Cherry Run News August 24

Dear Cherry Run Families,

What a wonderful first day of school! It was so exciting to welcome our Cardinals back to Cherry Run and see the building filled with smiles, energy, and enthusiasm for learning.

Thank you for helping make the first day such a success. We truly appreciate your partnership and support as we begin the 2026–2027 school year.

We hope each Cardinal enjoyed a day filled with excitement, learning, and memorable moments. We look forward to a wonderful year ahead!


Sincerely,

Maura Donahue and Dave Arthur

Calendar reminder graphic

8/24 First Day of School
9/9 Back to School Night

Back to School Night

Back to School Night: Wednesday, September 9th 6:00 – 7:35pm These sessions are an opportunity for parents and caregivers to learn about grade level curriculum, classroom procedures, schoolwide expectations, and more.

  • 6:00 – 6:45 pm: Kindergarten – 6th grade (Session 1)
  • 6:50 – 7:35 pm: Kindergarten – 6th grade (Session 2) *This session will be a repeat of Session 1 for families who have more than one child.

Cherry Run Arrival and Dismissal 

Arrival/DismissalBell Schedule: 9:20 AM - 4:05 PM (daily)

It is important that parents and caregivers make note of our start times. The school is unable to provide supervision or access to the building outside of these times. Daily attendance is critical for school success. Please refer to the linked FCPS calendar as a planning support. 

9:05 AM- Doors open and all students may enter at their designated door (*see below)

9:20 AM- School starts.  Students arriving at this time or later need to be escorted to the office with a parent/guardian. Parent/Guardian fills out a late slip in the lobby before coming into the office. Dropping students off alone is not permitted.

4:05 PM- Dismissal begins with students exiting their designated door (*see below)*Designated doors: students in grades K-3 will enter/exit through Door 1 (main entrance). Students in grades 4-6 will enter/exit through Door 2 (cafeteria doors). 

Walkers and Bus Riders
Students will enter and exit through their designated door. Students in grades K-3 will enter/exit through Door 1 (the main entrance). Students in grades 4-6 will enter/exit through the cafeteria doors. Personalized 2026-2027 bus information (as applicable) will be available via ParentVUE/SIS and you will receive direct notification from the FCPS transportation office.

Kiss and Ride
Arrival Procedures: To keep morning drop-off safe and smooth, we use a Kiss and Ride system for families who drive their children to school.

Here’s how it works:

  • Pull your car up in the Kiss and Ride lane at the front of the school.
  • Your child should be ready to hop out quickly (shoes on, backpack ready).
  • Once your car stops, your child can get out on the passenger side only. There will be staff members available to help.
  • After your child exits safely, pull forward. **Reminder, the kiss and ride is a single file line, passing cars is not permitted.

Dismissal Procedures: Kiss and Ride students will be dismissed from Door 6 (SACC entrance). 

Here’s how it works:

  • Each family is assigned a car number to place in their front windshield.
  • Each student has a matching number on their backpack.
  • At dismissal, staff on duty will look at the number on the car and call for the student(s) with the same number.
  • Students wait safely until their number is called, then walk to their car.

Please do not park or pass cars in the Kiss and Ride lane. This helps keep traffic moving for everyone and ensures the safety of our students.

Student ID Cards

Student ID Cards for Cherry Run Bus Riders

We will begin distributing student ID cards to all our students who ride the school bus or use FCPS transportation services.

Student ID cards will be distributed by classroom teachers on the first day of school at the end of the day for bus riders only.

Students who have student ID cards should begin tapping as they board and exit the bus. Only students who use FCPS transportation services will be provided with a student ID card at this time.

We ask for your patience! Bus drivers will begin checking in students next week and may need some extra time at each bus stop while they do this. The transportation team is working hard to minimize any potential delays.

Learn more about the bus navigation and student ID cards.

Screenshots of FCPS Mobile App

FCPS Mobile App

Get Ready for Day One with the FCPS App!