 Students enjoyed participating in our spirit days this week.
From the Principal's Desk:
Winter Break starts this afternoon, and we would like to wish all of you a wonderful break. As mentioned at Thanksgiving, we take these opportunities to remind our staff at each long break the need to give our students (and themselves) a respite from schoolwork during the holiday. While teachers may have long-term assignments that span over the course of a break, we have shared with the staff to not assign homework, projects, essays, etc. to be specifically done over the break.
This break, all of us need the opportunity to spend time with our families and friends. We want our students to have the opportunity to catch a breath from schoolwork and to enjoy time with friends and family. We also want our teachers to decompress and put their lesson plan books and laptops away for a few days to enjoy time with their friends and family. Our goal is to have students and teachers return to school anxiety-free without the pressure of looming deadlines. This is a unified message that Madison pyramid principals are sending out to all our schools.
The entire Louise Archer staff hopes you find ways to take time to relax and make new memories with your family over the upcoming winter break. We look forward to seeing everyone back in the new year and we are excited to start 2025 together!
Louise Archer Office Closed
The front office will be closed from December 23rd - January 3rd. Students and staff will return on January 6, 2025.
Winter Break 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.
Middle School Start Time
It is important that all of you are informed about the discussion on Middle School Start Times, which don’t just affect Middle School! At a recent School Board work session, staff from Prismatic Services, Inc., presented options for adjusting start times at FCPS middle schools. As a reminder, Prismatic is charged with developing an action plan to help the School Board reach its goal of starting middle school at or after 8 a.m.
The presentation includes five options for adjusting middle school start times based on the consultant’s analysis from community forums, surveys, and interviews with staff, parents, associations, and other groups. The School Board will provide next steps to the superintendent. Watch a video of the work session. Visit the Middle School Start Times webpage for more information on the project.
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Winter Weather and Outdoor Recess
We will monitor the weather for low temperatures, wind chill advisories and warnings, and weather advisories that may prevent children from being outside. We are notified by safety and security if the temperatures get too low. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately with a warm coat and other cold-weather clothing (labeled with the name!), so they can comfortably enjoy their time outdoors. On the majority of days, students will go outside for recess.
Watch this video to see how weather-related closing decisions are made. FCPS’ website is generally the first place to find out about emergency weather closings. Other communication channels will be used as quickly as possible including email, text, social media, and news stations. Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated. Be sure to plan for the winter season.
If you need assistance getting cold weather clothing for your family, please call Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) at 703-222-0880. Their multilingual staff can assist with any challenges you are facing, including food, shelter, employment, financial assistance, and healthcare.
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Upcoming Events
December 23 - January 3 - Winter Break
January 6 - Return to school
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