Ram Gram - October 2, 2026

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Important Dates

Tuesday 10/6: Interim Reports in Tuesday Folders- all students

Monday 10/12: Student Holiday - Teacher Workday

Thursday 10/15: Advanced Academics Program (AAP) Parent Information Night 6:00-7:30 pm

Tuesday 10/20: Fall Picture Day

Wednesday 10/21: 3-hour Early Release Day - Students dismiss at 12:25

Friday 10/23: Book Character Day

Tuesday 10/27: Family Science Night, 6:00-7:00 pm, gym

Friday 10/30: End of Quarter - 2-hour early release-Students dismiss at 1:25

Monday 11/2: Student Holiday - School Planning Day for Teachers

Tuesday 11/3: Student Holiday - Teacher Workday

A Message from the Principal

This morning, our student leaders provided input for our new Centre Ridge mission and vision statements.  We appreciate our students giving their thoughts.  Families will be asked to share their input in the coming weeks.

On Tuesday, October 6th, all students will be bringing home an interim in their Tuesday Folder.  These reports provide an update on your child’s progress so far this school year, including performance in each subject and any comments from teachers.  Kindergarten students will only have comments on their interims as they are learning our school routines.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership.

Sincerely,

Erika Aspuria

Principal

Advanced Academic Programs

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 Karen Helmer, School Testing Coordinator, at kmhelmer@fcps.edu by September 30.

Families are invited to attend our AAP information meeting, led by Valerie Carter, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART).  The meeting will be held on Thursday, October 15th from 6:00-7:30 pm.  We will present the following:

  • AAP Continuum of Services: Families will learn about the continuum of advanced academic services available to FCPS students.
  • Full-Time AAP Identification: Families will learn about the referral and identification processes for Full-Time AAP services.

For more information, please contact Valerie Carter, AART, at VMCarter@fcps.edu or visit the FCPS Advanced Academic Programs website.

October 2nd Attendance Check-In

CRES 2026-2027 Attendance Goal:

8.4% chronic absenteeism or less 

  • Percentage of students not currently chronically absent: 90.1%
  • Percentage of students currently chronically absent (missed 10% or more of the school days so far this year): 9.9%.

Be sure to check the FCPS Calendar when scheduling doctors' appointments and vacations.

Family Science Night

Save the Date! Family Science Night is Coming to our School October 27th

The Children’s Science Center Lab is bringing their Family Science Night Program to Centre Ridge. Family Science Night offers a variety of engaging, hands-on science activities such as Stacking Currency: Building Financial Literacy, Superhero Species: Creating with Probability, Forensic Fun: Mystery Solved, among several others. These experiments are specially designed to help encourage students to take interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects, as well as to encourage students to develop curiosity in everyday life situations.

Young children are natural scientists, rationally making observations, testing hypotheses, analyzing data and reaching conclusions.

Join us on October 27th 6:00-7:30pm to help keep our students engaged and excited about STEM subjects. We hope to see you there!
Patrols and SCA picture

SCA and Patrol representatives shared their input as we develop an updated vision and mission for our school community.
SCA and Patrol picture

 

 

We look forward to including parent voices in this work as it continues.

FCPS News

Calendar Reminder: Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Monday, October 12, is a student holiday and staff development day for Indigenous Peoples’ Day. 

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 on this day. 

A new school year calendar has been published, which notes this change. Please note: holidays and observances on the calendar may shift due to anticipated lunar sightings. 

Understanding the FCPS Calendar

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 the school as early as possible. Find links to your school’s attendance email or notification system on their homepage, or call the front office.

If you or your family need any kind of support, please reach out to your school. We are here for you! Visit the FCPS Attendance webpage for tips and strategies.

Superintendent Community Conversations

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:

Registration is not required, but it helps with planning. 

Transportation Survey

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.  

AAP Expansion

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.

Annual Special Education Family Conference

Annual Special Education Family Conference: Request for Volunteers

 

 

Register now to attend the annual Special Education Family Conference, Connected Communities, Thriving Students, on Saturday, November 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Hayfield Secondary School. 

Educators, families, and community members are invited to this in-person event at no cost. Participants can connect, learn, and explore special education services, supports, and resources. Lunch will be provided.

How to volunteer:

  • Adult Volunteers: Sign up through Volunteer FCPS using the Volunteer Registration Form. FCPS staff volunteers will be awarded MyPDE credit.
  • Student Volunteers: Sign up through the Student Volunteer Interest Form. Students will receive volunteer hours for their service. 
  • Student Showcase Opportunities: Students can complete the Student Participation Form to lead a performance or share information about a club or research project. Volunteer hours will be awarded to students serving in these roles.

Register to attend the conference. Visit the Special Education Family Conference webpage for more information. Email questions to SpecialEdFamilyConf@fcps.edu