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

 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

FCPS FAMILY ENGAGEMENT SURVEY OPENS MARCH 3^RD. Parents/caregivers will receive the survey link via email from independent research firm K12 Insight. Please participate — your feedback is critical in helping to inform and improve practices to best support our students.

Taking this survey will also help strengthen the partnership between your family and our school. When that partnership is strong, students can experience a range of benefits including improved school readiness, higher student achievement, better social skills and behavior, and an increased likelihood of graduating high school. The survey will take about 10-15 minutes to complete and will be available in 10 languages. Your voice matters!

Sarah C. Aiello 

Contact:

Sarah Aiello

@email 

Community Calendar

Open the calendar in a larger view by clicking here.

March 14th:  Community Connection: Online Learning Programs

Contact:

Maureen Griffin

@email

Foreign Language in the Elementary School   (FLES)

Families! We’re excited to bring a foreign language program to Hutchison. Pending staffinging approval, we will look at Grades K through 6, 60 minutes of language instruction per week next school year.  Please complete this survey as we look at two language choices for students.  Next week, a paper and an electronic link to a language choice/preference will be shared with families.

Contact:

Sarah C.Aiello

How can I support my child’s language development?

1.Talking is teaching provides information on how talking helps to build literacy skills.  

2.Helping Your Kid With…Early Language and Literacy is a video from the Meadow’s Center that has ten simple strategies for parents to use while reading books.  

3.Learn Three Steps to Support Language development in this National Center on Improving Literacy video (click “Let's Talk”).

4.PBS has some great ideas for how to help your child develop speaking and listening skills at home and in the community.

5.ASHA provides ideas for Activities to Encourage Speech and Language Development.

Contact:

Amanda Salvo

[email protected]

Ice Skating–Saturday, March 9   1-3 PM

Please join other Hutchison families for ice skating at SkateQuest on Saturday, March 9 from 1-3 PM

$10/person includes ice skate rentals, admission, and skating tips.

Dress appropriately: warm clothes, tall socks, gloves, and helmet.SkateQuest: 1800 Michael Faraday Ct, Reston VA.

Contact:

Maureen Griffin

@email

Kindergarten Registration for 2024-25 School Year

Will your child turn 5 years old by September 30, 2024?  If so, It is time to register your child to start kindergarten on August 19, 2024.  Please contact Hutchison’s registrar, Magda Calancha Vargas at [email protected] or 703-925-8305.

Save the date for Kindergarten Orientation:  May 2, 2024 4:30 -5:30 PM

Contact:

Magda Calancha Vargas

@email

How can I support my child with Math Fluency?

The next few weeks we will be highlighting some online math games that are fun and can help support students with math fluency. 

This week we are highlighting “Ten Frame Mania”. In this game students build numbers on tens frames as fast as they can. There are 6 levels so students in different grade levels can access the game in different ways. We hope you enjoy.

Ten Frame Mania

Contact:

Abbey Falkey

[email protected]

Upcoming Testing - 

NNAT3 Ability Testing 1st Grade and Some 2nd-6th Grade Students.

Updated

• 1st Grade NNAT3 Testing April 9th 

Originally, the NNAT3 testing for some students was scheduled for March 1-8. However, due to a recent technical issue with Pearson the vendor for NNAT3, we are unable to administer the test online as planned, (previously March 1-8).

Parents that received a letter for NNAT3 testing only:

• Grades 2-6 NNAT3 Testing March 12th and April 4th

5th Grade Integrated Reading and Writing SOL Test

• March 21st in the morning.

SOL Dates

Contact:

Wendy West

@email

Parent Score Reporting 

Winter VGA Assessments 

Centralized parent/guardian score report results from winter VGA assessments will be delivered via SIS ParentVue. Note that reports to families without ParentVUE accounts are being mailed centrally the week of March 4.

WIDA Assessments

In early June, published score reports for parents/guardians will be centrally posted to the Student Information System (SIS) ParentVUE and mailed to families without ParentVUE accounts.

Contact:

Wendy West

@email

Yearbook!

It’s time to order!  Use the order form that came home in the Tuesday folder or order online:  www.strawbridge.net

Online code: YB28908

$15 until 4/12/2024 and only a few available in June.

Contact:

Joanne Yi

@email

Summer 2024 Rec-PAC  June 24-August 1

Check the Tuesday folder for the brochure!

Session 1 June 24-28: Let’s Get Animated

Session 2 July 1-3: Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Session 3 July 8-12: Pass the Baton

Session 4: July 15-19: A Breath of Fresh Art

Session 5: July 22-26: Showtime Anytime

Session 6: July 29-August 1: Summer Flashback

Grades 1-6

Registration opens March 12  

https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/rec-pac

Contact:

Maureen Griffin

@email

Follow Us on Social Media! 

Updates from the County

Summer Theater Camp

Family Engagement Survey to Open March 3

Parents/caregivers will receive the FCPS’ Family Engagement Survey Sunday, March 3, from independent research firm K12 Insight. Please participate — your feedback is critical in helping to inform and improve practices to best support our students.

Taking this survey will also help strengthen the partnership between your family and our school. When that partnership is strong, students can experience a range of benefits including improved school readiness, higher student achievement, better social skills and behavior, and an increased likelihood of graduating high school. 

The survey will take about 10-15 minutes to complete and will be available in 10 languages. Please visit the Family Engagement Survey webpage for more information. Your voice matters!

Share Your thoughts on Schoology

FCPS will be conducting voluntary, anonymous surveys on the use of Schoology from Monday, March 11, to Friday, March 22. Surveys will be delivered to Elementary students (grades 3-6) through the Schoology App Center.

Student feedback will inform the school division’s use of Schoology and help improve its processes, communication, and professional learning for staff. FCPS’ Instructional Services Department will also be reaching out to families through focus groups. 

Please contact [email protected] if you have questions. 

March is National Women’s History Month

Every year, March is designated Women’s History Month by presidential proclamation. The month is set aside to honor women’s contributions in American history.
Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS. Read more about Women’s History Month in National Geographic Kids. 

Bipartisan Study Finds Virginia Public School Divisions Receive Less Funding per Student Than Other States

The School Board recently adopted FCPS’ FY 2025 Advertised Budget. Meeting budget needs becomes more of a challenge with underfunding by the state, using staffing formulas that continue to result in school districts not receiving the actual support needed for excellent public education. A staffing formula is the method for calculating the number of positions that need to be assigned to meet program needs. 

Did You Know?

In July 2023, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) released a study of Virginia’s K-12 funding formulas. The report found that Virginia school divisions receive less funding per student than the 50-state average, the regional average, and many of Virginia’s neighboring states including West Virginia, Maryland, and Kentucky. Learn more about the JLARC study. View FCPS’ budget development timeline. 

Contact your state officials to provide feedback on funding for K-12 education. 

Join a Community Conversation on Fentanyl and Other Drugs

A community conversation addressing the opioid crisis within Northern Virginia and Fairfax County Public Schools will be held Wednesday, March 18, 6:30-8 p.m., in the auditorium at Lake Braddock Secondary School. Please enter through Door #14. 

All attendees will receive a free REVIVE! Narcan training during the event and learn about support services currently available within FCPS and Fairfax County.   

This discussion will provide families, staff, and students with valuable knowledge about the dangers of drugs and deadly fentanyl. The material discussed is suitable for students in grades 6-12. Together as a community, we aim to explore collaborative strategies to minimize the impact of these harmful and too-often fatal substances.

Language interpretation services are available as well as American Sign Language accommodation. Childcare and transportation will also be provided, as needed. Learn more about the event and register online. 

Ramadan

Throughout the year, as we celebrate and recognize various cultural holidays and observances, families are encouraged to contact their student’s Assistant Principal regarding accommodation (email addresses are below)s, including but not limited to those around lunch, prayer/meditation and silent reflection spaces and times, and instruction.

• KIndergarten-Grade 2 Jackie Wilson  @email
• Grade 3-4  Mikaela Antonio  @email
• Grades 5-6  Steven Wilson @email

Meditation and Silent Reflection Spaces

FCPS has developed Regulation 1502 to ensure all students and staff have reasonable accommodation and access to meditation and silent reflection spaces within the school division. The regulation provides guidance for schools on how to manage requests for silent reflection during instructional and non-instructional time, and for students to leave school for religious activities.

These spaces are designated areas within a school for individuals to engage in prayer, meditation, or silent reflection, inclusive of their religious or non-religious beliefs. Parents/caregivers must provide written permission for students requesting to miss instructional time on a regular basis. Families are encouraged to contact family liaisons, Maria Michlik or Mary Specht regarding accommodations. View Regulation 1502. Visit FCPS' Guidelines for Religious Activities webpage for more information.

Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!

This year, spring break is March 25-29. We will be eager to welcome your children back to school on Wednesday, April 3, after two teacher work days. Student attendance is very important. Every day, our teachers will be teaching, and students will be learning. Studies have shown that just two absences per month can cause students to fall behind. Let’s finish this school year strong. Visit FCPS’ website for attendance resources. 

☀️ Safely View the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8 

A total solar eclipse will occur on Monday, April 8, and will be viewable, depending on weather, in Fairfax County. The eclipse will begin in our area around 2:04 p.m. and end around 4:32 p.m., with the maximum eclipse occurring around 3:20 p.m.  

Because the timing overlaps with dismissal, it is crucial that students understand the importance of safe viewing practices. We encourage families to review these Solar Eclipse Resources, especially the eye safety information. We hope everyone takes the opportunity to learn more about this extraordinary natural phenomenon while prioritizing safe solar viewing.

Lightspeed Classroom Management

As part of our commitment to creating a safe and focused learning environment for our students, our school is using a classroom management tool that will help teachers better connect with student devices during classes. We are continuing to expand our use over the coming weeks. This tool will provide teachers with a number of helpful features: 

• Easily view student screens in real time from the teacher console to see which students may need guidance or support.
• Focus student attention on a particular website on their device to minimize distractions.

• Pause student access to the internet to focus on other classroom tasks.

  We believe this classroom management tool will allow us to maximize class time to support your student’s learning while at school. Please note that student devices will not be monitored outside of school hours. The regular filters remain in place on school devices, but once they are home, teachers cannot monitor students. As parents, we would like to encourage you to sign up for your own Lightspeed reports, which will allow you to see how your child is spending time on the computer during and after school hours.

Summer Camps

Have you made summer plans for your child yet? Are you looking for a summer camp for your child with special needs?

The Family Resource Center has compiled information on summer camps including local options, camps for students with special needs (sorted by need), and camps for students experiencing grief or who have parents in the military.