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Message from Ms. Shannon
Dear Mantua Families,
We are very happy to report that we had a wonderful and successful first week of school! Both staff and students are excited to be back and students are eager to learn. An abundance of staff members greeted and escorted students to class this week to ensure a smooth transition during arrival. Students are already learning their routines, and we love seeing all the smiling faces at Mantua! In addition, we were excited to greet our brand new preschoolers this morning for their first day of school. We’ve included a few photos from our first week, found below. Be sure to also check us out on Instagram for more photos and updates.
Please plan to attend our first scheduled PTA event, a pizza and ice cream social! This is a chance to meet other Mantua families while enjoying music and great food! The event is this Wednesday, August 30th, from 5:30-7 p.m. A detailed flyer went home with your child, and it included a QR code to pre-order your meal (pre-orders are due TONIGHT). Tickets will also be available at this event; you won’t want to miss this opportunity to connect with other families as well as support Mantua!
We want to give a friendly reminder to register for PickUp Patrol, our online dismissal system. Please feel free to reach out to our front office staff if you have questions about this process. Please also take read through the information below for important details on items like setting up a ParentVue account, monitoring your child’s technology use in the classroom, and transportation guidelines. We need your help to lay the groundwork for a safe and successful school year!
We do want to remind you of the long weekend coming up as we celebrate Labor Day. Schools and offices will be closed from September 1-4. School will resume on Tuesday, September 5. Have a wonderful weekend, and enjoy the last bit of summer!
Take good care,
Linda Shannon, Principal
Rich Deixler, Assistant Principal
Colleen Vaughan, Assistant Principal
Important Dates
August 28: Band & Strings Sign-up Due, Last day for PTA Ice Cream Social pre-orders.
August 30: Mantua PTA Ice Cream Social, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
September 1-4: Labor Day Break, No School, offices will be closed
September 8: PTA Meeting, 9:30 a.m., Mantua Cafeteria
September 20: Back to School Night, 6-8 p.m.
September 22: Woodson Feeder Night Football Game, beginning at 7 p.m., Woodson High School
September 26: AAP Parent/Family Information Night, 6-8 p.m., Mantua Cafeteria
Mantua News
Positivity Project
What is The Positivity Project?
The Positivity Project (P2) is an organization whose mission is to empower students to build positive relationships and become their best selves (NOTE: Watch the P2 founding story video here). Positive psychology’s 24 character strengths serve as its foundation. Ranging from bravery and perseverance to integrity and gratitude, the character strengths are classified and described in the 800-page book Character Strengths and Virtues. These strengths aren’t about ignoring the negative. Instead, they help us overcome life’s inevitable adversities.
To achieve its mission, P2 partners with Pre-K–12 schools and equips educators with the resources, training, and strategy to teach their students about character strengths and positive relationships. P2 is a school-wide endeavor grounded in the consistency of daily classroom instruction. P2 Partner Schools dedicate one week to each strength and students learn through daily 15-minute classroom lessons that are different for every grade level. These lessons help students understand character through definitions, examples, discussions, and exercises. P2’s model is holistic, incorporating students, educators, and parents through regular interaction with character strengths vocabulary and concepts.
What are the benefits of implementing The Positivity Project?
At Mantua we are using the P2 lessons as our schoolwide SEL curriculum. By consistently teaching students about the character strengths that people possess, they see themselves and other people based on the content of their character. This ability enhances their self-awareness and self-confidence, understanding and appreciation of others, and interpersonal relationships – which, in the long-term, will positively influence students across their lifespans. In the near team, it leads to more positive interactions and positive relationships within classrooms and schools — ultimately leading to a more positive school culture that supports teachers' ability to teach and students' ability to learn.
P2 evolves throughout a student’s entire school career. As students grow and understand character through instruction and experience, the strengths gain more meaning. They become a part of a student’s vocabulary and how they see themselves and the people around them — to include characters in books and movies.
P2 empowers students by acknowledging that the 24 character strengths are already part of who they are as people. It helps them realize that each and every one of them can tap into these strengths — and not just as students, but for the rest of their lives.
How can you help?
Family involvement is an integral part of student success, and we would love for you to take an active role in your student’s character strength education. P2 for Families (password: P2) provides an easy, accessible way to reiterate the character strengths vocabulary and have meaningful discussions about the importance of relationships at home. Additionally, you can follow P2 on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube to stay up to date on all things P2.
This week our school community will be focusing on the character strength of Curiosity. Curiosity means you like exploration and discovery. You ask lots of questions, because you want to learn more about anything and everything. Individuals with the character strength of curiosity are more likely to ask questions and try new things. Curiosity, then, is a form of courage. Asking questions exposes the fact that we don’t know, and trying a new activity means we might fail. However, it’s only through asking questions and exploring new opportunities that we learn and grow.
To practice and encourage the character strength of curiosity with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2) where together you will watch a video, read a quote, and talk about the answers to three questions.
AAP Parent/Family Information Night
We cordially invite parents to attend an AAP Parent/Family Information Night to learn about Advanced Academics Program (AAP) services at Mantua. Topics to be covered include –
- The different levels of AAP services offered
- How students are identified for AAP services
- How parents may refer their child for AAP services
This meeting will be held Tuesday, September 26, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the cafeteria. Spanish language interpretation services will be available.
Please direct any questions to our Mantua Advanced Academics Resource Teacher (AART), Kathy Van Dyke, at [email protected]
Safety Drills During the School Year
Keeping students and staff safe is a priority for FCPS. Each school has an emergency preparedness plan to respond to incidents such as fires and tornadoes. Schools are required by state law to practice emergency drills, including lockdown drills, each year. Schools are also required to notify parents and guardians at least 24 hours before a school conducts a lockdown drill. However, schools are not required to give the specific date and time of the drill in advance.
The first lockdown drill of the school year must take place within the first 20 days of school. Preschool and kindergarten students are exempt from practicing the first lockdown drill. We will inform parents and caregivers of our scheduled lockdown drill in September.
Your child may come home and talk about their experience during the drill. We encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Please review these frequently asked questions to support your students before and after school lockdown drills.
MANTUA Reminders
5th/6th Grade Band and Strings Registration
We look forward to seeing your students in our Mantua ES instrumental music teams! Students interested in band or strings who did not sign up last spring can still register! Please fill out the form at this link. Forms are due today, August 28, and classes start the week of Tuesday, September 5th.
Please email Mrs. Kate Easton for questions pertaining to strings: [email protected]
Please email Ms. Lynette Blacksten for questions pertaining to band: [email protected]
Arrival & Dismissal
Your children’s safety is our priority. Please be patient as arrival and dismissal routines are established in these first weeks. We understand the hurried nature of mornings and evenings, but please drive slowly and safely through our parking lots and beyond. As you may know, we have a single entrance and exit dedicated to Kiss and Ride and buses. The following notes help us to be safe and efficient. Please review the information below and reach out if you have any questions.
Arrival
We begin welcoming students at 9:05 a.m. Please do not drop your child off early, as there is no adult supervision of students before that time. If you arrive after 9:20 a.m., please park your car and walk your student(s) to the front office through door #1.
While staff will be greeting children at Kiss & Ride until 9:20, please do all that you can to complete dropoff by 9:15 to ensure a prompt 9:20 start in the classroom. This will allow your student time to walk to class and be in place by the time class begins. We work hard to maintain a learning environment that is most beneficial to all students. One essential part of our day in classrooms is our Morning Meeting. Being on time means your child has meaningful opportunities to develop relationships with peers and staff and start their day on a positive note.
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Walkers: Staff will greet walkers at Door #1. We ask parents to give hugs and well wishes prior to their children entering the building. We will have many staff members to help your child find their way to class during the first week of school.
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Bus Riders: Students are dismissed from their buses at 9:05 a.m.
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Kiss & Ride: Staff will greet Kiss & Ride students in the loop at the side entrance near door # 2. Please be sure to pull completely forward as staff directs you to do so. Whenever possible, please have students sit on the passenger side of the vehicle. For safety reasons, students are not to exit on the driver's side of the vehicle. Staff will assist your child's exit from the car as needed. Please remain in your car.
Please note that this is a single-lane loop. Stay to the far right and remain in the line as you proceed through the loop. The included image is to assist you. No cars should drive in the middle lane, as indicated by the red car in the image.
Dismissal
Walkers: Will be dismissed from their classrooms. If you are meeting your student(s), please meet them at door #2.
Kiss and Ride: Students waiting for Kiss & Ride will report to the Art rooms daily. If parents/guardians arrive before dismissal, students will receive notification in their classrooms through PUP and report directly to Kiss & Ride at dismissal. All families received PickUp Patrol (PUP) placards in Tuesday folders last week to be displayed on your dashboard or passenger window for the school year.
Bus Riders: Will be dismissed from their classrooms. If you are meeting your student(s) at the bus stop, please plan on being at the bus stop at least 5 minutes early. Kindergarten students who ride the bus in the afternoon must be met at the bus door and asked for by name by a parent, parent designee, guardian, or a responsible sibling who is a 7th grader or older. Kindergarten students not met will be returned to school.
PickUp Patrol (PUP)
Registration PickUp Patrol (PUP) emails were sent to all families. To ensure that all students take the correct mode of transportation home, it is imperative that parents and guardians complete the PUP registration and update each of your children’s dismissal plans. Please visit the PUP website if you have any questions. If you need further assistance, please email [email protected] and [email protected] . If you have not yet created an account, we encourage you to contact Ms. Finaish for a one-time link to set up your account. The link expires for security purposes, so once you receive the link, you should create the account immediately.
The student default plans you enter in PUP will become visible to the main office and to the individual teacher. If a student needs to leave school during the day for a doctor's appointment, families will update their child's dismissal plan using the app. This information is then communicated to the teacher and main office staff. At the time of pick-up, the parent/guardian will come to the office to pick up the child.
Key Points to Remember
- All children must be signed out in the office (late arrivals, early dismissal, re-entry).
- A student CAN NOT be released to anyone except the parent/guardian or the emergency contact indicated on the emergency care card. Parents/Guardians can give consent to release their child to a different adult by making a change to their child's dismissal plan using the PUP app. Please know that if the person picking up a child is unknown to the staff, identification will be required.
- Changes to the default plan need to happen prior to 2 PM daily.
- Changes can be made in advance for planned changes to the student’s schedule.
- No dismissals can occur within 30 minutes of the end of the school day.
- As you use the application, if you have any questions, please check the PUP FAQ page. If you need further assistance, please reach out to Ms. Fadwa Finaish at [email protected] or PickUp Patrol at [email protected].
Attendance
We will also continue using PUP for absence reporting. In the event of an absence or tardy, please visit the login to PickUp Patrol site or call 703-645-6363. Please specify a physician’s diagnosis, such as strep throat or pinkeye. If your child has not seen a physician, please be specific about the symptoms your child is having, such as fever, cough sore, throat headache, diarrhea, and/or vomiting. Our Public Health Nurse tracks this information.
Medication Forms & Drop Off
The Health Room continues to be open for drop-off of emergency and daily prescription medications. Medications may be dropped off after the start of school M-F, 9 a.m.– 4 p.m. All visitors are required to check in at the Main Office. All medications are required to have a completed medication authorization.
A parent or designated adult must transport all prescription medications to school. Students are not allowed to bring in prescription medications. Prescription labels must include a description of the medication.
FCPS Information
Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R)
FCPS’ Student Rights and Responsibilities document (SR&R) explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment. In late June, the School Board approved changes to the SR&R for the 2023-24 school year. Updates include a revision of dress code expectations, bystander expectations for students witnessing harmful or unsafe behaviors, bullying, and substance abuse responses. Read Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid’s letter to families regarding the SR&R.
Parents/caregivers should talk to their child(ren) about expectations for this school year. Also, please log in to SIS ParentVUE and sign to acknowledge your review of the SR&R, or sign and return the signature sheet to your child’s school by Friday, September 29.
Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity
FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.
Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.
Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.
Parental Permission to Use Digital Resources
Some FCPS-approved digital resources require parent consent before they can be used by students. Find the list of resources which require consent on the Parent Consent webpage. This page also includes directions for providing permission.
Each digital resource used in FCPS has had an instructional and technical review. Information about the educational technology tools approved for use within FCPS can be found in the online Digital Ecosystem Library.
Parents can find more information about FCPS-approved digital resources on the Digital Resources in FCPS webpage.
FCPS Reminders
Transportation
If a student’s bus is delayed, parents may access the Bus Delay Notification System or use the Here Comes the Bus mobile app to receive the delayed bus report. Email messages will be sent to announce significant bus delays. Contact the Transportation Office at 703-446-2050 with any additional questions. For any concerns after 5:30 p.m., contact Safety and Security at 571-423-2000.
To make sure you receive email messages about bus delays, update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE.
Preparing for and Paying for Meals
Parents/caregivers need to provide their students with money to purchase meals at school, send them with a packed lunch, or apply (and be approved) for free and reduced-price meals benefits. School breakfast for students costs $1.75. Lunch is $3.25 for elementary students and $3.50 for middle, secondary, and high school students. Free and Reduced-Price Meals
Paying With MySchoolBucks
The best way to purchase meals (and keep food lines moving!) is to use MySchoolBucks. Set up your student’s MySchoolBucks account today. Our front office staff can help with any questions.
MySchoolBucks accounts can be set up to add money to the account automatically, as needed. Families with multiple children can use the same MySchoolBucks account. Visit FCPS’ Food and Nutrition webpage for more information.
Free & Reduced-Price Meal Application for School Year 23-24
Families must submit an application and be approved to be eligible for free and reduced-price meals.
Interested families are encouraged to submit the Free and Reduced-Price Meal application at this link prior to the start of school on August 21st.
Students approved for Free and Reduced-Price Meals may qualify for additional benefits such as waived or reduced fees for instruments, uniforms, field trips, FCPS class fees, and Parktakes classes. Schools also benefit from funding opportunities based on Free and Reduced-Price Meal application numbers.
Learn more about the Free & Reduced Price Meal program online.
Low-Cost Internet for Free and Reduced-Price Eligible Students
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program to lower internet costs for families with children who have been eligible for free or reduced-price meals within the last 12 months. A qualifying household will receive $30 per month toward internet services and a one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. Families can check their eligibility and register at AffordableConnectivity.gov or by calling 877-384-2575.
What is Schoology?
Teachers use Schoology to post their classroom materials online, to provide a secure forum for students to discuss their ideas and collaborate on projects, and to assign and collect homework electronically. It helps students stay organized, and it keeps the class connected.
A Schoology Parent Account gives you access to:
- Your child’s classes.
- Your child’s upcoming assignments.
- School, class, and group announcements.
Parent accounts will be available after August 21. To access Schoology, parents will need to have an active SIS/ParentVUE account. Get more information on how to log in and use Schoology.
Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights
Fairfax County Public Schools wants all parents to understand its policies regarding surveys, records, curriculum, privacy, and related rights.
In its Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights and Opt-Out Forms (Annual Notice), FCPS provides explanations of the rights listed above and forms that may be used to exercise opt-out choices. Two versions of the Annual Notice are available — a grades K-8 version and a grades 9-12 version. Parents/caregivers with children at different grade levels should read each applicable version of the Annual Notice because the notices and opt-out rights vary depending on the student’s grade level.
Get more information and view the 2023-24 Opt-Out Booklets.
ParentVUE Accounts
Do you have your ParentVUE account? ParentVUE is a secure solution to access your child's attendance, SOL scores, test results, class performance, and demographic data.
Certain opt-out options and paper forms are transitioning to electronic forms, which can be accessed in parentvue. Learn more about Parent SIS accounts here!
If you don't have a ParentVue account, create one today by submitting a parent support request here.
Update Contact Information to Receive Messages From FCPS
Be among the first to know about weather closings, bus delays, and other critical communications from FCPS and our school by providing your cell phone number and email in SIS ParentVUE. Make sure you complete the Emergency Care Form for your child every year and update it when necessary.
To update your contact information in ParentVUE, click the “Online Packets” tab in the upper right of the screen, then select the “Online Verification/Update” form in the drop-down menu. Click “Begin Packet.”
Parents who do not have a SIS ParentVUE account may still communicate updates via the normal paper process. They may also print and complete a blank Emergency Care Information Form with updates and submit it to the front office.
Updated FCPS Device Policy for Students
Students in grades K-6 must keep phones silenced and in backpacks for the duration of the school day unless there is a medical need or emergency, or teachers have allowed the usage of cell phones for instructional activities where they are the most appropriate tool.
Watches that serve a dual purpose (e.g., smartwatch) may be worn; however, phone features (e.g., texting, Internet, calls, etc.) are to be off when phone use is prohibited.
Parents should talk to their child(ren) before the start of the school year about these expectations for this upcoming school year. Families may also review the parental controls available for all iPhone and Android users. More information about the SR&R is available online.
Quick Links
9107 Horner Court, Fairfax, VA 22031 | Main Office: 703-645-6300
Attendance: 703-645-6363 | Web | Twitter
