FCPS is continuing to explore options for adjusting school start times, with the primary goal of beginning the middle school day at 8 a.m. or later. In order to minimize any costs associated with this change, elementary and high school start times would need to shift as well.
Providing feedback opportunities for the community is a critical part of this effort. A new School Start Times Survey is open and includes two options. FCPS community members are encouraged to complete the survey to provide input into potential school start times. See the section below for more details.
A reminder that our next 3-hour early release Wednesday is coming up in a couple of weeks on October 15. Students will follow their last early release plan. Any changes or questions related to your child's early release plan for October 15 should be communicated to your child's teacher and sent to bbesearlyrelease@fcps.edu. Changes must be made by Thursday, October 9.
Have a great weekend with your family and friends.
Morgan Birge, Principal
Rose Stephens, Assistant Principal
Natalie Vershaw, Assistant Principal
Family. Relationships. Success.
October 4 - Game Night at iCode, 6-8 PM
October 7 - End of Phase Community Meeting with Design & Construction, 6:30-7:30 PM (Cafeteria)
October 8 - Walk, Bike, & Roll to School Day
October 8 - PTO Virtual Meeting (6-7 PM)
A few amazing highlights that happened this week...
Fifth grade students worked together to break composite numbers into their most basic parts, prime numbers, through a prime factorization sort.
We celebrated Blue Star Welcome Week to help create a greater sense of belonging for military and Veteran families in our Bonnie Brae community.
Walk, Bike, and Roll to School Day
It's time to break out those sneakers and fill up the bike racks Scotties! Let's walk and roll to school on October 8. All Scotties who participate will be given a paper Scottie to write their name on and add to our Walk and Roll banner that will be displayed in the lobby!
Advanced Academic Program (AAP) News
Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year! Please check out and bookmark our Bonnie Brae AAP website to view the FCPS AAP Fall Newsletter highlighting important AAP information and updates. We hope you can join us for our AAP Family Information Session on Tuesday, October 14 at 8:35 AM in the cafeteria to learn more about the FCPS Advanced Academics Program and the referral process for AAP services.
Full Time Service Referral Deadlines:
OCTOBER 15-New to FCPS students as of January 1, 2025. (Students in Grades 3-6)
DECEMBER 15-(Students in Grades 2-6)
To request a translator for the AAP Family Meeting and/or any additional inquiries, please contact our AART, Larissa Sheehan (ltsheehan@fcps.edu).
Early Release Wednesday - October 15
Our next 3-hour early release day is Wednesday, October 15. Students will follow their last early release plan.
Any changes or questions related to your child's early release plan for October 15 should be sent to bbesearlyrelease@fcps.edu. Changes must be made by Thursday, October 9.
All preschool classes will follow their normal schedule.
Every Day Is a Stepping Stone to Success
Attendance is an important life skill that will help your child later in life. It’s a good habit to build now to help them graduate from college on time and routinely report to work on time once they have a career.
Please take a look at the FCPS Calendar. Try to schedule any trips or family events on weekends and school holidays. Every day of learning is a day toward success. Keep in mind that absences add up quickly. Students who are absent 10% of the school year (or just two days per month) are considered “chronically absent.”
When possible, schedule appointments for your child outside of school hours. If your child needs to miss school because of an illness or appointment, you must report the absence to our school.
Fairfax County Public Schools is hosting a special Red Ribbon Awareness Open House. Families will learn about the tools and information they need to talk to their kids about drugs and substance use.
When and Where?
Date: Tuesday, October 24
Time: Noon–2 PM
Location: The Family Resource Center, Dr. Larry Bussey Family and Community Library (2334 Gallows Road, Room 100, Dunn Loring, VA 22027)
What Information And Tools Will Be Shared?
Practical communication strategiesso families can talk openly and confidently with children about drugs.
Up-to-date, age-appropriate information on common substances of abuse.
NARCAN training will also be offered.
No registration is needed!
Finishing Up Uncovering Characters in Language Arts
Benchmark Unit 2 in Language Arts is coming to a close! Over the last several weeks, our students have learned, read, and written about different characters in stories and their own personal sense of character.
Connect with your child’s learning at school with these fun questions and hands-on activities at home:
Question: How does the way you act change the way you think about yourself?
Activity: Draw a new cover for a favorite book featuring the main character in a key moment.
At the end of the unit, your child will take their unit magazine home. The magazine includes an activity calendar with fun ways to help students build on what they’re learning at each grade level. You can also find information on how to support your child’s reading at home on the Benchmark Families website.
Take the School Start Times Survey
FCPS is continuing to explore options for adjusting school start times, with the primary goal of beginning the middle school day at 8 a.m. or later. In order to minimize any costs associated with this change, elementary and high school start times would need to shift as well.
Providing feedback opportunities for the community is a critical part of this effort. Since 2024, FCPS’ consultant has hosted five community forums and administered two surveys. A new School Start Times Survey is open and includes two options that are designed to support student well-being, align with research, balance transportation logistics, and minimize costs.
Staff, parents and caregivers, students, and community members may provide input on the two options by taking the survey. The survey deadline has been extended to Monday, October 6. Find more information on adjusting school start times on the FCPS website.
Why Are Bonds Needed to Fund FCPS Construction Projects?
The building and renovation of schools are not financed through the FCPS’ operating funds, but through bonds. Similar to an individual or a family obtaining a mortgage on a residence to spread the cost of home buying over several years, bonds spread the cost of major capital improvements over a number of years. This ensures that current and future residents and users share in the payment.
This approach is good for our taxes, too. If capital construction were financed out of current tax revenues on a pay-as-you-go basis, projects would need to be paid for in a much shorter time frame, likely reducing other county services or necessitating tax increases. Fortunately, the county’s bonded debt is not likely to be a contributing factor to any increase in local taxes.
A bond referendum to benefit FCPS will be on the ballot this Election Day, Tuesday, November 4. It represents an investment by the community into the facilities everyone uses — whether for school or to gather as a community.
Community Conversations With Superintendent Dr. Reid
Your voice matters, and Dr. Reid wants to hear from you! Parents are partners, working with us to set our students up for long-term success at school and in life.
A series of Community Conversations will be held across the school division to discuss current challenges and future opportunities. These events are also a chance for you to share your thoughts with Dr. Reid and ask her questions. Events are planned for the following dates from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. To register for the October 3 meeting, please click that date below. Registration links for the other dates will be available soon:
Child care and interpretation services will be provided. Events are open to all. Please check our website for updates.
Comprehensive Boundary Review Update
FCPS will begin holding October community boundary review meetings on Monday, October 13. The new draft map, Scenario 4, will be shared with the community for feedback at those meetings. It will also be uploaded to the Boundary Explorer Tool shortly before October 13. Community members will then be able to provide feedback in the tool at their convenience.
As a reminder, the community provided feedback on draft scenarios 1-3 in the spring. Scenario 4 continues to build upon the first three scenarios. It is informed by the Superintendent's Boundary Review Advisory Committee, which reviewed community feedback received in the spring to help develop priorities that the consultant used to create Scenario 4.
Drop off the kids for a fun night of gaming and pizza while parents get the night off! Register here today to get your spot!
When: Saturday, Oct 4 (6-8 PM)
Where: iCode in Burke (6045 Burke Centre Pkwy, Suite 202)
What: K-6 drop off fundraiser
Cost: $35 per student
Join Us for the Next PTO Meeting!
The Bonnie Brae Elementary PTO invites all parents, teachers, and grandparents to our virtual meeting on Wednesday, October 8 (6-7 PM). Your participation makes a difference!
We will be discussing:
Fall Festival – October 24th: Updates and planning
Urgent Need for Volunteers: How you can help our school thrive
Fundraising Updates: Progress and opportunities to support our programs
This is a great chance to stay connected, share your ideas, and help shape the events and activities that make Bonnie Brae such a special community.
