Preschool Penguins are back in the building and ready to learn! Congratulations on an amazing first day!

FCPS will be having an electric bus demonstration on December 1st, hosted by BLUE BIRD, ABM, and VIRGINIA CLEAN CITIES. The community is invited to attend a presentation at Walker-Grant Center at 9am. This is a great opportunity to see the benefits of bus fleet electrification. If you plan to attend, please RSVP HERE so we can get an accurate headcount. Thank you!

Preschool Programs' Health and Family Engagement Coordinator attended the National Family Engagement Summit. They saw the idea for a family photo day and we immediately got to planning how to tie it into our Thanksgiving event in Preschool Programs so parents could have an opportunity to take a free family photo. We had over 200 people sign up for a time slot throughout the day that worked for them and other families did walk ins. The joy and happiness felt today was contagious and we are so excited to be able to offer this to the families of Preschool Programs!

 

Fun was had by all our students at the preschool parade on Friday, October 29. Students marched around the halls of the Walker-Grant center and got lots of goodies from our various departments. 

Everyone Got a BOOK!  Hollis Cobbs, founder and operator of the Bookmobile Fredericksburg, visited our FCPS preschoolers today.  The preschoolers had the chance to look through boxes of donated books and to choose one to take home and share with their family.  Mr. Cobbs is a college student at UMW.  His dream for the Bookmobile came out of his love for reading . By restoring an old ambulance and traveling around the city, he is able to share books with readers of all ages for FREE! 

Happy Fire Safety Week! FCPS Preschool Programs had a fun and informative week! The students enjoyed learning about fire safety and did awesome during their fire drill.

FCPS Preschool Programs Supervisor Laura Dove got a wonderful surprise when some of the preschool students gave her some sunflowers that were grown in the school garden!

 

Albert Einstein said, “Play is the highest form of research.” The FCPS Preschool Program’s outside classroom is definitely a research center! Teamwork is needed on the construction site to decide how to build with the “big and heavy” blocks. Predictions are being made to what happens at the bottom of the “luge” when water is poured into it. Work and play are our future!

 

 

Hello to all wonderful parents in preschool. We were so glad to see you for our Orientation, and all your lovely students as well. We look forward to a fantastic year in preschool, and hope you enjoy some highlight photos of orientation below. 

PRE SCHOOL:

Current & Previous Preschool Families

Do you have another child age eligible?

Age 3 or 4 by September 30, 2021

 

If yes, bring in the following updated documents:

 

*Birth Verification: birth certificate, hospital letter, passport

*Income Verification: two most recent pay stubs, W2/tax return, TANF, SSI

*Address Verification: utility bill, mortgage/lease agreement

 

If a NEW family, please apply to

https://wgeclc.fxbgschools.us/head-start/application

and upload the above documents.

 

210 Ferdinand St, Suite #3, Fredericksburg, VA 22401 (540)372-1065

 

Accepting documents/applications for the 2021-2022 school year.

 

HEAD START:

Current & Previous Head Start families 

Do you have another child age eligible for Head Start?

Age 4 by September 30, 2021

 

If yes, bring in the following updated documents:

 

*Birth Verification: birth certificate, hospital letter, passport

*Income Verification: two most recent pay stubs, W2/tax return, TANF, SSI

*Address Verification: utility bill, mortgage/lease agreement

 

If a NEW family, please apply to

https://wgeclc.fxbgschools.us/head-start/application

and upload the above documents.

 

9100 St. Anthony’s Rd. King George VA, 22485 (540) 372-1065

 

Accepting documents/applications for the 2021-2022 school year.

This Saturday, June 12^th, the Fredericksburg City Pharmacy will be offering COVID Vaccinations at JMHS from 9am to 4pm.  They are mainly offering the Pfizer Vaccine in an effort to focus on the 12-16 year old ages but will have a supply of Moderna available as well.  If this will be your first shot, they will schedule your second shot before you leave the site on Saturday. 

Here is the link to register: https://app.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22688110&fbclid=IwAR0LTVXy76TOx-4cyo43iWhus4xHzzSwto8EragfT6By68vz38gLq_67vxQ

We encourage you to consider having your student vaccinated.  James Monroe High School will host a vaccination clinic this Saturday, May 22.   Here is the link for the COVID-19 vaccine clinic this Saturday at JMHS. Families should select the option for Saturday COVID-19 vaccine clinic and schedule for this Saturday, 5/22.

https://app.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22688110&fbclid=IwAR1f53qSrRrGS7M66RTz4dJQBPqf01dPA9KbnzxSDJizVToCwNiIHXE-3ys

Additionally, There are about 100 appointments available for an RAHD Pfizer clinic tomorrow at the Family Life Center (400 Bragg Hill Drive Fredericksburg, VA 22401).   Here is the link  https://vaccineappointments.virginia.gov/appointment/en/reg/1560028913

We plan to host a second clinic at Walker-Grant Middle School on June 5.  More information will follow.

This summer guide offers ideas for local children’s and family activities, events and places to go that are good picks for preschool age children.  There is also a helpful resource guide for families. 

Link to Guide

Link to Press Release

Fredericksburg City Public Schools (FCPS) announced plans at the April School Board meeting that it will be expanding opportunities to return students to four days of in-person learning for identified Pre K-12 students. 

Based on updated guidance, FCPS students who are currently participating in the hybrid learning model may choose to return to school four days a week at three-foot spacing with continued face-covering requirements.  This option is being implemented following a staggered schedule in order to allow each school time to prepare classes and make the necessary adjustments for safety such as changing room assignments and adding furniture. 

James Monroe High School hybrid students may start reporting to school four days a week this week, Thursday April 15. 

Lafayette hybrid students may begin returning to school four days a week next week on Monday, April 19. 

Walker-Grant hybrid students may begin attending school four days-a-week on Monday, April 26, and Hugh Mercer hybrid students may choose to begin their four day-a-week return on Monday, May3. 

Please note that hybrid students are not required to return to school four days-a-week.  They may continue two days synchronous, off-site and two days in-person, at school. 

Also, all students will continue to participate in asynchronous instruction on Wednesdays for the remainder of the school year in order for distance-learning students to complete state assessments by appointment on Wednesdays.    

The safety guidance for bus transport of students has not changed, and it has drastically reduced the number of students that can be transported on school buses each day.  Although we are excited to increase face-to-face instructional time and frequency for hybrid students, we do not have enough buses to transport all hybrid students to school each day in a timely manner while following current safety protocols.  Therefore, we are asking for community support with transportation.  Any family who can provide transportation for their hybrid students on their child’s “off zone” days are asked to do so.  Please contact your child’s school for drop-off and pick-up times if you are unsure. 

Hybrid students who wish to return to school four days-a-week but are unable to provide their own transportation are asked to contact their child’s teacher.  We will be able to provide transportation to some students who can not get to school without bus transport.  However, we can not provide transportation to all students on their “off zone” days.  It is important to note that it may take a few weeks to get those bus routes up and running because “off zone” routes will be different than the normal routes.  Therefore, please contact your child’s teacher as soon as possible if you wish for your hybrid student to return to school four days a week but need transportation assistance to do so.   

We appreciate the community’s support in assisting us with the safe transport of their students whenever possible.   

Zones	Normal In Person Days	Asynchronous Days	"Off Zone" Days*
A & B	Monday & Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday & Friday
C & D	Thursday & Friday	Wednesday	Monday & Tuesday

* Hybrid students may return for in-person instruction or remain distance on these days.

Hugh Mercer's Kinder Camp is designed to help pre-kindergarten students prepare for their upcoming kindergarten year. Kinder Camp is filled with a variety of fun learning experiences. Breakfast, Snack, and Lunch-To-Go, as well as transportation, will be provided. Kinder Camp is also free! Our pre-K students will discover how much fun it is to be a kindergarten at Hugh Mercer Elementary School! Activities include art, music, math and literacy, and library. 

Kinder Camp registration forms are available at The Walker-Grant Center/School Board office (210 Ferdinand Street). Kinder Camp Registrar: Mrs. Camm Taylor (540) 372-1130.

Parents of per-K students must have completed all registration requirements for kindergarten enrollment for the 2021 - 2022 school year at Hugh Mercer Elementary School before registering for Kinder Camp.

Questions? Contact Assistant Principal, Mrs. Kisha Frye (540) 372-1115 or kfrye@cityschools.com

Kinder Camp Registration Form

Superintendent's Memo #077-21