Churchill Chatter - Issue 4

October 12, 2026

Important Dates

Thursday, October 15 - World Heritage Night
Wednesday, October 21 - Book Fair Night 5:00 - 8:00 PM
Monday, October 26 - Fall Picture Make-Ups
Wednesday, October 28 - Field Day
Friday, October 30 - Fall Parade
Friday, October 30 - End of Quarter - 2-hr early dismissal at 1:20 PM
Monday, November 2 - Student Holiday (Teacher Workday)
Tuesday, November 3 - Student Holiday (Election Day)
Wednesday, November 18 - 3-hr early dismissal at 12:20 PM
Friday, November 20 - Thanksgiving Luncheon
Wednesday - Friday, November 25 - 27 - Thanksgiving Break

In This Week's Issue

World Heritage Night
Superintendent Community Conversations
Transportation Survey
Calendar Change: Eid al-Fitr
Grade Level / Community Conversations
Book Fair
Picture Makeup & Retake Day
Outstanding Employee Awards
Check-in Reminders
National School Lunch Week

Dear Churchill Road families,

Crisp fall days are upon us! With cooler October temperatures settling in, please remember to layer up for chilly morning commutes and outdoor activities as temperatures may be a bit colder.

Hopefully, you received our email last week regarding Churchill Road Elementary being recognized as Distinguished under Virginia’s School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF). This rating, based on data from last school year, shows our school is Exceeding expectations set by the state for student performance. We are deeply grateful to our entire community for supporting student learning—we have so much to celebrate!

During today’s professional development, our staff has been focused on strategies to foster a strong sense of belonging in every classroom. Ensuring every student feels connected each day is a top priority for us, so please feel free to reach out if your child could use additional support in this area.

Here are a few upcoming events to keep on your radar:

World Heritage Night (Thursday, October 15): This special evening offers a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our diverse families and learn from one another. Space is filling up quickly, so please be sure to register using the details below if you plan to attend.

Field Day (Wednesday, October 28): Mr. Varhol and Mr. Taousakis are hard at work planning an exciting day. We will share additional event details in the coming weeks.

Warm regards,

Mrs. Pierson-Barr and Mr. Kilpatrick

A student's perspective

World Heritage Night

Thursday, Oct 15, 2026 6:30 - 8:00 PM

We can’t wait to celebrate the richness of our diverse community! Representatives from 30 countries will be sharing their heritage through interactive activities, traditional games, art, delicious food, and so much more. Plus, you won't want to miss our incredible community talent show!

Get your tickets: If you haven't bought yours yet, grab them today! Purchase Tickets here.

Represent your roots: We encourage everyone to show off their culture in any way they can!

Superintendent Community Conversations

Join Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid for a Community Conversation. Students, families, staff, and community members are invited to ask questions, share concerns, and discuss what matters most to them. Everyone is welcome! Click on the date to register for any of the following events:

Monday, October 19, at 6:30 p.m., at Spring Hill Elementary School
Monday, October 26, at 6:30 p.m., at Beech Tree Elementary School
Thursday, October 29, at 6:30 p.m., at North Springfield Elementary School
Tuesday, December 1, at 6:30 p.m., at Powell Elementary School (note date change)

Registration is not required, but it helps with planning.

Transportation Survey

The FCPS Office of Safety and Security and Safe Routes to School program are asking families to share their experiences traveling to and from their child’s school. The feedback will help inform the Fairfax County School Board’s annual assessment of traffic and pedestrian safety near schools.

The Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Survey asks about walking and biking routes, traffic near schools, kiss-and-ride experiences, accessibility, and other safety concerns.

Your feedback will help FCPS identify common issues. Your responses will be kept confidential and shared with school administrators and the Office of Safety and Security. The five-minute survey is open through Thursday, October 15.

Be sure to identify the school related to your feedback and include specific locations where you have observed a safety issue. If you have students at different schools in FCPS, please complete a different survey for each school.

If you have any questions about the survey, please contact SafeRoutestoSchool@fcps.edu.

Calendar Change: Eid al-Fitr

FCPS will mark the beginning of Eid al-Fitr with an evening-only observance day on Monday, March 8. There will be school on this day, but major school-sponsored events and activities (such as auditions or tryouts) will not take place.

Tuesday, March 9, will be a holiday for students and staff.

Wednesday, March 10, will be an observance day. There will be school on this day, but certain activities that cannot be made up (major tests, field trips, or mandatory events) will not take place on this day.

A new school year calendar has been published, which includes this change. Please note that holidays and observances on the calendar may shift due to anticipated lunar sightings.

Grade Level / Community Conversations

We look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming Grade Level Community Conversations:

Grade 2 - October 13
Grade K - October 14
Grade 4 - October 16
Grade 1 - October 21
Grade 6 - October 23
Grade 5 - October 29

Book Fair!

Come and browse the Book Fair from 5:00 - 8:00 PM on Wednesday, October 21. The SGA will be selling pizza, cookies, and juice in the cafeteria - we hope to see you there!

Picture Makeup & Retake Day

Monday, October 26

Any student that missed the September 10 picture day will take their photo on this day.
If you would like your student to retake their photo, please complete this form.
No purchase is necessary to retake photos! If a package was purchased, students MUST return their original photo package to the photographer to receive a new package.
Any student may retake their photo for use in the yearbook. Their new photo will automatically replace the original photo in the yearbook.
Any parents who have not yet ordered photos can still pre-order their makeups, retakes, or original portraits at: https://shop.imagequix.com/g1001416930

If you have any questions about ordering, please contact Victor O’Neill Studio Underclass Customer Service Department: