Calendar Updates
August 12 - New Family Tours 5 - 6 p.m. (No Rain Date)
August 19 - Kindergarten/New First Grade Play Date 6 - 7 p.m.
August 20 - Open House 2 - 4 p.m.
August 24 - First Day of School for Students
August 28 - Welcome Back Picnic 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
September 2 - Back to School Night 5 - 7:15 p.m.
2026--27 FCPS School Calendar
Field Day Fun!!
We couldn't have had better weather! Thanks to our parents for being flexible and to our 6th graders for supporting! #kgpride
Administration Note
Dear Parents,
It is so hard to believe that it is the end of the school year. We had so many wonderful school activities this last week!
We hope all of you enjoy the summer and look forward to the next school year. The dates are shown above for the beginning of the school year.
Summer office hours will be 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. If you need another time, please call and we can confer regarding another time to come into the building.
Order your school supplies next year through the Toolbox links below!
Thanks as always for your support!
Warmly,
Holly McGuigan Tia Hawkins Sarah Talley
Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal
Sixth Grade Promotion
It was a wonderful ceremony and great to come together to celebrate the students hard work. We wish them well as they move onto 7th grade!
Student Intentions for Next School Year 2026-27
As we plan forward for the next school year, please complete this google form if your child(ren) are NOT returning. It does NOT need to be completed if your child(ren) are returning to Kent Gardens. It is not binding, we are merely using this information to guide our thinking on numbers as we plan forward! Thanks in advance!
Farewell....
We want to thank our staff members, Mr. Shivnen, Ms. Shaikh and Mr. Brock, who are departing KG at the end of this year. We enjoyed sending them off this past week and loved seeing many of our past families and students drop by.
From Mrs. McGuigan - A fond farewell to all who shared their emails and words and gifts/flowers etc. this past week. It is definitely bittersweet as I leave this role. I am sure that the tradition of #kgpride and more will be continued. The school is in a wonderful place academically and has a vibrant community! I am at the school through the end of July and will support the transition.
Summer Office Hours
Our office will be open to the community during the summer from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Calendar Survey
FCPS values your input as we plan future school calendars. On Friday, June 5, all caregivers and FCPS staff will receive an email from noreply@fcps.edu containing a unique link to complete the FCPS Calendar Survey.
Your feedback matters. Please take a few minutes to share your priorities and perspectives by Monday, June 22, at 11:59 p.m.
Your individual responses will be kept confidential and will not be shared with school staff or used in any way that identifies you or your student. Only aggregate, summary-level results will be reported to the Fairfax County School Board.
If you do not receive a link to the survey or have technical difficulties completing the survey, please contact the FCPS Office of Research and Program Evaluation.
End of Year Awards!
Note from Parent Liaison, Shelley Lowinger
Family and School Partnerships (August 3 at12 p.m. & August 6 at 7 p.m.) -- Partnering with Your Child’s Middle School-Familiesof rising middle school students are invited to participate in a virtual session focused on helping families stay connected to their child’s learning and build strong family-school partnerships throughout the secondary school years. Participants will learn strategies to support student success and stay engaged during the transition to middle school. Patricia Ramirez, paramirez@fcps.edu
FCPS Mobile App- Stay connected on the go with the new FCPS Mobile App, bringing everything you need directly to your pocket—including FCPS and school news, cafeteria menus, event and holiday calendars, and quick access to Schoology, Here Comes the Bus, ParentVUE/StudentVUE, and MySchoolBucks. Be sure to add Family AI Learning to your feed for short, actionable tips and resources designed to help families build a foundational understanding of artificial intelligence.
Fairfax County Department of Family Services The Energy Assistance Program (EAP) Cooling Assistance application period is now open through August 17, 2026. Eligible households with a vulnerable household member (senior, young child, or individual with a qualifying disability) may receive assistance with electric bills, security deposits, cooling equipment repairs, or the purchase of a fan or window air conditioner. (703) 324-7500 or Enterprise Customer Service Center: (833) 522-5582;
FCPS Food and Nutrition Services - FCPS will provide free summer meals to all children through the Summer Food Service Program. Meals are available on a first-come, first-served basis at designated locations, and children must remain onsite while eating. Educate Fairfax will fund meals for all adults at all FCPS open feeding sites, allowing families to dine together at participating locations. No meal service June 18–19, 2026, and July 3, 2026) Summer Food Service Program Information; Summer Meals Programflyer
FCPS Adult and Community Education (ACE) – Adult ESOL Program Summer 2026 Classes: July 6–31, 2026 | New Student Testing: June 15–22, 2026 (varies by location) Classes are available at multiple Fairfax County locations, and all new students must complete a placement test and present one original identification document before registering. Contact ACE 703-658-2777, adultesol@fcps.edu, fcpsace.org - flyer
Summer Resources Help Students Stay Curious, Healthy, and Busy -The FCPS Summer Resource Guide has activities and tips on a variety of subjects and interests, from camps and activities to health and safety resources.
Learning Doesn’t Take a Vacation — and Neither Does Fun! - Summer is the perfect time to help your student explore new interests, reinforce concepts, and stay engaged! FCPS’ Summer Learning webpage offers ideas and strategies for families to keep students curious until August.
Third Annual FCPS Puzzle Hunt Encourages Active Family Fun - The Solving Fun Puzzle Pals have been busy getting ready for the 3rd Annual Fairfax County Public Schools Puzzle Hunt, and it kicks off in only three weeks!This free event is open to solvers of all ages and is a great way to keep students and families engaged in fun, creative problem-solving over the summer. It also teaches bike and pedestrian safety and encourages active transportation. Sign up for the Puzzle Hunt!
Rising 7th Graders - Longfellow - Jump Start
Come join us for one of these two sessions. It is an optional, non-academic program is designed to support a smooth transition by introducing students
to school staff, meeting new peers, exploring the school layout, and learning key policies before the year begins. In addition to informational sessions,
students will enjoy fun, community building activities. The two available dates are: August 11 - 8:30 - 12:30 OR August 12 8:30 - 12:30 pm.
Location: Longfellow Middle School
Registration: Opens on April 30th
Cost: $30.00 per student
Transportation will not be provided for this event. Parents/guardians are responsible for dropping off and picking up their students.
Early Release Wednesdays for 2026-27
FCPS will continue with limited early release Wednesdays for elementary schools during the 2026-27 school year. The number of days has been reduced from eight to four.
Early release Wednesdays provide elementary teachers with a dedicated block of time to prepare lessons, participate in professional development and training, and collaborate with their peers. A well-supported and continuously improving teaching staff leads to better educational outcomes for students.
Please view the dates for our school’s early release Wednesdays below:
- September 30
- November 18
- January 13
- April 7
Visit the FCPS website for more information about early release Wednesdays.
Sixth Grade Celebration!
Summer Resources Help Students Stay Curious, Healthy, and Busy
The FCPS Summer Resource Guide has activities and tips on a variety of subjects and interests, from camps and activities to health and safety resources. Be sure to check back over the summer, as more resources may be added. Learning Doesn’t Take a Vacation and Neither Does Fun!The FCPS Summer Learning webpage offers ideas and strategies for families to keep students curious until August. Summer is the perfect time to help your student explore new interests, reinforce concepts, and stay engaged!
KG PTA News and Updates
Summer at KGES - Come Join!
Kindergarten Readiness Camp - Calling Rising Kinders! We are excited to offer a Kindergarten Readiness Camp July 13-17 AT Kent Gardens! This camp will help prepare your student for a successful start to school at Kent Gardens by building early academic skills, independence, and confidence in a supportive environment. Register here.
Basketball Summer Camp! Mr. Avery is hosting a basketball summer camp for rising 3-6th graders. July 27-31 from 1-4pm at Kent Gardens. $230 Register here.
Summer Art Camp - Ms. Kladler is hosting a Summer Art Camp at KG! Rising 1st-6th can sign up for the morning session (930am -1230pm); Rising 4th-7th can sign up for afternoon session (1-4pm), or both AM and PM!
Morning session complements Mr. Avery's basketball camp. Bring a lunch if you will be at camp all day. Camp will run July 27th-31st, and the price includes all supplies. Register here.
Everyday Economics! Fun with Benchmark Unit 9 - Dates: July 20 - July 24 Time: 9:30 - 12:30 p.m. Grades: Rising 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Teachers: Lamya Alany and IA. Our class will focus on the real-world topic of economics. Through hands-on activities and using the framework from Benchmark Express Unit 9, students will learn practical concepts like buying, selling, trading, and the difference between goods and services. As an English Language Development program, your child will also be actively improving their English. Every activity is designed to help them practice reading, writing, listening, and speaking, along with learning new vocabulary. The program will end with a special final project where students can proudly share everything they have learned. Register here: https://kentgardenspta.com/product/benchmarkcamp/.
Young Entrepreneurs: Summer Economics- Dates: July 27 - July 31. Time: 9:30 - 12:30 p.m. Grades Rising 4th, 5th and 6th graders. Teachers Lamya Alany and IA. Our upper Multi Lingual (ML) have the opportunity to dive into the world of economics utilizing Benchmark. Students will use real work business, learn advanced English skills, become more confident in writing and have fun with Creative Projects. Register here: https://kentgardenspta.com/product/econcamp/
Summer Coding with Ms. Nabaki - Dates July 13 - 17 Time; 9:30 - 12:30p.m. Grades 3 - 6. Students will learn the basics of coding in a fun and engaging way, using beginner-friendly tools such as Scratch. They will build simple games and animations while developing important skills such as problem-solving, logical thinking, and creativity. Through guided, hands-on activities, they will learn how to break down ideas into steps, think like a programmer, and gain confidence using technology. Register here!
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Order School Supplies for Next Year
Order school supplies now! Don't wait! Place your order now and everything will arrive at your home before KG's open house! Pick by grade level, add on headphones, and rest this summer knowing you don't have to beat the crowds to find a Pink Pearl Eraser or pre-sharpened Ticonderogas.
Order now!
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Kindergarten Playdate!
Beautiful day to meet new friends!
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