A Message from our Administrators

Dear Hunt Valley Community,

It's gonna be May! This month is a very busy month at Hunt Valley with end of the year assessments, PTA events, Spring Concert and much more.

We will continue with SOL testing next week as our 5th graders will take the Science SOL. It is very important that students attend school each day during the SOL window but if your child will be absent on the day of a test, please reach out to Chrissy Gibbs, Assistant Principal/School Test Coordinator so plans can be made for makeup sessions.

We want to thank Mr. Keith Hirsch for joining our team as Interim Assistant Principal while Mr. Kopacz has been out on paternity leave. Today is Mr. Hirsch's last day and we are so appreciative for all the help and support that he has provided to students, staff and families during his time here. We are excited to share that Mr. Kopacz will be returning next week!

Please see below for information about:

• SOL testing schedule
• Parent Input for the 2025-2026 School Year
• Hunt Valley Spring Concert--action required
• FCPS Budget Update
• Irving PTA needs officers
• Rising 7th graders event at Irving 
• ST Math Madness
• PTA Spring Festival
• SCA May Updates
• Social and Emotional Learning Screener: Parent Reports
• Protect your child from measles
• Cameras Installed on School Bus Stop Arms
• Career Day--Presenters needed
• Summer Learning Activities and Ideas
• Required Immunizations for Rising 7th and 12th grades
• Spotlight on the Arts Day--May 3rd
• WSHS presents Into the Woods May 8-10
• The Comprehensive School Boundary Review Process Explained
• Immunizations
• Updating Emergency Contacts
• Varsity Tutors

We hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Sincerely,

Keieownna Hightower, Principal

Chrissy Gibbs, Assistant Principal

Keith Hirsch, Interim Assistant Principal

Eric Kopacz, Assistant Principal

Mark Your Calendar April 28-May 23--SOLs for grades 3-6 May 9--PTA Spring Festival May 12--3-hour Early Release

Parent input for class placement

As the 2024-2025 school year comes to an end, we are in the process of planning for next school year. One of our important tasks is to determine class placements for the 2025-2026 school year. Our school staff works collaboratively to plan teacher and student assignments. A variety of factors such as student personalities, friendships, and academics are considered as we create new classes.

Hunt Valley families have an option to assist in placements by providing insights about their child(ren). Please be mindful of the following:

• We will not accept requests for specific teachers. 
• Input must be submitted by the deadline, Friday, May 16, 2024, to be considered. We will not accept late requests.

The deadline for any correspondence regarding the next school year is Friday, May 16th via this Google Form

Hunt Valley Spring Concert at West Springfield High School

ALL performers please RSVP electronically at this link:

                                                 RSVP FORM

If viewing this as a paper copy, please access it via Talking Points, Schoology, or the News You Choose to access the RSVP link seen above

Thank you!

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.

Irving Middle School PTA Secretary and Vice President Needed 

The WIMS PTA is looking for a Secretary and a Vice President for the 2025–2026 school year. These are key roles that help shape the PTA’s work to support students, staff, and families. Learn about the roles here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OKiRO1ti0lNTwDhJOjuIIDd_78IWBlfT/view?usp=sharing Submit your nomination here: https://forms.gle/7Td41pg5eaf5Mpek7  Questions? Email us at: irvingptanomcommittee@gmail.com

For Rising 7th Graders--sponsored by Irving 

ST Math Madness

Hunt Valley Students have been buzzing through STMath puzzles as they competed in the first Annual STMath Madness Tournament!  While all students successfully increased their personal average, the classes with the highest class-average won the tournament!  Congratulations to first place team Mr. Pickett’s 6^th Grade class and runners-up, Mrs. Sheikh’s 1^st grade class.  The 6^th graders celebrated with the 1^st graders at the end of the tournament.

Social and Emotional Learning Screener: Parent Reports

Students in grades 3-12 took the SEL Screener during the month of March. The screener provides information on their SEL skills such as achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships, and making responsible decisions. The screener also asks students how much their school community makes them feel valued, included, and supported.

Individual student SEL Screener results are available to families in the Documents section of SIS ParentVUE. Families who do not have an active ParentVUE account will receive their results via postal mail.

For support in understanding your individual student’s results or for ideas on how to support them at home, please review the SEL Screener Results Family Guide or reach out to our school staff with any questions.

Career Day for 5^th and 6^th Grades - Hunt Valley Elementary

Presenters Needed…

We will be hosting a Career Day on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, for all 5th and 6th grade students.  We are looking for speakers from a variety of different Careers. If you, or anyone you know, would be willing to be a speaker, we are interested in your participation.  Our goal on this day is to expose students to different career possibilities.  We would like professionals from various fields to join us for a few hours (9:00 - 12:15) to share their career choices, how their interests led them to their career choice, educational background, and some of the details of their day-to-day work.  We would also like you to share how you use math and reading in your job.  Any visual information or short demonstrations you think the children would find interesting are welcome. You will be grouped with other presenters and will share for approximately 3 to 5 minutes. You will present your information multiple times with different groups of students. We will be following up with more details about presenting once we have our presenter pool.  If you are interested, please click on the following link, and fill out the form.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAydvIYwBKC3tPCV4NxvBMaYjici-X4uSL4K8b8lra_RaE1g/viewform?usp=header 

Thank you so much for the time you are willing to share with our 5^th and 6^th grade students.  We hope to make this day productive and rewarding for everyone. If you have specific questions, you can email mfberry@fcps.edu or call me at 703-913-8827.

Mary Berry, School Counselor

Protect Your Child from Measles: What You Need to Know

Measles cases continue to rise in the U.S. About 1 in 5 people who get measles end up in the hospital. Measles can cause severe complications like a lung infection (pneumonia), brain inflammation (encephalitis), and possibly death, even with medical care. Symptoms of measles typically include:

• High fever (may spike up to 104°F)
• Cough
• Runny nose
• Red, watery eyes
• A rash that appears around 3-5 days after other symptoms begin. The rash typically starts on the face and spreads down the body.

The best way to protect a child from measles is by getting two doses of the combination measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. 

If you are unsure of your child's vaccination status or your personal vaccination status, talk to your health care provider. If your child needs an immunization, make an appointment with your health care provider, visit the Fairfax County Health Department website for a list of child immunization clinics, or view other Immunization Resources.

☀️ Discover Exciting Summer Learning Activities and Ideas

Attend the FCPS Summer Extravaganza on Saturday, May 10, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., at Woodson High School and get a jump on summer learning and fun! At this free event, participants can engage in educational and enrichment activities designed to inspire curiosity and growth. 

An FCPS Student Program Marketplace will feature student-made goods for sale. Proceeds will support the students’ programs. 

Learn about summer programs and resources available from community and business partners. Enjoy face painting, touring a fire truck, student performances, and much more! For more information, visit the Summer Extravaganza webpage. 

Make Sure Your Children Are Up-to-Date on Immunizations Please make sure your child has all of their necessary immunizations. Remember, all students are required to be immunized against certain diseases to attend school in Virginia. This is an important part of keeping children healthy! Starting Monday, May 19, students who have not provided proof of immunization may not be allowed to attend school. You can check your child’s immunization status and submit updated immunization information by accessing SIS ParentVUE.  Please check with your healthcare provider to make sure your child is up to date on required immunizations for the 2024-25 school year. If your child needs an immunization, make an appointment with your healthcare provider, visit the Fairfax County Health Department website for a list of child immunization clinics, or view other Immunization Resources. Be wise and immunize!