Island Creek's Weekly Words: February 21, 2025
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Dear Island Creek Families,
We had a wonderful 4-day week or learning at Island Creek! On Thursday morning athletes from George Mason University Men's Basketball Team welcomed our students to school and visited some classrooms during Morning Meeting!
Thank you to the families of students in Grades 3-5 who attended our Fact Fluency information session on Tuesday evening. Slides from the presentation are linked here.
- Join us for Island Creek's Authors & Artists Night this Thursday, February 27th, from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM! Come see the amazing artwork and writing from our Crocs! New this year: Glow Show! Stop by the Theatre for an immersive experience featuring artwork from our Kindergarten, 5th and 6th Grade students. Also, enjoy dinner from one of our two food trucks!
- If your Island Creek student is observing Ramadan, please fill out this Ramadan Participation Questionnaire so we can coordinate on both a prayer schedule and a lunch alternative for them, if needed.
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Monday, March 10 is Island Creek's next 3-Hour Early Release Day for school-age students at 12:20 pm. We will follow parent/guardian repsonses from the Early Release on Monday, February 10. If you need to change your child’s plans, please call the school office at 571-642-6300.
Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for your continued support!
All our best,
Jen Fallert, Principal
Karen Baxter, Assistant Principal
Denise Cash-Pinckney, Assistant Principal
Every Day Counts at Island Creek! Help us reach our goal of 5% or less this year!Regular attendance is a significant factor in a student’s success:
- Chronic absenteeism (missing 10% of the school year) correlates to low academic achievement;
- Absenteeism is a powerful predictor of dropout rates;
- Absenteeism has been linked to poor outcomes later in life.
To ensure transparency and celebrate our progress, we will be sharing weekly attendance data and updates in our newsletter. By highlighting this important information, we aim to keep our families informed and energized about our collective efforts to encourage regular school attendance
❤️Questions? ❤️Suggestions? ❤️Concerns?Should you have questions, suggestions, or concerns, please reach out to your child's teacher. Additionally, the following staff are here to support and may be reached via email or by calling the front office at 571-642-6300.
Jen Fallert, Principal ([email protected])
Karen Baxter, Assistant Principal ([email protected])
Denise Cash-Pinckney, Assistant Principal ([email protected])
Nikki Bohnert, School Counselor ([email protected])
Trina Clinkscales, School Counselor ([email protected])
Jermaine Perkins, School Psychologist ([email protected])
Allison DeGregorio, Social Worker ([email protected])
Corine Washington, Public Health Nurse ([email protected])
All Croc Families are Invited: Authors and Artists Night: Feb. 27You're invited to Island Creek's Authors & Artists Night! Join us on Thursday, February 27th from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM to view student writing and artwork.
New this year: Glow Show! Stop by the Theatre for an immersive experience featuring artwork from our Kindergarten, 5th and 6th Grade students.
Two food trucks will be on site if you'd like to purchase dinner, and you're welcome to eat in the cafeteria. We hope to see you there!
GMU Men's Basketball TeamOn Thursday morning athletes from George Mason University Men's Basketball Team welcomed our students to school and visited some classrooms during Morning Meeting! We loved hosting the GMU Patriots!
Thank you for the Animal Shelter donations!Thank you to the Island Creek community for generously donating 282 items and $70 in Amazon gift cards to the Lorton Animal Shelter. Ms. Bohnert, Counselor, delivered the donations on Thursday, and the shelter staff expressed their sincere appreciation.
Ms. Parker's 3rd Grade Class donated the most items and enjoyed a doughnut party on Friday!
Croc Stars: Open and HonestCongratulations to our Croc Stars who demonstrated the Crocs Creed character traits of being Open and Honest!
Yearbook Cover Contest!We're thrilled to announce our annual Yearbook Cover Contest! Two students will have their designs featured on the front and back covers of the yearbook.
Here's how to enter:
- Format: Designs must be on 8.5x11 inch paper (vertical/portrait orientation)
- Required Elements: Include the following:
- Island Creek Elementary
- 2024-2025
- You Belong Here
- First and last name written in pencil (on the back)
- Quality: Excellent craftsmanship!
- Design Tips: Bright colors and clear lines tend to look best.
- Important: All words must be spelled correctly. Creativity is encouraged!
Deadline: Please submit your yearbook cover designs to the Front Office by Friday, March 7, 2025
SEL Screener, Grades 3-6The Spring Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener will be administered to students in grades 3-6 during the week of March 17-21. Students use the SEL Screener twice a year to share their perspectives on how well their school and community help them develop skills they need to succeed. The screener works by asking questions or presenting statements that students can think about and respond to. More information is available about the SEL Screener by accessing this link: https://www.fcps.edu/student-tests-and-assessments/student-assessment-details/social-emotional-screener
If you have any questions please reach out to our SEL Screener Lead, Nikki Bohnert, at [email protected].
February is Black History MonthFebruary is Black History Month which is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in United States history. The 2025 Black History Month theme, African Americans and Labor, focuses on the various and profound ways that work and working of all kinds – free and unfree, skilled, and unskilled, vocational and voluntary – intersect with the collective experiences of Black people.
Thanks to our Equity and Family Engagement Committee, all of our Croc Students are learning about a famous African American on our daily Morning News Show. Shown belows are two displays at Island Creek which recognize and celebrate achievements of African Americans.
Click here to learn more about Black History Month.
Cafeteria Share TableOn Monday, Island Creek will start a food sharing program to reduce waste and food insecurity. There will be a Share Table in our cafeteria where students may place unwanted and unopened food or drink from cafeteria meals (no food from home should be placed on the Share Table). Any student may take food or drink from the Share Table at no cost.
Encourage your children to only take what they need and to take part in food sharing. Together we can do great things!
Spotlight on Specials: STEAMOur students are diving deep into the world of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) with an exciting project! They're not just learning about science concepts – they're bringing them to life through the magic of stop motion animation! Each grade level is focusing on a specific science topic and creating a stop motion video using the Stop Motion app and an iPad. Some grade level videos will include a voiceover, showcasing their understanding of the material. Get ready for some amazing student-created movies!
Here's a peek at what each grade level is exploring:
- Kindergarten: Stop Motion: Kindergarten students are bringing a classic story to life! Kindergarteners are using stop motion animation to retell the tale of the Three Little Pigs
- First Grade: Stop Motion: First graders are getting moving with their stop motion projects! They're exploring different types of circular, back and forth and straight motion.
- 2nd Grade: Precipitation Exploration: Second graders are learning all about the different types of precipitation, from gentle rain showers to fluffy snowflakes. Their stop motion videos will illustrate how rain, snow, sleet, and hail form, and the unique characteristics of each.
- 3rd Grade: The Water Cycle Adventure: Third graders are embarking on a journey through the water cycle! Their videos will depict the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth, showcasing evaporation, condensation, and precipitation,
- 4th Grade: Cloud Creations: Fourth graders are reaching for the sky as they study clouds! Their stop motion projects will explore the different types of clouds, from the wispy cirrus to the towering cumulonimbus, and how they form. They'll also explain how clouds are important parts of our weather.
- 5th Grade: Rock Cycle Rocks: Fifth graders are digging into the rock cycle! They'll be creating stop motion animations that show how rocks are constantly changing from one type to another through processes like melting, cooling, erosion, and pressure.
- 6th Grade: Weather Systems in Motion: Sixth graders are tackling complex weather systems! Their projects will illustrate how different weather patterns, like fronts and storms, develop and move across the Earth. They'll be explaining the forces behind weather changes and how we can predict them
Ramadan is from sundown February 28th to sundown March 29th. If your Island Creek student is observing Ramadan, please fill out this Ramadan Participation Questionnaire so we can coordinate on both a prayer schedule and a lunch alternative for them, if needed.
Read Across the World Week! Young Crocs in MotionThanks to the leadership of one of our outstanding PE Teachers, Ms. Barber, Young Crocs in Motion (YCIM) will have a Girls Club (Tuesdays) and Boys Club (Thursdays). Registration informatoin is linked below.
3-Hour Early Release: Monday, 3/10Monday, March 10 is Island Creek's next 3-Hour Early Release Day for school-age students at 12:20 pm. We will follow parent/guardian repsonses from the Early Release on Monday, February 10. If you need to change your child’s plans, please call the school office at 571-642-6300.
🧸 Kindergarten Registration: It’s as Easy as 1-2-3…Parents of rising kindergartners please contact Ms. Bickerstaff, Island Creek Registrar, to schedule an appointment to register your rising kindergartner for the fall of 2025!
Spread the news with neighbors and friends who may also have a kindergartener ready to begin their journey at Island Creek!
There’s an easy five-step process for parents wanting to register their child for kindergarten:
1. Determine eligibility: Children must be age 5 or older by September 30.
2. Identify your local school.
3. Gather documents.
4. Fill out forms.
5. An in-person appointment is still necessary. Please schedule with Ms. Bickerstaff.
Read more about the registration process.
Rising Kindergarten Student Intention 2025-26 Please complete this form if you have a rising kindergartner and plan on attending Island Creek Elementary School. We are not using this data for evaluative purposes nor for placement purposes but merely to collect information for the beginning of the school year. All students come in at various levels academically and socially. We are excited for our 2025-26 kindergarten students!
Kindergarten Orientation Tuesday, April 1 (9:30-11:00) Tuesday, April 1, 2025: 9:30-11:00 (sign-in at 9:15)We are excited to welcome our newest Crocs to Island Creek Elementary School for the 2025-2026 school year!
This event is intended for the rising kindergarten student and their parents/guardians. Last year we tried something new and it was a success, so will be repeating this year! Rising kindergarten students and their parents/guardians will be placed in tour groups and visit eight different locations at Island Creek to see our amazing school and meet our fantastic staff. At 11:00 we will have Popsicles on the Playground and the opportunity for students to board a school bus.
Due to limited space, we ask that only rising Kindergarten students and their parents/guardians attend.
💻 Try Online RegistrationOnline registration for the 2025-26 school year is open. Parents/caregivers may register their children online for kindergarten through 12th grade. Learn how to begin the online registration process.
When registering, parents/caregivers will need to create or log in to an existing SIS ParentVUE account.
Save the Date: Spring SOL Writing (IRW), Reading, Math, and Science Testing DatesFor your planning purposes and reference, please see the Spring 2025 Standards Of Learning (SOL) Testing Dates. When possible, please avoid scheduling appointments and/or activities that would prevent your child from arriving at school on time on the days your child(ren) are participating in an SOL Assessment.
Student Fasting Meal Kits for February 28 - March 28Thanks to a new program from the Virginia Department of Education, students who are fasting during the school day between February 28 and March 28 can now take school meal kits home at the end of the day.Families will need to fill out a weekly Fasting Meals Request Form for their child or children to receive school meal kits. A separate form must be filled out for each week and each student.To receive meal kits for Friday, February 28, and the week of March 3, please submit the first request form by Monday, February 24. Visit the FNS webpage for more information, including weekly request forms and deadline
📐 Breaking Down the Budget: Supporting Academic Growth and Algebra by Eighth GradeThe FCPS Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Proposed Budget invests in academic growth and excellence for each and every student, which is one of the priorities of the FCPS Strategic Plan.
Since the 2023-24 school year, FCPS has seen a 9.5% increase in eighth graders taking Algebra I or more advanced math and a 6.8% increase in fifth graders in advanced math.
Studies show that students who complete algebra in middle school have more opportunities to take advanced math and science courses in high school. This can open up new academic paths for students! Watch a video that shows why eighth grade algebra matters.
Learn more about the FCPS FY 2026 Proposed Budget.
VDH Immunization Packets for Rising 7th GradersAs required by the Code of Virginia, parents or legal guardians need to provide proof of immunizations for their child to attend public school. All students entering seventh grade are required to receive one dose of each of the following immunizations:
- Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis booster (Tdap) given at age 7 or older.
- Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) given at age 10 or older.
- A complete series of 2 doses of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.
- After reviewing educational materials approved by the Board of Health, the parent or guardian, at the parents/guardians sole discretion, may elect for the child not to receive the HPV vaccine.
Parents/guardians are encouraged to plan ahead by scheduling an appointment with their child’s health care provider now to avoid the rush this summer. If your child does not have a health care provider, please visit the FCPS Immunizations Resource page to find out where to get an immunization.
Please review the Virginia Department of Health Information Packet for more information on rising 7th grade immunization requirements.
📑 Varsity Tutors Provides On-Demand Support at No CostFCPS is partnering with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra learning resources. Every student can take advantage of Varsity Tutors’ services at no cost, including weekly live online classes; on-demand 24/7 chat tutoring; essay editing; and study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests. Learn more about online tutoring with Varsity Tutors.
Upcoming Dates❤️Thursday, February 27: Authors and Artist Night (5:00-6:30)
❤️Friday, February 28 (Sundown)- Saturday, March 29: Ramadan
❤️Monday, March 10: 3-Hour Early Release (12:20)
❤️Wednesday, March 19: 5th Grade IRW (Integrated Reading and Writing) SOL
❤️Monday, March 31: Eid al-Fitr (No school for students and staff)
❤️Tuesday, April 1: Teacher Workday (No school for students); Kindergarten Orientation (9:30-11:00)
❤️Monday, April 14-Friday, April 18: Spring Break (No school for students and staff)
❤️Follow Island Creek on Facebook and InstagramInstagram: islandcreekelementary
7855 Morning View Lane, Alexandria, VA 22315 | Phone: 571-642-6300
Attendance 571-642-6363