Principals' Update

Dear Freedom Hill Families,

We hope you had a wonderful week and stayed warm!

This week, we are excited to share that our PTA will be kicking off sign-ups for our "new look" before/after school enrichment classes, which will be led by our amazing FHES staff! Signups begin December 8. Financial aid is available for eligible families, and we encourage anyone in need to reach out before registering. All information can be found on the PTA website’s enrichment activities page. A big thanks to Alex Bryden for here tireless work bringing together our new format. You can email her with any questions.

We have seen an uptick of students with runny noses, coughs, and other ailments. Here are three important things families can keep in mind to keep students, staff, and our community healthy:

Wash Your Hands Often. Encourage regular handwashing with soap and water, especially before eating and after blowing noses or coughing. Clean hands are a simple but powerful way to stop the spread of germs.
Cover Coughs and Sneezes. Teach kids to use a tissue or their elbow to cover coughs and sneezes. Remind them to wash hands right after.
Keep Kids Home When Sick. If your child has a fever, is coughing a lot, or isn’t feeling well enough to participate in school, it’s best to keep them home. They can return to school once their symptoms are improving and they’ve been fever-free for at least 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication.

Wednesday, December 10^th, is our next Early Release Wednesday at 1:05. Please see the note below.

Have a great week!

Nicholas Zapadka, Principal

Tim Scesney, Assistant Principal

Holly Sims, Assistant Principal

Upcoming Dates for Your Calendar

2025-26 FCPS School Calendar

Freedom Hill Family Resources

Breakfast/Lunch Menus

December 8 - PTA Winter 2026 teacher-led enrichment classes will be available for registration at 8AM.
December 8 - Bodhi Day - no assessments will be given
Postponed - Band & Strings Winter Concert
December 10 - Early Release Wednesday, 1:05
December 10 - Family Dinner Out, Shake Shack, (rescheduled), 11AM-9:30PM, Pike 7
December 22 - January 4 - Winter Break
January 14 - Kilmer MS Virtual Info Session for Rising 7th Graders, 5PM
January 15 - Kilmer MS Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night, 5PM

This week, we are working on ONE of the FIVE overarching components of the Positivity Project. Supporting others when they struggle is an important test of our character every single day.

“We rise by lifting others.”

~Robert Ingersoll

When you put others first, you look to comfort people in the small, day-to-day disappointments, whether they are friends, classmates, acquaintances, family, and even rivals.

Think of a time you went through something difficult and someone encouraged you. How can you pass on that act of kindness this week?

Early Release Wednesday - 12/10

A reminder that our next Early Release Wednesday is December 10^th. Students will be released based on the selection that was made earlier this year. Students will be dismissed at 1:05 or 4:05 based on your original selection.

Full-Time AAP Referral Window

Parents and guardians of students in Grades 2-7 who would like their student to be considered for full-time Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) services must submit the AAP Full-Time Referral Form to Mrs. Fredericks no later than December 15, 2025.

Each year, families can submit a referral for Full-Time AAP services any time from the first day of school through December 15. No late referrals for Full-Time AAP services will be accepted.

Once a referral is received, our school will compile information related to the student. Then, a committee of trained professionals from across the county will review materials to determine eligibility for full-time AAP services.

Next Steps for Parents

Eligibility decisions are communicated by early April. At the elementary level, referrals for subject-specific and part-time AAP are screened by the school. If you miss the full-time referral deadline, your student can still be screened for subject-specific or part-time AAP services for the remainder of the year.

For more information, please visit the Advanced Academic Programs website.

Happy Bodhi Day to those in our community who celebrate! Bodhi Day is a Buddhist holiday that recognizes the day that Buddha achieved enlightenment through meditation under the Bodhi tree.

Monday, December 8^th, is a religious and cultural observance day recognizing the Buddhist holiday of Bodhi. There is school on these days, however specific events that cannot be made up will not be held on these observance days.