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Dear Dragons,

I hope your summer has been relaxing and filled with fun memories with your family and friends. I can't believe we're already getting ready for a brand-new school year! We are so excited to welcome everyone back and to continue being part of your family's journey. It truly is an honor to serve our Dogwood community.

Before school starts, we have a few fun opportunities to meet teachers, reconnect with friends, and welcome our newest Dragons.

Kindergarten Popsicles on the Playground

Tuesday, August 18 | 3:00–4:30 PM

Calling all of our newest Dragons! Come meet your kindergarten teachers, enjoy a popsicle, and spend some time playing with new friends on the Dogwood playground.

Grades 1–6 Popsicles on the Playground

Thursday, August 20 | 3:00–4:30 PM

Students in grades 1–6 are invited to stop by the Dogwood playground to meet their teachers, see classmates, and enjoy a popsicle before the first day of school.

Our K–6 Open House will be on Friday, August 21, with staggered start times between 12:30 PM and 2:30 PM. This is always one of my favorite days of the year! You'll get to meet your child's teacher, see the classroom, sign up for your Kiss and Ride number, learn more about our amazing PTA, pick up a free backpack from Koons Toyota Tysons, and find out about all the great opportunities waiting for your child this year.

One big change in FCPS this year is our technology expectations. Cell phones and smartwatches must be silenced and stay in your child's backpack throughout the entire school day. As you're getting ready for school, I encourage you to think about what your child truly needs to bring each day. If a cell phone isn't necessary, I'd encourage you to leave it at home.

Our first day of school is Monday, August 24, and we can't wait to welcome everyone back!

One thing I'd love your partnership on this year is attendance. We know that children are most successful when they're in school every day and on time. Missing more than 10 days over the course of the school year can have a real impact on learning. Last year, 13% of our Dogwood students were chronically absent, and many more were late on a regular basis. Every minute of learning matters, and together we can make sure our children have every opportunity to be successful.

Enjoy these last few weeks of summer. We can't wait to see all of our Dragons soon and kick off another amazing year together!

With gratitude,

Kate Beckner, 

Proud Principal

Important Dates

August

August 18th - Popsicles on the Playground for Kindergarten

August 20th - Popsicles on the Playground for Grades 1st - 6th

August 21st - Open House (Schedule will be in next week's newsletter)

August 24th - First Day of School

September

September 4th - Student Holiday (No School)

September 7th - Student Holiday (No School)

September 14th - 18th - Hispanic Heritage Week

September 21st - Student Holiday (No School)

September 24th - Back to School Picnic

September 30th - 3 Hour Early Release (Information coming soon)

Stay Tuned!

Strong school-home communication keeps our community connected. To stay up to date on crucial information and upcoming dates, please follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and check our website regularly!

Understanding Student Rights and Responsibilities Updates: New Universal Grade Matrices for Families

Families are encouraged to review the updated FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) document, which explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses in order to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment.

Updates for the 2026-27 school year include new Universal Grade Matrices (UGMs). UGMs are charts that show behavior expectations and school responses by grade level (K-3, 4-8, and 9-12). These at-a-glance resources (in Appendix D of the SR&R) are designed to make it easier for parents and caregivers to understand how schools respond to different types of behavior concerns.

Visit the SR&R webpage for more information and to review additional updates to the SR&R for the 2026-27 school year.

New Requirement for Student Device Use During the School Day

Starting this school year, students must use FCPS-issued devices for school-related digital activities during the instructional day. This is in accordance with a new School Board requirement, approved on July 16, which states that students may not use personal electronic communication or computing devices, including personal laptops, tablets, smartwatches, smartphones, and similar devices. 

Students may only use their personal device if it is required as part of a necessary accommodation in the students’ Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan. A principal or the principal’s designee may approve a limited, course-specific exception for students enrolled in a specialized class when the curriculum requires a technology tool or software that isn’t available on a standard FCPS-issued device. 

Families can help support this requirement by reminding students to bring their FCPS-issued device each day and use it for all school-related digital activities unless an approved exception applies. Please stay tuned for more information.

Back-to-School Checklist

We’re Eager to Welcome You Back to School!

As summer winds down, we are looking forward to welcoming students back to our classrooms. Use the following list to help make sure your child is ready! 

☑️ Sign Up for SIS ParentVUE

Access your student’s attendance records, grades, and assignments at any time with SIS ParentVUE. Contact our registrar at [email/phone number] if you need an activation code. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE.

Update Your Contact Information

Be sure you receive important information! Update your phone number(s) and/or email address(es) by clicking “My Account” and reviewing the “Online Verification/Update.” On that form, you can also update immunization records, health information, and emergency contacts. 

☑️ Update Immunizations and Records

Immunizations are required for all students to attend school in Virginia. This is an important part of protecting them from certain diseases and keeping them healthy. 

When your child is immunized, remember to request a copy of their immunization record and bring that to our front office or submit the record via SIS ParentVUE as soon as possible. Find more information on FCPS’ website.

☑️ Learn About School Meals

Families need to provide their children with money to purchase meals at school or send them with a packed lunch. Alternatively, families may apply to receive free and reduced-price meal benefits, pending approval.

☑️ Bookmark the School Year Calendar

Be sure to bookmark the FCPS school year calendar to keep track of school holidays, breaks, and observances:

• Days marked blue with an “H” are student holidays. Schools are closed on these days.
• Days marked orange with an “O” are religious and cultural observance days (or evenings, if only half marked). There is school on these days, but certain events that cannot be made up may not be scheduled on these days.
• Days marked as TW, SD, and SP and in pink are holidays for students but working days for teachers and staff.

Please note that some holidays and observances, such as Eid al Fitr, may shift, and the calendar may be adjusted.

Download the FCPS App Today!

The FCPS mobile app offers a customized platform to help keep you connected and informed, directly from your smartphone. Download the FCPS mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. 

With the app, you can:

• View school calendars. See events, activities, holidays, and early dismissals.
• Check school menus. See what’s for lunch and breakfast each school day.
• Tap to contact. Quickly call attendance lines or email school staff.
• Stay up to date. Get the latest news from FCPS.
• Access key links. Jump to ParentVUE, Schoology, and the FCPS website in one tap.

No need to log in, just download and go! Learn more about the FCPS mobile app.

New ParentVUE Mobile App Launching July 28

On Tuesday, July 28, a new ParentVUE mobile app will become available in the Apple and Google app stores. This new app provides parents and caregivers with a more secure sign-in. The current “classic” app will remain active for about six months. Families must download the new app by December 2026 to ensure they have continued mobile access to their child’s school data.

In the new app, families can enroll in multi-factor authentication (MFA) for FCPS Single Sign-On. While enrollment is optional, we strongly recommend that everyone enable this security feature.

Learn more about installing the new ParentVUE app. Parents needing assistance should submit a Parent Support Request.

Give Your Kids a Strong Start: Apply for Early Childhood Education Programs 

FCPS Pre-K and Early Head Start programs provide a high-quality early learning experience for qualifying children ages 6 weeks to 4 years living in Fairfax County with economic and educational risk factors. 

• The pre-K program prioritizes 4-year-old applicants but also accepts applications for children who will be 3 years old by September 30. 

• Early Head Start is located at three elementary schools — Clearview, Crestwood, and Dogwood — and accepts applications from expectant mothers and parents/guardians of children 6 weeks to 2 years old.

Families are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. However, space is limited and provided based on need, not on a first come, first served basis. Applications are accepted online, by email, by postal mail (printable application), or in person at 7423 Camp Alger Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia 22042. If you have a question about the application process or status, please call 703-208-7900 (English) or 703-208-7901 (Spanish).

New Student ID Cards Coming for Bus Riders This Fall 

As part of the ongoing commitment to strengthening layered safety and security programs, FCPS will implement a new student ID system for students who ride our school buses.

The implementation of the student IDs is designed as an additional safety measure for our 130,000 FCPS students who ride the bus each day, ensuring they are on the right bus and that they get on and off at the correct bus stop, as well as making sure only authorized students are on our buses.

The IDs will be provided to students who ride the bus. Those students will be expected to tap on and tap off the bus. The student IDs do not track student movement. The only information available is when a student taps on or off a bus. Much like our Here Comes the Bus app, our new app will allow parents/guardians to track the progress of the school bus.

It is possible that the ID program will expand in the future to include uses such as library cards and meal payment. Learn more about the new transportation system and student ID cards.

Explore School Meals in the New Menu Platform

Experience an easier way to view your child’s school menus using MealViewer:

• View what is being served each day.
• View the nutritional information for each meal.
• See if any specific allergens are being served.
• Get notified when your student’s favorite meal is being served.

Printable menus are always available on the Food and Nutrition Services webpage.

Back-to-School Immunization Requirements

Make sure your child has all of their required immunizations before the first day of school. Check their immunization records to see what they might be missing:

1. Request immunization records online through the Virginia Immunization Information System (a free service).
2. If your child was immunized outside of Virginia, get records from those states’ systems.
3. Request records from your healthcare provider. Some may charge for copies.

Review school-required immunizations to verify that your child is up to date. 

Where to Receive Immunizations

If your child needs an immunization, make an appointment with your family’s healthcare provider or one of the following immunization events. 

FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will be providing school-required immunizations and optional flu shots for all FCPS students, ages 18 and under, with no out-of-pocket costs. Multiple events will take place at designated FCPS locations. Additional dates will be made available throughout the school year. Parents/guardians may view upcoming events and schedule an appointment for their student. Participation is voluntary.

If you do not have a healthcare provider, visit a Health Department clinic. Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) clinics offer immunizations to all Fairfax County students, as well as those who are behind on their scheduled immunizations or need a booster. 

Summer back-to-school immunization clinics are also available. Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. FCHD offers limited walk-in hours for immunization services on a first-come, first-served basis. Immunizations are also available by appointment.

Inova Cares Back to School Pediatric Health Fairs provide children ages 5 and up with free school physicals and immunizations. Weekend clinics are available in August. These health fairs are for VA Medicaid or Uninsured Inova registered patients only. Appointments are required. Call 703-698-2550 to make an appointment. Bring vaccine records to the appointment.

Local immunization clinics and additional resources are available on the FCPS Immunization Resources webpage and from the