|
English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو
We are a family.
We are capable.
We are caring.
We all belong!
 Something Sweet with Someone You Love is a special Bren Mar Park event!
February 16 No School - Presidents' Day Holiday
February 17 No School - Teacher Workday
February 17 FCPS Title 1 Family Information Event @ Centeridge ES
February 18 Early Release Wednesday, School Ends at 1:00 p.m.
February 25 Student Experience Survey, Grades 3 and 5
February 27 Student Experience Survey, Grades 4 and ID/IDS
February 27 Family Dance Night, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
March 1-15 PTA Read-a-Thon!
March 4 Middle School Transition Fair, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
March 18 Early Release Wednesday, School Ends at 1:00 p.m.
There is no school on Monday, February 16 in honor of Presidents' Day. The front office will also be closed to the public.
There is no school on Tuesday, February 17 for Teacher Workday. The front office will be open to the public from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
We look forward to seeing your child back at school on Wednesday, February 18. Doors open to students at 9:00 a.m.
Our Student Council Association (SCA) is launching "Kits of Kindness," a dedicated drive to support members of our community experiencing homelessness. This student-led initiative is a powerful example of our learners acting as ethical and global citizens to make a tangible difference close to home. Each classroom will have a box for donated items.
Although schools are closed for students on Tuesday, February 17, the BMP Lobby will be open from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. to receive your contributions.
We are collecting:
Warmth: Gently used clothing, Jackets, blankets, and gloves
Pantry Items: Canned goods, rice, mac & cheese, fruit cups, crackers, and water
Essentials: Soap, sanitizer, deodorant, lotion, and toilet paper
Comfort: Toys
Thank you for helping our students support our community!
School ends at 1:00 p.m. for our Early Release Wednesday. Emails with the school's most updated information on release plans for students were sent home on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. Please notify your child's teacher and/or the BMP front office as soon as possible should the dismissal plan for your child change.
We encourage all parents/caregivers to have their student take their normal route home (bus, walk, kiss and ride) on early dismissal days.
We offer student supervision at no-cost to families for those who have childcare hardship. Students will be supervised by staff and may be placed in mixed-aged groups. Buses are available for those students who stay.
You can learn more at https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/safety-and-transportation/limited-early-release-wednesdays
You are invited to FCPS' Middle School Transition Fair, an evening for families of elementary and middle school students receiving special education services to learn about planning for the future.
At this event, families can meet Career and Transition Services (CTS) representatives and other support staff, learn about postsecondary education, employment, and community supports, and hear from a student and parent panel sharing real transition experiences.
The fair will be held on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, from 6:30–8:30 p.m. at Luther Jackson Middle School. Language support will be available.
This is a great opportunity to ask questions, connect with resources, and feel more confident about your child’s next steps. We hope to see you there!
Event registration link
The 2026 Special Education Family Conference - Stronger Together: Connecting Families & Schools has been rescheduled from March 21 to April 18, 2026 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at George C. Marshall High School, 7731 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22043.
The 2026 Special Education Family Conference is a no-cost, in-person event is hosted by Fairfax County Public Schools in collaboration with a host of community partners. Keynote speaker is renowned educator and advocate, Dr. Shelley Moore. Families will also have the opportunity to connect with resources and participate in afternoon sessions.
Updated conference details are now available on the Special Education Family Conference webpage.
Register HERE.
 Picture 1: New cafeteria (left); New intermediate classrooms (right)
 Picture 2: New intermediate classrooms (left); 2 new art rooms (right)
If you haven't been to Bren Mar Park in a while, the 2-story addition is really coming along. The snows did not stop our construction crew from continuing their work. In fact, Scheibel Construction paused just long enough to help our amazing custodial crew clean up snow and ice during the snow storm!
The colors are also official! Are you interested in seeing samples of the various floor and wall tiles which highlight the color selection? The color boards are now at Bren Mar Park for family and community viewing. They are available near the front office for viewing next week.
The new addition is expected to be open for students at the beginning of next school year.
You can learn more at https://www.fcps.edu/bren-mar-park-elementary-capital-project
Our schools are the heart of our community, and we’d love for you to be a part of them. By volunteering with FCPS, you’re not just helping out—you’re investing in our students' success. Whether you're interested in assisting in the classroom or helping behind the scenes at events, your time makes a world of difference.
Those who are interested in volunteering must complete a volunteer application through FCPS. For student-based events, such as field trips, volunteers with completed level 3 applications will get first priority. Next, we will select those who have applied for level 3 and finally those families with level 1 or 2 completed applications.
You can apply and learn more at https://www.fcps.edu/get-involved/volunteer-fcps
Welcome to Quarter 3 in the Bren Mar Park Library! All of our students are becoming curious readers. I am so proud of them for trying new genres and types of reading. For the most part they are doing a great job returning their borrowed books on time so that others may enjoy those titles.
Thank you for continuing to talk with your children about the books they are choosing to read. Remember that a child does not have to be able to read a book to borrow a book. Reading as a family is important in building strong readers. Our picture books, the ones with an E on the spine (for Everybody), are made for shared reading.
During library class time, we are focusing intently on critical thinking skills and inquiry/research skills for learning. Kindergarteners are writing and illustrating their own books – The Story of Me! You may be asked some questions at home about things they did and liked when they were little. Be prepared! When they are done, their books will be bound and kept in the Library! First grade is wrapping up their animal research projects. They are working very hard to turn their notes about their topic into a proper paragraph. Our second graders have just begun a unit on pollinators. They will research native plants and pollinators to prepare for a garden design project using key math skills. As part of this unit, they will plant seeds for plants, with the hope that their seedlings can be added to a garden at home or here at Bren Mar Park!
Our 3rd and 4th graders are deep into their individual research projects connected to Ancient Egypt and Colonial America, respectively. We have already worked through questioning strategies and examined reliable resources. Soon they will apply their background knowledge to new information to create a demonstration of learning. Fifth grade is (finally) in the model building stage of their landforms/kinetic energy project. They have patiently worked with design challenges, creating rapport with their project partners, and navigating our many weather delays and absences from school. Their projects, when done, will be on display in the library.
Our book fair for this year will be March 19-27. Be on the lookout for our call for volunteers to support student browsing and purchasing in a couple of weeks. Thank you in advance for your support!
 Board of Supervisor for the Mason District, Andres Jimenez, joined Principal Williams and the BMP staff to learn more about the great work we are doing and ways in which he can help us coordinate support.
Looking ahead to my favorite month of the year (Music in Our Schools Month!!), I am hoping you will join the music team for Spirit Week from March 9-13 to help celebrate the musical opportunities and achievements our students have.
Here are the theme days:
Music Matters Monday: Wear your favorite Music/Musician Themed Clothing
Turn Back Time Tuesday: Dress Up in something that represents your favorite decade of music
We Will Rock You Wednesday: Dress up like the ROCKSTAR you are!
Toot Your Own Horn Thursday: Dress like or accessorize with your favorite instruments
Finale Friday: Every musician deserves rest- wear your favorite post-concert pjs!
 Join us on Friday, February 27th for our annual Family Dance Night. A glow-in-the-dark jam for the whole fam. Admission is free.
Dinner will be provided to attendees free of charge in the cafeteria from 5:30-6:15, while supplies last. Snacks, drinks, and glow items will be available for purchase starting at 5:30pm in the cafeteria. Dancing will begin in the gym at 6:30pm.
Families are encouraged to wear white and/or neon colors and comfortable shoes as our P.E. teachers will be leading party dances as well as Zumba-style dances.
 Order your BMP Yearbook. Yearbooks are on sale February 9 through March 20th.
Students can buy online at http://www.barksdalephoto.com (Access Code: 0036558YB) or bring cash (exact change) to the front office. The office will be collecting yearbook money from 9am-9:30am in the front office.
FCPS is offering take-home meal kits from Wednesday, February 18 to Thursday, March 19, 2026 to support students who are fasting during the school day.
Thanks to a program from the Virginia Department of Education, students can now take healthy school meal kits home at the end of the day. These kits are designed to be eaten later that day and include both breakfast and lunch.
Families must sign up by deadlines in order to take advantage of this opportunity. Visit https://www.fcps.edu/meal-kits-fasting-students for more information.
FCPS Title 1 offers opportunities for families to learn more about Title 1 services and to build connections with other Title 1 communities. Bren Mar Park families are invited. You can attend in-person or participate online.
Save the Dates! Mark your calendars for 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. on:
- Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at Centre Ridge Elementary School
- Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at Providence Elementary School
- Tuesday, April 21, 2026 at Holmes Middle School
- Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at Justice High School
Gone are the days of digging through emails or hunting for bookmarks. The FCPS app provides a custom experience that is both powerful and easy to use. Here is how it makes life easier:
-
Customized for Your Family: Do you have students at two (or more!) different schools? You can "follow" multiple schools to get a feed of news, notices, and events specific to your family.
-
No Sign-In Required: Access essential content like district-wide announcements, live updates, and school calendars instantly — no password to remember, no login required.
-
Real-Time Notifications: Get push notifications for urgent updates — including weather announcements! — ensuring you never miss an important announcement from the district or your school.
-
Everything in One Place: From bell schedules and staff directories to athletic event locations and school menus, the app is a central hub for all things FCPS.
To ensure every family stays informed, the app supports automatic translation for more than 100 languages. Learn more about the app, or download it today in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
There’s an easy five-step process for parents wanting to register their child for kindergarten:
- Determine eligibility.
- Identify your local school.
- Gather documents.
- Fill out forms.
- Schedule an appointment.
After the appointment at the school (the student and one caregiver must be present), the student will be ready for orientation or any other introductory events each school may host. Read more about the registration process. For more information, call our student information assistant at (703) 914-7203.
Try Online Registration
Parents may register their children online for kindergarten through 12th grade. Learn how to begin the online registration process. When registering, parents will create (or log in to an existing) SIS ParentVUE account.
K & K Insurance Group offers student accident insurance coverage that parents may purchase. For families without other medical insurance, this plan may be a helpful resource. Additionally, for families who already have coverage, this plan may help offset costs such as deductibles and co-pays. Coverage may be purchased at any time during the school year.
More information can be found at https://www.fcps.edu/school-health-services/voluntary-student-insurance
Help your student succeed in school by encouraging them to miss as few days as possible. However, do make sure your student stays home if they are sick. Visit the FCPS website for helpful insights regarding absences and how to work with your child and our school to minimize impacts on learning.
If your child has a chronic illness, make sure to let us know so we can provide assistance, if needed.
Schoology is the learning management system used in FCPS. Parents and students can use Schoology to view assignments and messages from teachers. Learn more about how to access and navigate Schoology.
Visit the Schoology Snippets YouTube playlist to watch short tutorials that walk you through how to use Schoology.
Need help logging in or accessing Tech Support? Visit the Schoology for Parents page.
|
