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Check out what is happening here at Orange Hunt: What a wonderful start to the school year! Over the past week and a half, our students and staff have been busy settling into routines, building relationships, and creating strong classroom communities. It has been wonderful to see the excitement, smiles, and learning happening throughout Orange Hunt!
Kiss & Ride Registration
We are rolling out Kiss & Ride numbers. All families who will utilize OHES Kiss & Ride need to register here. New placards will be distributed to students in their Tuesday folders. Please follow the Kiss & Ride rules ensure the safety of all students.
You can use the Kiss & Ride even if you have not received your placard. We will call your child' name.
Important Note:
In the morning please do not park in the lot if you are using Kiss& Ride. We have limited spaces for staff and need the spots to be open for them. They need to get in the building to welcome students.
In the afternoon, we encourage you to use the Kiss & Ride line. If you are parking and walking to the neighborhood your student should not report to Kiss & Ride but Door 4 or 6 to meet you. Please communicate with your teacher the routine of how your child will go home.
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Digital Resource Consent
Online verification update. It must be completed each year. When you open this page, you need to click on packets. You will need to verify several pieces of information. This is where you will indicate if you have a hardship for Early Release Wednesdays.
In order to make sure your child has access to digital FCPS resources that a teacher may choose to use in class, please take a moment to review the Digital Resource Consent Form. If you have any questions about how a program might be used in your child’s classroom, please reach out to their teacher. More information about FCPS vision for intentional technology use can be found on the Educational Technology in FCPS website.
Updates to Technology in School
The Virginia legislature has passed a law updating what personal electronics are permitted in school. Starting this year, students must turn off and place in backpacks all personal electronics, including cell phones, smart watches, laptops, and wireless headphones. Students may not wear these items during the school day in the building.
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Health Room News
Welcome back to the new school year! As your child returns to school, please take a moment to review the following important health information:
- If your child is experiencing symptoms or you're unsure whether they should attend school, please refer to our when to stay home guide.
- If your child has any new or existing health conditions (such as asthma, allergies, diabetes, seizures, or vision concerns), please complete the Health Information Form to help us support their needs.
- If your child requires medications or medical procedures during school hours, you can find all necessary forms and additional resources on our Orange Hunt Health Room website.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns — contact Ms. Emerick, our School Health Aide, at 703-913-6810, or Ms. Scheider, our School Nurse, atkscheider@fcps.edukscheider@fcps.edu.
Wishing your child a healthy and successful school year!
Student Rights & Responsibilities (SR&R) Updates
New Universal Grade Matrices for FamiliesFamilies are encouraged to review the updated FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) document, which explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses in order to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment.
Updates for the 2026-27 school year include new Universal Grade Matrices (UGMs). UGMs are charts that show behavior expectations and school responses by grade level (K-3, 4-8, and 9-12). These at-a-glance resources (in Appendix D of the SR&R) are designed to make it easier for parents and caregivers to understand how schools respond to different types of behavior concerns.
Visit the SR&R webpage for more information and to review additional updates to the SR&R for the 2026-27 school year.
Ensuring Student Safety: Register for Volunteer FCPS
Recent updates to our volunteer process focus on one primary goal: keeping students safe.
These updates — such as checks against the sex offender registry and, in some cases, criminal background checks — are safety measures that will help us maintain a secure and supportive learning environment for every student in our care.
We encourage all our parents and community members interested in supporting our students by volunteering at school to visit [Volunteer FCPS], click “Learn More,” and then “Sign Up.” After you create a profile, you will view an orientation video and complete a volunteer application.
Volunteer FCPS ensures a safe, consistent, and welcoming environment at all of our schools. All volunteers must be registered in Volunteer FCPS. This includes individuals who volunteer to chaperone on field trips, work at book fairs, and help out regularly in classrooms, libraries, or cafeterias. Volunteers who work unsupervised with students will also be required to undergo a background check.
We understand these changes may seem disruptive, especially for long-time volunteers. Our intent is to ensure that our students feel safe and supported with each and every person they encounter at school.
As a reminder, all volunteers — and visitors to a school — are required to sign in by scanning their ID at our visitor kiosk. Visit the Volunteer FCPS Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more.
Click here to begin the process. You MUST be registered and cleared as a LEVEL 3 volunteer to go chaperone field trips. If you think you may want to chaperone a field trip, please register and sign-up as Level 3.
New Family Liaison
Welcome Our New Family Liaison, Meena Baluch!
We are excited to welcome Meena Baluch to Orange Hunt Elementary School as our Family Liaison!
Meena has lived in the United States for 14 years and brings four years of experience working with a nonprofit organization, where she helped families connect with and navigate the school system. She is passionate about helping families feel welcomed, informed, and connected to their school community.
As our Family Liaison, Meena will serve as a bridge between families, our school, and the community. She can help families navigate FCPS, connect with teachers and school staff, learn about school programs and events, access community resources, and find opportunities to become more involved in their child’s education.
Meena is excited to get to know our Orange Hunt families and support them throughout the school year. We encourage families to connect with Meena whenever they have questions, need support, or are looking for resources. She is here to help make Orange Hunt a welcoming and connected community for every family.
Family Liaison Email: mbaluch@fcps.edu
Phone: 703-913-6807
Upcoming Events.
September 4- Student Holiday
September 7- Student Holiday
September 9- Back To School Night
September 21 - Student Holiday (Yom Kippur)
September 30 - 3- Hour Early Release at 12:30pm
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PTA News & Events
Check out the PTA website for information on all activities.
Looking for Orange Hunt Spirit Wear check out the PTA website for a great collection
Orange Hunt Elementary PTA - OHES PTA Blog
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Your Partners In Education
We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with your family this school year. Our commitment is to provide every child with a safe, welcoming, and positive learning environment where they can grow and thrive.
Please know that we are always here to listen, answer questions, and address concerns. Thank you for your continued support and for being such an important part of our Orange Hunt team. Together, we can make this a wonderful year for every child!
Your Partner Principals,
Karen Tuttle kmtuttle@fcps.edu
Kate Austin kbaustin@fcps.edu
Heather Mathews HMMathews@fcps.edu
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Want To Be Involved?
Visit the Orange Hunt PTA website for all sponsored events and activities.
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