents wish to visit for lunch the form must be submitted twice)
• There are at most  3 reservations available per grade per day
• Reservations will only become available 1 week in advance
• If a date does not appear in the list of choices it is either because there are no more reservations available for that day, or the school calendar/schedule of events does not allow us to have lunchtime visitors

FCPS CARES

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team at Franklin Sherman? Share an FCPS CARES ! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu . Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration partyfrom HR. Celebrate our wonderful staff today!

Franklin Sherman Flash Archive and Translation Available On Our Website

6633 Brawner St. McLean, VA 22101   | Main Office:  703.506.7900

Attendance :  703-506-7979  |  Web | Facebook | Instagram

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page .

English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

1st Grade held their family academic showcase on Friday and had an amazing reading restaurant! Thank you to all of the families that came. 

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Principal's Message

Dear Franklin Sherman ES Parents/Guardians,

This week, we are proud to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week—a special time dedicated to recognizing the extraordinary educators and staff who make Franklin Sherman such a vibrant and caring place for our students to learn and grow.

Our teachers and staff go above and beyond every day, bringing passion, creativity, and commitment to their work. Whether they are in classrooms, supporting student services, or helping behind the scenes, each member of our team plays a vital role in shaping a positive and enriching school experience.

We invite you to join us in celebrating and showing your appreciation in a couple of meaningful ways:

• Share a note of gratitude:Families and students are encouraged to submit messages of appreciation through our Google Form. Your words of thanks truly mean a great deal to our staff.
  Submit a Note to a Staff Member for Teacher Appreciation Week
• Support through the PTA registry:If you are looking for another way to show your appreciation, the PTA has created a registry with items that support and uplift our staff. Contributions of any kind are deeply appreciated.
  PTA Franklin-Sherman-Family-Impact

Together, let’s make this a week filled with gratitude, recognition, and celebration for the incredible people who make Franklin Sherman such a special place.

Thank you for your continued support of our school community.

Sincerely,

Farris Thomas
Principal
Franklin Sherman ES

Follow us on Instagram

Final PTA Meeting 5/6 @ Noon ZOOM

Please join us for the final PTA meeting on Zoom this Wednesday. If you missed Principal's Thomas parent coffess last week, please join as she will share some updates for the upper grades for next year and review feedback from the winter parent coffees. 

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83257326015?pwd=7T0zdIHwvbFy95iGWtbccPF5AvGEEr.1

Meeting ID: 832 5732 6015

Passcode: fses

Important Dates

May 6  Final PTA Meeting of SY 25-26 @ Noon- ZOOM

May 7  Band, Chorus, and Strings Concert at 6:00 p.m.

May 12  Reading SOL

May 13  Kindergarten Orientation - Rescheduled from April 22

May 14  Math SOL

May 14 - 15  School Musical

May 19  5th Grade Science SOL

May 25 - 27  Student Holidays

June 12  Field Day and Family Picnic

June 16  End of Year School Party

FCPS Calendar:  2025-26

Franklin Sherman Calendar

Tickets On Sale for Our School Musical

Tickets are on sale for this years school musical which will run May 14 and 15. Family and community members who wish to attend the musical will need to purchase a ticket to reserve their seat. Please bring the QR code you receive after purchasing your ticket in order to enter the cafeteria for the performances.

Purchase tickets for each day with these links.

May 14, 6 p.m.

May 15, 5 p.m.

Every adult and child will need a ticket to attend the performances.

Summer Camp Opportunities for FSES Students!!!

We’re excited to share that Franklin Sherman will host Chesterbrook PTA’s Summer Quest Campin our building this summer as they undergo renovation work! This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to enjoy engaging activities, connect with friends, and stay active right here at FSES.

Registration information and details can be found here: Summer Quest Camp Sign Up at Franklin Sherman

Be sure to sign up early, as spots fill quickly!

Thank You from the Book Fair

Another great book fair has just ended!!! Thank you so much to all the parents who came to help. Because of you, all went well, without a single hitch. 

Even as our on-site Book Fair is closed, the virtual Book Fair is ongoing until June. Here is the link: Online Book Fair .  You can continue to buy books there for your kids. While there visit the teachers’ wish lists to donate to their classroom libraries.  All proceeds for these purchases go to our school as well. 

For any questions or concerns, please contact Rosalie Essimi at [email protected] .

FCPS News FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week , the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• Summer Learning
• Mental Health Resources
• Thank You, Bus Drivers and Food Service Workers

Read FCPS This Week  to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today . 

PTA News Franklin Sherman Family Impact Campaign

Dear Franklin Sherman Families,

We all want the very best for our kids and our school.

As you heard at the Principal’s Coffees this week, our administration is working hard to preserve critical staffing and student support resources that are not fully funded this year or next. As a community, we have an opportunity to help.

Click here for FSES Family Impact Campaign

The PTA spring fundraiser is focused on just that. The impact campaign helps you see exactly what you’re helping provide. Covering supplies helps free up school funds for staffing and educational materials, and purchasing everyday supplies like paper and notebooks support hands-on learning (and time away from devices!). 

If each family contributes $35 per child, we can fully meet our needs.

Thank you for being part of a community that shows up for our students and our school.

A huge thank you to the incredible first 5 families who contributed - the Parsons family, the Gutierrez family, the Baeder family, the Dreyfuss family and the Steger family!

PTA Meeting Wednesday, May 6 at 12 p.m. Virtual

Come to vote on the Slate, hear about upcoming PTA events, and hear Principal Thomas talk about changes coming next year for grades 4-6. If you have a child in grade 3 or up, you won't want to miss it. We promise to keep it under 30 minutes, so you can join during your lunch break.

We’ll be:

• Hearing from Principal Thomas on upper grade changes
• Voting on next year’s Board
• Sharing updates on end-of-year events

We hope you can join us!

Final PTA Meeting Zoom Link

Meeting ID: 832 5732 6015

Passcode: fses

News from Longfellow MS Join Us for Trivia Night!

The Longfellow After-School Programis excited to host an evening of fun, facts, and friendly competition! We invite all students, teachers, and parents to join us for this special event.

Event Details

• Date:May 1st
• Time:6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. 
• Location:Lecture Hall
• Cost:$20 per team
• Team Size:Maximum of 4 people per team

Why Attend?

• Win Big:Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place!
• Great Food:Pizza, drinks, and snacks will be available for purchase
• Support a Cause:All proceeds benefit the Longfellow After-School Program.

How to Participate

You can sign up your team using the following link: https://forms.gle/E44g3uEvPJYEmm72A

Payment will be collected at the door.

Questions?Please contact Bindhu Zachariahat [email protected] .

Jump Start: Save the Date

Help your student prepare for the upcoming school year with our Jump Start Program. This optional, non-academic program is specifically designed to support a smooth transition. Students will have the chance to meet school staff, connect with new peers, explore the school layout, and learn about key policies before the first day of school. Along with informational sessions, participants will enjoy fun community-building activities.

Program Schedule

We are offering two identical sessions to choose from:

• Session A:August 11th from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• Session B:August 12th from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Important Details

• Location:Longfellow Middle School
• Registration:Opens on April 30th
• Cost:$30.00 per student
• Transportation:Please note that transportation is not providedfor this event. Parents and guardians are responsible for the drop-off and pick-up of their students.

Reminders Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. 

Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, in the spring. Eligible children can be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps schools prepare and ensure they have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school. 

If your child will attend our school, please gather necessary documents and complete registration forms as soon as possible. 

FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, please visit the FCPS Registration webpage .

  Students Not Returning

Please fill out this  student intentions form  for each child who  WILL NOT attend Franklin Sherman. The parents/care givers of current 6th grade students should fill out the form if their child will not attend Cooper/Longfellow nest year.

Lunch with a Panda

We are thrilled to invite you to "Lunch with a Panda."

Submit this Reservation Form to let us know about your visit.

Important Details:

• This form creates a reservation for  1 parent at a time (if both parents wish to visit for lunch the form must be submitted twice)
• There are at most  3 reservations available per grade per day
• Reservations will only become available 1 week in advance
• If a date does not appear in the list of choices it is either because there are no more reservations available for that day, or the school calendar/schedule of events does not allow us to have lunchtime visitors

FCPS CARES

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team at Franklin Sherman? Share an FCPS CARES ! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu . Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration partyfrom HR. Celebrate our wonderful staff today!

Franklin Sherman Flash Archive and Translation Available On Our Website

6633 Brawner St. McLean, VA 22101   | Main Office:  703.506.7900

Attendance :  703-506-7979  |  Web | Facebook | Instagram

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page .

English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

­

Principal's Message

Dear Franklin Sherman ES Parents/Guardians,

Congratulations to our very first Science Olympiad Team! They won and placed in 10 out of the 16 events they competed in and in 2 of the events both of our teams placed - with a total of 12 placements! Among those are several 3rd place rankings and one 2nd place.

Congratulations Franklin Sherman Science Olympiads!!

As we move into the final stretch of the school year, I find myself reflecting on the incredible growth our students have shown. One of the highlights of my role is connecting with all of you, and I am very much looking forward to hosting our upcoming Parent Coffeesessions this week.

These meetings are a vital space for us to look back at where we’ve been and collaborate on where we’re going. Here are the details for our gatherings:

Schedule & Attendance

• Wednesday:Grades K–3
• Thursday:Grades 4–6

A Note for Multi-Grade Families:If you have students in both grade levels, please feel free to choose whichever session best fits your schedule—there is no need to attend both!

Agenda Highlights

During our time together, I will be providing updates on several key areas:

• Panda Priorities:We will review the accomplishments of sense of belonging, family engagement, and personalized instruction. 
• Fall Feedback Review:A look at the input gathered during our fall parent meetings and the progress we’ve made.
• Current Staffing:An update on our amazing team and current classroom support.
• Vision for 2026-2027:A first look at our goals and ideas for the upcoming academic year.

I am also pleased to announce that Katie Sear, our PTA President, will be joining us. Katie will share meaningful ways you can stay engaged with the school community and how you can help us prepare for a successful 2026-27 school year.

Timing & Community Building

We want to ensure there is plenty of time for both formal updates and informal connection.

• 9:00 AM:Doors Open
• 9:00 – 9:30 AM:Community Connection. We ask that you use this first half-hour to introduce yourself to someone new. Strengthening our parent network is what makes our school a true community!
• 9:30 AM:Presentation and formal discussion begins.

I can’t wait to see you there, catch up over coffee, and hear your thoughts as we plan for the future. Thank you for your continued partnership and support of our students.

Sincerely,

Farris Thomas
Principal
Franklin Sherman ES

Follow us on Instagram

Important Dates

April 28  Spring Picture Day

April 29  Principal's Coffee K-3

April 30  Principal's Coffee 4-6

April 30  5th Grade Field Trip

May 1  3rd Grade Field Trip

May 1  6th Grade Field Trip

May 7  Band, Chorus, and Strings Concert at 6:00 p.m.

May 12  Reading SOL

May 13  Kindergarten Orientation - Rescheduled from April 22

May 14  Math SOL

May 14 - 15  School Musical

May 19  5th Grade Science SOL

May 25 - 27  Student Holidays

FCPS Calendar:  2025-26

Franklin Sherman Calendar

Tickets On Sale for Our School Musical

Tickets are on sale for this years school musical which will run May 14 and 15. Family and community members who wish to attend the musical will need to purchase a ticket to reserve their seat. Please bring the QR code you receive after purchasing your ticket in order to enter the cafeteria for the performances.

Purchase tickets for each day with these links.

May 14, 6 p.m.

May 15, 5 p.m.

Every adult and child will need a ticket to attend the performances.

Summer Camp Opportunities for FSES Students!!!

We’re excited to share that Franklin Sherman will host Chesterbrook PTA’s Summer Quest Campin our building this summer as they undergo renovation work! This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to enjoy engaging activities, connect with friends, and stay active right here at FSES.

Registration information and details can be found here: Summer Quest Camp Sign Up at Franklin Sherman

Be sure to sign up early, as spots fill quickly!

FCPS News FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week , the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• Student Awards and Recognitions
• Military Child of the Year Finalist
• Required Immunizations Reminder

Read FCPS This Week  to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today . 

PTA News Raffle Winners Announced Tomorrow! 

Winners from our 3rd raffle of the year will be announced tomorrow. Students will hear about the winners during our morning Panda News Network broadcast, and the parents of the winners will receive and email from the PTA.

News from Longfellow MS Community Open House and Math Pathways Discussion

We are hosting a community night and open house for our rising 7th grade families on April 30thfrom 5:30-7:00 p.m. We will be discussing math courses/pathways, doing school tours, having a PTA table/area, and having some food trucks.

Pizza & Shaved Ice | Welcome Rising 7th Grade Families
Longfellow Middle School
2000 Westmoreland St, Falls Church, VA 22043

Math Pathways Presentation + Q&A
Open building + Student ambassador tours
Meet Principal, PTA, & families
Meet classmates

SHAVED ICE AVAILABLE ON SITE
Pre-Order Pizza & Drinks (by Friday, 4/24):
Cheese $8 | 1-Topping $9 (pepperoni/sausage)
Soda cans $1 | 2-liters $3.25
Order Here

Hosted by the Longfellow Faculty & Staff + Longfellow PTA

Reminders Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. 

Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, in the spring. Eligible children can be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps schools prepare and ensure they have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school. 

If your child will attend our school, please gather necessary documents and complete registration forms as soon as possible. 

FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, please visit the FCPS Registration webpage .

  Students Not Returning

Please fill out this  student intentions form  for each child who  WILL NOT attend Franklin Sherman. The parents/care givers of current 6th grade students should fill out the form if their child will not attend Cooper/Longfellow nest year.

Lunch with a Panda

We are thrilled to invite you to "Lunch with a Panda."

Submit this Reservation Form to let us know about your visit.

Important Details:

• This form creates a reservation for  1 parent at a time (if both parents wish to visit for lunch the form must be submitted twice)
• There are at most  3 reservations available per grade per day
• Reservations will only become available 1 week in advance
• If a date does not appear in the list of choices it is either because there are no more reservations available for that day, or the school calendar/schedule of events does not allow us to have lunchtime visitors

FCPS CARES

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team at Franklin Sherman? Share an FCPS CARES ! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu . Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration partyfrom HR. Celebrate our wonderful staff today!

Franklin Sherman Flash Archive and Translation Available On Our Website

6633 Brawner St. McLean, VA 22101   | Main Office:  703.506.7900

Attendance :  703-506-7979  |  Web | Facebook | Instagram

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page .

English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

­

Principal's Message

Dear Franklin Sherman ES Parents/Guardians,

Happy Monday! Just a reminder that we do not have school tomorrow for the special election. 

Thank you to the PTA for another fantastic family engagement opportunity on Friday!! Bingo was a huge hit!

Please join me for a spring Principal’s Coffee on Wednesday, April 29 at 9 am (for grades K-3) or Thursday, April 30 at 9 am (for grades 4-6). I will be sharing how we are doing on our Panda Priorities: Family Engagement, Sense of Belonging, and Personalized Instruction; discuss goals for next year; and discuss staffing and budgeting for the 26-27 school year.

Sincerely,

Farris Thomas
Principal
Franklin Sherman ES

Follow us on Instagram

Important Dates

April 20 - 24  Book Fair

April 20 - 24  Earth Week Spirit Week and Door Decoration Contest

April 21  Student Holiday

April 22  3 Hour Early Release - Cancelled this will be a full day

April 28  Spring Picture Day

April 29  Principal's Coffee K-3

April 30  Principal's Coffee 4-6

May 7  Band, Chorus, and Strings Concert at 6:00 p.m.

May 12  Reading SOL

May 13  Kindergarten Orientation - Rescheduled from April 22

May 14  Math SOL

May 14 - 15  School Musical

May 19  5th Grade Science SOL

May 25 - 27  Student Holidays

FCPS Calendar:  2025-26

Franklin Sherman Calendar

Last Chance to Buy Tickets for the PTA Raffle

The latest PTA Raffle is wrapping up. There are 6 chances to win incredible, one-of-a-kind prizes tied to the school play. Prizes include:

Front Row Seats (2 winners!)→ 4 front row tickets to the school play

Panda News Spotlight→ Be an anchor on Panda News and share updates with the student body

Play Announcer & Flower Presenter→ Help kick off the show as the announcer and celebrate the cast at curtain call

Backstage Access & Cast Photo→ Go behind the scenes and meet the cast (Note: winner will not be part of the play ensemble)

Special Surprise Prize→ A mystery experience to wrap up the school year in style

Get Tickets for the Raffle Here

Tickets are just $1 each (even less with bulk pricing!), and every ticket is a chance to win! Don't miss your chance for your student to win. Get a ticket today!

Earth Week Spirit Week

April 20–24

Join us celebrating Earth Day by dressing up each day to show how we can take care of our planet!

WEAR THESE PRINTS AND/OR COLORS EACH DAY!

MONDAY– WILDLIFE DAY - Día de la Vida Silvestre

Wear ANIMAL PRINT to celebrate wildlife and nature’s creatures!

TUESDAY– NO SCHOOL! VOTING DAY

WEDNESDAY– EARTH DAY - Día del Planeta

Wear GREEN & BLUE to show your love for our Earth!

THURSDAY– CLIMATE CHANGE DAY - Día del Conservación

Wear OUT OF THIS WORLD galaxy/space colors to show your concern!

FRIDAY– WATERSHED DAY - Día del Agua Limpia

Wear SHADES OF BLUE - to celebrate clean water and protect our rivers, lakes, and oceans!

Students who win the Door Decoration Contest, top three classes, will enjoy popsicles in the garden with Ms. Eaton! Enjoy celebrating Earth Week.

THURSDAY– CLIMATE CHANGE DAY - Día del Conservación

Wear OUT OF THIS WORLD galaxy/space colors to show your concern!

FRIDAY– WATERSHED DAY - Día del Agua Limpia

Wear SHADES OF BLUE - to celebrate clean water and protect our rivers, lakes, and oceans!

Tickets On Sale for Our School Musical

Tickets are on sale for this years school musical which will run May 14 and 15. Family and community members who wish to attend the musical will need to purchase a ticket to reserve their seat. Please bring the QR code you receive after purchasing your ticket in order to enter the cafeteria for the performances.

Purchase tickets for each day with these links.

May 14, 6 p.m.

May 15, 5 p.m.

Every adult and child will need a ticket to attend the performances.

The Book Fair is Open

Just a friendly reminder that our Book Fair, in collaboration with Bookworm Central, is now open until Friday this week!

The students can come with their class or individually to buy the books. We will stay open until 6:00PM on Thursday for family night!

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to Set Up an eWallet for your child for a cash-free and secure buying experience.

Your support is crucial. Please Sign Up Here to Volunteer .

Let's nurture our children's love of reading together!

See you at the Book Fair!

­

Summer Camp Opportunities for FSES Students!!!

We’re excited to share that Franklin Sherman will host Chesterbrook PTA’s Summer Quest Campin our building this summer as they undergo renovation work! This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to enjoy engaging activities, connect with friends, and stay active right here at FSES.

Registration information and details can be found here: Summer Quest Camp Sign Up at Franklin Sherman

Be sure to sign up early, as spots fill quickly!

FCPS News Community Conversations: Share Your Thoughts With Dr. Reid

Community Conversations are opportunities for you to share your thoughts and ask questions of Superintendent Reid. Events will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (unless otherwise noted) on: 

• Monday, April 20, Westgate ES
• Wednesday, April 22, at Crestwood ES

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week , the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• Support Military Children
• National Merit Finalists
• School Board to Present Budget to Board of Supervisors

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today . 

PTA News Bingo Night is FRIDAY!

Join us for a super fun, family friendly event this Friday from 6-8 p.m.Sign up to purchase pizza and bingo cards in advance!

PREORDER PIZZA HERE by Thursday at NOON!.

Pizza will only be available for pre-order – deadline to order pizza is this Thursday at noon.

No pizza will be sold onsite, only preorder, but candy and drink concessions will be available.

Get Ready! It's Raffle Time!

Our newest raffle is here, and we have 6 chances to win incredible, one-of-a-kind prizes tied to the school play. Prizes include:

Front Row Seats (2 winners!)→ 4 front row tickets to the school play

Panda News Spotlight→ Be an anchor on Panda News and share updates with the student body

Play Announcer & Flower Presenter→ Help kick off the show as the announcer and celebrate the cast at curtain call

Backstage Access & Cast Photo→ Go behind the scenes and meet the cast (Note: winner will not be part of the play ensemble)

Special Surprise Prize→ A mystery experience to wrap up the school year in style

Get Tickets HERE

Tickets are just $1 each (even less with bulk pricing!), and every ticket is a chance to win! Don't miss your chance for your student to win. Get a ticket today!

News from Longfellow MS Invitation to Beauty and the Beast Jr.

Theatre 4 Kids Foundation has partnered with Longfellow Middle School to provide an exciting opportunity for elementary students interested in the performing arts!

We are offering an unlimted amount of free tickets (as supplies last) per show to Longfellow's performance of Beauty and the Beast Jr. on April 23, 24, 25, @ 7 pm April 25 @ 1 p.m.

Not only is this a great way for the students to get more acquainted with their future school, but it is also a perfect introduction to their theatre program, inspiring students to take a theatre class or be a part of productions in their future school years.

This offer is sponsored by the non-profit organization, Theatre 4 Kids Foundation, run by FCPS high school students with a mission to inspire the next generation of performers, artists, and technicians by providing unforgettable performing arts experiences for students and their families.

More information can be found at our website: theatre4kids.org, or email us at [email protected] !

Complete this Google Form to get Free Tickets

COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE & MATH PATHWAYS NIGHT

We are hosting a community night and open house for our rising 7th grade families on April 30thfrom 5:30-7:00 p.m. We will be discussing math courses/pathways, doing school tours, having a PTA table/area, and having some food trucks.

Pizza & Shaved Ice | Welcome Rising 7th Grade Families
Longfellow Middle School
2000 Westmoreland St, Falls Church, VA 22043

Math Pathways Presentation + Q&A
Open building + Student ambassador tours
Meet Principal, PTA, & families
Meet classmates

SHAVED ICE AVAILABLE ON SITE
Pre-Order Pizza & Drinks (by Friday, 4/24):
Cheese $8 | 1-Topping $9 (pepperoni/sausage)
Soda cans $1 | 2-liters $3.25
Order Here

Hosted by the Longfellow Faculty & Staff + Longfellow PTA

Reminders Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. 

Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, in the spring. Eligible children can be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps schools prepare and ensure they have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school. 

If your child will attend our school, please gather necessary documents and complete registration forms as soon as possible. 

FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, please visit the FCPS Registration webpage .

  Students Not Returning

Please fill out this  student intentions form  for each child who  WILL NOT attend Franklin Sherman. The parents/care givers of current 6th grade students should fill out the form if their child will not attend Cooper/Longfellow nest year.

Lunch with a Panda

We are thrilled to invite you to "Lunch with a Panda."

Submit this Reservation Form to let us know about your visit.

Important Details:

• This form creates a reservation for  1 parent at a time (if both parents wish to visit for lunch the form must be submitted twice)
• There are at most  3 reservations available per grade per day
• Reservations will only become available 1 week in advance
• If a date does not appear in the list of choices it is either because there are no more reservations available for that day, or the school calendar/schedule of events does not allow us to have lunchtime visitors

FCPS CARES

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team at Franklin Sherman? Share an FCPS CARES ! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu . Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration partyfrom HR. Celebrate our wonderful staff today!

Franklin Sherman Flash Archive and Translation Available On Our Website

6633 Brawner St. McLean, VA 22101   | Main Office:  703.506.7900

Attendance :  703-506-7979  |  Web | Facebook | Instagram

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page .

English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

­

Principal's Message

Dear Franklin Sherman ES Parents/Guardians,

Special Shout Out!

We are proud to celebrate an incredible team recognized by the FCPS Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities (ACSD) with a First Class Award for Excellence in Special Education —honoring those who create inclusive programs that improve outcomes for all students.

Congratulations to our award-winning staff members: Emily Clausen, Lynda Singletary, Savannah Simmons, Carol Clark, Evelyn Pahis-Mastakas, Sarah Mantel, Marie Fletcher, Anna Elston, Sophia Chavez, Sara Eichmeier, Whitney Graves, Romona Wright, Robyn Carter, Katy Allen, and Rebecca Kaufman!

We’re lucky to have such dedicated educators in our community.

Sincerely,

Farris Thomas
Principal
Franklin Sherman ES

Follow us on Instagram

Important Dates

April 6  Student Holiday

April 10  Student Holiday

April 15  Purple Up!

April 17  Family Bingo Night

April 20 - 24  Book Fair

April 20 - 24  Earth Week Spirit Week and Door Decoration Contest

April 22  3 Hour Early Release - Cancelled this will be a full day

May 12  Reading SOL

May 13  Kindergarten Orientation - Rescheduled from April 22

May 14  Math SOL

May 14 - 15  School Musical

May 19  5th Grade Science SOL

FCPS Calendar:  2025-26

Franklin Sherman Calendar

Principal Thomas' Survey

On Monday, April 6, you will receive an email with a link to the FCPS Principal Evaluation Parent/Guardian Feedback Form. This questionnaire is part of the Performance Evaluation Program and provides an opportunity for you to share anonymous feedback on key aspects of our school, including:

• Instructional leadership
• School climate
• Management (human resources and organizational)
• Communication and community relations
• Culturally responsive and equitable leadership
• Professionalism

The questionnaire will be open April 6 - April 19 and will be collected online. When you receive the email from [email protected] , please take a few minutes to complete it. Your feedback is important and helps shape the future of our school. Thank you for your time and participation. 

Please note this survey goes to the region and I highly encourage you to share your feedback. While you may have taken the Google survey in January, this feedback is used for the region to reflect on my principalship and how I am serving the community as a whole. 

Earth Week Spirit Week and Door Decoration Contest

April 20–24

Join us celebrating Earth Day by dressing up each day to show how we can take care of our planet!

WEAR THESE PRINTS AND/OR COLORS EACH DAY!

MONDAY– WILDLIFE DAY - Día de la Vida Silvestre

Wear ANIMAL PRINT to celebrate wildlife and nature’s creatures!

TUESDAY– NO SCHOOL! VOTING DAY

WEDNESDAY– EARTH DAY - Día del Planeta

Wear GREEN & BLUE to show your love for our Earth!

THURSDAY– CLIMATE CHANGE DAY - Día del Conservación

Wear OUT OF THIS WORLD galaxy/space colors to show your concern!

FRIDAY– WATERSHED DAY - Día del Agua Limpia

Wear SHADES OF BLUE - to celebrate clean water and protect our rivers, lakes, and oceans!

Students who win the Door Decoration Contest, top three classes, will enjoy popsicles in the garden with Ms. Eaton! Enjoy celebrating Earth Week.

THURSDAY– CLIMATE CHANGE DAY - Día del Conservación

Wear OUT OF THIS WORLD galaxy/space colors to show your concern!

FRIDAY– WATERSHED DAY - Día del Agua Limpia

Wear SHADES OF BLUE - to celebrate clean water and protect our rivers, lakes, and oceans!

Students who win the Door Decoration Contest, top three classes, will enjoy popsicles in the garden with Ms. Eaton! Enjoy celebrating Earth Week.

­

Tickets On Sale for Our School Musical

Tickets are on sale for this years school musical which will run May 14 and 15. Family and community members who wish to attend the musical will need to purchase a ticket to reserve their seat. Please bring the QR code you receive after purchasing your ticket in order to enter the cafeteria for the performances.

Purchase tickets for each day with these links.

May 14, 6 p.m.

May 15, 5 p.m.

Every adult and child will need a ticket to attend the performances.

Our Book Fair Starts in a Few Days

Just a friendly reminder that our book fair is just around the corner!

This is a not-to-be-missed event for our young readers. The Book Fair is a wonderful opportunity for students to discover new books and authors, encouraging them to continue their journey as lifelong readers.

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to set up an eWallet for your child for a cash-free and secure buying experience. Simply visit our Book Fair homepage: eWallet Setup

Your support is crucial in making this event a success and in helping our school acquire more resources. Let's nurture our children's love of reading together!

Date: April 20-24

Tuesday– Open all day (school is closed for statewide elections)

Thursday– open until 6:00PM- Family night –

Parent Volunteers Sign up

eWallet Set Up

See you at the Book Fair!

Summer Camp Opportunities for FSES Students!!!

We’re excited to share that Franklin Sherman will host Chesterbrook PTA’s Summer Quest Campin our building this summer as they undergo renovation work! This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to enjoy engaging activities, connect with friends, and stay active right here at FSES.

Registration information and details can be found here: Summer Quest Camp Sign Up at Franklin Sherman

Be sure to sign up early, as spots fill quickly!

Yearbook Sales are Closing

Here is the link to order. If it doesn’t go straight to Franklin Sherman Elementary in McLean, our code is 732577.

https://www.buytheyearbook.com/en/yearbook

Cost of Yearbooks are $21.50 and to personalize is an extra $5.00.

Deadline to order is Friday, April 17 . Please make sure to go online and reserve yours today!

2026 Special Education Family Conference April 18 at Marshall High School

Dr. Shelley Moore  will facilitate our keynote address titled  The Evolution of Inclusion . In this session, we will look at how the goals of inclusion have continued to shift and evolve, as we learn more about diversity and identity. Participants will reflect on their own contexts and consider next steps for advocacy and action.

Visit the  FCPS 2026 Special Education Family Conference  webpage to review the list of breakout session offerings and the vendor hall list.

Confirm your attendance for this year’s conference by completing the  2026 Special Education Family Conference Registration Form .

FCPS staff and families are also invited to serve as an event volunteers. Sign up to serve as a volunteer via the  2026 Special Education Family Conference Volunteer Interest Form  by  Thursday, March 19. We will need volunteers for a variety of needs. MyPDE credit will be awarded to staff volunteers and staff attendees. Volunteer hours will also be awarded to student volunteers.

FCPS News Community Conversations: Share Your Thoughts With Dr. Reid

Community Conversations are opportunities for you to share your thoughts and ask questions of Superintendent Reid. Events will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (unless otherwise noted) on: 

• Monday, April 20, Westgate ES
• Wednesday, April 22, at Crestwood ES

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week , the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• Support Military Children
• National Merit Finalists
• School Board to Present Budget to Board of Supervisors

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today . 

PTA News Bingo Night is FRIDAY!

Join us for a super fun, family friendly event this Friday from 6-8 p.m.Sign up to purchase pizza and bingo cards in advance!

PREORDER PIZZA HERE by Thursday at NOON!.

Pizza will only be available for pre-order – deadline to order pizza is this Thursday at noon.

No pizza will be sold onsite, only preorder, but candy and drink concessions will be available.

Get Ready! It's Raffle Time!

Our newest raffle is here, and we have 6 chances to win incredible, one-of-a-kind prizes tied to the school play. Prizes include:

Front Row Seats (2 winners!)→ 4 front row tickets to the school play

Panda News Spotlight→ Be an anchor on Panda News and share updates with the student body

Play Announcer & Flower Presenter→ Help kick off the show as the announcer and celebrate the cast at curtain call

Backstage Access & Cast Photo→ Go behind the scenes and meet the cast (Note: winner will not be part of the play ensemble)

Special Surprise Prize→ A mystery experience to wrap up the school year in style

Get Tickets HERE

Tickets are just $1 each (even less with bulk pricing!), and every ticket is a chance to win! Don't miss your chance for your student to win. Get a ticket today!

Reminders Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. 

Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, in the spring. Eligible children can be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps schools prepare and ensure they have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school. 

If your child will attend our school, please gather necessary documents and complete registration forms as soon as possible. 

FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, please visit the FCPS Registration webpage .

  Students Not Returning

Please fill out this  student intentions form  for each child who  WILL NOT attend Franklin Sherman. The parents/care givers of current 6th grade students should fill out the form if their child will not attend Cooper/Longfellow nest year.

Lunch with a Panda

We are thrilled to invite you to "Lunch with a Panda."

Submit this Reservation Form to let us know about your visit.

Important Details:

• This form creates a reservation for  1 parent at a time (if both parents wish to visit for lunch the form must be submitted twice)
• There are at most  3 reservations available per grade per day
• Reservations will only become available 1 week in advance
• If a date does not appear in the list of choices it is either because there are no more reservations available for that day, or the school calendar/schedule of events does not allow us to have lunchtime visitors

FCPS CARES

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team at Franklin Sherman? Share an FCPS CARES ! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu . Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration partyfrom HR. Celebrate our wonderful staff today!

Franklin Sherman Flash Archive and Translation Available On Our Website

6633 Brawner St. McLean, VA 22101   | Main Office:  703.506.7900

Attendance :  703-506-7979  |  Web | Facebook | Instagram

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page .

English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

­

­

Principal's Message

Dear Franklin Sherman ES Parents/Guardians,

I hope everyone had a lovely spring break and enjoyed the sunshine! Towards the end of this month I will be holding two principal coffees:
April 29- Grades K-3 from 9am-10. 
April 30- Grades 4-6 from 9am-10.

At this principal coffee, I will be sharing how we are doing on our Panda Priorities: Family Engagement, Sense of Belonging, and Personalized Instruction. I will also discuss goals for next year along with our staffing and budget for the 26-27 school year. I will be joined by our PTA President, Katie Sear, who will share with you ways you can continue to help support Franklin Sherman.

Sincerely,

Farris Thomas
Principal
Franklin Sherman ES

Follow us on Instagram

Principal Thomas' Survey

On Monday, April 6, you will receive an email with a link to the FCPS Principal Evaluation Parent/Guardian Feedback Form. This questionnaire is part of the Performance Evaluation Program and provides an opportunity for you to share anonymous feedback on key aspects of our school, including:

• Instructional leadership
• School climate
• Management (human resources and organizational)
• Communication and community relations
• Culturally responsive and equitable leadership
• Professionalism

The questionnaire will be open April 6 - April 19 and will be collected online. When you receive the email from [email protected] , please take a few minutes to complete it. Your feedback is important and helps shape the future of our school. Thank you for your time and participation. 

Please note this survey goes to the region and I highly encourage you to share your feedback. While you may have taken the Google survey in January, this feedback is used for the region to reflect on my principalship and how I am serving the community as a whole. 

On Monday, April 6, you will receive an email with a link to the FCPS Principal Evaluation Parent/Guardian Feedback Form. This questionnaire is part of the Performance Evaluation Program and provides an opportunity for you to share anonymous feedback on key aspects of our school, including:

• Instructional leadership
• School climate
• Management (human resources and organizational)
• Communication and community relations
• Culturally responsive and equitable leadership
• Professionalism

The questionnaire will be open April 6 - April 19 and will be collected online. When you receive the email from [email protected] , please take a few minutes to complete it. Your feedback is important and helps shape the future of our school. Thank you for your time and participation. 

Please note this survey goes to the region and I highly encourage you to share your feedback. While you may have taken the Google survey in January, this feedback is used for the region to reflect on my principalship and how I am serving the community as a whole. 

Important Dates

April 6  Student Holiday

April 10  Student Holiday

April 15  Purple Up!

April 17  Family Bingo Night

April 20 - 24  Book Fair

April 20 - 24  Earth Week Spirit Week and Door Decoration Contest

April 22  3 Hour Early Release - Cancelled this will be a full day

May 12  Reading SOL

May 13  Kindergarten Orientation - Rescheduled from April 22

May 14  Math SOL

May 19  5th Grade Science SOL

FCPS Calendar:  2025-26

Franklin Sherman Calendar

Tickets On Sale for Our School Musical

Tickets are on sale for this years school musical which will run May 14 and 15. Family and community members who wish to attend the musical will need to purchase a ticket to reserve their seat. Please bring the QR code you receive after purchasing your ticket in order to enter the cafeteria for the performances.

Purchase tickets for each day with these links.

May 14, 6 p.m.

May 15, 5 p.m.

Every adult and child will need a ticket to attend the performances.

Get Ready for our Book Fair Date: April 20-24

Tuesday– Open all day (school is closed for statewide elections)

Thursday– Family Night: open until 6:00 p.m.

Parent Volunteers Sign up

For concerns or questions contact : Rosalie Essimi [email protected]

Summer Camp Opportunities for FSES Students!!!

We’re excited to share that Franklin Sherman will host Chesterbrook PTA’s Summer Quest Campin our building this summer as they undergo renovation work! This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to enjoy engaging activities, connect with friends, and stay active right here at FSES.

Registration information and details can be found here: Summer Quest Camp Sign Up at Franklin Sherman

Be sure to sign up early, as spots fill quickly!

Yearbook Sales Are Open!

Here is the link to order. If it doesn’t go straight to Franklin Sherman Elementary in McLean, our code is 732577.

https://www.buytheyearbook.com/en/yearbook

Cost of Yearbooks are $21.50 and to personalize is an extra $5.00.

Deadline to order is Friday, April 17 . Please make sure to go online and reserve yours today!

2026 Special Education Family Conference April 18 at Marshall High School

Dr. Shelley Moore  will facilitate our keynote address titled  The Evolution of Inclusion . In this session, we will look at how the goals of inclusion have continued to shift and evolve, as we learn more about diversity and identity. Participants will reflect on their own contexts and consider next steps for advocacy and action.

Visit the  FCPS 2026 Special Education Family Conference  webpage to review the list of breakout session offerings and the vendor hall list.

Confirm your attendance for this year’s conference by completing the  2026 Special Education Family Conference Registration Form .

FCPS staff and families are also invited to serve as an event volunteers. Sign up to serve as a volunteer via the  2026 Special Education Family Conference Volunteer Interest Form  by  Thursday, March 19. We will need volunteers for a variety of needs. MyPDE credit will be awarded to staff volunteers and staff attendees. Volunteer hours will also be awarded to student volunteers.

FCPS News Community Conversations: Share Your Thoughts With Dr. Reid

Community Conversations are opportunities for you to share your thoughts and ask questions of Superintendent Reid. Events will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (unless otherwise noted) on: 

• Monday, April 13, at Belle View ES
• Monday, April 20, Westgate ES
• Wednesday, April 22, at Crestwood ES

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week , the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• School Weather Safety
• Science Fair Winners
• Summer Internships at FCPS

Read FCPS This Week  to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today . 

PTA News After School Enrichment Programs for Spring

Sign up here - Chess on Wednesday 8:15–9:15 a.m. before school

Sign up here - Art Club grades K–4 Thursdays 4:05–5:05 p.m. after school

Sign up here - morning STEAM class, for grades 3-6

Reminders Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. 

Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, in the spring. Eligible children can be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps schools prepare and ensure they have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school. 

If your child will attend our school, please gather necessary documents and complete registration forms as soon as possible. 

FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, please visit the FCPS Registration webpage .

  Students Not Returning

Please fill out this  student intentions form  for each child who  WILL NOT attend Franklin Sherman. The parents/care givers of current 6th grade students should fill out the form if their child will not attend Cooper/Longfellow nest year.

Lunch with a Panda

We are thrilled to invite you to "Lunch with a Panda."

Submit this Reservation Form to let us know about your visit.

Important Details:

• This form creates a reservation for  1 parent at a time (if both parents wish to visit for lunch the form must be submitted twice)
• There are at most  3 reservations available per grade per day
• Reservations will only become available 1 week in advance
• If a date does not appear in the list of choices it is either because there are no more reservations available for that day, or the school calendar/schedule of events does not allow us to have lunchtime visitors

FCPS CARES

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team at Franklin Sherman? Share an FCPS CARES ! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu . Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration partyfrom HR. Celebrate our wonderful staff today!

Franklin Sherman Flash Archive and Translation Available On Our Website

6633 Brawner St. McLean, VA 22101   | Main Office:  703.506.7900

Attendance :  703-506-7979  |  Web | Facebook | Instagram

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page .

English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

Principal's Message

FCPS has cancelled the 3 hour early release that was scheduled for April 22. We will reschedule Our Kindergarten Orientation to Wednesday, May 13.

Just a reminder that this Friday (March 27)  is a two hour early release. 

Sincerely,

Farris Thomas
Principal
Franklin Sherman ES

Follow us on Instagram

Important Dates

March  Women's History Month

March 27  Q3 End and 2 Hour Early Release

March 30 - April 3  Spring Break

April 6  Student Holiday

April 10  Student Holiday

April 15  Purple Up!

April 17  Family Bingo Night

April 20 - 24  Book Fair

April 20 - 24  Earth Week Spirit Week and Door Decoration Contest

April 22  3 Hour Early Release - Cancelled this will be a full day

May 12  Reading SOL

May 13  Kindergarten Orientation - Rescheduled from April 22

May 14  Math SOL

May 19  5th Grade Science SOL

FCPS Calendar:  2025-26

Franklin Sherman Calendar

Reminders Lunch with a Panda

We are thrilled to invite you to "Lunch with a Panda."

Submit this Reservation Form to let us know about your visit.

Important Details:

• This form creates a reservation for  1 parent at a time (if both parents wish to visit for lunch the form must be submitted twice)
• There are at most  3 reservations available per grade per day
• Reservations will only become available 1 week in advance
• If a date does not appear in the list of choices it is either because there are no more reservations available for that day, or the school calendar/schedule of events does not allow us to have lunchtime visitors

Class Placement Survey

Deadline to Submit is Friday March 27

At this time of year we begin the essential task of determining class placements for the next school year. Many factors are taken into consideration and this is a complex but very important process. As parents, you can assist us in determining class placement by sharing your insights about your child with respect to academic and behavioral information.   Please note that we do not accept requests for specific teachers for the upcoming grade placement.

Completion of the form is optional; however, the deadline for any submission is Friday, March 27. The form will no longer accept responses after that date.   Any input you share will be shared with the grade level team. Please complete one form per child.

Submit the Class Placement Survey Today

Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. 

Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, in the spring. Eligible children can be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps schools prepare and ensure they have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school. 

If your child will attend our school, please gather necessary documents and complete registration forms as soon as possible. 

FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, please visit the FCPS Registration webpage .

  Students Not Returning

Please fill out this  student intentions form  for each child who  WILL NOT attend Franklin Sherman. The parents/care givers of current 6th grade students should fill out the form if their child will not attend Cooper/Longfellow nest year.

FCPS CARES

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team at Franklin Sherman? Share an FCPS CARES ! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu . Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration partyfrom HR. Celebrate our wonderful staff today!

Franklin Sherman Flash Archive and Translation Available On Our Website

6633 Brawner St. McLean, VA 22101   | Main Office:  703.506.7900

Attendance :  703-506-7979  |  Web | Facebook | Instagram

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page .

English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

­

­

Principal's Message

Dear Franklin Sherman ES Parents/Guardians,

I truly cannot believe we have reached the final week before Spring Break. This time of year always seems to accelerate, and it’s hard to believe how much our students and staff have accomplished already.

As we head into this last stretch, we are looking forward to a strong, focused week of learning and connection. The consistency of full school weeks ahead—and hopefully less tumultuous weather—will allow us to build and maintain momentum as we move toward the end of the school year.

Spring Break is just around the corner, and I hope it provides each of you with an opportunity to rest, recharge, and spend meaningful time with family and friends. Our students and staff have worked incredibly hard, and this break is well deserved.

We are excited to return from Spring Break ready to finish the school year strong together.

Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead and a relaxing Spring Break!

Sincerely,

Farris Thomas
Principal
Franklin Sherman ES

Follow us on Instagram

Important Dates

March  Women's History Month

March 27  Q3 End and 2 Hour Early Release

March 30 - April 3  Spring Break

April 6  Student Holiday

April 15  Purple Up!

April 17  Family Bingo Night

April 20 - 24  Book Fair

April 20 - 24  Earth Week Spirit Week and Door Decoration Contest

April 22  3 Hour Early Release

April 22  Kindergarten Orientation Event

May 12  Reading SOL

May 14  Math SOL

May 19  5th Grade Science SOL

FCPS Calendar:  2025-26

Franklin Sherman Calendar

Purple Up! April 15, 2026

In recognition of Month of the Military Child, Franklin Sherman will celebrate Purple Up! day. We are inviting military-connected parents and family members to participate in this special event by sharing their experiences.

Share you ideas about how you would like to participate .

The ideas presented in this form are intended to gauge interest and help guide our planning for the final event. If you are interested in participating, please complete the form so we can thoughtfully prepare for the day.

We look forward to celebrating and honoring our military-connected families together!!

Military Family Field Day April 18, 2026

Fairfax County Public Schools is excited to celebrate our military-connected children and families with a fun-filled Field Day! As we recognize April as the Month of the Military Child, we invite your school’s clubs, PTA, or office/organization to sponsor an activity for this event! You may also sign up to provide a food/beverage item for purchase as a fundraiser for your organization.

Military Family Field Day will be held on  Saturday, April 18, 2026, from noon to 2 p.m. at Annandale High School’s football stadium (4700 Medford Dr, Annandale, VA 22003). Set up for the event will begin at 11 a.m., with tear down immediately following the event.

The Green Scene

Spring Garden Clean Up!

We will meet Tuesdays after school. The first meeting/clean up will be Tomorrow, March 24 at 4:10 p.m.

Daffodils are starting to peak up in our garden! You know what that means? Its time to get back in the garden. We are looking for parent volunteers to help in our garden to prepare for the growing season. This may include weeding, watering, edging, mulching, general cleanup, planting, and maybe some painting on the tops of our stump seating.

To help, you don’t need to know anything about gardening. If you want to learn, we can teach you. It is a wonderful community to learn and grow in. Any students who come to help must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Parents/guardians must be registered as a Level 1 Volunteer.

Register and learn more about volunteering .

We are also ordering two more sheds that will need to be assembled. We will let you know when we are ready for that, and if you have tools, please bring them! We look forward to working with you in our wonderful garden! If you have questions please contact our Art Teacher, Ms. Eaton at [email protected] .

Get Ready for our Book Fair Date: April 20-24

Tuesday– Open all day (school is closed for statewide elections)

Thursday– Family Night: open until 6:00 p.m.

Parent Volunteers Sign up

For concerns or questions contact : Rosalie Essimi [email protected]

Summer Camp Opportunities for FSES Students!!!

We’re excited to share that Franklin Sherman will host Chesterbrook PTA’s Summer Quest Campin our building this summer as they undergo renovation work! This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to enjoy engaging activities, connect with friends, and stay active right here at FSES.

Registration information and details can be found here: Summer Quest Camp Sign Up at Franklin Sherman

Be sure to sign up early, as spots fill quickly!

Yearbook Sales Are Open!

Here is the link to order. If it doesn’t go straight to Franklin Sherman Elementary in McLean, our code is 732577.

https://www.buytheyearbook.com/en/yearbook

Cost of Yearbooks are $21.50 and to personalize is an extra $5.00.

Deadline to order is Friday, April 17 . Please make sure to go online and reserve yours today!

2026 Special Education Family Conference April 18 at Marshall High School

Dr. Shelley Moore  will facilitate our keynote address titled  The Evolution of Inclusion . In this session, we will look at how the goals of inclusion have continued to shift and evolve, as we learn more about diversity and identity. Participants will reflect on their own contexts and consider next steps for advocacy and action.

Visit the  FCPS 2026 Special Education Family Conference  webpage to review the list of breakout session offerings and the vendor hall list.

Confirm your attendance for this year’s conference by completing the  2026 Special Education Family Conference Registration Form .

FCPS staff and families are also invited to serve as an event volunteers. Sign up to serve as a volunteer via the  2026 Special Education Family Conference Volunteer Interest Form  by  Thursday, March 19. We will need volunteers for a variety of needs. MyPDE credit will be awarded to staff volunteers and staff attendees. Volunteer hours will also be awarded to student volunteers.

FCPS News Community Conversations: Share Your Thoughts With Dr. Reid

Community Conversations are opportunities for you to share your thoughts and ask questions of Superintendent Reid. Events will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (unless otherwise noted) on: 

• Monday, March 23, at Ravensworth ES
• Monday, April 13, at Belle View ES
• Monday, April 20, Westgate ES
• Wednesday, April 22, at Crestwood ES

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week , the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• Winter Sports Champions
• Parent Acknowledgement of Course Requests
• Last Chance to Take the Family Engagement Survey

Read FCPS This Week  to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today . 

PTA News After School Enrichment Programs for Spring

Sign up here - Chess on Wednesday 8:15–9:15 a.m. before school

Sign up here - Art Club grades K–4 Thursdays 4:05–5:05 p.m. after school

Sign up here - morning STEAM class, for grades 3-6

Reminders Class Placement Survey

Submit by March 27

At this time of year we begin the essential task of determining class placements for the next school year. Many factors are taken into consideration and this is a complex but very important process. As parents, you can assist us in determining class placement by sharing your insights about your child with respect to academic and behavioral information.   Please note that we do not accept requests for specific teachers for the upcoming grade placement.

Completion of the form is optional; however, the deadline for any submission is Friday, March 27. The form will no longer accept responses after that date.   Any input you share will be shared with the grade level team. Please complete one form per child.

Submit the Class Placement Survey Today

Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. 

Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, in the spring. Eligible children can be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps schools prepare and ensure they have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school. 

If your child will attend our school, please gather necessary documents and complete registration forms as soon as possible. 

FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, please visit the FCPS Registration webpage .

  Students Not Returning

Please fill out this  student intentions form  for each child who  WILL NOT attend Franklin Sherman. The parents/care givers of current 6th grade students should fill out the form if their child will not attend Cooper/Longfellow nest year.

Dulles Airport Youth Art Walk

Thirteen talented Franklin Sherman student artists have work on display in the Dulles International Airport Youth Art Walk sponsored by the Washington Metropolitan Airport Authority.

In conjunction with Fairfax County Public Schools and McLean Project for the Arts. Students at our school collaborated on a mixed media piece (watercolor, colored pencil, crayon, marker, Sharpie, cut paper on paper) last year in their third grade Art class. Two to three students worked together to create work that they thought would be motivating and inspirational for passengers walking by the exhibit at the main level of the main terminal right outside the TSA checkpoint. Several of these student works were exhibited in the McLean Project for the Arts Youth Art Walk around the grounds of the McLean Community Center this past fall. Four of our pieces were chosen, along with several other works from schools around the county. A reception was held last month at the airport.

If you happen to be flying in and out of Dulles this spring break, summer, or whenever, the exhibit will be up for the next year. We are so proud of our Panda artists!

Lunch with a Panda

We are thrilled to invite you to "Lunch with a Panda."

Submit this Reservation Form to let us know about your visit.

Important Details:

• This form creates a reservation for  1 parent at a time (if both parents wish to visit for lunch the form must be submitted twice)
• There are at most  3 reservations available per grade per day
• Reservations will only become available 1 week in advance
• If a date does not appear in the list of choices it is either because there are no more reservations available for that day, or the school calendar/schedule of events does not allow us to have lunchtime visitors

FCPS CARES

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team at Franklin Sherman? Share an FCPS CARES ! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu . Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration partyfrom HR. Celebrate our wonderful staff today!

Franklin Sherman Flash Archive and Translation Available On Our Website

6633 Brawner St. McLean, VA 22101   | Main Office:  703.506.7900

Attendance :  703-506-7979  |  Web | Facebook | Instagram

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page .

English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

­

­

Principal's Message

Dear Franklin Sherman ES Parents/Guardians,

I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to send a quick update about our schedule for this week, as it will be a non-routine week for students and staff.

• Wednesday:Early Release- childcare if you completed this option on the survey you receive.
• Friday:No School in observance of Eid

With the combination of early release days and the upcoming holiday, we know this week may require a bit of extra planning for families.

This winter has brought several schedule disruptions, and we appreciate your continued flexibility and support. Our students and staff have done an excellent job staying focused and making the most of their learning time despite the changes.

To all of our families who will be celebrating Eid, we wish you a joyful and meaningful holiday. 🌙

Thank you, as always, for your partnership and for supporting our school community.

Sincerely,

Farris Thomas
Principal
Franklin Sherman ES

Follow us on Instagram

Important Dates

March  Women's History Month

March 18  3 Hour Early Release Wednesday

March 20  Student Holiday

March 27  Q3 End and 2 Hour Early Release

March 30  April 3  Spring Break

April 6  Student Holiday

April 15  Purple Up!

April 20 - 24  Book Fair

FCPS Calendar:  2025-26

Franklin Sherman Calendar

Family Engagement Survey

Family Engagement Survey to Open March 9

FCPS is administering our Family Engagement Survey, which will be open from Monday, March 9, to Monday, March 23.Your feedback is critical in helping us to better recognize, understand, respect, and address family strengths and needs in our schools. 

Survey topics include:

• Welcoming environment
• Communication
• Student success
• Advocacy
• Family and school partnerships
• Community partnerships

The survey will be available in English, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Pashto, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese. 

Parents/caregivers will receive a survey link via email from FCPS on March 9. A survey link will also be posted on FCPS’ website. Paper surveys will be available at each school. 

Purple Up! April 15, 2026

In recognition of Month of the Military Child, Franklin Sherman will celebrate Purple Up! day. We are inviting military-connected parents and family members to participate in this special event by sharing their experiences.

Share you ideas about how you would like to participate .

The ideas presented in this form are intended to gauge interest and help guide our planning for the final event. If you are interested in participating, please complete the form so we can thoughtfully prepare for the day.

We look forward to celebrating and honoring our military-connected families together!!

Military Family Field Day April 18, 2026

Fairfax County Public Schools is excited to celebrate our military-connected children and families with a fun-filled Field Day! As we recognize April as the Month of the Military Child, we invite your school’s clubs, PTA, or office/organization to sponsor an activity for this event! You may also sign up to provide a food/beverage item for purchase as a fundraiser for your organization.

Military Family Field Day will be held on  Saturday, April 18, 2026, from noon to 2 p.m. at Annandale High School’s football stadium (4700 Medford Dr, Annandale, VA 22003). Set up for the event will begin at 11 a.m., with tear down immediately following the event.

The Green Scene

Spring Garden Clean Up!

CLEAN UP RESCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY MARCH 24 AT 4:10PM

We will meet Tuesdays after school. The first meeting/clean up will be Tuesday, March 24 at 4:10 p.m.

Daffodils are starting to peak up in our garden! You know what that means? Its time to get back in the garden. We are looking for parent volunteers to help in our garden to prepare for the growing season. This may include weeding, watering, edging, mulching, general cleanup, planting, and maybe some painting on the tops of our stump seating.

To help, you don’t need to know anything about gardening. If you want to learn, we can teach you. It is a wonderful community to learn and grow in. Any students who come to help must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Parents/guardians must be registered as a Level 1 Volunteer.

Register and learn more about volunteering .

We are also ordering two more sheds that will need to be assembled. We will let you know when we are ready for that, and if you have tools, please bring them! We look forward to working with you in our wonderful garden! If you have questions please contact our Art Teacher, Ms. Eaton at [email protected] .

Our book Fair is coming soon!

Our book fair will run on April 20 - 24.  We are excited to share this event with our students. They will be able to shop during the school hours, and we will stay open until 6:00PM on Thursday for family night. 

To help everything run smoothly, we are looking for parent volunteers to assist with restocking shelves, helping students make their lists and complete their purchases. Whether it’s 2 hours or twice as much, we are very appreciative of your participation. Here is the sign up genius , please enter your name in the slot that fits your schedule. 

We will send home information about accepted payment methods as we get closer to the date of the book fair. 

Thank you for supporting our students and helping make the book fair a success!

For FCPS requirements to be a volunteer, please visit this page .  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Rosalie Essimi at [email protected] .

Summer Camp Opportunities for FSES Students!!!

We’re excited to share that Franklin Sherman will host Chesterbrook PTA’s Summer Quest Campin our building this summer as they undergo renovation work! This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to enjoy engaging activities, connect with friends, and stay active right here at FSES.

Registration information and details can be found here: Summer Quest Camp Sign Up at Franklin Sherman

Be sure to sign up early, as spots fill quickly!

Yearbook Sales Are Open!

Here is the link to order. If it doesn’t go straight to Franklin Sherman Elementary in McLean, our code is 732577.

https://www.buytheyearbook.com/en/yearbook

Cost of Yearbooks are $21.50 and to personalize is an extra $5.00.

Deadline to order is Friday, April 17 . Please make sure to go online and reserve yours today!

FCPS News Community Conversations: Share Your Thoughts With Dr. Reid

Community Conversations are opportunities for you to share your thoughts and ask questions of Superintendent Reid. Events will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (unless otherwise noted) on: 

• Tuesday, March 17, from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m., at Glen Forest ES
• Monday, March 23, at Ravensworth ES
• Monday, April 13, at Belle View ES
• Monday, April 20, Westgate ES
• Wednesday, April 22, at Crestwood ES

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week , the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• Family Engagement Survey
• Student Honors
• No School on April 21

Read FCPS This Week  to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today .

PTA News After School Enrichment Programs for Spring

Sign up here - Chess on Wednesday 8:15–9:15 a.m. before school

Sign up here - Art Club grades K–4 Thursdays 4:05–5:05 p.m. after school

Sign up here - morning STEAM class, for grades 3-6

Reminders Class Placement Survey

Submit by March 27

At this time of year we begin the essential task of determining class placements for the next school year. Many factors are taken into consideration and this is a complex but very important process. As parents, you can assist us in determining class placement by sharing your insights about your child with respect to academic and behavioral information.   Please note that we do not accept requests for specific teachers for the upcoming grade placement.

Completion of the form is optional; however, the deadline for any submission is Friday, March 27. The form will no longer accept responses after that date.   Any input you share will be shared with the grade level team. Please complete one form per child.

Submit the Class Placement Survey Today

Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. 

Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, in the spring. Eligible children can be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps schools prepare and ensure they have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school. 

If your child will attend our school, please gather necessary documents and complete registration forms as soon as possible. 

FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, please visit the FCPS Registration webpage .

  Students Not Returning

Please fill out this  student intentions form  for each child who  WILL NOT attend Franklin Sherman. The parents/care givers of current 6th grade students should fill out the form if their child will not attend Cooper/Longfellow nest year.

Dulles Airport Youth Art Walk

Thirteen talented Franklin Sherman student artists have work on display in the Dulles International Airport Youth Art Walk sponsored by the Washington Metropolitan Airport Authority.

In conjunction with Fairfax County Public Schools and McLean Project for the Arts. Students at our school collaborated on a mixed media piece (watercolor, colored pencil, crayon, marker, Sharpie, cut paper on paper) last year in their third grade Art class. Two to three students worked together to create work that they thought would be motivating and inspirational for passengers walking by the exhibit at the main level of the main terminal right outside the TSA checkpoint. Several of these student works were exhibited in the McLean Project for the Arts Youth Art Walk around the grounds of the McLean Community Center this past fall. Four of our pieces were chosen, along with several other works from schools around the county. A reception was held last month at the airport.

If you happen to be flying in and out of Dulles this spring break, summer, or whenever, the exhibit will be up for the next year. We are so proud of our Panda artists!

Lunch with a Panda

We are thrilled to invite you to "Lunch with a Panda."

Submit this Reservation Form to let us know about your visit.

Important Details:

• This form creates a reservation for  1 parent at a time (if both parents wish to visit for lunch the form must be submitted twice)
• There are at most  3 reservations available per grade per day
• Reservations will only become available 1 week in advance
• If a date does not appear in the list of choices it is either because there are no more reservations available for that day, or the school calendar/schedule of events does not allow us to have lunchtime visitors

FCPS CARES

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team at Franklin Sherman? Share an FCPS CARES ! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu . Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration partyfrom HR. Celebrate our wonderful staff today!

Franklin Sherman Flash Archive and Translation Available On Our Website

6633 Brawner St. McLean, VA 22101   | Main Office:  703.506.7900

Attendance :  703-506-7979  |  Web | Facebook | Instagram

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page .

English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

­

­

Principal's Message

Dear Franklin Sherman ES Parents/Guardians,

Thanks to the PTA for our new library furniture.We are so fortunuate to have your support as we continue to enhance our learning environments. Grade levels will be inviting parents in this spring to showcase their work in the library. We look forward to welcoming 2nd grade tomorrow. Be on the look out from your grade levels to see when you child's grade is inviting parents in this spring. 

A huge community shout-out and thank youto Ben, Randi, and Katiefor spearheading our amazing Harlem Wizards event this past weekend! Your planning, organization, and energy helped make this such a fun and memorable experience for our entire community.

We are also incredibly grateful to Deepti, Monica, and Meredithfor stepping up and taking on such big leadership roles during the event. Your support and teamwork helped everything run smoothly and ensured that families, students, and staff had an incredible time.

Events like this truly showcase the spirit of our school community. Thank you to everyone who helped make the Harlem Wizards game such a memorable and joyful event for all!

Sincerely,

Farris Thomas
Principal
Franklin Sherman ES

Follow us on Instagram

­

Important Dates

March  Women's History Month

March 9  PTA Meeting followed by Screenagers Viewing

March 9-13  Spirit Week

March 18  3 Hour Early Release Wednesday

March 27  Q3 End and 2 Hour Early Release

March 30  April 3  Spring Break

April 6  Student Holiday

April 15  Purple Up!

FCPS Calendar:  2025-26

Franklin Sherman Calendar

Summer Camp Opportunities for FSES Students!!!

We’re excited to share that Franklin Sherman will host Chesterbrook PTA’s Summer Quest Campin our building this summer as they undergo renovation work! This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to enjoy engaging activities, connect with friends, and stay active right here at FSES.

Registration information and details can be found here: Summer Quest Camp Sign Up at Franklin Sherman

Be sure to sign up early, as spots fill quickly!

Purple Up!

Purple Up! – April 15, 2026

In recognition of Month of the Military Child, Franklin Sherman will celebrate Purple Up! day. We are inviting military-connected parents and family members to participate in this special event by sharing their experiences.

Share you ideas about how you would like to participate .

The ideas presented in this form are intended to gauge interest and help guide our planning for the final event. If you are interested in participating, please complete the form so we can thoughtfully prepare for the day.

We look forward to celebrating and honoring our military-connected families together!!

Planning for the 2026-27 School Year

As we begin looking forward to next school year we ask for assistance from families with three important steps.

Class Placement Survey

Submit by March 27

At this time of year we begin the essential task of determining class placements for the next school year. Many factors are taken into consideration and this is a complex but very important process. As parents, you can assist us in determining class placement by sharing your insights about your child with respect to academic and behavioral information.   Please note that we do not accept requests for specific teachers for the upcoming grade placement.

Completion of the form is optional; however, the deadline for any submission is Friday, March 27. The form will no longer accept responses after that date.   Any input you share will be shared with the grade level team. Please complete one form per child.

Submit the Class Placement Survey Today

Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. 

Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, in the spring. Eligible children can be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps schools prepare and ensure they have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school. 

If your child will attend our school, please gather necessary documents and complete registration forms as soon as possible. 

FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, please visit the FCPS Registration webpage .

  Students Not Returning

Please fill out this  student intentions form  for each child who  WILL NOT attend Franklin Sherman. The parents/care givers of current 6th grade students should fill out the form if their child will not attend Cooper/Longfellow nest year.

Family Engagement Survey

Family Engagement Survey to Open March 9

FCPS is administering our Family Engagement Survey, which will be open from Monday, March 9, to Monday, March 23.Your feedback is critical in helping us to better recognize, understand, respect, and address family strengths and needs in our schools. 

Survey topics include:

• Welcoming environment.
• Communication.
• Student success.
• Advocacy.
• Family and school partnerships.
• Community partnerships.

The survey will be available in English, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Pashto, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese. 

Parents/caregivers will receive a survey link via email from FCPS on March 9. A survey link will also be posted on FCPS’ website. Paper surveys will be available at each school. 

Yearbook Sales Are Open!

Here is the link to order. If it doesn’t go straight to Franklin Sherman Elementary in McLean, our code is 732577.

https://www.buytheyearbook.com/en/yearbook

Cost of Yearbooks are $21.50 and to personalize is an extra $5.00.

Deadline to order is Friday, April 17 . Please make sure to go online and reserve yours today!

Spirit Week March 9-16

It's time for our next Spirit Week. All students, staff, and visitors to the school are invited to participate.

March 9 - 16

Mismatch Monday- Dress in mismatched clothes

Twin Tuesday- Dress up the same as a friend

Western Wednesday- Dress up in western style

Tropical Thursday- Dress up in your best tropical clothes

Anything but a Backpack Friday- No backpack to bring your things to school

­

The Green Scene

Spring Garden Clean Up!

We will meet Tuesdays after school. The first meeting/clean up will be Tuesday, March 17 at 4:10 p.m.

Daffodils are starting to peak up in our garden! You know what that means? Its time to get back in the garden. We are looking for parent volunteers to help in our garden to prepare for the growing season. This may include weeding, watering, edging, mulching, general cleanup, planting, and maybe some painting on the tops of our stump seating.

To help, you don’t need to know anything about gardening. If you want to learn, we can teach you. It is a wonderful community to learn and grow in. Any students who come to help must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Parents/guardians must be registered as a Level 1 Volunteer.

Register and learn more about volunteering .

We are also ordering two more sheds that will need to be assembled. We will let you know when we are ready for that, and if you have tools, please bring them! We look forward to working with you in our wonderful garden! If you have questions please contact our Art Teacher, Ms. Eaton at [email protected] .

FCPS News Meal Kits for Fasting Students

From February 18 to March 19, students who are fasting during the day can take school meals home. These kits include one breakfast and one lunch to be eaten after the school day ends.

Families must fill out a request form each week for every student who wants a kit. The first deadline is Wednesday, February 11, for the week of February 16. Please note other important details below:

• Cost:Meals are charged just like a normal school day. 
• Pickup:Students must grab their kits at the end of the school day.
• Menu:Kits include school meals that are easy to heat at home.

Visit the Food and Nutrition webpage for forms, deadlines, and other information. Please contact the Office of Food and Nutrition Services with any questions at [email protected] or 703-813-4800.

Community Conversations: Share Your Thoughts With Dr. Reid

Community Conversations are opportunities for you to share your thoughts and ask questions of Superintendent Reid. Events will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (unless otherwise noted) on: 

• Tuesday, March 17, from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m., at Glen Forest ES
• Monday, March 23, at Ravensworth ES
• Monday, April 13, at Belle View ES
• Monday, April 20, Westgate ES
• Wednesday, April 22, at Crestwood ES

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week , the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• School Board Adopts Budget
• New Date for Special Education Conference
• Celebrating Our Schools

Read FCPS This Week  to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today .

PTA News TONIGHT: PTA Meeting 6:30-6:45 pm Screenagers: Elementary Edition

The Franklin Sherman PTA is hosting a movie screening and discussion of Screenagers: Elementary Edition tonight, Monday, March 9 at 7 p.m. A must-see documentary exploring how screen time affects kids’ learning, behavior, and well-being. We hope you will join us! RSVP HERE!

If you are wondering how early is too early, how much is too much, or how to prepare your child before middle school, this night is for you.

Special Teen Panel Addition

Following the film, we will hear from two McLean High School students who will speak candidly about what it’s really like to grow up with a smartphone.

They’ll share:

• What surprised them about social media

• What they wish they had known when younger

• What pressures feel real as teenagers

• What advice they would give parents

This is a rare opportunity to pair expert research with honest teen perspective and to hear directly from students who are living this experience now.

3 Hour Early Release Camps with Overtime Athletics!

Early release camps with Overtime Athletics are back for the remaining early release Wednesdays.

The dates are Feb. 18, March 18, April 22, and May 13.

Register here . Families who have signed up before can get 10% off with the code WelcomeBack

Reminders McLean Pyramid Art Show

Thursday, March 5

The opening of the 2025-26 McLean Pyramid Art Show is here! The exhibit will run at the McLean Community Center until March 15. Gallery Hours are Monday to Saturday 10am-4pm, with possible Sunday hours for this show. Check the MCC website for details .

Forty-two of our talented Franklin Sherman student artists will have beautiful work on display. We have ceramics, sculpture, portraits, weavings, illustrations, prints, digital drawings, and paper collage within our scope of work. McLean HS, Longfellow MS, and pyramid Elementary Schools are all included. We thank McLean Project for the Arts once again for sponsoring and hosting in their gallery space. Stop by and see it! 

Dulles Airport Youth Art Walk

Thirteen talented Franklin Sherman student artists have work on display in the Dulles International Airport Youth Art Walk sponsored by the Washington Metropolitan Airport Authority.

In conjunction with Fairfax County Public Schools and McLean Project for the Arts. Students at our school collaborated on a mixed media piece (watercolor, colored pencil, crayon, marker, Sharpie, cut paper on paper) last year in their third grade Art class. Two to three students worked together to create work that they thought would be motivating and inspirational for passengers walking by the exhibit at the main level of the main terminal right outside the TSA checkpoint. Several of these student works were exhibited in the McLean Project for the Arts Youth Art Walk around the grounds of the McLean Community Center this past fall. Four of our pieces were chosen, along with several other works from schools around the county. A reception was held last month at the airport.

If you happen to be flying in and out of Dulles this spring break, summer, or whenever, the exhibit will be up for the next year. We are so proud of our Panda artists!

Lunch with a Panda

We are thrilled to invite you to "Lunch with a Panda."

Submit this Reservation Form to let us know about your visit.

Important Details:

• This form creates a reservation for  1 parent at a time (if both parents wish to visit for lunch the form must be submitted twice)
• There are at most  3 reservations available per grade per day
• Reservations will only become available 1 week in advance
• If a date does not appear in the list of choices it is either because there are no more reservations available for that day, or the school calendar/schedule of events does not allow us to have lunchtime visitors

FCPS CARES

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team at Franklin Sherman? Share an FCPS CARES ! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu . Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration partyfrom HR. Celebrate our wonderful staff today!

Franklin Sherman Flash Archive and Translation Available On Our Website

6633 Brawner St. McLean, VA 22101   | Main Office:  703.506.7900

Attendance :  703-506-7979  |  Web | Facebook | Instagram

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page .

English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

Principal's Message

Dear Franklin Sherman ES Parents/Guardians,

Summer Camp Opportunities for FSES Students!!!

We’re excited to share that Franklin Sherman will host Chesterbrook PTA’s Summer Quest Campin our building this summer as they undergo renovation work! This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to enjoy engaging activities, connect with friends, and stay active right here at FSES. Registration information and details can be found here:
Summer Quest Camp Sign Up at Franklin Sherman

Be sure to sign up early, as spots fill quickly!

I look forward to seeing our families at our annual Harlem Wizards game this Saturday!!! This is a wonderful community event. 

Sincerely,

Farris Thomas
Principal
Franklin Sherman ES

Follow us on Instagram

Important Dates

March  Women's History Month

March 2 - 7  Read Across America Week

March 7  Harlem Wizards Game - Few Tickets Left!!

March 8  Spring Forward to Daylight Savings Time

March 9  PTA Meeting followed by Screenagers Viewing

March 9-13  Spirit Week

March 27  Q3 End and 2 Hour Early Release

March 30  April 3  Spring Break

April 6  Student Holiday

April 15  Purple Up!

FCPS Calendar:  2025-26

Franklin Sherman Calendar

Planning for the 2026-27 School Year

As we begin looking forward to next school year we ask for assistance from families with three important steps.

Class Placement Survey

Submit by March 27

At this time of year we begin the essential task of determining class placements for the next school year. Many factors are taken into consideration and this is a complex but very important process. As parents, you can assist us in determining class placement by sharing your insights about your child with respect to academic and behavioral information.   Please note that we do not accept requests for specific teachers for the upcoming grade placement.

Completion of the form is optional; however, the deadline for any submission is Friday, March 27. The form will no longer accept responses after that date.   Any input you share will be shared with the grade level team. Please complete one form per child.

Submit the Class Placement Survey Today

Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. 

Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, in the spring. Eligible children can be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps schools prepare and ensure they have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school. 

If your child will attend our school, please gather necessary documents and complete registration forms as soon as possible. 

FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, please visit the FCPS Registration webpage .

  Students Not Returning

Please fill out this  student intentions form  for each child who  WILL NOT attend Franklin Sherman. The parents/care givers of current 6th grade students should fill out the form if their child will not attend Cooper/Longfellow nest year.

Read Across America Week

We are celebrating Reading and Books with Read Across America Week . Here are some activities we have going on all week:

• Reading buddies- Primary grade students will read with upper elementary buddies in the library
• Reading BINGO - Read with your family, read on your own, read diverse books and complete the card then return it to the homeroom teacher
• Bowling in the library- Specialists will award tickets which can be redeemed for a game of bowling in the library
• A poem a dayon PNN

Have fun and read, read, read!

Art Happenings McLean Pyramid Art Show

Thursday, March 5

The opening of the 2025-26 McLean Pyramid Art Show is here! The exhibit will run at the McLean Community Center until March 15. Gallery Hours are Monday to Saturday 10am-4pm, with possible Sunday hours for this show. Check the MCC website for details .

Forty-two of our talented Franklin Sherman student artists will have beautiful work on display. We have ceramics, sculpture, portraits, weavings, illustrations, prints, digital drawings, and paper collage within our scope of work. McLean HS, Longfellow MS, and pyramid Elementary Schools are all included. We thank McLean Project for the Arts once again for sponsoring and hosting in their gallery space. Stop by and see it! 

Dulles Airport Youth Art Walk

Thirteen talented Franklin Sherman student artists have work on display in the Dulles International Airport Youth Art Walk sponsored by the Washington Metropolitan Airport Authority.

In conjunction with Fairfax County Public Schools and McLean Project for the Arts. Students at our school collaborated on a mixed media piece (watercolor, colored pencil, crayon, marker, Sharpie, cut paper on paper) last year in their third grade Art class. Two to three students worked together to create work that they thought would be motivating and inspirational for passengers walking by the exhibit at the main level of the main terminal right outside the TSA checkpoint. Several of these student works were exhibited in the McLean Project for the Arts Youth Art Walk around the grounds of the McLean Community Center this past fall. Four of our pieces were chosen, along with several other works from schools around the county. A reception was held last month at the airport.

If you happen to be flying in and out of Dulles this spring break, summer, or whenever, the exhibit will be up for the next year. We are so proud of our Panda artists!

Yearbook Sales Are Open!

Here is the link to order. If it doesn’t go straight to Franklin Sherman Elementary in McLean, our code is 732577.

https://www.buytheyearbook.com/en/yearbook

Cost of Yearbooks are $21.50 and to personalize is an extra $5.00.

Deadline to order is Friday, April 17 . Please make sure to go online and reserve yours today!

Purple Up!

Purple Up! – April 15, 2026

In recognition of Month of the Military Child, Franklin Sherman will celebrate Purple Up! day. We are inviting military-connected parents and family members to participate in this special event by sharing their experiences.

Share you ideas about how you would like to participate .

The ideas presented in this form are intended to gauge interest and help guide our planning for the final event. If you are interested in participating, please complete the form so we can thoughtfully prepare for the day.

We look forward to celebrating and honoring our military-connected families together!!

Spirit Week March 9-16

It's time for our next Spirit Week. All students, staff, and visitors to the school are invited to participate.

March 9 - 16

Mismatch Monday- Dress in mismatched clothes

Twin Tuesday- Dress up the same as a friend

Western Wednesday- Dress up in western style

Tropical Thursday- Dress up in your best tropical clothes

Anything but a Backpack Friday- No backpack to bring your things to school

­

The Green Scene

Spring Garden Clean Up!

We will meet Tuesdays after school. The first meeting/clean up will be Tuesday, March 17 at 4:10 p.m.

Daffodils are starting to peak up in our garden! You know what that means? Its time to get back in the garden. We are looking for parent volunteers to help in our garden to prepare for the growing season. This may include weeding, watering, edging, mulching, general cleanup, planting, and maybe some painting on the tops of our stump seating.

To help, you don’t need to know anything about gardening. If you want to learn, we can teach you. It is a wonderful community to learn and grow in. Any students who come to help must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Parents/guardians must be registered as a Level 1 Volunteer.

Register and learn more about volunteering .

We are also ordering two more sheds that will need to be assembled. We will let you know when we are ready for that, and if you have tools, please bring them! We look forward to working with you in our wonderful garden! If you have questions please contact our Art Teacher, Ms. Eaton at [email protected] .

FCPS News Meal Kits for Fasting Students

From February 18 to March 19, students who are fasting during the day can take school meals home. These kits include one breakfast and one lunch to be eaten after the school day ends.

Families must fill out a request form each week for every student who wants a kit. The first deadline is Wednesday, February 11, for the week of February 16. Please note other important details below:

• Cost:Meals are charged just like a normal school day. 
• Pickup:Students must grab their kits at the end of the school day.
• Menu:Kits include school meals that are easy to heat at home.

Visit the Food and Nutrition webpage for forms, deadlines, and other information. Please contact the Office of Food and Nutrition Services with any questions at [email protected] or 703-813-4800.

Community Conversations: Share Your Thoughts With Dr. Reid

Community Conversations are opportunities for you to share your thoughts and ask questions of Superintendent Reid. Events will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (unless otherwise noted) on: 

• Tuesday, March 3, at Waples Mill ES
• Tuesday, March 17, from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m., at Glen Forest ES
• Monday, March 23, at Ravensworth ES
• Monday, April 13, at Belle View ES
• Monday, April 20, Westgate ES
• Wednesday, April 22, at Crestwood ES

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week , the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• The FCPS Budget
• School Safety 

Read FCPS This Week  to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today .

PTA News PTA Meeting Date Changed

Due to a scheduling conflict, the next PTA meeting date has changed. The meeting will now take place on Monday, March 9 at 6:30 p.m., just before the Screenagers film showing.

3 Hour Early Release Camps with Overtime Athletics!

Early release camps with Overtime Athletics are back for the remaining early release Wednesdays.

The dates are Feb. 18, March 18, April 22, and May 13.

Register here . Families who have signed up before can get 10% off with the code WelcomeBack

Reminders Lunch with a Panda

We are thrilled to invite you to "Lunch with a Panda."

Submit this Reservation Form to let us know about your visit.

Important Details:

• This form creates a reservation for  1 parent at a time (if both parents wish to visit for lunch the form must be submitted twice)
• There are at most  3 reservations available per grade per day
• Reservations will only become available 1 week in advance
• If a date does not appear in the list of choices it is either because there are no more reservations available for that day, or the school calendar/schedule of events does not allow us to have lunchtime visitors

FCPS CARES

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team at Franklin Sherman? Share an FCPS CARES ! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu . Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration partyfrom HR. Celebrate our wonderful staff today!

Franklin Sherman Flash Archive and Translation Available On Our Website

6633 Brawner St. McLean, VA 22101   | Main Office:  703.506.7900

Attendance :  703-506-7979  |  Web | Facebook | Instagram

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page .

English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

Principal's Message

Dear Franklin Sherman ES Parents/Guardians,

I hope you are enjoying today’s snow day and the extra time together. Snow days always bring a little excitement and a welcome pause in our busy schedules.

We look forward to welcoming everyone back to school tomorrow. Our staff is ready to jump back into learning, and we are excited to see our students’ smiling faces.

As a reminder, please be sure to purchase your tickets for the upcoming Harlem Wizards event. It promises to be a fantastic evening of fun and community spirit, and we would love to see a strong Franklin Sherman turnout. If you have not yet secured your tickets, please do so soon.

Additionally, I want to clarify our procedures regarding early dismissals. If you need to pick up your child early, these arrangements must be made in advance with the front office. To ensure a safe and orderly dismissal process for all students, we can no longer accommodate unexpected parent pick-ups after 3:30 p.m. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding as we work to keep our dismissal procedures smooth and secure.

Stay warm, stay safe, and we will see everyone tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Farris Thomas
Principal
Franklin Sherman ES

Follow us on Instagram

Important Dates

February  Black History Month

March 7  Harlem Wizards Game

March 8  Spring Forward to Daylight Savings Time

March 9 PTA Meeting followed by Screenagers movie with McLean Pyramid Schools

FCPS Calendar:  2025-26

Franklin Sherman Calendar

Planning for the 2026-27 School Year

As we begin looking forward to next school year we ask for assistance from families with three important steps.

Class Placement Survey

At this time of year we begin the essential task of determining class placements for the next school year. Many factors are taken into consideration and this is a complex but very important process. As parents, you can assist us in determining class placement by sharing your insights about your child with respect to academic and behavioral information.   Please note that we do not accept requests for specific teachers for the upcoming grade placement.

Completion of the form is optional; however, the deadline for any submission is Friday, March 27. The form will no longer accept responses after that date.   Any input you share will be shared with the grade level team. Please complete one form per child.

Submit the Class Placement Survey Today

Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. 

Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, in the spring. Eligible children can be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps schools prepare and ensure they have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school. 

If your child will attend our school, please gather necessary documents and complete registration forms as soon as possible. 

FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, please visit the FCPS Registration webpage .

  Students Not Returning

Please fill out this  student intentions form  for each child who  WILL NOT attend Franklin Sherman. The parents/care givers of current 6th grade students should fill out the form if their child will not attend Cooper/Longfellow nest year.

Congratulations- Chili Cook Off Winners!

Congratulations to Ms. Fletcher, Mr. Christian. and Ms. Chavez on your wins last week for our annual chili cook off! Thank you to our AMAZING PTA for your contributions and support. 

Harlem Wizards Tickets on Sale

Join us on Saturday, March 7th at Meridian High School for this exciting community-building event featuring the Harlem Wizards. Tickets are on sale NOW!

Date: Saturday, March 7, 2026

Game starts at 6 p.m. doors open at 5 p.m.

https://pretix.eu/harlemwizards

Yearbook Sales Are Open!

Here is the link to order. If it doesn’t go straight to Franklin Sherman Elementary in McLean, our code is 732577.

https://www.buytheyearbook.com/en/yearbook

Cost of Yearbooks are $21.50 and to personalize is an extra $5.00.

Deadline to order is Friday, April 17 . Please make sure to go online and reserve yours today!

Purple Up!

Purple Up! – April 15, 2026

In recognition of Month of the Military Child, Franklin Sherman will celebrate Purple Up! Day on April 15, 2026. We are inviting military-connected parents and family members to participate in this special event by sharing their experiences. Be on the lookout for a form to sign up!

FCPS News Meal Kits for Fasting Students

From February 18 to March 19, students who are fasting during the day can take school meals home. These kits include one breakfast and one lunch to be eaten after the school day ends.

Families must fill out a request form each week for every student who wants a kit. The first deadline is Wednesday, February 11, for the week of February 16. Please note other important details below:

• Cost:Meals are charged just like a normal school day. 
• Pickup:Students must grab their kits at the end of the school day.
• Menu:Kits include school meals that are easy to heat at home.

Visit the Food and Nutrition webpage for forms, deadlines, and other information. Please contact the Office of Food and Nutrition Services with any questions at [email protected] or 703-813-4800.

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week , the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• Celebrating Our Students
• Summer Camp and Learning
• New High School Name

Read FCPS This Week  to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today .

PTA News PTA Meeting Date Changed

Due to a scheduling conflict, the next PTA meeting date has changed. The meeting will now take place on Monday, March 9 at 6:30 p.m., just before the Screenagers film showing.

3 Hour Early Release Camps with Overtime Athletics!

Early release camps with Overtime Athletics are back for the remaining early release Wednesdays.

The dates are Feb. 18, March 18, April 22, and May 13.

Register here . Families who have signed up before can get 10% off with the code WelcomeBack

Reminders Lunch with a Panda

We are thrilled to invite you to "Lunch with a Panda."

Submit this Reservation Form to let us know about your visit.

Important Details:

• This form creates a reservation for  1 parent at a time (if both parents wish to visit for lunch the form must be submitted twice)
• There are at most  3 reservations available per grade per day
• Reservations will only become available 1 week in advance
• If a date does not appear in the list of choices it is either because there are no more reservations available for that day, or the school calendar/schedule of events does not allow us to have lunchtime visitors

FCPS CARES

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team at Franklin Sherman? Share an FCPS CARES ! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu . Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration partyfrom HR. Celebrate our wonderful staff today!

Franklin Sherman Flash Archive and Translation Available On Our Website

6633 Brawner St. McLean, VA 22101   | Main Office:  703.506.7900

Attendance :  703-506-7979  |  Web | Facebook | Instagram

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page .

English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

­

­

Principal's Message

Dear Franklin Sherman ES Parents/Guardians,

I hope you all enjoyed the long weekend and had the opportunity to relax and spend time together. We are excited to welcome our students back tomorrow and jump right back into learning. Just a reminder that tomorrow is a three hour early dismissal. 

We are especially looking forward to our 10:30 a.m. assembly featuring the Harlem Wizards. This is always an energetic and memorable event for our students. A heartfelt thank you to Randi Parker and our PTA for organizing and sponsoring such an exciting community experience for our school.

February is certainly flying by, and we are grateful for the continued partnership and engagement of our families.

Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Farris Thomas
Principal
Franklin Sherman ES 

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Important Dates

February  Black History Month

February 16  Presidents Day Holiday

February 17  Student Holiday

February 18  3 Hour Early Release

February 19  FCPS Division Wide, Tropical Spirit Day

March 7  Harlem Wizards Game

March 8  Spring Forward to Daylight Savings Time

March 9 PTA Meeting followed by Screenagers movie with McLean Pyramid Schools

FCPS Calendar:  2025-26

Franklin Sherman Calendar

Planning for the 2026-27 School Year

As we begin looking forward to next school year we ask for assistance from families with two important planning surveys.

Class Placement Survey

At this time of year we begin the essential task of determining class placements for the next school year. Many factors are taken into consideration and this is a complex but very important process. As parents, you can assist us in determining class placement by sharing your insights about your child with respect to academic and behavioral information.   Please note that we do not accept requests for specific teachers for the upcoming grade placement.

Completion of the form is optional; however, the deadline for any submission is Friday, March 27. The form will no longer accept responses after that date.   Any input you share will be shared with the grade level team. Please complete one form per child.

Submit the Class Placement Survey Today

Students Not Returning

Please fill out this  student intentions form  for each child who  WILL NOT attend Franklin Sherman. The parents/care givers of current 6th grade students should fill out the form if their child will not attend Cooper/Longfellow nest year.

Harlem Wizards Tickets on sale NOW for ALL!

Join us on Saturday, March 7th at Meridian High School for this exciting community-building event featuring the Harlem Wizards. Tickets are on sale for everyone NOW!

Date: Saturday, March 7, 2026

Game starts at 6PM, doors open at 5 PM

https://pretix.eu/harlemwizards

Tickets sold out quickly last year, and many students were disappointed they missed out! Don’t let that happen again!

Yearbook Sales Are Open!

Here is the link to order. If it doesn’t go straight to Franklin Sherman Elementary in McLean, our code is 732577.

https://www.buytheyearbook.com/en/yearbook

Cost of Yearbooks are $21.50 and to personalize is an extra $5.00.

Deadline to order is Friday, April 17 . Please make sure to go online and reserve yours today!

It’s Kindergarten Registration Time!

Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. 

Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, in the spring. Eligible children can be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps schools prepare and ensure they have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school. 

If your child will attend our school, please gather necessary documents and complete registration forms as soon as possible. 

FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, please visit the FCPS Registration webpage .

Raptor App Setup- NEW visitor Check In

Prior to visiting a FCPS school, visitors will need to download the Raptor Safe App and register. Registration takes 2 minutes.

Once registered, in the app a Raptor Passport is created. In the Raptor Passport, a QR code is generated that you scan upon entry into a FCPS school. A new QR code is generated each time so no screenshots.

News from FCPS   Warm Up FCPS – Divisionwide Spirit Day

Tired of all the cold weather? Let’s warm up with a little school spirit across the division! 

Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid is encouraging all FCPS students, teachers, and staff to shake the wrinkles out of their brightest outfits and tropical wear to help brighten everyone’s moods on Thursday, February 19.

Meal Kits for Fasting Students

From February 18 to March 19, students who are fasting during the day can take school meals home. These kits include one breakfast and one lunch to be eaten after the school day ends.

Families must fill out a request form each week for every student who wants a kit. The first deadline is Wednesday, February 11, for the week of February 16. Please note other important details below:

• Cost:Meals are charged just like a normal school day. 
• Pickup:Students must grab their kits at the end of the school day.
• Menu:Kits include school meals that are easy to heat at home.

Visit the Food and Nutrition webpage for forms, deadlines, and other information. Please contact the Office of Food and Nutrition Services with any questions at [email protected] or 703-813-4800.

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week , the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• FCPS at the Olympics
• Coaches Making History
• Divisionwide Spirit Day

Read FCPS This Week  to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today . 

News from Our PTA   Screenagers: Elementary Edition

Parents from all McLean HS pyramid elementary schools are invited to a free screening and facilitated discussion of Screenagers : Elementary Edition  on  Monday, March 9 at 7:00 p.m. at Franklin Sherman Elementary, sponsored by the Franklin Sherman PTA. This adults-only event supports McLean families navigating smartphone use and healthy technology habits. We will be joined by a student from McLean High School who will share his experience with smartphones and other technologies and answer parents' questions.

Please RSVP here . We hope you will join us!

3 Hour Early Release Camps with Overtime Athletics!

Early release camps with Overtime Athletics are back for the remaining early release Wednesdays.

The dates are Feb. 18, March 18, April 22, and May 13.

Register here . Families who have signed up before can get 10% off with the code WelcomeBack

­

Reminders Lunch with a Panda

We are thrilled to invite you to "Lunch with a Panda."

Submit this Reservation Form to let us know about your visit.

Important Details:

• This form creates a reservation for  1 parent at a time (if both parents wish to visit for lunch the form must be submitted twice)
• There are at most  3 reservations available per grade per day
• Reservations will only become available 1 week in advance
• If a date does not appear in the list of choices it is either because there are no more reservations available for that day, or the school calendar/schedule of events does not allow us to have lunchtime visitors

FCPS CARES

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team at Franklin Sherman? Share an FCPS CARES ! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu . Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration partyfrom HR. Celebrate our wonderful staff today!

Franklin Sherman Flash Archive and Translation Available On Our Website

6633 Brawner St. McLean, VA 22101   | Main Office:  703.506.7900

Attendance:  703-506-7979  |  Web | Facebook | Instagram

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page .

English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

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We are excited about a full week of school! Please be on the lookout for an email regarding your three hour early release plan for February 18th. 

We are excited about a full week of school! Please be on the lookout for an email regarding your three hour early release plan for February 18th. 

Principal's Message

Dear Franklin Sherman ES Parents/Guardians,

I want to extend my sincere gratitude to our incredible PTA for hosting yet another successful Culture Fest. Events like this remind us of the strength, diversity, and joy that define the Sherman community.

A special thank-you goes to the parents and families who generously cooked, shared traditions, and beautifully decorated the space. Your time, talent, and care truly brought the evening to life and made it a meaningful experience for our students and families.

I would also like to recognize Ben Moore for taking Culture Fest to the next level this year by providing a DJ and creating such an energetic, celebratory atmosphere. The music added an extra layer of excitement and connection that was felt throughout the evening.

Thank you all for your partnership, generosity, and commitment to making Sherman a place where everyone belongs.

Sincerely,

Farris Thomas
Principal
Franklin Sherman ES 

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Important Dates

February  Black History Month

February 12  100th Day of School

February 16  Presidents Day Holiday

February 17  Student Holiday

February 18  3 Hour Early Release

February 19  FCPS Division Wide, Tropical Spirit Day

March 7  Harlem Wizards Game

March 8  Spring Forward to Daylight Savings Time

FCPS Calendar:  2025-26

Franklin Sherman Calendar

Planning for the 2026-27 School Year

As we begin looking forward to next school year we ask for assistance from families who know that your children will not attend Franklin Sherman ES next year.

Please fill out this  student intentions form  for each child who  WILL NOT attend Franklin Sherman. The parents/care givers of current 6th grade students should fill out the form if their child will not attend Cooper/Longfellow nest year.

Harlem Wizards Tickets on sale NOW for ALL!

Join us on Saturday, March 7th at Meridian High School for this exciting community-building event featuring the Harlem Wizards. Tickets are on sale for everyone NOW!

Date: Saturday, March 7, 2026

Game starts at 6PM, doors open at 5 PM

https://pretix.eu/harlemwizards

Tickets sold out quickly last year, and many students were disappointed they missed out! Don’t let that happen again!

Yearbook Sales Are Open!

Here is the link to order. If it doesn’t go straight to Franklin Sherman Elementary in McLean, our code is 732577.

https://www.buytheyearbook.com/en/yearbook

Cost of Yearbooks are $21.50 and to personalize is an extra $5.00.

Deadline to order is Friday, April 17 . Please make sure to go online and reserve yours today!

­

It’s Kindergarten Registration Time!

Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. 

Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, in the spring. Eligible children can be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps schools prepare and ensure they have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school. 

If your child will attend our school, please gather necessary documents and complete registration forms as soon as possible. 

FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, please visit the FCPS Registration webpage .

News from FCPS   Warm Up FCPS – Divisionwide Spirit Day

Tired of all the cold weather? Let’s warm up with a little school spirit across the division! 

Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid is encouraging all FCPS students, teachers, and staff to shake the wrinkles out of their brightest outfits and tropical wear to help brighten everyone’s moods on Thursday, February 19.

Meal Kits for Fasting Students

From February 18 to March 19, students who are fasting during the day can take school meals home. These kits include one breakfast and one lunch to be eaten after the school day ends.

Families must fill out a request form each week for every student who wants a kit. The first deadline is Wednesday, February 11, for the week of February 16. Please note other important details below:

• Cost:Meals are charged just like a normal school day. 
• Pickup:Students must grab their kits at the end of the school day.
• Menu:Kits include school meals that are easy to heat at home.

Visit the Food and Nutrition webpage for forms, deadlines, and other information. Please contact the Office of Food and Nutrition Services with any questions at [email protected] or 703-813-4800.

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week , the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• How to Get Weather Updates ASAP
• Celebrating Students and Staff
• Kindergarten Open Houses

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today . 

News from Our PTA   Screenagers: Elementary Edition

Parents from all McLean HS pyramid elementary schools are invited to a free screening and facilitated discussion of Screenagers : Elementary Edition  on  Monday, March 9 at 7:00 p.m. at Franklin Sherman Elementary, sponsored by the Franklin Sherman PTA. This adults-only event supports McLean families navigating smartphone use and healthy technology habits. We will be joined by a student from McLean High School who will share his experience with smartphones and other technologies and answer parents' questions.

Please RSVP here . We hope you will join us!

3 Hour Early Release Camps with Overtime Athletics!

Early release camps with Overtime Athletics are back for the remaining early release Wednesdays.

The dates are Feb. 18, March 18, April 22, and May 13.

Register here . Families who have signed up before can get 10% off with the code WelcomeBack

­

Reminders Lunch with a Panda

We are thrilled to invite you to "Lunch with a Panda."

Submit this Reservation Form to let us know about your visit.

Important Details:

• This form creates a reservation for  1 parent at a time (if both parents wish to visit for lunch the form must be submitted twice)
• There are at most  3 reservations available per grade per day
• Reservations will only become available 1 week in advance
• If a date does not appear in the list of choices it is either because there are no more reservations available for that day, or the school calendar/schedule of events does not allow us to have lunchtime visitors

FCPS CARES

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team at Franklin Sherman? Share an FCPS CARES ! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu . Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration partyfrom HR. Celebrate our wonderful staff today!

Franklin Sherman Flash Archive and Translation Available On Our Website

6633 Brawner St. McLean, VA 22101   | Main Office:  703.506.7900

Attendance:  703-506-7979  |  Web | Facebook | Instagram

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page .

English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

Welcome Back!

We are thrilled to see the students soon! Please drive, walk, and get to your bus stops safely this morning and reach out if you  need anything. 

Please note lunch menu changes below for this week. 

Farris Thomas
Principal
Franklin Sherman ES 

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Lunch Menu Changes: Important Dates

February  Black History Month

February 3 End of Q2

February 6  Culturefest

February 11  100th Day of School

February 16  Presidents Day Holiday

February 17  Student Holiday

February 18  3 Hour Early Release

March 7  Harlem Wizards Game

March 8  Spring Forward to Daylight Savings Time

FCPS Calendar:  2025-26

Franklin Sherman Calendar

Screenagers: Elementary Edition

RSVP HERE

The Franklin Sherman PTA is hosting a movie screening and discussion of  Screenagers: Elementary Edition ,  onMonday, March 9 at 7 pm . A must-see documentary exploring how screen time affects kids’ learning, behavior, and well-being. 

We will be inviting parents from the McLean pyramid elementary schools to join us for this event. This will be an educational and community building event for all McLean families with elementary aged children. We hope you will join us!

Culture Fest this Friday

February 6 at 6 p.m.

Experience the beauty of our community and represent your culture!

Join us for a night of fun:

• Traditional clothing
• Cultural food
• Art
• Maps & trivia
• Live DJ onsite!

All cultures! All families! All welcome!

Harlem Wizards Tickets on sale NOW for ALL!

Join us on Saturday, March 7th at Meridian High School for this exciting community-building event featuring the Harlem Wizards. Tickets are on sale for everyone NOW!

Date: Saturday, March 7, 2026

Game starts at 6PM, doors open at 5 PM

https://pretix.eu/harlemwizards

Tickets sold out quickly last year, and many students were disappointed they missed out! Don’t let that happen again!

Yearbook Sales Are Open!

Here is the link to order. If it doesn’t go straight to Franklin Sherman Elementary in McLean, our code is 732577.

https://www.buytheyearbook.com/en/yearbook

Cost of Yearbooks are $21.50 and to personalize is an extra $5.00.

Deadline to order is Friday, April 17 . Please make sure to go online and reserve yours today!

­

It’s Kindergarten Registration Time!

Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. 

Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, in the spring. Eligible children can be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps schools prepare and ensure they have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school. 

If your child will attend our school, please gather necessary documents and complete registration forms as soon as possible. 

FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, please visit the FCPS Registration webpage .

News from FCPS FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week , the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• Proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Budget Presented to School Board
• School Board Approves Proposed Boundary Changes
• It’s Kindergarten Registration Time!

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today . 

News from Our PTA CultureFest wants YOU!

CultureFest is coming soon, and we’re looking for more families to host tables at this beloved Franklin Sherman event.

Thank you to the families representing Vietnam, Mexico, Iran, Greece, Japan, China, and Kansas City!

We welcome tables representing any/all cultures, including other countries, regions, or U.S. regional cultures!

Interested in representing your country or culture?

Click on this link to secure a spot!

Ideas for your table include:
• Food samples with a family recipe
• Traditional clothing
• A cultural game
• Artwork or fun facts about your culture

We look forward to celebrating our community’s diversity!

3 Hour Early Release Camps with Overtime Athletics!

Early release camps with Overtime Athletics are back for the remaining early release Wednesdays.

The dates are Feb. 18, March 18, April 22, and May 13.

Register here . Families who have signed up before can get 10% off with the code WelcomeBack

­

Reminders Lunch with a Panda

We are thrilled to invite you to "Lunch with a Panda."

Submit this Reservation Form to let us know about your visit.

Important Details:

• This form creates a reservation for  1 parent at a time (if both parents wish to visit for lunch the form must be submitted twice)
• There are at most  3 reservations available per grade per day
• Reservations will only become available 1 week in advance
• If a date does not appear in the list of choices it is either because there are no more reservations available for that day, or the school calendar/schedule of events does not allow us to have lunchtime visitors

FCPS CARES

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team at Franklin Sherman? Share an FCPS CARES ! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu . Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration partyfrom HR. Celebrate our wonderful staff today!

Franklin Sherman Flash Archive and Translation Available On Our Website

6633 Brawner St. McLean, VA 22101   | Main Office:  703.506.7900

Attendance:  703-506-7979  |  Web | Facebook | Instagram

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page .

English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

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Principal's Message

Dear Franklin Sherman ES Parents/Guardians,

I hope this message finds you well and that your children are enjoying the “snowcrete”  as much as possible. Like many of you, I have been embracing these unexpected days at home. I’ve spent time with my girls building igloos, sledding, and cheering on family time together—it has been a special reminder of the joy that comes from slowing down and being present.

While we have been home, I want to make a special shoutout to our custodial team who really deserve a HUGE round of applause!!

Franklin Sherman has been ready for students to return because of all of their hard work! THANK YOU- Olga Ramos, Leo Zeferino, and Santos Garcia!!! 

As we prepare to return, I want to share that the county is working closely with VDOT to ensure bus stops are properly plowed and safe for students. Thank you for your patience and understanding as these efforts continue.

I am very much looking forward to seeing everyone back at school soon. A reminder that Culture Fest is still happening this Friday, and I am absolutely thrilled that we will be able to come together for such a large and meaningful community event after several days at home. It feels especially fitting to celebrate our diversity, connections, and sense of belonging together.

Thank you, as always, for your partnership and support. Stay safe, enjoy these last moments of winter fun, and we will see you soon.

Sincerely,

Farris Thomas
Principal 
Franklin Sherman ES

Follow us on Instagram

Important Dates

February  Black History Month

February 3 End of Q2

February 6  Culturefest

February 11  100th Day of School

February 16  Presidents Day Holiday

February 17  Student Holiday

February 18  3 Hour Early Release

March 7  Harlem Wizards Game

March 8  Spring Forward to Daylight Savings Time

FCPS Calendar:  2025-26

Franklin Sherman Calendar

Culture Fest this Friday

February 6 at 6 p.m.

Experience the beauty of our community and represent your culture!

Join us for a night of fun:

• Traditional clothing
• Cultural food
• Art
• Maps & trivia
• Live DJ onsite!

All cultures! All families! All welcome!

Harlem Wizards Tickets on sale NOW for ALL!

Join us on Saturday, March 7th at Meridian High School for this exciting community-building event featuring the Harlem Wizards. Tickets are on sale for everyone NOW!

Date: Saturday, March 7, 2026

Game starts at 6PM, doors open at 5 PM

https://pretix.eu/harlemwizards

Tickets sold out quickly last year, and many students were disappointed they missed out! Don’t let that happen again!

Yearbook Sales Are Open!

Here is the link to order. If it doesn’t go straight to Franklin Sherman Elementary in McLean, our code is 732577.

https://www.buytheyearbook.com/en/yearbook

Cost of Yearbooks are $21.50 and to personalize is an extra $5.00.

Deadline to order is Friday, April 17 . Please make sure to go online and reserve yours today!

­

It’s Kindergarten Registration Time!

Kindergarten helps children learn and practice the social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. 

Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, in the spring. Eligible children can be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps schools prepare and ensure they have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school. 

If your child will attend our school, please gather necessary documents and complete registration forms as soon as possible. 

FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, please visit the FCPS Registration webpage .

News from FCPS FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week , the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• Proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Budget Presented to School Board
• School Board Approves Proposed Boundary Changes
• It’s Kindergarten Registration Time!

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today . 

News from Our PTA CultureFest wants YOU!

CultureFest is coming soon, and we’re looking for more families to host tables at this beloved Franklin Sherman event.

Thank you to the families representing Vietnam, Mexico, Iran, Greece, Japan, China, and Kansas City!

We welcome tables representing any/all cultures, including other countries, regions, or U.S. regional cultures!

Interested in representing your country or culture?

Click on this link to secure a spot!

Ideas for your table include:
• Food samples with a family recipe
• Traditional clothing
• A cultural game
• Artwork or fun facts about your culture

We look forward to celebrating our community’s diversity!

3 Hour Early Release Camps with Overtime Athletics!

Early release camps with Overtime Athletics are back for the remaining early release Wednesdays.

The dates are Feb. 18, March 18, April 22, and May 13.

Register here . Families who have signed up before can get 10% off with the code WelcomeBack

­

Reminders Lunch with a Panda

We are thrilled to invite you to "Lunch with a Panda."

Submit this Reservation Form to let us know about your visit.

Important Details:

• This form creates a reservation for  1 parent at a time (if both parents wish to visit for lunch the form must be submitted twice)
• There are at most  3 reservations available per grade per day
• Reservations will only become available 1 week in advance
• If a date does not appear in the list of choices it is either because there are no more reservations available for that day, or the school calendar/schedule of events does not allow us to have lunchtime visitors

FCPS CARES

Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team at Franklin Sherman? Share an FCPS CARES ! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu . Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration partyfrom HR. Celebrate our wonderful staff today!

Franklin Sherman Flash Archive and Translation Available On Our Website

6633 Brawner St. McLean, VA 22101   | Main Office:  703.506.7900

Attendance:  703-506-7979  |  Web | Facebook | Instagram