|
10/05 Family Food Market (3:45pm, Cafeteria)
10/07 Walk and Roll to School Day
10/09 Parent Coffee (9:00am, Cafeteria)
Topic: Annual Title 1 presentation &
the Comprehensive Needs Assessment (aligns with our SIIP)
10/12 Student Holiday-Indigenous People's Day
Teacher Workday (No School)
10/15 Math Night (5:30-7:30pm, Cafeteria / Gym)
10/16 Movie Night (6:30pm, ATES field)
10/22 Gr. 1 Field Trip to Cox Farm
AAP Information Night (5:00 pm, Cafeteria)
10/23 Parent Coffee (9:00am, Cafeteria)
Topic: Title I Family School Compact 2026-27
Student Parent Luncheon (Lunch time, Cafeteria)
10/29 K Field trip to Miller Farm
10/30 Book Character Day
End of 1st Quarter
2-Hour Early Student Release - Dismissal time 1:20 pm
 First Parent Coffee a Great Success!
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our first Parent Coffee of the school year! We had a fantastic turnout and appreciated the engaging conversations. During the session, we shared important updates from the school district and outlined our School Innovation and Improvement Plan (SIIP) goals for the year ahead. We are grateful for our strong school-home partnership and look forward to seeing you at our next event!
 |
Annandale Terrace Hosts Urban School Food Alliance Leaders!
We were thrilled to recently host Food and Nutrition Services leaders from major school districts across the nation during FCPS's fall meeting for the Urban School Food Alliance!
Our school was selected for a special site visit to highlight the incredible work of our cafeteria team, led by Rama. The visiting leaders dropped by during a brief 20-minute window to observe our outstanding food service operations in action. We are so proud of our dedicated team for representing Annandale Terrace on a national stage and setting the standard for excellence in student nutrition!
Celebrating Our Successful Partnership with PACE Pours!
Hosting the incredible students from Annandale High School’s PACE Pours program was an absolute highlight and a resounding success! It was so much fun having these amazing young adults (ages 18–22) in our building and seeing our staff support their student-run business.
PACE Pours gives CAT B students hands-on opportunities to practice real-life communication, financial literacy, life, and job skills as they prepare to navigate different community environments after high school. Through the support of our staff, the Annandale High School students got to put their classroom learning into meaningful practice in a real-world setting.
A huge thank you to Ms. Anai Moreno who made this partnership happen which allowed this opportunity to make our school community an even more inclusive, welcoming place. We are so proud of these students and look forward to our continued partnership!
 |
Purple Star Nomination
Our application on behalf of Annandale Terrace Elementary School has been selected by the Military Student Support Process Action Team (MSSPAT) reviewer for the SY 2026-2027 Purple Star Designation Award. Our school will be included alongside others who have received a nomination for the award. All recommendations will be considered by the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on the Educational Opportunity of Military Connected Children at their meeting to be held on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. We are now waiting upon the Council vote to approve our school’s selection for the award be made official. A huge thank you to Ms. Denisse Mendez for leading this work at Annandale Terrace.
Cougar Ambassadors
At Annandale Terrace Elementary School, we have created an opportunity for our young leaders to make a difference on our campus. By initiating our Cougar Ambassador program, we have created the space for our veteran students to collaborate and provide a welcoming beginning for their newest peers. Each teacher was tasked to select two students, one girl and one boy in their classroom to represent their class. We asked our teachers to consider choosing students who display kindness, positive attitudes, and respect towards all. We also asked for staff support to help build this program into having a meaningful and impactful outcome. Below are some of our ambassadors preparing a banner for this week's Blue Star Welcome Week.
 |
 We're encouraging all students, parents, and teachers to walk, bike, or roll to school to promote a healthy lifestyle, reduce traffic congestion, and enjoy a fun morning together. We will be at the Wedgewood Community Center at 8:10 am if you would like to walk with us!
 Bring the whole family for an evening of fun, discovery and math learning!
The pizza dinner will be provided. You and your student will enjoy a series of math game activities.
- Explore activities that strengthen math skills
- Help students build independence, good learning habits, time management skills, and responsibility.
- Try a STEAM creation and take a math game home
Date: Thursday, October 15
Time: 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Location: Gym / Cafeteria, Annandale Terrace
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
-
Friday, November 13, at 6:30 p.m., at Powell Elementary School
Registration is not required, but it helps with planning.
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.
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.
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.
 You are invited to participate in a free program for families with children between the ages of 2-5 years old.
- Children and families participate in fun “school-like” activities.
- The joy of sharing books Learning through play
- Positive ways to communicate with children
- Understanding behavior
- Preparing for kindergarten
Where: Annandale Terrace Elementary School
When: Tuesdays & Thursdays from 1:00-3:00pm starting on 10/06
For more information please call Aejin Lee at 703-204-4346 or aklee1@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:
-
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.
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.
All family members and caregivers are invited to attend monthly Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Family Training to learn how to support and teach students with autism and related disorders. No registration is needed.
Virtual trainings take place at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Join the session. Upcoming topics include:
- Autism and ABA Overview on Wednesday, October 14. (It is highly recommended that you attend this session before any future sessions.)
- Prioritizing Skills to Teach at Home on Wednesday, November 18.
- Toilet Training on Wednesday, December 9.
- Managing Challenging Behaviors at Home on Wednesday, January 13.
- Communication: a Foundation for Independence on Wednesday, February 10.
Visit the ABA webpage for a full list of classes. Need an interpreter? Contact Stephanie Watkins two weeks before the training at 571-423-4110 or sawatkins@fcps.edu.
Help your child prepare for future success by encouraging them to develop positive attendance habits. Regular attendance supports learning and helps students stay on track for college, careers, and other opportunities after graduation.
Take a look at the FCPS calendar. Try your best to schedule any vacations or planned family events on weekends and school holidays. If the appointment needs to be during the school day, when possible, schedule it for the beginning or end of the day to minimize time missed.
If your child needs to miss school because of an illness or appointment, please report the absence to our school as early as possible. Find out how to report an absence on our homepage or call the front office.
If you or your family need any kind of support, please let us know. We are here for you! Visit the FCPS Attendance webpage for tips and strategies.
As part of FCPS’ continued support for digital literacy, families can access lesson materials that introduce the concepts students will explore throughout the school year. These resources include student lessons and supporting materials organized by grade level. Resources will be shared on a quarterly basis through Schoology.
The All Parent/Guardian Course is available in Schoology through a parent or guardian account. Schoology and ParentVUE use the same login credentials. Families who need assistance can review How Do I Log in to and Access Schoology? or watch the brief walkthrough on the Schoology Snippets page.
Families can also learn more about FCPS guidance and practices on the Educational Technology in FCPS webpage.
  Join us for our annual shredding event! An industrial shredding truck will be available in the front parking lot of Annandale High School for residents to safely dispose of old or confidential documents for free. Additionally, we are partnering with the Annandale High School Food Pantry and while not required, we encourage attendees to bring food to donate from the attached list of donations.
Date: Saturday, October 3rd, from 11am-2pm
Location: Annandale High School Parking Lot (4700 Medford Drive, Annandale, VA, 22003)
 Learn about local transportation projects and different public transportation resources, programs, and services available to Mason District residents.
-
Date: Saturday, October 10th, from 11am-1pm.
-
Location: Minnie H Peyton Community Center at Bailey's (5920 Summers Lane, Falls Church, VA, 22041)
  Celebrate the diverse restaurants throughout Mason and "eat around the world!" Participating restaurants will offer special discounts throughout the week. List of participating restaurants to come.
-
Date: Saturday, October 17th, from 10am-3pm
-
Location: Eileen Garnett Civic Space (7200 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003)
 The 2nd Annual Mason District Arts Festival will feature local and regional artists showcasing murals, paintings, prints, poetry, jewelry, pottery, and more, including an artist material exchange space.
-
Date: Saturday, October 17th, from 10am-3pm
-
Location: Eileen Garnett Civic Space (7200 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003)
Staying up to date with your child's flu vaccination helps:
- Reduce School Absences: Keeping students healthy means more time spent learning and engaging with peers.
- Protect the Community: Vaccination helps shield vulnerable family members and neighbors from seasonal illness.
- Support Overall Wellness: Routine flu shots are a key component of a proactive student health plan.
Upcoming Flu Shot Events
FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will provide flu shots for all FCPS students, ages 18 and under, at no out-of-pocket cost. Multiple events will take place at designated FCPS locations. Additional dates will be made available throughout the school year. Parents or guardians may | 