Garfield ES - Eagle Express: Happy Holidays 2024!

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Dear Garfield Families,

As the holiday season approaches and we close out the year, we at Garfield Elementary want to extend our warmest wishes to you and your loved ones. We want to pause and share our heartfelt gratitude with our students and families. Every day, you inspire us with your collaboration, support, and the happiness you bring to our school community. Garfield truly is a remarkable place, made extraordinary by the incredible students, families, and community members who call it home. We are so proud and grateful to be part of this journey together—there’s no place quite like Garfield in all of FCPS!

As you head into the winter break season, we recognize that many students will transition from a rigorous school day to a quieter, calmer home environment. Today’s students often have busier schedules than ever before, so we encourage you to help them discover the value of rest, reflection, and stillness.

That being said, we know that many of you may also want to support continued learning during the break. We would like to remind you of one valuable Garfield resource and two new FCPS webpages that may be helpful.

FCPS Winter Break Resources - This is a webpage for the winter break that provides resources (academic and non-academic) to families during break.
Winter Activities - This webpage on the FCPS website provides less structured and more creative ideas for students to engage in as a family.

We hope these resources are helpful. Have a happy, peaceful, and beautiful winter break!

Blessings and Joy,

Mrs. Peerman and Ms. Mannning

Garfield ES and the main office will be closed during Winter Break.

From December 23, 2024, to Friday, January 3, 2025, Garfield, and the main office will be closed, with the exception of previously scheduled community events. Any messages will be returned when school reopens on Monday, January 6, 2025.

The Cost of Absenteeism in Elementary School

Chronic absenteeism—missing 10% or more of school, or 8 days by this point in the year—serves as an early warning sign that students are at risk of not reading proficiently by the end of third grade, struggling academically in middle school, and potentially dropping out of high school.

As you plan upcoming trips and other family events, please remember the importance of sending your child to school every day. Review the FCPS School Year Calendar and try to plan any time away during breaks from school.

Children who show up for school regularly develop fundamental reading and math skills while building a habit of good attendance that will carry them into college and careers. Research shows that children who were chronically absent (missing 18 days or more) in kindergarten and first grade were far less likely to read proficiently at the end of third grade.

Learn how families can help form good attendance habits.

As we enter 2025, we urge you to make a resolution to support full-time attendance. Consistency is key to your child’s academic success!

Together, let’s make everyday count!

Considerations for Technology

This holiday seasons may involve gifts for some families. Some of those gifts may be technology related. As a reminder, the FCPS SRR states: Phones must be silenced and in backpacks for the duration of the school day.

Watches that serve a dual purpose (e.g., smart watch) may be worn; however, phone features (e.g., texting, Internet, calls, etc.) are to be off when phone use is prohibited. If your student is getting a smartwatch over break, please consider reviewing this website on School Mode to set your student up for success.

Speaking of Technology…
Apps Good for the Brain

Screen time is hard to avoid completely these days… but why not choose apps that are fun AND educational? Here’s a sampling of some free or almost free apps you may want to consider that are reviewed by trusted sources. However, as always, we suggest monitoring your children as they try them out. Enjoy!

SimplePhysics lets you design complex structures for everything from tree houses to Ferris wheels and then simulates your design with a sophisticated physics engine.
Unblock Me is a puzzle app similar to RushHour. The goal is to move the red block off the board by sliding the other blocks out of the way in the least amount of moves.
Math BINGO has 5 different types: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and mixed, and there are 3 levels of difficulty, avatars, and rewards.
codeSpark is a learn-to-code app for kids with hundreds of activities and games designed to introduce kids to STEAM and teach them the fundamentals of computer science.
The Foolish King is a fictional and magical explanation of the origin of the game of chess as well as an introduction to the game.
Khan Academy Kids from the hugely popular online educational site Khan Academy, the app for kids has thousands of educational games, books, and activities.

News from FCPS

Winter Special Education and 504 Newsletter

The latest issue of the FCPS Special Education and 504 Newsletter is available online. Topics in this issue include:

Community Resources for Families of Students with Disabilities
Save the Date: 2025 Family Summit
SEL Screener Results
New Accessibility Resources
Adapted Physical Education and Recreation Program
Why Some Students with Disabilities Stay in FCPS Until Age 22
VR Programs Supports Out-of-State Post Secondary Schools
Executive Functioning Webinars
Early Literacy Resources
ESY and Assessment Webinar
COVID-19 Compensatory Education: FCPS Service Delivery Options

Subscribe to the Special Education and 504 Newsletter.

⛄Student and Family Resources

Fairfax County Public Schools has compiled a list of resources for students and families in case they need assistance while schools are closed for winter break. Please visit FCPS’ winter resources webpage for information on academic support, mental health support, and county resources related to food, clothing, housing, and other needs.

School’s Closed, Learning Can Continue!

FCPS encourages students to take advantage of fun learning opportunities during winter break and snow days. Consider these winter activities to blend education and play for your students during winter break or weather-related school closures.

Winter Resources from Fairfax County Government Agencies