Willow Springs School News: October 2, 2026

Weekly Update for October 2, 2026

photo of Garden Club Student and volunteer leader, Karen Rice

Pictures of the Week

Students get plenty of sunshine, fresh air, and hands on learning experiences in the after school Garden Club.

2 picture collage of groups of boys and girls making seed balls and gardening in the school's garden

Sept. 15-Oct. 15 - National Hispanic Heritage Month

October is National School Principals Month & Disability History and Awareness Month

October 7 - Walk and Roll to School Day
October 9 - School Picture Make-Up Day
October 12 - No School for Students - School Planning Day & Indigenous Peoples' Day
October 13 - 20 Boosterthon Week
October 14 - PTA Meeting, Virtual, 7:00 PM
October 16 - PTA Bingo Night, Cafeteria, Games start @ 6:30 PM
October 20 - Boosterthon Fun Run
October 21 - 3 Hour Early Release Wednesday. Dismissal at 1 PM
October 30 - End of Quarter One & 2 Hour Early Dismissal at 2:00 PM
November 2 - School Planning Day, No School for Students
November 3 - Teacher Workday, No School for Students
November 25-27 - Thanksgiving Holiday, Schools Closed

View the 2026-27 school year calendar for additional information.

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.

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.

FCPS and Willow Springs will participate in International Walk and Roll to School Day on Wednesday, October 7, in an effort to promote physical activity and reduce traffic congestion and pollution near schools.

Students and employees are encouraged to bike or walk to school and work where safe to do so.

Parents are encouraged to accompany their children to school, and to work with their school and PTA or PTO to assemble bike trains or walking groups for the event.

There will be a celebration table set up for walkers and rollers near the walking path and blacktop.

Get more information about Walk to School Day

Calling all Science Foxes!

There are still spots available on the WSES teams listed below:

Division A (3rd-5th grade) and
Division B (5th and 6th grade)

If your student enjoys science and competing with friends in a team activity, Science Olympiad may be for you!

For more information, please fill out this Parent Interest Google form.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfp5qy21AfdXSY4rLlGdxDW3ImEBUtVfZoEZm_IKY91IlxEBg/viewform

Note, this form does not obligate your student to participate, or guarantee a spot on the team, it is just to obtain more information.

Practices for Division B will begin in October, and Division A in November.

WSES Library Pumpkins

Rules:

1. Buy and decorate a small (less than 6 inches), fake pumpkin to represent a book character appropriate for elementary school. It is going in a display case, so pumpkins larger than 6 inches wide or tall will not be accepted. Real pumpkins are not allowed.

2. Create an index card sign that lists the following:

front--- character’s name, book title, and author
back --- full student name and teacher name

3. Only one pumpkin per student.

4. Students bring the index card and a decorated, small, fake pumpkin to the library during normal hours between October 5-8.

5. Pumpkins are returned Nov 4-6.

Note: This is an optional activity

Calling All Dads & Father-Figures: Become a WATCH D.O.G.!

We are excited to invite fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and male role models to join us as part of our WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads Of Great Students) program! This innovative initiative gives you the unique opportunity to play an active, positive role in your child’s school day—whether that’s assisting in the classroom, helping at lunch and recess, or providing an extra set of eyes around campus.

Planning to volunteer? To ensure our teachers have adequate time to prepare and plan for your visit, please make sure to sign up at least two weeks before your desired date. https://signup.com/go/VgLWHms

We can’t wait to welcome you to campus and show our students the incredible support system they have behind them!

Picture Day for Retakes and Makeups Friday, 10/9

Sign your child up for a picture using this link

https://forms.gle/4MtM39LJM3Gd8x7J7

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.

Safe Routes to School Parent and Caregiver Survey

As part of the Fairfax County School Board’s Annual School-Based Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Assessment, the FCPS Office of Safety and Security and Safe Routes to School program are inviting parents and caregivers to share their experiences traveling to and from school.

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.

FCPS Seeks Community Input on Middle School AAP Centers

FCPS is exploring a plan to offer Full-Time Advanced Academic Program (AAP) services at every middle school. Under the proposal, students who qualify could attend their neighborhood middle school and take advanced classes with other AAP students. The School Board has approved community engagement at Franklin, Hayfield, Holmes, Key, and Whitman middle schools, where programs could open for the 2027-28 school year. The proposal is still under consideration, and the School Board is expected to make a decision in December.

Each community meeting offers in-person and virtual participation. Upcoming meetings are scheduled for:

Franklin Middle: Monday, October 5, at 6 p.m.
Holmes Middle: Thursday, October 15, at 6 p.m.
Whitman Middle: Thursday, October 22, at 6 p.m.

Current middle school students will remain at their assigned AAP centers through middle school. Learn more and find meeting sign-up forms on the Middle School AAP Centers page.

Fall into Flavor With FCPS’ New Breakfast and Lunch Menu

FCPS' October menu items are packed with classic favorites and fresh global inspiration. Check our new online menu system to see when you can try new recipes based on student feedback, and developed by FCPS’ executive chef and team of food and nutrition experts.

Menu items include:

Breakfast items such as honey chicken biscuits, guava pastelitos (whole-grain pastries filled with tropical guava fruit), and roasted apple parfaits, made with vanilla yogurt and homemade granola.
Lunch items such as crunchy beef or fiesta tacos, ramen bowl with diced chicken or hard-boiled egg, beef or vegan banh mi burger, and southwest fiesta soup with corn chips.

Stay up to date on FCPS menus and nutrition news by subscribing to the Food and Nutrition Services newsletter.

Annual Special Education Family Conference

Registration Open, Call for Volunteers

FCPS invites you to the annual Special Education Family Conference: Connected Communities, Thriving Students on Saturday, November 14, at Hayfield Secondary School.

Families, educators, and community members are invited to this no-cost, in-person event to connect, learn, and explore available special education services, supports, and resources. Lunch will be provided for all participants.

How to Get Involved

Attend: Register as a family member or educator using the Registration Form.
Students Showcase Opportunities: Students can complete the Student Participation Form to lead a performance or share information about a club or research project.
Volunteer: Adult volunteers can sign up in Volunteer FCPS to support the event.

Visit the Special Education Family Conference webpage for more information. Email SpecialEdFamilyConf@fcps.edu with any questions.

Fairfax Pyramid Elementary

Honors Choir

Calling all 4th, 5th, and 6th graders! Students are invited to represent our school in the Fairfax Pyramid Elementary Honors Choir.

Rehearsal & Performance Schedule

Rehearsals: October 20, October 27, and November 10
Rehearsal Time: 4:45 – 6:00 PM
Rehearsal Location: Katherine Johnson Middle School
Concert Date & Time: November 17 at 7:00 PM
Concert Location: Fairfax High School

This special concert showcase will feature performances from all grade levels: elementary, middle, and high school.

How to Sign Up Please sign up using THIS GOOGLE FORM

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeYr1OLUCdmLRD0vS0y-yodZ7T1yvWr-LRqk0ysq28y2gBZ-A/viewform?utm_campaign+https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeYr1OLUCdmLRD0vS0y-yodZ7T1yvWr-LRqk0ysq28y2gBZ-A/viewform?utm_campaign+

Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights

FCPS wants all parents and caregivers to understand its policies regarding surveys, records, curriculum, privacy, and related rights.

On the Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights and Opt-Out Forms webpage, explanations are provided of the rights listed above as well as forms that may be used to exercise opt-out choices.

View the 2026-27 Opt-Out Booklet

Superintendent Community Conversations

Join us for a series of Community Conversations that will be held across the school division. Share your thoughts with Dr. Reid and ask her questions. Click on the date to register for any of the following events: