Thursday, September 6, 2012
From email to e-newsletters, Blackboard to e-books at the library, tech tools are very much a part of the back-to-school equation
Back to school 2012 is a bit different than in earlier years. While some things will always be handled via paper and pen, technology tools are helping to make sure that parents are informed on the issues big and small. Here are a few ways that FCPS and your child's teacher will use technology to keep in touch and provide resources to help your child learn. KIT and KIT-Plus KIT (Keep in Touch) and KIT-Plus are the e-newsletter services that provide up-to-the-minute information for the public on school delays or closings, emergencies, information about FCPS programs and news stories. Parents, students and employees are automatically enrolled via their contact information provided to the schools. Parents and community members can also select …
Sunday, September 2, 2012
The 19th annual 'Shop with a Sheriff' event benefited 24 children who are homeless.
The Fairfax County Sheriff's Office partnered with Target in Burke Wednesday to provide 24 children who are homeless with a back-to-school shopping spree. Now in its 19th year, Shop with a Sheriff pairs deputies and other Sheriff's Office staff with school-aged children temporarily residing at the Katherine K. Hanley Family Shelter in Fairfax and the Patrick Henry Family Shelter in Falls Church. "The deputies and Sheriff's Office staff themselves generate contributions from local businesses and individuals to fund this annual event," said Braddock District Supervisor John Cook. "It is a great contribution to the community." The children ranged in age from kindergarteners to young adults, and enjoyed the company of the deputies and staff as…
Fairfax County Public School students start the 2012-13 school year on September 4.
School starts Tuesday for Fairfax students. Patch looked at U.S. Census Bureau data to provide a few back to school facts: • American families spent $7.7 billion at clothing stores in August 2011. The only months with higher sales were November and December. • Sales at bookstores in August 2011 totaled $2.4 billion. • As of October 2010, there were 79 million children and adults enrolled in school — from nursery school through college — throughout the United States. • As of October 2010, 72 percent of children ages 3-6 years old who are in kindergarten attend all day. • Twenty seven percent of students age 12-17 were enrolled in a gifted/talented class in 2009. • The number of students age 5-17 who speak a language other than English at …
Thursday, August 30, 2012
The 19th annual 'Shop with a Sheriff' event benefited 24 children who are homeless.
The Fairfax County Sheriff's Office partnered with Target in Burke Wednesday to provide 24 children who are homeless with a back-to-school shopping spree. Now in its 19th year, Shop with a Sheriff pairs deputies and other Sheriff's Office staff with school-aged children temporarily residing at the Katherine K. Hanley Family Shelter in Fairfax and the Patrick Henry Family Shelter in Falls Church. "The deputies and Sheriff's Office staff themselves generate contributions from local businesses and individuals to fund this annual event," said Braddock District Supervisor John Cook. "It is a great contribution to the community." The children ranged in age from kindergarteners to young adults, and enjoyed the company of the deputies and staff as…
38.798851
-77.29983
Target
10301 New Guinea Rd, Fairfax, VA
/articles/fairfax-sheriffs-take-kids-back-to-school-shopping
2006774
/locations/7687680
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Playing on a team will be much more friendly to wallets.
Student-athletes in Fairfax County Public Schools no longer have to pay a $100 athletic fee to play on a team. The FCPS School Board eliminated the fee as part of the FY2013 Budget it passed last spring. The elimination of the fee will result in a revenue reduction of $1.7 million annually, FCPS estimates. In the past, athletes had to pay $100 per sport, though the fee was capped at $200 even if a student was on three school sports teams. It was waived for students who qualified for free and reduced lunch. The fee was in effect during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 school years. The $1.7 will be made up with additional transfer money from Fairfax County.
Friday, August 24, 2012
New program teaches Fairfax County students about healthy eating
Lower calorie counts, reduced sodium and saturated fats, and more fruits and vegetables are some of the changes Fairfax County Public Schools students will find when they return to school next month. The system's changes to its school lunch program come with new federal nutrition standards being implemented this fall in schools across the country, the largest reform of national lunch and breakfast programs in 15 years. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, part of First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move!" campaign, also includes changes to school breakfast programs during the 2013-2014 school year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In Fairfax, part of the changes include an "All Star Lunch" program, designed by the …
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Residents are invited to help local students in need.
More than 40,000 children in Fairfax County qualify for free or reduce school lunches, according to Braddock District Supervisor John Cook. "Poverty threatens the academic success of many children in our community," he said. In response, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department have partnered to collect backpacks for this year’s 10th annual Backpack Drive. Last year, more than 2,000 backpacks were filled with school supplies and delivered to students in kindergarten through high school in time for the new school year. This year's goal is 2,800 backpacks. "We hope everyone will get together with members of their community to help reach this goal," said Cook. New backpacks may be delivered to …
38.80713
-77.25611
Fairfax County Government: Braddock Hall - Office of Braddock District Supervisor
9002 Burke Lake Rd, Burke, VA
/articles/braddock-district-backpack-collection
260218
/locations/7631843
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
School-required immunizations at county health clinics are free of charge. Some clinics will offer extended hours beginning Aug. 20.
Buying school supplies, shopping for new clothes for growing children and getting kids back on a regular schedule is all part of getting ready to go back to school. Another part of the equation: Making sure your children are vaccinated. While some might think vaccinations are just for infants, you'd better read up. In Fairfax County, when schools open their doors for the 2012-2013 school year (in less than a month, on Sept. 4), one of the requirements is that students be caught up on their vaccinations. A complete list of all required vaccinations for school is available on the Virginia Department of Health website. If you want more clarification about the vaccines your child needs, the county has created a video (embedded above) for …
Friday, July 27, 2012
Most school supplies and some clothing items and footwear will be exempt from Virginia's sales tax during the event.
Virginia is hosting its annual back-to-school sales tax holiday in August. During the event, which begins Aug. 3 and runs through Aug. 5, most school supplies with a price tag of $20 or less and clothing items and footwear priced at $100 or less will be exempt from Virginia’s 5 percent state and local sales tax. An all-inclusive list of school supplies, a list of exempt clothing and footwear items, holiday guidelines for shoppers and retailers, and answers to frequently asked questions are available on the department’s Sales Tax Holiday Information Center. As long as each item purchased qualifies for the exemption, there is no limit on the number of items one can buy. During this sales tax holiday, retailers may also choose to save …
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Both high schools held open houses for students on Tuesday.
Back-to-school is just around the corner. Woodson and Fairfax high schools held open houses for students on Tuesday. They were allowed to wander the halls, pick up new class schedules, hang out with friends and sign up for school clubs. Freshmen at Fairfax High School wandered the halls a little wide-eyed with their parents, clutching their new school schedules. Upperclassmen girls at Woodson sauntered around their school's front lawn in shorts that won't pass dress code muster in a few days time. There were new clothes, new cologne and new haircuts. Old friends embraced for the first time since June. C.J. McCracken, 17, a senior at Woodson High School, said he was kind of sad that this would be his last "Cav Kickoff." "It's sad, but you …
Jean Westcott
12:10 pm on Thursday, September 6, 2012
PWCS uses Parent Portal http://pwcs.schoolfusion.us/modules/cms/pages.phtml?pageid=238543&sessionid=5844061c42bd4282795b048fe16a0901 and PWCS e-news http://pwcs.schoolfusion.us/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/493839/File/FAQs/Sign%20up%20online%20for%20PWCS%20Enews.pdf . One major difference in the two school divisions is that PWCS allows you to access grades. more ›