From the School Administration
Dear Belvedere Families,
It has been a warm and beautiful week, and our students have enjoyed learning and playing outdoors!
A big thank you to our amazing PTA for hosting an exciting Bingo Night! This fun event also served as a fundraiser to support the 5th grade end-of-year celebration. We are grateful for your continued support.
Our second graders had a fantastic field trip to Elizabeth Furnace Park this week. Since the fall, they have been raising trout, and on this trip, they released them into a stream! Students and staff had a wonderful time learning more about nature and our environment.
Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week! We encourage you to take a moment to thank your child’s teacher and show your appreciation for their hard work and dedication.
Wishing you a wonderful and restful weekend!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Warm Regards,
Cecilia Vanderhye, Principal
Tara Boone, Assistant Principal
Kelly Cabezas, Assistant Principal
Dismissal Schedule for the Last Day of School
On the last day of school, Wednesday, June 11, school will be dismissed at 2:05pm.
Attendance Notifications on Last Day of School
Please note that on the last day of school, June 11, 2025, morning attendance calls, texts, and e-mails will not be suspended. All schools must follow standard attendance procedures and record student attendance to ensure all students are accounted for and enable timely communication with families regarding any absences.
Kiss and Ride Courtesy Reminder
We kindly ask all families using Kiss and Ride—both in the morning and afternoon—to be respectful of our neighboring community. Please do not block driveways while waiting in line. Thank you for helping us maintain a positive relationship with those who live near our school!
A Note from Jaclyn Walsh, Advanced Academics Resource Teacher
FCPS provides a continuum of services to challenge and engage all students. Students are screened annually to asses academic strengths and needs and align those with the level of AAP services through a process called School-based Screening. Belvedere will hold school-based screenings in early May. For more information about the Advanced Academics continuum of services, please visit https://www.fcps.edu/academics/advanced-academic-programs-aap/elementary .
You may also contact Jaclyn Walsh at jwalsh@fcps.edu.
Belvedere Family Fun and Learning Festival!
What:
Belvedere families are invited to enjoy a variety of fun math and literacy activities hosted by our amazing staff! Students will have the chance to take home math books and independent reading books—and even enter a raffle for a fun prize! Free food will be provided for all families.
Who:
All Belvedere students and their families are welcome!
Where:
Belvedere Elementary School
(Enter through the front parking lot)
When:
Thursday, May 22
Time:
5:30 – 7:00 PM
RSVP here:
https://forms.gle/Nivh1MnWrecqcbBP8
Please note:
Parking at Belvedere is limited. We encourage you to park at John Calvin Presbyterian Church across the street, on Whispering Lane, carpool, or walk if possible.
Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) Testing Schedule
Below is the schedule for Virginia Standards of Learning for grades 3 through 5. Please strive to ensure that your child is present on the days that they will be testing.
Thank you!
Information from the Registrar
If your student is not returning to Belvedere ES for the 2025-26 school year, please be sure to contact our Registrar, Mandy Belcher at abelcher@fcps.edu or at (703) 916-6804.
Kindergarten Registration for the 2025-26 School Year is Now Open!
If you have a child who will be 5 years old by September 30, they are eligible to attend Kindergarten for the upcoming year.
Registration paperwork can be downloaded at https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/Enroll_Pre-Kindergarten_Experience.pdf. Once you have completed the paperwork and gathered the required documents, please come into the front office to meet with our registrar, Mrs. Mandy Belcher (abelcher@fcps.edu).
Alternatively, you can now choose to use our online registration tool https://www.fcps.edu/online-registration. If you choose the online option, you will then have to come into the office with the child’s original birth certificate, your proof of residence (deed/lease) and your ID.
Please note the Commonwealth of VA medical form (showing immunizations and physical exam) can be submitted at a later date, as long as we have this by August 15, 2025 at the latest.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Belcher.
Early registration is strongly encouraged.
Teacher Appreciation Week Starts Monday
The PTA will be sharing our community’s love for the BES staff every day during Teacher Appreciation Week, May 5-9. Join us on Facebook or receive updates via Givebacks as a BES PTA member on all we have planned for that special week. Your membership dues, donations and support for PTA fundraising events throughout the year make it possible for us to support the BES staff. Thank you! And if you want to show your support for the teachers in your students’ lives, National PTA has free resources to share, including thank you cards and more.
Support the BES Jewelry Shop Next Week
We still need volunteers for the PTA Jewelry Shop on May 8 and May 9 to help set up the displays, pack items when the shop closes and assist the children with their selections and wrapping. It helps to have a lot of volunteers for each shift to move each class through the shop as quickly as possible.
If you've never volunteered for a PTA event before, this is a great one to try. No special skills are required except a willingness to help! And if you have volunteered before, you know this is a touching and sweet event.
Feel free to sign up for more than one shift if you're available. All caregivers are welcome to volunteer. Sign up today!
If you have any questions, please contact Paola Long at 571-243-9220 or psiles51@hotmail.com.
Join the May Community Meeting Next Wednesday, May 7
The May PTA Community Meeting will be Wednesday, May 7, at 6:30 pm. We will discuss closing out the school year with updates on Teacher Appreciation Week, the Spring Jewelry Shop, upcoming Restaurant Spirit Nights at Taco Zocalo and Jeni’s Ice Cream, Field Day, the 5th Grade Celebration and Popsicles on the Playground. There’s a lot going on during the next 5 weeks!PTA meetings last about an hour and are offered in a hybrid format – both online and in person in the BES cafeteria. Spanish translation is available as part of the virtual format, so please join us via Zoom if you require Spanish support.
The virtual link will be shared via News You Choose and via MemberHub (PTA’s communication link for members) in advance of the meeting. Children are welcome to join in person at Belvedere, and there will be space for them in the cafeteria to snack, play games, use electronics, read and/or color. All staff and BES families are welcome to join these meetings, share ideas, ask questions and volunteer. You must be a PTA member to vote on any financial decisions made during meetings.
May Restaurant Spirit Night - Taco Zocalo, May 14
Back by popular demand – the May Restaurant Spirit Night will be held at Taco Zocalo's location in Barcroft Plaza (6343-D Columbia Pike, Falls Church) on Wednesday, May 14, from 5-8 p.m.
ALL dinner orders – including to-go and dine-in -- will count toward our event total. Take a look at their tasty menu and share the news with your neighborhood: https://zocalotaco.com/. Be sure to mention Belvedere ES when you place your order.
Excellence at a Crossroads: FCPS Budget Update
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will begin finalizing the budget on Tuesday, May 6. The current advertised budget underfunds FCPS by $150 million.
Without new revenue, such as the meals tax (adding just $2-3 to an average dining bill for a family of four), FCPS will face significant cuts.
What Is at Risk?
Go to fcps.edu/crossroads to see examples of where FCPS exceeds minimum state standards.
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