Gator Bytes: News and General Information for Kings Glen ES

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A Message from Principal Ritter Dear Kings Glen Families, Beginning next week, our Gators will participate in the annual Standards of Learning (SOL) state assessments. These assessments are an opportunity for our students to "level up" and show off all the hard work, critical thinking, and growth they have achieved throughout this school year. While our teachers have worked tirelessly to prepare students academically, we know that the best "test prep" often happens at home through physical and emotional readiness. To help your child feel confident and calm, we suggest the following routines for the coming weeks: Prioritize a Good Night’s Rest: Ensure your child is getting enough sleep each night. A well-rested brain processes information faster and stays focused longer.  Encourage your child to put away electronic devices at least an hour before bed to help their mind wind down and ensure deep, restorative sleep. Arrive with Time to Spare: Arriving at school on time (or a few minutes early) allows your child to settle in, chat with friends, and start their day with a sense of calm. Maintain a Growth Mindset: Help your child keep these assessments in perspective. Remind them that the SOL is just one "snapshot" of their learning journey. Encourage them to "do their best," focusing on their effort rather than the score. Friendly reminder: Personal electronic devices (including cell phones and smartwatches) are not permitted in the testing environment. These should be left at home or kept turned off in student backpacks. Our students have shown incredible perseverance this year, and we have full confidence in their ability to tackle these challenges. Thank you for your continued partnership and for being our students’ biggest cheerleaders!

Positivity Project at Kings Glen Kings Glen is partnering with The Positivity Project (P2) to empower students to build positive relationships and become their best selves. During our classroom Morning Meetings, short videos, class discussions and activities focus on one of the 24 character strengths that are the foundation of Positive Psychology. Gators explore their strengths and how to have positive relationships. P2 also offers short lessons for families at home. Week of April 27-May 1:  Purpose

TREX Recycling - Quarterly Goal Met!

Big news! Thanks to your incredible commitment to sustainability, we have officially met our quarterly goal for TREX recycling program and have recycled hundreds of pounds of plastic this school year. From bread bags to bubble wrap, your efforts have kept a massive amount of plastic out of landfills. Because we’ve reached our for this quarter, we will be pausing our plastic collection for the remainder of the school year. We want to extend a huge thank you to every student, parent, and staff member who brought in their recyclables. Please use local grocery store drop-offs to continue recycling plastics until our next collection drive begins!

Spring Standardized Assessments

Students will be participating in spring assessments based on their grade level and courses. This includes summative assessments like Standards of Learning (SOL) tests, which measure what a student knows, and the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) tests, which measure where students are in their learning. 

This list of assessments for each grade level provides the spring timeframe for required tests. Each school sets specific testing dates and communicates schedules to students and families. Please review school newsletters and emails carefully for this information.

FCPS encourages all families to support their students in taking these tests. Virginia requires schools to test at least 95% of students on SOLs, so when families choose not to participate in testing, it can impact a school’s accreditation, accountability ratings, and ability to measure student progress accurately.

Parents and caregivers can help their children perform their best on these tests by reminding them to get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and that the cell phone policy still applies during testing season. 

It is important that students attend school on scheduled testing dates. If you are aware of a conflict that may cause your student to miss a test, please notify your student’s school as soon as possible. Learn more about how to support your child and why test participation matters.

Spring SOL Reading, Math and Science Testing Dates

For your planning purposes and reference, please see the Spring 2026 Standards of Learning (SOL) Testing Dates.  When possible, please avoid scheduling appointments and/or activities that would prevent your child from arriving at school on time or staying the entire day on the days your child(ren) are participating in an SOL Assessment.

Upcoming SOL Testing Dates:

Walk, Bike and Roll to School Day Wednesday, May 6 Get ready for Walk, Bike, and Roll to School Day on Wednesday, May 6th! Walking and biking to school benefits both the students and the community in several ways. Students who walk and bike get more physical activity, have more time to socialize with their friends, and develop a sense of independence and self-reliance. The community benefits from reduced pollution and traffic congestion. We encourage participants to plan a safe route in advance.  Join us to celebrate the benefits of bicycling and walking! Kings Glen students are welcome to meet up at 8:10 a.m. at the corner of Clydesdale and South Hampton. Parents and guardians are welcome to attend!

Reminder:  3-Hour Early Release Wednesday, May 13th

Kings Glen’s last student 3-hour Early Release Wednesday of the school year is Wednesday, March 13th.

Student Leadership Council Officer Elections

Interest Forms Due Friday, May 15

Student Leadership Council Officer elections for the 2026-27 school year will be held soon. If your 4th or 5th grader is interested in running for an Officer position, interest forms are available from Ms. Stottlemyer and due by May 15.

Oh, Baby!  Look How Much You've Grown!

Dear 6th Grade families: Please send one picture of your 6th grader as a baby or from their early years to Ms. Stottlemyer for a 6th grade bulletin board!

Rising 7th Grade Parent Information Night

Monday, May 18 from 6:30-7:30pm at Lake Braddock SS

This is a parent-only event to learn about topics related to your child's transition to middle school.  Spanish and Korean interpreters will be available.  Parents should enter through Entrance 14 and proceed to the Little Theatre.

• What to expect with the transition to middle school and how to best support your child
• Differences between elementary school and middle school
• Communicating with your child and your child’s teachers
• Student attendance and check-in/check-out procedures
• After-school activities
• Developmental changes and needs of the middle school child

Extra! Extra! Code UP! Art & Engineering Summer Enrichment Program

July 6-23 (Interest Forms Due Friday, May 8th)

Give your child a summer that sparks curiosity and builds real-world skills! We are thrilled to invite rising 4th–6th graders to join us for our hands-on Art in Engineering summer program. This unique experience blends the technical world of engineering with the creative world of art, allowing students to design, build, and explore.  Register today!

Program Details

• Open to all rising 4th–6th grade students attending Kings Glen in the Fall of 2026.
• July 6-23, 2026 (Monday through Thursday; no classes on Fridays)
• Note: Students must be able to attend all three weeks.
• Time: 8:30 am – 1:00 pm (exact time being finalized).
• Location: Kings Glen Elementary School.
• Transportation: One bus will be available for student use.

What Will Your Child Do?

This program integrates principles of structural, environmental, and mechanical engineering with artistic exploration. The weekly themes include Week 1: Solar, Week 2: Motion, and Week 3: Putting it all together.

• Discover Science & Engineering: Explore energy flow in ecosystems and thermal energy while creating a functioning solar oven. Students will master simple machines and gear ratios while understanding tension and load distribution in bridge and house designs.
• Learn to Code: Students will learn coding basics and physical computing using micro:bits and robotics. They will create unique projects ranging from simple animations to environmental data collectors.
• Artistic Exploration: Students will capture the natural environment through Plein Air sketching, explore UV light and chemical reactions through Cyanotype photography, and learn storytelling via Stop Motion Animation.
• Outdoor Investigation: Participants will take walking field trips to observe nature and collect real-world data, such as light levels, temperature, and water quality.
• Collaborate: Students will work individually and in teams to solve challenges, ultimately integrating their individual projects into a single "City Project."

If you are interested in having your child participate, please sign up using this link.  Interest Forms are due Friday, May 8th.  Families will be notified no later than Friday, May 15th if their child was selected to attend.  Should you have any questions, feel free to email KGNotes@fcps.edu.  We look forward to a summer of building, coding, and creating!

Spring Pictures Available Now for Purchase Hello Kings Glen Elementary School Families!  Victor O'Neill Studios recently held Spring portrait day at our school and pictures are now online. All orders will include free shipping until May 4th. Please use the link below to view your student's Spring photos.  https://shop.imagequix.com/g1001356033 Please remember, the online code is the Student ID Number.  For questions about orders, please email underclass@vosphoto.com

Purchase Your 6th Grade Panoramic Picture! Any student who has not had a chance to order a Panoramic photo, it’s not too late!  All orders using the link below will ship to the address entered at checkout.  https://shop.imagequix.com/s1802883809 For questions or about ordering, please contact Victor O'Neill Studio at underclass@vosphoto.com.

Get2Green Student Action Summit

Thursday, May 14

The Get2Green Student Action Summit will be held on Thursday, May 14th from 5:30-7:30pm at Willow Oaks Welcome Center. The summit is geared towards grades K-12 FCPS students for an evening of learning and connecting around environmental action at their schools. The evening will include an opportunity for student sharing and facilitated discussion. Elementary school students must be accompanied by a parent/guardian adult. If you are interested in attending, please register here.

Required Immunizations for Rising 7th and Rising 12th Graders

The following immunizations are required for students entering 7th and 12th grade each school year. 

All students entering 7th grade are required to receive one dose of each of the following immunizations prior to the beginning of school: Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis booster (Tdap), Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY), and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. 

Parents and guardians are encouraged to plan ahead by scheduling an appointment with your child’s health care provider now to avoid the rush this summer. Please consider getting your child’s immunizations early so that they can attend school in the fall. Summer is a busy time for families and healthcare providers. As long as your child meets the age requirements listed above, they can be immunized at any time.

Immunization Events for FCPS Students: FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will provide school-required immunizations for all FCPS students at no out-of-pocket cost. Multiple events will take place at designated FCPS locations. Dates will be made available throughout the school year. Parents or guardians may view upcoming events and schedule an appointment for their student. Participation is voluntary. Additional immunization resources are also available.

Nominations Open for the Bussey Memorial Equity Award

Nominations are now open for the 2026 Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award. This award recognizes an employee, student, or community member who has demonstrated significant and impactful efforts to improve the educational experiences and outcomes of students from groups who are marginalized or underserved.

Any staff, student, or community member can nominate an individual for the award. All nomination materials must be submitted by Monday, May 18.  

The Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC) sponsors this award to honor the legacy of Dr. Bussey, a founding member of the MSAOC and a longtime advocate for students and families. 

Full details and the nomination information form can be found at the Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award webpage.

KP/KG PTA News

Thank you to Lisley Anco and everyone who helped with the Earth Day event at Kings Park last week! We hope everyone had a great time!

Staff Appreciation Week is coming up from May 4th-8th. Our theme this year is “Thank you for being a part of our story” and we are in need of food donations as well as volunteers to help with the daily events all week long.  Please sign up here for food donations or to help with setup and cleanup. It’s a busy week and we need lots of volunteers to make it all happen!

The annual Kings Park vs Kings Glen Staff Kickball Game and End of Year Celebration will be held on May 8th at Kings Glen from 6:30-8pm. Join us for a night of kickball, activities, and food trucks!  All students must be accompanied and supervised by an adult. The parking lot will be closed for this event, so please use street parking or walk if possible.