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A Note from the Principal
Dear Daniels Run Families,
Welcome to the second week of our exciting school year! Our teachers and students are already deeply engaged in assessments to understand each child's instructional levels, enabling us to tailor our teaching strategies to meet their individual needs effectively.
I'd like to take this opportunity to inform you about some important upcoming events and updates:
Fairfax High School Homecoming Parade
Mark your calendars for the annual Fairfax High School Homecoming Parade on Friday, September 13. Please note that Blenheim Boulevard will be closed to traffic from Lion Run to Old Post Drive from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM. This may impact afternoon pickup and dismissal, so we encourage families to plan ahead. While parents can still pick up their children from the school, they will need to exit towards the center of town.
PTA Meetings and Events
Our first PTA meeting was a great success, providing a wonderful opportunity to connect and hear about all the fantastic events the PTA has planned for this year. Here are some key dates to remember:
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Next PTA Meeting: Join us in person at the Daniels Run Library on October 2nd at 7:00 PM.
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Back-to-School Night: Meet your child's teacher, explore their classroom, and learn about our exciting plans for the year on September 5th from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM.
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PTA Family Picnic: Before and after Back-to-School Night, we invite you to join us for a family picnic from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. This is a wonderful opportunity for families to come together, enjoy good food, and build our community spirit.
Looking Ahead
I am excited about the year ahead, filled with learning, growth, and memorable experiences. Our goal is to create a safe, engaging, and inclusive environment where every student can thrive. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance. Your partnership is vital to the success of our school community.
Warm regards,
Susan Mullen
Principal, Daniels Run Elementary School
POETRY CONTEST - 2024 Arbor Day
In celebration of 2024 Arbor Day on October 26th, 2024, Fairfax City Environmental Sustainability Committee is planning a poetry contest. The focus of the poetry contest is "Protect the Environment Around You". Focus of poetry can be about nature, the importance of trees, climate change, human impact on nature, global warming, decline in various species, or anything else related to environmental awareness and stewardship.
This poetry contest is open to all students of Daniel's Run ES, Providence ES, Johnson MS, and Fairfax HS.
One poetry winner from each city school will receive the award of $50. The winner will also be invited to read their poetry at the Fairfax City Arbor Day Celebration on October 26th, 2024, at Van Dyck Park. (Details will be shared later)
Link to Google form for submissions: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf0q7hvGkhl3ihQnUiXm2hIEev7Pj8gMMpkljH_gn4aKgULyw/viewform?usp=sf_link
Poetry Due Date: October 7th, 2024
PTA News
PTA Back to School Picnic Information
5-7pm during Back to School Open House (5:30-6:30pm) on Thursday, September 5th
Join us behind the school for all the fun!
Food Trucks
New Gourmet Delight https://newgourmetdelightsllc.com/
Two Smooth Dudes https://twosmoothdudes.com/
Kona Ice https://www.kona-ice.com/ (1 Free Kona Ice Per Student!)
Check out who is Coming:
Let’s chat trees! The City of Fairfax’s urban forestry team will be at back-to-school night to share the latest on our urban forest. Stop by to learn about this year’s Arbor Day celebration, how to plant trees at home this fall, upcoming ways to participate in the city’s Urban Forest Master Plan process, and more! Info: fairfaxva.gov/trees.
Hammerzone Sports will be attending- Check out their Student Holiday Camps, Youth Hitting Academy and Youth Catching Camp Here! https://hammerzonesports.com/
Family Focus Academy will be joining us- Check out all they have to offer here -> https://focus4families.com/
Bach to Rock will be there to jam out with us and share opportunities for your student to fall in love with music at their studio in Fairfax City. https://www.bachtorock.com/fairfax/
Music News
Musician of the Month Project
🎵 In all Daniels Run music classes, students study the same musician at the same time, with different listening activities modified by grade level. Throughout the year, different styles that exist in the world’s musical tapestry are explored. Listening activities are meant to involve or inspire active music making, rather than acting as a “music appreciation” curriculum. Students and families can engage with the Musician of the Month at home through listening, dancing or singing. Many families, staff and students voted for their favorite musician of the month last year and also recommended other musicians to study.
🎵 The September Musician of the Month is Duke Ellington. He was an American jazz composer, pianist & bandleader.
🎵 Chorus has begun! All 5th or 6th graders are invited to come and sing in the chorus. This optional vocal ensemble meets Thursdays during school once a week. There is no cost. Chorus begins Thursday, September 5. Register for Chorus here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScI2Ta3gBAF5amG3nXth22sqUrRXh3EErV8eOpai0E_LwE3jA/viewform
2024 Student Rights and Responsibilities
FCPS’ Student Rights and Responsibilities document (SR&R) explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment. Read Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid’s letter to families regarding the SR&R.
Parents/caregivers should talk to their child(ren) about expectations for this school year. Also, please log in to SIS ParentVUE and sign to acknowledge your review of the SR&R, or sign and return the signature sheet to your child’s school by Monday, September 30.
You can submit questions online regarding the SR&R.
Safety Drills During the School Year
Keeping students and staff safe is a priority for FCPS. Each school has an emergency preparedness plan to respond to incidents such as fires and tornadoes. Schools are required by state law to practice emergency drills, including lockdown drills, each year. Schools are also required to notify parents and guardians at least 24 hours before a school conducts a lockdown drill. However, schools are not required to give the specific date and time of the drill in advance.
The first lockdown drill of the school year must take place within the first 20 days of school. Preschool and kindergarten students are exempt from practicing the first lockdown drill.
Your child may come home and talk about their experience during the drill. We encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Please review these frequently asked questions to support your students before and after school lockdown drills.
⚠️ Know Our Security Terms
FCPS uses specific terminology to describe the actions school staff and students should take to ensure safety in a variety of situations. It is important for staff, families, and students to understand what the different terms mean and how they impact school operations.
Watch this video to learn about safety terms including lockdown; secure the building; and stay put, stay tuned.
If students, staff, or community members have a safety concern at school (that is not an immediate emergency), they should submit a tip to the FCPS Safety Tipline. In an emergency, please call 9-1-1.
Community Conversations with Superintendent Dr. Reid
Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid invites you to share your questions or concerns regarding Fairfax County Public Schools. Your voice matters! Community Conversations will be held this Fall 6:30-7:30 p.m. on:
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Monday, September 9, at Holmes Middle School
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Monday, September 23, at Newington Forest Elementary
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Monday, September 30, at Mount Vernon Woods Elementary
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Monday, October 14, at Fairhill Elementary
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Monday, October 21, at Virginia Run Elementary
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Wednesday, October 30, at Herndon Middle
Click the date above to register. Registration is not required but helps with planning. Additional registration links will be shared in next week’s This Week at FCPS. Childcare and interpretation services will be provided. Events are open to all. Find out about other opportunities to connect with Dr. Reid.
Everything You Can Do Through SIS ParentVue
Want to easily access back-to-school forms and checklists? Log in to your SIS ParentVUE account to find forms and make updates.
Update Contact Information
Be among the first to know about weather closings, bus delays, and other critical communications from your school and FCPS by providing your cell phone number and email in SIS ParentVUE. To update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, click the “Online Packets” tab in the upper right of the screen, then click the “Online Verification/Update” icon.
Parents/caregivers who do not have a SIS ParentVUE account should print and complete the Emergency Care Information Form (PDF) and submit it to their child’s school.
Complete Permission Forms
Families can now easily give permission for their children to access a variety of school resources through the Parent Digital Consent system. This online tool can be accessed using your SIS ParentVUE account. Parents can easily opt their child in or out of resources including online educational tools, school counseling services, and tutoring services. They can also change how student information is managed.
Visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. Watch this video to see how to use the tool.
Submit Absences
Parents can submit daylong absences through SIS ParentVUE. Log in and click “Report Absence.” Note: Partial day absences and changes of transportation should still be reported directly to the school front office.
Don’t Have a SIS ParentVUE Account Yet? Contact your school for an activation code and follow the directions on the SIS ParentVUE Account webpage.
Transportation Patience and Safety
Thank you for your patience as we all get used to new routines this school year. We appreciate our families following Kiss and Ride procedures and being patient while waiting for your children’s buses.
If a student’s bus is delayed, parents may access the Bus Delay Notification System or use the Here Comes the Bus mobile app to receive the delayed bus report. Email messages will be sent to announce significant bus delays. Contact the Transportation Office at 703-249-7000 with any additional questions. For any concerns after 5:30 p.m., contact Safety and Security at 571-423-2000.
To make sure you receive email messages about bus delays, update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE.
FCPS 2023-2030 Strategic Plan
✨ 2023-30 Strategic Plan: Foundation of Four Pillars While the five goals of FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan focus on student success, the four pillars describe what FCPS must do well to reach our goals for all students:
- The first focus of the pillars is on teaching and learning. We want to make sure each and every student has access to excellent and inclusive learning environments, and that instruction meets students’ individual needs.
- The second pillar focuses on our connection with families and our communities. We cannot do this work alone. Strong partnerships are key to our students’ success.
- The third pillar is centered on our hiring and maintaining a world class, diverse workforce. We want to make sure our incredible employees have what they need to help our students thrive.
- The fourth and final pillar centers on how we bring this all together. We remain focused on creating a culture of equity, excellence, and accountability where data guides our decisions.
Visit our Strategic Plan webpage for more information.
Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity
FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.
Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.
Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.
Bell Schedule Information
Daniels Run ES bell schedule for 2024-2025 is 9:00am - 3:45pm.
- Office hours are 8:00am - 4:30pm
- Kiss & Ride Drop Off - 8:45am - 9:00am
- Door open at 8:45am for students
Attendance Reporting
Report Attendance using one of the methods below:
- ParentVUE- Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, parents/legal guardians can submit full-day absences using SIS ParentVue. Learn more about attendance reporting through SIS ParentVUE.
- Call our attendance line at 703-279-8484
- Email [email protected]
Kiss and Ride Information
Welcome to the new school year! This is to inform you of our Kiss and Ride procedures for the end of the day.
1) During the first 2 weeks of school we will be giving out a Kiss and Ride card.
2) Please place the card on the passenger side dashboard of your vehicle with your child's name and grade level.
3) All students will wait in the cafeteria to be called to the Kiss and Ride loop of cars as parents arrive. Students will be called starting at 3:45pm when the dismissal bell rings.
Beginning September 3rd if you do not have the card on your dashboard you will be asked to park and come in to the office to pick up your child. Please be sure to get as many Kiss and Ride cards as you need to ensure that all your vehicles can display the card.
- As a reminder students should only be entering and exiting cars from the passenger side of the vehicle. Also students will be dismissed to a vehicle ONLY. Please do not walk up to the cafeteria exit door to pick up your child.
- We thank you in advance for your flexibility and help with ensuring the safety of all the children.
- No pets are allowed on school grounds.
Opt-Out Annual Notice
Fairfax County Public Schools wants all parents and caregivers to understand its policies regarding surveys, records, curriculum, privacy, and related rights.
In its Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights and Opt-Out Forms (Annual Notice), FCPS provides explanations of the rights listed above as well as forms that may be used to exercise opt-out choices. Two versions of the Annual Notice are available: a grades K-8 version and a grades 9-12 version. Parents/caregivers with children at different grade levels should read each applicable version of the Annual Notice, because the notices and opt-out rights vary depending on the student’s grade level.
Get more information and view the 2024-25 Opt-Out Booklets.
Update Immunizations and Records
Please check with your healthcare provider as soon as possible to make sure your child is up-to-date on the immunizations required by the state of Virginia. Starting Monday, September 30, students who have not provided proof of immunization will not be allowed to attend school.
You can check your child’s immunization compliance and submit their immunization record in SIS ParentVUE. Records may also be delivered to a school’s front office.
If your child needs a vaccine, please make an appointment with your healthcare provider, visit the Fairfax County Health Department website for a list of child immunization clinics, or access other local services. If needed, families may also provide other immunization documentation including a healthcare provider’s written statement of a permanent or temporary medical exemption or a notarized Religious Exemption Form.
Find more information on immunizations on the FCPS website.
Early Release Mondays
Fairfax County Public Schools has planned seven early release Mondays starting in September. Please mark the dates listed below on your calendars.
Daniels Run ES will dismiss at 12:45 PM on the following days:
- September 23
- October 28
- November 25
- February 24
- March 17
- April 28
- May 19
Visit FCPS' webpage for detailed information about early release Mondays. Please make sure to fill out the survey linked here: https://forms.gle/pHYySmGkSqiwpDDC9 regarding early release Mondays.
FCPS Calendar
FCPS School Calendar 2024-2025
Important Dates
August 30- Sept 2- Labor Day Break
September 5 - Back to School Open House/PTA Picnic
September 23- Early Release at 12:45pm
October 11- Field Day
Quick Links
3705 Blenheim Blvd., Fairfax, VA 22030 | Main Office: 703-279-8400
Attendance: 703-279-8484 | Web | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
