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Hello, Scottie families!
Thank you to those who have been able to donate to our staff December Days of Cheer. We are grateful for the support of such a generous community.
Please see the section below about our lost & found, which is overflowing! We ask families to check the lost and found for missing items these next two weeks. Any items remaining on December 20 will be donated to a local cause.
A reminder that our next Early Release Monday is next week, on December 9. Students will be dismissed at 12:15 PM, with the afternoon time dedicated for teachers to complete state required trainings. For families who have shared with us that their child will stay at school due to child care needs, dismissal will take place at our regular time of 3:15 PM.
Enjoy the weekend with your family!
Morgan Birge, Principal
Natalie Vershaw, Assistant Principal
Melissa Johnson, Assistant Principal
Family. Relationships. Success.
Positivity Project
Upcoming Weekly Focus: Other People Mindset - Supporting Others When They Struggle
Character Strengths: When other people are struggling, I do my best to help them out.
Quote of the Week: “Giving back is as good for you as it is for those you
are helping because giving gives you purpose.”
-GOLDIE HAWN
Positivity Project for Families
Families can find resources to help continue the discussion of character strengths at home by visiting the Positivity Project for Families webpage.
A few amazing highlights that happened this week...
Kindergarten and sixth grade students collaborated and created their own balloons over Broadway!
Fifth grade students enjoying recess; even when it is really cold!
Early Release Monday-December 9
The next Early Release Monday is December 9. Students will be dismissed three hours early at 12:15 PM.
As a reminder, if you completed the form and shared that your student will need to stay at Bonnie Brae on our Early Release Monday, they will be dismissed at the regular time of 3:15 PM.
Bonnie Brae December Cheer!
In collaboration with the Bonnie Brae PTO, we have special activities and treats planned for twelve days in December to help make the month joyful for our fantastic Bonnie Brae staff, and we cannot do it without you!
We are seeking donations of gift cards to use in a raffle for our wonderful teachers and staff leading up to winter break!
Please see the sign-up for gift card donations. Please make sure to send gift cards to the office by Friday, December 13th.
Thank you for helping us show how much we love and appreciate our Scottie staff. Any donation is very appreciated!
Winter Break (Student Holiday)
As a reminder, winter break will be held Monday, December 23, to Friday, January 3. To help make sure you and your children have a restful break, we have asked that no homework be assigned during this time. Teachers may assign long-range assignments in the weeks ahead of the break, allowing students to practice time management skills, but no assignments will be due immediately following the break. We look forward to welcoming students back in the new year.Classes resume on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. See the complete school year calendar.
Window for Full-Time Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) Referrals Closes on December 15, 2024
Parents/guardians of students in Grades 2-7 who would like their student to be considered for Full-Time advanced academic programs may submit the AAP Full-Time Referral Form to our AART, Larissa Sheehan [email protected] no later than December 15, 2024. The window for families to submit a referral for Full-Time AAP services is the first day of school through December 15, annually. Forms for Full-Time and part-time referrals are available on the AAP Forms Page. No late referrals for Full-Time AAP services will be accepted.
Submitting a referral form for Full-Time AAP will initiate a process that begins at the local school and is then completed at the central office level. Our school will put together a portfolio that includes multiple data which are considered holistically. At the central office level, a committee of six trained professionals from various schools and roles will review the portfolio materials to determine eligibility for Full-Time placement. Eligibility decisions are communicated by early April. Parents may request a copy of the portfolio that was submitted after they have been turned in for central selection by emailing Larissa Sheehan at the above email. Referrals for Subject-Specific and Part-Time AAP are screened at the local school. If you miss this deadline, your student can still be screened for Subject-Specific AAP or Part-Time AAP for the remainder of the year and submit a referral for Full-Time AAP next fall.
For more information, please view Bonnie Brae's Full Time Services Process Overview.
Bonnie Brae 2024-2025 Outstanding Employees
Congrats to our 2024-2025 BBES Outstanding Employees! We had several nominations in each of our categories and we are excited to announce the following winners:
- Outstanding Teacher – Christine Thomas
- Outstanding New Teacher – Jennifer Cheung
- Outstanding New Principal – Morgan Birge
- Outstanding Leader – Natalie Vershaw
- Outstanding Professional Employee – April Cascio
- Outstanding Operational Employee – Christiane Weiss
Thank you to all of those who submitted nominations this year! We appreciate your support and recognition of our staff.
2024-2025 Yearbook Cover Contest
We are excited to announce this year's yearbook cover theme is, "Building for the future!". Students can submit cover designs until Friday, December 20. If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Fuller either in her art room or via email, [email protected].
Yearbook Cover Requirements:
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Must have our school name: Bonnie Brae
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Must have the school year: 2024-2025
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Must be drawn on white/blank/unlined 8.5"x11" paper (portrait) (See Mrs. Fuller if you need paper)
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Please check your spelling - All words used must be spelled correctly
- Little to no eraser marks (draw light, then outline)
- Create a cover that includes images that go with the theme
- Must be an original idea, the more creative the better
- Must be colorful
- Must be your own work and be individually done
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Must include your full name and grade level on the back of the design
- Turn in cover entries to your classroom teacher
Literacy Resources for Families
Information about our FCPS literacy curriculum and resources to use at home to support instruction can be found at the following sites:
Order Our 2024-2025 Bonnie Brae Yearbook!
Bonnie Brae yearbooks are officially on sale! All orders (online only) are due by April 4, 2025. Soft cover yearbooks are $18, hard cover yearbooks are $24, and there is an option to add a foil name stamp for an additional $4. These prices are for all yearbooks purchased by April 4, 2025.
To order a Bonnie Brae ES Yearbook via credit card online, visit https://www.buytheyearbook.com/en/bty/findmyschool and use School ID Number 725788.
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 will be sold on-site).
Yearbooks are expected to arrive late-May/early June.
Visit the Bonnie Brae Yearbook webpage for details.
Lost and Found
Our lost and found is overflowing! We have sweatshirts, coats, water bottles, and other items in our Bonnie Brae lost and found. Be sure to check in at the main office and look through the lost and found (located in our lobby by the Scottland Yard doors) during the month of December to see if any of the items belong to your child/children. Bonnie Brae staff will collect all items remaining in our lost and found on Friday, December 20 and donate them to a local cause.
Update on Potential Changes to Middle School Start Times
At Tuesday’s School Board work session, staff from Prismatic Services, Inc., presented options for adjusting start times at FCPS middle schools. As a reminder, Prismatic is charged with developing an action plan to help the School Board reach its goal of starting middle school at or after 8 a.m.
The presentation includes five options for adjusting middle school start times based on the consultant’s analysis from community forums, surveys, and interviews with staff, parents, associations, and other groups. The School Board will provide next steps to the superintendent.
Watch a video of the work session. Visit the Middle School Start Times webpage for more information on the project.er text.
Food Assistance and Resource Guide
Food insecurity impacts more than 96,000 Fairfax County residents. There are many resources available to support those who need food assistance. Learn how to help these families and the many resources available to support those who need food assistance on Fairfax County’s website or view the county’s Human Services Resource Guide.
Bundle Up With Books Over Break
Fairfax County Public Library’s (FCPL) winter reading adventure has begun and will continue through Friday, January 31, 2025. Visit your local FCPL library branch or visit their website to register and get a sneak peek at the prizes being offered.
Check out their Winter Reading Events webpage to learn about laser tag, movie nights, crafting sessions, Noon-Year Eve celebrations, and book discussions.
Skating Social Fundraiser
Join us for the first of its kind Skating Social Fundraiser! Enjoy an afternoon of skating with your Scottie besties while supporting the PTO and a great local business! Present the Skating Flyer to the cashier for credit for the fundraiser.
When: Sunday, December 8th from 12PM - 3:45PM
Where: 3779 Pickett Rd, Fairfax, VA
PTO Subscription Calendar
We're catching up with technology and cutting down on paper waste! Help us save trees and reduce flyers for every event/fundraiser by subscribing to the PTO Calendar. Visit our website here for instructions: https://www.bonniebraepto.org/calendar
After School Programs - Winter Registration
Registration for the winter session of After School Programs opens next week on Tuesday, 12/10 at 7pm! Fliers went home earlier this week, and the PTO website has all the details on the exciting club options and registration process. Acceptance is on a first come, first serve basis, so make sure to check out the information ahead of time.
Join the PTO
Get involved, stay connected, and learn what's happening with our Scottie community! We're an organization of parents, school staff, and community members supporting our Scotties and school community. Join the PTO today: https://www.bonniebraepto.org/ptomembership
Donate ANY TIME!
Don't wait for a fundraiser to donate to the PTO! Share via text, email, or social media with your family and friends. Let them know that donations support our Scotties with field trip transportation, assemblies and enrichment programs, fun and educational events for all students, and so much more! Donate today!
Amazing Volunteers Needed!
Are you looking for a way to feel connected with your school community and want to help make so many wonderful memories for your Scottie? We make it SO easy to help! Pick and choose volunteer opportunities from a menu of options! Fill out the google form today and we will contact you as we get close to the event to help: https://forms.gle/F7SHrig2fqSJ1kmr6
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December 17 - Interims Sent Home
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December 23-January 3 - Winter Break (no school for students and staff)
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January 6 - First School Day of 2025
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January 15 - Robinson Curriculum Night for Parents (for rising Robinson 7th grade parents and current Robinson grades 7-11 parents), 5-8 PM (Robinson Secondary)
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January 15 - PTO Meeting, 6-7:30 PM (virtual)
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January 20 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday (no school for students and staff)
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January 24 - PTO Bingo Night, 6-8 PM (Cafeteria)
Stay up to date on all things BBES! Subscribe to our School Calendar.
FCPS Standard School Year Calendar
Printable FCPS 2024-25 School Calendar (PDF)
5420 Sideburn Rd, Fairfax, VA 22032 | Main Office: 703.321.3900
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