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Critical and Creative Thinkers Thinking out the Box in STEAM.
Save the Date
Chalk for Peace - September 11th 5:30 pm
Back to School Night - September 11th 6:00 - 7:30 pm
CogAT One Time Retest Requests Due - September 15th Contact School Test Coordinator, Megan Kowalczik
Introduction to AAP & Continuum of Services - September 18th 6:00 - 7:00 pm
Family Life Education Parent Preview - September 18th 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Blue Star Welcome Breakfast - September 23rd 8:30 am
3 Hour Early Release K-6 Students Dismissed at 1:05 pm - September 23rd
Family Wellness Symposium - October 10th 6:00-7:30 pm
NNAT One Time Retest Requests Due - October 15th Contact School Test Coordinator, Megan Kowalczik
Hispanic Heritage Celebration - October 15th 6:00 - 7:00 pm
Fall Pictures - October 25th | Makeups - December 4th
School Planning & Teacher Workdays No School - November 4th and 5th
Veterans Day Celebration - 9:50 am
Herndon Homecoming Parade - November 9th 9:30 am
Veterans Day Holiday No School - November 11th
Understanding the Full-Time AAP Screening Process - November 13th 6:00 - 7:00 pm
24-25 School Year Calendar
Back to School Night
This year, we are going to continue to provide both virtual and in person options for families to access Back to School information. The same information will be available through the virtual and in person options.
Virtual Option: If you would like to access the virtual Back to School Night slides, they will be available in our Dranesville Parents and Family Schoology Course on Tuesday, September 10th.
Dranesville BTSN Information for Families
How to Join the Dranesville All Parent & Guardian Schoology Course
In Person Option: If would like to visit your child's classroom(s), we welcome you to join us for Back to School Night on Wednesday, September 11th between 6:00 - 7:30 pm.
Please note that teachers will be present in classrooms from 6:00-7:30.
Children are welcome to attend.
Join us for Coffee and Connection 2024-2025 Family Coffees
Each coffee will be from 9:30 - 10:30 am.
October 8
Mental Health and Wellness
November 12
Advanced Academics Full-time Services Referral Information
January 14
Understanding Assessments: WIDA and SOLs
February 11
Summer Learning Opportunities
March 11
Getting to Know Edu Futuro- Strengthening Families Information
April 8
School Readiness - Birth to 5 Programming
May 13
Family Reflection and Feedback
Thank you to our families who joined us for coffee and connection this morning. We discussed the FCPS Strategic Plan, Dranesville's Measurable Outcomes for 2024-2025, and ways that we can enhance our home-school partnership to elevate excellence for all students at Dranesville.
Advanced Academic Programs Elementary Continuum of Services
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is committed to challenging all students through talent development efforts and differentiated instruction to meet the needs of advanced learners.
FCPS offers a continuum of advanced academic services for all students in Grades K-12. The continuum of services approach recognizes unique student needs and focuses on matching services, not labeling students. Through the continuum, students have:
• Multiple entry points for deeper learning opportunities in specific areas of need as they develop.
• A cluster group of students with similar academic needs to continue growing in their learning.
Teachers, Advanced Academic Resource Teachers (AARTs), and school administrators work together to provide the following levels of service at the elementary level:
Access to Rigor, Grades K-6
All students have opportunities to think critically, reason, and problem-solve.
• All teachers use critical and creative thinking strategies in their lessons.
• Classroom teachers provide opportunities using materials from the AAP
Curriculum Framework a minimum of once per quarter.
Because Access to Rigor is for all FCPS students, there is not a screening process.
Subject-Specific Services Grades K-6
Some students are strong in a specific subject area. Classroom teachers may adjust instruction for students in these area(s) by:
• Providing different assignments and resources in those subjects,
• Grouping students by their strengths, interests, and readiness, and
• Providing additional challenges using materials from the AAP Curriculum Framework.
Student needs for subject specific differentiation are re-evaluated each year at the local school.
Part-Time Services, Grades 3-6
Some students have advanced academic needs in multiple subject areas in addition to specific subject differentiation. They need Part-Time AAP services.
• Students work with other students that have similar academic needs through weekly pull-out classes or weekly co-taught lessons with the AART and classroom teacher.
• Teachers provide frequent opportunities to use materials from the AAP Curriculum Framework in Language Arts, science, social studies, and/or mathematics.
Part-Time services continue through Grade 6. Students do not need to be evaluated each year.
Full-Time Services, Grades 3-8
Some advanced learners need a full-time advanced academic program with differentiated instruction in all four core content areas (Language Arts, mathematics, social studies, and science).
Students eligible for Full-Time AAP services are cluster grouped on a full-time basis and receive:
• Full-time use of materials from the AAP Curriculum Framework in Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social studies, and
• Curriculum that is differentiated through acceleration, depth, and complexity of content.
Full-Time services continue through Grade 8. Students do not need to be evaluated each year.
Screening for Advanced Academic Program Services
Multiple data points are reviewed holistically to determine eligibility for all FCPS advanced academic services. Committees consider student work from opportunities with AAP lessons, examples of student reasoning or gifted behaviors from class discussions and activities, progress reports,
achievement and ability scores, and parent input. Committees consider whether students have access to a group of students with similar academic needs to support academic conversations and growth in
the classroom. No pieces of the data are weighted in the holistic screening process.
Eligibility decisions for Subject-Specific and Part-Time services are made by a committee at the local school, and screening is ongoing throughout the school year. To refer for Subject-Specific and Part-Time AAP services, submit the AAP School-Based Referral Form to the AART at the local school.
Eligibility decisions for Full-Time AAP services are made by the countywide central screening committee.
Screening for Full-Time services occurs during specific screening cycles:
• Fall screening is available for students who are new to FCPS since January.
o The fall screening referral window is from the first day of school - October 15.
• Spring screening is available for any Grade 2-7 FCPS-enrolled student.
o The spring screening referral window is from the first day of school - December 15.
Please do not wait for test scores before submitting a referral for your student in Grades 2-7. Referrals submitted after the Full-Time services referral windows noted above will not be accepted.
Referral forms for all advanced academic program services are found at
https://www.fcps.edu/node/38893.
For more information, please visit the AAP website at: Advanced Academics Identification and Placement for Current FCPS Students | Fairfax County Public Schools.
Ability Testing
FCPS uses ability testing as one consideration of the holistic screening process for advanced academic services. Test scores are not weighted or prioritized in the holistic screening process.
• All students in Grade 1 take the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT).
• All students in Grade 2 take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT).
• NNAT and/or CogAT may be administered to students in Grades 3-6 who do not have an ability test score during the regularly scheduled testing windows.
Parents or guardians may request a one-time retest of either the CogAT or the NNAT in grades 3-6.
Requests must be made during the fall testing windows. Please contact the school testing coordinator Megan Kowalczik, no later than September 15 to request the CogAT or October 15 for the NNAT.
Elementary Parent Information Meeting
A parent information meeting will be held at Dranesville Elementary on
September 18th at 6:00 pm. The AART, Tracey Jenkins, will provide information about
levels of service, explain the screening processes, and answer questions about advanced academic services.
Young Scholars
The FCPS Young Scholars model seeks to identify and affirm, from an early age, students with high academic potential from groups historically underrepresented in advanced academic programming. The goal of the model is to eliminate barriers for Young Scholars’ access to and success in advanced academic opportunities in elementary, middle, and high school.
Twice-Exceptional (2e)
Some gifted students with advanced learning needs may also have a learning disability. Twice-exceptional (or “2e”) students need strengths-based instruction while receiving advanced programming. The FCPS continuum of AAP services provides multiple entry points to meet student needs while also supporting their learning challenges. FCPS has created a 2e handbook to help schools and families understand how to identify and serve 2e students. You can find these resources by going to www.fcps.edu and searching “2e.”
Advanced Academic Programs in Middle and High School
Middle School AAP Advanced coursework at the middle school level is open enrollment. All students are encouraged to enroll in at least one Honors course each school year in an area of strength and/or interest.
Students eligible for the Full-Time services have the option to attend the middle school center assigned to their address or enroll in Honors courses in the four core content areas at their base school.
High School AAP
Advanced coursework at the high school level is open enrollment. All students are encouraged to enroll in at least one Honors course beginning in Grade 9. Each high school in FCPS offers AP, IB or Dual Enrollment courses which begin in Grade 10 or 11, depending on the program and the school.
Additional information about middle and high school services may be found on the Advanced Academic Programs web page: Middle School Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) | Fairfax County Public Schools (fcps.edu).
Blue Star Welcome Week
Blue Star Welcome Week takes place from September 21 - September 29. This is an opportunity for us to welcome and celebrate our military connected families. Join us in welcoming and expressing our gratitude for our military connected families by wearing Dranesville blue on Monday, September 23rd.
Limited Early Release Mondays
As a reminder, FCPS elementary schools will have limited early release Mondays during the upcoming school year. The goal is to provide elementary teachers with additional time to meet new professional development requirements for the Virginia Literacy Act.
Students will be dismissed at 1:05 on the following Mondays:
- September 23
- October 28
- December 9 (changed from November 25th)
- February 24
- March 17
- April 28
- May 19
Dranesville CARES
Our school-wide agreements are grounded in Portrait of a Graduate attributes and skills that students need to succeed in school and life.
At Dranesville:
- We will consider the feelings of others when communicating by using respectful words.
- We will be responsible by taking ownership of our learning community.
- We will be caring by listening to, learning about, and valuing others.
Dranesville CARES about each other and the world.
Student Rights and Responsibilities
FCPS’ Student Rights and Responsibilities document (SR&R) explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment. Read Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid’s letter to families regarding the SR&R.
Parents/caregivers should talk to their child(ren) about expectations for this school year.
Also, please log in to SIS ParentVUE and sign to acknowledge your review of the SR&R, or sign and return the signature sheet to the main office at Dranesville by Monday, September 30.
Student Journalists Engage in a Conversation to Learn about Construction
Students at Dranesville began a Journalism Club last school year. They are working on articles for the September 2024 edition of Dragons' Spark.
One feature of the September Edition is an interview with Field Construction Representative, Mr. Newbold.
We are looking forward to reading this interview and learning about what sparks our Dragons' interests throughout the year.
Dranesville Renovation
Thank you to the Dranesville families and community members who attended the Renovation Community Meeting on Tuesday, August 20th. Information from that meeting is available on the FCPS website. We are excited to grow with you!
Learn more about the Dranesville Elementary School renovation project.
1515 Powells Tavern Place, Herndon, VA 20170 | Main Office: 703-326-5200
Attendance: 703-326-5252 or [email protected]
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