Willow Springs School News, 1/23/26: GLOW Party, SOL Calendar, Winter Weather & more!

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Join us for a GLOW PARTY on Friday, January 23rd right here at WSES!

Glow Party TONIGHT!!

All students and families are invited to a Glow Party TONIGHT, Friday, January 23rd from 6:30 to 8:30 PM in the WSES Gym. This is a FREE event and there will be a DJ, lots of dancing, limbo, glow games, face painting, pizza, concessions, and a dance off. There will also be a cool-down area in another room for anyone who needs a break from the all the activity.

Wear white or neon colors and let's have a blast together burning off some of our extra winter energy!

Parents, this is not a drop off event. You must accompany your child.

Our band and strings concert was a huge success.

Band & Strings Concert

We are so proud of our band and strings students who put on a wonderful winter concert showcasing how much they have grown as musicians this year.

Run Fit Kidz

The Willow Springs PTA is proud to offer RunFit Kidz this spring. RFK is unlike any other running program as the professional coaches understand the unique needs of young runners. RFK believes an early foundation of fitness will lead to a lifetime of healthy habits.

Registration opens on Monday, February 16 at 8 AM! This club is for students in grades 1-6. Registration fee is $129 per participant.

Classes will be held before or after school on Wednesdays beginning in March.

For more information, see the attached flier or visit

http://www.prtrainingprograms.com/runfit-kidz/

Outstanding Employee Awards:

Support Our Staff with Your Input

It fills us with great pride and gratitude to say that 33 of our staff members were nominated for an FCPS Outstanding Employee Award! We had a total of 56 nominations submitted and several staff members were nominated multiple times. Nominators included parents, students, and fellow staff members.

After a rigorous process, the finalists in each category were selected as our school winners. Those winners will go on for consideration in the Fairfax Pyramid selection process. In order to move forward, we must submit nomination packets for each of these employees:

1. Outstanding Teacher - Mrs. Bay, 3rd Grade AAP

2. Outstanding New Teacher - Ms. Sarah Kim, Special Education Teacher

3. Outstanding Operational Employee - Mrs. Renata Claudio, Office Assistant

4. Outstanding Leader - Ms. Laura Tapper, Assistant Principal

Mrs. Bay's nomination packet has already been submitted.

Now, we ask for YOUR help putting gathering information for the remaining nomination packets which are due by COB on Friday, January 30th. If you are interested in providing supporting statements and stories for one of the nomination packets, please use this Google form to submit your information no later than close of business (COB) on 1/30/26.

Thank you!!

Prepare for Winter Weather

Winter weather will be here before you know it! Watch this video to see how weather closing decisions are made at FCPS.

FCPS’ website is generally the first place to find out about emergency weather closings. Other communication channels will be used as quickly as possible, including email, text, social media, the new FCPS mobile app, and news stations. Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated.

Be sure to plan for the winter season. Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, bookmark the FCPS website, and arrange emergency child care if needed.

⛄ Keep Your Child Warm During Outdoor Activities

We will monitor the weather for low temperatures, wind chill advisories and warnings, and weather advisories that may prevent children from being outside. Make sure your child is dressed appropriately with a warm coat and other cold-weather clothing, so they can comfortably enjoy their time outdoors. View the National Weather Service’s tips on staying safe during cold weather.

If you need assistance getting cold-weather clothing for your family, please call Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) at 703-222-0880. Their multilingual staff can assist with any challenges you are facing, including food, shelter, employment, financial assistance, and health.

Winter Resources for Families

A list of resources has been compiled for students and families in case they or someone they know needs assistance while schools are closed for winter weather. Please visit FCPS’ winter resources page for information on academic support, mental health support, and county resources related to food, clothing, housing, and other needs.

We are thrilled to announce the return of our Willow World Festival!

Before 2020, this was an amazing community event that celebrated the rich cultural diversity of our school! Right now, we want you to save the date, and we will be sending more information very soon. We are trying to get a committee together to help bring Sra. Keener and Mrs. Wood's vision for this event to life!

If you would like join the planning committee, please email both staff members: Sarah Wood at slwood@fcps.edu and Gabi Keener at gkeener@fcps.edu. Thank you so much!

More News and Updates on-the-Go with the FCPS App

Gone are the days of digging through emails or hunting for bookmarks. The FCPS app provides a custom experience that is both powerful and easy to use. Here’s how it makes life easier:

Customized for Your Family: Do you have students at two (or more!) schools? You can "follow" multiple schools to get a feed of news, notices, and events.
No Sign-In Required: Access essential content like district-wide announcements, live updates, and school calendars instantly. There’s no password to remember, and no login is required.
Real-Time Notifications: Get push notifications for urgent updates including weather announcements.
Everything in One Place: From bell schedules and staff directories to athletic event locations and school menus, the app is a central hub for all things FCPS.

To ensure every family stays informed, the app supports automatic translation for more than 100 languages. Learn more about the app or download it today from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Spring 2026 SOL Testing Calendar

Students in grades 3, 4, 5, ad 6 will take the Standards of Learning Tests in May. You can see Willow Springs' SOL Testing Calendar HERE.