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Hello, Scottie families!  

It's been a great, full week of school!  It has been cold outside, and next week looks to continue to bring cold weather.  A reminder that classes do go outside for recess during the winter months, so please be sure to send your children to school dressed for the weather -- coats, hats, gloves, etc.  

Next Friday, January 23, we have our PTO Bingo Night, with proceeds supporting 6th grade end-of-year activities.  We hope to see many of our Bonnie Brae families there!

Please be sure to check out the section below about ongoing renovation roofing work.  The sidewalk along the back of the building will be closed temporarily while this work takes place, and we will be utilizing Door 5 for all kiss & ride students during the temporary sidewalk closure.  

A reminder that there is no school on Monday, January 19, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  We will see our Scotties back in school on Tuesday, January 21.

Have a wonderful 3-day weekend with your family and friends.

Morgan Birge, Principal

Rose Stephens, Assistant Principal

Natalie Vershaw, Assistant Principal

Family.  Relationships.  Success.

• January 19 - Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday Holiday (no school for students and staff)
• January 20 - Chipotle Restaurant Night, 5-9 PM
• January 23 - SCA Spirit Day: Sports Fans
• January 23 - PTO Bingo Night, 6-8 PM (cafeteria)

A few amazing highlights that happened this week...

Mrs. Hovey and Ms. Sheehan’s students recently stepped into the role of engineers to answer the question, "How can you use biomimicry to invent a new product inspired by an animal’s adaptations?"

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Holiday

Schools and offices will be closed on Monday, January 19, for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. See the complete school year calendar.

Early Release Day & Student Holidays

Wednesday, January 28, is the last day of the second quarter and a two-hour early release for students. Students will be dismissed at 1:15 PM on Wednesday, January 28.

Schools are closed for students on Thursday, January 29, for a staff development day, and Friday, January 30, for a teacher workday.

See the complete school year calendar.

Rear Sidewalk Closed Temporarily for Renovation Work

The rear sidewalk that leads to and from the trailer classrooms is closed temporarily to allow roofing work to be completed on the section of the building that is currently under renovation.  FCPS Office of Design and Construction shared with Bonnie Brae that this work will take a few weeks, and once roofing renovations are complete, the rear sidewalk will re-open.  During this time, all kiss & ride students will enter and exit the building through Door 5.  Be sure to check out the Bonnie Brae capital project website here for more information about our renovation. 

Order Our 2025-2026 Bonnie Brae Yearbook!

Bonnie Brae yearbooks are officially on sale!  All orders (online only) are due by April 17, 2026. The prices detailed below are for all yearbooks purchased by April 17, 2026.

• Soft cover yearbooks are $18
• Hard cover yearbooks are $24
• Option to add a foil name stamp for an additional $4  

To order a Bonnie Brae ES Yearbook via credit card online, visit https://www.buytheyearbook.com/en/bty/findmyschool and use School ID Number 732269. 

We will have a limited number of yearbooks for sale on-site in June at a cost of $20 per soft cover yearbook (no hard cover yearbooks or foil name stamps will be sold on-site).

Yearbooks are expected to arrive late-May/early June. 

Visit the Bonnie Brae Yearbook webpage for details.

Halfway Through Seeing Different Perspectives in Language Arts 

We are halfway through Benchmark Unit 4 in Language Arts! Across grade levels, students have learned how perspective shapes storytelling and understanding. Connect with your child’s learning at school with these fun questions and hands-on activities at home:

• Question: If you could be one of the characters from one of this unit’s readings, who would you choose and why?
• Activity: Have your child write or dictate a diary entry from the perspective of a book character.

At the end of the unit, your child will take their unit magazine home. The magazine includes an activity calendar with fun ways to help students build on what they’re learning at each grade level. You can also find information on how to support your child’s reading at home on the Benchmark Families website.Click to edit this placeholder text.

Did Your Student Get a New Phone or Device? 

For a distraction-free start to the New Year, please remind your student about FCPS' policy for cell phones and personal devices. This policy helps students focus, interact more with their peers and teachers, and build independent problem-solving skills.

Visit FCPS’ cell phone policy webpage for more information and answers to frequently asked questions, including:

• Exceptions for students with medical conditions or IEP/504 plans.

• Cell phone use on buses and field trips.

• Consequences for cell phone policy violations.

If you need to reach your student during the school day, please call our main office.

Enhancing Safety and Security for Staff and Students

School safety and security are being enhanced across FCPS with a new emergency management system. The system includes sensors installed in schools and a wearable emergency response button (ERB) for staff. 

The button allows staff to quickly and discreetly request help and, once pressed, they provide location information within the school. The ERB will only work on school grounds and does not rely on cellular service. It is not meant to replace calling 911, but is an additional safety tool that can be used if calling 911 may not be safe or practical. 

Learn more about the emergency management system. You may submit questions to the FCPS Chief of Safety and Security Office.

When Should Your Child Stay Home?

Help your student succeed in school by encouraging them to miss as few days as possible. However, do make sure your student stays home if they are sick. Visit the FCPS website for helpful insights regarding absences and how to work with your child and our school to minimize impacts on learning.

If your child has a chronic illness, make sure to let us know so we can provide assistance, if needed. 

Healthy Habits to Reduce the Spread of Flu and Other Germs

Fairfax County is seeing very high levels of influenza (flu) illness. Visits to emergency departments and urgent care centers for flu-like illness have increased, especially among children, and multiple flu outbreaks have occurred in our community and school settings.

Consider these tips from the Fairfax County Health Department to help reduce the spread of flu and other germs.

Immunization Events for FCPS Students

FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will provide school-required immunizations and optional flu shots for all FCPS students with no out-of-pocket costs. Multiple events will take place at designated FCPS locations. Additional dates will be available throughout the school year. 

Parents or guardians may view upcoming events and schedule an appointment for their student. Participation is voluntary. View immunization resources on the FCPS website. 

Strategies for Better Sleep

Sleep is essential to good health, and getting enough sleep has big benefits to your physical and mental health and well-being. Sleep is restorative, allowing your body time to recover and repair. 

This is true for your child, too. In fact, adequate sleep in children supports healthy brain development, learning, and memory consolidation, as well as their mood. And it is important for a strong immune system and the prevention of infections. Read about how much sleep a person needs and get some sleep strategies you can use with your family. 

Access Schoology to Support Your Child

Schoology is the learning management system used in FCPS. Parents and students can use Schoology to view assignments and messages from teachers. Learn more about how to access and navigate Schoology. 

Visit the Schoology Snippets YouTube playlist to watch short tutorials that walk you through how to use Schoology.

Need help logging in or accessing Tech Support? Visit the Schoology for Parents page.

Meal Accommodations Provide Safe, Nutritious Meals

FCPS’s Office of Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) works to ensure every student has access to school meals that are safe, nutritious, and meet their individual dietary needs.

FNS works closely with families to provide reasonable meal accommodations for students whose medical needs affect what they can eat at school. To support students appropriately and safely, families are asked to submit medical documentation to FNS from a U.S. licensed health care provider so we can tailor meals to each child’s needs.

Learn more about the documentation required and the steps to develop a menu for your child.

BBES Parent Course on Schoology: New Update New information has been uploaded to our Parent Schoology Course. New this week:  BRYC Girls Football NVGSA Girls Softball In order to access Schoology, you must be signed up for a Parent Vue account and can use those credentials to sign in. Don't have a Parent Vue account? Register today!

Scotties Spiritwear Store — Open Through January 18!

We love our Scotties! The Bonnie Brae PTO is excited to share a quick-turn Spiritwear opportunity—now open through Sunday, January 18—featuring new designs, fun new color options, and the return of our popular Scotties heart design.

With our BBES Valentine’s Day Lunch and Purple Up Day coming up, this collection includes festive colors such as red, pinks, purple, gray, and of course our traditional royal blue. Spiritwear orders are expected to arrive a day or two before the Valentine’s Day lunch—just in time to wear and share the Scottie spirit!

Why it matters: For every item sold, $3 goes directly to support the Bonnie Brae PTO and our school community.

Order here: https://stores.sansscreenprint.com/bonniebraespirit/shop/home

Please note: Spiritwear items are custom ordered, so be sure to select sizes and colors carefully. All sales are final; no refunds or exchanges are available.

Thank you for showing your Scottie pride and supporting Bonnie Brae! 

Bonnie Brae PTO Chipotle Restaurant Night 

Do Good with Chipotle!

Mark your calendars and make dinner easy while supporting our school! Join us for a Chipotle Restaurant Night benefiting the Bonnie Brae Elementary PTO.

When: Tuesday, January 20 (5–9 PM)

Where: Chipotle – 5747 Burke Centre Parkway, Burke, VA 22015

25% of event sales will be donated back to the Bonnie Brae PTO to support school programs and enrichment opportunities.

How to Participate

• Dine in and show the fundraiser flyer at checkout