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Dear Freedom Hill Families,
We hope your summer has been filled with opportunities to relax, recharge, and enjoy time with family and friends! The countdown is officially on, and in just 17 days, our hallways and classrooms will once again be filled with the energy and excitement of our Eagles. Whether Freedom Hill has been your school home for years or you are joining our community for the very first time, we are thrilled to welcome you!
As we look ahead to the 2026-27 school year, our commitment remains at the heart of everything we do: creating a school where every child feels known, valued, and connected while receiving an exceptional education. Our incredible staff will soon be returning to the Hill, ready to prepare classrooms, reconnect with colleagues, and get everything in place for a fantastic year of learning and growth. Our theme this year will be Ready, Set, Goal! and you will be seeing some updates throughout the year about your student(s) having opportunities to articulate and understand their learning goals.
One of Freedom Hill’s greatest strengths is the partnership between our school and our families. Each weekend, we’ll continue to use this newsletter to keep you connected to important dates, school happenings, celebrations, and opportunities to be involved. We encourage you to make it part of your weekend routine.
And don’t stop scrolling before you reach the latest news from our wonderful PTA! Their time, energy, and support help create so many memorable experiences for our students and families. For example, you'll see this time that our Rising Kingergarten Playdates are still rolling, and you'll have the opportunity to see the team at Open House (and purchase spirit wear!). Don’t forget to join or renew your PTA membership for the new school year and help support all the great things ahead.
Don't forget to also join us on Facebook and Instagram as we celebrate our students' progress this year. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back to the Hill. Here’s to an exciting new year together. We look forward to welcoming you on Friday, 8/21 for Open House!
In partnership,
Dr. Nicholas Zapadka, Principal
Mr. Tim Scesney, Assistant Principal
Ms. Holly Sims, Assistant Principal
2026-27 FCPS School Calendar
Freedom Hill Family Resources
Breakfast/Lunch Menus
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August 8 - Rising Kindergarten Playdate, 3-4PM (Playground)
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August 21 - Open House (see schedule below)
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August 21 - PTA Family Dinner Out @ Ben and Jerry's, 4-10PM
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August 22 - Last Rising Kindergarten Playdate, 3-4PM (Playground)
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August 24 - First Day of School - Students Arrive at 9:05
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September 1 - Back to School Night for Parents, 6-8PM
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September 11 - PTA Back to School Picnic, 5:30-7:30PM
Each year we welcome families into the building the day before school for you to have an opportunity to meet your child’s teacher, to drop off school supplies, and to see their classroom. To alleviate parking and interior crowding, we will offer several sessions on Friday, August 21:
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9:00 - 9:45 - Adapted Programs: PAC, EAC, ID, IDS, and Preschool Class-Based (ECCB)
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10:00 - 10:30 - Student Last Names A-L
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10:45 - 11:15 - Student Last Names M-Z
Some other details:
- You will meet your child's teacher and visit the classroom to explore the safe and welcoming environment that our teachers have created.
- It's a great time to drop off any medications in the school clinic, and pick up a Kiss 'N Ride number in the office if you will be picking up your student at the end of the school day.
- If you cannot attend the Open House, staff members will be available on the first day of school to assist students in locating their classrooms.
We know families are eager to find out who their child’s teacher will be for the upcoming school year! Class placement information will be shared early in the week of August 17 by Talking Points (Grades 1-6) and paper letter (Kindergarten) so families will know who their child’s teacher is prior to Open House.
Want to cross something off of your August to-do list right now? Check out our 2026-27 School Supply Lists and have one thing less to worry about at back to school time! |
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Senate Bill 108 is a new Virginia law that went into effect on July 1. It requires that all schools in the state follow a “bell-to-bell” phone-free policy and prohibit cellphone possession and use for the entire school day. The updated FCPS Cellphone Policy aligns with this law.
Across all grade levels, cellphones, cellphone accessories, and all smart devices must be off and personally stored for the duration of the school day. Watches that serve a dual purpose (like a smartwatch) must be off and personally stored for the duration of the school day, too. Personal devices that connect to a cellphone or cellphone accessory or operate as a smart device must also follow the FCPS Cellphone Policy.
This policy does not apply to school-issued devices. However, school-issued devices must be used in accordance with FCPS Regulation 6410, Acceptable Use Policy, which allows the use of school-issued devices for educational purposes. More details are available on the FCPS Cellphone Policy webpage.
 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 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.
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