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Important Dates
Monday, August 24 - First Day of School
Friday, September 4 - Holiday, No School
Monday, September 7 - Labor Day Holiday, No School
Wednesday, September 9 - Back to School Night, 6pm - 8:15pm
Friday, September 11: Boosterthon Fun Run
Tears and Cheers Family Breakfast with Principals
Monday, August 24th from 9:20 - 10:00 a.m.
Mrs. Odom and I are excited to team up with our PTA to spend some time welcoming our kindergarten families on the first day of school. After you drop off your children, please stop by the cafeteria for some coffee, treats, and fellowship with our principals, Family Liaison, and PTA. We will also use this time to help answer any questions that families have about kindergarten, GBW, or FCPS.
***Please note we will ask families to wait outside the building (Door #1) until after the 9:20 a.m. bell so we can safely transition students to their classrooms. At 9:20 a.m. we will escort families into our cafeteria for a brief breakfast and meeting with the principals and PTA.
Andrew Blount, M.Ed.
Principal
Dear GBW Families,
Early medication drop off is highly encouraged prior to the first day of school.
Health Room will be open to accept medication on following dates:
· 8/21: 10am - 4pm
If you have any questions regarding this process, please contact Public Health Nurse Jeannie Jeong at jjeong1@fcps.edu. Thank you!
New Student ID Cards Coming for Bus Riders This Fall
As part of the ongoing commitment to strengthening layered safety and security programs, FCPS will implement a new student ID system for students who ride our school buses.
The implementation of the student IDs is designed as an additional safety measure for our 130,000 FCPS students who ride the bus each day, ensuring they are on the right bus and that they get on and off at the correct bus stop, as well as making sure only authorized students are on our buses.
The IDs will be provided to students who ride the bus. Those students will be expected to tap on and tap off the bus. The student IDs do not track student movement. The only information available is when a student taps on or off a bus. Much like our Here Comes the Bus app, our new app will allow parents/guardians to track the progress of the school bus.
It is possible that the ID program will expand in the future to include uses such as library cards and meal payment. Learn more about the new transportation system and student ID cards.
Back-to-School Immunization Requirements
- Make sure your child has all of their required immunizations before the first day of school. Check their immunization records to see what they might be missing:
- Request immunization records online through the Virginia Immunization Information System (a free service).
- If your child was immunized outside of Virginia, get records from those states’ systems.
- Request records from your healthcare provider. Some may charge for copies.
Review school-required immunizations to verify that your child is up to date.
Where to Receive Immunizations
If your child needs an immunization, make an appointment with your family’s healthcare provider or one of the following immunization events.
FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will be providing school-required immunizations and optional flu shots for all FCPS students, ages 18 and under, with no out-of-pocket costs. Multiple events will take place at designated FCPS locations. Additional dates will be made available throughout the school year. Parents/guardians may view upcoming events and schedule an appointment for their student. Participation is voluntary.
If you do not have a healthcare provider, visit a Health Department clinic. Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) clinics offer immunizations to all Fairfax County students, as well as those who are behind on their scheduled immunizations or need a booster.
Summer back-to-school immunization clinics are also available. Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. FCHD offers limited walk-in hours for immunization services on a first-come, first-served basis. Immunizations are also available by appointment.
Inova Cares Back to School Pediatric Health Fairs provide children ages 5 and up with free school physicals and immunizations. Weekend clinics are available in August. These health fairs are for VA Medicaid or Uninsured Inova registered patients only. Appointments are required. Call 703-698-2550 to make an appointment. Bring vaccine records to the appointment.
Local immunization clinics and additional resources are available on the FCPS Immunization Resources webpage and from the FCHD.
Understanding Student Rights and Responsibilities Updates: New Universal Grade Matrices for Families
Families are encouraged to review the updated FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) document, which explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses in order to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment.
Updates for the 2026-27 school year include new Universal Grade Matrices (UGMs). UGMs are charts that show behavior expectations and school responses by grade level (K-3, 4-8, and 9-12). These at-a-glance resources (in Appendix D of the SR&R) are designed to make it easier for parents and caregivers to understand how schools respond to different types of behavior concerns.
Visit the SR&R webpage for more information and to review additional updates to the SR&R for the 2026-27 school year.
New Requirement for Student Device Use During the School Day
Starting this school year, students must use FCPS-issued devices for school-related digital activities during the instructional day. This is in accordance with a new School Board requirement, approved on July 16, which states that students may not use personal electronic communication or computing devices, including personal laptops, tablets, smartwatches, smartphones, and similar devices.
Students may only use their personal device if it is required as part of a necessary accommodation in the students’ Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan. A principal or the principal’s designee may approve a limited, course-specific exception for students enrolled in a specialized class when the curriculum requires a technology tool or software that isn’t available on a standard FCPS-issued device.
Families can help support this requirement by reminding students to bring their FCPS-issued device each day and use it for all school-related digital activities unless an approved exception applies.
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