A Note From Mrs. Duffy

Dear Bush Hill Families,

As we head into Thanksgiving Break, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for our incredible school community. Our staff continues to show unwavering dedication to our students each and every day, creating a warm, joyful, and engaging place for children to learn and grow. Our students inspire us with their curiosity, kindness, and hard work, and our families partner with us in so many meaningful ways to support their success. I am truly thankful to be part of such a strong and caring community.

On Thursday we welcomed nearly 400 family members to enjoy Thanksgiving lunches with us—serving close to 600 meals! I also want to extend a special thank you to our PTA for organizing another fantastic Turkey Trot that same day. It was wonderful to see so many students and families participating, cheering one another on, and adding to the fun of this favorite Bush Hill event. Thank you to everyone who was able to join us; your presence made the day truly special.

As we pause for the holiday, I hope each of you enjoys a restful and joyful Thanksgiving Break filled with family, friends, and moments of gratitude.

Warmest wishes,

Mary Duffy, Principal

Bush Hill Elementary School

Attendance Matters

Our goal is to maintain a chronic absenteeism rate below 10% by the end of this school year. Our current absentee

As you plan upcoming trips and other family events, please remember the importance of sending your child to school every day. Review the FCPS School Year Calendar and try to plan any time away during breaks from school.

Children who show up for school regularly develop fundamental reading and math skills while building a habit of good attendance that will carry them into college and careers. Research shows that children who were chronically absent (missing 18 days or more) in kindergarten and first grade were far less likely to read proficiently at the end of third grade.

Learn how families can help form good attendance habits.

Did you know?

Regular school attendance in elementary school improves the chances that your child will read on grade level.
Chronic absenteeism (missing 18 or more school days per year) is a primary cause of lower academic achievement even when the absences are "excused" or understandable.
Students who attend 90% or more of the school year are more likely to graduate from high school on time.
Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with peer conflicts or facing some other potentially serious difficulty, and help is available.

November 24th - Attendance Table: K-6

BHES's 2025-2026 Attendance Goal: 8% chronic absenteeism or less

Percentage of students NOT currently chronically absent

92.6 %

Percentage of students currently chronically absent (missed 10% or more of the school days so far this year)

7.4 %

Please remember, November 26^th - November 28^th is a school holiday. We are eager to welcome your children back in school on December 1^st.

Please Complete Your Federal Impact Aid Survey

FCPS is asking all families to complete a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets, which is in the upper right corner of the screen after logging in. Please complete the survey as soon as possible.

Schools will provide paper forms to families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE. For more information, please visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page or watch this video about why Impact Aid matters.

Register for ParentVUE

Learn how to activate your SISParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey and have access to other helpful information about your child’s education at FCPS.

AAP News

Window for Full-Time AAP Referrals Closes on December 15

Parents and guardians of students in Grades 2-7 who would like their student to be considered for full-time Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) services must submit the AAP Full-Time Referral Form to Ms. Jen Spollen jlspollen@fcps.edu no later than December 15, 2025.

Each year, families can submit a referral for full-time AAP services any time from the first day of school through December 15. No late referrals for full-time AAP services will be accepted.

Once a referral is received, our school will compile information related to the student. Then, a committee of six trained professionals from across the county will review materials to determine eligibility for full-time AAP services.

Next Steps for Parents

Eligibility decisions are communicated by early April. Parents may request a copy of their child’s materials after February 20, 2026, by emailing Ms. Jen Spollen jlspollen@fcps.edu

At the elementary level, referrals for subject-specific and part-time AAP are screened by the school. If you miss the full-time referral deadline, your student can still be screened for subject-specific or part-time AAP services for the remainder of the year.

For more information, please visit the Advanced Academic Programs webpage.

Family Liaison Corner

Thank you for a Successful Family Engagement Month!

A huge thank you to all Bush Hill families for making November, Family Engagement Month, a huge success! Your participation is vital to our students' success. We truly appreciate everyone who attended our events, volunteered their time, or connected with us throughout the month. When our staff, Panthers, and families work together, we create an invigorating learning community! We look forward to growing our partnership throughout the year. Go Panthers!