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October 6- Monthly Virtual Parent Coffee @ 9AM
October 8- AAP Continuum of Services (Virtual meeting)
October 13 - PTA Meeting
October 13 - AAP meeting (identification process)
October 21 - 3 hour early release
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The Principal’s Report: Monthly Virtual Parent Coffee
Beginning in October, Principal Bennink will host a monthly virtual parent coffee called The Principal’s Report. Each month, we will focus on a different aspect of Washington Mill’s school program. This will be an opportunity for families to learn more about our work, hear directly from Principal Bennink about what is happening at Washington Mill, ask questions, and share your perspectives.
Our first Principal’s Report will be:
Tuesday, October 6 9:00–10:00 a.m. Virtual
Our October conversation will focus on Washington Mill’s Title I program. Principal Bennink will discuss what it means to be a Title I school, how Title I supports teaching and learning at Washington Mill, our school data and improvement priorities, family engagement, and ways families can be involved in our work.
Please mark your calendar and plan to join us! Principal Bennink looks forward to spending this time with families each month as we continue strengthening the partnership between home and Washington Mill.
 
We value your feedback!
Last week, we shared the Family Compact, which is also available on our school website. Please take a moment to review it and share any thoughts, suggestions, or questions. Your input will help strengthen our partnership with families and ensure the compact reflects our shared commitment to student success.
Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Feedback Form English
Feedback Form Spanish
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 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 Jasmine Piernas, School Testing Coordinator, at jmpiernas@fcps.edu by September 30.
Families are invited to attend two AAP information meetings, led by Jennifer Morris, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART):
AAP Continuum of Services (Virtual - see link below)
Thursday, October 8th from 6:30-7:30 pm. Families will learn about the continuum of advanced academic services available to FCPS students.
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Full-Time AAP Identification: Tuesday, October 13th in Room 131. Families will learn about the referral and identification processes for Full-Time AAP services.
For more information, please contact Jennifer Morris, AART, at jmmorris1@fcps.edu or visit the FCPS Advanced Academic Programs website.
Topic: AAP FCPS Continuum
Time: Oct 8, 2026 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 976 1637 2888
Passcode: 356050
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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:
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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.
Fairfax County Public Schools is committed to challenging all students through talent development and differentiated instruction. Twice-exceptional (2e) learners are students who are gifted and have learning challenges or disabilities. Families can learn more about 2e learners, how to support them, and how to partner with schools on the 2e webpage. The page also links to the Special Education Handbook.
New information and printable flyers are available under Supporting 2e Learners in FCPS.
Printable flyers: These are intended for distribution at school events and to send home with students. Please do not share them electronically. Arabic | Chinese | English | Korean | Spanish | Urdu | Vietnamese
- We appreciate the strong support of our School Board Members. With that said, please remember to alert the region office if a board member or their staff aide(s) contacts you, ask you to provide something to them, etc. Also, if you could find a way to encourage your staff to always reach out to you first and alert you of any concerns, that can help us best to all work with one another throughoperational FCPS staff without needing to engage board members. Board members can be very helpful in hearing concerns and advocating. However, we would want to work with our internal colleagues prior to escalating things to a board member. You may find a way to convey this information through smaller settings in person such as a team meeting etc. —This is not a critical request, but if you can find a way to help promote this approach it would be appreciated.
- ERB Badges: Please look at the hard case ERB Badges that were issued to each school. You will notice that there is door that protects the button from accidental mis-alerts. Please listen for the click which denotes the door is locked/will stay in place. Several alerts last week were due to either someone not using their hard case or they didn’t realize the door was not locked into place. Please be sure to address this need.
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.
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.
Superintendent Community Conversations
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:
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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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Tuesday, December 1, at 6:30 p.m., at Powell Elementary School (note date change)
Registration is not required, but it helps with planning.
Conversaciones Comunitarias Directamente con la Dra. Reid
Acompáñenos en una serie de Conversaciones Comunitarias que se llevarán a cabo en diferentes lugares de la división escolar. Estas reuniones están abiertas a todos, incluyendo familias, estudiantes, y miembros de la comunidad. Puede asistir al evento que le resulte más conveniente, aunque no se lleve a cabo en su escuela o comunidad. Esta es una oportunidad para compartir sus opiniones, conversar directamente con la Dra. Reid y hacerle preguntas sobre temas importantes para nuestra comunidad de FCPS.
No es necesario inscribirse, pero hacerlo nos ayuda con la planificación.
Growing Together: Talking About Social-Emotional Learning at Home
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 | 