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Principal's Message

Students have been hard at work after returning from the winter break. We are finishing the second quarter strong and finalizing midyear winter assessments for first through sixth grades. Students completed the Virginia Growth Assessment (VGA) in December and are currently completing their iReady.  Teachers have worked together to determine supports that need to be adjusted, especially as we have new math tutors starting with students next week. See more information below.

Today, we say good-bye to Mrs. Thomas after the dedication she has provided Chesterbrook the past few years. Thank you for all you have done for Chesterbrook, Mrs. Thomas. 

Melissa Wallace, current Special Education Department Chair and Administrative Dean at Pine Spring, will be joining our team as Interim AP as we work to hire a new Assistant Principal.

Mrs. Wallace is an FCPS graduate, having attended Kent Gardens, Longfellow and graduating from McLean High School. She received her undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech and Master’s from UVA.  Mrs. Wallace also received her Administration and Supervision license from Virginia Tech.  In her work with FCPS she has served as a Special Education teacher and Special Education Lead, Great Beginnings Mentor, Bridge to K and Young Scholars Administrator and Afterschool Program Administrator.

Mrs. Wallace brings a wealth of knowledge to support our staff, students and families during this transition. Please help me welcome her to our Chesterbrook team!

Sincerely,

Stacy Kirkpatrick, Principal

Upcoming Dates to Note

January 12 - Last day for CES FLES Survey

January 15 - MLK Jr. Birthday Holiday - School Closed

January 18 - Immersion Information Session - 5:30 p.m. Kent Gardens 

January 25 - End of Quarter and 2 Hour Early Release at 1:35

January 26 - Teacher Workday (No School for Students)

January 30 - PTA sponsored Science Assembly - Electromagnetism by the Science guys 

February 9th - 2nd Quarter Pep Rally for Students;
Lunar New Year 5:30; Sign up to bring a dish to share at our event

February 19 - President's Day - No School

FCPS annual calendar is here. 

Meet our Math Tutoring Team

Chesterbrook has acquired one position which will be split with two tutors for the rest of the school year. Welcome to Nancy Berusch and Amber Boyd Vincent!

Our intervention team will be working with some students in math alongside their classroom teachers. Letters were sent out to parents if your child is working with on a math goal with our teachers. The addition of math tutors allows more focused intervention for students in the classroom as well as those students receiving pull out support. 

Lunar New Year

We look forward to hosting our 2nd Lunar New Year celebration at Chesterbrook. We will enjoy some student performances and time with families. Please join us for this event!

Bring a Dish to Share

If your family would like to share a dish during this special evening event, please sign up here. The PTA will provide paper products for the event.

Upcoming SEL Screener for Grades 3-6

FCPS is committed to supporting all students’ mental wellness and social and emotional learning. FCPS approved a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener that students use to share their perspectives on how well their school and community help them develop skills they need to succeed. These skills include achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships with adults and peers, and making responsible decisions. Students also share how successful their school and community are at making them feel valued, included, and supported. These factors are critical to positive academic, social, and emotional success. All students in grades 3-12 have the opportunity to participate in the screener twice a year, in the fall and spring. 

The SEL Screener elevates the voices of our students by making sure their perspectives are considered in decision-making. Screener data is used to plan programming for the division, schools, and individual students. Division and school level results, which do not include individual student information, may be used by staff to improve SEL and mental wellness practices and to inform strategic plans. Division and school level results may also be shared with the community to describe the needs of our student body and provide opportunities for partnership. 

Individual students’ Screener data will only be accessible to teachers, administrators, and staff with legitimate educational interests. Results will be maintained in secure files and databases accessible only to these individuals. In partnership with families, staff review this data alongside other information to plan interventions for students with identified needs. Parents and guardians will receive an individualized report regarding their student’s screener results following each assessment window. School staff are available to discuss results with families.

You can opt out your child from participating in the SEL Screener by completing the SEL Screener Notification and Opt-Out Form.  The opt out applies to the current school year and must be completed annually.   Please note if you have already opted your child from taking the SEL Screener for this school year, you do not need to resubmit an opt out. 

The Opt Out form must be received by Chesterbrook Elementary no later than Feb.16, 2024. 

To review what the screener looks like by grade level, please go to the FCPS SEL Screener webpage. The SEL Screener window for Spring is February 26-March 15. 

For more information, please connect with your child’s counselor:

Grades 3 and 5: Beau Buchanan, Counselor, [email protected]

Grades 4 and 6: Heather Lomelin, Counselor, [email protected]

Yearbook Photos Needed

Did you chaperone a field trip, make cranberry chutney with the 2nd graders, help out at a winter party, or attend any of the great Chesterbrook activities this fall/winter (First Day of School, Back to School BBQ, Kickball Kickoff, Turkey Trot, Family Fun Nights, etc.)?  If you did, and you took photos, we'd love to have them for the yearbook! Please be mindful of what you submit - ideal photos for the yearbook:

• feature identifiable faces (not just backs and/or tops of heads)
• include 3-5 students
• do not include students making hand gestures
• are taken only at school-sponsored events

You can use the links below to upload photos to the appropriate album. Note that although passwords are not required to upload photos, the albums are stored on a password-protected, unlisted site.
Kickball Kickoff: https://www.smugmug.com/upload/KQ5hbd/Kickball
General (mixed grades, staff, etc.): https://www.smugmug.com/upload/GPWPWk/general Kindergarten: https://www.smugmug.com/upload/CHQjjf/kindergarten First: https://www.smugmug.com/upload/RmZpPH/first Second: https://www.smugmug.com/upload/d3dfzB/second Third: https://www.smugmug.com/upload/McXBRZ/third Fourth: https://smugmug.com/upload/QGGsMt/fourth Fifth: https://smugmug.com/upload/VLgMcG/fifth Sixth: https://smugmug.com/upload/brwsd7/sixth

Opioid Awareness

Conversation to Raise Awareness of Fentanyl and Other Drugs
In this video, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid interviews the Fosters, a family who tragically lost their son Cayden to a half pill of fentanyl mistaken for Percocet. This heart-wrenching yet eye-opening video of their experience is essential to raise awareness among parents/caregivers and students about the dangers of fake painkillers.

FCPS’ website also has resources to help you to start the conversation and additional support for families struggling with substance misuse. 

Conversation to Raise Awareness of Fentanyl and Other Drugs
In this video, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid interviews the Fosters, a family who tragically lost their son Cayden to a half pill of fentanyl mistaken for Percocet. This heart-wrenching yet eye-opening video of their experience is essential to raise awareness among parents/caregivers and students about the dangers of fake painkillers.

Outside Opportunities Girl Scout's Camp Discovery

For girls in Grades K-5 and are not currently a Girl Scout- if you are interested in learning about being what a Girl Scout is all about, along with experiencing the outdoors, arts & crafts, and STEM- please check out this fun event that is being held during Spring Break- March 25-28, 9AM-4PM. Check out the flyer for additional details!  

Encuentro de Chicas

Encuentro de Chicas Latinas de las Girl Scouts is an annual leadership conference for Latina girls in grades 6-12. Girls in the middle school age range will learn about conflict resolution and building healthy relationships. This event is held on Saturday, March 9 from 9:30AM-4PM. Check out the flyer for additional details (registration is free until Feb. 28!)

McLean Little League Seeks Chesterbrook Chipmunks! 

Register by January 22! Come discover Baseball or Softball this spring and make friends from all over McLean and neighboring communities!  Our beautiful facility at 1836 Westmoreland Street is a nearby social hub for families and buzzes with Baseball and Softball into the night all spring.  Roughly 1,200 children grow with us every year including many Chesterbrook Chipmunks!  We have programs for children of all ages and abilities, and adaptive programs for children with special needs.  
Any child enrolled at Chesterbrook can play at McLean Little League regardless of residential address! https://www.mcleanll.com/ (look for the REGISTER button)
Contact: Geoffrey Inget: [email protected] 

2nd graders were hard at work on their collaborative math walk this week!

1753 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101  |  Main Phone: 703.714.8200 
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Congratulations! Mrs. Betsy Butler
The McLean Pyramid
Elementary Teacher of the Year Principal's Message

We are so pleased to share that Mrs. Betsy Butler was recognized as the McLean Pyramid Elementary Teacher of the Year.  Mrs. Butler gives so much of her personal time and talents to her classroom.  Have you walked into a second grade room where the calming strategy is weaving? Do your kids learn to make Cranberry Chutney in school or build a butterfly garden? Has their teacher hand made cooking aprons to keep them clean on Applesauce making day?  Mrs. Butler brings her many talents to the classroom and truly cares about helping our kids grow in so many ways.  Thank you for all you do Mrs. Butler.

The recent snow days gave us a time to slow down and hopefully for our children to enjoy the snow they have been hoping for. I want to share a huge thank you for one of the hardest working custodial teams around - they were here for hours while we were warm at home cleaning up after two storms. Their work to get our school ready is appreciated!  Please thank them if you see them. Our building supervisor, Mrs. Lan Ong, took the photo but she was working just as hard alongside them.

The snow was wonderful but does bring difficulties with recess.  I have heard upset grumblings of upset children due to no outdoor recess. I enjoyed my conversation with two students today about the subject.  They really wanted to go out and play in the snow at school - Oh We Wish!  Truly, it is easier for students and teachers when we have outdoor recess.  We know they need to run, play, laugh and scream to their friends. I showed the students the photos below and they were understanding of the situation that keeps us indoors and I hope you do to!  We are READY to be outside once again.  The school grounds photos are from just this morning.  You can see even our blacktop is not ready for our students.

Please welcome Mrs. Melissa Wallace to our administrative team. She is serving as our interim Assistant Principal. You will find here information below. I'm thankful for her support and that of our Region 2 leadership to support me during this transition and find such a great interim! Mrs. Wallace has been in lunches, welcoming students in the morning and supporting any behavior pops. We are holding interviews for our new Assistant Principal on Friday.

Our students are working hard and jumping right back in.  At the bottom you will find our 3rd graders hard at work in math. January has been a disrupted month of instruction but we are all working hard!

Have a great rest of the week!

Sincerely,

Stacy Kirkpatrick, Principal

Welcome to Chesterbrook Melissa Wallace New Interim Assistant Principal

Mrs. Wallace support CES while we interview and hire our next assistant principal. Mrs. Wallace is an experienced educator that currently supports Pine Spring Elementary as the Special Education Department Chair and Dean of Students working alongside the administrative team. She will support our work with staff and students in the coming weeks.

Upcoming Dates to Note

January 25 - End of Quarter and 2 Hour Early Release at 1:35

3-4PM  Open House for Franklin Sherman Families with Boundary Change

January 26 - Teacher Workday (No School for Students)

January 30 - PTA sponsored Science Assembly - Electromagnetism by the Science guys 

February 8th - PTA Meeting 2:30 - 3:30

February 9th - 2nd Quarter Pep Rally for Students;

Lunar New Year 5:30; Sign up to bring a dish to share at our event

February 19 - President's Day - No School

FCPS annual calendar is here. 

Chesterbrook Tutoring Resources and Staff List

During the school year, parents sometimes request private tutoring options for the school year. Below is a list of Chesterbrook staff who are available for private tutoring. 

Chesterbrook Winter 2024 Private Tutoring List

Parents are free to contact the staff members listed below to make such arrangements (pricing, subject matter, and frequency) for the school year. In this capacity, staff members are considered private contractors and any arrangements made are between the family and staff member. 

During the school year, FCPS staff are not permitted to privately tutoring their own students for compensation. Grade level teachers run different programs throughout the year.  Therefore, we do not have grade level teachers tutor their same grade level during the academic year. 

The Family Resource Center also maintains a current list of all FCPS staff who are available for private tutoring. Parents may contact the Family Resource Center at [email protected] to request that listing. 

FCPS has a new resource for all students- Tutor.com. This service provides unlimited access for students 24/7, on-demand, and online at no cost to families. Tutoring may be on-demand and/or scheduled at a time convenient for the student and/or family.  Please visit fcps.edu/resources/online-tutoring-services for more detailed information. 

Pencil Sale is Back!

Student Ambassadors will be hosting our Pencil Sale on the following dates:

Wednesday, January 31

Wednesday, February 7

The sales run from 8:30-8:45 and are in the Cafeteria. Our Student Ambassadors sell novelty erasers, pencils, bookmarks, pens, and other fun items. Prices range from $0.25 to $1.50. 

It is most appreciated if students bring loose change or small bills ($1 or $5 bills). 

Funds raised during Pencil Sales go to help purchase items that our students use- recently, our funds helped to support a new water bottle filling station right outside the 3rd Grade hallway.

Any questions, please contact Heather Lomelin, School Counselor, at [email protected].

Our 3rd Graders Working Hard at Math! Love the collaboration!!!

And...Check out the Flexible Seating.
Our kids love all the options added to classes this year.
Thank you for all your support of our teachers!!!

1753 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101  |  Main Phone: 703.714.8200 
Attendance: 703.714.8282 | Web | Facebook

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School Counseling
Appreciation Week

Thank you Mrs. Lomelin and Mr. Buchanan!

Please take time to thank our school counselors for the hard work they do to ensure the social emotional well being and growth of our students. They are supporting our students daily and providing classroom lessons to ensure our students are thriving. Chesterbrook is so lucky to have this fabulous team!

2nd Quarter Progress Reports are posted for parents online through Parent Vue Monday morning, 2/5/2024.  If you need assistance in accessing, please contact our front office staff. At the end of the school year, we provide a hard copy for each student. IEP progress reports will be emailed to parents on Monday.

Kiss N Ride Safety Reminder

Cars dropping off students must come through kiss n ride. Do not allow your children to exit your car on Kirby Road. Parents may park and walk their children using appropriate cross walks and sidewalks. When walking to door 1, do not cut across our bus driveway.

CES Spirit Week ~ Spread Kindness Throughout February Yearbook Cover Contest All Entries due Friday, February 23rd
Hand Delivered to Mrs. Remer

All current Chesterbrook students are encouraged to show their school spirit and creativity by entering our yearbook cover contest! The winning entry will be selected to be displayed on the front cover. Entries not selected for the cover may be highlighted inside the yearbook.

All entries must:

• be hand-delivered to Mrs. Remer by Friday, February 23rd;
• be oriented vertically on an 8.5” x 11” sheet of white paper;
• be the student’s original work;
• feature our school / yearbook theme “Together we are Better”;
• include our mascot, Chester; and
• have the artist’s first and last name, grade and teacher’s name written in pencil on the back.

Design Tips:

• Use bright and bold colors (lightly colored artwork will not print well).
• Have your design cover the entire paper.
• Be creative, have fun and do your best!

Yearbook Sales are Starting!!!

 Click here to Order   Chesterbrook Code 24891

Upcoming Dates

February 5th - 9th - School Counselor Appreciation Week

February 6th - Yearbook Club & Candid Photos 

February 5th - 2nd Quarter Progress Reports Posted in Parent Vue

February 8th - PTA Meeting 2:30 - 3:30

February 9th - 2nd Quarter Pep Rally for Students;

Lunar New Year 5:30; Sign up to bring a dish to share at our event

February 12th 8 PM - Summer Quest Camp Registration will Open

February 19 - President's Day - No School

February 23rd - Yearbook Cover Contest Entries due to Mrs. Remer

Looking Ahead

March 5th - VA Presidential Primary Election Day - No School

March 25 - 29 - Spring Break

April 2nd - Rising Kindergarten Orientation

FCPS annual calendar is here. 

Thank you Chesterbrook PTA for sponsoring our
Mad Science Assembly

1753 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101  |  Main Phone: 703.714.8200 
Attendance: 703.714.8282 | Web | Facebook

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No Parking in Fire Lane

Do not use the entrance #1 curb which is also a fire lane to park. If you are picking up a child or just dropping off and remaining in your car, that is fine.  If you need to exit your vehicle, you need to park in a parking spot. We have buses in and out during the day and need to keep this access clear at all times.  Thank you!

Illness Note

We are seeing a quick rise in illness within the school.  Please be mindful and do not send your children if they are not feeling well. We are increasing our sanitization of high touch surfaces and handwashing/sanitizing practices.  

If there are specific classes with trends in flu or another illness we will work to notify those classes to be extra mindful. At this time we are seeing a wide range of students impacted across the building and wanted all families to be mindful. We appreciate your support to keep our staff and students healthy.

Lost & Found

We have many items that would love to be reunited with their owners.  Do you recognize anything? Parents are welcome to check in with our office staff and look through items located across from our library.  

1753 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101  |  Main Phone: 703.714.8200 
Attendance: 703.714.8282 | Web | Facebook

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Welcome our New Assistant Principal, Ms. Lara Macdonald

I am pleased to announce that Ms. Lara Macdonald has been appointed the new Assistant Principal for Chesterbrook Elementary.  She will officially begin in her AP role on March 7th.  I wanted to take this opportunity to share a little more about her background in education as we welcome her to the Chesterbrook family.

Originally from Massachusetts, Ms. Macdonald comes to us with more than 27 years in education with Arlington County Public Schools. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Ithaca College and master’s degree from The George Washington University in Special Education. As a life-long learner, Ms. Macdonald has continued to grow her skillset in the field of education receiving specialized endorsements in Literacy, Learning Disabilities and Emotional Disturbance, English Language Learners and Administration and Supervision. 

As an instructional leader, she has held roles as a reading specialist, lead teacher, mentor and most recently Interim Assistant principal of two different schools within Arlington County. Ms. Macdonald brings a wealth of experience in special education, literacy, and differentiated instruction which has contributed to her success in fostering a culture of continuous improvement and academic excellence. 

In her free time, Ms. Macdonald enjoys spending time with her husband, Dave, and two children, Abby and Zack, and their dog, Summer. She also loves reading, running, and crafting.

It was evident in her interview, that Ms. Macdonald brings a positive, warm and caring heart to our school ready to support our staff, students and families. She will be a wonderful asset to our community. I look forward to working alongside Ms. Macdonald and welcoming her to our team at the beginning of March.

Sincerely,

Stacy Kirkpatrick

Congratulations Chesterbrook Spelling Bee Winner

After 37 rounds of words, we have our winner and runner up! All of our students did a phenomenal job.

Winner Austin Y. (left)
Runner Up Yoham E. (right) Chesterbrook Celebrates Lunar New Year

Chesterbrook celebrated the beginning of Lunar New Year on Friday evening with wonderful songs, dances and an instrumental performance. Thank you to all families that shared delicious food on Friday evening. Thank you to Mrs. Leung for all of her work with our students in recent weeks to prepare. 

1753 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101  |  Main Phone: 703.714.8200 
Attendance: 703.714.8282 | Web | Facebook

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Calling Chesterbrook Student Artists!!!

We need your help with our creating the 2023 - 2024 Chesterbrook Yearbook Cover Contest. See our contest rules below and submit items to Mrs. Remer by next Friday.

Yearbook Cover Contest TIME Extension for Yearbook Cover All Entries due Friday, March 1st
Hand Delivered to Mrs. Remer

All current Chesterbrook students are encouraged to show their school spirit and creativity by entering our yearbook cover contest! The winning entry will be selected to be displayed on the front cover. Entries not selected for the cover may be highlighted inside the yearbook.

All entries must:

• be hand-delivered to Mrs. Remer by Friday, March 1st.
• be oriented vertically on an 8.5” x 11” sheet of white paper;
• be the student’s original work;
• feature our school / yearbook theme “Together we are Better”;
• include our mascot, Chester; and
• have the artist’s first and last name, grade and teacher’s name written in pencil on the back.

Design Tips:

• Use bright and bold colors (lightly colored artwork will not print well).
• Have your design cover the entire paper.
• Be creative, have fun and do your best!

Yearbook Sales ~ Order Today!!!

 Click here to Order   Chesterbrook Code 24891

Yearbook Photos from School Events Needed

Ideal photos for the yearbook:

• feature identifiable faces (not just backs and/or tops of heads);
• include 3-5 students;
• do not include students making hand gestures; and
• are taken only at school sponsored events.

Please use the links below to upload your photos.

• Kickball Kickoff: https://www.smugmug.com/upload/KQ5hbd/Kickball
• General (mixed grades, staff, etc.): https://www.smugmug.com/upload/GPWPWk/general
• Kindergarten: https://www.smugmug.com/upload/CHQjjf/kindergarten
• First: https://www.smugmug.com/upload/RmZpPH/first
• Second: https://www.smugmug.com/upload/d3dfzB/second 
• Third: https://www.smugmug.com/upload/McXBRZ/third
• Fourth: https://smugmug.com/upload/QGGsMt/fourth
• Fifth: https://smugmug.com/upload/VLgMcG/fifth
• Sixth: https://smugmug.com/upload/brwsd7/sixth

1753 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101  |  Main Phone: 703.714.8200 
Attendance: 703.714.8282 | Web | Facebook

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Principal's Message

As we reflect on February, students have been deeply immersed in learning, our tutoring program for math has been up and running smoothly and we held our quarter 2 Pep Rally on one of the nicest days this month. We were able to capture a school wide photo of the event which you will see below. Entering March, grade level teams are focused on strong instruction leading into Spring Break and rounding out plans for the remaining events this school year. 

This past Friday, we said good-bye to our interim Assistant Principal, Melissa Wallace. She has been instrumental in supporting our staff and students since mid-January and I wanted to share my gratitude for her work.

I look forward to introducing Ms. Macdonald to our school community as she joins our team. Ms. Macdonald will start with us on Thursday, March 7th. Additionally, as we prepare for the 2023-24 school year I've been busy interviewing to find talented staff to join our team next school year. With our boundary growth, we will add students from the new boundary to our Kindergarten and 1st grade teams as well as smaller increases in upper grades.

This week we also celebrate our Social Worker, Maria Mahoney during the National recognition for school social workers. Thank you Ms. Mahoney for all you for for our students and families at Chesterbrook. We appreciate you!

As Spring is soon upon us, please mark your calendars for our upcoming school wide events. Check our schedule below for our upcoming Book Fair, Spring class photos and Kindergarten Orientation for rising students.  

Wishing everyone a wonderful week!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Kirkpatrick

Upcoming Dates to Note

March 4 - 8: National Social Work Week; Read Across America Week;
Friday, 3/8 PJ Day

Tuesday, March 5: Student Holiday, Election Day; Chipotle Restaurant Night

Thursday, March 7: Welcome Ms. Macdonald, New Assistant Principal, Mathnasium Family Fun Night 6 - 7 PM

Friday, March 8th: CES PTA Parent Social at Northside Social (Tickets)

Thursday, March 14th: PTA Meeting 9:15 AM

March 14 - 19: Spring Book Fair (More info will be sent)

Monday, March 18: Spring Picture Day (Class Photos; 6th Grade Panoramic); Spirit Day: Dress to Impress

Tuesday, April 2nd:  Rising Kindergarten Orientation 10 - 11:30AM
We are currently registering new students for the new year. We will send out more information soon!

Summer Quest Registration is Open (July 8 - 26) - Click Here to Register

Calendar for 2023-24 School Year 

Calendar for 2024-25 School Year 

Read Across America Week

Get ready for a fun week of stories! Read Across America Week is this week, March 4 -  8.  Students will enjoy great read alouds and end the week with Pajama Day, because who doesn’t love reading in your coziest PJs. We will also be kicking off our Virginia Reader’s Choice Battle of the Books with classes voting for their favorite books, until we reach a winner on Friday, March 15th. 

March 5 Presidential Primary

The Fairfax Board of Elections requested that schools be closed on Tuesday, March 5, to accommodate the administration of the 2024 presidential primary election. March 5 will be a holiday for students and a virtual School Planning Day for teachers. Central offices and school offices will remain open.

Chesterbrook FLES Program Language Change to Spanish Update

Over the past two years, we have worked to examine our current FLES Chinese language program, work to grow the program and examine the needs of our students in many ways. Steps to examine our current program and evaluate whether there was a need for a change to the language were as follows:

• Historical data was collected from Longfellow regarding language course selections over the past few years
• A parent coffee was held in June 2023 on our FLES program and information shared with community via newsletters
• Two parent survey opportunities were given to the Chesterbrook Community in June 2023 and December 2023
• A staff presentation and survey was given in January 2024
• Ongoing conversations were held with the World Language Office Team, CES PTA members, staff, Dranesville School Board members, the MS and HS principals, Region 2 Leadership and input considered from students.
• Direct work with our current FLES teacher over the past two years as we have examined the program and options.

Based on all these factors, an administrative request was made to the FCPS Leadership team to approve a change of language from Chinese to Spanish. The request to change was recently approved and this change for Chesterbrook students will take place at the start of the 2024-25 academic year.

Our administrative team will work with the World Language office to hire a highly qualified Spanish teacher to help us transition our Chesterbrook students in K-6 to Spanish in the 2024-25 school year. Our students who would like to continue with Chinese language will have the opportunity to enroll in Chinese 1 when making their course selections for Longfellow.

FCPS Family Engagement Survey

FCPS’ Family Engagement Survey will open Sunday, March 3rd. Parents/caregivers will receive the survey link via email from independent research firm K12 Insight. Please participate — your feedback is critical in helping to inform and improve practices to best support our students.

Taking this survey will also help strengthen the partnership between your family and your school. When that partnership is strong, students can experience a range of benefits including improved school readiness, higher student achievement, better social skills and behavior, and an increased likelihood of graduating high school.

The survey will take about 10-15 minutes to complete and will be available in 10 languages. Please visit the Family Engagement Survey webpage for more information. Your voice matters!

1753 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101  |  Main Phone: 703.714.8200 
Attendance: 703.714.8282 | Web | Facebook

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 Principal's Message

In our last week before spring break our students have continued to work hard. It is so nice to walk our halls and see the great work of our students, filling our halls with so much color. It is also a joy to see students showcased that are being role models in our school and great examples of the Chesterbrook character we expect. These have been seen in some of our STAR awards, Students of the Month with House point recognitions, Principal Positive Referrals and Grade Level Star Students. We have so many students that show the values we expect in our Chipmunks and I wanted to take a moment to mention the ways we are working to recognize the great things we see. 

This week, our staff and students have enjoyed spirit week, we played a staff game, and enjoyed a taco lunch from our PTA on Wednesday. We also wrapped up a very successful book fair.  Thank you parent volunteers and our librarian, Mrs. Schorr.  We appreciate all your support as we finish out 3rd quarter strong!

Thank you to Mrs. Cora Russell who has served as a long term substitute for Mrs. Jankowski.  Today was her last day with our students.  Mrs. Jankowski will return after Spring Break.

When we return,  we kick off April with our Kindergarten Open House on April 2nd from 10-12, Friday we will have our Quarter 3 Pep Rally and Monday, April 8th we will focus time to learning about the solar eclipse happening in the afternoon.  I'll be sharing more about this as we return from break.

Upcoming Dates

Friday, March 22nd - End of 3rd Quarter

March 14 - 30 - McLean Pyramid Art Show; McLean Community Center- Emerson Gallery; 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean, VA  22101

March 25 - 29 - Spring Break- We will have limited office staff available. Office closed 3/28-29.

Monday, April 1st and 2nd - No School for Students; Teacher workdays

Tuesday, April 2nd - 10AM - 12PM  Kindergarten Orientation

April 1 - 5 - Assistant Principal's Recognition Week - Thank you Ms. Macdonald

April 4th - School Librarian's Day - Thank you Mrs. Schorr!

Friday, April 5th - 3rd Quarter Pep Rally

Monday, April 8th - Solar Eclipse (Afternoon)

Family Engagement Survey - Ends today!- We need and value your input! Please take a few minutes to provide your feedback. Taking this survey will also help strengthen the partnership between your family and our school. Please check your email for the survey invitation or use this survey link. Get more information on the Family Engagement Survey webpage.

Wishing you all a wonderful Spring Break! 

Sincerely,

Stacy Kirkpatrick

Congratulations to
Mrs. Lan Ong Region 2 Outstanding Operational Employee Quiz Bowl Student Recognitions

In our first year of quiz bowl, our Chesterbrook students are working hard and showcasing their knowledge. Thank you to our parent lead, Dr. Jordan Kyle, and AART, Mrs. Amy Vallath, for their work with our students. We are so proud of all the efforts our students are putting forth to dive into learning. 

In a recent Baltimore Regional Round, we congratulate our Chesterbrook students on their accomplishments:

Qualification for Nationals in History and Geography
Ethan S. and Zachary S. 

Qualification for History Internationals
Zachary S.

Qualification for Geography Internationals
Ethan S.

Congratulations Ethan and Zachary!

 

Spring Break Reading Challenge

Thank you so much for all of your support of our book fair!  We hope you were able to find some great Spring Break reads.  This Spring Break we will also be having a Spring Break Reading Challenge.  Have your child complete as many squares on the Spring Break Reading Challenge Board as possible and return the completed paper on Wednesday, April 3rd to get a free raffle ticket for the Book Fair Raffle Baskets.  We can’t wait to hear about all the reading our students do over the break.

2024-25 School Year Planning Intent to Move for the 2024-25 School Year

Chesterbrook Elementary is in the process of planning for next year!  In order to monitor class size and hire the very best staff, we need to know plans for our families.  If you are NOT planning to return to Chesterbrook next school year, please complete this student/family intent form letting us know of your plans.

Parent Input for Class Placement

Parents that wish to contribute information towards class placements for the 2024 - 2025 school year, may submit this information on this form.  Completion of the form is optional, however, the deadline for submission is May 4th, 2024. Thank you for your partnership.  Parents of rising kindergarteners will receive a separate link this summer. Kindergarten placement takes place in August when we have completed our ore-assessments of all students. No requests for a specific teacher can be made. These requests will be deleted.

Elementary Institute for the Arts

Students in all FCPS schools can enroll in the Elementary Institute for the Arts. IFTA is a weekly Arts enrichment program for students in rising 3rd through 6th grades during the month of July. Students take classes in Art, Music, Theatre, and Dance every day. Transportation is provided from around the county. Tuition assistance is available for students who qualify. Check out the Elementary Institute for the Arts website for more information or email [email protected].

End of Year SOL Assessment Dates Chesterbrook Summer 2024 Program Options

There will be two options for summer programs for students. The CES PTA Sponsored one week camps are funded through camp fees while the FCPS summer bridge academic support program is a three week free program.

CES PTA Sponsored Summer Quest at Chesterbrook Elementary

Register for Summer Quest Here

The long-standing summer tradition of Summer Quest continues!  Each summer Chesterbrook Elementary PTA has offered fun summer camps for students. This year our program will run from July 8 - 26. The camps including  fun, educational, creative and play based opportunities to support our community and also raise additional funding for programs, specifically technology. 

CES Summer Quest will be held at Chesterbrook with morning and afternoon sessions with an optional add on lunch session bridge. For more information on Summer Quest camps offered, please click on the PTA site above. Parents need to provide transportation for Summer Quest.

FCPS Bridge to K, SOAR and Young Scholars at Timberlane ES

The past three summers, to support post-Covid academic recovery, FCPS held a 3 week summer academic support program from July 8 - July 26. This will include Bridge to K, SOAR and Young Scholars. Each program is a FREE three week academic bridge for students to benefit from continued academic support over the summer.

This year the FCPS academic support programs will be held at Timberlane ES for all McLean pyramid elementary schools. These programs will be run in the morning and transportation will be provided for students. 

If your child has received academic tiered support this year, they may be a good candidate for these programs. Rising Kindergarten students who have not attended preschool or may benefit from additional academic and social supports to prepare would also be good candidates. More information will be shared in the coming weeks as we fill our available seats in the program. Participating students should be available to attend all 3 weeks.

McLean Pyramid Art Show
Congratulations to our Chesterbrook Artists

1753 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101  |  Main Phone: 703.714.8200 
Attendance: 703.714.8282 | Web | Facebook

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Advanced Academic Programs Spring Newsletter
Screening for Subject Specific (Level II) and Part-Time (Level III) Services

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is committed to challenging all students through talent development and differentiated instruction to meet the needs of advanced learners.

Screening for Subject Specific (Level II) and Part-Time (Level III) Services

Students can be screened for subject specific and part time AAP services at any time in the school year. In the spring, schools review data on all students to determine services for the start of the next school year.

• Parents or guardians can initiate the screening process by submitting the AAP School-Based Services (Level II-III) Referral Form to the Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART) or Assistant Principal by April 15, annually.

• The AAP School-Based Services (Level II-III) Referral Form may be found at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/academic-overview/advanced-academic-programs-aap/advanced- academic-program-aap-forms or by searching “AAP Forms” at https://www.fcps.edu/.

• Parents or guardians who submit a referral will be notified by the local elementary school of their student’s eligibility status by early June.

Screening Process for Subject Specific (Level II) and Part-Time (Level III) Services

Multiple criteria are reviewed holistically to determine eligibility for all FCPS advanced academic services. Committees consider student work from opportunities with AAP lessons, examples of student reasoning or gifted behaviors from class discussions and activities, progress reports, achievement and ability scores, and parent or guardian input. Committees consider whether students have access to a group of students with similar academic needs to support academic conversations and growth in the classroom.

Appeals Process for Subject Specific (Level II) and Part-Time (Level III) Services

If a parent or guardian wishes to appeal an ineligible decision, they may submit an appeal with new data for consideration by the local school screening committee. This new information should be submitted to the Advanced Academic Resource Teacher or Assistant Principal.

Subject Specific and Part-Time Services Overview Subject Specific and Part-Time Services in Elementary School

FCPS offers a continuum of advanced academic services for all students in Grades K-12. The continuum of services approach allows for a focus on matching services to students’ needs rather than labeling students. Students have:

• Multiple entry points for deeper learning opportunities in specific areas of need as they develop.
• A cluster group of students with similar academic needs to support student learning and growth.

Teachers, administrators, and Advanced Academic Resource Teachers (AARTs) work together to provide the following levels of school-based services at the elementary level:

Access to Rigor, Grades K-6 (Level I)

All students have opportunities to think critically, reason, and problem-solve.

• All teachers use critical and creative thinking strategies in their lessons

• Classroom teachers provide opportunities using materials from the AAP Curriculum Framework a minimum of once per quarter.

Because Access to Rigor services are for all FCPS students, there is not a screening process.

Subject Specific Advanced Differentiation, Grades K-6 (Level II)

Some students require differentiation beyond the needs of age-level peers in their class in at least one specific subject area. Classroom teachers may adjust instruction for students in these areas by:

• Providing different assignments and resources in those subjects,

• Grouping students by their strengths, interests, and readiness, and

• Providing additional challenges using materials from the AAP Curriculum Framework.

Student needs for subject specific differentiation are re-evaluated each year at the local school.

Part-Time Advanced Academic Programs, Grades 3-6 (Level III)

Some students have advanced academic abilities in multiple subject areas and require differentiation beyond the needs of age-level peers in their class in multiple content areas.

• Students work with other students that have similar academic needs through weekly pull-out classes or weekly co-taught lessons with the AART and classroom teacher.
• Teachers provide frequent opportunities to use materials from the AAP Curriculum Framework in Language Arts, science, social studies, and/or mathematics.

Part-time services continue through Grade 6. Students do not need to be evaluated each year.

Screening for Full-Time (Level IV) Services Screening Timeline for Full-Time Services

Screening for full-time (level IV) AAP services happens at the district/central level rather than by local schools. For your planning for next school year, please know that screening for full-time (level IV) services occurs during two specific screening cycles:

• Fall screening is available for students who are new to FCPS since January.
  • Fall referrals are due October 15, annually.
• Spring screening is available for any Grade 2-7 FCPS-enrolled student.
  
  • The referral window is from the first day of school - December 15, annually.

For more information, please visit the AAP website at: https://www.fcps.edu/registration/advanced- academics-identification-and-placement/current-fcps-students.

Full-Time Advanced Academic Programs, Grades 3-8 (Level IV)

Some advanced learners need a full-time advanced academic program with differentiated instruction in all four core content areas (Language Arts, mathematics, social studies, and science).
Students eligible for full-time AAP services are cluster grouped on a full-time basis and receive:

• Full-time use of materials from the AAP Curriculum Framework in Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social studies, and

• Curriculum that is differentiated through acceleration, depth, and complexity of content.

Full-time services continue through Grade 8. Students do not need to be evaluated each year.

1753 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101  |  Main Phone: 703.714.8200 
Attendance: 703.714.8282 | Web | Facebook

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Principal's Message

I trust this break found you able to enjoy time with family and friends and hopefully a bit of much needed down time. Wednesday, we look forward to welcoming students back for the 4th quarter.

Tuesday at 10AM we are excited to welcome our incoming kindergarten students for the 2024-25 school year. Families are welcome to arrive between 9::30 to 10AM to check in, get their photo taken and meet Chester the Chipmunk, staff and student ambassadors who will be providing tours. We are excited to welcome our newest Chipmunks! If you know any incoming kinders, please spread the message. We don't want anyone to miss this special event.

Over Spring Break, our custodial staff stayed busy ensuring our building is kept in top notch shape. Our team is dedicated to make our building and grounds are in great shape for our community. This past week, they worked hard to clean carpets, hallways, furniture, courtyards, and tidy up grounds after the winter to ensure our staff and students return to a beautiful and clean space. Additionally, our PTA budget is at work as our gardens fund helped support our spring pond cleanup, which was a major chore. The courtyards are ready for our students and staff to enjoy and our fish and turtles begin to peek their heads out as the weather warms up. They were quite happy with the cleanup.

There is a lot of important info packed in this message, so please take a few minutes to read and see what applies to you. I'm excited to see you all back soon.

Warmly,

Stacy Kirkpatrick, Principal

Upcoming Important Dates

April 1 & 2 - School Planning Day/Teacher Work Day - No School for Students

April 1-5 - National Assistant Principals Week 

April 4 - School Librarian Appreciation Day 

April 8 - Solar Eclipse Experience - Parent Volunteers Requested in Afternoon during Viewing Experience

April 9 - 1st Grade NNAT administration

April 10 - Eid al-Fitr Holiday - all schools and offices closed 

April 17- Purple Up Day - Celebrating our Military Students and Families

6th Grade Families, Save the Date for Chesterbrook's Promotion Celebration.  The 6th grade Celebration will be held during the last day Wednesday, June 12th.

Tuesday, June 11- 5:30 PM Longfellow MS - limited tickets will be available for families but we do our best to accommodate as many as possible.

☀️Safely View Solar Eclipse on April 8 

Chesterbrook Requests Parent Volunteers to Support Afternoon Event

A total solar eclipse will occur on Monday, April 8, and will be viewable, depending on weather, in Fairfax County. The eclipse will begin in our area around 2:04 p.m. and end around 4:32 p.m., with the maximum eclipse occurring around 3:20 p.m.  

With this rare scientific event next week, we would like our students to learn about the science behind the eclipse and be able to safely experience this opportunity. As a community we need to be mindful that this will also occur during dismissal, which will have our students quite curious and we want to make sure they are informed about the dangers of looking directly at the sun.

We have received a parent donation for a set of glasses for the 2nd grade and with PTA support, purchased the remaining glasses needed for students and staff. We would like to schedule time for our students to be able to safely go outside with their class, but understand that curious students may need additional adult supervision to safely view.  .  Administration is requesting parent volunteers to help support classes during this time and also help support our dismissal. Please click here to help out Chesterbrook for the eclipse.  If you would prefer your child NOT participate in the outdoor viewing opportunity during school hours, we can still provide them the glasses for you to catch it afterschool.  Please email your child's homeroom teacher if you would like to Opt Out.

Because the timing overlaps with dismissal, it is crucial that students understand the importance of safe viewing practices. We encourage families to review these Solar Eclipse Resources, especially the eye safety information. We hope everyone takes the opportunity to learn more about this extraordinary natural phenomenon while prioritizing safe solar viewing.

Family Engagement Survey Extended to 4/3

The deadline to take FCPS’ Family Engagement Survey has been extended to Wednesday, April 3! If you haven’t already responded, please participate now. The survey is available in 10 languages. 

Your feedback will help us develop a plan to improve family and school partnerships throughout the division to support student success. All responses will be confidential. 

Thank you for lending your voice to this important effort — it matters!

National Librarian Appreciation Day - 4/4

Please join us in celebrating our amazing librarian, Mrs. Ashley Schorr. In her first year as our librarian, she has truly created a warm and inviting hub for our school where students can thrive in their learning and growth. She works closely with our student ambassadors to direct our morning news program and helps them create videos to showcase Chesterbrook for special events. Mrs. Schorr has continued to grow our resources, allowing students the most current access to children's literature and research tools. She inspires our students to read through the various competitions and challenges, such as our most recent Spring Break reading challenge. I hope you will join us in showering Mrs. Schorr with thanks and appreciation this week and help recognize all she does for our community.

Spring Break Reading Challenge due Wednesday 4/3

Have your child complete as many squares on the Spring Break Reading Challenge Board as possible and return the completed paper on Wednesday, April 3rd to get a free raffle ticket for the Book Fair Raffle Baskets. We can’t wait to hear about all the reading our students do over the break.

National Assistant Principals Week - 4/1 - 4/5

Join NASSP, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and the American Federation of School Administrators in honoring the enormous contributions of assistant principals to student success across our schools. While she is brand new to us, our new Assistant Principal, Mrs. Lara Macdonald, has quickly become an instrumental part of our team, supporting our community. Please join us in welcoming and thanking Ms. Macdonald this week during National AP Week!

FCPS CARES

Do you know a Chesterbrook Elementary or FCPS employee who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone.

Reminders Chesterbrook Yearbook Orders

Don't forget to preorder your copy today, deadline will be coming up soon.

www.yearbookordercenter.com 
Use school code 24891

Last Call for CES Spiritwear
Flash Sale for 6 Days!

https://spirithero.com/collections/chesterbrook

2024-25 School Year Planning Intent to Not Return for the 2024-25 School Year

Chesterbrook Elementary is in the process of planning for next year!  In order to monitor class size and hire the very best staff, we need to know plans for our families.  If you are NOT planning to return to Chesterbrook or Longfellow MS next school year, please complete this student/family intent form letting us know of your plans.

Parent Input for Class Placement

Parents that wish to contribute information towards class placements for the 2024 - 2025 school year, may submit this information on this form.  Completion of the form is optional, however, the deadline for submission is May 4th, 2024. Thank you for your partnership. Parents of rising kindergarteners will receive an email once we have more enrollment, but are welcome to complete this now. Kindergarten placement takes place in August when we have completed our pre-assessments of all students. No requests for a specific teacher may be made. These requests will be deleted.

Summer Opportunities for Students

CES Summer Quest - July 8 - July 26

FCPS Bridge to K, SOAR and Young Scholars at Timberlane ES - July 8 - July 26th  Students will be recommended by teachers based on academic need. Students currently receiving interventions may be a good fit for the program. Teachers will be in touch in April to plan for registration. 

Elementary Institute for the Arts

Additional Opportunities for Students

1753 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101  |  Main Phone: 703.714.8200 
Attendance: 703.714.8282 | Web | Facebook