November 2014 Issue 3 The Terragram Phone (703) 390-5600 Fax (703) 390-5697 Attendance (703) 390-5656 http://www.fcps.edu/TerrasetES Lindsay Trout, Principal Candace Hunstad, Assistant Principal Principal’s Message November 11, 2014 A heartfelt thank you to all of the parents/guardians who attended Parent-Teacher conferences over the past few weeks. We cannot emphasize enough the impact that this has on your child’s education. We operate every single day with one mission: improving student achievement. Your commitment to your child allows us to work together on that mission. If you have not yet met with your child’s teacher, please contact him/her to arrange a time to chat. We would like to also say “thank you” to Senora De la Pava for filling in as a long term substitute in FLES while Sra. Calvache-Vu was on maternity leave. We are excited to welcome back Sra. Calvache Vu this week! Please take a few minutes to gather canned foods this week to send in with your child. We take great pride in our role as a member of the Greater Reston family. The canned goods we collect will help our neighbors in need and will allow them to celebrate and give thanks with a nice meal. Kindly, ADVANCED ACADEMIC PROGRAMS: CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING FOR EACH STUDENT Election Day reminded us of what a diverse and complex country we have! The teachers at Terraset ES are focused on preparing our students to be active and contributing members of our nation during this exciting 21st century! Fairfax County Public Schools has identified some necessary skills for every child’s success in this ever changing world. It’s Portrait of a Graduate focuses on educating the whole child to be: a communicator, a collaborator, an ethical and global citizen, a creative and critical thinker, as well as a goal-directed and resilient person! Your child is already working on acquiring these skills in reading groups as she sets an attainable weekly reading target, during lunch time discussions when she talks with a friend, when she writes on Google Docs and performs a readers’ theater script with a buddy, and when she thinks of and applies new strategies to solve a math problem. TERRASET CANNED FOOD DRIVE Please help us reach our goal of collecting 1600 cans! Terraset’s Student Council Association and the Terraset Community Service Committee are co-sponsoring a food drive from Nov. 10 to Nov. 14. Our collection of canned and boxed food will benefit the Herndon-Reston FISH (Friendly Instant Sympathetic Help) organization, which helps a number of families in our local community. Please have your child bring in non-perishable food (boxed or canned) this week as we strive to reach our goal and to teach our students the importance of helping others. We appreciate anything you are able to donate. more than 30 percent of Fairfax County Public Schools’ student population. The School Board’s decision reflects a start time change for all four years of high school, a crucial period for students’ college-preparatory or work-readiness years as well as their athletic engagements and other activities. As a part of the decision, the School Board approved later start times for all middle and high school students who attend the three FCPS secondary schools. Middle school students will attend school from 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. The elementary school window remains unchanged with elementary school students beginning their day between 8 and 9:20 a.m. All elementary schools will start at the same time or within 5 to 10 minutes of their current start time. JUNTA ESCOLAR DEL CONDADO DE FAIRFAX APRUEBA TARDE HORAS DE INICIO PARA ESCUELAS SECUNDARIAS FROM THE TERRASET TIGER CHORUS The SLHS Chorus Pyramid teachers and schools (including TERRASET!) are partnering up to do a fundraiser at the Silver Diner (11951 Killingsworth Ave, Reston, VA – right off Baron Cameron) on Wednesday, November 12 from 5-8 PM. The teachers (including MR. ANDERT and MS. BEDKER!) will be assisting in ‘running the diner’ by serving all who dine in that night between 5 and 8 PM. All proceeds will be used to offset the cost of the provided dinner for the Pyramid workshops and concerts in February for all pyramid Chorus students. The Silver Diner will donate 20% of each bill in excess of a typical weeknight earnings. In addition, donations can be solicited at the door to the general public. Please support this endeavor to help raise funds by spreading the word to your friends and family and having dinner at the Diner on November 12. For more info go to http://southlakeschorus.org/run-diner-fundraiser/. See you there! FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES LATER START TIMES FOR HIGH SCHOOLS Citing the clear health benefits for adolescents, the Fairfax County School Board approved a recommendation for starting high schools later, between 8 and 8:10 a.m. and ending between 2:45 and 2:55 p.m. This change, which will begin in the 2015-16 school year, will benefit more than 57,000 high school students representing Citando los beneficios de salud claras para los adolescentes , la Junta Escolar del Condado de Fairfax aprobó una recomendación para el inicio de las escuelas secundarias más tarde, entre las 8 y las 8:10 am y termina 2:45-14:55 Este cambio, que se iniciará en el 2015- año escolar 16, beneficiará a más de 57.000 estudiantes de secundaria que representan más del 30 por ciento de la población estudiantil de Fairfax Escuelas Públicas del Condado. La decisión de la Junta Escolar refleja un cambio de hora de inicio para los cuatro años de la escuela secundaria, un período crucial durante años de preparación universitaria o el trabajo de preparación de los estudiantes, así como sus compromisos deportivos y otras actividades. Como parte de la decisión, la Junta Escolar aprobó más tarde las horas de inicio para todos los estudiantes de secundaria y preparatoria que asisten a las tres escuelas secundarias de FCPS. Los estudiantes de secundaria asistirán a la escuela de 7:30 am a 14:15 La ventana de la escuela primaria se mantiene sin cambios con estudiantes de la escuela elemental de comenzar su día entre las 8 y las 9:20 am Todas las escuelas primarias comenzarán al mismo tiempo o dentro de 5 a 10 minutos de su hora de inicio actual. HELP FAIRFAX FAMILIES THIS HOLIDAY SEASON The holidays are a time for sharing, and there is no better way to celebrate the spirit of the season than by helping your neighbors in need. Consider sponsoring a family for the holidays. More than 73,000 people in the Fairfax County area—including about 34,000 children—do not know where their next meal is coming from. As the holidays approach, many parents worry that they will not be able to provide gifts for their children or a holiday meal to celebrate the season. Through a grant from Fairfax County, local non-profit Our Daily Bread (ODB) administers a Holiday Program that matches local families with community members who provide Thanksgiving and December holiday meals, as well as gifts for the children in the family. Families in need are referred to the program by Fairfax County Public Schools social workers and counselors, as well as local social services agencies. Many of these families work multiple jobs to make ends meet, but still are unable to keep up with the high cost of housing, food, transportation, and utilities in the county. Others are searching for work after being laid off or cannot work because of illness or injury. When you sponsor a family, you will feel the true spirit of the season. Participating in the Holiday Program is a wonderful group or family activity. And it’s a great way to give back to the community, because your help goes directly to a local family in need. In 2013, ODB’s Holiday Program assisted more than 3,000 families. The need is expected to be even greater this year. How Can I Help? There are three ways to participate: Sponsor a family: Purchase food for a holiday meal and arrange to deliver it to the family. For December holidays, you may also opt to purchase gifts or gift cards for the children in the family. Be a virtual sponsor: Donate funds that will be used to purchase a gift card to help a specific family. We’ll notify you when we have sent your gift card. Provide a donation: Our Daily Bread also welcomes contributions of money or gift cards to assist families who are not sponsored. Daily Bread Holiday Program, 4080 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22030. AYUDA FAIRFAX FAMILIAS ESTA TEMPORADA DE FIESTAS Las vacaciones son un tiempo para compartir, y no hay mejor manera de celebrar el espíritu de la temporada que por ayudar a sus vecinos en necesidad. Considere la posibilidad de patrocinar a una familia para los días de fiesta . Más de 73.000 personas en el área del Condado de Fairfax, incluyendo cerca de 34.000 niñosno sé dónde su próxima comida está viniendo. A medida que el enfoque de las vacaciones, muchos padres se preocupan de que no van a ser capaces de proporcionar regalos para sus hijos o una comida de fiesta para celebrar la temporada. A través de una subvención del Condado de Fairfax, sin fines de lucro local de Nuestro Pan Diario (ODB) administra un programa de vacaciones que coincida con las familias locales con miembros de la comunidad que proveen de Acción de Gracias y comidas de las fiestas de diciembre, así como regalos para los niños en la familia. Las familias que lo necesitan son referidos al programa de Escuelas Públicas del Condado de Fairfax trabajadores sociales y consejeros, así como las agencias de servicios sociales locales. Muchas de estas familias trabajan varios trabajos a fin de mes, pero todavía no son capaces de mantenerse al día con el alto costo de la vivienda, la alimentación, el transporte y los servicios públicos en el condado. Otros están buscando trabajo después de ser despedido o no pueden trabajar debido a una enfermedad o lesión. Cuando usted patrocina una familia, usted se sentirá el verdadero espíritu de la temporada. Participar en el Programa de Vacaciones es una actividad de grupo o familia maravillosa. Y es una gran manera de devolver a la comunidad, porque su ayuda va directamente a una familia local en necesidad. En 2013, el Programa de vacaciones de ODB ayudó a más de 3.000 familias. Se espera que la necesidad de ser aún mayor este año. ¿Cómo puedo ayudar? How Do I Sign Up? Register to sponsor a family or become a virtual donor using our secure on-line donor form at www.ODBFairfax.org. ODB will match you with a family and send you all the information you need. To learn more, contact Our Daily Bread at [email protected] or 703-273-8829. If you prefer to make a donation, visit the website and click on “Donate Now,” or mail your contribution to Our Hay tres maneras de participar: Patrocinar una familia : Compra de alimentos para una comida festiva y hacer arreglos para entregarlos a la familia. Para las vacaciones de diciembre, también la opción de adquirir regalos o tarjetas de regalo para los niños en la familia. Sea un patrocinador virtuales : Donar los fondos que serán utilizados para la compra de una tarjeta de regalo para ayudar a una familia específica. Le notificaremos cuando hemos enviado su tarjeta de regalo. Proporcionar una donación : Nuestro pan de cada día también da la bienvenida a las contribuciones de dinero o tarjetas de regalo para ayudar a las familias que no son patrocinados. aprender la información general acerca de FCPS y reciban apoyo si están teniendo dificultades para comunicarse con las escuelas de sus hijos debido a una barrera del idioma. Los números de Información para Padres de línea son: ¿CÓMO ME INSCRIBO? Un padre puede llamar en cualquier momento, dejar un mensaje en su lengua, y recibir una llamada telefónica de retorno en que el lenguaje de un miembro del personal de FCPS dentro de 24 horas de lunes a viernes. Registrarse para apadrinar a un familiar o ser donante virtual usando nuestro formulario seguro de donantes en línea en www.ODBFairfax.org . ODB le coincida con una familia y le enviaremos toda la información que necesita. Para obtener más información, póngase en contacto con nuestro pan de cada en [email protected] o 703-273-8829. Si prefiere hacer una donación, visite el sitio Web y haga clic en "Donate Now", o enviar por correo su contribución a nuestro programa Daily Bread Holiday, 4080 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22030. TELEPHONE PARENT INFORMATION LINE AVAILABLE IN EIGHT LANGUAGES Parents who speak Ahmaric, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese can call a telephone information line to help them learn general information about FCPS and to receive support if they are having difficulty communicating with their children's schools due to a language barrier. IMPACT AID FORM Parents, if you have not returned your StudentParent Survey Form (Impact Aid) to the office please do so as soon as possible. One form for every student needs to be collected before November 20th. Please complete sections 2 and 3 if you are a civilian living or working on federal property and sign and date the form Please complete section 4 if you are on active duty in the US uniformed services and sign and date the form Please complete section 5 if you are on active duty in a foreign military service and sign and date the form If no parent or guardian lives or works on federal property, just sign and date the form. The fund FCPS receives based on the Impact Form is about $3,000,000 from the Impact Aid grant. The Parent Information Line numbers are: Amharic—571-423-4957. Arabic—571-423-4952 Chinese—571-423-4953 Farsi—571-423-4954 Korean—571-423-4951 Spanish—571-423-4950 Urdu—571-423-4955 Vietnamese—571-423-4956 A parent may call at any time, leave a message in his or her language, and receive a return phone call in that language from an FCPS staff member within 24 hours Monday through Friday. TELÉFONO DE INFORMACIÓN PARA PADRES LÍNEA DISPONIBLE EN OCHO IDIOMAS Los padres que hablan Ahmaric, árabe, chino, farsi, coreano, español, urdu, o vietnamita pueden llamar a una línea telefónica de información para ayudarles a CALENDAR November 10-14 Canned Food Drive 11 7:00pm, PTA meeting (cafeteria) 15 9:00-12:00pm, Thomas Jefferson High School’s Annual Open House 19 9:30am-5:00pm - Sixth Grade field trip to INNER QUEST 7:00-8:00pm, Read With Your Child (K-3) 21 SCA School Spirit Day (Wacky Hair Day) 26 2-hour early release for students (1:55pm) 27-28 Thanksgiving Holiday December 3 Picture Re-takes Day