FCPS

March 19, 2025

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Dear Families,

Our Read-a-Thon is drawing to a close on Wednesday, March 19th. We have set a goal of raising $20,000 so we are able to fund school supplies for every child, field trips, teacher appreciation events, and Fun Run t-shirts. Please consider supporting our Parent Teacher Organization and Mason Crest so we can plan some amazing events this upcoming school year!

We hope your child has enjoyed reading and will keep reading even after the Read-a-Thon is completed. 

Thank you for your continued support!

Ms. Bell, Mr. Aiello, and Ms. Shin

Spring Picture Day

This Thursday, March 20 is Spring Picture Day. Your child will be taking individual portraits as well as a class picture. We can't wait to see all those beautiful smiles on Thursday!

Kindergarten Orientation and Registration

Mason Crest will be holding our Kindergarten Orientation for families and students on April 1 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. During the Orientation, incoming kindergarten families will be able to experience "A Day in the Life of a Kindergartener" and meet the team of educators that will be supporting your child at Mason Crest. We hope you can join us!

Do you have a child that is five years old or will be turning five by September 30, 2025? If you do, please register them for Kindergarten at your earliest opportunity. To start the process you can either visit https://www.fcps.edu/online-registration or stop by the Mason Crest Elementary School office, Monday through Friday, between 8:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m.

Principal Evaluation Parent Feedback Form

Starting Monday, March 24, you will receive an email with a link to the FCPS Principal Evaluation Parent Feedback Form. This questionnaire is part of the Performance Evaluation Program and provides an opportunity for you to share anonymous feedback on key areas of our school, including:

• Instructional Leadership
• School Climate
• Management (human resources and organizational)
• Communication and Community Relations
• Culturally Responsive and Equitable Leadership
• Professionalism

The survey will be open March 24 – April 4 and will be collected online. When you receive an email from FCPS Surveys, please take a few minutes to complete it. All written responses will be shared with both the principal and the Region Assistant Superintendent.

Your feedback is valuable—thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts!

Garden Volunteers Wanted

We need volunteers on Saturday, March 29th from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.to support our outdoor garden. We need to tear down a garden planter and replace it with a new one. Job will include:

• tearing down the planter
• hauling away remnants
• assembling new planter
• filling with topsoil

If you are available to support us by volunteering, please contact Kimberley Mathews at [email protected]u.

Zero Waste Week

Our Green Team is sponsoring a Zero Waste Week from March 24-March 28. During this week, students and adults are encouraged to decrease the amount of trash they throw away. Some simple ways to support our Zero Waste Week include:

• use reusable containers and water bottles
• only take the food you will eat in the cafeteria
• recycle paper, plastics, and cans
• put unopened food on the share table

Thank you for helping us keep our environment cleaner and safer!

Upcoming Dates and Important Events

March 19--Read A Thon Ends

March 20--Spring and Class Picture Day

March 24-28--Zero Waste Week

March 27--Arts Showcase 5:30-7:00 p.m. (Kindergarten Concert 5:30 p.m./1st Grade Concert 6:30 p.m.)

March 28--3rd Quarter Ends

March 31--No School (Eid Holiday)

April 1--Teacher Workday & Kindergarten Orientation 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.

April 14-18--Spring Break

Hat Spirit Day

3705 Crest Drive, Annandale, VA 22003-1701 | Main Phone: 571.226.2600
Attendance: 571.226.2626 | Web | Facebook

March 5, 2025

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Dear Families,

We are excited to announce that while Ms. Conroy is out on maternity leave, we will have an interim principal supporting our students at Mason Crest, Jillian Bell. Ms. Bell has been serving as an administrator at Bailey's Elementary since 2020 and comes with a wide range of experiences in different schools within FCPS. We are lucky to have Ms. Bell and we look forward to working with her this spring.

Please join us in welcoming Ms. Bell to the Mason Crest community and be sure to say hello when you see her. 

All our best,

Ms. Shin & Mr. Aiello

Read-a-Thon Coming!

Our spring fundraiser starts Wednesday, March 5th. Look for more information in your child's Wednesday folder and in your email to help raise funds for our PTO. The funds will support school supplies for the upcoming school year, Fun Run t-shirts, and Teacher Appreciation events. Reading Logs will be provided for students to keep track of their reading minutes to earn class prizes!

Let's get reading!

Kindergarten Orientation and Registration

Do you have a child that is five years old or will be turning five by September 30, 2025? If you do, please register them for Kindergarten at your earliest opportunity. To start the process you can either visit https://www.fcps.edu/online-registration or stop by the Mason Crest Elementary School office, Monday through Friday, between 8:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m.

Mason Crest will be holding our Kindergarten Orientation for families and students on April 1 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. During the Orientation, incoming kindergarten families will be able to experience "A Day in the Life of a Kindergartener" and meet the team of educators that will be supporting your child at Mason Crest. We hope you can join us!

Fasting Kits Available 

Thanks 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 deadlines.

Upcoming Dates and Events

March 5--Read A Thon Starts

March 10--3 Hour Early Release

March 19--Read A Thon Ends

March 20--Spring and Class Picture Day

March 28--3rd Quarter Ends

March 31--No School (Eid Holiday)

April 1--Teacher Workday & Kindergarten Orientation 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.

3705 Crest Drive, Annandale, VA 22003-1701 | Main Phone: 571.226.2600
Attendance: 571.226.2626 | Web | Facebook

February 17, 2025

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We LOVE Mason Crest Teachers

Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) Meeting

Please join us on Tuesday, February 18th from 6:00-6:30 p.m. online via Zoom to discuss BINGO Night, upcoming events, Spring Clubs and our Readathon. We would love your input and support.

Join Zoom Meeting https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/j/91764410568?pwd=1aeNwsRuUcJrBEPEAFbTWPdubaEPlb.1

Meeting ID: 917 6441 0568 Passcode: 958633

A Taste of Mason Crest--Celebrate Our Multicultural Community

Join us on Thursday, February 27 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. to celebrate who we are as a school community. Enjoy food, music, dance, games, and crafts shared by the Mason Crest community. We hope you will join us for one of our favorite evenings of the year!

Kindergarten Registration

Do you have a child that is five years old or will be turning five by September 30, 2025? If you do, please register them for Kindergarten at your earliest opportunity. To start the process you can either visit https://www.fcps.edu/online-registration or stop by the Mason Crest Elementary School office, Monday through Friday, between 8:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. Please also share this information with anyone in our neighborhood who may have a child that is ready to start Kindergarten in August. We can't wait to meet all our new Tigers!

Student Fasting Meal Kits for February 28 - March 28

Thanks 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 deadlines.

Green Team Updates

The Mason Crest Green Team has been busy creating a hanging garden to adorn the wall of our stairwell, designing a new eco-school logo, and raising receycling awareness.

If you would like to help work in our outdoor learning gardens during March and April, please email our Green Team coordinator, Kimberley Mathews at [email protected]. We would like to clear out our invasive plants to make way for our milkweed and replace one of our large planters. If you are able to volunteer your time, we would love the help!

100 Days of Learning

3705 Crest Drive, Annandale, VA 22003-1701 | Main Phone: 571.226.2600
Attendance: 571.226.2626 | Web | Facebook

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BINGO Night--Friday!

Come support our amazing PTO by joining us for Family BINGO Night this Friday!

Please arrive between 5:30-5:45 through the main entrance to get checked in. The first bingo game begins at 6pm in the cafeteria. Upon arrival, if you pre-order a la carte items or the family bundle online, please head to the pre-order line.  If you do not pre-order, or you would like to order additional game cards, raffle tickets or a la carte food  items, you will be able to do so day-of, but please come early to allow enough time to go through the lines, check out the raffle prizes and find a seat.  Raffle prize winners will be revealed after the bingo games have concluded. We hope you can join us for a night of family fun to raise funds for our PTO.

Pricing:  

• Bingo Game Cards- $1 each (a new card is required for each round)
• Raffle tickets- 2 for $5
• Day-of food/drink pricing- $1- drink or dessert ticket, $3- pizza (cheese or pepperoni) by the slice

Family bundle for pre-order! $45 (pre-order closes Thursday, 1/30) -1 Large pizza (cheese or pepperoni) -6 drink/dessert tickets -16 game cards (2 for each game) -3 raffle tickets (additional items can be added to your online order)

Avoid the lines and pre-order now!

🕧 3 Hour Early Release

The next 3 hour early release Monday will be on February 10, 2025. Confirmation letters will be sent next week for how students are going home using the previous family selection. 

Remaining early release Mondays for Mason Crest include: 

• February 10
• March 10
• April 21
• May 12

Students will be dismissed at 1:00 p.m. on the dates listed above.

Upcoming Events and Important Dates

January 29--Teacher Workday, No School for Students

January 30--Glasgow Middle School Curriculum Night for 5th Grade Families; 6:00-8:00 p.m.

January 31--Family BINGO Night; 5:30-8:00 p.m.

February 7--5th Grade Panoramic Picture and Club Photos

February 10--3 hour Early Release Monday

February 17--President's Day, No School

3705 Crest Drive, Annandale, VA 22003-1701 | Main Phone: 571.226.2600
Attendance: 571.226.2626 | Web | Facebook

January 21, 2025

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Practicing Getting Dressed for Winter Weather in Preschool

Mason Crest Families,

  Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately with a warm coat and/or other cold-weather clothing, gloves, and a hat, so they can comfortably enjoy their time outdoors. See the National Weather Service’s tips on staying safe during cold weather.

Throughout the winter, FCPS and the Mason Crest principals monitor the weather for very low temperatures, wind chill advisories, and weather warnings which may prevent children from being outside and call for us to shorten the time outside for recess.

If you need assistance supplying your child with cold-weather clothing our Family Liaison, Liz Denman ([email protected]) is happy to support you. 

Thank you,

The Mason Crest Principals

Flu Season

There has recently been an increase in respiratory illnesses at Mason Crest. These illnesses can cause symptoms like fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, and fatigue. Please consider the following for keeping your child safe this flu season:

• teach your child to wash their hands for 20 seconds especially before eating
• remind your child to avoid touching their face (eyes, nose, mouth) as germs spread this way
• get vaccinated (flu and COVID-19 shots are available at local health care centers and pharmacies

 If you have any questions, please contact the School Public Health Nurse, Erin Zimmerer at 571-585-9516.

BINGO Night, January 31st

Our annual bingo night fundraiser will be held on Friday, January 31, 2025 in the MCES cafeteria. We will be sending out sign-ups shortly for volunteers and information on how to pre-purchase food, drinks and raffle tickets, so be on the lookout for that in Wednesday folders this month. We need your help!  Do you own a business that can donate something to our raffle? Are you able to ask your gym, frequently visited restaurants or shops, trampoline parks, spa/nail salons if they would be willing to make a donation?  Please email us at [email protected] with questions or to make arrangements for donations as we kindly request all donations be received by January 29th. Thank you for your help in making this event a success! 

WIDA Testing

Multi-lingual learners will begin their language development testing next week. The testing will continue through the month of February. Students are tested in four domains--speaking, listening, reading and writing. Families will receive notification of their child's language growth later this Spring. If you have any questions regarding the test, please feel free to reach out to the administrative team at 571-226-2600. 

Important Dates and Upcoming Events

January 22--Poe Middle School Curriculum Night for 5th Grade Families; 6:00-8:00 p.m.

January 28--End of 2nd Quarter

January 29--Teacher Workday, No School for Students

January 30--Glasgow Middle School Curriculum Night for 5th Grade Families; 6:00-8:00 p.m.

January 31--Family BINGO Night; 5:30-8:00 p.m.

February 10--3 hour Early Release Monday

February 17--President's Day, No School

3705 Crest Drive, Annandale, VA 22003-1701 | Main Phone: 571.226.2600
Attendance: 571.226.2626 | Web | Facebook

December 16, 2024

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Message from our PTO: Support Our Teachers & Show You Care!

Mark your calendars for the upcoming Days of Cheer, from December 18th to 20th. This tradition is an opportunity for us to show our support and gratitude to the incredible Mason Crest crew who dedicate themselves to our children's education. We need your support to make Days of Cheer a success! We will be asking for handmade signs and decorations to spruce up the teacher’s lounge, we’ll be hosting a hot chocolate bar on Wednesday, a catered lunch on Thursday and breakfast on Friday. You can contribute by donating your time, dropping off items for the staff, or making a cash contribution. 

Sign-Up Genius Here

We also have started an Amazon Wish List!  If it’s easier to purchase the items online and send them directly to school, we would appreciate it!  Please just note the shipping/delivery dates to ensure the items will arrive on time.

We also have the option to Venmo if you would like to send a donation and the PTO can shop for you.  Our PTO Venmo is @Mason-Crest-PTO and label it “Days of Cheer.”

Important Dates & Upcoming Events

December 16-December 20: Spirit Days of Cheer

December 18: PTO Lebanese Taverna Night

December 20: 5th Grade Field Trip to Poe MS

December 23-January 3: NO SCHOOL-Winter Break Holiday

January 20: NO SCHOOL-Inauguration

January 29: NO SCHOOL-Teacher Workday

January 31: BINGO Night

3705 Crest Drive, Annandale, VA 22003-1701 | Main Phone: 571.226.2600
Attendance: 571.226.2626 | Web | Facebook

December 16, 2024

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Message from our PTO: Support Our Teachers & Show You Care!

Mark your calendars for the upcoming Days of Cheer, from December 18th to 20th. This tradition is an opportunity for us to show our support and gratitude to the incredible Mason Crest crew who dedicate themselves to our children's education. We need your support to make Days of Cheer a success! We will be asking for handmade signs and decorations to spruce up the teacher’s lounge, we’ll be hosting a hot chocolate bar on Wednesday, a catered lunch on Thursday and breakfast on Friday. You can contribute by donating your time, dropping off items for the staff, or making a cash contribution. 

Sign-Up Genius Here

We also have started an Amazon Wish List!  If it’s easier to purchase the items online and send them directly to school, we would appreciate it!  Please just note the shipping/delivery dates to ensure the items will arrive on time.

We also have the option to Venmo if you would like to send a donation and the PTO can shop for you.  Our PTO Venmo is @Mason-Crest-PTO and label it “Days of Cheer.”

Message from our Health Room

To ensure the health of everyone, students should be free of fever, vomiting and diarrhea for a minimum of 24 hours without medication before returning to school. If a student is sent home from school early with one of these symptoms, they should stay home from school the following day.   Thank you!

Medications may not be brought to school by students.  Parents must bring all medications to the Health Room during school hours. Over the counter medications must be in the original, unopened packaging.  Prescription medications require paperwork to be completed by a doctor.  For medication questions, please call 571-226-2610.

Message from our Music Program

Thank you for always supporting our amazing music programs at Mason Crest. There have been some questions regarding the Winter-Sing-a-Long later this week. Due to limited space, that event is only for students and staff to celebrate the end of 2024 heading into the Winter Break. 

  The Kindergarten and 1st graders will preform as a part of our Arts Showcase Night which is scheduled for the evening of March 27th. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to administration or your child's music teacher. 

Kiss n'Ride Reminders

If you are utilizing our Kiss n' Ride line in the morning or afternoon, we ask that you please remain in your car and pull up to the sidewalk where staff can help your student get into or out of your car. 

We are having families who are parking their cars illegally in the parking lot and walking their child across the Kiss n' Ride line. If you would like to walk your child up to the door, please park on Wayne or on Brookcrest, and use the sidewalks leading up to the school to ensure our Kiss n' Ride line is moving as quickly and safely as possible.

Please help to keep our students safe and plan ahead on those days when the line might be longer such as when there is rainy weather. Thank you for your patience and continued partnership as a part of the Mason Crest community.

Important Dates and Upcoming Events

December 16-December 20: Spirit Days of Cheer

December 18: PTO Lebanese Taverna Night

December 20: 5th Grade Field Trip to Poe MS

December 23-January 3: NO SCHOOL-Winter Break Holiday

January 20: NO SCHOOL-Inauguration

January 29: NO SCHOOL-Teacher Workday

January 31: BINGO Night

3705 Crest Drive, Annandale, VA 22003-1701 | Main Phone: 571.226.2600
Attendance: 571.226.2626 | Web | Facebook