12/7/23 Happening at Hutchison

By
For Parents
December 07, 2023

Look for the translate button at the top-right of the screen. translate icon

Busque el botón de traducción en la parte superior derecha de la pantalla. 

Tìm nút dịch ở phía trên bên phải màn hình. 

ابحث عن زر الترجمة في أعلى يمين الشاشة. 

Message from the Principal

We are thrilled to welcome our dedicated and passionate PTA Planning Committee/Board to our school community! They play a vital role in supporting our students, staff and community.

They are committed to:

  • Advocating for the needs of our students.
  • Enhancing communication and collaboration between families, teachers, and administration.
  • Organizing engaging events and activities for our school community.
  • Support teachers and families
  • Building a strong and vibrant school community.

In our next newsletter, we will highlight each parent/caregiver of our planning committee.  Thank you for your continued partnership

Sarah C. Aiello 

Contact:

Sarah Aiello

@email 

Community Calendar

Open the calendar in a larger view by clicking here.

Winter Break Monday 12/18 - Monday 1/1/24.    Classes resume Tuesday 1/2/24.

Contact:

Maureen Griffin

@email

 

Community Connection: Math Instruction

Thursday, December 14, 2023

In-person 9:30 AM

Virtual 7:00 PM–the link will be sent at 6:45 PM

Join us as we do some math together and talk about ways that you can support your child with math at home.

Contact: 

Abbey Falkey

@email

 

Winter Treat Bar for Hutchison Staff–Thursday, December 14

Parents and Caregivers are invited to share a family favorite dessert with the Hutchison staff.

Teachers’ lunches begin at 10:45 AM – 2:00 PM.

Treats may be dropped off in the office.

Thank you very much.

Contact:

Maureen Griffin

@email

 

Family Life Education

Family Life Education will be taught in your child’s classroom the week of December 11-15. 

K-3rd graders will have Emotional and Social Health lessons.  

4th-6th grades will have Human Growth and Development lessons.

If you do not want your child to participate in these lessons, the opt out form can be found on schoology or at  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSedecG1ircI7zni7gWFMXtFI9-QmFxSSMcRrPmzo4LwndGw9w/viewform .  Please contact the front office if you have any questions or need help setting up a schoology account.

Contact:

Steven Wilson

[email protected]

How can I support my child’s writing?

  1. Read Helping young children develop strong writing skills from Colorin’ Colorado for day to day activities to support your child as a writer. 
  2. Learn how to support young children as they are just learning how to write in this Reading Rockets article on supporting early writing skills.  
  3. The PBS Kids for Parents—Helping your child Become a Writer Age 5 Age 6 Age 7 Age 8 pages include 8 ways to help your child build writing skills.  

Contact:

Amanda Salvo

[email protected]

Advanced Academics Level IV–Referral deadline 12/15/23

This is a reminder that Level IV Full time referrals are due Friday December 15, 2023.  Below are links to the referral forms in English and Spanish.

https://www.fcps.edu/system/files/forms/2023-08/aap-fulltimeservicesreferralform-english.pdf

https://www.fcps.edu/system/files/forms/2023-08/aap-fulltimeservicesreferralform-spanish.pdf

Contact:

Demi Scott

@email

 

            Caitlin Terry

     @email

 

Health Guidance for Going to School

Showing up to school every day is critical for children’s well-being, engagement and learning.Make sure to send children to school if they are:

• Generally healthy and well.

• Participating in usual day-to-day activities.

• Children can even go to school if they:

• Have a mild cold, which may include a runny nose and/or cough.

• Have a mild stomach ache.

• Have a mild rash with no other symptoms.

• Have head lice. Though they are annoying and should be treated, lice are not a reason to exclude a child from school.

Avoid keeping children at home unless they are too sick to participate. Note that in most situations, a health-care provider’s note is not needed to return.

 

Contact:

Hollie Daniel

@email

 

VGA (Virginia Growth Assessments) 

3rd - 6th  Grade Students

This is a reminder of Hutchinson's VGA testing dates.  Please make sure students are rested and have a good breakfast before they come to school these days!!

  • 3rd Grade  Reading 12/6      Math 12/13
  • 4th Grade  Reading 12/6      Math 12/13
  • 5th Grade  Reading 12/5      Math 12/12
  • 6th Grade  Reading 12/5      Math 12/12

This winter VGA window does not close until January 19, 2024  VGA results provide information to instructional staff as well as parents and guardians about students’ current performance on content standards. VGA results will be posted in SIS ParentVUE, to include Student Detail by Question (SDBQ) reports. Central distribution via U.S. Mail will continue to be used for family reporting until new SIS reporting is finalized.

Contact:

Wendy West

@email

 

Lion King Permission Forms DUE December 14th 

Contact:

Cathy Kirchner

@email

 

Follow Us on Social Media! 

          

 

Updates from the County

Snow Days This Winter

For the current school year, FCPS will be returning to its previous procedure for snow days — there will be no virtual learning days when school is closed due to bad weather. 

During snow days, students may still access Tutor.com, complete any supplemental learning opportunities recommended by their teachers, and view educational programming (available virtually and on public access television channels):

Eleven snow days are built into the existing FCPS calendar. Eliminating virtual learning days will allow us to maximize students’ in-person learning and provide equitable access to instruction and student services.

Social and Emotional Learning Screener Results Coming Soon

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

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

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

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

Preparing for Winter Weather & School Closures

Winter weather will be here before you know it! Watch this video to see how weather-related closing decisions are made
FCPS’ website is generally the first place where we will post an emergency weather closing. Other communication channels will be used as quickly as possible including email, text, social media, and news stations. Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated

Be sure to plan for the winter season. Make sure your contact information is up-to-date in SIS ParentVUE, bookmark the FCPS website, and plan for childcare if appropriate.

Keep Your Child Warm During Outdoor Activities

Ms. Aiello will monitor the weather for low temperatures, wind chill advisories and warnings, and weather advisories that may prevent children from being outside. Make sure your child is dressed appropriately with a warm coat and other cold weather clothing, so they can comfortably enjoy their time outdoors. See the National Weather Service’s tips on staying safe during cold weather.

If you need assistance getting cold-weather clothing for your family, please call Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) at 703-222-0880. Their multilingual staff can assist with any challenges you are facing, including food, shelter, employment, financial assistance, and healthcare.

World Languages Offerings in Elementary Schools Survey

Fairfax County Public Schools is considering expansion of our Dual Language Immersion programs to include new languages and school sites, as well as an expansion of new languages for our Foreign Language in the Elementary Schools program.

Parents/caregivers, please share your thoughts about expanding World Languages elementary program offerings. An FCPS survey is available in EnglishSpanishArabicChineseKoreanUrdu, and Vietnamese. It should take less than 10 minutes to complete, and all responses are anonymous. The survey is optional and will close on Friday, December 8.

🙋‍♂️ Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!

We often notice more empty seats in our classrooms as winter break approaches. This year, let's work together to nurture a rock-solid attendance habit. Every hour of every school day is a unique opportunity for students to learn, connect, and grow. 

A big thank you to:

  • 🌟 Students who show up every day and the parents/caregivers supporting them.
  • 👩‍🏫 Teachers who create a welcoming environment for learning.
  • 👨‍💼 Administrators who provide a safe and engaging place to grow.
  • 👏 Bus drivers, support staff, and volunteers who lend a helping hand to all our learners.

🍲 Food Insecurity Resources for Families

Food insecurity impacts more than 60,000 Fairfax County residents. There are many resources available to support those who need food assistance. Find out how to receive or offer support on the Fairfax County website, or view their Human Services Resource Guide for assistance with food, clothing, housing, and other services.