WMES Newsletter- April 24

SAVE THE DATES

April 30 – PTA Spring Fling

May 4–8 – Teacher Appreciation Week

May 5 – June 3 – SOL Testing Window

May 7 – Kindergarten Field Trip to the Zoo

June 8 – Band, Strings, and Chorus Concert

June 11 – 6th Grade Promotion Ceremony

June 15 – Field Day

June 17 – Last Day of School


WMES Spring Fling

The WMES PTA is excited to invite all current and soon-to-be WMES families to our annual Spring Fling on April 30th from 5:30–7:30 PM! Join us for an evening of fun outdoor activities, including games, music, prizes, shaved ice, and more. Enjoy delicious food from Chalkboard Wings & BBQ and win raffle prizes! It’s a great opportunity to connect, celebrate, and enjoy time together as a school community. Volunteers are also needed—be sure to scan the QR code on the flyer to sign up. We hope to see you there!

Spring FLing

PTA Board Member Positions

The WMES PTA is looking forv olunteers to join our team! We currently have open board positions for Vice President and Treasurer. Serving on the PTA is a great way to support our students, connect with other families, and help make a positive impact in our school community. If you’re interested or would like more information, please reach out to washingtonmillelempta@gmail.com. We’d love to have you join us!

PTA Board


Washington Mill PTA

WMES Logo

Stay connected with the Washington Mill PTA

Our Linktree page (https://linktr.ee/washmillpta) is your one-stop hub for everything happening in our PTA community! From volunteer opportunities to upcoming events and important resources, it’s updated regularly—so check back often as new ways to get involved are always being added.

Don’t miss out—be sure to sign up to receive the PTA newsletter for the latest updates, reminders, and ways to support our amazing Wolf community!


SOL Support

test

Support Your Children During Important Spring Assessments 

Students will be participating in spring assessments based on their grade level and courses. This includes summative assessments like Standards of Learning (SOL) tests, which measure what a student knows, and progress assessments like Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) tests, which measure where they are in their learning. 

FCPS encourages all families to support their students in taking these tests. Virginia requires schools to test at least 95% of students on SOLs, so when families choose not to participate in testing, it can impact a school’s accreditation, accountability ratings, and ability to measure student progress accurately.

Parents and caregivers can help their children perform their best on these tests by reminding them to get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and the cell phone policy still applies during testing season. 

It is important that students attend school on scheduled testing dates. If you are aware of a conflict that may cause your student to miss a test, please notify us as soon as possible. 

Learn more about how to support your child and why test participation matters.

SOL Testing DatesSOL Testing Dates (Spanish)

Nominations Open for the Bussey Memorial Equity Award

Nominations are now open for the 2026 Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award. This award recognizes an employee, student, or community member who has demonstrated significant and impactful efforts to improve the educational experiences and outcomes of students from groups who are marginalized or underserved.

Any staff, student, or community member can nominate an individual for the award. All nomination materials must be submitted by Monday, May 18.  

The Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC) sponsors this award to honor the legacy of Dr. Bussey, a founding member of the MSAOC and a longtime advocate for students and families. 

Full details and the nomination information form can be found at the Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award webpage.


Immunizations

Required Immunizations for Rising 7th and Rising 12th Graders

The following immunizations are required for students entering 7th and 12th grade each school year. 

All students entering 7th grade are required to receive one dose of each of the following immunizations prior to the beginning of school: Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis booster (Tdap), Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY), and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine

  • To meet the Tdap requirement, the vaccination must be administered at age 7 or older.
  • To meet the MenACWY requirement, the vaccination must be administered at age 10 or older.
  • To meet the HPV requirement, the vaccination should be given between the ages of 11 to 12 or as early as 9 years old. 
    •  As a parent/guardian, you may decide that your child will not receive the HPV vaccination. The school does not require documentation if a parent/guardian elects for their student not to receive the HPV vaccination.

All students entering 12th grade are to receive two doses of the Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) prior to the beginning of school. To meet the MenACWY 12th grade requirement, one dose must be administered at age 16 or older. 

Parents and guardians are encouraged to plan ahead by scheduling an appointment with your child’s health care provider now to avoid the rush this summer. Please consider getting your child’s immunizations early so that they can attend school in the fall. Summer is a busy time for families and healthcare providers. As long as your child meets the age requirements listed above, they can be immunized at any time.

Immunization Events for FCPS StudentsFCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will provide school-required immunizations and optional flu shots for all FCPS students at no out-of-pocket cost. Multiple events will take place at designated FCPS locations. 

Dates will be made available throughout the school year. Parents or guardians may view upcoming events and schedule an appointment for their student. Participation is voluntary. Additional immunization resources are also available.


Office of the Ombuds Is at Your Service!

Ombuds staff engage with FCPS staff, families, and students to offer resources and improve the experience of each and every member of the FCPS community. They work as an independent confidential resource to help get answers to questions, resolve concerns, and hear complaints regarding FCPS matters.  

Ombuds staff do not make or change decisions, policies, or regulations. They do not take sides, and they do not provide legal advice.

Anyone with concerns, questions, or complaints to share with the Office of the Ombuds may call 571-423-4014, email ombuds@fcps.edu, or visit their webpage, where you may submit a question.


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


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