FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK
Cherry Run

From the Principal's Desk:

Good afternoon families!! 

I wanted to start off with a quick reminder to families that the deadline for submitting placement feedback is next week!  Please get any comments to me prior to the deadline.  I will be creating a placement grid for each grade level and then the teachers will begin creating classes.  Once that process has started it will be too late to provide additional input.

SOL testing has begun!  This week we completed all reading SOL tests for grades 3-6.  I will say that I am extremely happy with the 'unofficial' test results so far.  Until results are certified and official, we will not be sharing test results, but you will have those before the end of the year.  Please remember that SOL scoring has been recalibrated this year and it may have an impact on overall test results.  Considering this change, I am still very pleased so far!!

EOY testing in all grade levels is ongoing.  K-2 has started VALLSS testing and all grade levels will be completing other state and county measures to assess progress.  Please make sure you try to schedule trips and appointments around the school day through the end of the year.  Thank you!

Our last 3 hour early closing is on Monday!!  Please use the Google link or QR code below to indicate your child's intentions for that day!  I do appreciate all of your patience and support throughout the year in assisting us with accounting for all children!

I am happy to announce that we will have a "New Principal's Coffee" on May 21st from 9:15-10:15 in the cafeteria.  Please feel free to drop by and meet with our new principal, Ms. Maura Donahue.  Ms. Donahue will also look at more dates to provide opportunities for "Meet & Greet" and "Q&A" sessions.  I'll keep you updated as I soon as I found out when she may be available!

We have some new information below from our Family Liaison as well as a parent night flyer for rising 7th grade parents.  A note about a viral Tik Tok challenge is included as well as updated information from our Superintendent about the budget and boundary review process!  Please let me know if you have any questions!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Mark Bibbee

Principal

Cherry Run ES

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Important Dates:

May 12 - 3 Hr Early Closing - Dismissal at 1:05

May 20 - Monthly PTA Meeting - 7:30-8:30 - Cafeteria & Online

May 21 - New Principal Coffee - 9:15-10:15 - Cafeteria

May 26 - Memorial Day - No Students - School is CLOSED

June 10 - 6th Grade Promotion - 9:30 am in the Gym

June 11 - Last Day of School - 2hr Early Closing - 2:05 dismissal

May 12 Early Closing!

May

 

May 12 is our last early closing for the year!  Please click the QR code above or you can go directly to the survey using the link below.  I appreciate your consistent support (and patience) as we work to ensure the safety of every student at Cherry Run by accounting for their whereabouts!

LINK: https://forms.gle/dHG8jf3ZVKN8wzpT8

Rising 7th Grade Families

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Family Liaison Corner

All Families

  • Families are invited to the FCPS Summer Extravaganza on Saturday, May 10, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., at Woodson High School. Attendees will be able to:
    • Engage in educational and enrichment activities designed to inspire curiosity and growth
    • Learn about summer programs for children and resources from community and business partners
    • Enjoy face painting, touring a fire truck, student performances, and other fun activities.
    • The event is free.
  • Explore DC with kid friendly activities this spring.

Military Families

Are you PCS’ing this summer? Pack your patience. Changes in moving contracts could affect your move this summer. For more information or prepare for your move, check out GHC Update &  Military One Source Prepare to Move.

If you are moving this summer and assistance with school transition for your student, please contact CRES Family Liaison Stacy Huisman at dshuisma@fcps.edu

New Principal Coffee

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Please join us on Wednesday, May 21st, from 9:15 - 10:15 in the cafeteria for a "Meet and Greet" with our new principal!!  Ms. Maura Donahue will be available to share a little bit about herself, her vision for our school and community, and will seek input from families about the school, its traditions, and what is important to you moving forward.  We hope to see you there!

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Concerning Tik Tok Challenge

Dear Cherry Run Families,

FCPS is aware of a recent TikTok trend that challenges students to physically damage their school-issued laptops. This “Chromebook Challenge” encourages students to purposefully cause their devices to short out or catch fire by jamming metal/lead into the charging or USB port or stabbing the battery. Students might think that this behavior is a harmless joke or prank, but it’s dangerous and we are asking for your help in preventing it here in FCPS.

Please speak to your students about the consequences of this TikTok challenge, which include:

  • Fire, injury, and damage to FCPS property.
  • Lost access to schoolwork and online resources.
  • Disciplinary measures as outlined in our Student Rights and Responsibilities handbook. 

Please also note that families may be responsible for the repair or replacement costs for student-issued devices that are deliberately damaged. 

I appreciate your partnership in keeping our students and school safe, and I’m looking forward to a strong finish to the school year here at Cherry Run. Please reach out to me if you have any questions.

Sincerely, 

Mark Bibbee

Comprehensive Boundary Review

  • Phase 2 Community Boundary Review Meetings

Families, staff, and community members will soon be able to explore and visualize potential boundary scenarios using a customized Boundary Explorer Tool. The tool will be accessible from the FCPS website. You are also invited to participate in another series of community meetings in order to review and reflect on the initial draft scenarios before the start of summer break.

Each meeting will be hybrid, meaning that you may attend in person or via Zoom. Childcare for in-person participants and language interpretation/translation for all participants will be available as needed. Registration links will be shared soon. Another round of community meetings will be held in the fall.

Visit FCPS’ Comprehensive Boundary Review page for more information. 

  • Fase 2. Reuniones Comunitarias sobre Límites Escolares

Las familias, todo el personal y los miembros de la comunidad pronto podrán observar los escenarios potenciales de límites de zonas escolares usando una herramienta de “Boundary Explorer” personalizable. La misma estará disponible en nuestra página web.

Le invitamos a participar en una nueva serie de reuniones comunitarias para que revise y estudie los escenarios iniciales que han sido esbozados, antes de las vacaciones de verano. Se realizará otra ronda de reuniones comunitarias en otoño.

Todas las reuniones serán híbridas, lo que significa que puede asistir en persona o vía Zoom. Servicios de guardería y de traducción estarán disponibles para los participantes en persona que los necesiten. El link para registrarse será enviado prontamente.

Visite nuestra página “Comprehensive Boundary Review” para que encuentre más información.

Budget Update - Public Hearings

    • FCPS Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Public HearingThe School Board will hold a public hearing on final budget adjustments on Tuesday, May 13, at 6 p.m. Sign up to speak by Monday, May 12, at 4:30 p.m.
  • Audiencia Pública sobre el Presupuesto para el Año Fiscal 2026La Junta Escolar realizará una audiencia pública acerca de los ajustes finales hechos al presupuesto el martes 13 de mayo, a las 6 p.m. Regístrese antes de las 4:30 p.m. del 12 de mayo para hablar en esta audiencia.

 

SOL Testing Schedule

SOL

 

SOL testing will be taking place in the month of May this year for students in grades 3-6. The SOL assessments are content assessments that measure a student's growth in Reading, Mathematics, and Science (5th grade only). These tests will be conducted during the dates listed in the table above. Please mark your calendar - it is important that your child attend school on the dates designated for them to test. Please ensure your child gets plenty of rest the night prior.

2025-2026 Placement Feedback

Student Placements for 2025-2026

While it is still early to be thinking ahead to next year, we want to give you an opportunity to provide information about class placements for the 2025-26 school-year ahead of time.  The staff at Cherry Run works hard to place students in an optimal learning situation each year.  If you would like to share some information that would help us make those decisions, please send your comments via email to me: mebibbee@fcps.edu, by May 15.  Please do not list teacher names.   Rather, describe the learning environment in which your child learns best. These emails will be for my eyes only, so please feel free to share anything about your child you'd like me to know.  Thank you.

Bus Late? Here Comes the Bus!

 

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