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1. Message from the Principal
2. Parent Representatives Needed
3. Re-Enrollment Forms & Teacher Assignments
4. From FCPS
5. Recognize Our Staff Who Go Above and Beyond
6. Mark Your Calendar
Dear Coates Families,
I hope that you have been enjoying all that summer has to offer and you are looking forward to the new school year. Our team has been busy planning for your return and we are looking forward to a school year filled with exciting and engaging learning opportunities!
We can’t wait to welcome all of you back to Coates with our 5th annual Back-to-School Block Party on Thursday, 8/20 from 3-5pm! The event is scheduled for earlier in the day to avoid conflicts w/ BTS events at our neighboring schools, and especially Carson MS and Westfield HS. The Resource Fair in the gym and Block Party out at the playground area will be open for the duration, although the visit to classrooms for the Open House will be limited to the 3-4pm hour. This will allow teachers to enjoy some time w/ families outside at the Block Party with music and food as we celebrate the beginning of a new school year. We can't wait to see you all there!
To assist all of our families with beginning of the school year preparations, we have created a one-pager linked to our website called the Family Information Hub. You will find all the necessary tasks to complete, along with plenty of additional information to keep you connected throughout the year. Please take some time to review all these resources and give us a call in the main office at 703-713-3000 if you have any questions.
We are looking forward to seeing you all back soon!
Sincerely,
Paul Basdekis
Principal
L.L. Coates Elementary School
Seeking Parent Representatives for the Title I Parent Advisory Committee (TPAC)
We're looking for interested parents to serve as Coates' Title I Parent Advisory Committee (TPAC) representative or as a backup representative. TPAC members have the opportunity to learn more about the Title I grant in Fairfax County, family engagement initiatives across FCPS, and provide valuable input on the planning and implementation of Title I family engagement supports.
If you're interested in serving as Coates' main or backup TPAC representative, please email Alexis Hermes at arhermes@fcps.edu. We'd love to have your voice and partnership in supporting our school community!
Seeking Parent Representatives for the Superintendent's Family Vision Group
Coates is seeking two parent representatives to serve on the FCPS Superintendent's Family Vision Group. This committee provides families with the opportunity to connect directly with district leadership through bi-monthly conversations, share perspectives, and help shape the future of Fairfax County Public Schools.
If you're interested in representing Coates on the Superintendent's Family Vision Group, please email Alexis Hermes at arhermes@fcps.edu. We encourage all interested parents to consider this opportunity to have their voice heard and make a positive impact for our school community.
As we prepare for an exciting new school year, we are working toward 100% completion of student re-enrollment forms for every family before the first day of school. Completing these forms ensures that we have accurate information for your child and includes your selection for early release Wednesday childcare.
This school year, FCPS will have four early release Wednesdays, with students dismissed at 1:00 p.m. The early release dates are October 21, December 2, February 10, and May 5.
Families can complete the annual re-enrollment packet electronically through ParentVUE or download the paper forms from the FCPS website and return them to the school office. All re-enrollment forms must be submitted before the start of school.
Please note that teacher assignments will be available only after your child's re-enrollment forms have been completed.
To view your child's teacher assignment before Open House, we encourage you to submit your forms in advance. Families who have not completed the required forms before Open House may do so at the event and will receive their child's classroom assignment once the forms are complete.
Thank you for helping us start the school year smoothly!
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.
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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 ajmarney@fcps.edu or 703-713-3000 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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story, so we can all acknowledge the good work of FCPS employees, specifically at Coates. |
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