Tanned, Rested…and Ready for School to Start?

It’s now been over two months since the last day of the 2007-2008 school year, and hopefully you’ve had a relaxing summer of afternoons at the pool Or maybe you’ve had a summer of juggling a number of camps with varying schedules, vacation, out-of-town guests, and you can’t wait for the first day of school. No matter how your summer has been, time and tide wait for no man…and school begins in less than a month –

August 25 for St. James Catholic School
September 2 for Falls Church City schools

School Supplies and all that jazz.

Since only the most organized among us can find the lime green list of required school supplies that came home that “last day,” and even though a copy of these lists will also be included in the packet with teacher/section assignments either being mailed to your home or waiting to be picked up, as my 11-year-old daughter told me, “by then, all the good stuff is gone.” And you know what? She’s generally right. Who wants to visit 14 stores looking for white pocket folders the last week of summer vacation? So here is where you can find the information you need:

Mount Daniel and Thomas Jefferson school supply lists:
http://www.fccps.org/news/item/080722_01.htm

Mary Ellen Henderson school supply lists:
http://www.fccps.org/meh/

George Mason school supply lists:
Information contained in the August 2008 newsletter (just ignore the .pdf title; it really IS the August newsletter) provides important information about the start of school:
http://www.fccps.k12.va.us/gm/newsletters/October.pdf

St. James School supply lists

So WHEN do you find out about teacher assignments?

For those of us without instant recall, here is the process of finding out who your child’s teacher is and when they will meet them (by school):

Mount Daniel Elementary School (Grades K-1):
August 19 Class assignments and information about the school year mailed home
August 28 Meet the Teacher Day (Kindergarten-1:30 p.m.; 1st-2:00 p.m.; Pre-K-2:30 p.m.)

Thomas Jefferson Elementary School (Grades 2-4):
August 20-29 Class assignments packet pick-up at TJ
August 28 Meet the Teacher Day -12:45 pm

Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School (Grades 5-7):
week of August 18 Class assignments mailed home
August 26 5th grade locker orientation (8:00-10:00 a.m.)
August 27 Back to School Social 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

George Mason High School:
Information contained in the August 2008 newsletter (just ignore the .pdf title; it really IS the August newsletter) provides important information about the start of school:
http://www.fccps.k12.va.us/gm/newsletters/October.pdf
August 27 8th Grade Orientation at noon in the Mustang Cafe

St. James Catholic School:
August 22 Open House and Uniform Exchange

Getting your head in the game…

And finally, there’s still time for your children to finish their summer reading requirement. Check out the summer reading lists* at:

Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School:
http://www.fccps.org/meh/

George Mason High School:
http://www.fccps.k12.va.us/gm/outlines/summerreading/summerreading.html

St. James School Summer Reading List

* Mount Daniel and Thomas Jefferson Elementary Schools do not have reading lists. But for a list of recommended books, visit Reading Resources at the Falls Church Elementary PTA Web site:
http://www.fallschurchpta.org/pta-resources.html

You’re all set now…or are you?

Earlier this summer, instructions for updating Falls Church City student information via Infosnap were mailed to parents of returning students. This online process was implemented last year to reduce paper and to make the registration process for both parents and staff more efficient. If you have not already updated your information, please do so as soon as possible. If you have questions, or if you are unable to locate your student’s “snapcodes,” please contact the central office at 703-248-5612.
– from the Falls Church City public schools

And now if someone could just tell me where they sell pre-sharpened pencils!

– Annette Hennessey