Announcements
CES Weekly News 12.15.23
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Principal's MessageThe first part of the year has truly flown by. As we close out our December school days and make time for the holidays, I wish you all a relaxing and special time with those you love.
Our staff will be taking time away for the holiday break. The office will be very limited in staffing next week and closed the week of December 25th. If you do need something urgent over the break, please email me and I'll do my best to follow up. I will be taking the break to enjoy time with my family and treasuring just a short time with both of my children home.
It was wonderful to have so many families in for our morning meetings the past few weeks and time to meet with you. It was precious to see the children light up to see their parents come to school with them, while I know some of our sixth grade students preferred you not to come. With each passing year we realize their needs change, but one thing is always true - they need our partnership in their growth and development. We thank you for that!
Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season and we look forward to welcoming your children back in 2024!
Sincerely,
Stacy Kirkpatrick, Principal
Outstanding Staff Nominations and AwardsThank you to our parents community for your nominations for Outstanding Staff Members. Your recognitions of our team were touching and mean so much to each and every nominee. Please help us celebrate these winners of our Chesterbrook Oustanding Staff Awards.
CES Outstanding TeacherBetsy Butler, 2nd Grade Teacher
Nominees: Mr. Treacy, Ms. Scrabis, Ms. Mabile, Mrs. Wei, Ms. Logan, Ms. Nalewanski, Mrs. Kohout, Mrs. Lopez
Chesterbrook Outstanding New Teacher
Cody Boehm, Special Education Teacher
Nominees: Mr. Morris and Mr. Berenato
Chesterbrook Outstanding Professional
Jennifer Kulkin, Speech Therapist
Mrs. Lan Ong, Building Supervisor
Outstanding Principal
Stacy Kirkpatrick
in our first year of the Quiz Bowl program, we are pleased to announce that we had 13 students qualify for Regionals in our 5th and 6th grade program!
Congratulations to Ethan S., Zachary S., Graham M., Ramsey A., James O., Juliet C., Katherine K., Ryan R., Peter L., Safa Z., Mikayla M., Khado G., and Avery C. The regional geography bee takes place in Arlington in April. All the best to our students!
Congratulations, Mrs. Kristi McGeehan, new appointment as Assistant Principal at Canterbury Woods ElementaryMrs. McGeehan has been instrumental in supporting our special education department staff and students over the past six years. Additionally, she has lead school-wide goal setting with MTSS behavioral and academic areas to support student growth.
Please help me in wishing Mrs. McGeehan all the very best as she continues to support students and staff in Fairfax County Public Schools. They are lucky to have her leadership. Her last day at Chesterbrook will be January 5th.
School Picture Makeup & Retake Images now online!Makeup/Retake Day images are now viewable online.
Please visit: vosphoto.com/uc use your student ID when prompted for the online code.
For questions regarding school pictures please email: [email protected]
Military-Connected Youth Process Action TeamThe Fairfax County Public Schools Military-Connected Youth Process Action Team is inviting military-connected family members to apply to join our team. The charge of the MCY PAT is to identify the unique academic, behavioral, and social/emotional needs of military youth and families and ensure faculty and staff are informed and prepared to meet the identified needs, partnering with stakeholders as appropriate.
Apply to join the Military-Connected Youth Process Action Team by completing the application by December 15, 2023. Contact [email protected] with questions. Meredith Ayala ([email protected]) is our Family Partnerships Specialist for Military Connected Youth & Families and can help answer additional questions as well!
Social and Emotional Learning Screener Results Coming SoonOne of the ways FCPS supports the mental wellness of all students is the SEL Screener.
Students in grades 3-12 took the SEL Screener during the month of October, providing information on their skills like achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships with adults and peers, and making responsible decisions.
The SEL Screener also helps students evaluate their school community’s efforts to make them feel valued, included, and supported. Screener data is used to create the learning, experiences, and environments students need to be successful.
The week of December 11th, individual student SEL Screener results will be available to families in the Documents section of SIS ParentVUE. For families who do not have an active ParentVUE account, results will be sent via postal mail.
For more information about the screener please visit the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage. For support in understanding your individual student’s results or for ideas on how to support them at home, please review the Family Guide or contact your student’s school.
Any questions, please reach out to Chesterbrook School Counselors:
Grades 4 and 6: Heather Lomelin, [email protected]
Grades 3 and 5: Beau Buchanan, [email protected]
Impact Aid forms can be completed online through January 31st.
- Only the ENROLLING parent can complete the Federal Impact Aid Survey in ParentVUE!
- Support for ParentVUE is available from the Parent Technology Help Desk: https://itweb.fcps.edu/itsupport/parent/ or 833-921-3277
- We need a response for EACH student (not just family)
- Impact Aid Surveys are in ParentVUE only
How to complete the Impact Aid through Parentvue
- Log into ParentVue
- Select Online Packet (Upper Right Corner Tab)
- Select Federal Impact Aid Survey from Dropdown Menu
- The Survey will guide through completion of the form. Note each child who attend FCPS must be completed individually.
Each grade level decorated their hallway in the spirit of the season. Check off some of these great displays our students created. Congratulations to our Preschool classes, Mrs. Wei, Mrs. Limbaugh and Mrs. Strubhar for winning the hall decorating contest. All our hallways were phenomenal!
1753 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101 | Main Phone: 703.714.8200
Attendance: 703.714.8282 | Web | Facebook
Support for Chesterbrook Family
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Chesterbrook Family SupportThis morning the Chesterbrook PTA shared out the following information on how our community can help support a Chesterbrook family in need.
PTA Message
It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of the death of a beloved father and friend in our community, Dan Easley. Dan was a father to three amazing young Chesterbrook Chipmunks – Owen (Alumni), Harper and Nathan.
For those looking to help, we would also like to share the GoFundMe page created for the Easley family as they rebuild from the loss of their dad and their family's home lost in the fire.
Our hearts are with the Easley family during this difficult time. The Chesterbrook Elementary mental health team will continually support our students upon our return after the winter break should they want to talk with someone.
Sincerely,
Stacy Kirkpatrick, Principal
1753 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101 | Main Phone: 703.714.8200
Attendance: 703.714.8282 | Web | Facebook
Chesterbrook Weekly Update 1.2.2024
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Principal's MessageI hope everyone enjoyed the winter break with friends and family. This week we are excited to settle back into the new year with a few new families joining our community. It is always great to welcome in new students. If you are new, we encourage you to get involved, join our PTA and join us for community events. Our next PTA meeting is next week! It was great to have everyone back today to kick off 2024!
Today, we welcomed Cora Russell to our 3rd grade team who will be filling in for Mrs. Jankowski's maternity leave.
On January 16th, Mrs. Gales will be returning from her maternity leave in 2nd grade. We are thankful to have had Mrs. Ali supporting our 2nd graders during her absence.
Wishing everyone a wonderful week!
Sincerely,
Stacy Kirkpatrick
Upcoming Dates to NoteJanuary 2 - First Day Back from Winter Break
January 10 - Longfellow Curriculum Info Night - Rising 7 Graders (see below)
January 11 - PTA Meeting (time TBD)
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)
February 19 - President's Day - No School
FCPS annual calendar is here.
Foreign Language in the Elementary School - CES Survey ends 1/12Over the past six years parents and students have shared requests to review and evaluate the possibility of providing a different language at Chesterbrook. In the process of reviewing the language instruction provided, we also want to ensure we have all the feedback from our community. Recently FCPS provided a survey to families that was available in November and December. Parents are encouraged to provide any feedback by Friday 1/12 on this Chesterbrook specific survey.
Winter PTA Before/Afterschool ActivitiesThis winter the PTA has put together many wonderful opportunities for our students before and afterschool including:
- *New!* Math Club (Currently LOW enrollment, so please sign up soon if you are interested!)
- Chesterbrook PTA is proudly sponsoring a new Math Club for sixth graders and advanced fifth graders. The math club is run by the Russian School of Math, a premier math after school program featured in NPR. The class will focus on preparing students for middle school with a sensible mastery of computations and order of operations with rational numbers, fractions, and decimals, solving equations, and working with algebraic expressions. The class will be on Tuesday afternoons from January to the end of the school year. See the flyer below for more info!
- Fitness Warriors (K, 3-4, and 5-6)
- Yoga
- Comic Book Illustration
- Electronics w/ Minecraft Redstone
- Introduction to Game Design
- Glass Fusing
- Art Club
- Chess Club
Please visit the PTA website here for more information including registration details. For questions, contact Rachel or Carmen at [email protected].
Longfellow Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night - Jan 10thWednesday, January 10, 2024, Longfellow MS will be hosting an in-person Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night from 6:00pm - 8:00pm. Make-up day will be Wednesday, January 17, 2024. During curriculum night important information regarding the transition to middle school will be shared, including selection of electives and core classes. Families will also have time to walk the building. The presentation will also be available on our website.
Dual Language Immersion RegistrationAll rising kindergarten and first grade students who live in Fairfax County may enter a lottery to participate in Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs. In DLI programs, students are learning elementary content in two languages with students spending half of the day learning in either language. English Language Arts and Social Studies are taught in English. Math, Science, Health, and Target Language Arts are taught in another language. FCPS offers DLI programs in French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish. Online lottery application begins on January 22nd at 9 a.m. A SIS account is required to complete the application. If a student is not currently enrolled in FCPS, registration at the base school is required. FCPS does not provide transportation for students who live outside the attendance area of the DLI school. A one-time fee of $100 must be paid upon acceptance of an out-of-boundary placement (see Notice 5922).
Kent Gardens will host an information session led by Beatrix Preusse from the World Languages Department on January 18th at 5:30 p.m. in the cafeteria.
For more information including program sites and information sessions, please visit: https://www.fcps.edu/registration/dual-language-immersion-programs-registration
Snow Days This WinterFor the current school year, FCPS will be returning to its previous procedure for snow days — there will be no virtual learning days when school is closed due to bad weather. During snow days, students may still access Tutor.com, complete any supplemental learning opportunities recommended by their teachers, and view educational programming (available virtually and on public access television channels):
- Elementary school instruction: Red Apple 21.
- Middle school instruction: Channel 25.
- High school instruction: Channel 99.
Eleven snow days are built into the existing FCPS calendar. Eliminating virtual learning days will allow us to maximize students’ in-person learning and provide equitable access to instruction and student services.
Kent Gardens Boundary UpdateAs previously communicated, FCPS made its recommendation for a boundary adjustment to address the overcrowding issue at Kent Gardens and recommended "Scenario B". Scenario B reassigns an estimated 380 students among five elementary schools. A map of affected homes can be found here (scroll to Scenario B).
- Rising Kindergarten and 1st-grade students will be reassigned to attend the newly assigned school for the 2024-25 school year.
- Rising 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th-grade students have the option to attend the newly assigned school or remain at their prior assigned school for the 2024-25 school year and until they matriculate to middle school.
Open Houses for each elementary school will be held on January 25th at 3 PM
Chesterbrook ES- 1753 Kirby Rd, McLean, VA 22101
Churchill Road ES- 7100 Churchill Rd, McLean, VA 22101
Haycock ES- 6616 Haycock Rd, Falls Church, VA 22043
Franklin Sherman ES- 6633 Brawner St, McLean, VA 22101
The adopted phasing plan allows students/caregivers the option to remain at their current school or change schools now, addressing the different perspectives voiced in public feedback. It also considers the needs of older elementary school students who were in school during COVID, and another change may be stressful. The phasing plan allows continuity for students enrolled in the French Immersion program at Kent Garden, which starts at first grade.
Students that are involved in phasing over the next several years will be provided bus transportation to their elementary school. Please understand that with a current shortage of bus drivers in our area and the requirement of additional bus runs to accommodate phasing, your patience will be required as all of these new runs are established. We need those that are involved in the affected neighborhoods to fill out the form indicating which school your child will attend by the February deadline so our transportation staff has maximum planning time.
The McLean Elementary Boundary Webpage will continue to be updated with important news going forward.
Outside Opportunity Register for McLean Little League by January 22!Come discover baseball or softball this spring and make friends from all over McLean! Our beautiful facility at 1836 Westmoreland Street is a 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 from Chesterbrook! We have programs for children of all ages and abilities, and adaptive programs for children with special needs. Any child attending Chesterbrook is eligible!
Please send us any questions at [email protected], and to register, visit us at mcleanll.com and press the REGISTER button!
1753 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101 | Main Phone: 703.714.8200
Attendance: 703.714.8282 | Web | Facebook
Congratulations to Farris Thomas
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Congratulations Mrs. Farris Thomas New Principal of Franklin Sherman Elementary SchoolMrs. Thomas has been a beloved member of our Chesterbrook community as our Assistant Principal. I am proud to share the news of her promotion to the principalship at Franklin Sherman. It is wonderful that our greater McLean community can continue to benefit from her leadership. She will be greatly missed but we wish her well. The following news was shared by our Region Assistant Superintendent, Megan Vroman.
Sincerely,
Stacy Kirkpatrick, Chesterbrook Principal
The Region 2 Leadership Team is pleased to announce Farris Thomas, current Assistant Principal at Chesterbrook Elementary School, has been selected as the new principal of Franklin Sherman Elementary School.
Ms. Thomas began her career in education with Fairfax County Public Schools in 2004 at McLean High School where she was an English teacher and the English department chair. She also served as Instructional Coach, Testing Coordinator, and Assistant Principal at Rachel Carson Middle School, where she supported staff and students with Portrait of a Graduate skills and Project Based Learning. As Assistant Principal at Washington Irving Middle School for five years, Ms. Thomas oversaw the Special Education department as part of her schoolwide support for all students. Returning to the McLean community in 2020, Ms. Thomas has been the Assistant Principal at Chesterbrook since then, ensuring that all students receive access to rigor and high academic standards. She supports teachers in their own learning, providing modeling and feedback to all staff, and has helped make Chesterbrook a school filled with meaningful learning for all.
Ms. Thomas has been trained by the Buck Institute in California for Project Based Learning integration in instruction and developed the curriculum and taught the FCPS Academy course for teachers on this topic. Ms. Thomas’ strong work creating positive behavior intervention supports for students and supporting the needs of the special education community earned her recognition as a finalist for the 2019 Outstanding Administrator of the year from Fairfax County Special Education PTA (SEPTA). She also won the McLean pyramid Outstanding Leader award in 2023, and was a finalist for the Region 2 Outstanding Leader award in 2023 as well.
She earned a Bachelor's degree in English and a Master’s degree in Education from James Madison University. She also holds a Master’s degree in Initiatives in Educational Transformation and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration, both from George Mason University. Ms. Thomas also wears the hat of a proud mom to three beautiful young daughters, Macie, Evie, and Josie.
Please join me in welcoming Ms. Thomas as the new principal of Franklin Sherman, starting on January 16, 2023.
Megan R. Vroman, Assistant Superintendent Region 2
1753 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101 | Main Phone: 703.714.8200
Attendance: 703.714.8282 | Web | Facebook
CES Weekly News 1.12.24
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Principal's MessageStudents 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 NoteJanuary 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 TeamChesterbrook 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 YearWe 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 3-6FCPS 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 NeededDid 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
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.
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 ChicasEncuentro 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
Attendance: 703.714.8282 | Web | Facebook
CES Weekly Update 1.23.24
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Congratulations! Mrs. Betsy ButlerThe 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 PrincipalMrs. 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 NoteJanuary 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 ListDuring 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
CES Weekly Update 2.5.2024
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School CounselingAppreciation 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 ReminderCars 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 23rdHand 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!
Click here to Order Chesterbrook Code 24891
Upcoming DatesFebruary 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 AheadMarch 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 ourMad Science Assembly
1753 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101 | Main Phone: 703.714.8200
Attendance: 703.714.8282 | Web | Facebook
CES Health Update, Fire Lane/Bus Loop Reminder & Lost and Found
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No Parking in Fire LaneDo 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 NoteWe 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 & FoundWe 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
CES Weekly Update 2.14.24
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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 WinnerAfter 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
Chesterbrook Yearbook Cover Contest Due 3/1
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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 1stHand 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!
Click here to Order Chesterbrook Code 24891
Yearbook Photos from School Events NeededIdeal 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