Cub Run Family Newsletter

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Upcoming Dates

August 24: First Day of School for the 2026-27 school year (Grades K-12)

August 24: First Day of School for Students in the Preschool Autism Classroom (PAC) Program

August 27: First Day of School for Students in the ECCB Program

September 4 & 7: No School - Labor Day 

September 17: Back to School Night

September 21: No School - Yom Kippur

View the 2026-27 school year calendar for additional important dates.

Cubbie News

Dear Cub Run Families and Friends, 

Thank you so much to everyone who joined us for our Open House! It was an absolute joy to see so many familiar faces and welcome our new families into our school community. Seeing our hallways filled with excitement reminded us why we love what we do.

Our dedicated staff has been hard at work all week—thoughtfully preparing learning environments and diving into professional development—to ensure we are ready to support, inspire, and challenge your children from day one.

We would like to share a few reminders as we kick off this school year:

  • For safety reasons, please say goodbye to your student outside of the school building. Our staff will be in red shirts outside and throughout our building to assist students in safely getting to class.
  • Please ensure your child’s teacher knows how they are going home at dismissal. 
  • Bus riders will receive their ID badge, so they are able to tap on and off the bus. Our goal is to have these ID badges distributed by the end of our first week. 
  • During our first couple of weeks, we will be practicing our cafeteria expectations and routines. We look forward to welcoming family members to join their students for lunch starting on Monday, September 14, 2026. We will share additional information prior to that date. 

We cannot wait to welcome all our Cubbies back through the doors for the first day of school! Get some rest, enjoy the final moments of summer, and we will see you very soon.

Warm regards,

Melissa Miller, Principal

Nausheen Haider, Assistant Principal

Stephanie Kaminsky, Assistant Principal

First Day of School

The first day of school, Monday, August 24, is just around the corner! Check out these back-to-school tips to make sure your child gets off to a great start. 

Also find out what will be new this school year. 

Labor Day

Friday, September 4, and Monday, September 7, are Labor Day holidays for all FCPS employees and students. Virginia legislation requires that schools opening prior to Labor Day must be closed the Friday immediately preceding Labor Day. We hope everyone takes the long weekend to celebrate a strong start to the school year and enjoy time with family and friends.

See the complete school year calendar. 

Back to School Checklist 

We’re Eager to Welcome You Back to School!

As summer winds down, we are looking forward to welcoming students back to our classrooms. Use the following list to help make sure your child is ready! 

☑️Sign Up for SIS ParentVUE

Access your student’s attendance records, grades, and assignments at any time with SIS ParentVUE. Contact our registrar, Mrs. Saxena, if you need an activation code. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE. Also, download the new ParentVUE mobile app so you can access your child’s records easily from anywhere! 

☑️Update Your Contact Information

Be sure you receive important information! Update your phone number(s) and/or email address(es) by clicking “My Account” and reviewing the “Online Verification/Update.” On that form, you can also update immunization records, health information, and emergency contacts. 

 ☑️Update Immunizations and Records

Immunizations are required for all students to attend school in Virginia. This is an important part of protecting them from certain diseases and keeping them healthy. 

When your child is immunized, remember to request a copy of their immunization record and bring that to our front office or submit the record via SIS ParentVUE as soon as possible. Find more information on FCPS’ website.

☑️Learn About School Meals

Families need to provide their children with money to purchase meals at school or send them with a packed lunch. Alternatively, families may apply to receive free and reduced-price meal benefits, pending approval.

☑️ Bookmark the School Year Calendar

Be sure to bookmark the FCPS school year calendar to keep track of school holidays, breaks, and observances:

  • Days marked blue with an “H” are student holidays. Schools are closed on these days.
  • Days marked orange with an “O” are religious and cultural observance days (or evenings, if only half marked). There is school on these days, but certain events that cannot be made up may not be scheduled on these days.
  • Days marked as TW, SD, and SP and in pink are holidays for students but working days for teachers and staff.

Please note that some holidays and observances, such as Eid al Fitr, may shift, and the calendar may be adjusted.

26-27 School Supply Lists

Please visit our website to review grade level school supply lists. 

Student Online Verification Update

The 2026–27 Online Verification/Update (OVU) packet is now available in ParentVUE. The OVU packet allows parents to electronically update phone numbers, emergency contacts, health conditions, and upload immunization records for their students via ParentVUE. 

Please take time to update your student's information.  Instructions and detailed information are available here.

The OVU packet includes a section where parents can request childcare for the four elementary Early Release Wednesdays.  

Message from our Family Liaison

My name is Helen Seo, Family Liaison at Cub Run ES. If you ever have any questions about school procedure or need help finding resources, I am here to support you. 

I can also provide language services and share information you may need. Please feel free to reach out to me anytime via TalkingPoints, email at hseo@fcps.edu or my direct phone at 703-633-7571.

If you want to receive TalkingPoints messages in your home language, you can download the TalkingPoints app and change your preferred language in the app settings under Personal Info.

Early Release Wednesdays for the 2026-27 School Year

FCPS will continue with limited early release Wednesdays for elementary schools during the 2026-27 school year. The number of days has been reduced from eight to four. 

Early release Wednesdays provide elementary teachers with a dedicated block of time to prepare lessons, participate in professional development and training, and collaborate with their peers. A well-supported and continuously improving teaching staff leads to better educational outcomes for students. 

Please view the dates for Cub Run's early release Wednesdays below:

  • October 21
  • December 2
  • February 10
  • May 5

Visit the FCPS website for more information about early release Wednesdays.

Back to School Night - September 17

Please join us for Back to School Night on Thursday, September 17. This evening, our teachers will be presenting sessions, you can meet our specialists, and hear important FCPS information on what to expect this school year. We look forward to seeing you!

6:00-6:40PM - Session 1 & Welcome Videos

6:00-7:15PM - Specialists available in library

6:50-7:30PM - Session 2 & Welcome Videos

Safety at Arrival & Dismissal

Arrival Reminders

If you are walking your child to school, please use our crosswalk with the assistance of our outstanding crossing guard. If you are driving your child, please use our Kiss and Ride/Car Rider loop that is adjacent to our school that loops around the parking lot. This is the safest option for dropping off students and as students get used to the process, the line moves quicker.

Dismissal Reminders

All students should know how they will be going home from school each day, whether they are a walker, bus rider, or kiss and rider. Please also work on remembering the following:

Walkers: Who they walk home with and where they are supposed to meet them

Kiss and Riders: Their Kiss and Ride number

Bus Riders: Their bus number and bus stop

Need to  communicate an early dismissal or a change in dismissal plans for a particular day? Please contact our main office BEFORE NOON on the day of the change to notify both the front office and our classroom teachers of the dismissal change.

If you will be picking up your child for an early dismissal, we request for you to pick them up by 3:00pm. This allows time for our main office staff to successfully prepare for dismissal.

Kiss & Ride Procedures 

In order for the Cub Run staff to ensure a safe environment for all children, the following drop-off and pick-up procedures should be followed by all families. These procedures will be strictly adhered to each day.  If you need a Kiss and Ride number, please contact our main office. We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our cubbies safe!

Morning Drop-off Procedures

    • Drop off begins at 8:30 a.m.
    • When entering the parking lot for the Kiss & Ride line, please do not block the crosswalk. Proceed to the side of the school and follow the loop around to the right.
    • Do not leave your child if there is no staff member present at Kiss & Ride. You must line up and wait at the starting location until a staff member is in position at Kiss & Ride to receive your child. 
    • The students may exit their vehicle on the right passenger side only. The left door should always be closed for safety purposes. 
  • All other individuals in the car should remain in the vehicle at all times for safety reasons.
  • After dropping off your child, proceed to exit the Kiss & Ride line carefully. Use extreme caution when you get to Sully Station Drive,  as walkers will be crossing at various times in a designated crosswalk.  The crossing guard will use a stop sign to halt traffic when walkers are present. 
  • Parents arriving after 8:40 a.m. must park and escort students to the main entrance (Door 1), where you check in your students in the front office.    

Afternoon Pick-Up Procedures

  • When entering the parking lot for the Kiss & Ride line, please do not block the crosswalk.
  • When you arrive, please be sure to have your Kiss & Ride number card visibly displayed on your dashboard when you pull forward.     
  • All cars should move up as far as possible along the sidewalk so that we may get as many cars loaded as possible. Please do not stop directly in front of your child, as this will delay all of the cars behind you.   
  • Children may only enter their vehicle from the right side of the vehicle. The left door should always be closed for safety purposes, especially during dismissal time. 
  • Ensure that your child wears a seat belt and proceed to exit the Kiss & Ride loop carefully.  
  • Parents arriving after 3:45 p.m. must park and sign out students from the office staff.

Walker Procedures

In the afternoons, walkers are met at Door 4 by the playground. Kindergartner walkers are required to have an adult meet them.

Bus Riders

Arrival: All bus riders enter through door 1. 

Dismissal: Kindergarten students will be escorted to their buses. All Kindergarten students must be met at the bus stop by an adult.

Students will watch for their bus numbers on our Silent Dismissal slide. Teachers will have bus number information to encourage students to leave at the appropriate time.

Reporting Absences

Parents/caregivers may report absences by using ParentVUE or by contacting the front office. Please find important details below:

  • How to Use ParentVUE: Log in to your ParentVUE account and select “Report Absence.” 
  • More Ways to Report: Use our attendance line at 703-633-7575 or email cubrunelem.attendance@fcps.edu for absences longer than two days, late arrivals, and early dismissals.
  • Where to Get Help: Visit FCPS’ Attendance Reporting webpage for step-by-step instructions. 

If you need to set up a ParentVUE account or have questions, please contact our front office at 703-633-7500. They will provide you with an “activation key” and instructions to create a ParentVUE account. 

New Requirement for Student Device Use During the School Day

Starting this school year, students must use FCPS-issued devices for school-related digital activities during the instructional day. This is in accordance with a new School Board requirement, approved on July 16, which states that students may not use personal electronic communication or computing devices, including personal laptops, tablets, smartwatches, smartphones, and similar devices. 

Students may only use their personal device if it is required as part of a necessary accommodation in the students’ Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan. A principal or the principal’s designee may approve a limited, course-specific exception for students enrolled in a specialized class when the curriculum requires a technology tool or software that isn’t available on a standard FCPS-issued device. 

Families can help support this requirement by reminding students to bring their FCPS-issued device each day and use it for all school-related digital activities unless an approved exception applies. 

Medical Dietary Accommodations

Office of Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) is implementing a standardized process for dietary accommodations to ensure the provision of safe and healthy food for our students. This form only needs to be filled out once while your student is enrolled at FCPS.

Please visit the website for details https://www.fcps.edu/services/families-and-caregivers/food-and-nutrition/dietary-accommodations

Complete the appropriate Dietary Accommodation form for each child in your household who needs dietary accommodation(s).

  • Medical Dietary Accommodation Form
    • This form is for Medical Accommodations such as food allergies, texture modifications, or other dietary needs.
    • This form requires a signature from a state-licensed healthcare provider.  
  • Medical dietary form must be sent to dietary.forms.fns@fcps.edu.
  • Forms should only be sent to FNS if your student plans to eat school meals.

Explore School Meals in the New Menu Platform

Experience an easier way to view your child’s school menus using MealViewer:

  • View what is being served each day.
  • View the nutritional information for each meal.
  • See if any specific allergens are being served.
  • Get notified when your student’s favorite meal is being served.

Printable menus are always available on the Food and Nutrition Services webpage.