Weekly update for May 9, 2025

Dear CES friends and families,

We are so proud of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students who completed their Reading SOL Tests this week! We are also proud of the support provided by ALL CES students and staff in the building in helping these students perform their very best.

Next week, the same grade levels will take their Math SOL tests. Good luck to all!

As a friendly reminder, we will have our final 3-hour Early Release day, this coming Monday, on May 12th. Dismissal will be at 1:05pm and each enrolling parent should have already received an email confirming your students' dismissal procedure. Please let me know what questions you may have.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Take care,

Mike Astudillo

Proud Principal

Columbia Elementary School

PTA News & Notes

PTA Needs You!

Our PTA supports students, community and our wonderful school. Come join the team! There are three open positions on the PTA Board; president, vice president of fundraising and treasurer. Self-nominations must be emailed to columbiapta@gmail.com by May 21, 2025.

Save the Date – Field Day

Please save Friday, June 6^th for field day. We need volunteers to make this fun annual event happen for our kids. Please sign up HERE and help us make field day the best one yet!

Online Spirit wear Store is Live

Students, family and staff can now order spirit wear all year long. You can click HERE to order your gear.

Partnership with Papa Johns

We are excited to announce a new partnership with Papa Johns in Annandale. You can now order pizza ANY THURSDAY from 11AM – 11PM for delivery or carryout (carryout until 10 PM). Families will receive 40 percent off their entire order and 10 percent of their order goes to the PTA. This opportunity will last until the end of the school year. Online code “CES4010” - this code will also be accepted by phone in case of issues with the website.

Upcoming

Field day (6/6)

Yearbooks on sale now!

We are excited to begin sales for the 2024-2025 CES Yearbook! Yearbooks can be purchased online using your My School Bucks account. As you do for other school payments, please go to http://www.myschoolbucks.com and log in to purchase your yearbook.

Please email Ms. Chapman or Ms. Hiltabidle with any questions you may have about this year's yearbook.

Order your 24-25 CES Yearbook today!

This Coming Monday is a 3 Hour Early Release!

Monday, May 12th, is a 3-hour early release day. You should have received an email confirming your preference for having your student dismiss at 1:05pm or 4:05pm. Please call the main office with any questions you may have about the 3-hour early dismissal for the Monday afternoon or email Ms. Hestmark at skhestmark@fcps.edu.

Specials Spotlight

Art with Mrs. McKenna

What a productive year we’ve had in Art class! I hope you are enjoying the projects that are being sent home and your students have been displaying them with pride. As we head into the end of the school year, our artists have been busy exploring lots of new media!

Kindergarteners have been learning about textiles and weaving and thinking about what they want to be when they grow up.
1^st graders have been exploring architecture and printmaking and are beginning a stitchery project. We need parent volunteers to assist with stitchery- email Mrs. McKenna if interested (mbmckenna@fcps.edu).
In 2^nd grade students printed an animal in its habitat and are starting a project combining architecture and stitchery. We need parent volunteers to assist with stitchery- email Mrs. McKenna if interested (mbmckenna@fcps.edu).
Our 3^rd graders used yarn to create a weaving inspired by a natural resource and are working on creating a functional animal sculpture out of clay.
4^th graders have wrapped up our Virginia landscape paintings and will be designing buildings for the future as we learn about architecture from the past and present.
In 5^thgrade students are creating a chalk drawing inspired by a childhood memory and the style of artist, Marc Chagall. We are also reviewing the digital portfolios we’ve been creating all year in preparation for our POG Presentations of Learning at the end of May.

Thank you, families, for all the support you have provided this year! I appreciate the many parents who have come in to volunteer and everyone who purchased items from our Art to Remember fundraiser this spring. Your children’s creativity never ceases to amaze me!

Specials Spotlight

Library with Ms. Papas

Book Madness continues in the library, with the semi-final rounds continuing this week, with No Cats in the Library having already advanced to the finals. Will it be joined in the finals by Luigi, the Spider who Wanted to be a Kitten? or Dog vs. Strawberry? Stay tuned!

During the 4th quarter, kindergarteners have been exploring the topic of change in books, noticing how characters can change depending on what happens to them in the story. This listening helps them build stamina for attending throughout the school.

First graders are using their new understanding of the Dewey Decimal system to explore areas of the non-fiction collection including poetry, animals and transportation. They are practicing “Book Tasting” as a way to select a book.

Second graders will be using the library during the 4th quarter as a place to answer questions as they begin research for a science unit. They are also using Book Tasting skills to evaluate a book for their research.

Poetry is the focus for third grade this quarter in the library. They are creating their own poems after hearing different styles of poetry.

Fourth graders are exploring primary and secondary sources this quarter, as they examine changes that occur over time.

Fifth graders will be reviewing the library and inquiry skills they have learned which they will use in middle school.

Save the date! The CES Spring Book Fair will be held June 2-6. Students will have the opportunity to shop and purchase books with their classes during the week. Please consider volunteering to support the Book Fair, sign ups will begin next week!