From the School Administration
Dear Belvedere Families,
What a great first week back after break—it was full of energy, joy, and so many smiles!
This week, the 4th and 5th grade orchestra performed their annual Spring Concert. It was amazing to hear 144 students playing violins, viola, cellos, and a bass all together! A huge round of applause to our talented students and to Ms. Hoffman, our incredible orchestra teacher. The music was absolutely beautiful—what a treat for everyone who attended!
On Thursday, we hosted our Kindergarten Orientation. Our future Bulldogs are already bursting with excitement, and we loved welcoming them to our school community. We can’t wait for our new kindergarten students to start at Belvedere! If you know of any students who are turning 5 by September 30, 2025, please have them call the front office to register for school next year. Tomorrow, is our next Outdoor Club. The Outdoor club is partnering with the PTA to do a trash clean up at Mason District park. Please register here to join!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdMxCHl1j3_-aYg43vBLSMWQYpUh411P3qkxvvBCR7YAQz9pg/viewform
There are only 6 weeks of school left, we are committed to making these weeks full of fun and learning!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Warm Regards,
Cecilia Vanderhye, Principal
Tara Boone, Assistant Principal
Kelly Cabezas, Assistant Principal
Kiss and Ride Courtesy Reminder
We kindly ask all families using Kiss and Ride—both in the morning and afternoon—to be respectful of our neighboring community. Please do not block driveways while waiting in line. Thank you for helping us maintain a positive relationship with those who live near our school!
A Note from Jaclyn Walsh, Advanced Academics Resource Teacher
FCPS provides a continuum of services to challenge and engage all students. Students are screened annually to asses academic strengths and needs and align those with the level of AAP services through a process called School-based Screening. Belvedere will hold school-based screenings in early May. For more information about the Advanced Academics continuum of services, please visit https://www.fcps.edu/academics/advanced-academic-programs-aap/elementary .
You may also contact Jaclyn Walsh at jwalsh@fcps.edu.
A Message from the Outdoor Club
Tomorrow! Celebrate Earth Day at Mason District Park with Outdoor Club and the PTA on Saturday, April 26. Join us on this optional field trip to explore Mason District Park's natural area on a short hike, and help care for our community and the earth with a litter cleanup. Get details and sign up at https://forms.gle/VzaXpKGoGZg352X77. Rain or shine.
Belvedere Family Fun and Learning Festival!
What:
Belvedere families are invited to enjoy a variety of fun math and literacy activities hosted by our amazing staff! Students will have the chance to take home math books and independent reading books—and even enter a raffle for a fun prize! Free food will be provided for all families.
Who:
All Belvedere students and their families are welcome!
Where:
Belvedere Elementary School
(Enter through the front parking lot)
When:
Thursday, May 22
Time:
5:30 – 7:00 PM
RSVP here:
https://forms.gle/Nivh1MnWrecqcbBP8
Please note:
Parking at Belvedere is limited. We encourage you to park at John Calvin Presbyterian Church across the street, on Whispering Lane, carpool, or walk if possible.
April Workshops from the Family Resource Center
The Role of Boundaries in Teen Development - Join Dr. Jain, as she supporting families to understand the importance of Boundaries, model healthy boundaries, and navigate social and digital boundaries.
Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) Testing Schedule
Below is the schedule for Virginia Standards of Learning for grades 3 through 5. Please strive to ensure that your child is present on the days that they will be testing.
Thank you!
 
Information from the Registrar
If your student is not returning to Belvedere ES for the 2025-26 school year, please be sure to contact our Registrar, Mandy Belcher at abelcher@fcps.edu or at (703) 916-6804.
Kindergarten Registration for the 2025-26 School Year is Now Open!
If you have a child who will be 5 years old by September 30, they are eligible to attend Kindergarten for the upcoming year.
Registration paperwork can be downloaded at https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/Enroll_Pre-Kindergarten_Experience.pdf. Once you have completed the paperwork and gathered the required documents, please come into the front office to meet with our registrar, Mrs. Mandy Belcher (abelcher@fcps.edu).
Alternatively, you can now choose to use our online registration tool https://www.fcps.edu/online-registration. If you choose the online option, you will then have to come into the office with the child’s original birth certificate, your proof of residence (deed/lease) and your ID.
Please note the Commonwealth of VA medical form (showing immunizations and physical exam) can be submitted at a later date, as long as we have this by August 15, 2025 at the latest.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Belcher.
Early registration is strongly encouraged.
B-I-N-G-O is B-A-C-K next week!
Get ready to shout BINGO! and win some amazing prizes at this fun-filled family evening. Drinks and snacks will be available for purchase. All proceeds support BES 5th grade graduation events later this school year.
Date: Thursday, May 1
Time: 6-7:30 p.m.
Location: Belvedere ES Cafeteria
We are seeking adult volunteers to manage our student support on May 1. Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050D44AFAB29A13-56190706-5thgrade
We also need refreshment donations! If you're headed to the store, we are looking for drinks, chips and cookies. Those items can be brought into school by your student and dropped in the front office until May 1. Sign up to donate.
Each Belvedere student will receive 2 free BINGO cards, but please bring cash on May 1 to purchase refreshments – including pizza – and any extra BINGO cards. All BES staff, caregivers and students' family members are welcome.
Questions? Contact Jessica Schulken at jessica1045@yahoo.com.
Join the Outdoor Club Earth Day Clean-up this Weekend
All Belvedere families are welcome to mark Earth Day with a Outdoor Club hike and litter clean-up in nearby Mason District Park. Students in grades 2-5 are free to attend without a caregiver; a caregiver must accompany any student in grades K-1. Please either take the bus, which will stop at Belvedere and Barcroft View Apartments (6001 Columbia Pike) before heading to Mason District Park, or park at Belvedere ES and walk the short distance to the park. Parking at Mason District Park can be very crowded on the weekends. Sign up today!
Date: Saturday, April 26
Schedule: 9am meet bus at school, 9:15 pick-up at Barcroft View, 9:30 a.m. drop at Mason District
9:30-10:15 a.m. - hike + explore (meet at the park amphitheater) 10:15-11 - litter clean-up11am - bus returns to Belvedere and Barcroft View Apartments
The PTA will provide contractor bags, but please bring smaller bags and caregivers should bring gloves to gather litter. The Outdoor Club will have gloves for students. This event will be led by Belvedere’s environmental educator Andrea Auerbach. Message her or the PTA with any questions at asauerbach1@fcps.edu or bespta.va@gmail.com.
Volunteers Needed: Jewelry Shop, May 8+9
We need volunteers for the PTA Jewelry Shop on May 8 and May 9 to help set up the displays, pack items when the shop closes and assist the children with their selections and wrapping. It helps to have a lot of volunteers for each shift to move each class through the shop as quickly as possible.
If you've never volunteered for a PTA event before, this is a great one to try. No special skills are required except a willingness to help! And if you have volunteered before, you know this is a touching and sweet event.
Feel free to sign up for more than one shift if you're available. All caregivers are welcome to volunteer. Sign up today!
If you have any costume jewelry you no longer wear, we’d be grateful to have it. The jewelry doesn’t have to be fancy – just something in good condition that might make a student and their loved one smile. We’re also accepting supplies such as tissue paper, gift bags and card tags. Please submit all donations by April 30.
There’s a donation box in the Belvedere front office. If you have any questions, please contact Paola Long at 571-243-9220 or psiles51@hotmail.com.
Get Ready for Teacher Appreciation Week, May 5-9
The PTA will be sharing our community’s love for the BES staff every day during Teacher Appreciation Week, May 5-9. Join us on Facebook or receive updates via Givebacks as a BES PTA member on all we have planned for that special week. Your membership dues, donations and support for PTA fundraising events throughout the year make it possible for us to support the BES staff. Thank you! And if you want to show your support for the teachers in your students’ lives, National PTA has free resources to share, including thank you cards and more.
Social and Emotional Learning Screener: Parent Reports
Students in grades 3-12 took the SEL Screener during the month of March, providing information on their SEL skills such as achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships, and making responsible decisions. The screener also asks students how well their school community makes them feel valued, included, and supported.
Individual student SEL Screener results are 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 support in understanding your individual student’s results or for ideas on how to support them at home, please review the SEL Screener Results Family Guide or reach out to our school staff with any questions.
Protect Your Child from Measles: What You Need to Know
Measles cases continue to rise in the U.S. About 1 in 5 people who get measles end up in the hospital. Measles can cause severe complications like a lung infection (pneumonia), brain inflammation (encephalitis), and possibly death, even with medical care. Symptoms of measles typically include:
- High fever (may spike up to 104°F)
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red, watery eyes
- A rash that appears around 3-5 days after other symptoms begin. The rash typically starts on the face and spreads down the body.
The best way to protect a child from measles is by getting two doses of the combination measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.
If you are unsure of your child's vaccination status or your personal vaccination status, talk to your health care provider. If your child needs an immunization, make an appointment with your health care provider, visit the Fairfax County Health Department website for a list of child immunization clinics, or view other Immunization Resources.
✅ Share Feedback With County Health Department on School Health Services
The Fairfax County Health Department and Fairfax County Public Schools School Health Services invite parents/caregivers of FCPS students to participate in a survey on satisfaction with school health room services. The survey takes about five minutes to complete and will be open until Monday, May 5.
School health rooms (clinics) are managed by public health nurses and school health aides. Those staff provide care for students who become sick or injured during the school day, who require medications during the school day, and/or who have a chronic health condition that requires management during the school day.
Additionally, the school health room staff:
- Provide health education, communicable disease prevention, and health screenings.
- Work with schools to help address the root causes of population health disparities so that all students have equitable access to educational and health opportunities.
- Ensure that students have care for minor injuries and illnesses, and chronic health conditions, thus helping to minimize health barriers to learning.
Survey results will provide a basis for quality improvement of school health room services as well as inform future planning for schools.
☀️ Discover Exciting Summer Learning Activities and Ideas
Attend the FCPS Summer Extravaganza on Saturday, May 10, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., at Woodson High School and get a jump on summer learning and fun! At this free event, participants can engage in educational and enrichment activities designed to inspire curiosity and growth.
An FCPS Student Program Marketplace will feature student-made goods for sale. Proceeds will support the students’ programs.
Learn about summer programs and resources available from community and business partners. Enjoy face painting, touring a fire truck, student performances, and much more! For more information, visit the Summer Extravaganza webpage.
Nominations Open for the Bussey Memorial Equity Award
Nominations are now open for the 2025 Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award. 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.
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 19. Visit the Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award webpage to access the nomination information form.
Increasing Access to Middle School Algebra 1
FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan Goal 3: Academic Growth and Excellence places a focus on successful completion of Algebra 1 by eighth grade. To increase access to Algebra 1 for middle school students, the school division has decided to streamline the criteria for taking Algebra 1 Honors in seventh grade.
With the simplified criteria, Iowa Algebra Aptitude Test (IAAT) scores are no longer a prerequisite when selecting either Mathematics 7 Honors or Algebra 1 Honors. Although it is not a requirement for advanced math, families may still use the test scores to help decide which level of mathematics their child signs up for.
Families of students who took the IAAT this winter will receive their score report by the end of this month. Students who were scheduled for the IAAT but did not get to complete the test will have the chance to opt-in for a makeup test at the end of the year. Parents/caregivers will receive information about this makeup testing opportunity.
Additional information and copies of upcoming family communication can be found on the IAAT webpage.
Pre-K Program Accepting Applications for Fall
The FCPS PreK Program serves 3 and 4 year old students with a high quality, full-day preschool program with no cost to families at 78 Fairfax County elementary schools.
Students may qualify with a variety of economic or educational risk factors. Learn more about the Pre-K and Early Head Start Program by watching this video (English) or video (Spanish).
Spaces fill quickly, so complete an application online now or call 703-208-7900 (English) or 703-208-7901 (Spanish) for more information.
It’s Time to Talk About Fentanyl: Become Unskippable
National Fentanyl Awareness Day is Tuesday, April 29. Learn fentanyl facts and how to have short, impactful conversations in a way that teens are more likely to listen. Get everything you need to prepare by visiting the Fentanyl Awareness webpage. Supporting Resources are on the bottom of the page.
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