FCPS

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Message from Mrs. Castillo

As we prepare for the 2020-2021 school year, each family to tasked with the important decision of determining how school will look for your child in the fall. FCPS released the Return to School Update on 6.23.20. Each family must decide by July 10th if they wish for their child/children to be in a full-time online instruction program (one year commitment, four days a week) or partially in-person program (at least two full days of instruction at school and the other days at home participating in virtual learning opportunities). If you have not seen it, you can find more details here. FCPS will continue to monitor COVID-19 and could transition to full virtual learning or reopen more fully based on the health and safety of our students and staff throughout the 2020 - 2021 school year.

Receiving updates that require a commitment in a short amount of time leads to many questions. While we don't have all the answers, the Lemon Road administrators and PTA want to receive your questions now so they can be answered as fully and as soon as possible. We invite you to submit your questions regarding the Return to School plans using this form and join us for a Principals' & PTA Coffee on Monday, July 6th at 1:15 PM. Parents may join the session using this link. The session will be recorded and shared with the community for anyone who cannot join and questions will be answered even if the person who submits is not present.

Dr. Brabrand will also be holding another Town Hall Meeting on Monday, July 6 at 6:30 p.m. to share more information and answer questions. Visit the Return to School web page for more details on the plans and Frequently Asked Questions are available on the FCPS website.

Thank you for your partnership and collaboration ~ Mrs. Castillo

Rising Kindergarten & New Family Gatherings

We are pivoting and hosting virtual meet and greets for rising Kindergarten families and families new to Lemon Road! Encourage any of your neighbors who have incoming LRES students to join so they can connect with one another and learn more about the Lemon Road community. Below are the days and times – join as many or as few as you would like. We will provide portions of the hour aimed at the children another other times for parents to connect. All sessions can be joined using this link.

Kindergarten Family Gathering: Wednesday, July 29 at 9:00 AM

New Family Gathering: Tuesday, August 4 at 5:30 PM

Kindergarten Family Gathering: Monday, August 10 at 5:30 PM

New Family Gathering: Wednesday, August 12 at 9:00 AM

Order School Supplies

EPI School Supply Kits can now be purchased online for the fall.  Click here and type in our school code (LEM016) and place your child’s order by July 7th for the kit to be shipped directly to Lemon Road without a shipping charge.  The kits contain everything your child needs, and you can avoid the crowds at stores.  Ten percent of the price for each kit goes to the LRES PTA which is used to purchase additional kits for students in need.  Last year, the PTA used those funds to purchase 25 additional kits for students at Lemon Road. Please contact Asha Mathew at amathew.shen@gmail.com if you have questions. If you prefer to purchase your child’s supplies yourself, the requested lists may be found here.

Register for School

Do you have a son or daughter who will be newly attending Lemon Road this fall? Do you have a neighbor or friend who is ready to register? Please be sure to register them as soon as possible! Our planning is underway for next year and we need you to register to ensure Lemon Road is staffed to be ready for your child in the fall! Check out this website to get started and reach out to Registrar, Dana Vaughn with any questions. Her contact information is linked to the website. We cannot wait to meet your family!

Live Summer Sessions

All Lemon Road students are encouraged to take advantage of the summer hours with teachers to help them feel prepared for the fall. Students should participate with the grade level completed and sessions will be structured with some instruction and addressing questions from students regarding the summer practice books. Digital versions of the books are posted on the Continuity of Learning Blackboard page. As students access these activities from June 29 to July 31, they can attend one virtual hour each week with one of our own outstanding Lemon Road teachers. Students can log in to the sessions through the Lemon Road Students Blackboard page. The schedule is as follows:

Kindergarten: Tuesdays 9:00 – 10:00 AM with Mrs. Taryn Roman

Grade 1: Tuesday & Thursdays 11:00 – 11:30 AM with Ms. Suzanne Child

Grade 2: Thursdays 9:00 – 10:00 AM with Ms. Hilary Nickels

Grade 3: Wednesdays 10:00 – 11:00 AM with Ms. Caroline Hagerty

Grade 4: Thursdays 10:00 – 11:00 AM with Ms. Vanessa King

Grade 5: Wednesdays 1:00 – 2:00 PM with Ms. Dana Roth

Grade 6: Wednesdays 9:30 – 10:30 AM with Mr. Jake Miller

Special Education: Tuesdays 10:00 – 11:00 AM with Ms. Megan Buletko

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter 

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Summer Learning Opportunities

Don’t forget, beginning next week (June 30th) and continuing for five weeks, Lemon Road students will have access to one virtual hour each week with one of our own outstanding Lemon Road teachers (students participate with the grade level recently completed). Students can log in to the sessions through the Lemon Road Students Blackboard page. The work with the teachers will be based on the practice books mailed centrally from FCPS. Digital versions of the books are posted on the Continuity of Learning Blackboard page if your child does not receive them or needs additional copies. Children should have the workbooks with them during their sessions with LRES staff. The Lemon Road schedule is as follows:

Kindergarten: Tuesdays 9:00 – 10:00 AM with Mrs. Taryn Roman

Grade 1: Tuesday & Thursdays 11:00 – 11:30 AM with Ms. Suzanne Child

Grade 2: Thursdays 9:00 – 10:00 AM with Ms. Hilary Nickels

Grade 3: Wednesdays 10:00 – 11:00 AM with Ms. Caroline Hagerty

Grade 4: Thursdays 10:00 – 11:00 AM with Ms. Vanessa King

Grade 5: Wednesdays 1:00 – 2:00 PM with Ms. Dana Roth

Grade 6: Wednesdays 9:30 – 10:30 AM with Mr. Jake Miller

Special Education: Tuesdays 10:00 – 11:00 AM with Ms. Megan Buletko

English Language Development: Tuesdays 10:00 – 11:00 AM with Mrs. Karla Barnes

Registration is Underway

As decisions are being made regarding the fall, it is vital we have all kindergarteners and new students registered.  Important information will be emailed/mailed to parents of registered students and fall schedules will be determined based on the specific students in each class.  If you, a neighbor, or friend have a child to register for Lemon Road, please start here! 

#PositivityinAction

Lemon Road blends the values of a Responsive Classroom Approaches school with the direct character education taught through the Positivity Project. Until last week, the Positivity Project motto and hashtag was #OtherPeopleMatter. While the purpose was to teach our students to value the ideas, feelings, and perspectives of others, this caused conflict with the #BlackLivesMatter movement of which we support whole heartedly. Last week, The Positivity Project changed their motto and hashtag to not to detract from the Black Lives Matter movement.

The aim of the Positivity Project is to empower students to build positive relationships and become their best selves. With that focus, they have announced their new motto and hashtag to be #PositivityInAction.  We will promote this new motto as we continue to embed the explicitly taught character strengths of the Positivity Project as a part of our social curriculum at Lemon Road.

Eco Defense Squad Updates

Even during the school closure, the Lemon Road Eco Defense Squad continues to positively contribute to our community as a whole! Please check this link for Outdoor Locations for Physical Activity around northern Virginia and our Healthy Living Action Plan. Our school community is committed to remaining active, healthy, and action-oriented to protect and preserve our natural resources.  Thank you to our staff leading this work and student participants and contributors!

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter 

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Message from Mrs. Castillo

As we close out the 2019 - 2020 school year, I want to say a special thank you to each and every one of you for your partnership this year. Although we completed the year in an unexpected way, it was a wonderful school year and I am honored to be your principal!  Above is the end of year video we showed to the students Thursday during each virtual assembly. Some students and parents have requested a copy, so we hope you enjoy it as well.

I hope you will all stay informed and engaged as the discussions about how we will resume school in the fall continue. You should have received a survey on Saturday and will likely be shared opportunities throughout the summer to share your ideas and opinions. The voices of Lemon Road parents need to be heard. The School Board will be deliberating on proposed plans throughout June and hope to have a plan to communicate to staff and families by the end of the month. Currently, there are three approaches being considered, you can read a little about each one here: FCPS Return to School: Fall 2020. As you can imagine, whatever approach is chosen will set in motion even more strategic planning at the school level to guarantee your children are safe and getting the instruction and challenges they deserve from Lemon Road. 

Thank you to everyone who came by to say farewell from your car windows. We had so much fun during the car parade. A special thank you to Ms. Burke for creating this video memory for us. I wish you and your family a wonderful, healthy and peaceful summer with many hours of rejuvenation.  I am looking forward to a wonderful 2020 - 2021 school year.  

~ Mrs. Castillo

LRES Summer Continuity of Learning

FCPS school buildings will remain closed through the end of July. Therefore, your children will have access to skill practice through the iReady digital lessons through the FCPS public Universal Screener website. Students will need to enter their FCPS login credentials to access these resources. These digital activities will be available until Friday, July 31st. We also encourage all students to use the resources available to them through the Lemon Road Student Links page for additional practice across subject areas.

Additionally, students currently in grades K-6 will receive both a Mathematics and a Language Arts Essentials Summer Practice Book in the mail by the end of June. Digital versions of the books will also be posted on the Continuity of Learning Blackboard page. These books will provide recommended practice activities for students to review essential content from the 2019 - 2020 school year; they are not intended to preview content from next year’s grade level but rather reinforce essential learning from this past year.  As students access these activities from June 29 to July 31, they will have the opportunity to attend one virtual hour each week with one of our own outstanding Lemon Road teachers (students should participate with the grade level completed). Students can log in to the sessions through the Lemon Road Students Blackboard page. The schedule is as follows:

Kindergarten: Tuesdays 9:00 – 10:00 AM with Mrs. Taryn Roman

Grade 1: Tuesday & Thursdays 11:00 – 11:30 AM with Ms. Suzanne Child

Grade 2: Thursdays 9:00 – 10:00 AM with Ms. Hilary Nickels

Grade 3: Wednesdays 10:00 – 11:00 AM with Ms. Caroline Hagerty

Grade 4: Thursdays 10:00 – 11:00 AM with Ms. Vanessa King

Grade 5: Wednesdays 1:00 – 2:00 PM with Ms. Dana Roth

Grade 6: Wednesdays 9:30 – 10:30 AM with Mr. Jake Miller

Special Education: Tuesdays 10:00 – 11:00 AM with Ms. Megan Buletko

English Language Development: Tuesdays 10:00 – 11:00 AM with Mrs. Karla Barnes

Registration Information

Do you have a son or daughter who will be in Kindergarten this fall? Or do you have a neighbor or friend who is ready to register? Please be sure to register them as soon as possible! Our planning is underway for next year and we need you to register to ensure Lemon Road is staffed to be ready for your child in the fall! Check out this website to get started and reach out to Registrar, Dana Vaughn with any questions. Her contact information is linked to the website. We cannot wait to meet your family!

FCPS Return to School Parent Survey

FCPS would like to gather feedback from our families about distance learning and return to school. If you have not already, please complete the survey linked below. You may reply one time per current FCPS student. If you need background information about COVID-19, please click here. If you have questions about the family survey, please click here. Click on the language you prefer to complete the survey here. English, Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish

Virtual Learning Recordings

During a recent Principal’s Coffee, we shared that we planned to leave up teacher’s videos from distance learning in Google and Blackboard for the summer. Unfortunately, due to privacy regulations, FCPS must delete any videos that have students involved live. We are sorry for the miscommunication but respect the need to protect our students. Please mark your calendars for the times above for your child to interact with a teacher during the month of July to best prepare them for the upcoming grade.  

2020 - 2021 School Supplies

EPI School Supply Kits can now be purchased online for the fall.  Click here and type in our school code (LEM016) and place your child’s order by July 7th for the kit to be shipped directly to Lemon Road without a shipping charge.  The kits contain everything your child needs, and you can avoid the crowds at stores.  Ten percent of the price for each kit goes to the LRES PTA which is used to purchase additional kits for students in need.  Last year, the PTA used those funds to purchase 25 additional kits for students at Lemon Road. Please contact Asha Mathew at amathew.shen@gmail.com if you have questions. If you prefer to purchase your child’s supplies yourself, the requested lists may be found here.

Lemon Road Laptop Return

This spring, Lemon Road loaned out laptops to students in need of a device to access distance learning at home. If your child has a school laptop and is using it to engage with summer learning, we recommend keeping the laptop to help prepare them for the fall. If your child no longer needs the laptop, is moving, or would like to return it now, please reach out to Mike Murphy at mhmurphy@fcps.edu to schedule a time to drop off the device. All devices returned will be imaged and ready for fall distribution or used in the school for instruction at Lemon Road.

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter 

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Message from Mrs. Castillo

Thank you to every member of the Lemon Road community who joins us as we actively take a stand against racism in our community and schools. This is something FCPS and LRES take very seriously and we appreciate all the families who have reached out in support of and solidarity with our Black students, families, and staff members.

This week was a lot of fun as we are beginning to close out the year.  It was wonderful to see so many families on Thursday that drove through to pick up their child(ren)’s items. The smiles and signs warmed our hearts – even through the car windows! Read on for details about our car parade and student item pick up opportunity #2 below. At Home Field Day was hot, but a huge success. Thank you Mr. Van Trees and Mr. Hickman for organizing and all our families who shared videos and photos through Flipgrid and Twitter. We enjoyed our third Principals Coffee and First Virtual Trivia Night this week! If you missed the coffee, here is a link to the recording: Meet with Mrs. Castillo - recording_2. We have one final coffee scheduled prior to the end of the school year. On Tuesday, June 9th at 9:00 AM, we welcome special guest and FCPS School Board Member Elaine Tholen to join our virtual coffee. To participate in the coffee, open Chrome using this link and enter your first and last name. Have a question you would like addressed? Please submit questions in advance here! Mr. Birge and Mrs. Castillo will first answer submitted questions prior to opening up the conversation.

Know anyone new to the area who has a rising kindergartener or future Lemon Road lion? Pass on this website and encourage them to register as soon as possible. They can also find answers to common registration questions through this link.

Have you driven or walked by school this weekend? You will see the electricity is running to the new sign and we are recognizing our sixth graders being promoted to middle school and our amazing retirees that are saying goodbye to Lemon Road this summer.  Ms. Summer Donaldson and Ms. Alice Higgins have been an important part of the Lemon Road community for many years. We are sad to see them go, but are excited as they are able to spend more time with their families through retirement. Please join us in wishing them well after so many years of service to Lemon Road and FCPS!  Another huge thank you to the McLean Community Foundation and our PTA for the grant to make this sign a reality.

We have one final exciting week of school left – let’s make it the best yet! Show off your school spirit by wearing navy & yellow or Lemon Road spirit gear throughout the week to your classes and virtual celebrations. Thank you for an amazing year, it is a joy to lead this community! ~ Mrs. Castillo

End of Year Celebrations

Our celebrations continue this week. We look forward to a game night with our sixth graders run by Mr. Birge through Blackboard. Sixth graders can log into the Lemon Road Students blackboard site, click the Blackboard Collaborate Ultra tab, then search for Sixth Grade Game Night. We will start at 5 PM on Tuesday, June 9th and hope ALL our 6th graders will join the fun.

On Thursday, June 11, we will celebrate the end of a fantastic year with three assemblies!  At 9 AM, we will hold a virtual Grade 6 Promotion Assembly. To log in, students should search for “6th Grade Promotion” in the Lemon Road Students Blackboard site.  At 11 AM, we will hold an End of Year Assembly for students in kindergarten through second grade. To log in, students should search for “K-2 End of Year Assembly” in the Lemon Road Students Blackboard site.  Lastly, at 1 PM, we will hold an End of Year Assembly for students in third grade through fifth grade. To log in, students should search for “3-5 End of Year Assembly” in the Lemon Road Students Blackboard site. 

On Friday, June 12 (weather-permitting) we will hold a car parade through the Lemon Road parking lot. Families interested in participating must join by car (for safety) and will enter the Lemon Road parking lot between 3:00 – 3:45. Families will remain in their cars as they circle through the kiss & ride loop and out through the bus loop. Staff will be spread apart along the route maintaining social distancing and wearing masks along the route waving goodbye to families that participate. Our amazing Ms. Burke will pass through first taking a video of our staff waving goodbye and post it on the Lemon Road blackboard site for any student that cannot participate by car. Please note that cars will not be able to stop and all family members must stay in their cars for the full loop. We welcome smiles, waves, signs, and spirit wear for this event. Families that were not able to pick up student items on June 4 can pull into the front parking lot after the car parade. When the parade ends, have your child(ren)’s names on a sign in your front windshield and a staff member will help retrieve their bag inside. Only staff are permitted into the building at this time.

Summer Continuity of Learning

This summer there will be multiple ways to stay engaged in learning! 

1. Lemon Road Summer Learning:  Learn online with some of our amazing Lemon Road teachers!  Online learning will include 1 hour/week of synchronous teaching/office hours between June 30th - July 30th. This is free and open to all Lemon Road students. A schedule will be sent out mid-June so families may plan for the synchronous time and weekly sessions will be recorded.

2. Math and Language Arts Essentials Summer Practice Books:  FCPS will be mailing review work books out to families by the end of June.  Every student who is not opted out will receive two Essentials Summer Practice books: one for reading and one for math.  The Practice Books are not intended to teach new content, but serve as a review of key content from the 2019 – 2020 school year.  Practice books will also be posted on FCPS 24/7 Learning Blackboard (Continuity of Learning Resources page - ES) as fillable PDF files on June 29th. If you would like to opt back in to receiving these, you will need to do so before June 10th, using this link.

3. iReady Learning Modules and Games:  Access online learning modules and learning games throughout June and July!  Students may log on using their FCPS credentials to the FCPS public Universal Screener website.  Check out this handout for more information: FCPS i-Ready Onboard Lesson.

4. Lemon Road Read Board: This summer we encourage all Lions to READ, READ, READ and complete the Lemon Road Summer Reading Activity Board.  You will find the board in the bag your child picked up from school last Thursday. You can also find a copy of the board here on the Lemon Road website. All students are encouraged to complete as many activities as possible by August 25 and return it to school this fall. Be sure to email Ms. Burke at goburke@fcps.edu a photo of your child reading to include in our fall display and news show!  If you are interested in other summer reading programs or looking for diverse, thoughtful, and engaging books for your child, our librarian, Ms. Burke has compiled a list of resources you might find helpful.   Please contact her if you have questions or need assistance.

5. Google Classroom & Blackboard Recordings:  All Blackboard content and Google Classrooms will stay up through August 14.  Students will have access to all materials posted and recordings from Spring distance learning from their homeroom teacher and specialists.

6. FCPS Fine Arts Opportunities: FCPS will offer a free online fine arts enrichment program from July 6 – August 6. The program will offer a variety of classes in art, music, theater, and dance. More information can be found at this website.

LRES Eco Defense Squad Plans

Please respond to this short, 2-question survey that Lemon Road’s Eco Defense Squad designed. With your responses in mind, the Eco Defense Squad will support our community with information on outdoor activity locations to stay healthy during this pandemic. Thanks for your input and participation! Reach out to Mrs. Busch with any questions at klbusch@fcps.edu.

Survey link: https://forms.gle/5K97A3nVP4rGSEg28

LRES Student Services Website

To support families with COVID-19 and discussions about racism and equity, the Lemon Road Student Services team has compiled a comprehensive website. Logging in through any student or staff FCPS Gmail account, access our LR Student Services Website. We also want to remind everyone that our team is here to support our community with talking with children or with any related mental health concerns.   Staff may be contacted using the email addresses below:

Erica McKinney (School Counselor) ECMcKinney@fcps.edu

Beth Gelfand (School Psychologist) bfgelfand@fcps.edu

Laura Cook (School Social Worker) lecook@fcps.edu

LRES News Team Recruitment

Does your rising 6th grader want to be a part of the News Team for next year? Our LRES News Team work with Ms. Burke to put on an informative, interesting, and fun news show each Friday throughout the school year. It is a lot of fun and considered a leadership position at Lemon Road. Interested? Here’s a quick video with info about joining the Morning News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0T2ylS4MyA&feature=youtu.be

After your child watchers, please have them complete this interest survey. Any questions can be directed to Gabby Burke at goburke@fcps.edu.

2020 - 2021 Band & Strings Recruitment

Does your third, fourth, or fifth grader love music? We hope they will elect to learn an instrument for the 2020 – 2021 school year. FCPS students in grades 4 – 6 have the opportunity to learn and play a strings instrument. Students in grades 5 – 6 can also choose to play a band instrument. We encourage all students to learn an instrument as instruction takes place weekly, during the school day, in lieu of additional general music instruction. Please share these videos with your students and then have them complete the interest survey linked here (updated from last week).

Band Video: https://youtu.be/71WoZlubznk

Strings Video: https://youtu.be/lxZyQu39v_I

Have questions? Please reach out to Band Director, Mrs. Roberts, at jaroberts2@fcps.edu or Strings Director, Ms. Su, at asu@fcps.edu. Thank you to these teachers for putting together virtual recruitment information for our students!

Positivity Project: Creativity Week

During our LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL, we'll focus on creativity (1-page overview here).  Creative people are able to look at the world in original ways. They are open to new experiences, and have an imaginative and independent thought process. They are able to generate lots of different ideas, and have the capacity to go after certain ideas they’ve generated with energy and enthusiasm. Creativity is a process that takes courage. Anytime you’re putting your original ideas into the world, you risk being criticized or even ostracized.  Creativity is associated with intrinsic motivation, meaning the process of creation is an end in itself.  Creativity is also correlated with self-actualization, or fulfilling one’s talents and potential. Those with the strength of creativity have the urge to create, to build something new and original. The act of creation makes them happy.

This week’s character strength example is Hannah Beachler, the first African-American to be nominated - and win- an Oscar for production design. She is a production designer and the mind behind the film sets of Black Panther, Moonlight, and Creed. As a production designer, Beachler’s describes her job as making “the director’s vision come to life.” This work takes time, research, and a lot of creativity!  To create the set for Black Panther, she had to imagine — and then create — what the fictional country of Wakanda would look like. As Beachler explains, “I had to have a reason for every move, every building, every street. Everything had to have a story behind it. There is not one thing you will see in that movie that doesn’t have a story.”

Rising Longfellow 7th Graders

Longfellow is excited to host the virtual Jump Start to Success program to help rising 7th graders with their transition to middle school. The program is open and free to all rising 7th graders and will consist of a combination of synchronous and asynchronous activities for students. Students will meet their administrators, counselors, and teachers virtually. They will take a virtual tour of Longfellow and learn how to use a locker and how to read their schedule. They will also learn time management techniques, test testing anxiety tips, and a number of other activities geared to teach them about life as a middle school student.  The dates for the program have not been determined just yet but we will continue to update you weekly in our News You Choose Newsletter. If you have any questions, please contact Riley Barrows, rtbarrows1@fcps.edu

Upcoming Important Dates

June 8  - June 10: College and Career Week

Tuesday, June 9: Virtual Parent Coffee (9 AM) – Elaine Tholen Joining; Virtual 6th Grade Game Night (5 PM)

Wednesday, June 10: Last Virtual Instructional Day with Content & Last Day for Specials

Thursday, June 11: Grade 6 Promotion Assembly (9 AM); Grades K – 2 Assembly (11 AM); Grades 3 – 5 Assembly (1 PM)

Friday, June 12: Elementary Teacher Work Day; Family Car Parade (3 PM); Student Item Pick Up (4:00 – 4:30 PM)

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Message from Mrs. Castillo

I hope everyone is enjoying this gorgeous weekend. It is a fabulous way to close out a fantastic week of virtual learning. Mr. Birge and I love spending time visiting each of your children’s virtual classrooms throughout the week. A lot of progress has been made in virtual instruction since the schools initially closed. Thank you for perservering with us as we continue to grow and be flexible during this unsual end to the school year. Thank you to also to everyone who joined the Principals Coffee this week! If you missed it, here is a link to the recording: Meet with Mrs. Castillo - recording_1. We have two more coffees scheduled. To join a virtual coffee, open Chrome using this link and enter your first and last name. The next coffee will be held on Wednesday, June 3 at 3 PM. Have a question you would like addressed? Please submit questions here! Mr. Birge and Mrs. Castillo will first answer questions submitted in advance prior to opening up the conversation.

We have a busy two weeks ahead of us! Read on for information about At Home Field Day, News Team, Band, and Strings Recruitment, student item distribution, and all our End of Year Events.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership. Your collaboration makes Lemon Road an amazing place to learn, play, teach, and lead ~ Mrs. Castillo

End of Year Virtual Events

We are looking forward to our virtual end of year events! Please join us! This Friday at 5 PM, Mrs. Castillo and Mr. Birge will hold our first ever Lemon Road Family Trivia Night. Log in together and enjoy a family-friendly game of trivia. Families can use this link to log into Blackboard for this event.

 

Finally, on the last day of school, we will celebrate the end of a fantastic year with three assemblies!  At 9 AM, we will hold a virtual Grade 6 Promotion Assembly. To log in, students should search for “6th Grade Promotion” in the Lemon Road Students Blackboard site.  At 11 AM, we will hold an End of Year Assembly for students in kindergarten through second grade. To log in, students should search for “K-2 End of Year Assembly” in the Lemon Road Students Blackboard site.  Lastly, at 1 PM, we will hold an End of Year Assembly for students in third grade through fifth grade. To log in, students should search for “3-5 End of Year Assembly” in the Lemon Road Students Blackboard site. 

Questions may be directed to Ashley Castillo at aocastillo@fcps.edu.

Field Day at Home

This Friday, June 5th, all students will have a chance to participate in our Field Day At Home!  Using household items, events consist of small sided competitions, challenges, and plenty of fun which all students and families can enjoy. Please share pictures and videos to Twitter and PE’s flipgrid to share your Field Day At Home with us! 

 FLIP GRID: https://flipgrid.com/lrespe 

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/lemonroadschool

News Team Recruitment

Does your rising 6th grader want to be a part of the News Team for next year? Our LRES News Team work with Ms. Burke to put on an informative, interesting, and fun news show each Friday throughout the school year. It is a lot of fun and considered a leadership position at Lemon Road. Interested? Here’s a quick video with info about joining the Morning News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0T2ylS4MyA&feature=youtu.be

After your child watchers, please have them complete this interest survey. Any questions can be directed to Gabby Burke at goburke@fcps.edu.

Band & Strings Course Selection

Does your third, fourth, or fifth grader love music? We hope they will elect to learn an instrument for the 2020 – 2021 school year. FCPS students in grades 4 – 6 have the opportunity to learn and play a strings instrument. Students in grades 5 – 6 can also choose to play a band instrument. We encourage all students to learn an instrument as instruction takes place weekly, during the school day, in lieu of additional general music instruction. Please share these videos with your students and then have them complete the interest survey linked here.

Band Video: https://youtu.be/71WoZlubznk

Strings Video: https://youtu.be/lxZyQu39v_I

Have questions? Please reach out to Band Director, Mrs. Roberts, at jaroberts2@fcps.edu or Strings Director, Ms. Su, at asu@fcps.edu. Thank you to these teachers for putting together virtual recruitment information for our students!

Summer Continuity of Learning

As shared by FCPS, current kindergarten – sixth grade students will have the opportunity to participate in the summer continuity of learning for mathematics and literacy from June 29 – July 31. One workbook will be sent home to each student that will cover the five weeks of conceptual skill review and practice. Digital curriculum and resources will be available on FCPS 24/7 Learning. One Lemon Road teacher from each grade will hold a weekly session to support students with their summer continuity of learning. The schedule and log-in information will be shared throughout the month of June.

FCPS will also offer a free online fine arts enrichment program from July 6 – August 6. The program will offer a variety of classes in art, music, theater, and dance. More information will be available soon at this website.

Kindergarten Registration

New to our school or have a rising kindergartener? Please be sure to register them as soon as possible! Our planning is underway for next year and we need you to register! Check out this website to get started and reach out to Registrar, Dana Vaughn with any questions. Her contact information is linked to the website. We cannot wait to meet your family!

Student Item Distribution

Families will have an opportunity to pick up and drop off student items on June 4.  Classroom teachers have individually bagged student items that were left prior to our closure on March 13.  Bags will be brought outside the school building using the schedule below organized by last name. Students do not need to be present for parents to pick up or drop off student items. Please review the following guidelines:

• Please write your child’s name on a sheet of paper and display it in your windshield. All cars will circle through the Kiss & Ride line.  
• Using your sign, a staff member will locate your child’s bag and bring it to the trunk of your car. Please open the trunk or direct the staff member from a distance if bags need to be placed elsewhere.
• Students and parents must stay in car if driving to pick up materials.  If a family walks up for item pick up, social distancing and masks are required. 

• Instruments: Students in 4th and 5th grade who have rented an instrument through FCPS may hold on to those instruments during the summer months. 6th grade students and students NOT returning to FCPS must turn in their instruments on Thursday, June 4. Please pull forward once bags are placed in your car and a cart will be set up for you to place your child’s instrument.

• Library/Classroom Books: We are asking that ALL library and classroom books from school are returned when you collect your student's materials.  We will have large boxes/carts outside ready to receive these items.  Trying to ensure you have located all your child’s library books? Check out this video from Ms. Burke helping you navigate your child’s online account!      
• Patrol Belts: Students should drop off patrol belts at the end of the Kiss & Ride loop. 
• Medication: If you have medication in the Lemon Road clinic, it can be retrieved on June 4. Please email Mary Anne Nealson and it will be ready for you in the front of the building after you drop off all other items.

We thank you in advance for your flexibility in retrieving and returning student materials.  If you are unable to pick up student materials on June 4, the school will hold items for later retrieval.

Student Item Pick Up Schedule

8:30 – 9:00 Students with last names that begin with A & B

9:00 – 9:30 Students with last names that begin with C & D

9:30 – 10:00 Students with last names that begin with E - H

10:00  - 10:30 Students with last names that begin with I - K

10:30 – 11:00 Students with last names that begin with L - N

11:00 – 11:30 Students with last names that begin with O - R

11:30 – 12:00 Students with last names that begin with S & T

12:00 – 12:30 Students with last names that begin with U - Z

Positivity Project: Perseverance

Starting Monday, we'll focus on perseverance as we extend our character strength calendar in support of distance learning. The concept of perseverance can most often be found in one’s active pursuit in overcoming obstacles.

Perseverance is a uniquely human characteristic that identifies an individual’s ability to spend long periods of time devoted to a single goal or set of goals. Those who persevere are able to set goals for themselves and then take active, calculated steps toward those goals. People demonstrating high levels of perseverance are able to handle significant, sometimes repeated, setbacks in pursuit of goals. For individuals, persistence can be directly connected to an individual’s ability to be successful throughout their life. Those who persevere through setbacks often reap the benefits of the success gained by refusing to give up. On a group level, perseverance can be contagious. A single group member’s ability or willingness to persevere can have a substantial impact on those working with him/her and the team. Groups that show high levels of perseverance are able to achieve goals they may not have believed possible.

Upcoming Important Dates

Wednesday, June 3: Virtual Parent Coffee (3 PM)

Thursday, June 4: Student Item Distribution Day (8:30 – 12:30)

Friday, June 5: Virtual Family Trivia Night (5 PM)

June 8  - June 10: College and Career Week

Tuesday, June 9: Virtual Parent Coffee (9 AM) – Elaine Tholen Joining; Virtual 6th Grade Game Night (5 PM)

Wednesday, June 10: Last Virtual Instructional Day with Content & Last Day for Specials

Thursday, June 11: Grade 6 Promotion Assembly (9 AM); Grades K – 2 Assembly (11 AM); Grades 3 – 5 Assembly (1 PM)

Friday, June 12: Elementary Teacher Work Day; Family Car Parade (2 PM)

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Message from Mrs. Castillo

Happy Memorial Day - thank you to all our Lemon Road community members who currently are or who have served in the US military!

While we hope everyone is enjoying an extra day with their families away from their computers, our staff looks forward to another few weeks of virtual learning as a part of the 2019 – 2020 school year! Over the next few weeks, we have several end of year events planned to recognize our student, families, and staff for a fantastic, but unusual school year - see below for dates & times. Parents, please join our upcoming Principals’ Coffees to talk about end of year events and discuss answers to frequently asked questions!  All LRES virtual events will be held through Blackboard and log in information will be shared in future News You Choose newsletters and through your child’s teachers’ communication.

Thank you for your continued partnership and have a fantastic rest of your holiday weekend ~ Mrs. Castillo

Virtual Principals' Coffees

An important part of the Lemon Road community is our connection to our parents and families. We have missed our monthly coffees since schools closed. We will offer weekly coffees for parents to join for answers to popular questions. Each 30-minute coffee will be recorded and the recording will be shared in future News You Choose or emailed by parent request. To join a virtual coffee open Chrome using this link and enter your first and last name. The next coffee will be held on Thursday, May 28 at 12 PM.

Have a question you would like addressed? Please submit questions here! Mr. Birge and Mrs. Castillo will first answer questions submitted in advance prior to opening up the conversation.

FCPS Cares - Going the Distance

Last month, FCPS announced FCPS Cares – Going the Distance, a way to honor staff members who have put in a herculean effort to support students, parents, and their FCPS colleagues since the school closure. The response has been overwhelming! Those individuals will be announced in conjunction with the FCPS Cares of the Month recipients. Please stay tuned and recognize a Lemon Road or FCPS staff member here if you have a submission.

College & Career Week

Parents and community members are invited to support school counseling’s college and career readiness week by sharing your college experience or career with our students during our exploration week June 8 – 10. Please use the link to find dates & times available to share with our Lemon Road students. All sessions will take place using Blackboard Collaborate (a guest link and code will be provided). If you have questions, please reach out to school counselor, Erica McKinney, at 703.714.6413 or ecmckinney@fcps.edu. Thank you for your support!

Supporting Executive Functions at Home: A Webinar for Families

The FCPS Behavior Intervention Services team will provide resources to help families support the growth of student executive functioning skills during this time of distance learning and beyond.

May 26, 2020. 10:00 a.m.- noon

Register for Supporting Executive Functions at Home: A Webinar for Families 

Link will be forwarded to registrants after registration

Webinar Highlights:

• Connections between behavior and executive functions,
• 6 executive function skill areas and their respective sub-skills
• Working Memory
• Self-Control
• Goal Directed Persistence
• Metacognition Strategies
• Goal Directed Attention and Focus
• Cognitive Flexibility and Shifting
• Practical strategies to develop and strengthen their students' executive function skills when at home

Positivity Project: Bravery Week

Overcoming fears is critically important in individual development, as it allows the person to do more and become more. A person can be brave every single day. For example, some people with social anxiety are brave just by leaving their house and talking with people. On a physical level, bravery allows us to overcome fears, such as swimming or playing a sport. And, on a moral level, doing what we know to be right, despite the risks, gives us the sense that we are acting on behalf of a larger purpose.

On a group level, bravery is inspiring and contagious. Witnessing an individual’s brave act – whether a soldier in battle or standing up for a bullied student – is a form of leadership and often encourages others to take action. Communities and societies throughout time have held bravery in high esteem because they know its inherent importance. This is why Aristotle believed, “Courage is the first of human virtues because it makes all others possible.”

Student Item Distribution

Families will have an opportunity to pick up and drop off student items on June 4.  Classroom teachers will individually bag student items that were left prior to our closure on March 13.  Bags will be brought outside the school building using the schedule below organized by last name. Students do not need to be present for parents to pick up or drop off student items. Please review the following guidelines:

• Please write your child’s name on a sheet of paper and display it in your windshield. All cars will circle through the Kiss & Ride line.  
• Using your sign, a staff member will locate your child’s bag and bring it to the trunk of your car. Please open the trunk or direct the staff member from a distance if bags need to be placed elsewhere.
• Students and parents must stay in car if driving to pick up materials.  Social distancing guidelines are required if you are walking (masks must be worn). 

• Instruments: Students in 4th and 5th grade who have rented an instrument through FCPS may hold on to those instruments during the summer months. 6th grade students and students NOT returning to FCPS must turn in their instruments on Thursday, June 4. Please pull forward once bags are placed in your car and a cart will be set up for you to place your child’s instrument.

• Library/Classroom Books: We are asking that ALL library and classroom books from school are returned when you collect your student's materials.  We will have large boxes/carts outside ready to receive these items.  Trying to ensure you have located all your child’s library books? Check out this video from Ms. Burke helping you navigate your child’s online account!      
• Medication: If you have medication in the Lemon Road clinic, it can be retrieved on June 4. Please email Mary Anne Nealson and it will be ready for you in the front of the building after you drop off all other items.

We thank you in advance for your flexibility in retrieving and returning student materials.  If you are unable to pick up student materials on June 4, the school will hold items for later retrieval.

Student Item Pick Up Schedule

8:30 – 9:00 Students with last names that begin with A & B

9:00 – 9:30 Students with last names that begin with C & D

9:30 – 10:00 Students with last names that begin with E - H

10:00  - 10:30 Students with last names that begin with I - K

10:30 – 11:00 Students with last names that begin with L - N

11:00 – 11:30 Students with last names that begin with O - R

11:30 – 12:00 Students with last names that begin with S &  T

12:00 – 12:30 Students with last names that begin with U - Z

Last Call - Class Placement Parent Input

The Lemon Road staff is beginning to discuss student placement for next year. As we make these placements, we consider many factors including individual student information, teacher input, social relationships, and parent input.  Please consider submitting information about your child using this form (one per child) by Monday, May 25. Thank you!

LRES Student Services Site

Check out a brand new website from our Student Services Team!  This site includes activities, videos, articles, and other resources to help you and your family manage your feelings during this difficult time.  Be sure to log in to your FCPS Gmail account first to access the site!

https://sites.google.com/fcpsschools.net/lr-student-services-team/home

Upcoming Important Dates

Thursday, May 28: Virtual Principals’ Coffee (12 PM)

Wednesday, June 3: Virtual Principals’ Coffee (3 PM)

Thursday, June 4: Student Item Distribution Day (8:30 AM – 12:30 PM)

Friday, June 5: Virtual Family Trivia Night (5 PM)

June 8  - June 10: College and Career Week

Tuesday, June 9: Virtual Principals’ Coffee w/ School Board Member Elaine Tholen (9 AM); 6th Grade Virtual Game Night (5 PM)

Thursday, June 11: Grade 6 Virtual Promotion Assembly (9 AM); Grades K – 2 End of Year Virtual Assembly (11 AM); Grades 3 – 5 End of Year Virtual Assembly (1 PM)

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Virtual Principals' Coffee

We look forward to our first Virtual Principals' Coffee tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM.  We have missed meeting with Lemon Road parents and will offer weekly coffees for parents to join for answers to popular questions. Each 30-minute coffee will be recorded and the recording will be shared in future News You Choose or emailed by parent request. To join a virtual coffee, open Chrome using this link and enter your first and last name.

Have a question you would like addressed? Please submit questions here! Mr. Birge and Mrs. Castillo will first answer questions submitted in advance prior to opening up the conversation.  Hope to see you tomorrow!

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Message from Mrs. Castillo

Good evening,

I sincerely hope everyone is healthy and was able to enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend in a socially-distant way. We had a fabulous week last week and are looking forward to seeing your children again tomorrow. A few questions have been raised recently in which I hoped to provide clarity.

What are office hours? Office hours are a time when a student or parent can reach a staff member for a real-time conversation, question, or support. Most of our staff are holding office hours through BBCU allowing the parent or student to see and talk directly to the staff member. No instruction is planned for this time, but a student may join office hours and complete an assignment or part of their learning packet with support from the staff member. Office hours are also a great time to have your child share a finished product for any class or special. There will be times during office hours that a parent may wish to have a phone call with a staff member – during the call, the staff member would put up that they are “away” on their virtual session so if others log in, they know the staff member will return shortly.

What are Lemon Road specialists up to? Our specialists are teaching live each week through BBCU – we hope your child has joined music, art, PE, library, technology, counseling, outdoor education, band, and/or strings! Lemon Road specialists are incredible professionals collaborating with classroom teachers to join morning meetings, holding office hours, teaching live (see photo above), and posting asynchronous learning opportunities on our Lemon Road Students blackboard site. Live sessions are also recorded so students may participate on evenings, Fridays, or even on weekends! Please email a specialist directly if you have any questions or need help joining their session.

When can my child obtain items from their desk or the school? Lemon Road staff begin packing up their classrooms this week. During this time, only a few staff members are permitted in the building at a time. By Wednesday, June 3, all staff will have packed up their students’ belongings into bags for distribution on June 4. See below for additional information and the schedule for student item distribution.

If you have additional questions, join our weekly Principals’ Coffees! Mr. Birge and I will begin offering 30-minute coffees each week through the end of the year to reconnect with our parents. See the information below to submit a question and log in.

Thank you for your continued partnership ~ Mrs. Castillo

Virtual Principals' Coffees

An important part of the Lemon Road community is our connection to our parents and families. We have missed our monthly coffees since schools closed. We will offer weekly coffees for parents to join for answers to popular questions. Each 30-minute coffee will be recorded and the recording will be shared in future News You Choose or emailed by parent request. To join a virtual coffee open Chrome using this link and enter your first and last name. Virtual coffees will be held:

Have a question you would like addressed? Please submit questions here! Mr. Birge and Mrs. Castillo will first answer questions submitted in advance prior to opening up the conversation.

Student Item Distribution

Families will have an opportunity to pick up and drop off student items on June 4.  Classroom teachers will individually bag student items that were left prior to our closure on March 13.  Bags will be brought outside the school building using the schedule below organized by last name. Students do not need to be present for parents to pick up or drop off student items. Please review the following guidelines:

• Please write your child’s name on a sheet of paper and display it in your windshield. All cars will circle through the Kiss & Ride line.  
• Using your sign, a staff member will locate your child’s bag and bring it to the trunk of your car. Please open the trunk or direct the staff member from a distance if bags need to be placed elsewhere.
• Students and parents must stay in car if driving to pick up materials.  Social distancing guidelines are required if you are walking (masks must be worn). 

• Instruments: Students in 4th and 5th grade who have rented an instrument through FCPS may hold on to those instruments during the summer months. 6th grade students and students NOT returning to FCPS must turn in their instruments on Thursday, June 4. Please pull forward once bags are placed in your car and a cart will be set up for you to place your child’s instrument.

• Library/Classroom Books: We are asking that ALL library and classroom books from school are returned when you collect your student's materials.  We will have large boxes/carts outside ready to receive these items.  Trying to ensure you have located all your child’s library books? Check out this video from Ms. Burke helping you navigate your child’s online account!      
• Medication: If you have medication in the Lemon Road clinic, it can be retrieved on June 4. Please email Mary Anne Nealson and it will be ready for you in the front of the building after you drop off all other items.

We thank you in advance for your flexibility in retrieving and returning student materials.  If you are unable to pick up student materials on June 4, the school will hold items for later retrieval.

Student Item Pick Up Schedule

8:30 – 9:00 Students with last names that begin with A & B

9:00 – 9:30 Students with last names that begin with C & D

9:30 – 10:00 Students with last names that begin with E - H

10:00  - 10:30 Students with last names that begin with I - K

10:30 – 11:00 Students with last names that begin with L - N

11:00 – 11:30 Students with last names that begin with O - R

11:30 – 12:00 Students with last names that begin with S &  T

12:00 – 12:30 Students with last names that begin with U - Z

Class Placement - Parent Input

The Lemon Road staff is beginning to discuss student placement for next year. As we make these placements, we consider many factors including individual student information, teacher input, social relationships, and parent input.  Please consider submitting information about your child using this form (one per child) by Monday, May 25. Thank you!

Positivity Project: Gratitude Week

This week, we will focus on gratitude. Gratitude is the quality of feeling and expressing thankfulness and appreciation. It is an affirmation that there is goodness in other people and the world, and that we have received that goodness. People with the strength of gratitude have a readiness to show appreciation for kindness and also to return kindness. A leading expert, Robert Emmons, calls gratitude a “relationship-strengthening emotion because it requires us to see how we’ve been supported and affirmed by other people.”

Gratitude is sometimes resisted, especially in more self-sufficient and independent cultures, due to not wanting to experience a sense of indebtedness. However, gratitude is less about feeling indebted and more about being aware of the consideration, kindness, and generosity of others.

Upcoming Important Dates

Wednesday, May 20: Virtual Parent Coffee (8 AM)

Monday, May 25: Memorial Day Holiday

Thursday, May 28: Virtual Parent Coffee (12 PM)

Wednesday, June 3: Virtual Parent Coffee (3 PM)

Thursday, June 4: Student Item Distribution Day (8:30 AM – 12:30 PM)

Tuesday, June 9: Virtual Parent Coffee (9 AM)

Thursday, June 11: Grade 6 Virtual Promotion Assembly (9 AM); Grades K – 2 End of Year Virtual Assembly (11 AM); Grades 3 – 5 End of Year Virtual Assembly (1 PM)

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Message from Mrs. Castillo

First, we would like to wish a very happy Mother's Day to all of our moms! Mother's Day this year takes on special significance due to everything our mothers have done to ensure family safety, happiness, and learning this year. Thank you for everything you do and have done!

And speaking of thank you - our staff is so appreciative of the community's outpouring of support and thanks during last week's Staff Appreciation Week. Thank you to everyone who reached out to their teacher in some way to thank them for their role in our students' lives. I loved seeing so many notes, poems, chalk art, and songs, and cards. A big thank you to our PTA – once we can enter the building, they are helping upgrade our staff lounge and restroom to make them more comfortable and enjoyable for the staff!

Outside of teaching, planning, and meeting with their teams, teachers are also busy beginning to plan for the end of the year and thinking about next year already. In the next few weeks, our staff will be discussing next year's class placement, planning how and when they can safely enter the building to organize their classrooms and student items, and a distribution plan for student personal belongings and medicine. We hope to get information to families about our distribution plan and timeline next weekend.  

Hope you had a fabulous weekend and looking forward to a great week of virtual learning,

Mrs. Castillo

Class Placement - Parent Input

As mentioned above, the Lemon Road staff is beginning to discuss student placement for next year. As we make these placements, we consider many factors including individual student information, teacher input, social relationships, and parent input.  Please consider submitting information about your child using this form (one per child) by Monday, May 25. Thank you!

Virtual Reading Support

Great news!  Library staff will be available online to help students with reading. Parents must register to receive an email with instructions on how to join the session. Appropriate for students in grades K-12. Sessions will be available Mondays – Thursdays at 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM.  More sessions will be added for individual reading help once students begin registering. 

Personal de la biblioteca estará disponible en línea para ayudar con la lectura. Regístrese y recibirá por correo electrónico instrucciones sobre cómo entrar en la sesión. Grados K-12.

https://librarycalendar.fairfaxcounty.gov/event/6685346

Strings Class Google Link

Each week, Ms. Su and Mr. Sipzner are sharing a link through their Google Classroom for strings class. Here is a direct link for this week’s classes: https://meet.google.com/rko-wvwr-nst If you are prompted to enter a code: g6fosmmagh

They look forward to seeing their students!

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Message from Mrs. Castillo

As you might know, next week is Staff Appreciation Week! This is the week where we shower our staff with sweet treats, words of affirmation, and tokens of gratitude for all that they do for our students.  Clearly, this year, we will have to do that celebration virtually and we are asking for your help.  Our teachers and staff have worked incredibly hard to make the virtual learning environment meaningful, engaging, and academically-rigorous for our children – let’s try and show them how appreciative we are! Below you will see a daily activity that your child can participate in to show their teachers how much they mean to them.  These simple gestures will bring smiles to our amazing teachers’ faces – don't forget our specialists, IAs, and office staff!  Please spread the word and let's give our staff the best virtual appreciation possible! While we encourage you to reach out to any staff members directly, see the links below to email them to Mr. Birge and me or text them to 571.294.8074 so we can help share your students’ contributions to the staff and with the community. The direct link for Thursdays “Thank a Teacher” from the VA Lottery is here.

For families who want and are able to give their child’s teacher(s) a gift, we ask that you consider purchasing something off their Amazon Wish List or send an egift rather than ask for personal home addresses. Thank you for your kindness and generosity!

Have a great weekend ~ Mrs. Castillo

Quarter 4 Essential Standards

Essential Standards have been identified in PreK-8 across the four core content areas to provide guidance for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. The Essential Standards are the most critical content to be taught during distance learning/before the end of the school year. Family-facing PDF versions of Essential Standards have been posted on the Lemon Road website here.

FCPS Cares

Since schools and offices physically closed in March, Lemon Road staff have put in a herculean effort to support students, parents, and their FCPS colleagues during this challenging time. You can honor these outstanding staff members with an FCPS Cares–Going the Distance recognition. Send your submission today!

Positivity Project: Leadership

Next week, we'll focus on the character strength of leadership (overview here). This strength means that you value each member of your group and inspire people to do their best. Leadership can be both formal and informal. It is concerned with getting others to do what needs to be done while maintaining group morale to ensure readiness to act in the future. 

Leaders are able to create a vision, communicate the vision, develop a coherent strategy to achieve that vision, and lead the charge towards its attainment.  This week's example is H-E-B, a Texas-based grocery chain that has demonstrated prudent, humble, and steady leadership amid great uncertainty. They, like other grocers across the nation, provide an essential public service and their leadership is vital.

For individuals, leadership is a way to achieve what you know is important, as groups of people invariably achieve more than individuals. If you want to achieve your vision for the future, you need to inspire others to join you. As an individual’s ability to lead develops, so does that person’s confidence and sense of self-efficacy. However, common dangers to guard against are egotism and arrogance.  A group’s effectiveness and sense of inspiration are tied directly to the leader.

Updated Specials' Schedules

Last week, our specialists knocked it out of the park with awesome live opportunities for our students to engage in specials throughout the week. We identified a few areas of overlap and have worked to minimize any schedule conflicts we can (changes are highlighted). Please note that your children are welcome to join any session for their grade level that fit their schedules. Our teachers are co-planning and often co-teaching, so students do not need to stick with the specialist they had class with throughout the year.  Finally, specialists are recording sessions so that students may participate on Fridays or when works best for the family. 

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Virtual Staff Appreciation Week

As you might know, next week is Staff Appreciation Week! This is the week where we shower our staff with sweet treats, words of affirmation, and tokens of gratitude for all that they do for our students.  Clearly, this year, we will have to do that celebration virtually and we are asking for your help.  Our teachers and staff have worked incredibly hard to make the virtual learning environment meaningful, engaging, and academically-rigorous for our children – let’s try and show them how appreciative we are! Below you will see a daily activity that your child can participate in to show their teachers how much they mean to them.  These simple gestures will bring smiles to our amazing teachers’ faces – don't forget our specialists, IAs, and office staff!  Please spread the word and let's give our staff the best virtual appreciation possible.  While we encourage you to reach out to any staff members directly, see the links below to email them to Mr. Birge and me or text them to 571.294.8074 so we can help share your students’ contributions to the staff and with the community.  

For families who want and are able to give their child’s teacher(s) a gift, we ask that you consider purchasing something off their Amazon Wish List or send an egiftcard rather than ask for personal home addresses. Thank you for your kindness and generosity!

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

LRES Specialists' Schedule Updates

Wow!  Today rocked!  It was amazing to see so many students participating not only in classes with their homeroom teacher, but also with our specialists.  I heard about students breaking a sweat in PE, drawing lessons in art, tadpoles and growing plants in outdoor education, and more.  In attempt to encourage as many students to participate in live specials, we've made a few modifications to physical education (PE) and art schedules.  For now, all other specialists will continue with the schedules shared over the weekend.  Do not hesitate to reach out to a specialist, Mr. Birge, or myself with any questions.  Looking forward to another fantastic day tomorrow ~ Mrs. Castillo

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Message from Mrs. Castillo

Thank you for an awesome week of distance learning!  My heart smiles daily as I receive messages from parents and students appreciating the hard work of their teachers during these unsteady times.  Our staff has blown me away with compassion, creativity, perseverance, and resourcefulness.  Parents, thank you for your continued patience with our efforts.  We appreciate the challenges that come with your roles supporting your children’s learning, balancing household responsibilities, and maintaining work commitments!  For any updates regarding schedule and log-on instructions for core content with your child’s classroom teacher, please refer to their communication.  See below for information from our specialists about additional live learning opportunities this week. 

As you may have seen, earlier this school year I partnered with the PTA to apply for a grant from the McLean Community Foundation to increase our communication through an electronic sign and we received it (see above)!  This investment will save our custodians from having to manually changing the sign regularly, allow us to include messaging in Spanish and English, update messages from home, and share more announcements than fit on our traditional sign. We are grateful to FCPS for getting this installed for us, even during the closure, Mrs. Nealson for overseeing the project, the PTA for co-writing the grant, and clearly the McLean Community Foundation for their financial support.  It will take 3 – 4 weeks to get the electricity run to the sign, but for now, it looks good! 

Speaking of our front office – a huge shout out to Mrs. Nealson, Mrs. Vaughn, Mrs. Olsavsky, and Mrs. Morales for a distant administrative assistant appreciation week! They keep our school afloat whether we are together or apart and we are so grateful to have them.

Looking forward to a positive week connecting with Lions! ~ Mrs. Castillo

Third Quarter Progress Reports

All assignments due on or before March 12 will be used to calculate students’ 3rd quarter grades. No assignments shared by teachers after schools closed can negatively impact students’ grades. Due to the unexpected timing of the closure, there will be areas that were not assessed during the third quarter – those grades will print as NA (not assessed).

Progress Reports for this year’s 3rd and 4th quarters will be produced centrally for all elementary schools. Third quarter grades will be visible in ParentVUE and StudentVUE on Saturday, May 9 at 6 AM. FCPS anticipates printed report cards will be provided to the postal service by May 23. Delivery to homes will be dependent on the postal service.

Order your 2019 - 2020 Yearbook

If you want to order a yearbook for your child, the cost is $19.  Please note that all orders must be completed online (no cash/checks) and the deadline to order has been extended to early May to allow more of our families to order. Visit the website and enter Yearbook Code 12302520 to get started. 

Positivity Project: Purpose Week

This week, we will talk about purpose and connection. This strength gives individuals the sense that they are connected with humanity or the universe. People who possess a sense of purpose believe that they were put on earth for a reason. That reason can have all kinds of variety. It could be to create a unique invention, to bring joy through art or music, or to raise their children to become good people. These people have a true calling.

This week’s example is Malala Yousafzai — the youngest Nobel Prize laureate. A native of Pakistan’s Swat Valley, she bravely stood up against the Taliban — and survived their vicious attack — for girls’ right to education. Her fight for children’s education worldwide exemplifies her sense of purpose.

Specialists' Lessons & Office Hours

Now that most of our classes have found their rhythm with live instruction, our specialists are ready to offer weekly learning opportunities as well. Knowing that their teaching times will not fit everyone’s schedules, they will continue to add content to the Lemon Road Students Blackboard site and will post links to their recorded lessons so families can take advantage of on Fridays or over the weekend. See below for a schedule of specials for all lions.  

Google Suite for Education

If you learning about and trying to access your child’s google account, here are a few helpful graphics to help you find their google classroom (used primarily in grades 3 – 6) and FCPS google email address.

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter 

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Good morning Lemon Road families,

We are aware that some are having success with Blackboard while others are experiencing challenges.  Blackboard is working to resolve the issues.  We are continuing to work to offer synchronous learning opportunities today as long as our teachers are able to get in.  Please try to help your child log into Blackboard and their session a few minutes early to ensure you have time to troubleshoot if you cannot get in on the first attempt.  Sometimes just refreshing the page will help if you do not get in during the first attempt. 

 

Thank you for having patience with us.  Our teachers are so excited as we have been able to reconnect with many students this morning already.

 

All sessions will be recorded and shared with students to watch later in the day if you experience hardship getting into the live teaching. 

 

Thank you for working through this with us and your children ~ Ashley Castillo

 

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter 

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Message from Mrs. Castillo

Tomorrow we are excited to reconnect with students again through live lessons with classroom teachers through FCPS 24-7 Blackboard. Last Tuesday was amazing – most Lemon Road classes had 90% or more participation and we want to keep that up as we start a new week. Blackboard and FCPS personnel have worked throughout the weekend to make the necessary upgrades to the FCPS 24-7 system to bring students back to a safer, more stable online environment. If we have challenges logging into Blackboard, expect an email from your child’s teacher by 11 AM with links to recorded lessons for the day or alternate plans for instruction.

As shared late last week, the new method for logging into students’ live sessions with their teacher is:

• Use Chrome to log into FCPS 24/7 Learning with student username and password
• Select "My Courses"
• Select "Lemon Road Students"
• Look for blue tab “Collaborate Ultra” on the left of the page
• Search your child’s teacher’s name to filter for tomorrow’s lessons

Remind your child to use the same log in that she or he uses when signing onto our school computers, MyOn, or Dreambox. Watch this video for a short tutorial – thank you Mr. Heffron!

Trying to keep all your Lemon Road Distance Learning information organized? Check out this page on our school website or spend some time exploring the resources from the Parent Resource Center available here on the Family Resources FCPS website. The teachers and I are looking forward to re-connecting with your children tomorrow. Have a great night ~ Mrs. Castillo

Specials During Distance Learning

Are your children asking about PE, music, art? What about enrichment with Mrs. Hitchcock, band, strings, counseling, technology, or library? Get ready! All our specialists have posted videos, lessons, choice boards, and activities on our Lemon Road Students blackboard page. Some will even test out live lessons later this week! Interested? Check out their tabs on the school blackboard page.

Distance Learning Directions

Have questions about how to log into the various distance learning sites? Looking for support in other languages? The FCPS ESOL Department created this link with has directions, in Arabic, Chinese, English, Korean, Spanish and Urdu on how to access FCPS 24/7 Blackboard, Blackboard Collaborate, and FCPS Gmail. 

Video Lessons on Channel 21

Math and Language Arts lessons are being broadcast on Apple 21. You can watch them online by going to Fairfax County Public Schools Distance Learning on YouTube and subscribe. Playlists are arranged by grade level (for math) and content for language arts. Families can also watch them on the FCPS Apple 21 cable television channel. This link will give you a guide to scheduled programming.

ORIGO at Home

Are your children craving additional math learning while at home? Origo, our math basal resource for grades K – 5 offers the ability to incorporate additional math activities for students to do at home. Click on the Origo At Home Math page to get started. While the lesson sequence provided through Origo may not follow our instructional sequence, families can use the activities to supplement the learning while students are home.

Last Chance for a Yearbook

Many students and parents have asked whether Lemon Road will have a yearbook this year – the answer is YES!  If you want to order a yearbook for your child, the cost is $19.  Please note that all orders must be completed online (no cash/checks) and the deadline to order is NOW.  Visit the website and enter Yearbook Code 12302520 to get started. 

Positivity Project Strength

This week, we will discuss the character strength of Appreciation of Excellence and Beauty. Appreciating beauty and excellence means that you notice and value the world’s beauty and people’s skills. This is the ability to identify and enjoy that which is admirable in the world. Appreciation of beauty can generate awe; appreciation of a skill can generate admiration; and appreciation of moral goodness can generate moral elevation. All of these feelings (awe, admiration, and moral elevation) help us forget ourselves and find increased joy and meaning in the world.

This week, our character strength example is actor John Krasinski. His new production, "Some Good News" or SGN, is a timely example of moral excellence. Each week, he gathers good news from across the internet, and takes the time to honor a person or group who are going above and beyond during this trying time. During episode 3, John surprises healthcare heroes on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA with a trip to Fenway Park where local officials and the entire Red Sox roster showered the healthcare workers in (virtual) applause. These healthcare heroes also received the honor of throwing out the first pitch of "baseball season." SGN is a wonderful example of how appreciating the excellence and beauty in our everyday lives brings joy and happiness to us all, and embodies all aspects of the #OtherPeopleMatter Mindset.

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter 

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Good evening Lemon Road families,

As you received from FCPS, the synchronous distance learning lessons have been cancelled for tomorrow (Thursday, April 16). Parents should expect to hear from their child’s classroom teacher by 11 AM tomorrow to check in and provide learning opportunities students may complete Thursday, Friday, or over the weekend. Keep in mind, that while these are all optional, our staff is committed to continuing the rhythm established on Tuesday.

In addition to the opportunities from classroom teachers, your child may wish to check out the posts on FCPS 24-7 from the specialists and resource teachers. They are creating messages and short lessons on the Lemon Road students page for your children to watch and participate in to adjust to distance learning in regards to specials.

Thank you for your partnership and positive messaging this week.  We know a safe distance learning community is ahead and are excited to be on this journey with you ~ Ashley Castillo

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter 

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Good morning,

Thank you for your enthusiasm and patience as FCPS adjusts to distance learning.  As parents heard from FCPS last night, a 2-hour delay was scheduled today so schools could put additional security measures in place for our synchronous teaching sessions.

At this time, FCPS 24-7 Blackboard is experiencing system-wide issues.  This is preventing most staff and families from accessing any of the instructional resources.  We are aware of the issues and problem solving.  To give us time to address the challenges, I am cancelling morning live instruction for today. I encourage your children to read, spend time on their learning packets, watch the lessons on Channel 21, participate in some of the virtual activities posted on the Lemon Road website student links page, and do something active to stay healthy.

Parents can expect a follow up message from me, your child's teacher, or FCPS at or by noon today with guidance regarding the schedule for this afternoon's lessons.

Thank you for your support,

Mrs. Castillo

 

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter 

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Message from Mrs. Castillo

I hope all our families and staff had a safe and healthy spring break. Lemon Road teachers and staff spent today collaborating with teams to launch distance learning tomorrow, April 14. We are looking forward to seeing our students! 

At this time, each family should have received a distance learning schedule through email from their child’s classroom teacher that includes office hours and synchronous teaching times. All class materials, lesson schedules, office hours, and links to live Blackboard Collaborate Ultra (BBCU) sessions are posted through the Lemon Road Students Blackboard page. It is essential that students and families check FCPS 24/7 Blackboard regularly.  Click here for the link.

Know that when entering the BBCU session for live instruction, your child’s video/audio settings are automatically set to “off”.  Teachers can give students permission to turn on those features, should your child want to engage “face-to-face”.  Your family can also decide to opt out of video/audio, if you are not comfortable and still participate in the lesson.

Ready for tomorrow? Here are some helpful tips to ensure your child is prepared:

1. Be sure your child is accessing lessons in a supervised, but quiet area with access to paper and a writing utensil or their FCPS learning packet.
2. Sit down with your child to plan their schedule – break up the day into live virtual lessons, office hour check-ins, physical activity, healthy snacks, and independent work.
3. Log into Blackboard Collaborate Ultra a few minutes before the start of the lesson (see the graphic above created by Ms. Nickels).
4. If your child cannot participate in a live lesson, help them access the recording which will be posted on Blackboard and/or emailed out through the classroom teacher’s weekly communication.
5. Spend time exploring Blackboard – not only does your child’s classroom teacher have lessons and hours, but resource teachers, specialists, counselors, and other school staff have activities, lessons, and office hours posted.

A few families have asked us about internet supports. Unfortunately, at this time, FCPS does not have any MiFi devices for elementary families – however know that families can access the internet from the Lemon Road and Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library parking lots. Please be sure to continue social distancing if you stop by to access the internet. BBCU is also accessible from most smartphones, so students do not need a laptop or tablet to access the live lessons with their teachers. 

Good luck tomorrow and stay well. I’m excited to hear from our students and teachers as they begin this journey! ~ Mrs. Castillo

FCPS 24/7 Blackboard

New to FCPS 24/7 Blackboard?  Below are basic tips to locate instructional materials for Lemon Road students. 

 

 

 

1. Login to FCPS 24/7 Learning with your Parent View username and password.
2. Find "My Family” in the center of the page.
3. Select the name of your child.   
4. Select “Lemon Road Students” page.
5. Choose your child’s grade level tab to find information specific to their homeroom/grade. 
6. Peruse the specialists’ tabs or click “Staff Information” to find the office hours and schedules for all Lemon Road staff.

Order A Yearbook

Many students and parents have asked whether Lemon Road will have a yearbook this year – the answer is YES!  If you want to order a yearbook for your child, the cost is $19.  Please note that all orders must be completed online (no cash/checks) and the deadline to order is April 14, 2020.  Visit the website and enter Yearbook Code 12302520 to get started. 

Positivity Project Update

Tomorrow, we will begin with a focus on the Other People Matter Mindset (OPM2) element of identifying and appreciating the good in others. Identifying and appreciating the good in others isn’t always what comes naturally. Often, it’s easier to blame others for our problems or find their flaws as excuses for our own jealousy, bitterness, or resentment. This negativity usually leads to bigger problems – for ourselves, for the other person, and for our relationships.

So, why is this important? Identifying and appreciating the good in other people helps you see the world through a more positive and less threatening lens. If you’re constantly seeing the negative traits of people, you’re going to think the world is comprised of bad people and you’re going to operate from a defensive posture.

On a group level, identifying and appreciating the good in others is very important. Reciprocity, the social norm of responding to positive actions with a positive reaction, is powerful. If you see the good in others, they’re likely to see the good in you. That’s a great foundation to start building an interpersonal relationship – and a group culture – especially when rooted in the vocabulary of the 24 character strengths.

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter 

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Message from Mrs. Castillo

Happy Sunday - I can hardly believe that it is spring break!  As I walked around Lemon Road yesterday, I saw these signs of spring on our grounds and they made me smile. I hope all our families are home, healthy, and getting some fresh air during these beautiful spring days. Lemon Road teachers and staff spent last week preparing for the launch of distance learning on April 14. We distributed laptops and met as collaborative teams to plan instruction, mental health support, and supporting students with disabilities. We are looking forward to seeing our students again soon! 

At this time, each family should have received a distance learning schedule through email from their child’s classroom teacher that includes office hours and synchronous teaching times. We know not all students will be able to join each lesson live and have asked the teachers to record their sessions and post them so the students can watch later or again on Fridays when there will not be any live lessons.

FCPS has created a helpful site to organize all information regarding the impact of the coronavirus on our schools. Please visit for county-wide answers regarding distance learning, food resources, and a FAQ’s page.

Lastly, I’ve had many emails about student instruments and items left in the building. I know how important these items are to you and your children. At this time, FCPS has not opened the buildings to staff, students, or families to retrieve items for the safety of our staff and community at large. When a plan is created to safely allow members of the community into the building, parents will be informed. If you are concerned that your child’s instrument is lost, please email me directly. I have taken photographs of each of the instruments in the hallways and am happy to confirm that you child’s is secure in the building.

Enjoy Spring Break and Stay Well ~ Mrs. Castillo

Order Your Yearbook

Many students and parents have asked whether Lemon Road will have a yearbook this year – the answer is YES!  If you want to order a yearbook for your child, the cost is $19.  Please note that all orders must be completed online (no cash/checks) and the deadline to order is April 14, 2020.  Visit the website and enter Yearbook Code 12302520 to get started. 

Blackboard Collaborate Ultra

Following spring break, most of the synchronous learning will be done through Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. Ms. Nickels created this gorgeous graphic to help parents and students experience success with this system. Know that when entering the room, your child’s video/audio settings are automatically set to “off”.  Teachers can give students permission to turn on those features, should your family want your child to engage “face-to-face”.  Your family can also decide to opt out of video/audio, if you are not comfortable and still participate in the lesson.

Continuity of Learning

Through Spring Break, FCPS has provided families with centralized resources to support continuity of learning. These activities can be accessed through the FCPS 24-7 and are available on the FCPS Website. When anyone logs on to FCPS 24-7 they will see a Continuity of Learning module that has links to resources for elementary students as well as resources for middle and high school students.

Mr. Heffron has been updating information for families and students regarding digital resources. Check out these two pages devoted to distance learning resources and links. Lemon Road has online activities students can continue to practice with available on the Student Links page.

LRES Distance Learning Plan

FCPS is embarking on a four-tiered approach to distance learning that will begin officially following Spring Break. All work and assignments are currently optional and will not receive a grade. Our priority is to offer continued learning opportunities to all our students for the remainder of the 2019 – 2020 school year.

Part 1: Weekly Learning Packets

Beginning this week and continuing for the remainder of the school year, all elementary students will receive a weekly learning packet in the U.S. Mail. These packets were created centrally, but teachers may reference them when new learning begins on April 14. The first packet included grade level math practice, but beginning in the second packet, advanced math content will also be included for grades 3 – 6. Students are encouraged to work on these packets at home next week and beyond as independent practice. The packets are available electronically in FCPS 24/7 Learning so if a parent would like to print the packets at home, they may use the opt out link to stop receiving the printed instructional packets in the mail. They will need their student’s ID number and their e-mail address to access the opt out system. We know many of our students are still waiting to receive their first packet. They should be received very soon and the second packet should be received on or before April 13.

Part 2: Virtual Instruction

Our staff has been working this week to develop a plan for ongoing instruction of our students.  Classroom teachers and specialists will be either teaching live through sites like Blackboard Collaborate Ultra or recording themselves teaching and posting links to the videos following Spring Break. Our plan is that core instruction (community building, language arts, and math) will begin first and we will layer in additional learning opportunities as a school overtime.

Part 3:  Channel 21 Programming

Our FCPS cable television channels are now broadcasting learning activities. New instructional videos are being recorded and will be added to the programming lineup shortly. Students can watch on their TV through Channel 21 or can use these links to view building level instructional programming. Channel 21 includes elementary school programming, Channel 25 includes middle school programming, and Channel 99 includes high school programming.

Part 4: Staff Office Hours

Beginning April 14, all staff will have regular virtual office hours to be available to answer student and parent questions in real-time. Staff will explore various methods of communication and accessibility for office hours and will communicate through email and post their schedule on blackboard.

Mental Health and Food Resources

Concern over the coronavirus can make children and families anxious.  While there is uncertainty about the spread of the disease in the US, acknowledging the level of concern in any family member is appropriate.  The resources below will help you help children cope with anxiety by providing accurate prevention information and facts without causing undue alarm.  You can find resources to support your family at this link:  FCPS recommended mental health resources.

Our school counselors, Ms. McKinney and Mrs. Gillmore have also created a way for parents or students to let them know they are in need of a call. Use this link (also found on our webpage) to access them.

If you are in need of information about food resources, the following may be helpful.

• Fairfax County Coordinated Services: 703.222.0880
• Fairfax County searchable map of food sites
• Text ”food” or “comida” to 877-877 to get local food site information in English and Spanish. 
• Capital Area Food Bank
• Food For Others Neighborhood Sites

For more information, parents may reach out to Laura Cook, Lemon Road School Social Worker at 703.206.5333 (note the new number).

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Message from Mrs. Castillo

Thank you to everyone for your participation in our Virtual Spirit Week last week! I enjoyed all the submissions to my email, shared by teachers, and posted to twitter. These small acts helped me continue to feel connected to our community while apart.

We are all adjusting to our new reality since the governor made his announcement on Monday.  FCPS is working OVERTIME to get distance learning ready for our students, staff, and parents.  We recognize the complications moving forward with distance learning and Lemon Road wants to be sure everyone is ready, supported, and has access as we embark on this new learning for all of us. Read below for the difference between continuity of learning (through Spring Break) and distance learning (beginning April 14).

I ask you to be patient with our staff as we transition to teaching virtually – this experience is new for all of us and I am instructing the staff to go slow. I also want to remind parents that distance learning is not equal to the instruction provided during a typical school day. 

The health and safety of our staff and community is our top priority as we grow with new skills and challenges. Our people are our most important resource.  Thank you for everything you have done to support our school and community during this incredible time. 

Stay safe and be well ~ Mrs. Castillo

Continuity of Learning

The guidance to date provided by the Virginia Department of Education is that since school divisions cannot ensure equity in access, student instructional assignments should not be required or graded during the closure. FCPS has provided families with centralized resources to support continuity of learning. These activities can be accessed through the FCPS 24-7 and are available on the FCPS Website. When anyone logs on to FCPS 24-7 they will see a Continuity of Learning module that has links to resources for elementary students as well as resources for middle and high school students.

Mr. Heffron has worked to create simple ways for our families to access digital resources. Check out these two pages devoted to distance learning resources and links. Lemon Road has online activities students can continue to practice with available on the Student Links page. Finally, our FCPS cable television channels are now broadcasting learning activities. New instructional videos are currently being recorded and will be added to the programming lineup shortly. Channel 21 includes elementary school programming, Channel 25 includes middle school programming, and Channel 99 includes high school programming.

Distance Learning Plan

FCPS is embarking on a four-tiered approach to distance learning that will begin officially following Spring Break. All work and assignments are currently optional and will not receive a grade. Our priority is to offer continued learning opportunities to all our students for the remainder of the 2019 – 2020 school year.

Part 1: Weekly Learning Packets

Beginning Monday, March 30 and continuing for the remainder of the school year, all elementary students will receive a weekly learning packet in the U.S. Mail. These packets were created centrally, but teachers may reference them when new learning begins on April 14. Students are encouraged to work on these packets at home next week and beyond as independent practice.

Part 2: Virtual Teaching

Our staff has been working this week to develop a plan for ongoing instruction of our students.  Classroom teachers and specialists will be either teaching live through sites like Blackboard Collaborate Ultra or recording themselves teaching and posting links to the videos following Spring Break. More detailed information, as well as a daily schedule, will be shared next week by your child's classroom teacher.  When possible, teachers are being recommended to record any live instruction and share links with the students on blackboard so students who cannot join live may view another time. Our plan is that core instruction (community building, language arts, and math) will begin first and we will layer in additional learning opportunities as a school overtime.

Part 3:  Channel 21 Programming

Like mentioned above, our FCPS cable television channels are now broadcasting learning activities. New instructional videos are being recorded and will be added to the programming lineup shortly. Students can watch on their TV through Channel 21 or can use these links to view building level instructional programming. Channel 21 includes elementary school programming, Channel 25 includes middle school programming, and Channel 99 includes high school programming.

Part 4: Staff Office Hours

Beginning April 14, all staff will have regular virtual office hours to be available to answer student and parent questions in real-time. Staff will explore various methods of communication and accessibility for office hours and will communicate through email and post their schedule on blackboard.

Parent Access: Blackboard

If you are looking to access Parent View on SIS or Blackboard but, you haven't created an account,  click on this link to create an account through the FCPS FASTeam.  Blackboard will be the primary source parents will visit to access resources for your students while away from school.  Remember, students also directly access Blackboard with their FCPS username and password. 

Positivity Project: Humor Week

Beginning Monday, we'll focus on the character strength of humor. This is one of those strengths that most people don't associate with the concept of "character." However, we know how important humor is in our lives -- individually and collectively -- especially during times of adversity. Though what the world faces now is a very serious matter, humor can help us see the lighter side of life and gain strength to overcome the unique challenges we all face.  For a one-page overview of humor, please click here.

Humor means that you like to laugh and bring smiles to other people. Humor is a sense of playfulness and lightness. It is a way of looking at and describing the world that brings laughter to people. A person with the strength of humor is skilled at seeing at the funny side of things, bringing smiles and laughter to others, and identifying and communicating the absurdities in life. People with this strength don’t specifically need to be joke tellers, although many are. Humor can have a dark side, depending on how it’s used. Some humor is mean spirited and bullying. The strength of humor that the character strength focuses on is that which raises the spirits of other people.

7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043 | Main Phone: 703.714.6400

Attendance: 703.714.6464 or email | Health Room: 703.714.6410 | Web | Twitter