For Your Officers
- General Membership Mtg/Dr. Brabrand/Screenagers/Dominos– Oct. 17
- “Dig Cit” Week Oct. 15-19
- Family & Community Engagement Conference - Oct. 20
- Spelling Bee – early bird registration open
- ISO Scholarship Chair
For Your Members
- School Health and Wellness Scores
- Develop Your Child’s Reading Skills
- Digital Advisory Committee – Organizing Mtg Oct. 16
- AAP Advisory Committee
- 8thDistrict Candidate Forum/Service Hours Oct. 17
- HS Voter Registration Challenge
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General Membership Meeting 10/17
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We look forward to seeing you
at the Oct. 17 General Membership meeting, 6:30 p.m. at Gatehouse Administration Building, 8115 Gatehouse Road, Falls Church.
Membership meetings are open to all PTA members but only presidents or their designees can vote
(just like local PTAs, the Council needs you to approve our audit and budget). Our membership meetings feature a Parent Briefing by Superintendent Scott Brabrand. This year FCCPTA is launching a parent program series to explore how parents and schools can better manage screen time and technology use(in other words, to live
healthy
digital lives). We kick off the effort with a
free viewing of
Screenagers
for your consideration to use with your local PTAs.
We will also hear from a representative of Dominos pizza, who will explain discounts and donations of pizza for PTA events. During June’s Presidents’ training session, one PTA shared how Dominos generously supported their school community, enabling the PTA to attract more parents. Many of our PTAs have since inquired and Dominos has agreed to bring information (and pizza) to our meeting.
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FCCPTA has negotiated a discounted Screenagers’ license fee from $500 to $300 for local PTAs if 10 or more sign up.
PTAs cancharge a modest ticket price to cover the fee (tickets also secure attendance commitments), and Screenagers shares any funds raised exceeding $300 with your PTA 50/50. Another option is to seek sponsorships to cover the cost and show the film free of charge. Contact Jane Miscavage at
[email protected]
for more information.
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“Dig Cit” Week
is Oct. 15-19. Digital Citizenship can be described as the norms of appropriate, responsible behavior (and its positive and negative impact on self and others) with regard to technology use. Each year, FCPS celebrates Dig Cit Week by providing instructional information to schools (given individual school calendars and events, your administrators may choose to work this information into lessons throughout the year). As part of FCCPTA’s focus on Digital Health and Wellness, we are supporting FCPS’s focus on Shared Responsibility – the concept that ensuring students learn to use technology safely, responsibly and ethically is a shared responsibility. Check out Dig Cit Week materials for schools and families
here
.
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Boost Family Engagement – Attend Oct. 20 Family Engagement Conference.
Our Family And Community Engagement Conference will teach you and your volunteers to:
1.
Help families
build positive relationships at school
2.
Draw more families
into your school community
3.
Support more children
with active volunteers
Registration
is $10 for the day (scholarships available). Given the wide range of topics, your PTA can get the most from the conference by bringing two to three officers or volunteers. Click
here
for info and promotional flyers in multiple languages.
This conference is made possible by your FCCPTA dues, support from FCPS, and generous donations.
Conference Agenda
- 9 a.m. Keynote: Building Cultural Proficiency
- 10:15 & 11:30 a.m. Workshop Sessions I & II Topics include: Engaging Military Families, Building Diverse PTAs, Male Engagement, Special Education Updates, Parent Liaisons and Community Outreach, Mental Health and Stress Management, Title I Schools, Effective Two-Way Communication
- 1 p.m. Lunch and Panel Discussion: Equity and Inclusion in Fairfax County. Panelists include Dr. Scott Brabrand, FCPS Superindendent; Armando Peri, FCPS Ombudsman; a representative from the Fairfax County School Board; and Sharon Bulova, Chairman, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
- 2 p.m. Call to Action & Take Your Family to School Week
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BEE AMAZING!
Looking to boost your students’ verbal confidence and word power? Start a spelling bee! Enroll your school NOW in FCCPTA's
2018-19
Fairfax County Spelling Bee Program.
Every elementary and middle school in Fairfax County is invited! Visit
www.spellingbee.com
, home of the
Scripps National Spelling Bee,
and click “Enroll” at the top. All the materials are provided for you to create the program your school needs.
Enroll by October 15, 2018 for best value
and bonus prizes from Scripps (last day to enroll is
Dec. 15
)! Questions? Eliza Morss,
[email protected]
.The Bee is
Sponsored by FCCPTA and supported by Fairfax County’s business and charitable community.
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Call for FCCPTA Scholarship Chair.
Help graduating seniors! FCCPTA needs a scholarship chair to streamline our program. Goals are to establish Chair by November and promote scholarship program in early 2019. Interested? Contact Jane Miscavage,
[email protected]
.
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Member Survey Coming Soon
. FCCPTA plans to conduct a general survey of parents, teachers, and students later this month to inform our advocacy and engagement with the School Board and Board of Supervisors. We are seeking your active support to maximize participation at your schools and ask that you distribute the online survey to existing and potential PTA members. Through this survey, we will collect data that we will share with you (on a county-wide and school-specific basis), so you will gain unprecedented insight into your community's views on a wide range of subjects. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact VP Advocacy Matt Dunne at
[email protected]
.
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Learn how your school scores on Health and Wellness.
Each FCPS school is required to report progress toward the implementation of the FCPS wellness policy. The intent of reporting is to support schools in establishing and maintaining healthy school environments, and provide transparency to the public. Click
here
to check out your school’s scores.
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Developing Your Child’s Reading Skills
. Fostering a love and aptitude for reading is critical to your child’s success, from the moment they start school all the way up to their high school graduation. Your child needs strong reading and comprehension skills to succeed—not just in English, but in science, math, social studies and various school activities as well. For practical tips, check out
PTA’s Reading Skills Guide
.
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Tired of arguing over screen time? Concerned about social media, gaming, cyber bullying and addiction
? Let’s face it: smart technology and screen time are part of modern life. But struggles over screen time and addiction don’t have to be. Fairfax County Council PTA is seeking parents to serve on an advisory council to explore ways to encourage smart and healthy use of technology and home and school. Interested? Click
here
.
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Does AAP reflect FCPS' student population?
The Advanced Academic Program Advisory Committee (AAPAC) is a citizen advisory committee appointed by the Fairfax County School Board to “…annually review the local plan for the education of gifted students, including revisions, and determine the extent to which the plan for the previous year was implemented.” Each year the AAPAC is also presented with a “charge” to address, and to report back to the School Board on. This year’s charge:
AAPAC will examine current AAP Level II-IV identification practices in order to make recommendations for additional outreach and support to historically underrepresented populations.
AAP Levels II & III are “part-time” services at the Elementary School level. AAP Level IV is a full-time service that is provided through Local Level IV programs or through Center Based programs at identified FCPS Elementary schools. In other words, the AAPAC will be reviewing current FCPS practices for identifying students for these programs, and ensuring that they are using the best tools available to identify
ALL
students appropriately for placement, and specifically to ensure that FCPS is being inclusive of all student populations.
Click
here
to learn more about the various levels of Advanced Academics Programs. Click
here
to learn about the screening and identification processes for these programs.
If you would like more information on what the AAPAC will be researching and recommending this year, or if you have any questions or input regarding the process, please contact FCCPTA’s AAPAC Liaison Terri Radziewski,
[email protected]
.
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Live in Congressional District 8? High school students need service hours? Tune into the 8
th
District Candidate Forum Oct. 17.
In Virginia there is an election every year. Fairfax County Council PTA partners with the League of Women Voters and other nonpartisan organizations to hold forums where citizens can learn more about candidates. Learn more here:
8th District Candidate Forum Oct. 17
Find your District
here
.
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High School Voter Registration Challenge Returns.
PTSA Student Members, help spread the word! Last week the League of Women Voters and FCCPTA launched the second annual FCPS Voter Registration Challenge. Last year more than 5,000 students registered to vote. Each FCPS school has a unique link to register students. Read more:
lwv-fairfax.org/hschallenge/
. Students age 17 may register if they will be 18 during the next election.
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...for sharing questions and ideas on the
Best Practices Facebook Page
!
It is awesome to see PTA volunteers exchanging ideas and supporting each other! FCCPTA officers are always happy to help with individual or sensitive questions. Let us know what’s on your mind! Click
here
to contact our officers at any time. See you on the 17
th
!
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