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Dear Freedom Hill Families,
The first day of school is almost here, and we couldn’t be more excited! It was wonderful to see so many families at Open House, and tomorrow we will welcome our students back for another year of learning, growth, and discovery. A heartfelt thank you to our teachers and staff for creating such a warm and welcoming environment for the start of the school year. A big thanks to our PTA for being on site, and for providing a great lunch for our hardworking staff!
This year, our theme is “Ready, Set, Goal!” From the very first day, we will encourage our students to embrace new challenges and celebrate their progress along the way. We are excited to support every student as they discover what they can achieve.
Please take a moment to review the newsletter below for important reminders about arrival and dismissal procedures. Ensuring a safe start and end to each day is our top priority, and it requires all of us, staff and families alike, working together. In particular, please help keep our students safe by not crossing Lord Fairfax Road, except at our designated crosswalk. Your partnership makes this possible.
We look forward to a fantastic year ahead. Together, we are ready, set, and goal-bound!
In partnership,
Dr. Nicholas Zapadka, Principal
Mr. Tim Scesney, Assistant Principal
Ms. Holly Sims, Assistant Principal
Kiss and Ride (Red) - Parents follow the loop and drop off students in the safe area where staff members meet the students. Cars in the bus loop need to allow for space for families to access the accessible parking spaces.
Accessible Parking (Blue) - There are two areas designated for accessible parking. Please note that our Facilities Department will be reconfiguring these this year - please be aware of signage.
Door #1 - Students that ride the bus enter and exit the building at Door 1.
Door #8 -Walkers and Kiss and Ride students enter and exit the building at Door 8.
Door #5 - Walkers from behind the school and some students in our special education programs enter and exit the building at Door 5.
In the interest of student safely, please do not:
- Make illegal U-turns on Lord Fairfax Road
- Park in the bus lanes (yellow area) during arrival/dismissal
- Walk across the road or bus lanes (please use the crosswalk)
- Park at the neighboring apartment complex
- Block community mailboxes
2026-27 FCPS School Calendar
Freedom Hill Family Resources
Breakfast/Lunch Menus
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August 24 - First Day of School - Students Arrive at 9:05
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August 31 - Deadline to register for Fall before-school enrichment classes
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September 1 - Back to School Night for Parents, 6-8PM
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September 4 - 7 - Labor Day Break
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September 11 - PTA Back to School Picnic, 5:30-7:30PM
PTA-sponsored enrichment classes for the Fall 2026 session are now open for registration! Our teacher-led programs offer students a fun and meaningful way to explore new interests before school.
The Fall Session runs from September 8 – December 18 and includes a variety of engaging options across grade levels.
Before-School Options for the Fall Include:
(Class days and times vary; see the registration page for complete details.)
All enrichment classes are taught by FHES teachers, providing a safe, familiar, and supportive learning environment.
To register, visit the PTA Enrichment Activities page and store: https://freedomhillespta.givebacks.com/w/enrichment
Note: Classes require minimum enrollment to run.
Registration Closes August 31 @ 9 PM
Contact the PTA at info@freedomhillpta.org if you have any questions, issues, or need additional help.
Three-hour early release days for Freedom Hill are:
- September 30th
- November 18th
- January 13th
- April 7th
Read more about early release Wednesdays on the FCPS website. Directions for how to indicate your childcare needs are below. Please complete by August 25th.
Opt In/Opt Out for ERW Childcare
We anticipate most students will be dismissed at 1:05, like last year. However, we recognize that some families may require childcare during the limited Early Release Wednesdays; these students will be supervised by instructional assistants. No new instruction will take place as after-school care is strictly supervision.
Directions to Indicate your Childcare Needs for ERW
Log in to ParentVUE to review and provide your choice for Early Release Days Child Care.
⇒ No, I have childcare arrangements on Early Release Days and do not require childcare
⇒ No, My child is enrolled in afternoon SACC
⇒ Yes, I require childcare, and my child will stay at school until the normal dismissal
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.
Again this year, families will use the Parent Digital Consent System to complete some forms that have used paper in the past. You will log in using your ParentVUE Account credentials, there, you will be able complete the Digital Resources Consent form for the school year, which is required for all students. You will also be able to find more information about opt-out forms and complete those forms for your student.
Senate Bill 108 is a new Virginia law that went into effect on July 1. It requires that all schools in the state follow a “bell-to-bell” phone-free policy and prohibit cellphone possession and use for the entire school day. The updated FCPS Cellphone Policy aligns with this law.
Across all grade levels, cellphones, cellphone accessories, and all smart devices must be off and personally stored for the duration of the school day. Watches that serve a dual purpose (like a smartwatch) must be off and personally stored for the duration of the school day, too. Personal devices that connect to a cellphone or cellphone accessory or operate as a smart device must also follow the FCPS Cellphone Policy.
This policy does not apply to school-issued devices. However, school-issued devices must be used in accordance with FCPS Regulation 6410, Acceptable Use Policy, which allows the use of school-issued devices for educational purposes. More details are available on the FCPS Cellphone Policy webpage.
 As part of the ongoing commitment to strengthening layered safety and security programs, FCPS will implement a new student ID system for students who ride our school buses.
The implementation of the student IDs is designed as an additional safety measure for our 130,000 students who ride the bus each day, ensuring they are on the right bus and that they get on and off at the correct bus stop, as well as making sure only authorized students are on our buses.
The IDs will be provided to students who ride the bus. Those students will be expected to tap on and tap off the bus. The student IDs do not track student movement. The only information available is when a student taps on or off a bus. Much like our Here Comes the Bus app, our new app will allow parents/guardians to track the progress of the school bus.
It is possible that the ID program will expand in the future to include uses such as library cards and meal payment. Learn more about the new transportation system and student ID cards.
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