The Sunshine Scoop
Dear Louise Archer Families,
We hope everyone is settling nicely into the school routine! We had an exciting morning that kicked off with Madison High School students welcoming our students to school today. Madison's first home football game is tonight, but the County Fair event was moved to September 18th. More on that below. As we head into the long weekend, here are a few quick reminders for the coming days:
There will be no school on Friday, September 4th and Monday, September 7th, in observance of Labor Day. We hope you enjoy a wonderful, restful long weekend with your family! Students will return to class on Tuesday, September 8th.
Don't forget to mark your calendars for Back to School Night on Wednesday, September 9, 2026! This adults-only event is a great opportunity to connect directly with your child’s teacher and learn more about what to expect this year. We look forward to seeing you there! Look out for more specific details coming your way soon.
Thank you as always for your support and partnership—we are excited to keep S.H.I.N.E.-ing together this year!
Sincerely,
Liz Noto, Principal
Tory Swanson, Assistant Principal
Back to School Night is coming soon: September 9th! We will host two identical sessions for this event.
- 6:00 - 6:35 - K-6 (Session 1)
- 6:45 - 7:15 pm - K-6 (Session 2)
Specialists, Specials Teachers, and other guests will be available from 6:00-7:15p in the cafeteria. We encourage you to allow yourself a little time to stop by and explore the cafeteria.
Each classroom will present the same information in Sessions 1 and 2, so you can choose which one is most convenient for you to attend. We will provide you a copy of the presentation slides if you are unable to attend on this evening.
Sessions will be held in your child's classroom. This is an adults-only event. If you need an interpreter for this event, please reach out to our Family Liaison, Maria Rodriguez at mrrodriguez4@fcps.edu
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Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is committed to challenging all students through talent development and differentiated instruction. A continuum of Advanced Academic Program (AAP) services is available to students in Grades K-12 and is designed to match services to each student’s unique academic needs.
Identification for Subject-Specific and Part-Time AAP services occurs throughout the school year. Full-Time AAP services have two identification cycles:
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Fall identification: Students in grades 3-7 who have enrolled in FCPS since January may be referred by October 15, 2026.
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Spring identification: Any FCPS student in Grades 2-7 may be referred by December 15, 2026.
FCPS uses ability testing as one consideration in the holistic identification process for AAP services.
- All students in Grade 2 take the Naglieri General Ability Tests (NGAT).
- Students in Grades 3-6 who do not have a multi-domain ability test score take the NGAT.
- Students in Grades 3-6 may retake an ability test one time. Families may request the ability test retake by contacting Tory Swanson, Assistant Principal & School Testing Coordinator, at vmswanson@fcps.edu by September 30.
Families are invited to attend an AAP information meeting and/or office hours, led by Tera Crenshaw, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART):
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AAP Continuum of Services & Full-Time AAP Identification: September 25, 2026 at 9:30AM. Virtual via this Zoom link or in-person in the cafeteria. Families will learn about the continuum of advanced academic services available to FCPS students and the referral and identification processes for Full-Time AAP services.
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AAP Office Hours: Tuesday, November 10 at 5:30PM via this Zoom link. Do you have questions about AAP services, screening, and the referral process? Join our AART for virtual office hours.
For more information, please contact Tera Crenshaw, AART, at tecrenshaw@fcps.edu or visit the FCPS Advanced Academic Programs website.
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Help Keep Our School Distraction-Free
Please remind your student that personal electronic communication or computing devices should be off and personally stored (i.e. backpacks) for the duration of the school day — bell to bell. This includes:
- Personal laptops and tablets.
- Smartphones and smartwatches.
- Other personal electronic communication or computing devices.
If you need to reach your student during the school day, please call our main office at 703-937-6200. Learn more about the FCPS Cellphone Policy and Device Policy.
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There is a 3-hour early release dismissal confirmation form buried deep in ParentVUE. To make it easier for you to provide us with information about your child’s 3-hour early release dismissal plan, please complete our Google Form as soon as possible. We'll handle the rest!
Early Release Wednesdays are September 30, November 18, January 13, and April 7. Families will receive a reminder one week before each early release to confirm dismissal plans. Due to student safety, changes will not be accepted on the day of early release. Thank you!
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Are you interested in volunteering at Louise Archer Elementary School? Whether you have a few hours or more, your time and talents can support our students' educational experiences. Opportunities range from mentoring to assisting with school events and activities. Become a part of our vibrant community and help shape the future by volunteering at Louise Archer Elementary School!
Follow this link to the FCPS Volunteer page for more information and the sign-up link! Volunteers who completed this process for the 2025-26 school year do not have to reapply.
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 The County Fair event at Madison High School scheduled for Thursday, September 3rd has been postponed until Friday, September 18, 2026. Please mark your calendar for the new date. This change was made in response to the predicted heat. We can't wait to see you on the 18th for this fun and family-friendly event!
In Case You Missed It:
- Families can now easily grant permission for their children to access a variety of school resources through the Parent Digital Consent system. This online tool can be accessed using your SIS ParentVUE account and parents can easily opt in or opt out their child from a variety of resources including online educational tools, school counseling services, tutoring services, and how student information is managed. Visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. If you do not have a SIS ParentVUE account, contact the school for an activation code and follow the directions on the SIS ParentVUE Account webpage.
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Join the PTA! Memberships are good for one school year. Go to: https://louisearcherpta.givebacks.com/shop
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As we roll out the new bus card system for the 2026-27 school year, we will temporarily be unable to accommodate afternoon bus pass requests. This pause will allow us to ensure the new card system is working smoothly before adding temporary bus changes. Once the bus card system is fully underway, we will send a community message letting families know we can begin accepting afternoon bus pass requests. Please keep in mind afternoon bus change requests are due TWO SCHOOL DAYS prior to the change and are emailed to LAESBusPass@fcps.edu
Upcoming Calendar Dates
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September 4-6: School Closed for Labor Day
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September 9: Back to School Night (6:00-7:15p - parents/guardians only)
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September 18: County Fair at Madison High School (5:00-7:00p)
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September 21: School Closed for Yom Kippur
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September 30: Early Release Wednesday
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