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Hello MUES Families,
October is here! In the coming weeks, first quarter interims will be coming home to families for all students at McNair Upper. These progress reports provide an opportunity to share your child’s academic and behavioral progress up to this point in the school year and help us work together to support their continued growth and success. As part of our ongoing review of student learning and progress, some students may be identified as needing additional support through a reading and/or math intervention program. These interventions are designed to address specific academic gaps and provide students with targeted instruction and additional practice in a smaller group setting. If your child requires an intervention group for reading and/or math support, this will be communicated to you along with their specific area of focus on their interim report. We value our partnership with families and look forward to working together to help every Mustang grow this school year!
Lastly, if your Mustang is participating in Bike or Roll to School Day on Wednesday, please make sure that they are wearing a helmet. If they are parking these items at one of our school's bike racks, it is recommended that they bring a bike lock to lock it up.
Have a nice weekend, Mustang Family!
Your Proud Principal,
Mrs. Goddin
MMGoddin@fcps.edu
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- October 7th: Walk & Roll to School Day
- October 9th: Hispanic Heritage Night at 5:30 PM/McNair Upper ES
- October 12th: Indigenous Peoples Day; school closed for students
- October 13th: Intervention groups begin
- October 15th: 1st Quarter Interims sent home in Thursday Folders
- October 21st: Dismissal at 12:30 PM; Three-Hour Early Release Day
- October 29th: Fall Picture Day at McNair Upper
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 Below are some new announcements & updates for you to read through.
Here is the link to access this month's AAP Community Newsletter:
October AAP Community Newsletter
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Hello MUES Families,
We would love your help in keeping our staff lounge and teacher planning space stocked with individually wrapped healthy snack foods, beverages, and a few sweet treats for our awesome staff as a way to keep them energized as they educate and support our Mustangs.
Please sign-up using the link below for any of the items listed and drop off any donations to the main office. The main office is open daily, Monday-Friday from 8:45 AM-3:45 PM.
Fall Snacks for MUES Staff
Thank you for your support of our amazing staff!
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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.
Social-emotional learning (SEL) helps children develop confidence, resilience, self-awareness, and other important skills that support their success in school and throughout life. Join a workshop for parents and caregivers to:
- Understand your child’s Fairfax County SEL Screener results.
- Use the results as a starting point for meaningful conversations at home.
- Support your child’s social and emotional development.
- Build confidence, resilience, and lifelong skills together.
Learn practical ways to talk with your child about their social and emotional well-being and support their continued growth at home. Events will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, October 8, at Skyview High School and Wednesday, October 21, at Kingstowne Regional Library. View additional dates on the FCPS Family Academy webpage.
Childcare will be available. Interpretation services are available upon request. For more information, contact the Family and School Partnerships office at 703-204-4300 or FamilyEngagement@fcps.edu.
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:
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Franklin Middle: Monday, October 5, at 6 p.m.
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Holmes Middle: Thursday, October 15, at 6 p.m.
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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.
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.
 Below are some friendly reminders for you to read through.
We understand that families may need to drive their children to school from time to time. If you need to, please familiarize yourself with our school’s kiss-and-ride procedures for the safety of all children and staff.
Please drop off or pick up your students in the designated areas. Students should not be dropped off or picked up in other areas around the school or in nearby neighborhoods. Please also avoid parking in neighborhoods or double parking in front of our school if you intend to walk your child to school. This can increase the number of students walking through busy intersections and create traffic hazards for other drivers and families trying to get to school.
Please follow all signs and directions posted at our school, on public roads, or provided by school staff or crossing guards, and avoid making U-turns. Most of all, always — ALWAYS — drive slowly near our school. The safety of all our students is one of our top priorities!!
The Fairfax County Police Department has additional safety tips for families, including ways to keep walkers safe and what to do about scooters, bicycles, and e-scooters.
Fairfax County Public Schools is presenting a literacy webinar series to help families understand reading assessments, reading plans, and how to support their child at home. The series and topics:
- October 20th at 10 a.m.- Understanding Reading Assessments and Your Child
- December 15th at 10 a.m.- What is a Reading Plan?
- February 19th a t 10 a.m.- How Do I Support My Child With a Reading Plan at Home?
- May 14th at 10 a.m.- Continuing Reading Success Through the Summer.
Please share this flyer with your families.
The FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) booklet explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment. We encourage families to discuss these expectations with their child(ren).
Families should review the SR&R and sign the acknowledgement form by Wednesday, September 30, either by logging into SIS ParentVUE or by signing and returning the Signature Sheet.
Cellphones and Personal Devices
Students may only use a personal device if it is required as part of a necessary accommodation in the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan. A principal or the principal’s designee may approve a limited, course-specific exception for students enrolled in a specialized class when the curriculum requires a technology tool or software that isn’t available on a standard FCPS-issued device. Learn more on the FCPS website.
Understanding the Acceptable Use PolicyFCPS provides students with digital tools and devices to support their learning, encourage easy collaboration, and help students learn how to interact with technology safely. The FCPS Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) guides how these technologies are used both inside the classroom and at home. By following the AUP, students learn how to become not just users of technology, but responsible and ethical digital citizens with critical real-world skills such as:
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Responsible Communication and Conduct: Communicating respectfully and using technology appropriately.
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Digital Footprint Awareness: Understanding online actions can have lasting effects on a student’s reputation, future opportunities and relationships, career prospects, and safety.
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Data Privacy and Security: Learning how online safety can protect their digital work and personal information, and guard against cybersecurity risks.
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Self-Regulation: Learning to manage digital distractions to stay focused when needed.
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Accountability: Understanding that they are responsible for how they use FCPS technology and digital resources.
Learn more about digital citizenship at FCPS.
We hope you can join us for this exciting community event as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. If you have questions, please feel free to connect with Ms. Vargas, Family Liaison.
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:
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Fall identification: Students in grades 3-7 who have enrolled in FCPS since January may be referred by October 15, 2026.
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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 Test (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 Mrs. Janofsky, School Testing Coordinator, at mljanofsky@fcps.edu by September 30.
Families are invited to attend two AAP information meetings, led by Mrs. Janofsky and Mrs. Burg, the McNair Upper and McNair Primary Advanced Academic Resource Teachers (AART):
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Full-Time AAP Identification: Tuesday October 20th at 5:30pm in the McNair Upper Elementary School Cafeteria. Families will learn about the referral and identification processes for Full-Time AAP services.
For more information, please contact Kaitlin Burg, AART at McNair Elementary, at kmburg@fcps.edu or Mallory Janofsky, AART at McNair Upper Elementary, at mljanofsky@fcps.edu, or visit the FCPS Advanced Academic Programs website.
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:
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Monday, October 19, at 6:30 p.m., at Spring Hill Elementary School
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Monday, October 26, at 6:30 p.m., at Beech Tree Elementary School
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Thursday, October 29, at 6:30 p.m., at North Springfield Elementary School
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Friday, November 13, at 6:30 p.m., at Powell Elementary School
Registration is not required, but it helps with planning.
Register now for the annual Special Education Family Conference: Connected Communities, Thriving Students. The free conference will take place on Saturday, November 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Hayfield Secondary School.
Hosted by FCPS in collaboration with community partners, the conference highlights the power of partnerships in supporting student success. Families, educators, and community members are invited to connect, learn, and explore available special education services, supports, and resources.
The conference will feature an inspiring opening session, engaging breakout sessions, an exhibitor hall with local resources, and lunch for all participants.
Register for the conference and visit the Special Education Family Conference webpage for more information. Email SpecialEdFamilyConf@fcps.edu with any questions.
 Updates Dates
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