Churchill Chatter School Newsletter Monday, September 14, 2026

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Churchill Chatter - Issue 2

September 14, 2026

Important Dates

Monday, September 21 - Yom Kippur - School Closed
Friday, September 25 - PTA Family Movie Night
Wednesday, September 30 - 3-hr early release, dismissal at 12:20 PM
Monday, October 12 - Student Holiday
Thursday, October 15 - World Heritage Night
Friday, October 30 - End of Quarter - 2-hr early dismissal at 1:10 PM

In This Week's Issue

Superintendent Community Conversations
AAP Updates
Student ID Cards for CRS Bus Riders
Stay in the Know With Here Comes the Bus
Review and Sign the SR&R by September 30
Schools Build Belonging so Students Can Thrive
Special Education Family Conference

Dear Churchill Road families,

Just a reminder to please join our PTA if you haven’t already. Our PTA plays such an important role in the Churchill community. Your membership helps fund activities and programs that enhance our students’ learning experiences and support our teachers throughout the year. Joining also gives you all the information on after school activities, social events and many opportunities to get involved and connect with our school community. See more information in the PTA section below.

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Pierson-Barr and Mr. Kilpatrick

Open House/Back to School Night Feedback

We welcome any feedback about out Open House and Back to School Nights. Feedback Form

Superintendent Community Conversations

Join us for a series of Community Conversations that will be held across the school division. Share your thoughts with Dr. Reid and ask her questions. Click on the date to register for any of the following events:

Advanced Academic Updates

AAP Information Session: We will host an Advanced Academic Program information session on Wednesday, October 7th at 9 a.m. in the EA Room. We will provide an overview of the Advanced Academic program and the referral & screening process for full-time AAP services.

Ability Testing: Parents of children in 3rd - 6th grade can request a one-time retake of an abilities test. If you would like to request a retake, please email our School Test Coordinator, Nick Kilpatrick nfkilpatrick@fcps.edu, and our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART), Esther Lee eclee@fcps.edu by September 30th for administration of the NGAT.

Fall and Spring Screening Window: The fall screening is available for students who are new to FCPS since January 1, 2026. The fall screening referral window is from the first day of school - October 15, 2026.

The spring screening window is available for students in 2nd - 6th grade. The spring screening referral window is from the first day of school – December 15, 2026.

Referral forms for full-time AAP services are found at https://www.fcps.edu/node/38893. Please submit full-time AAP parent referral forms via email: Esther Lee, eclee@fcps.edu.

AAP Fall Newsletter

Student ID Cards for CRS Bus Riders

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

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 this 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.

Stay in the Know With Here Comes the Bus

Even though FCPS has launched a new bus navigation system, some aspects like the new FCPS My Ride mobile app are still in development. Families should still use the Here Comes the Bus mobile app to track the location of their child’s bus. This app is still compatible with the new system.

FCPS will notify families and schools when the new app is ready to download and use. In the meantime, everyone should reinforce with students that they need to tap on and off the bus with their student ID cards.

Did you already download the new app? That’s okay! The new app is in the final stage of testing, so some features are not yet fully functional. At this time, you should refer to Here Comes the Bus for the most accurate information.

World Heritage Night

World Heritage Night will be held on Thursday, October 15th, from 6:30–8:00 p.m. We hope you will join us for an evening of celebrating the many cultures that make our school community so special! There are three ways you can participate:

Country Booths We are looking for families to host a country booth! Booths can showcase games, crafts, food, pictures, traditions, or anything else you would like to share from any country.

Click HERE to sign up for a Country Booth

Talent Show Students are invited to participate in our International Night Talent Show! Students may choose a performance that represents a country connected to their heritage or a country of their choice. Performances may include dancing, singing, martial arts, or anything else that celebrates and represents a country or culture.

Click HERE to sign up for a Talent Show time slot.

Come and Enjoy! Come join us for the evening and enjoy the country booths, performances, food, and fun!

Sign-up information to attend World Heritage Night will be available soon, so please stay tuned!

We look forward to celebrating with our families and community!

If you have any questions, please reach out to our Family Liaison, Nirmeeta Shakya at nshakya@fcps.edu.

Thank you to Surf Nation

Thank you to Surf Nation for donating brand new soccer balls for our students to use. SURF Nation is committed to supporting organic soccer opportunities for kids of all ages and aligns with our mission to give every child access to team sports while also giving back to the school community.

Review and Sign the SR&R by September 30

The FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) booklet explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment. This year’s SR&R includes new Universal Grade Matrices, which are at-a-glance charts that make it easier for families to see behavior expectations and school responses for grades K-3, 4-8, and 9-12.

Families, please review the SR&R and discuss these expectations with your child. Be sure to sign the SR&R acknowledgement form by Wednesday, September 30, either by logging into SIS ParentVUE or signing and returning the Signature Sheet to your child’s school.

Learn more by watching a short video about the SR&R (available in English and Spanish) or visiting the SR&R webpage.

Schools Build Belonging so Students Can Thrive

What does belonging look like in our school? At Churchill Road, we are creating inclusive, supportive environments where every student feels known, valued, and connected — the second goal of the Strategic Plan. From mentoring to cross-grade collaboration, when students feel safe and supported, they can truly thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. See how Goal 2 is being put into practice at FCPS.

Special Education Family Conference: Connected Communities, Thriving Students

Register now for the annual Special Education Family Conference: Connected Communities, Thriving Students. The free conference will take place on Saturday, November 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Hayfield Secondary School.

Hosted by FCPS in collaboration with community partners, the conference highlights the power of partnerships in supporting student success. Families, educators, and community members are invited to connect, learn, and explore available special education services, supports, and resources.

The conference will feature an inspiring opening session, engaging breakout sessions, an exhibitor hall with local resources, and lunch for all participants.

Register for the conference and visit the Special Education Family Conference webpage for more information. Email SpecialEdFamilyConf@fcps.edu with any questions.

FCPS Cares Program

Recognizing employees who go above and beyond

FCPS Cares is an opportunity for parents, staff and community members to recognize those who go above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story so we can all acknowledge the outstanding work of FCPS, and more specifically, Churchill Road employees.

From Our PTA

Join the PTA for 2026–2027! Welcome back, and thank you to everyone who has already joined or renewed! PTA membership is just $25 per family and includes discounts on PTA events, early access to After School Activities, and access to the CRS PTA Directory to connect with classmates, plan playdates, birthday parties and more.
K–2 Soccer: Play soccer with your CRS friends! Register through 1Ball1Game. Sign up here.
Pack your chair, a blanket, and your family and join us for Family Movie Night on Friday, September 25th. We will be showing GOAT, a hilarious, feel‑good animated adventure for all ages. Get tickets here

From our Family Liaison

Webinar - Supporting the ADHD Brain

Friday, September 11, 2026 10- 11:30 AM

Students with ADHD often know what they need to do but struggle to begin, stay focused, and follow through. This session, presented by The StudyPro, helps parents understand how executive function can make seemingly simple tasks much harder for students with ADHD and shares practical strategies designed to work with the ADHD brain.