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Dear Columbia Friends and Families,
What a great four-day week at Columbia! This week, we successfully launched our new ID badge system for students boarding the bus. Our patrols were incredibly helpful, our students did a fantastic job using their badges, and our Columbia staff demonstrated great teamwork, communication, and problem-solving as we navigated this transition together. Thank you, families, for your patience, flexibility, and continued support!
We’re also looking forward to supporting our PTA Family Night Out at Chick-fil-A this Wednesday, September 16. We hope to see many of our Columbia families there!
Have a wonderful and restful weekend!
Take care,
Mike Astudillo
Proud Principal
Columbia Elementary School
PTA News & Noates
Join the Columbia PTA!
Registration to join the CES PTA for the 2026-2027 school year is open! The CES PTA helps support the school by covering costs for field trips, hosting teacher appreciation events, and organizing events such as the Fall Picnic, Bingoween, and Field Day. We look forward to seeing you soon! Join online HERE!
Get new Columbia Spiritwear for the new school year
Check out the new Columbia spiritwear store and be one of the first to get a new t-shirt, sweatshirt, and more. You can click HERE to place an order. The first orders will go in next week so don't wait!
Interested in volunteering with Columbia? Let us know!
The PTA needs you and volunteering takes all forms! Columbia depends on parent volunteers to host successful events throughout the year benefiting students and teachers. Please fill out this form if you are interested in helping out. No experience needed. Thank you!
Upcoming events
- Spirit Day at Chik-fil-a: use “cougars” at checkout or online. Available all day (9/16)
- PTA meeting, 7 pm - virtual via Zoom. Click here to JOIN (9/16)
- Fall Picnic, 5 PM Please fill out this form if you are interested in helping out. No experience needed (9/25)
 Looking to volunteer this year at CES?
This is a friendly reminder that all volunteers need to complete the FCPS standars for volunteering. This link will take you to the FCPS website for more details. Please feel free to ask more specific questions in the main office.
https://volunteer.fcps.edu/custom/501/volunteer_home
New ID Badges for Bus Riders are here!
Parents - do you have a lingering question, did your student lose their badge, did they never receive one, or do you have a comment about the badges you would like to share with the staff at Columbia ES?
Email Mr. Phillips at kjphillips@fcps.edu with questions.
AAP - Advanced Academic Programs at CES
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is committed to challenging all students through talent development and differentiated instruction. A continuum of Advanced Academic Program (AAP) services is available to students in Grades K-12 and is designed to match services to each student’s unique academic needs.
Identification for Subject-Specific and Part-Time AAP services occurs throughout the school year. Full-Time AAP services have two identification cycles:
● Fall identification: Students in grades 3-7 who have enrolled in FCPS since January may be referred by October 15, 2026.
● Spring identification: Any FCPS student in Grades 2-7 may be referred by December 15, 2026.
FCPS uses ability testing as one consideration in the holistic identification process for AAP services.
● All students in Grade 2 take the Naglieri General Ability Tests (NGAT).
● Students in Grades 3-6 who do not have a multi-domain ability test score take the NGAT.
● Students in Grades 3-6 may retake an ability test one time. Families may request the ability test retake by contacting Sarah Boudart, School Testing Coordinator, at sboudart@fcps.edu by September 30.
Families are invited to attend two AAP information meetings, led by Michelle Sansone, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART):
● AAP Continuum of Services: September 16th at 6:00 pm virtually. Families will learn about the continuum of advanced academic services available to FCPS students. Please request the link from Michelle.
● Full-Time AAP Identification: October 7th at 6:00 pm virtually. Families will learn about the referral and identification processes for Full-Time AAP services. Please request the link from Michelle.
For more information, please contact Michelle Sansone, AART, at mfsansone@fcps.edu or visit the FCPS Advanced Academic Programs website.
Annandale High School Sports Clinic
Field Hockey Youth Clinic
Do you have a K-8 grader who is interested in playing field hockey?! Then sign up for our youth clinics and learn more about the game while working on skills and development to become a better field hockey player. Clinics will run Saturday mornings from September 12 to October 17!
K-2 Sign up HERE.
3-8 Sign up HERE
If you have questions, contact Field Hockey Coach Corin Uviedo
Save the Date!
September 21 - Holiday, no school
September 25 - Annual Fall Picnic at 5pm
September 30 - 3-Hour Early Release, dismissal at 1:05pm
October 12 - School Planning Day, no school for students
October 23 - Bingoween
October 24 - Annandale Chamber of Commerce Parade
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