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Dear Kent Gardens Community,
Fall weather is teasing us! We went from 60 to 90 degrees in just one week. Here’s hoping cooler fall temperatures arrive and stick around!
Our students haven’t minded the changing weather. They’ve been having a great time building community with their classmates in the classroom and on the playground. We’ve seen some intense soccer games on the blacktop. They’re so much fun to watch!
Thank you to our PTA for hosting a fun movie night. Families enjoyed a beautiful sunset, pizza, Mario, and candy! Next Friday, October 9, is Picture Day, so practice those smiles!
Thank you for your support. Our community is a truly special place, and we’re grateful to be part of it. Have a wonderful week!
Warmly,
Kelly Cabezas, Tia Hawkins and Sarah Talley
Upcoming Dates
- October 9: School Picture Day
- October 12: Student Holiday
- October 15-23: Book Fair
- October 30-End of Quarter 1 (2 hour Early release)
FCPS School Year Calendar 2026-27
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Author Visit-Aaron Reynolds
Aaron Reynolds, #1 New York Time bestselling author of Creepy Carrots, Creepy Pair of Underwear, Creepy Crayon, the Jasper Rabbit’s Creepy Tales, and many other books, will be visiting Kent Gardens on November 9th. He has a passion for children’s books and is excited to present to our students. Aaron will be signing books for Kent Garden’s students. If you would like to purchase a book for Aaron to sign, you may use this form from Child’s Play to do so. Aaron Reynolds Order Form Child’s Play is providing a 20% discount to Kent Gardens’ students. All orders are due to Ms. Hershey by October 16th. Aaron Reynolds’s books will also be available to purchase at our upcoming fall book fair.
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The Book Fair is coming October 15-23. Mark your calendars!
Donuts and Grownups: October 20 from 8:00-8:45 AM
Family Night: October 21 from 4:00-7:00 PM
Kent Gardens is “Wandering into New Adventures” with a new book fair vendor, Bookworm Central. Bookworm Central is a Virginia book fair company used by many other local schools. A successful book fair relies on a strong volunteer force, and we would love to have you onboard. Parent volunteers are appreciated for setup, class previews, class shopping, and breakdown of the fair. It’s a fun event, and the kids love it. Please access the signup genius at FALL BOOK FAIR SIGNUP to sign up for a volunteer slot. If you’d like to sign up for a slot during your child’s preview or shopping time, you may access the schedule at FALL BOOK FAIR CLASS SCHEDULE
Prior to the book fair, don’t forget to setup your eWallet and perhaps purchase a gift card. You may sign up for an eWallet and find more info about the book fair at Kent Gardens Fall 2026 Book Fair
Early check-out (students)
This is a reminder that all parent/caregivers will be required to show proper identification each time you pick up your child. Please plan ahead and bring your ID in to the school. Thank you for working with us to keep your children safe!
Calendar Change: Eid al-Fitr
FCPS will mark the beginning of Eid al-Fitr with an evening-only observance day on Monday, March 8. There will be school on this day, but major school-sponsored events and activities (such as auditions or tryouts) will not take place.
Tuesday, March 9, will be a holiday for students and staff.
Wednesday, March 10, will be an observance day. There will be school on this day, but certain activities that cannot be made up (major tests, field trips, or mandatory events) will not take place.
A new school year calendar has been published, which includes this change. Please note that holidays and observances on the calendar may shift due to anticipated lunar sightings.
Safe Routes to School Parent and Caregiver Survey
As part of the Fairfax County School Board’s Annual School-Based Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Assessment, the FCPS Office of Safety and Security and Safe Routes to School program are inviting parents and caregivers to share their experiences traveling to and from school.
The Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Survey asks about walking and biking routes, traffic near schools, kiss and ride experiences, accessibility, and other safety concerns.
Your feedback will help FCPS identify common issues. Your responses will be kept confidential and shared with school administrators and the Office of Safety and Security. The five-minute survey is open through Thursday, October 15.
Be sure to identify the school related to your feedback and include specific locations where you have observed a safety issue. If you have students at different schools in FCPS, please complete a different survey for each school.
If you have any questions about the survey, please contact SafeRoutestoSchool@fcps.edu.
Superintendent Community Conversations
Join Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid for a Community Conversation. Students, families, staff, and community members are invited to ask questions, share concerns, and discuss what matters most to them. Everyone is welcome! Click on the date to register for any of the following events:
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Monday, October 19, at 6:30 p.m., at Spring Hill Elementary School
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Monday, October 26, at 6:30 p.m., at Beech Tree Elementary School
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Thursday, October 29, at 6:30 p.m., at North Springfield Elementary School
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Tuesday, December 1, at 6:30 p.m., at Powell Elementary School (note date change)
Registration is not required, but it helps with planning.
AAP Continuum of Services
The FCPS AAP program offers multiple entry points for students, providing deeper learning opportunities tailored to their evolving academic needs. Students are organized into academic clusters to foster continuous growth.
Referral Deadlines and Procedures
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For New FCPS Families: Families new to FCPS as of January 1, 2026, may apply for Fall screening. Referrals are due by October 15, 2026. Please inform your classroom teacher if you are submitting a referral, including the specific level of service requested.
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For KGES Families: Spring referrals are due by December 15, 2026. Please notify your classroom teacher of your intent to submit a referral, along with the requested level of service.
Elementary Levels of Service (Grades K-8)
- Access to Rigor (Grades K-6)
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Description: All students participate in opportunities to think critically, reason, and problem-solve. Instruction incorporates the AAP Curriculum Framework.
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Referral Required: No, all students receive access to rigor
- Subject-Specific Services (Grades K-6)
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Description: Students are evaluated for specific subjects and receive differentiated instruction using the AAP Curriculum Framework. Annual re-evaluation is required.
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Referral Required: Yes
- Part-Time Service (Grades 3-6)
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Description: Identified in multiple subject areas, students engage with the AAP Curriculum Framework through Grade 6.
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Referral Required: Yes
- Full-Time Service (Grades 3-8)
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Description: Students identified for differentiation across all four content areas. Instruction is cluster-based and utilizes the AAP Curriculum Framework to provide acceleration, depth, and complexity.
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Referral Required: Yes
FCPS Seeks Community Input on Middle School AAP Centers
FCPS is exploring a plan to offer Full-Time Advanced Academic Program (AAP) services at every middle school. Under the proposal, students who qualify could attend their neighborhood middle school and take advanced classes with other AAP students. The School Board has approved community engagement at Franklin, Hayfield, Holmes, Key, and Whitman middle schools, where programs could open for the 2027-28 school year. The proposal is still under consideration, and the School Board is expected to make a decision in December.
Each community meeting offers in-person and virtual participation. Upcoming meetings are scheduled for:
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Franklin Middle: Monday, October 5, at 6 p.m.
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Holmes Middle: Thursday, October 15, at 6 p.m.
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Whitman Middle: Thursday, October 22, at 6 p.m.
Current middle school students will remain at their assigned AAP centers through middle school. Learn more and find meeting sign-up forms on the Middle School AAP Centers page.
Fall into Flavor With FCPS’ New Breakfast and Lunch Menu
FCPS’ new September and October menu items are packed with classic favorites and fresh global inspiration. Check our new online menu system to see when you can try new recipes based on student feedback, and developed by FCPS’ executive chef and team of food and nutrition experts.
Menu items include:
- Breakfast items such as honey chicken biscuits, guava pastelitos (whole-grain pastries filled with tropical guava fruit), and roasted apple parfaits, made with vanilla yogurt and homemade granola.
- Lunch items such as crunchy beef or fiesta tacos, ramen bowl with diced chicken or hard-boiled egg, beef or vegan banh mi burger, and southwest fiesta soup with corn chips.
Early Release Wednesdays
Kent Gardens Elementary School will release students at 12:35 pm on early release days. As we continue to focus on attendance at KGES, we hope you will consider making doctor and other appointments on these afternoons when possible. If you do not update your child's information, we will assume that your child will be leaving at the early release on these days.
- November 18
- January 13
- April 7
FCPS has created this webpage to provide detailed information about the early release Wednesdays.
Annual Special Education Family Conference: Registration Open, Call for Volunteers
Join us for the annual Special Education Family Conference: Connected Communities, Thriving Students on Saturday, November 14, at Hayfield Secondary School.
Families, educators, and community members are invited to this no-cost, in-person event to connect, learn, and explore available special education services, supports, and resources. Lunch will be provided for all participants.
How to Get Involved
Visit the Special Education Family Conference webpage for more information. Email SpecialEdFamilyConf@fcps.edu with any questions.
From Our Family Liaison
It’s Never Too Early to Start Thinking About Halloween
Extra Halloween Candy Collection for KGES Faculty & Staff! Got leftover or unwanted Halloween candy? Share the sweetness with our amazing KGES team. Bring in your extra candy and place it in the labeled collection box in the main office. Thank you for spreading a little post-Halloween cheer!
Special Education Webinar Series
Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center’s (PEATC) 2026 virtual webinar series will help families better understand the special education process, including eligibility, IEPs, 504 Plans, and family-school collaboration. Families may attend only the sessions that best meet their needs.
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Dates and Topics: October 7, Ins and Outs of IEP Meetings; October 21, Cracking the Code: 504s and IEPs
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Time: 6:30 p.m. Each session lasts approximately 1 to 1.5 hours.
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Location: Virtual
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Registration: Register for the webinar series
Family Cafés (Upcoming: October 8, 2026)
Growing Together: Talking About Social-Emotional Learning at Home
Parents and caregivers of students in all grade levels are invited to learn how to understand their child’s SEL Screener results and use them to start conversations at home. Childcare, interpretation, and snacks will be provided. Please register in advance to help with planning.
Sibshops and Sib Teens
Join us for a morning of connection, activities, and conversation with peers who share similar family experiences.
- Sibshops is a community-building program for children in grades 2–5 who have a sibling with a disability. Participants can play games, enjoy art activities, and connect with other children. Register here
- SibTeens is a community-building group for students in grades 6–8 enrolled in Fairfax County Public Schools who have a sibling with support needs. Through recreational and art-based activities and discussion, students can share about their lives and support one another. Register here
Session details
- Date: Tuesday, November 3
- Time: 9 a.m.–12 p.m. (Sibshops and SibTeens)
- Location: Katherine Johnson Middle School
Address: 3801 Jermantown Road, Fairfax, VA
In A Few Words FCPS: FCPS’s Multilingual Family Podcast
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