Important Upcoming Dates

Monday, 10/13

No School for Students

Monday, 10/20

No School (Diwali)

Thursday, 10/16

Virtual PTA meeting 7 pm

Tuesday, 10/21

Boo Bag Pick Up. Details below!

Friday, 10/24

Field Day! Volunteer details below!

Tuesday, 10/28

New Family/Military Family Parent Coffee

Details below!

Wednesday, 10/29

3-Hour Early Release 12:55 pm

Friday, 10/31

Book Character Day!

Friday, 10/31

End of quarter: 2-hour Early Release

Happy Fall

Early Release Wednesdays

Each elementary school will have a total of eight 3-hour early release days throughout the school year, which is about one per month. Lunch will be provided on early release Wednesdays. The remaining early release Wednesdays for Sangster are:

October 29

November 12

December 10

February 18

March 18

April 22

May 13

For more information: https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/safety-and-transportation/limited-early-release-wednesdays

Survey for Eco Career Adults Do you work in a field that supports sustainability? Would you consider your job an Eco Career? If so, please let us know on this survey! As part of our Get 2 Green Eco Schools goal, we would like to feature Sangster-affiliated grownups who have green careers to build awareness around possible future opportunities for our students who are interested in sustainability.

Field Day: Friday, Oct. 24 Our Fall Field Day 2025 is on Friday, October 24.  Please help us create a fun-filled event by signing up to volunteer.  Volunteer opportunities are separated by grade level.  Click on the link below to support 4th – 6th grades. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E054BAEA62AA7FC1-59003614-sangster 6th grade 9:20 - 10:20 (check in 9 am) 5th grade 10:20 - 11:20 (check in 10 am) 4th grade 11:20 - 12:20 (check in 11 am)   Click on the link below to support K – 3rd grades. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A044CABAE2B0-58648798-2025#/ Kindergarten and 1st grade 12:50 – 1:50 (check in 12:30 pm) 3rd grade 1:50 – 2:50 (check in 1:30 pm) 2nd grade 2:50 – 3:50 (check in 2:30 pm)   Ms. Tuebner and Ms. Hickey appreciate your help!

A Note from Our Librarian, Ms. Oden I wanted to say how wonderful the past few weeks have been watching Sangster's readers finding so many awesome books! My heart is so happy! Now that checkouts are happening in full swing, please also remind your students to take care of their books. Clean hands, hugging library books close to our hearts, and keeping them safe from food, water, pets, and other messes are all recipes to keep them looking nice for the next student. If a page gets torn, please do not repair it with household tape - return the book to the library for me to fix. There is a cap of 10 books out total for all students at any given time. Please have your students return their books as soon as they are done, but no later than their next library date. Thank you for all of your help taking care of our library!

3rd Grade Mandatory Bus Safety & Evacuation Training: Oct. 14, 9:45 - 10:30 a.m. In Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), mandatory bus safety and evacuation drills are required twice per school year for all students who ride a bus. This training is a requirement of the Virginia Department of Education and includes practical demonstrations and emergency exit practice.  Training will include: Emergency exits: Students practice using emergency exits, including the back door and roof hatches. Safe evacuation: The training familiarizes students with proper procedures for exiting a bus safely and quickly during an emergency. Safety patrol: The FCPS Safety Patrol program provides additional emergency evacuation training for participating elementary school students. This includes practicing exits for scenarios such as a bus fire or an overturned bus. Driver involvement: The bus driver is an active participant in all drills to guide students through the evacuation process.  For more information on Bus Safety and Services, click on the School Bus.

Lightspeed Student Online Activity Report

• Beginning October 12, 2025, all parents and caregivers with Records Access in SIS will automatically receive a weekly email report summarizing their student’s online activity.  These reports will be sent to the email addresses on file in SIS.
• The Student Online Activity Reports are designed to support families in having meaningful conversations with their students about responsible technology use and digital citizenship. Families who prefer not to receive these weekly emails may easily opt-out by selecting the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of the weekly email.
• Each weekly report also includes a link to register for the Lightspeed Parent Portal, which provides more detailed browsing information.
• For more information and to help answer common questions, FCPS has added a new FAQ section to the Lightspeed Parent Report page on the FCPS website. 

Flu season is upon us! There are ways to prevent getting the flu:

- Get a flu vaccine annually

- Stay home when you are sick

- Use good respiratory hygiene

- Wash hands

To view this newsletter, click on Health Room News

For more information, contact Public Health Nurse Kim McNally at kmcnally@fcps.edu

Resources During Government Shut Down

When families are under stress – including work stress – children feel it too, which is why we are committed to providing a safe and routine environment for each and every student. There are also resources available that can support your family during the shutdown – which we all hope will not last long. Here is some important information that you may find useful at this time:

• Families can apply for free and reduced-price meal benefits anytime during the school year. If a family’s income changes at any point, they may become newly eligible according to federal income guidelines and can apply immediately. This includes income interruptions caused by furloughs, layoffs, or job losses. Once approved, benefits remain valid for the rest of the school year and for up to 30 school days into the following school year, even if the family’s income changes again. 
• Free, virtual mental health sessions are available through our partnership with Hazel Health. This is a great way for students to access care quickly and easily from the school clinic or home, providing support for stress, anxiety, worry, and other concerns that might be heightened during the shutdown. 
• The Fairfax County Government and various local organizations are stepping up to offer a range of assistance, including food, financial, and housing resources. I encourage any of our families who are experiencing financial distress, due to the shutdown or for any reason, to visit the Fairfax County Human Services Resource Guide (HSRG) website.
• Fairfax Connector’s Transit Ridership Incentive Program (TRIP) also provides 50% off fares for low-income residents ages 18 to 65. Learn more about the TRIP program and how to apply.
• Fairfax County residents can take advantage of many of the free offerings the county provides to residents and students. Our incredible public libraries have a wide-selection of books and other activities that families can check out. All FCPS students also have a Library Equity Access Pass through Fairfax County Public Libraries, which allows them to check-out up to 3 items for 6 weeks. And Fairfax County’s many parks and recreation areas are open and free to residents as well.

Register by October 15 for the Pyramid Challenge Registration is now open for the West Springfield Pyramid Challenge that happens on Saturday, Nov. 15! The West Springfield Pyramid Challenge is a FREE fun run that was started over a decade ago with the goal of introducing cross-country running, encouraging community involvement, and fostering school spirit among the elementary schools of the West Springfield Pyramid. Students from the participating elementary schools will run a half-mile or one-mile course, depending on their grade level. The event also includes a unified heat with an accessible 200-meter course for students with physical and cognitive disabilities. Registration closes October 15. Go to the Pyramid Challenge Web site at https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/Springfield/WestSpringfieldPyramidChallenge to register!

Buy Boo Bags by October 17 The Sangster PTA is selling Boo Bags packed with festive goodies and treats for $10 each. Purchase your Boo Bag on the PTA Web site now through Oct. 17. Boo Bag Pickup will be in the Sangster Bus Loop on Oct. 21 from 4-6 pm.

LB Choir Fundraiser Oct. 23

The Lake Braddock Choir is hosting its annual fundraiser concert “Dessert on Broadway” on Thursday, October 23. The concert will be full of Broadway songs and the tickets include a dessert. There will also be a raffle and silent auction. For information, visit lbchorus.org

Parent Coffee Oct. 28

Sangster is hosting a New Family/Military Coffee for Parents on Tuesday, October 28, 9:30am-10:30 am, in the Sangster Library. Whether you are new to Sangster, or a military family, or just a seasoned Sangster parent wanting to connect to others, you are welcome to attend! For more information, contact Stacy Huisman, Family Liaison, at dshuisman@fcps.edu

Book Character Day: Friday, October 31!

To celebrate our school-wide love of reading, students are encouraged to dress up as a favorite book character on 

Friday, October 31st 

Students are encouraged to bring a book that includes the character they are representing. During the school day, they may be asked to share more about the character they’ve chosen. 

Guidelines for Book Character Costumes

• Characters must be age appropriate and from elementary or middle- grade level books.
• Costumes may not involve blood or other horror-type elements.
• No weapons of any kind or masks that cover the entire face. 
• Costumes must allow students to take care of personal needs, sit at desks, and participate in school and classroom activities throughout the day, including appropriate shoes for PE/ recess!!