SARATOGA CONNECTION
September 3, 2026
Principals’ Corner
Can you believe we’re already at the end of week two? Time is flying and our hallways are filled with incredible energy! At Saratoga, we deeply value student attendance from the very first day of school to the very last day and we love celebrating our progress together.
Today, we hosted a surprise attendance celebration during lunch! To recognize our students for showing up and putting in the effort, every student was treated to a popsicle or ice cream treat. Consistent daily attendance does so much more than fill a seat—routinely coming to school helps students build strong relationships, keeps them on grade level, and significantly increases their likelihood of graduating on time.
Alongside our focus on attendance, our teachers have continued to emphasize what our Saratoga expectations—being safe, caring, and a community—look like in all of our learning spaces. With these positive routines and expectations firmly in place, classrooms have officially started to dig deep into rich, engaging instruction.
Saratoga is excited to welcome Ms. Geneva to team Saratoga as our new dining assistant! She is supporting students in what our Saratoga expectations—being safe, caring, and a community—look like in the cafeteria. Students gave her a warm welcome on Tuesday.
We have truly enjoyed having the building full of students learning and making new friends. We will certainly miss them over the long weekend, but we hope your families enjoy the extra time together. We look forward to seeing everyone back in school on Tuesday!
Be the Change,
Abby Ragan Abby Lower Jordan Perry
Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal
Help Keep Morning Drop-Off Safe & Smooth for Our Saratoga Students!
To ensure a safe and efficient arrival every morning, please follow our designated drop-off procedures:
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Kiss & Ride Drivers: Always utilize the official Kiss & Ride line for vehicle drop-offs.
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Walkers: Please drop off walking students directly at Door 1.
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Bus Loop Restrictions: Never drop students off near the bus loop exit or execute U-turns in this area. U-turns create serious safety risks for arriving children and significantly delay traffic.
Thank you for your partnership in keeping our Saratoga community safe every morning!
Boundary Study Community Meeting on September 14
Fairfax County Public Schools is moving into the second phase of the boundary study for Rolling Valley Elementary School student planning area (SPA) 8922 middle and high school feeders, and Keene Mill Elementary School attendance island and surrounding schools (e.g., Cardinal Forest and White Oaks elementary schools).
Families are invited to attend a community meeting to learn about the revised draft scenarios on Monday, September 14, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., at Cardinal Forest Elementary School. You may register to attend by clicking in person or virtual, based on your preference.
As a reminder, the revised draft scenarios will focus on addressing over capacity at Cardinal Forest, the Keene Mill attendance island, and the elementary school assignment only for SPA 8922.
Visit the FCPS website for more information about the Rolling Valley Elementary School Middle and High School Feeders, and Keene Mill Elementary School Attendance Island and Surrounding Schools Boundary Study.
Student ID Cards for Saratoga Bus Riders
We began distributing student ID cards to all our students who ride the school bus or use FCPS transportation services. If your child is a bus rider and has not yet received their student id, please contact the Saratoga main office.
ID cards should be worn or attached to your child’s backpack and brought to the bus each day.
Students who have student ID cards should begin tapping as they board and exit the bus. Only students who use FCPS transportation services will be provided with a student ID card at this time.
We ask for your patience! Bus drivers are checking in students and may need some extra time at each bus stop while they do this. The transportation team is working hard to minimize any potential delays.
Learn more about the bus navigation and student ID cards.
Advanced Academic Programs
Fairfax County Public Schools is committed to challenging all students through talent development and differentiated instruction. A continuum of Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) services is available to students in Grades K to 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:
- Fall identification: Students in grades 3 to 7 who have enrolled in FCPS since January may be referred by October 15.
- Spring identification: Any FCPS student in Grades 2 to 7 may be referred by December 15.
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 Test (NGAT).
- Students in Grades 3 to 6 who do not have a multi-domain ability test score take the NGAT.
- Students in Grades 3 to 6 may retake an ability test one time. Families may request the ability test retake by contacting Debbie Tannenabaum, school testing coordinator, at dltannenbaum@fcps.edu by September 30.
Families are invited to attend two AAP information meetings led by Carrie Cleary, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART):
- AAP Continuum of Services: October 1 at 5:00 p.m. in the cafeteria. Families will learn about the continuum of advanced academic services available to FCPS students.
- Full-Time AAP Identification: October 1 at 5:45 p.m. in the cafeteria. Families will learn about the referral and identification processes for Full-Time AAP services.
For more information, please contact Carrie Cleary, AART, at ccleary@fcps.edu or visit the FCPS Advanced Academic Programs webpage.
Everything You Need to Do in SIS ParentVUE
Are you working your way through back-to-school forms and checklists? Make sure you have a SIS ParentVUE account for your family and log in to find important forms and updates.
- Be among the first to know about weather closings, bus delays, and other critical communications from your school and FCPS by providing your cell phone number and email in ParentVUE. To update your contact information in ParentVUE, click the “Online Packets” tab in the upper right of the screen, then click the “Online Verification/Update” icon.
- Submit daylong absences by clicking “Report Absence.”
If you do not have a ParentVUE account, contact your child’s school for an activation code and follow the directions on the SIS ParentVUE Account webpage.
Remember to Complete Permission Forms for School Resources
Families can now easily grant consent 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 login. Parents can easily opt their child in or out of a variety of resources, including online educational tools, school counseling services, and more.
Visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. Watch this video to see how to use the tool.
Opt In or Out to Student Devices Being Sent Home for Grades 1-6
New this year, families can opt out of having student laptops sent home with their student.
- If you do not want your student to bring their FCPS-issued device home, please toggle the Opt Out button to a check mark and confirm by pressing Save Selection.
- If you would like your student to bring their FCPS device home, no toggle action is needed. Confirm by pressing Save Selection.
Students whose families opt out will continue to have access to an FCPS-issued device during the school day. Please reach out to your student’s teacher to understand expectations for homework and any learning activities that may require access to technology outside of the school day.
Transportation Patience and Safety
Thank you for your patience as we all get used to new routines this school year. We appreciate our families following Kiss and Ride procedures and being patient while waiting for your child’s bus.
If your child’s bus is delayed, you may access the Bus Delay Notification System or use the Here Comes the Bus mobile app to receive the delayed bus report. Email messages will be sent to announce significant bus delays. Please contact the Transportation Office at 703-446-2150 with any additional questions. For concerns after 5:30 p.m., contact the FCPS Office of Safety and Security at 571-423-2000.
Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE to make sure you receive email messages about bus delays.
Reminders
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September 9: Back to School Night
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September 17: Picture Day
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